[cdelcampo216]

BTW - totally off the iPad Mini conversation - WOOT has refurbished 32GB HP Touchpad on sale today for $194.99 + $5 shipping = AWESOME secondary tablet. With Open OS coming out this year, it's a nice alternative to the iPad... Just thought I would let everyone know.
Woot� : One Day, One Deal

[lorax1284]

the 10" iPad is not fun to hold for any length of time.

The 7" PlayBook is a better form factor.

I believe one of the best features of the PlayBook is that it is the best 7" tablet. Better than the Samsung Galaxy 7", better than the Asus Iconia A100 7", better than the low-cost tablets pouring out of shipping containers under other names.

I believe that the number of people who share my disdain for 10" tablets is a small minority of the customer base. For those customers who would have picked up a PlayBook only because it's a superior 7" tablet experience, the 7" iPad will be competition for that.

The Web browser on PlayBook is at least as good as Safari on iOS, and better if you include Flash support. I want the browser on the PlayBook to perform a LOT better and fix some of its most jarring / annoying quirks before it's far and away the best browser (the way the screen jumps around when you attempt to type into a form field as the keyboard is displayed then hides, the you try to click but the screen hasn't finished redrawing yet... maddening!) but when it IS the best browser, I think that will continue to drive PlayBook sales.

[FF22]

Apple fans would probably wind up with both a full size and a reduced size. I'm sure lots of folks will find the smaller size just so much more portable. They will both be premium products.

[jivegirl14]

If they do it would make good business sense for Apple. It would fill a gap in their product line up and be an immediate alternative to anyone considering a 7 in tablet or reader. I can see them marketing it as a "family" of Apple products with their usual compelling marketing. New arrivals and all.... An ipad for every occasion. One for home and one for... extra portability.

I see quite a few 10" iPads out and about so not sure how that would go over. But this is Apple. I'm sure they will find a way and it will sell , particularly if it's at the $250 - $300 price point what with the thought of access to all those Apps and people who perhaps couldn't afford the higher priced ipad gaining an entry to their tablet market.It will interesting to see what happens.
I don't think RIM would/should be surprised if Apple comes out with a 7 inch tablet but it will definitely mean increased competition for the Playbook. I suspect the battle will be fought on the Marketing front for mind share. They'll show users Skyping on their (smaller) ipads or doing some other life-styley thing. With a great marketing campaign RIM could easily fight back... but IMO they need something spectacular (in terms of marketing) to do so.

More choice for consumers is a good thing.

[chasvs]

I'll be getting the ipad mini when it's announced. If my Playbook had any value, I'd try and sell it. I'm done with RIM after many many years.

[jivegirl14]

Apple fans would probably wind up with both a full size and a reduced size. I'm sure lots of folks will find the smaller size just so much more portable. They will both be premium products.

I think so too. And, from the article, Apple seems mainly concerned about fending off Android with the launch of this tablet.

[polytope]

I think so too. And, from the article, Apple seems mainly concerned about fending off Android with the launch of this tablet.

One wonders if a typical iFan will have all of the following:

iPod nano for exercising
iPhone
iPad mini for mobility
iPad for couch use
AppleTV
MacBook Air for business travel
iMac/Mac mini/Mac Pro for use in office

[jivegirl14]

One wonders if a typical iFan will have all of the following:

iPod nano for exercising
iPhone
iPad mini for mobility
iPad for couch use
AppleTV
MacBook Air for business travel
iMac/Mac mini/Mac Pro for use in office

You know... I don't think you are far off at all. In fact the more I look at this list the more I think you might be spot on. I can see it. With an idevice for every situation why would a user (need to) look anywhere or at anything else? The circle is complete. For Apple this has to be a near-perfect scenario.... (I would not be surprised if this was always their objective) so the ipad mini would already have a place with existing users... as well as potential new users.
I don't know whether to call it brilliant or scary
Still, there's always the threat of Android...
Edit: there is always the threat of Android but I think the OS fragmentation issues are causing problems for them. At any rate there dioesn't seem to be the same sense of cohesion as with Apple products.

[FF22]

I think so too. And, from the article, Apple seems mainly concerned about fending off Android with the launch of this tablet.

Unfortunately, they don't have to do much fending-off of the pb! But it will be a side affect, nonetheless.

[sleepngbear]

RIM will still have integration with BB phones as a differentiator. That still does not exist between iPad/iPod/iPhones beyond iCloud and sharing apps through iTunes. But they will need to heavily push the advantages of it of there's any hope at all of leveraging it, which they did a pi$$-poor job of the first time around.

[DaedalusIcarusHelios]

I don't believe the iPad mini will sell at a cost where Apple is losing money. When has Apple ever done that? They could sell it for a lower price, but why would they? Anyone that wants one will pay what it is sold for. The rumors that it'll have the same resolution as the new iPad seem far fetched - the pixel density would be greater, so it's more likely that the screen would cost more than the one in the new iPad. The only savings I could see is if the 8GB size is true, and the device is otherwise the same as the iPad 2. That makes the most sense to me, and I would anticipate the price to be higher than the PB and Kindle, no less than $299. It would be a good savings over the iPad 2, and people would be willing to pay more for it over the competition just because it's Apple.

On another note, I'm sure that the 7.85" screen is still the same aspect ratio as the other iPads (4:3 in landscape). When I've held the iPad previously, it felt too big, but an Android 10" tab in 16:9 aspect ratio seemed not that much bigger than the PlayBook, and seemed decent. I'm wondering how a 7.85" 4:3 iPad mini would feel in the hands, compared to the PlayBook (just curious - I'm not interested in Apple products).

[Mr.Willie]

I once asked a room for of middle-school girls what kind of phone I should upgrade to -- BB, Android or iPhone. The vote for the iPhone was unanimous. Apple has done a brilliant job of marketing (which was Job's real genius -- the guy wasn't really a techie). The point is that it's not so much the hardware or the software -- it's the marketing. One reason there are so many apps for the iPad is that there is such a large iPad footprint. Just ask RIM how hard it is to get developers interested with a small user base. But Apple products also have a genuine downside: They are expensive, ridiculously proprietary and you are pretty much stuck with what Apple decides to offer.

Actually the middle school girls all have probably owned or played with an iPhone or iPod touch already, so they know what it can do and how to operate it. It's not just the marketing. Their also works.

How can someone who builds a new type of computer in his garage with two friends and modifies an OS to work on it not be called a techie ??? Where the heck did that come from ?

Expensive ? The tablets cost the same as comparable Android ones. Ridiculously proprietary ? There are literally thousands of aftermarket devices made for Apple products. More so than anyone else. Stuck with what ever Apple offers you ? Ya mean the 4-500,000 apps aren't enough ? Or do you mean that they don't allow malware ? Please elaborate.

I am not trying to push Apple products, just trying to eliminate the FUD.

A Playbook is perfect as an 8am-5pm device and iPad for 8pm-10pm at home.

How"s that ?

If Apple is going to come out with 7" iPad, I see a lot of work for developers modifying 400k+ apps.

Not really, especially if it has a 10224X768 resolution. But even if it doesn't, I see a lot of profit for those developers.

doesnt make any sense to me, you have a product that sells well at a premium price.
Why jepordise that by releaseing a loss making version?

It won't be a loss making device. It will sell at a profit. Some that would have bought a 10 inch will get the 7, but I think that they are going after a market that would not have purchased a 10", so they would have gone elsewhere.

On another note, I'm sure that the 7.85" screen is still the same aspect ratio as the other iPads (4:3 in landscape). When I've held the iPad previously, it felt too big, but an Android 10" tab in 16:9 aspect ratio seemed not that much bigger than the PlayBook, and seemed decent. I'm wondering how a 7.85" 4:3 iPad mini would feel in the hands, compared to the PlayBook (just curious - I'm not interested in Apple products).

Held in landscape mode, the 4:3 screens are narrower than the 16:9, 90% of the time I use my tablet in landscape mode. It's okay if you"re interested Apple products, we"ll still love you the same either way.

Let's be real here. It's Apple and Apple = popular. As a result iPad =popular. For the most part most people are uneducated when it comes to what they want. Regardless of what their needs are, people tend to get what's popular. If this iPad mini comes to fruition, people are going to walk into stores and say "I want an iPad" then they're gonna see the mini for $250 or whatever it is and be like "Ohhh an iPad for only $250. I have to get it", and then apple is going to sell millions again. Unless it has a overheating problem that is 5 times as bad as the last one and doesn't connect to a network while in motion and the screen shatters if you breathe on it, it's gonna be a success and it's gonna break records, again. Other companies like RIM just have to keep working hard to boost their image and produce quality products. Eventually they will get some good press and things will change again.

It's popular because it's a good product. It gets good press (most of the time) because its popular. Of course this drives popularity even more. Yes RIM needs good press. They also need the ecosystem that Apple has. It's not just the apps. Its the music store, iBooks, Newsstand (I quit buying paper magazines months ago), iTunes U. RIM just doesn't have it, for a PDA (phone) that's acceptable, for a tablet, its not.

I disagree with your uneducated statement. It"s not that they are uneducated about tech, it just that they don't care. They have other things that are higher up on their priority list. (Personally I don't care about the customization of Android or installing new ROMS. My BB isn't even themed, however I admit I am running 7.1.0.342).

[robedney]

Jobs was not the real techie behind any of Apple's products -- and he said so. What he did -- and it was brilliant -- was to define the user experience he wanted and then challenge others to build to that standard. There are a whole bunch of Android tablets around that can be had for less than an iPad, and many of them offer memory expansion through SD -- something Apple avoids so they can up-sell to higher memory models. As for the middle-school kids preferring the iPhone, many of them had never held one in their hands. It's the marketing -- another area where Job's was brilliant.

[jpash549]

Mr. Willie made the point that in landscape mode the 4/3 tablets are narrower than the 16/10 tablets with same screen size (diagonal). True and maybe one reason for Apple to use 7.85 instead of 7.0. The Archos G9 8" tablet is also 4/3 aspect ratio and this would give a good idea of what the screen would look like. The Archos tablet is chunkier, has a wider frame around the screen and weighs more (16.4 oz) than the Apple probably would but holding it might give a rough feel for what a 7.85" Apple would feel like.

[Jays1fan]

If they make an 8gb and its only $250 ( a little more than kindle fire 8gb @ $199 ) then I would buy one in a Heart beat. No side loading crap and MLB.tv alone would be worth it to me. If they make it 16gb I will pay $300 . man I sure hope they DO make these.

But , I will say that if PB ever gets some real apps I can use , then I probably would not buy at this time.

[dtong22]

the 10" iPad is not fun to hold for any length of time.

The 7" PlayBook is a better form factor..

If I want a 10" I will go for my netbook.

As for the middle-school kids preferring the iPhone, many of them had never held one in their hands. It's the marketing -- another area where Job's was brilliant.

The idea of Job's genius bar has been really brilliant.

Daniel, Toronto

[Laridae]

First of all, I expect that Apple will release a iPad in the 7in format in the not too distant future. As the proud owner of 2 such eReader/tablets we've found the form factor and weight very convenient to use inside the house and elsewhere. I expect others do as well.
I'm sure Apple is very much aware of how many potential sales they are losing to Samsung, RIM and others and would like to have a chunk of this market for themselves.

[Lord_Jareth_89]

I don't think a price of even 300$ is imposible when and ipod touch cost around 220$. Apple is all about overpricing so if they throw it on a 350$ base that sound convincing to me!
P.S: Love my PB!

[cjb111]

I've got both an iPad and a PlayBook. There are times when I wish the iPad were lighter and smaller, and there are times when using the PlayBook that I wish the screen were bigger. I like the 7" form for reading and email, and it's so much handier to carry around. But the larger iPad screen is so much nicer when browsing the web or watching video. Depending on what matters to you most determines which size is 'best'. I think a 7" iPad will lock up that market for Apple, as well. Especially if they can sell it for $250 or less.

[soren203]

If you have to ask that kind of question , you dont need to own a playbook at all and even post on a blackberry forum.....just saying

Im guessing you didnt even bother to read the whole post. The op obviously loves bb

[Hawnz]

One wonders if a typical iFan will have all of the following:

iPod nano for exercising
iPhone
iPad mini for mobility
iPad for couch use
AppleTV
MacBook Air for business travel
iMac/Mac mini/Mac Pro for use in office

This is funny.
Sub iPod Touch for nano, of course take out iPad mini and that is 5 people I know, 2 are my nephews.

[DarcDroid]

doing 5 fingers swipe on 7" screen is way too awkward

Sent from my BlackBerry 9700 using Crackberry Apps

[Pearl9100]

Pb for me all day long.

[Angus_CB]

The 8GB 3.5" iPod micro (Touch) sells for $199 so it's unlikely Apple would release a 16GB 7" device at the same price point.

A fair point but as the story speculates, it could be priced to eliminate all other competitors. I guess we will have to wait and see

The thing is, Apple doesn't have to sell a 7" 16GB tablet at $199. They can charge $299 and still outsell the Playbook.
I am not an Apple fanboy at all, the opposite actually, but that's just the way it is.

[Nyan_Cat100]

apparently the new bb bridge will allow playbooks to make calls through bridge

Sent from my BlackBerry 9300 using the CrackBerry Forums App!