WWDC - No iMacs, but Yes Displays?

[DMann]

20" vs. 23"

New Displays I'm very mch looking forward too, those are so overdue for an update it's not even funny, the 20" contrast is better than the 23" at the moment which makes the 20" look alot clearer than the flagship right now despite the HD resolution, that's just not right.

Is that true, the 20" has a better contrast than the 23"?
Wow, I'll have to compare them. By what comparison
did you notice this?

 

[DMann]

C'est magnifique

France. Not Hilton. G5 iMac's announced in gay Pa-REE!!! here's how it'll go down...

Stevie is introduced as "STEPHAN" as he takes the stage in Paris Aug 31st. Clad in trademark black shirt (but with thick ribbed turtleneck that the Parisians go ga-ga over) and Jeans. A look that Derrick Zoolander would call "Derelicte".

Lights dim...

He launches into 20 minutes of boring rehash of progress we all already know the company has made (OS X adoption, iPod's installed base and last quarter's sales, yada, yada, yada)...

Get's heckled in French ("TROIS point OHH", "TROIS point OHH", "TROIS point OHH") when he comments on recent PowerMac upgrades...plus heckling in English by a few "Freedom Fry" loving "stinking Amehri-cahns" i.e. "Yanks".

And then he pops the question...

"What do Quentin Taratino, France, and McDonald's have in common?"
"Answer: Le Royale with Cheese"

"Now after today, what does APPLE, France, and the rest of the world have in common?"
"No it's not the iTumes Music Store. It's...

LeMac Royale. But there's no cheese here!" (cue sly Jobsian grin)

(Cue the music "Stuck in the middle with you". Out pops a LeMac Royale (redesigned G5 iMac replacement) from a rising pedestal in the floor as Ive and the design team come on stage and dance to the music (all of them still having both ears however)).

Ive presents the new LeMac Royale design, explaining that the previous iMac Sunflower design, while good looking, was "gimpy" due to the now woefully underpowered G4 and the lack of expansion. And he explained how he motivated his design team, suggesting that if they didn't come up with something "insanely great" that he'd "get medieval on their a%%es."

After some Ivesian spieling, Jobs takes over again, thanking Ives for his "bloody good" work while secretly fantasizing again about Sheryl Crow. (didn't anybody think there was something going on there?)

Jobs goes on to introduce some new, cool, yet underwhleming peripheral products all priced from $79-99. And he introduces Michael Moore as the next board member of Apple Computer, replacing Al Gore -- whose 15 minutes have already expired. (Justification: all of Farenheit 9/11 was produced on Mac hardware and software. Go FCP!!!)

And then as Jobs heads out and the lights dim, a larger than life face-shot of Samuel L Jackson fills the screen behind him. Jobs strikes his "Magnum" pose and begins to quote Ezekiel 25:17 ..."The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. (cough--Bill Gates--cough) Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness. (Meeeee!) For he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers."

...and for those who stay for the credits, a special clip of "The Invicibles" plays for those still in their seat/logged on - featuring Bill Gates as the evil villain, taking a licking from...you guessed it...Samuel L Jackson's "Frozone".

And GOODNIGHT from Paris!

Bravo!!!!!

 

[DMann]

Contradictions

For the record, I find ThinkSecret to be the gold standard when it comes to rumor accuracy and getting inside dirt (MacRumors second! )

But, to echo what someone else said, the minute I read their no-iMac article, it REALLY struck me how un-ThinkSecret the tone was. Maybe it was a new or guest writer, maybe the writer was stoned, I don't know. But something really doesn't click.

A conspiracy theorist would argue that Steve Jobs wrote the decoy article to play with us, and forced ThinkSecret to go along with it so they didn't take any legal action against them for posting those display renderings (for which they got in trouble with their ISP).

Ultimately, I don't think iMacs are coming because it IS WWDC, not MacExpo, because it is unlikely they got a G5 in the enclosure, and because ThinkSecret has a great track record. But the tone of the article + the strange waiting times for iMacs in the store + reports of no inventory refreshes + AppleInsider's macteasing... means I cannot be 100% sure ThinkSecret is right!

How fun

iMacs running at single processor 1.4 Ghz G5 970 FX ought to be
cool enough to be enclosed in a small case. 3 1/2 days and counting....

 

[savar]

Oh I also want to remind people that this is WWDC, not a MacExpo.

Just because Steve Jobs HAS in the past used WWDC as a platform for introducing new products, we should view that as the exception and not the rule.

But WWDC has replaced the summer expo, Steve is a showman, and Apple always has neat stuff coming out of their labs. I know I will be pleasantly surprised with whatever happens Monday.

The flipside is that macheads used to wait for every MacExpo keynote in July to buy new macs, knowing that if they bought in May or June they would get shafted by a new model certainly coming out just a few weeks later.

As a result, Apple has made product announcements less predictable. All the same, they still like hype...

We should expect nothing outside of a Tiger preview. If he introduces something else, nice bonus. I don't want to hear any whiney brats pissing on about "No PowerBook G5! No iMac G5! No Video iPod! And what about the PDA and tablet?!?!!?"

True. People that act this way seriously need to unplug for a few days and get some sunshine.

All that said, I honestly have NO idea what Tiger is going to be like. Besides making it faster, I cannot think of anything I would like that Panther does not have. And frankly, Panther is already fast enough on my under-1GHZ G4.

Apple will have some really cool stuff. I'm sure nobody ever thought, man I'd like to have Expose on MacOSX...but Apple gave it to us.

Multi-threaded network operations for Finder with more visual feedback, polished UI, new UI features ("piles", eg.), more 3-d effects, etc.

 

[BWhaler]

Normally I wouldn't care about an iMac release, but given the pathetic rev.B PowerMac update with a bunch of dead end technology, I am now bummed-out.

If there is no new iMac, I hope we see a G5 cube or something of that ilk because I don't want to spend 5 grand on what Apple is currently offering for the PM line.

Also, I hope to God Apple is smart enough and release matching wireless keyboards and mice with the new displays. It would be even worse than the current mismatching to have white kb/mouse and metal everything else.

I am very disappointed right now, but I suspect we are all going to be blown away. It's been a quiet year, and Apple really need the developer community and wants to build up WWDC attendance, so I suspect they have a ton of great things in store for us.

 

[isgoed]

no iMacs = logical

I was completely amazed by the number of people who believed that the iMac would go G5 at WWDC. I assume that any G5 iMac will get the PPC970FX, but when looking at the PowerMac line-up, IBM clearly has problems with volume production (only 1 above 2Ghz). So any iMac G5 will be announced after the dual 2.5Ghz ships. Furthermore WWDC is not "the best" occasion to announce the iMac. I totally agree with Think Secret that apple is laughing their *** off.

And don't get me wrong: I have been waiting since the release of the G5 for an iMac G5. I thought in dec 2003 that it would be likely to get iMacs G5 in Feb 2004 (just after a speculated G5 revision). When I look at the current facts I say August 2004 as best.

 

[savar]

He may not design it himself but he will keep rejecting designs until the designers make something that Steve likes. Just like he did for the LCD iMacs.

The legend goes that when Steve Jobs first saw the Segway he immediately criticized its aesthetics. Don't forget that the Segway had been billed as a revolutionary invention. That didn't faze Jobs. He laid into it. Nitpicked a hundred things about it.

He's a micromanager and perfectionist. Oh yeah--he's pretty damn smart too. That's a good combo for Apple right now.

 

[oldpismo]

If it is true that they are being produced in Taiwan as
we speak, then what would stop Steve from, at the very
least, announcing them at WWDC?

My thoughts exactly. If as TS says they are in production, or starting production, then they will have some working models that they could show off, for us all to go wow at. We know that they don't mind announcing products a few months before they become available.

 

[ApReSe]

Why call a "G5 iMac" an iMac ? time for a new name.

 

[Eprom]

Why call a "G5 iMac" an iMac ? time for a new name.

Food for thought....

But then again the Powermac is still called "Powermac"

 

[Palador]

All I have to say are two things:

1. This feels like the old Motorola days. Granted a 25% speed improvement is good for the G5, but since DDR2 and PCI Express are already shipping for PCs..... I dont think most people will wait another year for todays technology. The G4 is beyond stagnant right now.

2. If you dont want a PowerMac, the iBook is the real sweet spot in terms of price/performance/value/everything. I'd even go with it an a seperate external LCD instead of the insanely priced iMacs. Plus you get to take it everywhere when you need to!

 

[aswitcher]

I really hope there are a bunch of other new bits of hardware released soon. Bluetooth ProMouse and ProKeyboard in a metal powerbook look are high on my wish list.

 

[ITR 81]

No More 15inch iMacs(Possible speedbump coming??)

I just ordered a basic 15inch iMac 1Ghz about 7 days ago.(for my biz)
The only thing added was ram and airport extreme.

Tonight I receive a email from Apple saying my order is ready to ship and is now a 17inch iMac and is 1.25Ghz and with Superdrive..but at the same price.

Is the 15inch being phased out or is a new G4 update afoot?

If the 15inch goes bye bye this leaves only the 17 and 20 iMacs.

So does this mean the iMac is about to go to 1.5Ghz G4???

 

[aswitcher]

I just ordered a basic 15inch iMac 1Ghz about 7 days ago.(for my biz)
The only thing added was ram and airport extreme.

Tonight I receive a email from Apple saying my order is ready to ship and is now a 17inch iMac and is 1.25Ghz and with Superdrive..but at the same price.

Is the 15inch being phased out or is a new G4 update afoot?

If the 15inch goes bye bye this leaves only the 17 and 20 iMacs.

So does this mean the iMac is about to go to 1.5Ghz G4???

Score

Cool 15" is dead.

Is superdrive is base standard now?

Mmm. Looking good for change in imac line...

 

[Windowlicker]

I think Apple is trying to create a little FUD here. When looked at in the context of Apple's line-up, the iMac is seriously lacking. At the very least they need to bump the line to 1.5GHz G4s, 8x SuperDrives, better video, etc. However, I am still betting on sub-2.0GHz G5s.

I don't think there's much use for a 8x SD on imacs.. the drive is too fast for the machine :Q just think of it -- it burns over 10mb's in second (or am i wrong?)!

Still you're right about the speed bump and maybe better video too. We'll see it all soon enough. I just hope apple posts a recording on their site afterwards so that I can watch it at work.

 

[ITR 81]

Score

Cool 15" is dead.

Is superdrive is base standard now?

Mmm. Looking good for change in imac line...

I would say yes, because my basic iMac they upgraded only came with a combo/drive to begin with and now it has a Superdrive.

 

[BakedBeans]

well there better be a updated imac.... are a new product to replace it,
i think they need to keep it as an all in one and bring out a consumer tower.. single 1.6, 1.8 and 2ghz, and an imac with the same

 

[Raveny]

perhaps no new imac, but who said that there can't be a a...z-mac? a whole new line?

 

[rdowns]

I guess I hope Apple just introduces something I can afford.

Squire

I can afford anything they have. I hope they announce something I WANT!

 

[rdowns]

One more thing...

New iMac:

17-inch widescreen LCD
1.33 Ghz PowerPC G4 (New!)
NVidia GeForce FX 5200 Ultra
128MB DDR video memory (New!)
56k internal modem
512MB DDR333 SDRAM (New!)
120 GB Ultra ATA hard drive (New!)
8x Superdrive (New!)
AirPort Extreme Ready
Long-in-the-Bluetooth Option

$1,599.00 (At a new reduced price!)

I'd snap that up in a NY minute if it were 9-12 months ago.

 

[MacRy]

I really hope that they do bring out a significant revision to the iMac because I want a new one and would have to sell a number of spare internal organs to buy a G5 PM and display. We still need something sexy looking but powerful enough for us mid range consumers to purchase.

 

[MacQuest]

Where do people get the impression that Apple is out of stock on the iMacs??? I just tried buying the 17". Estimated shipping: 'Same bus. day.' That doesn't sound like out of stock to me.

Out of stock does NOT mean completely out of stock. You have to take the reseller's into account.

There are no iMac's or eMac's available at the CompUSA near me, and there are none on order.

 

[Frixo Cool]

OK, just a short observation...

We all know about two new machine codes in 10.3.4 - the first was 7,3 (Dual G5/2.5) and the other is 8,1. So if there are no new iMacs at WWDC what is this code for? Just a new G4 iMac "silent" update in a few weeks or something completly new?

 

[rdowns]

Because they could. If Apple can make a G5 iMac today, there's just no way they'd sit on it for 6 months (remember, they've said no G5 PBs before the end of the year) in order to satisfy some self-imposed rule that the Powerbooks have to be faster.

But it makes sense to first update the pro computers, pms and pbs, then the consumer computers, imacs and ibooks. Besides this pizza box thing dosen't sound like it's going to be any easier to fit a g5 into. [/QUOTE]

What makes sense is to sell the best available product you can without regard to your other market segments. I think this notion of pro and consumer models is stupid.

Apple seems to think a "consumer" computer with the latest chip will eat into PM sales. Sure, a few would buy the "consumer" over the "pro" but the computers are very, very different. Would those who need and buy PMs give up dual processors, larger HDs, drive bays, more RAM, slots, better and upgradable video, faster networking and monitor choice and upgradability for a single G5 computer that you can add more RAM to?

 

[appleguy]

Tell me isn't WWDC more for Pro Users?
so why will they announce something for the Joe Smoo??
Unless its the iServe (small G5 Server... Perfect for the Home/Small office).
Just kidding about the iServe... although might be good.
My bet is that they will announce something Cool and we will be over the moon. and we will be druelling over Tiger....
Plus something we will be p***d about (like some minor update that should of been more)..

So I doubt they will announce that the Mac OS X team are going to take over Microsoft Windows team and write a stable operating system for the idot wintel users...

****EDIT
Maybe a big announcement will be that tiger will be Xplatform..... ..... Nahhhhhh, poor Bill will get upset ******