Countdown to Macworld San Francisco (MWSF) 2006

[tny]

To anybody that still doubts Intel Macs tomorrow, here's something from the last World of Warcraft patch notes...

"This change will make it easier for us to release future updates to the game, for example to support upcoming Mac models based on Intel processors."

You really think they'd be making that change if Intel processors were still 6 months away?

If you didn't know, wouldn't you be tempted to make the patch now just to be on the safe side?

 

[runninmac]

Plus:

7. Those that just bought an iBook and Apple announced a new one

That would be me... but I wont be complaining because Ill be getting the new Mac mini (hopefully, i mean there has been no "update" [Im not encluding the BS excuse for and update]) And Im in love with new my iBook

 

[Evan_11]

expensive.

True. Thanks for the technical explanation. I suppose they could put a 30gig hard drive in there and still have the ultra-thin dimensions. Anyway you cut it, Steve wants a smaller, lighter and thinner laptop. In keeping with the success of the iMac G5 I think we'll see something very iPod like with the new ibooks.

 

[hvfsl]

We all know Apple will release something with Intel cpus in it tomorrow, we just don't know what.

But if they don't have new PowerBooks, I will be very disapointed (since I have money ready and waiting to spend). Plus they had better have a dual core 2Ghz Yonah and ATI x1600M 128MB graphics (minimum).

 

[monke]

From all this MWSF speculation I have put a permanent shape in my chair. Sitting here now gets very uncomfy.

 

[Val-kyrie]

FEDs

Amen to that. Give me LCD or DLP any day over Plasma.

Just wait until you see a FED--new technology due this Spring and reported on in December's issue of Wired magazine.

 

[amateurmacfreak]

From all this MWSF speculation I have put a permanent shape in my chair. Sitting here now gets very uncomfy.

I am here in same position too. Doing schoolwork and listening to music and reading this and iming and generally being happy.

 

[bowlerjim]

alternative live coverage

If this server becomes bogged down ... hit this one up. I read somewhere they are using some sort of ajax delivery system to avoid getting terribly bogged down.

http://live.macspecialist.org

 

[amateurmacfreak]

If this server becomes bogged down ... hit this one up. I read somewhere they are using some sort of ajax delivery system to avoid getting terribly bogged down.

http://live.macspecialist.org

Oops, link did not work. Other url?

Oh, and happy first post!

 

[iZoom P5]

All these rumors bring a few questions to my mind...this is my first MacWorld since I switched last April and I'm very excited

1) Is MWSF generally a consumer event or has Pro stuff been released in the past?

2) From my understanding, the Yonahs are mobile chips. Does this justify them going in the Mini?

3) About all the plasma/lcd issues... if a computer was involved, wouldn't some kind of screen saver be available? Wouldn't that solve any burn in issues? Even just having a visualizer would be cool.

 

[sehix]

Speaking of rumors, who has pics of the convention center? There are usually pics of hidden banners and covered merchandise. Come on people! We need the inside scoop here.

We're probably out of luck; for the last couple of years, I watched the posters go up...starting just after the subject of the posters was announced in the keynote.

There were some put up earlier, but they were covered, and the tarps didn't come off until after Job's had announced those products.

 

[Doctor Q]

From the moderator:

The many people who have posted today's Foxtrot comic should discuss it in this thread, not here.

There have already been three threads about this cartoon, and that's quite enough!

Thank you.

 

[sehix]

What company are you talking about here? The iPods have gone up in price only one time, and yet the feature set is huge compared to the original. The iMac's have dropped in price overall, and yet the features are again improved. iBooks, PowerBooks, PowerMacs, ditto.

When has Apple ever dropped features and added prices?

jW

When Motorola failed to supply the first G4 CPUs when they'd promised, *after* the Power Mac G4 machines had been announced?

 

[Chundles]

All these rumors bring a few questions to my mind...this is my first MacWorld since I switched last April and I'm very excited

1) Is MWSF generally a consumer event or has Pro stuff been released in the past?

2) From my understanding, the Yonahs are mobile chips. Does this justify them going in the Mini?

3) About all the plasma/lcd issues... if a computer was involved, wouldn't some kind of screen saver be available? Wouldn't that solve any burn in issues? Even just having a visualizer would be cool.

Generally a consumer event but it has seen the release of PowerBooks etc. in the past.

The mini would be very suitable for a Yonah chip. The mini requires a cool running chip with sufficient performance to maintain both it's form-factor and market niche.

New plasmas are far, far less susceptible to burn in than the old ones. I have yet to see an LCD that impresses me as a TV monitor, they all exhibit different levels of pixillation and look horrible displaying sports like golf and cricket where a small object moves about the screen at speed - looks like someone throwing or hitting a ribbon.

We've just got a Panasonic 42" Viera and the images on it are rich, good blacks and colours and movement looks totally natural.

 

[monkeyandy]

TiVo quiet at CES

TiVo Uncharacteristically Quiet at CES

Look at this link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/09/AR2006010901288_2.html

I think TIVO are quiet because they have struck a deal with Apple.

"It's always been my opinion that DVR is sort of a stepping-stone technology, more of a feature than an actual product," he said. "Really, the future is Internet delivered content _ not recording it and watching it later."

A feature as part of a Mac Mini with FrontRow 2. They mention selling movies over the net for $3.99. Apple will do this. They will also release a Airport Extreme TV card that plugs into your TV so u can contol your Mac with a remote which could be located in a different room. Mac Mini ViiV with FrontRow 2.0 will be DVR, Movies, Music, Photos, etc in your frontroom. the whole media experience and also function as your family MAC!

Thats my thoughts! What do u think? U rekon Mac & Tivo could be conhorts. This could mean if your have iMac G5, all you do is buy iLife'06 and Airport Express TV thing. You have DVR, etc accessible in your Living Room. Even if the Mac is in a different room! Could usse this new WI-MAX standard for delivery!

 

[SiliconAddict]

TiVo Uncharacteristically Quiet at CES

Look at this link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/09/AR2006010901288_2.html

I think TIVO are quiet because they have struck a deal with Apple.

"It's always been my opinion that DVR is sort of a stepping-stone technology, more of a feature than an actual product," he said. "Really, the future is Internet delivered content _ not recording it and watching it later."

A feature as part of a Mac Mini with FrontRow 2. They mention selling movies over the net for $3.99. Apple will do this. They will also release a Airport Extreme TV card that plugs into your TV so u can contol your Mac with a remote which could be located in a different room. Mac Mini ViiV with FrontRow 2.0 will be DVR, Movies, Music, Photos, etc in your frontroom. the whole media experience and also function as your family MAC!

Thats my thoughts! What do u think? U rekon Mac & Tivo could be conhorts. This could mean if your have iMac G5, all you do is buy iLife'06 and Airport Express TV thing. You have DVR, etc accessible in your Living Room. Even if the Mac is in a different room! Could usse this new WI-MAX standard for delivery!

Tivo launched a couple of dual head HDTV players are CES so I wouldn't read too much into it.

 

[amateurmacfreak]

TiVo Uncharacteristically Quiet at CES

Look at this link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/09/AR2006010901288_2.html

I think TIVO are quiet because they have struck a deal with Apple.

"It's always been my opinion that DVR is sort of a stepping-stone technology, more of a feature than an actual product," he said. "Really, the future is Internet delivered content _ not recording it and watching it later."

A feature as part of a Mac Mini with FrontRow 2. They mention selling movies over the net for $3.99. Apple will do this. They will also release a Airport Extreme TV card that plugs into your TV so u can contol your Mac with a remote which could be located in a different room. Mac Mini ViiV with FrontRow 2.0 will be DVR, Movies, Music, Photos, etc in your frontroom. the whole media experience and also function as your family MAC!

Thats my thoughts! What do u think? U rekon Mac & Tivo could be conhorts. This could mean if your have iMac G5, all you do is buy iLife'06 and Airport Express TV thing. You have DVR, etc accessible in your Living Room. Even if the Mac is in a different room! Could usse this new WI-MAX standard for delivery!

whoa. that's sounds plausible. and awesome. hope something happens!

 

[amateurmacfreak]

Tivo launched a couple of dual head HDTV players are CES so I wouldn't read too much into it.

well, what exactly does that mean against the possibility of a TiVo/Apple deal? Just too much stuff already happened w/ TiVo?

 

[sehix]

The next Intel notebook won't be a Powerbook for the simple reason that it won't have a Power PC processor in it. So no need to worry about Powerbook updates - I think the Rev E Als were the last of the Powerbooks.

That would explain why it took from 1991 until 1995 (PowerBook 100) before the first PowerBook that ran on a PowerPC proccessor (PowerBook 5300) hit the market.

 

[metfuel]

if this hasnt been posted yet all of those who got thier hopes up about the tvs look here at the upper left hand corner.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051216/tc_nm/column_pluggedin_dc

 

[Chupa Chupa]

All these rumors bring a few questions to my mind...this is my first MacWorld since I switched last April and I'm very excited

1) Is MWSF generally a consumer event or has Pro stuff been released in the past?

2) From my understanding, the Yonahs are mobile chips. Does this justify them going in the Mini?

3) About all the plasma/lcd issues... if a computer was involved, wouldn't some kind of screen saver be available? Wouldn't that solve any burn in issues? Even just having a visualizer would be cool.

1) MWSF is a Mac event. Sometimes consumer products are the theme of the keynote, sometimes Pro, sometimes both.

2) Yonah = Viiv.

3) Isn't there a host of screen savers in your Mac OS? If a computer is involved there is already an included array of screen savers. Plus iTunes has a visualizer.

 

[mhouse]

What I Hear...

No, but I consider being highly suseptable to burn-in a fatal flaw of Plasma displays. I expect DLP or LCD to reign champion of HDTV, until something even better somes along, like holographic projection of course.

The latest word I hear about Plasma is that the tech is quite good now and very resistant to burn in. Furthermore, it would be Apple's only option to release large screen televisions at this price.

Dell's 30' LCD, which we all know is cut to the bone in terms of profit margin most likely, costs 2200. No way Apple could release a 42' LCD at the prices quoted.

I'm starting to believe it. The iPod nano was just this same kind of last-second-what-a-crock-of-**** rumor that popped up about three days prior to an event last time. And O'Grady is really setting himself up to look like an ass if isn't true.

The first story (on Powerpage) could be played off as a gag. This one certainly can't

 

[dmoney]

New 'books

These are my predictions for new books. The graphics cards are probably a little bit of a stretch on the Powerbooks but one can hope.

13.3” iBook
1.66 GHz Core Solo w/ 2 MB L2 cache
667 MHz FSB
512 MB DDR2 PC2 3200 up to 2 GB
1280x768 resolution
Intel GMA 950 up to Radeon X300M
60 GB 5400 RPM HD up to 100 GB 5400 RPM
SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection
Built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
Scrolling trackpad
Sudden Motion Sensor (SMS)
iLife ‘06

$1099 MSRP


13.3” PowerBook
Dual 1.66 GHz Core Duo w/ 2MB L2 cache
667 MHz FSB
512 MB DDR2 PC2 4200 up to 2 GB
1280 x 768 resolution
Radeon Mobility X600 64 MB up to 128 MB
80 GB 5400 RPM HD
SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Backlit keyboard
Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection
Built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
Scrolling trackpad
Sudden Motion Sensor (SMS)
iLife ‘06

$1399 MSRP

 

[dmoney]

new 'books

15.2” Powerbook
1.83 GHz Core Duo w/ 2 MB L2 cache
667 MHz FSB
512 MB DDR2 PC2 4200 up to 2GB
1440x960 resolution
100 GB 5400 RPM
SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Backlit keyboard
ATI Mobility X1600 128 MB
SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Backlit keyboard
Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection
Built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
Scrolling trackpad
Sudden Motion Sensor (SMS)
iLife ‘06

$1899 MSRP

17” Powerbook
2.0 GHz Core Duo w/ 2 MB L2 cache
667 MHz FSB
512 MB DDR2 PC2 4200 up to 2GB
1680x1050 resolution
120 GB 5400 RPM
Super Drive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Backlit keyboard
ATI Mobility X1800 128 MB up to 256MB
SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Backlit keyboard
Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection
Built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
Scrolling trackpad
Sudden Motion Sensor (SMS)
iLife ‘06

$2099 MSRP

 

[gnasher729]

I expect the Mac Mini to get Core Solo, not Core Duo, at least on the lowest models (which means they wouldn't ship yet).

But not Pentiums. Pentiums generate a lot of heat compared to Core, and the Mac Mini is designed to be both small and quiet. So heat would be a problem.

2.8 GHz Celeron processor = $79. That is about the chip you could expect in a $499 Mac Mini. The Core Solo, which is not even available yet, costs $204. There is no way Apple could put a $204 chip into a computer that retails for $499.