Updates Next Week?

[immac]

NAB seems like the perfect venue to unveil new Cinema Displays. The rumormill has been pretty quiet re: them of late. With the current video chip wars RAGE-ing (nyuk,nyuk) a release could grab some good press.God knows we need new ones (that rotate ohpleaseohpleaseohplease).

 

[numediaman]

NAB seems like the perfect venue to unveil new Cinema Displays. The rumormill has been pretty quiet re: them of late. With the current video chip wars RAGE-ing (nyuk,nyuk) a release could grab some good press.God knows we need new ones (that rotate ohpleaseohpleaseohplease).

New displays would be nice, especially if there were new features -- newer inputs (USB 2.0, firewire), higher resolutions. Lower prices might be nice, but I wouldn't count on it, as usual.

 

[dernhelm]

Guesses

april 18th at NAB - Shake 3.5, with an outside chance at Quicktime 7 announcement in prep for WWDC

april 20th - Powerbook update (slightly faster G4s)

april 28th - ITMS update event, iPod capacity bump

I can't see Apple losing an opportunity to roll out new product in front of a captive audience. I mean, if you are going to be there with a software product (Shake) in hand, wouldn't you want to show the latest hardware to go with it?

And really this goes either way - if you weren't even going to hold a press event for the updates (too minor or whatever), then the NAB provides a good no-additional-cost publicity boost to an otherwise low key product update. If you were going to hold a press event, it would seem kind of silly to hold one two days after a large conference like the NAB.

Unless I just don't get it, I would think you'd see the PB's at the NAB unless they simply are not ready.

 

[iGuy]

oh dear, here we go again

iPod capacitiy update? I don't think so. The 40 giger is big enough. (That's the same size as my PB's hard disk).Not many people have that many songs and even if they do, Why would you need 15,000 or 20,000 songs on your iPod. The only thing I could see would be a 20/30/40 line up but only if they released 4G iPods.

40 GB may be large enough for you but how dare you assume that your needs are the only ones in the universe?

I recently ripped my entire CD collection to 320 AAC. I tested a varitety of combinations - 128 MP3, 128 AAC, 320 MP3 and 320 AAC. 128 sounded fine on earplugs but there was a noticable difference when playing the files through my home stereo.

My collection currently stands at 2,843 songs and takes up 26.37 GB. I intend to increase my music collection over time. I also want space to carry other files.

And yes, I do want to carry my entire music collection with me, especially if I'm traveling for weeks at a time.

Clearly you have a different use for you iPod. Good for you. But do not assume that you are so clever that no one else could possibly have a use for an iPod that you haven't thought would be useful. This type of nonesense is typical of teenage, I'm the centre of the Universe, look at me, I'm wonderful thinking. Be very ashamed of yourself.

~iGuy

 

[immac]

newer inputs (USB 2.0, firewire), higher resolutions. Lower prices might be nice, but I wouldn't count on it, as usual.

I'll 2nd that emotion... FW 1&2 x2 would be pretty sweet for me.

But if they're not able to rotate this time, I'll be qualified (or is that certifiable?) for a Postal job.....

 

[captain kirk]

Toshiba's tiny hard drives are up to 60 and 80 GB now. ( Product Index : http://sdd.toshiba.com/cda/main.asp...00000001/81820000011d000000010000659c000003fd ) some of the drives listed in that URL are the exact drives used in the current iPods. the 60 and 80 GB drives are slightly thicker... but i for one wouldn't mind a small increase in they physical thickness of the iPod in exchange for TWICE the storage capacity. the existence of the iPod Mini can help to offset any criticism that a bigger iPod is a step backward.

."

You are wrong, the 1.8 inch hard drives only go up to 40GB, these are the 8mm version. This is the drive used in the 40GB ipod. The 15 & 20GB model use the 5mm version which is why they are thinner.

 

[rog]

From what I hear they plan to debut a fancy new version of Calculator!

 

[Knox]

does flash get bigger than they have in there now? And if so then how much would it cost, I have read that they are already loosing money on the minis (cheaper to buy a mini and take out the flash then to buy the flash itself).

That doesn't mean Apple is loosing money - that would be comparing retail prices with the bulk discount Apple will no doubt be getting for ordering several hundred thousand of them. However you're right in that it is cheaper to buy a Creative mp3 player (iPod mini doesn't work with most cameras aparently) and take the hard drive out of them than buy a microdrive. At the time the mini was released the 4GB microdrive was almost twice the price as the mini, although it's about the same now.

The confusion with flash is the fact that the iPod mini drive uses a CompactFlash interface, but isn't flash memory.

 

[fishlord]

That doesn't mean Apple is loosing money - that would be comparing retail prices with the bulk discount Apple will no doubt be getting for ordering several hundred thousand of them. However you're right in that it is cheaper to buy a Creative mp3 player (iPod mini doesn't work with most cameras aparently) and take the hard drive out of them than buy a microdrive. At the time the mini was released the 4GB microdrive was almost twice the price as the mini, although it's about the same now.

The confusion with flash is the fact that the iPod mini drive uses a CompactFlash interface, but isn't flash memory.

the reason that it doesnt work with most cameras is that most cameras dont support fat32 isnt it?

 

[Sun Baked]

Let's all just blame IBM and their yield problems with the 970FX as the cause of, "No New PowerMac G5s"

Time to switch back to the old reliable Motorola G4 .

 

[wdlove]

Let's all just blame IBM and their yield problems with the 970FX as the cause of, "No New PowerMac G5s"

Time to switch back to the old reliable Motorola G4 .

I will wait till WWDC, then we will know for sure.

Lets not even entertain that thougtht!

 

[Sun Baked]

I will wait till WWDC, then we will know for sure.

Lets not even entertain that thougtht!

Sort of hard not to...

If you read the Apple Q2 04 call with financial analysts -- live update where it's said...

"IBM is working very very hard" to bring supply demand in balance for (Xserve) G5 chips, expects to catch up with demand this quarter. IBM is the only supplier that's delaying the shipment.

 

[aswitcher]

Sort of hard not to...

If you read the Apple Q2 04 call with financial analysts -- live update where it's said...

It does not say that they haven't had any luck with producing quantities of 970FX at lower speeds. For all we know the need to produce a lower speed 970FX for the PB and iMac lines has resulted in signficant production of those either trying to get the 2GHz or as a deliberate process?

 

[invaLPsion]

From what I hear they plan to debut a fancy new version of Calculator!

WITH GRAPHING CAPABILITIES. OH BOY!

 

[FFTT]

Upgrades

After spending nearly $3000.00 on my beige G3 tower, I'm very comfortable waiting for a G5 system.

Apple still needs to get up to speed and memory on video and sound cards.
With P/C's running 128,256 and 512 cards, there is clearly room for improvement.

I imagine that the improved, cooler running IBM970FX processors will be used across the board as soon as it's possible.

Apple's displays have quite a bit of competition out there.

I'll be looking for a monitor that supports what I think of as a
"media center", with picture in picture display
CPU & HDTV inputs as well as any necessary audio/video
connectors needed.

With programs like FCP4, DVD Studio Pro, Protools and Garageband,
I would also hope that Apple will soon provide a factory built-in Analog/Digital interface card.
As nice as an upgraded G4 powerbook might be, I can't imagine investing
in old tech this late in the game.

The only other improvement that comes to mind would be a user changable
battery for updated iPods.

Good things come to those who wait.

 

[cubist]

Anyone up for speculating about NEXT week's updates (4/26 or thereabouts)?

I think we'll see 1.5GHz G4 iMacs, with a 1.2GHz G4 15" model hovering close to eMac prices... they'll have improved graphics and 8x superdrive. After all, that's the other shoe dropping.

 

[Blackheart]

WITH GRAPHING CAPABILITIES. OH BOY!

Actually, calculator already does graphing. It's nothing to get all excited about. It's really basic and doesn't have complete functionality. It was probably in the works when it was updated (probably in Panther).

Anyway, since you're probably wondering how to activate it, make a copy of your calculator app. With the copy, ctrl-click and "Show Package Contents". Go to Resources and take Graphing-2D.calcview (and Hexadecimal.calcview if you want) and move them into the PlugIns folder (it's in the same directory as the Resources folder). Start up the calculator and go to View->Graphing

Have a good time with that.

 

[slooksterPSV]

I hope they do updates to iMacs or even an upgrade for the processor in the G5's would be perfect. GO APPLE!!!

My Windows broke, can I have a nice shiny Apple please?

 

[MirrorMan]

Anyone up for speculating about NEXT week's updates (4/26 or thereabouts)?

I think we'll see 1.5GHz G4 iMacs, with a 1.2GHz G4 15" model hovering close to eMac prices... they'll have improved graphics and 8x superdrive. After all, that's the other shoe dropping.

1. With all the recent criticisms directed at the current spec. of the iMac, do you think an increase to 1.5GHz would be considered a good update?When would you expect such an update?

2. Would you then consider it a good buy assuming the prices remain similar to present prices?

3. I would like to get an iMac (my first Mac) and the most demanding tasks I will probably be doing is messing around with Garageband, a bit of video-editing and some work with iDVD. I have read quite a few mixed views on the performance of the iMac eg say using four software instruments in Garageband or doing a production in iDVD with a lot of transitions and effects?

4. When do you think we will get a G5 in the iMac or it's new form?

I would appreciate your views as I am dying to get my hands on a Mac!!

 

[danman]

WITH GRAPHING CAPABILITIES. OH BOY!

Hell no, Calculator already has graphin' abilities.. go and dig inside the Calulator 'Package' and move Graphing-2D.calcview into the plugins folder.

Bobs' your mothers brother.