Apple Event August 7th

[phalewhale]

Neither did you, unfortunately. They dropped the "Power" because the towers no longer used the PowerPC architechture and switched to Intel.

That may be a fair point but the point QCassidy352 was making, was that Apple wanted to get the word "mac" into every apple product. I was merely pointing out that it was already there with the PowerMac name.

If you can remember this far back, the PowerBook 100 was released in 1991 and although it was called "PowerBook" it did not actually have a PowerPC processor in it. Just thought I'd point this out too.

Yes I understand you

That's why there is no Macintosh specifically called "Mac"

I can guarantee you come August 7th you will see a new "iMac"

Pleased we cleared that one up then...

 

[DanB91]

I have thought this also. An iMac with tower seems viable because obvious competition is Vista. It is geared for multi media being optimised for tv viewing and recording. A lot of £900 plus units now ship with tv card installed. Gaming is also an area Apple want to get into so obvious upgrading of graphics cards would require a tower of somekind to keep the slim lines of the display. Add this with sound cards. installed memory card readers. upgrading to blu ray in future. etc I think it would destroy the lines of the part of the mac that is on your desk therefore I think a tower is the answer. And what a sexy tower it would be.

I dont really like the sound of a tower and I am only saying here that it should not be discounted

im sure the imac will see a refresh on the 7th, but i think this highly expandable tower (like most pc's out there) will be added to the mac line. this must be done if apple hopes to get into gaming. due to the ever changing requirements of a game, the ability to switch out parts is very important to a gamer (like me).

 

[WannaGoMac]

im sure the imac will see a refresh on the 7th, but i think this highly expandable tower (like most pc's out there) will be added to the mac line. this must be done if apple hopes to get into gaming. due to the ever changing requirements of a game, the ability to switch out parts is very important to a gamer (like me).

I am confused. Isn't the Mac Pro the highly expandable tower? Why would they create a lower priced tower that could take sales away from it?

 

[cleanup]

I can guarantee you come August 7th you will see a new "iMac"

I can guarantee you come August 7th it will be a TUESDAY!

 

[DanB91]

I am confused. Isn't the Mac Pro the highly expandable tower? Why would they create a lower priced tower that could take sales away from it?

yes but the mac pro is grossly expensive. i would like a desktop computer that will have the greatness of mac os x, and can double as a consumer computer and a gaming computer (depending on how u expand it). that would sell like hot cakes

 

[TheSilencer]

Why not Multi-Touch?

Why so many people don´t think they will introduce something with MT? This MT Mouse that was in news, why not? And for the MB/P a MT tochpad, would be nice. Even a MT Keyboard is possible or the for years rumored wacom-like tablet.
However, I like the idea of a MT iMac much. You got one "normal Mode" that works like a current iMac and a "tablet Mode" or whatever called, for MT. At the moment you switch the display in "tablet Mode" a special MT user interface is fading in, i.e. like frontrow does today, and you may get something like it was shown at the TED, the big video wall.

They have the technology and enough "think different" potential to do it. I don´t think - or hope - they´ll waiting some years for showing MT products, now MT is a breakthrough, in 2-3 years MS surface is standard maybe (nah, not really ... well ...)?

And btw, I want a new G4 Cube like Mac Mini/Midi...whatever, too.

 

[Dany M]

I can guarantee you come August 7th it will be a TUESDAY!

This is Madness!

 

[pcorajr]

I am confused. Isn't the Mac Pro the highly expandable tower? Why would they create a lower priced tower that could take sales away from it?

Because the Mac Pro is a workstation not a desktop. The Mac Pro is aimed at professional while this new desktop would be aimed at the home user/gamer. Two totally different markets.

More than likely if a new desktop is introduced it will offer only 1 Physical CPU maybe a quad core CPU. The Mac Pro has 2 physical CPU with multiple cores in it.

 

[steve_hill4]

That may be a fair point but the point QCassidy352 was making, was that Apple wanted to get the word "mac" into every apple product. I was merely pointing out that it was already there with the PowerMac name.

If you can remember this far back, the PowerBook 100 was released in 1991 and although it was called "PowerBook" it did not actually have a PowerPC processor in it. Just thought I'd point this out too.

True, but after they started to use PowerPC processors, the prefix Power became very heavily associated with them. Steve said upon announcing the MacBook Pro, (currently typing on a Rev. A), that he wanted Mac in every model and Power was too associated with the past. The PowerBook failed both these so became the MacBook Pro, the iBook failed the Mac so became the MacBook. The PowerMac failed the Power, but what else to call it? It's a Pro machine and we have the MacBook Pro now, let's drop the book and it's the Mac Pro. The Mac Mini and iMac already fell within requirements, no need to change.

If the iMac has a change of name on Tuesday or at anytime in the future, I doubt it is because of the Intel transition and the above rules. Calling it Mac or MacMac as some still suggest is insane to me and many others. Other names like DeskMac sound less zippy and more like the mid-tower so many want Apple to release. iSay iMac stays.

 

[ImAlwaysRight]

iMacs at Amazon are dwindling

I may snag one of the discontinued iMacs if the prices drop low enough -- was hoping to purchase from Amazon with free shipping, no tax, and the $75 rebate. Right now the 17" with 1GB RAM is saying 1-3 weeks. 20" model is not even available to order direct from Amazon (3rd parties like JR has them). Wonder if that means Amazon is not getting any more 20". 24" still in stock, but that is a premium product.

These low supplies may just be because of back to school, but methinks also because of new iMacs coming out ...

 

[Wild-Bill]

I am confused. Isn't the Mac Pro the highly expandable tower? Why would they create a lower priced tower that could take sales away from it?

I'd call it mildly expandable tower. You can expand via memory and hard drives. You can put any type or size hard drive(s) you want in it. You can put up to 16 gigs of FB-DIMMS (as long as the heatsink is within Apple specs) in it. Video cards? You have the option of three highly outdated video cards, only available from Apple, at an Apple premium price (usually 200% markup). You can't put whatever video card you want in it.

 

[davidmyers]

If I'm wrong and iMacs don't go Quad Core next week, that will blow my mind.

Maybe. I think it's conceivable that with only 20" and 24" models, Apple
will attempt to keep 4 choices =

{ low end 20" ; high end 20" ; 24" dual ; 24" quad }

Conceivable.

I think generally, Apple will be guided by considerations of heat and power,
though. I dunno if the quads in question can make it into the slimware box...
but you raise a good point.

(And also-- will this mean that eventually we'll
see octopus server macs down the line???)

 

[Porchland]

Dude, it's august first, and you're worrying about Christmas?

When he says Christmas is soon, he means the Christmas buying season. Apple traditionally gets its available-for-Christmas items out by early October, so it's really not that far off.

 

[sartinsauce]

Dude, it's august first, and you're worrying about Christmas?

Amen to that. I'm just getting used to summer. I still have almost 5 months before that commerce frenzy...

 

[sartinsauce]

Something like that, yeah. I say a merger of the wireless
station/mini/dvr/aTV at a lowish price is in the offing... just a matter or when
they manage to consummate such a merger.

I can't imagine a world where this would happen. I mean I can imagine that world, and it would look and feel like Disneyland. And the US Federal Government wouldn't invade foriegn countries in order to seize their natural resources.

Why would Apple start offering a single sub-$1000 item when they can sell you 3 (or even 4) items at $599 (Mac Mini), $179 (AEBS) and $299 apple:TV) for a total of over $1000. Besides, this way they can improve individual products and you won't have to buy a whole new box. If they did what you're suggesting that they would make less money and your box would be obsolete faster. That's a lose/lose situation!

 

[newportmac]

Stop the madness... has anyone bothered to take a moment and read todays NYT... It has nothing to do with any iMac intro but the fact that Apple is going to break up into three seperate businesses. The New York Times online has said that Apple will become three.. iphones, macs, ipods. The meeting Tuesday 8/7th is for Wall Street types.. nothing more as I read it.. sorry to burst your bubble.....

 

[Peace]

Stop the madness... has anyone bothered to take a moment and read todays NYT... It has nothing to do with any iMac intro but the fact that Apple is going to break up into three seperate businesses. The New York Times online has said that Apple will become three.. iphones, macs, ipods. The meeting Tuesday 8/7th is for Wall Street types.. nothing more as I read it.. sorry to burst your bubble.....

1. Engadget got a call.They are not wall street types
2. The invitation specifically said it was "Mac related"


Just more FUD speculation on the part of analyst.

 

[vandlism]

The New York Times online has said that Apple will become three.. iphones, macs, ipods. The meeting Tuesday 8/7th is for Wall Street types.. nothing more as I read it.. sorry to burst your bubble.....

Hmm...but that's why they already announced their name change to Apple, Inc. Besides, the Macs, AppleTVs, iPhones and iPods are all reliant on each other and the software that lies at the core of Apple, Mac OS X.

Who would take control of Mac OS X? or the other software packages (Final Cut, FileMaker, iLife)? And who gets iTunes, as it creates the ecosystem for the iPod, iPhone and AppleTV to live in? Apple splitting the businesses up, nope.

 

[ph0rk]

Stop the madness... has anyone bothered to take a moment and read todays NYT... It has nothing to do with any iMac intro but the fact that Apple is going to break up into three seperate businesses. The New York Times online has said that Apple will become three.. iphones, macs, ipods. The meeting Tuesday 8/7th is for Wall Street types.. nothing more as I read it.. sorry to burst your bubble.....

If there was an advantage to splitting off divisions in that manner MS wouldn't have fought it so hard.

Also: splitting iPods and iPhones is just stupid.

 

[Wild-Bill]

Stop the madness... has anyone bothered to take a moment and read todays NYT... It has nothing to do with any iMac intro but the fact that Apple is going to break up into three seperate businesses. The New York Times online has said that Apple will become three.. iphones, macs, ipods. The meeting Tuesday 8/7th is for Wall Street types.. nothing more as I read it.. sorry to burst your bubble.....

Uhh... this if from NYT.com:

There are a flurry of reports that Apple will hold an event for reporters next Tuesday that may involve introducing new products in its Macintosh line. [Apple Insider]

 

[WannaGoMac]

Someone post a link to the NYT article claiming apple is splitting into 3 companies.

I give this a 10% chance. Given that Apple JUST renamed itself, why would they now split into 3 companies?

 

[AlexisV]

I'm not saying the story might not be true, but shipping journalists in from around the country for that ultra tedious news is not going to happen.

It may be included in the meeting, but only be a minor sidepoint.

 

[SwiftLives]

Stop the madness... has anyone bothered to take a moment and read todays NYT... It has nothing to do with any iMac intro but the fact that Apple is going to break up into three seperate businesses. The New York Times online has said that Apple will become three.. iphones, macs, ipods. The meeting Tuesday 8/7th is for Wall Street types.. nothing more as I read it.. sorry to burst your bubble.....

That doesn't seem likely, since Apple's identity is so tightly wrapped around convergence and seamless integration of their products. Secondly, it's still too early for the iPhone to reach the status of the iPod, so spinning the iPhone off would be way too much of a gamble. Finally, they just changed their name to 'Apple, Inc.' to reflect that they are developing technology other than the computer.

My guess - the iMac is going to be repositioned as a high-end product in the top tier along with the Mac Pro. The Mac Mini is probably going to go away, essentially replaced by the AppleTV and iPhone. And a new entry level Mac will be introduced at the sub-$1000 price point.

Mac Pro $2499+
iMac $1499-$2499
New Mac $999-$1499

 

[WannaGoMac]

I'm not saying the story might not be true, but shipping journalists in from around the country for that ultra tedious news is not going to happen.

It may be included in the meeting, but only be a minor sidepoint.

Didn't they do this for the iPod introduction?

 

[QCassidy352]

True, but after they started to use PowerPC processors, the prefix Power became very heavily associated with them. Steve said upon announcing the MacBook Pro, (currently typing on a Rev. A), that he wanted Mac in every model and Power was too associated with the past. The PowerBook failed both these so became the MacBook Pro, the iBook failed the Mac so became the MacBook. The PowerMac failed the Power, but what else to call it? It's a Pro machine and we have the MacBook Pro now, let's drop the book and it's the Mac Pro. The Mac Mini and iMac already fell within requirements, no need to change.

well said.

I stand by my statement that apple's goal was to get "mac" in to every product, but I did neglect to mention that apple also wanted to drop "power." As steve_hill says, steve_jobs expressly stated both of these things.

However, dropping "i" has never been part of the plan. If they were trying to get away from "i," they probably wouldn't have called their new phone an "iphone." Unlike "power," which is associated with "old" technology (the PowerPC), the "i" is associated with the ipod, and apple certainly wants to keep that connection alive and well.

So I really don't think the example of "powermac" --> "mac pro" contradicts my earlier point. That change reflects an additional consideration that I didn't mention, but it in no way suggests that "imac" will be come "mac."

edit: Apple split in three companies? Why? Where's the benefit? There better be one, since the cost is huge - the loss of tight integration and brand recognition. Apple wants to be your sole provider for your entire digital life, and becoming three separate companies is antithetical to that goal. It just makes no sense on so many levels.