Thread: iPad 2
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joveblue
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Melbourne
 
2010-06-21, 09:08

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roboman View Post
Retina display, FaceTime camera, (snip)
Assuming that FaceTime isn't intrinsically linked to the phone protocol, as it appears it may be. I'm not a technical expert on that, so I'll wait for someone who is to give us the run-down on all that when Apple releases the FaceTime specs and everything. But I have a hunch we won't be seeing FaceTime on the iPad anytime soon, if ever. Still, a front-facing camera for iChat etc. would be nice. But at this stage I'm not sure it's a given (as in, you want video chat on your iDevice, you get an iPhone). I guess we'll get a better idea in the coming months, especially when we see whether or not the iPod touch gains a front-facing camera - my guess is not. But I dunno, the iPad would be great for video chat, but I think Apple's investing all their video-chat chips in FaceTime, which seems like it might be phone-only.

I'm rambling

Quote:
Originally Posted by pscates2.0 View Post
I have no idea. I'm not sure that Retina Display really makes sense on something already so large and visible. I think it works on the iPhone because, at 3.5", you're constantly having to zoom in to read smaller stuff. It seems this iPhone 4 screen remedies some of that, making the smaller text much sharper.

But is anyone complaining about "hard to read" text on an iPad? To me, that device seems perfectly-sized for its purposes. I don't know...maybe someday, but I don't think Retina Display was intended for that (or the iMac, the notebooks or standalone displays...we use those differently, with our heads farther away and with much more real estate to comfortably work with). I think Retina Display was devised strictly for the iPhone (and iPod touch)...to improve those two particular platforms, due to their small screens and how text and other items are displayed.
I disagree. Sure, it makes more sense on a device where the small screen requires greater detail. But I think it also makes a lot of sense on any iOS device, where they want it to compare to print. One of the primary uses of an iPad is reading text, whether it's a magazine, iBook, textbook, or of course website. And the whole idea of the Retina display is that it's comparable to print. The text looks extremely sharp and the pixels are laminated right onto the glass. So the experience of reading it is phenomenal. Of course, I've never seen an iPad nor an iPhone 4, but that's what I'm getting from all the talk that's going on, anyway. The iPad screen is really good, but it's still no Retina display. So really, it's just a matter of when it's feasible (technologically and economically) to put it in. Perhaps next year, perhaps the year after. But I think Apple are definitely keen to do it ASAP.

Quote:
Originally Posted by pscates2.0 View Post
Maybe the iPad will go much longer (2-3 years between major versions/redesigns), but get yearly (or twice-yearly) "revision updates" in the form of RAM, software and capacity tweaks? Like the Macs do...this new iMac and MacBook design will carry on for at least another two or so years...but in that time, each will get several processor/RAM/hard drive updates and other small, under-the-hood tweaks but using the same body style/design. Apple doesn't redesign the outward appearance of their Macs every year, after all. The iPad might look like the iPad well into 2012-2013? By then, maybe new processors, boards, drives, cameras and other components will be such that an even thinner, flatter iPad could be designed and built? Sometimes these companies have to wait on the tech and manufacturing to "catch up" to their big ideas.
I think it's going to fall straight into the yearly upgrade cycle of the iPod and iPhone. Keep in mind though that they haven't updated the look of the iPhone every year. The iPhone didn't change visually from 3G to 3GS and, realistically, I expect the iPhone 4 design to last at least 2 years as well (if not more!).
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