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MacBook with Blu-Ray, Networked HDTV from Apple?

I have yet to hear a single good reason why Apple would want to make a TV.

Someone said (a few pages ago) that this would work for people who don't have HDTVs or computers. Now, what is stopping those people from buying an HDTV and an AppleTV today? Except, you know, the fact that such a combo would likely cost far, far less than whatever Apple priced their TV at?

Imagine Jane Average at the store, considering an HDTV purchase. She can get a Westinghouse or an Insignia or even a Bravia for $500-$1,000. Or she can buy a $1,500 AppleHDTV which looks cooler, but... what else does it offer her? Explaining the benefits of the current AppleTV to non-computer-savvy buyers is already very hard. Now you try convincing them to buy a far pricier HDTV because they can watch YouTube and buy TV shows on it.

Second, why on earth would Apple waste countless time and energy on developing (or even customizing) the entire device and featureset of a TV - no small feat - just so you could pay your cable company for TV shows and movies, not Apple?

There's about 0 chance of Apple developing a DVR system. It's about as likely as Apple launching their own satellite radio service. Competing business models, that's all there is to say about that.

If this rumor were true, all they'd have to show would be a nice, expensive TV running the existing AppleTV software. Does that sound like a big seller to you?
 
Scottsdale said:
Since the casing photos we have seen do NOT seem to support the BRICK as a new manufacturing process, the first two letters of BRICK could be for BLU RAY.

So, what do the other three letters say about our new MacBooks? This is really getting interesting. Seriously, Blu Ray supported by a MacBook even.
Click to expand...

Blu Ray Improved Computer Keyboard?

(or inverted computer keyboard)
 
Grimace said:
Cinema Display updates with HDMI and gigabit networking is what I interpret the AppleTV bit to be.
Click to expand...

That would imply the new notebooks having HDMI.

Kilamite said:
No - because a 50" Cinema Display would have a surreal resolution, and would be extremely expensive (like, $20,000). Even the 30" Cinema Display is four times as expensive as a 30" TV.
Click to expand...

Apple did say they were going to have lower margins due to product transition.

We won't be seeing anymore $1800 30" displays due to the lower cost of production. The 30" will probably become a 32" for $1299 and the HDTV would more than likely be a 42" for the $2999 market.
 
Are there slot loading Blu-Ray drives yet? If not, I don't see how the Macbooks can have them.

Most desktop computers don't even come with the tray-based Blu-Ray drives. Do we really think they have made slot loading drives small enough, cheap enough, and fast enough to realistically use them yet in Macbooks?

If there is a Macbook that gets them, I think it will be as options on the Macbook Pros. I don't see them fitting in a 13.3" Macbook yet.
 
Scottsdale said:
Since the casing photos we have seen do NOT seem to support the BRICK as a new manufacturing process, the first two letters of BRICK could be for BLU RAY.

So, what do the other three letters say about our new MacBooks? This is really getting interesting. Seriously, Blu Ray supported by a MacBook even.
Click to expand...

You could be on to something here... Blu Ray incorporated/Blu Ray included=BRic:confused:
 
I can see the real use for having BlueRay available to devices like the mini and/or appleTV for playback. Also, to use the drives for optical backup.

My problem is that I have not been able to confirm or deny the ability for any of the current Cinema Displays nor the current offering of video cards from apple to be HDCP compliant. If they are not, that would leave many customers out of the loop even if they had software support. Granted this would only apply to video playback of over the counter video.

Sure it could boost sales of new hardware, though.
 
neven said:
I have yet to hear a single good reason why Apple would want to make a TV.
Click to expand...

Well one reason is the lopping off of the word "computer" from the official corporate name a few years ago as well as SJ stating he wanted Apple to be viewed as a consumer electronics company, not a computer exclusive company.

Another reason is to get AppleTV into homes. The stand-alone unit is still a bit esoteric for most consumers but build it in to a TV and they might have something.

Apple already engineers some of the best LCD monitors in the biz. TVs are not that far off. But even if Apple didn't want to go that far they could always co-market a TV with AppleTV with a known TV makers. Apple is pretty cozy with Samsung for example.
 
Peace said:
Apple did say they were going to have lower margins due to product transition.

We won't be seeing anymore $1800 30" displays due to the lower cost of production. The 30" will probably become a 32" for $1299 and the HDTV would more than likely be a 42" for the $2999 market.
Click to expand...

Lower cost of production? Apple doesn't actually make the panels so there is only so much they can take off the price. Although I can see Apple going for the 42" and 50" market.

37" is so small these days.
 
I really don't see Apple making televisions at the best of times; it's a low margin, highly competitive, saturated market. In the current economic climate, zero chance.

Blu-ray support is good though, I don't want it now, I may do in the future.
 
ArtOfWarfare said:
While I do see an Apple television down the road 5 years from now (it'll be some kind of hybrid iMac/Apple TV/HDTV,) I just don't think it's coming so soon.

As for Blue-Ray... well, it's going to happen sooner or later. People have been pinpointing dates for the past year and a half now if I'm not mistaken and they've all been wrong. Maybe this one will finally be right for a change. And maybe it won't.

Also, didn't Kevin Rose already say Blue-Ray support was coming in Mac OS X 10.5.6? We're only at 10.5.4 so far (unless am I by chance not up to date?) So unless Apple wants to release 10.5.5 on Monday and immediately follow up with 10.5.6 on Tuesday, one of the two rumors are going to be proved incorrect.
Click to expand...

Ya, you're not up to date. 10.5.5 was released Sept. 15th. So it is possible that they will put out 10.5.6 soon (although that is only a month gap, which seems pretty quick for an update like this...)
 
Loge said:
I really don't see Apple making televisions a the best of times; it's a low margin, highly competitive, saturated market. In the current economic climate, zero chance.

Blu-ray support is good though, I don't want it now, I may do in the future.
Click to expand...

They would have a very hard time selling a $3,000 TV that streams iTunes and has a DVR. I just don't see it either. Also the fact that the majority of products leak these days and we see at least a teaser pic tells me it isn't true. Of course I could be wrong but wouldn't somebody have detected Apple buying the bulk parts? If they do it though like combo drives on Macs expect the low end MacTv or whatever it is branded as to incorporate CRT technology.
 
just my thoughts.......

I'd love to see Apple release a TV. I'd say just like the iphone, it would shake up the market especially if they included an integrated Apple tv box and the ability to acess internet wither via wifi or ethernet.

The thing with tvs at moment is that new ones are continually coming out that state they offer improved picture quality and smoother viewing. The thing is, there's only so far this can go. Sooner or later consumers wont be able to tell the difference in picture quality anyway.

So yeah, I think this rumoured Apple networked TV could be the way forward. It will no doubt look great but also offer consumers something different from the competition.

Thing is though, with something as major as this, surely the earliest we will see this is macworld 2009........

Just my 2pennies worth :eek:
 
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