Apple Expo Paris 2004 Rumor Roundup

[appleface]

details

does anyone have details on the new isight mount? maybe the mount was changed, so it can be mounted on the new imacs.

 

[Neodym]

What's the difference between laptop and notebook, I alwasys thought there were synonyms, so whether Apple calls their portable computers laptop or notebooks doesn't make any difference as it's the same thing.

AFAIK Toshiba introduced the term "notebook" when they developed the small B5-formfactor (Think of the "Portege" series) - to stress the much smaller size compared to the things you could move around, but barely fit into you bag (which you can do easily with a small (paper) notebook).

Later on "Notebook" got common as "xerox" for copying... ;-)

 

[agentmouthwash]

The one product Apple <b>NEEDS</b> to release:

A multi-button Pro Mouse.

Come on Apple! Just ship it with the Powermacs. I need the scroll
wheel. I need right click, left click.

I truly think Apple could make a ton of money if they released one.

 

[EJBasile]

I thought Apple called there laptops/notebooks PORTABLES.

On apples web page:

Portables
iBook G4. Two sizes, slot-loading CD or DVD, G4 processors up to 1.2 GHz, priced so you can afford the iLife. Starts at $1099.

PowerBook G4. All-out performance in three sizes (12-, 15- and 17-inch screens), with 4X SuperDrive and speeds up to 1.5GHz.

 

[fflipper]

does anyone have details on the new isight mount? maybe the mount was changed, so it can be mounted on the new imacs.

Well i recieved what i think was the iSight 2 about a week and a half ago. The new mount is a small white plastic that has the opening in it for the firewire cable. On the bottom of this mount is a rather low powered magnet. The images in the manual show the magnet being set on top of the new displays. Could possibly work on the new iMac whatever it looks like though having a magnet (if the rumors are correct) anywhere near a hardrive/ram no matter how low powered the magnet is is not the greatest ideas.

For those that are going to correct me i am going to head you off at the pass here- I understand that speakers have magnets and you can shield things. I just dont like taking chances when it comes to magnetic field sensitive devices. I cringe everytime my powerbook goes through the xray machine at the airport, knowing full well that i am just being paranoid.

 

[MegaSignal]

For those that are going to correct me i am going to head you off at the pass here- I understand that speakers have magnets and you can shield things. I just dont like taking chances when it comes to magnetic field sensitive devices. I cringe everytime my powerbook goes through the xray machine at the airport, knowing full well that i am just being paranoid.

AFAIK x-ray machines are not "magnetic". So you can relax. Think of it as a bright light that you can't see...

 

[peteMG]

Oh boy ... Phil.

I wonder if his keynote is going to be Dynamic! In Real Time!

(anyone remember that from WWDC this year?)

 

[morkintosh]

The one product Apple <b>NEEDS</b> to release:
A multi-button Pro Mouse.

Come on Apple! Just ship it with the Powermacs. I need the scroll
wheel. I need right click, left click.

Microsoft beat them to it: http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/philippestarck.mspx

 

[rendezvouscp]

The 3rd gen iPod came in a black box. iPods are pro equipment now? How about the iSight?

I really think they choose box colors by what makes a given product look cool, nothing more.

They use the black shrouds all the time.

Well, the iPods are somewhat a "pro" device, compared to their little brother, the iPod mini. The iSight is also somewhat a "pro" device, but the only one in its family.
–Chase

 

[rendezvouscp]

iMovie has its Final Cut Express and Final Cut Pro ... so it makes sense to me (from a product and marketing standpoint) to have a pro-level version for users to move up to after dabbling with GarageBand. I'm thinking it would mesh Logic and Sountrack into one all-encompasing app -- much like GarageBand, but without its limitations and significantly more powerful (ie. full production quality).

I've always kinda hoped that they would do something like this. If you look at their pro page, you can somewhat understand what the apps are, but that would be clearer. Also, it'd be really cool to have low-level apps of the high-end ones.
–Chase

 

[achmafooma]

Well i recieved what i think was the iSight 2 about a week and a half ago. The new mount is a small white plastic that has the opening in it for the firewire cable. On the bottom of this mount is a rather low powered magnet. The images in the manual show the magnet being set on top of the new displays. Could possibly work on the new iMac whatever it looks like though having a magnet (if the rumors are correct) anywhere near a hardrive/ram no matter how low powered the magnet is is not the greatest ideas.

I have the same attitude (generally) ... you should have seen the look on my face when I found out that the iBook and PowerBook latches work using magnets!

Put a paperclip or other light piece of metal up against the latch (the part you press) on the front of an iBook, the magnet will hold it there ... very bizarre.

 

[2A Batterie]

What NOT to expect

I'm not sure what will be unveiled tomorrow, but I would anticipate on not seeing ProBand or Garageband Pro as some on this board have speculated. If it is a professional application, chances are it would be unveiled at the NAMM conferance. Also, Logic7 (made by eMagic, which Apple bought last year) is in beta right now so I don't expect Apple to release two of the products... and no, I don't think Logic7 is ProBand. Despite NDA, some boneheads posting info/screenshots of Logic7 on some boards, and it looks nothing like an Apple/Garageband-type interface.

</bush'04>

 

[savar]

The one product Apple <b>NEEDS</b> to release:

A multi-button Pro Mouse.

Come on Apple! Just ship it with the Powermacs. I need the scroll
wheel. I need right click, left click.

I truly think Apple could make a ton of money if they released one.

It would be really nice if Apple released a mouse with 3-5 buttons and a scroll wheel, so that we could take better advantage of Expose.

I have a Kensington wireless with a scroll touch pad, and it has a little white button under the scroll pad which is great for expose, but I could use one or two more of them. And the RF isn't as cool as using BT.

 

[CmdrLaForge]

Well, the iPods are somewhat a "pro" device, compared to their little brother, the iPod mini. The iSight is also somewhat a "pro" device, but the only one in its family.
–Chase

iPods a "pro" device ??? I don't think so. iPods are really a consumer product.

 

[iMeowbot]

Well, the iPods are somewhat a "pro" device, compared to their little brother, the iPod mini.

The black boxes were there long before there was a mini, and the iPod (all sizes) has been marketed as a consumer item since day one.

The iSight is also somewhat a "pro" device, but the only one in its family.

iSight is a state-of-the-art video camera that’s the easiest way to video conference with your colleagues, friends and family over broadband.

That's a description for a consumer toy. Professional video cameras sell for thousands of dollars, not USD149.

 

[savar]

I don't like iPhoto for the same reason: The organizational structure makes it impossible to find an image without using iPhoto. I hope that gets fixed in the January iLife '05 update.

My other big gripe about iLife is lack of 16:9 support in iMovie and iDVD. My main TV is 16:9, my main computer is 16:9, I shoot all of my video in 16:9, but iMovie/iDVD can't handle it. Seems likely for the next update.

You guys should submit this stuff to Apple.

I submitted the iPhoto directory organization dilemma to Apple after seeing my mom try to submit an alias file (referencing a jpg photo) to an online photography contest. I was hoping Apple would simply add a module to Safari that would look up the iPhoto library whenever you click on a "Choose File" button for a jpg.

 

[wdlove]

I very happy that it's less than 24 hours till MacWorld Paris and the Keynote. This time tomorrow we will be discussing the actual results.

 

[savar]

"On your lap" would be logical but then Apple wouldn't use those banners because it would be to obvious that a PB G5 is coming. Apple likes to surprise so let's wait and see. Secondly, the PB G5 is still several months away. If you think abut it, they say a "supercomputer on your desk" but how many people do have a G5 tower ON their desk? Apart from the word game, there might be more to it.

Several months? True understatement.

The G5 PB is more like 12 months away. A dual-core G4 won't be available for a few months, and that seems much more likely for the next revision...and then Apple wouldnt release a G5 for many months after that, since it irritates customers when expensive, premiere technology is obsoleted so quickly.

I imagine that they will have to talk about PB revisions tomorrow, since if the iMac goes to G5, they can't leave a pro model behind a consumer model. There will be awkward silence if they don't talk about it. Hmm as I'm writing I think maybe Apple would keep quite just to save a little face.

The dual-core G4 will be renamed G5 express...and PBs will ship Q1 of 2005.

 

[zelmo]

I very happy that it's less than 24 hours till MacWorld Paris and the Keynote. This time tomorrow we will be discussing the actual results.

Agreed. People have floated so many rumors and suggestions out there that there is really nothing new to whine about until we see the actual hardware. Then, all of what has come before will seem like a mere warm-up. Let the Games begin! 🙄

 

[wdlove]

Agreed. People have floated so many rumors and suggestions out there that there is really nothing new to whine about until we see the actual hardware. Then, all of what has come before will seem like a mere warm-up. Let the Games begin! 🙄

You are correct, it will probably just fan the flame of further speculation. Without speculation about Apple it would get very dull. It will be interesting to see if Phil Schiller will leave some hints like Steve did at WWDC, regarding the iMac.

 

[sushi]

Hmm, that's actually not too bad of an idea, for Apple to come out with their own Office-like product.

IMHO, I doubt that we will see an iOffice/iSuite/iAppleWorks/etc.

MSFT already makes a decent Office suite that is basically an industry standard. Mac users (who are in the corporate environment) need Office. MSFT Office is key for switchers to make the switch. Apple does not want to jeapardize MSFT's support of Office on the Mac at this time.

Sushi

 

[zelmo]

You are correct, it will probably just fan the flame of further speculation. Without speculation about Apple it would get very dull. It will be interesting to see if Phil Schiller will leave some hints like Steve did at WWDC, regarding the iMac.

I hope Phil leaves us guessing at what comes next, too.
You know, it was vital to the continuing existence of Apple to have regrouped and pared down their product offerings when they went with the consumer quadrant [iMac/iBook/PowerMac/PowerBook] line-up, Lord knows it was tough to keep straight which ones were new, old, discontinued, etc. Based on the current landscape of Apple offerings, there does seem to be a largish hole between the consumer line and the Power line. Apple was wise enough to recognize that the eMac had a place beyond the edu market. Hopefully, they also recognize the growing demand [and need] for a computer that treads the water between i- and Power-. A single processor, headless, mini tower with decent spec's and an upgrade path, priced to sell around $900 to $1,100, would be a good addition to the line-up. Apple could never hope to satisfy all of us, nor would it be wise to try, but that seems like the right place to start.
Just my two Abe's.

 

[zelmo]

If the iMac G5 is priced comparable to the iMac G4, then the "high-end" version will run somewhere around $2,200. The next step up is to a dual 1.8 PM at $2,000, then another $1,300 for the 20 inch CD. $3,300 is a 50% price hike, and that's before you add any options, like some memory?
Man, there's a LOT of room between these two Macs. C'mon Phil/Steve, show me something. I want to be stunned.

 

[mcdermd]

The one product Apple NEEDS to release:

A multi-button Pro Mouse.

Come on Apple! Just ship it with the Powermacs. I need the scroll
wheel. I need right click, left click.

I truly think Apple could make a ton of money if they released one.

They already exist - just not from Apple:
http://www.macmice.com/themouse.html

 

[Porchland]

IMHO, I doubt that we will see an iOffice/iSuite/iAppleWorks/etc.

MSFT already makes a decent Office suite that is basically an industry standard. Mac users (who are in the corporate environment) need Office. MSFT Office is key for switchers to make the switch. Apple does not want to jeapardize MSFT's support of Office on the Mac at this time.

Sushi

Agreed in principal, but those trademark registrations surely mean something. If not a suite that competes with MS Office, I'd like to see Apple try and accomodate the shirt-and-tie set. There's actually a tab on apple.com called "Business," but the target page hasn't gotten much attention lately.

I think there's a large and underserved market of technologically savvy small business owners that would love to do away with Windows altogether if they could get a little more guidance from Apple.