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Roundup: iPad Air and Retina iPad Mini First Impressions

OrangeSVTguy said:
i can't see how an iPad 2 is still $399? Why not make the iPad 3 the new low end model? At least that has Retina display. Better yet, make last years the low end since it has lightning instead of the old aged 30 pin connector.
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Really good question!
The answer is twofold. First- they quit making the iPad 3 two generations ago now.. & do not have facilities up and running with those parts.. many of which are not being produced any more as they are in NO product (not to mention the cost difference/differentiation component between one retina & one non-retina model... & consistency between the two mini models)
However, MUCH more importantly (and I'm VERY surprised I'm the first to mention this), Apple has just made an incredibly smart production decision!!
Imagine their economy of scale & how cheap it is going to get, per unit now that they have only two processors across SIX products!!!!!!!!!!
High End:
iPad air - A7
iPad mini Retina - A7
iPhone 5S - A7
Low End:
iPad 2 - A5
iPad mini - A5
iPhone 4S - A5
Genius of them, right?!
 
class77 said:
Apple is trying to be all things to all people. The need to have 1 version of iPad mini and 1 version of iPad Air(stupid name). Their carrying costs to have 2 version of 2 minis in all it's categories and the same for 2 versions of the iPad have to be huge. The same goes for the iPhone being available in 3 different sizes. The 5C should not have been brought out at all, or the 4S should have been ditched. Total waste of r&d budgets. Spend some on the freaking Apple TV box and get it working before it gets left in the dirt.

Didn't Apple get into trouble right before Steve came back to the company and pared down the offerings to a more manageable size?
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Do you really think the 5C took more than a dozen man-hours to design? It's just the 5 in a plastic shell. The 4S certainly took no time at all to keep selling more of. In fact, it would have taken more time calling up the factory and telling them to shut it down.

Apple keeps selling old products because they can still make money off of them. People want to buy them still, and Apple doesn't have to spend any money on R&D to keep selling them. Parts are cheaper, so they can sell it cheaper and still make a nice profit.

As much as I'd love Apple to drop the original miniPad, and the 4S, as a developer, just to unify their screen resolutions again, as a shareholder I have no problem with Apple continuing to sell those products, and as a customer having options is nice, even if I'll usually want the new tech.
 
DVK916 said:
You have no idea what you are talking about. The Nexus 10 processor is slow by todays standard, and less than 1/3 the speed of the Ipad Mini Retina.

This new Nexus 10 is suppose to use a Snapdragon 800, which is still slower than the A7, by leagues.
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To prove my point I have some benchmark results.

http://media.bestofmicro.com/A/H/371033/original/geekbenchmem.png

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DVK916 said:
Their is nothing on the android side that is is fast as apple A7.
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I have never heard or seen anywhere apple claim that the iPads use Gorilla Glass, let alone Gorilla Glass 2 or 3. Post a link that confirms iPad uses Gorilla Glass if you can actually back up your claims.

EDIT: this link CONFIRMS that Ipads DO NOT use Gorilla Glass!

http://www.corninggorillaglass.com/products-with-gorilla/full-products-list
 
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I was sure I'd want the iPad Mini 2 when it came out (mostly for more comfortable hand-holding experience when I compared the iPad Mini to the iPad in the store), but now will have to go to the Apple Store to see if I like the iPad Air better with it's new lighter weight. Anyone know if Apple Store will have display models before they officially go on sale?

My thought is that the Mini will be more portable (i.e. easier to fit in a bag), but would be nice to have Air for bigger movie watching or magazine reading experience. Also, thinking ahead ... If Apple shifts to 4.8" design for next iPhone, then 7.9" Mini won't seem that big by comparison and it would make more sense to have a 9.8" iPad Air (to sit in between 4.8" iPhone and MBP 15").

Also need to decide if I want WiFi-only or cellular model. For those who already have an iPhone, is paying extra monthly fee for cellular (I have Verizon) on iPad really worth it? I figure I can look stuff up on my iPhone if I don't have WiFi and save money. On the other hand, would hate to always be telling myself "should have gotten the cellular model."
 
priyamsingh said:
I have never heard or seen anywhere apple claim that the iPads use Gorilla Glass, let alone Gorilla Glass 2 or 3. Post a link that confirms iPad uses Gorilla Glass if you can actually back up your claims.

EDIT: this link CONFIRMS that Ipads DO NOT use Gorilla Glass!

http://www.corninggorillaglass.com/products-with-gorilla/full-products-list
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Since Apple at one point did use Gorilla Glass in iphones, it is assumed that Apple also used Gorilla Glass in the iPad. If not from Corning, from who then?

That list doesn't confirm anything.

Corning® Gorilla® Glass is used by more than 33 major brands, has been designed into more than 1000 product models, and is featured on more than 1.5 billion devices worldwide. Due to customer agreements, we cannot identify all devices that feature Gorilla Glass. Your favorite device may include Gorilla Glass, even if you don’t see it listed. Ask your manufacturer or retailer to learn more.
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duffman9000 said:
Since Apple at one point did use Gorilla Glass in iphones, it is assumed that Apple also used Gorilla Glass in the iPad. If not from Corning, from who then?

That list doesn't confirm anything. If you're going to troll at least learn how to read. FTFA:
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Unless someone here provides some evidence that iPads use GL, we have to assume that they don't. Just because some iPhone at some point used it doesn't mean it's also used in the iPads. Why would Apple not write it in the specs description or mention it in its marketing if it had GL?
 
Roy G Biv said:
Seeing as how my iPad stays at home 99%, I'd want touch ID to prevent family from seeing my browsing history. It would be bad.
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I know you are joking, i.e. pretending the lack of Touch ID is irrelevant (until next year it is included and then it magically becomes a "must have feature"), but I think it is time for the iPad to have multiple user accounts. They are touting "desktop power" with the A7 SoC so then, where is the desktop class software (OS)? (with things such as multiple user accounts or real multitasking with 2 or more apps on screen -not just fast switching-).

Also, this iPad "5" can do nothing more than the iPad 2. Yes, it has better hardware in every way, but basically it can't do anything new. Same, but faster and prettier. Is that the kind of innovation whe should expect from Apple? Is that enough?

Marc
 
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priyamsingh said:
Unless someone here provides some evidence that iPads use GL, we have to assume that they don't. Just because some iPhone at some point used it doesn't mean it's also used in the iPads. Why would Apple not write it in the specs description or mention it in its marketing if it had GL?
Click to expand...

That's right no one can publicly confirm this. You stated that your link confirms that iPads don't use GG. That list doesn't prove anything.
 
priyamsingh said:
Unless someone here provides some evidence that iPads use GL, we have to assume that they don't. Just because some iPhone at some point used it doesn't mean it's also used in the iPads. Why would Apple not write it in the specs description or mention it in its marketing if it had GL?
Click to expand...

Are you aware of the fact that Steve Jobs himself was the main driver in the adoption of Gorilla Glass for the original iPhone? (and then the rest of the industry followed)

Corning said it was impossible to create and manufacture such a product (in that time frame), but Steve pushed and finally Corning delivered what became to be known as Gorilla Glass. iPhone was the first product to use it and, you know, Apple never mentioned it anywhere in the website. It seems Apple doesn't like mentioning 3rd party brands in their products. Do Apple ever mentions that the iPhone camera uses a Sony sensor or anything like that? No.

I don't know if they use GG for the iPads, but it is very likely.
 
priyamsingh said:
I do concede that the Nexus 10 is heavier and thicker than iPad Air and battery life is 1hr less but that's because it's pushing more pixels and it's more powerful.
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Wrong, the A7 outperforms the Cortex A15 even at lower clockspeeds. What you meant to say is that it is more power hungry.

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Marc-SP said:
They are touting "desktop power" with the A7 SoC so then, where is the desktop class software?
Click to expand...
The iWork suite (especially 32 track GarageBand) is quite arguably desktop class software.
 
Marc-SP said:
Are you aware of the fact that Steve Jobs himself was the main driver in the adoption of Gorilla Glass for the original iPhone? (and then the rest of the industry followed)

Corning said it was impossible to create and manufacture such a product (in that time frame), but Steve pushed and finally Corning delivered what became to be known as Gorilla Glass. iPhone was the first product to use it and, you know, Apple never mentioned it anywhere in the website. It seems Apple doesn't like mentioning 3rd party brands in their products. Do Apple ever mentions that the iPhone camera uses a Sony sensor or anything like that? No.

I don't know if they use GG for the iPads, but it is very likely.
Click to expand...

Sites like GSMArena do list third party brands if they are used. I just confirmed actually that all iphones have the regular GL but not GL2 or GL3. But no one it seems can confirm the iPad has it as well.
 
priyamsingh said:
Sites like GSMArena do list third party brands if they are used. I just confirmed actually that all iphones have the regular GL but not GL2 or GL3. But no one it seems can confirm the iPad has it as well.
Click to expand...

I am afraid that GSMArena is guessing, unless they perform some sort of physical/chemical analysis of the glass on every device.

It is hard to believe that newer iphones (from 5) use GG1, being Apple so obsessed with making thinner products (GG2 and 3 can be thinner than GG1 at the same strength level).
 
ErikGrim said:
Wrong, the A7 outperforms the Cortex A15 even at lower clockspeeds. What you meant to say is that it is more power hungry.

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The iWork suite (especially 32 track GarageBand) is quite arguably desktop class software.
Click to expand...

This is actually interesting but these are only browser benchmarks for which iOS is know to be superior. Has the same kind of testing been done to test for GPU and CPU performance in a more direct way? I remember AnandTech did that when iPad 3 came out.
 
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