I'm surprised there was no discussion of weight. Fewer pixels and weaker GPU means the battery can get smaller, and it can get more comfortable in one hand, which is a crucial usability factor. I'm curious as to whether the weight will be competitive with the Fire or the Nexus; my guess is that the size and the glass will make it a bit heavier, but they could surprise us.
Let’s Try to Think This iPad Mini Thing All the Way Through
41–50 of 77 posts
Re: Let’s Try to Think This iPad Mini Thing All the Way Through
#42Honestly, I don't know why Apple would create an iPad mini. I have an iPad 2 and absolutely love it. There isn't another tablet I'd trade it in for (other than an iPad 3). I surely wouldn't trade it in for an iPad mini. Paul Buchheit once said: "If your product is great, it doesn't need to be good." To me, the iPad is a great product. Focus on making it better. As Steve Jobs has said: "It's what you don't do that mat…
I agree with some others here -- the iPad is great, but "great" needs to be prefaced with a descriptor of what it is great at.
eBook reading is definitely one thing it is not especially good at in many cases. For the past 2 years I've been reading ebooks, and for the past 6 months I've been using an iPad for reading ebooks, and I've found it just too cumbersome in many cases -- you essentially need 2 hands to hold it, the screen size is unnecessarily large for 99% of books I read, and it's almost too large for using on-the-go.
(Regardless of whether you read electronic books, the simple fact is that very many people prefer ebooks to physical books, myself included, and have many very reasonable reasons why. There are also many reasons why it would seem that reading eBooks is one very reasonable use for the iPad.)
What about the alternatives?
The iPhone screen I find too small for many books (ie. if they have diagrams/pictures/graphs especially).
The Kindle (and other eInk eBook readers) I've found to be a pain to navigate to take notes/highlights on and are poor at displaying diagrams/pictures/graphs.
So from my experiences, I think a 7-8 inch one could be the sweet spot as long as:
1. I can use it with one hand (e.g. it's not too large or heavy).
2. Can be used to easily take notes and highlight.
3. Performs great (can flip pages quickly). (The Kindle Fire is excluded because of this point)
Re: Let’s Try to Think This iPad Mini Thing All the Way Through
#43So according the the rumors it will probably have a screen of lesser quality than the Nexus 7, it will probably be more expensive and it will probably be heavier (because it is much bigger).
What's the point again? Ok, it's bigger but if there is any advantage of a 7 inch tablet it is the form factor (being small and light). So if Apple won't/can't adress the problems mentioned above the only reason I see anyone buying the iPad mini would the the eco-system. A huge plus, no question, but enough?
Re: Let’s Try to Think This iPad Mini Thing All the Way Through
#44So according the the rumors it will probably have a screen of lesser quality than the Nexus 7, it will probably be more expensive and it will probably be heavier (because it is much bigger). What's the point again? Ok, it's bigger but if there is any advantage of a 7 inch tablet it is the form factor (being small and light). So if Apple won't/can't adress the problems mentioned above the only reason I see anyone buyi…
I doubt it will be more expensive. After all, they still sell the iPad 2 for $100 more than the Nexus 7. The only other advantage would be price. Apple's been willing to cut some corners to achieve price before, for instance the iPod displays are (or used to be) worse than the iPhone ones even though they had the same resolution.
Re: Let’s Try to Think This iPad Mini Thing All the Way Through
#45Honestly, I don't know why Apple would create an iPad mini. I have an iPad 2 and absolutely love it. There isn't another tablet I'd trade it in for (other than an iPad 3). I surely wouldn't trade it in for an iPad mini. Paul Buchheit once said: "If your product is great, it doesn't need to be good." To me, the iPad is a great product. Focus on making it better. As Steve Jobs has said: "It's what you don't do that mat…
As others have chimed in, the smaller iPad is better suited for one handed holding. An example, reading at the breakfast table. The iPad ended up laying on the table which was not ideal, the Fire was thumb scrolled kept upright in my left while I ate, like a newspaper.
Kids. The regular iPad is not only too large for them it is too expensive too. The apps are very good, the price and insurance on it are not. Face it, kids will break things. Some will say, don't let them play with it. Well to them I ask, then what is the point?
I have the iPad2, Kindle Fire, and a Kindle Touch. The Touch really spoils you on weight. Can't wait for the day a fully functional table appears at that size and weight. Fully functional means the screen works inside or outside.
Re: Let’s Try to Think This iPad Mini Thing All the Way Through
#46Honestly, I don't know why Apple would create an iPad mini. I have an iPad 2 and absolutely love it. There isn't another tablet I'd trade it in for (other than an iPad 3). I surely wouldn't trade it in for an iPad mini. Paul Buchheit once said: "If your product is great, it doesn't need to be good." To me, the iPad is a great product. Focus on making it better. As Steve Jobs has said: "It's what you don't do that mat…
I agree with some others here -- the iPad is great, but "great" needs to be prefaced with a descriptor of what it is great at. eBook reading is definitely one thing it is not especially good at in many cases. For the past 2 years I've been reading ebooks, and for the past 6 months I've been using an iPad for reading ebooks, and I've found it just too cumbersome in many cases -- you essentially need 2 hands to hold it…
I really don't get why page flipping at speed (and/or fancy transitions) is a necessity. My Kindle blows away any back lit device for reading (IMHO.)
Re: Let’s Try to Think This iPad Mini Thing All the Way Through
#47You know i wish someone would design a product that's really a different size: Imagine a device that's half the size of an iPhone or double the size of an iPad so it's like a big newspaper. Yeah I get the 7" form factor but I've already seen so many of those on the Android side that I'd like Apple to "Think Different".
Apple's real motto isn't think different, it's "think it through". The android handset manufacturers have tried every combination of sizes, technologies, features (3D, mini projectors, built in laser pointers), etc and left it to the buyer to find out if they were a good idea or not. Apple, for better or worse, does the work up front to decide what are the optimum combinations of sizes, shapes, technologies and featu…
I have a 15.4" 16:10 screen, and I just placed an A4 sheet over it. The width of the sheet is identical to the height of my screen, while the length is around 1.5 inches lesser.
This brings us to an aspect ratio of sqrt(2) with a 14.4" screen. Not going to happen anytime soon, sadly.
Re: Let’s Try to Think This iPad Mini Thing All the Way Through
#48I like how BS marketing and lying to your customers is somehow seen as a good thing when viewed from inside the Apple bubble. Steve Jobs wasn't lying and playing you for chumps, it was apparently a wonderful gift that he could change his mind from one day to the next. And all the Apple faithful will vehemently spit the old gospel at you until the new pronouncement comes down from on-high and then they will all immedi…
>>I have been accused of a habit of changing my opinions. I am not myself in any degree ashamed of having changed my opinions. What physicist who was already active in 1900 would dream of boasting that his opinions had not changed during the last half century? In science men change their opinions when new knowledge becomes available.<<
Bertrand Russell
Re: Let’s Try to Think This iPad Mini Thing All the Way Through
#49So according the the rumors it will probably have a screen of lesser quality than the Nexus 7, it will probably be more expensive and it will probably be heavier (because it is much bigger). What's the point again? Ok, it's bigger but if there is any advantage of a 7 inch tablet it is the form factor (being small and light). So if Apple won't/can't adress the problems mentioned above the only reason I see anyone buyi…
I doubt it will be more expensive. After all, they still sell the iPad 2 for $100 more than the Nexus 7. The only other advantage would be price. Apple's been willing to cut some corners to achieve price before, for instance the iPod displays are (or used to be) worse than the iPhone ones even though they had the same resolution.
Don't they sell the iPad 2 for 400 US$? This would be at least 150US$ more than the most expensive Nexus 7 and 200US$ more than the standard version or the kindle fire (assuming the next version won't be more expensive). I'm sure Apple could meet the price point or even undercut it (bear in mind that Google ads 25US$ credit for the Play store) but that would mean their margin goes down a lot. I'm not sure Apple is willing to go down that route.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't believe that Apple is going to release a product that is inferior in some main aspects (eg screen resolution) and trying to compete on price.
Re: Let’s Try to Think This iPad Mini Thing All the Way Through
#50I don't get the sandpaper thing. Can someone explain it to me?