More potential evidence that Andy Ihnatko's rumor might be TRUE

[olternaut]

After twelve thousand views I think this particular rumor needs its own thread.

Apparently, Andy Ihnatko wasn't the only Apple columnist who was given inside information by an apple employee about a "huge" product announcement by Apple. It would seem that several Apple columnists were told this information in an effort to drum up interest in a seperate Apple event apart from Macworld for major product announcements.

Article from appletell:

Rumor - The Mac Mini and something “huge” to come from Apple this month?
by Jake Gaecke on Jan 9, 2009

Disappointed by Apple’s Keynote announcements? Me too. We were all expecting something in the way of hardware that wasn’t completely obvious (i.e. the 17” MacBook Pro). Well, we received some potentially good news. While discussing the fate of the expo with a long-time Macintosh software developer, we received a tip from someone in the know about Apple’s coming plans, and it seems that those plans involve a big finger to Macworld.

The tip goes like this. Apple is planning on updating the Mac Mini very soon, and that update won’t be it’s death. In fact, it’s most likely ready as you read this, and could have been announced at Macworld. But instead of announcing it here, Apple held back, seemingly in an effort to prove that they don’t need Macworld. The announcement could come as soon as two weeks. But, as much as I want a new Mac Mini, that’s not the juice in this tip.

Apparently, Apple also has a “huge” announcement that will make the Mac Mini news pale in comparison to the other half of this rumor. Unfortunately, that’s all we know. Our source, who says he heard this directly from Apple reps at this week’s Expo, wouldn’t tell him more than that, but he finds this particularly peculiar. He has had Apple reps slip information to him before, but not this freely. This info, he says, was offered straight off without any questioning, as if it isn’t a secret, but is. He believes Apple is purposely letting this information slip in an effort to further prove the company doesn’t need the Macworld Conference and Expo, and to immediately start generating interest in their own event and to build bigger news than what’s coming from the Moscone Center this week. If this is true, it’s working.

Apple will more than likely be holding a special event shortly for the two big announcements; the first is the Mac Mini, to which Apple expects to you… excuse me… yawn. The second is in true Apple style, completely a secret. But it’s gigantic and will make your mouth drop in a way that doesn’t involve yawning. Stay tuned, things should be heating up shortly.

link to article at appletell: http://www.appletell.com/apple/comment/appletell-secrets-the-mac-mini-and-something-huge/

 

[Sky Blue]

Rumors of rumors!

 

[rrr]

Isn't it possible that Andy Ihnatko was the source for this Appletell article?

 

[iParis]

I sure as hell hope this is true.
Hmmm... I'm in the mood for another poll.

 

[Dejavu]

The big surprise is probably an "iPad", that or iTouch gloves.

 

[Blue Velvet]

How to spin something from nothing, so that crappy announcements are quickly forgotten. Leak a big nothing to favoured journalists who bend over backwards so that they keep fluffing their sources.

PR 101.

 

[olternaut]

Isn't it possible that Andy Ihnatko was the source for this Appletell article?

No because the article writer got information at the macworld show from an apple employee just as Andy got his info from another apple employee at the same show.
Andy thought he was in on a major scoop but it would seem Apple was purposely leaking information to any of the reputable tech columnists at the show.

I think Apple has saved the good stuff for their own event so they could thumb their nose at IDG and Macworld.

 

[iParis]

No because the article writer got information at the macworld show from an apple employee just as Andy got his info from another apple employee at the same show.
Andy thought he was in on a major scoop but it would seem Apple was purposely leaking information to any of the reputable tech columnists at the show.

I think Apple has saved the good stuff for their own event so they could thumb their nose at IDG and Macworld.

April even anyone?

 

[olternaut]

How to spin something from nothing, so that crappy announcements are quickly forgotten. Leak a big nothing to favoured journalists who bend over backwards so that they keep fluffing their sources.

PR 101.

Well they got less than two weeks to prove themselves which by the way will be around the time of the 25th anniversary of the Mac. This can't be a coincidence.
I think Steve Jobs and Apple planned all along to screw macworld big time.

 

[Blue Velvet]

Well they got less than two weeks to prove themselves which by the way will be around the time of the 25th anniversary of the Mac. This can't be a coincidence.

It's getting to the stage where many longtime Mac users don't care anymore.

I'm sick of the substanceless hype, sick of the lack of decent hardware releases, sick of the pointless crippling, sick of the precious attitude that Apple have. Other manufacturers quietly release computer updates far more frequently without the sobbing of the blogosphere, Apple haven't done anything really interesting with computer hardware or other peripherals for a long time so I see no reason to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Like many people here, I buy a new Mac when I need one, I use it for my work. When I buy one, I don't post unboxing pics or get hyper because an exterior finish is 0.1 of a millimeter out of whack. It's a computer, a tool to get things done... not a lifestyle fetish statement to compensate for people's inadequacies.

Like with the Cinema Displays, what the hell is going on with those? Either get serious and competitive with other manufacturers or stop pretending that you're still in the business.

 

[rrr]

"Our source, who says he heard this directly from Apple reps at this week’s Expo, wouldn’t tell him more than that, but he finds this particularly peculiar. He has had Apple reps slip information to him before, but not this freely. This info, he says, was offered straight off without any questioning, as if it isn’t a secret, but is."

The source is clearly not the writer of the article, and nothing in this quote rules out the fact that the source may have been Andy himself.

 

[iParis]

Well they got less than two weeks to prove themselves which by the way will be around the time of the 25th anniversary of the Mac. This can't be a coincidence.
I think Steve Jobs and Apple planned all along to screw macworld big time.

Eh, I'd say until the February.
The article said a new event / product release could, not will, happen in two weeks.

 

[olternaut]

It's getting to the stage where many longtime Mac users don't care anymore.

I'm sick of the substanceless hype, sick of the lack of decent hardware releases, sick of the pointless crippling, sick of the precious attitude that Apple have. Other manufacturers quietly release computer updates far more frequently without the sobbing of the blogosphere, Apple haven't done anything really interesting with computer hardware or other peripherals for a long time so I see no reason to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Like many people here, I buy a new Mac when I need one, I use it for my work. When I buy one, I don't post unboxing pics or get hyper because an exterior finish is 0.1 of a millimeter out of whack. It's a computer, a tool to get things done... not a lifestyle fetish statement to compensate for people's inadequacies.

Like with the Cinema Displays, what the hell is going on with those? Either get serious and competitive with other manufacturers or stop pretending that you're still in the business.

Which is why I think Apple's war with IDG is going to bite them in the butt. They've cried wolf too many times with pointless non-events and infrequent updates to their products.

 

[MacTraveller]

Rumors of rumors!

It's a Rumortoid. It's like a rumor. But not.

 

[Peace]

Nothings going to happen until Steve gets back into shape. and that's not until. As he put it. "Spring".

Like I've said before. As long as Steve Jobs runs the show. Nothing new will come out unless he is the person showing it.

Trust me on that.
With that said. March.

 

[Blue Velvet]

Like I've said before. As long as Steve Jobs runs the show. Nothing new will come out unless he is the person showing it.

Which is just utterly useless. Let's all put our buying decisions on hold until he's fit for the spotlight, shall we? No wonder Apple can't even begin to be taken seriously in enterprise. If this is the thinking, I'm starting to wait for the day he leaves.

Anyway, to be honest, over time, I've learned to take your predictions with a handful of salt.

 

[surferfromuk]

So I'm guessing this announcement would hypothetically come during the week of the Quarterly Earnings Call?

Coincidence? Perhaps...

Will I be surprised, if after the QEC is announced, when no product materializes? No...

 

[Peace]

Which is just utterly useless. Let's all put our buying decisions on hold until he's fit for the spotlight, shall we? No wonder Apple can't even begin to be taken seriously in enterprise. If this is the thinking, I'm starting to wait for the day he leaves.

Anyway, to be honest, over time, I've learned to take your predictions with a handful of salt.

Throw that salt over your right shoulder and have a shot!! ..

It's all guesswork anyway so I might as well chime in.

[edit] Wait. Take the shot first then throw the glass with the salt over your shoulder
[/edit]

 

[harnster79]

apples huge anouncement coming soon?

supposedly a huge major announcement is on its way.

i think it will be that snow leopard will be released but it will also be available on PC!!!?

 

[Tallest Skil]

supposedly a huge major announcement is on its way.

i think it will be that snow leopard will be released but it will also be available on PC!!!?

Keep dreaming.

And by that I mean, stop dreaming; it will NEVER happen.

 

[chagla]

hmm.. big news..The single USB port on macbook Air that is actually useful?

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

Apple will NOT update the Mini. Why put all the effort to squeezing new chips into that little form factor, and have a smaller profit per unit sold, when you update the iMac with a bigger form factor and have a bigger profit per unit sold. It's the same idea as the EoL'ed G4 Cube. In this economy, people want simplicity. They just want a complete system that works without tinkering.

 

[Tilpots]

It's getting to the stage where many longtime Mac users don't care anymore.

I'm sick of the substanceless hype, sick of the lack of decent hardware releases, sick of the pointless crippling, sick of the precious attitude that Apple have. Other manufacturers quietly release computer updates far more frequently without the sobbing of the blogosphere, Apple haven't done anything really interesting with computer hardware or other peripherals for a long time so I see no reason to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Like many people here, I buy a new Mac when I need one, I use it for my work. When I buy one, I don't post unboxing pics or get hyper because an exterior finish is 0.1 of a millimeter out of whack. It's a computer, a tool to get things done... not a lifestyle fetish statement to compensate for people's inadequacies.

Like with the Cinema Displays, what the hell is going on with those? Either get serious and competitive with other manufacturers or stop pretending that you're still in the business.

Amen. Not much more to add.

 

[iMacmatician]

Anyway, to be honest, over time, I've learned to take your predictions with a handful of salt.

I figured that out nearly two years ago, to be honest.

Anyway, I'm fairly optimistic here (but I probably shouldn't be ), and the slip up on the Australian Apple Store points towards the AppleTell rumor, at least with the announcement date.

I think the "big" thing, if true, can be anything from an iMac ("big" in size compared to the Mac mini) to the announcement of the rumored mini-tablet.

 

[t0mat0]

Like with the Cinema Displays, what the hell is going on with those? Either get serious and competitive with other manufacturers or stop pretending that you're still in the business.

I hear Apple might finally be onto those ACDs...