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7-Inch iPad Rumored
Stoobalou writes "Rumours of a cut-down Apple iPad are ramping up as Taiwanese news outlet Economic Daily News names names. The often-reliable Chinese language newspaper — which correctly predicted the first coming of the iPad when everyone else on the planet was carping on about a sub-$500 netbook from the Cupertino company — has been digging about in the skips behind a number of Chinese factories and reckons it knows who will be making which bit of the much-predicted iPad 2."
It will be interesting to see if being smaller will fix some of the problems people have with holding the current model...I also am curious to see how battery life will be affected by this.
Not to mention pricing.
Living With a Nerd
The current iPad is a bit too big to use for my planned "in-dash" computer, however a 7 inch iPad would fit the bill perfectly for my car. Built in iPod, plenty of decent navigation software and hopefully there is a 3G version (pandora internet radio, in dash anyone?).
Obvious jokes aside, I think I'd trade in my 9.7" for the 7" if it became an option. The higher density of the screen with the same specs and a smaller footprint just sounds like win to me. Seeing as I mainly use the iPad for reading, it looks like this could be the perfect size for an e-reader.
It really all depends on how much they want to drop the price, if at all. I certainly wouldn't pay the same amount all over again when I've got a perfectly acceptable, not quite as small device already.
I know the iPad is nice and shiny and oh so good looking, but honestly, a Kindle causes less strain on the eyes and much easier to hold and is now, much cheaper. Perhaps this 7" will remove the arm-strain issues, while still delivering good battery life and sweet color screen that's not so small as to cause eye strain (reading the iPod touch in bed is not conducive to sleep, whereas I have no problems with the iPad).
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The only way I can see a 7" iPad making sense is if it has the same resolution, and is more ruggedized - perfect for giving to kids.
Otherwise it adds too much confusion to the lineup, something Apple doesn't like to do.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
If anything, I would actually prefer they shoot for a larger screen. My wife uses one to store all of her sheet music that would have otherwise required a suitcase to haul around to performances, its actually faster to sight read off and turn the pages with a touch than a real music book. Her only complaint is that it would be nice if the usable screen was slightly larger. An A4/Legal sized screen would properly rule the world!