Alex has already outlined his thoughts on what he thinks an iPad 3 might be and should be, but as an opinionated Canadian who has just had Tim Horton’s for lunch, I thought I’d add a point of my own. I use the iPad day in and day out as a writing machine, an RSS […]
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Weighing in on the iPad 3

Jan 18th 2012 by

Alex has already outlined his thoughts on what he thinks an iPad 3 might be and should be, but as an opinionated Canadian who has just had Tim Horton’s for lunch, I thought I’d add a point of my own.

I use the iPad day in and day out as a writing machine, an RSS and Twitter catcher-upper, comic and e-book reader, mobile Netflix machine, and a touch-sensitive PDF viewer. So what would it take for me to upgrade?

Doubling pixel density, increasing processor speed and RAM, or adding higher-definition cameras will improve the existing iPad experience, but I don’t think they’ll really allow me to do anything I’m not already able to do now. The iPad 2 is still a lightning fast machine for me, and the apps I use on it don’t tend to take up even the measly 512 MB of RAM currently available. I use the iPad as often as I can for computing tasks, but there are just some tasks it isn’t ready for (word processing, heavy image manipulation, etc.) and I’m not convinced that spec bumps will make a major difference there.

Then there’s the fact that the iPad is a third category device for me. I *need* a laptop for image and photo editing, for heavier media playback, and for heavy word processing. I also *need* my smartphone for day-to-day communication, and because I love paying Rogers copious amounts of money to access their wireless network. But, as much as I may love my iPad, it’s really a tertiary tool in my tech arsenal, and not an upgrade priority (I also don’t really like to pawn my stuff to pay for the newest model – I’d rather keep or give older toys to friends)

But, for argument’s sake, here’s what would get me to throw my current beloved tablet down in the sand and line up for hours to purchase a newer model: significantly lowered weight. The iPad 2 won’t break any backs at 1.3 lbs., but many have already observed that it’s really too heavy to hold up in one hand like a book. In fact, I don’t find the device terribly comfortable to hold for long periods of time, even with two hands. There’s something about how the weight is so evenly distributed that still makes it feel off. As a result, I most often keep the iPad 2 standing or leaning on some sort of supporting accessory during use.

Magically reducing the weight to below a pound – getting the iPad 2 to near-Kindle levels – would be the killer upgrade for me. One of the best things about tablets is that their form factors are so simple: they’re really just windows into software. So my dream upgrade would have to do with allowing me the freedom to enjoy the view from any position – held up with one hand like a folded magazine, or grasped with two hands over my head while I read in bed. In short, given how long the iPad 2 already lasts and given how fast it feels, lowering its weight is what needs to be done to set this form factor free. 

So unless that kind of upgrade hits the market – or if iOS 6 somehow renders the iPad 2 sluggish as hell (not terribly likely) – I doubt I’ll buy into the iPad 3.

 

 

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