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New iPad Air and iPad Mini

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Re: New iPad Air and iPad Mini

#111

Post by rhinoceraptor »

addicted wrote: post #9
crazygringo wrote: post #4

So happy the Mini didn't get discontinued as nearly everyone was assuming, with zero updates in three and a half years . Interesting it still seems visually identical to the last one. So while iPhones change their "look" to be recognizably new as a status symbol (e.g. the notch), nobody seems to care about that with their iPad. (I mean, I certainly don't.)

I can’t imagine using the iPad without the bezels. With a phone you grip the phone by its back, so you can go bezelless without impacting visibility and causing too many phantom screen taps. With a tablet, however, you will usually grip it by its sides. Having the bezels is almost a necessity here.

I have the 11" ipad pro with the small bezels, and it's not really an issue for me. It's a very light device (at least when the keyboard/folio is not attached), and the touch rejection is good enough that you can use it even with your thumb on the screen.

Re: New iPad Air and iPad Mini

#112

Post by electriclove »

drewg123 wrote: post #68

Why did they keep the lightning connector? The Pro uses a USB-C. I wonder why they stuck with lightning for these models? I'm an Android guy, fed up with the clunky experience on Android / Amazon tablets, and thinking of making the switch & getting an air, mainly for media consumption during business travel. The last thing I want is a unique-to-me charging adapter that I'm sure I'm going to leave in a hotel or on a p…

Exactly! Why announce brand new products with Lightning connectors rather than USB-C (when the flagship in the category, the iPad Pro, already made the switch)? And same with the Pencil gen 1 only support..

This could be a way for them to save on some manufacturing costs and also offer a 'new' iPad Air and iPad mini with USB-C and Pencil 2 support later.

Re: New iPad Air and iPad Mini

#113

Post by xhruso00 »

jackfrodo wrote: post #3

I'm 24 years old, work in software. Neither I nor any of my friends uses a tablet for work or pleasure. I guess I know a couple of people who have Surface Pro's, but that's about it. I'm wondering if the appeal of these begins when you get older? Seems like a lot of the market for these is people who are 50+, but I'd like to know if any people under 25 are interested in them.

iPad is a perfect device for my mum who doesn't know how to use computer. I would never buy any other device because of UI/UX. She uses it for browsing so there is no real need to upgrade as I keep her on old iOS due to familiarity and battery life (those who upgrade know the battery life is best when iOS isn't updated)

Re: New iPad Air and iPad Mini

#114

Post by Theodores »

hopler wrote: post #2

Steve Jobs must be rolling in his grave. 4 separate iPad lines, plus extra screen size variation? How is an "Air" variant useful? Why does the iPad Pro have a screen size choice, but the mini is a separate line? It should be iPad and iPad Pro, with screen size choices in each line.

Couldn't agree more, it is confusing to the consumer.

They should be given model and year designations like how cars had them in the 1980's. There was cachet to having a 'GL' ford instead of a base 'L' model and you didn't have to know the engine size. The model year and the badge enabled you to know what you needed to know. Nobody 'needed' anything better than the 'L' model to go from A to B but you had to have the 'GL' or better and didn't have to know what 'GL' stood for, all you knew was it was better.

These naming schemes changed with the times, probably because the likes of Citroen started complicating it with things like 'GLDTI16' that were getting silly.

Some sports variants just had a spoiler and speed stripes tacked on to get an extra 'S' on the badge. They still had the stock lame engine and brakes. The 'GTi' version had real performance benefits.

By this way of thinking, Apple could do a 'sports' iPad that just comes in a rugged case. People would fall for that. Same with the 'GTi' moniker, people would pay for a red line around the bezel, the black anodised body and a top yield CPU that was notionally faster.

The 'eco' model could be the lame version without the RAM and pixel density and maybe a plastic case, only saving grace being battery life. 'pro' could be the 'air' variant, the base model merely 'deluxe'.

'Max' could be the big screen variant of all the above.

I think customers could relate to the auto-analogy names and spend accordingly.

Henry Ford only ever wanted the Model T, no GM style built in obsolescence and variations beyond necessary with fancy names. He has probably been rolling in his grave for decades now.

Re: New iPad Air and iPad Mini

#115

Post by segphault »

komali2 wrote: post #32

More and more I get the sense that there is a gap in the market for a device that ticks these boxes: Ultraportable Stylus enabled Fully capable desktop operating system Ports to allow hook-up to external monitor I wanted something like this as a frequently traveling and programming, conference hand written note taking engineer. Then I notice some of the designers in my office experimenting with iPads, Pencils, and Ma…

> I just hate programming in windows and haven't touched one of these that are powerful enough to run Ubuntu in a VM in a reasonable fashion.

I have a hard time understanding where this sentiment comes from. WSL is categorically better than using Homebrew on macOS. It is basically an Ubuntu userspace with apt, running directly on the Windows kernel. Using Ubuntu in a VM seems pretty superfluous when all the useful parts are already there with fully native performance. As a longtime Linux user, I am increasingly convinced that Windows is the best desktop Linux distribution.

Re: New iPad Air and iPad Mini

#116

Post by billbrown »

dchuk wrote: post #91
crazygringo wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I got my first iPad a year ago, suspecting I wouldn't use it for anything (and I'm nowhere close to 50). Turns out I couldn't have been more wrong. It's now my primary device for: - Reading and annotating books and papers in PDF format (academic research has never been easier, I use a stylus too) - Mounting to a tripod and recording video (e.g. professional presentations, with a lapel mic connected -- again, screen s…

Out of curiosity, what do you use for PDF annotation?

I used to be a Goodreader user but I like PDF Expert better now. I'd recommend anything Readdle puts out, frankly.

Re: New iPad Air and iPad Mini

#117

Post by agrippanux »

sct202 wrote: post #77
jackfrodo wrote: post #3

I'm 24 years old, work in software. Neither I nor any of my friends uses a tablet for work or pleasure. I guess I know a couple of people who have Surface Pro's, but that's about it. I'm wondering if the appeal of these begins when you get older? Seems like a lot of the market for these is people who are 50+, but I'd like to know if any people under 25 are interested in them.

My iPad is mostly used as a remote for my Chromecast. Sometimes I'll take it traveling and load it with videos, but I haven't done that as much now that you have to take them out of your bag during the security check.

Off-topic, but look into getting TSA PreCheck. You don't have to take devices out at airports (among other nice things like shorter lines, etc). It definitely helps a lot, especially when you have kids with devices.

Re: New iPad Air and iPad Mini

#118

Post by baybal2 »

electriclove wrote: post #112
drewg123 wrote: post #68

Why did they keep the lightning connector? The Pro uses a USB-C. I wonder why they stuck with lightning for these models? I'm an Android guy, fed up with the clunky experience on Android / Amazon tablets, and thinking of making the switch & getting an air, mainly for media consumption during business travel. The last thing I want is a unique-to-me charging adapter that I'm sure I'm going to leave in a hotel or on a p…

Exactly! Why announce brand new products with Lightning connectors rather than USB-C (when the flagship in the category, the iPad Pro, already made the switch)? And same with the Pencil gen 1 only support.. This could be a way for them to save on some manufacturing costs and also offer a 'new' iPad Air and iPad mini with USB-C and Pencil 2 support later.

They needed type-c to lure in "pro" people
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