WWDC a week away - Predictions?

[rosalindavenue]

Like I said in the quote you posted; 1.33 GHz to 1.5 GHz. That's incremental since the current one is 1.2 to 1.33 GHz. Except that while the clock speed only goes up a little bit, the battery life will be insane.

I really hope you are right-- I'd order such an ibook the day it was announced. And I would not be the only one-- an announcement like that would lead to an incredible summer of sales for apple. Heck, the CEO of Intel says to buy an apple. Some shiny new hardware would really start the ball rolling.

 

[clayton]

Cinema Display revision -- Allows them to spin to the vertical position to take advantage of the rotating display feature in Tiger.

Clayton

 

[EGT]

I was just wondering, what's the best way to keep up to date with the events/announcements at the WWDC?

Will we get a "reduced" MacRumors with live updates or just keep a check on the WWDC site?

 

[Lacero]

1-a new high-end, dual core/quad processor power mac workstation (announced, to ship late summer)

In lieu of reliable rumors, rampant wild speculation ensues...

 

[wide]

straight from apple's secret lab:

1) mac minis give slight boost, not much though
2) ibooks are going to retain the same form factor, but will be given slightly better specs (just a speed boost though)
3) powerbooks will be available in 1.75GHz Single Core for the 13.3 inch powerbook that will be released. 1.75 GHz DUal Core for low end fifteen inch. 2.0GHz for high end 15 inch and 17 inch. oh yeah, and high def screens in the 15 and 17 inch models. all with 512 mb ddr2 ram standard, perhaps wireless firewire.

new chassis for the powerbooks (more and better speakers, backlit keyboard in all models, improved battery life too). and all notebooks (ibooks included) will have a new mouse button that can be set to one-click (like it is now) and can be changed to dual-click (one mouse button but with dual-clicking capabilities, activated by a switch or a magnet or something).

new software, blah blah blah, e700 64-Bit notebooks by MWSF 2007 running at 3.0 GHz at least, all dual core. 4.0 GHz powermacs by MWSF 2007.

some time after this event, jobs will announce that the eMac will be discontinued in 2006 and will be replaced by an upgraded mac mini with the option of a keyboard, mouse, and 17 inch apple display that will be the first to use OLED technology.

and all products with wireless firewire, and you will be able to buy those new wireless charging pads for the notebooks and for the mac mini, possibly. next imac update will have high definition screens. apple will announce HD-DVD and Blue-Ray compatibility in all notebooks soon. wireless USB 2.0 soon too. all color screen ipods, including low end ipod and minis. shuffles will be redesigned with an OLED screen under the glossy white case, so you will be able to see what you are playing through the screen (sort of like what Sony recently released).


this is all i can think of, i think there's a good chance of me getting at least ONE thing right

 

[law guy]

this is all i can think of, i think there's a good chance of me getting at least ONE thing right

A good prediction strategy! I'm thinking of the MacWorld back in Jan '03 and how surprised I was to see those new PBs. It would be great to have that "wow" factor back at this years WWDC.

 

[LaMerVipere]

5th Generation iPods for the rest of us!

 

[iriejedi]

New Keyboard

what are the rumors for new keyboard? I just bought mine last week so it would be cool if new ones come out so i can exchange it.

The New Keyboard has No Delete Key. An attempt to further SNUB Billy G and show that Macs are perfect and mistake free.

Blue Tooth Optional delete key free with that windows emulator program!

 

[Willy S]

straight from apple's secret lab:

1) mac minis give slight boost, not much though
2) ibooks are going to retain the same form factor, but will be given slightly better specs (just a speed boost though)
3) powerbooks will be available in 1.75GHz Single Core for the 13.3 inch powerbook that will be released. 1.75 GHz DUal Core for low end fifteen inch. 2.0GHz for high end 15 inch and 17 inch. oh yeah, and high def screens in the 15 and 17 inch models. all with 512 mb ddr2 ram standard, perhaps wireless firewire.

new chassis for the powerbooks (more and better speakers, backlit keyboard in all models, improved battery life too). and all notebooks (ibooks included) will have a new mouse button that can be set to one-click (like it is now) and can be changed to dual-click (one mouse button but with dual-clicking capabilities, activated by a switch or a magnet or something).

new software, blah blah blah, e700 64-Bit notebooks by MWSF 2007 running at 3.0 GHz at least, all dual core. 4.0 GHz powermacs by MWSF 2007.

some time after this event, jobs will announce that the eMac will be discontinued in 2006 and will be replaced by an upgraded mac mini with the option of a keyboard, mouse, and 17 inch apple display that will be the first to use OLED technology.

and all products with wireless firewire, and you will be able to buy those new wireless charging pads for the notebooks and for the mac mini, possibly. next imac update will have high definition screens. apple will announce HD-DVD and Blue-Ray compatibility in all notebooks soon. wireless USB 2.0 soon too. all color screen ipods, including low end ipod and minis. shuffles will be redesigned with an OLED screen under the glossy white case, so you will be able to see what you are playing through the screen (sort of like what Sony recently released).


this is all i can think of, i think there's a good chance of me getting at least ONE thing right

I think Steve is going to sue you on this one.

No really, this is a good and sober prediction. I just want to know whether it´s a good idea to jump on an emac now as a second computer along with my iMac G5, or to wait for this WWDC?

 

[dotdotdot]

Definately a PowerMac which will go above 3.0 GHz, 3.2 or 3.5 is my guess. Starting at $1,499

Also, the eMac will go 1.5 GHz standard and will go to a 20" CRT but stay the same price. Starting at $799

Mac mini Rev. B, change it from DVI to Mini-DVI and will include extra USB, and a FireWire 800. Also, the front will get a nice USB 2.0 port and the power button moved to the front and it will grow an extra 1/2 inch on each side and from top to bottom to accompany a 64 MB Graphics Card, and the options will be: $499 for a 60 GB HD and $599 for an 80 GB HD - these will have 32 MB RAM, and $699 for a 100 GB HD, 64 MB RAM, and much more... This will undergo the most changes.

Also, minor iPod changes, drop the iPod photo and make it standard. Also, it will NOT have anything else, except an increased price for each model by $50 to include all the cables... so for the next update they can get rid of the lower price without any cables.

Also, PowerBook 12" will die and a 13" Widescreen will take its place, the 13 and 15 will have 1.5 GHz G5s, and the 17" will have the first G5 processor at 1.6 GHz. Every model's keyboard will be backlit, and each model will have digital out on audio. Starting at $1499

The iBook will recieve a new form factor and will go to 13 and 15 inches as well but will have a lower quality LCD. Also, these will go only to 1.3 GHz Max. The iBook will have AE standard but bluetooth as an add on. Starting at $999.

Also, Apple always had that 'grid' thing, for each desktop, there is a notebook. I therefore think that there will be a new Apple notebook, or really, a tablet, called the Apple Book mini.

THE APPLE BOOK MINI:

-1.0 GHz Processor G4
-12" LCD Screen
-2 USB, 2 Firewire
-Touch Screen Display
-OS X 10.4.1 Optimized for Tablet Mac
-32 MB RAM

This will start at $999 as well and fill the gap of the Mac mini being alone.

Of course, a 14" Book mini will be available and have a 1.25 GHz G4. This has 32 MB RAM and will be $1299.

iPod shuffle will go from 512/1024 to 512/1024/2048, the 2 GB model will have a one line LCD screen... The 2048 will be $199, and while it may be a ripoff and be able to get an iPod mini, this is USB 2.0 compatible and will have one extra, unnamed feature to make it more attractive.

Apple will also update the keyboards form factor, AND FINALLY release that 2 button mouse with a scroll wheel! It will be two buttons and the same, thumb sensitive scroll wheel thats on the iPod to scroll through pages.

Apple will also release iWork Premium, and it will be the "MS Office Killer," priced at over $299.

Apple will show off the iTunes Motorolla phone and make people all excited about it... it will have iTunes and iCal and Mail.app also on the phone, and have over 512 MB of space - basically, the Apple PDA. And it will be a PDA phone. It will be sold for over $400 at every Apple store, every Cingular, Verizon, and TMobile store.

Apple 10.4.2 will be released on June 11th, and previewed on June 10th of the WWDC - it will add a 'revolutionary' new feature to 10.4.2, and every person who buys Tiger as of that day will get a free disc to install 10.4.2, and whenever someone goes to buy Tiger after that, he/she will be purchasing 10.4.2, not 10.4.1 or even 10.4.0.

These are all just guesses, and I doubt any of these will actually happen, but hey: it could.

Sorry for the long post!

 

[Mr. Anderson]

The bump would be pretty close to the bump (and the bigger changes) that happened when my dual 1.42 came out - total life of that product was only 4 months on the market (mid-March to mid-July when the WWDC PM announced G5's began to ship).

What do you see coming down the path next week? (and do I recall incorrectly, or did you used to be located in Alexandria, VA? We used to live up the hill behind the GW monument)

Ah, forgot about that 1.42 bump....hey, it would be great, but I'm not going to bet on it.

Yep, I used to live in the South East in Old Town on St. Asaph. Really loved the town and miss it at times. Its a world away here in Lake City Indiana....

D

 

[.Andy]

OK this came to me in the gym today. Seeing as the iBooks have been so long coming and that the specs between them and the powerbooks is so close, my stab in the dark is.........

The current spec powerbooks will bump down to become iBooks. Probably the same form-factor as the current iBooks or a revision thereof.

......And we will get a new line of powerbooks. With the dual core (finally) and will be marketed as G5s. Again a similar form-factor to the current ones slightly revised.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Is it just me...

That thinks WWDC '05 will announce speed bumped XServes??
I'll refine my prediction. XServes will have the 2.5Ghz G5 cpu's along with new motherboard for standard Infineon type connection - to coincide with Xraids' connections. Developers in huge studio's or farms could love this improvement; maybe even Dual or Quad HyperTransport links.

iBooks may get a revision but not during the keynote, I say within 3 days after.

If any hope of PowerBooks will be announced 2 things; 1 they wont ship until September at the earliest. 2 G5 cpu's arent ready, and when they are then will also see a new chassis thats rigid, naturally shock impact resistant, and OLED's as now Sharp has the ability for ridculous contrast ratio's (10000:1). Maybe even beat Intel & MS at their game for proposal of a mini external display?

If any software developments are announched I wish to see Apple working in partnership with corporate backers for placing iMac G5s & PowerMacs in a corporate environment: SAP, PeopleSoft, the company that makes the Tuxedo modular billing system (its widely in use by almost ALL cellular providers; big sales potential). Also success stories of students graduating high school with better marks across the board; using Mac's.

 

[Platform]

That thinks WWDC '05 will announce speed bumped XServes??
I'll refine my prediction. XServes will have the 2.5Ghz G5 cpu's along with new motherboard for standard Infineon type connection - to coincide with Xraids' connections. Developers in huge studio's or farms could love this improvement; maybe even Dual or Quad HyperTransport links.

iBooks may get a revision but not during the keynote, I say within 3 days after.

If any hope of PowerBooks will be announced 2 things; 1 they wont ship until September at the earliest. 2 G5 cpu's arent ready, and when they are then will also see a new chassis thats rigid, naturally shock impact resistant, and OLED's as now Sharp has the ability for ridculous contrast ratio's (10000:1). Maybe even beat Intel & MS at their game for proposal of a mini external display?

If any software developments are announched I wish to see Apple working in partnership with corporate backers for placing iMac G5s & PowerMacs in a corporate environment: SAP, PeopleSoft, the company that makes the Tuxedo modular billing system (its widely in use by almost ALL cellular providers; big sales potential). Also success stories of students graduating high school with better marks across the board; using Mac's.

I think so too....they kind of NEED to get more speed and power

 

[wide]

the new mac minis will have a dlp projector come out of the apple symbol on top that can display hd definition streams, much like R2D2.

 

[djkny]

If any hope of PowerBooks will be announced 2 things; 1 they wont ship until September at the earliest. 2 G5 cpu's arent ready, and when they are then will also see a new chassis thats rigid, naturally shock impact resistant, and OLED's as now Sharp has the ability for ridculous contrast ratio's (10000:1).


That would be terrible marketing, or Apple reverting to Apple of two years past -- "releasing to the public" in some sort of misleading, bogus delay of the actual release.

If those new PB's are simply "prototype" announcements unavailable until Sept, what fool would buy the current, ludicrously obsolete AL PB models? I hope those suckers rot and corrode in the basements of apple stores...

 

[jcrowe]

Power usage on Freescale processors

The e600 has both dual core and single core variety.

I'm expecting the iBook to get single core and PowerBook dual core

Like I said in the quote you posted; 1.33 GHz to 1.5 GHz. That's incremental since the current one is 1.2 to 1.33 GHz. Except that while the clock speed only goes up a little bit, the battery life will be insane.

Hi Folks,

I was wondering where power quotes came from for the FreeScale MPC7448 and the MPC8641 and MPC8641D processors. The advantage of the MPC7448 is pin compatability, but the single core MPC8641 would be a better longterm bet for a PowerBook because it uses much faster memory (DDR2 up to 667Mhz, as opposed to 200Mhz for the 7448). If one could truly run them at 1.5Ghz for a 10W power budget, it would make for a very nice notebook. I have looked on the FreeScale website but only see nebulous numbers there. Here's to a great WWDC though.

 

[Lunja]

Got to admit, I'd like to see Apple release a Keyboard with Media hotkeys, ie. a hotkey for iTunes, iPhoto etc. Also a play/stop/fast forward/rewind/stop key arrangement for iTunes and other media. My PC (*shudder*) was a budget one and it came with these keys, which I found invaluable when watching DVD's... This is the ONLY aspect where I prefer the PC over the Mac... (*Lunja goes off to wash his mouth with soap...*)

They'd also better not get rid of the delete key - I rely on it! Not having it when I tried a friend's iB was a bit annoying. I could also see it turning awa a number of potential switchers- they may see the single button mouse and the lack of a delete key and feel unfamiliar with Macs...

Also, I like the 2.0ghz PB idea- would have one in a flash!


Does anyone see cosmetic changes to the PB line? After all they have looked fairly similar for a couple years...

 

[echeck]

My gut feeling is that something major will be happening to the iBook line, otherwise why would it take so long for the update to come if it were just a speed bump? I really don't have a clue what the "something major" will be, but something is gonna happen.

The other thing I'm hoping for is an updated Mac mini, simply because I'm about three weeks away from buying one, but I don't want to buy one until the next update. 512 ram and airport/blutooth standard would be excellent, 64 megs of video memory would be my dream come true for that little machine.

Anyway, I'm sure there will be some sort of pro line updated, but as I can't afford those anyway, I don't really know much about any of that.

Don't let me down Apple! I want my mini!

 

[MacTruck]

This whole lack of delete key is rediculous. Apple thinks that it makes the computer easier to use and that is their sales pitch but in reality it makes it more difficult. It is way about time to accept the fact that the world needs delete key and 2 or 3 button mouse. They are just losing sales. I have never bought an apple mouse and I won't until these things are accepted. Is apple stupid? Stupid is as stupid does I guess.

 

[Tamer Brad]

This whole lack of delete key is rediculous. Apple thinks that it makes the computer easier to use and that is their sales pitch but in reality it makes it more difficult. It is way about time to accept the fact that the world needs delete key and 2 or 3 button mouse. They are just losing sales. I have never bought an apple mouse and I won't until these things are accepted. Is apple stupid? Stupid is as stupid does I guess.

*stares at you in disbelief*

 

[JRM PowerPod]

Hopefully we'll get a bit of insight into what changes are in store for iTunes as an app and a store. Will we be getting online movies?

it would be nice to have a store first! lol

 

[JRM PowerPod]

*stares at you in disbelief*

*staring everywhere in disbelief*

 

[bbarnhart]

This whole lack of delete key is rediculous. Apple thinks that it makes the computer easier to use and that is their sales pitch but in reality it makes it more difficult. It is way about time to accept the fact that the world needs delete key and 2 or 3 button mouse. They are just losing sales. I have never bought an apple mouse and I won't until these things are accepted. Is apple stupid? Stupid is as stupid does I guess.

I get the mouse button thing... but I don't understand the delete key. Are you talking about a forward delete or backward delete. My Apple keyboard has both and they work. Are you talking about PowerBooks not having a forward delete key? Isn't there some fn-delete combination that would produce a forward delete?

 

[GFLPraxis]

Hi Folks,

I was wondering where power quotes came from for the FreeScale MPC7448 and the MPC8641 and MPC8641D processors. The advantage of the MPC7448 is pin compatability, but the single core MPC8641 would be a better longterm bet for a PowerBook because it uses much faster memory (DDR2 up to 667Mhz, as opposed to 200Mhz for the 7448). If one could truly run them at 1.5Ghz for a 10W power budget, it would make for a very nice notebook. I have looked on the FreeScale website but only see nebulous numbers there. Here's to a great WWDC though.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/28/freescale_g4_7448/

To quote:

The 90nm 7448 provides 0.9, 1.0 and 1.1V operating voltages, yielding power dissipation of 10W at 1.4GHz, Freescale claims, with compares well with the 7447A's typical and maximum dissipation figures of 21W and 30W, respectively, at 1.4GHz.

Guess I got the number a tiny bit off- it's 1.4 GHz @ 10w. 0.1 GHz off.


Directly from Freescale:

http://www.freescale.com/files/sndf/doc/reports_presentations/SNDF2004_EUROPE_P1302.pdf

See page 11.
Power: less than 10w at 1.4 GHz.