Yep. LOTS and LOTS of web pages are like this. Text in a frame, and when you enlarge, the whole frame enlarges. You can enlarge it as much as you like, but when the frame is bigger than the screen, the frame goes off the screen and then you have to scroll the whole page back and forth to read the full width of the frame. Newsstand is like this also. If you double-tap on a paragraph, it will expand to fill the screen, but if you enlarge it further it will expand off the screen and you have to scroll the screen to read the full width of the paragraph. (I only have one mag in Newsstand: as a scuba diver I'm a member of Diver's Alert Network --DAN-- and except for the above problem, the iPad version of their magazine, Alert Diver, is much easier to read than the glossy print version that's hard on my eyes and has too-small type.) Anyway, the bigger screen is an improvement over the Mini now that I've gone from extremely nearsighted to extremely farsighted. And the more I compare the two screens, the better I like the screen on the iPad Air. Not only are there more pixels, but the color is better and contrasts are sharper. Still trying to decide if I'll try to sell the Mini or keep it. I had to plug the Air into the charger yesterday because I'd let it get too low, but I wanted to read the Spanish-language book I'm reading, and I need to look up a word every few pages. I was able to use the Mini for that while the Air was charging.
I had a 1st generation Kindle and like the larger screen of the iPad. Now with the Air, the weight is nice and light.
Since I misspoke in part, I went looking for an answer to completely avoid auto archiving - here's what I found - Disable Automatic iTunes Backups for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Also to avoid auto syncing - Go to iTunes and open its Preferences window (Command ⌘+,). Select Devices from the toolbar and check the "Prevent iPads, iPods from syncing automatically" option.
I haven't been following this thread but the 3/4 pound Retina iPad Mini went on sale less than 2 hours ago at iPad mini with Retina display - Apple Store (U.S.).
Hey, it seems to work! Thanks a million!!! I asked this question on the Apple forums, where I often get answers to my OS X and iOS questions, but your post is the first to provide a real solution. If I disable syncing, then I cannot manage my podcasts, which is the reason I plug the thing in every couple of days. I just wanted to disable backups. Now that I have the iPad, I don't put anything on the iPod that requires backing up. I just use it for music and podcasts and occasionally the timer or stopwatch. The iPad needs backing up, but I never really need to plug it in to the computer, so it wouldn't get backed up automatically. I'll just have to plug it in for the occasional backup. So anyway, thanks for the info. The iPod syncing is a lot faster without the backing up.
That will be a great device for people who prefer the smaller size. I loved mine, until I had my eye surgery and went from being extremely nearsighted to being extremely farsighted. And the display will be even sharper, since it will have the same number of pixels as the full-size retina display. I wonder if it will have the same color quality and contrast as the Air.
There must be diminishing returns when it comes to increasing pixel density and perceived clarity. Apple's choice of the 'retina' moniker with their first generation of high pixel density screens was meant to say the threshold for best clarity had been reached -- at least for normal vision and usual distance.
It might be interesting to compare the Retina Mini and the Air side by side. I'm sure there are differences in visual acuity between individuals, and the threshold will depend on the individual. I didn't see an awful lot of difference between the iPad 4 Retina and the gen 1 Mini, and the difference between that and the Air is not huge. The latest Kindle Fire has even greater density than the Air, and reviews said it has the best screen. So I don't think we've reached the threshold limit yet. But I don't know if those reviews were based on specs alone, or on a subjective comparison. Between the old Mini and the Air, subjectively, I see more difference in terms of color fidelity and sharpness of contrast than I see in terms of pixel resolution. I'm very happy with the iPad Air.
I agree, the iPad Air is wonderful. The Kindle might have a 'better' screen than the 'Air' subjectively, but I'm willing to bet the opinions stem from factors other than pixel density at this point. The testing environment must also be an enormous factor. Obvious examples are taking a Kindle outside, or trying to read an iPad with glare. Addendum: Wikipedia has a very nice summary table of the pixel densities of different Apple devices.
Rumor in a March 2014 Apple will release a larger iPad Report: Apple to launch 13-inch iPad in March - Yahoo News
^ I'm sure there'd be a market for that. But I will use mine for travel, so I want a device that does not weigh more than a pound, since I'll be carrying it in my backpack stuffed with all the other stuff I don't want to trust to checked luggage.
Maybe we need a new thread for the 3/4 pound iPad! Got tired of fighting my wife for the iPad Air, so picked up a mini retina for myself. I'm liking the size, not missing the larger screen so far.
