Top Secret Leopard Features for New Hardware?

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
After watching the keynote, I got to thinking about what Steve said about the 'Top Secret' features of Leopard. His comment that, "We don't want the photocopiers to start too soon," didn't quite seem right. It felt more like a diversion, actually. For some reason that I can't quite put my finger on, it seems out of character for SJ to conceal a software feature for such a long period of time, assuming that such features would be announced around january or so. Mostly unsupported guess at time frame there, but that's irrelevent. Like I said, it seems like a diversion. It seems much more likely that those features were withheld because they reveal certain aspects of as yet unannounced hardware. Apple seems much MUCH more concerned about the secrecy of their hardware than of their software. In fact, secrecy surrounding the software, and then specifically building the suspense, just seems wrong. So, if we toy for a moment with the idea that Leopard will have support for some new hardware feature, what might it be?



Discuss.



Oh, by the way, Wacom has just announced that they will very soon (q3) be producing digitizers for displays up to 30". They also currently have digitizers for 13.3 widescreens, and in the same press release mention that they have a 15.4" digitizer as well, though it looks like it isn't QUITE available yet. That would be a widescreen digitizer though. I haven't seen any 15.4" displays that are regular aspect ratio. Also, they currently have a regular ratio 17.0" digitizer. as a mattter of fact, they have 13.3 regular, 13.3 wide, 15.0 regular, apparently 15.4 wide, and a 17 regular... I'm seeing some pairing here. Oh, and don't forget the 30" ones.

Anyone else notice that Microsoft is making a big deal out of tablets in Vista?

hmm... wonder if Apple is Just-Sitting-Around-On-This.







discuss!
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 38
    icfireballicfireball Posts: 2,594member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Celemourn


    After watching the keynote, I got to thinking about what Steve said about the 'Top Secret' features of Leopard. His comment that, "We don't want the photocopiers to start too soon," didn't quite seem right. It felt more like a diversion, actually. For some reason that I can't quite put my finger on, it seems out of character for SJ to conceal a software feature for such a long period of time, assuming that such features would be announced around january or so. Mostly unsupported guess at time frame there, but that's irrelevent. Like I said, it seems like a diversion. It seems much more likely that those features were withheld because they reveal certain aspects of as yet unannounced hardware. Apple seems much MUCH more concerned about the secrecy of their hardware than of their software. In fact, secrecy surrounding the software, and then specifically building the suspense, just seems wrong. So, if we toy for a moment with the idea that Leopard will have support for some new hardware feature, what might it be?



    Discuss.



    Oh, by the way, Wacom has just announced that they will very soon (q3) be producing digitizers for displays up to 30". They also currently have digitizers for 13.3 widescreens, and in the same press release mention that they have a 15.4" digitizer as well, though it looks like it isn't QUITE available yet. That would be a widescreen digitizer though. I haven't seen any 15.4" displays that are regular aspect ratio. Also, they currently have a regular ratio 17.0" digitizer. as a mattter of fact, they have 13.3 regular, 13.3 wide, 15.0 regular, apparently 15.4 wide, and a 17 regular... I'm seeing some pairing here. Oh, and don't forget the 30" ones.

    Anyone else notice that Microsoft is making a big deal out of tablets in Vista?

    hmm... wonder if Apple is Just-Sitting-Around-On-This.







    discuss!



    Where to start?



    1) This should be in Mac OS X forum.

    2) There is already a live thread for this.
  • Reply 2 of 38
    Sir I understand your position, and were my intent in creating this thread mearly to discuss the software aspects relating to the Top Secret features, then I could not agree more. But I should have named the thread more carefully. I am NOOB. Hear me gaff. The other thread just address software features, while the intent behind this thread is, "if we toy for a moment with the idea that Leopard will have support for some new hardware feature, what might it be?"



    Hence, separate topic, and, I think, in the right place.



    I was actually considering posting to the "Surefire Indicators" thread, but decided that these aren't really sure fire indicators.



    Maybe an admin would have different ideas though.
  • Reply 3 of 38
    icfireballicfireball Posts: 2,594member
    OS launches almost never rely on new hardware.



    The reason for this is that they are targeted to ever older macs (i.e. G3, G4).
  • Reply 4 of 38
    slugheadslughead Posts: 1,169member
    I bet there's going to be a mini file-vault built into the OS that you can stash porn in.
  • Reply 5 of 38
    macs be able to run games. that will be a shocker, and will open up a whole new world of switchers. thats my guess of top secret.
  • Reply 6 of 38
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by icfireball


    OS launches almost never rely on new hardware.



    The reason for this is that they are targeted to ever older macs (i.e. G3, G4).



    I'm really not sure what precisely you mean by that. But, food for thought, iSight support being integrated, intel support being integrated, FrontRow integration, etc, all rely on technology which is introduced with new hardware and is not available on older hardware. So IF you mean to suggest that new features which operate exclusively on brand new hardware are almost never included in OS updates, then I think that statement is incorrect.



    Based off of those example above, I don't think it's outlandish to imagine that some radicle change to future hardware, or some significant new hardware feature, may be on the horizon.



    So, again, since it hasn't yet be clearly established in this thread, what HARDWARE features, not software, might be pending in relation to the secret leopard features?



    I for one am having fun toying with the idea of integrating, or at least providing as a BTO option, Wacom Penabled digitizers in all new MacBooks, iMacs, and Displays.
  • Reply 7 of 38
    trobertstroberts Posts: 702member
    The only new hardware I can think of is a TiVo/DVR type of device that will become available after iTMS starts renting movies. Some features I can think of are:



    1 - use your computer to rent movies but they can be downloaded directly to the device.

    2 - It will have a disk drive so you can play your DVDs in it. Hopefully, the drive will be user replaceable so we can swap it out for a Blu-Ray drive.

    3 - Front Row will come installed so you can access the optical drive, hard drive, and any shared content on the network.

    4 - There will be a way to transfer the movies onto the "true" video iPod.
  • Reply 8 of 38
    icfireballicfireball Posts: 2,594member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by troberts


    The only new hardware I can think of is a TiVo/DVR type of device that will become available after iTMS starts renting movies. Some features I can think of are:



    1 - use your computer to rent movies but they can be downloaded directly to the device.

    2 - It will have a disk drive so you can play your DVDs in it. Hopefully, the drive will be user replaceable so we can swap it out for a Blu-Ray drive.

    3 - Front Row will come installed so you can access the optical drive, hard drive, and any shared content on the network.

    4 - There will be a way to transfer the movies onto the "true" video iPod.



    DVR, etc. is not an OS release. Thats an iPod/iTunes release.
  • Reply 9 of 38
    icfireballicfireball Posts: 2,594member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Celemourn


    I'm really not sure what precisely you mean by that. But, food for thought, iSight support being integrated, intel support being integrated, FrontRow integration, etc, all rely on technology which is introduced with new hardware and is not available on older hardware. So IF you mean to suggest that new features which operate exclusively on brand new hardware are almost never included in OS updates, then I think that statement is incorrect.



    Based off of those example above, I don't think it's outlandish to imagine that some radicle change to future hardware, or some significant new hardware feature, may be on the horizon.



    So, again, since it hasn't yet be clearly established in this thread, what HARDWARE features, not software, might be pending in relation to the secret leopard features?



    I for one am having fun toying with the idea of integrating, or at least providing as a BTO option, Wacom Penabled digitizers in all new MacBooks, iMacs, and Displays.



    iSight and FrontRow (Remote) are both already existing in almost all computers Apple sells today. Rarely does Apple offer an OS release that utilizes new hardware technology other than the computers performance (i.e. graphics) itself.



    In addition, Tiger already supports stylus digizers with it's "Ink".
  • Reply 10 of 38
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by icfireball


    iSight and FrontRow (Remote) are both already existing in almost all computers Apple sells today. Rarely does Apple offer an OS release that utilizes new hardware technology other than the computers performance (i.e. graphics) itself.



    In addition, Tiger already supports stylus digizers with it's "Ink".



    That argument really makes no sense to me. If Apple rarely offers and OS release that utilizes new hardware technology, then that would imply that no new technology is being added... which is contrary to the existance of iTunes, iSight, etc etc etc. I think you have a specific and possibly valid point you are trying to make, so please be more specific in what you are trying to convey.
  • Reply 11 of 38
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by icfireball


    In addition, Tiger already supports stylus digizers with it's "Ink".



    Imkwell.



    I agree that something needing new hardware to use wouldn't sell well, but if they release said hardware as an add-on, it could work. Remember that most Tiger-capable Macs don't have iSights, and Macs only started shipping with them in late 2005.
  • Reply 12 of 38
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ZachPruckowski


    Imkwell.



    I agree that something needing new hardware to use wouldn't sell well, but if they release said hardware as an add-on, it could work. Remember that most Tiger-capable Macs don't have iSights, and Macs only started shipping with them in late 2005.



    hasn't it been called both Ink and Inkwell at times? By Apple that is. I think it has. Someone should google it.



    Ah, if, IC, you thought I was implying that the pending software revisions would REQUIRE new hardware, then I apologize, for I've given the wrong impression. I don't think that would happen. I'm envisioning, as Zach mentions above, additional support for new features. Such as introducing a table Mac. Tablet support would not require a tablet, it would simply be a feature, like Ink, which when no digitizer is present, is disabled.



    BTW, the presence of Ink is one of the reasons I suspect tablet capabilities are pending. There are many more though, and I don't think anyone is really taking the possibilty seriously enough to warrent me expounding on them.
  • Reply 13 of 38
    Ink/Inkwell could just be for Apple's graphic artists who use digitizers drawing tablets or whatever.
  • Reply 14 of 38
    placeboplacebo Posts: 5,767member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by slughead


    I bet there's going to be a mini file-vault built into the OS that you can stash porn in.



    Wow, I actually had that idea the other day. Something that would be seen as a seperate partition or mounted volume in the Finder sidebar, with a little safe icon, that you could drag crap into and out of without encrypting your whole hard drive.
  • Reply 15 of 38
    thttht Posts: 5,421member
    I think the top secret Leapord features are GUI features. That's one of the few things that can be changed late into the development process.



    Vista has the "fancy and cool" looking Aero Glass features, and I don't think Apple will be sitting around letting the competition have snazzier looking interface.



    I'm sort of hoping they would have "CoreWindows" though, but doubtful.
  • Reply 16 of 38
    ^ Agreed.
  • Reply 17 of 38
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ZachPruckowski


    Ink/Inkwell could just be for Apple's graphic artists who use digitizers drawing tablets or whatever.



    yep, sure could be. Lots of other indicators that Apple may be moving toward supporting alternative, and specifically pen based, input methods.



    Very unlikely though. About as likely as Apple moving to Intel based processors and providing a method to install windows on Macs....



    What was the line? "Pigs flew. Hell froze over."
  • Reply 18 of 38
    icfireballicfireball Posts: 2,594member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Celemourn


    hasn't it been called both Ink and Inkwell at times? By Apple that is. I think it has. Someone should google it.



    Ah, if, IC, you thought I was implying that the pending software revisions would REQUIRE new hardware, then I apologize, for I've given the wrong impression. I don't think that would happen. I'm envisioning, as Zach mentions above, additional support for new features. Such as introducing a table Mac. Tablet support would not require a tablet, it would simply be a feature, like Ink, which when no digitizer is present, is disabled.



    BTW, the presence of Ink is one of the reasons I suspect tablet capabilities are pending. There are many more though, and I don't think anyone is really taking the possibilty seriously enough to warrent me expounding on them.



    In tiger it is Ink. I think it was Inkwell in panther.



    At any rate. My point is. An OS is not usually dependant on new hardware. The reason is because OS releases are suppose to be fairly universal for people with older vs. newer computers. YES, OS releases take advantage of recent (and potentially upcoming technology), but taking advantage of vs. being dependant on (in the sense that it would co-release with the OS) is the key difference.
  • Reply 19 of 38
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by icfireball


    In tiger it is Ink. I think it was Inkwell in panther.



    At any rate. My point is. An OS is not usually dependant on new hardware. The reason is because OS releases are suppose to be fairly universal for people with older vs. newer computers. YES, OS releases take advantage of recent (and potentially upcoming technology), but taking advantage of vs. being dependant on (in the sense that it would co-release with the OS) is the key difference.



    Ok, trackin now. I did not mean to imply dependance. That WOULD be goofy.
  • Reply 20 of 38
    Top Secret Featues involves development of a machine with multiple hard drives that can be toggled back and forth with some new technology, yet unnanounced that allows the motherboard and resources to be owned by whichever hard drive is chosen- with some central brain overseeing the various hard drives (almost like two physical machines under one roof) to give potential switchers absolutely no choice not to switch.



    Other predictions: Apple goes into blu-ray biz and re-sells drives to fill the second optical bay around the time they announce itunes video store....



    Now- cut me some slack, I'm pretty new at this.....
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