iPad 2 not really thinner

[ovrlrd]

The op is 100% right in the post, but the title contradicts, or is misleading, as the majority of replies, are simply replying to the thread title.
The title should be along the lines of: "iPad 2 LOOKS To be Thicker In Real Life", or something.
Add the 2010 sofa pics, and have the 2011 pics directly underneath in the original thread, and folks will understand visually, faster then even the best written explanation.

#ThreadTips

I am sorry but that is still wrong. I read the post, I get what they are saying back the "edge" on the iPad vs the "edge" on the iPad 2, but they miss the point of a tapered edge on the iPad 2. It makes it thinner from ANY angle, it's a simple fact. When you see the iPad 2 from the side, it looks thinner, when you see it from the front it looks thinner, from the back it looks thinner as well.

Even at the angle in the photo I linked above, it looks thinner.

So yeah, the tapered edge does the trick. The original iPad does not have a tapered edge, it has a straight edge that then drops off to a tapered edge. The new iPad essentially cuts off that straight edge, it looks way thinner as a result.

Plus there is always the simple fact that it will feel thinner in your hands, which is all that really matters anyway.

 

[2 Owls]

It IS thinner.

Now lock please.

 

[BergerFan]

I am sorry but that is still wrong. I read the post, I get what they are saying back the "edge" on the iPad vs the "edge" on the iPad 2, but they miss the point of a tapered edge on the iPad 2. It makes it thinner from ANY angle, it's a simple fact. When you see the iPad 2 from the side, it looks thinner, when you see it from the front it looks thinner, from the back it looks thinner as well.

Even at the angle in the photo I linked above, it looks thinner.

So yeah, the tapered edge does the trick. The original iPad does not have a tapered edge, it has a straight edge that then drops off to a tapered edge. The new iPad essentially cuts off that straight edge, it looks way thinner as a result.

Plus there is always the simple fact that it will feel thinner in your hands, which is all that really matters anyway.

Negative.
Look at the pictures in this thread of Scott Forstall sitting on the couch, holding the iPad in 2010 and the same scenario in 2011. Although we all know that the iPad 2 is thinner, by a fair degree, the perception(from that angle at least), makes it appear thicker.

 

[fobfob]

Negative.
Look at the pictures in this thread of Scott Forstall sitting on the couch, holding the iPad in 2010 and the same scenario in 2011. Although we all know that the iPad 2 is thinner, by a fair degree, the perception(from that angle at least), makes it appear thicker.

So what? After all the calls of "ignore the title, read the OP", I went back and re-read it.

Are you all telling me that you are not going to buy the iPad 2 because it "looks" thicker? I guarantee you will feel the difference, and it will be a huge difference.

People are so shallow.

 

[482214]

Apple's expanding their warehouse space ready for the ipad 3 prototype.

Its said to be only 5mm thick but due to their magical smoke and mirrors you'll be able to see it from space.

Perhaps alien life will see it and contact us... only to read this thread and leave laughing.

 

[kalsta]

The op is 100% right in the post, but the title contradicts, or is misleading, as the majority of replies, are simply replying to the thread title.
The title should be along the lines of: "iPad 2 LOOKS To be Thicker In Real Life", or something.

It's called being provocative. Not sure this thread would have made it to 6 pages if the OP had titled it, 'The iPad 2 looks a bit thicker than the original iPad from certain angles but really isn't.'

Here might be a picture that demonstrates what the OP's talking about:

Wow. Yeah, it's quite the illusion in that photo.

Are you all telling me that you are not going to buy the iPad 2 because it "looks" thicker? I guarantee you will feel the difference, and it will be a huge difference.

I can tell fobfob’s excited about the new iPad.

 

[Roy G Biv]

Anyone know how thick the aluminum back is on the first? What if iPad 2 is only thinner because the aluminum back is paper-thin?

 

[eawmp1]

I prefer the term rubenesque.

Seriously, who cares which one LOOKS thicker (and that is subjective)? The fact is the new iPad IS thinner. And looks don't count as much as personality...um, functionality.

4 pages on this...really?

 

[kalsta]

Anyone know how thick the aluminum back is on the first? What if iPad 2 is only thinner because the aluminum back is paper-thin?

Antennagate will quickly be forgotten once people start putting their fingers right through the back of the iPad 2. You heard it here first.

I hate those super-soft brands of toilet paper for the same reason. They may feel more comfortable, but when your finger goes through… ick.

 

[TX65]

Why is everyone so excited about the iPad 2 being 8.8 mm? I mean, other than the surprising fact that it's just a little thinner than an iPhone 4, in real world use, it will LOOK thicker than the original iPad.

If you look at the picture, you can see that the entire width of the 2 is thicker than the sides of original iPad, which because of the heavily-tapered back is technically all that you see when someone is using it in the real world.

It's a visual illusion and a damn good one, that coupled with equally brilliant marketing, has everyone giddy over it. In reality it'll actually look thicker.

Overall thickness is thinner - the dimensions don't lie. The optical illusion is the perception of thin on the first generation IPad.

I prefer the new styling. Apple has raised the bar higher with the Gen 2 while all the other "players" in the industry struggle to compete against the first generation IPad.

Look forward to seeing the IPhone 5 this summer. The lion OS coming this summer will be a winner especially for small business.

 

[Pravda]

The lion OS coming this summer will be a winner especially for small business.

Yes, but will the Lion be thinner??

 

[vincenz]

Oh well, I think a lot of people have been generally confused/baffled by your original postings and subsequent postings, to be fair. But I think we also have to say that you could have expressed yourself a bit more clearly.

Let me try to recap what I think you really meant.

1. You don't disagree that the iPad 2 is in reality thinner.

2. However, in "real life usage" it can actually feel like it's thicker than the iPad 1 in a person's hands, since that's the distance that you marked out in your picture.

3. You also note that based on the viewing angle, the iPad 2 also can look thicker than the iPad 1 when seen from the back.

So, in conclusion, you're simply commenting that while the iPad 2 IS thinner, it can actually SEEM thicker.


[However, none of this means that the iPad 2 is in fact thicker than iPad 1, unless you subscribe to the notion that perception = reality, which a lot of people do, incidentally...]

Yes, in a nutshell, that's what I've been saying. I'm still wondering though: where I haven't been clear enough? From Post #1, I've been saying that it doesn't look thinner at all and I've expressed that throughout all the subsequent posts.

(Great website, btw)

Are you an attorney? Just wondering

No, but maybe it's time to consider?

Here might be a picture that demonstrates what the OP's talking about:

(courtesy Ars Technica)

Yes, that's another good example of how dramatic the effects of tapering can be. The flat back on the 2 doesn't really help it if it's not lying flat on a table and hidden 100% from view. Once your eye hits that back, any illusion caused by the tapering from the edge is completely nulled.

The op is 100% right in the post, but the title contradicts, or is misleading, as the majority of replies, are simply replying to the thread title.
The title should be along the lines of: "iPad 2 LOOKS To be Thicker In Real Life", or something.
Add the 2010 sofa pics, and have the 2011 pics directly underneath in the original thread, and folks will understand visually, faster then even the best written explanation.

#ThreadTips

Again, I was just stating my opinion in the thread title. It's not misleading. The only other way I could have said it was "In my opinion, iPad 2 not really thinner." Effectively, that's the same, isn't it?

Plus there is always the simple fact that it will feel thinner in your hands, which is all that really matters anyway.

I'm willing to bet that the new iPad 2 feels thicker in the hand actually. It's because of the flat back. Whether or not it's comfortable, or functional, that's another story.

For example, take the 3rd gen iPod touch vs 4th gen. The 3rd gen was thicker by 1.3mm, but it actually looked AND felt thinner in the hand during use. Once your fingers touch the flat back on the 4th gen, again, the illusion from the tapering is gone.

 

[blow45]

So what? After all the calls of "ignore the title, read the OP", I went back and re-read it.

Are you all telling me that you are not going to buy the iPad 2 because it "looks" thicker? I guarantee you will feel the difference, and it will be a huge difference.

People are so shallow.

so what? so nothing. we are going to buy it anyway most of us, but it does look fatter when looked from the back a la the Scott Forestal pics.

And there's a simple reason for that: The original ipad was comparatively thick and that's why apple (being the design masters they are) opted for the curved back that gave the illusion of thinness. This model, which IS actually much thinner isn't and thus in certain scenarios of use it can look thicker, paradoxically.

Another thing, that's not been said, is that apple didn't make a curved back one this time, because they wanted to save some volume to put in the battery, and this design leads to far less wasted space within. So in essense (and sorry for the underline but I am trying to make a point not to be missed) this model is 33% thinner, but it terms of volume it should be more along the lines of 15-20% less bulky, because apple are using the extra volume gained from a tapered edges design - if one calculates the volume of the original one, and then fits it in a design like the new one then the original ipad would become considerably thinner too because by virture of the new design.

They've managed to do that not with some extra gain in batteries (I am quite sure battery advancements can't give this thing anything more than 10% battery based on year to year tech progress) but by essentially eliminating the frame (the advanced in unibody in a year, and the air provided a prototype of solid thin frames to use on the ipad I suppose) and changing the curved back.

The result being a thinner machine, that looks and feels thinner (or so it seems for the latter) but one which in some usage scenarios DOES make the ipad appear thicker that the previous model.

 

[Fubar1977]

6 pages!

I know there`s a lot of pointless garbage on Macrumors but seriously

 

[Night Spring]

Again, I was just stating my opinion in the thread title. It's not misleading. The only other way I could have said it was "In my opinion, iPad 2 not really thinner." Effectively, that's the same, isn't it?

Uh... I think you don't understand the meaning of the word "really." "iPad 2 not really thinner" means the same thing as "iPad is not thinner." Whether object A is thinner or not than object B is a matter of fact that you can determine with a measuring tape. It's not something you can have an opinion about.

You should have said "iPad 2 does not look thinner than iPad 1." That can be a matter of opinion, so you can also say, "In my opinion, iPad 2 does not look thinner." But "In my opinion, iPad 2 not really thinner" is just total nonsense.

 

[vincenz]

Uh... I think you don't understand the meaning of the word "really." "iPad 2 not really thinner" means the same thing as "iPad is not thinner." Whether object A is thinner or not than object B is a matter of fact that you can determine with a measuring tape. It's not something you can have an opinion about.

You should have said "iPad 2 does not look thinner than iPad 1." That can be a matter of opinion, so you can also say, "In my opinion, iPad 2 does not look thinner." But "In my opinion, iPad 2 not really thinner" is just total nonsense.

What you mean to say is that there should be quotation marks around the word "really," no? But again, that's just going into semantics like I said in a post way, way back. Both your sentence and mine express the same opinion, albeit in different words. You are just reading those words in the way you want, so there's no point in debating that.

Either way, whether you like it or not, you judge on first glance. It takes just a split second. Someone walking into a cafe seeing someone using the iPad 2 and seeing that back may see that it's not really thinner. If that's what they perceive, it won't be easy to change their mind.

 

[Night Spring]

Either way, whether you like it or not, you judge on first glance. It takes just a split second. Someone walking into a cafe seeing someone using the iPad 2 and seeing that back may see that it's not really thinner. If that's what they perceive, it won't be easy to change their mind.

Noooooo! You really, REALLY, don't understand the meaning of the word "really"!

"Really" in this usage is just an emphatic way of saying "is." That iPad 2 someone is holding in the cafe is not "not really thinner," it only looks like it's not thinner.

I give up. I hope somebody else can explain this better than I can, because otherwise you are going to go through life having long weird horribly ridiculous conversations exactly like this thread!

But the meaning of the word "really" aside, why would it be hard to change somebody's mind about how thick an iPad 2 is? All you have to do is to get them to hold one in their hand.

 

[BergerFan]

Again, I was just stating my opinion in the thread title. It's not misleading. The only other way I could have said it was "In my opinion, iPad 2 not really thinner." Effectively, that's the same, isn't it?

I'm on your side here dude, Lol.
That Ars Technica pic shows what you mean clearly(how iPad 2 looks thicker, from certain viewpoints, when we know it's significantly thinner) but your title seems to suggest that the opposite is fact. A simple re-wording would address that, bearing in mind that more people post replies, purely based on thread titles, than the actual content of the post.

If you actually do believe that iPad 2 is thicker overall, in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, then...

 

[ovrlrd]

I'm willing to bet that the new iPad 2 feels thicker in the hand actually. It's because of the flat back. Whether or not it's comfortable, or functional, that's another story.

For example, take the 3rd gen iPod touch vs 4th gen. The 3rd gen was thicker by 1.3mm, but it actually looked AND felt thinner in the hand during use. Once your fingers touch the flat back on the 4th gen, again, the illusion from the tapering is gone.

You still don't seem to understand the fact that when you grip the 1st gen iPad you don't hold it by the very edge without touching the "curved" back. You grab it and your hand moves along the backside of the device. So your little example doesn't take into consideration that someones hand has to hold the flat edge plus a chunk of the curved back on the 1st gen.

On the iPad 2 you are right that you get less of the "curved back" to hide it because it goes to a flat back, but ultimately the total sum of the "grip" is still thinner because of the lack of that thick flat edge.

Here i'll edit your image to make my point.

Just think about it.

Even from behind it still looks thinner to me. You are just trying to convince yourself so hard otherwise, and it doesn't even matter because the iPad 2 is clearly thinner no matter what way you try to put it.

 

[spencers]

MACRUMORS: Where nerds will argue that 8.8mm is thicker than 13.4mm

 

[blow45]

MACRUMORS: Where nerds will argue that 8.8mm is thicker than 13.4mm

Yeah you got it, that's what we are on about...

 

[vincenz]

I'm on your side here dude, Lol.
That Ars Technica pic shows what you mean clearly(how iPad 2 looks thicker, from certain viewpoints, when we know it's significantly thinner) but your title seems to suggest that the opposite is fact. A simple re-wording would address that, bearing in mind that more people post replies, purely based on thread titles, than the actual content of the post.

Oh I know that.

But I can see what you're saying. Then all those people who posted "blah blah blah, iPad 2 is definitely thinner" should read the entire thread instead of replying to just the title.

You still don't seem to understand the fact that when you grip the 1st gen iPad you don't hold it by the very edge without touching the "curved" back. You grab it and your hand moves along the backside of the device. So your little example doesn't take into consideration that someones hand has to hold the flat edge plus a chunk of the curved back on the 1st gen.

On the iPad 2 you are right that you get less of the "curved back" to hide it because it goes to a flat back, but ultimately the total sum of the "grip" is still thinner because of the lack of that thick flat edge.

Here i'll edit your image to make my point.

Just think about it.

Even from behind it still looks thinner to me. You are just trying to convince yourself so hard otherwise, and it doesn't even matter because the iPad 2 is clearly thinner no matter what way you try to put it.

I know you don't hold the original iPad simply by its edges.

Let me ask you: Do you even have the original iPad? If you do, pick it up and hold it in your hands normally. Do your fingers reach all the way to the Apple logo at the center in the back? No, they don't. When you hold the iPad 2 next week, in that same position, your fingers will be resting completely on the flat back. The thickness will be apparent then. I'm not going to argue over minutiae like this-- it's stupid. Go get yourself a 3rd gen touch and a 4th gen touch and you'll see what I mean right away.

Whether or not you like that more "substantial" feel of it is, like I said, something for another thread.

If we need to label things, I'm saying the tapering is done better on the iPad than on iPad 2. It makes it both feel and look thinner than the iPad 2.

 

[fertilized-egg]

Yeah you got it, that's what we are on about...

Let me fix it for you.

MACRUMORS: Where nerds will argue that 8.8mm is isn't really thinner than 13.4mm because from certain angle in photos it looks thicker and further argue people believe it's thinner because of Apple's marketing. (That's really what the OP argued, unbelievable)

 

[ovrlrd]

I know you don't hold the original iPad simply by its edges.

Let me ask you: Do you even have the original iPad? If you do, pick it up and hold it in your hands normally. Do your fingers reach all the way to the Apple logo at the center in the back? No, they don't. When you hold the iPad 2 next week, in that same position, your fingers will be resting completely on the flat back. The thickness will be apparent then.

You totally missed the whole point of the image I created, because even if your hand doesn't reach all the way to the Apple logo it is still thicker. The combined thickness of the flat edge plus even a small chunk of the curved back is greater than the thickness of the iPad 2 with a tapered edge and a flat back.

Also yes I have held the iPods you are talking about and I had the exact opposite feeling.

 

[Night Spring]

Go get yourself a 3rd gen touch and a 4th gen touch and you'll see what I mean right away.

I used to have both for a while until I gave away the 3rd gen. I never thought that the 4th gen felt thicker than the 3rd gen, so no, I don't see what you mean.