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Leaked iPad photos: *** CONFIRMED!!! *** iPad Air 2 tri-core CPU, 2 GB, 8-CLUSTER GPU

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boomhower said:
Very disappointed in the Mini 3. I have an original mini that is getting long in the tooth. Obviously I don't upgrade until performance says it must and with iOS 8 I must. I really like the form factor but not going with dated tech like I did with the mini, I wanted a longer stretch. So looks like we are getting Air 2's. My wife is happy she can get a gold one to match her phone.
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I hear yah. The ram bugs me more than the SOC on the mini 3 though. 2GB has been standard for at least a year on the android side and 3gb in some devices. Figure a tablet would have more memory since it will likely multitask more often. It would also have given a real reason to buy the 3. touch ID, LOL.
 
Midwayman said:
And probably fine again in a month. Not exactly large upgrades on any of the models.
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I'm 90% sure it's 2 GB RAM in the A8X Air 2.

The chip seems to say FA164A3M on it, which would suggest 16 Gb or 2 GB.

A8X.jpg


Actually, Hans de Vries in the A8X CPU thread thinks it's 4 GB because of another partially hidden chip, but that seems outrageous to me.
 
It's probably 2 GB. I can't even imagine how collectively angry the internet would get if it turned out to be 4 GB. People would wonder why they put 4 GB in the tablet, but left the phone at 1 GB.

That and I can't think of much purpose for 4 GB either. I guess you could have a lot of browser tabs open, but managing more than a handful becomes a chore.

The only other thing I could think of is if there is an extra 2 GB, but it's reserved entirely for the GPU or something like that.
 
DLeRium said:
I like how you found that fact out and you came into this thread foaming at the mouth. Had it been an A8x processor in side, you would've STFUed.

Honestly the better way to look at it is the iPad Mini 2 was $399 yesterday. Today you get the same device at $399 with TouchID. Don't like it? Don't buy it. There are some years where technology just isn't going to leap forward that much.
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So A7/1GB/5MP to A8X/2GB/8MP/bonded display/thinnest tablet in the world isn't a big leap forward?

A better way to look at it is:

Last year, Apple offered a top spec'd iPad with a 7.9" display for $399.

This year, they offer a year-old spec'd iPad with a TouchID sensor for $399.
 
DLeRium said:
I like how you found that fact out and you came into this thread foaming at the mouth. Had it been an A8x processor in side, you would've STFUed.

Honestly the better way to look at it is the iPad Mini 2 was $399 yesterday. Today you get the same device at $399 with TouchID. Don't like it? Don't buy it. There are some years where technology just isn't going to leap forward that much.
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🙄

The fact is that it does not have an A8X. So his point stands. I would call this a fraud because there will surely be people "upgrading" their iPads without knowing much else.

Too bad Apple doesn't own 50% of the tablet market. This kind of practice would be cracked down as an anti-trust behavior.
 
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jpeyton said:
So A7/1GB/5MP to A8X/2GB/8MP/bonded display/thinnest tablet in the world isn't a big leap forward?

A better way to look at it is:

Last year, Apple offered a top spec'd iPad with a 7.9" display for $399.

This year, they offer a year-old spec'd iPad with a TouchID sensor for $399.
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And? People are mad because they gave it a new name. Compare that to Google selling an aging Nexus 10 for $399 up til last week. Apple gave the iPad mini a refresh--its not a GREAT refresh, but it delivers better value than if they had just sold the exact same device as last year.

If people are throwing away money to jump to an iPad Mini 3 and throw away their 2, that's kinda their fault, or perhaps to them it is worth spending $399 again for a touch ID sensor.
 
DLeRium said:
And? People are mad because they gave it a new name. Compare that to Google selling an aging Nexus 10 for $399 up til last week. Apple gave the iPad mini a refresh--its not a GREAT refresh, but it delivers better value than if they had just sold the exact same device as last year.
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Exactly, people ARE made because they gave it a new name. The Mini 3 is a turd of a yearly refresh and consumers need to know that they're buying year old hardware for a top-shelf price.
 
lopri said:
🙄

The fact is that it does not have an A8X. So his point stands. I would call this a fraud because there will surely be people "upgrading" their iPads without knowing much else.
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If they can't even be bothered to look on Apple's site (or anywhere else that lists the technical specifications) and decide whether or not the upgrade it worth it to them, that's their problem.

They even have a side-by-side comparison of the different models: http://store.apple.com/us/ipad/compa...s/ipad/compare

In what world does that constitute fraud? I can't even wrap my head around how you could even come to the conclusion.

Too bad Apple doesn't own 50% of the tablet market. This kind of practice would be cracked down as an anti-trust behavior.
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Wat
 
DLeRium said:
Honestly the better way to look at it is the iPad Mini 2 was $399 yesterday. Today you get the same device at $399 with TouchID. Don't like it? Don't buy it. There are some years where technology just isn't going to leap forward that much.
Click to expand...

Thats a poor way to look at it.
The Mini 2 was $399 yesterday. Today its $299.
To me thats a great tablet for $299.
Then adding the touchID for a $100 is absurd.
 
jpeyton said:
Exactly, people ARE made because they gave it a new name. The Mini 3 is a turd of a yearly refresh and consumers need to know that they're buying year old hardware for a top-shelf price.
Click to expand...

I am thinking the old one will quietly go away when stock runs out.
 
Mopetar said:
If they can't even be bothered to look on Apple's site (or anywhere else that lists the technical specifications) and decide whether or not the upgrade it worth it to them, that's their problem.
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You see, following your logic, Apple could have simply rebranded A7 into A8X without much change, just as they rebranded iPad 2 mini into iPad mini 3. Then what, you have to read through technical white papers of A7 and A8X before making a purchase decision? Your argument only serve to show its own limit and to highlight the limitation of free market.

No one has time or resources to acquire perfect information prior to making a purchase. Thus people rely on expert reviews, reputation, limited research, or their past experiences. The latter builds trust in brands/products, and abuse of it by a corporation is legally recognized when certain conditions are met. (thus called 'anti-trust violation')

While iPad mini 3 may not amount to legally sanctioned violation (Apple has lots of smart lawyers as we know from their countless lawsuit filings), but the underlying motive is all the same.
 
I would much rather get the nexus 9 than the iPad mini 3. The air 2 looks nice but for what I would do with a tablet, order grub hub, browse YouTube , chrome cast, and browse the net..there's no need to buy an iPad mini over any other tablet.

The MacBook pro retina though, that's a laptop I really like and can't complain about build quality or components.
 
lopri said:
You see, following your logic, Apple could have simply rebranded A7 into A8X without much change, just as they rebranded iPad 2 mini into iPad mini 3. Then what, you have to read through technical white papers of A7 and A8X before making a purchase decision? Your argument only serve to show its own limit and to highlight the limitation of free market.
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Did they? No, so your argument is pointless in this case. They could theoretically be forcing Chinese children to assemble these new iPads at gunpoint. Should we charge them for that too simply because it might have happened?

And for what it's worth, GPU makers rebrand all the time and no one's bothered to sue them for it. Or do they get a pass because reasons?

While iPad mini 3 may not amount to legally sanctioned violation (Apple has lots of smart lawyers as we know from their countless lawsuit filings), but the underlying motive is all the same.
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There are plenty of valid reasons to dislike Apple or Apple products, but this is reaching really far. Really, really far. You might as well charge them with the crime of making excessive profits because you think they charge too much.

There are probably dozens if not hundreds of things that they do which don't violate any laws that you must find amoral. Why not pick something like their walled garden or app approval process that actually makes sense and people might agree with?
 
The whole claim of fraud is a big joke.

Is a (presumably) 1 GB A7 iPad mini 3 a letdown? Most definitely, even with Touch ID added. However, given that they did add Touch ID, which I think is a major feature, it of course makes sense to change the model name.

Close to fraud? Wat? Seriously? It's all laid out on their website plain as day. The only pertinent spec they don't mention is the amount of RAM. However, they don't list it for the Air 2 either so if that turns out to be 2 GB for the Air 2, is that reverse fraud? Yes, that's really how silly that argument sounds.
 
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@Mopetar: I will only add that GPU manufacturers, whenever they rebrand, get appropriately ridiculed.

You guys can enjoy the iPad mini 3. I will bow out. 😉
 
lopri said:
@Mopetar: I will only add that GPU manufacturers, whenever they rebrand, get appropriately ridiculed.

You guys can enjoy the iPad mini 3. I will bow out. 😉
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I don't think anyone here is defending the iPad mini 3. I think it's a pretty pointless upgrade, even if it does turn out to get some extra RAM. All else the same it's not as good of a deal as the previous version discounted $100.

You're confusing pointing out that your assessment of Apple's behaviors as fraud as being utterly ludicrous as somehow defending the iPad mini 3. You being utterly wrong doesn't suddenly make the iPad mini 3 a good deal any more than the iPad Mini 3 not being a good upgrade makes it fraud on the part of Apple.
 
I'm looking to buy IPad mini 2, new, at $250. Is there a site where I can set a notification sent to me when someone is offering it at that price? Thanks for any replies in advance
 
Does anybody here have a retina iPad Mini? Does it refresh each time you have several tabs open in Safari? Why didn't Apple put the new processor in the iPad Mini 3?

Also iOS 8 has borderline ruined my iPad Mini. 1st gen.

It's so weird how Apple doesn't list the RAM on their iPad/iPhone spec pages. If the iPad Mini 3 gets 2 GB of RAM (doubtful) it would maybe justify that $100 price increase a bit more.

The Mac Mini took a bizarre step forward too. The new models have soldered RAM. One of the best thing about the previous-gen Mini was that you could easily manually update the RAM in the future if desired.

I doubt iPod's will ever be updated at this point.
 
Yield (and/or chip cost) probably. There were rumors that the iPhone 6+ were supposed to have a different chip on it, so it's possible it was meant to have a lower clocked A8X.

OTOH, Apple loves the subsidy so much that I think the iPod and even the iPad Mini might be discontinued eventually.
 
blairharrington said:
I doubt iPod's will ever be updated at this point.
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I dunno, iPod's are still pretty popular, I remember when the 5th gen Touch came out I went to BB to buy one a few days after launch and they were sold out. A faster Touch with a better camera would be an almost instant buy from me.
 
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