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iPad 2 Design : Front Camera in Wrong Place ?

O

OSMac

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jun 14, 2010
1,456
8
Noticed in landscape mode, which I think most people primarily use,
the front camera is on the side,
instead of the top where generally front cameras are placed.

Question for iPad 2 owners... in actual use is the front camera poorly placed?
 
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No, because the front camera is almost exclusively for facetime and photobooth which are meant to be used vertically.
 
I would like to think that the camera is slightly angled/tilted towards the middle of the device, so that no matter how you are holding it.. it will be facing you. Whether or not is actually is, I have no clue.
 
DS3 said:
No, because the front camera is almost exclusively for facetime and photobooth which are meant to be used vertically.
Click to expand...
?????

Both apps work in landscape and Facetime to a computer is ideally landscape. So who says they are meant to be used vertically?

I dont think the camera is necessarily in the "wrong" place, but the excuses people make up just to defend Apples design decisions are just plain weird.
ipad-2-facetime.jpg
 
Anyone notice how the large screen actually makes video calls a bit weird. The picture in previous post shows two viewers staring "at each other" but in reality then the camera placement and screen size make it look like you are looking away from the other person.

Apple plans on solving this some day with this patent they did a few years ago:
applewebcam.jpg


As with many of Apple's patents it not necessarily a "new" idea since sci fi flicks have had "in-screen cameras" since the 1930's but on an ipad it would be awesome.
 
I think it is the best position because think of this: You typically hold iPad with the home button on the bottom in portrait mode. I mean you can hold it "upside down" if you want, but most of the time you don't.

But in landscape mode, you can hold it either way. If you have a smart cover or case you will probably just use it one way, but if you don't you could easily hold it "upside down and the camera would be on the bottom of the device.

Not to mention it would ruin the symmetry of the device.

The only issue with having it on the top is if you cover it up with your thumb while in landscape mode. But the angle of the camera seems fine in any orientation.
 
urkel said:
?????

Both apps work in landscape and Facetime to a computer is ideally landscape. So who says they are meant to be used vertically?

I dont think the camera is necessarily in the "wrong" place, but the excuses people make up just to defend Apples design decisions are just plain weird.
ipad-2-facetime.jpg
Click to expand...

Vertical orientation is called "portrait" for a reason buddy. That terminology has existed for.. a long time.

Just because it can be used in landscape mode and apple wanted to use the smart cover in a mocked up photo I'm wrong? Silly. It can obviously be used both ways and its got to go somewhere. So they put it in the natural orientation and in line with the home button orientation.

And this is hardly a big issue. Its almost completely irrelevent. Its not a design pro or con, its just how it is. Attacking it should be as weird as defending it. Weirder, because attacking it requires creating a thread out of the blue. Thats the stretch.
 
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DS3 said:
Vertical orientation is called "portrait" for a reason buddy. That terminology has existed for.. a long time.

Just because it can be used in landscape mode and apple wanted to use the smart cover in a mocked up photo I'm wrong? Silly. It can obviously be used both ways and its got to go somewhere.
Click to expand...
Seriously? Of course youre wrong.

You said:
DS3 said:
No, because the front camera is almost exclusively for facetime and photobooth which are meant to be used vertically.
Click to expand...
The iPad isn't "meant to be used" in a single orientation which is why marketing displays the iPad in both views and why the apps were created to be used in either direction. Your inability to accept the very words you used is just plain odd.
 
Jesus, are you just looking to pick a fight?

- the iPads hardware is designed in a portrait orientation. 30 pin, home button, text/logo on the back. Makes sense to put the camera in that orientation to fit with the visual design.
- the front facing camera is primarily designed to be used with photobooth and facetime
- if you have to choose a location for the camera based on those two apps, portrait makes more sense because thats the natural orientation to take video/photos of someones face. PORTRAIT. Think about it.

Obviously it can be used in both orientations, I never freaking said different. I said those two apps were meant to be in portrait, and while maybe "meant to be" is too strong a description, portrait still makes sense for them.

This is such a minor issue, the ridiculousness is not some apple drone (btw, the iPad is my 3rd apple device owned in my life.. the previous two being an iPod and iPod touch) stating why he thinks the camrea placement makes sense.. the ridiculousness is finding something so trivial to complain about. What is your problem?
 
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Yep, theres the visual design I mentioned in the previous post.

Even if facetime/photobooth are completely 50/50 on which orientation to use, lining it up with the home button is an easy tiebreaker. The camera is obviously in the correct place.
 
All I know is that I've used Facetime on my iPad three times this weekend.

Each time, without stopping to think about it, I held it in portrait mode. So for me, that seems to be the most comfortable way to hold the device for video chatting.

Everyone may be different, but it's interesting to know that I apparently preferred that way.
 
DS3 said:
Yep, theres the visual design I mentioned in the previous post.

Even if facetime/photobooth are completely 50/50 on which orientation to use, lining it up with the home button is an easy tiebreaker. The camera is obviously in the correct place.
Click to expand...

Agreed! Not to mention when it is docked, clearly with the Pin design as you stated earlier, much more sense to have it at the top. In the big scheme of things, its a great device no matter what.
 
The only answer is to put 4 cameras on the front! Heck, the thing already has a bajillion magnets in it.
 
OSMac said:
Noticed in landscape mode, which I think most people primarily use,
the front camera is on the side,
instead of the top where generally front cameras are placed.

Question for iPad 2 owners... in actual use is the front camera poorly placed?
Click to expand...

This is an issue because it's too much effort to just simply tilt the screen a few degrees?

Okay let's say they did place the camera in your optimum position. Then some other dude will argue that it should be where it is now.

This is like arguing that the Home button should be on all 4 sides.
 
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