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Whispers Suggest a Mid November iMac and Mac Mini Updates
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what about the Mac Pros?
Umm.. Weren't the pros updated in January? It hasn't even been a year yet.
Very skeptical that this will come true.
I think that's the point, people have never really bought the Mini for the reasons that it was originally designed. The Macbook has been far and away the run-away success in bringing people over to OSX
The world is moving towards notebooks in a big way, small time desktop devices are on their way out.
The Mini has survived because people have still bought it, but Apple has not done much with it beacause they're just not sure where it's going.
Personally I'd like them to develop a consumer media server device
About to receive an iMac from Apple UK... gutted?
I'm just about to receive an iMac (2.8 ghz but with Nvidia card), so, to save time, I'm preparing my MacRumors "I'm gutted" posting right now. This is especially as the new one replaces a non-isight G5 2ghz registered the very day that the isight version was announced (ok, no real loss there, but annoying none the less).
What are the chances of Apple UK doing a re-stock for me if they announce new iMacs within a matter of a few days?
I'm just about to receive an iMac (2.8 ghz but with Nvidia card), so, to save time, I'm preparing my MacRumors "I'm gutted" posting right now. This is especially as the new one replaces a non-isight G5 2ghz registered the very day that the isight version was announced (ok, no real loss there, but annoying none the less).
What are the chances of Apple UK doing a re-stock for me if they announce new iMacs within a matter of a few days?
I don't really think the justification for the MacBook not having Firewire is because it isn't important or is dying. The simple reason is that there wasn't any room to put one. If you've looked at the disassembly photos of both the MacBook and MacBook Pro there simply isn't anymore room to put any more ports. In a competition between taking away a USB port and putting a Firewire, it makes sense to keep 2 USB ports and take out the Firewire. It's not that Firewire isn't important, it's just that having 2 USB ports is more important. It's almost guaranteed that if Apple had only given the MacBook 1 USB port and added a Firewire port, the uproar would have been even larger.
And the reason why Apple doesn't specifically say they didn't have room to add a Firewire port is probably for PR reasons. Afterall, I'm sure they would be equally criticized for admitting they created a design that didn't have enough room for ports, especially when they want the attention on the advantages of the new unibody design and not the sacrifices. Instead they just comment indirectly by saying Firewire isn't critical and USB is a good alternative, which is the justification for not having 1 USB and 1 Firewire port and instead keeping 2 USB ports.
I don't really think the justification for the MacBook not having Firewire is because it isn't important or is dying... ...It's not that Firewire isn't important, it's just that having 2 USB ports is more important.
Agreed. Although some would argue that with a USB hub, just one USB port is necessary.
But seriously, I'm thinking >50% of Macbook owners would have no idea that such a device even exists... Hence the need to prioritise USB over Firewire
If and when Apple updates the Mini I think it's safe to say that they are going to include a Mini DisplayPort to DVI (or VGA?) adapter since with the Mini, you need an adapter to use it period (not including accessing it through Remote Desktop, etc). Apple has always included at least bare functionality (they haven't taken away the Dock connector to USB cord with the iPods and likely won't because they are needed.
There is plenty of room for a Firewire port if it had been a design goal to have one. But Jobs is lying about the reason for dropping it, which is simply that Apple wants to differentiate the MB from the MBP and move more buyers to the higher-margin platform. The iMac doesn't have this constraint, and I would be very surprised if it doesn't continue to include Firewire.
Man I can't wait till the new iMac's get released .........this will be my first mac computer........hopefully the rumors are true, and they come out on the 10th soo that by thanksgiving i can show it off to my family and make them switch to a mac computer as well .......
.......
I'm sorry, I think that's utterly flawed logic. The fact there isn't room for one in the new design follows from the fact they left it out, not the other way around. You can look at almost any small-form factor Apple product and point out there isn't much room if they'd wanted X, Y or Z in it. You could say there isn't any room in an iPod shuffle to put a hard drive in the same way, it just wasn't designed to have one in there, the form-factor follows the function, not the other way around.
Eric S. has it spot on I think:
But it wasn't, so it would make no sense once that decision was made to leave an empty gap where the firewire support would be, would it?
Remember, they said they designed the new models from scratch, which one would surely assume means they started with design brief including what they had to include from a technological point of view. I think the simplest explanation is that Firewire was never going to be part of this machine, not that they would have added it but they ran out of space.
I would expect them to include Mini DisplayPort, or at least DisplayPort in all future Macs. It's either compatible, or will be (via adapters) with HDMI, DVI, and VGA. It's also apparently possible to use it bi-directionally which opens up all kinds of cool possibilities. A Mini DisplayPort and a magsafe would make the new 24 inch Apple Display all the more tempting to people who wanted a nice small desktop Apple set up - it would just need to be specced or priced right to not compete directly with the iMacs.
Maybe the mini would just get plain old DVI or if they combine the Apple TV and mini it might get HDMI, but I think it would be kind of funny (in a bad way) if the product called the Mini didn't include the video port called Mini DisplayPort - it seems like a match made in heaven!
I don't think Apple have had a good track record chopping and changing display connectors, but I think DisplayPort is a genuinely great thing.
i am seriously thinking of giving every one a cookie who doesn't mention fireware for a week on this sight you guys are insane you go over the same topic over and over and over. if you want it complain to apple but using up forum space saying the same thing thousands of times is not going to bring it back.
PS Sorry if i sound harsh I just want to move on
PS Sorry if i sound harsh I just want to move on
Agreed. However, I could care less about firewire. I hardly ever use it. Most of the things I use are USB 2.0. And if you really need to use firewire you can use an adapter.
i am seriously thinking of giving every one a cookie who doesn't mention fireware for a week on this sight you guys are insane you go over the same topic over and over and over. if you want it complain to apple but using up forum space saying the same thing thousands of times is not going to bring it back.
PS Sorry if i sound harsh I just want to move on
Exactly.
Why FAN BOYS continue to be blind is beyond me.
It's stunning actually that people think its about getting rid of a old technology. Yeah, sure, that's why its on the MBP.
Can we agree that on the old macbook you could not play games?
Can we agree that on the old macbook you could not play games?
Again, can we agree that on the old macbook you could not play games?
Good, but did you know for almost one (1) year you COULD run motion, final cut? Again, did you know you could run motion and final cut?
Can we agree that on the old macbook you could not play games?
Can we agree that on the old macbook you could not play games?
So, while you could not play games, the different OPEN_GL of motion and final cut could work on an older macbook.
Now guess what? Motion and Final Cut will run AWESOME on the new MACBOOK, but alas no firewire. Hmmmmm. Coincidence? I think not.
One last time, we agree that on the old macbook you could not play games?
So if thats the case, and knowing you could NEVER EVER EVER play games and then everyone said here, "nyaa nyaa, nyaa, why would apple care about gaming, blaah blaah, blaah" and only a handful of the smart people saw that this was BOGUS and had nothing to do with gaming but everything to do with Apple and what you said.
CASE POINT:
Older Macbook OPEN GL BENCHMARKS
1st Macbook 70% OPEN GL
2nd Macbook, 130%, then 140% (Tiger)
3rd and Leopard, 171% (OPEN GL). Again, no gaming but would run motion fine, go ahead and google MACBOOK and MOTION.
So, what does Apple do with the older macbook (last before new one), they release the INTEL X300. Want to guess what the benchmark was? Allllllllllll the way back down to 70%, making MOTION useless on the old white and black Macbook. So what did Apple gain from this? You couldn't play a game on it, so why bother? Really, why bother.
It's because as you say, to keep the smallest of small user base, the Pro, the PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE for thinking different from ever being able to use the machine for ANY creative use whatsoever, therefore, you have to buy a pro machine.
Same on the iMac, no Matte so no color correction, no high end graphic work (please spare me the small, miniscule market handful of people that use it for graphics, as I am talking about the DESIGNER MARKET on a whole, not the Jim and Susan two doors down), and not only did they not release MATTE but they changed the firewire chipsets on both the MACBOOK and iMAC from Texas Instruments (in the Mac Pro and Macbook Pro), to a cheap, problematic chipset that caused problems for audio/video professionals. Hmmm.
So, Apple does it again, says one thing, pretends its not important and slaps the PRO user in the face. In fact, they slap the PRO user all the time. CREATIVES used to teach FCP, SHAKE, MOTION, now it's iLife and making cards and how to use your iPhone.
Oh yay, Apple really is creative. Creative at decepting you at thinking they have your best interest, when in fact, they make two models, the Macbook and Macbook Pro from same body, slap on a firewire, larger screen, and express slot and charge $899 more. Hmmm, just like selling $49 dollar RAM for $300. Nice Apple, really nice to take care of those they helped you stay afloat for years. What a way to treat your loyal customers.
Anyone see the keynote when he passed the chassis around? He looked paranoid like someone would steal it. Goodness, paranoid?
The fact is that there was no room for firewire in this design (we agree on this) however I don't think it was never meant to be there, I think they had to take something out - they got a bigger graphics card, no firewire - i don't necessarily think they they started out saying design a notebook and take out firewire - they said design a notebook with nvdia and .95" by 12.78" by 8.95"
I'm sure they would put SD slots and Pc express cards and 6 USB's 3 firewire 800 and 2 firewire 400, hdmi, display port, mini display port and dvi and a phone modem for dialup and anything else you want but the fact is they care more about usability and design then compatibility - what i mean by sibility - the fact is anything you can buy today has a model that will work somehow with the macbook (if you want a camcorder, they have them for USB now) not saying its better equal to or worse but saying hey have them - i'm also not saying that it's right to make consumers buy new stufff when they have perfectly good working ones - especially in these times
but it's what they decided to do.Somebody said the MacMini needs to change because switchers are getting macbooks. I think there is some truth to that and maybe Apple has been waiting to see what's going to happen. I bought a Mac Mini after the TV came out because i thought it was crap and a MacMini can do so much more as far as media. However, Mosberg said (when he said the iPhone 3G would comeout in a few weeks) he said consumers are going to hook up boxes to their tv like an tv but it wont be like the geeks who hook up their computer to their TV. Maybe a hybrid would be it - could you imagine TV take 3 - one inch high, dvd player width and depth
Runs Mac OS Media - based on full Mac OS X but with an interface to revolutionize tv - maybe with a new wireless keyboard (don't know why they haven't done this already - keyboard on left (just like the current wireless) and a trackpad/LCD display on the right of it - same width as a typical keyboard but the number pad can appear (or disappear) and can also be used as a mouse (trackpad) with multitouch gestures - add a 10foot UI (better than the current Frontrow crap) more like the iPhone's - open it up as a platform - give a sdk and watch Apple take over mobile gaming (iPhone) and living room gaming - have the iPhone/iPod Touch also work as a remote or a steering wheel a la wii and the possibilities are endless - stick DVD (bluray when licenses are taken care of) and a tv tuner in the back - you've replaced everything on your tv shelf - all that's left is a tv - give me 30" Apple Cinema Display with iSight and speakers and hook it up to that 5.1 Bose and my living room is set!
Now that's exciting.
Wrong, no offense, but the benchmarks prove my point.
Why does the macbook go from 70%, ~140, all the way to 171%, not play games, get spilled on every MAC site that you can't play games but can run motion then Apple releases X300 and it poops to 70% and NO MOTION!
It's not about design. It's about getting people to buy up, up-sell to MBP and take away from the Pro user. Period.
It's by marketing.
No Pro work ever ever will be allowed. Ever.
You had to know, if Apple releases something that you can now run PRO APPS on which you can, you can't do video, period.
The sad part is many home studio musicians LOVED the MB as AUDIO and graphics were irrelevant but now, no FIREWIRE = no PRO devices.
I know many APPLE EMPLOYEES that are also musicians and they are peeved and state that NUMEROUS people are not, REPEAT ARE NOT buying the new MB nor MBP.
This time, Apples hand will be forced. You watch. Next revision, APPL decides, the loss of PROS using it does not by the slimmest of margins, hurt what the current MB does now without it.
Again, it's by design. Otherwise, you can't defend that it went from 171% down to 70% again after everyone (PRO) talked about how you could use it for PRO APPS.
There is no other explanation, none.
Funny thing is when me and a few others made this argument, everyone said, APPL doesn't care about gaming (well apparently they do now) as me and others said gaming out weighs the music industry.
No. I game on my Blackbook.
Sure, it's not full hard-on high-definition or anything like that, but the games I like to play are playable on my Blackbook (Team Fortress 2, Starcraft, Worms Armageddon, etc, even though I have to boot to Windows for some of them).
I gamed on my 12" PowerBook (until the GPU failed
).(The old shim trick brought it back to life.)
Any news on the Mac Mini should be assumed good these days, no matter how small. Let's just hope they don't go UP in price dramatically, like all Macbooks have in Australia.
I fully agree with you except for one small point.
Apple had a popular product range before the All in one Mac was released. It Built Apple very nice cash pile and started the brand loyality that kept the company strong. It even had it's own Us vs. Them war for the FanBoys.
It wasn't really an all in one, for the most part people plugged them in to their TV.
I miss the Apple][ series.
Sounds like you did too
Well if you're right - and don't yell at me and tell me it's wrong - I miss firewire in the macbook and want it back - i use firewire for video and audio (i'm a pro musician and an amateur when it comes to video) but I'm thinking if you're spending thousands of dollars on pro machines, you should fork up another 800 dollars for the macbook pro - i don't agree - my 2.16 GHz macbook does what I need it to do (although very slowly) - the problem is when these pros have a huge tank at home say a beefed up mac pro or even the high end iMacs and dont want to spend a 2nd fortune on a portable when it's meant as an extension of your home computer (desktop)
There is no reason to get a MacBook anymore - if you want portability get a MacBook Air, if you want firewire get a MacBook Pro - They've eliminated the macbook from the professional market - or for anyone who wants to use professional equipment.
Now about the mac mini - well i don't know anymore - i guess we'll see. Santabeen mentioned that the new entrylevel mac peopel are choosing is the macbok which makes sense - people want all in ones - where does that leave the mac mini? no where - it merges into a good TV (maybe needs a new name too like Mac Media) - and who knows maybe a built in dock for iPods although unlikely because they rather you get an iPhone or iPod Touch and use iRemote (it would look so much better too)
This is maybe what it would look like - (I can put it in an elevator to make it more legit)
Attachments
Mini Update - good idea
Well, I guess going from the fact there is a ratio of 4:1 positive:negative that will be on a winner if come Monday week they do release new iMacs and Mini's. As long as they are an upgrade on the previous model I will be lining up to get a Mini. Only a week to go and we'll see one way or the other.
Well, I guess going from the fact there is a ratio of 4:1 positive:negative that
will be on a winner if come Monday week they do release new iMacs and Mini's. As long as they are an upgrade on the previous model I will be lining up to get a Mini. Only a week to go and we'll see one way or the other.With the introduction in the near future of the USB 3.0, the firewire (or IEEE1394) will be a legacy port. The main reason of that port on the MB Pro is almost to maintain "professional" retrocompatibility.
Almost all new professional music and video devices are shipped with USB 2.0 connectivity, or pci-e as pro tools. I said this before, but the firewire is becoming a legacy port now. And soon with the USB 3.0 ...