Speculation on those great products to come this year.

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
The conference call mentioned again great products to come this year. While we certainly hear that every year, it thought it might be interesting to speculate on other products. So here is a list:
  1. A sub 7" iPad/iPod.

  2. A 12" iPad.

  3. Other iOS devices, including a replacement for the iPod Touch.

  4. A midrange desktop, dare I say XMac.

  5. A new Apple TV with the ability to run apps.

  6. New routers.

  7. The very much desired 15" AIR

  8. A new compact server, media PC.

Just a quick list to get the discussion started.



I think the obvious move for Apple is to find a rational way to expand the iOS devices line up. That means in this context new tablets with a likely emphasis on an iPad with an approximate 12" screen. IPad is really rocking the tablet market and I see Apple leveraging their lead to cover people with different needs.



Along the same lines I'm expecting the iPhone 4S form factor to stay around for a bit. The line up will be supplemented with a 4G capable device in a different form factor.



The other obvious thing here is that the desktop line up needs help. To that end I expect them to drop both the current Mini and the Pro to introduce a more common platform to cover a wider array of needs. It is good that the laptops are pulling the majority of sales but they needs a viable platform to capture and keep the desktop market. Thus the XMAC.



I also have to wonder about what Apple will do outside its current markets. Very little was said about an Apple TV. I'm actually thinking that Apple might go after a different segment for example robotics. Robotics is a very long term play but there is huge upside potential.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 50
    1. iPad 3.

    2. Apple TV Take 3 with an A6 chip and the ability to read from a hard drive on the network without a computer on or iTunes open.

    3. iPhone NOT FRIGGING FIVE.

    4. Discontinuation of the iPod classic.

    5. New iPod touch.

    6. New colors for the shuffle.

    7. A new nano with Bluetooth that acts as a notification center for your iPhone (that's a huge long shot).

    8. Ivy Bridge boosts to the entire Mac line save the Mac Pro.



    And that's about it.
  • Reply 2 of 50
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    1. iPad 3.



    That is a given. What I'm thinking we will see is totally new hardware to go along with iPad3 in the current form factor. Let's face it iOS is a run away Frieght train that could benefit from more products hitched to that train.

    Quote:

    2. Apple TV Take 3 with an A6 chip and the ability to read from a hard drive on the network without a computer on or iTunes open.



    I'm not a big TV user so what Apple is doing here is a deeper mystery for me. That being said I really wish that Apple would turn AppleTV into a more computer like platform. That is support apps on the platform.

    Quote:

    3. iPhone NOT FRIGGING FIVE.



    I really dont get this iPhone 5 is a perfectly good name for the next iPhone. As is iPhone 4G and a host of other names. I still see Apple supporting two phone platforms in the future.

    Quote:

    4. Discontinuation of the iPod classic.

    5. New iPod touch.



    I see these two coming together in a high capacity Touch replacement. It would be most excellent to see a 128GB Touch.

    Quote:

    6. New colors for the shuffle.

    7. A new nano with Bluetooth that acts as a notification center for your iPhone (that's a huge long shot).

    8. Ivy Bridge boosts to the entire Mac line save the Mac Pro.



    This is also a given! I'm really expecting that 15" AIR though. I can also see the 13" MBP getting revamped for markedly better performance.



    Obviously the laptop line is doing really well. I suspect that they have the market well covered but I'd also like to see Built in cellular networking in the MBPs.

    Quote:

    And that's about it.



    I'm surprised that you are expect very little that is totally brand new. I just see new products as likely considering the momentum they have.
  • Reply 3 of 50
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wizard69 View Post


    That is a given. What I'm thinking we will see is totally new hardware to go along with iPad3 in the current form factor. Let's face it iOS is a run away Frieght train that could benefit from more products hitched to that train.



    A6 and retina are all but given.



    Quote:

    I really dont get this iPhone 5 is a perfectly good name for the next iPhone.



    Other than the fact that it's not the 5th iPhone, won't have an A5 chip, won't run iOS 5, and won't have "5G" telephony.



    Quote:

    I see these two coming together in a high capacity Touch replacement. It would be most excellent to see a 128GB Touch.



    Things we know for certain: if the iPad 3 gets a 128GB version, the iPod touch will get a 128GB version and the iPod classic will be discontinued.



    If the iPad 3 doesn't, it will be up in the air until October.



    Quote:

    This is also a given! I'm really expecting that 15" AIR though. I can also see the 13" MBP getting revamped for markedly better performance.



    If your definition of '15" Air' is '15" MacBook Pro redesigned to have, at least, no ODD (even if it doesn't get the special SSD) and the removal of the 13" MacBook Pro from the lineup', then I agree 100%.



    That's sort of? sort of a specific definition, but I'd agree with that.



    Quote:

    I'm surprised that you are expect very little that is totally brand new.



    You're surprised that The Great Apple Pessimist Himself doesn't expect new products?



    I'd love for there to be a brand new product. Absolutely love it. But am I foolish enough to get my hopes up for one? Or to plant a concrete idea in my head of what I expect? Nope.



    If I was to speculate on anything, I want to see Apple HINT the future of multitouch at WWDC this year.



    It's too early to mention OS XI, much less hardware to go with it, but eventually I want to see some sort of computer that incorporates a beautiful, full-featured OS, system-wide multitouch, and those display stand patents into an elegant machine that gives the file system guys everything they dream of, the iOS proponents everything that makes iOS great, and the neck strain complainers a reprieve because the thing can be both horizontal (for proper OS work) and vertical (for media consumption).



    The only thing that I will allow myself to be told about this vision is that whatever does come of it, Apple will be the only one to do it right. Period. And then [insert your favorite blatant Apple copyist here] will come along and try to do it, too.



    I don't foresee a launch date. I don't foresee specs or even a hardware architecture. I don't foresee specific software features. But that's what's coming. Something that is the best of all three worlds (the current keyboard and mouse desktop paradigm, iOS, and the two directional means by which we interact with computers).
  • Reply 4 of 50
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    A6 and retina are all but given.







    Other than the fact that it's not the 5th iPhone, won't have an A5 chip, won't run iOS 5, and won't have "5G" telephony.



    Yeah I see that all the time but it has absolutely nothing to do with naming the next iPhone, iPhone 5.

    Quote:

    Things we know for certain: if the iPad 3 gets a 128GB version, the iPod touch will get a 128GB version and the iPod classic will be discontinued.



    I'd have to say a very strong possibility.

    Quote:

    If the iPad 3 doesn't, it will be up in the air until October.



    I want iPad 3 to get more Flash storage but also realize that they may have to expand RAM considerably to drive a retina display. So at a minimum I'm expecting more RAM which may impact cost.

    Quote:

    If your definition of '15" Air' is '15" MacBook Pro redesigned to have, at least, no ODD (even if it doesn't get the special SSD) and the removal of the 13" MacBook Pro from the lineup', then I agree 100%.



    Nope my definition is that the 15" AIR is exactly that an AIR. The MBP are far more powerful than the current AIRs, something I expect to remain true for a very very long time. MBP simply have more volume to work with, which means there is more freedom to tune various parameters and to deliver bleeding edge pro features. As to the 13" MBP even now the AIRs don't come close to the performance of the 13" MBP, remove the optical from that machine and you can make it even more powerful. There is really no overlap in targetted audiences.

    Quote:

    That's sort of? sort of a specific definition, but I'd agree with that.







    You're surprised that The Great Apple Pessimist Himself doesn't expect new products?



    I'd love for there to be a brand new product. Absolutely love it. But am I foolish enough to get my hopes up for one? Or to plant a concrete idea in my head of what I expect? Nope.



    If I was to speculate on anything, I want to see Apple HINT the future of multitouch at WWDC this year.



    It's too early to mention OS XI, much less hardware to go with it, but eventually I want to see some sort of computer that incorporates a beautiful, full-featured OS, system-wide multitouch, and those display stand patents into an elegant machine that gives the file system guys everything they dream of, the iOS proponents everything that makes iOS great, and the neck strain complainers a reprieve because the thing can be both horizontal (for proper OS work) and vertical (for media consumption).



    The only thing that I will allow myself to be told about this vision is that whatever does come of it, Apple will be the only one to do it right. Period. And then [insert your favorite blatant Apple copyist here] will come along and try to do it, too.



    I don't foresee a launch date. I don't foresee specs or even a hardware architecture. I don't foresee specific software features. But that's what's coming. Something that is the best of all three worlds (the current keyboard and mouse desktop paradigm, iOS, and the two directional means by which we interact with computers).



    Maybe I'm a bit wishful but I just think this is a good year for Apple to break out a bit and attack new markets. It is also a good year to strengthen existing product lines.
  • Reply 5 of 50
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wizard69 View Post


    Yeah I see that all the time but it has absolutely nothing to do with naming the next iPhone, iPhone 5.



    You're insane.



    Quote:

    Maybe I'm a bit wishful but I just think this is a good year for Apple to break out a bit and attack new markets. It is also a good year to strengthen existing product lines.



    We'll just have to see.
  • Reply 6 of 50
    mactacmactac Posts: 316member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wizard69 View Post


    The conference call mentioned again great products to come this year. While we certainly hear that every year, it thought it might be interesting to speculate on other products. So here is a list:



    A midrange desktop, dare I say XMac.



    The other obvious thing here is that the desktop line up needs help. To that end I expect them to drop both the current Mini and the Pro to introduce a more common platform to cover a wider array of needs. It is good that the laptops are pulling the majority of sales but they needs a viable platform to capture and keep the desktop market. Thus the XMAC.




    If this doesn't show up I really don't care what Apple does with its other products. Without a desktop Mac that meets my needs all of Apple's other products are just fluff as far as I'm concerned.
  • Reply 7 of 50
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,419member
    iPad 3



    Apple TV 3 - A6, apps, new UI



    Apple HDTV (42, 46, 55 inch models) with replaceable "brain" module that uses TB



    Wifi -New 802.11ac Airports



    Tower of Power - New Mac Pro



    iHub -New consumer storage device (server basically but they'll avoid calling it a server)



    Redesigns-Major case refreshes on MBP and next iPhone.



    iOS 6 - Apple TbT GPS using new mapping technology. Siri API, universal authentication API



    OS X 10.8 preview - Siri embedded, new filesystem , heavy iCloud integration, Applescript replacement.
  • Reply 8 of 50
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hmurchison View Post


    Apple TV 3 - A6, apps, new UI



    Yay! Someone else who doesn't think they'll do an HDTV! And good, someone else unsatisfied with LowTide. It's high time for HighTide.



    Quote:

    Apple HDTV (42, 46, 55 inch models) with replaceable "brain" module that uses TB



    ? Wait, what's the point of both? And there's absolutely no way Apple would do an upgradable version.



    Quote:

    Wifi -New 802.11ac Airports



    iHub -New consumer storage device (server basically but they'll avoid calling it a server)



    Wouldn't these just be the same thing?



    Quote:

    iOS 6 - Apple TbT GPS using new mapping technology. Siri API, universal authentication API



    You don't think they'll keep iOS 5 until 2013? That seems to be the prevailing opinion.
  • Reply 9 of 50
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,419member
    Tallest



    Common Sense is with just making a nice Apple TV peripheral but I almost think Apple has to deliver a full fledged TV now because the rumor mill has ordained it.



    The next Airport/Time Capsule would be an ideal device to add in more functionality. So yes i'm in agreement that you might as well add more features to the devices that's the LAN/WAN gateway.



    I think we see iOS 6 pretty soon. Mapping hasn't changed much at all and still relies on Google. I've found that many of the built in apps like Address Book still assume that you're doing much of your management on a computer and thus they have poor management controls (finding dupes, merging contacts etc) . This is becoming a problem for people that strictly want an iPad/iPhone without a computer in the chain.



    iOS needs a robust text engine. We have the most basic of formatting options but there needs to be a centralized option for developers to tap into.



    I'd also like to see a sandbox friendly way to share data between applications and iOS should be the precursor to a 10.8 version as well. It's clear that Applescript isn't going to make the sandboxing divide without pain and simply abolishing inter-application communication isn't going to fly either.
  • Reply 10 of 50
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hmurchison View Post


    Common Sense is with just making a nice Apple TV peripheral but I almost think Apple has to deliver a full fledged TV now because the rumor mill has ordained it.



    So where's the iPhone with a physical keyboard and a stylus? Where's the xMac? The tablet with full OS X? We don't really mean anything to them.



    And it's as Steve said: People don't know what they want until you show it to them.



    Quote:

    The next Airport/Time Capsule would be an ideal device to add in more functionality. So yes i'm in agreement that you might as well add more features to the devices that's the LAN/WAN gateway.



    Look, all I want is for attached hard drives to be recognized by any Apple TVs on the same network without a computer on and iTunes open. Anything else they do is just icing on that cake.
  • Reply 11 of 50
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hmurchison View Post


    iPad 3



    Apple TV 3 - A6, apps, new UI



    Apple HDTV (42, 46, 55 inch models) with replaceable "brain" module that uses TB



    Wifi -New 802.11ac Airports



    Tower of Power - New Mac Pro



    iHub -New consumer storage device (server basically but they'll avoid calling it a server)



    Redesigns-Major case refreshes on MBP and next iPhone.



    iOS 6 - Apple TbT GPS using new mapping technology. Siri API, universal authentication API



    OS X 10.8 preview - Siri embedded, new filesystem , heavy iCloud integration, Applescript replacement.



    I think you nailed it.
  • Reply 12 of 50
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hmurchison View Post


    iPad 3



    Apple TV 3 - A6, apps, new UI



    I've been tempted to get an Apple TV just to jailbreak it to run apps. For the price it is really a powerful platform to run apps. A6 would just enhance that to no end.

    Quote:

    Apple HDTV (42, 46, 55 inch models) with replaceable "brain" module that uses TB



    I'm not sure even Apple could get me to buy a TV. They would have to do something about the cable companies and data rates.

    Quote:

    Wifi -New 802.11ac Airports



    Tower of Power - New Mac Pro



    I suspect the big tower is on the way out.

    Quote:

    iHub -New consumer storage device (server basically but they'll avoid calling it a server)



    Yes! The Mini server is such a bad joke it just makes me sick. A well designed XMAc could easily deliver that sort of fipunctionality in a specific configuration.

    Quote:

    Redesigns-Major case refreshes on MBP and next iPhone.



    Yep!

    Quote:

    iOS 6 - Apple TbT GPS using new mapping technology. Siri API, universal authentication API



    OS X 10.8 preview - Siri embedded, new filesystem , heavy iCloud integration, Applescript replacement.



    I'd rather see Siri expanded outside of OS/X on iOS devices. I wouldn't object to it on the Mac just that I don't see it as a big draw.
  • Reply 13 of 50
    dhagan4755dhagan4755 Posts: 2,152member
    Apple TV 3 ? A6, apps, bluetooth keyboard, Safari, 1080P output

    Not sure about the Apple TV set

    802.11ac Airport & Time Capsules or maybe just Time Machine? Update Express to 802.11ac.

    New Mac Pro tower form factor ? Will it include optical drive? Will is use flash storage like the Air?

    New MacBook Pro design with 16:9 display ratio & possible Retina option

    Revamped iMac ? Like Mac Pro will it jettison optical drive? Will it use flash storage like the Air?

    Discussing Mac OS X 10.8

    Do you think Apple will try to merge Mac OS X & iOS?

    iPhone 5

    iPad 3 ? including Siri

    Mac mini ? moves to Ivy Bridge summertime.
  • Reply 14 of 50
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DHagan4755 View Post


    New Mac Pro tower form factor ? Will it include optical drive?



    Hope not.



    Quote:

    Will is use flash storage like the Air?



    Absolutely not.



    Quote:

    New MacBook Pro design with 16:9 display ratio & possible Retina option



    Yuck, 16:9?



    Quote:

    Revamped iMac



    In what way?



    Quote:

    ?will it jettison optical drive?



    Hope so.



    Quote:

    Will it use flash storage like the Air?



    Absolutely not.



    Quote:

    Discussing Mac OS X 10.8

    Do you think Apple will try to merge Mac OS X & iOS?



    About five years too soon for that.



    Quote:

    iPhone 5

    iPad 3 ? including Siri



    A6-based iPhone 6/LTE, iPad 3, and iPod touch, hopefully.
  • Reply 15 of 50
    hmmhmm Posts: 3,405member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DHagan4755 View Post


    Apple TV 3 ? A6, apps, bluetooth keyboard, Safari, 1080P output

    Not sure about the Apple TV set

    802.11ac Airport & Time Capsules or maybe just Time Machine? Update Express to 802.11ac.

    New Mac Pro tower form factor ? Will it include optical drive? Will is use flash storage like the Air?

    New MacBook Pro design with 16:9 display ratio & possible Retina option

    Revamped iMac ? Like Mac Pro will it jettison optical drive? Will it use flash storage like the Air?

    Discussing Mac OS X 10.8

    Do you think Apple will try to merge Mac OS X & iOS?

    iPhone 5

    iPad 3 ? including Siri

    Mac mini ? moves to Ivy Bridge summertime.



    I'm not expecting much in the way of mac pro form factor changes.
  • Reply 16 of 50
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    I've been so busy I've forgotten about my own thread.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DHagan4755 View Post


    Apple TV 3 ? A6, apps, bluetooth keyboard, Safari, 1080P output

    Not sure about the Apple TV set



    I suspect the above two items are linked, we will get one or the other but not both. I'm not a TV user to any extent so it could be years before I buy an Apple TV set. Now Apple TV 3 is another thing altogether as I see it as a hackable platform.

    Quote:

    802.11ac Airport & Time Capsules or maybe just Time Machine? Update Express to 802.11ac.

    New Mac Pro tower form factor ? Will it include optical drive? Will is use flash storage like the Air?



    I suspect Apple has no choice here, the current Pro needs to die. They need to come out with something with the right economics.

    Quote:

    New MacBook Pro design with 16:9 display ratio & possible Retina option



    I'm expecting an all new design myself. I'm fuzzy on the exact configuration but it needs to be a high performance machine relative to a 15" Mac Book AIR.

    Quote:

    Revamped iMac ? Like Mac Pro will it jettison optical drive? Will it use flash storage like the Air?



    Revamped is about right, the platform will see Minor changes. The best thing that could happen to the iMac is for it to loose the CD in favor of rational secondary storage. By that I mean provision for storage modules, either magnetic or solid state that allows for user configuration to their needs. So somebody like me could have a 256GB boot drive that is an SSD and a bulk storage magnetic drive for data.

    Quote:

    Discussing Mac OS X 10.8

    Do you think Apple will try to merge Mac OS X & iOS?



    Nope! I really don't see a chance in hell of this working or being accepted by users. Now that doesn't mean they won't borrow heavily from each other. It is just that the professional users will not accept a looked down desktop OS in the way iOS devices are. Mind you I really love my iOS devices but would have little use for a computer so restricted.



    As long as Apple recognizes that users have entirely different needs with respect to accessibility they can make the two OSs look alike and evolve based on the good points of each platform. But they won't merge in the sense that many have of the word.

    Quote:

    iPhone 5

    iPad 3 ? including Siri



    Those are expected, but I'm not calling them new. Actually what I was after in this thread is what do people think will come that is entirely new. Especially with iOS where Apple is on a roll?



    Some ideas I have:
    1. A sub seven inch iPad. Like it or not many would prefer this simply due to portability. The Lab Coat iPad!

    2. An iPod/iPad replacement for the iPod Classic. Pretty much as described a slightly larger Touch like device with enough SSD to effectively replace the Touch. This should be a high capacity device with a base of 128 GB and a max of 256 GB. Ideally it would have functionality as a USB storage device too.

    3. A 13" iPad.

    4. A clam shell iPad with a configurable keyboard. Something that would be sort of like a net book but not. For some users, especially writers this could be a very nice platform.

    5. An Apple TV with a USB port. Why? To support a USB connected camera and thus supporting FaceTime. This would make for one excellent IP telephone that can just happen to do all of the Apple TV things.

    6. I'd love to see an iPad come from Apple, of any size, that is ruggedized for commercial use. That is a hardened case with swappable battery. The idea being a device that can be used 24/7 in the less hospitable business environments. This guy should also have a few other features. For one a more rugged port for recharging (MagSafe?), along with a USB port. An expansion port wouldn't be a bad deal either (Think laser scanners, special purpose cameras, custom interfaces and the like).

    Quote:

    Mac mini ? moves to Ivy Bridge summertime.



    How about something all new in the Mac lineup? Frankly sales are strong even though nothing really new has been added to the line in years. However those strong sales seem to be centered around a few machines, I really think Apple could do well by building a more appealing desktop machine. While the term XMac is often dismissed as impossible, I think the real impossibility is getting people to buy hardware they don't want, which is the Pro and Mini or two thirds of the desktop line. I really think Apple has no choice but to take a hard look at why the sales suck so. In the end Apple should be able to build an XMac machine with enough performance spread to cover both the Mini and most of the Mac Pro markets.
  • Reply 17 of 50
    hmmhmm Posts: 3,405member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wizard69 View Post




    Nope! I really don't see a chance in hell of this working or being accepted by users. Now that doesn't mean they won't borrow heavily from each other. It is just that the professional users will not accept a looked down desktop OS in the way iOS devices are. Mind you I really love my iOS devices but would have little use for a computer so restricted.



    As long as Apple recognizes that users have entirely different needs with respect to accessibility they can make the two OSs look alike and evolve based on the good points of each platform. But they won't merge in the sense that many have of the word.



    I don't expect them to merge the two. I just don't expect a lot of further development on the desktop end. IOS is clearly their priority. OSX is a mature platform, but there are certain things that I wish they would address.
  • Reply 18 of 50
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hmm View Post


    I don't expect them to merge the two. I just don't expect a lot of further development on the desktop end. IOS is clearly their priority. OSX is a mature platform, but there are certain things that I wish they would address.



    While Mac OS is pretty mature right now, there is still much that can be done. For example resolution independence. Another example would be enhanced heterogenous computing capabilities. Siri like voice integration is another possibility.



    Apple is seeing strong sales in Mac hardware far out pacing the industry. While they are obviously focused on iOS, I don't see them totally ignoring Mac OS. Frankly I'm beginning to think the issue on the Mac side of things is simply a lack of vision when it comes to desktops.
  • Reply 19 of 50
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wizard69 View Post


    While Mac OS is pretty mature right now, there is still much that can be done. For example resolution independence. Another example would be enhanced heterogenous computing capabilities. Siri like voice integration is another possibility.



    Okay, I just realized how important this could be.



    Drop a Siri key on the keyboard in the Fxx row. Tap it: "Google [something] for me." It does it.



    "Open Pages. Dictate [stuff]." Does it.



    "Find the folder of [concept] pictures and move it to [another place on the hard drive]." Does it.



    Screw a tabbed Finder, Cut capability, or even drag and drop when you can just TELL IT what you want and where you want it.
  • Reply 20 of 50
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Such technology could easily put a couple of cores to work on a local machine. I could even see Siri eventually making the first hop to your Local PC first and then to Apples servers even for requests from your iPhone. After all many people are still centered around their PC work wise.



    Below is literally the tip of the ice berg. I'd be the first to admit though that it may take years to get people to adapt to talking to their computers. As to iPhones and the like I suspect that we will see Apple move even more of Siri to processing on the phone itself.



    Interestingly this is only one way that Apple might evolve Mac OS, hitting 64 bit made for a bright future and unlimited possibilities. It is the age old story of software being two or three steps behind hardware.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    Okay, I just realized how important this could be.



    Drop a Siri key on the keyboard in the Fxx row. Tap it: "Google [something] for me." It does it.



    "Open Pages. Dictate [stuff]." Does it.



    "Find the folder of [concept] pictures and move it to [another place on the hard drive]." Does it.



    Screw a tabbed Finder, Cut capability, or even drag and drop when you can just TELL IT what you want and where you want it.



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