[michaelpinto]

You know i wish someone would design a product that's really a different size: Imagine a device that's half the size of an iPhone or double the size of an iPad so it's like a big newspaper. Yeah I get the 7" form factor but I've already seen so many of those on the Android side that I'd like Apple to "Think Different".

[simonh]

Apple's real motto isn't think different, it's "think it through". The android handset manufacturers have tried every combination of sizes, technologies, features (3D, mini projectors, built in laser pointers), etc and left it to the buyer to find out if they were a good idea or not. Apple, for better or worse, does the work up front to decide what are the optimum combinations of sizes, shapes, technologies and features and aims its products at the sweet spots.

I have a friend who says he won't buy a tablet until they come out in full A4 size. I think he'll be waiting for years to come, and if one does come out it'll be from a company that made a tablet that size because it's a good size for paper, not because it's a good size for a tablet computer. I don't think that company will be Apple.

[sigkill]

I have a 15.4" 16:10 screen, and I just placed an A4 sheet over it. The width of the sheet is identical to the height of my screen, while the length is around 1.5 inches lesser.

This brings us to an aspect ratio of sqrt(2) with a 14.4" screen. Not going to happen anytime soon, sadly.

[lmm]

Half the size of the ipad and you're looking at a big phone - something like the old dell streak or the (actually very popular, though ignored in HN circles) galaxy note. Double the size sounds incredibly impractical to me (you'd need a suitcase to carry it around in), but look for bigger tablets to happen if Toshiba's 13" effort is a success. It's no surprise that most manufacturers are sticking to safe ground, but there is innovation going on if you look for it.