iPad mini Does anyone else wish the iPad mini doesn't get Retina too soon?

WilliamLondon said:

People who want a bigger screen. I've got the mini and I love it, for me it's perfect, but I certainly see how people will always want or need a larger screen, no matter what the resolution a larger screen will always be nicer for certain things. Personally, I'm willing to suffer the smaller screen, but that's just me.

The full sized iPad definitely needs to evolve into a form factor that is as thin as the mini, that would make it so beautiful - can't wait to see that happen and the mini get better display while keeping its form factor.

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I cannot wait to see Apple's next move with an Ipad as well. I like discussions with folk's speculating on Apple's next move. Beats my ipad Mini is better than your larger ipad talk with the forum stuck in the mud like it was.

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washburn said:

As I've explained before retina makes the web look crap, blurry images IMHO.

Retina is not really needed when the iPad mini screen is already so good.

Apple could keep making the iPad mini better eg slimmer, more powerful and improving the same screen if that is at all possible, but I love the screen for what it is.

So yeah, not against retina just wish Apple would keep updating non-retina version until the web gets more retina optimised along with a retina one. I guess thats not going to happen, as rumors are suggesting its clearly going to be a retina update next. oh well.

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It is pure speculation at this point the Mini 2 will be Retina. That is the consensus but Apple needs to keep folks wanting the larger bigger brothers as well IMHO. So if the Mini 2 comes soon with Retina and based upon already great sales of the current Mini, bigger brothers will really be in trouble. Maybe the next Mini will be more like the screen of the Nook HD with the ipad5 going slimmer and lighter keeping Retina. My two cents!

iPad Mini + Retina display + appropriate spec upgrades to maintain current levels of performance/battery life or better + weighs less than iPad 3 = me selling my iPad 3 and buying a Mini instantly

Even if it gains a little weight due to Retina it isn't a deal breaker as long as it is less than my current unit. That perspective is more important to me than worrying about how much more it weighs than rev 1.

I'm waiting, Apple.

washburn said:

As I've explained before retina makes the web look crap, blurry images IMHO.

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What are you talking about? 10 people have now told you that retina is all about text, yet all you keep doing is bang on about images.

syd430 said:

What are you talking about? 10 people have now told you that retina is all about text, yet all you keep doing is bang on about images.

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Common sense is not common to everyone.

washburn said:

Retina is not really needed when the iPad mini screen is already so good.

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Seeing that text is illegible on many websites without panning in, I'd say retina would actually make a pretty big difference in terms of usability. 163 PPI might sound great for a 24" monitor, but it's crap for a 7.9" device that displays standard format webpages.

Not everyone spends all their time on their iPad watching Jersey shore or playing angry birds where retina makes little difference.

iThinkergoiMac said:

iPad mini resolution: 1024x768

iPad2 resolution: 1024x768

What exactly are you trying to tell us? That the interface is optimized for one and not the other? It's the exact same resolution! If it doesn't look clear, then either your eyesight is the issue or something is physically wrong with the screen.

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You are not thinking about what you are saying.

By your logic, if there was a 12" ipad with the same resolution as the iphone 5, then it should be running the iphone version of iOS, because they are the same resolution and it makes no difference, right? Just blow everything up x3 because they are the same resolution right?

1024x768 on a 9.7" screen is not the same thing as 1024x768 on a 7.9" screen.

Icons and graphics look better on the mini because of the higher PPI, but the thing that suffers is small text (when the OS and font rendering is not adjusted for the smaller screen).

If you want an example where this abundantly clear, open the description pop up for any app in the App Store on both the mini and the ipad 2 and come back and tell me which one looks right and which one looks broken.


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washburn said:

wtf is your point

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The point is that nobody cares about retina for images or video, where is makes little difference. People want retina to view small text on the web. Open up the homepage of NY Times or any other similar site in potrait mode. It's illegible without constantly panning in the ipad 2 and Mini, whereas it is perfectly legible on the retina iPads or any other computer for that matter.

You are just a special case that apparently doesn't look at any websites on their ipad and that's why you can't see the point of retina. 99% of people do read text in safari however, so most people can see the benefit.

i cant read non-retina... it hurts my eyes

syd430 said:

If you want an example where this abundantly clear, open the description pop up for any app in the App Store on both the mini and the ipad 2 and come back tell me which one looks right and which one looks broken.

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You're assuming I haven't. I've looked at an iPad mini screen and had 100% zero issues reading any of the text. I'll look at that specific area next time I'm in an Apple store (which should be at some point in the next month or so), but what I saw was as easy to read as any iPad I've used.

syd430 said:

yes I've used one extensively. Font does render poorly due to the non-optimised OS. The iPad 2 is better is that respect. Images and other elements of course look much sharper on the mini, as is expected with the higher PPI.

The OS has simply been shrunken down from the 9.7" ipad. For another obvious example of where this does not work well, take a look at the App store interface.

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We will have to agree to disagree. I OWN one (not used one "extensively") and it looks great to me. App Store interface looks and works just great.

No, I hope it gets Retina Display soon, so we can move on to the next big thing. Apple has been riding this Retina gimmick for long enough..

iThinkergoiMac said:

You're assuming I haven't. I've looked at an iPad mini screen and had 100% zero issues reading any of the text. I'll look at that specific area next time I'm in an Apple store (which should be at some point in the next month or so), but what I saw was as easy to read as any iPad I've used.

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Try yahoo's desktop version in portrait mode and see if you can read that. Also, blu-ray.com in portrait. If you can, then it is smooth sailing for you.

Fud

cardinalryan said:

This is just ridiculous! "A little bit more clarity"??? I just don't understand why people cannot admit that the mini screen is pure garbage.

I love Apple, I love my iPad 4, I love my MBP, but the Mini is an EPIC fail. Not an epic fail for Apple because they'll sell the heck out of them, but an EPIC fail for the consumer who is getting hosed by a substandard product.

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I have a total of 6 tablet computers at my house, most of them because of my work. I have an iPhone 5 and a 4S before that. Santa just brought my daughter a mini. Though I agree that better resolution is, well, better...there is simply nothing wrong with the mini or the iPad 2 which I also have as far as their resolution. They look very crisp and clear even to my late 40s eyes. I have no trouble seeing whatever I need to on them. Would retina resolution be better? Of course it would. But only when they get the tech right so that it can still be as light and thin. If someone has a need for a small tablet and likes Apple products, then get a mini. When the retina mini comes out in 2013 or 2014 you can pass it down or sell it. Win-Win.

washburn said:

As I've explained before retina makes the web look crap, blurry images IMHO.

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The greatest benefit of Retina is clear text, and the web is primarily text.

Sticking with ipad 3 until mini gets retina. Love the mini form factor but display is more important to me.

Im actually returning my iPad mini until the next one is released sorry but $600 is too much for an OK iPad.

sabu213 said:

i cant read non-retina... it hurts my eyes

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What did you do when HD wasn't the norm - a few years ago?

The notion that text is illegible and images are horribly distorted is so comical I don't know what else to say....

I have had every iPad and every iPhone since the 3GS...the mini is great. Is there a noticeable difference in screen quality, of course. Then again I paid $170 more for the iPad 4 than the mini.

The fact is, Apple went with continuity. It was either pack in a 2048x1536 screen at 400+ ppi and need to fit a big battery and beefy processor into the form factor, or go with the standard 1024x768 for iPads....they didn't want developers having to rewrite the 250,000+ iPad apps for a new resolution. Android is already horribly fragmented - let them keep that. I owned a Nexus 7 - there are very few tablet optimized apps, which for all the increased resolution over the mini you still get a blown up phone app experience.

Take the mini for what it is, a smaller cheaper iPad and a first generation device. And just relax...

ZBoater said:

I'll buy a mini retina when and if they release it with the same width and weight and battery life. Whether that be tomorrow or 2 years from now.

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Amen, brother. Tax return and yearly bonus are both coming by the end of February, so bring it on!