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Should Apple make the iPad technically better or ergonomically better?

Piggie

Piggie

macrumors G3
Original poster
Feb 23, 2010
9,282
4,321
Ok, lets say we are going to get a Gyro, Camera's and more Ram.

There are then two paths you could travel.

1: You can keep the same form factor and weight, and as time goes by you could pack more power, and therefore more ability into the same device as we have now.

Or

2: You can keep the speed/power/specs that we have now, as as the years go by make it thinner, lighter and have better battery life.


So what would you prefer?

Say in 6 years time, an iPad6 with a quad core 3Ghz CPU, 256GB Memory and 10 hour battery life.

Or an iPad with the same speed and power as we have today, but 1/8th inch thick, weighs 1/4 of what it does now and lasts a week on a charge?
 
I can live with the speed, I would rather do without the hand cramps. So my vote is with ergonomically improved iPad.
 
Out of the two, I would personally go with option 1 as I don't find the current iPad too heavy or cumbersome. If I did, I would go with option 2.

However, I am almost certain that Apple will achieve both in the next revision.
 
Speed and memory are probably my first thoughts on this. Memory over speed, though. If they can get more memory in there and cheaper, it would be a winner. My guess for the weight is that the vast majority of it is the battery. Not sure how they'll lighten up the battery and keep it as long-lasting.
 
Six to Ten years from now I want a flexible roll up or folding screen, and at least a 100mbps connection to the cloud.

I think given a decade both power and size will greatly improve.

I have a 10 year old "high end" Sony Vaio laptop. (PCG-Z505SX). It has a Pentium II processor, 192MB of RAM (upgraded from 128), and a 6GB hard disk.

My iPod Touch has a much faster processor, 256MB of RAM, and 32GB Flash storage. A quick volume comparison has the iPod Touch weighing in at 1/40th the size. The flash storage was a technology that didn't exist 10 years ago (well, it did, but in much slower speeds, lower capacity, and much lower maximum write counts -- so no one took it as a serious hard disk replacement.)

I expect Apple's iPad-like-device 10 years from now to be similarly different with an unexpected twist or two.
 
I do wonder really if it would make sense, as time goes on, to have more than one model.

Like most other devices, one size does not fit all.

Some people may like a ultra light weight ultra thin low power device, whilst others may like one that's maxed out for gaming
 
I'd rather have it be faster, and with more battery than it be a little lighter.
But I think apple will do a bit of both. Which is fine by me!!!
I'll still be waiting for it in line the first morning it's available!
 
I like the size of the current iPad, and the shape is fine as well. I just want any amount of weight cut off of the device. Bring it down to at least 1.25 pounds and it would feel much better.

Of course I want to keep the same battery life (or even improve it).
 
Pretty sure we will be able to have our cake and eat it too.

I saw on ifixit the primary weight contributors to the ipad are the glass screen and lcd unit, battery and case. In 5-10 years we will likely have screens that are close to paper thin and flexible. The weight of the casing can also be reduced by using plastics or lighter alloys (is "liquid metal" lighter than aluminum?). That allows for room/weight for a bigger battery. And remember that in 5-10 years, the screen technology will also probably be much more efficient in terms of power consumption.

So all in all, in 5-10 years I wouldn't be surprised to see a device that's no thicker than your typical printed Sports Illustrated Mag, 0.75 - 1.0lb, 15-20+ hour battery life, constant connection to the cloud.
 
Well, at the moment the case is a non issue weight wise.

Apple COULD make the case from Carbon Fibre if they wanted.

Much stronger, much harder to dent and way way lighter.

That's the easy bit.

The battery can't be changed till the tech comes along, and then the question is:

1: Do you keep 10 hour batter life and have half the battery weight?

or

2: Do you keep the current weight and offer 20 hour batter life?

The screen, well yes, Glass. As far as I know you can't make Glass lighter really. You can make it thinner (not a great idea) or you can go to plastic, which still today (especially in Apple users minds) is a cheap and inferior product.

I can just imagine the negative posts if Apple said they were going to a plastic screen for iPad2 or 3.

We all know how much lighter plastic can be if you feel the difference between old glass and modern plastic spectacles.

I think it will stay glass for a long time.

I still think it would make sense to have perhaps 2 or 3 iPads in time.

Lightweight one, middle of the road one, and a heavier power user one. In the same way you have different MacBooks for difference users needs.
 
Piggie said:
The battery can't be changed till the tech comes along, and then the question is:

1: Do you keep 10 hour batter life and have half the battery weight?

or

2: Do you keep the current weight and offer 20 hour batter life?


I think it will stay glass for a long time.
Click to expand...

You offer 15 hour battery and shed a quarter of the weight of the batteries. But I would looooooove and much prefer 20 hours on an ipad.
It will stay as glass until something of higher quality comes along.:D my opinion.
 
After adding RAM and a front camera all they really need to do is work on the software experience, solve the flash issue and really make a browser that is desktop class. After that, I'd say an active digitizer would be awesome and would go a long way for the business market.
 
I think in 6 years time, we will want to do more things and run more applications that require more resources and the specs of today's iPad won't cut it.

Also I don't think making the iPad thinner and lighter will make it any less cumbersome to hold. When you hold your arm up for extended periods of time without the iPad in it, your arm is going to get tired after a while so people are still going to be finding ways to prop it up. If they made it lighter I doubt I would even notice the difference. I can barely tell the difference between my 3 lb netbook and my iPad.
 
PinkyMacGodess said:
Agreed! +1

Weight means durability and the iPad is built for the long haul. I like the metal back case. I'd hate Apple to go all plastic for the geeks that break a sweat lifting a Red Bull...
Click to expand...

Weight means durability

You really think? :D

No, Weight makes you THINK it's better as a human associates something that's heavy and solid as something with quality.

That's a misleading concept in today's world though.

People still use it as a guide even thought it's wrong, hence a clock I bought a few years ago, which is make our of aluminium and plastic has a chunk of metal inside it, for no other reason than to make it feel heavy and to make it seem better due to it being heavy.

I work with Titanium all day, incredibly strong and very very light, and very very good quality.

I don't think people would run away in disgust at a lightweight Titanium chassis iPad, iMac, Macbook.
 
nixiemaiden said:
When you hold your arm up for extended periods of time without the iPad in it, your arm is going to get tired after a while so people are still going to be finding ways to prop it up. If they made it lighter I doubt I would even notice the difference. I can barely tell the difference between my 3 lb netbook and my iPad.
Click to expand...

I saw a neat product called Propup (on Engadget I think) that solved it for me. Great to read sitting, don't have to hold it any longer, good for typing. I took a chance on it figuring I've spent $25 on dumber things but love it. It will even fit tight with the Apple case on.

Diane B
 
spinedoc77 said:
After adding RAM and a front camera all they really need to do is work on the software experience, solve the flash issue and really make a browser that is desktop class. After that, I'd say an active digitizer would be awesome and would go a long way for the business market.
Click to expand...

Bro, you hit this perfect! i agree with all you posted.
 
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