I'm a bit disillusioned with the Mac Pro announcement, but one thing does bode well for the other product ranges. They so easily could have created a basic stock 2.0Ghz config for $1999, but didn't, deciding to go with the 2.66 for the 'standard' config. I think this leaves more room for the Macbook Pro and iMac to get 2.33Ghz and 2.4Ghz processors without a marketing problem.
I'm pretty sure that Apple Expo France has been used a few times to intro new hardware. I think that the first generation of 15" Al powerbooks were announced there.
can we rule out ipods because of the whole french-law thing?
or is apple expo typically not a hardware launchpad?
If there is an iPod announcement to be made it'll be done in October on the 5th birthday of the iPod, not in Paris, unless its something simple like a larger drive -- the "next" iPod (if there is one) would most likely in October.
I think Paris would definitely be the place the iPods get something. The iTunes Music Store in Europe has been a huge hit, and I could easily see Apple trying market their product even more by adding more hype to the iPod and iTunes over there.
But for Christ's sake, Steve, I start school in one month. Get me a goddamn Merom MBP...
Seconded! But with BTO option of a convertable TabletPC style active digitizer display assembly! (PLEASE don't make me get a fujitsu!)
nah. I have a rather firm grasp on reality and have no real expectation that we'll see one anytime soon. but the more clammor we make about it, the faster we'll get it.
I actually somewhat pessibistically think that the roumored ultraportable would be more likely in the short term. And that's exactly what I DON'T want. If I want an ultra-portable I can go to any of a number of pc manufacturers to get a gimpy device with a screen thats too small, costs too much, has a crappy processor, limited RAM, and the sorryist excuse for a graphics chip you've ever seen.
...Personally, I thought January at MWSF (perhaps with a new video chipset as well)...
That would be a year between updates, and with Intel releasing 3 chips reciently Apple would take a real beating in the press if they did not update the iMac and or MacBook lines untill January, a full 5 months after Intel anounced the last of these chips. I would hope that Apple starts anoucing updates to the rest of their computer line-up as early as tomarrow because every day that passes that they don't another person is going to decide to put off a purchase in expectation of an overdue update. We arn't in the Moto/IBM PowerPC days where underwhelming processor updates come once a year (or longer) any more.
That would be a year between updates, and with Intel releasing 3 chips reciently Apple would take a real beating in the press if they did not update the iMac and or MacBook lines untill January, a full 5 months after Intel anounced the last of these chips. I would hope that Apple starts anoucing updates to the rest of their computer line-up as early as tomarrow because every day that passes that they don't another person is going to decide to put off a purchase in expectation of an overdue update. We arn't in the Moto/IBM PowerPC days where underwhelming processor updates come once a year (or longer) any more.
Personally, I hope you're right! I'm itching to buy my iMac, and will hold out as long as possible. I've been borrowing my office iMac on the weekends to tide me over.
I would challenge your thinking by reminding you that companies like Dell are still selling Pentium D based PCs as their primary platform. In fact, I just went to Dell's site and saw a banner that said Core 2 Duo available on select machines. The only way to get a desktop Core 2 Duo out of Dell right now is by getting either their XPS 700, XPS 410, Precision 390 workstation, or Dimension 9200 business PC.
So, how is Apple going to take "a real beating in the press" when they just released the Mac Pro and have their entire line transitioned to an Intel platform? I think you'd be correct if PC manufacturers had more of their product lines using Core 2 Duo; however, this isn't the case...yet. I think Apple has more time than you think. Do they have until January to release an update? Probably not, but I think they could do that and not take a beating...maybe I'm crazy. I would certainly hope for an update before the end of October, leaving November open for an iPod update just before the Holiday season.
Personally, I hope you're right! I'm itching to buy my iMac, and will hold out as long as possible. I've been borrowing my office iMac on the weekends to tide me over.
I would challenge your thinking by reminding you that companies like Dell are still selling Pentium D based PCs as their primary platform. In fact, I just went to Dell's site and saw a banner that said Core 2 Duo available on select machines. The only way to get a desktop Core 2 Duo out of Dell right now is by getting either their XPS 700, XPS 410, Precision 390 workstation, or Dimension 9200 business PC.
So, how is Apple going to take "a real beating in the press" when they just released the Mac Pro and have their entire line transitioned to an Intel platform? I think you'd be correct if PC manufacturers had more of their product lines using Core 2 Duo; however, this isn't the case...yet. I think Apple has more time than you think. Do they have until January to release an update? Probably not, but I think they could do that and not take a beating...maybe I'm crazy. I would certainly hope for an update before the end of October, leaving November open for an iPod update just before the Holiday season.
Thoughts?
--DotComCTO
The Core 2 Duo line will be announced, as I have said many times already, no later then the Paris Expo. You're right DotComCTO that the C2D chips haven't found their way into most PC builders main systems yet, but that time is just around the corner -- especially in the laptop market. When all that happens a benchmark comparison would show the Apple computers supporting the lesser chips at the disadvantage, hence a beating in the press as @homenow said.
Here's my list of possible products released from now until Paris Expo.
Macs
*Conroe iMac (Perhaps a new 23" HD version at the high end and a 20" version at the low end... 17" for education)
*MacBook Pro with Merom (17" version with the 2.33 GHz processor, 15.4" will have the 2.16 GHz processor upgradable to 2.33 GHz at the high end version a and a 2.0 GHz version at the low end)
*MacBook - small speed bump to 2.0 GHz and 2.16 GHz "Yonah" (perhaps an upgrade for the Intel IG to the new X3000)
*Mac Mini - small speed bump to 1.83 GHz and 2.0 Ghz "Yonah" perhaps an upgrade for the Intel IG to the new X3000)
iPods
*iPod Nano - new enclosure, larger capacity (4GB - 8GB)
*iPod Video - new enclosure, large capacity (40GB - 80GB)
*Price cuts???
Software
Not sure what we will get here but...
*We'll probably get update .8 sometime before christmas
*Perhaps an update to Aperture .2 (same as above)
Thats about everything I can think of... but I probably missed something... again
PS. Not everything I've mentioned I believe will be released by the Paris Expo but I do believe everthing will be update before christmas!!
I agree partially with you. I differ partly on the iPod thing. I bet they'll do something more with it then just make it thinner/bigger capacity. I bet it'll be something like this But I doubt they will announce anything for it at the Paris Expo, I think all iTunes, iPod stuff will be at MWSF. Oh, and I think they will announce downloadable movies on iTunes, because it is a hassle to put movies on your iPod.
Otherwsie I think your right about everything else.
Comments
David
or is apple expo typically not a hardware launchpad?
David
can we rule out ipods because of the whole french-law thing?
or is apple expo typically not a hardware launchpad?
If there is an iPod announcement to be made it'll be done in October on the 5th birthday of the iPod, not in Paris, unless its something simple like a larger drive -- the "next" iPod (if there is one) would most likely in October.
I think Paris would definitely be the place the iPods get something. The iTunes Music Store in Europe has been a huge hit, and I could easily see Apple trying market their product even more by adding more hype to the iPod and iTunes over there.
But for Christ's sake, Steve, I start school in one month. Get me a goddamn Merom MBP...
Seconded! But with BTO option of a convertable TabletPC style active digitizer display assembly! (PLEASE don't make me get a fujitsu!)
Seconded! But with BTO option of a convertable TabletPC style active digitizer display assembly! (PLEASE don't make me get a fujitsu!)
You are setting yourself up for disappointment...
You are setting yourself up for disappointment...
nah. I have a rather firm grasp on reality and have no real expectation that we'll see one anytime soon. but the more clammor we make about it, the faster we'll get it.
I actually somewhat pessibistically think that the roumored ultraportable would be more likely in the short term. And that's exactly what I DON'T want. If I want an ultra-portable I can go to any of a number of pc manufacturers to get a gimpy device with a screen thats too small, costs too much, has a crappy processor, limited RAM, and the sorryist excuse for a graphics chip you've ever seen.
I have no interest in that.
I want MPB + Wacom!
...Personally, I thought January at MWSF (perhaps with a new video chipset as well)...
That would be a year between updates, and with Intel releasing 3 chips reciently Apple would take a real beating in the press if they did not update the iMac and or MacBook lines untill January, a full 5 months after Intel anounced the last of these chips. I would hope that Apple starts anoucing updates to the rest of their computer line-up as early as tomarrow because every day that passes that they don't another person is going to decide to put off a purchase in expectation of an overdue update. We arn't in the Moto/IBM PowerPC days where underwhelming processor updates come once a year (or longer) any more.
That would be a year between updates, and with Intel releasing 3 chips reciently Apple would take a real beating in the press if they did not update the iMac and or MacBook lines untill January, a full 5 months after Intel anounced the last of these chips. I would hope that Apple starts anoucing updates to the rest of their computer line-up as early as tomarrow because every day that passes that they don't another person is going to decide to put off a purchase in expectation of an overdue update. We arn't in the Moto/IBM PowerPC days where underwhelming processor updates come once a year (or longer) any more.
Personally, I hope you're right! I'm itching to buy my iMac, and will hold out as long as possible. I've been borrowing my office iMac on the weekends to tide me over.
I would challenge your thinking by reminding you that companies like Dell are still selling Pentium D based PCs as their primary platform. In fact, I just went to Dell's site and saw a banner that said Core 2 Duo available on select machines. The only way to get a desktop Core 2 Duo out of Dell right now is by getting either their XPS 700, XPS 410, Precision 390 workstation, or Dimension 9200 business PC.
So, how is Apple going to take "a real beating in the press" when they just released the Mac Pro and have their entire line transitioned to an Intel platform? I think you'd be correct if PC manufacturers had more of their product lines using Core 2 Duo; however, this isn't the case...yet. I think Apple has more time than you think. Do they have until January to release an update? Probably not, but I think they could do that and not take a beating...maybe I'm crazy. I would certainly hope for an update before the end of October, leaving November open for an iPod update just before the Holiday season.
Thoughts?
--DotComCTO
Personally, I hope you're right! I'm itching to buy my iMac, and will hold out as long as possible. I've been borrowing my office iMac on the weekends to tide me over.
I would challenge your thinking by reminding you that companies like Dell are still selling Pentium D based PCs as their primary platform. In fact, I just went to Dell's site and saw a banner that said Core 2 Duo available on select machines. The only way to get a desktop Core 2 Duo out of Dell right now is by getting either their XPS 700, XPS 410, Precision 390 workstation, or Dimension 9200 business PC.
So, how is Apple going to take "a real beating in the press" when they just released the Mac Pro and have their entire line transitioned to an Intel platform? I think you'd be correct if PC manufacturers had more of their product lines using Core 2 Duo; however, this isn't the case...yet. I think Apple has more time than you think. Do they have until January to release an update? Probably not, but I think they could do that and not take a beating...maybe I'm crazy. I would certainly hope for an update before the end of October, leaving November open for an iPod update just before the Holiday season.
Thoughts?
--DotComCTO
The Core 2 Duo line will be announced, as I have said many times already, no later then the Paris Expo. You're right DotComCTO that the C2D chips haven't found their way into most PC builders main systems yet, but that time is just around the corner -- especially in the laptop market. When all that happens a benchmark comparison would show the Apple computers supporting the lesser chips at the disadvantage, hence a beating in the press as @homenow said.
Here's my list of possible products released from now until Paris Expo.
Macs
*Conroe iMac (Perhaps a new 23" HD version at the high end and a 20" version at the low end... 17" for education)
*MacBook Pro with Merom (17" version with the 2.33 GHz processor, 15.4" will have the 2.16 GHz processor upgradable to 2.33 GHz at the high end version a and a 2.0 GHz version at the low end)
*MacBook - small speed bump to 2.0 GHz and 2.16 GHz "Yonah" (perhaps an upgrade for the Intel IG to the new X3000)
*Mac Mini - small speed bump to 1.83 GHz and 2.0 Ghz "Yonah" perhaps an upgrade for the Intel IG to the new X3000)
iPods
*iPod Nano - new enclosure, larger capacity (4GB - 8GB)
*iPod Video - new enclosure, large capacity (40GB - 80GB)
*Price cuts???
Software
Not sure what we will get here but...
*We'll probably get update .8 sometime before christmas
*Perhaps an update to Aperture .2 (same as above)
Thats about everything I can think of... but I probably missed something... again
PS. Not everything I've mentioned I believe will be released by the Paris Expo but I do believe everthing will be update before christmas!!
I agree partially with you. I differ partly on the iPod thing. I bet they'll do something more with it then just make it thinner/bigger capacity. I bet it'll be something like this But I doubt they will announce anything for it at the Paris Expo, I think all iTunes, iPod stuff will be at MWSF. Oh, and I think they will announce downloadable movies on iTunes, because it is a hassle to put movies on your iPod.
Otherwsie I think your right about everything else.