Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

iPad mini iPad Mini is ridiculous -- Apple should go tabletop/giant!

WardC

WardC

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Oct 17, 2007
2,727
215
Fort Worth, TX
Yes, exactly what I said. This whole "iPad mini" thing is ridiculous...the iPad is tiny as it is, and the iPod Touch fits the super-miniture computer category fine.

What Apple needs to develop is a LARGER version of the iPad, like a tabletop computer based on iOS/Mac OS X, something much larger than the iPad, but with full multitouch. It's this "large surface" category that is being completely ignored by Apple, but has so much potential. Apple is in their honeymoon of iGadgets and won't get their head out of Toys-R-Us at the current time, as least it seems that way.

In otherwords, what I am talking about is an iOS/multitouch computer that is large enough to do serious multitasking...something that could be installed as an office computer even, or sit on your game table at home...that could handle high resolution photo retouching from a large screen, and do other tasks a desktop or laptop would normally be needed for...more capability than a 9.7" iPad, with a screen the size of a 27" iMac (or larger)
 
I see where you're coming from, but from Apples point of view, they don't have any contender to the cheaper tablets, such as the Nexus 7 etc, so this iPad Mini is merely an idea to try and dominate that part of the market.

Kinda weird, but eh, it could work I suppose. (the iPad Mini)
 
What would you use a tablet the size of a table top for? Surely viewing angle would be terrible (Trying staring down at your table for a while ...), only be good for standing up next to I think.....not to mention portability is out of the question.

I can't help but think that your post was in jest somehow...:confused:
 
This is not meant to be portable, it's meant to be a desktop replacement but an iOS/multitouch device, like a giant slate...This would have great applications in many different areas, photo work, video editing, web, etc...

The major advantage over the iPad would be the improvement of screen real estate, which might possibly allow one to display multiple applications concurrently...
 
stuaz said:
What would you use a tablet the size of a table top for? Surely viewing angle would be terrible (Trying staring down at your table for a while ...), only be good for standing up next to I think.....not to mention portability is out of the question.

I can't help but think that your post was in jest somehow...:confused:
Click to expand...

Yeah that post must be in jest. Looking at the various competitor's 7in tablets and their success, obviously there's a market for the iPad mini, yet he calls it "ridiculous"?
 
In reality though, think about Apple prices, for something of this form-factor it would probably be in excess of like $4000 haha.
 
I still don't understand the concept of table sized touch screen devices. Stretching your arm out would get tiresome very quickly, and you would have to be standing up to reach all areas.

The ergonomics just don't work for me :confused:
 
WardC said:
In otherwords, what I am talking about is an iOS/multitouch computer that is large enough to do serious multitasking...something that could be installed as an office computer even, or sit on your game table at home...that could handle high resolution photo retouching from a large screen, and do other tasks a desktop or laptop would normally be needed for...more capability than a 9.7" iPad, with a screen the size of a 27" iMac (or larger)
Click to expand...

Got any evidence there's a market for millions of these things to be sold every year?

Didn't think so.
 
Thinking about it though, a 15" Tablet-Mac would be pretty damn cool, with Wacom working with them so that it has some nice graphics input options, e.g. pen input for drawing etc.
 
briankeith513 said:
Yeah that post must be in jest. Looking at the various competitor's 7in tablets and their success, obviously there's a market for the iPad mini, yet he calls it "ridiculous"?
Click to expand...

Why would Apple want to dilute a product that is already stellar? The interface elements on the current iPad would be unusable in a 7" form-factor device, and the current Retina display resolution cannot be packed any smaller...so the resulting device would not have the resolution of the 9.7" iPad, it would not have the same screen real-estate, and the only thing it would be is a "smaller" iPad running iOS, that's it....

And Apple will probably market them as cheaper than the current-size iPad. I cannot see how this "iPad mini" will be a superior innovation than the current iteration of iPad, that's all I am saying by -- "ridiculous" -- Apple wants to MINI everything....that is why they are popular in Asia right now....products for tiny people...and that seems to be the direction and only care Apple has these days...iOS devices...iOS devices....iOS devices.
 
Going by the rumours an iPad mini would be perfect for my commute to work.

Wouldn't have to worry about the extra weight in my bag and a bigger screen than my iPhone.
 
why stop at the tabletop?
 

Attachments

  • 2014iMatr_thumb.jpg
    2014iMatr_thumb.jpg
    54.7 KB · Views: 125
I think you are ridiculous for thinking that the world needs a HUGE tablet over an iPad Mini.

I have had 0 interest in an iPad until the Mini's rumors started.
 
stridemat said:
Going by the rumours an iPad mini would be perfect for my commute to work.

Wouldn't have to worry about the extra weight in my bag and a bigger screen than my iPhone.
Click to expand...

And all this time I've thought my iPad was perfect for my commute to work.
 
I'm sure there is a multi-touch desktop deep in Apple's research lab. But I think the technology isn't quite mature enough for such a device yet. The cost of making such a big multi-touch screen needs to come down a bit more. The screen needs to swivel between a vertical "monitor" position and a close-to-flat but slightly angled "writing/drawing" position, otherwise we'd get the "gorilla arm" problem. Software needs to differentiate between fingers and wrists/arms so we can rest our arms on the surface when working on such a big screen.

In fact, with Windows 8, I'm sure some company will try to make a multi-touch desktop or a laptop, in fact many will, and they'll all be horribly designed and uncomfortable to use, and Apple will quietly make a note of "what not to do" and then sweep in with an elegant and simple solution -- if they remain true to form. That will be the ultimate test of whether Apple can remain innovative post-Jobs, but we are still at least several years away from that point.
 
In all honesty, the original iPad isn't exactly heavy.... Or has a big screen. Well unless you have no muscles at all. :D
 
WardC said:
Why would Apple want to dilute a product that is already stellar? The interface elements on the current iPad would be unusable in a 7" form-factor device, and the current Retina display resolution cannot be packed any smaller...so the resulting device would not have the resolution of the 9.7" iPad, it would not have the same screen real-estate, and the only thing it would be is a "smaller" iPad running iOS, that's it....

And Apple will probably market them as cheaper than the current-size iPad. I cannot see how this "iPad mini" will be a superior innovation than the current iteration of iPad, that's all I am saying by -- "ridiculous" -- Apple wants to MINI everything....that is why they are popular in Asia right now....products for tiny people...and that seems to be the direction and only care Apple has these days...iOS devices...iOS devices....iOS devices.
Click to expand...

Good god, where to begin???

"The interface elements on the current iPad would be unusable in a 7" form-factor device, and the current Retina display resolution cannot be packed any smaller"

Um, every heard of that little device known as the iPhone? It runs the same iOS as iPad in a MUCH smaller form-factor and does it just fine. I'm not sure if you meant what you said here, but if you did, that's just silly and uneducated.

"And Apple will probably market them as cheaper than the current-size iPad"

Again, duh. It's a SMALLER iPad, meaning the cost will be lower. What's so hard to understand about that? If the rumors are true, it won't even have the Retina display (at least that's the last thing I read), so of course it'll be cheaper. Are you worried Apple is going to dilute the iPad name? Why? It's still made by Apple and all the fanboys and fangirls will run out and buy one. Jesus...talk about vane.

"Apple wants to MINI everything....that is why they are popular in Asia right now....products for tiny people"

I won't disagree that Apple seems obsessed with making everything "thinner and smaller", but not for the reason you state (which is HIGHLY offensive, btw). Nice generalization about people of Asian ancestry. I suppose you also think they all look alike, right? I'd hate to see what you think about African American folks.

What's the point of this thread, anyway? To rant? I guess you accomplished your mission. :rolleyes:
 
So many absolute statements here...for what we know now, Apple may have such a device already in development (surely it has registered several patents about it)...or not.
Guys, didn't all these "iPad mini never gonna happen" threads teach you anything?
 
Not sure why so many 10" iPad owners are so passionately against the existence of a smaller model.

What do you care? The Mini isn't replacing your precious form factor; 10" iPads will still be sold.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back