Apple Readying New FaceTime Equipped iPads?

[billysea]

Never buy 1st Generation of any Apple products. Even if they seem innovative and cool at the time, they are usually stripped out of features or flawed in someway (however people still accept it due to hype). 2nd Gen is the best time to hop in because it usually a big jump and put the 1st Gen machine to shame.

BTW, despite being the 6th iteration, the new Nano feels like a Gen 1 product this year too.

 

[jmor]

I think we all saw this coming, but there is no reason to gloat/be angry. We knew apple was going to upgrade within a year most likely, but if people have enjoyed their iPad in that time, then good job and money well spent. Just because you didn't buy one doesn't make you superior, I decided to wait but that was just my choice not a better choice.

 

[KnightWRX]

https://imperialx.wordpress.com/2010/06/18/ipad-a-day-in-my-life/

So much for it being useless.

Half that article is about how the guy used his iPhone. Heck, most of the parts about iPad could've been accomplished on his iPhone too. Not a really good case for iPad use cases.

If you have a laptop and iPhone, you're about 100% covered. iPad is nice for people without laptops, or without iPhones (or Android phones or other smartphones).

 

[ImperialX]

Half that article is about how the guy used his iPhone. Heck, most of the parts about iPad could've been accomplished on his iPhone too. Not a really good case for iPad use cases.

If you have a laptop and iPhone, you're about 100% covered. iPad is nice for people without laptops, or without iPhones (or Android phones or other smartphones).

Well, isn't that a given? The iPad has the same OS as the iPhone. It's natural you can watch movies, read content and surf the web on the iPhone. However the experience is just different with the larger screen estate.

The iPad is by no means a necessity, but it certainly is far from useless. And at the end of the day, it probably has by far more usage than both the smartphone and the laptop. That's the case shown there in the blog post too.

 

[xdhd350]

Looking at people when you talk on the phone will always be fringe because when you think about it, why would anyone want to do that.

You don't have to look at the person, they can switch to the rear camera to show you things in their surroundings, etc. Great for remote assistance, which brings me to my next point.

The iPad with a camera would be perfect for my older parents who cannot operate or maintain a full fledged computer with webcam. If they had iPad with camera, I could remotely assist my father when he gets the television/sat receiver all hosed up and calls me from 350 miles away to 'fix it' for him.

Sheez people, think OUTSIDE of your own little realms for a change.

 

[KnightWRX]

Well, isn't that a given? The iPad has the same OS as the iPhone. It's natural you can watch movies, read content and surf the web on the iPhone. However the experience is just different with the larger screen estate.

Yes, the experience is different. It's less convenient to carry around than an iPhone (especially on a motorcycle, unless you're planning on either having saddlebags or a backpack at all times), and it's more awkward to handle and hold.

I see your point. Except again, it's not making much of a case for the iPad.

The iPad is by no means a necessity, but it certainly is far from useless. And at the end of the day, it probably has by far more usage than both the smartphone and the laptop. That's the case shown there in the blog post too.

The blog post is more about how the guy used the iPhone all day to do most of his stuff. It's a fluff piece that tries hard to justify an iPad purchase but fails hard.

Even the Apple die hards at my work who bought iPads on launch have admitted that the use cases are limited, especially if you already have an iPhone and a laptop.

 

[ovrlrd]

You don't have to look at the person, they can switch to the rear camera to show you things in their surroundings, etc. Great for remote assistance, which brings me to my next point.

The iPad with a camera would be perfect for my older parents who cannot operate or maintain a full fledged computer with webcam. If they had iPad with camera, I could remotely assist my father when he gets the television/sat receiver all hosed up and calls me from 350 miles away to 'fix it' for him.

Sheez people, think OUTSIDE of your own little realms for a change.

Holding the iPad up and using the rear camera is not at all something people will want to do, it is just too uncomfortable. With an iPhone you already hold it up naturally because it's so small, but an iPad? You are more often laying it flat, or tilting it upward a bit. You definitely don't hold it up and point it at odd directions (like you would a camera). Holding it up like that too long gets tiring. It just doesn't fit at all.

Having a rear facing camera is just straight up dumb and will never happen. Maybe if the iPad was smaller, but definitely not at the 9 inch screen size.

So how about you think outside of your own little realm for a change?

 

[OverSpun]

the iPad does need a camera (or 2), but i don't see them being updated this year

It seems like there wouldnt be a point for a back camera, and only front for facetime. It would be nice if it was a 5mp, but only other ipads would be able to facetime that pixels, but it can downsize to the itouch/iphone facetime. We'll see.

 

[intervenient]

I still say you could cover dog crap in white plastic, stick an Apple logo on it, and they'd line up around the block to buy it.

Dang that's so witty and clever. And to think you thought that up all by yourself.

 

[ArmCortexA8]

This seems to add up with the possibility of an early iPad second generation launch / release as Face-time needs a camera which is not in the current first generation iPad. I have the iPad 64GB WiFi+3G model and it is handy, but for some odd reason Facebook chatting via the website fails to work, its performance is sluggish (going from apps page to search staggers), and general performance is not very snappy (latest firmware non JB). This is probably due to the old firmware which will unlock the full potential of the A4 CPU.

The best feature of the iPad is its large IPS display which looks very good, but when you look at the iPhone 4 Retina Display with IPS, it makes you wish the same iPhone 4 screen was used in the iPad. Similarly, when using the iPad due to its screen size, you don't want to go back to a smaller screen. Its a conundrum thats for sure.

 

[Hal Itosis]

I still don't see the use case for an iPad to begin with.

If I want something to play music and use a few apps I'll stick with my Touch. At least I can put it in my pocket when I'm not using it.

If I need to get real work done or play any real games, the iPad isn't going to cut it anyway.

The only people I see buying these things are the fanboys that have to have everything Apple comes out with no matter what it is.

I still say you could cover dog crap in white plastic, stick an Apple logo on it, and they'd line up around the block to buy it.

And a year later they'd line up again when they add a camera to the dog crap.

Good gracious, you dropped by on a Saturday near midnight just to say that?!?! Gee, thanks for taking the time out of what indubitably must be a most exciting existence.

[there was a detectable note of bitterness though... what that's about one can only wonder.]

 

[Journojulz]

Even if you weren't convinced about the actual usefulness of having cameras on the ipad to talk to friends and family, share a good view, shop for shoes, diffuse a bomb, whatever - Apple is also pushing out a standard.

When only a small part of your product range has a feature - you exponentially decrease the number of people able to share in it.

But when every iphone/ipad/itouch has the same feature as standard computer - suddenly the option to say "wow look at that" becomes a real option.

Video calls will only be sci-fi until the tech becomes commonplace.

And making it standard across ios devices will do that

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For those already convinced - may i suggest that embedding a facetime call in a web page will be the next stage in bootlegging gigs.

And when someone develops a 'share screen' option - you could effectively stream movies from your home computer...


=======

I am considering getting an iPad once it gets a camera - but to be honest it isn't my preferred size.
If you need to carry a bag, the advantage over a laptop diminishes.

I am waiting for a paperback sized machine - the portable media choice for the past 100 years

If i can fit in my suit pocket - i don't need a bag.

 

[peterdevries]

Even the Apple die hards at my work who bought iPads on launch have admitted that the use cases are limited, especially if you already have an iPhone and a laptop.

I'm an Apple die hard and own an iPhone, MBP and an iPad. I wouldn't say that the use case is limited. My usage for both the iPhone and MBP has shifted a bit too the iPad in more logical ways than before.

Example:

• most of my gaming has shifted from the iPhone to the iPad. Some of the games use the screen better, and I enjoy the large screened equivalents more than the small screen ones, such as Plants vs Zombies and Mirror's Edge.
• Most of my websurfing on the couch has shifted from the MBP to the iPad. It's just more convenient, and is always immediately on.

Could I live without an iPad? Sure, but it can do the same things as an iPhone and a MBP in more convenient ways. For me it has become a welcome addition and I would definitely buy it again.

 

[peterdevries]

If i can fit in my suit pocket - i don't need a bag.

Two options:

• You need a new tailor.
• You are going to star in the next Austin Powers movie as the mini-me of mini-me.

 

[jadot]

never?

Really? Never Buy 2nd generation products. 3rd Generation is always better. Never buy 3rd generation - 4th gen is always....blah, blah, blah.

All you 'I told you so' guys are really ahead of the game here. I *wish* I'd listened to you. Now my iPad is useless, I guess. Obsolete.

They went and brought out a new iPod too. Now my original iPod shuffle won't play any songs. Well, it does, but they sound a bit old somehow. I've gotta get me new one, I've heard the songs sound cleaner, better produced, and could potentially make me a better person for it.

If they bring out a new MBP then they're just screwing with me...
If they bring out a new iMac then it's all over. I wish I'd waited.

....or

I could be productive with the technology that's available today, and just...here it comes...*buy* the next generation product if it's going to significantly enhance my productivity with my own cash! It's a win win!

What am I, an effing genius, or what? Huh?

a lesson to you all , NEVER BUY 1ST GENERATION APPLE PRODUCTS

as they haven't had enough real world testing and are too expensive with things missing that are later added by Apple (such as 3G to the iphone, sd card slot to macbooks/imacs, ios 4 to ipad, a working antenna to the iphone 4, blu -ray(?) and now a camera to the ipad).

Wait until 2nd Generation and look in amusement at the cool kids/wanna-be celebs lay down their rent money for the Apple product of the month.

 

[GinoDotCom]

I knew full well this would probably happen in a future rev. when I bought my iPad 3G. Fact is though, I'm too much of a technology user to pass on a device this important in the "grand scheme" of computing for that long.

I've already had numerous people ask me iPad-related questions that I wouldn't have been able to answer nearly as well for them if I didn't buy one early-on and get familiar with it. I work in corporate I.T. for a living and have my own side business doing on-site work for home users and small offices. I didn't think I could afford NOT to get ahold of one of these and start using it!

That "Never buy first gen. products!" advice may be fine for the casual user, but for many of us, getting a head-start on the whole LEARNING process of what a new device can/can't do has a lot of value. I've been burnt a few times because I bought Apple's "revision A" products (had one of the very first Macbook Pros and the darn thing arrived completely D.O.A. after a LONG wait to get it!). But that won't stop me from being a "first revision" buyer again, in the future, whenever the product warrants it.

+1

If there's any product I'm glad I got the first gen model for, it's indeed the iPad. For more reason that I care to explain other than how practical it is around my house- especial since I control all my home audio, entire music collection and direct tv box/55inch all with my iPad.

No brainer for me

 

[Journojulz]

Two options:

I know a paperback sized pad would limit how comfortable it would be to do the more work intensive stuff, but for leisure it would be awesome.

Having a camera on the ipad would be great for augmented reality - but you would look a bit odd/vulnerable holding one up in a city centre.

Laptops are great - but if we are being honest - what percentage of their life is spent on a lap?

 

[felixen]

Ugh, decision begins, keep first original iPad for "geek" value or sell to buy new one.

1G devices has geek value? How much is the very first iPod worth now you think? Dont see em on eBay, and I cant imagine the first iPod touch would be worth anything these days (but in many years maybe?)

Anyway I hate this. It sucks they already release a new one. As if one each summer isnt enough. My problem is that I NEED to buy it but I always felt good having my device for about a year before getting a new one

besides they gotta be careful they dont over-do their business strategy. Know its going great now but if they keep letting it rain every 6 months people will grow tired and they will kill their own hype.

 

[SactoGuy18]

Given the economies of scale, in my opinion I expect the following:

1) A "retina display" quality IPS LCD touchscreen, with resolution as high as 1600x900.
2) More memory, probably 512 MB to 1 GB RAM and up to 128 GB flash memory.
3) A much faster A4 CPU (possibly as high as 1.5 GHz clock speed) or a new dual-core derivative of the A4.
4) A much faster PowerVR GPU that can decode 720p video at full resolution.
5) Cellular-enabled versions to offer your choice of GSM (AT&T and cellphone carriers overseas that use GSM) or CDMA/LTE (Verizon/Sprint) support.
6) Will add the same cameras found on the 4G iPod touch.

 

[jmull]

No this is completely false. I have it on good authority that the iPad will never ever ever have a camera or facetime. I mean never, what would be the point. Never coming. If it were worth happening uncle steve would have included it in version number one. iPads aren't for watching video, they're for reading the magical version of the NY Times!

 

[Journojulz]

It sucks they already release a new one. As if one each summer isnt enough.

I reckon it will be on an annual upgrade like the iphone.

a 2-year lifespan of cutting edge tech is about right - especially as these things have a 50% trade in value.

 

[blackcrayon]

Never buy 1st Generation of any Apple products. Even if they seem innovative and cool at the time, they are usually stripped out of features or flawed in someway (however people still accept it due to hype). 2nd Gen is the best time to hop in because it usually a big jump and put the 1st Gen machine to shame.

BTW, despite being the 6th iteration, the new Nano feels like a Gen 1 product this year too.

...Because having nothing is better than having a 1st generation product? If you're saying it doesn't work as advertised that's one thing. If you're just saying the one coming a 9+ months later will be better it's another. Maybe people don't accept it due to "hype" but accept it due to "it works great and they don't need the supposed 2nd gen features NOW to enjoy it"?

 

[*LTD*]

I reckon it will be on an annual upgrade like the iphone.

a 2-year lifespan of cutting edge tech is about right - especially as these things have a 50% trade in value.

Indeed.

My iPhone 3G was great for 3 years, from August 2008 to August 2010. Got an iPhone 4 recently. No right to complain after all this time if great Apple updates to my 3G that iOS 4 wouldn't perform that well on it. My 3G was in near-mint condition anyway. Gave it to my girl and she's overjoyed with it.

 

[I is Mac]

Omg really? They are making the next iPad model with a camera and FaceTime? Wow i really did not think they would ever do that! This is SUCH surprising news to me.

 

[KnightWRX]

Two options:

• You need a new tailor.
• You are going to star in the next Austin Powers movie as the mini-me of mini-me.

I'm sorry, you must be grossly overweight if an iPad fits in your suit's pocket. You should get to dieting, it will be much better for your health. And if you're having special 11" inch wide coat pockets made by a tailor and storing at iPad there... that must look awful, sorry. Get a messenger bag at least, that way you won't break the whole "trendy" look of the iPad.

As for couch surfing using an iPad... yuck, no thanks. I need to type in stuff and the iPad on a couch is about the worse form factor to do that. Gaming ? On the laptop, much better. On the go ? iPhone, again, portability is king.

Look, you came up with 2 use cases you find where you shifted your use from a laptop or iPhone. 2 use cases that aren't really a necessity. You basically are just still in denial about the iPad's role. It's for people who don't have laptops or smartphones or either. The Apple die hards at my work were the same as you, thinking up of dozens of justifications for iPads. The honest ones came back and did admit to the limited use cases. One even said he was thinking of selling it and till this day, it just sits on his desk at work.

All you 'I told you so' guys are really ahead of the game here. I *wish* I'd listened to you. Now my iPad is useless, I guess. Obsolete.

You need to do like Apple, skate to where the puck is going to be. Of course that means never actually playing with the puck itself, but hey, you're ahead of everyone else!