iPad mini

Foxconn ramps up hiring ahead of next-gen iPhone launch

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 25, 2016

A new report is out this morning claiming that thousands of job seekers are currently lined up outside of Foxconn's Chengdu, China plant. Apparently, the applicants are all vying for a number of summer job openings that were recently posted by the manufacturer.

It doesn't take a lot of brain power to guess the nature of these positions. Apple, who just so happens to be Foxconn's largest client, is widely expected to unveil two new major products this fall. One of which, the "iPhone 5," is believed to already be in production...

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Thoughts: iPad mini could be big with women

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 18, 2016

We told you yesterday that The New York Times joined The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg in backing the rumor calling for a smaller, cheaper iPad, affectionately dubbed by the media the iPad mini. But the smaller $249-$299 iPad wouldn't just give Google's $199 Nexus 7 tablet a run for its money, it might strike a chord with women similarly to how the first iPod mini music player with its five attractive colors (silver, gold, pink, blue and green) had become big with female buyers...

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NYT backs iPad mini, says Apple’s first tablet prototype was a seven incher

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated July 24, 2016

The Wall Street Journal was the first of big media outlets to report back in April that a new iPad model with a smaller eight-inch display was in the works.

Then, early in July Bloomberg corroborated the story and just a day later the Journal followed up with a new report of suppliers allegedly gearing up to mass-produce the gizmo in time for a presumed September launch.

And now, The New York Times (finally) gets in on the action, becoming a third major news outlet to put its credibility on the line concerning the iPad mini, claiming Apple would announce the smaller iPad later this year, priced "significantly less" than $499...

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Poll: should Apple do iPad mini?

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 15, 2012

Nothing stirs controversy in our comments more than the rumored iPad mini. Big media is throwing its credence behind it, pundits and analysts are calling for it, watchers offer their pros and cons as purported schematics, case molds, blurry photos and production rumors continue to leak all over the web, seemingly pointing to a fall launch.

And with Google's Nexus 7 off to a brisk start and garnering media attention, the iPad mini seems all but given at this point. We ask you to forget for a second everything you've read and take a long hard look at the prospect of a smaller, cheaper, really thin iPad sitting between $249 and $299, perhaps even as low as $199.

Is there a reason for it to exist? Should Apple do it or pass on smaller slates Steve Jobs famously ridiculed as tweener tablets. Cast your vote below...

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First day Nexus 7 sales prove there’s a demand for smaller tablets

Cody Lee ∙ July 14, 2012

Proponents of the idea that Apple won't make an "iPad Mini" due to the lack of demand for smaller tablets, may want to rethink their position. Several major retailers are reporting lightning fast sellouts of Nexus 7 stock.

For those who came in late, the Nexus 7 is Google's recently-unveiled 7-inch slate. And between its high-end components and $199 price tag, some folks believe that it could pose a serious threat to Apple's tablet marketshare...

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iPad mini schematics: ultra-thin body, 19-pin dock connector, 7″ display

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 7, 2016

An alleged iPad mini case mold got leaked out two days ago, showing a smaller dock connector. This morning, a purported schematics depicting an iPad mini has hit the web. According to ThinkiOS (via 9to5Mac), these drawings confirm whispers that the iPad mini will sport a seven-inch display and a brand new 19-pin dock connector instead of the regular 30-pin dock connector.

As a result, all existing peripherals could be potentially rendered obsolete. Another thing to glean from the images: the iPad mini could be really, really thin...

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‘iPad Mini’ case mold appears with smaller dock connector

Cody Lee ∙ July 10, 2012

Hot on the heels of the iPhone 5 engineering samples we saw earlier today, comes new photos showing what is claimed to be a case mold for Apple's rumored iPad Mini.

The images surface in the midst of tons of ongoing speculation that the Cupertino company is set to unveil a smaller iPad this year, to help it expand its popular tablet line..

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Purported iPad Mini screen size compared with other tablets

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 10, 2018

In line with all of the recent speculation regarding the rumored "iPad Mini," one developer decided to see how such a device would stack up against other popular tablets.

What you see above is a comparison between the screen sizes of various slates, including the Kindle Fire, the Nexus 7, the current iPad, and the purported iPad Mini...

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Mockups show what apps would look like on 7.85-inch iPad

Cody Lee ∙ July 10, 2012

After a series of reports from Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal, the "iPad Mini" has once again become the hotest topic in the tech world. It seems like everyone is getting in on the speculation regarding how, when, and why Apple would release such a device.

Up to this point, one of the most popular arguments against the smaller iPad has been that a 7.85-inch display would render most current apps unusable. So either developers would have to completely redesign their apps, or users would be forced to deal with tiny UI elements.

This theory has already been disproven by a number of pundits, via math and other reasoning. But we've come across some mockups that really drive the point across, demonstrating what apps would look and feel like on the smaller screen...

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More on iPad mini and why it might not require sandpaper after all

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 31, 2016

I know the sandpaper joke is getting boring at this point, but bear with me for a second. Though Jobs famously dissed seven inchers as being too small to comfortably operate "unless you include sandpaper so users can sand their fingers down to a quarter of their size", many watchers and journalists have been overanalyzing the repercussions of Apple's rumored inexpensive 7.85-inch iPad, allegedly slated for a September launch.

I'm also guilty for this, having recently explained why I thought Apple must deliver the iPad mini sooner than later (hint: it's the ecosystem, stupid). So let's assume for the argument's sake that the iPad mini is coming soon, rocking a 1024-by-768 pixels packed on a screen between seven and eight inches diagonally.

How would the new form factor affect developers, end-users and usability?

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iPad mini: made in Brazil, has 3G, almost as thin as iPod touch

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 7, 2012

Following up on a string of recent reporting which revives the iPad mini rumor, the usually accurate Japanese blog Macotakara claimed that the device will be produced in Foxconn's new manufacturing facilities in Brazil. Manufacturing is apparently set to ramp up in September, just in time for mass availability around the holiday shopping season, as indicated in other reports...

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