Apple should definitely make (insert niche market appliance here)

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
GPS devices? Subnotebooks? Cell phones? PDAs? Tablet computers? Camcorders? Headless frickin iMac with PCI-Extreme and upgradable AGP graphics for under a grand?



AHHHHHH MAKE IT STOP!



What else can we imagine for apple to make and capitalize on the suprisingly lucrative market?



Apple toasters. Already easy to use, just put bread in slots and push lever... but Apple could make it even easier.



Apple TV Remote controls. One button to control my entire home theater cluster.



Apple socket wrenches. Metric, Standard, and Apple sizes (Metric and Standard sizes available from third party vendors).



Apple toilet. Apple apple-peeler. Apple iScoop cat litter box. Apple refrigerator. Apple ice-cream machine. Apple electric shaver. Apple comb. Apple 50 button mouse trap. Apple shotgun....



Sorry, had to vent.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 52
    ua2006ua2006 Posts: 84member
    How about Apple furniture in contemporary designs? They could do well in that market since their computer designs are so innovative.
  • Reply 2 of 52
    aphelionaphelion Posts: 736member
    I've got it! How about a ... DIGITAL HUB !



    digital music



    digital photos



    digital video



    digital TV (the missing link)





    When Steve announced iTunes at Mac World he pronounced the Apple digital hub as finished. And finished it will be, if Apple doesn't incorporate television capabilities into the next Macintosh.



    Three spokes does not make for a strong wheel.
  • Reply 3 of 52
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,415member
    They need something that will allow me to play my protected AAC content on my stereo sans Server.
  • Reply 4 of 52
    vinney57vinney57 Posts: 1,162member
    ahh...well there's the rub Mr Murchison... Here, have a cigar.
  • Reply 5 of 52
    macgregormacgregor Posts: 1,434member
    Well there are still the naysayers to the video iPod, but all of the headlines point to the fact that broadband video is the future and portable will be the form.



    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3879519.stm

    http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/2004/07/09/mpaa/



    Yah, ya won't watch Lord of the Rings in the car or while skateboarding, but kids are watching movies repeatedly in the same way we listen to songs....its the future and Jobs is wrong on this one so...



    Coloer video portable media player ... or at least hook up to TV player!



    Not rocket science.....
  • Reply 6 of 52
    neutrino23neutrino23 Posts: 1,561member
    How about a Utilitarian Mac? This would be a simple box with one G4 ( 600MHz to 1GHz), 512MB memory, 10/100 Ethernet, FW400, USB, simple and cheap video card, at least three PCI slots. Maybe have one option with no PCI slots. Ships with no applications beyond the OS. Priced around $400.



    This could be used in universities and business for various utilitarian purposes. For example, in science and engineering you could put this next to an experiment to collect data and run the experiment. Data could be reported over Ethernet or WiFi. You could also use this to upgrade old instruments. Electron microscopes are fairly expensive ( a few hundred thousand dollars) and last a long time. However, those more than six or eight years old don't have digital controls. With a cheap Mac, a few PCI cards (DACs, ADCs, digital I/O) and a grad student with some programming skills a department could revive an old instrument. Probably the same applies to mass specs, SIMs, Auger, AAs, HP/LCs and a bunch of other instruments.



    It would be great to have the stability of OS X, the computational power of Altivec, the ease of programming of OS X, the multiple conveniences of AppleScript and the multitude of quality shareware available for the Mac.
  • Reply 7 of 52
    telomartelomar Posts: 1,804member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by MacGregor

    Well there are still the naysayers to the video iPod, but all of the headlines point to the fact that broadband video is the future and portable will be the form.



    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3879519.stm

    http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/2004/07/09/mpaa/



    Yah, ya won't watch Lord of the Rings in the car or while skateboarding, but kids are watching movies repeatedly in the same way we listen to songs....its the future and Jobs is wrong on this one so...



    Coloer video portable media player ... or at least hook up to TV player!



    Not rocket science.....




    None of those headlines suggest people want to watch video content on tiny screens. It just suggests people are too cheap to go to the movies anymore.



    In fact 3G mobile phones, which do offer media, have done particularly poorly except for video calls. People aren't buying them much for media.
  • Reply 8 of 52
    tak1108tak1108 Posts: 222member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by hmurchison

    They need something that will allow me to play my protected AAC content on my stereo sans Server.



    That device is called an iPod.



    Maybe a dock with a mini-plug to RCA cable would work
  • Reply 9 of 52
    a_greera_greer Posts: 4,594member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Telomar

    None of those headlines suggest people want to watch video content on tiny screens. It just suggests people are too cheap to go to the movies anymore.



    Yes and no, u are right that no one likes tiny screens for that sort of thing, but why people are going to theaters less, there is a 3 fold reason for this:



    1: You can have a 60 inch HDTV with hbo/showtime/starz/skin-a-max in HD thus all of the flix one could want. and let us not forget that surround sound is cheap now too.

    2: CONTENT: there are fewer movies that I want to see now than in trhe past, I dont represent everyone but it seems like there has been, at least since last year to now, a drain on good content.

    3: refer to reason one -> why pay 10$ + ~$6 for popcorn and soda to deal with supid retards that cant stop screen-talking long enough to i dunno, WATCH THE MOVIE, and then there is the obbligitory couple with a baby or a bunch of toddelers who have no place in a pg-13 or R rated movie but go in anyway and make noise and well, just be annoying babies...why the hell put up with that when I can wait like 3 months and get the DVD or 4 months to see it on HDTV?
  • Reply 10 of 52
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,415member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by tak1108

    That device is called an iPod.



    Maybe a dock with a mini-plug to RCA cable would work




    The iPod is too fragile and being that it's portable in nature it is lightweight and too small to read. What many of us are looking for is something like this.



    1.A Set Top Box(STB) device that integrates well with our current stereo gear. It would be handy if it was 17" wide or close enough for aesthetic reasons. It would hook up via analog or digital I/O



    2. Hard drive based and being that it's a STB it would use either a 2.5 drive or a full 3.5 drive.



    3. It would have its own processor to handle music, video and networking via wired or wireless.



    4. There would be two modes of display possibilities. A video out to use your TV as a display or a flourescent display ala the Roku Soundbridge.



    I fully realize a STB like this would be likely $499. That's understandable considering the niche market today but it really should have happened by now. Most of the devices now do not store the music locally so your computer provides the grunt. This wouldn't be half bad but their display tech sucks too so it get to the point where you say "what's the point?" If I have to run my computer and I can't get a decent display then this device isn't making me as happy as it could be.



    Apple has all the technology to make this happen. Contracts with HD suppliers, iTunes software, networking prowess, Rendezvous for multiple platforms, Quicktime and last but not least the design chops to make it sexy.



    I know Apple is working on something. They've pushed the iPod into vehicles(Alpine, BMW) and soon they will be invading the home with support. I'm just impatient.
  • Reply 11 of 52
    @homenow@homenow Posts: 998member
    The answer is none, they should look to produce and market mainstream products that can succeed in their intended market and build further on Apple's name and brand recognition and loyalty.
  • Reply 12 of 52
    aslan^aslan^ Posts: 599member
    I like the iToaster.



    Easy slot loading design, no cumbersom levers to pull. Full integration with iChat AV to let you know when your toast is done and keep on eye on your toast in case someone steals it.



    Of course high quality built in speakers and Airport Express like functionality so you can listen to your favourite breakfast music.



    This is definately a candidate.
  • Reply 13 of 52
    a_greera_greer Posts: 4,594member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by AsLan^

    I like the iToaster.



    Easy slot loading design, no cumbersom levers to pull. Full integration with iChat AV to let you know when your toast is done and keep on eye on your toast in case someone steals it.



    Of course high quality built in speakers and Airport Express like functionality so you can listen to your favourite breakfast music.



    This is definately a candidate.




    and in true apple fasion, all pre-orders will ship 30-60 days after release day...
  • Reply 14 of 52
    a_greera_greer Posts: 4,594member
    how about the toilet, imagine, iLife on the jon, with a display that is on the wall directly in front of you, connected to the net and home network via wifi, one could stream the movie/tv show from the liveing room, check email, listen to itunes library, watch home movies, iChat(NO AV FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!!) or even read AI, perfect bathroom literature, a mini version of the display would connect to the propriatery tank so one could enjoy the benifits of the system while going through the results of a beer binge. and for I/O no keyboard needed, the whole thing would be voice operated.



    and a name, well here it is...



    iShite
  • Reply 15 of 52
    vinney57vinney57 Posts: 1,162member
    Actually a-greer more people are going the movies now than at any time since the 70's in US, Europe and Asia. US & UK 2004 receipts will be the highest ever.
  • Reply 16 of 52
    a_greera_greer Posts: 4,594member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by vinney57

    Actually a-greer more people are going the movies now than at any time since the 70's in US, Europe and Asia. US & UK 2004 receipts will be the highest ever.



    wow, even when inflation is concidered? and how do they measure europes all time box office now, with the swich to euros and all?
  • Reply 17 of 52
    chris cuillachris cuilla Posts: 4,825member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by BigMcLargehuge

    Headless frickin iMac with PCI-Extreme and upgradable AGP graphics for under a grand?



    Quote:

    Originally posted by neutrino23

    How about a Utilitarian Mac? This would be a simple box with one G4 ( 600MHz to 1GHz), 512MB memory, 10/100 Ethernet, FW400, USB, simple and cheap video card, at least three PCI slots. Maybe have one option with no PCI slots. Ships with no applications beyond the OS. Priced around $400.



    What is it that everyone wants from a so-called "headless iMac"? Is it ability to use a different monitor? Slots? Why slots? The PM has slots...so how is a slotted iMac different from a PM? Dropping slots isn't likely to save much in costs. A bit in the power supply and smaller case...but that's it.



    Not shipping the applications isn't going to save Apple any costs.
  • Reply 18 of 52
    chris cuillachris cuilla Posts: 4,825member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by hmurchison

    The iPod is too fragile and being that it's portable in nature it is lightweight and too small to read. What many of us are looking for is something like this.



    1.A Set Top Box(STB) device that integrates well with our current stereo gear. It would be handy if it was 17" wide or close enough for aesthetic reasons. It would hook up via analog or digital I/O



    2. Hard drive based and being that it's a STB it would use either a 2.5 drive or a full 3.5 drive.



    3. It would have its own processor to handle music, video and networking via wired or wireless.



    4. There would be two modes of display possibilities. A video out to use your TV as a display or a flourescent display ala the Roku Soundbridge.



    I fully realize a STB like this would be likely $499. That's understandable considering the niche market today but it really should have happened by now. Most of the devices now do not store the music locally so your computer provides the grunt. This wouldn't be half bad but their display tech sucks too so it get to the point where you say "what's the point?" If I have to run my computer and I can't get a decent display then this device isn't making me as happy as it could be.



    Apple has all the technology to make this happen. Contracts with HD suppliers, iTunes software, networking prowess, Rendezvous for multiple platforms, Quicktime and last but not least the design chops to make it sexy.



    I know Apple is working on something. They've pushed the iPod into vehicles(Alpine, BMW) and soon they will be invading the home with support. I'm just impatient.




    Isn't Airport Express designed to solve this problem in a different way?



    I mean I already have a computer with all my music on it. Airport Express is perfect for this. I don't need to buy a new stereo.
  • Reply 19 of 52
    chris cuillachris cuilla Posts: 4,825member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by MacGregor

    its (video) the future and Jobs is wrong on this one so...



    First, I am not an iPod AV naysayer, personally.



    Second, I'm not sure what you think Jobs is wrong about. I happen to think he's right about a couple of issues...first, only a very small niche wants to watch video stuff on small screen...second, video downloads are not likely to offer the kind of "instant gratification" that downloadable music does today...even with broadband.



    Now...having said that...this doesn't mean Steve is showing his whole hand. He's just stated what he believes are facts about the marketplace...he may have other facts that provide a different model for video that they are, in fact, working on.



    I also believe that Apple has way too much invested in various video technologies to sit that game out. I don't think they will. But it just may not manifest itself in quite the way we think.



    Perhaps it will be an iPod-like device (the capacities of the iPod are getting to the point of ridiculous with regard to most music collections...but good for video)...that outputs to a TV set. Perhaps a TiVO-like capability on your Mac with wireless streaming to your TV (using Airport Express).



    I think you see only pieces of the puzzle right now (high capacity small HDs, high bandwidth media streaming, high quality H.264/AVC video encoding technologies)...but not the whole picture...yet.
  • Reply 20 of 52
    chris cuillachris cuilla Posts: 4,825member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by @homenow

    The answer is none, they should look to produce and market mainstream products that can succeed in their intended market and build further on Apple's name and brand recognition and loyalty.



    Amen.
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