the next one will be thinner. Oh, for what reason? why is thin better than extreme battery life. This whole thin thing is just a gimmick, a feature with little to no benefit. back when, carrying around some 10 pound device, ok, but we are at the point of ridiculousness when the first thing out of a reviewers mouth is how thin the new product is. as if that makes it better than one .001 mm thicker.
Huh? I dont care so much thickness myself, but for battery life? Are you really running out of battery life on an iPad? How much battery life is going to be enough?
Mstone, if that's true ... I'm really sad they didn't fill the void created by eliminating the 30-pin dock connector with a stereo speaker. Hard for me to believe that Apple will let their flagship device go an entire year lacking something the mini has ... If you are correct, I would expect another refresh in the Spring to address this issue.
Sflocal -- I doubt the iPhone 4 would get the refresh of the lightning port, as its a "free" phone with understandable limitations, the least of which is what kind of docking connector it uses. Since iOS 6 doesn't implement 2/3 of the features anyway, limited to 3G, no SIM support, and there's a whole market glutted with 30-pin dock connectors for the iPhone 4 series, I doubt Apple would take the time with the 4 considering it will be gone in less than a year. The 4S however, may be a different story. For all practical purposes it is a mini iPhone 5, and since it will be around for at least another year replacing the 4 as the "free" phone, I fully expect Apple to make the switch to lightning mid-cycle. Moreover, they might just update the 4 form factor and offer it as a smaller alternative to the 5 next year, for those who don't care for the longer form factor (wishful thinking on my part as I don't care for the longer 5). It also allows them to offer a clear option for the discounted phones from the premium model -- why give away the 4" screen when you can charge a premium for it? So it is an investment worth making sooner rather than later.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
They can't just walk away from it as they are legally required in California to support that old 30 pin charging connector for something like five years. I think they wanted a speed bump to keep them competitive until the next redesign which I'm thinking will be the normal one year cycle starting now. While they were upgrading the CPU they had the opportunity to replace the connector as well. Not having a new case in this model to me indicates it was not a long planning type of refresh but a immediately necessary placeholder type, that is if they do intend to move the annual release date to November. Otherwise they would have just called it a mid-cycle speed bump like they did with the iPad 2 and not changed the name to iPad 4.
I didn't know about that 5-year requirement. What does that really entail though? Does it just mean that they have to continue offering the 30-pin cable which is totally doable? If anything, getting all their lines to Lightning means it's official and they're not looking back.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
The new connector does fell really solid but I never had an issue with the orientation on the 30 pin. Of course for people using docks it was a non-issue but even with a cable like i am doing in my kitchen for my iPad 3, I never really remove the cable from the wall plug. After a while the coil of the cable has a memory so it is lying in the same orientation and I always plug it in correctly the first time without looking.
I have three 30-pin cables here at the house and one at the office. The do involve some sort of twisting for whatever reason. Not a big deal really, but I can see the opportunity for damage as I have (over the years) busted a couple of the connectors. The lightning cable for my iP5 is just smooth sailing. But now, that means an adapter or extra cable because I have an iPad3 to swap around. Minor, but looking forward when I get a refreshed iPad maybe late next year to jettison the old cable setup. It's just a superior, evolved solution.
I think most folks have missed the real reason Apple changed the refresh cycle on the iPad (and why I think it will be a year before the next one). I believe it is to make space in their schedule for an Apple TV announcement in March/April and hitting the market a few months after that.
It will help them build momentum going into Christmas for the Apple TV and refreshing the other devices later in the year for those not interested in the TV before Christmas.
I think most folks have missed the real reason Apple changed the refresh cycle on the iPad (and why I think it will be a year before the next one). I believe it is to make space in their schedule for an Apple TV announcement in March/April and hitting the market a few months after that.
It will help them build momentum going into Christmas for the Apple TV and refreshing the other devices later in the year for those not interested in the TV before Christmas.
And then what? A Apple branded TV refreshed yearly? The consumer refresh cycle on TVs is at best 6 years. I don't think it's a market that Apple can redefine.
Apple has to be somewhat careful here. Apple enthusiasts and early adopters are driving the current mini craze, as evidenced by the repot that a majority of buyers already have an iPad at home. But the customers who will make the mini a long term success are the ones who only have enough money to buy one tablet. If the mini has stereo speakers and the iPad doesn't, customers may opt to pay less for the mini just to get the speakers when they would have paid more for the larger iPad, then decide they like that form factor better and never upgrade to the iPad and spend more. Not that this example alone will cause Apples margins to slide significantly,
The speakers are crap on all iPads, stereo or not. They sound ok when you don't have a lot of ambient noise going on but seriously for FaceTime which is one of the only features where you probably wouldn't want earphones, the mono speaker is fine because the other person hopefully is not talking out of both sides of their mouth. The separation of 1/2" is not really stereo so the speakers is a total non-issue in my opinion. I have been sitting around with friends in the evening after dinner and they have remarked that the iPhone speakers sound really great but that was usually after a few glasses of wine and that I was playing their favorite songs from the old days.
The speakers are crap on all iPads, stereo or not. They sound ok when you don't have a lot of ambient noise going on but seriously for FaceTime which is one of the only features where you probably wouldn't want earphones, the mono speaker is fine because the other person hopefully is not talking out of both sides of their mouth. The separation of 1/2" is not really stereo so the speakers is a total non-issue in my opinion. I have been sitting around with friends in the evening after dinner and they have remarked that the iPhone speakers sound really great but that was usually after a few glasses of wine and that I was playing their favorite songs from the old days.
I wish they would add a speaker on the top edge just so audio from video playback wasn't one-sided. I don't know where FaceTime fits into that or why you interjected it into your reply.
The speakers are crap on all iPads, stereo or not. They sound ok when you don't have a lot of ambient noise going on but seriously for FaceTime which is one of the only features where you probably wouldn't want earphones, the mono speaker is fine because the other person hopefully is not talking out of both sides of their mouth. The separation of 1/2" is not really stereo so the speakers is a total non-issue in my opinion. I have been sitting around with friends in the evening after dinner and they have remarked that the iPhone speakers sound really great but that was usually after a few glasses of wine and that I was playing their favorite songs from the old days.
I wish they would add a speaker on the top edge just so audio from video playback wasn't one-sided. I don't know where FaceTime fits into that or why you interjected it into your reply.
I mentioned FaceTime because that is a situation where multiple people would be listening/watching at the same time as in parent away on business and spouse and children all watching at the same time so earphones not appropriate.
I had no idea the lighting connector ran at USB 2.0 speeds. I thought 3.0 for sure, that's kind of a disappointment.
Can you offer a real world example where USB 3 would be a tangible benefit? Perhaps the occasional restore from back up but what typical usage scenario would be impacted by not having 3.0 speed?
And then what? A Apple branded TV refreshed yearly? The consumer refresh cycle on TVs is at best 6 years. I don't think it's a market that Apple can redefine.
I wouldn't be surprised if in a year or two Apple releases a Apple Tv with an A6x processor and app store access. I think it could be a sneak attack on the console market.
Can you offer a real world example where USB 3 would be a tangible benefit? Perhaps the occasional restore from back up but what typical usage scenario would be impacted by not having 3.0 speed?
As I understand it, USB 2 tranfers are faster than what the flash memory of an iPad can write. So what would be gained with USB 3?
Well that sucks. If the bottleneck is the flash memory in the iPad, then I guess we're not going to see appreciable syncing improvements for a while. Backing up and transferring new photos/videos takes a long enough time that if it were half as long, I'd do a special dance.
Someone asked if a valid reason could be stated as far as needing USB 3 speeds. Umm....yes. Waiting sucks. More speed = better. Thinner is usually better if only for being typically lighter. And it turns out 640K was not enough RAM for future computing needs.
I just handed off my iPad 3 (for money) and ordered my 4 last night. I wanted to switch to Lightning across the board and liked the idea of an iPad that's twice as fast, and the resale I got for my iPad meant I just had to add €100, which was worth it. I likely will skip iPad 5 now and upgrade to iPad 6.
Btw, the iPad 3 was the best product I have ever owned, period. So I expect the 4 to be simply better than that in a few ways, seeing as I want Lightning and twice as fast it a great thing.
Apple Insider think Lighting is a negative, but I found Lightning in the iPhone 5 to be the single best feature of the device, yes, you heard that correct, I LOVE Lighting, it's so simple and elegant and I don't have any dock accessories :-)
"The quick upgrade cycle is a surprise for recent buyers."
Lol at progress being a con. Apple upgrades once per year, people complain about a product falling behind after 6 months. Apple upgrades a product after 7 months, they still complain. AI aiming at the lowest common denominator now with a Consumer Reports-esque complaint.
Comments
Huh? I dont care so much thickness myself, but for battery life? Are you really running out of battery life on an iPad? How much battery life is going to be enough?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac_128
Mstone, if that's true ... I'm really sad they didn't fill the void created by eliminating the 30-pin dock connector with a stereo speaker. Hard for me to believe that Apple will let their flagship device go an entire year lacking something the mini has ... If you are correct, I would expect another refresh in the Spring to address this issue.
Sflocal -- I doubt the iPhone 4 would get the refresh of the lightning port, as its a "free" phone with understandable limitations, the least of which is what kind of docking connector it uses. Since iOS 6 doesn't implement 2/3 of the features anyway, limited to 3G, no SIM support, and there's a whole market glutted with 30-pin dock connectors for the iPhone 4 series, I doubt Apple would take the time with the 4 considering it will be gone in less than a year. The 4S however, may be a different story. For all practical purposes it is a mini iPhone 5, and since it will be around for at least another year replacing the 4 as the "free" phone, I fully expect Apple to make the switch to lightning mid-cycle. Moreover, they might just update the 4 form factor and offer it as a smaller alternative to the 5 next year, for those who don't care for the longer form factor (wishful thinking on my part as I don't care for the longer 5). It also allows them to offer a clear option for the discounted phones from the premium model -- why give away the 4" screen when you can charge a premium for it? So it is an investment worth making sooner rather than later.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
They can't just walk away from it as they are legally required in California to support that old 30 pin charging connector for something like five years. I think they wanted a speed bump to keep them competitive until the next redesign which I'm thinking will be the normal one year cycle starting now. While they were upgrading the CPU they had the opportunity to replace the connector as well. Not having a new case in this model to me indicates it was not a long planning type of refresh but a immediately necessary placeholder type, that is if they do intend to move the annual release date to November. Otherwise they would have just called it a mid-cycle speed bump like they did with the iPad 2 and not changed the name to iPad 4.
I didn't know about that 5-year requirement. What does that really entail though? Does it just mean that they have to continue offering the 30-pin cable which is totally doable? If anything, getting all their lines to Lightning means it's official and they're not looking back.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
The new connector does fell really solid but I never had an issue with the orientation on the 30 pin. Of course for people using docks it was a non-issue but even with a cable like i am doing in my kitchen for my iPad 3, I never really remove the cable from the wall plug. After a while the coil of the cable has a memory so it is lying in the same orientation and I always plug it in correctly the first time without looking.
I have three 30-pin cables here at the house and one at the office. The do involve some sort of twisting for whatever reason. Not a big deal really, but I can see the opportunity for damage as I have (over the years) busted a couple of the connectors. The lightning cable for my iP5 is just smooth sailing. But now, that means an adapter or extra cable because I have an iPad3 to swap around. Minor, but looking forward when I get a refreshed iPad maybe late next year to jettison the old cable setup. It's just a superior, evolved solution.
Don't hold your breath. You'll never be buying.
Still need the games, and while the current crop are good the still lack the depth and length of console games.
It will help them build momentum going into Christmas for the Apple TV and refreshing the other devices later in the year for those not interested in the TV before Christmas.
Higher voltage charger? No. It comes with a higher wattage charger. The difference is not trivial.
And then what? A Apple branded TV refreshed yearly? The consumer refresh cycle on TVs is at best 6 years. I don't think it's a market that Apple can redefine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac_128
Apple has to be somewhat careful here. Apple enthusiasts and early adopters are driving the current mini craze, as evidenced by the repot that a majority of buyers already have an iPad at home. But the customers who will make the mini a long term success are the ones who only have enough money to buy one tablet. If the mini has stereo speakers and the iPad doesn't, customers may opt to pay less for the mini just to get the speakers when they would have paid more for the larger iPad, then decide they like that form factor better and never upgrade to the iPad and spend more. Not that this example alone will cause Apples margins to slide significantly,
The speakers are crap on all iPads, stereo or not. They sound ok when you don't have a lot of ambient noise going on but seriously for FaceTime which is one of the only features where you probably wouldn't want earphones, the mono speaker is fine because the other person hopefully is not talking out of both sides of their mouth. The separation of 1/2" is not really stereo so the speakers is a total non-issue in my opinion. I have been sitting around with friends in the evening after dinner and they have remarked that the iPhone speakers sound really great but that was usually after a few glasses of wine and that I was playing their favorite songs from the old days.
I wish they would add a speaker on the top edge just so audio from video playback wasn't one-sided. I don't know where FaceTime fits into that or why you interjected it into your reply.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffDM
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
The speakers are crap on all iPads, stereo or not. They sound ok when you don't have a lot of ambient noise going on but seriously for FaceTime which is one of the only features where you probably wouldn't want earphones, the mono speaker is fine because the other person hopefully is not talking out of both sides of their mouth. The separation of 1/2" is not really stereo so the speakers is a total non-issue in my opinion. I have been sitting around with friends in the evening after dinner and they have remarked that the iPhone speakers sound really great but that was usually after a few glasses of wine and that I was playing their favorite songs from the old days.
I wish they would add a speaker on the top edge just so audio from video playback wasn't one-sided. I don't know where FaceTime fits into that or why you interjected it into your reply.
I mentioned FaceTime because that is a situation where multiple people would be listening/watching at the same time as in parent away on business and spouse and children all watching at the same time so earphones not appropriate.
Quote:
Originally Posted by maclvr03
I had no idea the lighting connector ran at USB 2.0 speeds. I thought 3.0 for sure, that's kind of a disappointment.
Can you offer a real world example where USB 3 would be a tangible benefit? Perhaps the occasional restore from back up but what typical usage scenario would be impacted by not having 3.0 speed?
I wouldn't be surprised if in a year or two Apple releases a Apple Tv with an A6x processor and app store access. I think it could be a sneak attack on the console market.
As I understand it, USB 2 tranfers are faster than what the flash memory of an iPad can write. So what would be gained with USB 3?
After all, time is STILL money, is it not?
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
Can you offer a real world example where USB 3 would be a tangible benefit? Perhaps the occasional restore from back up but what typical usage scenario would be impacted by not having 3.0 speed?
Quote:
Originally Posted by bigdaddyp
As I understand it, USB 2 tranfers are faster than what the flash memory of an iPad can write. So what would be gained with USB 3?
Well that sucks. If the bottleneck is the flash memory in the iPad, then I guess we're not going to see appreciable syncing improvements for a while. Backing up and transferring new photos/videos takes a long enough time that if it were half as long, I'd do a special dance.
Someone asked if a valid reason could be stated as far as needing USB 3 speeds. Umm....yes. Waiting sucks. More speed = better. Thinner is usually better if only for being typically lighter. And it turns out 640K was not enough RAM for future computing needs.
I just handed off my iPad 3 (for money) and ordered my 4 last night. I wanted to switch to Lightning across the board and liked the idea of an iPad that's twice as fast, and the resale I got for my iPad meant I just had to add €100, which was worth it. I likely will skip iPad 5 now and upgrade to iPad 6.
Btw, the iPad 3 was the best product I have ever owned, period. So I expect the 4 to be simply better than that in a few ways, seeing as I want Lightning and twice as fast it a great thing.
Apple Insider think Lighting is a negative, but I found Lightning in the iPhone 5 to be the single best feature of the device, yes, you heard that correct, I LOVE Lighting, it's so simple and elegant and I don't have any dock accessories :-)
Still not caring.
Lol at progress being a con. Apple upgrades once per year, people complain about a product falling behind after 6 months. Apple upgrades a product after 7 months, they still complain. AI aiming at the lowest common denominator now with a Consumer Reports-esque complaint.