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iWalk

Re: Who in the heck has this much time on their hands to pull off a stunt like this??

Originally posted by Thunder
Ummmmm....... Apple?? [...] Wouldn't it be a perfect distraction from other stuff? [...] It was Apple THEMSELVES that drew attention to the rumor sites...
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Yeah, and I posted something like that a minute ago, but it would be a mighty ballsy move on Apple's part to say they were going to go "way beyond" the rumor sites, then spread rumors of such an unrealistically cool device. Just based on the countdown slogans they're going to need to demonstrate cold fusion or warp drive or something to satisfy the expectations they're setting up.
 
A spanner in the works...

Sorry to rain on your parade guys, but I think some of you need a reality check.

Don't get me wrong - I'd love Apple to re-release a PDA. I for one bought a Newton MessagePad 110 in 1994, and it still does me great service. And to have an updated version would be grand. But it has to be done properly - and to today's standards.

But you see, that's the problem - the iWalk looks outdated; sure, it looks pretty and small, but it appears to be based on 1994 technology, with a sub-standard OS (especially when put up against the latest from Apple).

Whilst Apple are surging ahead with OSX, wouldn't it be LOGICAL to adapt a cut-down version of it to be installed on any future PDA's?

Wouldn't a new-look PDA have the features that other PDA's of today have as now standard, like a built-in camera and microphone, or even telephony capability, to make it truly multimedia savvy?

And as far as screens go, why not let Palm, Compaq, Sony and Visor et. al. corner the market with their tiny little electronic diaries? To all intents and purposes, they're fiddly as hell.

I read recently in one of the threads on this site that the Asian stockist for the LCD screens (that Apple use exclusively) has been recently accumulating large quantities of the units. This could mean one of perhaps 2 things:
A new LCD-based iMac, and/or
A new A4-sized PDA with handwriting recognition and a cut-down OSX.

With all this talk of Bluetooth, and the increase of Multimedia work on computers, I'd be gunning for the A4 "Newton Mark II". It could even take over the laptop market - easier to carry, yet just as powerful (if not, moreso).

Face it - I'm sick of looking at a Geneva font, aka. the iWalk/OS9.

I want different, so I'll THINK different.

 
iWalk as an Apple product is FAKE

Okay the final word is the iWalk as shown by SpyMac.com is a FAKE FAKE FAKE device.

In none of the video do we see it manipulated with ACTIVE animation on the screen i.e. insertion point blinking or scrolling of a window.

We get still of different angles of various 'apps' supposedly on this thing, but the video has the iWalk totally motionless while its messed with and its screen changes.

And when we do see GUI animation it kind of "floats" above the screen and with object manipulation there is also disturbing inconsistencies with real world physics and what we see happening (ignoring the low frame rate and highly pixelated video images).

Another thing, when it starts up the image appears instantly. If it were real it would not have a HD as it would take several seconds to spin up and read before anything could happen just like the iPod.

The LCD screen simply doesn't look like that in video either. There is usually a blue-ish cast to most backlit LCDs in video. If it were LEP or some new technology LCD maybe, but not here.

Plus the fact that all this originates in Germany, way way outside the R&D area of Apple Computer and the previous iWalk was so obviously a 3D graphic rendering inserted into some poor photos this whole thing stinks. The credibility of SpyMac.com was shot in the first week of its existence.

Being outside the US they are further out of reach of Apple's US-based lawyers (but not Germany's) cease and decist orders.

Good hype, very good fake video. Give Hollywood a call guys you SpyMac.com guys seem to be very talented.
 
Nothing Unbelievable

Regardless whether the videos are real or not, how about the idea that such a device could easily be made, today, with no new technology required:

1) Firewire
2) Audio In/Out
3) Newton handwriting recognition (REAL handwriting recognition rather than Graffiti...my Newton always worked for me)
4) Color LCD Screen
5) Rotatable screen image
6) iPod style wheel for interaction
7) Price of $500 to $700 to fit in the Apple pricing structure.
8) Industrial design complementing existing consumer products (i.e., iPod, iBook)
9) 10 GB Firewire HD for storage
10) Bad name (see iPod for example)
11) Built-in AirPort
12) A form factor that makes it a PERFECT device for a digital hub

Nothing revolutionary, just putting all the proper bits together for a very usable device. Evolutionary would be the best term.
 
Considering the fact that people tote their notebooks/laptops everywhere anyway, having something the size of an A4 sheet of paper would be ideal - as opposed to those little PDA's. After all - if we're after a true paperless society, we might as well have WYSIWYG when we write our documents.

In this case, bigger IS better (within reason). Don't you think?
 
Originally posted by kiwi_the_iwik
In this case, bigger IS better (within reason). Don't you think?
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Oh, I always wanted my MessagePad to be A4 size or so. That would be wonderful, especially with a carrying handle of some sort. The Newtons were a really unfortunately awkward size. They were too large to fit in your pocket, but too small to carry like a hardcover book.

Oh, and about the list of components above, yeah all those things exist, but I don't think that put together they would fit within your $500-700 price point, nor within the dimensions of the case shown on SpyMac. The firewire port on that case butts right up against the upper edge of the case. Unfortunately there's screen there on the front. There's not space for a color screen in that case. You also have to consider the state of battery technology. If you build a device like that, you'll get approximately the battery life of a Powerbook or iBook with whatever technology you choose to use. There's no magic in the iPod's LiPoly battery. The iPod's power usage is very efficiently optimized for one specific task. You won't get that kind of performance out of a general purpose device.
 
Not Real/Sorry!

If it we're real don't you think Apple would tske it off! Apple problably has a ton of devices lying around like this. Would we buy it ? Yess! But that doesn't mean that they'll make it. But if you look at the "Digital Hub" and how it is being taken apart product by product . Keep Your finger crossed!
And PC users why Do You Care so much what we come out with. Your always so jelous!! Leave us alone!!!
 
iQuit

So perhaps the author of the video quit working for apple and is getting back at them. And it'd be too obvious to call his device the iQuit.

 
serial # & sku verification

anyone out here able to enhance/magnify any of these posted pics to read the product specs (especially the serial #) off the back of this so-called iwalk? just curious...

tai
 
i don't think apple should release a portable product over $600. why get a portable when u can spend $100-$200 more and get an iMac. $300-$500 is the ideal price tag.
 
Fake AND it didn't come from Germany

It's a great magic trick but that's all it is.

The hands even move like a magician's. The very fact that someone speaks in German and the AC wall outlet is so prominent means that it's not from Germany.

Watch it as you would a magician's moves.

P.S. I'm still hoping for a Firewire camera!

Moby 1
 
Think Inside the Home

I know what it would be if it were up to me... (that fit's the teasers)

Large size and beautiful Cinema Display that will replace my television and be controlled with my iBook or iMac thru my airport network... will also display awesome iTunes visuals while playing on my Kardmon-Hardmon (whatever) speakers, and surf the internet and play iMovies, etc... the one and only TRUE DIGITAL LIFESTYLE... ITS JUST GOTTA BE THAT BIG, Steve... Don't let us down!

This should be way bigger that "computers," this is about LIVING...

That would be mine guess, Scott
 
notepad.jpg


This product existed and even had the name printed on it... but in the end the final production model was named the Newton Messagepad.

iWalk not being trademarked doesn't mean much.

arn
 
picts/movies

now that apple's legal team has the stills and vid off mainstream servers, is there any1 out there that saved the video and can email or quickly post it?
 
Originally posted by arn
notepad.jpg


This product existed and even had the name printed on it... but in the end the final production model was named the Newton Messagepad.

iWalk not being trademarked doesn't mean much.

arn
Click to expand...

Well, I apologize, I didn't realise that. I reserve the right to eat my words. Just my 2¢, please take at face value...

P.S. You can still download the movis from my iDisk:
http://homepage.mac.com/positron666/FileSharing1.html (Hopefully this is not somehow illegal 😀)

P.S.S. I'm American, but there are some British spellings i prefer 😛
 
New Apple Slogan on Apple.com

I read this entire thread and no one has mentioned the new slogan on the Apple homepage:

"to boldly go where no PC has gone before"

I'm starting to get excited regardless whether the iWalk is real or not.

Kavok
 
Originally posted by iCinder
i don't think apple should release a portable product over $600. why get a portable when u can spend $100-$200 more and get an iMac. $300-$500 is the ideal price tag.
Click to expand...

And that was the problem with the Newton. The MessagePad 2100 sold for about a thousand bucks. You'd pay somebody $300 on eBay to get one today. It was the most rampantly cool thing ever, but it wasn't cool enough to justify the price tag for most people. I was fortunate enough to get a MP120 demo unit several years back for around $200.

 
Whatever, newton still a nice and useful device, even i should say that device beat the newest palm... i recognize taht some features are missing compare to the palm... but you have to keep in mind that Newton still a 9 years-old PDA. Which is pretty good, with the technology they had at that time. And nine years after... we're still having one color screen on the Palm,... some version got color screen option i know. However, Apple still the pioneer in PDA market. Newton is the first one who had been released 9 years ago.

Newton Rules, eheh, 🙂
 
Star Trek theme?

Apple's latest slogan:

Full speed ahead: Lust Factor Ten

It's beginning to sound like something was modeled after Star Trek.... Given their previous slogan yesterday. Could it be similar to one of those "PADDs"? Would explain the LCD order methinks.

Comments?

Kavok
 
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