MW slogans point to outer space.

horned_frog · January 4, 2002 3:12AM

1. This one is going to be big. Even by our standards." Yeah, a sattelite is certainly bigger than anything Apple has ever made.

2. "Count the hours. Count the minutes."

Sounds like a space shuttle launch, no? Or a countdown of some sort. Also ties in with #4.

3. "Way beyond the rumor sites. way beyond."

Yeah, outer space is "way beyond." besides, where have you seen the rumor sites discuss some thing Apple would do in space? Like launching satellite(s)?

4. "It's Like a backstage pass to the future"

Which tells me we will see what these satellites will do, but they will not be launched until later this year.

5. "Where no PC has gone before"

uh, this one is pretty self-explanitory.

What would Apple do with sattelites or outer space? I know this is just imagination run rampant and a stretch to imply all these slogans equate to what I am saying, but it is feasible I guess...

[ 01-04-2002: Message edited by: Horned_Frog ]

hacmac · January 4, 2002 3:29AM

I remember seeing news articles a few days ago that the first internet-server in space was going to be a OS X machine, but hadn't paid too much attention since I thought "so what?".

Could this be related? If it is, well this "hype" campaign must be the sickest thing I've come across in my whole life. :-)

alexander · January 4, 2002 3:46AM

I don't understand what that guy was actually going to DO with the servers in space, so I never really paid much attention to it. Communications is the major problem, and I'm not so sure that just sticking a bigger antenna on an Airport card will work.

Now, things in space are not normally trivial things. Very expensive radiation-hardening, etc., etc. But if instead of one (or a few) big satellites, what if there were a very large number (1000+) of inexpensive, redundant satellites that were expected to fail after a much shorter period of time?

It would be cool if Apple could end up doing for only a couple million what Teledesic has failed to with billions. But it probably won't happen.

This would also fit the "Cube will be resurrected" press release, as the Cube was the original space-server, and still makes a lot of sense.

It'd be nice if someone could explain how exactly that guy was going to transmit data to space and back.

Alex

hacmac · January 4, 2002 3:55AM

Here's another one:

<a href="http://www.apple.com/scitech/stories/skycorp/"; target="_blank">http://www.apple.com/scitech/stories/skycorp/</a>;

It says: "In October 2001... one PowerMac G4... inside a sattellite... will make history."

However, the whole thing isn't written in the past tense, but in the future.

If it's not really old news (which it may well be, since I don't find this one too extremely spectacular and wouldn't have cared), I'd be willing to bet that Apple is completely fooling us all with this "hype" campaign.

gardenofearthlydelights · January 4, 2002 4:03AM

Maybe it's satellite broadband. Instead of AirPort, we'll have SpacePort.

But seriously, I think they've either been in contact with aliens, and therefore have alien technology that they will unleash on us, or it's a mouse we can talk to, if we wanted to make, say, transparent aluminum (or aluminium for those that can't spell).

zo · January 4, 2002 6:04AM

[quote]Originally posted by GardenOfEarthlyDelights:

Maybe it's satellite broadband. Instead of AirPort, we'll have SpacePort.

<hr></blockquote>

Gigawire?

rok · January 4, 2002 9:57AM

yes, there definitely... DEFINITELY... seems to be a "GLOBAL" or "SPACE" theme to apple's teasers. this coincides nicely with my theory that apple, with its itools service, has extended the "whole widget" off the desktop and into the ether, with the internet being as accessible as a radio broadcast or a television network, allowing you to sync your information via airport (or, as mentioned, spaceport - damn, that sounds cool) from anywhere. restaurant, bus, car, office, home... without having to be "virtually tethered" to your desktop as home base. could quicktime's streaming ability allow for people to place compressed mp3's on their idisks for listening like your own personal radio station? being an apple customer would literally be a "lifestyle" (hell, for me, it already is ... do you know what lengths i go to for accumulating crap with the apple logo on it???)

the mind boggles. :eek:

now, the question is, would apple do this on their own tab, or would they create a partnership with one of the big two - AOL/Time Warner or Microsoft? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

[ 01-04-2002: Message edited by: rok ]

spiffyguyc · January 4, 2002 9:59AM

Maybe Steve's gonna be the 2nd billionaire in space. LOL.

jasonpp · January 4, 2002 10:05AM

I would LOVE it if every Mac came with always-on high speed satelite based internet access. Talk about high expectations!

masker · January 4, 2002 10:16AM

Hmm, the other day my brother showed me some hand held radios he had purchased (he's a techno-geek to the max).

These things were like the small Motorola radios you see EXCEPT they had a little more power. I think a 5 mile range on semi-flat land.

I thought it was cool and all but then he said something I found to be interesting..

"Yeah, in the manual it says these things can send a signal to the moon, line of sight."

These radios were $540 each, used AA batteries and made me start thinking about satellite broadband. They were also made by Motorola.

Maybe Apple gives you a free one with a years worth of service to AirSurf?.

ANyone know the bandwidth limitations on UHF communications via Satellite?

MSKR

kammac · January 4, 2002 10:17AM

That might explain why two of the three Ti Powerbooks come standard with Airport. Why include something to so many people who may never use it.

mac guru · January 4, 2002 10:33AM

[quote] now, the question is, would apple do this on their own tab, or would they create a partnership with one of the big two - AOL/Time Warner or Microsoft? <hr></blockquote>

Actually, I was watching Discovery the other day and they were discussing Microsofts interests into a "global" wireless broadband internet. Apple could EASILY team up with the devil and make a global "Airport" network.

I'd die and go to heaven! There's nothing more pathetic looking than a guy running all over campus with his iBook looking for a vacant Ethernet port. Give me Airport anywhere!

Mac Guru

jj · January 4, 2002 11:07AM

This is more along the lines of what I was thinking of too, it just seemed too good to be true. Somenone posted an interesting comment in the macnn news section a few days ago. The said something to the effect of "I know what they're doing blah blah... I wish I could tell you, blah blah... the should get william shatner to be the spokesperson".

And then apple posted todays tagline. Interesting. I stand my my guest that it goes beyond hardware and software and also includes a "breakthrough" service of some sorts.

masker · January 4, 2002 11:18AM

Here's a nice little way to get 10 miles out of your Airport base station..

imagine this in satellite form.

<a href="http://www.wwc.edu/~frohro/Airport/Primestar/Primestar.html"; target="_blank">Long Range Airport? 802.11b</a>

MSKR

thegelding · January 4, 2002 11:23AM

could that explain a higher priced iMac

iMac LCD with 2 years high speed digtial satellite broadband connection via airport/gigawire or whatever....

i would love satellite broadband...i live out in the middle of nowhere and will be years till dsl or cable internet reach me...and the phone lines ain't that great out here either...lots of disconnects....but a great view of the sky and nothing between my house and the heavens, so SJ please throw a couple of hundred G-4 servers up in space (or however many you need for worldwide coverage)...g

[ 01-04-2002: Message edited by: thegelding ]

matsu · January 4, 2002 11:53AM

Oh fvck, I'm going to kick myself in the ass for this, but for once I'm oing t reference Kormac, but I ain't happy bout it

He mentioned something of a partnership between Sony and Apple and other's I think. Could some other big players be set to band together in pre-emptive satellite internet initiative described under the catch phrase GIGAWIRE! Still doesn't prove that Kormac does anything more than read the right tech pages, but it is interesting I think. They'd be not really partners, but rather two major players/early adopters of a standard. Perhaps even one developed by Apple.

One thing's for certain, such a service, if it could be deployed in the next three months, and done so with a level of mac exclusivity would do two MAJOR things. 1) Produce at least an 18 month lead on anyone else. And 2.) Because of 1, sell more Mac laptops (to PC users no less) than 3 Apples could make.

[ 01-04-2002: Message edited by: Matsu ]

rok · January 4, 2002 11:19PM

i'm not letting this thread slip too far... and it still counts as future hardware, folks, because good ol' as the apple turns just added fuel to the GLOBAL apple internet idea with their follow-up on what the patent for "gigawire" actually entails.

go to <a href="http://www.appleturns.com,"; target="_blank">http://www.appleturns.com,</a>; and really get those wheels turning. screw cat-5 cables, man, just give me a little bit of a internet broadcast signal, and i can surf the web ANYwhere, ANYtime.

now, folks, THIS is progress.

p.s. not that i am bitter or anything, but on the old AI threads, i was one of the first (if not THE first) people to theorize if this was possible. 'course, i can't seem to take credit anymore... darn it. <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />

gilsch · January 4, 2002 11:33PM

GIGAWIRE!! (like that annoying Afleck(sp?) duck).

majuki · January 5, 2002 12:18AM

[quote]Originally posted by Masker:

Hmm, the other day my brother showed me some hand held radios he had purchased (he's a techno-geek to the max).

These things were like the small Motorola radios you see EXCEPT they had a little more power. I think a 5 mile range on semi-flat land.

I thought it was cool and all but then he said something I found to be interesting..

"Yeah, in the manual it says these things can send a signal to the moon, line of sight."

These radios were $540 each, used AA batteries and made me start thinking about satellite broadband. They were also made by Motorola.

Maybe Apple gives you a free one with a years worth of service to AirSurf?.

ANyone know the bandwidth limitations on UHF communications via Satellite?

MSKR<hr></blockquote>

Uhh...I think it can be up to a couple of megabits per connection. The latency would be horrible though. Also, it needs to be line of sight or the fast signal drops very quickly.

wrong robot · January 5, 2002 1:09AM

ya know I'm thinking about this worldwide broadband connection available ANYWHERE you go and are...that would certainly make the internet alot more free(in the sense that people wouldn't necesarilly have to run through their schools or work to get on their connections...thus less proxy bullshit and all that...unless of course the satalitte systems were relay based where they would relay to a main office building at a school and then work its self out through the school smaller scale...)

I think that if apple were to do this, then not only would it kick amjor ass, but then I would buy a laptop...that simple, if I could be sitting around at lunch or free period with my laptop surfing the internet wire free, then pick it up walk to the hill couple hunred feet away, and still be connected, damn I would Love that, needless to say that If it could work in a car...oh my god(unless I was driving of course)...on planes...wow this is a bit far fetched, but I definatly see the future involving always connected wireless broadband.

if apple DID manage to somehow get this under their belt, I seriously believe that they could turn the marketshare tables by well at least a 1/4

but then again if apple earned 25% of the marketshare...wow, thats a huge leap...now I'm getting ahead of myself....I'm sure microsoft(as much as I don't WANT this) will be the first to jump on that boat....with near limitless resoucres at his desposal bill gates could easily monopolize this market as well(look at the multi million dolalr x-box and xp campaigns)

oh well, at least this will probably be the future either way(I just really hope apple gets on it first and actually manages to reel in the pc users)

horned_frog · January 5, 2002 1:22AM

yeah, 25% marketshare would be huge for Apple...and I believe that, if they DID have a nationwide, works anywhere, wireless, broadband 50 Mbps or whatever internet exclusive to NEW Apple machines...almost every current user (myself included) would rush out and buy one. I am in love with my iBook, but that is the ONE thing I would LOVE to have...I do not get DSL access at home anyway, and you would not even have to connect to you school's network. This would be major-league cool.

Just a how of hands...if this WAS exlusive to Macs purchased on or after 1/7/02, how many would buy a new computer? I know I would.

Also, would Earthlink would have to be involved, either as the ISP or if Apple bought them out.

Anotehr cool feature would be a free dialup account for times when weather or something interfered with you connection.

Also, after the discussed "free" period, how much $$$ per month are we talking here? If it was $100 per month, would it be worth it?

I need to go change now...

:cool: <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" />

MW slogans point to outer space.

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