The displays are about a month past update time, so expect some updates very soon. What will they be? My guess is lower prices ($449-$525 for the 17") for the lower-end models at the least, a modified, g5-ish look, and possibly a 25" or 26" model.
New Power Mac G5s are a given, thanks to Steve's promise of 3Ghz this summer, but I expect new models with 2.6Ghz or 2.4Ghz max to come out no later then WWDC, then followed, late this year, by a 3Ghz G5.
New PowerBooks. Apple has always released at least one new model/year since 1997. There are two possibilities:
* G5 PowerBooks no later then about WWDC, shipping no later then August. Apple has never had more then a 10 or 11 month wait between PowerBook announcements since 1997, so announcing at the MW Expo Paris seems highly unlikely. Since 2001, Apple ahs given us at least two new notebook announcements/year, so a speed bump or 12" G5 (it might not get the G5 when the others do, though it may get a bump to 1.25Ghz G4 then.) If they announce G5s then, it may be no more then 1.45 or 1.5Ghz, with a max of about 1.6 Ghz.
* Or PowerBook G4 sppedups. 1.25Ghz 12", 1.33Ghz 15", and 1.4 or 1.42Ghz 17" perhaps? Also possible is more PowerBook-like features on the 12". Lighted keyboard (optional,) FireWire 800, and Gigabit Ethernet perrhaps. Then, a G5 update, probably to all machines. It could come out in August, September, October, or November. Those would be my guesses, with August not too likely.
New iBooks - twice. My guess would be March - June. Probably just a speedup. My guess would be moving to something like 933 Mhz (12",) 1Ghz (14",) and 1.2 or 1.25 Ghz (14".) They may instead decide to keep the speed for the 12" at a pedestrian 800-875Mhz or so, but reduce the price to $999. Then, once again, speedups. Mosy likely just at the end of the year. It's too far in the future to guess much, but a simple speedup to 1.3 or 1.4Ghz on the top end seems sensible (with approiate speedbumps to the other models.) I would not expect G5s in the iBooks this year.
eMacs. Looking at Apple's track record, I would expect eMac updates no later then June (WWDC,) but most likely no later then May. Either that, or discontinue the eMac. The next eMac revision looks pretty simple: 1.25Ghz G4 on the high-end, and USB 2.
New iMacs. This is a doozy. Either update the main lineup (G4's, 1.42Ghz, and 1.25Ghz on the 15") no later then April, and then get G5 iMacs later (WWDC, or August-early December,) or get G5 iMacs anywhere from March to July, with March being rather unlikely.
iPods. Upgrade to 30 and 50GB. Other then that, I don't know. The future of the iPod is not clear, with 60GB being about the maxium practical size for most, AFAIK.
iPod Minis. Mix and match:
Code:
2GB $199
4GB $149
6GB $249
8GB $299
and draw your own conclusion. You may exclude certain values. Possibilities include 4GB for $199 and 6GB for $249.
There may be two new versions: one with 4GB and 2GB, for instance, and then another where they replace that with 4GB and 6GB.
xServe. Expect a release by the end of the year, probably with 2.8Ghz-3.0Ghz G5s in it.
iTunes. iTunes has been stagnating, with no major releases since April 2003. However, this is typical for iTunes. Expect a major release no later then April, and most likely Feburary or March.
Edit:
iTMS. I expect an iTMS for Europe coming, perhaps in pieces, in early and early-mid 2004.
Mac OS X v10.4 (Lynx - Random Guess) I don't have a clue what it's new features will be, but I can guess they will annnounce it at WWDC or Expo Paris, and ship it in late October-MWSF.
While I agree that 3DLabs have been weak in some areas, one thing they are insane at it the amount of polys they can handle. nVidia and ATI are catching up, but for raw poly power, 3DLabs are still king. They blow at almost everything else though.
I just think that we need formal support from the major hardware 3D manufacturers for the Mac to be a viable 3D platform. The Maya, XSI and Modo codebases are platform independent. It isn't totally easy to do a port of Maya or XSI but it isn't that hard, relatively speaking.
The crap 3D cards that we have right now won't cut it for high amounts of realtime shaders, large poly counts, and heavily texture driven scenes.
One we get that full support, I will be solely using my G5 for my 3D work. I can get rid of my Linux install.
Oh how I can't wait for that day to come...homefully it is really soon this year!
P.S. if this became a little off-topic.
I'm telling you those cards suck. Everybody I've asked that has tried them says so. They also say. If you want the bast card for 3D get an Nvidia QuadroFX 3000. If you look at the Spec page I put a link to it shows the 3Dlabs cards are totally inferior. Everything Spanks them.
I think unless the machine is released in exrtremely limited quantities, we won't see anything in terms of an aniversary mac. Apple's gotten too practical for that sort of thing. It's much more likely that Apple will celebrate the aniversary with the G5 iMac.
Well I see that the iMac and Powermac have slipped in the Apple Store top sellers all the way down to 9th and 10th respectively. Seems that an upgrade to both is eminent.
Since this thread seems to have varied wildly to the extremes on both the positive and negative sides I'll throw in my most extreme prognostication:
Apple will kill the "iMac" and announce a 21st century "Macintosh" to replace it, it will of course be powered by a G5.. Having gone the egg, the cube, and the inverted hemisphere, Apple will release a pyramidal shaped computer that can be sold alone {"headless") or sold in bundles with the new line of Apple displays.
The display line up will be all wide screen, with the 15.2 from the Powerbook being the low end. The 20" from the iMac, and the 23" with enclosures matching across the board. They will all come with an arm that can be used with a base or attached to the apex of the pyramid.
The monitor base will be equipped with USB2 and Firewire ports.
The display line up will be all wide screen, with the 15.2 from the Powerbook being the low end. The 20" from the iMac, and the 23" with enclosures matching across the board. They will all come with an arm that can be used with a base or attached to the apex of the pyramid.
The monitor base will be equipped with USB2 and Firewire ports.
I like that idea; a display that would snap onto an inexpensive base for use with a tower or PowerBook, or snap onto a headless Mac, creating an all-in-one! Either way, with all the adjustability of the iMac display! Brilliant.
I like that idea; a display that would snap onto an inexpensive base for use with a tower or PowerBook, or snap onto a headless Mac, creating an all-in-one! Either way, with all the adjustability of the iMac display! Brilliant.
I like it too. As an idea, it's almost too good.
Pyramids have too small internal volume for the external dimensions. I've suggested an aluminum cylinder (say, 12" diameter, 4" high) several times.
Frankly, this is all idle speculation; you know that Apple is not going to come out with modular displays. That would allow people to choose a fast processor and a small display, or vice versa! We can't have that, can we?
No, Apple has to force people to buy a big display they don't need or want just to get the Superdrive and fast processor.\
[iPyramids have too small internal volume for the external dimensions. I've suggested an aluminum cylinder (say, 12" diameter, 4" high) several times... [/i]
If you consider that the 12" Powerbook is 10.9" x 8.6" in it's external dimensions I think that it is possible to make a pyramid whose base would easily hold a motherboard of these same dimensions. Even considering space for venting air up and through the base a less than one square foot of desk space pyramid would have quite a bit of space for additional components stacked above such a motherboard.
If Apple is working on a G5 Powerbook, what better place to try out it's motherboard design than in a new Macintosh desktop? Standardizing it's main component to be shared across product lines would seem a good way to keep R&D expenses down to be better able to reduce costs.
Sorry... I just can't see the Appyramid. Indeed, pyramids are a waste of space for their footprint. They might look cool, but I am willing to bet that Apple would make whatever it is into a smaller, rectangular (think cigar box) sized case, rather than fuddle with a pyramid.
I won't speculate what is coming out this year, but I think selling 750,000 iPods in 4Q 2003 alone will help them to execute their future product line and aid them to what they do best: reasearch, development, design, marketing.
I won't speculate what is coming out this year, but I think selling 750,000 iPods in 4Q 2003 alone will help them to execute their future product line and aid them to what they do best: reasearch, development, design, marketing.
/arondale
well, I think they have been doing that for 6 or so years without selling 750,000 iPods in 4Q 2003....
What's the list of stuff that's coming out this year? Steve Jobs mentioned that this year would matter and that it would definitely have an indention as Apple's Twentieth year for the Mac.
What will come out?
I'm think'n the Newton...but not really. PowerMac G5 .90nm update is looking likely, a few more super computer builds from various universities would be interesting. A super computer inside every machine would make for a nice 'oh' face.
-walloo.
theres a rumor about supprises coming out on the aniversiary
If Apple uses a pyramid, they can put the CPU in the center and then it won't need the power supply. It'll just run on the funky magical vibes.
Seriously, the dome is the most functional design for the current unit. The circle implies and accommodates the arm's ability to rotate, and the lack of sharp corners and the matte finish allow it to disappear into the background, so that you get that cool effect of only seeing the monitor floating in space once you start concentrating on your work.
I think the iMac will remain dome-shaped as long as the arm is there. What I'm hoping is that Apple has been hard at work on a cheaper way to make the current design, so that they can bring the price down to what Fred Anderson recently identified as the "sweet spot."
Or maybe they have an all-new design? Who knows. I'm just looking forward to seeing what they decide to do for the Mac's 20th anniversary.
The problem with predicting the future macs is that the company is waterproof when it comes to rumors. unlike M$, there are (almost) no employes that wil spread something about the future or put a beta or an alpha on the net.
The problem with predicting the future macs is that the company is waterproof when it comes to rumors. unlike M$, there are (almost) no employes that wil spread something about the future or put a beta or an alpha on the net.
Thats half the fun of it. No one knows what is going to happen.
Jubelum:"pyramids are a waste of space for their footprint."
I disagree, the square footprint of a pyramidal base allows the form factor of a 12" Powerbook to be used as it's mobo. Stacked above that would be a Superdrive, and above that, space for a 3.5" hard drive.
Amorph: "Seriously, the dome is the most functional design for the current unit. The circle implies and accommodates the arm's ability to rotate, and the lack of sharp corners and the matte finish allow it to disappear into the background, so that you get that cool effect of only seeing the monitor floating in space once you start concentrating on your work."
A pyramid shape allows for rotation of the monitor arm (if you choose to attach it). The "cool" effect of the monitor hiding the base applies equally well to a pyramid shape. A piece of aluminum sheet wrapped around the front and sides of the pyramid to create it's form would be very inexpensive to manufacture.
In my vision of the thing, the back panel (removable for servicing and upgrades) would have the "cheese grater" holes like the towers, as would the bottom surface to promote airflow and cooling. The base would sit on hidden rubber feet, giving the elevation to allow air to be drawn in from the bottom, and allow for a "cool" hovering above the desk look to it.
Speakers would be hidden in the front corners, firing downwards through the bottom grate, so as to leave the visible surfaces unbroken. A hidden panel on the lower front would rotate up and in to reveal USB, Firewire, and headphone ports. The CD/DVD would have a similar hidden door.
Mounting a display would be as simple as plugging the arm into the apex of the pyramid. Making the ADC connection inside would be easy, since the whole back panel would slide out for servicing, adding memory, swapping hard drives, ect.
Manufacturing the new Macintosh (no more "i" Mac) would be very cost effective due to the next generation Powerbook motherboard (RE:G5) and inexpensive shell. Assembly would also be cheap, as it would come down the line in a bare chassis until the final fitting of the aluminum shell. Only four steps to it's assembly: 1) Insert motherboard into chassis. 2) Install optical drive and hard drive assembly in carrier on top, 3) Drop on the shell, and 4) slide in ventilated back panel.
~ The New Macintosh $999 ~
with 15.2" wide display $1299
with 17" wide display $1499
with 20" wide display $1799
(bundled prices)
I wish I had some Photoshop skills to create a cool rendition of this idea. Whatever the next Macintosh turns out to be, it will have to be easy and cheap (relatively) to manufacture to hit the price points they need to avoid a cube redux pricing fiasco, and they know it.
iTMS. I expect an iTMS for Europe coming, perhaps in pieces, in early and early-mid 2004.
Mac OS X v10.4 (Lynx - Random Guess)
Wow, that would be very interesting to hopefully get music produced souly in Europe, let's hope it's not RIAA's ploy to sell American music in Europe, only.
As for the '04 Rollout, there's words being said that there's going to be two new Mac's this year. My best guess is a new iMac/Cube like form and a new Powerbook.
All info is pointing to this. If delays happen, it will be for the Powerbook.
I just hope something great comes out...Apple deserves it for the good work they've accomplished.
Right now, I'm pretty confident that there will be a G5 upgrade to 3.0Ghz, so long as IBM can get their process straightened out and get their wafers producing more that can handle the huge buzz ( the 3G's). IBM is usually standing on their feet; it's not like the cases have cooling problems anyway.This is still a pretty big upgrade, Apple's largest speed bump, should it actually play through.
The increase would take the 2.0Ghz PowerPC 970 processor and boost it to 3.0Ghz PowerPC 970 (or 975?) in about 3/4 of a year.
LET ME SAY IT AGAIN. 1Ghz increase in a year...on a PowerPC...that's like 3Ghz increase in Intel-speak.
Impressive...man should i even bring up the 500Mhz G3/G4...then duals...man, the top end wreaked for a speed bump for over a year, but didn't get it. They did flatulantly decide on duals (still at 500 a piece though), but Motorola decided to puke silicon chunks, and Apple got in bed with I.B.M. (the business form of bed, not the sexual form...although... )
Possilbe Prosumer G5, cube?
Should Apple offer a Pro=sumer version of it's tower, that would be pretty |- | |- S ("cool"). I'd also be inclined to think that the pro version would have more features...maybe adding higher bus ratio speeds still, more (at least 1MB L2) cache as well as more room for Hard drive space.
I'm hoping the case will under go a slight re-design to accomodate more hard drives. At least 4 internal SATA's, with two more bays for optical drives running off of IDE (ATA/100) would suffice.
PCI-X slots need to be standard, with 5 or more on the G5-PRO. A jump to a PCI-X only system would also be interesting, and help drive that technology. Although for compatibility, keeping AGP wouldn't be a bad idea. Although the faster technology is PCI-X,
Prosumer G5...be it slim or what ever, should contain 3 PCI-X slots, support for Dual Processors, same ol' 2:1 Proc: Bus ratio, ceiling for RAM @ 4 or 8GB. support for 2 internal Hard drives, and 2 optical drives. Again, SATA (150), IDE ATA/100 respectively. Also, having the word "sumer"in the word probably needs to have some sort of bundling option, price breaks on monitors should happen if there is to be a pile of happy customers.
I think there would be a group interested in such a mac that had the speed of the G5, but doesn't want all of the pro-options, as well as pro-size. Quiet ideas of the Cube should be implemented, as well as with borrowed ideas of it's size. I'd be for another incarnation of the cube, but I think the rectangle is the most utilitarian...although another radical shape would be interesting.
Who knows, will the new G5 be the computer "for the rest of us?"
Comments
A nniversary
M acintosh
A vailable as a
L imited
E dition
That's it... the New iMac on the 24th is a ... uh... "TAMALE"
New Power Mac G5s are a given, thanks to Steve's promise of 3Ghz this summer, but I expect new models with 2.6Ghz or 2.4Ghz max to come out no later then WWDC, then followed, late this year, by a 3Ghz G5.
New PowerBooks. Apple has always released at least one new model/year since 1997. There are two possibilities:
* G5 PowerBooks no later then about WWDC, shipping no later then August. Apple has never had more then a 10 or 11 month wait between PowerBook announcements since 1997, so announcing at the MW Expo Paris seems highly unlikely. Since 2001, Apple ahs given us at least two new notebook announcements/year, so a speed bump or 12" G5 (it might not get the G5 when the others do, though it may get a bump to 1.25Ghz G4 then.) If they announce G5s then, it may be no more then 1.45 or 1.5Ghz, with a max of about 1.6 Ghz.
* Or PowerBook G4 sppedups. 1.25Ghz 12", 1.33Ghz 15", and 1.4 or 1.42Ghz 17" perhaps? Also possible is more PowerBook-like features on the 12". Lighted keyboard (optional,) FireWire 800, and Gigabit Ethernet perrhaps. Then, a G5 update, probably to all machines. It could come out in August, September, October, or November. Those would be my guesses, with August not too likely.
New iBooks - twice. My guess would be March - June. Probably just a speedup. My guess would be moving to something like 933 Mhz (12",) 1Ghz (14",) and 1.2 or 1.25 Ghz (14".) They may instead decide to keep the speed for the 12" at a pedestrian 800-875Mhz or so, but reduce the price to $999. Then, once again, speedups. Mosy likely just at the end of the year. It's too far in the future to guess much, but a simple speedup to 1.3 or 1.4Ghz on the top end seems sensible (with approiate speedbumps to the other models.) I would not expect G5s in the iBooks this year.
eMacs. Looking at Apple's track record, I would expect eMac updates no later then June (WWDC,) but most likely no later then May. Either that, or discontinue the eMac. The next eMac revision looks pretty simple: 1.25Ghz G4 on the high-end, and USB 2.
New iMacs. This is a doozy. Either update the main lineup (G4's, 1.42Ghz, and 1.25Ghz on the 15") no later then April, and then get G5 iMacs later (WWDC, or August-early December,) or get G5 iMacs anywhere from March to July, with March being rather unlikely.
iPods. Upgrade to 30 and 50GB. Other then that, I don't know. The future of the iPod is not clear, with 60GB being about the maxium practical size for most, AFAIK.
iPod Minis. Mix and match:
2GB $199
4GB $149
6GB $249
8GB $299
and draw your own conclusion. You may exclude certain values. Possibilities include 4GB for $199 and 6GB for $249.
There may be two new versions: one with 4GB and 2GB, for instance, and then another where they replace that with 4GB and 6GB.
xServe. Expect a release by the end of the year, probably with 2.8Ghz-3.0Ghz G5s in it.
iTunes. iTunes has been stagnating, with no major releases since April 2003. However, this is typical for iTunes. Expect a major release no later then April, and most likely Feburary or March.
Edit:
iTMS. I expect an iTMS for Europe coming, perhaps in pieces, in early and early-mid 2004.
Mac OS X v10.4 (Lynx - Random Guess) I don't have a clue what it's new features will be, but I can guess they will annnounce it at WWDC or Expo Paris, and ship it in late October-MWSF.
Originally posted by Jubelum
An Apple TWAT - "for the REST of us" ... I would take that idea far enough to get myself kicked off the board... but....
Clever... and WHAT a marketing coup.
hmm.... well, let's just focus on the first part lol.... what about "TWiMac"?
Originally posted by foad
While I agree that 3DLabs have been weak in some areas, one thing they are insane at it the amount of polys they can handle. nVidia and ATI are catching up, but for raw poly power, 3DLabs are still king. They blow at almost everything else though.
I just think that we need formal support from the major hardware 3D manufacturers for the Mac to be a viable 3D platform. The Maya, XSI and Modo codebases are platform independent. It isn't totally easy to do a port of Maya or XSI but it isn't that hard, relatively speaking.
The crap 3D cards that we have right now won't cut it for high amounts of realtime shaders, large poly counts, and heavily texture driven scenes.
One we get that full support, I will be solely using my G5 for my 3D work. I can get rid of my Linux install.
Oh how I can't wait for that day to come...homefully it is really soon this year!
P.S. if this became a little off-topic.
I'm telling you those cards suck. Everybody I've asked that has tried them says so. They also say. If you want the bast card for 3D get an Nvidia QuadroFX 3000. If you look at the Spec page I put a link to it shows the 3Dlabs cards are totally inferior. Everything Spanks them.
http://www.spec.org/gpc/opc.data/vp71/summary.html
The only thing that doesn't beat it handily is the nVIDIA Quadro FX 500
Since this thread seems to have varied wildly to the extremes on both the positive and negative sides I'll throw in my most extreme prognostication:
Apple will kill the "iMac" and announce a 21st century "Macintosh" to replace it, it will of course be powered by a G5.. Having gone the egg, the cube, and the inverted hemisphere, Apple will release a pyramidal shaped computer that can be sold alone {"headless") or sold in bundles with the new line of Apple displays.
The display line up will be all wide screen, with the 15.2 from the Powerbook being the low end. The 20" from the iMac, and the 23" with enclosures matching across the board. They will all come with an arm that can be used with a base or attached to the apex of the pyramid.
The monitor base will be equipped with USB2 and Firewire ports.
Originally posted by Aphelion
The display line up will be all wide screen, with the 15.2 from the Powerbook being the low end. The 20" from the iMac, and the 23" with enclosures matching across the board. They will all come with an arm that can be used with a base or attached to the apex of the pyramid.
The monitor base will be equipped with USB2 and Firewire ports.
I like that idea; a display that would snap onto an inexpensive base for use with a tower or PowerBook, or snap onto a headless Mac, creating an all-in-one! Either way, with all the adjustability of the iMac display! Brilliant.
Originally posted by iDave
I like that idea; a display that would snap onto an inexpensive base for use with a tower or PowerBook, or snap onto a headless Mac, creating an all-in-one! Either way, with all the adjustability of the iMac display! Brilliant.
I like it too. As an idea, it's almost too good.
Pyramids have too small internal volume for the external dimensions. I've suggested an aluminum cylinder (say, 12" diameter, 4" high) several times.
Frankly, this is all idle speculation; you know that Apple is not going to come out with modular displays. That would allow people to choose a fast processor and a small display, or vice versa! We can't have that, can we?
No, Apple has to force people to buy a big display they don't need or want just to get the Superdrive and fast processor.
Originally posted by cubist
[iPyramids have too small internal volume for the external dimensions. I've suggested an aluminum cylinder (say, 12" diameter, 4" high) several times... [/i]
If you consider that the 12" Powerbook is 10.9" x 8.6" in it's external dimensions I think that it is possible to make a pyramid whose base would easily hold a motherboard of these same dimensions. Even considering space for venting air up and through the base a less than one square foot of desk space pyramid would have quite a bit of space for additional components stacked above such a motherboard.
If Apple is working on a G5 Powerbook, what better place to try out it's motherboard design than in a new Macintosh desktop? Standardizing it's main component to be shared across product lines would seem a good way to keep R&D expenses down to be better able to reduce costs.
/arondale
Originally posted by arondale
I won't speculate what is coming out this year, but I think selling 750,000 iPods in 4Q 2003 alone will help them to execute their future product line and aid them to what they do best: reasearch, development, design, marketing.
/arondale
well, I think they have been doing that for 6 or so years without selling 750,000 iPods in 4Q 2003....
Originally posted by willywalloo
What's the list of stuff that's coming out this year? Steve Jobs mentioned that this year would matter and that it would definitely have an indention as Apple's Twentieth year for the Mac.
What will come out?
I'm think'n the Newton...but not really. PowerMac G5 .90nm update is looking likely, a few more super computer builds from various universities would be interesting. A super computer inside every machine would make for a nice 'oh' face.
-walloo.
theres a rumor about supprises coming out on the aniversiary
Seriously, the dome is the most functional design for the current unit. The circle implies and accommodates the arm's ability to rotate, and the lack of sharp corners and the matte finish allow it to disappear into the background, so that you get that cool effect of only seeing the monitor floating in space once you start concentrating on your work.
I think the iMac will remain dome-shaped as long as the arm is there. What I'm hoping is that Apple has been hard at work on a cheaper way to make the current design, so that they can bring the price down to what Fred Anderson recently identified as the "sweet spot."
Or maybe they have an all-new design? Who knows. I'm just looking forward to seeing what they decide to do for the Mac's 20th anniversary.
Originally posted by ollebolle
The problem with predicting the future macs is that the company is waterproof when it comes to rumors. unlike M$, there are (almost) no employes that wil spread something about the future or put a beta or an alpha on the net.
Thats half the fun of it. No one knows what is going to happen.
I disagree, the square footprint of a pyramidal base allows the form factor of a 12" Powerbook to be used as it's mobo. Stacked above that would be a Superdrive, and above that, space for a 3.5" hard drive.
Amorph: "Seriously, the dome is the most functional design for the current unit. The circle implies and accommodates the arm's ability to rotate, and the lack of sharp corners and the matte finish allow it to disappear into the background, so that you get that cool effect of only seeing the monitor floating in space once you start concentrating on your work."
A pyramid shape allows for rotation of the monitor arm (if you choose to attach it). The "cool" effect of the monitor hiding the base applies equally well to a pyramid shape. A piece of aluminum sheet wrapped around the front and sides of the pyramid to create it's form would be very inexpensive to manufacture.
In my vision of the thing, the back panel (removable for servicing and upgrades) would have the "cheese grater" holes like the towers, as would the bottom surface to promote airflow and cooling. The base would sit on hidden rubber feet, giving the elevation to allow air to be drawn in from the bottom, and allow for a "cool" hovering above the desk look to it.
Speakers would be hidden in the front corners, firing downwards through the bottom grate, so as to leave the visible surfaces unbroken. A hidden panel on the lower front would rotate up and in to reveal USB, Firewire, and headphone ports. The CD/DVD would have a similar hidden door.
Mounting a display would be as simple as plugging the arm into the apex of the pyramid. Making the ADC connection inside would be easy, since the whole back panel would slide out for servicing, adding memory, swapping hard drives, ect.
Manufacturing the new Macintosh (no more "i" Mac) would be very cost effective due to the next generation Powerbook motherboard (RE:G5) and inexpensive shell. Assembly would also be cheap, as it would come down the line in a bare chassis until the final fitting of the aluminum shell. Only four steps to it's assembly: 1) Insert motherboard into chassis. 2) Install optical drive and hard drive assembly in carrier on top, 3) Drop on the shell, and 4) slide in ventilated back panel.
~ The New Macintosh $999 ~
with 15.2" wide display $1299
with 17" wide display $1499
with 20" wide display $1799
(bundled prices)
I wish I had some Photoshop skills to create a cool rendition of this idea. Whatever the next Macintosh turns out to be, it will have to be easy and cheap (relatively) to manufacture to hit the price points they need to avoid a cube redux pricing fiasco, and they know it.
Originally posted by ryaxnb
iTMS. I expect an iTMS for Europe coming, perhaps in pieces, in early and early-mid 2004.
Mac OS X v10.4 (Lynx - Random Guess)
Wow, that would be very interesting to hopefully get music produced souly in Europe, let's hope it's not RIAA's ploy to sell American music in Europe, only.
As for the '04 Rollout, there's words being said that there's going to be two new Mac's this year. My best guess is a new iMac/Cube like form and a new Powerbook.
All info is pointing to this. If delays happen, it will be for the Powerbook.
I just hope something great comes out...Apple deserves it for the good work they've accomplished.
-walloo.
The increase would take the 2.0Ghz PowerPC 970 processor and boost it to 3.0Ghz PowerPC 970 (or 975?) in about 3/4 of a year.
LET ME SAY IT AGAIN. 1Ghz increase in a year...on a PowerPC...that's like 3Ghz increase in Intel-speak.
Impressive...man should i even bring up the 500Mhz G3/G4...then duals...man, the top end wreaked for a speed bump for over a year, but didn't get it. They did flatulantly decide on duals (still at 500 a piece though), but Motorola decided to puke silicon chunks, and Apple got in bed with I.B.M. (the business form of bed, not the sexual form...although... )
Possilbe Prosumer G5, cube?
Should Apple offer a Pro=sumer version of it's tower, that would be pretty |- | |- S ("cool"). I'd also be inclined to think that the pro version would have more features...maybe adding higher bus ratio speeds still, more (at least 1MB L2) cache as well as more room for Hard drive space.
I'm hoping the case will under go a slight re-design to accomodate more hard drives. At least 4 internal SATA's, with two more bays for optical drives running off of IDE (ATA/100) would suffice.
PCI-X slots need to be standard, with 5 or more on the G5-PRO. A jump to a PCI-X only system would also be interesting, and help drive that technology. Although for compatibility, keeping AGP wouldn't be a bad idea. Although the faster technology is PCI-X,
Prosumer G5...be it slim or what ever, should contain 3 PCI-X slots, support for Dual Processors, same ol' 2:1 Proc: Bus ratio, ceiling for RAM @ 4 or 8GB. support for 2 internal Hard drives, and 2 optical drives. Again, SATA (150), IDE ATA/100 respectively. Also, having the word "sumer"in the word probably needs to have some sort of bundling option, price breaks on monitors should happen if there is to be a pile of happy customers.
I think there would be a group interested in such a mac that had the speed of the G5, but doesn't want all of the pro-options, as well as pro-size. Quiet ideas of the Cube should be implemented, as well as with borrowed ideas of it's size. I'd be for another incarnation of the cube, but I think the rectangle is the most utilitarian...although another radical shape would be interesting.
Who knows, will the new G5 be the computer "for the rest of us?"
-walloo.