New Apple Device in April?

[MacRumors]

Based on some whispers, there are hints of a "upcoming device" from Apple that will take advantage of the PowerMac G5's optical sound port.

The presumed launch is in April at the NAB conference (http://www.nabshow.com/).

 

[iChan]

Based on some whispers, there are hints of a "upcoming device" from Apple that will take advantage of the PowerMac G5's optical sound port.

The presumed launch is in April at the NAB conference (http://www.nabshow.com/).

please give up already on this fabled 'new device' there is no new device, probably never will be.

sorry for my pessimism, but it's taking so long!

on another note, if you keep mentioning these aticles every month, "new device in jan/feb/mar", you gonna get it right sometime. just give up on it until something solid comes out please, its infuriating on apple's part.

 

[ITR 81]

please give up already on this fabled 'new device' there is no new device, probably never will be.

sorry for my pessimism, but it's taking so long!

on another note, if you keep mentioning these aticles every month, "new device in jan/feb/mar", you gonna get it right sometime. just give up on it until something solid comes out please, its infuriating on apple's part.

This one is easy...it's a new set of Apple Speakers.

 

[Analog Kid]

on another note, if you keep mentioning these aticles every month, "new device in jan/feb/mar", you gonna get it right sometime. just give up on it until something solid comes out please, its infuriating on apple's part.

Reminds me of an ex-girlfriend... She'd always be saying things like "earthquake weather... there's going to be an earthquake soon". I finally told her that if she says that every week she'll eventually be right, but that didn't mean she predicted it.

Of course, if she'd said it on Page 2 I'd probably have been more forgiving...

 

[JohnGillilan]

If not a new set of speakers, I could see Apple releasing a small audio interface designed to work w/ GarageBand thru the optical ports (1/4" HiZ input, a mic pre, etc). I could see them pricing at around $99. Any thoughts??

 

[Savage Henry]

I really hope this is just long term speculation. This seemingly concentrated attention Apple is giving to the peripherals is becoming annoying.

I am so waiting for a hardware upgrade in the Macintosh line.

 

[lind0834]

Not Surprising.

I'm sure they'll just announce somebody else's speakers (HK, or Altec) that use the optical, and are available from the Apple Store first and later from other places.. of course they'd match the G5 or PB, but that's minor. Soundsticks II?

 

[dukemeiser]

This one is easy...it's a new set of Apple Speakers.

That what I was going to say. Could this be the rumored Apple/Bose alliance?

 

[wdlove]

Apple Bose Speakers would be nice, currently I have a good set of speakers.

We should try to be patient about hardware upgrades. Steve will announce when they are ready. A likely time now is WWDC at the end of June, since it is a major scheduled event. Steve would have the opportunity to make the announcment himself in front of a large audience.

 

[macnews]

please give up already on this fabled 'new device' there is no new device, probably never will be.

sorry for my pessimism, but it's taking so long!

on another note, if you keep mentioning these aticles every month, "new device in jan/feb/mar", you gonna get it right sometime. just give up on it until something solid comes out please, its infuriating on apple's part.

See this rumor is wrong, they will be released sometime in the next 5 years...I have this from an excellent source!

I am more concerned about G5 upgrades than some secondary device. This is getting a little long in the tooth for them. I mean what are we supposed to go to? Take a jump from 2Ghz to 3Ghz with nothing in between? Or will it be moving from:
1.6Ghz upgrades to 2.0Ghz
1.8Ghz upgrades to 2.5Ghz
2.0Ghz upgrades to 3.0Ghz

Even this seems unlikely to have such a wide spread. If a secondary device is released then I hope Apple didn't create it. Let it be a third party product. They need to focus on getting the G5s moving, otherwise Apple will look like a fool come July - the promised one year mark.

 

[invaLPsion]

I am more concerned about G5 upgrades than some secondary device. This is getting a little long in the tooth for them. I mean what are we supposed to go to? Take a jump from 2Ghz to 3Ghz with nothing in between? Or will it be moving from:
1.6Ghz upgrades to 2.0Ghz
1.8Ghz upgrades to 2.5Ghz
2.0Ghz upgrades to 3.0Ghz

Even this seems unlikely to have such a wide spread. If a secondary device is released then I hope Apple didn't create it. Let it be a third party product. They need to focus on getting the G5s moving, otherwise Apple will look like a fool come July - the promised one year mark.

I agree, the new powermacs will be up to 3GHz. Maybe the pricing will be up $1499 to $2999 (with four models for sure). Unfortunately, the 3 GHz model will be above $3000 I think.

 

[FlamDrag]

If true, my guess is that this would likely be some sort of "pro" audio device. Not anything mainstream.

Also, I'd bet a fair amount of money that the people at Apple who would be working on such a device are not the same people who would be working on PowerMac upgrades. So the introduction of this device -- and new iPods -- is not holding up PowerMac or PowerBook upgrades in the least.

 

[fcpgod]

Audio Device is True

I was at FCP Uncompressed Seminar yesterday and the guy from Apple said briefly that look for a device at NAB which will use the optical port persumably something to do with Emagic and Protools. And then he said sorry I talk too much you didn't hear from me.....

 

[pgwalsh]

I was at FCP Uncompressed Seminar yesterday and the guy from Apple said briefly that look for a device at NAB which will use the optical port persumably something to do with Emagic and Protools. And then he said sorry I talk too much you didn't hear from me.....

and now you made it easier for them to find and fire him.

 

[arn]

please give up already on this fabled 'new device' there is no new device, probably never will be.

sorry for my pessimism, but it's taking so long!

on another note, if you keep mentioning these aticles every month, "new device in jan/feb/mar", you gonna get it right sometime. just give up on it until something solid comes out please, its infuriating on apple's part.

I suggest you not read Page 2 then.

arn

 

[g30ffr3y]

I suggest you not read Page 2 then.

arn

hehehe... that was too funny... sorry...

if it was supposed to be something to work with garage band/logic that would be cool... but isnt the optical just for output?!?!? so i dont think it could be an audio interface for recording... soundsticks II sounds more feasible to me...

 

[MacandCheese]

Optical ports on the Powerbook

If this is true, can we anticipate optical ports on the next powerbook revision? If they are all about the music, why not add the wheel on the ipod to the powerbook as well? That way you can spin!! Combined with the optical port, the powerbook would be the party to go! Add booze and shake it (Repeat as necessary)

 

[huckleup]

This one is easy...it's a new set of Apple Speakers.

I don't see a good technical case for simple desktop speakers hooking to the optical audio port. The optical port can't supply power, which means that anything hooked to it would require its own external power. Apple doesn't like to add clutter to the desktop, so that doesn't seem like their style. And since the optical signals are essentially line level, there would need to be amplifiers before any speakers. USB makes more sense for hooking up simple desktop speakers.

If there was anything to hook up to those optical ports, I would guess something more like a some kind of multi-channel audio decoder box. The optical ports are output only, so it wouldn't be useful for recording with something like GargageBand. That leaves it to something like a DVD surround sound decoder and possible amp set. But Apple already offers an option for that (from Klipsch and Logitech). So Apple could offer an in-house developed solution for that, but it would have to be somehow better and cheaper than what is already offered. Maybe some kind of wireless version.

Overall, I don't see anything like that being a major thing for Apple. There are already all kinds of audio I/O solutions available. It couldn't be a big money maker for Apple. They normally go after relatively expensive and innovative things that somehow integrate tightly with their OS and hardware, where it would be hard for third-parties to compete against.

If the post about the 'slip' reported above from the FCP guy is correct, then that is probably something with FireWire, not with the optical port. Those guys need ins an outs. They need syncing to video. The need control signals as well as audio data. That's what FireWire and mLan is all about. Again, there are already quite a few third party solutions for that around, so anything from Apple would have to be quite an innovation over what is already available.

 

[WM.]

OK, a few things I'd like to comment on:

• The G5 DOES have an optical input.
• This is most likely not going to be a pro device. I guess they're talking about it at FCP events because it will probably appeal to semi-pro video editors (but, as huckleup says, not people who have a ton of devices that need to talk to each other). I think it'll be $99 and for use with GarageBand, like JohnGillilan said. Maybe two mic preamps and a couple stereo line inputs (1/4")?
• I agree that this is probably not holding up any other hardware products. Sure, Apple has limited resources, but I highly doubt they allow one product's schedule to affect another's--especially the one that gets them far and away the most profit (i.e. the Power Mac).

WM

 

[huckleup]

The G5 DOES have an optical input.
WM

Sorry, my bad. If I actually *had* a G5, I would have known about that. My DP500 and 1G TiBook will have to last another year before I will be ready for dropping another $3000.

Still, FCP people would probably use FireWire/mLan, so I agree, it doesn't seem like an optical only box would be what they want.

My main point was that optical is not a good solution for desktop speakers. I stand by that assertion.

Even for GarageBand users, I still think that a USB interface is adequate. Most of them only need stereo in/out, no sync to video, no wall wart etc. But there are already plenty of $99 devices available there, and they already integrate fine for simple systems, so I don't see how Apple could make something innovative enough to charge a premium there and therefore make much money on something in that market. It's practically a commodity market item already. It might be nice to have a total solution from Apple, but I still don't see it as a big money maker. It's no iPod or Cinema Display.

I could still see a semi-pro piece from Apple. There seems to be plenty of room to innovate in the mLan world. The possibility for a unique and tight integration with FCP is good. I think a piece in the under $300 range might have some opportunity.

 

[windowsblowsass]

maybe its some sort of amp to be used with garage band and then allow fluid transfer to an ipod so you can take your songs with you easily

 

[Sabenth]

List of things it could be :

Mic
Headphones
Speakers
Some sort of sonic Mouse never know lol
Keyboard
Midi input out put sort of gadget

Just some of the crazy whacky things you could use..

apple turning into nintendo then are they

 

[zelman]

apple turning into nintendo then are they

i hope it's a zapper!

 

[Flynnstone]

I can't imagine a set of speakers. I have a G5 and I have it connected to an receiver via optical. Too many programs mess with the bit rate. I often have to goto Midi setup to correct it.

So the new device must be a ... PDA

 

[Rod Rod]

Soundsticks II (already here)

g30ffr3y, lind0834, Harman Kardon already makes the Soundsticks II. The difference between them and the original Soundsticks is the newer model has a standard speaker jack input. The previous Soundsticks model connects via USB.