High-end graphics workstation in Apple's future?
Considering the software acquisitions Apple has been making lately, and the need for something with a bit more horsepower than the current hardware provides, would it surprise anyone if Apple were considering porting OS X and some of that software to a new Apple-branded high-end graphics workstation?
It's just a passing thought, not something I have a strong opinion about either way, and I was wondering what others might have to say about the idea.
I'd much rather see some seriously revved-up Power Macs myself, if I had to choose
It's just a passing thought, not something I have a strong opinion about either way, and I was wondering what others might have to say about the idea.
I'd much rather see some seriously revved-up Power Macs myself, if I had to choose
Comments
Xserve has to be popular.
Apple must continue to make inroads in Education and Design.
Marketshare and increasing sales will help "pay" for the high end(profitable) boxes.
<strong>I think that with the eMac, Xserve, and whatever this big thing at MWNY is, their sales should be just fine. They're up to something.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Plucking their iBrowse?
<strong>Can it be that Apple has purchased these high-end FX Apps in order to water them down into another "i" application in order to run comfortably on an imac? Maybe call it the iFX!</strong><hr></blockquote>
Doubtful.
Sure... some aspects may creep into an iApp... but when you "Buy-out" a company and it's assets, it' is to acquire something to strengthen you. The applications will most likely serve the higher-end like Final Cut Pro and DVD Studio Pro do. Those are far from iApps. It would be foolish to buy a software package that serves high-end video editing and dumb-it-down then give it away for free without offering a version that GENERATES REVENUE for the company.
<strong>
Doubtful.
Sure... some aspects may creep into an iApp... but when you "Buy-out" a company and it's assets, it' is to acquire something to strengthen you. The applications will most likely serve the higher-end like Final Cut Pro and DVD Studio Pro do. Those are far from iApps. It would be foolish to buy a software package that serves high-end video editing and dumb-it-down then give it away for free without offering a version that GENERATES REVENUE for the company.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Well, maybe in theory. They did buy-out SoundJam from C&G and DiskMaster...
...commonly know today as iTunes and Disk Burner.
On a different level, to be sure, but your statement is not exactly all encompassing.
<strong>
Well, maybe in theory. They did buy-out SoundJam from C&G and DiskMaster...
...commonly know today as iTunes and Disk Burner.
On a different level, to be sure, but your statement is not exactly all encompassing.
</strong><hr></blockquote>
Well, except that iTunes integrates with iPod, and the DiskBurner makes the SuperDrive models worth buying. These are very consumer oriented, whereas the software that they've been buying up is really targetted at the professional market. Perhaps Apple will take a crack at bringing 3D authoring to the masses, but I doubt it -- its just not something that Joe Public is going to have the skills to use.
As for a high end 3D workstation... heck, why not buy POWER4-workstation chips from IBM and the next generation nVidia cards, slap 'em together and sell 'em for $12-15K a pop. They could stake out a big chunk of that market starting in about September.
IBM's Power4 is binary compatible with the G4, except for maybe the Altivec stuff, right?
However, whats the point? A new G4 for (relativly) lightweight stuff like photoshop, and an Xserve farm for Lightwave/Maya etc rendering.
If Apple releases clustering software for the Xserve, where's the need?
Barto
D
Mix in Silicon Grail & Nothing Real purchases...
Apple is gonna give us something incredible soon...
Maybe MWNY2002, maybe Siggraph2002...
Now if they could just purchase Maya from A|w...
:cool: Maya for Mac OS X :cool:
<strong>
Plucking their iBrowse?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Been saving that one for a special occaision, havent' you?
<img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" /> <img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[No]" />
I think there will be a significant, but not earth-shattering, update to the PMs at MWNY, although they might be announced but not released. If not, Seybold.
Then, only 6-9 months later, there will be a big bump, or even the introduction of a higher-end line.
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
<strong>Anything that exploited the WTC disaster that baldy would - and should - introduce Apple to a world of pain.
I think there will be a significant, but not earth-shattering, update to the PMs at MWNY, although they might be announced but not released. If not, Seybold.
Then, only 6-9 months later, there will be a big bump, or even the introduction of a higher-end line.
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. </strong><hr></blockquote>
That's my story too. We will see in the future if we were right.
<strong>Anything that exploited the WTC disaster that baldy would - and should - introduce Apple to a world of pain.</strong><hr></blockquote>
No "Blazing Dual Towers", then?
<strong>I think there will be a significant, but not earth-shattering, update to the PMs at MWNY, although they might be announced but not released. If not, Seybold.
Then, only 6-9 months later, there will be a big bump, or even the introduction of a higher-end line.
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. </strong><hr></blockquote>
Yup, I agree to that. Of course, a sufficiently vague prediction such as this will almost always be true. Count me in for the same prediction this time next year as well!
Steve