iPad Mini: Its not that the screen is poor, its that the OS isn't built for 7"

[KittyKatta]

Please tell me if this statement is correct:
Its not that the screen is poor, its that the OS isn't built for 7"

I got an iPad Mini and love it, but I'm also in the group that feels the screen hurts the user experience. Default fonts for everything from icon labels to web pages felt fine on my iPad2 but are more difficult to read and dont seem ideal for a smaller iPad. So the reason for all the screen negativity isnt purely on it being non-retina, but more because theres no way (yet) to tell the OS to set a minimum text default and it makes a perfectly sized device feel imperfect.

My hope is that soon they will have an iOS update that offers more options for text and maybe even a few tweaks to make iOS feel more natural on this size of device because I absolutely love everything about it... except reading.

[mulo]

its more like 7.9" anyway

[hyteckit]

Yes, Apple needs to fix it with some system wide UI tweaks.

Need to be able to change default font size and buttons/icon size system-wide.

Font size in safari needs to be 2 points larger.

[noteple]

iOS was built for the iPhone and scales up accordingly.

I find web browsing and reading easier on a larger screen.

Its not the fault of a smaller device or iOS

[hyteckit]

Originally Posted by noteple

iOS was built for the iPhone and scales up accordingly.

I find web browsing and reading easier on a larger screen.

Its not the fault of a smaller device or iOS

Have you ever tried running an iPhone app on an iPad?

iPhone/iPod Touch apps are quite different from iPad apps.

iPod/iPhones goes from 3.5" to 4", with the 4" adding additional resolution. Everything stays pretty much the same size.

iPad went from 9.7" to 7.9" on the iPad Mini, with the same resolution. Everything on the iPad Mini is smaller.

It doesn't scale well.

[Quantus]

A great example of poor scaling is the the details/info/reviews section on an app in the store.

[OSMac]

Originally Posted by KittyKatta

Please tell me if this statement is correct:
Its not that the screen is poor, its that the OS isn't built for 7"

I got an iPad Mini and love it, but I'm also in the group that feels the screen hurts the user experience. Default fonts for everything from icon labels to web pages felt fine on my iPad2 but are more difficult to read and dont seem ideal for a smaller iPad. So the reason for all the screen negativity isnt purely on it being non-retina, but more because theres no way (yet) to tell the OS to set a minimum text default and it makes a perfectly sized device feel imperfect.

My hope is that soon they will have an iOS update that offers more options for text and maybe even a few tweaks to make iOS feel more natural on this size of device because I absolutely love everything about it... except reading.

Correct.

My 5" Galaxy Note is easier to use than the 8" mini.

[Bokes]

This is why the nook HD is also a better choice.
It has a much better/higher rez screen.
yes- they have less apps- but the reason is because B&N makes sure the app is optimized and can scale to the size and rez and look good.

The NookHD is selling out just as fast as the mini. And most pre-orders have been pushed to Mid Dec.

[noteple]

Originally Posted by hyteckit

Have you ever tried running an iPhone app on an iPad?

iPhone/iPod Touch apps are quite different from iPad apps.

iPod/iPhones goes from 3.5" to 4", with the 4" adding additional resolution. Everything stays pretty much the same size.

iPad went from 9.7" to 7.9" on the iPad Mini, with the same resolution. Everything on the iPad Mini is smaller.

It doesn't scale well.

YOU are confused.

Yes, iPhone Apps are different from iPad Apps

NO, iPhone retina 3.5 or 4.0 have the same resolution 326 pixels per inch.
So the iPhone 5 has extra space for another row of icons.
Apps can be rewritten to add more content on an iPhone 5 screen.

An iPad 3 or 4 with retina display is 264 pixels per inch while
an older iPad 1 or 2 is only 132 pixels per inch.
Apps can be rewritten for more please fonts ans smoother graphics on a retina display.

The iPad mini is 163 pixels per inch. A little finer resolution than and older iPad 2 but a smaller physical size, SO everything is going to look smaller.

The same App shrunken down 30% will appear smaller, capiche ?

Maybe we need a button to switch to 1/2 or 1/3 the resolution of retina Apps so they automatically hang over the screen. That way you can "Windows for Pen" scroll up down left right to see it all.

Maybe each mini could come with a magnifying lens you can attach on top and help out them older peepers.

OR

Just rewrite the App to be optimum for a 7.9 inch display like they rewrote Apps to be optimum for Retina .

Again not a iOS issue.

[Deasnutz]

Originally Posted by Bokes

This is why the nook HD is also a better choice.
It has a much better/higher rez screen.
yes- they have less apps- but the reason is because B&N makes sure the app is optimized and can scale to the size and rez and look good.

The NookHD is selling out just as fast as the mini. And most pre-orders have been pushed to Mid Dec.

I'm with you. I heard some stores are selling them already?

[AdonisSMU]

That is an interesting point. Its built to be an iPad 2 but when you shrink an iPad 2 the scaling doesnt work well as far as web browsing goes. Everything else on this thing as far as the other apps is great imo. They need to fix safari on iPad mini. I honestly dont see any problem with the apps being scaled as they are. In any case, apple may want to tweak this in iOS. I feel like this is a software issue not a hardware issue which should be fixable. Or maybe they should've just allowed there to be one more ratio that developers have to support....not sure but the only big issue i see is that scaling of the browser is weird here as it relates to text. Hmmm... I still love it but I wouldve rather this been an uncompromising piece of technology.

[nuckinfutz]

Originally Posted by Bokes

The NookHD is selling out just as fast as the mini. And most pre-orders have been pushed to Mid Dec.

Means absolutely nothing without knowing how many each had available to sell.

[lilo777]

Originally Posted by KittyKatta

Please tell me if this statement is correct:
Its not that the screen is poor, its that the OS isn't built for 7"

I got an iPad Mini and love it, but I'm also in the group that feels the screen hurts the user experience. Default fonts for everything from icon labels to web pages felt fine on my iPad2 but are more difficult to read and dont seem ideal for a smaller iPad. So the reason for all the screen negativity isnt purely on it being non-retina, but more because theres no way (yet) to tell the OS to set a minimum text default and it makes a perfectly sized device feel imperfect.

My hope is that soon they will have an iOS update that offers more options for text and maybe even a few tweaks to make iOS feel more natural on this size of device because I absolutely love everything about it... except reading.

I think your statement is not totally correct. The correct statement would be "While the screen PPI/resolution is poor it's not the biggest problem. The bigger problem is iOS inability to scale properly (or at all) for different resolutions." The "poor resolution" part is conditional. It's not that bad but given the Mini price it could be better.

[chleuasme]

Originally Posted by noteple

YOU are confused.

no, it's you ...

Originally Posted by noteple

iPhone retina 3.5 or 4.0 have the same resolution 326 pixels per inch.

Originally Posted by noteple

The iPad mini is 163 pixels per inch. A little finer resolution than and older iPad 2

you mean pixel density.

The iPad mini resolution is 1024x768, just as the iPad 2.

get it?

[AdonisSMU]

Originally Posted by chleuasme

no, it's you ...



you mean pixel density.

The iPad mini resolution is 1024x768, just as the iPad 2.

get it?

I got it. He's confused.

[M87]

I agree, it's very unapplelike and doesn't make for a very nice user experience. Obviously they wanted compatibility with existing iPad apps, but that comes at a cost. Just shrinking the iPad interface is nearly as bad as just blowing up the iPhone interface would have been for the original iPad. The lack of a high-res display makes it that much worse. This product just feels badly executed, they cut corners. I think the Nexus 7 is hands down the better small tablet, and that's coming from someone that almost always prefers Apple.

I don't think the size of the screen is the problem. I find the mini harder to read than the much smaller iPhone. The problem is the mini runs software that was designed for a different device.

[nuckinfutz]

Originally Posted by M87

I agree, it's very unapplelike and doesn't make for a very nice user experience. Obviously they wanted compatibility with existing iPad apps, but that comes at a cost. Just shrinking the iPad interface is nearly as bad as just blowing up the iPhone interface would have been for the original iPad. The lack of a high-res display makes it that much worse. This product just feels badly executed, they cut corners. I think the Nexus 7 is hands down the better small tablet, and that's coming from someone that almost always prefers Apple.

Yet the mini is sold out. If consumers at large felt like you did I'd be able to walk into an Apple store and buy a mini. They're all sold out in my area so evidently the "better" Nexus 7 isn't good enough to drive down the street and save $130.

Apple didn't cut corners. The mini has a higher PPI than the iPad and iPad 2.

[chleuasme]

Originally Posted by nuckinfutz

Apple didn't cut corners. The mini has a higher PPI than the iPad and iPad 2.

And?
The screen is smaller, the resolution the same, so you have to use it closer to your eyes. In fine, pixels appears at the same size to your brain.

The topic is about how iOS for iPad is on the smaller display of the mini.

[nuckinfutz]

Originally Posted by chleuasme

And?
The screen is smaller, the resolution the same, so you have to use it closer to your eyes. In fine, pixels appears at the same size to your brain.

The topic is about how iOS for iPad is on the smaller display of the mini.

Which is highly subjective. The mini is not doing scaling because the elements are designed for 1024 x 768. I don't have a problem with the text and I think the bleating about Retina is overblown.

[M87]

Originally Posted by nuckinfutz

Yet the mini is sold out. If consumers at large felt like you did I'd be able to walk into an Apple store and buy a mini. They're all sold out in my area so evidently the "better" Nexus 7 isn't good enough to drive down the street and save $130.

Apple didn't cut corners. The mini has a higher PPI than the iPad and iPad 2.

I'm not speaking for the world, I'm speaking for myself. I don't care how many they sell, it lacks the polish I expect from an Apple product.

[chleuasme]

Originally Posted by nuckinfutz

The mini is not doing scaling because the elements are designed for 1024 x 768.

who's talking about scaling apps? Why is it relevant here saying this?

Originally Posted by nuckinfutz

I don't have a problem with the text and I think the bleating about Retina is overblown.

Originally Posted by nuckinfutz

Which is highly subjective.

Other iPad mini users can be interesting to read as well as you.

[KittyKatta]

Originally Posted by noteple

Just rewrite the App to be optimum for a 7.9 inch display like they rewrote Apps to be optimum for Retina .

Again not a iOS issue.

I am going to disagree with you on deflecting the blame from Apple for a few reasons.

1) Many apps already have a way to make text larger so Most of my reading issues are within the UI itself or controlled by the OS (system-wide text, safari etc) where text size cant be changed.

2) Apps Ive used actually do scale very well. Games still line up with virtual controls fine and Im not finding any 3rd party app to be "unusable".

3) Apple knew about the Mini far longer than the devs did so the OS should've been 7.9" ready at launch. But the fact that they didnt recognize this as an issue can't be pushed on devs or end users.

I dont like the idea of taking blame away from Apple because they are the ones that can make the user experience much better with just a little tweaking.

[gdourado]

Just out of curiosity, what is the difference between android and ios in this regard? I read somewhere, that even though the nexus 10 will boost a higher resolution than any other Android device before it, there won't be problems in app rendering and scaling or even Web browsing because the way android is built, it scales automatically, weather you're using a 3.7 inch phone or a 300 ppi 10 inch tablet.
What's the difference for a tech point of view?

Cheers

[KittyKatta]

Originally Posted by M87

I don't think the size of the screen is the problem. I find the mini harder to read than the much smaller iPhone. The problem is the mini runs software that was designed for a different device.

Thats the problem Im having with reading MacRumors. On the iphone it defaults to a mobile version which is easier to read because its meant for a phone. The iPad Mini defaults to the full size which reads fine on a 9.7 but is very small on a Mini,and even the mobile version is too small.

[nuckinfutz]

Sigh

mini has the same resolution but over a smaller screen. All artwork is being displayed natively.

If the text looks blurry to you.

Bifocals.