Backstage Pass

[MacRumors]

It's like a backstage pass to the future.

On Apple.com

[Edited by Macrumors on 01-03-2002 at 02:58 AM]

[dricci]

This is telling us something now. We need to think BEYOND speed bumps and LCDs and PDAs. A backstage pass to the future. What type of future product could Apple have? It's something we've never seen before, probably. I'm clueless.

[samy85114]

that's a marketing trick and it works!!!!!!!
we are so excited by their countdown!

[sweetaction]

aheheah how cheesy, I am stoked, but thought we would see somethign more cryptic. oh well.

[Jens]

This is getting weirder and weirder. I've stopped guessing today.

/Jens

[buffsldr]

My 2cents....
I am guessing this is going to be something along the lines of BlueTooth (voice recognition software). Perhaps the computer will act as the hub and control various remotes to your current home electronics using an airport like station.


Hmmmm.

[macboy]

Notice how we are all too hyped over this... we stay up late to crash apple's site to see what the new comment is... What are we?? A bunch of monkies. We are almost excited as monkies over bananas.

[Yuk-Monkey]

Okay, so it would be really cool to have a "ticket" to the future right? So if you only had a ticket to the future you'd probably enounter a lot of cool stuff right? However with Apple we are aquiring even more "intense" version of the future as likened to a heightened level of experience afforded those who posses a backstage pass to a concert relative to those only having mere tickets?

I am now officially insane. It is 2:15 AM and I'm dissecting cryptic messages from a computer company. ARRGGH What is Apple doing to us????

[chewbaccapits]

Yuk-Monkey


"I am now officially insane. It is 2:15 AM and I'm dissecting cryptic messages from a computer company. ARRGGH What is Apple doing to us????"

Apple isn't doing anything to you, goober!...Why are you dissecting an advertisement in the first place?

[Crotalus]

All this anticipation and speculation is like gravy to me baby! Even if all Steve does is announce that a new line of Charmin toilet paper with the Apple logo quilted into it, I'll still say that I had fun with the hype-up. We are mac users. Damn near a cult by nature anyway. Do you think the PC folks start slobbering at the bit a week before Intel announces that they got another 100mhz outta the P4? NOPE! We are the folks that follow Steve Jobs like a guru if not a messiah. I used to be a PCer but left because I can't handle sudden and sustained spikes in my blood pressure, lol. I love my macs like no other inanimate object I have ever owned. I guess it just boils down to I love being a Mac user. All this hype-ep is part of that. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

[donshank]

MacWorld
3 Days Left
"It Leaps Tall Buildings in a Single Bound"

.......


MacWorld
2 Days Left
"It's Gold, It Has Elvish Writing, It Makes You Turn Invisible, Bill Gates Can See You When You Put It On"


.......


MacWorld
1 Day Left
"Nope, Not Anti-Gravity... But Close! Real Close!"


......



MacWorld
Today!
"Psych!!!!"

[BurntCalc]

A backstage pass to the future...

Is Apple trying to tone things down a bit? Whatever they're doing, it's very clever. This message isn't as inflammatory, but I bet they're just trying to reel us in a bit so that they can do it all over again!! heheheh

Well, I have my Apple stock secure. Gonna wait and see. My stock can only go up!! Woohoo!

[bug2k]

This is really making me go insane, what is this???
I'm really trying to earn my keep here, but I end up checking this site among others... Argh... I just can't wait anymore...

I'm just another pc admin... with a few mac's under my wings... Damn I'd like to see this word with only mac's. Windows is crap, 95, 98, 2000, xp... argh... they are all crap.

[latalian]

Think big. Real big. Like 100 GB removable storage with a 10GB/Sec bandwidth. Or a new type of cable, possibly an optical cable (hundreds times faster then firewire). Or a computer that uses light and optics instead of electricity to store and transport data. What about other companies. I've heard about Apple buying Avid, Motorola, and even IBM in these rumor sites.

What ever it is, it will change the world, as nearly every apple product has done.

Heh, how about this for a message from the apple site for tomarrow, steve: "Oh my god, my stock is skyrocketing"

-Latalian Caudilius

[GigaWire]

It's a computer controlled by your mind. Or vice versa.

[Crotalus]

All this anticipation and speculation is like gravy to me baby! Even if all Steve does is announce that a new line of Charmin toilet paper with the Apple logo quilted into it, I'll still say that I had fun with the hype-up. We are mac users. Damn near a cult by nature anyway. Do you think the PC folks start slobbering at the bit a week before Intel announces that they got another 100mhz outta the P4? NOPE! We are the folks that follow Steve Jobs like a guru if not a messiah. I used to be a PCer but left because I can't handle sudden and sustained spikes in my blood pressure, lol. I love my macs like no other inanimate object I have ever owned. I guess it just boils down to I love being a Mac user. All this hype-ep is part of that. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

[j763]

Originally posted by buffsldr
My 2cents....
I am guessing this is going to be something along the lines of BlueTooth (voice recognition software). Perhaps the computer will act as the hub and control various remotes to your current home electronics using an airport like station.


Hmmmm.

buffsldr,
Apple Computer is still not a member of the Bluetooth consortium (check http://www.bluetooth.com) . Also, Bluetooth is *not* voice recognition software. It is a technology used to communicate between devices, especially Internet connectivity. You can see this in the HBH10 + the T29m released by www.sonyericssonmobile.com. Bluetooth does compete with apple airport.

Just to clear that up.

I probably think that we'll see something at mwsf02 that no one has thought of before. Plus speedbumps and lcd etc. as well as a sony/apple initiative... <-only speculation



And the iWalk is definently a fake for these reasons: a) the design is horrible b)the look of the OS is very non-apple c)the name "iWalk" would never be chosen by apple for such a product and d)the product is so heavily overbranded unlike any other apple product.

[macboy]

there is an older article here about bluetooth from the last expo... I'll find it and bring it to the top...

[macboy]

ok i bumped it up... it is in the hardware section

[iwantanewmac]

Maybe they invented the time machine

[nahaliel]

They licesened HyperTransport from AMD didn't they? That's suppose to be really effing amazing... in conjunction with a new processor?

[Ensign Paris]

They might not be trying to tell us anything!

[T42inPARIS]

for on time we can lesson to Bill Gates : the thing he promises for the wintel plateform in 2 years will be ours in 4 days : a flat mac, only a screen whith typing possibility or natural writing whit a pen. no more cables, or mice. Just imagine a big PALM TI with a 15 or 17" color screen... airport and card bus connection on board

let's bet for something like that !

[Ensign Paris]

I would miss getting all the wires tangled about and not being able to do something cause I didn't or had lost the cable!

COME ON WIRELESS EVERYTHING!

Maybe not!

[marco114]

This last message from Apple has got me kinda down because it's much less agressive than previous posts.

"A backstage pass to the future" could really mean anything. I mean like anything coming out tommorrow would be the future, so how innovative is that really? But, the word Backstage Pass sounds a little more exciting because when you have one, you generally are a little more excited than just the other regular fans.

I dunno. I was expecting:

"No Jim, that's no even close."

So we'd have to go searching all the message boards to find what the hell they are referring to.

I think we need some hints now!

[marco114]

Macworld San Francisco 2002 may be the most surprising and exciting Macworld ever. We have some great things to show you, and you can see and hear about them first-hand by registering for the event online at http://www.macworld.com

This is a pivotal time in the computer industry. While most PC manufacturers have spent 2001 retrenching and restructuring, Apple has spent 2001 bringing innovative new products to market. The Titanium PowerBook G4. iBook. iPod. The industry's first SuperDrive. iDVD. iTunes. And, of course, Mac OS X.

[kenkooler]

They're just playing with us....
Someone in the apple team is laughing at us reading this....

[mmoore00]

Does anyone remember the hype in 1984 when the first Macintosh was released? Can anyone draw comparisons?

[atlascott]

They have purchased Majel Barret for her voice (the voice of the Enterprise computer) and the computer is completely voice-activated (you can still use the keyboard and mouse). Also, you can remotely communicate with the computer with a lapel pin that you tap to activate (Star Trek Next Gen. Communicator). Finally, the computer teleports you all over the place. That would change the world. Just better hope OSX is as stable as they say, or your molecules could be scattered across the galaxy!

Seriously, I am with the fella who said it almost doesn't matter what they release. The anticipation they are builidng puts M$ marketing to shame.

[markbyer]

Set the Way Back Machine to the late 80's, Sherman.

Anyone out there recall "Knowledge Navigator" and "Bowtie"?

[Hehe, this is fun ain't it?]

[Waldorf & Stadlter]

I think it's a time machine powered by the Newton OS

Or maybe a gyroscopically controlled, two wheeled Lisa

Maybe they finally came out with the LCD screen for the Apple IIc

[uponetoo]

I think Apple is describing the convention not their own products.
It says "Macworld" above each of their headlines.

[ptogel]

Future? Backstage?

If you have a backstage pass in a rock concert, you might not be able to touch anything. You are just a little bit closer to the real stars.....

So it might be something that does not ship for a while.... ;-)

Peter

[mstur]

Originally posted by T42inPARIS
for on time we can lesson to Bill Gates : the thing he promises for the wintel plateform in 2 years will be ours in 4 days : a flat mac, only a screen whith typing possibility or natural writing whit a pen. no more cables, or mice. Just imagine a big PALM TI with a 15 or 17" color screen... airport and card bus connection on board

let's bet for something like that !

Great idea! I agree that only something different, completely outside the current product range, could really "blow us away": A lightweight TabletMac with a 13" transflective TFT touchscreen which is visible indoors as well as outdoors, handwriting recognition, all software on FlashRAM, no HDD but an internal iPod dock as well as Airport connectivity, and, yes, a bluetooth mouse and keyboard...

Not too much to ask for if you read about Microsofts plan for a Windows XP TabletPC within this year.

[jayscheuerle]

Maybe they decided to support legacy ATI cards!!

[barefeats]

There will be "boo's" from the audience and another drop in stock price if Apple doesn't introduce something really awesome... such as...

1. A G5 that fits inside of a Studio or Cinema Display at the price of an iMac.

2. The "iTablet -- more than a PDA, less than a laptop" -- with handwriting recognition via touch screen and advanced voice recognition.

3. An announcement that OS X will be licensed to run on Pentium 4's and Dual Athlons.

[Maarten]

With ipod, apple has started to make a device that know s all about the application. They're just going to continue that...

[evil ernie]

Now I'm really worried. I just purchased a new G4 733, with a Zip Drive, 768 MB ram, etc...And it's probably going to be worth half the price I paid in just 4 days when they release a new 2GHZ machine or something!!! It's still in the box from Macwarehouse, do you think I should just not open it and send it back on Tuesday? I just got it today! Man, I should have done a little research first, I was just too excited to be getting a new machine. Damn you Apple, what are you doing to me?!!

[MarkMc]

I REALLY hope its going to be a robot butler. Either that or an Apple branded JetPack... or at least a turkey dinner in a pill.

[GPTurismo]

Don't worry about cost. Macs retain value quite well. I see G3s going to 750 that are almost 4+ years old.

[evil ernie]

I hope they worked out that Blueberry desert thing, oh wait that was gum...

[GPTurismo]

Okay. Here is something I just thought about. It has to be some sort of fantastic device. Remember those pics of Steve W.? It has to be something more ground breaking than an advanced pda.

Maybe apple bought palm, and/or handspring. Also rumors are about that apple did buy someone, ranging from adobe to avid.

Well, Also, with them getting heavily into devices, it explains why Steve J. wanted to drop the computers on Apple Computers Inc and go strictly with Apple, Inc.

[iSegway]

Apple will be announcing the iSegway.

Unfortunatly, it will only be compatible with an area less than 4% of the United States.

The iSegway (formerly known as iT or iGinger), will cost more than other modes of transportation in the same market.

[schneeky]

Go to http://www.spy.com and get your backstage pass!

[schneeky]

Go to http://www.spymac.com and get your backstage pass!

[sdiezig]

Whatever they release: It has to be BIG if not they will disappoint the whole Mac-Community! I hope Apple knows that!

[Timothy]

OK...I actually think the Segway will be a monumental failure (I'll leave why to another thread)...

BUT...I was poking around the segway site yesterday (www.segway.com) and pulled up their flash "demo" on the segway. You can choose different parts of the segway to explore, and it will give you an animated picture of the scooter's various parts.

When I chose to look at the "key"...the demo let's you insert the key, and thus "start" the device. When you do so, the UI begins pulsing...and a face extremely similar in look to the "sideways smile" that exists on the mac start-up screen appears.

Given Steve's initial involvement in the hype of Ginger...I wouldn't be surprised if there were not some tie between Segway and Apple...

[mrich75]

i think that their is no way we could know, becuase
apple is saying it is beyond what we are all saying

[eyelikeart]

it could be a bluff in a different form...

not necessarily a complete in your face, never would have guessed it...

but maybe just to throw us off....something totally different than what everyone is talking about...

[Backtothemac]

One thing we need to look at (althought the iWalk is a fake) is the whole digital hub idea. Look at what Apple has done since the creation of the term. iTunes, iDVD, iMovie 2, and iPod. We know that Apple is working on iPhoto, and has been pressuring Palm to get the palm desktop software to OS X.

What about the notion that they are going to continue this even further with other devices such as an "iWalk". Also a camera, or dv camera, a home theater component etc. All of these devices could be linked via airport 2.0, and all would be super stable inside of OS X.

Instead of looking at the impossible, lets look at the obvious. How much would you be willing to spend on say...

..flat panel iMac / iBook hybrid
..DVD home theater component
..iCamera 3 megapixel with airport connection
.."iWalk" PDA
.. etc, etc, etc.

Also recall that Apple is help funding Hypertransport with AMD. Could their be a merger here....

[Timothy]

OK...here's a pic of the Segway UI that I was talking about...

http://www.eventure.com/pics/segwaysmile.jpg

[Romain]

G4 iMac flat panel 1ghz maybe new design( there are G4 upgrade out, so they to do it )
iBook with the new Sahara 1Ghz, adn may be new speed bump.
G5 powermac 1Ghz with new Nvidia technology, but can buy it only in a few weeks.
Increase speed on the power book 1Ghz

they will call it the 1Ghz revolution.

as well they will upgrade the iPod and make a new digital devise as well as incorporate blue tooth.

Cheers

[elgruga]

Its all too much. I am not looking at any Mac sites again until next Monday.

I have switched off my Airport base station and hidden the ac adapter. I have cut all the ethernet cables in half.
Now, where is that bottle of valium......?

[joey j]

Romain:

1) The Sahara won't be here in January, so we can scrap predictions of
Sahara iBooks in January. Maybe March (tokyo), who knows; I don't know
when the Sahara goes into mass production.

2) Which nVidia tech were you referring to? Geforce 4? Here's hoping 8-)

3) I am stumped as to where the ghz powerbook rumours are coming from. I
have asked more than once in the past few days and received no answers.
So again: Where the hell are the ghz PB rumours coming from? Didn't the
PBs just get two revisions (rev b and the combo drive?)

[SPG]

Can everyone stop claiming Bluetooth please?
Bluetooth is not supported by Apple, which if you recall has a competing standard called Airport.
If you mean wireless, say wireless.

[Mike666]

Maybe its a PowerMac G5 whit
10.6 Ghz
maybe not ...

[Romain]

The G5 as a inproved Velocity Engine that's what I mean.

The powerbook was upgraded, but that doesn't mean it won't be again, and need to get faster. they have done 667, 1Ghz isn't far.

As for the sahara. They have been no publicity since it birth, who is to say they are not preperarning for production.
The thing is, nobody as money so I think they are going to take it easy on production, as well the low end will most likely have the current 600Mhz


PS
Fire Wire and USB wasn't suppoted before theBlue and White G3.
And it is known that apple is doing something with Sony. I say bluetooth is coming.

[Edited by Romain on 01-03-2002 at 02:22 PM]

[SPG]

Bluetooth is a different wireless standard that is way too similar in function to airport. There are other ways to network, and the alliance with Sony has nothing to do with Bluetooth even if they do work on a wireless technology.

[Romain]

But airport works only for the network, however bluetooth could function for all different things

[SPG]

Granted, but I still don't see why Apple would want to have two seperate wireless standards incorporated into the same machine. Isn't it also true that bluetooth would interfere with Airport?

[NormalGuy]

Apple has already taken care of their portable line. Apple has stated taht 2001 was the year for their portables. Hopefully 2002 is the year to update their desktop line. Sleeker iMacs? Maybe. Lets not forget that Apple has no entered the consumer electronics market with the iPod. Making a PDA would not be that far fetched. They've clearly got the ability to make an astounding one. Will they? Maybe. Then what about software? What's about software. X has been out now. Those who have used X Server know that it actually can be ran on a PC server if need be because of it's unix roots. Maybe a consumer verson of X for PC? They've already been working on ties with AMD. Whatever the "new thing/s" Apple is ready to release I doubt they will disappoint. The economy is having trouble right now and companies don't usually release a new product and build this much hype for it unless they know it's good. We'll all know on Monday.

[Romain]

Well, Apple as two type of input ( USB, fireWire ), why not to wireless standar.
An other thing. I have a Wireless Phone, and my wife a Cell Phone, and they both work in the same house 9 it is just a matter of frequency.

[edenwaith]

Originally posted by iwantanewmac
Maybe they invented the time machine

Maybe they'll announce that in 2006, the Seattle region will be struck with another horrible earthquake, but this time a 10.0 earthquake hits the Redmond area, swallowing the suburb whole. Sure, there might be a few innocent lives sacrificed, but it will all be for the better good of humankind. Hey, if the U.S. Government is too much of a wus to do anything against Microsoft, then maybe we need to look to Mother Earth to take care of things.

[joey j]

SPG> Bluetooth is a different wireless standard that is way too similar in function to airport.

On the contrary, Bluetooth and 802.11x are designed for different roles.
The 802.11 family is wireless ethernet, as in a wireless version of ...
wired ... ethernet.

OTOH Bluetooth has a range of less than 10 m. Its application space overlaps
irda more than 802.11; which would be obvious given the specs. To me it
looks as if Bluetooth is oriented toward synchronising devices -- say your
PDA and your desktop -- and for low-bandwidth data exchange.

http://home.pacbell.com/kerton/papers/bt-wf.pdf

[dricci]

"Airport" is not a standard. it's what Apple calls it's brand of 802.11b devices. 802.11b is the Standard, that's why it's cross platform.

"Bluetooth" is not as powerful as 802.11b. It could be used for things like syncing a palm to a computer or cell phone to a palm or even wireless keyboards or other devices. BUT, it can't go thru walls as well as 802.11b. It's not meant to. Bluetooth is for wireless devices within a smaller area, NOT TCP/IP and wireless internet. 802.11b goes thru walls and supports TCP/IP and other networking standards pretty well, but it's not exactly designed for syncing palms or wireless keyboards.

Saying Bluetooth and 802.11b are competing standards is like saying Car Companies and Bike Companies compete for marketshare.

[SPG]

I've seen the bluetooth stuff last year at CES, and when I asked one of the guys in the booth about putting in to a mac he said "Not if you're running Airport". Seems the send-receive interferes. This may have been faulty info on his side, as much info about Macs is, but if you know for sure that they can co-exist then please let me know.
I am not discounting the possibility of having all the devices that are now wired (short of AC power) run wirelessly as of Monday, but just that I don't think that it will be Bluetooth exactly.

[Romain]

It is in China, but I agree with you. Bluetooth is an adition to the airport, not ( yet ) a replacement.

[mdntcallr]

I think that the biggest thing Apple could announce is that OS X has a new version which can work on Intel and AMD based pc's.

This would break the old rules and make apple have a dramatic departure from Power PC. As well as make their market much larger immediately.

It's just an idea. But if executed, it could be very cool.

[edenwaith]

Originally posted by evil ernie
Now I'm really worried. I just purchased a new G4 733, with a Zip Drive, 768 MB ram, etc...And it's probably going to be worth half the price I paid in just 4 days when they release a new 2GHZ machine or something!!! It's still in the box from Macwarehouse, do you think I should just not open it and send it back on Tuesday? I just got it today! Man, I should have done a little research first, I was just too excited to be getting a new machine. Damn you Apple, what are you doing to me?!!

Quick! Send it back! My brother has been looking at getting a Mac sometime in the future, and one of the first things I advised him to do is to wait until one of the two main Macworlds have passed so he could get one of the best deals. As Apple pointed out, back in July, the 733 MHz machine cost around $3500 one day, but then cost about $1700 the next day. If you can send the machine back and didn't get a really great deal from Macwarehouse, then I'd try and send it back and then buy a new machine from them or Apple in a week or two.

[SPG]

Originally posted by mdntcallr
I think that the biggest thing Apple could announce is that OS X has a new version which can work on Intel and AMD based pc's.

This would break the old rules and make apple have a dramatic departure from Power PC. As well as make their market much larger immediately.

It's just an idea. But if executed, it could be very cool.


This has been brought up a lot before and the general consensus has been that it can't be done easily and although would give Aple huge software sales, would undercut their hardware sales too much.
The other side of this coin is having all PC software able to run on OSX 10.2, this seems more plausible although it would take away a lot of incentive for software developers to write for the mac platform natively.

[atlascott]

It isnt going to be an AMD and Apple merger--why would Apple obtain a company that produces 16 and 32 bit processors, when we need 64 and 128 (and 256!) bit processors. Why obtain a CISC manufacturer when our hardware runs on RISC? I understand that Apple is interested in AMD's Hypertransport because of the way the processor connects to the motherboard--faster from what I understand.

Even after handwriting recognition gets better (we aint there yet) we will not be able to do away with the keyboard. Lots of people type faster than they write, and what about all the functions that (for example) photo and graphics editing software uses? screen controls or voice controls just will not get the job done.

The Segway might "make it" but only in college towns and the like. It isnt going to replace the car in a country where sporadic inclement weather and extremes of heat and cold are common (I live in Chicago--nobody is taking a segway to work or to a nice dinner or play when its raining/snowing, or when its 100 degrees and super humid (when thay can take the car with its A/C) or when it is 20 degrees with a wind chill of -5). Might take the place of the bicycle for some short trips in comfortable weather, but the price is too high (over 2K). If the segway is the big announcement, there are going to be alot of disappointed Macheads, and Apple is going to lose money something fierce, as it will never be more than a niche product.

I hope Apple introduced big speed/memory/performamce bumps on all their machines, along with a redesigned LCD iMac (affordable). And a PDA with an internal HD ala iPod and a detachable, foldable keyboard (like those plastic flexible ones that roll up) that runs on OSX lite, and uses Appleworks. Integrated cell phone that only operates with the earbud and mic so popular today (keeps you from putting speakers in the device, lowers cost, smaller form factor). That would DOMINATE the education market. Silently type your notes in class, plug into the network and browse the Web and get your email. Listen to MP3's. Keep all of your addresses and telephone numbers. Call your friends. Beam info back and forth. Plug it into your iMac and sync up/backup everything immediately. (Appleworks files, iTunes files, email, games).

A device like this would be WEll WORTH 500 bucks and could be made in a device the size of the iPod, with a color LCD screen. Now THAT would forever change mobile computing. An it would beat the pants off of Palm and Pocket PC's to boot.

Originally when I got my Handspring Visor and foldable keyboard (stowaway), I was hoping to use it like a word processor--write letter on the go, stuff like that. But the interface and file size limit will not let you do it. But why not? I mean, my first computer ran on a slower processor than the one in my Visor, and on less RAM, too. But I still had a kick-ass, full featured word processor. Why not in a handheld device? (And dont suggest Palm downloads--they dont really give you the word processor experience--they suck, and it is a pain in the arse to get the typed files onto the desktop).

The more I write, the more I hope Apple does it!

[evil ernie]

Well, I talked to a guy from MacWarehouse. He said they cannot be held responsible for what Apple does on Monday.

Even if I don't open the box, in order to send the machine back to them I will have to pay a 15% restocking fee, plus shipping. So we're talking almost $300 to send it back. He also swore that the prices aren't going to go down much if at all because they have so many 733s to get rid of. My bet is the 733 will be discontinued, and the 867 will be brought down to $1699, and the dual processor 867 will come down to $2500. Maybe not right away, but soon.

I should have waited.

He said that the G5's will not be coming out until the Spring. Don't know if he really knew what he was talking about though.

[reyesg4]

Apple is a great company and I like their products even if I could only afford to buy one thing from them every 4-5 years. But when has apple come up with a completely new product? The iMac used recycled parts from the G3 Desktop line. The iBook was a G3 Powerbook, the G4 is a g3 tower is a 604e tower is a 603 tower upgraded with newer/faster parts. All we should expect to see is a newer model imac with the speed of the top-of-the-line Powermac of one or two years ago. Still a good deal (only in the mac world) but not groundbreaking. The ibook might be lowered in price if the imac is lower. The iPod is a one of the only new ideas that Apple has had. But so is the Pippin, Newton, & eMate.
If Apple is even trying to make something that will make a dent in the PC world it has to be something that runs: a) on PC hardware b.) on Mac hardware that is as or cheaper than PC hardware. This from Apple is impossible at this time.
To be honest, I think Apple will come out with a lot of overpriced gadgets that will make you want to buy a Mac. If I have to justify getting a computer because I need it to put songs in my mp3 player or print my photos, I will not buy that computer. What I want is a computer that will beat anything in its price range! What we will get is trickle down speed bumps with a wonderfull new case/connections/buttons. Yes, it will work and not give me headaches, but will I be forced to buy a new one in 2 years?
Once again I must state that I am a daily mac news reading fan and will buy a new Mac when I can afford it, but when I bought my last Mac (BWG3-350DVD) It had many advantages over the PC crowd that I could easily justify buying it. Now PC's do way more than they did before, mostly because of the monopoly power. With PC's you can rip DVD's, make and whatch DivX movies with less hassle, buy $60 DVD players, $100 CD-R's, $20 games, $50 video cards. These are all things the Mac does not enjoy and if you want average CONSUMERS (not pro's) to buy your product, you need a product that will look attractive after someone looks at what PC's offer. I also added that DVD ripping thing because you would be surprised how many people buy computers mostly to get free mp3's, free movies, and free apps, if you can't do it easier on the Mac, then that is one less customer for Apple. If Apple can not do this or does not want to, then I will get a cheap mac in a year and a cheap (high-end) PC. Then I will get all the files I want from the PC and see them on my Mac. I hope Apple can surprise me this year. I really do.

[dogcow]

Ever since Apple released the iPod, I've been wondering if they're still going to be a personal computer company. Actual quote from Steve "We're going to juice the Mac for all it's worth, then get onto the next big thing." Let's hope so; I for one am tired of Apple coming out with over-priced, over-hyped products like the cube that outperform their windoze competitors by a slim margin. I love the Mac, but at the present rate, it seems Apple's products will never go beyond cult status. In order to survive, Apple needs to do something radical to differentiate themselves from the other PC companies like Compaq, HP, and Dell. Perhaps the new release on January 7 will break away from the lines of traditional computing that requires a keyboard, mouse, and monitor.

[spuncan]

thats almost retarded what Jobs ment was that he wants to get past the G4 which unfortunatly he cant do cuz of Evil Motorola. What i think is funny is that the G3 and G4 will have the same speed after MWSF or at least withing200mhz

[edenwaith]

Originally posted by evil ernie


I should have waited.

He said that the G5's will not be coming out until the Spring. Don't know if he really knew what he was talking about though.

That really bites that they would charge you so much just to take the machine back. As for the G5 processors, I'm putting bets more towards summer, but spring would be great, too. Since the G5 chips just seemed to have been completed last month (at least according to the rumors), I find it pretty doubtful that Apple will have pushed these new chips into their machines so quickly, especially without more time to test the chips and make sure everything is running smoothly.

As for PCs and DVD burning...ummm...er....I've never seen, much less heard of a PC with DVD burning capabilities. I'm not doubting that it is possible, and I don't scour through Dell's or HP's sites often enough to see what they offer, but I still haven't heard of a PC offered with a Superdrive (or whatever name they give it). My point is, DVD burning is certainly not common place, but I've heard a lot more news on the Mac side than on the PC side so far. And as for CD-burning, it seems like this is finally becoming more of a common affixture for PCs, but companies like Dell are trying to make the consumer believe they are getting a great deal with such an advertisement:

"If you buy now, Dell will throw in this free CD-burner free!"

As Steve Jobs mentioned at a Macworld about a year ago, Apple was a little late in adding Cd-burners, but they quickly changed that and fixed the problem of not having a writable drive on their computers (my biggest irk about the iMac), and now everyone of their computers have CD-burners...some options can avoid this for a cheaper price, but not many. And if I did get a new Mac, I would definitely want a CD-burner with it. Lugging around a CD-burner can become a pain at times.

[SPG]

There are plenty of PC's with DVD burners. It's the same Pioneer A03 drive that Apple uses. I haven't seen too many that have been used well though, since the software is more likely to be a third party app or usually a combination of apps, Sonic DVDit, and then Toast.
PC's can usually offer software that on the spec sheet will do what a Mac does, but I've yet to see one that handles the video and DVD stuff as well. iMovie, FCP, iDVD, & DVD studio Pro are all amazing programs that are way ahead of the best PC's have to offer. Cheaper, faster, easier, higher quality, more options...these are the qualities of the software that makes me a die hard Mac user. If I was just typing letters and surfing the web, well maybe a PC would do, but since I don't ...it won't.
The Mac is vastly superior when it comes to video and I see no end to their dominance in the near future.

[SPG]

Whoa! Sorry about the rant, I sounded like a zealot for a second there.

[evil ernie]

Yep it does bite. But realistically, I can't imagine that the prices will drop that much, that soon.

At least I hope not, because I'm going to set up the new machine tonight. No way in hell I'm paying Macwarehouse that kind of money to take it back.

Besides this thing will still blow away the G4 400 that I'm on here at work.

[jayscheuerle]

Originally posted by mdntcallr
I think that the biggest thing Apple could announce is that OS X has a new version which can work on Intel and AMD based pc's.

This would break the old rules and make apple have a dramatic departure from Power PC. As well as make their market much larger immediately.

It's just an idea. But if executed, it could be very cool.


Ha! They can't even get it to work right across the board on their own machines!! There's no way they'll be porting it for the next couple of years...

[theranch]

Everyone needs to simmadowna..

[Jon]

The Future, Way Beyond... It has to be really big. Imagine the iWalk, but with full two way video capability via some kind of broadband cellular internet connection. Virtual transportation to anywhere in the world. Perhaps with a headset for surround sound and 3D video. Perhaps a holographic display and virtual surround sound...

[Beardydog]

MacWorld
1 Day Left
"My god, it's full of stars..."

[evands]

1 day to Macworld San Francisco.
It tastes like... burning.

[MacSOS]

Ok......so I'm wondering just how many of us are at this very moment parked on Apple's web site waiting for the clock to strike midnight so we can see what the "Day 3" banner will bring?! :-)

Admit it you're all hittin relaod on your brower right NOW! LOL.

[sparkleytone]

i was just a bout to say that

[macboy]

yes

[MacSOS]

what's the Carly Simon song...... "Anticipation"?? :-)