No New Hardware @ Paris

[arn]

ThinkSecret reports (http://www.thinksecret.com/news/parishardware.html) that no new hardware will be revealed at Apple Expo in Paris:

Apple CEO Steve Jobs will kick off Apple Expo in Paris this Tuesday, but he will not introduce any new hardware or major hardware upgrades, Think Secret has learned. Hardware product upgrades will also be absent from Seybold.

Spymac has a similar report (http://www.spymac.com) but indicates that iCal and iSync will be made available at the Expo.

Few reliable rumors have pegged the Powerbook updates for Apple Expo. Late August supplies (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2002/08/20020827095203.shtml) of Powerbooks were low, but previous rumors indicated (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2002/08/20020812205425.shtml) a January time-frame for Powerbook updates. Some have speculated that recent educational discounts which expire on Sept 25th may hint at revisions... but this remains complete speculation.

The Powerbook is currently Apple's "oldest" model -- last updated in April 2002.

[G4scott]

I can't wait to get my hands on iCal...

[djniche]

i'm waiting to use rendevous on itunes to use with my powerbook. Along with isync and ical - it shouldnt be a surprise not to have hardware updates. We should see them in january.

[gandalf55]

interesting. i'm anxious to see whats up with iCal. The iTunes update must reflect the iCal functionality for iPods? Not sure what they have up their sleeves there.

Question: If I use a DSL router with a couple of Macs running 10.2, via Rendevous they should all see one another and be able to file swap, etc. correct?

[Over Achiever]

No pb update...figures.

iTunes update...wha? I'd think iPhoto...but iTunes?

[chromos]

Re: an iTunes update, I'd love to see AAC encoding enabled on both iTunes and my iPod...

[nickmcghie]

iCal... thats great

iTunes... didn't we just have a major update less than 3 months ago??

What about iMovie? iMovie is currently Apple's "oldest" iApp. Its a great program but isn't quite perfect yet. I would like to see improved audio editing features and more felxibility when it comes to placing titles/text. There are some great plugins from 3rd parties and Apple should look to incorporate some of those features into the next update of iMovie.

[G4scott]

Originally posted by gandalf55
Question: If I use a DSL router with a couple of Macs running 10.2, via Rendevous they should all see one another and be able to file swap, etc. correct?

I imagine that they should...

The Rendezvous functionality in iTunes will rock! I'll be able to work on my desktop, and listen to all my music, which is on my laptop...

[AmigaMac]

AppleWorks 7 must be on the way... it is long overdue and we Mac users want it now!!!

[Mr. Anderson]

but why bring out rendezvous/iSinc if no apple comes with bluetooth built in - wouldn't it be better to debut them both at the same time?

[G4scott]

Originally posted by dukestreet
but why bring out rendezvous/iSinc if no apple comes with bluetooth built in - wouldn't it be better to debut them both at the same time?

Rendezvous is already in 10.2 If you set up a printer to share, or chat with someone in a local network using iChat, you're using Rendezvous. Rendezvous has nothing really to do with bluetooth...

I'm predicting that the iTunes 3 update will add the shared playlist functionality...

[jelloshotsrule]

re: itunes... it should be aac support and also maybe some ipod thing for ical support.... however, they said at either the wwdc preview of jag or maybe even as late as mwny that itunes via rendezvous was like 9 months away. so dont' expect that... if it comes early, great. but don't get your hopes up

rendezvous is built in yeah. isync would be good of course... but i agree with duke that it would make sense to see bluetooth built in at some point very soon if not now

that said, i'm not surprised at the idea of no new hardware. i just hope ical is all it's cracked up to be.

and for aac support via itunes/ipod

[bidge]

iTunes hopefully will bring AAC support to both iPod and itself. Just in time for my new iPod I get a week later. My old one I have now sold and i am feeling a bit lonely from music without it.

iCal is definitely very good, and by far worth waiting for. I think we may also seen the 10.2.1 update very soon.

I'll have to sleep for the next two days to make time pass even more quickly. When I see Tuesday i think cool tomorrow, but then i remeber that you're all in the US. ohhh.

[Hawthorne]

I'd love to have a Cordon Bleu chef do a live demonstration during the SteveNote on how to make filet mígnon from a Gateway cow. This MAY conflict with Steve's vegan lifestyle, though. ;) :D

And as for the Dell dude?

"Pour encourager les autres" ;) :D

[j763]

Originally posted by AmigaMac
AppleWorks 7 must be on the way... it is long overdue and we Mac users want it now!!!

dude, it's called StarOffice 6...

[peterjhill]

I am looking forward to all the software updates. It may suck for all the people with two or three year old computers who were looking for a new one, but I'll be happy to share my iTunes library, use iCal with my iPod (that should be here any day now). Heck, even iSync, maybe I can get my Palm to sync again.

[AmigaMac]

Originally posted by j763


dude, it's called StarOffice 6...

You think AW6 is dead? I could live with StarOffice though!

[nassau]

Originally posted by G4scott
I can't wait to get my hands on iCal...

hmm... i can.

i'd like a new iBook model tho...

[scem0]

iCal - interesting but I have no use for it.

iTunes - I want Randezvous, I have multiple (2:D) computers in my house, and it would be very nice to be able to listen to all my songs on my iMac as well as my powermac.... If we dont get it oh well :(.

iChat - More functionality would be great . I am forced to use AIM because poor multiple user functionality and other issues. It is a cool prog but it needs work.

AppleWorks - I use Word most of the time but an update to AW would be good.

iMovie - never used it, probably never will.

And hopefully an apple web browser using Chimera speed with IE compatibily, and Mozilla functionality. I have my hipe high on this one though :D.

[MacKenzie999]

I'd be very happy if iTunes was updated so that iPods could crossfade on playback...

[Thirteenva]

I wonder if they're having heat issues putting a faster chip in the powerbook...unless they're just waiting for bluetooth

The iMac is also due for a "speed bump" it got a 17 inch screen at MWNY but it hasn't been speed bumped since its introduction in january so its actually "older" than the powerbook...


Can't wait for the new apps and maybe some surprise new .mac functionality. That would be great.

[ryan]

Originally posted by gandalf55
Question: If I use a DSL router with a couple of Macs running 10.2, via Rendevous they should all see one another and be able to file swap, etc. correct?
Yes, as long as they're on the same subnet.

[Blackcat]

Why do people want an iTunes update to make their iPod do more? That would be an iPod update (or in the case of AAC, both).

I want a new Powerbook, but I'm guessing October 1st for that as it's the first tuesday after the promos end.

[drastik]

iTunes functions seamlessly with the iPod, so an update to the iPod would probably also take form in iTunes. Excepting adding functionality to the iPod that is already present in iTunes, e.g. crossfade.

[rugby]

For those of you who want to play your mp3's on another computer other than your main one it's quite simple. Enable filesharing on your main computer and log in and mount the drive on the other computer. Then, open iTunes and uncheck the prefs box that says "move all mp3's to my library" or something like that. Add these mp3's to your library and you're all set. I just did this last weekend and had my Pismo hooked up to my home stereo, wirelessly mounted the sharepoint on my G4/400 and had 17 days worth of music at my fingertips in my living room.

[IndyGopher]

Originally posted by Blackcat
Why do people want an iTunes update to make their iPod do more? That would be an iPod update (or in the case of AAC, both).
Because iTunes is how you move data TO an iPod.. at least it is the current "Apple" way to move data to an iPod. So either a new app (iCal itself), or an update to iTunes is necessary to move iCal data to an iPod. Personally, I would think that iCal would do the data transfer/manipulation itself... but who knows with Apple.

[jelloshotsrule]

Originally posted by IndyGopher

Because iTunes is how you move data TO an iPod.. at least it is the current "Apple" way to move data to an iPod. So either a new app (iCal itself), or an update to iTunes is necessary to move iCal data to an iPod. Personally, I would think that iCal would do the data transfer/manipulation itself... but who knows with Apple.


yeah, i'm pretty sure that ical will handle the calendar transfer... unless that will be isync? but i was pretty sure isync was bluetooth based...

and as you said, knowing apple, they may try to make it one click for both music and calendar syncing... which i don't think would ideal. maybe that option, but i'd definitely like to be able to load/update a calendar without dealing with music at the same time..

and yeah, itunes update to include aac support and encoding. and then the ipod update for aac support.....

[justytylor]

If you already use Entourage, just click and drag your events from the Calendar to the "Calendar" directory on your iPod. It's not automatic, but it's very cool. If you don't use Entourage, any application that uses .ics files will work; otherwise, you'll have to wait for iCal.

[katchow]

what if they dropped the low end 14 in. iBook to make way for the speculated "special-edition" book?

even as i'm typing i cant convince myself this would happen...at least anytime soon....that'd be awfully nice though....

katchow

[Blackcat]

Originally posted by IndyGopher

Because iTunes is how you move data TO an iPod.. at least it is the current "Apple" way to move data to an iPod. So either a new app (iCal itself), or an update to iTunes is necessary to move iCal data to an iPod. Personally, I would think that iCal would do the data transfer/manipulation itself... but who knows with Apple.

Indeed, Apple likes to keep things seperate, so iCal will do calendering, AddressBook will do contacts and iTunes will do music. They can all sync to iPod.

This again suggests iSync is for something we don't yet have...

[oldMac]

It would make sense that Apple has created a Mac OS X API that makes it easy to sync devices using the SyncML standard (http://www.syncml.org).

The "iSync" application is just the application that Steve Jobs demo'd at the last MacWorld. It makes sense that "iSync" would just be recognizing the different "devices" that are plugged and available for synchronization of different "services" such as calendaring, music, email, etc.

So, "iSync" would be providing the window that shows the different devices and allows you to choose which ones you want to synchronize. You will probably also be able to do this from within the applications. However, the applications are probably relying on Apple's "SyncML API".

By making this an API, other developers can take advantage of it and easily allow their applications to synchronize with devices, as well.

[MikeUnicode]

What's happened to Motorola?

Now is the time Motorola could finally pick up some desktop market share. Apple's Unix operating system makes Microsoft irrelevent. Now you can develop from laptop to unix server.
So apple has all the software pieces in place.

But, Motorola is badly trailing.
If Apple can get a 1Ghz 7450 for a laptop it can't delay because of slow sales! It already is behind in the hardware race. It needs these numbers to look competitive.

Or is it pricing. Is Steve trying to preserve fat profit margins.
Maybe Motorola and Apple should shave some hardware profit for some marketshare gains.

[Vanilla]

I for one was/am hoping for a widescreen format mid-range ADC display. It seems odd that you can get a widescreen 17" iMac but if you want a flat screen for your Powermac you either can have a regular 17" Studio or pay absolute squillions to jump to a 22" Cinema display.

It doesnt really make sense so I was figuring that as the iMac is now out an addition the screen displays was going to be imminent. Apparently not Paris though, which is a real shame.

[kiwi_the_iwik]

This is the latest from www.cube-zone.com :

Several web sites are currently claiming that there will be no new hardware announced tomorrow. Our sources think those sites are wrong. According to them, there will probably be updated PowerBooks and/or iBooks (stop-gap updates, before the rumored dual PowerBooks which is supposed to be announced later).... and an iPhone.

We really don't know if this is true, but our sources have been right in the past. Let's think about it :

* Steve Jobs will be in Paris. His keynote will take place before Phill Schiller speaks. That may mean an announcement.
* The keynote is September 10th. Just one day before September 11th. Let's face it : the newspaper will have articles about New York, not about an iPhone or new PowerBooks.
* The Apple Store has been unavailable today (it is available again now) : that may indicate something new is coming....
* Steve Jobs has to announce something after last year's cancellation.... or maybe he will just offer a free copy of Jaguar to people who attend the keynote... (Well this is only my dream...)
* Some web Sites such as ThinkSecret say "Apple sources confirmed that economic and sales conditions are becoming increasingly important in determining new product releases" : sure...when you're not selling a old product well, what is the best way to sell it better? produce and sell a new one...
* One last thing... We went to the Expo today. We didn't see a lot of PowerBooks on the Apple booth. However the ones who were there just looked like the current ones...But we could not see what's inside....

If only to throw a spanner in the works...

I do love the idea of an iPhone - perhaps a nice little digital still camera incorporated inside the casing. Wouldn't that sell like mad?

:cool:

[Blackcat]

About 4 weeks back there was a rumour Powerbooks were EOL in Europe. If this is the case it means something bigger than speedbumps as products are not EOLd for updates.

I don't buy the dual CPU thing. Sure it's possible but it would be costly and hot hot hot.

[Sublime]

Powerbooks need a rev and Steve needs a "one more thing."

If not now when is the PB rev?

[blogo]

iSync will atleast handle adressbook>ipod/cell phone/PDA export

[pianojoe]

Originally posted by Blackcat
Why do people want an iTunes update to make their iPod do more? That would be an iPod update (or in the case of AAC, both).


Of course iTunes 3 can play AAC simply because Quicktime can! If Apple added AAC encoding to iTunes, this would still require a QT pro license because AAC is not a free technology AFAIK.

I wonder if the iPod *can* play AAC at all? Does anybody know wether MP3 playback is a hardware thing on the iPod? Can AAC playback be done with a simple firmware upgrade?

[ahltorp]

Originally posted by pianojoe


Of course iTunes 3 can play AAC simply because Quicktime can! If Apple added AAC encoding to iTunes, this would still require a QT pro license because AAC is not a free technology AFAIK.


MP3 is not a free technology either. Apple has to pay Thomson at least US$ 2.50 per encoding unit sold($5 if they use Fraunhofer's libraries), according to Thomson's MP3 licensing web page.

I cannot find any annual cap on these fees.

[vniow]

Originally posted by pianojoe


I wonder if the iPod *can* play AAC at all? Does anybody know wether MP3 playback is a hardware thing on the iPod? Can AAC playback be done with a simple firmware upgrade?


The final noteworthy item on the iPod's PCB actually turns out to be the unit's CPU. The chip is a PP5002B-C chip made by PortalPlayer. Although the specifications of the version of the chip used in the iPod are not available on PortyalPlayer's website, specifications on their P5001 controller are available. Bearing the similar product names, we can speculate that not much has changed in the Apple specific chip. If this is in fact the case, then the PP5002B chip has a ARM7 TDMI based core with a coprocessor dedicated to real time encoding acceleration. The processor is able to not only decode MP3 and wma files (note that the iPod's chip can decode MP3 files up to 320 Kbps, MP3 variable bit rate, WAV, and AIFF files), it is also able to encode on the fly (a feature which Apple did not take advantage of in the iPod). The chip also features an integrated 32KB of SRAM and 8KB of cache. We are unsure of the operating frequency of the chip or how many MIPS the chip can handle, but the iPod never functioned slowly suggesting that there is plenty of power.


Looks like it's hardware. Maybe the chip supports AAC from a firmeware upgrade, hell I don't know. clickety (http://www.anandtech.com/audio/showdoc.html?i=1575&p=6)