Rumors were buzzing last week that a 7-inch iPad may be forthcoming from Apple to fill that void between the current 9.7-inch iPad and the 3.5-inch iPod Touch. The prediction from iLounge.com inspired reactions ranging from enthused to highly skeptical.
But you don’t have to wait until “later this year or early in 2011” to preview the new snack-size iPad. The notorious “shanzhai” (also “‘shanzai”) tinkerers of China have been making 7-inch iPads for months, reports the eponymous blog Shanzai.com.
In fact, the majority of fake iPads are in this size range, according to the Asia-based blog.
A 7-inch iPad knockoff running Android, weighing in at 0.7 pounds — half the weight of the iPad.
“Has Apple suddenly come to its senses and realized that 10 inches too damn big and clunky? The shanzhai came to this conclusion the moment they set eyes on the iPad, so maybe it’s only natural that Apple follow suit and offer fanbois an easier route to tablet mobility,” Shanzai.com writes.
The 7-inch “Lanpad” (with front-facing camera!)
