From ThinkSecret: iMac, iBook, 1GHz mystery all Expo highlights
"iMac, iBook, 1GHz mystery all Expo highlights
"As Jobs & Company take pot shots as so-called rumor sites, ThinkSecret has been hard at work separating fact from fiction as we quickly approach Monday¹s keynote address at Expo in San Francisco. One thing we can say for sure is that there is there will be something for everyone.
"While we know many of the details down to specifications on some of these new products, we are more interested in reporting what we know is coming across the board and leaving the details to Steve. Here is what we know about Monday¹s announcements and we are very confident of the following:
"Flat-panel iMac Â* It is time to let one of the most awaited new products out of the bag. The flat-panel iMac with 15-inch LCD screen is here. The question is can you afford it. At right around $1800 retail, there will be many questions if this iMac is just another over-priced Cube. Its success will be based on specific features and if it grabs attention for other than it is fantastic looks (and fantastic looking it is, we are told). There will be more than one configuration of this model and based upon what IBM has been announcing lately, we are pretty sure the 750fx G3 processor will be at its core. Do not expect multiple colors.
"Speed-bumped iMacs Â* the current iMac in its original design will not die that quickly. We will see speed bumped iMacs at new price points to make the flat-panel iMac more attractive. Look for new colors.
"iBook Â* Surprise! Look for speed-bumped iBooks and new colors. This is one product announcement we have few details about, but we are sure of its factuality.
"iPhoto Â* The long awaited consumer photo manipulation product is ready for the public. It will be free and will take a more consumer approach to editing and posting photos than Adobe Photoshop Elements.
"These are the product announcements we know for sure. You should not be surprised to see announcements of USB 2.0 and FireWire jumping to version 2.0 at 800Mbps.
"1GHz G4 mystery Â* If Apple announced everything else and no 1GHz Power Mac, many would look at Monday¹s keynote as a failure. We're hearing various reports on this front even this close to Expo and we simply do not have enough confidence to confirm there will be a 1GHz G4 announcement. We are confident Power Macs with a G5 processor will not be announced, despite ridiculous reports from other places.
"What we find most interesting in our checking, double-checking and triple checking is how Apple is taking unprecedented steps to stop leaks before the keynote. Apple has cut out a number of third-party companies that previously have been involved in planning for the keynote simply to squelch rumors. And despite what we know for sure, we continue to hear people tell us there is still more that will be announced.
"We continue to be very curious as to why the keynote address was moved from Tuesday to Monday and have yet to really find out why. Could it have something to do with the fact Steve wants to one-up Bill Gates and his Monday evening keynote at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas? Or could it be an even bigger announcement of a merger, partnership, or acquisition with another company? What we do not know just might be the biggest announcement of all."
iWalk, shmyWalk ...
"As Jobs & Company take pot shots as so-called rumor sites, ThinkSecret has been hard at work separating fact from fiction as we quickly approach Monday¹s keynote address at Expo in San Francisco. One thing we can say for sure is that there is there will be something for everyone.
"While we know many of the details down to specifications on some of these new products, we are more interested in reporting what we know is coming across the board and leaving the details to Steve. Here is what we know about Monday¹s announcements and we are very confident of the following:
"Flat-panel iMac Â* It is time to let one of the most awaited new products out of the bag. The flat-panel iMac with 15-inch LCD screen is here. The question is can you afford it. At right around $1800 retail, there will be many questions if this iMac is just another over-priced Cube. Its success will be based on specific features and if it grabs attention for other than it is fantastic looks (and fantastic looking it is, we are told). There will be more than one configuration of this model and based upon what IBM has been announcing lately, we are pretty sure the 750fx G3 processor will be at its core. Do not expect multiple colors.
"Speed-bumped iMacs Â* the current iMac in its original design will not die that quickly. We will see speed bumped iMacs at new price points to make the flat-panel iMac more attractive. Look for new colors.
"iBook Â* Surprise! Look for speed-bumped iBooks and new colors. This is one product announcement we have few details about, but we are sure of its factuality.
"iPhoto Â* The long awaited consumer photo manipulation product is ready for the public. It will be free and will take a more consumer approach to editing and posting photos than Adobe Photoshop Elements.
"These are the product announcements we know for sure. You should not be surprised to see announcements of USB 2.0 and FireWire jumping to version 2.0 at 800Mbps.
"1GHz G4 mystery Â* If Apple announced everything else and no 1GHz Power Mac, many would look at Monday¹s keynote as a failure. We're hearing various reports on this front even this close to Expo and we simply do not have enough confidence to confirm there will be a 1GHz G4 announcement. We are confident Power Macs with a G5 processor will not be announced, despite ridiculous reports from other places.
"What we find most interesting in our checking, double-checking and triple checking is how Apple is taking unprecedented steps to stop leaks before the keynote. Apple has cut out a number of third-party companies that previously have been involved in planning for the keynote simply to squelch rumors. And despite what we know for sure, we continue to hear people tell us there is still more that will be announced.
"We continue to be very curious as to why the keynote address was moved from Tuesday to Monday and have yet to really find out why. Could it have something to do with the fact Steve wants to one-up Bill Gates and his Monday evening keynote at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas? Or could it be an even bigger announcement of a merger, partnership, or acquisition with another company? What we do not know just might be the biggest announcement of all."
iWalk, shmyWalk ...
Comments
Wow, the same thing MacMinute reported earlier today
Apple plant to reduce expectations
[ 01-03-2002: Message edited by: Aphelion ]</p>
<strong>Wow, the same thing MacMinute reported earlier today
I agree. I also don't buy a 1GHz tops G4 - it's been too long to make that little progress, and the rumblings I've personally heard from inside indicate something "fast," not just "faster."
-S
It's all a lie!! Everyone is getting the same info so we don't expect the G5!! Right? Right? Please Apple? <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />
-S
Are they planning to increase the price of the iBook then?
<strong>Beyond the rumor sites, way beyond. <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>
may still be very true, the statement isn´t pointed at Processors or MHz, Jobs doesn´t give a **** about stuff like that anyway.
bye.
<strong>$1800 iMac... you've got to be kidding right?
Are they planning to increase the price of the iBook then?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Good point! 1800 doesn't really fall into the "consumer" category anymore, does it? Uh oh, do I smell a cube fiasco brewing?
<img src="confused.gif" border="0">
Joe
Me too.
<strong>$1800 is WAAAAAAAAAY to much for an iMac, considering they have PowerMacs at 1699 (yes w/o monitor, but with better internals). If the price point is to be believeed, I see only one explanation: G4.</strong><hr></blockquote>
and Superdrive?
<strong>I think Think Secret is off the mark on this one, despite whatever they might've nailed in the past (if they did, in fact, "nail" anything). Their iMac theories make no sense at all from a business standpoint. If there's a new iMac, the old form factor is history. Count on it.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Not neccessarily. They can keep the old CRT for schools. They drop the CRT they drop the education sector because schools won't fork over $1800 for an LCD iMac. They should keep the CRTs for the schools.
<strong>
and Superdrive?</strong><hr></blockquote>
I concur. If Apple is offering an iMac for $1800 without a G4 and a SuperDrive, they're cutting their own throat.
<strong>
may still be very true, the statement isn´t pointed at Processors or MHz, Jobs doesn´t give a **** about stuff like that anyway.
bye.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I'm hoping that Jobs does care about processors and rated MHz. I know he does. Apple has hyped the G4 because it's a "supercomputer in a chip," and its early G4 marketing campaigns reflected the chip centric philosophy Apple had. (Anyone remember "Tanks"?) So stating that Jobs doesn't care about computing performance is really a tremendous exaggeration. How will he do Photoshop bakeoffs without capable chips powering the machines?
If the LCD iMac will really be in one G3 configuration for $1800, then Apple's looking for very high profit margins. That means they're taking a $1300 iMac 700 and adding a 15" Studio Display. That's not a terrible deal as Macs go, but it's not a terrific achievement. Apple must have something better than this. And no G5s, not even a confirmed GHz G4? Come on, it must be a leak to lower expectations.
[ 01-03-2002: Message edited by: Big Mac ]</p>
"Sources suggest that pricing for the flat-panel iMac will top out at roughly US$1,800"
Right Now, the prices range from $799 at the low end to $1500 at the high end. I can see new iMacs coming in at prices ranging from $1100 to $1800 with a CRT (possible education only) coming in at under $1000.
Adding $300 for a 15" LCD ain't half bad. The deal will be even sweeter if better optical drives (Combo) come standard and the graphics cards get a nice kick in the pants (Radeon/GeForce 2MX 200).
Anyhow, my bet goes with MacMinute on this one. I don't trust Think Secret all that much (especially when they can't word a grammatically correct retort to Apple's rumor site jab).