Posted by
michael
on from the we-love-the-leader dept.
An Anonymous Coward writes: "Pictures of what would appear to be Apple's forthcoming PDA, the "iWalk" have slipped onto the net, and this time they don't seem fake, as evidenced by the quicktime movies also included. Those interested can check out the pictures here, apparently courtesy of SpyMac."
If it stays up is probably a fake
by
sebi
·
· Score: 5, Insightful
Everytime something like this happens you can judge how real the thing is based on Apples reaction. If they request it to be taken of then it's probably real.
But then spymac.com is supposed to be run by Germans and Canadians. Maybe that would protect them a bit from Apple legal.
Re:If it stays up is probably a fake
by
MrSmartass
·
· Score: 2, Insightful
My guess is it's either a disguised Zaurus running a full-screen video mockup, or it's just an LCD screen wrapped in some slick plastics, with a dummy "FireWire" cable piping the video in. That mysterious middle connector on the top edge of the unit is the Zaurus' CF slot.
Someone's gone to a lot of effort to pull off this hoax. SpyMac.com's original "iWalk" mockup from just before the iPod launch was really lame. This one is more convincing, but it's still a hoax.
Re:If it stays up is probably a fake
by
lujo
·
· Score: 3, Insightful
The facts don't support this being an authentic product. Let's look at the observations, facts, and trends:
* Apple always asks sites to remove content which actual foretells coming products
* Spymac is not the most reputable rumor site
* Apple.com pronounced the spendor of their coming announcements after Spymac and others had made all of their conjectures of coming products--photos &videos came after this, but the iWalk name was no surprise to Apple.
* Photos & videos at Spymac have "irregularities"--see the PunkxRock comments at MacSlash for all the details
* with audio I/O ports, what it is the iPod for?
* No tech specs are available on the device despite someone supposedly handling and photographing the device -- every rumor I can remember that turned out to be an actual product contained significant detail on tech specs, or at least offered a range of probable features.
* Visuals show login, web, writing recognition, and startup, but no other apps, graphic/video/audio capability are shown or detailed.
* Too thin for a the new 2.5" HD that's in the iPod, so nothing groundbreaking in terms of storage--and so you'd need firewire why?
* Bad functional design
+ huge port on top with no apparent function (resembles a serial port but what PDA syncs up-side-down in its dock?)
+ start up button on bottom edge--people will compare their rates of erroneous startup/shutdowns per minute
+ functionless jog-dial -- a HUGE button that only rotates the screen? That's like mounting a steering wheel on my back bumper to open my trunk when a key or even keyless remote will do.
+ too big for pockets, those handy sleeves inside your bag/briefcase, and most purses--except my mom's big 'ss carry-on size "totes"
So as another person once said, "To conclude, I will eat my hat if Jobs unveils this very machine tomorrow. No, wait - I'll eat my hockey puck mouse." (Hopefully I won't be doing this and going offline as this poor predictor once did.)
Any mirrors?
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 1, Insightful
Anyone have a mirror for these pics yet?
Maybe not since this is lawsuit-fodder.
they have a tough NUt to crack
by
Lumpy
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· Score: 5, Insightful
I still use my Palm IIIx. I have thought of changing or upgrading several times. But nothing can add any useability or real functionality to my Palm IIIx. the color screen is nothing more than a gimmick. and make the unit un-useable outside, and forces you to charge it everyday. The neat-o add-on gadgets are only toys, and the mp3 player add-on for the handspring is lame and more expensive than buying a seperate mp3 player.
the only palm device that has my interest is the Sharp Zaurus running linux. but only for a few of the neat-o features. as for productivity? it offer's nothing, and will actually hamper my productivity by forcing to learn a new interface, no Linux sync and probably a much shorter battery life.
So what can apple offer to this world that would entice me to drop my palm-pilot for their peoduct?
-- Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
logo there for a reason
by
crayz
·
· Score: 3, Insightful
Check out the bootup movie and the other stills - the logo is there to let you choose how you want the OS oriented on the screen(vertical or horizontal). Watch the bootup movie to see how he changes the orientation by spinning the wheel and pressing the button on the bottom.
People have a lot of reasons why it's fake, but I think this is just way too elaborate. It's gotta be the real thing.
Re:logo there for a reason
by
Triv
·
· Score: 2, Insightful
Watch the bootup movie to see how he changes the orientation by spinning the wheel and pressing the button on the bottom.
Look at it really closely. See how easy the finger moves the wheel to change the orientation? It's way too...loose. It looks like there's no resistance at all, and without that resistance there's very little you can do keep it's orientation from slipping the moment your hand bumps a little. Besides, would YOU want a huge, single function button on the front of your pda?
Nice try, but not at all real. Good try tho. Just my view.
Triv
Re:Apple started the PDA
by
jcr
·
· Score: 4, Insightful
I wonder why Xerox hasn't sued them yet?
Can we please lay this canard to rest?
The reason Xerox hasn't sued, and won't sue Apple, is that Xerox made a boatload of money on Apple stock. They bought in pre-IPO, and made hundreds of millions on their investment over the years. Everything Apple ever used that came from PARC was used with Xerox's blessing.
-jcr
-- The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
It's a fake and here is why
by
kawaichan
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· Score: 4, Insightful
Guys, go download the sayhello.mov video (the middle one) and enlarge it to full screen.
Now Play the video, notice as the guy writes, the "PDA" is moving around (which is normal) but the screen is NOT moving along with the PDA at all (which btw, is abnormal)
Re:delightful.....yes, it is(?)
by
Cadre
·
· Score: 5, Insightful
Post, moderate, moderate, post...
Apple's licensing their hardware to 3rd party vendors would have been the best move they made except for none of the 3rd parties that Apple licensed to actually expanded the market. While they brought faster CPU speeds to the market among some other neat things, they just eroded Apple's share of the Mac market and didn't actually increase the Mac market. This was bad because the Mac market was too small to support everyone.
One of the best moves Apple made was buying out Power Computing and getting their great engineers and technologies.
-- All editorial writers ever do is come down from the hill after the battle is over and shoot the wounded.
Re:Seems likely to be a fake
by
geojaz
·
· Score: 3, Insightful
Just going on past experiences, like the G4 Cube, I would rate it difficult to judge the likelyhood of Apple releasing this based on it's appearance. I remember everyone on/. going off about "how dumb the design is" and then what do you know, the cube is for sale...
That being said, wait till Monday, I'm sure Apple has plenty in store.
Re:Nothing new
by
Wyatt+Earp
·
· Score: 3, Insightful
OK. That's BS.
In the last 4 years what products has Apple come out with and then dropped?
2
Newton - 4 years ago
G4 Cube - 9 months ago.
That's it.
They came out with a new OS and are still upgrading the old one. Since OS X came out, they have done 3 patches on OS 9. When MS releases a new OS, the patches stop for the old ones. Sorry, free patches.
Unless you consider it a plant
by
Pfhor
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· Score: 4, Insightful
Apple acknowledged the rumor sites. Maybe it is feeding them not full correct information. Something like the iWalk from Apple is a very big thing indeed, but as it has been mentioned before, Apple claims the keynote "Beyond the rumor sites. Way beyond."
Look at all the more probable rumors right now: LCD iMac, PowerMac G5, iWalk, possible iBook updates, continual server / big iron rumors. Friend and I were talking about it last night. What if Apple released a bunch of stuff. All of the above (but a not lame version of the iWalk) along with a co-branded items from Sony. Here is the scenario: iWalk type thing is a $250 PDA with color screen, firewire, built in wireless (802.11b card capped at 2mbits, for power saving), 64 megs of ram. Can be jacked into an iPod and use it for storage. iPod price drops to $350. Now for $600 you can get the most kick ass pda/mp3 player on the market, and they work seamlessly with each other. Sony has a digital camera out with firewire on it, that works fine with the iWalk/iPod. Apple has been talking about the "digital hub" design for a while now, they could in one great keynote, announce all the key component blocks and unite them.
Apple has been hinting towards the digital hub setup, but most of the time saying this is what you can also use ____ for. But now they could say "here is a complete digital hub / lifestyle solution" that works seamlessly. tv components with firewire / wireless, PDAs that can control them, etc. Apple doesn't make all of them, apple just co brands them.
Whatever is going to be announced the 7th is going to be big. the tru7th will be revealed. I'm just glad I have planned to visit the Apple store near by the 12th and play with whatever has been announced (as they should have the new toys out to play with by then).
SPAM ALERT!! - same one I got!
by
mr.ska
·
· Score: 5, Insightful
So much for having to register... they gave me the EXACT same userid and password. It's just an e-mail grab!! Suck the Mac community in, the their e-mail addresses to they can spam them later...
--
Mr. Ska
Re:What's Woz playing with?
by
jandrese
·
· Score: 5, Insightful
That mystery unit looks suspiciously like a Game Boy to me. I think Woz was enjoying a bit of Tetris.:)
Slashdot Mirror
Everytime something like this happens you can judge how real the thing is based on Apples reaction. If they request it to be taken of then it's probably real.
But then spymac.com is supposed to be run by Germans and Canadians. Maybe that would protect them a bit from Apple legal.
Hank! White!
Anyone have a mirror for these pics yet?
Maybe not since this is lawsuit-fodder.
I still use my Palm IIIx. I have thought of changing or upgrading several times. But nothing can add any useability or real functionality to my Palm IIIx. the color screen is nothing more than a gimmick. and make the unit un-useable outside, and forces you to charge it everyday. The neat-o add-on gadgets are only toys, and the mp3 player add-on for the handspring is lame and more expensive than buying a seperate mp3 player.
the only palm device that has my interest is the Sharp Zaurus running linux. but only for a few of the neat-o features. as for productivity? it offer's nothing, and will actually hamper my productivity by forcing to learn a new interface, no Linux sync and probably a much shorter battery life.
So what can apple offer to this world that would entice me to drop my palm-pilot for their peoduct?
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
Check out the bootup movie and the other stills - the logo is there to let you choose how you want the OS oriented on the screen(vertical or horizontal). Watch the bootup movie to see how he changes the orientation by spinning the wheel and pressing the button on the bottom.
People have a lot of reasons why it's fake, but I think this is just way too elaborate. It's gotta be the real thing.
I wonder why Xerox hasn't sued them yet?
Can we please lay this canard to rest?
The reason Xerox hasn't sued, and won't sue Apple, is that Xerox made a boatload of money on Apple stock. They bought in pre-IPO, and made hundreds of millions on their investment over the years. Everything Apple ever used that came from PARC was used with Xerox's blessing.
-jcr
The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
Guys, go download the sayhello.mov video (the middle one) and enlarge it to full screen.
Now Play the video, notice as the guy writes, the "PDA" is moving around (which is normal) but the screen is NOT moving along with the PDA at all (which btw, is abnormal)
Oh well, next rumor ->
kawai
Post, moderate, moderate, post...
Apple's licensing their hardware to 3rd party vendors would have been the best move they made except for none of the 3rd parties that Apple licensed to actually expanded the market. While they brought faster CPU speeds to the market among some other neat things, they just eroded Apple's share of the Mac market and didn't actually increase the Mac market. This was bad because the Mac market was too small to support everyone.
One of the best moves Apple made was buying out Power Computing and getting their great engineers and technologies.
All editorial writers ever do is come down from the hill after the battle is over and shoot the wounded.
Just going on past experiences, like the G4 Cube, I would rate it difficult to judge the likelyhood of Apple releasing this based on it's appearance. I remember everyone on /. going off about "how dumb the design is" and then what do you know, the cube is for sale...
That being said, wait till Monday, I'm sure Apple has plenty in store.
prosebeforehos.com
OK. That's BS.
In the last 4 years what products has Apple come out with and then dropped?
2
Newton - 4 years ago
G4 Cube - 9 months ago.
That's it.
They came out with a new OS and are still upgrading the old one. Since OS X came out, they have done 3 patches on OS 9. When MS releases a new OS, the patches stop for the old ones. Sorry, free patches.
Apple acknowledged the rumor sites. Maybe it is feeding them not full correct information. Something like the iWalk from Apple is a very big thing indeed, but as it has been mentioned before, Apple claims the keynote "Beyond the rumor sites. Way beyond."
Look at all the more probable rumors right now: LCD iMac, PowerMac G5, iWalk, possible iBook updates, continual server / big iron rumors. Friend and I were talking about it last night. What if Apple released a bunch of stuff. All of the above (but a not lame version of the iWalk) along with a co-branded items from Sony. Here is the scenario: iWalk type thing is a $250 PDA with color screen, firewire, built in wireless (802.11b card capped at 2mbits, for power saving), 64 megs of ram. Can be jacked into an iPod and use it for storage. iPod price drops to $350. Now for $600 you can get the most kick ass pda/mp3 player on the market, and they work seamlessly with each other. Sony has a digital camera out with firewire on it, that works fine with the iWalk/iPod. Apple has been talking about the "digital hub" design for a while now, they could in one great keynote, announce all the key component blocks and unite them.
Apple has been hinting towards the digital hub setup, but most of the time saying this is what you can also use ____ for. But now they could say "here is a complete digital hub / lifestyle solution" that works seamlessly. tv components with firewire / wireless, PDAs that can control them, etc. Apple doesn't make all of them, apple just co brands them.
Whatever is going to be announced the 7th is going to be big. the tru7th will be revealed. I'm just glad I have planned to visit the Apple store near by the 12th and play with whatever has been announced (as they should have the new toys out to play with by then).
So much for having to register... they gave me the EXACT same userid and password. It's just an e-mail grab!! Suck the Mac community in, the their e-mail addresses to they can spam them later...
Mr. Ska
That mystery unit looks suspiciously like a Game Boy to me. I think Woz was enjoying a bit of Tetris. :)
I read the internet for the articles.