MWNY Predictions

[Backtothemac]

Well, here we go. Two things could happen.

1) Steve introduces speed bumped PowerMacs topping out at 1.2 GHZ with PC 133....the crowd rushes the stages and disects him.

2) Here is what I think we will see.

Windows iPod. This makes sense. This allows PC users the ability to get hooked on Apple products. No, it is not a system, but it has an Apple logo on it, and that breaks down the fear of owning an Apple.

Speed bumped iMacs. They are getting a little long in the tooth. So lets say 800 entry and 1GHZ top o the line. Possibly DDR on the puppy. If not at least a 133MHZ mobo.

Speed bumped PowerMacs. Radical redesign here. New case and far greater power.

1.0, 1.2, and 1.4 GHZ. DDR 266, 1394b, larger hard drives also. Faster superdrive.

Some sort of new digital device. I think camera, firewire, and harddrive based.

 

[King Cobra]

Here is what I think. I don't think that a simple upgrade to 1.2 or 1.4GHz will be enough. We need something else. I would like to say DDR-RAM, but then if Apple upgrades their Macs to 1.x GHz with DDR-RAM, that puts the PowerMac in front of the XServe, and I am not sure if Apple can do that.

I also expect an iMac upgrade to the full GHz level, but I am not sure on this. I am most certain that no DDR-RAM will be included if there is an iMac upgrade, since the DDR-RAM should be placed in the top model Macs, then work its way down.

I would also like to see what happens with accessories and software updates. We may have Firewire 2, but I am not too sure. I would expect an OS X update, maybe. I am finally looking forward to other software updates, such as iTunes, maybe iTunes for windoze.

Then, again, anything can happen.

 

[Macmaniac]

I agree with Brothermac, there will be 1.2ghz and 1.4ghz powermacs with DDR Ram. This makes them faster the X serve, but the Pro line needs it bad! I think there is a chance for an iMac upg but it seems unlikely because Apple can barely keep up with current orders. I suspect 1ghz iMac with 133mhz bus but it will be after MWNY before the holiday season. Probably some software updates.
Can't wait to see for my self!

 

[edesignuk]

I really hope for a speed bump on the TiBook range.
Scrap the 667Mhz, entry 800Mhz, top 1Ghz...maybe DDR???
I don't really think that this will happen at MWNY, but I would be really pleased if it did.
C'mon Apple, show me what u got!

 

[kevinibook]

I'm wondering if Apple will re-introduce Bluetooth, maybe built-in to its TiBooks and Power Macs? I hope they do, i just bought a bluetooth enabled phone and its also a new connection to DV or MV camcorders (sony).

 

[rugby]

I don't think a firewire camera will happen because who the heck needs a 5gb drive on a digital camera? That's massive massive overkill unless Apple has some massive resolution capabilities in the camera. a DV camera with a 5gb hard drive is worthless.

I think Apple will come out with a 802.11g airport base station. 54mbps and backwards compatible with current base stations.

 

[kevinibook]

I dunno about a DV cammera but certainly a digital camera would be possible, maybe using USB 2.0 (which might come with all new macs?) or possibly Firewire, i also think that Firewire would be an overkill.

 

[coolocity]

USB2

USB2 ports would be a waste of space. All media should be done through FireWire.

 

[Grokgod]

USB 2 <cough cough puke >

yea, who carea about USB thats a PCheese thingie isnt it?

I want firewire all the way.

Isnt there a Firwire 2 coming?

I want that!
Firewire works really well!

 

[eric_n_dfw]

Re: USB2

Originally posted by coolocity
USB2 ports would be a waste of space. All media should be done through FireWire.

Compatibility is everything - the only reason you have all those USB 1.1 devices out there is because Apple moved to a standard. (An Intel one at that!) USB 2.0 and Firewire are both standards that can co-exist. (Especially if Firewire 2 comes out soon)
No USB 2.0 = Guaranteed PC Only support for new devices.

 

[eric_n_dfw]

Another thing on USB2

I'm not sure, but I beleive that I read that a USB2 bus' speed is severely cripled by any USB 1 devices living on it. Something like a 33% slowdown.

If I'm remembering correctly, it would have to dedicate every third clock cycle to the lower speed device and no USB 2 device could "talk" on that cycle. (Or at least they'd have to talk at the lower speed)

I could be totally off base here - have any of you hardware gurus out there heard anything about this?

I don't know how the Firewire 2 bus would handle Firewire 1 bus devices though.

 

[coolocity]

Firewire 2

I'm pretty sure that when firewire 2 comes out (expo - PLEASE!) that firewire 1 will run at approx. the same speed as if it was a firewire 1 port. I don't see what would cause such a slowdown because of the way firewire is designed. If firewire is truly twice the speed of what we have now, USB will become obsolite in the not too distant future.

 

[eric_n_dfw]

Another firewire strength

USB 1.x requires a CPU to exist where Firewire devices can "talk" peer-to-peer. I don't think USB 2 adds this peer-to-peer capability does it?
I often connect my church's Sony D8 cameras via 4pin-4pin firewire to my Canon GL1 to make MiniDV copies of Digital 8 tapes. (Easier for me to edit from as I don't own a Digital 8 deck)
Having to have a PC in the middle just to make a digital copy would not only take twice as long - it would just totaly suck!

 

[mischief]

My guess:

Based on Apple's rebate deals and current ship times:


New Towers:

Potentially a new enclosure.

Processors: 1Ghz to 1.4Ghz Apollo or (dare I say it) MP8550's

Bus at 133 Mhz w/ custom RAM controller running DDR 2100 as per Xserve.

Rapid I/O hoped for but not expected.

ATA 100 HW RAID controller on mobo.

FW2 hoped for but not expected.

Dump the internal Zip bay.

Potentially 802.11G option and bluetooth on mobo.

I'd love to see more but I doubt it.

For those of you interested in the G5 here's the embedded chip it will spawn from:http://e-www.motorola.com/webapp/sps/site/prod_summary.jsp?code=MPC8540&nodeId=01M98655


New OS rev.: X.2 $20.00 upgrade or $130.00 purchase


Upgrade to imac, perhaps ibook and TiBook.

Rev. monitors: 23" price drop.
22" discontinued
19" introduced.
17" price drop
15" discontinued

General trend toward higher resolutions per sq. inch.


Potential addition of a new input device to go with X.2 and scrible. Potential of custom Video card.

 

[kevinibook]

If they were to discontinue 15'' Studio Display woudn't they have a promo with that rather than with 17'' and 22''?

 

[rugby]

Good point. I haven't seen any rebates for the 15" screens, although they're practically giving Airports away. I hope Apple comes out with 802.11g airport stuff so I can run a reasonably fast wireless network at home.

I hope they have ATA/133 onboard the new towers and a nice 19" 16:9 screen to go with it. That's what I'm looking at buying.

Originally posted by kevinibook
If they were to discontinue 15'' Studio Display woudn't they have a promo with that rather than with 17'' and 22''?

 

[evildead]

my money is on....

my money is on.... some kind of digital life styal device. PDA, mpeg/jpg Camcorder/camera that uses flash memory, setTop mpeg/mp3 player that can interface with iPod/Mac/TV with onscreen menues, or something like that.

I agree that a windows iPod is comming and some speed bumps and DDR

I would run out and buy an Apple PDA, mpeg/jpg Camcorder/camera, or setTop box, the minute I could order one.


-evildead

 

[rice_web]

FOR THE LAST TIME PEOPLE:

The XServe DOES NOT have to be faster than the PowerMacs!

Okay, I'll simmer down.

The XServe is meant to fit into a tight area. It's almost like a laptop. Laptops most certainly do not run at the same speed as their desktop counterparts, so why should a 1U server do the same?

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And, why would they discontinue the 15" LCD? Keeping it allows for Apple to manufacture and buy parts for 15" LCDs in greater volume and keep prices low.

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An analyst featured on C|Net expects 1GHz iMacs. I think that might be a stretch, but we'll see come July.

 

[DavPeanut]

Originally posted by rice_web
FOR THE LAST TIME PEOPLE:

The XServe DOES NOT have to be faster than the PowerMacs!

Too true! If you look at PC rackmount servers not to long ago versus there desktop counterparts, the servers were at 900 Mhz and desktops at 2 Ghz. Who cares if Xserve is behind PowerMacs.

 

[cryptochrome]

Here's what I think...

Apple is now not waiting for expos just to do upgrades on their computers (a good thing too). But expos are big events, thus they are good to introduce big changes. Thus I expect this expo will focus primarily on big new devices and technologies, making them much more interesting than before. The dominant theme of the keynote will communication between people and cooperation between programs, revolving around 10.2's neat new apps and features, particularly Quicktime 6, Quartz Extreme, and Rendezvous, and the new capabilities they enable.

Company - Possibly some light shed on why they're buying every compositer company in site (a super Final Cut Pro?) but don't count on it just yet, 'til their ready. When they are ready expect an xServe designed for professional video/effects processing.

Software - I'm betting a major new iApp will be released (besides iChat). The interesting part will be how the iApps (including improved mail and addressbook) will be working together. Appleworks may be significantly enhanced for OS X and re-released as iOffice (or something - if not now then later, these type of programs are too essential to not be on every computer).

Hardware - Something that will tie into 10.2's new Ink technology. At the very least a new input device, but possibly an independent PDA-like device of some sort. My guess is that there is a device in the works that will seem a lot like a PDA, but be far more functional. (I also guess that the mother of all consumer digital cameras is being considered, and an apple set-top box to put every other to shame, and maybe even the mobile phone of the future) I think it's a reasonable bet that we'll finally see one (or maybe two) new digital hub device of some sort in any case. Surely there must be some rumors going around somewhere.

 

[Ouroboros]

Yes people need to stop seeing the Xserve as the badass top of the force Apple product. It has to be reliable and be fast at serving data. That's it. Remember too that this is the entry level one, as Steve said for the Xserve. I'm sure that probably January will see a super mega processor one for renderfarm stuff, not that this one is shabby.

Which leads me to this thought. The Xserve has to fit a price range. Maybe the DDR "hack" is just for that model of chip, and to meet the price range, they are using those chips. It looks quite expensive when you factor in the 4 INDEPENDENT transfer busses. So again don't see the Xserve as the top of the line - what's possible - latest thing for Apple. The desktops are what people really look at. They aren't a special market product like the Xserve. So they are going to roll out the best of the best (at least what Apple can do) for the desktops. IF the Xserve was supposedly the top of the line be all end all, then wouldn't you think they'd wait till MWNY?

 

[coolocity]

Just as long as they do something with that iMac, I'll be happy. Needs a bigger monitor, and a processor upgrade.. not to mention a *good* video card.