Jobs Excited about Device, Keynote?

[lorien]

What if they are going to release 10.5 to ANY Intel machine. That would rock things up

Wow yeah! Like one year free OS X system... Apple spreads its proverbial seed...then the following years people have to buy updates like the norm. So after one year gazillions of users decide they can't be bothered with Windoze after all and Steve Jobs becomes president, or something like that.

 

[Poff]

Wow yeah! Like one year free OS X system... Apple spreads its proverbial seed...then the following years people have to buy updates like the norm. So after one year gazillions of users decide they can't be bothered with Windoze after all and Steve Jobs becomes president, or something like that.

Or the free 10.5 on any PC, and then you'll have to get a Mac to continue enjoying OS X 10.6.

 

[Rootman]

The arguments have been given countless times before.

Apple is a hardware company, their hardware makes a ton of money, their software makes very little money. A retail OS isn't as profitable as a computer or maybe even a single iPod.

That's why Microsoft will never make it. Making disks and cardboard boxes is too expensive.

They did it once, remember the clones ? They made it possible to license the OS. The clones were MUCH cheaper than the Apple computers and it almost killed them.

No, that is simply wrong. Clones were not cheaper. Apple was already dying and customers sisn't want a sole source. The licenses were not for OEM software alone, but for hardware design. Nobody bought clones. Apple didn't have laptop or iPod revenue.

 

[autrefois]

Wow, even Steve is excited about the keynote this year! Maybe he's starting to buy into all these rumors that are going around...

It seems to be a given now that there are big things going to happen at this 2-hour keynote that his friends are attending. We know some of the big things (iTV, etc.), we think we know others (Apple phone, etc.), but I bet there'll be at least one or two things no one has thought of yet. Apple and/or Steve are trying to let it be known that people should pay attention to this Macworld in particular, and I think the buzz is working.

The biggest gauge of how Steve is excited will of course be how many times he says "boom" during the keynote. For WWDC 2004 I counted 31 booms, which I believe was a record. But records were made to be broken...

 

[shelterpaw]

What if they are going to release 10.5 to ANY Intel machine. That would rock things up

Honestly I don't think it would be the best strategy unless you bundled it with iLife and iWork. Most importantly iLife, it's what makes the consumer Mac what it is. Professionals won't necessarily need iLife, but Joe consumer won't see the Mac for what it is without iLife. I think it only makes sense to give someone the full experience and give the basic user everything they need out of the box. Then they wont be running around looking for third party applications to view this document or to load their digital images. Most non-Mac-centric consumer have no idea what iLife is or how it works.

 

[CrazyWingman]

I know what Jobs is announcing tomorrow. It's going to be the iFork.

Fork.

MP3 player.

Cell phone.

All in one, stunning design.

Magic.

He'll be eating ramen noodles through the whole keynote with a STUNNING fork, then at the end he'll say "Oh, and one more thing." Pulling his fork from the ramen, and holding it to his ear, "Yes? Oh, hi Jet Li, yeah, eating with it now. Ta-ta. :ause-:: This is the iFork."

Mark my words, people. Mark my words.

Wait! Don't forget the ForkPro, the metallic version.

...the iFork, of course, being the white plastic model.

 

[dernhelm]

Inviting all of his friends to hear his last Keynote address is also an unfortunate possibility.

Let's hope not.

My sole prediction. After the keynote there will be no fewer than 40 posts indicating how sickly SJ looks. How it is clear that he'll never make it another year...

 

[shelterpaw]

My sole prediction. After the keynote there will be no fewer than 40 posts indicating how sickly SJ looks. How it is clear that he'll never make it another year...

That certainly is morbid and horrible thing to say about anyone.

 

[kjemtrud]

iTalk Ad leaked!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3168733759916419298

That is one of the sickest looking phones I've ever seen! WOW!

 

[goosnarrggh]

That is a clue. Aren't we all tired of iThis and iThat?

How about bQuiet? A device that can turn off all cell phones within a selected radius, or in another mode, can beam in on a selected phone and zap it. This device would be more popular than any phone.

Imagine zapping the phones of teenage girls driving their lifestyle cars too close to you in traffic, silencing loud self-important calls of wanna-be important people, calls of any look-at-me cell phone users, calls in airplanes...

Limitless sales opportunity. Making the world less annoying for the rest of us. What could be better?

There are already companies who'll "paint" interiors (eg. of movie theaters) with a special membrane which has copper filaments woven through it. Think paint-on Faraday cage.

The effect is a very nice RF shield which will prevent cell phone signals from getting in or out. Add to this a switchable antenna bridging the cage, which can be activated in case of emergency so people can still call 911, and I'd say that problem is totally licked!

I'd personally like to see a cell-phone blocker built into every automabile. As long as the ignition is turned on, cell phones turn off!

 

[DarkNetworks]

My sole prediction. After the keynote there will be no fewer than 40 posts indicating how sickly SJ looks. How it is clear that he'll never make it another year...

Possible...Possible...xD

 

[DavoMrMac]

I do not know Steve personally, but having run my own website (www.geekanoids.co.uk) for over a year now I have followed things very closely.

Steve inviting all his friends, well maybe this does indicate a personal announcement, but don't forget his illness was of the non-fatal kind, the sort that could be cured. He has come back with full strength and his last keynote was probably just suffering a cold which people read to much into.

He may stand down sometime, but I doubt it would be this year.

 

[Goldfinger]

That's why Microsoft will never make it. Making disks and cardboard boxes is too expensive.

An OS costs a ton of money in R&D + Windows isn't MS's cash cow. Office and support programs for Windows are.

 

[Peace]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3168733759916419298

That is one of the sickest looking phones I've ever seen! WOW!

It's also one of the oldest "conceptual" videos out there.

I'm surprised nobody has picked up on one tiny thing.

Jobs is secretive.We all know that.So what does he do ?? 6 months ago he showed us a prototype device that he "doesn't normally show".The iTV.
WHY did he do that ?
WHY give a heads up to competition on a device that can change the living room?.So they can make one too ?..That's what's happening at this years CES.Every company and their brother are coming out with a streaming device for your TV.

WHY would Apple do this?

Simple answer..

It's a smokescreen.It's designed to throw off the competition.Which it has done..

Now lets see what the REAL device is eh?

 

[BillHarrison]

An OS costs a ton of money in R&D + Windows isn't MS's cash cow. Office and support programs for Windows are.

But, the OS is already developed. The R&D is already taking place, save for the additional hardware support needed. So in a way, your pointing out that the best thing to do WOULD be to share that load by opening it up to more buyers, and turning iLife / iWork into cash cows.

 

[Evangelion]

That's why Microsoft will never make it. Making disks and cardboard boxes is too expensive.

Microsoft "made it", countless other software-companies did not. And Microsoft made it by using questionable business-practices. When Microsoft took over the industry, they were basically the only company providing OS'es to PC's, so they had the benefit of starting from a clean slate. OS X would go against a very entrenched monopoly-product. I have watched Linux in this arena for quite some time now. And fact is that on the desktop, Linux mops the floor with Windows. It really does. Yet Linux has VERY hard time getting to the desktop. Yes, it is happening, but it's happening slowly. And this is with a product that is better than Windows, and it's free.

Taking on an entrenched competitor in the desktop-arena is VERY difficult. Add to that the fact that the entrenched player is willing to resort to just about every possible means to destroy you. Linux has so far faced veiled threats of patent-litigation, Microsoft-funded legal attacks through a proxy (SCO), millions of dollars being thrown at customers who consider switching, relentless political lobbying, humungous marketing-budget, nonexistant interoperability etc. etc. etc. You have a VERY hard fight ahead of you.

If Apple started selling OS X to OEM's, it would basically mean end to the Mac. OS X might survive, Mac would not.

 

[Rootman]

Steve inviting all his friends, well maybe this does indicate a personal announcement, but don't forget his illness was of the non-fatal kind, the sort that could be cured. He has come back with full strength and his last keynote was probably just suffering a cold which people read to much into.

I hope he does a feat of physical prowess.

In his way, Mr. J will conquer the world.

 

[Evangelion]

An OS costs a ton of money in R&D + Windows isn't MS's cash cow. Office and support programs for Windows are.

Microsoft has two cash-cows: Windows and Office. Just about everything else they do loses money. And lots of it. They can do that because both Windows and Office earn them OBSENE amounts of cash. I believe their profit-margins on both products is around 80%. IIRC, Apple's profit-margin is around 20%.

Monopoly does wonders to the bottom-line .

 

[Belly-laughs]

If Jobs is as excited as sources claim, I believe it has to do with a market that is huge – the home. Perhaps what we´ll see is some kind of complete wireless solution for the home. A remote that controls other (Apple) products in the home, be it the iTV, iPod wireless speakers, Macs. And lights, heating, security cams. The remote could well be a new iPod and/or the phone.

Apple is keen to serve personal media, and without the ability to control the system from the comfort of the sofa, no-one will buy.

The iPod home is social, the Mac (or PC) is just the anti-social piece of the puzzle – more a content server, perhaps not even necessary.

 

[Skull Leader]

Uber Geek

but I'll be happy with this.

The only thing more impressive that Apple unveiling a TRICORDER would be if they BEAMED Phill Schiller on stage to demo it!

And you thought that 802.11n would be impressive....

 

[macnews]

Jobs retire/step aside?

I have to admit, I didn't think about Job's moving aside or stepping down until I read some posts on here. After a while, it started to get me down because hey - I like Jobs and what he has done for Apple. If he did move aside, things would be tough and that made me think...

Jobs will not step down or aside at a Keynote like this. Why? Why would he? What purpose would it serve - granted besides his own ego?

I mean where would you put such an announcement that it wouldn't over shadow EVERYTHING else?! The "one more thing?" Don't think so. At the beginning? Hardly, all the reporters would exit the show to file "breaking news" briefs. No matter where you would announce it, his pride and joy, the company and products he was worked to build up would play second fiddle.

The above scenario just doesn't make ANY business sense.

Now, for those saying he would do it soley for the ego - think again. Yes, it would be big and as I mentioned over shadow everything else. However, this is a place for other vendors, products and announcements. Those will get some play time as well. If this is done just for ego, I can't see him sharing the spot light at all - I mean if he really is THAT ego centric.

So either way, it just doesn't fly. Instead, it sounds like some proud father saying "hey, come look at my great kid!" That I can see. Retire/step down - not at this keynote.

 

[crispoe]

OS X on PCs

OS X on PCs

I thought about this as well.
That would be one secret apple would want to keep until after vista was finalized.

As far as apple losing their hardware business- I really doubt it. Sure it may take a small hit, but as Apple becomes more and more a consumer electronics company, the pipeline is going to grow and they may be able to afford to sell less Mac HW (even though they won't). Macs are now comparable to other computer manufacturers in terms of price, but Apple still leads the way when it comes to hardware design, looks, and brand. Macs will still sell even if you can run Mac OS X on a Dell. People love the sexiness of the Mac, and I don't think thats about to change. Competition is good thing, and will keep Apple being innovative on the Mac Hardware.

Apple would need to implement something to battle piracy for the Mac OS, if they were to release it for all PCs. They would also need to greatly increase the support and QA staff around OSX because of new drivers etc that would be needed to ensure stability.

I don't expect them to license the OS to Dell or any other manufacturers to be included with a new computer, without a big premium. It would strictly be a packaged standalone product.

If this is true.. if you were in the market for a new computer, it would probably be cheaper just to buy a mac, than to buy a dell and then buy OS X/iLife.
But for those of us who have PCs and want OS X, we need to pay the $199 for the license. Then we need to spend another $79 for iLife.

If they really wanted to ensure stability for there Pro Line of applications (Final Cut) they could use the TPM module in Macs to only let Pro Applications run on Mac Hardware. Just an idea.

I doubt it will happen but it would certainly stir up the sh*tshorm.

 

[Xyl]

But, the OS is already developed. The R&D is already taking place, save for the additional hardware support needed. So in a way, your pointing out that the best thing to do WOULD be to share that load by opening it up to more buyers, and turning iLife / iWork into cash cows.

The only reason Microsoft's software is a cash cow for them is because they are charging ridiculous amounts of money for it. For example, the version of Vista without any missing features is 400 USD. Mac OS X Leopard (which doesn't have any 'missing features' versions) costs a third of that. In this case, selling OS X for PCs won't make Apple lots of money, unless they also charge 400 USD per license.

 

[skunk]

Jobs will not step down or aside at a Keynote like this. Why? Why would he?

He may not have any choice in the matter if the SEC find any bloodstains on his carpet.

 

[50548]

Perhaps what is to be released is more simple than we are looking. Maybe it's just an early release of 10.5? Perhaps some other simple software app that Apple has created at helping our lives. It may not be hardware. I mean, perhaps the iTV or what-have-you... but there is a line.. in the sand dude.... that you do not.........

I just would like to share some thoughts with you, after having talked to SJ yesterday...he told me the following things will appear tomorrow, in the sequence described below:

1st hour -

1 - State of all things Mac;

2 - Leopard preview;

3 - Updated Minis with Core 2 Duo;

4 - New MBP 12/13";

5 - And one more thing for Macs...30th Anniversary Mac (Frogdesign form factor and extreme GPU);

2nd hour -

6 - State of all things iPod;

7 - New movies at iTMS and Beatles catalog;

8 - iTV;

9 - and one more thing...the iPod Phone!

Now for the BIG NOs:

NO MacPro Octo

NO vPod

NO Leopard release

NO OS X on PCs

NO Jobs stepping down.

Guest appearance of Woz as well...just wait and see...