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Defense of a 7 Incher...

F

feflower

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 25, 2009
145
0
Folks,

Seems like there is a lot of people who don't understand the desire for a 7" iPad/iPhone/iTouch.

I have been waiting and waiting for one (almost jumped to the new Kindle).
I believe there is a lot of other people who would prefer this size over the current offerings.

Please write down why you prefer this size and what you would use it for.
Here I go first:

1) Reading PDFs while commuting
2) Inputing Data on my fieldtrips
3) Recording Voice Memos
4) Listening to music.

My Laptop has become my desktop. Now I want a computer for the road.
iPad too big to pull out in public. iPhone--can't read more than phone numbers.
 
I already can easily do #1-4 on my iPad right now. What's your point? How would a 7 inch iPad benefit you for doing those things?

Plus, you didn't even bother to write why you would prefer the size of a 7 inch iPad.

And if you want a computer for the road...get the iPad. Or a netbook. And I don't see why the iPad is "too big" to pull out in public.
 
I'm quite comfortable with the size of the current iPad.

I use it for viewing technical manuals and find it pretty much matches the size of a page in a physical book. Any smaller and I'd be squinting.
 
I use my iPad for almost everything. Yes...smaller would be nice for on the go, out working, shopping, etc. But it is not TOO big to use out in the public. I whip out if I have to stand in line too long. In portrait mode, it types just fine rocking the hands back and forth.

In the car, the ipad is great as a console computer for GPS or other mapping programs, like Trapster, and other internet/mail access while in the car. I have a 7" GPS, but it is not NEAR as functional as the 9.7" screen and the apps of the ipad...not even close!!

At home, the iPad is still in my hand pretty much all evening long...from couch to the kitchen to the potty...and off to bed for a little browsing before lights out.

iPad provides the continuity I need to go from day computer to night computer.

Anything smaller would not suffice. I think it is a good size. If I really had to choose...I would say decrease the size of the black bezzle a bit...keeping the active screen area the same...and decrease the weight by 4 oz.

EDIT...and the iPad proved to be perfect for a my first Keynote pres: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/984503/
 
I think most of us would just like for the iPad to be lighter not smaller although the weight is comfortable to me. I love the screen real estate waaay too much to go smaller. Some of us make it seem as if the iPad is gigantic or something.
 
I would love to have a new 10 incher with much thinner bazel, doubled ram, front facing cam, also the current iPad is too heavy for true mobile use.

A 7 incher with the same or higher resolution, less than 500g of weight, same battery life, doubled ram, front/back cam is a must buy for me.
 
iPad is too big to pull out in public?? :confused:

Uh, no it's not. I find it hard to believe that very many would agree with you on that.
 
I was expecting some penis jokes in here.. you all have let me down. Especially the line "too big to pull out in public" is just asking to be knocked out of the park
 
Here are the reasons I want a 7 incher.

There is a good reason for this post: one of them is raise these issues so please bring up the critiques of a 7 incher.

Please understand that I am a grad student who is looking for a device for fieldwork and academic work, as well as personal use. I have resisted getting an iPad or iPhone and I am looking for something the size of a paperback because:

--I am looking for something less conspicuous. Call me self-conscious, but I still feel it is pretentious pulling something as big as the iPad in public--here or in the field.
--I prefer something I can hold comfortably in one hand. And input, navigate with the other.
--Prefer something smaller and less intimidating for recording interviews with people.
--As I get older, I am getting lazier. I want be able to pull something out easily out of my jacket pocket, or messenger bag.
--As I get older, my grip on things is not what it used to be. I know I will drop an iPad a few times.
--Might be a little cheaper (therefore if dropped and broken, I might consider buying another one)
--Big enough to read, small enough to be conveniently carried, pulled out, stored away (trust me, I'm really lazy--I know I will balk at pulling out my ipad to change a song, jot or record a memo/note)
--Future of computing: touchscreen and voice dictation/navigation. No need for a keyboard.

I truly think that there are a lot of people who would prefer a smaller size:

Researchers like me
Children (or adults with children)
People who want a glorified eReader.

I just think the paperback/pocketbook size was a standard in publishing for a reason….
 
between the 7 inch and the current size ipad is this it either fits in ur pocket or it doesnt. obviously it was a 20 inch one it would be annoying to carry around in a bag where i currently carry my ipad. i dont carry anything else so a bag for 7inches would be more annoying to me.
 
feflower said:
Here are the reasons I want a 7 incher.

There is a good reason for this post: one of them is raise these issues so please bring up the critiques of a 7 incher.

Please understand that I am a grad student who is looking for a device for fieldwork and academic work, as well as personal use. I have resisted getting an iPad or iPhone and I am looking for something the size of a paperback because:

--I am looking for something less conspicuous. Call me self-conscious, but I still feel it is pretentious pulling something as big as the iPad in public--here or in the field.
--I prefer something I can hold comfortably in one hand. And input, navigate with the other.
--Prefer something smaller and less intimidating for recording interviews with people.
--As I get older, I am getting lazier. I want be able to pull something out easily out of my jacket pocket, or messenger bag.
--As I get older, my grip on things is not what it used to be. I know I will drop an iPad a few times.
--Might be a little cheaper (therefore if dropped and broken, I might consider buying another one)
--Big enough to read, small enough to be conveniently carried, pulled out, stored away (trust me, I'm really lazy--I know I will balk at pulling out my ipad to change a song, jot or record a memo/note)
--Future of computing: touchscreen and voice dictation/navigation. No need for a keyboard.

I truly think that there are a lot of people who would prefer a smaller size:

Researchers like me
Children (or adults with children)
People who want a glorified eReader.

I just think the paperback/pocketbook size was a standard in publishing for a reason….
Click to expand...

So would the 7 inter have the same specs and features and what about the apps. The current iPad hasn't even received the app attention we've desired.
 
Any reduction in screen size is unacceptable. It is boderline as it is for really enjoyable web browsing. Any smaller, and that experience goes to hell exponentially!!!!!!!!!

I'll meet you partway with a reduction in the bezel size. We get the smaller form factor, and keep the screen size.;)
 
I lie in bed each night and read my book on my iPhone. It's great, but I can't say I wouldn't want it a little bigger. I just can't see myself trying to read from an iPad in bed though. I don't like reading hardcover books for the same reason - too heavy and large to hold over your head in front of you at night. I actually prefer the size of a paperback. Paperbacks are a lot more portable.

As for browsing the web, I would agree with the bigger is better sentiment.

I wonder if current owners would still be so defensive about their current iPad size if Apple didn't name the 7 incher an iPad, but rather an iPod Touch?
 
To veer wildly back on topic for a moment:

Those wanting a smaller bezel are misguided, I think. We were all a bit surprised when we saw the wide bezel in that first keynote, but I totally see the need for it, having used the pad for a while.

It's just exactly the width of a thumb, and you need that width to hold the damn thing with, without activating the screen.

Now I'm sure one day they may be able to solve the problem of unintended gestures with software or hardware (recognising the extra pressure when you're touching to hold?) but for now you need that margin.
 
I kind of agree that a 7 inch ipad would not be a bad thing. My iPad stays at home most of the time just because it is too big to carry with me everywhere. I bought a handbag big enough to hold it, but I hate carrying a big handbag so I just leave it at home. I wouldn't want anything smaller for home use though...I love the size for that.

But when I go grocery shopping and use the grocery lists I usually sync them to my android phone because the iPad (to me anyway) is not something I want to pull out of my bag at the grocery store. I have never seen an iPad outside of a panera/starbucks/corporate setting and I think if they released another iPad that was somewhere in size between the current iPad and the current iPhone...like say the size of a jr. legal pad...you'd have people using them in more everyday settings such as the grocery store. (and yes I know some of you will whip your current iPads out at the grocery store...but a lot of us won't)

Just because you are happy with the size of your iPad doesn't mean that differing opinions are invalid...
 
I don't want to see a 7 inch iPad, and here's why; Economies of Scale. The introduction of another iPad size will nopt increase the number of sales markedly, in my opinion, as many who would buy the smaller one would have bought the original if there was no choice. I don't see it attracting enough new purchases to overcome the increased cost of production.

There are also other costs that can quickly become a burden when you start adding new SKUs to a current product line-up. Costs that must be recovered from the consumer.

I would instead like to see the iPhone gain a centimeter and a half of screen real-estate. This would make it that much larger than what it is now.
 
First everyone complained about the iPhone & Touch by saying "we want something larger".
Now the iPad's out and people are saying "but now we want something a little smaller".

People are never satisfied. lol
 
I have two ipad's in my house. I would buy a 7 or 5 inch version in a heartbeat.

And wouldn't try to unload either of the ones that I have.
 
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