The Big Picture Thread - Macworld Expo New York
Big Picture, put up or shut up, hold 'em or fold 'em time.
Format: Product Line, odds of an update, prediction of specs. Ready? I'll go first.
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Mac OS X - 1 in 3 - Jaguar has an outside chance of being released at MWNY in my opinion, because of the Switch campaign. A good way to keep it rolling.
Powermac - 4 in 5 - Powermacs are coming, too many magic 8-ball's indicate "yes." G4 1.2 GHz, Xserve-style DDR. FSB stays stuck at 133, much wailing and gnashing of teeth commences.
iMac - 1 in 2 - iMac probably stands to benefit from the Powermac bump by sucking up some of the cheaper G4's. Up to a 1 Ghz. No 17" LCD, price drops to origian levels.
Powerbook - 1 in 8 - in the unlikely event there is a Powerbook upgrade, it will be basically just a Bluetooth upgrade.
iBook - 1 in 10 - in the event of an IBook update, we'll see 100 MHz across the board faster iBooks, and Bluetooth.
iPod - 1 in 10 - Price drops, addition data functionality.
Xserve - 1 in 100 - faster cpu's.
TING5
[ 07-09-2002: Message edited by: Yet Another Registration ]</p>
Format: Product Line, odds of an update, prediction of specs. Ready? I'll go first.
----------
Mac OS X - 1 in 3 - Jaguar has an outside chance of being released at MWNY in my opinion, because of the Switch campaign. A good way to keep it rolling.
Powermac - 4 in 5 - Powermacs are coming, too many magic 8-ball's indicate "yes." G4 1.2 GHz, Xserve-style DDR. FSB stays stuck at 133, much wailing and gnashing of teeth commences.
iMac - 1 in 2 - iMac probably stands to benefit from the Powermac bump by sucking up some of the cheaper G4's. Up to a 1 Ghz. No 17" LCD, price drops to origian levels.
Powerbook - 1 in 8 - in the unlikely event there is a Powerbook upgrade, it will be basically just a Bluetooth upgrade.
iBook - 1 in 10 - in the event of an IBook update, we'll see 100 MHz across the board faster iBooks, and Bluetooth.
iPod - 1 in 10 - Price drops, addition data functionality.
Xserve - 1 in 100 - faster cpu's.
TING5
[ 07-09-2002: Message edited by: Yet Another Registration ]</p>
Comments
Power Mac - 9 in 10 - Dual G4 processors around 1.4 GHz, 800 Mbps Firewire, DDR SDRAM, and a tweaked enclosure. A big "if" is FSB speed; I am betting on 133 MHz.
iMac - 2 in 5 - Since supplies of 1 GHz G4 chips are (apparently) so good, a speedbump is possible. GeForce4 MX graphics and a 133 MHz FSB are badly needed, but depend on how drastic the Power Mac revision is.
PowerBook - 1 in 2 - Retailers don't seem to have many TiBooks in stock, but I can't imagine why the 800 MHz model needs an upgrade so soon. Again, this depends on what Power Macs we get.
iBook - 1 in 5 - A G4 processor and decent graphics subsytem are overdue, but probably won't appear until late summer/early fall.
iDevice/iApp - 1 in 3 - With the iPod such a success, Apple must have other gadgets in the pipeline. I doubt the next is ready, though. An new or upgraded "digital hub" app is somewhat likely, however. iTunes 3, anyone?
[Edit: We already have iDVD 2. Where have I been? <img src="graemlins/embarrassed.gif" border="0" alt="[Embarrassed]" /> ]
[ 07-09-2002: Message edited by: Daver ]</p>
[ 07-09-2002: Message edited by: Daver ]</p>
Powermac - 95% - Powermacs need an update, either dual 1.2 or 1.4, I'm think 1.4's. 40% chance of new motherboard.
iMac - 25% - Probably won't be speed bumped, I think they need to get it further away from the Pmac. (80% chance of price drop)
Powerbook - No idea
iBook - no idea
iPod - 75% -Price drops, mp4 support announced for the future.
Other iDevice - 40% - I want a digital camera. or even better a digital camcorder. or both.
Side note:While I seriously doubt apple will ever release a two button mouse, their Warcraft III page has a huge add that claims
"Competitive Advantage"
"If you don?t already own a
multi-button mouse with a scroll wheel, Warcraft III may be the best reason you?ve ever had to try one out. Aside from the multitasking the second button offers for in-game actions, the scroll wheel allows you to move the camera (your view of the action) right down to the level of the battlefield. "
<a href="http://www.apple.com/games/articles/2002/06/warcraft3/"; target="_blank">Apple's Warcraft III page</a>
[ 07-09-2002: Message edited by: Eupfhoria ]</p>
PowerMac - Dual 1.5GHz G5s (32-bit varient). 2GHz RapidIO bus. DDR266. Audio in. Slightly updated case. 128MB Radeon 8500 or R300 (BTO).
New iMac - 1GHz G4. 133MHz bus. 1MB L3 cache. No DDR. No 17" display. 64MB GF4MX. No price change.
eMac - Talk about how great it is. Price drop.
iMac - Discontinued.
Powerbook - SuperDrive.
iBook - Talk about how great it is. No update.
Xserve - Talk about how great it is. No update.
Server G4 - No longer its own product line. Now a custom PowerMac configuration.
iPod - Software update allowing it to play MPEG4 audio.
iTunes 3 - MPEG4 support. Some minor tweaks.
[ 07-09-2002: Message edited by: Kecksy ]</p>
Powermac ? 50% - Someone other than Motorola will be supplying next gen chips
iMac ? 80% - Speed bump?35% for 17? version
Powerbook ? 60% - Bluetooth built in
iBook ? 70% - A whole lot of nothing
iPod ? 30% - Price drop and additional gigs
Xserve ? 99% - Nada
iDevice ? 6% - Tivo-esque device
If there is an iTunes 3 I hope they do more than merely tweak it plus MP4. By all accounts it's not a very well written program, it hogs CPU and a lot of people have problems with stability. Needs better multithreading as well as live window expanding.
Powermac - 90% - Speeds up to 1.5 GHZ. Will have double pumped Ram and FSB. I am an optimist so shoot me. Firewire 2 will also be present.
iMac - 40% - Slim chance. I think more like Paris on this one.
TiBook - 0% - Ain't going to happen.
iBook - 0% - Ain't going to happen.
iPod - 25% - Slim chance of an update.
New iDevice - 50% - Decent chance of something new here.
Updated or new iApps - 75% - At least one of the apps will get updated and I see a slight chance of a new iApp.
Cobra
The iMac keeps the CD-RW, Combo, Superdrive model lineup. 133MHz MPX. 800MHz & 1GHz G4s. GeForce 4 MX. Price drops to original levels.
The Power Mac: 166MHz MPX, DDR333 RAM. 66MHz, 64-bit PCI, AGP 8X. 1GHz, 1.5GHz and dual 1.25GHz G4s. FireWire name stays, but it now runs at "800Mb/s!". New, slightly larger, white, squarer case. Audio stays the same. New ATi graphics card BTO, GeForce 4 MX on low-end model, GeForce 4 Titanium on top-end (Quartz very Extreme).
eMac gets a price cut, G3 iMac is plain cut [EDIT
I'm not a wimp, its either 100% or 0% with me.
AppleInsider forum members slam Apple for not introducing a new iDevice, call the iMac "dead" because it doesn't have a GF4 Ti (so it won't attract the miniscule hard-core gaming market) and call the Jaguar/Cleaner/Dual benchmarks rigged (even though such a system would obviously kick-butt). At least one person will post "At least Steve didn't throw a camera at someone".
Announced in the 6 Months until Mac World SF:
Updated laptops, FireWire 5.1 speakers, iTunes 3 is Jaguar-only, plays AAC (the correct name for MP4 Audio), iPod AAC Firmware update and 20GB hard drive, new Apple camera, Xserve RAID, 17 & 19" iMacs. Power Mac line will go all-dual.
Around May 2003 will be either a Power Mac G5, or an "Apple Power4 Macintosh". IBM will make either CPU.
The rest of 2003 will see the G5/Power4 phased into the rest of the product line.
Barto
[ 07-09-2002: Message edited by: Barto ]
[ 07-09-2002: Message edited by: Barto ]</p>
I hope they keep it and charge 400 bucks for it.
At the end of this someone off stage tosses Steve a small device that turns out to be an iCam, a Foveon equipped digital camera that does both still and video imaging, recording both to a built in hard drive. FireWire 2 is announced at this point and as used in this device, can not only transfer images and movies to iPhoto and iMovie on the Mac, but also uses any external FireWire hard drive (including iPod) to extend it's capacity.
The PowerMac is next up and it's a tweeked El Cap case with duals across the board, starting with dual Gig's on the infamous ebay "Red Board" with DDR a la Xserve. GigaWire is announced at this point, it turns out to be a built in clustering technology that allows any number of Macs to be connected together under Jagwire to spread CPU intensive tasks to connected Macs.
MWSF? The NeXt big thing in a all new tower enclosure.
<strong>Power Mac - 9 in 10 - Dual G4 processors around 1.4 GHz, 800 Mbps Firewire, DDR SDRAM, and a tweaked enclosure. A big "if" is FSB speed; I am betting on 133 MHz.
</strong><hr></blockquote>
Why do most think that there will be 1.4ghz G4's when speed bumps have been far less in the past? Have moto moved to a 0.13 fab? Apart from that i think you're on the money.
With channel inventory so backed up a 'speed boost' would only make the machine in channel less desirable. Look for discounts/bundles on iMac until inventory is back to normal levels.
powermac 100%
Powermac like the iMac may have been ready 1 show ago. The iMac got pushed back a show. To avoid releasing both at the same time, the powermac was given an extra 4 - 6 months of developement.
I expect a new G4 (G4.75 aka G4/DDR) in an updated case (El Capitan can be completely changed on the outside by replacing all panels/handles).
I expect a lot of OS X Jaguar info (see how fast it is when I run it on a dual 1.4 G4 w/nVdia monster graphics).
I expect some kind of software iApp news (maybe more details on iChat than what we have known so far).
A bombshell? Nah. Apple is struggling like everyone else. The kid gloves with MS are off now that the non-compete agreement ended, Steve's message will be "lets get it on" and all efforts are now focused on getting peope to ditch Windoze.
Notice that all third-party products Apple just bought immediately dropped Windoze support. The message is "the Mac way or the highway" which is pretty good if the Apple software/hardware can support the users properly.
Full steam ahead, lets do this.
I think you all are really missing the most important picture(s)
There will be a MAJOR update/improvement to the iTools suite. As sick as it sounds, picture .NET done right.
The next iDevice. it has to be a camera. recording video direct to HD ( formatted as DV streams) and with iMovie enhancements is AWESOME. Shoot , edit, play. No time spent importing from tape to HD, then from HD to tape.
Also in line with the new iTools, a PDA - thing. It's not just a palm with an apple logo on it.
:cool:
Power Mac: 100 percent certain for updating, and my guess is 7470 chips, POSSIBLY as high as 1.4Ghz, duals across the board but top model not shipping until fall (other models shipping in two weeks, orders for all being taken now). Faster FSB, DDR, new enclosure. No USB2 or 800Mps FireWire yet.
iMac: 3 in 10. High inventories make me think the iMac will get a price drop now and a quiet update (faster processors, but NOT a faster bus) in September, possibly August if the channel is clear. No motherboard changes until the next revision.
iBook and PowerBook: 2 in 10 for any revision. I wonder if the recent updates were slated for MWNY but released early to improve sales in the second quarter. It's possible we'll see a price drop on the PowerBook, maybe back to the $2,399/$2,999 scheme.
G3 iMac: price drop to $599 (CD-ROM) and $699 (CD-RW). I think we'll see the old iMac for at least a while longer (and there are no indications that current machines have been EOLed).
eMac: just released to the public, no changes.
Xserve: no changes.
Displays: 15-inch dropped.
Steve will lay out Apple's strategy for leveraging their software acquisitions in video and music and talk about how the new Power Macs, Xserve and RAID will make Apple the dominant force in those fields. Details to come at Seybold, but he will give us the vision here so we go away feeling better about the somewhat limited introductions. Apple continuing to innovate, etc.
<strong>No Apple camera. There is already 37,567,988 camera on the market.</strong><hr></blockquote>
how many Mp3 players are out there?
I think you all are really missing the most important picture(s)
There will be a MAJOR update/improvement to the iTools suite. As sick as it sounds, picture .NET done right.
<hr></blockquote>
I agree. All your data on all your devices all the time, but through Apple's .Mac system. Microsoft can only provide the protocols for Wintel hardware engineers; Apple can give us the whole enchilada -- hardware and software. Think Rendevous -- walk in to an Airport-equipped cafe and boom: your iDisk pops up on your wireless iPod.
[quote] Originally posted by Barto:
The Power Mac: 166MHz MPX, DDR333 RAM. 66MHz, 64-bit PCI, AGP 8X. 1GHz, 1.5GHz and dual 1.25GHz G4s. FireWire name stays, but it now runs at "800Mb/s!". New, slightly larger, white, squarer case. Audio stays the same. New ATi graphics card BTO, GeForce 4 MX on low-end model, GeForce 4 Titanium on top-end (Quartz very Extreme). <hr></blockquote>
I think this could happen. The MPX went from 100 to 133MHz; another 33MHz bump isn't out of the question. 1.5 GHz would be an impressive jump; 1.33 might be more realistic. With DDR RAM and the faster bus, this should be a good update. Perhaps the cache will get bumped too.