WWDC 2005 Approaching

[Apple!Freak]

Macworld San Francisco, Apple Expo Paris, and WWDC all seem to be turning into very low-key events. The past couple events for all of these have been kinda dull with the announcements. The absence of a webcast backs this up for me, meaning that Apple is turning these events into low priority gatherings.

All in all I believe that there will be something new announced. But I have my doubts that it is going to be anything BIG. There will definitely not be anything relating to the iPod or the consumer Mac models. And the PowerBooks and PowerMacs have all been recently upgraded. Maybe Apple will present some new applications or devices that will enhance the productivity of the Mac platform.

Who the hell are you? Harry Houdini?

 

[shadowmoses]

Who the hell are you? Harry Houdini?

LOL... I think we will see updated iBooks which will be a new form factor, have simular processing speed and specs just a better video card, and 512mb ram as standard, This will make sure they dont push into powerbook territory any further.

 

[theonenonlyjoey]

at least the one guaranteed thing is the webcast will be h.264 quality 😀

 

[Apple!Freak]

I'm kind of hoping we don't see any PB updates come the 6th, simply because I leave for a big trip out-of-country trip for two weeks on the 10th and while I wait until the 6th before I buy the PB I hope an update is not released then. As, if it is I will have to wait until after my trip to get the unit as it will not be available before the 10th.

Somewhat of a foolish reasonsing but hey, I've got to say what I've got to say. In any event, if Apple does not introduce a new Powerbook this Keynote, I hope it won't be for some time either considering I will have a brand new PB.

September, yeah yeah, thats good, do it then Steve. At the thing in Paris. Do it there! Not here, no, its just not going to work out. Really, its not.

 

[Mactrunk]

I'm bummed.
I keep waiting to upgrade my desktop mac.
I was really hoping WWDC would be it.
I think you guys are right.
2.7 is the top for at least another 9 months.

I don't need no steenking weedgets, I need some horsepower.

 

[BWhaler]

My predictions:

100% - Bunch of updates. Tiger fastest uptake OS in Apple's history
100% - 4 CPU XServe
100% - Motorola iTunes Phone

75% - HD 17" Powerbook
75% - iTunes Remote Type Device (2 Way Remote or tiny flat screen)
75% - iBook refresh (may see silent bump prior)

50% - HD 15" Powerbook
50% - New CPU (not G5) Powerbooks
50% - Airport Extreme 2 with video
50% - Swivel Displays

10% - Home media hub device

0% - G5 Powerbook
0% - Tablet PC
0% - Apple Phone
0% - iPod updates (Apple'll wait until September before the holiday season)

 

[Platform]

XServe mini 😀
G5 2.0 Single Cube
3.2 Ghz Dual Core QuadraMac XStation 😀

just to name a few possibilities

iGiveUp!

1. That would be REAL nice if it was a "home computer" 😀 😀 😀

2. Nice but at what price 😛

3. Well maby a bit too hopeful but maby not 😉

 

[timmyb]

What could you possibly update on the iBook that wouldn't pretty much put it in parallel with the PowerBook. At that point you may as well drop the iBook line and just have the PowerBook. The distinction between the two is getting razor thin at this point. 😕

I think it is very dangerous for Apple to do what you suggest. Although Apples have a vastly superior OS, the iBooks and Powerbooks are not the only laptops out there and just because the PBs have a bottleneck with the "mother of all thermal challenges" doesn't mean they should sacrifice the any hope of competing meaningfully with the iBook. IMO, Apple should update the iBooks now, (512MB RAM and 64MB video card, whilst still maintaining the amazing battery life,) and accept that it will eat in to PB sales, then blow everyone away with PB G5s when they are ready.

 

[oskar]

Well since everybody's just guessing, I might as well throw in what I think as well.

The PowerBook is the product that needs updating the most. I just bought one in January knowing this, but I couldn't wait any longer, I needed one NOW. I had been waiting for a PowerBook with a new processor since mid-last year when we expected to see a G5 pro PowerBook before a G5 consumer iMac, but as we all know, everybody who's been waiting for a PBG5 has been left with nothing for the time beeing.
The iBook is obviously beeing held back because of the lack of PowerBook updates or because we will see a full redesign. If we were to see updates next week, the high-end iBook wouldn't be more than a 1.5Ghz G4 maybe with a SuperDrive. They would just be minor updates with 512RAM standard (like the PowerBook's, PowerMac's, and iMac's last updates), unless we were surprised by a new PowerBook first. A new PB is bound to happen, but I would think until September in a future Apple event.
I think a more feasible product to be announced would be an updated XServe.
For once, all is possible in WWDC, thanks to the new measures that Apple has probably taken since previous leaks.

As a second thought I think the keynote will focus more on Tiger sales, iPods, and more sales (Jobs wouldn't miss it for the world), apps for Tiger, and other "smaller" things. The asteroid breakout box sounds like a good product, but not as a "one more thing" product, unless it's truly innovative and not just a white Apple-branded breakout box.

 

[opq]

Has Apple ever introduced or updated a consumer product (iPod, iMac, eMac, etc) at WWDC?

Which is why I'm hoping for refreshed Powerbooks. Again, I think it's really valid that Apple doesn't want to update their iBooks so that they are on par with the Powerbooks - that'd just hurt sales (the same thing that would happen if Apple added an x86 version of Tiger to the lineup - if you don't include the migration complications that is).

I'm personally really hoping for a dual-core or G5 powerbook. I have the Rev. A 867MHz 12" and unfortunately my headphones jack one day decided to make the PB think headphones are plugged in all the time and my PB is muting everything. Apple says I need a new logic board and that'll cost $500 at least. Any suggestions on this problem?

 

[GilGrissom]

its begun!!
The rumor mill is powering up!! hehe!!

I really dont kno wots going to happen this time, but to be honest instead of fancy new hardware or updated product specs im hoping for more invisable updates firstly, like lower prices, more reliability with all hardware just to ensure wintel users cant diss any mac hardware 4 reliability. i believe they've done it with the 12" pb, my new 1 is perfect, trackpad s genius and works perfectly 100% of the time!!! new pb hinges is one reliability topic i can fink of that im sure other people wudnt mind seeing improving. also i agree wiv sum of you wiv the 12" pb, giv it all the extras of the 15 & 17" models, bout the only way you can increae ibook/powerbook gap apart from G5.

 

[BWhaler]

I mini powerbook--smaller than the 12" with no cd drive--is also a possibility. I'd give it 50%

 

[redeye be]

If that rumored two-button scroll mouse from Apple becomes true, I'll buy one. I'd also be tempted by a new A/V APX or a 5th gen iPod, especially if it were styled after the mini, I'm not a fan of the white acrylic and chrome. Video capabilities would be nice, but I probably wouldn't use it much, I would use the photo stuff though which I cannot do now with my current 4G that I got right after they launched last year.

Like feakbeak i believe we can expect

• mouse: with scroll pad (like the iPod). Maybe even multi button. Allthough i wouldn't mind having just one and the ability to 'tap' the scroll pad.
• A/V Airport Express: watch iPhoto on your tv. Maybe even with BlueTooth to controll iTunes with the BT version of their new mouse, and a nice representation of your library on the TV.

These products have been rumored (maybe a little diffrerent 🙄 😉) and i for one would love to see them materialized.

 

[timmyb]

mouse: with scroll pad (like the iPod). Maybe even multi button. Allthough i wouldn't mind having just one and the ability to 'tap' the scroll pad.

I think that would be unlikely. It may be good for a desktop but laptops already have one - a trackpad. Apple need to produce a mouse that would suit both.

 

[Windowlicker]

So I'll be ordering a G5/2.3 this tuesday (not next tuesday, HAhahahahahaIkillmyself) to replace my rustic iMac 500. What if a new revision comes out next week. Will I be up a creek, or will Apple compensate?

The PowerMacs were just upgraded. Apple would be shooting itself on the knees (which wouldn't feel too nice, would it?!) if they released new models already. Go ahead and buy that beast if you need it!

Also, I bought my 2x1.8 last summer and I don't feel any need for a faster one.. Oh well, sometimes rendering video could be a bit faster 😉

 

[lpshean]

I think Steve will release Quicktime for Windows there.

I mean, Quicktime for Windows is "coming soon"... and its sorta associated with the pro community for those who create movies and stuff... so why not boast about the codec there and tell how it will influence Windows?

 

[Darwin]

at least the one guaranteed thing is the webcast will be h.264 quality 😀

I would be interested to see that, watching it in higher rez, hopefully there will be some cool stuff to watch for 😛

 

[pigwin32]

I would LOVE to see the cube back. I would take it over a mini any day.

Hmmm, Cube is good, tech is a little dated but silent operation is very nice, but Mini is also good, tech is a little dated and some fan noise in operation. Both look good on my shelf but the Mini takes up a little less room 🙂

 

[Windowlicker]

at least the one guaranteed thing is the webcast will be h.264 quality 😀

Oooooh baby! They might even increase the picture size a little bit. The MacWorld 2005 HQ stream was 448x252.. bump that to 480x270 and there would still be a bit better over all image quality.

 

[Darwin]

Oooooh baby! They might even increase the picture size a little bit. The MacWorld 2005 HQ stream was 448x252.. bump that to 480x270 and there would still be a bit better over all image quality.

They have two ways to go about it

They can keep the size the same and lower the bandwidth usage

Or hopefully they will keep the bandwidth usage about the same and increase the screen size, they could give us 3-4x the rez of before, that would be cool 🙂

 

[aafuss1]

Lets hope there's an update to the iBooks. This seems to be the longest wait ever for an update... perhaps a redesign?

I hope so too that iBooks are updated soon-either at WWDC or the next few weeks.

 

[mannybianco]

Has Apple ever been able to announce something completely suprising? Not talking about price cuts (do they even get announced?), but a new model/revision that NOBODY saw coming.

I have been following the Apple scene for only 6 months or so, but everything Apple does has been heavily trailed on the rumour sites, if only with a lead time of a week or so. It seems that these rumors or lack of are a more accurate indication of what is to come than the historic product cycle - xx days since last update etc.

If Apple had put some of that NDA hoodoo about, you'd still expect to hear about that, smug "I know something you dont" kind of posts, but nothing.

Looks like a lot of people are seeing things in the silence that just arent there (Rorsarch?) and building themselves up for a disappointment.

Dumb thing is that most people warn to avoid revision A Apple gear. So a lot of seasoned Apple-ers will cry out for new products with no intention of buying them until they mature...

 

[pigwin32]

Dual cores aren't going to be happening until this fall at the earliest unless the Moto folks have been feeding everyone BS because they themselves have said that samples (Samples NOT shipping products.) of DC's wouldn't be shipped out until 3rd quarter. So don’t hold your breath. You probably have just as good of a chance at seeing a G5 PowerBook as a DC PowerBook at this point.

Ah well, there goes my interest. My TiBook is getting kind of tired, I would have been very interested in a dually. Of course Mot has never been known for the accuracy of their forecasting and even sampling doesn't indicate product will be available for shipping in the following quarter. Plus it sounds like PBs are still shipping in big numbers regardless.

So my prediction would be the return of Newton with a new name so that Steve can claim he created it, 60GB laptop drive, does tunes like an iPod but also does handwriting recognition, wireless, oh wait, that would be OQO, damn.

 

[mainframe]

i hope they release a biometric fingerprint scanner

iTouch or iLog or iPrint.

there arent any for mac, i want one.

 

[Windowlicker]

Dumb thing is that most people warn to avoid revision A Apple gear. So a lot of seasoned Apple-ers will cry out for new products with no intention of buying them until they mature...

Exactly! Why is there a warranty for the products?? BECAUSE: If there's a problem, go fix it! I don't think the REV.A stuff applies anymore. Maybe back in the days like with Yosemite and it's handicapped IDE-controller.

Just think about it. The G4 MDD wasn't Rev.A, it was something like Rev.F, and still there was a big problem – that being noise.

If you want the new stuff, you buy the rev.a stuff and that's it.