It's no coincidence that the iPad is 4:3 and the iPad accounts for more than 84 percent of all tablet web traffic.
The 4:3 aspect ratio is preferable for virtually every possible handheld activity besides TV/movies.
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iPad What are the chances of a 16:9 iPad?
- Thread starter dingdongbubble
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The 4:3 aspect ratio is preferable for virtually every possible handheld activity besides TV/movies.
I think it would be more accurate to say that the best compromise for overall size and best useable sceen space for a tablet is as the iPad is now. (As in to maintain the current ipad mini screen width but increase to 16:9 would result in too tall a tablet to be 'mini'...)
I think Apple have actually spent some real design time thinking and trying this out.
I suspect Google spent far less time deciding on the 16:9 ratio...
I have the Nexus 7 - could have been a contender... but not at 16:9. (Of course they make it tragically worse with status and soft buttons taking up screen space).
Try viewing a newspaper front page on the Nexus7 and an iPad mini in portrait then landscape... the extra 0.9" and ratio difference makes a big difference.
Can you surf the web with the Nexus 7.. of course.
Is it a pleasure? No.
I only got the N7 to try until the retina iPad mini comes out... but having used a 16:9 mini tablet, i'm going to struggle to resist just going ahead and getting an ipad mini as soon as i get off this oil rig...
The thing you need to remember with any tablet form factor is that once you add the soft-keyboard, the whole usable screen space changes.
4:3 + keyboard at the bottom is no longer 4:3. It's more like 6:3 or worse.
16:9 + keyboard at bottom = closer to 16:6
4:3 + keyboard at the bottom is no longer 4:3. It's more like 6:3 or worse.
16:9 + keyboard at bottom = closer to 16:6
Uhh. No.
The keyboard is only on the screen long enough to type in the address you want. Then it disappears. You don't browse or read content with the keyboard on the screen.
Yes.
If you're used to iPads, and haven't used an Android or other 16:9 ratio tablet for any decent length of time, it may not seem much of a deal.
On the other side, if you've always been used to 16:9 and haven't tried the iPad ratio, you won't be aware of what you're missing....
I've used an iPad 2 at home, fine.
Got the Nexus 7, expecting good things... but hadn't spent time with a 16:9 7" tablet before... and it is NOT good. Not awful... but when there's something far superior out there...
I'd rather have a 4:3 ipad mini at 7.9" which then has the black bars for video viewing. The video screen size is then more or less same as a 7" 16:9 tablet but the 4:3 is way, way better for everything else.
You are going to need to elaborate the point of this quote since it end saying what I said.
4:3 is better for browsing and 16:10 is better for TV/movies, yes......
Are you saying that people with iPads are COMPROMISING when watching videos/TV?
Or are you actually trying to say that since 84% of tablet web traffic is from an iPad, a 16:9 video/TV show is better on a 4:3 screen? I'm just joking about that, no ones that dumb.
Unless you are, for example, actually trying to do real work on one, including typing into a shell window, composing an email, or say using a text editor.
Like I said, I've been using these for WORK... as a potential desktop replacement - and running my desktop via VDI. Yes most of the tiem i would have a physical bluetooth keyboard to do heavy data entry, but when I'm not at a desk and wanting to quickly say, log into my VPN server and diagnose a problem while away from home/office, having screen real estate with the keyboard displayed is helpful.
Most people who do work on an iPad are going to have an external Bluetooth keyboard, as you suggested. A 16:9 or 16:10 tablet will not change that. A 4:3 tablet with a keyboard is preferable for most productivity applications to a 16:9 or 16:10 tablet with a keyboard, particularly in a handheld device where portrait mode is a viable option.
It makes no sense to degrade usability for the tasks that users perform most frequently to improve usability for the tasks that users perform less frequently.
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My point is that it is far better to compromise TV than it is to compromise web browsing and productivity applications. We know for a fact that the portrait web browsing is a popular activity -- probably the most popular activity -- on iPads, and any change that degrades or cripples that activity is not likely to be well received.
Most people that can afford iPads can also afford HDTVs. No one is their right mind is going to watch a TV show or a movie on a tablet when they can watch it on their 60" TV. Sure, a tablet is great for watching TV/movies while on travel, but that represents a small percentage of most people's time.
I hear and respect all others views, and accept we all have different likes and dislikes.
There are pro's and cons with everything.
If I may repost this image, I think, despite it being in portrait, the worse orientation for those who say 4:3 is the only option.
I would suggest it's obvious in this instance, even in portrait, the worst scenario, that 16:10 is beneficial as the picture illustrates:
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Do you all think the version on the left in exact 16:10 as I am proposing looks THAT terrible?
Also, naturally I would wish Apple to give iOS the added tweeks to take advantage of the wider screen in landscape mode, perhaps side by side apps, whilst allowing a longer viewing space for document and web browing in portrait mode.
Especially, as can be seen in the image above when using the onscreen keyboard as very few people will use and wish to carry 3rd party keyboards with them.
Again, I accept we all have our own preference.
There are pro's and cons with everything.
If I may repost this image, I think, despite it being in portrait, the worse orientation for those who say 4:3 is the only option.
I would suggest it's obvious in this instance, even in portrait, the worst scenario, that 16:10 is beneficial as the picture illustrates:
Do you all think the version on the left in exact 16:10 as I am proposing looks THAT terrible?
Also, naturally I would wish Apple to give iOS the added tweeks to take advantage of the wider screen in landscape mode, perhaps side by side apps, whilst allowing a longer viewing space for document and web browing in portrait mode.
Especially, as can be seen in the image above when using the onscreen keyboard as very few people will use and wish to carry 3rd party keyboards with them.
Again, I accept we all have our own preference.
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We are totally in agreement I just don't think you don't like the way I'm saying it.
You are being subjective saying a large portion of people compromise because its better to compromise in such a way. Which is an opinion.
I'm being objective and saying a large portion of people are compromising. But by its very nature, a compromise is a worse user experience.
I then continued by saying its best to get whichever you are going to compromise the least.
I don't know the statistics of how many own what and who does what. But if you are a person that does watch mostly videos or consume other widescreen media on a tablet then it might be in your best interest to get a 16:10 tablet. If web browsing and book reading are more your thing it may behoove you to get a 4:3 tablet.
I went about 5 years doing everything from reading books online, gaming, browsing the web and watch movies and videos on a 16:x screen before ever buying a tablet. I naturally didn't find 16:9/10 a bad experience.
Here's my subjective pov.
I actually use my Nexus 10 as a media center in my bedroom. Its docked to a 56" Samsung HDTV.
I use to use my iPad 3 with ATV but its a lousy user experience. First reason is aspect ratio, mirroring 4:3 to 16:9 sucks. Second, I need to hold the iPad. It has no mouse support?!
With the nexus 10 hidden away I use a Bluetooth keyboard trackpad combo from bed. Its great, the screen is full screen and if I fall asleep and drop the keyboard....who cares....
Now I realize what I do is a very limited audience but its a lot less of a compromise then what Apple offers. There are other compromises with the iPad but aren't related to this topic.
Overall its my goto device (as far as tablets are concerned) but I think a lot of people are limiting theirselves by sticking with one manufacture for everything.
The thing is that a lot of people actually liked a smaller size. Here, very few people prefer 16:9, and with a good reason.
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The only issue would be everything besides watching videos
FTFY
Personally, I never type on the iPad in portrait mode. Holding it in portrait while trying to tap the keys is awkward. If the iPad were 16:10, the extra length would make it even more awkward. Yes, you get more content displayed with 16:10, but you have to keep in mind that when talking about using with onscreen keyboard, how you hold the tablet while typing is more important to comfort of use than display space.
The answer was given on the previous page; your pictures don't illustrate two iPads of the same screen size, you are effectively comparing a 9.7" 4:3 ipad to a 12" 16:10 ipad in order to make your point. 4:3 is a closer ratio to 1:1 which maximizes the area for any given size screen. To go to 16:10 you either have to lose area, decrease pixel size, or increase the physical screen size. I don't want a physically larger device (especially one that is taller in portrait), I don't want to lose any viewable area, and I don't want to have to constantly zoom text that is too small.
Apple totally nailed the aspect ratio and point size with the 9.7" ipad. The 768 point width in portrait orientation is perfect to show the entirety of most websites in a readable size with NO wasted space on either edge, while not being so tall as to feel awkward, while making text a naturally legible size. Look at most 16:9 or 16:10 tablets. In portrait, not only are they awkwardly tall, but with typically only 600 points of width, you have to scroll side to side to see everything. Then in landscape you have hundreds of empty points on each side of the web page and not nearly enough vertical height.
And don't you try telling me I don't stick to my convictions; I've been beating this drum since computers first started leaving the 4:3 format more than 10 years ago.
Exactly.
And then Microsoft go and change toolbars to a giant height ribbon which takes up even more of your already 16:9 vertical height challenged laptop screen... aagh.
The Mac 2008 Office actually had a good idea, where they had the tool 'palettes' off to the SIDE... ah, well.
Now, if you look at that girt big mockup showing how much taller the iPad would have to be to same width as current but 16:9... maybe, just maybe IF the rumour about a larger iPad is true-ish, then - well, i'd guess it'll be 16:11
Because, i'm thinking a larger iPad would be ideal for A4 PDF viewing, textbooks and so on, for those who need/want it (i'll stick to an ipad mini).
Take your 297mm x 210mm A4 paper and remove the typical margins of let's say 15mm from top/bottom and sides and you get 267 x 180 = 1.48 or approx 16:11
It looks good, unless you are dealing with an Pages document you want to print.
If you are working on a document which will be printed, its a 4:3 or A4 document. Which means that unless the keyboard is visible all the time there will be a lot of movement on the screen as the document page slides up to make room for the keyboard, and then it will shift back to the center of the screen whenever you dismiss the keyboard.
Movies suck on my iPad 1, because of massive black bars on the top and bottom.
Is iPad Mini any better or is the Nexus 7 just the better option for watching HD movies?
(I buy them off the iTunes store and get widescreen or whatever its called)
Is iPad Mini any better or is the Nexus 7 just the better option for watching HD movies?
(I buy them off the iTunes store and get widescreen or whatever its called)
The mini has the same aspect ratio as the iPad 1, so yes, you get the same black bars. If not having those bars s the only thng you care about, then the Nexus 7 is the better option, and nobody will say otherwise.
To be fair, the point of the ribbon is that you can double click one of the tabs and easily HIDE it all, getting your vertical space back....
And yeah, i think apple got the aspect pretty right, but it wasn't rocket science. As mentioned above, ALL monitors used to be 4:3, as did TVs.
For movies, 16x10 or even wider is better, sure.
But, horses for courses. You're not trying to carry a full high def cinema screen around with you. For a portable device, that is intended to perform many tasks, compromises must be made.
Yes, if all you want to do is watch movies on your iPad, 16x9 would be superior. But iPads are expected to do more than that - they're a web browser, a mail client, a remote desktop terminal, etc.
16x9 sucks for a lot of that.
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Well, true IF you must not have black bars, then you'll want the N7... but you do still have black bezels top and bottom.
What's up with the black bar/letterbox phobia - do you realise even WITH those black letterbox bars, the ipad mini will display an HD movie BIGGER than the Nexus 7...?
"So if youre watching last seasons Breaking Bad finale in HD, youll wind up with thick black bands at the bottom and top of the screen on the mini, but not on the Nexus 7. Mind you, even letter-boxed, the HD video will be larger on the mini, by 13 percent " - my bold in that quote from here
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012...-mini-vs-7-inch-android-tablets-and-browsing/
Web browsing, sure I guess depending on the browser you are using but mail client and Remote Desktop? I disagree.
Remote Desktop is obviously better on 16:9/10 assuming you are using any modern computer with a 16:9 monitor.
Email client. Well iOS mail client is so limiting I consider it terrible on any screen size. But look at the way its optimized on an iPad. Its nearly designed for 16:9 even though its not. They did the same thing Google did with their tablets and you get a little square to view your emails on the right and a list on the left. On 16:9 that's a fairly large space.
So the iPad mini with a 7.9" display has a bigger viewing area of a 7" Nexus 7? 13% bigger movie with a 21.4% bigger display....impressive.
How so? With the vast majority of modern monitors, they have been made first 16:10 and now 16:9 by removing pixels, not adding them.
Lets take the very common 1600x900 resolution. In 4:3 that monitor would be 1600x1200. That's 25% more pixels!!