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Apple To Make "Music To Your Ears" Announcement

supa_k writes "According to an offical Apple invitation sent to the good folks at MacCentral, on April 28th Apple will make 'announcements that will be music to your ears.' It remains to be seen if this involves a purchase of Universal - something Apple offically denied just a few days ago but it will undoubtedly be the announcement of their online music subscription service and the other announcement will surely be new iPods."

96 of 390 comments (clear)

  1. I'll bet by mrpuffypants · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...that it's really just going to be an opportunity to get drunk with Jobs and listen to Doobie Brothers really loud

    1. Re:I'll bet by ddixon · · Score: 2, Funny

      And, one Sheryl Crow.

  2. Dell dumping iPods, so... by deanj · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Dell's been doing deals on iPods lately, probably getting rid of stock for Apple. New higher capacity iPods on the way, is my wager.

    Yeah...really going out on a limb there. :-D

    1. Re:Dell dumping iPods, so... by orpheus2000 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I doubt getting rid of stock is the reason. Word on the grapevine is that Apple is starting to tighten its grip on the retail front of their business.

      It's an odd, but perfectly legitimate trend; Apple wants complete control over how their merchandise is sold. They're opening up Apple stores left and right and driving out old, established resellers in those markets. It's pissing a lot of people off, but it's still within their rights to do this, so long as there are no breaches of contract.

    2. Re:Dell dumping iPods, so... by JimRay · · Score: 5, Informative

      Actually, Dell just re-signed their retail contract with Apple, so unless they're gonna start selling iMacs, I imagine Dell will be selling iPods again soon.

      --
      My other computer is your Windows box
    3. Re:Dell dumping iPods, so... by nekura · · Score: 5, Informative

      Actually, in a way, you're right. Dell stopped selling iPods because of Apple's iron grip of a contract. However, according to MacCentral, Dell, Fry's, and Micro Center all re-signed their retail contract with Apple.

      --

      "Programming is like sex - one mistake and you'll have to support it for the rest of your life."
    4. Re:Dell dumping iPods, so... by HungWeiLo · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Apple wants complete control over how their merchandise is sold

      Last time they tried a stunt like that, IBM-compatibles took over like a firestorm.

      --
      There are a huge number of yeast infections in this county. Probably because we're downriver from the bread factory.
  3. Looking forward to it by PrimeWaveZ · · Score: 5, Interesting

    At the Apple retail store I work at, we've been waiting for some sort of an announcement. People come in asking when new iPods with color screens and video players are supposed to ship, and we have to say "nothing has been announced." One guy even tried to say that we HAD announced a 970 version of the iPod, and wanted to know when he could pick it up. Hopefully this will quiet a lot of those folks.

    I would like to see the new TravelStar 80GN in some sort of small iPod-ish MP3 player. Given, it's a 2.5" drive, but damn!

    1. Re:Looking forward to it by mjpaci · · Score: 4, Funny

      I checking out the Apple booth at MWNY '02 when this teenager walked up to the Apple rep and asked where the new G5s were. He said that he read on the Internet that they had been released. The Apple rep was like, "Um, no. We didn't announce anything that even sounds like G5." The kid was adamant that they had been released. Shows you what people will believe.

      --Mike

    2. Re:Looking forward to it by mrpuffypants · · Score: 5, Informative

      I always try to weasel info out of the peopel at my local Apple store.

      The other day I went in there looking at the powerbooks nad told the guy that "I couldn't justify the 17"pbook and the 12" wasn't much better than my ibook. However, I'd go for an updated version of the 15"

      He tells me "dude, if I knew anything I'd tell you now, but I haven't heard anything"

      Accodring to him the store employees at the Apple stores literally don't see any new products until the day they come in, and it's just sitting there on the shelf. True?

    3. Re:Looking forward to it by TylerL82 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Remember kiddies...mall employees thousands of miles from Apple HQ know all of the company's secrets!
      Steve personally calls each and every retail employee every night with the latest "dirt"!
      When a retail employee says "I don't know" or "Apple hasn't announced a G7, you weirdo", they are actually saying "Apple confirms your suspicions. Please post on SpyMac."

    4. Re:Looking forward to it by PrimeWaveZ · · Score: 4, Informative

      Yup. We know squat until the day of whatever the announcement is. We all got our news in January DURING the keynote. Not a moment before the rest of the world. It stinks, but at least we don't have to lie to folks.

    5. Re:Looking forward to it by zingbot · · Score: 3, Insightful

      On the other hand, yesterday some"very well-informed Apple Employee" at J and R said he'd never heard of 10.3 (Panther) being previewed at the WWDC and released in the Fall. It's been all over the web and on the Apple front page since March 21st when they changed the date of the conference.

    6. Re:Looking forward to it by sigep_ohio · · Score: 5, Insightful

      it is like that at a lot of retail stores. the reason being is that corporate knows that the retail worker monkeys would squeel the news to sites like this.

      i don't work for an apple store, but i do work for circuit city and thats how they work.

      --
      Beer Die is the game of champions Learning To walk my own path.
    7. Re:Looking forward to it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      According to him the store employees at the Apple stores literally don't see any new products until the day they come in

      He's telling you the truth. There are no 15" Aluminum Powerbooks in any Apple Store back room. To illustrate Apple's desire for secrecy even more, there's going to be a special event going on at the Apple Stores on May 2nd, with a satellite link up and everything, and nobody at the Apple Store will know anything specific about it *whatsoever* until a few hours before.

    8. Re:Looking forward to it by presearch · · Score: 4, Informative

      From the highest level VP, to the cleaning staff at Cupertino, Big Steve has made
      it clear that if anyone leaks any information about future plans or products,
      it's immediate termination. It's Apple's First Commandment and few will risk
      the wrath of Jobs.

    9. Re:Looking forward to it by TopShelf · · Score: 4, Informative

      Part of that is the reality of working in a publicly traded company. Major business events like a product release wouldn't be told to general personnel until the public has been informed also. It's a basic protection against insider trading, as well as a preventitive measure against information leaks...

      --
      Stop by my site where I write about ERP systems & more
    10. Re:Looking forward to it by Alex+Thorpe · · Score: 3, Informative

      Yeah, I've heard that when you guys get unanounced equipment, it comes in unmarked boxes that say "Don't open this until xx/xx/xx, on pain of losing your job", or something like that. So you can open it during MacWorld, and go, "Gee, it's what Steve just announced!".

      --
      "Common Sense Ain't" -Unknown
    11. Re:Looking forward to it by morcheeba · · Score: 2, Insightful

      And my experience is that they typically don't see the products until a few weeks after they've been announced. Jobs: you got me all excited about the 17" notebook; I should be able to drive to your store the next day and see the floor model. After 3 weeks and people tend to lose enthusiasm. How hard can it be to send 20 fed-ex packages with the new floor models at the exact moment of your announcement?

      Yeah, I know they probably aren't made yet and you want to get the announcement to coincide with some major event, but its far more fun to go touch the stuff right away.

    12. Re:Looking forward to it by davesag · · Score: 3, Interesting
      My favourite Mac shop refused to sell me a 20GB iPod the other week on the grounds that I am a good customer and he said "You do yourself a favour and wait a few weeks.. you'll be blown away.". I I walked out of the store with my £400 or so still in my pocket. I've emailed him since to see what he knows so well that he'll turn away good hard kash, but he just says "wait, i can't say yet, but you'll be amazed." Is he just shitting me? Or does he know something. Or is it just that blind-freddy could see that a new ipod is on the way. Either way I went back in and bought a 12"G4 for my girlfriend a week later so he's still doing okay out of me.

      and for what it is worth, yes I do think a colour, 60GB bluetooth enabled, firewire][ iPod with video out and full support for syncing to iphoto would be the duck's nuts and I'll buy one the instant it comes out.

      --
      I used to have a better sig than this, but I got tired of it
  4. It smells like Ogg ... by arestivo · · Score: 2, Interesting

    ... or maybe not

    1. Re:It smells like Ogg ... by feldsteins · · Score: 5, Funny

      No, Apple is going with AAC. I think slashdotters tend to overestimiate the importance of OGG. Like "if only Apple would add OGG support to their iPod they'd sell a million more of them! Shooting themselves in the foot again. WTF is their problem??" Reality: if they did go to the trouble and expense nobody* would notice.

      * Well not "nobody" exactly. About 27 people on slashdot would notice, but only after arguing viciously for months about whether or not Apple implimented it correctly, after which approximately 2 of those 27 would actually purchase an iPod.

      --
      You like your Macintosh better than me, don't you Dave? Dave? Can you hear me Dave?
    2. Re:It smells like Ogg ... by frankie · · Score: 4, Informative
      AAC support in iPod and iTunes is absolutely essential for any Apple music download service, since MP4 has the necessary DRM capabilities that MP3 doesn't.

      The only reason I hold any hope of Apple adding Ogg support to iPod is that it's free (as in both). There's 32MB of EPROM (or Flash?) on every iPod specifically intended for firmware updates. Plenty of room for AAC, Ogg, and the next dozen codecs to come.

    3. Re:It smells like Ogg ... by azav · · Score: 2, Informative

      Actually, there is a OGG xtra for Director. Now if anyone wants to write a nice clean ui for OGG files on mac and win only, the xtra is free and somewhere on MM's web site.

      Ahh, here it is:
      http://www.directordev.com/tools/xtras/OggVor bis/O gg.htm

      --
      - Zav - Imagine a Beowulf cluster of insensitive clods...
    4. Re:It smells like Ogg ... by prell · · Score: 2, Insightful

      There is possibility of an "independent" iPod update, which would add OGG support. This Wired article discusses a version of uClinux which runs Mad (a media player for Linux which is able to play OGG files).

      Incidentally, I think understating the importance of open standards when it comes to something as ubiquitous as digital music, is a mistake.

    5. Re:It smells like Ogg ... by feldsteins · · Score: 4, Insightful

      understating the importance of open standards when it comes to something as ubiquitous as digital music, is a mistake.

      Ogg support isn't important in terms of customer demand, that's all I'm saying. Add it, don't add it, almost nobody will care or even notice. I am not saying that standard formats aren't important from a "general benefit to the consumer/public" perspective.

      And, BTW, in what way is it more open than AAC? Specifically? MPEG4 is, after all, a real standard. What am I missing?

      --
      You like your Macintosh better than me, don't you Dave? Dave? Can you hear me Dave?
  5. I just hope... by sockit2me9000 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    that they keep the 5 gig and drop the price down to $200. That would bring the mp3 jukebox revolution to an even larger market. I know a lot of people who choke at $300 but would jump on one in a hearbeat if the prices was lowered to around the $200 mark. Might not be have high profit margins, but it would get lots of Apple equipment into lots of hands which is part of what Apple is trying to do right now.

    1. Re:I just hope... by buffer-overflowed · · Score: 3, Informative

      If all you want is a 5GB+ MP3 player under $200, then you can get a creative nomad jukebox for $159.

      About the size of a CD player and less battery life/ flexibility of use, but, there's what you described.

      --
      The key to the enjoyment of pop music is to replace any instance of "love" with "C.H.U.D."
    2. Re:I just hope... by PeeweeJD · · Score: 2, Informative

      That would bring the mp3 jukebox revolution to an even larger market

      Remember that the iPod needs a firewire port also... Being able to synch you entire music collection up with your desktop in 10 minutes was a pretty big selling point of the iPod... I don't thingk firewire has filtered down to the masses yet...

  6. Most likely Announcements are... by coolmacdude · · Score: 4, Interesting

    *New iPods (likely will have 10, 20, and 30 GB capacity)
    *New Music Download service integrated with iTunes
    *iTunes 4, with music service and AAC encoding (possibly Rendezvous streaming as well)
    *I would guess nothing related to Universal at this point.

    --

    -You may license this sig for only $6.99.
    1. Re:Most likely Announcements are... by pben · · Score: 2, Interesting

      NPR's All Things Considered had a story on this Sunday rtsp://audio.npr.org/atc/20030420_atc_07.rm They talked to Joseph Menn of the LA Times. He said that Apple had lined up all the major record labels for easy to use Apple branded music download service with fewer restrictions on use than in the past. We will know if he is right in a week or so.

  7. Bluetooth by MBCook · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'm guessing it's an iPod that comes with wireless bluetooth headphones. Bring it on Apple!

    --
    Comment forecast: Bits of genius surrounded by a sea of mediocrity.
    1. Re:Bluetooth by presearch · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I don't think that Bluetooth earphones would be high on
      Apple's list. A battery powered headset would either
      require the extra weight up on your head, or a battery
      pack that would be almost as big as the pod. Plus, you
      would be replacing the battery often or they would
      require some cumbersome recharging scheme, which
      would require a wire and a little box or something.
      Might as well just plug into the iPod. It would also add to
      the already high price while not adding that much more
      functionallity. Misplacing the phones or breaking them
      would also be expensive to replace. An expensive solution
      solved by ten cents worth of wire.

    2. Re:Bluetooth by sigep_ohio · · Score: 3, Funny

      air breathing fuel cells don't need to be recharged that often. of course they don't exactly exist in the consumer market, yet. but mark my words, one day...

      --
      Beer Die is the game of champions Learning To walk my own path.
    3. Re:Bluetooth by Clock+Nova · · Score: 3, Funny

      Unless, of course, they announce that they've found a way to broadcast electricity over Bluetooth. Now that would be worthy of a week's notice!

      --
      There they were, sitting in the van with all those dials, and the cat was dead. -V. Marchetti, CIA
    4. Re:Bluetooth by presearch · · Score: 3, Funny

      Maybe fuel cells that are powered by ear wax.

    5. Re:Bluetooth by isaac · · Score: 4, Informative

      It's worth mentioning that unless the MP3/whatever decoder is in the headphones, bluetooth won't work. It doesn't have the bandwidth for uncompressed CD-quality audio (44.1khz/16 bit/2 channel). IIRC, it tops out at a theoretical limit of 700kbps.

      -Isaac

      --
      I am not a lawyer, and this is not legal advice. For Entertainment Purposes Only.
    6. Re:Bluetooth by cei · · Score: 3, Interesting
      --
      This sig intentionally left justified.
    7. Re:Bluetooth by Have+Blue · · Score: 2, Funny

      Can't wait for a bluetooth tasp! Make my day, baby!

    8. Re:Bluetooth by Psychic+Burrito · · Score: 2, Informative

      Not true: Bluespoon bluetooth headsets deliver 4 hours of talk time out of a complete package weighting under 10 grams. More info here.

  8. Rumors people, rumors. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Mac rumors hey, the best source of 'news' we can get? forgive the cynicism, but with Apple's typical tight reign on information about just what they're up to I know by now NEVER to trust rumours. How many of the last year's worth have come true?

    The iWalk?
    Video iPod?
    G5?
    USB2?
    Dualscreen powerbooks?

    The best strategy is to NOT go with the rumors people, except for the dull ones.

    It'll be just another iPod.

    1. Re:Rumors people, rumors. by jub · · Score: 3, Funny

      whoops, that would be the "music for your pants" announcement... my bad.

  9. OK, better now. by DrWhizBang · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I would expect to see Apple try to continue what they have done with the iPod - that is, making it easier to get your favorite artists, and listen to them, and maybe even make payment unobtrusive. Only if you have a Mac, of course. So if buying Universal is the only way to do that, then they would love to buy Universal, but chances are better that this is about some secret Apple squirrel society that is available to all Mac owners, but better if you pay.

    There. I'm not fried.

    --
    Schrodinger's cat is either dead or really pissed off...
  10. iPod in color, with a twist by joelparker · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Rumor has Apple patenting color-changing for the iPod and iMac,
    where the iPod body can glow inside with different chaning colors
    like the Color Kinetics Sauce LED products here

    Cheers, Joel

  11. New iPods by iJed · · Score: 5, Informative

    The new iPods should be available in 10, 15 and 30 gig versions according to ThinkSecret. They also say it should also include a docking station.

    For all those people who do not believe the rumor sites ThinkSecret has proven time and time again to be nearly always correct. It is not MacOSRumors. :-)

    1. Re:New iPods by mrpuffypants · · Score: 5, Funny

      /me only trusts crazyapplerumors.com

  12. News? by Michael_Burton · · Score: 5, Funny

    A press release announcing that there will be some announcement made next week, and it's a frontpage story on Slashdot?

    News sure ain't what it used to be.

    --
    When all you have is an axe, everything looks like a grindstone.
    1. Re:News? by Have+Blue · · Score: 3, Funny

      I bet this story gets duped *after* the announcement next week is posted.

  13. iPod battery problem by acid_zebra · · Score: 5, Informative

    actually, I found that the new 1.2.6 version of the ipod firmware solves the problem quite nicely; once again I can get 10 hrs of music off one charge.

    http://www.iweenie.com/ipod.shtml (iweenie)
    has the latest firmware, as well as the older versions and all the tools you need.

    --
    -- No Sig is a Good Sig
  14. Apple + Universal == Trademark Problem by @ngel · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If Apple does indeed buy Universal, what does that mean for it's old settlement with the music label called Apple? Apple is the label that put out the Beatles music, and they have a settlement in place that says Apple Computer cannot enter the music industry, or something of the sort. If Apple does get Universal, how can Apple Music respond? I think that could be an obstacle to Apple's purchase...

    1. Re:Apple + Universal == Trademark Problem by smileyy · · Score: 3, Funny

      Money has this magical way of making obstacles disappear.

      --
      pooptruck
    2. Re:Apple + Universal == Trademark Problem by liquidsin · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I believe that the settlement only stated that they couldn't use the name Apple Records. They'd probably stick with Universal as a name.

      --
      do not read this line twice.
    3. Re:Apple + Universal == Trademark Problem by hellfire · · Score: 3, Informative

      I'm not sure of the exact language, but the idea is that Apple was not allowed in the music industry. There was argument over the language meaning that Apple could not make music or could they not make music creation technology. Apple records sued for the latter, while Apple said the agreement was for the former, and Apple lost.

      That said... as I have stated in the past... THE SUIT HAS BEEN SETTLED. Now that its settled Apple can do whatever they want really. They have iPod, they have iTunes, I'm sure IIgs technology is not really important any more.

      --

      "All great wisdom is contained in .signature files"

  15. You know what's Music to my ears by sergeantmudd · · Score: 2, Insightful

    All I really want is Cocoa version of iTunes. I don't download music off the internet and I don't have an iPod. I just want the apps I use most on OS X to be true OS X apps. But all I am expecting is iTunes 3.1 with music service integration and new iPods. Hopefully Panther will usher in a Cocoa Finder, Cocoa iTunes, and Cocoa Quicktime.

  16. what to expect of the new iPods... by acid_zebra · · Score: 2, Interesting

    1) firewire 800 (yay!) 2) bigger hard drive (duh) 3) more color schemes?

    --
    -- No Sig is a Good Sig
    1. Re:what to expect of the new iPods... by dadragon · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Why the hell would Apple waste their time adding FireWire 800 support to the iPod?

      Purely marketing. Apple would want a killer app type thing for Firewire 800, that way people will buy it.

      --
      God save our Queen, and Heaven bless The Maple Leaf Forever!
    2. Re:what to expect of the new iPods... by kyrre · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Firewire 400 is not the bottleneck when copying files over to your ipod. The harddrives are. And the FireWire 800 use connectors only available on new high end macs. So you first expectation is highly unlikely to happen.

  17. Re:Ogg Support? by coolmacdude · · Score: 2, Informative

    A 64kbps Ogg file will blow away a 128kbps MP3

    From personal experience, that is not true. Although ogg will beat MP3 at about the same bitrate.

    --

    -You may license this sig for only $6.99.
  18. How about some good detective work by LinuxMacWin · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Ok, so the event is in San Francisco on the 28th. Apple would not let its plans leak easily, but I think we can get better clues by doing some detective work.

    1. Are any Universal senior executives going to be in SFO on 28th? Maybe any friends, collegues can answer?

    2. Any other recording company executive planned to be in SFO on 28 - with no event planned publicly?

    3. Are any major artists (somewhere read Pearl Jam) planned to be in SFO on 28th?

    I am sure people can come up with more clues (flight plans, website registration - ok I know about appleuniversal.plan - what else) which can throw more light on the plans.

    1. Re:How about some good detective work by 17028 · · Score: 4, Funny

      I'm *sure* the judge is going to look favorably on your stalking of those executives if you say it was for a good purpose, to keep the Slashdotters updated. ;)

    2. Re:How about some good detective work by HaiLHaiL · · Score: 2

      Actually Pearl Jam is selling concert bootlegs online for their current tour. They come out something like 2 weeks after each concert. Umastered mp3's are available almost immediately. And they've fulfilled their contract obligation to Epic with their latest album, and will probably only use Sony for distribution at this point.

      But as a previous poster said, they're in Philly on the 28th.

      --


      reech bee-yond ur clip-0n
  19. Service Plan + Free/Cheap iPod by backlonthethird · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If Apple is starting a subscription service - they ought to seriously consider the US mobile phone model:

    Sign up for one year and get a $XXX discount on one of our pieces of hardware


    Imagine how many more people will sign up for a $40 monthly fee if it meant they could finally afford an iPod and have access to an easy to use music subscription service.

    1. Re:Service Plan + Free/Cheap iPod by MoneyT · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Wouldn't it make more sense (on apple's part) to offer a free year with the purchase of an iPod?

      OTOH, it's possible they may do what you suggest or maybe also include this service as part of the .mac subscription.

      --
      T Money
      World Domination with a plastic spoon since 1984
  20. ... some corelations. by juuri · · Score: 4, Interesting

    * iWalk.

    Okay that was just stupid.

    * Video iPod.

    I wouldn't be suprised if there were a few pieces of hardware floating around in some r&d lab for this. Someone is eventually going to make something like this. Sony just released a portable CD/DVD player that has a small LCD screen that attaches. It isn't too much of a stretch to imagine the drive replaced with a hard drive.

    * G5.

    970.

    * USB2.

    This is true since it was recently discovered that new PowerMacs have had USB2 chips in them for a while. Drivers are now out which will enable this.

    * Dualscreen powerbooks.

    Probably the 17" monster, because asside from the one pc company that is making dual screen machines who else in the world would consider such a thing. Which sounds more plausible a machine with two small screens or this insanely large 17" Apple came out with?

    --
    --- I do not moderate.
    1. Re:... some corelations. by melvin22 · · Score: 2, Informative

      "* Video iPod.

      I wouldn't be suprised if there were a few pieces of hardware floating around in some r&d lab for this. Someone is eventually going to make something like this. Sony just released a portable CD/DVD player that has a small LCD screen that attaches. It isn't too much of a stretch to imagine the drive replaced with a hard drive."


      Whether it is good or not, I don't know. But here's an example of a device like that.

    2. Re:... some corelations. by jred · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I have one of the Archos units. Yes, they're pretty good. The camera attachment is fun, but you have to have good lighting to use it.

      --

      jred
      I'm not a mechanic but I play one in my garage...
  21. Re:No OS X port? by presearch · · Score: 4, Funny

    Ain't happenin' sport.
    And OSX themes on XP are just lipstick on a pig.

  22. Denial by Znonymous+Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...something Apple offically denied just a few days ago...

    Who is their spokesman, Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf (aka Baghdad Bob)?

    --

    Karma: The shiznight, mostly because I am the Drizzle.

    1. Re:Denial by gmag3 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Who is their spokesman, Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf (aka Baghdad Bob)?

      I think he prefers Comical Ali.

  23. Re:No OS X port? by metamatic · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you're waiting for Apple to port OS X to commodity PC hardware, don't hold your breath. If they do switch to x86, which I view as unlikely, it'll require an Apple x86 machine with an Apple BIOS.

    Personally, I think it's more likely that they'd switch straight to a 64-bit CPU from AMD, but that's just me.

    --
    GCHQ Quantum Insert installed. If only our tongues were made of glass, how much more careful we would be when we speak
  24. Planned Launch of New Robotics Product by Vengie · · Score: 3, Funny

    Reuters - Apple Computer Corp (APPL) has announced in a smashing pre-lunch event at its flashy new store in SOHO that the upcoming announcement will focus on the debut of its new pseudo-sentient home robot, capable of interfacing via bluetooth with home devices such as cell phones, bluetooth enabled computers, and the next generation of home appliances.

    The product is scheduled to launch with the name "iRobot....."

    *DUCK* ;)

    --
    When in doubt, parenthesize. At the very least it will let some poor schmuck bounce on the % key in vi. (Larry Wall)
  25. Cocoa by Sophrosyne · · Score: 3, Informative

    Cocoa does not equate to better-
    Cocoa is an application framework. It will not make things faster or better or whatever, If a Carbon app is optimized it will run as fast or faster then Cocoa apps (e.g. The Finder).
    Carbon and Cocoa each have their purposes, which is why they are used in OS X.

    1. Re:Cocoa by timdorr · · Score: 3, Informative

      Cocoa apps are built in Objective C, which uses dynamic binding. Carbon's just plain old C/C++.

      Basically, Cocoa's gotta do a whole lot more overhead to data from a variable. It's gotta check the type in a lookup table and then actually pull out the memory, where as Carbon will just pull from the memory area (cause they type was determined at compile time). This makes Cocoa MUCH more flexible as language, with the expense of a bit of speed.

      So, despite the fact it's the API of choice for OSX, it's still using a language that's slow by nature.

      (note: i use cocoa over carbon ;) )

      --
      Tim Dorr
      Owner/Manger
      A Small Orange
    2. Re:Cocoa by bnenning · · Score: 2, Interesting
      If a Carbon app is optimized it will run as fast or faster then Cocoa apps (e.g. The Finder)


      Finder is Carbon, and is hardly a ringing endorsement for it. Sure, it's possible to write bad code with any language or API, but I maintain that given equal amounts of developer time and expertise, a Cocoa app will be better than its Carbon equivalent.

      --
      How to solve most of our problems: 1.Lots of nuclear plants. 2.Cure aging.
  26. Why is this news? by angle_slam · · Score: 2, Funny
    Apple will make an announcement of some sort in one week. But we have no idea what the announcement will be.

    Yeah, that deserves a Slashdot article.

    1. Re:Why is this news? by gamgee5273 · · Score: 5, Interesting
      It was in the Apple section first, then made its way up to the front page.

      If there's any merit to the Universal rumor, then even the announcement of the press event is news. Remember, the LA Times said that if Apple was going through with the purchase it would be done before the April 29 Vivendi-Universal stockholders meeting.

      Put all the naysaying aside: an IT corporation in charge of one the largest record group? In eight days time, our view of the RIAA and its view of the DMCA could be 180 degrees different than it is right now.

      That deserves a Slashdot story.

    2. Re:Why is this news? by gamgee5273 · · Score: 2, Interesting
      Well, since I'm writing this from an iBook and listening to Dave Matthews (legally gotten from my personal CD collection) on my iPod...I guess I wouldn't have a problem with that. :)

      Seriously, though: I just said it could change our views. I didn't say it would be for the better.

      Plus, Apple's already edging out the competition in the MP3 player market...they need to stay competitive. ;)

  27. only on /. by cdf123 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Posting an announcement of an announcement about an up comming announcement.

    "This just in! More news will come in later, story at 11" ;-)

  28. Skipping the G5, moving to G6 by digitalgimpus · · Score: 2, Funny

    That would be music to my ears

  29. Even if... by SPYvSPY · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Even if the settlement doesn't preclude all such claims in the future, all Apple would need to do is retain the Universal brand name for its music business. The legal problem arises only when Apple starts selling music under the Apple brand name, not when Apple obtains corporate control of a different brand name that sells music.

  30. Apple's Plan by IWantMoreSpamPlease · · Score: 4, Funny

    (1) Get involved with something radical

    (2) Deny involvment

    (3) Accept involvment

    (4) ???

    (5) Profit!

    --
    So rise up, all ye lost ones, as one, we'll claw the clouds.
  31. Giving me a job offer... by bdhein · · Score: 4, Funny

    THAT would be music to my ears.

  32. heh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Score: -9, Way Way Too Accurate

  33. Text of the Jobs announcement by panurge · · Score: 5, Funny
    To-day, 28 April 2003, Steve Jobs made the following announcement:

    Recently, Apple Computer was approached by beings from the Planet Zog. Zog is the richest planet in known space and all its inhabitants are so intelligent that it has no concept of intellectual property, since anybody is capable of inventing anything he, she or it needs as and when necessary. All Zog software is Open Source, mostly written in VLIW assembler by users as and when required.
    Unfortunately the Zog economy is somewhat overheated, despite a rise in income tax to 99%, and Zog is looking for a way to lose some cash. They have offered to merge Apple with a Zog publicly owned corporation called "We really are Universal Music" (ZSE: WRUM), the present stockholders of Apple to retain 51% of the equity.
    The idea is to introduce a music-on-demand service by which music will be directly downloaded from Zog. Zog has no equivalent of the DMCA since even the cheapest Zog pseudopodheld can crack any form of encryption on the fly, and has been recording the entire data output of the Earth for the last hundred years on the Ogg recorder in some Zog kid's bedroom. To encourage takeup of the service. the new corporation will give away all its hardware and software free for the next 20 years, and offer to replace all Macs in the field free of charge with new terahertz systems running OS MDCLX.

    Jobs then demonstrated the new direct thought to text input PowerBook G93000 which projects a virtual reality 3-D image into the entire visual field, runs for a year on an AAA battery and weighs half an ounce.

    Following the announcement, Microsoft shares rose $3 and Apple shares were $12 down at close of trading. The usual suspects predicted the demise of Apple within 3 weeks, citing the failure to keep up technically with the PC market, and Steve Jobs was slightly injured by a troll from slashdot complaining about file copy speed on a 9600/300. ...try to keep posts on topic

    --
    Panurge has posted for the last time. Thanks for the positive moderations.
    1. Re:Text of the Jobs announcement by ESSBAND. · · Score: 2, Insightful

      'Following the announcement, Microsoft shares rose $3 and Apple shares were $12 down at close of trading. The usual suspects predicted the demise of Apple within 3 weeks, citing the failure to keep up technically with the PC market, and Steve Jobs was slightly injured by a troll from slashdot complaining about file copy speed on a 9600/300. ...try to keep posts on topic'

      Too true. Why is that everytime Apple makes some announcement of pending Great Things, their share prices drop? Sales are up. Share prices down. Good reviews from Wintel-centric publications. Share prices down. Apple can do no right for Wallstreet. Who cares about low marketshare? I didn't think the goal of business was to rule the world--only to make a profit.

      Apple does great things. Not the answer for everyone's needs, but fills a niche pretty well.

      Don't think the announcement will be as great as a G9/3000, but hope that it's nothing as boring as a 40G iPod...

    2. Re:Text of the Jobs announcement by kalidasa · · Score: 2, Funny

      You do realize that someone will try to submit this to one of the Mac rumors sites as a legitimate story, right?

  34. Re:Competitive hardware? by kyrre · · Score: 3, Insightful

    >Bluetooth (or WiFi, whatever) connectivity.

    What would be the point of enable the iPod wireless? Bluetooth is damn slow, 802.11b(and g) is a faster, bur require lots of power. The iPod battery does have short enough life span as it is.

    Sure it could be a 'cool' feature, but the increased price, and the decreased battery life will not sell many units.

  35. Re:WMA9 by Alex+Thorpe · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Not likely, there's no WMA 9 support for OS X, or any OS but Windows. And WMP for OS X is now out for 15 months without one update, and boy does it need some updates!

    --
    "Common Sense Ain't" -Unknown
  36. Re:Ogg Support? by ckimyt · · Score: 3, Insightful


    Nope, it's really true. I would listen to a 64 Ogg over a 128 MP3 any day (of course both have artifacts, but the Ogg's high frequency problems are much less than MP3's swirling hi-hats).

    --

    Putting the sig back into +1, Insightful since 1995!
  37. Re: Dual Screen Powerbooks by goon+america · · Score: 2, Insightful
    I don't see what the big deal is about dual screen ... I have two screens hooked up to my 15" powerbook right now, on which I am typing this.

    It was a real simple hack: get your powerbook, buy an LCD monitor, plug it in. In some cases, you may need to hit the "Detect Displays" button in System Preferences.

    Cool tip: you can set Virtual PC to full screen mode on the second monitor only. Freak people out by dragging windows across the two systems.

  38. Re: MP4 DRM by frankie · · Score: 4, Interesting
    I wasn't aware that it had DRM capabilities. I really love the acronym of that last site (Intellectual Property Management & Protection). The obvious pronunciation is "iPimp. The digital pimp for your digital lifestyle."(tm) Yes, Apple has avoided DRM so far, but it's coming.
  39. Re:New iPods?! by Warlock7 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Well, this has only been in the rumor mills for about three months now. I guess you feel even more stupid than you already did, now, don't you?

  40. Re:Dear Apple by pressman · · Score: 2, Informative

    Dude, the whole Universal thing was just a giant rumor on the web. Apple never made an official announcement that they had any intention of purchasing Universal. Apple has never said anything about Universal until last week when Jobs publicly denied the rumors.

    They've given off no mixed message because they never gave off a message to being with.

    --
    Pooty tweet
  41. Short wait; the announcement has been made by Concerned+Onlooker · · Score: 2, Informative
    Here is a story about the service Apple will be providing. My favorite quote from the story:
    "it pays royalties to the troubled record industry."
    You know, in some circles troubled means the same as disturbed, if you know what I mean.

    The service will supposedly be easy to use and will offer a deep catalog and the ability to purchase single songs. Isn't this what everyone has been asking for?

    --
    http://www.rootstrikers.org/
  42. But the real question is... by MikeXpop · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...what color will the eighth notes be on the iTunes 4 icon?

    --
    Etiquette is etiquette. He kills his mother but he can't wear grey trousers.
  43. Re:Oops. A space snuck into that url. by FunkyChild · · Score: 2, Informative

    Don't worry, it's not you, it's slashcode. Spaces are automaticallly inserted into long 'words' to stop trolls from mucking up the horizontal scrolling of the page by posting really really long words.