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[lupinko]

Ready to give Apple my money for that smaller iPad. It's going to make reading my Kindle and iBook app books easier to read than on my iPhone 4.

Depending when this mini comes out, I think I might get it before my iPhone 5. haha

Spoiler

I don't get my iPhone 5 until the first week of November. =/

 

[Skel1ingt0n]

I have a Retina iPad (16GB AT&T).

If this is $199, I'll buy an extra just because, really. If it's $249 I'll debate. If it's $300 - screw it, I'll get a Nexus 7 to toy around with.

My prediction for the event, which unfortunately on many cases doesn't line up with my hopes:

8GB iPad Mini; iPad 2 res, A5X, 1GB RAM, Lightning = $249 (plus additional sizes for more)
"Refreshed" Retina iPad = Lightning connector, slighter better battery life/less heat for same price
13" Retina MBP - i5 Dual Core, integrated graphics, retina screen, 4GB, 128GB SSD = $1499
iMac - 21" and 27", redesigned, with retina display on the "high end models". High end models will be $1499 for 21" and $2299 for 27"

My hopes that ares till somewhat feasible but unlikely?

iPad Mini 8GB for $199. Same specs as above. But comes in colors.
13" Retina MBP comes with dedicated GPU and 256GB SSD with some awesome 8 hour battery life - $1499
27" Retina iMac comes with a decent dedicated GPU and is priced at $1999.

 

[numble]

I have a Retina iPad (16GB AT&T).

If this is $199, I'll buy an extra just because, really. If it's $249 I'll debate. If it's $300 - screw it, I'll get a Nexus 7 to toy around with.

My prediction for the event, which unfortunately on many cases doesn't line up with my hopes:

8GB iPad Mini; iPad 2 res, A5X, 1GB RAM, Lightning = $249 (plus additional sizes for more)
"Refreshed" Retina iPad = Lightning connector, slighter better battery life/less heat for same price
13" Retina MBP - i5 Dual Core, integrated graphics, retina screen, 4GB, 128GB SSD = $1499
iMac - 21" and 27", redesigned, with retina display on the "high end models". High end models will be $1499 for 21" and $2299 for 27"

There's little point in a 45nm A5X for a non-retina display. Especially when they've spent the past half year getting up to speed with a new A5 that is more power efficient, uses 32nm, and LP HK+MG.

 

[badcrumble]

Yeah I'm pretty sure from here on out we're going to see A5, A6, and so on in the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad mini, and A5X, A6X, and so on in the full iPad.

 

[NYR]

I have a Retina iPad (16GB AT&T).

If this is $199, I'll buy an extra just because, really.

Apple fanboy here - even I think this is stupid.

Donate it to charity or something, don't just buy one "just because".

 

[dwebo]

imac's aren't getting retina displays either, high-end or otherwise. displays that high resolution simply don't exist yet, for a mass-produced consumer device anyway

 

[Appleman]

I have a Retina iPad (16GB AT&T).

If this is $199, I'll buy an extra just because, really. If it's $249 I'll debate. If it's $300 - screw it, I'll get a Nexus 7 to toy around with.

My prediction for the event, which unfortunately on many cases doesn't line up with my hopes:

8GB iPad Mini; iPad 2 res, A5X, 1GB RAM, Lightning = $249 (plus additional sizes for more)
"Refreshed" Retina iPad = Lightning connector, slighter better battery life/less heat for same price
13" Retina MBP - i5 Dual Core, integrated graphics, retina screen, 4GB, 128GB SSD = $1499
iMac - 21" and 27", redesigned, with retina display on the "high end models". High end models will be $1499 for 21" and $2299 for 27"

My hopes that ares till somewhat feasible but unlikely?

iPad Mini 8GB for $199. Same specs as above. But comes in colors.
13" Retina MBP comes with dedicated GPU and 256GB SSD with some awesome 8 hour battery life - $1499
27" Retina iMac comes with a decent dedicated GPU and is priced at $1999.

Other than the bolded I think you're mostly right. No way we're getting retina iMacs yet, a $199 iPad mini, or a 256GB SSD standard in the rMBP.

Want that discrete graphics though SO BADLY but I don't see it happening.

Also, I'm torn on whether we see an updated iPad 3 but if we do it will be as you described with no major HW upgrades

 

[Baconsammy]

imac's aren't getting retina displays either, high-end or otherwise. displays that high resolution simply don't exist yet, for a mass-produced consumer device anyway

I'd settle for an iMac that simply doesn't have that awful inconsistent yellow hue across the screen that Apple deems "within spec". I've been waiting to upgrade my iMac for almost 2 years now. Hopefully the refresh is a good one.

 

[njean777]

Yeah but we're talking about how competitors are really stepping their game up to the point of losing profitability whereas Apple who has tons of cash to invest is on auto-pilot.

Isn't that the competitors problem and not apples? The market chooses which product is best and for now it is the Ipad. If somebody comes out and does it better then I would assume the market would shift to the other product.

 

[beast786]

My god, this will be the biggest thing this holiday.

No

IPhone 5 will be biggest of all time.


This will be the biggest quater for any company ever.

 

[PhoncipleBone]

No

IPhone 5 will be biggest of all time.


This will be the biggest quater for any company ever.

iPad does not require a data plan for most people though.

But this will be a ridiculous quarter for Apple.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

I would love for Apple to also go, "BTW, here's your Lightning USB 3.0/Thunderbolt connector! Sync and [more importantly] charge faster!"

 

[numble]

I would love for Apple to also go, "BTW, here's your Lightning USB 3.0/Thunderbolt connector! Sync and [more importantly] charge faster!"

NAND Flash still runs slower than USB 2. The bottleneck is in the chips, not the cable.

 

[Bboy AJ]

This will be Apple's first table that doesn't compete value wise. But it will still fly off shelves and for good reason. Apps.

 

[mrklaw]

no idea what is expected of a mini refresh? Are they Ivy Bridge already?

Would like SSD and discrete graphics as standard, might be tempted to buy another one then

 

[Somnid]

Isn't that the competitors problem and not apples? The market chooses which product is best and for now it is the Ipad. If somebody comes out and does it better then I would assume the market would shift to the other product.

Sure. But this idea that competitors will make better products just because Apple showed up is silly.

 

[Zeth]

Leveraging the app advantage™

 

[Diablohead]

What I expect from the ipad mini is just a scaled down 7 inch ipad 2 with a few updated things like the lightning port and maybe a better camera if they kept that in. A5X on 1024 x 768 screen would be so damn fast for games but I think that chip is being binned soon since the iphone 5 has the A6 and this might just be a revised ipad 2 again.

Best to keep expectations low.

mac mini update would be nice too but I find my 2011 model is still kicking butt for what I use it for.

 

[Marco1]

The thing I look forward to most is whatever apple think will be the next big thing!
I know they're doing well with what they have at the moment but surely that can't last forever.

 

[jonremedy]

no idea what is expected of a mini refresh? Are they Ivy Bridge already?

Would like SSD and discrete graphics as standard, might be tempted to buy another one then

With Haswell next year bringing "good enough" graphics, I don't see the point of Apple developing the board layout needed for discrete graphics in the Mac Mini...

 

[mrklaw]

With Haswell next year bringing "good enough" graphics, I don't see the point of Apple developing the board layout needed for discrete graphics in the Mac Mini...

current mac mini already has discrete graphics on higher end skus, I'd just like them in the standard one. you're probably right that they won't bother though.

 

[Lynn616]

What are the chances of getting an SD slot on this thing?

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

What are the chances of getting an SD slot on this thing?

slim to none, if not completely zero.

 

[Jal]

Do people really expect this to be $50 cheaper than the iPod Touch?

Edit: $100, getting UK and US mixed up.

 

[Appleman]

This will be Apple's first table that doesn't compete value wise. But it will still fly off shelves and for good reason. Apps.

...so then it does compete? The App Store and ecosystem all add value to the product you're buying

Do people really expect this to be $50 cheaper than the iPod Touch?

Yep. Either $50 cheaper or the same price. No retina display, less storage, and probably slightly lower margins definitely make it a possibility. iPad 2 is $399 right now, and this would just be a cheaper to manufacture version of that so it'll at least be $100 less.

 

[SuperPac]

Someone should do a size up of prices for all iDevices and the variations and where this iPad mini fits into the picture. I'm talking Nano, Touch, Pad, Phone.

Like this?

http://www.asymco.com/2012/10/17/ios-portfolio-price-distribution/

 

[LCfiner]

Do people really expect this to be $50 cheaper than the iPod Touch?

yup.

 

[Jal]

Wait i mean $100 it's 249 pounds and 299 dollars, no way will it be $199.

 

[Appleman]

Wait i mean $100 it's 249 pounds and 299 dollars, no way will it be $199.

$199 is definitely a longshot and I don't see it happening. Usually it's not really worth comparing to remarkably different product lines, but only $50 more than the iPod Nano? I doubt it.

 

[mrklaw]

Ready to give Apple my money for that smaller iPad. It's going to make reading my Kindle and iBook app books easier to read than on my iPhone 4.

Depending when this mini comes out, I think I might get it before my iPhone 5. haha

Spoiler

I don't get my iPhone 5 until the first week of November. =/

you know what would make your kindle books even easier to read?

A Kindle.

 

[Baconsammy]

Do people really expect this to be $50 cheaper than the iPod Touch?

Edit: $100, getting UK and US mixed up.

Why wouldnt people expect that? The rumored specs aren't more sophisticated than the current Touch.

you know what would make your kindle books even easier to read?

A Kindle.

As long as it's not a Kindle Fire or Kindle Fire HD. Those are just as useless as iPads for reading books outside.

 

[mrklaw]

Why wouldnt people expect that? The rumored specs aren't more sophisticated than the current Touch.



As long as it's not a Kindle Fire or Kindle Fire HD. Those are just as useless as iPads for reading books outside.

sure. At the low price for the basic kindle, that really doesn't take much reading to make it a worthwhile purchase.


I don't understand the comments about it being the same price or cheaper than a touch. A touch is much more personal and portable than an ipad, different uses and markets.

My biggest confusion is why 7.85"? Just seems too big and too close to the normal ipad to differentiate. I guess we'll see when they show it

 

[Bboy AJ]

...so then it does compete? The App Store and ecosystem all add value to the product you're buying

Spec wise

 

[Appleman]

Spec wise

If you say so, but even if that's true (and it isn't necessarily) the minute spec differences are hardly as vast as the differences between the value added by the ecosystem, support, and available apps

 

[Chris R]

current mac mini already has discrete graphics on higher end skus, I'd just like them in the standard one. you're probably right that they won't bother though.

They won't be standard, but I'd still like to see a single option with a 600 series GPU in it. Add that to USB 3.0 and a nice i5 with user upgradable ram and hdd and we are in business!

 

[giga]

Spec wise

Display will definitely be below that of the KF HD and N7, but the A5 clearly has the upper hand when compared to the Tegra 3 or 4460.

 

[seventynine]

So what would be reasonable to expect from the iMac refresh? The same CPUs/GPUs as the r/MBP?

 

[Bigfoot]

I think Apple lost a sale with me on this one. I was fully prepared to buy a mini without retina and with the iPad 2 specs, but only if it started at $249 or less. It looks like Apple was able to meet the $249 mark (based on the rumored pricing list), but WTF at 8 Gb storage??? I didn’t think they would even go with a storage size that small any more. I was thinking $249 for 16 Gb and $349 (but was wishing for $299) for 32 Gb. I planned on getting the 32 Gb version even at $349 but there is no way I’m going to spend $449 for it!

Apple really needs to get rid of the “memory upgrade” gouging. $100 more for 8->16 Gb is ridiculous. I’m sure the mini will still sell at ton even with 8 Gb as the base but I bet 80%+ of their sales will be from that model. They really need to make it more enticing to go to a better than base model.

Anyone know of any other tablets in the 8 inch size range? 7 inches is too small for me and I found the iPad at 10 inches a bit too big and heavy for reading in bed. Who am I kidding… I’ll probably end up getting the mini anyways but I can only hope the rumored price list is fake.

 

[Mairu]

I think Apple lost a sale with me on this one. I was fully prepared to buy a mini without retina and with the iPad 2 specs, but only if it started at $249 or less. It looks like Apple was able to meet the $249 mark (based on the rumored pricing list), but WTF at 8 Gb storage??? I didn’t think they would even go with a storage size that small any more. I was thinking $249 for 16 Gb and $349 (but was wishing for $299) for 32 Gb. I planned on getting the 32 Gb version even at $349 but there is no way I’m going to spend $449 for it!

Apple really needs to get rid of the “memory upgrade” gouging. $100 more for 8->16 Gb is ridiculous. I’m sure the mini will still sell at ton even with 8 Gb as the base but I bet 80%+ of their sales will be from that model. They really need to make it more enticing to go to a better than base model.

Anyone know of any other tablets in the 8 to 8.5 inch size range? 7 inches is too small for me and I found the iPad at 10 inches a bit too big and heavy for reading in bed. Who am I kidding… I’ll probably end up getting the mini anyways but I can only hope the rumored price list is fake.

I wish all the manufacturers would get more aggressive with each other on storage upgrade pricing

 

[Appleman]

Display will definitely be below that of the KF HD and N7, but the A5 clearly has the upper hand when compared to the Tegra 3 or 4460.

Other than PPI I think the iPad mini will have a higher quality display than most of the other similarly sized tablets, and have a significantly larger display area. We'll have to wait and see though.

I think Apple lost a sale with me on this one. I was fully prepared to buy a mini without retina and with the iPad 2 specs, but only if it started at $249 or less. It looks like Apple was able to meet the $249 mark (based on the rumored pricing list), but WTF at 8 Gb storage??? I didn’t think they would even go with a storage size that small any more. I was thinking $249 for 16 Gb and $349 (but was wishing for $299) for 32 Gb. I planned on getting the 32 Gb version even at $349 but there is no way I’m going to spend $449 for it!

Apple really needs to get rid of the “memory upgrade” gouging. $100 more for 8->16 Gb is ridiculous. I’m sure the mini will still sell at ton even with 8 Gb as the base but I bet 80%+ of their sales will be from that model. They really need to make it more enticing to go to a better than base model.

Anyone know of any other tablets in the 8 to 8.5 inch size range? 7 inches is too small for me and I found the iPad at 10 inches a bit too big and heavy for reading in bed. Who am I kidding… I’ll probably end up getting the mini anyways but I can only hope the rumored price list is fake.

I feel like the memory "gouging" helps their margins where the 64GB models help "subsidize" the 16GB models. (Obviously not actually subsidizing but they help make up for lower margins on the cheaper devices).

I still don't think 8GB is a lock though, 16GB at $299 seems just about right

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

NAND Flash still runs slower than USB 2. The bottleneck is in the chips, not the cable.

Out of curiosity, your source for this?

The iPhone 4/4S's NAND had read speeds of around 21MBps. The iPhone 5, according to one review, was able to sync data in ~3 minutes as opposed to the 4/4S's ~5 minutes. In other words, about 1/3 faster.

That would potentially put transfer speeds at ~33MBps, AKA the real world saturation speed of USB 2.0.

And it doesn't change the fact that USB 3.0 would be able to charge the iPhone 5 significantly faster.

 

[Bboy AJ]

If you say so, but even if that's true (and it isn't necessarily) the minute spec differences are hardly as vast as the differences between the value added by the ecosystem, support, and available apps

You're putting words into my mouth. I stated this is the first tablet where Apple doesn't lead spec wise with value. When the original iPad came out, no one could match it in price and quality. Now others can. I'm not speaking about the rest of the stuff you're going on about. I agree with you on that.

 

[Cheebo]

I think Apple lost a sale with me on this one. I was fully prepared to buy a mini without retina and with the iPad 2 specs, but only if it started at $249 or less. It looks like Apple was able to meet the $249 mark (based on the rumored pricing list), but WTF at 8 Gb storage??? I didn’t think they would even go with a storage size that small any more. I was thinking $249 for 16 Gb and $349 (but was wishing for $299) for 32 Gb. I planned on getting the 32 Gb version even at $349 but there is no way I’m going to spend $449 for it!

Apple really needs to get rid of the “memory upgrade” gouging. $100 more for 8->16 Gb is ridiculous. I’m sure the mini will still sell at ton even with 8 Gb as the base but I bet 80%+ of their sales will be from that model. They really need to make it more enticing to go to a better than base model.

Anyone know of any other tablets in the 8 inch size range? 7 inches is too small for me and I found the iPad at 10 inches a bit too big and heavy for reading in bed. Who am I kidding… I’ll probably end up getting the mini anyways but I can only hope the rumored price list is fake.

Um Apple hasn't even announced the thing let alone the price.

 

[numble]

Out of curiosity, your source for this?

The iPhone 4/4S's NAND had read speeds of around 21MBps. The iPhone 5, according to one review, was able to sync data in ~3 minutes as opposed to the 4/4S's ~5 minutes. In other words, about 1/3 faster.

That would potentially put transfer speeds at ~33MBps, AKA the real world saturation speed of USB 2.0.

And it doesn't change the fact that USB 3.0 would be able to charge the iPhone 5 significantly faster.

Which review said that transfer speeds were 33 MBps, and 1/3 faster? Engadget's review, for instance, says it syncs data in 4 minutes on iPhone 5 versus 5 minutes in 4/4S, or 20% faster. That places it at 25MBps or so.
http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/18/apple-iphone-5-review/

Even with your 1/3 faster claim, that would put the speed at 27 MBps, not 33 MBps.
USB 2.0 throughput is 35MBps.

USB 2.0 is supposed to be 0.5 amps of current, USB 3.0 is supposed to be 0.9 amps, but Apple has shown they can alter what USB 2.0 can do. Would USB 3.0 charge the iPhone faster than the iPad USB 2.0 charger, which provides 2.1 amps of current, or USB 2.0 through MacBooks, which provide 1.1 amps of current? Both are higher than USB 3.0.

 

[th3dude]

Was ready to head to the Apple store on Sunday to get a iPad 3. Looks like I'm waiting for the refresh hopefully. Wonder how quickly I'll be able to get my hands on one.

 

[Yoshiya]

The A6 is a more likely inclusion than the A5X. That thing is big and hot. It'll just have the 32nm A5 though, which is adequate.

 

[VariantX04]

Was ready to head to the Apple store on Sunday to get a iPad 3. Looks like I'm waiting for the refresh hopefully. Wonder how quickly I'll be able to get my hands on one.

Don't expect a refresh so soon. March 2013 is when we'll likely see a new(er) iPad.

 

[Baconsammy]

Don't expect a refresh so soon. March 2013 is when we'll likely see a new(er) iPad.

I wouldn't be surprised if he's right and there's an updated version. With at least the new lightning connector.

 

[th3dude]

I wouldn't be surprised if he's right and there's an updated version. With at least the new lightning connector.

Have seen more than one rumor pointing to a refresh with the IZGO screen, lightning port, and A6 chip.

We'll see though. I'm not holding my breath on it, but I'm certainly not buying one until next week either way.

 

[Yoshiya]

The A6 doesn't have the memory bandwidth to handle the iPad 3's display.