iPad Mini: iSlate or Mini. And $250 or $300? How about $200

It seems that everyone has taken for granted that Apple will introduce the iPad mini, a name that should not be itched in stone since Apple has their own creative way of naming things (remember, Apple owns iSlate right?), on October 23rd.  So, it’s no longer a rumor.  It’s a fact now.

The next couple of questions on everyone’s mind is how much and what can it do as in what specs will it have. Will it be at $250 or at a more Apple-esque $300?  And how about the screen?  Retina Display or will a smaller screen featuring 1024x728 be enough?

There are a whole host of articles from bloggers to “professional” or “mainstream” media about this.  Each claiming to know what Apple is going to do.  I think it’s more important to focus on what Apple did not do in the past and what it ain’t gonna do.

First, we can forget the $200 price.  $250?  That’s a bit hard to swallow because of where Apple is in terms of trying to protect and maintain its profit margin.  I can see $250 largely because Apple has so many other profitable devices, namely the iPhone, high-end iPads, and Retina Macbooks.  In fact, Apple could reach the golden $250 price point by trying to offset it with higher margin iPad mini.  Remember, Apple will increase each 8 GB of memory storage with a $100 premium and/or a $130 premium for LTE models.

If Apple wants to kill off its 7” tablet competitors, it could reach deep, sacrifice a couple of points of profit market and really hit the $200 sweet spot, still making a few bucks on the low-end iPad Mini, and try to make up for other lost margins with textbooks/apps/media sales.  If Amazon’s Jeff Bezos could do it, why not Tim Cook.

After all, today’s Apple is Tim Cook’s, no longer Steve Jobs.  Tim is going to try to maintain the lead in the tablet market that Apple has and it is not so willing to give that up.  And it has an ecosystem second to none that not even Amazon or Microsoft can hope to duplicate.  Nor do they have the tens of dedicated fans who are willing to buy anything Apple.

We’ll know a week from tomorrow just what Apple release and how it’ll position it for us mobile warriors.  It’ll be an interesting and possibly pivotal day in mobile computing.

Sharp Shows Off Displays for Potential Uses In Apple Products, Just Not the iPad Mini

Source:  Computer World via MacDailyNews.

Here’s a post about how Sharp, the maker of Apple’s iPhone 5 screens, showing off displays using the new IZGO technology.  They come in 7”, 10”, and 13”.

What isn’t shown, obviously, is the often associated 7.85” screen that Apple is supposedly going to be using in their iPad mini units that will debut in a matter of weeks.

And obviously, if there was such a size, Sharp would have been prevented by Apple from displaying and demoing them.  After all, despite so many leaks about the iPhone 5 and iPad mini parts, showing off the screen that Apple would use would be a little too obviously.

Having said that, wouldn’t the 10” and 13” display be brilliant for the next iPad and Macbook Air respectively?  Just writing out loud here.

Maps Issue For iPhone Overbown But Apple Needs To Appreciate The Uproar

Source:  wired.

Any time one of your features on your service or device doesn’t work as advertised, you as the company or employee should worry.  You have told folks that it works but it doesn’t in reality.  Here, a Wired post argues that RIM’s Blackberry missteps should worry Apple.  Definitely.  It is going to keep Tim Cook up at night?

Let’s take a look at this.  Wired argue that today’s iPhone crowd is nothing like the Mac loyalists who stuck with Apple in the 90s even as it faltered through years of walking in the woods that only Steve Jobs himself (who did his own wondering through the forest) came and put Apple back on track.

That is a valid argument.  Still, the iEcosystem has garnered enough goodwill that users could look beyond the Maps debacle and focus on the larger picture.  The sleek lightweight design along with many new just-works features in iOS 6.  And Siri has improved with new features and the ability to understand and speak other languages.

For those who will abandon Applethe platform just because Maps does not feature StreetView from Google or that there are a lot of errors and blemishes on the app, there is nothing Apple can do.  As promised, Apple can only try to improve the app over time.  After all, Maps is only one of many dozens of new features in iPhone 5 and iOS 6.

And because of that, most iOS users are willing to stick it out with Apple until that happens.

But yes, Apple needs to understand that it can only do this ever so often.  This cannot be a Google-like perpetual beta behavior.  Apple fans have come to appreciate the second-to-none products and services coming out of Cupertino and be subject to being its beta testers.

Having said that, like Siri, Maps is an unique product where it could take years to get better.  And like Siri, it would get better as more and more users use the app and send feedbacks to Apple.

To avoid being all over the place on this issue, Apple has a lot more ropes from users than RIM can hope to have.  You can bet that if RIM doesn’t deliver on the next generation Blackberry devices, it’s over for the Waterloo company.

However, a beta-like Maps app is not going to tarnish Apple’s shine too much.  You can bet that Apple is far from done with innovating its Maps app.  The 3D view is pretty awesome and I can’t wait to see just what else Apple has up its sleeve once this current bump in the road is behind it.

Apple And Yahoo Should Grow Partnership

Source:  Wired.

I like this idea a lot:  Apple and Yahoo should definitely hook up.  Maybe not an outright buyout because it simply is not in Apple’s DNA.  It was not in Steve Jobs’ DNA or it is something that Tim Cook and company would go for.

However, Yahoo’s services and global reach is top notch and it has presence in places like China that its competitor Google does not.  And it would definitely bring a new dynamic into the whole mobile war thing.  On top of that, some Yahoo services could be rebranded to serve iCloud in ways that Apple has been unable to do.

Obviously, Siri and voice is the future of search but there are still plenty that Yahoo can offer.  Perhaps, Apple is taking its targeted baby-steps in getting more services from Yahoo.  That’s fine but I definitely hope more is in stored.

Yahoo definitely has a lot of content and can use the prestige of working with Apple to solidify place in mobile and rally its troops.  Keep in mind that Steve Jobs was once at Yahoo to give them a pep talk.

iPhone 5 Opening Pictures - Wow, It's Thin and Eerily Light

Here are some preliminary pics of my iPhone 5. A couple for comparison with the iPhone 4.







Initial impressions. Wow, is this thing thin. Wow, is this thing light. And it's only a shade thicker than my fourth generation iPod touch.































- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

iPhone 5 Drop Test - Very Good

Source:  Cult of Mac.

I am less than 65 minutes from when I should be getting my iPhone 5 delivered by me by UPS.

Meanwhile, it's good to know that the new iPhone should be able to withstand my clumsiness better than the iPhone 4 or the 4S.

Here is a video of a test from iFixYouri. Each time you see it drop, your heart (in mine in this case) skips a beat.  Not too shabby.

Meanwhile, another site, Android Authority, did their own test. You'd think that because it's an Android-centric website that the Galaxy S III should destroy the iPhone 5 in any kind of best.  Maybe but not their own drop test.

As you can see, the iPhone came out ahead.  Try to see how Samsung would advertise their way through that.

Engadget: iPhone 5 Hands-On

Should I or should I not?  How about you?

There is nothing surprising here.  Bigger screen is a plus but I don't see anything here that could entice iPhone 4S users to upgrade.  Definitely the iPhone, iPhone 3, and iPhone 3GS folks should give this a shot.  Maybe some iPhone 4 owners as well.

Personally, I'm on the fence on this one.  I'm waiting for more news to come out before I decide.  that's just my personal opinion.  The iPhone 5 is a great phone by any measure.  Maybe even the best with the Galaxy S III a close second.

  

Does the above video convince you or not?