back to article Apple rumored to put beefy iPad on diet

Apple is planning a smaller version of the iPad that could arrive as soon as the first quarter of 2011, according to a research analyst citing sources among Apple's upstream component suppliers. Yes, Steve Jobs and company already offers a smaller version of the iPad. It's called the iPhone. And there's another smaller version …

COMMENTS

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  1. Adam T
    Stop

    Cobblers

    Nuff said.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    Naming?

    iPed? iPid? iPud?

    1. Eddy Ito
      Happy

      Easy

      being a cross between iPhone and iPad, the only logical name would be iPhad.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Thumb Up

        Wonderful

        iPhad words on many levels.

    2. Player_16
      Jobs Halo

      iTouch? Nah... too familiar. Been there; done that.

      Ahh..., the Apple iCourier.

      Yeah; that's never been done!

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    iPam

    Reminds me of the Ericsson Symbian concept device 'Pamela' from about 10 years ago, which looked like a large silver iPaq. It had a 240x320 screen and used the Quartz GUI.

    But by the time they finally released a product (the SonyEricsson P800), Quartz had become UIQ and the resolution had been reduced to 209x320 to make it smaller.

    Ultimately, those few extra pixels tipped the balance between what the average bod would carry in their jacket pocket, in terms of size and weight.

    1. Sandy Ritchie

      Memories

      I loved my P800, still one of the best phones i've ever owned especially with the SCUMVM emulator for Monkey Island etc.

  4. Chad H.
    FAIL

    Just wondering

    Considering the number of "Analyists" that have claimed than an iPhone Mini is imminent, I'm going to wonder why el Reg bothered to report this.

    Especially as some concrete real iNews is out on other tech websites (iPhone/Pad OS v4).

  5. Goat Jam
    Go

    Wouldn't be surprised

    From what I've seen, the iPad actually looks to big to be practical. I always thought a smaller device would be more attractive, something like 7 inches or so.

    1. Trevor Pott o_O Gold badge

      So...

      ...an Archos?

  6. Adam Williamson 1
    Thumb Up

    +1

    I'm with Goat Jam - this feels like about the right form factor to me. Something like my Sony Reader (or the Kindle), but which can do more than books. I'm hoping someone will make something Android or Meego-y in this space...

  7. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

    Hooray for random guessing!

    I suppose it might be true. I don't think the market has settled on ideal screen sire yet. I think 10" is about perfect (as the actress said to the bishop), but then I prefer a stylus, and I'm outvoted on that too.

    I still suspect it's the usual wishful thinking disguised as analysis though...

  8. Arnold Lieberman

    Viliv x70

    Probably the same form factor,but it's a real PC. Still too heavy to be useable (690g) and not reliable, if my experience is anything to go by.

  9. Paul 25

    Hate to say it...

    but if they do then I would be very tempted.

    Sounds about the same size as one of those pad things from Star Trek the next generation, but in colour. Not a big fan of the later STs, but I always really wanted one of those pad.

    Of course this is from an "analyst", so I'll take it with the usual truck load of sodium chloride.

  10. bart

    Isn't it obvious?

    They're (Apple) moving toward a single name for all their products, and they'll pelt you with "iAds" every 20 seconds until you buckle and conform to their demands.

    The iPay.

  11. Ted 3
    Coat

    Since it is the iPad...

    Since it is the iPad we are talking about here, shouldn't the names of the various sizes be consistent with the connotations of sanitary products, ie there would be the iPad Slim, iPad Regular and iPad Ultra - for days with extra heavy data flow.

    I know...coat.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Whats in a Name?

    Pad = Fart . In Hindi / Gujarati/ Marathi and half of India.

    Farty everything then ? Keep farting, fanbois.

    Imagine the various scenarios.

    Im holding the fart 10 inches away.

    I am using the fart.

    Let me check my fart.

    It must be on the fart.

    Where's my book? Its in the fart dear .

    check the fart. where's my fart?

    Where',s my slim fart?

    My fart doesnt work.

    I cant read my fart !

    And the list goes on.

    Whats in a name ? A rose by any other name............ ! Oh for the farty app and the name.

    Chuckles all round

    Mines the one with deodorant sprayed thickly and evenly and and anti-fart app.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Stop

      Yes, hilarious

      You must be a riot at parties.

      BTW, you posted too early, this won't be properly funny until we get back from the pub.

      Meanwhile in other news, global company gives name to product that sounds silly/rude in different language. Oh how my sides are aching.

    2. TeeCee Gold badge
      Coat

      You missed a trick there.

      After all, the article's about the possibility of Apple pushing out a small one......

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Stop

    GTFO Apple

    Seriously guys?

    > Seriously

    > ?

  14. Ralph B
    Thumb Down

    Spread Bet

    Yeah, I predict a smaller iPad. Or a bigger one. Or - and I'm going out on a limb here - one the same size as it currently is.

    Let's have some real reporting please Reg.

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    "silly holding a 5-inch tablet to your ear"?

    But if it will pair with a bluetooth headset, that won't be a problem. Keeping the pad in front you can take notes, browse contacts, set up conference calls etc. Sounds very appealing to me.

  16. Anonymous Coward
    Jobs Horns

    Why get an iPad

    If true its an odd marketting move.

    The iPad is supposed to be perfection incarnate, as attested by the legions of fans saying how great it is and basically accusing anyone who says its too big, too lacking and too pointless, of lying.

    Now Apple effectively admit that a different form factor will sell (well/better?) will we hear the same cried from the Applistas?

    Other than Stephen Fry and few other die-hards will anyone get both? Wont the smaller one effectively kill the market of the larger one?

    1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

      What's wrong with choice?

      Why does one product automatically have to invalidate another? I don't want a small screen, I've got bad eyesight and the tiny writing would make me sad. Where I need more portability than the iPad, I'll just do without, or get a smartphone if I really need something. That doesn't mean that I'm right and a 7" tablet would be crap and not sell. It just means that I won't buy one. If a million other people want a (big) pocket sized iPad and hate the A4 sized one, then it could sell.

      If there are only a few hundred thousand people in the market for a tablet, then maybe it's not worth producing two. If Apple are eyeing up sales of tens of millions over a few years (like the iPhone and iPod), then more than one model could make sense and get people to buy who otherwise wouldn't.

      Saying that, Apple seem to prefer a small range of product and fewer (but more profitable) sales, so I don't expect them to do this.

  17. Sordid Details
    Jobs Halo

    Too much choice!!!

    Aaargh, my head hurts!!. I just don't know which device to hold out for. Big iPad? Small iPad. What about my iPhone? And if there's an upgrade for that in the summer too...

    Oh wait, I know what to do...I'm going to buy them all. Thankfully my MobileMe account will keep them all in sync.

    Thank you Steve. I love you. Please, have the rest of my disposable income as a token of my adoration.

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    iPad shuffle

    Also, Apple plan to release an entry level "iPad shuffle". This has a LCD only with no touch-screen capabilities and only a single button. Users change webpages/apps by shaking it - if it selects a webpage/app that they wanted then by pressing the button the iPad shuffle learns what you like to browse enabling its "geniusMode(TM)" software to improve its guesses. An Apple spokeperson said that people would soon get used to this "and anyway, people will come to appreciate that Apple knows best what they ought to read and play"

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Go

    Naming ?

    iPeed , iPiddle , iPuddle, iDiddle, iMuddle, iCuddle

  20. amlendu kumar
    WTF?

    Isnt it Obvious

    iBinhad --> Universal name for apple devices

  21. Myopic Aardvark
    Alert

    carrying an iPhone, a fat iPhone...

    ..., and a slightly less fat iPhone.

    I know someone who does that. He also claims that his first generation iPhone has a good camera on it and ensures that he uses it to put Flickr under strain.

  22. Alain Moran

    Look silly witha 5 inch tablet to your ear?

    Not at all, the tablet would remain in your hands the bluetooth headset would be at your ear ;)

  23. Brian 62
    Stop

    A break, please?

    We've had to endure of "rumors" about the damn iPad coming out for at least a year now. Can't we have a week off before we start the rumor mill about the /next/ rumored Apple product?

  24. Joe User

    What's in a name?

    If a smaller iPad is released, does the earlier model get renamed to MaxiPad?

  25. Jolyon Ralph
    FAIL

    would be wonderful except...

    can't play standard format video files (mpeg, mpeg2, divx, etc). Otherwise it'd be a potentially fantastic little device.

  26. Tom 35

    Not a phone

    Why do people keep calling the ipad a big iphone? It's not even a phone!

    It's a big ipod touch.

    I use a normal dumb phone to make calls, runs for about a week on a charge.

    I have a jail broken touch for media, portable computer, info store...

    For me a bigger ipod that still fits in my pocket would be great, the ipad is just too big for what I use the ipod for.

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