4 ms·

Dammit. I keep resisting the lure of the iPad, but when jwz weighs in... Must. Wait. For. Next. Version. You know, the smaller one with the front facing

Dammit. I keep resisting the lure of the iPad, but when jwz weighs in... Must. Wait. For. Next. Version. You know, the smaller one with the front facing camera. So my kids can do FaceTime with their grandparents. Or the one with a (dare I hope) retina display. I guess that's probably a few versions out.

glhaynes 16y ago
I think you're talking about an iPhone 4. :)
lancer383 16y ago
I would love to see Retina Display picture quality on iPad, but can you imagine the resolution of that screen? Today the screen is 132 ppi - taking that up to 326 ppi would make it somewhere in the vicinity of 2528x1896. Would Safari then be blowing up web sites so ~960px width sites don't look tiny on that resolution?
- ugh 16y ago
  Quadrupling the number of pixels is what they might do (in a few years). That’s 2048x1536. Quite high for a ten inch screen today but realistic in a few years. Also not quite iPhone territory but close. That would bring the resolution up to 264 ppi. The big question is whether they want to wait until they can make that kind of jump or whether they will increase the resolution before that.
- jackvalentine 16y ago
  My computer here is 146 DPI (1080p 15" screen) and I have everything blown up to 125% of it's original size so it isn't too small. So in answer to your question: Yes!
- masklinn 16y ago
  > Today the screen is 132 ppi - taking that up to 326 ppi would make it somewhere in the vicinity of 2528x1896. They wouldn't actually do that. They'd "just" double the resolution so the applications can easily be scaled up losslessly, as with the iPhone 4. So you'd get a 2048x1536 screen at 264dpi (one thing to consider is that you'd probably hold your iPad further from your eyes than your iPhone, so the you can have slightly bigger pixels). Modern hardware absolutely isn't able to provide such pixel densities on such a small surface at an affordable price, and even less able to drive those things using mobile CPUs and GPUs (we're talking about the resolution of your average 30" screen, which still kicks modern GPUs in the teeth)
cletus 16y ago
The lack of a front facing camera is a common complaint but honestly (owning an iPad that I love and use all the time) I don't think the use case is as cut and dried as that. Video calls are most often made with a desktop computer or laptop. Laptops have a camera at the top of the screen. Most Webcams are attached to the top of monitors. So you are typically eye level with a desktop webcam or just above with a laptop. That's a fairly natural position. With an iPad it is most often put on a table, your lap, held in your arm on an armrest or your lap or propped up on your lap or chest when lying down. All of these cases would have a highly unflattering view if using video. "Looking up someone's nostrils" is how I'd describe it. I could see it working in the keyboard dock, if you have that (which I don't) but that mimics a laptop setup. I'm not saying they won't add a front facing camera but just think about the practicalities of it. As for Gen 2, I've gotten so much use out of mine that I won't think twice about selling it to buy the new one. I simply use it that much that it's a complete no brainer. Few devices I own, other than my PC, get that much use. I'd like to see more memory. Not because I need it but because more applications will be possible with it. I'd also like to see digital out. There is a VGA out connector but it's analog and has idiotic restrictions on it like you can't play iTunes video on it, I guess as an appeasement to the idiots at the MPAA. But front facing camera? For me it's pretty low priority. As far as form factor goes, there might be a smaller one. Rumours of a 7" iPad persist. I'm frankly unconvinced. Even if there was one I wouldn't buy one. A 10" screen for a portable device is truly wonderful. I'm not going backwards, I don't care how much lighter it might be. And as far as Android/WebOS/Windows tablets go, my own view is that the competition is AT LEAST two years behind. Sure in the next 6 months you're going to see any number of crappy tablets coming out but it will be at least 1-2 years before they'll have the polish, battery life and especially the ecosystem of the iPad.
- michaelbuckbee 16y ago
  Not quite digital out, but with the new Apple TV (another 99 bucks to Steve) you should be able to play iTunes video through to your TV from your iPad via the AppleTV.
  - cletus 16y ago
    I ordered the Apple TV right after Chris Martin finished singing off key. Not because I'm utterly convinced of its utility but because for $99 I don't really care if it doesn't meet my expectations.
rbanffy 16y ago
I have set up my mother with a big Intergraph 21" from my collection (she is 75 and her eyes beg for big pixels). When I got X configured properly, the monitor started in 2048x1536. I configured her account so that she got a humble 1024x768 screen, so she could read what appeared on the screen. I know I could just tell X to use twice as many dpi as it wants, but this was a lot simpler. OTOH, when I have to use her computer, I am always surprised by the endless screen real-estate. And, with the pixel-density properly configured, fonts are exquisitely drawn. And that's on a somewhat big screen. I can only imagine what would happen on a iPad-sized thing.
jsz0 16y ago
One of the perks/tricks of Apple ownership is the hardware retains its value. When next year's model comes out I'll probably flip my iPad for ~$75-$100 less than I paid for it. (depends if Apple drops the price or not)
- deleted 16y ago
  [deleted]
- davidw 16y ago
  ... mind wanders... I see the potential to merge two great internet themes: apple fans and gold bugs. Rather than harken to yesteryear, we should use Apple products as a "store of value"!
absconditus 16y ago
So you want the new iPod Touch? http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch/ http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch/
jwr 16y ago
No user that owns an iPad complains about the lack of a front-facing camera. Also, no user that has used an iPad for a week or so considers it to be equivalent to an iPhone. Those aren't things you can explain — you have to experience using the iPad for several days to understand. It really is a different device from everything we are used to.
- josefresco 16y ago
  I have an iPad but have never had an iPhone or even Android device. Not having a camera sucks as it completely rules out many apps that both myself and my kids would enjoy thoroughly. So I guess there's one iPad user that is complaining; me.
- cletus 16y ago
  You saw this a lot in the early days of the iPad: there were opinions from those who had used the device and opinions from those who hadn't. A lot of the second group didn't "get it". Once they used it many of them were convinced. Basically, those that haven't tried it tend to be more negative about it as a whole. There is something about the experience that is hard to articulate. The feel of it, the convenience of it, the fact that's instant on, the UI... just the whole package really.

glhaynes 16y ago

I think you're talking about an iPhone 4. :)

lancer383 16y ago

I would love to see Retina Display picture quality on iPad, but can you imagine the resolution of that screen? Today the screen is 132 ppi - taking that up to 326 ppi would make it somewhere in the vicinity of 2528x1896. Would Safari then be blowing up web sites so ~960px width sites don't look tiny on that resolution?

ugh 16y ago
Quadrupling the number of pixels is what they might do (in a few years). That’s 2048x1536. Quite high for a ten inch screen today but realistic in a few years. Also not quite iPhone territory but close. That would bring the resolution up to 264 ppi. The big question is whether they want to wait until they can make that kind of jump or whether they will increase the resolution before that.
jackvalentine 16y ago
My computer here is 146 DPI (1080p 15" screen) and I have everything blown up to 125% of it's original size so it isn't too small. So in answer to your question: Yes!
masklinn 16y ago
> Today the screen is 132 ppi - taking that up to 326 ppi would make it somewhere in the vicinity of 2528x1896. They wouldn't actually do that. They'd "just" double the resolution so the applications can easily be scaled up losslessly, as with the iPhone 4. So you'd get a 2048x1536 screen at 264dpi (one thing to consider is that you'd probably hold your iPad further from your eyes than your iPhone, so the you can have slightly bigger pixels). Modern hardware absolutely isn't able to provide such pixel densities on such a small surface at an affordable price, and even less able to drive those things using mobile CPUs and GPUs (we're talking about the resolution of your average 30" screen, which still kicks modern GPUs in the teeth)

cletus 16y ago

The lack of a front facing camera is a common complaint but honestly (owning an iPad that I love and use all the time) I don't think the use case is as cut and dried as that. Video calls are most often made with a desktop computer or laptop. Laptops have a camera at the top of the screen. Most Webcams are attached to the top of monitors. So you are typically eye level with a desktop webcam or just above with a laptop. That's a fairly natural position. With an iPad it is most often put on a table, your lap, held in your arm on an armrest or your lap or propped up on your lap or chest when lying down. All of these cases would have a highly unflattering view if using video. "Looking up someone's nostrils" is how I'd describe it. I could see it working in the keyboard dock, if you have that (which I don't) but that mimics a laptop setup. I'm not saying they won't add a front facing camera but just think about the practicalities of it. As for Gen 2, I've gotten so much use out of mine that I won't think twice about selling it to buy the new one. I simply use it that much that it's a complete no brainer. Few devices I own, other than my PC, get that much use. I'd like to see more memory. Not because I need it but because more applications will be possible with it. I'd also like to see digital out. There is a VGA out connector but it's analog and has idiotic restrictions on it like you can't play iTunes video on it, I guess as an appeasement to the idiots at the MPAA. But front facing camera? For me it's pretty low priority. As far as form factor goes, there might be a smaller one. Rumours of a 7" iPad persist. I'm frankly unconvinced. Even if there was one I wouldn't buy one. A 10" screen for a portable device is truly wonderful. I'm not going backwards, I don't care how much lighter it might be. And as far as Android/WebOS/Windows tablets go, my own view is that the competition is AT LEAST two years behind. Sure in the next 6 months you're going to see any number of crappy tablets coming out but it will be at least 1-2 years before they'll have the polish, battery life and especially the ecosystem of the iPad.

michaelbuckbee 16y ago
Not quite digital out, but with the new Apple TV (another 99 bucks to Steve) you should be able to play iTunes video through to your TV from your iPad via the AppleTV.
- cletus 16y ago
  I ordered the Apple TV right after Chris Martin finished singing off key. Not because I'm utterly convinced of its utility but because for $99 I don't really care if it doesn't meet my expectations.

rbanffy 16y ago

I have set up my mother with a big Intergraph 21" from my collection (she is 75 and her eyes beg for big pixels). When I got X configured properly, the monitor started in 2048x1536. I configured her account so that she got a humble 1024x768 screen, so she could read what appeared on the screen. I know I could just tell X to use twice as many dpi as it wants, but this was a lot simpler. OTOH, when I have to use her computer, I am always surprised by the endless screen real-estate. And, with the pixel-density properly configured, fonts are exquisitely drawn. And that's on a somewhat big screen. I can only imagine what would happen on a iPad-sized thing.

jsz0 16y ago

One of the perks/tricks of Apple ownership is the hardware retains its value. When next year's model comes out I'll probably flip my iPad for ~$75-$100 less than I paid for it. (depends if Apple drops the price or not)

deleted 16y ago
[deleted]
davidw 16y ago
... mind wanders... I see the potential to merge two great internet themes: apple fans and gold bugs. Rather than harken to yesteryear, we should use Apple products as a "store of value"!

absconditus 16y ago

So you want the new iPod Touch? http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch/ http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch/

jwr 16y ago

No user that owns an iPad complains about the lack of a front-facing camera. Also, no user that has used an iPad for a week or so considers it to be equivalent to an iPhone. Those aren't things you can explain — you have to experience using the iPad for several days to understand. It really is a different device from everything we are used to.

josefresco 16y ago
I have an iPad but have never had an iPhone or even Android device. Not having a camera sucks as it completely rules out many apps that both myself and my kids would enjoy thoroughly. So I guess there's one iPad user that is complaining; me.
cletus 16y ago
You saw this a lot in the early days of the iPad: there were opinions from those who had used the device and opinions from those who hadn't. A lot of the second group didn't "get it". Once they used it many of them were convinced. Basically, those that haven't tried it tend to be more negative about it as a whole. There is something about the experience that is hard to articulate. The feel of it, the convenience of it, the fact that's instant on, the UI... just the whole package really.