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Put the loudspeaker on the front......

Piggie

Piggie

macrumors G3
Original poster
Feb 23, 2010
9,299
4,341
That's all I have to say really :D

Unless it's technically/physically impossible to do so, only a total doofus would think that a (now with iPad3) almost totally rear facing loudspeaker on a product is the best idea.

iPad speaker port photo: http://wiredtechnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/ipad-3-speaker-1.jpg

I'm not saying I love Samsung, however they have shown it's technically possible to do so in a practical way on their current models:

Galaxy Tab 10.1: http://www.androidgenus.com/wp-content/uploads/GALAXY-Tab-2-10.1.jpg

Galaxy Note 10.1: http://www.blugga.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Samsung-Galaxy-Note-10.1-21.jpg

I accept some reading this will just say Argh, Samsung makes cheap nasty plastic junk. But I'm talking of the concept of what they have done.

I'm not saying Apple should copy this exact design, but as we can see it's "Possible"

Twin forward facing stereo speaker, facing towards your face/ears must, by any logical persons mind be better than a single, mono, mostly rear firing speaker, that you (and you can try this) cup your hand around to deflect the sound more forward to your ears.

And to those who shout "PORTRAIT MODE" Heck, I'd still rather have front mounted speakers in portrait mode.

Now Apple are not the only company to place speakers on the back, it's easy and simple to do so, but come on, let's move forward now and make things better please, esp now it's been show to be do-able.
 
I have an IP3 and must admit that it's a pain to listen to sometimes. If it was possible, I wish the would have put one on the front. I'm not a design engineer so I don't know the tech aspects of doing that.
 
I got a huge laugh out of you calling the iPad's speaker a "loudspeaker!"

Anyway, for critical listening I use headphones.
 
It would certainly make for better listening, but it might not have the same aesthetic appeal as a side/back speaker.
 
Skika said:
No god please no never ever!
Click to expand...

Do you have any other devices in your home where the speaker are facing away from you?

Your TV perhaps?

Have you turned your HiFi system around so the speakers point away from you?

Why do you prefer the sound be directed away from you rather than towards you ?

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Orange furball said:
Samsung did that to avoid lawsuits. Lawsuits that would backfire at apple if they did this. Bad idea. If you want something from another company, buy it!
Click to expand...

I would be quite happy to speak up in Apples defence on this point were they do to it. Having speakers on the front of a tablet, directing the sound towards, as opposed to away from the user is a basic common sense move and one that should obviously not be patentable as a concept as TV's, Radio's, etc etc have been naturally designed this way for decades.
 
I don't think the speaker was designed for high quality listening at all but more for alerts, FaceTime and such

Most listening from an iPad of any consequence will usually involve ear buds or headphones, or even an external speaker system
 
Absolutely need to put two stereo speakers in the front, come on now it's only 2012, mono speakers where made when dinosaurs existed! If you have ever seen or heard the blackberry play book it has the speakers in the front and you can't notice them.
 
Ipadfever said:
Absolutely need to put two stereo speakers in the front, come on now it's only 2012, mono speakers where made when dinosaurs existed! If you have ever seen or heard the blackberry play book it has the speakers in the front and you can't notice them.
Click to expand...

For the record, its a stereo speaker, not a mono speaker.
 
It all comes down to compromises. Apple have decided to put one mono speaker on the back, IMO:

1) if they are on the front, they take away real estate that could have made the tablet smaller.

2) take away internal dimension for a larger battery.

Apple's industrial design is the best in the world. No question about that :D

Other people are just trying to copy them and trying to cut out a niche market out from Apple's market share. If movie (stereo speakers and 16:9 aspect ratio) is so critical to them, they should get themselves a Galaxy Tab, or wait for the illusive iPad mini.
 
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MacDawg said:
I don't think the speaker was designed for high quality listening at all but more for alerts, FaceTime and such

Most listening from an iPad of any consequence will usually involve ear buds or headphones, or even an external speaker system
Click to expand...

Agreed, like any "tiny" speaker, you can never expect amazing quality, but with all things, you need to make sure you get "The Very Best" out of every single part of your equipment/build/device.

As it is, at the moment. Even without making any changes tot he speak as such, or the power used to drive it. A simple (not that simple, but do-able) change of having whatever speakers you do have, to face you, will make a big difference to the sound these is to have.

I can see this being another "Camera on the iPad scenario" where it will only be obvious and the right thing to do, if Apple ever do it.

;)

I can't see people when faced with an iPad 5 or 6, going OMG front speakers what a mistake. they should be on the back.
 
darngooddesign said:
For the record, its a stereo speaker, not a mono speaker.
Click to expand...

Stereo Speaker???:confused:

Stereo definition: sound that is directed through two or more speakers so that it seems to surround the listener and to come from more than one source; stereophonic sound.
 
The iPad is too small to be worth it. Even if they were side mounted there wouldn't be enough separation between the speakers to make the sound considerably better. Buy some decent headphones - hell, even cheap ones would be better than ugly front facing speakers on an iPad.
 
nufanec said:
The iPad is too small to be worth it. Even if they were side mounted there wouldn't be enough separation between the speakers to make the sound considerably better. Buy some decent headphones - hell, even cheap ones would be better than ugly front facing speakers on an iPad.
Click to expand...

I think if they are well incorporate (which if other came from apple they would be) it would look ok.
 
Yea, I think Samsung's managed to do it in a way that isn't ugly at all but I can't imagine Apple ditching their minimalist aesthetic for it.

I've seen a case that ports the audio towards the front. Never heard it. As it is I just cup my hand around the speaker area to direct the sound towards me, not ideal.
 
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