Will You Be Buying An Ipad Mini?

[muratremix]

I think Apple are killing the goose the lays the golden egg with these half-arsed attempts to keep up with the competition.

And apparently they haven't even included GPS in the Mini Wifi version.

Whoops we all know how good they are at mapping after all.

Apple never includes GPS on Wifi models. GPS module comes with 3G module, and it is much much better and accurate than other standalone GPS solutions.

That's crap, I've walked side by side with an SII and a 4S and the SII was by far the more accurate of the two.

But I'm talking about having GPS on the Wifi version. In this day and age it's an absurd omission considering the minimal hardware that's required.

S2 is not a wifi only device. it uses more or less same quallcom chip with iphone so your argument is invalid.

[nikster]

I think Apple are killing the goose the lays the golden egg with these half-arsed attempts to keep up with the competition.

And apparently they haven't even included GPS in the Mini Wifi version.

Whoops we all know how good they are at mapping after all.

Apple never includes GPS on Wifi models. GPS module comes with 3G module, and it is much much better and accurate than other standalone GPS solutions.

That's crap, I've walked side by side with an SII and a 4S and the SII was by far the more accurate of the two.

But I'm talking about having GPS on the Wifi version. In this day and age it's an absurd omission considering the minimal hardware that's required.

I certainly find it annoying. Before iOS 6, there were no - official anyways - offline maps on the iPhone. So one could argue, if maps don't load (because you're somewhere on a mountain), then why would you need GPS? What good is it with no map?

But iOS 6 has offline maps so a GPS would be nice. I guess a reason they do it is that GPS without a radio is very slow and very inaccurate. It's a crappy experience. Still... what doesn't have a GPS chip nowadays.

OF course this ploy worked on me, I got the iPad 3 with 3G in part because I wanted a dedicated GPS...

[Chicog]

I think Apple are killing the goose the lays the golden egg with these half-arsed attempts to keep up with the competition.

And apparently they haven't even included GPS in the Mini Wifi version.

Whoops we all know how good they are at mapping after all.

Apple never includes GPS on Wifi models. GPS module comes with 3G module, and it is much much better and accurate than other standalone GPS solutions.

That's crap, I've walked side by side with an SII and a 4S and the SII was by far the more accurate of the two.

But I'm talking about having GPS on the Wifi version. In this day and age it's an absurd omission considering the minimal hardware that's required.

S2 is not a wifi only device. it uses more or less same quallcom chip with iphone so your argument is invalid.

My argument is the 4S GPS module sucks compared to an equivalent Samsung, so to say "it is much much better and accurate than other standalone GPS solutions." is simply nonsense.

[muratremix]

My argument is the 4S GPS module sucks compared to an equivalent Samsung, so to say "it is much much better and accurate than other standalone GPS solutions." is simply nonsense.

Have you ever used 4S with a navigation software such as sygic? It appears to me, you haven't. How can you compare two phones then? In bangkok, GPS signal is interrupted with high buildings and wifi signals. However, my ipad / iphone gps never lost the track during my road trips.

If you are comparing google maps turn by turn navigation to old google maps app in iOS5, well, you need to revise your fandroism. Defending Android like your football team is for teenages really.

[nikster]

you've got to wonder about the android fanboys obsession with Apple... they're all over the Apple forums...maybe taking a peek on what's to come for their favorite thing

[2unique]

I saw on facebook a lady commented on whether to buy the ipad mini at 9k or the Note 2.

9k seemed ridiculously cheap for an Apple product. I believe it was on pre- order but there wasn't enough info in the post and reading Thai sans Google Translate is not my strong suit.

Sent from Android please allow errors in type or judgment.

[Gary A]

I learned long ago not to argue with Apple fan boys. You will NOT change their minds and if they put an apple label on a turd, the fan boys would go to great lengths to tell you what a great turd it is. Apple builds nice things but I could never justify paying the premium and putting up with their marketing scheme.

I feel ashamed that I spent so much money on a Galaxy S3. No phone is worth what that cost. My only excuse is that I liked the big screen better than a more reasonably priced Razr Maxx.

[muratremix]

I learned long ago not to argue with Apple fan boys. You will NOT change their minds and if they put an apple label on a turd, the fan boys would go to great lengths to tell you what a great turd it is. Apple builds nice things but I could never justify paying the premium and putting up with their marketing scheme.

I feel ashamed that I spent so much money on a Galaxy S3. No phone is worth what that cost. My only excuse is that I liked the big screen better than a more reasonably priced Razr Maxx.

Well I think same for Android Fanboys. Until recent Android 4.1, you haven't got smooth scrolling which iPhone users enjoy since first iPhone in 2007! There is not one Android phone offers same level of user experience with good display/hardware that is sold cheaper than iPhone. All flagship Android phones are same or more expensive than iPhone.

S3 screen is like a *big* joke. Colors oversaturated, brightness is very dim. Did I say oversaturated? Also, I hate pentile screens. S3 build quality, screen problems (google is your friend) and its shape "designed-by-lawyers" is very ugly.

[Gary A]

I'm obviously not an expert like you are. The Motorola Defy Plus that my wife now uses has Gingerbread. If the scrolling isn't smooth, I can't say that I noticed it. I also think the screen resolution is quite good. The screen is just too small.

I bought the Galaxy S3 because of the screen size. I can still carry it in my pants pocket and the screen is about as big as it can be for convenient use. I have to say that the screen on the S3 is excellent to say the least. I have no problem seeing the screen in the sunlight. It does have Jellybean, not that it much matters.

I'm certainly not an Android fanboy but I can appreciate a device that works well. Smart phones, IMHO, are mainly just toys and people who pay the big money for them apparently have more money than sense, including me.

My cheap netbook can do more than any smartphone and my desktop is easier and better to use than the netbook. My old Nokia E52 is the equal of any smartphone as far as quality audio calls. My dedicated Garmin GPS puts any phone I have ever seen to shame as far as a detailed map and ease of use.

ADDED - Beautiful phones? How can any rectangle be more beautiful than any other rectangle. Some things are more beautiful than others but I wouldn't describe ANY phone as being beautiful. Apple would be better described as designed by lawyers because of the Apple marketing scam.

Edited October 28, 2012 by Gary A

[Tywais]

I'm obviously not an expert like you are. The Motorola Defy Plus that my wife now uses has Gingerbread. If the scrolling isn't smooth, I can't say that I noticed it. I also think the screen resolution is quite good. The screen is just too small.

I have an HTC Desire with 2.2 and the scrolling is flawless and instant and very smooth.

[nikster]

I learned long ago not to argue with Apple fan boys. You will NOT change their minds and if they put an apple label on a turd, the fan boys would go to great lengths to tell you what a great turd it is.

This is probably correct: "You will NOT change their minds"

This could not be more wrong: "If they put an apple label on a turd, the fan boys would go to great lengths to tell you what a great turd it is."

If Apple made a bad product, nobody would buy it. It's that simple. And while they seem to have an uncanny ability to create hit products, there have been exceptions. For example, the G4 Cube. "Fanboys" stayed away in droves. Nobody bought it. For good reasons: It was pretty but way too expensive and limited.

In fact, even Android people admit as much - never heard anybody say an Android phone was nicer designed than an iPhone. Mostly the criticism seems to come from Apple's business model, which is to make choices for you. It's not open source. No porn or malware in the app store (terrible!!). Etc.

At the same time my criticism of Android is that it is made for one purpose only: To sell me ads. I do not agree with that. It's not even free, so what gives?

Oh and that it's a copy cat product - most people I realize either do not mind, or would never notice. But I do notice. A good example are Apple's animations in iOS - those animations are made for a purpose, which is to make the phone feel like something you can touch - the animations create an illusion that the software is something physical, material. They look pretty, but much more important is that they convey a meaning.

In Android, the animations are more like "hey, animations look cool, and people love 'em, let's slap some on our UI". They're copying things they do not understand. Not to say it's a bad OS mind you - if iOS wasn't around, I'd jump at the chance to get an Android device. It's light years better than anything Nokia made. It's also great to keep as a hedge against iOS innovation going stale. And it had some good things that got copied in iOS... although I have to say after a year of notification center, I am still not impressed with it. The iPhone without notification center is quite good at drawing attention to various happenings - notification center adds even more it gets a bit noisy...

[Chicog]

My argument is the 4S GPS module sucks compared to an equivalent Samsung, so to say "it is much much better and accurate than other standalone GPS solutions." is simply nonsense.

Have you ever used 4S with a navigation software such as sygic?

Yes. It's one of the few that has comprehensive and up-to-date maps of the Middle East.

Next?

[nikster]

I'm obviously not an expert like you are. The Motorola Defy Plus that my wife now uses has Gingerbread. If the scrolling isn't smooth, I can't say that I noticed it. I also think the screen resolution is quite good. The screen is just too small.

I have an HTC Desire with 2.2 and the scrolling is flawless and instant and very smooth.

Please. Even the latest Nexus phone with ICS had terrible lag issues. On the home screen no less! One touch in the mall, and I saw some stuttering, and left. A friend of mine has a SGS2 - wakeup from sleep is laggy! You want to use your phone... but wait... you have to wait up to 3 seconds before the screen lights up.

But - they fixed it in 4.1. Now it's smooth. Check out a newer Android device some day, you'll see the difference.

[Chicog]

In Android, the animations are more like "hey, animations look cool, and people love 'em, let's slap some on our UI". They're copying things they do not understand. Not to say it's a bad OS mind you - if iOS wasn't around, I'd jump at the chance to get an Android device. It's light years better than anything Nokia made. It's also great to keep as a hedge against iOS innovation going stale. And it had some good things that got copied in iOS... although I have to say after a year of notification center, I am still not impressed with it. The iPhone without notification center is quite good at drawing attention to various happenings - notification center adds even more it gets a bit noisy...

Strange observation that, given that you can download a wide choice of launchers and they all have their own set of animations. Essentially you can make the phone as animated (or not) as you wish. As for notifications, they've been on Android since I don't know when, and they aren't intrusive. Another feature Apple suddenly realised they needed, but no, they innovate, don't they?

AS for the smooth scrolling stuff, it's comical nonsense. I managed to make the old Spica a bit cludgy, but it took rooting it and putting on a later version with a ton of apps that needed more juice. Even then it was still usable.

Going back to the OP, I see the white Mini has sold out. Throttled supply, that old Apple trick, eh? (N.B. Microsoft's Surface RT "sold out" as well).

Be interesting to see what Google launch on Monday; there are rumours of a $99 8Gb Nexus 7", a $249 32Gb Nexus 7, a 10" Nexus tablet, a new Nexus phone and Android 4.2.

Lots of toys to choose from for Xmas this year.

And the Windows Phone 8 devices come out tomorrow as well.

[lomatopo]

I assume the reason GPS has not been included in Apple Wifi-only versions/products is, perhaps in addition to cost reduction, that until recently they've used Google Maps which offered little opportunity for map caching? And they could offer some geo-location via WiFi AP's.

In the Android world, GPS performance can vary greatly with base-band/firmware - I am currently using a DXLPA modem on my SGS2 and I get a sat lock in less than 10 seconds, the real-time GPS performance is amazing, so now with a mobile data connection, Google Maps, Streetview, Navigation (turn-by-turn with spoken assistance), Earth I find myself using my Garmin nuvi less and less. Before this modem GPS performance was a bit lacking. Obviously the spoken (English) pronunciations can be a little funky here in Thailand.

[muratremix]

My argument is the 4S GPS module sucks compared to an equivalent Samsung, so to say "it is much much better and accurate than other standalone GPS solutions." is simply nonsense.

Have you ever used 4S with a navigation software such as sygic?

Yes. It's one of the few that has comprehensive and up-to-date maps of the Middle East.

Next?

So you are saying your GS2 phone with Sirf IV chip is more accurate than iPhone 4S with A-GPS (broadcom or quallcom) chip? I'd say you're dreaming. I have used both Sirf IV and Sirf V chipset GPS in my car, they are nowhere near in terms of accuracy compared to my iPad.

[2unique]

Be interesting to see what Google launch on Monday; there are rumours of a $99 8Gb Nexus 7", a $249 32Gb Nexus 7, a 10" Nexus tablet, a new Nexus phone and Android 4.2.

I understand this has been postponed due to hurricane? I'm interested in the Nexus 10 although hearing it will only be 16GB with no expandable storage makes me cringe. The leaked manual does show mini usb tho so there is hope - as long as it's not thru the charging slot!!

[Gary A]

My argument is the 4S GPS module sucks compared to an equivalent Samsung, so to say "it is much much better and accurate than other standalone GPS solutions." is simply nonsense.

Have you ever used 4S with a navigation software such as sygic?

Yes. It's one of the few that has comprehensive and up-to-date maps of the Middle East.

Next?

Just for curiosity, look up the coordinates on the attached image from TSM and compare it to your Sygic map. If it shows the roads in these two small villages, I'll concede that Sygic is a good map.

[muratremix]

My argument is the 4S GPS module sucks compared to an equivalent Samsung, so to say "it is much much better and accurate than other standalone GPS solutions." is simply nonsense.

Have you ever used 4S with a navigation software such as sygic?

Yes. It's one of the few that has comprehensive and up-to-date maps of the Middle East.

Next?

Just for curiosity, look up the coordinates on the attached image from TSM and compare it to your Sygic map. If it shows the roads in these two small villages, I'll concede that Sygic is a good map.

Free nostra map app for iphone/ipad uses esri tsm map. So yes, we have access to best map. Sygic works most of the time, dont need anything else. Btw apple map of thailanf provided by tomtom, same map used in sygic. Apple map has turn by turn navigation in Thailand and it works okay.

[Gary A]

Could you please put a screen image of my coordinates? If the village roads show, I'll shell out the money for the Sygic map. I have seen that the Nokia map shows these roads but my two year old Nokia is not compatible with the newly updated Nokia map.

I live in Thailand and am not concerned with any other country. What I am interested in is a map that will take me directly to the coordinates that I put into the GPS.

[lomatopo]

Free nostra map app for iphone/ipad uses esri tsm map.

Available for Android as well. https://play.google....nostramap&hl=en

Thanks, looks quite good.

[Chicog]

So you are saying your GS2 phone with Sirf IV chip is more accurate than iPhone 4S with A-GPS (broadcom or quallcom) chip?

Technically "was", since I've moved on the from the SII since last December, when I walked side by side with a person on the 4S following the same directions. And yes, without Wifi and only 3G connection, on Google maps, the S2 was more accurate.

Just for curiosity, look up the coordinates on the attached image from TSM and compare it to your Sygic map.

I don't have Sygic on my new phones (Note and SII), as it isn't really worth it where I live now; Google Maps is more than adequate.

The roads on the TSM Map are not there on the Google Map, but are clearly visible on the sat photo, naturally, although Google puts those co-ordinates on the main road to the East of the village.

[kurnell]

What am I supposed to do with the Commodore 64?

[guzzi850m2]

There is an interesting blog about the ipads below:

http://shopping.yahoo.com/blogs/digital-crave/seven-things-know-buying-ipad-173249690.html

[lomatopo]

There is an interesting blog about the ipads below:

http://shopping.yaho...-173249690.html

Thanks.

I guess we should be asking if people will be buying the new iPad 4 aka New iPad with Retina Display?

Very confusing, are they just slip-streaming this new, new iPad?

[Morakot]

No.

[GreenSnapper]

5 seconds GPS lock on my Nokia Belle phone with offline maps for years, which costs only half of your iPhonDroids and is superior in many other ways.

Now I hear the anger of the fanboys, so to calm you down: yes I have an iPad2 and love it, and I will get the iPad mini once it arrives in Thailand

[Gary A]

5 seconds GPS lock on my Nokia Belle phone with offline maps for years, which costs only half of your iPhonDroids and is superior in many other ways.

Now I hear the anger of the fanboys, so to calm you down: yes I have an iPad2 and love it, and I will get the iPad mini once it arrives in Thailand

The new updated Nokia map is probably the best navigation map available on a phone. It irritates me that it won't work on my Nokia. Mine is an E52 which is not new but is not that old either.

The Nostramap for Android has very good details but lacks the settings. Maybe they will come out with a paid version that has all the features. The text is too small to read. The pinch zoom is great but the text size remains tiny.

ADDED - I would buy this map if it had the offline map and settings like the Garmin GPS units.

Edited October 29, 2012 by Gary A

[SoloFlyer]

So where and when can we order?

[lomatopo]

So where and when can we order?

In the U.S.? Now. In the U.S. stores on November 2 at 8:00 AM.

BTW the new iPad 4 looks fantastic. "Just as stunning, twice as fast". I assume they are still selling the older "new iPad with Retina Display" aka the iPad 3 here?