Apple 'Pal'?

[MacRumors]

TopTechTips (http://www.toptechtips.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=457) posts a story about "a new piece of Apple software/hardware called 'Pal'". TopTechTips was sent screenshots as well as a box shot, which remains on the site.

Update: It is looking more and more like this piece of software or hardware from Apple will basically take your desktop/files and put it on to "Pal" (Assuming it is a Firewire drive or more likely an internet service) and you will be able to access your desktop and all of your preferences from any Panther Mac that has "Pal" installed.

ed. note: Still trying to gather details... it seems some are speculating it may be hardware, or simply a .Mac service (http://www.mac.com/1/learningcenter/).

[Cuckoo]

I think it's something which carries your personal data and connects threw an airport OR an firewire.

But that's just my 2 cents.... any other thoughts?

[pcp_ip]

sort of like roaming profiles for windows?

log into any computer and your prefs/users folder is accessed over the net. that would rock.


(typo)

[moosecat]

Gadzooks!! What the hell is this?

It would be weird to package a portable firewire drive like this. But it must be more than just a syncing solution (especially since it says "no more syncing").

[puffmarvin]

i cant get into toptechtips... some sort of server error. did anyone grab the image before the page went wacky??

[Kwyjibo]

cool, their site is acting strange tho I want to see those pics.

[mangoman]

Well, I hope it doesn't depend on .mac, whatever it is!

[DGFan]

Anyone remember the rumors of a mouse/phone/hard drive? Those were pretty funny!

Still, I could see carrying your stuff with you on a USB flash storage dongle....or something. It'd be pretty neat to carry it with you and just plug it into someone else's Mac and "login" to that account. I wonder how account permissions would work in that case (maybe have a default for "guest" accounts from other machines)???

ps. This is all speculation as I can't get the darn site to come up.

[moosecat]

I saw the box pictures before the site went down. (Did not see the screen shots.) If they were fakes, they were awfully good ones. A big green, aqua-style lightbulb, and some sloganeering on the box that said something like "Forget syncing ... forget [something else] ... Illuminate the Internet."

[arn]

mirror of text


We got sent in a few screenshots (including a box shot) earlier in the day showing off a new piece of Apple software/hardware called 'Pal'. It is being classed as an Internet service software that is basically the "Mac Desktop" for the Internet. Not like .Mac has been for a storing files, but something completly new. Coining the terms:"Illuminate the Internet.""See the Light" "Green Light to the Internet". The box also mentions it will only work on Mac OS X 10.3 and above.

It turns out this is likley to be a Bootable Firewire drive from Apple that also comes with software that fixes problems and lets you boot up from it incase you run into any.

The box shot reads:


"Green Light...
the Internet...

Forget discs. Forget synching...

Pal takes your desktop and puts...
your fingertips using Mac OS X 10.3...
can take your life on the road...
use your computer and Pal to fix...
problems. So what are you waiting...
see the light."


The box had an 'aqua' look lightbulb logo on it in green. We will try to get some more screenshots and post them up later, various other websites have been sent them but Apple's Legal team has asked for them to be removed (Which means they are likely to be real).

Update: It is looking more and more like this piece of software/hardware from Apple will basically take your desktop/files and put it on to "Pal" (Assuming it is a Firewire drive like assumed) and you will be able to access your desktop and all of your preferences from any Panther Mac that has "Pal" installed. Nifty, assuming it doesn't turn out to be fake that is.

Yet another update: We've been e-mailed in by a friend close to Apple who has stated that this is going to be a bootable firewire drive by Apple that lets you transfer files to and from Mac's using OS X 10.3, and also contains software that helps fix problems with your Mac by booting from the Firewire drive. This doesn't quite add up to the Box shots we were sent in earlier but we'll wait and see.

Another updated - Thanks to Mr Anon for sending this one in

[job]

Some sort of .php error.

Fatal error: Call to undefined function: themeheader() in /www/t/toptechtips/htdocs/header.php on line 51

[Mr.Hey]

site is down

[pcp_ip]

one (http://www.studio2f.com/dispatch/pal_1.jpg)

two (http://www.studio2f.com/dispatch/pal_2.jpg)

three (http://www.studio2f.com/dispatch/pal_3.jpg)

four (http://www.studio2f.com/dispatch/pal_4.jpg)

(edit: the pics are posted again on the original site. no need to burn through my bandwidth with the rumor hungery masses)

[arn]

site's back up... they took the photos down.

arn

[job]

"Connect over the air?"

Seems to support Airport.

[ldjessee]

Hello,

I would think that PAL is what is referred to here (from Apple's .mac webpage marked coming soon):
.Mac Presents:
Anywhere Access
Discover the convenience of accessing your data from any Internet connected computer.

[dethl]

From the looks of the Pal box, saying "connect over the air", I believe that this is a portable storage solution that connects via airport via rondevoux (however you spell it). I don't think it can be hard drive based, due to the fact that 802.11b/g is a bit too slow for the access times for the hard drive....now I could be wrong. I bet its a flash system of some sort, but that could mean high prices........

WWDC is going to be very interesting indeed.

[electric]

It's a thing!!

I'm so happy!!

[dethl]

Originally posted by arn
site's back up... they took the photos down.

arn ]

Any reason why Arn?

[arn]

the description makes it sound like an Internet service.

arn

[mnkeybsness]

Originally posted by ldjessee
Hello,

I would think that PAL is what is referred to here (from Apple's .mac webpage marked coming soon):
.Mac Presents:
Anywhere Access
Discover the convenience of accessing your data from any Internet connected computer.

sounds like the most reasonable guess to what it could be. but then again...why would it need 10.3?

[nagromme]

I'd love to use an iPod that way!

Preferably with excellent security, and automatic mirroring to the internal Mac HD to remove fear of data loss.

The box looks like software to me--Apple likes bigger boxes for hardware! And it looks very Apple. And being its own box suggests that it is NOT tied to .mac. But the slogan "Connect Over the Air" is mysterious for software...

And if this it NOT a fake (several sites say the images are removed due to Apple Legal) then the mention of 10.3 on the box suggests that Panther MAY be much further along than a WWDC "preview" would suggest.

[g30ffr3y]

that box just looks like its for software... no biggie...

[RHutch]

I just checked and the pics are back up.

<edit>
Well, they were, but then I just went back and the site is down due to heavy traffic.
</edit>

[arn]

devil's advocate here:

Still could be "fake". While this site claims that other sites have been ordered by Apple Legal to take down similar photos... I don't know which sites they are talking about.

arn

[nagromme]

Fake or not (and a box is EASY to fake, if someone's good at mimicing Apple style) someone responded to point out that 10.2 Server can already do this. It would be nice to bring it to the non-server OS with Panther.

[seamuskrat]

PAL has been tossed about in the university setting for a while. The technology does sort of exist with 10.2 server. You have a user log into the LAN network mainframe and thier 'user' directory is available. So ANY Mac (in some cases PC) they lgo into has their docs, email, boomarks, etc. As long as its on the campus network.
PAL is the long touted software that the university reps say will make it easy for faculty and staff to have access to thier work files while at home, from a Mac or PC. So, if they use a Mac at work and a PC at home, they can still sync files, bookmarks, email, etc. I am told its going to be seamless, and work with win 2K and XP pro as well as 10.3.
It can be configured via an internet storage server a la .Mac for home users, or a special server for business, and education customers. So, in the case of my university, they would have a deicated PAL server running OS 10.3 server to host the files for all the clients.
What I have been told is oldish news, and they are not hypeing it up, as much as offering a solution to an age old problem. I am glad to see its nearly here.

[jimthorn]

The logo doesn't look like any of the other current Mac app logos... Most go for a more "realistic" look. This is probably a clever fake.

[vniow]

This sure is intresting, it looks like its a software component to a collection of hardware, external drives, Airport and Macs..hmmmm..

In case the pics go down again, I've got them saved..

[GrizzlyHippo]

I think the important bit here is that the box looks complete and says for 10.3. So I would doubt the box would be finished and stored somewhere until the September launch of 10.3.

I think we can expect to see 10.3 launched at WWDC, this would make sense for these boxes to be ready now.

A bit garbbled, but I hope you see what I'm getting at...

And, to bring the never ending subject into this thread, 10.3 at WWDC would tie in with 64bit processors at the same time...

Just me thoughts guvnor,
Grizzly

[Foxer]

It msut be fake. If it were real it would have been called iPal.

;)

[DGFan]

All these assumptions based on a rumor based on speculation make me think of the Carl Sagan series Cosmos.

Observation: couldn't see a thing
Conclusion: DINOSAURS

[dethl]

Originally posted by Foxer
It msut be fake. If it were real it would have been called iPal.

;)

ROFL.....but then again by your logic, Apple's web browser should have been called iSafari.

Many of Apple's software names have been very simple, usually one word. This seems real....but I guess we all need to take this with a grain of salt.

[nspeds]

IF the pics were indeed taken down, that means it could really be something that Apple is trying to hide.

Moreover, the description almost resembles the "Remote Desktop" feature in Windows XP whre you can access your desktop from anywhere. Although Apple already has their own version of this software, it appears that this could be a revolutionary version.

It couldn't be a firewire drive to access your desktop with from any computer because when you then plug it into your original computer, there will HAVE to be synching. But the pics say (no synching), hence it has to be some device/software that allows you to use the desktop real time.

nd

[whooleytoo]

Originally posted by pcp_ip
sort of like roaming profiles for windows?

log into any computer and your prefs/users folder is accessed over the net. that would rock.


(typo)

You can already do most of this in OSX, through NetInfo networking where you can setup network accounts, then log into any machine on the network and have all your settings, but I'm not certain if it works across the Internet.

This sounds more intriguing, especially the wireless bit. Perhaps something like an Airport enabled iPod for your files/settings; you carry it with you and when you log into a Mac, it accesses your prefs and files automatically from the device (via Rendevous and Airport?)

Mike.

[DGFan]

Originally posted by Foxer
It msut be fake. If it were real it would have been called iPal.

;)

You can make your case more effectively if you pick up a copy of iKeynote and make a presentation.

:D

[mactastic]

Wow the rumors are really flying around thick these days. Can't wait till WWDC!

[Mudbug]

Originally posted by vniow
This sure is intresting, it looks like its a software component to a collection of hardware, external drives, Airport and Macs..hmmmm..

In case the pics go down again, I've got them saved..

Me too - just PM me and I'll share.
Anyone have the screen shots that were apparently up earlier?

[arn]

at this point I'm leaning towards fake...

I'll let it run out a little while longer...

arn

[andyduncan]

Originally posted by GrizzlyHippo
And, to bring the never ending subject into this thread, 10.3 at WWDC would tie in with 64bit processors at the same time...

If (and that's a big if) Apple ships 970s at WWDC, they will most likely NOT run Panther. They would run some updated version of 10.2.x. Apple wouldn't ship an operating system that they haven't even seeded.

[nspeds]

If it is what I think it is, it could be a way to set up a type of Terminal Server or VPN solution that would be integrated within Panther and in the Pal Hardware (If there is any).

Otherwise, it could jsut be a hyped up version of the Remote Desktop stuff.

nd

[moosecat]

Originally posted by arn
devil's advocate here:

Still could be "fake". While this site claims that other sites have been ordered by Apple Legal to take down similar photos... I don't know which sites they are talking about.

arn

The SpyMac thread about this says a user posted pics there which were subsequently removed. The most verification I can find is that the user who supposedly posted the pics is named ifilesecrets, and according to his SpyMac profile, he has one post -- but his last post is listed as "never." That does make it sound like he had something deleted.

(See http://www.spymac.com/forums/member.php?s=&action=getinfo&userid=20232 for this profile information.)

[nagromme]

An easy rumor to test: some OTHER site can post the pictures and see if Apple Legal cares!

I saw box shots but no screenshots... and now the page has no pictures at all. What were the screenshots?

It does sound fishy--and I still want my iPod to do this! (A network Home folder wouldn't help in my case.) With the internal drive as a mirror, you could use that for speed when at home--but then it essentially becomes synching--of your whole Home folder. Which sounds VERY useful, but not what the box text describes.

There is one good thing about some of the very clever fakes we've seen... they restore the sense of surprise and protect Apple's secrets even when they DO leak. We no longer know what to believe...

[andyduncan]

Yeah, id lean towards fake as well. I love how the pictures are cropped just enough to make it look like they were taking hastily. Even what looks like a nice publicity photo of the box (#3) is cropped down slightly.

[greenstork]

I don't claim to know the copyright details that could come into play here but if if this Pal program not only allows access to your desktop, favorites, documents, etc. What if it tunnels to your home desktop and actually lets you run programs through that machine streamed over the internet. It seems like a stretch but that would be way cool.

I think it's cool enough already if it allows preferences, documents, favorites, etc.

[kristianm]

What would be cool would be if you could have a roaming profile thing over the internet.

Think logging in at school/university and getting your standard desktop.

Although it wouldn't really be "the next great thing".

[Raiwong]

Looks real to me, if it was a fake then the creater would probably put an iPal, so it sounds like in the part. Just simply Pal seems really apple to me after they broke away from the i series in safari

Then the images looks like a natural pic, not like a CG creation or a perspective pic of the whole creation, from this point the cropped images are more natural and real.

Notice the material of the box also very closely assemble the other white apple boxes, and show no signs of CG this type of thick paper is hard to be done on normal printers without folding.

These claims are about 600X more realistic then the other powerbook, motherboard claims that have no pictures of proof.

[Kamu-San]

Originally posted by DGFan
All these assumptions based on a rumor based on speculation make me think of the Carl Sagan series Cosmos.

Observation: couldn't see a thing
Conclusion: DINOSAURS

ROFLMAO!!

[Pandora]

could someone maybe post the pictures here? Didn't see them :D

[byron_hinson]

Soz can't post on my own site as all these links have killed it (well direct links to the images anyway)

http://www.mac.com/1/learningcenter/

Seems like the bottom coming soon describes the "Pal" service to me

[pcp_ip]

it seems the original site is down again. for the good of the rumor-mill I'll put the cached versions i have back up

one (http://www.studio2f.com/dispatch/pal_1.jpg)

two (http://www.studio2f.com/dispatch/pal_2.jpg)

three (http://www.studio2f.com/dispatch/pal_3.jpg)

four (http://www.studio2f.com/dispatch/pal_4.jpg)

[RHutch]

Originally posted by byron_hinson
Soz can't post on my own site as all these links have killed it (well direct links to the images anyway)

http://www.mac.com/1/learningcenter/

Seems like the bottom coming soon describes the "Pal" service to me


Does anyone know how long this "coming soon" feature has been listed on the .mac site?

[Foocha]

These pictures look real - they look very Apple. If they are a fake, then they're a very elaborate one from someone with way too much time on their hands and way too much talent to be goofing around like this!

I suspect that if Pal does exist, then it's some kind of software that works with iPod to sync your entire home folder onto your iPod, enabling you to log-in to your account via a mounted iPod (NB: not booting from the iPod).

The only dodgy hack I can see with this is that they'll need to hide your Music folder - but doh! all you need is the Terminal app...

It's an unfortunate name - in the UK it sounds like dog food - well I guess Steve Jobs is always saying they eat their own ;)

[Foocha]

Strike that last guess - it seems this is Apple offering to host a global user account for you to log in from anywhere via the Internet.

Hmm, I wonder how they've resolved the bandwidth issues - logging in over a LAN is slow enough...

[Mudbug]

In case the links die - click the link in my tag - then click on photoshops - they're in there: Pal 1, Pal 2, Pal 3, Pal 4.

[gsdali]

having seen the images I am skeptical. Although I'd love to see a portable home dir, even though it would be of limited use to me.

[Abstract]

I've read what you all have to say about this, and yet I still don't have the slightest clue as to what PAL is, exactly?


Is it similar to a disk-on-key USB drive, except that this one is Firewire and keeps a users profile with Address book and bookmarks? If that's all it is, then I don't see it as a big deal. It could be useful if you're looking for a website that you have bookmarked, but otherwise...........

[mnkeybsness]

looks like it's a .mac feature for sure...accessing all of your files from any computer connected to the internet, as www.mac.com site shows the "coming soon" feature

[dethl]

Something interesting to note:

On the pal1 pic, you can see a little copyright symbol to the lower right of the green lightbulb. Yet, on all the other pictures, there isn't one at all. Now I'm suspicious.

[clonenode]

I'm voting FAKE on these. Or they are preliminary comps for.... something. The kerning on the word "Pal" is not tight enough. It does not match other Apple word logos, which have tighter letter spacing.

[Sonofhaig]

Originally posted by arn
at this point I'm leaning towards fake...

I'll let it run out a little while longer...

arn

Arn, why are you leaning towards fake?
My thinking was - Why would anybody spend
a lot of time creating art like this for a hoax?

[MarkMc]

Originally posted by dethl
Something interesting to note:

On the pal1 pic, you can see a little copyright symbol to the lower right of the green lightbulb. Yet, on all the other pictures, there isn't one at all. Now I'm suspicious.

You took the words right out of my mouth. Seems strange they would put it on one shot and not the rest.

[reedm007]

That's not actually atypical for Apple. The registered symbol often appears on handouts, but not on posters or product box fronts (they often do on the side).

I think the thinking behind that is that copyright info can be written in fine print at the bottom of posters, or on the side of product boxes, but is too distracting on handouts/brochures.

[yzedf]

Originally posted by Sonofhaig
Arn, why are you leaning towards fake?
My thinking was - Why would anybody spend
a lot of time creating art like this for a hoax?
Practice.

There are companies out there that will "aqua-ize" your art / images for you.

Nothing like a little free advertising! ;)

[vniow]

Originally posted by Sonofhaig

My thinking was - Why would anybody spend
a lot of time creating art like this for a hoax?

The same reason why people would go through a lot of work to create something like the iWalk..

[theFly]

Don't have a clue if it's fake or not, but from the description, sounds something like GoToMyPC (https://www.gotomypc.com/) type service for the Mac, operating via .Mac.

Would be a very nice addition for .Mac subscribers, I'd think.

theFly
www.flyonthemac.com
Rumors You Can Bet On

[job]

I'm still confused as to why a *software* solution would include the phrase "connect over the air."

(I'm assuming, obviously, that this utilizes Airport to some extent.)

[moosecat]

A-ha! Here is what it is: (According to a Google image search for "apple pal")

http://www.janway.com/images/bkmark-pal(daisy-apple)-a.jpg

I guess Apple's really diversifying...

[MacsRgr8]

You can use .Mac to sync your bookmarks, calendars and Address Book contacts.
You can use Backup to backup to your iDisk.
Maybe this is the .Mac internet version of a remote home directory. Just like OS X Server does.
I have .Mac, and I use iSync and Backup, but I can't imagine me using some place on the internet for my "Home"....
IMAP, Bookmarks and contacts: OK, but not my personal documents. Still fun, if it's possible.

[zoetropeuk]

If this is a boxed software product then the images ARE FAKE. If you take the image into photoshop and extrapolate the box based on the standard Apple software boxes then this box is too high.
Every current Apple software product box has a 7:8 width to height ratio.
If you look at the positioning of the Apple logo on the Pal box and compare it to say the logo on the keynote or iLife box and then assuming that the Pal logo and text are centred then it is very easy to complete box in the cropped images. And voila, this Pal box is way to narrow, only 5:7, width to height.
And I can't see any reason for Apple changing the box dimensions when they have been the same size for years. Just take a look at the Apple store or compare your own boxes.

[awinn233]

here's a pic

[awinn233]

here's another pic

[pcp_ip]

I think the box theory is a little flawed.

.Mac's box and the Applecare boxes don't match any of the other boxes (ilife, keynote).

they're small and skinny.

[awinn233]

...

[RHutch]

Originally posted by theFly
Don't have a clue if it's fake or not, but from the description, sounds something like GoToMyPC (https://www.gotomypc.com/) type service for the Mac, operating via .Mac.

Would be a very nice addition for .Mac subscribers, I'd think.

theFly
www.flyonthemac.com
Rumors You Can Bet On

I don't use the .mac service, but if this was something like GoToMyPC, and it was only available throgh .mac, then I might subscribe. I have no laptop yet (still waiting to see what happens at WWDC and shortly thereafter), but there have been plenty of times when I would have liked to access my home computer from somewhere else.

I'm not sure how this service would work, but it might get me to use .mac, if Apple keeps the same price.

[awinn233]

last pic

[cubist]

I don't like the idea of my home directory being on a server. I've used this kind of thing in the Windows environment at several places, sometimes with the home directory being on a central server, sometimes with copy-on-login; and in every case it's slow and buggy.

We all know the pain of iPhoto's creating thumbnails on the fly. It's directory is in the user home directory. How long will it take to open iPhoto if the home directory is on a server? Answer: You'll be able to time it with a wall calendar.

[pyrotoaster]

This is a very interesting situation. The pics are very convincing, but it all seem very fishy. I'm leaning a bit towards fake, too, but mostly because the description makes almost no sense (too vague for my tastes).

Here's a thought, can you think of another Apple product with a green lightbulb for a logo? Sure this isn't the same logo that the Newton used, but the similarity is there. But that doesn't add support to or take away support from the possible legitimacy of this rumor.

If it is fake, it could just be a new site trying to get traffic, a lot of it.

[g30ffr3y]

im leaning towards fake only because of that copyright symbol that keeps re/disappearing on the pics... but it does sound like the coming soon screen on the .mac learning site... i guess well have to wait and see... either way, it doesnt seem like anything hardware based so if its just another add on to .mac then im glad they are giving me more for my money...

[jettredmont]

Originally posted by nspeds
It couldn't be a firewire drive to access your desktop with from any computer because when you then plug it into your original computer, there will HAVE to be synching. But the pics say (no synching), hence it has to be some device/software that allows you to use the desktop real time.

nd

There wouldn't be synching if your desktop was physically located on the "PAL" device.

On the other hand ... is that revolutionary? Not incredibly so, just a firewire HD and the internal plumbing to automagically set the /Users/loginname/ folder to mount on the firewire drive instead of the local HD ...

From the descriptions here (i can't see the pics, sorry :) ) I'd say this sounds like a FW HD device (or perhaps software update for your iPod?) plus sofware to automount and auto-login a new user based on the profile on the device (which might require 10.3 plumbing, especially multiple graphical logins ...)

[jettredmont]

Originally posted by andyduncan
If (and that's a big if) Apple ships 970s at WWDC, they will most likely NOT run Panther. They would run some updated version of 10.2.x. Apple wouldn't ship an operating system that they haven't even seeded.

I STRONGLY agree.

Hopes of 10.3 shipping at WWDC are just plain silly.

Granted, history proves that silly things do from time to time happen, but ...

[SilentPanda]

Well I have no clue what it might be but....

We can see the whole front of the box (mostly) and it appears there are two pictures that could be on the back of the box. One with the "connect over the air" and the other one that has a bunch more text. Both of those wouldn't fit on the back together comfortably so it looks like if it is a real box shot that the front might open up "book style". I only say this because the one that says "Green light the internet" is really thin thus making it not part of the box as a whole. Not that it really matters at all.

[theFly]

Also could be just another website using a fake "Apple" product to launch their site.

For example:

SpyMac. Used the iWalk on a couple of occassions to get people visiting their website.

Apple-X.net and their two "screenshots" of piles in action, which looked basically like icons rotated.

And more info for the fire....toptechtips.net was just registered on Feb 5 of this year.

Also, that photograph of the description "card" why would the text be cut off that way, I mean, what's up with these rumor leakers who can't even take a photo right. Not that the part we can see really says anything of importance.

theFly

[Mr.Hey]

If this turns out to be true and they keep this kind of pace going I'm going to have to defiantly get .Mac now. This is so much more than just a web hosting service. I seriously doubt anyone else could arrange such services and have them work as seamless as they have been. The extra incentive is is that you know that your information and data is relatively safe and your user details won't be sold to the highest bidder and spammed to death a few days later.

[moosecat]

Regarding the possibility that this is a hoax intended to increase traffic to the site: Whoever wrote the copy on the pictures is not the person who writes the text on the site. The copy on the "box shots" is very professional-sounding (e.g., the slogan "Illuminate the Internet" is worthy of a master's in marketing). The text on the site is ... well, not worthy of a master's in much.

[byron_hinson]

Originally posted by theFly
Also could be just another website using a fake "Apple" product to launch their site.

And more info for the fire....toptechtips.net was just registered on Feb 5 of this year.

theFly

Thats fair enough to those who don't know us, but I've ran the largest Windows news site for 6 years and started this site the other month and had exclusives such as the 10.2.6 info etc which gained more hits than this has so far, if it turns out to be fake then fair enough, I'll look the ass...but we haven't aimed to get a load of hits from it as a launch as we launched a month ago, and surely we would have done it then.

[jettredmont]

Originally posted by dethl
Something interesting to note:

On the pal1 pic, you can see a little copyright symbol to the lower right of the green lightbulb. Yet, on all the other pictures, there isn't one at all. Now I'm suspicious.

There are far more obvious differences which indicate that none of the four green lights came from the same picture on the box (remember that most boxes have six sides :) and that especially on the back and sides of the box one might find several green globby lights ...)

[freundt]

Originally posted by dethl
Something interesting to note:

On the pal1 pic, you can see a little copyright symbol to the lower right of the green lightbulb. Yet, on all the other pictures, there isn't one at all. Now I'm suspicious.

Actually, the other pics look like they are from different places on the box.... my question is, why not a shot of the whole box???

[edit: uh, I second what jettredmont said :P ]

[theFly]

Originally posted by moosecat
Regarding the possibility that this is a hoax intended to increase traffic to the site: Whoever wrote the copy on the pictures is not the person who writes the text on the site. The copy on the "box shots" is very professional-sounding (e.g., the slogan "Illuminate the Internet" is worthy of a master's in marketing). The text on the site is ... well, not worthy of a master's in much.

I agree with you on the point about the different writing styles.

I was going to ask, if it's a way to maintain your data across the internet, I don't understand what the phrase "Illuminate the Internet" means in that sense.

Okay, I don't get the name "Pal" either. ;)

I hope it's a real product, I hope it's a GoToMyPC type service, which I think would be a great addition for .Mac. Why .Mac? Well, if your system is on a broadband connection, the software on your PC keeps .Mac notified of it's current IP address (we'll remember THOSE rumors a while back, won't we?).

Oh well, time will tell, I guess.

theFly

[RIP]

Two problems if this is a service to allow users to access their home directories from anywere.

P1) My home directory wouldn't fit on a the largest iPod.

P2) If it wouldn't fit on an iPod, why would anyone want to connect via internet connection speeds to access it. Along those lines, why would anyone want to take the risk of hosting such large profiles?

I load all my apps and music and movies and everything else I can possibly think of that doesn't have problems operating from the home location so I can sync my home directory to another hard drive in case of a HD failure on the boot side.

It this is what it is all about, then it won't work for me...

[e-coli]

I don't see why this isn't possible.

Computing has been moving to web based applications for several years, in which applications are basically run off of a server. And being that Os X has apache, sendmail, and webdav built right in, it's entirely possible to access and run everything on your computer remotely.

But it wouldn't work from a remote windows machine (I wouldn't think). It would only operate as a file server or webDAV server. And what are the chances of you being able to track down a mac using panther while you're out of town....slim to none.

[deepkid]

Originally posted by pcp_ip
it seems the original site is down again. for the good of the rumor-mill I'll put the cached versions i have back up

one (http://www.studio2f.com/dispatch/pal_1.jpg)

two (http://www.studio2f.com/dispatch/pal_2.jpg)

three (http://www.studio2f.com/dispatch/pal_3.jpg)

four (http://www.studio2f.com/dispatch/pal_4.jpg)

Thanks.

[j33pd0g]

Pal... to help you find... puts your desktop at your fingers... green light... It kind of looks like a portable search device... like remote file search/ sherlock / on the go... maybe you can pull info from your Safari cache / history... now that would be nice... unless of course you were browsing incriminating internet pages, and Pal fell into the wrong hands!

[pcp_ip]

Originally posted by e-coli
I don't see why this isn't possible.

Computing has been moving to web based applications for several years, in which applications are basically run off of a server...


so then possibly it's something like soybo (http://www.soybo.com)

[JtheLemur]

Fake or not... for Apple themselves to roll out something like this, it would have to be really good. Seamless access to your junk from any Mac. Services like that exist already in one form or another for PCs, so to work it would have to be something never seen before - or done better than ever before. They'd be taking a big risk by releasing something that could be too easily passed off as a copy of GoToMyPC but for the Mac...

[andyduncan]

In addition, the box design is different from apple's current box design (the text is much too large and is in the wrong place). Also, why would this be a boxed product?

[jcroft]

Originally posted by zoetropeuk
If this is a boxed software product then the images ARE FAKE. If you take the image into photoshop and extrapolate the box based on the standard Apple software boxes then this box is too high.
Every current Apple software product box has a 7:8 width to height ratio.
If you look at the positioning of the Apple logo on the Pal box and compare it to say the logo on the keynote or iLife box and then assuming that the Pal logo and text are centred then it is very easy to complete box in the cropped images. And voila, this Pal box is way to narrow, only 5:7, width to height.
And I can't see any reason for Apple changing the box dimensions when they have been the same size for years. Just take a look at the Apple store or compare your own boxes.

You're assuming that this is a box for software. I'm not so sure. In fact, I'm confused as hell. If there ARE real (and I'm kind of doubting it), I can't figure out what kind of product they're for. The reference to "air" makes me think bluetooth/802.11, which indicates a hardware product. However, it also sounds like an online service. If it is, I'm not sure why it'd need a box at all. Most online services don't require any software, and those that do would usually be downloaded, not purchased in a box. The box, though, does LOOK like a software box.

If this hardware, software, or Internet-ware? I'm not sure. Because it's so obscure, I'm leaning towards fake. But who knows.

[job]

Originally posted by andyduncan
Also, why would this be a boxed product?

That is a very good question.

Why would Apple seperately box a .Mac feature?

And how does Airport fit into all of this?

Find out next week on...General Macrumors. ;)

[moosecat]

One issue I just thought of ... The text on the box specifically refers to "OS X 10.3." Is that consistent with Apple conventions for references to the operating system? On their own site (http://www.apple.com/macosx/), Apple says "OS X v10.2." Minor point, I know, but aren't they all?

Also, I would think the box would just refer to "OS X", and then there would a little note somewhere that says one of the system requirements is 10.3. Having not seen an Apple software box in a while, I dunno.

[soosy]

On my OS X Jaguar box there is no trademark symbol on the box front/back... the trademark text is on the bottom flap.

The first pic could be of store handout and that's why it is the only one with trademark symbol?

[pcp_ip]

also odd, none of the current software boxes have aqua based art work- they're all stock art-ish

[Mudbug]

Originally posted by pcp_ip
also odd, none of the current software boxes have aqua based art work- they're all stock art-ish

ummmm.... the OSX (.1, mind you) is aqua, as well as the OS9 box, as well as the OSX Server Box (Chromed, but still aqua), and the .Mac box (see the apple store for a pic).

those all fall in the category of "system-wide" software, instead of just applications...

[pcp_ip]

the OSX box is jaguar fur'ed

apple boxes (http://www.apple.com/software/)

[Steamboatwillie]

Come on gang, it's obvious that this is a small helium air balloon that floats your desktop/laptop around your living room for a true roaming desktop. It would be nice if you could get helium refills through the iTunes music store. One click floatation...

[holy MAC!]

what is interesting is that the "pal" is written so big... if you look at all the other mac boxes, the title is small.....

[moosecat]

How long does it usually take Apple to do the cease-and-desist thing? Is it meaningful that the pictures appear to still be up? (At least when you can squeak through the heavy site traffic.)

[gothamac]

http://www.studio2f.com/dispatch/pal_3.jpg

Notice how left of center the pal type is to the logo? Doesn't look very professional.

[terceiro]

I have no doubt that the box exists. Sure, it might have been additionally tweaked in Photoshop, but I'm betting that the tweaks were small.

However, I'm betting that the copy on the box isn't anything you'll see either on any Apple web site, or on any box in a store. My guess: it's a prop some marketing guy (who has no masters, believe me) had put together for a demo.

I've done it dozens of times. You stand in front of management (or worse, the board of directors), and try to convince them to pony up the dineiro for a new project. So you make it seem as alluring and interesting as possible. It's all smoke and mirrors, sure, but everyone sitting around the table knows that it's just an empty idea. If they like it, you'll find a hundred grand in your budget and you'll get started.

By the time the product actually hits the shelves, you've had to confront that awful beast -- reality -- and your final product bears sometimes little resemblance to your original demo. Sometimes you have to take out nifty little dream features, like, say, the video capabilities of the iPod. Or the slot that spit out twenty dollar bills.

I'm not holding my breath. There's no proof that this was a demo that even came from inside Apple. It might be a graphic designer showing a client the kinds of things he's capable of. Even worse, it might be a STUDENT designer, building his portfolio with dummy products. Haven't you ever seen all the fake products that student designers create packaging for?

[Mudbug]

Originally posted by pcp_ip
the OSX box is jaguar fur'ed

apple boxes (http://www.apple.com/software/)

As I said before, I was talking about OSX 10.1 - see this http://www.macreview.com/Productive/OperatingSystem/OSX/OSXBox.jpg

[jayscheuerle]

If this was a printed box, you'd see the dot print at this magnification if not a moire effect. It wouldn't have this beautiful photoshop continuous tone.

- j

[Mudbug]

Originally posted by jayscheuerle
If this was a printed box, you'd see the dot print at this magnification if not a moire effect. It wouldn't have this beautiful photoshop continuous tone.

- j

Do you have some sort of hi-res version of these that I don't have? The 72 dpi resolution of these photos and their small size to boot would keep anyone from being able to see a dot pattern. The artifacts in the shots are too big to get any kind of definition...

[Foocha]

Pal is a small wireless device with a touch sensitive screen, which can remotely login to your desktop Mac. It is suitable for surfing the web on the move. When your Mac is out of range, Pal logs in to your .Mac account, to provide limited functionality - hence "forget syncing".

It has a pen based input method, using Inkwell, but it is not positioned as a Tablet PC since it does not have an internal hard drive. It's not a Mac replacement, it's a Mac companion. It's not a personal organiser, it's a handy means of accessing your desktop and the Internet wherever you are.

It puts your desktop at your fingertips literally because you can see your desktop form a handy hand-held device.

The reason they called it Pal rather than iPal is because it's a whole new product category (think Newton, Pipin etc) which is designed to work with both the consumer and pro range. This also explains why the logo and type size are a little different.

This is not a box, and this is not the Pal packaging - it's instore POS

Don't ask me how I know all this - I just know ;)

[aafuss1]

The images are still at the techtip site. Sounds to me like a Internert files/settings trasnfer wixard.

[tweedy7736]

Perhaps it's software for the iPod (?)

Think about it. You could set your iPod (or perhaps a similar storage device) down next to any Mac, and you have access to all your files. But then, how would the wireless part work.

Oh well. I'm thinking that these pictures are fake as well, but hopefully Apple will take a hint and produce something with a similar function.

One question...what's the difference between the suggested function of the "Pal" service and a machine cluster?

--TF

[FlamDrag]

I don't really care if it's fake or not, but I'd like to see some sort of DiskOnKey product that had my preferences stored in it and I could just plug that into the back and voila - it's like being home again. Why not firewire?

Think of it like a bluetooth dongle with a male/female firewire port at either end. It'd be small like disk-on-key and you could take it anywhere... like a buddy or pal.

Alternatively you could have a bluetooth version of the same thing. You could wear it around your neck and any mac you get close to - is your mac! Of course, you'd have to configure your computer appropriately though.

[dethl]

Originally posted by Foocha
Don't ask me how I know all this - I just know ;)

So how do you know? :p

No, really...this thread is in a state of confusion whether this is real or not...so how do you know?

[HoRNeT7]

Wait a minute...

TopTechTips.net said they had screenshots of Pal, as well as the box shots they posted.

Where are those?

[jcroft]

Originally posted by Foocha
Pal is a small wireless device with a touch sensitive screen, which can remotely login to your desktop Mac. It is suitable for surfing the web on the move. When your Mac is out of range, Pal logs in to your .Mac account, to provide limited functionality - hence "forget syncing".

It has a pen based input method, using Inkwell, but it is not positioned as a Tablet PC since it does not have an internal hard drive. It's not a Mac replacement, it's a Mac companion. It's not a personal organiser, it's a handy means of accessing your desktop and the Internet wherever you are.

It puts our desktop at your fingertips literally because you can see you desktop form a handy hand-held device.

The reason they called it Pal rather than iPal is because it's a whole new product category (think Newton, Pipin etc) which is designed to work with both the consumer and pro range. This also explains why the logo and type size are a little different.

This is not a box, and this is not the Pal packaging - it's instore POS

Don't ask me how I know all this - I just know ;)

Interesting. Not sure if I buy it, but it's an interesting concept. sort of like a souped up version of SmartDisplays on the PC side. Cool product, but I'm not sure how much use it would have for me. I don't know about you all, but my pad isn't exactly big enough to warrant remote terminals to my Mac. I can just walk over to it, instead. Also, how would the thing connect to the Internet away from the Mac and/or an airport base station?

[theFly]

You can take these photos I created into consideration:

http://homepage.mac.com/mdwolinski/mac_box.jpg

And

http://homepage.mac.com/mdwolinski/overlay.jpg

This second one is basically the first one with a 50% transparancy set on it.

The .mac box was taken from Apple's tiff as posted to their media area, which I think is not an actual graphic on the box. If you try to line the text Internet Service Suite along the bottom edge of the box, it doesn't match up like I'd think it would (the left bottom doesn't touch the bottom of the box when the right does).

The only thing that doesn't line up between the two photos (hard to see on the overlay) is the Apple logo on the edge of the box, it shifts a pixel or two between the two photos.

What's this prove? Nothing. But I was bored for 30 or so minutes before heading off to the gym. :)

The shading on the Pal box has to be Photoshopped, but why would it need to be?

theFly
www.flyonthemac.com

[dethl]

Originally posted by aafuss1
The images are still at the techtip site. Sounds to me like a Internert files/settings trasnfer wixard.

Hmmmmm...they're still not down? This is really suspicious indeed. Apple would have shut this down already.

[jayscheuerle]

Originally posted by Mudbug
Do you have some sort of hi-res version of these that I don't have? The 72 dpi resolution of these photos and their small size to boot would keep anyone from being able to see a dot pattern. The artifacts in the shots are too big to get any kind of definition...

72dpi? That would matter if some of these images weren't 400% of size (assuming they came from a box). You'd easily see the dot pattern in the lighter areas unless these came from something larger, like a poster.

The image on the top of page 4 is too clean to have come from a box and it doesn't look like it's been despeckled.

[kb9000]

New one?

http://www.multimedia2.drake.edu/f/knauer/macaroni/shook.jpg

[theFly]

Originally posted by Foocha
Pal is a small wireless device with a touch sensitive screen, which can remotely login to your desktop Mac. It is suitable for surfing the web on the move. When your Mac is out of range, Pal logs in to your .Mac account, to provide limited functionality - hence "forget syncing".

Could this be the "Communication Device" that was supposed to be released on April 28th?

Also, dumb question, I guess. But if you're Mac is out of range, what's the device use to log into your .Mac account?

theFly

[TMA]

Originally posted by kb9000
New one?

http://www.multimedia2.drake.edu/f/knauer/macaroni/shook.jpg

Heheh I am still not sure if the Pal pictures are fake or not, but yours is damn funny :D

[arn]

macrumors article updated.

arn

[BevvyB]

What about this old rumor from MacWhispers?

http://www.envestco2.com/macwhispers/archives/000041.php

[moosecat]

I'm now on the fake (or at least useless marketing mock-up) side. My evidence:

1. The pics are still up.
2. There is no evidence that Apple's lawyers had them removed from any site.
3. The pics are somewhat suspicious, given their odd composition, and, as kb9000 demonstrates, quite within the realm of possible fakery.
4. The utter lack of any track record for the site that broke the story. Why wouldn't an insider have sent it to MR or [ahem] another respected site? Perhaps whoever is responsible for this knew it would get posted on that site. Also, a quick Googling of the guy who runs the site (Byron Hinson) reveals that he is not part of the Mac community (his other site includes a CV that is all-Wintel all-the-time). So it is somewhat unlikely he would stumble across a scoop like this.
5. The fact that NONE of this rampant speculation has been corroborated, and it is all over the map.
6. This most recent idea -- the pseudo-tablet -- fits a little TOO well into the Macwhispers plastic enclosure rumor.

[MacManiac1224]

Does anybody see this? Look at this: http://www.mac.com/1/learningcenter/

Now, Pal is supposed to be this application that you can access your files from some remote location. Well, somebody says it could be a hardware device that does this to. Did anybody realize that this is light bulb, and that the logo for the Newton was a light bulb with some stuff in it. Look: http://www.theapplemuseum.com/images/products/pda.gif
I don't know exactly what this means, but maybe this logo ties into what Newton was, I don't know, I am just guessing, What do you guys think?

[macphisto]

If you compare any of Apples icons to this pal logo, it is obvious that it is fake. It is poorly designed and, rather tacky. It's just not up to Apple par.

Oh, and with Apple Remote Desktop (for LAN) and Timbuktu and VNC, why would you even need this?

[IndyGopher]

Originally posted by Foocha
It's an unfortunate name - in the UK it sounds like dog food - well I guess Steve Jobs is always saying they eat their own ;)

So APPLE should not name things after FOOD... I think I am missing your point...

[iWorks247]

http://www.pal.com

See!

anyone remember the sw issued by apple a while ago... IP over Firewire.

If this Pal is SW that can be installed on any Firewire device (iPod, IEEE HD, etc...)
it may incorporate this IP over IEEE to get on the internet from any computer...

Awesome!

my 2 cents

[IndyGopher]

All of these explanations about why it is clearly not real remind me of all the proof cited as to why the pictures of the Quicksilver case was fake, and the Cube was fake, and then the MDD case was fake...

I don't understand why people need to *know* something is real or not.. maybe it is, maybe it isn't.. you'll know soon enough... or maybe you won't. I always thought it was amusingly possible that a very real iWalk is sitting in Steve's sock drawer.. and he gets it out and plays with it every time some self-proclaimed expert tells the world how some leaked Apple photo is fake.

[kb9000]

Originally posted by iWorks247
http://www.pal.com

See!

anyone remember the sw issued by apple a while ago... IP over Firewire.

If this Pal is SW that can be installed on any Firewire device (iPod, IEEE HD, etc...)
it may incorporate this IP over IEEE to get on the internet from any computer...

Awesome!

my 2 cents


IEEE 1284?

[arn]

Originally posted by IndyGopher
All of these explanations about why it is clearly not real remind me of all the proof cited as to why the pictures of the Quicksilver case was fake, and the Cube was fake, and then the MDD case was fake...


I agree. Too many people claim to be photoshop experts.

Common thread between the Cube and Quicksilver cases...

both pulled at the request of Apple. :)

arn

[silvergunuk]

According to this source it seems to be some sort or tablet that lets you connect to the internet while your on the move and gets access to your imac account and lets you also communicate with your computer..genius..complete with pen.

http://www.toptechtips.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=457

[sprescott1974]

Originally posted by silvergunuk
According to this source it seems to be some sort or tablet that lets you connect to the internet while your on the move and gets access to your imac account and lets you also communicate with your computer..genius..complete with pen.

http://www.toptechtips.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=457


yeah that quote came from these boards actually, read back a couple of pages. my number one curiosity about this rumor is how many times it will jump between page 1 and page 2...snark!

i tease because i care. love you arn

[Xcyridus]

Originally posted by pcp_ip
also odd, none of the current software boxes have aqua based art work- they're all stock art-ish

Yes, exactly. That and the fact that this logo is just too large and plain. When compared to the Safari, 10.1, iLife, FCP, or FCE logos, it seems to have significantly less detail than the others. It doesn't seem like Apple to me unless they've just grown accustomed to loving hot-air balloons, which I doubt.

In any case, whoever made these images did a pretty good job... but didn't suceed in convincing everyone, like me for instance.

Think about it, would Apple use something that looks like a simple, aquafied hot air balloon-like lightbulb for one of their product logos?


I should hope not.

[funkywhat2]

Here's what I say:

"Pal", if real, is a hardware device. FireWire based, syncs with the machine automatically. The .Mac service allows for remote syuncing, over the internet. If you have a document you need, and have your Pal on you, then you plug it in and fire up the software, dragging and dropping it onto the Pal. If you don't have the Pal, but it is pulgged into your Mac, you can remotely access the Pal over the internet and drag and drop again. Basically, I see it as an internet server system, a personal iDisk, with a nice interface. No need to double click, and choose the server, and then mount and authenticate. It would be based on your .Mac username, so there would be no need to know an IP address to connect.

[moosecat]

Purely as a matter of graphic design, I think this logo is pretty impressive. It can be a lightbulb, a hot-air balloon, or an exclamation point.

I agree that this logo is quite different from many other Apple software packages (though not too different from the .mac box). But if they did decide to go with a stylized icon-type logo, they could do worse than this one.

[Sayer]

This rumor has dropped off the front page of MacRumors.com to the Page Two section and now its not anywhere on the main site.

So much for a RUMORS site posting something that could be as fake as a PowerBook with a 970 PowerPC processor coming next week. And instead we got product announcements that are on every other Mac media outlet.

I'd leave the photos up and if Apple smacks 'em down then they are real. Of course that would make SENSE for a rumors site and not a site someone is trying make appear more mainstream to generate more ad revenues (yes I took that damn survey).

[sprescott1974]

Originally posted by Sayer
This rumor has dropped off the front page of MacRumors.com to the Page Two section and now its not anywhere on the main site.

So much for a RUMORS site posting something that could be as fake as a PowerBook with a 970 PowerPC processor coming next week. And instead we got product announcements that are on every other Mac media outlet.

I'd leave the photos up and if Apple smacks 'em down then they are real. Of course that would make SENSE for a rumors site and not a site someone is trying make appear more mainstream to generate more ad revenues (yes I took that damn survey).

a bit harsh considering the rumor is still on the main page. not too mention that arn's track record speaks for itself (12" & 17" powerbooks anyone). i think page 2 is a great service and since it's inception i am so much more confident in the validity of the main page rumors as being closer to fact then any other site out there.

[laukev7]

Did anyone notice that the copyright symbol looks rather blurry? In fact, it doesn't even look like a symbol at all; it looks more like a grey blotch to me. It should more detailled than that at that resolution. And why is there a copyright symbol next to the logo in the first place? Are there copyright symbols next to logos on other Apple boxes?

[MasonMcD]

How about, the box is an iPod or iPod-like device (as Jobs says the iPod is Apple's answer to a PDA), in the Pal box that has a flap with the little velcro circle like the X public beta had which had some of the information from the pictures on the inside flap (why the pics were closeups in some shots - to obscure the nature and dimensions of the box, and therefore, the product).

Pal is a device that only works with 10.3, because one of 10.3's features is support for roaming profiles, not necessarily NetBoot, though that is supported as well, and Apple has built a product that allows people to mount their "home" directory off of anyone's mac that is running 10.3, even without rebooting, internet access, or an enterprise-focused roaming profile setup. Or even without wires, as it's also AirPort extreme capable. So you can lay this small brick-thing beside a new mac (which most are airport enabled) and have your home directory pop up in the finder.

[arn]

Originally posted by sprescott1974
a bit harsh considering the rumor is still on the main page. not too mention that arn's track record speaks for itself (12" & 17" powerbooks anyone). i think page 2 is a great service and since it's inception i am so much more confident in the validity of the main page rumors as being closer to fact then any other site out there.

er... I think it's fake. :)

as for the mainsite/page2. I oscillated on it... and decided to leave it on the main site. And either decision was not to make the site seem more mainstream (whatever that might mean) -- but I've found people put a lot of faith into rumor postings... (as evidenced by the post above feeling the rumor is more valid since it's on the main site).

arn

[Awimoway]

I could go either way on this story:

Pro
If this was a hoax, wouldn't they have concocted a story to go along with the pictures? This has the mark of truth in the way that the source seems to know no more than we do and is not dabbling in a lot of rank speculation.

Con
I thought Jobs made it clear last week at that high-dollar conference that there would be no digital lifestyle devices except the audio iPod. I went back and skimmed his remarks, and there is wiggle room, but not a lot. (Actually, this is only a con if Pal is a hardware device, like some kind of portable browser.)

[davei]

It's an add-on for an iPod containing an airport card & cell capability that allows you to connect from anywhere. Box has the software which has IP over Firewire, allowing you to carry your entire home directory anywhere.

[cubist]

It's funny how a vague rumor holds up a mirror to what we want. The mini-tablet people see mini-tablets in any rumor that comes out. Bryce 6 being cancelled? It's because the software needed substantial rework for the mini-tablet. The holdup of the 15" powerbook? It's because of a special interface for the mini-tablet. Mammals.org? It's because the mini-tablet is named the Wombat. (Oh, is that a marsupial? Er... aren't marsupials mammals? I don't know either)

(Ahem) The real reason for the Pal software is to sync with the Apple-branded cell phone, the iPhone! :D

[damson34]

the coming soon: Anywhere Access is probably pointing to the features such as syncing your address book and bookmarks.

[Flynnstone]

Could it be ...

I can only hope ;)

[pozytron]

One quick thing I noticed (for what it's worth): Most boxes of software that Apple releases (all?) have the logo on the side, along with the text, but also a picture. Most of the time the picture is a scaled down version of the picture on the front of the box. The "Pal" box doesn't have this.

I'm leaning toward fake because:
[list=a]
The box could easily be created entirely in Photoshop (or printed and then photographed to look more realistic).
Why is it called Pal?
What the hell does it do? Everybody has different opinions... You could easily use NetInfo and VNC to do the same thing as some of the ideas posted, and the hardware idea is too bizarre to make any sense to me.
[/list=a]

A cool idea I thought of whilst reading about "Pal" was very similar to most hardware things listed. A WiFi device which can do only one thing: VNC/Remote Desktop. It would be a very cheap tablet which is small and uses Inkwell to emulate your Mac. Outside of the range of your Airport? Um, I guess it could run the Palm OS or something. More fun than useful--just a thought.

[sXe]

photos are back on spymac, just so you all know.

[Wardofsky]

I can't remember the last time when something like this was leaked so clearly and in-depth from a 3rd party (ie. Not released through Apple's site(s).

[woodsey]

Originally posted by soosy
On my OS X Jaguar box there is no trademark symbol on the box front/back... the trademark text is on the bottom flap.

The first pic could be of store handout and that's why it is the only one with trademark symbol?


100% Agree

[e-coli]

Originally posted by pcp_ip
so then possibly it's something like soybo (http://www.soybo.com)

Wow...that looks great.

Has anyone used Soybo?

How does it work? What apps run?

[aafuss1]

Sounds alot alike MS Smart displays-do you hink it'll be in a similar fashion in operation to that?

[Wardofsky]

In terms of reliability, I don't normally trust websites the put in irrelavent keywords.

This is usually seen on pornographic sites.

[tjwett]

I believe this to be real and the only other rumors I've ever believed were:

Ebay motherboard, legit
Mirror Door photo, legit
and now, Pal.

I know it's easy to fake a box but these do not look like fakes to me. And I think the logo is brilliant BTW, atleast from a commercial design standpoint. I already want one, I don't care what it does:)

[nichrome]

Irrelevant keywords? It's a tech site, so those keywords seem fairly relevant to me.

[Wardofsky]

Originally posted by nichrome
Irrelevant keywords? It's a tech site, so those keywords seem fairly relevant to me.

Wel sure, but along the lines of "MP3" and "Free Software" to get people who search for that.

I'd prefer a website to it's quality other than what comes up on search results.

[GregA]

Originally posted by cubist
I don't like the idea of my home directory being on a server. I've used this kind of thing in the Windows environment at several places, sometimes with the home directory being on a central server, sometimes with copy-on-login; and in every case it's slow and buggy.

We all know the pain of iPhoto's creating thumbnails on the fly. It's directory is in the user home directory. How long will it take to open iPhoto if the home directory is on a server? Answer: You'll be able to time it with a wall calendar. I know chances are this is fake... but anyway...

I'm wondering if this is related to iTunes music sharing. Is this the same sharing concept, extended (and with login security etc)? Log on at work and get your home directory... (It would also re-enable iTunes music sharing). Your computers could find each other via .Mac.

I would think that a local cache may also be entirely possible. No "syncing" as such is required for a cache. It also wouldn't have to use it - maybe if you access it from another Mac it would cache, otherwise not.

The natural follow on question seems to be could you take over your home mac from the same system, or better yet run one application from your home system remotely at work (or wherever).

[Foocha]

The line "This is not a box, and this is not the Pal packaging - it's instore POS" was originally from my post, not TechTips

I think the Desktop Companion device is the only rumor which fits the photos.

Other ideas don't match up:

.Mac service Not necessarily wireless, doesn't "illuminate" the internet

iPod software doesn't mean an end to syncing, not wireless, doesn't "illuminate" the internet

USB Flash Disk not wireless, doesn't "illuminate" the internet, doesn't mean an end to syncing

Other Firewire device not wireless, doesn't mean an end to syncing

I read the transcript of the Steve Jobs "All Things Digital" interview with interest. It's true that SJ has ruled out a Tablet, a Mobile phone, a PDA and a Video iPod. He did not rule out any further portable devices. In addition, he pointedly stated that people did not want to watch video on an iPod because the screen was too small. None of this indicates that a remote log-in device with a screen larger than an iPod is out of the question. Indeed, many other rumors have indicated just such a device.

Another rumor which supports the idea of this device is that Panther client will supposedly support multiple graphical logins - why would the client OS need this otherwise?

A remote login device could also be a big hit in the classroom - one XServe and 30 low cost Pals (cheaper than a Mac because they're just thin clients) get the whole class connected, with lower support costs because the kids can't delete their system folder!

Regarding connectivity when out of desktop range, I envisage that Pal could access the Internet using Bluetooth and GPRS, or WIFI when you're in a hotspot.

I was just speculating in my last posting. When I said "don't ask me how I know..." with a wink, it meant don't take this too seriously.

If the images are a hoax, I say bravo to whoever made them - they certainly gave us a lot to think about and some fun. Mac Rumors would be a less interesting place without this sort of thing!

[RandomDeadHead]

FAKE

[Wardofsky]

Originally posted by RandomDeadHead
FAKE

You might want to expand on that, most people only settle for an explanation.

[whooleytoo]

Originally posted by pcp_ip
the OSX box is jaguar fur'ed


So, the 10.3 boxes should be Panther fur'ed?

Can't wait to have the gleaming black (faux) Panther fur desktop image! :)

Mike.

[pcp_ip]

So what happened to the toptechtips (http://www.toptechtips.net) site? They seem to have been removed from their host's (http://www.powweb.com/) server.

Garrenteed apple has not contacted them to remove the images.

My bet: They ran out of bandwidth for the month.

[Rocketman]

Originally posted by Macrumors
TopTechTips (http://www.toptechtips.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=457) posts a story about "a new piece of Apple software/hardware called 'Pal'". TopTechTips was sent screenshots as well as a box shot, which remains on the site.



ed. note: Still trying to gather details... it seems some are speculating it may be hardware, or simply a .Mac service (http://www.mac.com/1/learningcenter/).

You used to be able to put a floppy disc in whatever mac you were working on and it would use your preferences from that disc. I have not tried to use that feature lately and suspect preferences and settings are far too cmplicated for the same thing using the same method to work now. But it did work well inder IIRC system 4.2-6.

Rocketman

[byron_hinson]

Originally posted by pcp_ip
So what happened to the toptechtips (http://www.toptechtips.net) site? They seem to have been removed from their host's (http://www.powweb.com/) server.

My bet: They ran out of bandwidth for the month.

Yeah we did, no surprise there, now searching for new hosts, never had this problem when I was at ActiveWin.com!!

[tazo]

Originally posted by byron_hinson
Yeah we did, no surprise there, now searching for new hosts, never had this problem when I was at ActiveWin.com!!

we?

[macnews]

If Apple was smart they would create a "disinformation" division. Then when they wanted to release a new product (say some hardware) they could leak a rumor about some new other product (like new software). Then Steve could sit back and just enjoy messing with our minds and laughing as the mac faithful burns up bandwidth on various websites.

[byron_hinson]

Originally posted by tazo
we?

Yeah - We?

[Mudbug]

Originally posted by byron_hinson
Yeah - We?

Ok - what? Are you the owner/responsible party for this site? If so, shouldn't you know something about this? If it were mine, I wouldn't want to pay for extra bandwidth just to give the folks at MacRumors something to read - we've already got that.

So, if so, what do you know? And no BS - we can come up with that part on our own. :D

[byron_hinson]

Originally posted by Mudbug
Ok - what? Are you the owner/responsible party for this site? If so, shouldn't you know something about this? If it were mine, I wouldn't want to pay for extra bandwidth just to give the folks at MacRumors something to read - we've already got that.

So, if so, what do you know? And no BS - we can come up with that part on our own. :D

Well contrary to what some people have said here, we didn't create it (if we did you would think we would have some fantastic graphics on our site when you compare it to the green lightbulb). We didn't post it just to get hits either - as I didn't expect over 25,000 reads for one story that, as we posted, was just a rumour. Also if we posted it just for hits, you would think we would have been organised enough to get the site ready to take on the bandwidth, but we didn't and we're now without a host!!!

As for the images, they were sent in to me late Monday night, I only got one at first, then the rest...it came from the same person who gave me the exclusive info about 10.2.6 being seeded and all the details on what the patch would contain. So obviously from my stand point it was believable then.

He said they were temporary flyers you will see in stores when its announced, he said there was a mock up of a box design that hadn''t been finalised yet...the shots to me look professional, although to me they did look slightly unfinished, but if my source was right, he did say they were mock up designs.

He then went on to describe what WE first said "Pal" was likely to be, an on-the-internet service, but he didn't go any further than that.

A few other points, as someone said that because my CV had Windows all over it that means i wouldn't have Apple sources, believe me I would, I've had sources from all over for about 6 years since I started the ActiveWin.com website (that I left last month), we've been in New York Times, etc etc thanks to our sources from Microsoft, and I'm now trying to build up Apple ones in the same way, don't judge a 3 year old CV for what I hope to find out as I only got a Mac 2 months ago and love it!

[jcroft]

Originally posted by byron_hinson
Well contrary to what some people have said here, we didn't create it (if we did you would think we would have some fantastic graphics on our site when you compare it to the green lightbulb). We didn't post it just to get hits either - as I didn't expect over 25,000 reads for one story that, as we posted, was just a rumour. Also if we posted it just for hits, you would think we would have been organised enough to get the site ready to take on the bandwidth, but we didn't and we're now without a host!!!

As for the images, they were sent in to me late Monday night, I only got one at first, then the rest...it came from the same person who gave me the exclusive info about 10.2.6 being seeded and all the details on what the patch would contain. So obviously from my stand point it was believable then.

He said they were temporary flyers you will see in stores when its announced, he said there was a mock up of a box design that hadn''t been finalised yet...the shots to me look professional, although to me they did look slightly unfinished, but if my source was right, he did say they were mock up designs.

He then went on to describe what WE first said "Pal" was likely to be, an on-the-internet service, but he didn't go any further than that.

A few other points, as someone said that because my CV had Windows all over it that means i wouldn't have Apple sources, believe me I would, I've had sources from all over for about 6 years since I started the ActiveWin.com website (that I left last month), we've been in New York Times, etc etc thanks to our sources from Microsoft, and I'm now trying to build up Apple ones in the same way, don't judge a 3 year old CV for what I hope to find out as I only got a Mac 2 months ago and love it!

You shoulda kept you mouth shut, man. I was leaning towards this being real until you showed up here.

[byron_hinson]

Originally posted by jcroft
You shoulda kept you mouth shut, man. I was leaning towards this being real until you showed up here.

Why wouldn't I show up? I've read this site since I got a mac?

[jcroft]

Originally posted by byron_hinson
Why wouldn't I show up? I've read this site since I got a mac?

My point doesn't look so good sailing right ove your head.

The point was that your post didn't exactly make you sound like an industry insider.

[Foocha]

Some guys on this messageboard can be extremely unwelcoming!

Welcome aboard byron_hinson and thanks for giving us so much to think about.

It's especially good to hear that you're a happy switcher.

[byron_hinson]

Originally posted by jcroft
My point doesn't look so good sailing right ove your head.

The point was that your post didn't exactly make you sound like an industry insider.

Lucky then, as I've never pretended to be.

[jcroft]

Originally posted by Foocha
Some guys on this messageboard can be extremely unwelcoming!

Welcome aboard byron_hinson and thanks for giving us so much to think about.

It's especially good to hear that you're a happy switcher.

Sorry. I really wasn't trying to be unwelcoming. Just honest. Perhaps my impression was wrong, but my initial impression wasn't that this was a guy who is privy to lots of imformation that the rest of us aren't.

[terceiro]

Brian,

Welcome. Thanks for shedding some light on the subject.

[jcroft]

Originally posted by byron_hinson
Lucky then, as I've never pretended to be.

Perhaps our definitions of "industry insider" don't jive. You run a rumors site and claim to have sources sending you "inside" information. To me, that makes you an industry insider.

[byron_hinson]

Originally posted by jcroft
Perhaps our definitions of "industry insider" don't jive. You run a rumors site and claim to have sources sending you "inside" information. To me, that makes you an industry insider.

Then yeah probably they do differ as my view of an "industry insider" is the person who gets the information, I'm just a reciever...I don't pretend to have loads of Apple insiders, one or two who filter stuff through now and then, but 95% of my information is Microsoft leaks as thats what I dealt with for 6 years on ActiveWin.com

[byron_hinson]

Originally posted by Foocha
Some guys on this messageboard can be extremely unwelcoming!

Welcome aboard byron_hinson and thanks for giving us so much to think about.

It's especially good to hear that you're a happy switcher.

Ahhh its no problem to me, I've been used to it for a while from various crowds! As for the switching, believe me, comments like this are nothing compared to what I got from the top Windows site i worked on when they found out I was fed up with Windows news and prefered to use a Mac.

[jcroft]

Originally posted by byron_hinson
Then yeah probably they do differ as my view of an "industry insider" is the person who gets the information, I'm just a reciever...I don't pretend to have loads of Apple insiders, one or two who filter stuff through now and then, but 95% of my information is Microsoft leaks as thats what I dealt with for 6 years on ActiveWin.com

Fair enough. I'm sure you're a great guy, and I don't doubt that you have people sending you info. My concern with rumor sites is always the ability of those running them to filter the info they get. I don't think you're trying to dupe anyone -- I just wonder if someone isn't duping you (and indirectly, all of us).

Of course, there's no way to know for sure, and that's what they're called RUMORS anyway.

I guess I just figured that if someone truly had some inside info and was being threatened by Apple Legal, they would lay low and not run around posting on heavily populated message boards under what appears to be their real name. I could certainly be wrong, though.

[byron_hinson]

Originally posted by jcroft
I guess I just figured that if someone truly had some inside info and was being threatened by Apple Legal, they would lay low and not run around posting on heavily populated message boards under what appears to be their real name. I could certainly be wrong, though.

I'm not sure about the Legal stuff from Apple, but anything legal from Microsoft used to have to come directly by letter to me if I was to remove anything, and that takes longer being in the UK, but who knows, if its real then great, if not then it was a great fake and I'd love to have that damn logo.

[pcp_ip]

Byron- my $0.02 when you get your new host:

Next time post hot-rumor images on a static page. mac rumor mongers are rabid. the 4 links i've posted to your images resulted in 430.6 MB being transfered from my server last night, and it's still going nuts today. You don't want all of those hits having to connect to mysql on a shared virtual host.

Has anyone received any insight from the spymac user that originally posted these images? Did byron have them first or did the other guy? If the other guy had them first, what's his story?

[Raiwong]

personally to me even if this rumor was true it doesn't sounds like an interesting function, I have a ibook laptop, but it suggests that this one only works between macs hence I have a PC , can't afford an imac or powermac ( not worth it anyway ), also I am not really excited...about having my dock and documents everywhere I go I can just use a USB keychain or my ibook.

If movies and hardisks, videos can be accessed on a tablet device..thats a different story.

[PaisanoMan]

Originally posted by macphisto
If you compare any of Apples icons to this pal logo, it is obvious that it is fake. It is poorly designed and, rather tacky. It's just not up to Apple par.

I agree. The "box shot" looks like an edited image taken from Apple PR with a Photoshop lighting effects filter applied to it.

The kerning on some of the large typography is also noticeably wider than what I remember from Apple's other designs.

The close-up of the green question mark shows how its shading doesn't really match the (famous) Apple-made orange dots.

I'll say someone's having a good laugh with this one.

[tjwett]

:D I love how everyone suddenly becomes a Photoshop expert when a pic like this pops up. These are the same people that were saying the MDD PowerMac photos looked fake. You guys should all be working for the CIA or something with those razor sharp eyes of yours, or atleast rolling in bucks as graphic designers or photo retouchers. Let's see one of you make an original similar item from your own source material. Didn't think so.

[Scifience]

Here is proof:

http://www.apple.com/es/isync/

Have you seen anything like the one image? It was on the US site before, but now it is gone.

Picture attached:

[tjwett]

Originally posted by Scifience
Here is proof:

http://www.apple.com/es/isync/

Have you seen anything like the one image? It was on the US site before, but now it is gone.

Picture attached:

I noticed that the other day. I wasn't sure what to make of it. It has something to do with syncing your Bookmarks but I haven't seen that window before.

[Scifience]

I think it is Pal.

[Mudbug]

Originally posted by tjwett
:D I love how everyone suddenly becomes a Photoshop expert when a pic like this pops up. These are the same people that were saying the MDD PowerMac photos looked fake. You guys should all be working for the CIA or something with those razor sharp eyes of yours, or atleast rolling in bucks as graphic designers or photo retouchers. Let's see one of you make an original similar item from your own source material. Didn't think so.

well I know this is rough and the wrong color, but you get the idea, and I'm not trying to fool anyone. Here's what about 5 minutes of art time will buy you.

[jcroft]

Originally posted by Mudbug
well I know this is rough and the wrong color, but you get the idea, and I'm not trying to fool anyone. Here's what about 5 minutes of art time will buy you.

If that's five minutes of art time, then whomever made the Pal maketting materials spent a good 10 or 12 days.

Jeff

[tjwett]

Originally posted by Mudbug
well I know this is rough and the wrong color, but you get the idea, and I'm not trying to fool anyone. Here's what about 5 minutes of art time will buy you.

not trying to crap on your work but i think you've helped my point. the green logo on the Pal box thing is obviously a quality 3D render (maybe done with Maya like the Jag box) or a highly detailed and skillfully made Photoshop piece. not to mention the actual box, which even though has been said to just be a mockup, is still a very good example of quality package design. whoever made this knows what they are doing, has access to Apple's packaging grid and template, and took the time and money to have atleast one of these boxes printed up. if it were simply a matter of clever Photoshopping there would be atleast one giveaway, flaw, smudged pixel, etc and there isn't any of that.

[Mudbug]

my point is that with a little time and effort (neither of which I took earlier - I was at work), you can do this without Maya or Lightwave or a 3d renderer. Maybe now that I have no deadlines overhead I might take a stab at recreation - I'll take some screenshots along the way to show the steps, if anyone's interested.

<edit> Then again, I'm losing interest in this, and don't really care anymore. I think they're fake anyway. Maybe if I get interested again I'll do it, but for now... meh. Playing with my kids seems more important right now.</edit>

[tjwett]

Originally posted by Mudbug
my point is that with a little time and effort (neither of which I took earlier - I was at work), you can do this without Maya or Lightwave or a 3d renderer. Maybe now that I have no deadlines overhead I might take a stab at recreation - I'll take some screenshots along the way to show the steps, if anyone's interested.

<edit> Then again, I'm losing interest in this, and don't really care anymore. I think they're fake anyway. Maybe if I get interested again I'll do it, but for now... meh. Playing with my kids seems more important right now.</edit>

right. well i wouldn't expect anyone to actually do it. and i wasn't asking for someone to simply attempt at creating a nice logo. i meant for someone to try and create something like the picture; an actual physical package with graphics printed on, or atleast looking so. i wouldn't spend hours working on it, then spend my own money on getting an actual box manufactured. i don't think anyone would. that's exactly why i think it's real. whether or not this is a box for an actual product, i don't know. but i think it's pretty obvious that this is indeed an actual physical tangible object and not a photoshop job. this is no doubt a real picture of a real package with real graphics really printed on it. really. i don't see how anyone could even think otherwise. someone please point out an element of the picture that smells of Photoshop. i can't find a single questionable piece in any of the images.

[Foocha]

The lightbulb image in the photos is very sophisticated - right down to the refractions of light playing on the white background. I think it would be very difficult to achieve without a 3D software package. If it's done by hand, then it's been done by a professional illustrator.

If this is not a real product, then I agree with the earlier posts suggesting that it was a concept developed by/for Apple but discarded, or a very talented art student's project - if he/she exists and is in the UK, I'll find them a job!

[Kitschy]

Originally posted by Scifience
Here is proof:

http://www.apple.com/es/isync/

Have you seen anything like the one image? It was on the US site before, but now it is gone.

Picture attached:

Hm, that's interesting...

Byron, what else can you tell us about your source, the email s/he sent you, why some of the images are chopped off... anything?

Thanks

[moosecat]

Originally posted by Scifience
Here is proof:

http://www.apple.com/es/isync/

Have you seen anything like the one image? It was on the US site before, but now it is gone.

Picture attached:

This is the most interesting piece of actual evidence I've seen yet... And it's especially interesting that it was on the US site, but has now been replaced by a picture of Safari.

If this picture depicts something that's already out there, surely someone knows what it is. Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

[FlamDrag]

Again, ignoring the fake / real aspect of it...

Someone explain to me why in the world they think that this is such great design? Sure maybe this person has some photoshop skills or a 3D program but that doesn't mean it's good design.

What's more THEY DIDN'T DESIGN IT! They didn't develop the grid, they simply attempted to copy Apple's style. So I ask again, where's the design? :confused:

The green light bulb isn't anything to write home about either. The curves are a bit clunky and the bottom 1/4 is in serious need of work.

I'm not saying it's not a quick draft out of Apple's design team. It may very well be. but if it's a fake - why give undue credit?

Someone has to say the emperor isn't wearing any clothes.

-

on the topic of fake/real - I'm inclined to think that the 'coming soon' part on mac.com is going to be titled exactly what it is titled there. "Access Anywhere" or something to that effect. All of the other items have their titles in the heading format. So even if it is real - I don't think that the coming soon bit is this Pal product.

[ouketii]

this PAL thing... lots of speculation... maybe apple is finally going to step up voice recognition and other ui enhancements.

[JOHNGAETANO]

Isn't Pal the European TV standard?

[theFly]

Originally posted by JOHNGAETANO
Isn't Pal the European TV standard?

Yep.

Maybe Apple is coming out with a TV set for Europe only. Then us American's can complain that Apple never supports us. :)

theFly

[tjwett]

Originally posted by JOHNGAETANO
Isn't Pal the European TV standard?

It is indeed, although I guarantee it's got nothing to do with this. As an aside, I'm really shocked and annoyed by this thread. This is the first really impressive rumor we've had all year and no one is even entertaining the idea that it could be possibly for real. Everyone wets their pants over poorly translated French rumors that have virtually no substance at all, yet we actually get some serious looking photographs and info and everyone just blows it off like it's a joke. I don't get it! Arrggghhh:mad:

[Ouroboros]

I think it is amusing to prove the validity of something being real or false on how easy it is to fake/make. This is like saying that the harder a piece of music is to play, the better it is. The fact that someone can copy the shape of the logo means nothing. I can trace the apple logo in about 10 minutes in illustrator, does this mean that it isn't a good logo? Maybe logos are meant to be simple and easily recognizable. This also reminds me of how a skeptic will debunk something simply because they can think of one way of faking it.

In an age where we have photoshop, it is getting harder and harder to know if something is "real" or not. Who knows, maybe there is a real UFO on some piece of film that some expert has said was patently false! Remember those damn mirror door G4 shots?! Everyone went on and on about how fake they were, giving all these damn reasons. In the end, all the sane and valid arguments were total BS. The truth is that we really don't know till it does or doesn't come out. Anyway my main point with all this is that I think its wrong to assume that something has to be fake simply because it is easy to do so.

[Raiwong]

That is a very good point...

[cmagnani]

I've been looking around at all the rumors surrounding Pal, and have come to the conclusion that it is indeed a fake.

I feel I've sufficiently debunked this rumor... I did a bit of a write-up on my web site. http://www.chrismagnani.com/opinion/think/pal/

[uburoibob]

Originally posted by cmagnani
I've been looking around at all the rumors surrounding Pal, and have come to the conclusion that it is indeed a fake.

I feel I've sufficiently debunked this rumor... I did a bit of a write-up on my web site. http://www.chrismagnani.com/opinion/think/pal/

Nice job, but I think that there is some pretty faulty logic on your part. The thing with the box being the same shot as the iLife box, but wiped clean - they are not exactly from the same angle, so he did not start with the iLife box.

Your observations on type are not acurate. The contrast of the grey type is just about exactly right.

With respect to the cropping of the 4 "photos" - I think that this doesn't mean anything either way - fake or real.

I think that if you are going to provide empirical evidence, then it's going to be tough to draw such confident conclusions - as you have...

[cmagnani]

Originally posted by uburoibob
Nice job, but I think that there is some pretty faulty logic on your part. The thing with the box being the same shot as the iLife box, but wiped clean - they are not exactly from the same angle, so he did not start with the iLife box.

Your observations on type are not acurate. The contrast of the grey type is just about exactly right.

With respect to the cropping of the 4 "photos" - I think that this doesn't mean anything either way - fake or real.

I think that if you are going to provide empirical evidence, then it's going to be tough to draw such confident conclusions - as you have...


Thanks for the compliment. While I might have been wrong about the exact box shot the person used, it is hard evidence that the person who created the 4 graphics did use an Apple photo of a product box.

I have to admit, at the moment I don't have any actual product boxes I can look at to prove or disprove whether they have the same color scheme for the typefaces as shown in the 4 photos. I stand by my observations &amp; conclusions, however.

I never claimed to be providing empirical evidence. What I wrote was that I "have come to the conclusion that it is indeed a fake" and "I feel I've sufficiently debunked this rumor." I am still 100% confident this is a complete hoax, and I do not believe my logic is faulty.

The conclusions I came to were immediate, and I chose to write about them. Further thought (& digging) on the subject:
There are allegedly screenshots of this product that people have written about, yet absolutely nobody has posted these. alleged screenshots. I find it extremely difficult to believe that the same Mac Addicts out there which snagged the 4 alleged "photos" would not also snag something even cooler- pictures of the product in action. Yet none have actually surfaced. Why?

I also searched for the actual logo at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office web site (http://www.uspto.gov/), specifically in combinations of the word "Apple", "Pal", and "13.01.13"*, but did not find the logo anywhere.

I challenge you to do your own research to either dispute my claims, or to further support them. Until I have been absolutely disproved (which I wholeheartedly believe I will not), I will stand by my claim this is a hoax.

*13.01.13 is a code in the Design Search Code Manual (http://www.uspto.gov/tmdb/dscm/index.html) for logos which incorporate "Electric lightbulbs, flashbulbs, (and) flourescent tubes" as a design element.

[pcp_ip]

there were never any "screen shots". that was a misnomer from the original site. the four (fake) product shots were refered to as "screen shots".

If any of this had been real, apple lawyers would have shut it down on day one.

[uburoibob]

Originally posted by cmagnani
Thanks for the compliment. While I might have been wrong about the exact box shot the person used, it is hard evidence that the person who created the 4 graphics did use an Apple photo of a product box.


I never claimed to be providing empirical evidence.

FWIW, I don't dispute your conclusion - I think that it's a fake as well. I just think that some of the assumptions you made about the design, etc are wrong, and as such, don't support your claim.

I think that the bulb represents more than a logo - indeed, I think that it is being used as visual metaphor for the "product". Thus, it is shown being used with Airport.

And, perhaps these photos were taken from press sheets before they were laminated to the board.

There are a bunch of variables that have equal weight to your conclusions.

That's all I am saying. What you have stated is the equivalent of declaring that because something is green, it must be a watermelon...

[andyduncan]

Originally posted by tjwett
and took the time and money to have atleast one of these boxes printed up.

I'd be willing to bet a nice steak dinner that even Apple, with easy access to their own product boxes, uses CG renders of their boxes in marketing materials. I've seen a lot of absolutely excellent printing and bindery work, but the "pictures" of boxes that apple uses are far to cleanly printed/converted (folded) to be real, physical paper creations.
Why spend the time (money) to take a picture of something like a printed box that is going to have weird glare and moire problems, imperfect edges, etc, when you have a perfect digital copy of it available? It just looks better left digital.

[GeneR]

Sounds like this "Pal" thing is a P2P filesharing service that is wireless and which allows mac users to share files with each other.

Sort of like greenlighting a new form of gnutella, but like the Apple Music Store, making it a legit service.

IMHO. :D

(edit:)

On the otherhand, maybe this Pal thing is a low cost solution people to become their own domain host? Since high speed internet is becoming more prevalent, I would think more people would be setting up their own dedicated computers at home to host their own domains. Maybe Pal is a quick and easy way to create your own domain host so you don't have to keep paying for hosting solutions? I dunno. Just rambling...

[TheYeti]

Ultra wide band varies from all other spectrum devices that we have available for public use. The main civilian spectrum which is unlicensed is 49mhz, 900mhz, 2.4gz, 5.7, and 5.8 gz these are all minute slices of spectrum, whose power output is up to about a watt. At a watt, if no one else is using the spectrum, it is not inconceivable to get a mile. The problem comes with high density. every 30-90 feet in a city there is a 2.4gz device. You can't hear from the bedroom to the kitchen, because all of your neighbors are broadcasting very loudly on the same spectrum.

This is where ultra wide band comes in. The ultra wide band specification is written such that signal can not be differentiated from background radiation at 30 feet. The power output is extremely low, but for that reason, the signal clarity at short distances is very high. The maximum range is expected to be about 4 feet.

This would be for instance far enough to reach from your ipod to your computer, and from your computer to the hard drives stacked on top of it. But it may not be far enough to reach from your computer to your monitor, and definitely not far enough for a wireless monitor that you could take across the room.

The anticipated initial use of this is from your dvd player, to your vcr, to your receiver, to your tape deck, and if it was sitting on top of the stack, your TV, but that maybe too far away.

-Michael M