As any iPod lover/user knows, Apple has a smörgåsbord of sizes in iPod variety: iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, iPod Classic, and iPod Touch, most of them with a plethora of GB sizes.
So, with that in mind, WHY is Steve Jobs so violently opposed to having the iPad in a different size? I've read the often quoted comments from Jobs about a 7" screen size: "Tweener" he called them, dismissing the public's desire to have a smaller size of the 10" iPad.
But really Steve????? Four versions of the iPod makes sense but "One Size Fits ALL" for iPad? "Seriously", I say in my best Grey's Anatomy voice?
Before I bought my Galaxy Tablet in the scoffed at 7" size, I did 4 months of research, reading all the iPad rumours about the next iPad launch not being a 2.0 version but a scaled down size. I would have bought a smaller iPad in a New York Minute if it had been brought to fruition but it became clear that Steve (therefore Apple) had no interest in developing it.
I'm sorry, but carrying around a Clip-Board sized device is the last thing I'd ever consider for my highly mobile lifestyle! I laughingly say that I've "grafted" the Gal-Tab to my hand, because I drag that puppy everywhere! Despite the pricey upperscale grocery stores I frequent, I've yet to see a single person using their iPad at one, to do their weekly shopping. I do see, however, many an iPhone user reading their grocery list from their iPhone or iPod Touch.
I also looked at the items that I use throughout the day and loved the 7" size: my French-style wallet which is identical in size to a 7" tablet; my Sony Reader, which is the same foot print as the 7" tablet; any paperback's I couldn't download, which are also the 7" footprint. At no time in a normal day, was I holding or reading from anything that measured 10". Even the vast majority of my cookbooks aren't 10" and the few that are, I'm not dragging them around 24/7 in a briefcase.
If Steve seriously thinks that "size doesn't matter", ask any Porn Star or satisfied sex partner: 4" vs. 7" delivers a whole lotta more pleasure!LOL
So, out of sheer curiousity, if the next upgrade to an iPad was a smaller size, would you buy one if this was your FIRST iPad purchase? I'm definitely going to be buying an iPad for some serious science and cooking apps that I can't get through Android but to be honest, if a 7" iPad came out, I'd be all over that like white on rice!
Apple's stated position is that, at 7-inches, the software you can run on a tablet isn't significantly differentiated from what you can run on a phone. i.e. the screen isn't big enough to allow the class of software they want to see on an iPad.
They feel 9.7-inches allows developers to create a new class of software that wouldn't be possible at the smaller size.
Right now, their smaller iPad is the iPod touch, which is only 3.5-inches (diagonal screen size).
My son refers to his iPod Touch as his "iPad Nano"... I agree with Rene (and Jobs)... there doesn't seem to be much difference between an iPod Touch and, say, a 7" iPad... go big or stay home.
Thanks, guys, for your opinion and the thinking (from Apple's standpoint) as to why the 7" iPad won't be arriving in a store near you.
This question came to mind because I was looking at HSN's website and the vast array of sizes of flat screen TV's and laptops; seems odd to me that the "Magic Number" for tablets is supposed to be somewhere in the 10" Zone whereas any and all other devices run the gamut in sizes and everyone's happy. For the life of me, with Apple being such a juggernaut in the industry, I didn't understand why they were shying away from this, since the Nano is so obviously different than an iTouch.
I like the size that the iPad is right now. I think that the 7" tablets like the galaxy are just too small. Check out my unboxing and app review on the iPad2 YouTube - iPad 2 Unboxing and App Review
The main market I would see for such a device would be women with really good eye-sight who then might be able to fit it into their purse. I think they would have to maintain the same rez as the 10" version.... as I TOTALLY agree with the screen real-estate thing. My old eyes just couldn't take a 7" if the rez were the same.
seems odd to me that the "Magic Number" for tablets is supposed to be somewhere in the 10" Zone whereas any and all other devices run the gamut in sizes and everyone's happy
It has to do with distance for normal use and dpi. Note that the iPad's DPI is quite similar to that of a laptop or desktop. So, if you shrink it, you either have to
a) go with less rez... which Apple clearly points out would make it useless as a tablet, or
b) up the DPI... which would make it uncomfortable to use for everyone but a very small segment of the population with perfect eyesight.
This is one reason I think the 'Retina display' for the iPad is kind of silly. IMO, all the fuss over that were people just weren't thinking that one through. I guess if one could drive a screen with double the rez without sacrificing performance and battery life, then sure, go for it. Otherwise, I think it would be a marketing gimmick. It makes sense on the iPhone since the screen is so small, and you probably hold it just a few inches from your face (in order to actually take advantage of that extra dpi).
I definitely want a retina display on iPad 3 though, definitely can tell a difference when using my iPhone 4 and then trying to use my iPad 2.. just an annoyance.
I currently have the ipad2 and the xoom. I actually miss the form factor of my 7" Galaxy tab (recently sold) Its just soo much easier and mobile to use. I was able to fly by on typing with that thing in portrait mode. Sure bigger screen is much better for media playback, but for ease of use I think the 7" tablet is perfect!
7" seems very small being compared to only 3.5" inches larger then the Iphone and a almost 3" smaller then the Ipad, but thats the beauty its right in the middle and its almost the Jack of all trades, but a master of none.
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Do you wish the iPad came in a smaller size? 
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