iPad mini Motley Fool says iPad Mini 4 needs refresh to compete w/Surface Go

[temna]

This is a very limited example. I've worked a couple of trade shows where I was showing potential dealers and users the app for viewing pics from cellular trail cameras. Even a large phone is a bit small for showing the app and photos to people. An 8" tablet is just about perfect. Everything is large enough to see but you don't get tired toting it around the booth all day. A larger device (e.g., 10" or more) is just plain awkward to use all day in a situation like that.

Tasks that require good visibility but don't require a ton of typing (just finger input) often work well on the 8" size and that will fit in large pockets, where a larger device won't.

Exactly, and working in the field, I'd prefer to have something that I can have both hands free when I need, but still a screen big enough to see if I have to put it down.. My 8+ isn't quite there.. And there are some apps/features that a iPad has that an iPhone doesn't..

WHERE IS MY IPAD MINI PRO? =(

 

[Wirenut]

Microsoft execs cancelled the Surface Mini for good reason. You simply can't be productive with an 8" display.

I really, really hate when people make such matter-of-fact statements like this, especially when they are not true. I run my company off of my iPad Mini, literally. And I use it for personal use as well. I can purchase a larger iPad, but the size of the Mini is perfect for me. For you to say that no one can be productive with it is hyperbole at best, a blatant lie at worst.

 

[JPack]

I really, really hate when people make such matter-of-fact statements like this, especially when they are not true. I run my company off of my iPad Mini, literally. And I use it for personal use as well. I can purchase a larger iPad, but the size of the Mini is perfect for me. For you to say that no one can be productive of it is hyperbole at best, a blatant lie at worst.

You'll also find somebody running their business with an iPod Touch and Bluetooth keyboard, but that doesn't mean it's the rule.

The vast majority of people will not be productive using an iPad mini.

For example, Microsoft offers Office for free for devices under 10" because they don't believe you can use it for design or presentations.

Even Apple discontinued their 9.7" iPad Pro in just over a year in favor a larger 10.5" model.

 

[bensisko]

The vast majority of people will not be productive using an iPad mini.

Do you have any data to back that up?

And no, device sales data is not proof of your statement. There are a number of reasons why people make a purchase decision one way or another.

 

[Wirenut]

You'll also find somebody running their business with an iPod Touch and Bluetooth keyboard, but that doesn't mean it's the rule.

The vast majority of people will not be productive using an iPad mini.

I never said anything about the majority of people, and neither did you. You were very clear in what you said, and it was false.

 

[JPack]

Do you have any data to back that up?

And no, device sales data is not proof of your statement. There are a number of reasons why people make a purchase decision one way or another.

There's plenty of literature to indicate a sharp drop in productivity (especially typing) for devices smaller than 10". In the study below, they performed a comparison of 8.1", 10.1" and 11.6" Acer tablets for on-screen tapping, dragging, and typing tasks. Users of the 8.1" device performed significantly slower because the keyboard is much smaller than a conventional keyboard.

Size Effects on the Usability of Tablets in Pointing and Typing Tasks
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2015.07.913

Display and device size effects on the usability of mini-notebooks (netbooks)/ultraportables as small form-factor Mobile PCs
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2014.01.009

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[doublepost=1532385455][/doublepost]

I never said anything about the majority of people, and neither did you. You were very clear in what you said, and it was false.

You win this nitpicking argument. The point still stands.

 

[Wirenut]

You win this nitpicking argument. The point still stands.

I am not nitpicking, and your point most certainly does NOT stand. Your point was 100% incorrect. It was false, wrong.

Even in your attempt to backpedal, the best you can come up with is that there is "a sharp drop in productivity". That is worlds away from the statement "You simply can't be productive with an 8" display."

The fact is that MILLIONS of people are very productive with displays 8" or smaller on tablets or phones.

 

[JPack]

I am not nitpicking, and your point most certainly does NOT stand. Your point was 100% incorrect. It was false, wrong.

Even in your attempt to backpedal, the best you can come up with is that there is "a sharp drop in productivity". That is worlds away from the statement "You simply can't be productive with an 8" display."

The fact is that MILLIONS of people are very productive with displays 8" or smaller on tablets or phones.

More nitpicking, even in the face of literature.

 

[Wirenut]

More nitpicking, even in the face of literature.

I am not nitpicking. Millions of people (tens, possibly hundreds of millions) doing something is the opposite of what you said.

You literature did NOT support your assertion. I have explained why your assertion was false multiple times now.

 

[spinedoc77]

I am hoping a refreshed ipad mini comes out, and that's from someone who absolutely adores his surface pro and would never ever consider trading it for an ipad pro. But for a smaller screened, more portable device I think I'd rather have something like an ipad mini.

For those saying that the iPhone plus replaces this, I disagree. The ipad mini still has a significantly larger screen than the iPhone plus, even the upcoming 6.5" model. Now if Apple slimmed down the bezels all around on the ipad mini, just imagine how much larger the screen would be. Add ipad like support such as side by side windows, increased dock bar capacity, etc and how about pencil use? This would be much better than simply having an iPhone plus, and still portable enough to throw into a (large) pocket.

 

[sonicrobby]

Even Apple discontinued their 9.7" iPad Pro in just over a year in favor a larger 10.5" model.

But they just released a new 9.7" this year, no?
Not a pro, but shows they havent given up the form factor.

 

[DNichter]

I don't see the correlation between the 2. One is a small tablet and the other is 10 inch laptop. Completely different markets in my eyes.

 

[Sunshoopa]

Thanks for the correction.

My eyes are fine. As are everyone's who will declare the same thing when Apple announces MegaMotion in a future iPad. I'm just saying it before the crowd does.

I want to be that rare breed of human who has X-Men style vision and can spot individual pixels on a retina display that is 10 feet away, and who also feel that a 60MHz refresh rate is not adequate.

I know you’re messing around but they do have 240Hz PC monitors (and in some cases, they can overclock the monitors to 500Hz+ at lower resolutions). I personally use a 144Hz monitor.

 

[Greenmeenie]

If Apple releases an 8.5” bezel-less ipad mini with pencil support, this comparison would make more sense.

 

[spacebro]

They should make the iPad mini a phablet

 

[Koh Phi Phi]

I personally prefer smaller size tablets, 8" being my favorite size. I just can't hold and type confortably on an iPad Pro.

That being said, the Microsoft Surface Go is NOT an iPad (let alone an iPad Mini!) competitor. Running full Windows, I see the Go more of a small portable laptop than a tablet.

 

[kristalsoldier]

I personally prefer smaller size tablets, 8" being my favorite size. I just can't hold and type confortably on an iPad Pro.

That being said, the Microsoft Surface Go is NOT an iPad (let alone an iPad Mini!) competitor. Running full Windows, I see the Go more of a small portable laptop than a tablet.

Yeah...reminds me of those small net books in the early 2000s.

 

[charlituna]

Tasks that require good visibility but don't require a ton of typing (just finger input) often work well on the 8" size and that will fit in large pockets, where a larger device won't.

yep. when i'm up a ladder rigging lights for a shoot I need to see my schematics and be able to set it on the top without fear of it calling cause it's too big to be stable. and then i need to be able to slip it in the pocket of my cargos and move to the next spot

 

[Atomic1977]

Being productive can be done on a small iPad. I use my mini 2 to this day to check emails post on forums game and post on Facebook. Sometimes it works better than my 2 to 3 year old hp desktop windows pc.