Shake successor is long overdue-but seeing as Apple is taking part in less tradeshows, where or when could that be announced?
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Macworld 2009 Predictions
- Thread starter ipodtouchy333
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My Predictions for MacWorld 2009
Well, with Macworld only a few days away, I thought I'd put my own predictions on the table to see how well I do. (I'm desperately hoping for an immediate update to the Mac Pro!)
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I personally think that the keynote will be focused on the desktop Macs (since they've recently had iPod & Notebook keynotes in Sept. & Oct. respectively)
17" MBP brought to the unibody design with an optional quad-core chip.
New capacities to the iPhone/iPod Touch lineups (32GB & 64GB respectively)
Surprises would be...
A Time Capsule/
TV hybrid
iPhone Nano (which I think in totally unnecessary & unlikely)
The NetBook / large iPod Touch device
New 42" LCDHDTV television set with TV functionality
I personally would like to see them announce a desktop multi-touch trackpad
These are my thoughts. Let me know yours.
Well, with Macworld only a few days away, I thought I'd put my own predictions on the table to see how well I do. (I'm desperately hoping for an immediate update to the Mac Pro!)
---
I personally think that the keynote will be focused on the desktop Macs (since they've recently had iPod & Notebook keynotes in Sept. & Oct. respectively)
- New "Mac Nano" (Mac Mini revision)
This will most likely include an aluminum shell
NVidia graphics
Mini-DisplayPort
Amazing new benchmarks
...and the rumored optical drive / 2nd HDD option - Updated/redesigned Mac Pro
2 New Intel Core i7 "Nehalem" Quad processors, standard
New NVidia graphics cards, c/w (mini-) DisplayPort
4GB DDR3 RAM, standard
Amazing new benchmarks
...shipping not soon enough - New Apple LED Cinema Display lineup for desktops
20", 24", & 30"
..."They go great with our new desktops!" - Updated iMac
Mini-DisplyPort
Quad-core option
...Redesigned enclosure to match ACDs? - Mac OSX 10.6 Snow Leopard / iLife '09 / iWork (cloud?) preview!
Amazing new benchmarks
...Shipping date???
17" MBP brought to the unibody design with an optional quad-core chip.
New capacities to the iPhone/iPod Touch lineups (32GB & 64GB respectively)
Surprises would be...
A Time Capsule/
TV hybridiPhone Nano (which I think in totally unnecessary & unlikely)
The NetBook / large iPod Touch device
New 42" LCD
HDTV television set with TV functionality I personally would like to see them announce a desktop multi-touch trackpad
These are my thoughts. Let me know yours.
Realistically, I think we can expect evolutionary updates to the Mac Mini.
I think we can expect it to transition over to a "Green" model --
aluminum and nVidia (both green... aluminum in the eco-sense and nVidia in the color sense)
I don't think we can expect any radial new features like (heaven forbid on a Mac) expandability or a tower form factor.
I don't think the Mac Pro will be updated to Core i7, as the server class processors aren't out yet, unless there's a secret deal like the MBA with Intel. (Doubtful)
Maybe nVidia will put out a new Graphics card for the current Mac Pro's with Display Port Connectors? (Doubtful)
Green Cinema Displays -- Likely.
Internal Updates to the iMac -- nVidia and the last of any harmful chemicals removed. It'll all be about green. Perhaps the new Core 2 Quad's.
17 MBP Possible as well. Hopefully the extra space will be used for a larger battery.
Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard Preview -- Probably the new iLife suite demo'ed to show the difference in speed using Snow Leopard.
Push service for Mail et al, and maybe an insignificant tweak or two to the UI.
The new iLife will come out with Snow Leopard in June, and will have much greater MobileMe integration (along with iWork.) I dont buy that the entire product line will be cloud based.
The Bottom Line:
Hardware will continue the Green Shift,
Software Gears up for Snow Leopard.
I think we can expect it to transition over to a "Green" model --
aluminum and nVidia (both green... aluminum in the eco-sense and nVidia in the color sense)
I don't think we can expect any radial new features like (heaven forbid on a Mac) expandability or a tower form factor.
I don't think the Mac Pro will be updated to Core i7, as the server class processors aren't out yet, unless there's a secret deal like the MBA with Intel. (Doubtful)
Maybe nVidia will put out a new Graphics card for the current Mac Pro's with Display Port Connectors? (Doubtful)
Green Cinema Displays -- Likely.
Internal Updates to the iMac -- nVidia and the last of any harmful chemicals removed. It'll all be about green. Perhaps the new Core 2 Quad's.
17 MBP Possible as well. Hopefully the extra space will be used for a larger battery.
Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard Preview -- Probably the new iLife suite demo'ed to show the difference in speed using Snow Leopard.
Push service for Mail et al, and maybe an insignificant tweak or two to the UI.
The new iLife will come out with Snow Leopard in June, and will have much greater MobileMe integration (along with iWork.) I dont buy that the entire product line will be cloud based.
The Bottom Line:
Hardware will continue the Green Shift,
Software Gears up for Snow Leopard.
That would be awful. A reason to sell my stock immediatly. I need those new cores in my macPro. If they don't make the switch to i7 AND snowleopard that would be a complete disaster. I might as well go back to windows then and save some money. I made the switch because I thought it would give me a superior product ... but the mac pro I had was NOT faster and it also crashed and I needed to replace the graphics card. I guess the legend is better then the product.
Anyway, i7 AND snowleopard combined could give Mac the competitive edge that they desperately need (and have in pods and phones, oh I hate the day they did that, now it's iPhone this and appstore that, my prediction is that Apple changes the name in MACINTOYS)
As for blu ray? That is never going to happen. Give me a Good reason why it should? Because YOU want it, does not mean that someone else NEEDS it.
Pro's? Every professional that makes money in burning blu rays allready have a premium burner by now, putting them into a macpro would only mean wasting money on a product they have.
Prosumers? Yeah, you need a bluray, wake up, there are thousands and thousands of Terrabites storage for half the price of blurays, why fu#& around with discs.
Players? You allready have a bluray player in your living room, and if you don't then wait for two more years, by then you won't need one. Every HD content is out on the web, movies, shows are available in the iTunes store, in HD. Yeah, but i need a player because I want to have the movies. Okay, then buy a player and hook it up to your 600 speakerssurroundthing. But then don't give me the crap about "professionals need them". They do, but in the place they're doing their jobs. The studio, the office ... not the living room. Let's face it you just want it because you want to burn your downloads.
So, bluray? Nah, I think Jobs is right. In a few years Bluray will be history and HD iPods will take over the market. Connect the pod to the TV, get the
TV in the centre of your livingroom, or buy the new technology that is available at that moment.Anyway, predictions ...
MacNano for Sure
MBP 17" get the same specs as the rest
SnowLeopard (but I fear it willbe only talk and no walk)
iMac update (that is their main product, they can't afford not to do something, even if it means no real upgrade, switching from plastic to aluminum is nice, but is no improvement, nevertheless, it is a way to get your product out)
iWork webbased and in to the cloud (that is something that was bound to happen sooner or later, Google is allready doing this for years.)
New i7 in MacPro (I hope, but I guess that Minijon could be right, can someone confirm his story?)
more crap on the iPhone (although it would be a smart move to keep that in sep/okt entirely)
Displays (The're ready, why not have two minutes about them)
and one more thing
we switch the name to MACINTOYS
oh and one more thing because it is our last macworld...
a special guest ...
steve jobs comes on stage and tells us he's fine and he gives us some reasons why Mac is pulling out of the Macworld convention and how they are going to communicate in the future (Let's rock in sep/Okt/nov (that's the thing for the holyday season)--- Mac line in March/april, or maybe in Jan to take advantage of the holiday granny-moneyand keep us asking for cash instead of presents, cause the're will be something nice in January
)
A new touchscreen MacBook (multi-touch ), an integrated iPod, which requires no start up of laptop (located where the track pad is, and is fully touchscreen, acting as a trackpad as well)
PREDICTIONS2009&2010
-Touch Screen MacBook
In this new world of touch screens, where buttons have lost their purpose, a new touch screen MacBook or iMac is a must.
-iPhone Nano
An iPhone which could be affordable for people of my age to buy with no hassle, with the same basic functions as the iPhone, except in smaller would be great.
-A new iPod Nano
I found the iPod Nano 4G to be horrible. I actually hated it. Why back to the long and thin? Apart from the nice long screen for videos, and the accelerometer, the rest was pitiful. The iPod looks rather awkward on speakers since the usb shifted to the right.
These are not my predictions, but they are written by John Siracusa to whom i thank, and hope will not mind.
*
New Mac Pro - A new Mac Pro. I'm going to buy one of these (assuming they contain 45nm CPUs), so they damn well better be introduced. [Update: Remember that bingo is based on the content of the keynote presentation only. Though new Mac Pros have already been announced, you may still mark this square if the new Mac Pros are mentioned in the keynote.]
*
New displays - New Apple external displays. I have grave doubts about this one (see later square), but the existing line desperately needs updating.
*
HD video somewhere - High-definition video appears on some piece of Apple hardware or software. It must be explicitly described as "HD" or "high-definition." HD video for sale in the iTunes store counts.
*
MacBook Thin - A new subnotebook from Apple, regardless of its actual branding or product name. What's a subnotebook? Use your own judgement. The only restriction I'll add is that it must have a hardware keyboard.
*
New MacBook Pro - Any revision to the MacBook Pro product line.
*
Multi-touch Mac - Any Mac that includes a feature described as "multi-touch" or even just "touch." It can be a screen, trackpad, whatever.
*
"Wouldn't it be great...?" - Steve Jobs begins his favorite rhetorical question.
*
MacBook Thin has flash - The subnotebook (described in the "MacBook Thin" square above) contains some nontrivial amount of flash RAM.
*
"One more thing..." - Steve Jobs says there's "one more thing." A slide containing the phrase is also acceptable, even if Jobs does not actually say it.
*
New Apple TV - The moribund Apple TV is revised or replaced with a new product that does the same sort of things.
*
Movie Rentals - Apple rents downloadable movies from the iTunes store.
*
"Boom" - Steve Jobs says the word "boom" while demonstrating something.
*
Existence of Xserve acknowledged - The Xserve or Xserve RAID is mentioned by a presenter, listed on a slide, or even just appears in a photo, illustration, or screenshot.
*
Blu-ray - Sony's Blu-ray disc format is mentioned by a presenter. (Text or a logo on a slide does not count.)
*
iPhone SDK details - Significant new information about the iPhone SDK.
*
New displays have cameras - New Apple displays with built-in or otherwise attached cameras.
*
New iPhone - New iPhone hardware. Even minor revisions count.
*
Mac market share touted - Good news about the market share of Macintosh computers is presented.
*
Optical drive sold separately - An Apple-branded external optical drive is introduced and is available for individual sale.
*
Schiller - Phil Schiller appears on stage or in live video. (Pre-recorded segments do not count.)
*
Leopard vs. Vista - Mac OS X 10.5 is compared to Vista in some way. Showing one of the Mac/PC TV ads does not count. The comparison must be part of the live presentation.
*
Dockable Mac - Some hardware product that runs Mac OS X docks to some other piece of hardware.
*
Native third-party iPhone app demo - A demonstration of an OS X application written by a third-party, or written by Apple as an example of what could be written using the new iPhone SDK.
*
No new displays - No new Apple external display products are introduced. (Rioting optional.)
see here for the full post:
http://arstechnica.com/staff/fatbits.ars/2008/01/06/mwsf-2008-keynote-bingo
PREDICTIONS2009&2010
-Touch Screen MacBook
In this new world of touch screens, where buttons have lost their purpose, a new touch screen MacBook or iMac is a must.
-iPhone Nano
An iPhone which could be affordable for people of my age to buy with no hassle, with the same basic functions as the iPhone, except in smaller would be great.
-A new iPod Nano
I found the iPod Nano 4G to be horrible. I actually hated it. Why back to the long and thin? Apart from the nice long screen for videos, and the accelerometer, the rest was pitiful. The iPod looks rather awkward on speakers since the usb shifted to the right.
These are not my predictions, but they are written by John Siracusa to whom i thank, and hope will not mind.
*
New Mac Pro - A new Mac Pro. I'm going to buy one of these (assuming they contain 45nm CPUs), so they damn well better be introduced. [Update: Remember that bingo is based on the content of the keynote presentation only. Though new Mac Pros have already been announced, you may still mark this square if the new Mac Pros are mentioned in the keynote.]
*
New displays - New Apple external displays. I have grave doubts about this one (see later square), but the existing line desperately needs updating.
*
HD video somewhere - High-definition video appears on some piece of Apple hardware or software. It must be explicitly described as "HD" or "high-definition." HD video for sale in the iTunes store counts.
*
MacBook Thin - A new subnotebook from Apple, regardless of its actual branding or product name. What's a subnotebook? Use your own judgement. The only restriction I'll add is that it must have a hardware keyboard.
*
New MacBook Pro - Any revision to the MacBook Pro product line.
*
Multi-touch Mac - Any Mac that includes a feature described as "multi-touch" or even just "touch." It can be a screen, trackpad, whatever.
*
"Wouldn't it be great...?" - Steve Jobs begins his favorite rhetorical question.
*
MacBook Thin has flash - The subnotebook (described in the "MacBook Thin" square above) contains some nontrivial amount of flash RAM.
*
"One more thing..." - Steve Jobs says there's "one more thing." A slide containing the phrase is also acceptable, even if Jobs does not actually say it.
*
New Apple TV - The moribund Apple TV is revised or replaced with a new product that does the same sort of things.
*
Movie Rentals - Apple rents downloadable movies from the iTunes store.
*
"Boom" - Steve Jobs says the word "boom" while demonstrating something.
*
Existence of Xserve acknowledged - The Xserve or Xserve RAID is mentioned by a presenter, listed on a slide, or even just appears in a photo, illustration, or screenshot.
*
Blu-ray - Sony's Blu-ray disc format is mentioned by a presenter. (Text or a logo on a slide does not count.)
*
iPhone SDK details - Significant new information about the iPhone SDK.
*
New displays have cameras - New Apple displays with built-in or otherwise attached cameras.
*
New iPhone - New iPhone hardware. Even minor revisions count.
*
Mac market share touted - Good news about the market share of Macintosh computers is presented.
*
Optical drive sold separately - An Apple-branded external optical drive is introduced and is available for individual sale.
*
Schiller - Phil Schiller appears on stage or in live video. (Pre-recorded segments do not count.)
*
Leopard vs. Vista - Mac OS X 10.5 is compared to Vista in some way. Showing one of the Mac/PC TV ads does not count. The comparison must be part of the live presentation.
*
Dockable Mac - Some hardware product that runs Mac OS X docks to some other piece of hardware.
*
Native third-party iPhone app demo - A demonstration of an OS X application written by a third-party, or written by Apple as an example of what could be written using the new iPhone SDK.
*
No new displays - No new Apple external display products are introduced. (Rioting optional.)
see here for the full post:
http://arstechnica.com/staff/fatbits.ars/2008/01/06/mwsf-2008-keynote-bingo
as it turns out, VERY LIKELY!!
I'm incredibly annoyed that they didn't update any other hardware, or even give us a sneak peek at Snow Leopard! I had my credit card ready to buy either a new Pro or that rumored 28" iMac!
When's the next opportunity for a hardware keynote?
A mac pro update won't happen until the nehalem chips are available. When that will be and how apple will introduce them is only known by apple.
We'll probably see new iMacs powered by the Intel Core i7 CPU in April 2009 and the new Mac Pro powered by the Gainestown-core Xeon CPU (in up to dual-CPU configuration) at the same time. Don't be surprised if these new desktop Macs include a next-generation Superdrive optical disc recorder that also supports BD-R and BD-RE recordable formats (the new nVidia chipsets Apple will use fully support the HDCP specification).