New Apple Device In Route To US?

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com)

Apple's hotly anticipated 3G iPhone may be en route to the US (http://www.importgenius.com/blog/iphone) according to analysis by ImportGenius.com.

Since mid-March, Apple Inc. and its logistics partners have imported 188 ocean containers of a product type never before declared on its shipping manifests. [...] On March 19 Quanta delivered 20 ocean containers of merchandise, described on the Bills of Lading as "electric computers," to Apple, Inc. Neither Apple, Quanta, nor any other company has ever used this product description for any shipments to the U.S. [...] Over the last few months shipments of "desktop computers" and other devices did not fall off, indicating that these "electric computers" represent a new product for the company rather than a simple renaming for their Customs declarations.

The site speculates that the term "electric computers" refers to the new iPhone. While this may be, there have also been rumors of a new device (http://www.macrumors.com/2008/05/11/3g-iphone-in-may-another-device-at-wwdc/) that may see a WWDC launch.

Interestingly one of the shipments of the "electric computers" reportedly weighed in at 7140 kg for 504 units. This would mean each unit weighs approximately 14 kg or 30 lbs, although it is unclear whether the shipping container weight itself is included. It would also be surprising if the 3G iPhone would have been completed and shipping as early as March.

ImportGenius.com is new to the Apple rumor scene, and the reliability of their information is unknown at this time. ImportGenius is a web application that allows businesses to search international trade records, according to CrunchBase.

Article Link (http://www.macrumors.com/2008/05/23/3g-iphone-other-new-device-in-route-to-us/)

[~Shard~]

I think it would be great that with all the hype surrounding the 3G iPhone, Jobs surprises everyone with another device that no one saw coming. :D

[coolfactor]

June is going to be exciting! But why just the US?

[MacFan782040]

whoa :eek: 30 lbs each? Maybe we'll see something new in June, or maybe this represents a whole package grouping of iPhones?

[jerrell Q.]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A102 Safari/419.3)

Is there a way to find out how much these containers weigh? Lets see some numbers! On a totally unrelated note, did anyone here pass math class...

[Eraserhead]

X-Mac?

[longofest]

whoa :eek: 30 lbs each? Maybe we'll see something new in June, or maybe this represents a whole package grouping of iPhones?

possibly a pallet, yes.

[decimortis]

well that was just a drop of blood in a shark tank wasn't it? :rolleyes:

[longofest]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A102 Safari/419.3)

Is there a way to find out how much these containers weigh? Lets see some numbers! On a totally unrelated note, did anyone here pass math class...

Here's some tare weights (http://www.shipping-container-housing.com/shipping-container-standard-dimensions.html), but there's no way of knowing which one Apple used.

[rockstarjoe]

Remember when the first iphone arrived in armored cars with armed guards? That was awesome.

EDIT: Don't those dates sound too early to be the iphone? March?

[madrobby]

Probably the new iPhone can brew coffee.

[AlphaAnt]

Hmm, if each 30 lb unit is appx 30 iPhones (declaring an iphone with packaging weighs a pound, that's just my rough estimate) that's ~2.8 million iPhones. Considering they're predicting 11 million for the year, that might be about right.

[Eraserhead]

According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Containerisation#Standard_containers) a container weighs 2200kg when empty, so if the weight given includes the container then it is 7140-2200kg=4940kg

This works out as 9.8kg an item (21.6 pounds in old units).

[Trip.Tucker]

I think it would be great that with all the hype surrounding the 3G iPhone, Jobs surprises everyone with another device that no one saw coming. :D

Like the Pippin 2 ? ;)

[EagerDragon]

Regardless of weight, 504 units is a very low number of items for one of these containers if the size of the boxes are anywhere twice the size of a normal iPhone box.

Sounds like some kind of computer and not an iPhone, the bulk size and weight point to an item other than an iPhone.

Maybe that Mini-Tower that a lot of people are looking for!!!!!!!!

According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Containerisation#Standard_containers) a container weighs 2200kg when empty, so if the weight given includes the container then it is 7140-2200kg=4940kg

This works out as 9.8kg an item (21.6 pounds in old units).
If you then eliminate the weight for packaging, that becomes around 17 pounds.
What weights 15 to 19 pounds in their inventory?

[gkarris]

:eek:

(runs off to hide credit cards....)

[Rot'nApple]

whoa :eek: 30 lbs each? Maybe we'll see something new in June, or maybe this represents a whole package grouping of iPhones?

Steve said the iPhone didn't go 3G until phone usage times could get back up in the 5 to 6 hour range... that 30 lbs is the iPhone with new larger capacity battery to ensure that 5 to 6 hours! :)

Know what they are going to call those new arm muscles people will obtain lugging a 30 lb iPhone up to their ears???? Are you ready....

iCeps!:D

Edit: I know... CHEEEEEZZZZZYYYY, as I get yanked off stage with massive hook... It's the weekend, folks!

[bacaramac]

If there was a new "tablet" the box would be tiny. Look at the Air. My guess is the 504 is a grouping of something (iphones, tablets, new item).

[David G.]

Maybe that Mini-Tower that a lot of people are looking for!!!!!!!!

That's what I'm thinking.

[Spock]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.0) BlackBerry8100/4.2.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

Ibet Apple teamed up with starbucks and is releasing a new Mac OS X based coffee maker

[MadCow42]

A 20-foot standard shipping container weighs 2300kg - 3750kg for a 40-footer. So, even after subtracting that it's way too much weight for 530 units (9.13kg or 6.4kg per unit respectively).

Even so - the quantity proves it on its own. 530 iPhone boxes would fit on a pallet almost (assuming they're about the same size as today). They wouldn't use a full shipping container for a single pallet.

So - either the quantity is wrong, or it's not iPhones.

MadCow.

[nagromme]

I hope this means the end of steam computers. Long overdue.

(Maybe some of those numbers are typos... or else it's some kind of equipment for use in retail stores, factories, customer service, or some other specialized thing that isn't for sale or made by Apple?)

[g8bo]

94'752 units! not bad! :cool:

[Sbrocket]

ITT: Powerbook G5 discussion.

[saxamoophone]

June is going to be exciting! But why just the US?

Well there's no way to know what the rest of the World is getting....

But I think it's a safe bet that the U.S. ( & Canada ) will always get Apple products first. After all, if YOU were the one to release a product wouldn't you want to be able to play with it youself? ;)

[137489]

Regardless of weight, 504 units is a very low number of items for one of these containers if the size of the boxes are anywhere twice the size of a normal iPhone box.

Sounds like some kind of computer and not an iPhone, the bulk size and weight point to an item other than an iPhone.

Maybe that Mini-Tower that a lot of people are looking for!!!!!!!!

hmmm.... Lets see here, some of the rumors circulating over the past few months....

1. new Iphones
2. Revamped macbooks
3. Wishful thinking on revamped macbook pros
4. revamp of mac-mini which many people thought was dead.

oh yea, and lets add in the fact of all the people complaining that the cinema displays needed revamping, and all the complaints that the mini does not come with a keyboard, mouse, display.

Oh and don't forget all the crying about people wanting a sub $1000 computer, a lap top dock, etc

So leads me to beleive - Steve Jobs is Steve Jobs and will pull something out of his sleeve (or a inter-office envelope - ha ha). Looks like some interesting times may be ahead, and like apple as usual - leaves us drooling in anticipation and has all the photoshop people sending out markups....

[bacaramac]

Oh, I have it. New Displays (30") = 28lbs with packaging 30lbs.

[kg4gyt]

Wouldn't we have seen something at the FCC before now though? I know that they'll keep things secret for companies, but they still at least acknowledge that they tested something, and even still they only keep it secret for so long.

I know that we rarely hear of FCC denials as well, but I don't think that Apple would manufacture 2.8 million of something on the finite chance that it wouldn't be approved. Just some things to think about.

EDIT:

I hope this means the end of steam computers. Long overdue.

(Maybe some of those numbers are typos... or else it's some kind of equipment for use in retail stores, factories, customer service, or some other specialized thing that isn't for sale or made by Apple?)


Don't forget that the AT&T call routing centers have to have some Apple hardware there to help along the iPhone, for what, who knows, but it could be replacements for the call routing centers so that they can support 3G.

[Peace]

These could be new Cinema displays folks.;)

[EagerDragon]

Steve said the iPhone didn't go 3G until phone usage times could get back up in the 5 to 6 hour range... that 30 lbs is the iPhone with new larger capacity battery to ensure that 5 to 6 hours! :)

Know what they are going to call those new arm muscles people will obtain lugging a 30 lb iPhone up to their ears???? Are you ready....

iCeps!:D

Edit: I know... CHEEEEEZZZZZYYYY, as I get yanked off stage with massive hook... It's the weekend, folks!

It comes with a car battery, that is why.

These could be new Cinema displays folks.;)

Yea that would certainly come close in weight and bulk to fill one of those containers. Also it is something that developers can use, so WWDC would make sense.

[fanbrain]

This is all getting a little out of hand as of late, don't you think?

[MacsAttack]

Revised Mac Mini?

Think about it. if you go the MBA route and dump the redundant CD/DVD drive you could make a real fancy living room/small form factor box that can access your media library on your main machine while also doing what the Apple TV can't - act as a full up Mac attached to your media center.

All in a machine not much bigger than an iPhone :cool:

[RoboCop001]

Guys, guys! Please!

It's clearly a box full of these! (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Xgls9IwWUyU)

[MrFrankly]

These could be new Cinema displays folks.;)

Exactly what I was thinking, or hoping - not entirely sure which one.

[ArtOfWarfare]

New Apple fold up iCar?

Weighs just 30 pounds. Vs. hundreds of pounds for any other common car.

Comes with ulta-smart computer. Car gets a personality. Great GPS navigation system. Gamers will just live in their car because the entire windshield can be used as an ultradef 19,200 x 10,800 10' touchscreen.

No one ever saw it coming.

...

lol, someone aught to install a perspective pixel screen as a windshield for their car.

Edit: Woah, woah, woah. I meant this as a joke... but suddenly I just realized... throw the idea of the car out the window. Leave just the idea of that perspective pixel. Maybe that's what Apple's releasing? Their own giant touch screen computer? Think tablet but 10' long instead of 10".

[Peace]

Exactly what I was thinking, or hoping - not entirely sure which one.

Here's the 3 weights for the current displays. Seems to fit

30-inch Apple Cinema HD Display Weight: 27.5 pounds (12.5 kg)
23-inch Apple Cinema HD Display Weight: 15.5 pounds (7.03 kg)
20-inch Apple Cinema Display Weight: 14.5 pounds (6.6 kg)

[StuPidQPid]

Hey at about 30lbs maybe it's the Apple flat panel TV with built in :apple:TV and DVR that was rumored a while ago?

[Ubuntu]

I think it would be great that with all the hype surrounding the 3G iPhone, Jobs surprises everyone with another device that no one saw coming. :D

Powerbook G5.

o rly?

ya, rly.

[gutefahrt]

Here's my analysis of this rumor with help from the late, great Christopher Farley:

"Well, Lah Dee FRICKIN' Dah!"

[Mjmar]

Maybe new Macbooks with lager LED screens :)... but seriously I think it's new cinema displays

[137489]

IF and that is a BIG if, the 30lbs a piece thing is true, this is pointing to some sort of server, desktop or display device. no way would I want a 30lb laptop or Iphone. Come on people, a 30lb phone?

this is not the early 1980's where a portable cell phone was a full handset with a shoulder bag. Unless? true mobile computing, basically an on-the-go super-server/processor and 20 inch screen with a 24 hr battery, phone, printer, fax, scanner, etc all in one. :p

You know, I wonder something.... Large screen hi-def LCD TV's are big business these days, especially with the federal government compliance to go all digital by 2009.

Given the fact that Apple is moving into other consumer electronics, has Apple TV, and the cinema display needed a refresh..... could it be Apple may surprise us and release a totally awesome LCD or plasma TV that encompasses Mac OS X to use Front Row, Apple TV built in, connections for our laptops/desktops for allowing gaming capabilities, and other media as well???

If anyone can do it, Steve can..... :D

[MacFly123]

First of all, this is getting insane lol. Can we get a count to compare how many stories we had for the original iPhone versus this new 3G one? It seems like there has been more hype on this site for the 3G iPhone than the original one lol wow.

Second, either those 504 "units" represent a bundle of multiple items or something is way off.

If not 3G iPhones, the second most probable thing I think would be Cinema Displays. But for it to be Cinema Displays hell would have had to freeze over for them to actually refresh those. :rolleyes: Here's to hoping though!!!

[/dev/toaster]

Sounds to me like it is a new Mac Pro or iMac. 504 units per shipping container means they are large size boxes. Not to mention, 30lbs per box sounds like it could be either of those.

I don't think this is a shipment of iPhones, just doens't make sense.

[Peace]

Sounds to me like it is a new Mac Pro or iMac. 504 units per shipping container means they are large size boxes. Not to mention, 30lbs per box sounds like it could be either of those.

I don't think this is a shipment of iPhones, just doens't make sense.

Could be the iMac but the typical Mac Pro weighs in at 50 lbs.

[happydude]

well that was just a drop of blood in a shark tank wasn't it? :rolleyes:

perfect!

[137489]

Hey at about 30lbs maybe it's the Apple flat panel TV with built in :apple:TV and DVR that was rumored a while ago?

:p - blah - your one-liner beat my post on the same subject......

[Matthew Yohe]

Kindof surprised people are making a big deal out of: "Electric computer".

Just another rumor from Phil Schiller.

[dpodley]

If these are 40 foot containers, the internal volume is 2,258 cubic feet. Which leads us to assume that each box in the shipment is about 4.5 cubic feet, which would be a 2x2x1.1 foot box (or a 4x1.2x1 box)

If it's a 20 foot container, it would be a 2x1x1 box.

[SirOmega]

Last year, the iPhones were flown from China, on Cathay Pacific Cargo I believe. I'm sure they eventually switched over to the slow boat, but the planes took of on the Tuesday before the launch from China.

[g8bo]

Guys, guys! Please!

It's clearly a box full of these! (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Xgls9IwWUyU)

what's the apple "i"???

[artpease]

This is all getting a little out of hand as of late, don't you think?

No... tis the season! :D

[ricg]

The ImportGenius article reported that the "504 cartons" weighed a total of 7,140 kg. If you assume that there are 12-24 boxes per carton (somebody who works on the retail side could probably get an exact per-carton count of the current iPhone) the weight would work out just about right.

FYI, standard shipping containers weigh between 3,701 and 3,968kg empty (see http://www.foreign-trade.com/reference/ocean.cfm), so I would imagine that the article was referring to the net, rather than gross weight.

Ric

[tgildred]

Can you imagine if that boat sank... or, better yet, perhaps that will be how this happens: http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=5470189&postcount=4.

I just love the craftiness involved in getting some of these Apple rumors. What other company has people checking trade records and analyzing shipment weights for hints of new products?

[twoodcc]

dang, 30 pounds? we'll see. but this could be very interesting. can't wait til WWDC

[Consultant]

Remember when the first iphone arrived in armored cars with armed guards? That was awesome.

EDIT: Don't those dates sound too early to be the iphone? March?


Maybe inside of each container there is an armor car with goodies inside.


ITT: Powerbook G5 discussion.

OMG Powerbook G5s! that's what I've been waiting for! Give me! Gime me!

Or perhaps 30" iPods. =p

[rushmere]

30 pounds = big multi-buy box of apple gadgets for us apple addicts :cool:

[i.mac]

those containers are full of new mac-pros, the new iphone, and the iTablet (thus the 'electric computer' identifier). In Jan, there was not a 'one more thing' moment because the iTablet was not ready. It may be ready now...

[davides]

The XServe is 31.7lbs.

This shipment, 7140 kg / 504 units = 14.2kg = 31.3lbs.

They also would likely be classified as "Electric Computer" instead of "Desktop Computer."

[Peace]

The XServe is 31.7lbs.

This shipment, 7140 kg / 504 units = 14.2kg = 31.3lbs.

They also would likely be classified as "Electric Computer" instead of "Desktop Computer."

Didn't Apple stop making the XServe and outsource it.?

[ArtOfWarfare]

Apple's moving their focus over to the TV.

They've made the ultimately simple computer, the iMac.

Now they're going to take that same concept and scale it up.

It's going to be an iMac with a 60" screen... yet still weighs only 30 pounds. Huge processing power. Huge hardrive. TV tuner. Touchscreen. Motion detecting mouse. Can have any other Apple portable docked in it.

It's like every flipping product Apple has ever made combined with a TV and a Wii.

[schlem407]

If the packages are 17-20 pounds each, what about new cinema displays. The 20" weighs about 15lbs...

[rpaloalto]

Crap, Now I know for sure. I'm waiting for wwdc, before I buy my new mac pro with acd. I need a new computer so bad. It's very hard to wait. I was hopping for a new acd, maybe a wee bit of extra ram in the mac pros 2 x 2 gig sticks, as a minor update before nealham.

But now this news of some new device. Might be something I just have to have, or want to have. And what me wants me gets :D

30 lbs?
Might be some new imac classic 30th anniversary all in one. A replacement for the aging mac mini.

[hectors92]

duh its the new highly anticipated :apple: (insert whatever fantasy product you have here)

[SpinThis!]

My guess: Cube v2.

Slightly beefed up and bigger... with packaging, that would be about 30 lbs. Can't be new Cinema Displays... I doubt at this point they would replace one and not the whole line at once. BTW: You don't put multiple products/dimensions on one pallet.

[acslater017]

YES. I've always wanted Apple to make an electric computer

[Rhalliwell1]

I think it is going to be a new product, here is why;
The "units" weigh about the same as the current cinema displays, but am i the only person that think the displays are particularly chunky? The new ones are going to be a lot thinner, thats a given from me and therefore lighter?
Its too heavy for a mac pro,
Too light for iMacs (and they have just been refreshed)
i don't need to explain why they are not tablets or iphones (unless there is more than one per "unit", hummm...)

What could it be?
a TV?
another desktop computer... slightly smaller than the mac pro?
Something completely unheard of?

[rpaloalto]

''Headless imac, Finally'':D
I can hope, can't I ?

[stevekerry]

Regardless of weight, 504 units is a very low number of items for one of these containers if the size of the boxes are anywhere twice the size of a normal iPhone box.

Sounds like some kind of computer and not an iPhone, the bulk size and weight point to an item other than an iPhone.

Maybe that Mini-Tower that a lot of people are looking for!!!!!!!!


If you then eliminate the weight for packaging, that becomes around 17 pounds.
What weights 15 to 19 pounds in their inventory?

504 boxes most likely means the number of crates on the container, each of which could easily container between 30 to 100 iPhones.

[lifeinhd]

...the midrange Mac tower a lot of us have been waiting for?

[bdkennedy1]

Redesigned MacPro's.

[needthephone]

14kilos- the iphone must have 10 years talk time

[wowotoe]

I remembered when I bought my iPhone from Apple store the 2nd day it came out, the employee pulled it from a box full of iphone. It doesn't make sense if they are not initially packed in a box from oversea. Otherwise, Apple (or distributors) will need to hire ppl to prep the box and ship them out to each individual store.

Just like the EeePC, they arrived in a box with 7 or 10 of them in to U.S. Remember the incident while ago that an online store shipped out a box with 7 ~ 10 EeePC because they thought each box only has one EeePC?

[lifeinhd]

Apple's moving their focus over to the TV.

They've made the ultimately simple computer, the iMac.

Now they're going to take that same concept and scale it up.

It's going to be an iMac with a 60" screen... yet still weighs only 30 pounds. Huge processing power. Huge hardrive. TV tuner. Touchscreen. Motion detecting mouse. Can have any other Apple portable docked in it.

It's like every flipping product Apple has ever made combined with a TV and a Wii.

Would you really want to have to touch a 60" screen?

[lifeinhd]

dang, 30 pounds? we'll see. but this could be very interesting. can't wait til WWDC

It's obviously the 30lb iPhone. They couldn't find a way to make the 3G chip and lighter than 10 lbs, and the phone itself is made of cast iron.

[coolfactor]

Longofest, don't just delete my post if you have a problem with it. Thats cowardly.

I agree. My post was edited when I mentioned that the article title should use "en route", rather than "in route", which I don't believe is correct, but maybe it is since he didn't make the change.

If there was a private way to contact them for article corrections, I would use it.

[Ugg]

Last year, the iPhones were flown from China, on Cathay Pacific Cargo I believe. I'm sure they eventually switched over to the slow boat, but the planes took of on the Tuesday before the launch from China.

I was just about to bring that up myself.

Since when has Apple started shipping via ocean container?

Average transit time from Ningbo to Long Beach, CA is 13-14 days plus a couple of days on either end for loading/unloading. Way, way, way too much time to be shipping iPhones.

I'll buy the idea that they're Cinema Displays or computers, but nothing else. The 3G iPhone will go via a securely guarded cargo plane.

[coolfactor]

Didn't Apple stop making the XServe and outsource it.?


Ha! Does Apple outsource any of its products? They discontinued the Xserve RAID, since (certain) competing products were equal or better, which they stated in their announcement.

[blackpond]

A 30 pound iPhone? I'm gonna need a tighter belt.

[cthomet]

lets not forget that this shipment was in march. way back thats why i dont think it is iphone related, its gotta be cinemas

[Peace]

Ha! Does Apple outsource any of its products? They discontinued the Xserve RAID, since (certain) competing products were equal or better, which they stated in their announcement.

you're being funny right? I mean almost every Apple product is made in China. If that isn't outsourcing what is.

[gambit-7]

If these are 40 foot containers, the internal volume is 2,258 cubic feet. Which leads us to assume that each box in the shipment is about 4.5 cubic feet, which would be a 2x2x1.1 foot box.
If it's a 20 foot container, it would be a 2x1x1 box.

Oh. Well, I guess that confirms it. Small dimensions, thirty pound weight: it's the Mac Book Lead.

[TonyHoyle]

It's not really a surprise - to ship in the kind of volumes we know the 3G iphone is going to ship at launch there would need to be a boatload (literally, in this case) sitting around ready to go.

As far as the date goes it's not inconceivable that the hardware was made ages ago and it's just waiting for the v2 OS to be flashed onto it.

OTOH it could be unrelated like a Steve Jobs talking doll or something.. gotta love rumours :p

[Oilbrnr]

Looks like they are bringing the Mac Portable back! :D

[Rhalliwell1]

It's not really a surprise - to ship in the kind of volumes we know the 3G iphone is going to ship at launch there would need to be a boatload (literally, in this case) sitting around ready to go.

As far as the date goes it's not inconceivable that the hardware was made ages ago and it's just waiting for the v2 OS to be flashed onto it.

OTOH it could be unrelated like a Steve Jobs talking doll or something.. gotta love rumours :p

how do you suggest flashing ~2M iphones?

[Peace]

how do you suggest flashing ~2M iphones?

By way of iTunes updating the iPhone ;)

[iPhoneFirstBuy]

Devices to enable -
http://www.apple.com/itunes/starbucks/

[gkarris]

No computers/tablet until Fall.

I think the return of the Newton - iPad?

Just over twice the size of the iPhone, with EDGE and 3G (has a SIM slot, and will work with any carrier). Compatible with all iPhone Apps. Maybe phone features? (Must use a Bluetooth headset, though).

[Obi-Wan Kubrick]

I could care less about all the speculation of what will be in the 3G iPhone I jsut want to see the phone on Verizon. To bad it wont happen. AT&T - Cingular's service sucks.

[Obi-Wan Kubrick]

I have said before that I predict a iPhoto frame to be a real device. An Apple digital picture frame would be a wake up call to the rest of the industry just like the iphone was.

[ryanpetersen]

Hi,

Our database only returns the number of shipments down to the carton level, so there were 504 cartons of the new product in the container, weighing a total of 7140 kg. The best way to find out how many units are in each box is probably to call an Apple store and ask how many iPhones come in a carton...

They may have orders to keep that a secret by now, however...


Ryan Petersen
ImportGenius.com (http://www.importgenius.com)

[137489]

lets not forget that this shipment was in march. way back thats why i dont think it is iphone related, its gotta be cinemas


Anyone remember this rumor from March:


Mac Mini Not Dead Yet?
Friday March 21, 2008 03:37 PM EST; Category: Mac mini, iMac
Written by Arnold Kim


Appleinsider is backtracking on their claims from last year that the Mac mini was set to be discontinued. According to the rumor site, they've received word to the contrary:
For the first time in nearly a year, however, people familiar with the matter tell AppleInsider there's new life in the Mac mini department, where a small team of engineers have recently been tasked with gutting the diminutive desktop and applying fresh internals.


The Mac mini is expected to accompany the rest of the Mac line to the new Penryn Core 2 Duo processors. Specs are expected to start at 2.1GHz with the same GMA X3100 graphics processor used in the current MacBooks. The Mac mini was last updated in August 2007.

MacScoop was first to predict Penryn Mac mini updates in the coming weeks. Apple is also expected to also refresh their iMac line with the latest Intel processors.

[D4F]

Next thing we'll know is when did Jobs take a dump and how much it weighted.

[CWallace]

My money is they are new 3G iPhones and the extra weight is the lead shielding to prevent folks with X-Ray cameras getting a sneak peak before the public unveiling at WWDC. :p :D

[C-Dubs]

Probably the new iPhone can brew coffee.

OMG that is sooo cool! I want an iPhone that can brew coffee =)

Based on what was given, I highly doubt that the iPhone was shipped to the US in ocean freight containers, especially in March. Look for something new to be coming as well as new iPhones next month. The pallet notion doesnt work out either because 504 pallets would literally take up the entire container without any space for product.

I think if we start seeing a jump in FedEx and UPS shipments from China to California (or other major Apple Store Distribution Points) THOSE are going to be iPhones. The price they charge for them warrants the security and speed of air freight, and FedEx and Apple have a very strong relationship.

Finally, I don't care HOW the iPhone comes to Hawaii, I just want it to be on June 9th!

C-Dubs

[swarmster]

Since mid-March, Apple Inc. and its logistics partners have imported 188 ocean containers of a product type never before declared on its shipping manifests. [...] On March 19 Quanta delivered 20 ocean containers of merchandise, described on the Bills of Lading as "electric computers," to Apple, Inc. Neither Apple, Quanta, nor any other company has ever used this product description for any shipments to the U.S.



This can clearly only mean one thing: non-electric computers by this time next year! How does Apple do it?!

[SodiumBenzoate]

This can clearly only mean one thing: non-electric computers by this time next year! How does Apple do it?!

http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2008/05/photonic_beetle

[DaBrain]

94'752 units! not bad! :cool:

What about new displays many here have spoke about? Just a shot in the dark!--)))) :eek:

[Peace]

Hi,

Our database only returns the number of shipments down to the carton level, so there were 504 cartons of the new product in the container, weighing a total of 7140 kg. The best way to find out how many units are in each box is probably to call an Apple store and ask how many iPhones come in a carton...

They may have orders to keep that a secret by now, however...


Ryan Petersen
ImportGenius.com (http://www.importgenius.com)

Ryan. Trust me on this.

You are going to regret you ever came on here if there isn't a special new gadget coming in June.:p

[HymerSchmidt]

Where are they holding them? I want to steal one. Someone should steal one. Can you imagine how much the thing would go for on eBay? Pictures alone would score a lot of money.

I declare a fan-boy mission, entitled "operation iPhone2" where we all go and deploy our devotion to recover the phone early. Naturally, I'm mission leader, and aside from having no idea how to do this or any reconnaissance experience at all, I think I deserve it...

[MonkeyClaw]

Next thing we'll know is when did Jobs take a dump and how much it weighted.

I'd say around 7-10 courics, I mean hey, he is friends with Bono right :D

[Dmac77]

New ACD's please god let it happen. :D

[kloppenator]

Hi,

Our database only returns the number of shipments down to the carton level, so there were 504 cartons of the new product in the container, weighing a total of 7140 kg. The best way to find out how many units are in each box is probably to call an Apple store and ask how many iPhones come in a carton...

They may have orders to keep that a secret by now, however...


Ryan Petersen
ImportGenius.com (http://www.importgenius.com)


The shipments come as small as 10 per box.

[koobcamuk]

According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Containerisation#Standard_containers) a container weighs 2200kg when empty, so if the weight given includes the container then it is 7140-2200kg=4940kg

This works out as 9.8kg an item (21.6 pounds in old units).

It depends if it's a 20 or 40 ft container. Our 20ft container weighs in at 6000kg net empty. I estimate about 2kg per item, taking into account pallets.

[darijoe]

Isn't it obvious? It's some kind of Mac Mini!!

[Eraserhead]

Didn't Apple stop making the XServe and outsource it.?

No that was the Xserve RAID.

[kiwi031]

I think its fairly obvious that the mystery shipment was a batch of the updated Aluminium Imacs...

We got a few of them in our shop the other day, and it was interesting to note that the production date on the boxes was surprisingly early, quite a few weeks before the update was announced... at 10kg a box roughly, it does make sense....

[gri]

whoa :eek: 30 lbs each? Maybe we'll see something new in June, or maybe this represents a whole package grouping of iPhones?

Finally - we all waited its -oh, YES!

Its

the



POWERBOOK G5
(including the new cooling system and the battery for extra long charges of 1.5h)

:rolleyes:


EDIT: OK, some beat me to it (I didn't read everything before posting) - but still...;)

[Iphtashu Fitz]

504 boxes most likely means the number of crates on the container, each of which could easily container between 30 to 100 iPhones.

Agreed. Smaller retail items are always packed in multiples into larger boxes for shipping, and it's those larger boxes that would be reflected on the shipping manifests, not the total number of individual retail items.

[dagger01]

EDIT - didn't get to the other posts on this before I did my home work...FWIW...

Ok, being in academia I did some homework too. Initial assumptions:

- the weight most likely does include the container (shippers don't ship containers for free because weight costs money in fuel)
- a MacBook weighs 3.86 kg (8.5 lbs) in it's shipping state; http://www.jr.com/apple/pe/APP_MB403LL_SL_A/#productTabShipping

504 * 3.86 kg = 1945.44 kg

I searched for the weight of an average shipping container like the one most likely used (http://www.export911.com/e911/ship/dimen.htm).

"A 20' x 8.5' dry cargo container may weigh 1,800 kgs. to 2,400 kgs., a 40' x 8.5' may weigh 2,800 kgs. to 4,000 kgs, and a 40' x 9.5' may weigh 3,900 kgs. to 4,200 kgs."

If we assume the largest container (as I couldn't find the physical dimensions of a MacBook box) the total weight works out to 6145.44 kg.

So, whatever was in that shipping container was, on average, 2 kg heavier than a current MacBook. Whatever it is it's bigger than the mass of any laptop and less than the mass of any desktop (including iMac) Apple makes.

[nostaws]

I loved reading the info, but I can't help that we have reached a new level of desperation for information about upcoming Apple products.

Shipping manifests? Cargo containers? Yikes! :)

[Peace]

The math doesn't add up. I've been researching and here's what I've come up with :

A "container" is built in 3 sizes :

Lets assume it was the smallest one : 20' long X 8' wide X 8'6" high--

Interior Length 19'4 ¼" Interior Width 7'8 ½"
Interior Height 7'10" Payload 48,000lbs (21,000 kg )
Door Height 7'5" Door Width 7'8 ½"
Cubic Capacity 1171 cu ft Gross Weight 67,200lbs
Tare Weight 4900lbs

This is the smallest one and if the weights are correct Apple would have shipped a partially filled container since the payload is 48,000 lbs. ( 21,000 kg ) and the report said the container's weight was 7140 kg. ( 15,741 lbs. )

Pallets usually come in 40" wide X 48" long X 5" high.
These pallet dimensions would allow for 2 rows side by side and 10 deep inside the container.

Now..Companies NEVER ship partially filled containers in ocean container ships. For cost reasons alone.

I can only surmise that the items in question were being shipped on pallets instead of inside a container or Apple shared a container with a different company or the report is incorrect.

Or.. :-)

The individual product dimension was so big it would only weigh 7140 kg. inside a container which leaves out iPhones due to the dimension of the iPhone and averaging the weight of a single box containing a single iPhone at .75 lb. ( including box )

This is either wrong or a shipment of goods half the size ( in cubic feet and net weight ) of a 30" Cinema Display.

I have completed my calculations :-)

Each unit weighs 31 lbs ( 14.16 kg. ) and in order to fill the smallest ocean container with 2 pallets wide and 6-10 deep the dimensions for each unit would have to be 2.5 ft X 2.5 ft. X 1 ft. ( approx. ) or about the size of a box that would hold two of the fabled "iPad"

So in conclusion. Jobs will show the new 3G iPhone but there's "one more thing" and it is about 8" X 4.5 " X 1".

New re-designed Mac Mini's ;)

[MrTech40]

Apple is trying to market themselves as a "Greener Apple". These devices are probably new cinema displays.
WWDC would be the perfect place to show everyone else their new cinema displays without harmful chemicals. The introduction of the new cinema displays at WWDC would show people that apple is really trying to take a step forward in making themselves "green". And also the cinema displays are LONG OVERDUE.

[RoboCop001]

what's the apple "i"???

Is it love?

Yes it is. :D

[louden]

These could be new Cinema displays folks.;)

I'd bet on new ACDs as well...

[louden]

The math doesn't add up. I've been researching and here's what I've come up with :

A "container" is built in 3 sizes :

Lets assume it was the smallest one : 20' long X 8' wide X 8'6" high--

Interior Length 19'4 ¼" Interior Width 7'8 ½"
Interior Height 7'10" Payload 48,000lbs (21,000 kg )
Door Height 7'5" Door Width 7'8 ½"
Cubic Capacity 1171 cu ft Gross Weight 67,200lbs
Tare Weight 4900lbs

This is the smallest one and if the weights are correct Apple would have shipped a partially filled container since the payload is 48,000 lbs. ( 21,000 kg ) and the report said the container's weight was 7140 kg. ( 15,741 lbs. )

Pallets usually come in 40" wide X 48" long X 5" high.
These pallet dimensions would allow for 2 rows side by side and 10 deep inside the container.

Now..Companies NEVER ship partially filled containers in ocean container ships. For cost reasons alone.

I can only surmise that the items in question were being shipped on pallets instead of inside a container or Apple shared a container with a different company or the report is incorrect.

Or.. :-)

The individual product dimension was so big it would only weigh 7140 kg. inside a container which leaves out iPhones due to the dimension of the iPhone and averaging the weight of a single box containing a single iPhone at .75 lb. ( including box )

This is either wrong or a shipment of goods half the size ( in cubic feet and net weight ) of a 30" Cinema Display.

I have completed my calculations :-)

Each unit weighs 31 lbs ( 14.16 kg. ) and in order to fill the smallest ocean container with 2 pallets wide and 6-10 deep the dimensions for each unit would have to be 2.5 ft X 2.5 ft. X 1 ft. ( approx. ) or about the size of a box that would hold two of the fabled "iPad"

So in conclusion. Jobs will show the new 3G iPhone but there's "one more thing" and it is about 8" X 4.5 " X 1".

New re-designed Mac Mini's ;)


My MBP box is not 12" deep - so I'll bet no other product from Apple would be so square in size - unless they come out with a new desktop.

My money would be on new ACDs...

[Virtuality]

How would new ACDs be "Electric Computers"?

[GrouchoDuke]

The way I see it, it's either 504 30" iMacs or a million Mac minis. :cool:

[carfreak12321]

when are they going to launch the iphone in japan!!:eek:

[kiwi031]

Halloooo!?!?

The shipment was clearly a batch of the New Aluminium iMacs that arrived in store a few weeks ago! :eek:

Just look at the weights, somewhere between 12-14KGs, thats EXACTLY what a 20" iMac box weighs, they have the production date and gross weight printed on them, and I've sold hundreds - I know them well.

Production dates on them were 4-6 weeks before they were released.

No iPhone :apple:
No iTablet (which doesn't exist!!!) :apple:
No Mac Mini :apple:
No ACDs. :apple:

Sorry Folks. :)

[aswitcher]

ACDs will be a big disappointment for WWDC 2008 unless there is a sizable price drop.

[Michael CM1]

Does anybody else think this crap is getting out of hand? I mean now we've got people reporting on boxes coming into the country. I know this is a rumors site, but does it stop before someone calculates Steve Jobs' average time between BMs and has some sort of formula for what they mean?

[maccompaq]

Regardless of weight, 504 units is a very low number of items for one of these containers if the size of the boxes are anywhere twice the size of a normal iPhone box.

Sounds like some kind of computer and not an iPhone, the bulk size and weight point to an item other than an iPhone.

Maybe that Mini-Tower that a lot of people are looking for!!!!!!!!


If you then eliminate the weight for packaging, that becomes around 17 pounds.
What weights 15 to 19 pounds in their inventory?
I think we are finally going to get our mid tower, and I am going to buy 2 or three of them for different rooms of my house.

[gwerhart0800]

Does anybody else think this crap is getting out of hand? I mean now we've got people reporting on boxes coming into the country. I know this is a rumors site, but does it stop before someone calculates Steve Jobs' average time between BMs and has some sort of formula for what they mean?

How many financial news channels were watching what color socks Alan Greenspan was wearing to fed meetings? Human beings are pattern matching animals ... in the absence of any real data, we will make it up! Now, about SJs digestive track ... :rolleyes:

[wildcardd]

I thought FoxConn (Hon Hai) was making the iPhone, not Quanta. Quanta makes Apple's computer products.

I have a feeling that these are not iPhones, but instead, iMacs.

[DiamondMac]

Does anybody else think this crap is getting out of hand? I mean now we've got people reporting on boxes coming into the country. I know this is a rumors site, but does it stop before someone calculates Steve Jobs' average time between BMs and has some sort of formula for what they mean?

I actually don't mind it to be honest.

I enjoy reading rumors like this as it is interesting to me

Now, if it were my business, I sure wouldn't like it but I doubt this rumor will hurt Apple in any way

[deputylove8]

I loved reading the info, but I can't help that we have reached a new level of desperation for information about upcoming Apple products.

Shipping manifests? Cargo containers? Yikes! :)

Hahahaha...that is very true!!!
Just like what Derrik Shepherd from Greys anatomy would say
" Do you wanna know what's better than sex...the anticipation..."

So oh yeah! Give me anticipation!:D

[rodti]

You have to subtract the weight of the fourteen Lithuanian girls hiding in the containers.

[netdog]

Apple must be loving this thread. I'd be willing to bet that there is a link going around Apple via email.

What a hoot!

[csmitty]

Ok, I'm just as excited as the next about the new iphone, and will hopefully get it soon after launch (i don't stand in long lines) but who is researching apple shipping containers? I mean, really. You might wanna see someone about that.

[Chairman Plow]

Guys, guys! Please!

It's clearly a box full of these! (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Xgls9IwWUyU)

ROFL.....

[Qubits]

Does it mean anything that the Apple Store lists the iPhone as unavailable for both the 8GB and the 16GB?

[wildcardd]

Does it mean anything that the Apple Store lists the iPhone as unavailable for both the 8GB and the 16GB?

It has been unavailable for a couple of weeks now. Keep up ;)

[Qubits]

:o Just after posting I looked around. duh. I have been under a rock.

[ArtOfWarfare]

Apple's moving their focus over to the TV.

They've made the ultimately simple computer, the iMac.

Now they're going to take that same concept and scale it up.

It's going to be an iMac with a 60" screen... yet still weighs only 30 pounds. Huge processing power. Huge hardrive. TV tuner. Touchscreen. Motion detecting mouse. Can have any other Apple portable docked in it.

It's like every flipping product Apple has ever made combined with a TV and a Wii.Would you really want to have to touch a 60" screen?

Yes. Apparently you haven't heard of the company Perspective Pixel...

http://www.perceptivepixel.com/

I can imagine so many uses for this. CNN is only the tip of the iceberg.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqJm7PK2vhQ

I'd love to see Apple working with these guys to make some kind of massive touch screen computers. I really see what I described earlier as being what the computer a few years from now will look like. A few decades more and we'll throw the multitouch and motion sensing together to have multitouch 3d holographic surfaces or something.

[lifeinhd]

Yes. Apparently you haven't heard of the company Perspective Pixel...

http://www.perceptivepixel.com/

I can imagine so many uses for this. CNN is only the tip of the iceberg.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqJm7PK2vhQ

I'd love to see Apple working with these guys to make some kind of massive touch screen computers. I really see what I described earlier as being what the computer a few years from now will look like. A few decades more and we'll throw the multitouch and motion sensing together to have multitouch 3d holographic surfaces or something.

I'm still not sold on the idea. That may seem fun at first, but it's not very practical in the long run for everyday computing tasks. Plus, if they stick one of those on any iMac design close to what they have today, every time you touched the screen, the computer would move, since it'd be so light, even with a 60" screen, and it would be adjustable tilt. Then there's also the problem of getting it to fit under the hutch on a desk. Or are you expected to have floor space for this thing next to your 60" plasma? Apple's been getting better about this, but they generally prefer smaller products. While I wouldn't mind seeing a 60" Cinema Display-based TV from Apple, I really wouldn't care too much for a 60" computer touchscreen.

For now, I think I'll stick with the more conventional forms of input... although it might be nice to see a touch screen MBP...

[ArtOfWarfare]

... are you calling Apple stupid? Problems with it tilting when you don't want it to wouldn't exist. Probably the way I would solve the problem is make it so it locks at whatever angle unless you're touching the backside. (Maybe the proximity sensor from the iPhone will detect your hand...? Or maybe something more mundane like a button/lever that you have to touch to release it.)

As for fitting it on your desk... I imagine you'd mount it on a wall.

...

OMG, awesome idea I got...

imagine that out of the bottom of this thing extends a 12" desk. And then more... it's not just a desk, it's a touchscreen that you can have a virtual keyboard on. And hell, maybe we'll mix in some ideas from MS's surface with the ability to recognize cameras and wirelessly download the images from the camera. Play DVD's just by laying them on the desk without need of any slot loading drive?

But I'm jumping way ahead of anything Apple's likely to release soon. Give it another half decade.

[fmiddleton]

I think the math works out this way. A 40' high cube sea container weighs in at 3800kg, so that gives us 3340kg of product. 3340/504 = 6.6kg/unit. If the provided weight was freight only, you'd have 7140/504 = 14.2kg/unit. I think this is the more likely scenario.

A Mac Pro weights 19kg, so that's clearly way too much. MBP is ~2kg, nowhere near enough. However, a 24" iMac is 11.5kg, or a 30" display weighs in at a hefty 12.5kg, either of which gets us suspiciously close with packaging to the 14.2kg weight.

I'd say there's too much being read into the numbers...

[Peace]

I think the math works out this way. A 40' high cube sea container weighs in at 3800kg, so that gives us 3340kg of product. 3340/504 = 6.6kg/unit. If the provided weight was freight only, you'd have 7140/504 = 14.2kg/unit. I think this is the more likely scenario.

A Mac Pro weights 19kg, so that's clearly way too much. MBP is ~2kg, nowhere near enough. However, a 24" iMac is 11.5kg, or a 30" display weighs in at a hefty 12.5kg, either of which gets us suspiciously close with packaging to the 14.2kg weight.

I'd say there's too much being read into the numbers...

You do realize the "unit" measure is actually "cartons" and those cartons could hold smaller cartons inside. Like a case of "X" product.

[fmiddleton]

You do realize the "unit" measure is actually "cartons" and those cartons could hold smaller cartons inside. Like a case of "X" product.

Yes I do, and I did that math also. A 1st generation iPhone is 135g, and using the first number of 6.6kg, you get ~48 units to a case. Given handsets often ship in "egg crates" that hold 48 units (and the difference between 48 and ~48 works out at about 0.3lbs), that IS another possibility.

However, I still maintain that on a bill of lading XYZ units probably means units, not cartons.

[ArtOfWarfare]

You have to remember this is supposedly a new product... with the name "electric computer".

...

possibly some kind of solar powered macbook like what was on the first page? Of course I would think that would replace the older MacBooks...

...

Well, you wouldn't describe the huge computer/tv thing I described as a desktop computer, would you? Wall mounted computer would make it too obvious I think so they just stuck on the very open ended "electric computer" title to keep people guessing. I'm spot on with this. I've got that gut feeling.

[fmiddleton]

You do realize the "unit" measure is actually "cartons" and those cartons could hold smaller cartons inside. Like a case of "X" product.

BTW, it only occurred to me later, but if you cube out that container, each carton or unit would be about 5 cu.ft. I don't have product dimensions handy, but that feels about the size of a 24" iMac in packaging to me... Perhaps someone could figure out how many iPhones would fit in the same volume.

[lifeinhd]

... are you calling Apple stupid? Problems with it tilting when you don't want it to wouldn't exist. Probably the way I would solve the problem is make it so it locks at whatever angle unless you're touching the backside. (Maybe the proximity sensor from the iPhone will detect your hand...? Or maybe something more mundane like a button/lever that you have to touch to release it.)

As for fitting it on your desk... I imagine you'd mount it on a wall.

...

OMG, awesome idea I got...

imagine that out of the bottom of this thing extends a 12" desk. And then more... it's not just a desk, it's a touchscreen that you can have a virtual keyboard on. And hell, maybe we'll mix in some ideas from MS's surface with the ability to recognize cameras and wirelessly download the images from the camera. Play DVD's just by laying them on the desk without need of any slot loading drive?

But I'm jumping way ahead of anything Apple's likely to release soon. Give it another half decade.

I love Apple, I don't think Apple is stupid, and that's why I don't think they'd do something like this.

If you have it mounted on the wall, how would you touch the backside to tilt it? And who really has the wall space for something that big, after they've used it already for their TV? Also, how much would this thing cost?

[AdeFowler]

So what was in the containers if indeed they ever existed? :confused:

[fmiddleton]

So what was in the containers if indeed they ever existed? :confused:

I stand by my 24" iMacs. Nobody would bring in a new device 2-3 months before its launch date just to have it sitting on a shelf and risk being opened up.

[lifeinhd]

I stand by my 24" iMacs. Nobody would bring in a new device 2-3 months before its launch date just to have it sitting on a shelf and risk being opened up.

But remember, "electric computer" is a title Apple has never given one of their products before. I don't know what the iMac title is, but it's not "electric computer." I don't think it was the iPhones either, though.

[ArtOfWarfare]

Product by Apple for Apple? (As in they had computers special made just for their own employees... of course I can't imagine a reason Apple would consider a product too good for everyone else... even if the price is a million dollars... if Apple thought they should have it, a few other companies would probably also think so. Unless they want to make another one of those almost useless record breaking computers...)