The perfect WWDC 2008
It's Friday, there's nothing much interesting happening today except the naysayers grumbling about Leopard 10.5.3, so I thought I'd unleash my imagination on the unsuspecting Barbarian hordes.
What would the perfect WWDC look like?
Here goes.
Steve stands up and to everyone's surprise he's wearing a suit, but no tie and he's clean shaven. He looks dapper and elegant, but above all confident.
As he is about to speak, his cellphone rings. Instead of putting it to his ear, he puts on an earphone and speaks into a mike attached to it. He's looking at a picture on his iPhone. Then we realize he's making a video call. It's Barack Omama, who congratulates him on being the underdog that rises to the top.
The call finishes and Steve apologizes for interupting his keynote. Very matter-of-factly, he explains that the phone he's been using is the new 3G iPhone, in case we hadn't guessed. Very similar to the existing one, it has an aluminium body not the much rumoured plastic one. It offers video calling, GPS location finding linked with Google maps, and Steve explains how everything has been improved. He shows off the enhancements to the operating system then demos a couple of very cool SDK apps. The audience cheers. Several geeks faint. The usual stuff.
Then he reveals a brand new line-up of MacBook Pros. Available in three sizes, 13, 15 and 17 inch configurations, they're thinner, lighter, sleeker, with new keyboards and gesture trackpads. BTOs include Blu-ray DVD players, 256 Gb SSDs, hi-def LED screens and the industrial design is just so cool that the collective oohs and aahs can be heard half way to LA.
"Now we've got the boring stuff out of the way..." Steve continues, "We can get on to the more interesting stuff".
Steve goes over to a couch and discusses how he likes watching DVDs, but that his collection is now so big he needs to move to a bigger house. The audience clearly sympathizes with the injustice caused by this tired media format.
Ripping the covers off a large display, Steve reveals a stunning range of Apple TVs. Once again each one is a stunning example of cutting edge design. Designed to replace Apple's range of large monitors, the Apple TV range has an in-built TV tuner, in-built Apple TV and can also play both regular and HD Blu-ray DVDs. It links directly to iTunes so that you can select and download movies to its massive 5TB hard drive. You can plug your computer into it so that it provides a large screen experience. Best of all, it's available in four sizes: 30, 40, 50, 60 inch LED screens operating at 120 Hz. He demos a few cool features.
Members of the audiences rush out to call their brokers to buy Apple stock. But itis not over yet.
"And one more thing..." and no sooner are those immortal words spoken than a hushed silence descends over the Moscone Convention Center.
Steve nonchalantly opens his jacket pocket to reveal a thin machine that is somewhere in size between the MacBook Air and the iPhone. It opens like a typical notebook PC but appears to have a second screen where the keyboard should be. In fact, it looks a lot like the OLPC except that it is sleeker, smaller and cooler.
Steve laments the fact that Newton 1 was so lame but promises that this new version, Newton 2 will more than make up for it. Sporting a full version of OSX, it does everything the iPhone does, but is also a fully-fledged sub-notebook. Its twin 9-inch touch screens can recognize handwriting. It even has a built-in piano keyboard to demonstrate its versatility. He plays a tune and several young guys at the front (with beards) start dancing. He finishes to rapturous applause.
Hundreds of journalists exit the auditorium. The Appleinsider website goes down due to the volume of traffic.
And there you have it.
What would the perfect WWDC look like?
Here goes.
Steve stands up and to everyone's surprise he's wearing a suit, but no tie and he's clean shaven. He looks dapper and elegant, but above all confident.
As he is about to speak, his cellphone rings. Instead of putting it to his ear, he puts on an earphone and speaks into a mike attached to it. He's looking at a picture on his iPhone. Then we realize he's making a video call. It's Barack Omama, who congratulates him on being the underdog that rises to the top.
The call finishes and Steve apologizes for interupting his keynote. Very matter-of-factly, he explains that the phone he's been using is the new 3G iPhone, in case we hadn't guessed. Very similar to the existing one, it has an aluminium body not the much rumoured plastic one. It offers video calling, GPS location finding linked with Google maps, and Steve explains how everything has been improved. He shows off the enhancements to the operating system then demos a couple of very cool SDK apps. The audience cheers. Several geeks faint. The usual stuff.
Then he reveals a brand new line-up of MacBook Pros. Available in three sizes, 13, 15 and 17 inch configurations, they're thinner, lighter, sleeker, with new keyboards and gesture trackpads. BTOs include Blu-ray DVD players, 256 Gb SSDs, hi-def LED screens and the industrial design is just so cool that the collective oohs and aahs can be heard half way to LA.
"Now we've got the boring stuff out of the way..." Steve continues, "We can get on to the more interesting stuff".
Steve goes over to a couch and discusses how he likes watching DVDs, but that his collection is now so big he needs to move to a bigger house. The audience clearly sympathizes with the injustice caused by this tired media format.
Ripping the covers off a large display, Steve reveals a stunning range of Apple TVs. Once again each one is a stunning example of cutting edge design. Designed to replace Apple's range of large monitors, the Apple TV range has an in-built TV tuner, in-built Apple TV and can also play both regular and HD Blu-ray DVDs. It links directly to iTunes so that you can select and download movies to its massive 5TB hard drive. You can plug your computer into it so that it provides a large screen experience. Best of all, it's available in four sizes: 30, 40, 50, 60 inch LED screens operating at 120 Hz. He demos a few cool features.
Members of the audiences rush out to call their brokers to buy Apple stock. But itis not over yet.
"And one more thing..." and no sooner are those immortal words spoken than a hushed silence descends over the Moscone Convention Center.
Steve nonchalantly opens his jacket pocket to reveal a thin machine that is somewhere in size between the MacBook Air and the iPhone. It opens like a typical notebook PC but appears to have a second screen where the keyboard should be. In fact, it looks a lot like the OLPC except that it is sleeker, smaller and cooler.
Steve laments the fact that Newton 1 was so lame but promises that this new version, Newton 2 will more than make up for it. Sporting a full version of OSX, it does everything the iPhone does, but is also a fully-fledged sub-notebook. Its twin 9-inch touch screens can recognize handwriting. It even has a built-in piano keyboard to demonstrate its versatility. He plays a tune and several young guys at the front (with beards) start dancing. He finishes to rapturous applause.
Hundreds of journalists exit the auditorium. The Appleinsider website goes down due to the volume of traffic.
And there you have it.
Comments
Steve stands up and to everyone's surprise he's wearing a suit, but no tie and he's clean shaven.
Already you're off the deep end.
I think that you described MWSF 2009 (apart from the iPhone stuff) instead of the WWDC 2008.
Plus, I mean...I assume the mini got updated the week before under this scenario? Dammit I want my new mini...
Hey Tail,
I think that you described MWSF 2009 (apart from the iPhone stuff) instead of the WWDC 2008.
Indeed. The D in WWDC is for "Developers". This is a consumer lineup.
More likely:
1) iPhone 3G (duh), with the emphasis on the new APIs, new technologies as they can be leveraged by devs, and the Application Store.
2) .Mac -> Mobile Me (Mac/Windows) as a part of supporting the iPhone, and a new suite of APIs for iPhone, Mac, *and* Windows devs to use to hook into the client for syncing, etc.
3) Possibly MacBook Pros, as they are popular with devs, but not likely on my list.
4) Ditto for the Mac mini... it's the entry box for a lot of non-Mac devs who are 'Mac-curious', but it's not a high-priority item, IMO.
5) Possibly teasers for Things To Come in 10.6 - ZFS moves to being fully supported, Multi-Touch gets a big nod, and... your guess is as good as mine.
My bet is that it's going to be mostly about the iPhone, and the mobile unit SDK, Application Store, and syncing through a revamped and renamed .Mac designed to appeal to non-Mac users as well.
You know, stuff *developers* care about.
Ripping the covers off a large display, Steve reveals a stunning range of Apple TVs. Once again each one is a stunning example of cutting edge design. Designed to replace Apple's range of large monitors, the Apple TV range has an in-built TV tuner, in-built Apple TV and can also play both regular and HD Blu-ray DVDs. It links directly to iTunes so that you can select and download movies to its massive 5TB hard drive. You can plug your computer into it so that it provides a large screen experience. Best of all, it's available in four sizes: 30, 40, 50, 60 inch LED screens operating at 120 Hz. He demos a few cool features.
There is no way in hell I want to trade a 30" ACD at 2560x1600 for a 30" 1920x1080 HDTV.
An Apple line of TVs is bloody unlikely anyway.
Steve nonchalantly opens his jacket pocket to reveal a thin machine that is somewhere in size between the MacBook Air and the iPhone. It opens like a typical notebook PC but appears to have a second screen where the keyboard should be. In fact, it looks a lot like the OLPC except that it is sleeker, smaller and cooler.
The OLPC XO-2 concept mockup is unlikely to get built given that Negroponte has been exposed for what he is.
The book format isn't bad but the touch keyboard isn't going to be desired for folks that do the usual amounts of typing. Perhaps if Apple uses more of Englebart's two hand interaction theme (5 keys for the left hand for hotkey/mode changes/etc, and right hand for a mouse or trackpad) it might work better but that requires quite a bit of UI changes in Leopard and application support.
?Blah, blah, blah?
Dude, seriously, put down the bong?
Unfortunately, the queue is in chronological order. Back of the line, youngster.
Oooo...that's good news.
17" Macbook Pro, 1920x1200, slot-loading Blu-Ray Burner, 320gb HDD, 8800GTX 512mb graphics, new keyboard, new trackpad, magnetic latch. Starting from $1999.
New iPhone. Half the thickness, 3G, GPS, video calls. 32, 64 and 120Gb models. Starting from $299.
New Apple Cinema Displays. 24" @ $599, 30" @ $799, 52" @ $999 and 72" @ $1499.
Guess that would be a perfect WWDC 2008
Oooo...that's good news.
Holy crap, what rock have you been hiding under?!? And where are our damned plastics?!?
The perfect WWDC 2008:
17" Macbook Pro, 1920x1200, slot-loading Blu-Ray Burner, 320gb HDD, 8800GTX 512mb graphics, new keyboard, new trackpad, magnetic latch. Starting from $1999.
New iPhone. Half the thickness, 3G, GPS, video calls. 32, 64 and 120Gb models. Starting from $299.
New Apple Cinema Displays. 24" @ $599, 30" @ $799, 52" @ $999 and 72" @ $1499.
Guess that would be a perfect WWDC 2008
You forgot the Apple Exoskeleton Flying Suit...the iFly?!
video calls will make you hit the 3g 5gig cap real fast.
What is this so called "3G 5GIG" cap you are talking about? Presumably Apple's new data package would include unlimited data over 3G as it now includes unlimited data over EDGE.
Holy crap, what rock have you been hiding under?!? And where are our damned plastics?!?
i am making them now
i am making them now
The new Dell 30" is being advertised for $1299. in Canada, while Apple's older tech 30" is still $2099.
Unless Apple plans to stop selling displays altogether, this adjustment can't wait for much longer.
Even if they're not updated, Cinema Display prices simply have to be adjusted at the keynote.
The new Dell 30" is being advertised for $1299. in Canada, while Apple's older tech 30" is still $2099.
Unless Apple plans to stop selling displays altogether, this adjustment can't wait for much longer.
I am sure that this conference will be the one where we learn the fate of continued Apple display initiatives. There are so many Samsung badged displays turning up now on Macs everywhere I go here and there - at vastly lower price points.
Tailpipe - a great read!