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5 Predictions for Apple in 2007

Michael writes "2006 is coming to a close, and all anyone can think about (in regards to Apple, at least) is the upcoming Apple phone, but what happens next? What are we going to be salivating over and speculating about after Macworld? What changes are in store for Apple in 2007? No one knows for sure, but it sure is fun to take a guess."

257 comments

  1. My prediction... by Lord+Kano · · Score: 5, Funny

    Apple will remain a top subject of internet speculation.

    LK

    --
    "Hi. This is my friend, Jack Shit, and you don't know him." - Lord Kano
    1. Re:My prediction... by DevelopersDevelopers · · Score: 1

      Oh, and I suppose that in 30 years, we'll look back and laugh at all this speculation, perhaps even make Top Ten lists of the rumors.

      Oh, wait.

    2. Re:My prediction... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Apple speculation is done buy a very small percentage of Apple users and a minuscule amount of non Apple users. Of course you see it here a lot here and on Apple related sites only because there are a lot of dedicated Apple users that hang out in those places.

      Have you heard anything about what Dodge will be adding to the SRT lineup in the next few years? Which engine do you think they are going with. Do you think they will combine forces with the off shore group that supplies the racing engines? The new lead engineer came from that group you know. How about changes to Verizon's long range plan for the EVDO roll out and how people are speculating delays in certain areas based on spectrum allocations with the regional guys? They were intially supposed to support Sprint and even rolled out an updated PRL with the Alltel transmitter IDs. Do you have any scuttlebutt on the Dish networks recent changes to satellites for the spot beams that deliver the local stations? On that, do you think they will keep Charleston WV in the Pittsburgh market or move them back to where they were before. They recently freed up some room on Echostar East(19), I wonder why.

      Guess what, there are people that hang out and discuss that stuff all of the time and you never hear any of it. They have the same level of rumors, speculation, inside knowledge, and desire to follow the companies every move. Same thing with Apple rumor chasers and speculators. The movement is not as spectacular as you think. Once you step off the box and into the common areas, you will see that most people are just going with the flow.

    3. Re:My prediction... by Lord+Kano · · Score: 1

      Have you heard anything about what Dodge will be adding to the SRT lineup in the next few years? Which engine do you think they are going with. Do you think they will combine forces with the off shore group that supplies the racing engines?

      Have you seen the new 5th Gen Camaros? Those babies look SWEET. 400 HP of independant rear suspension American made goodness!

      Do you have any scuttlebutt on the Dish networks recent changes to satellites for the spot beams that deliver the local stations? On that, do you think they will keep Charleston WV in the Pittsburgh market or move them back to where they were before. They recently freed up some room on Echostar East(19), I wonder why.

      I think you mean 119, not 19.

      They started switching local channels over to spotbeams 4+ years ago. Charlestown locals are not available in Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh market has CBS, NBC, FOX, ABC and CW affiliates plus an indy or two in the local area so there was never a need to bring in out of market channels. Or, are you saying that people in Charlestown can receive Pittsburgh locals?

      A big problem is for people who want to get their local stations from an RV. If they're spotbeaming your local channels, let's stick with Pittsburgh for this example, and you drive to Orlando, you can't receive the signal. It obviously doesn't matter if your receiver is authorized for them.

      Another group of people that are at the edge of a spotbeam. For a while Echostar was giving these people bigger dishes to pick up the weaker signal at the fringes.

      Lastly, there are the people who lied about their physical so that they could skirt SHVIA regulations about local channels.

      We won't even get into the nightmares caused by moving some locals to 61.5 and 145 locations.

      Yeah, I went there. RESPECT MY GANGSTA...I MEAN GEEKSTA!

      LK

      --
      "Hi. This is my friend, Jack Shit, and you don't know him." - Lord Kano
    4. Re:My prediction... by jackharrer · · Score: 1

      I would say not in 30 years, but something like 12 months. Just in time for new year.

      As every year...

      --

      "an experienced, industrious, ambitious, and often, quite often, picturesque liar" - Mark Twain
  2. My top 5 predictions for Apple by Salvance · · Score: 5, Interesting

    My top 5:

    5. Apple will break the 10% market share mark in new computer sales
    4. The iPod will face it's first big competitor at Christmas 2007, from a vastly improved Zune
    3. iPod will release a hard-drive free version of it's Video iPod, utilizing multiple flash memory cards to achieve 40GB+
    2. Apple will release the iPhone, and it will be the must have phone of 2007
    1. Apple will announce plans for a set-top box, integrating gaming, cable, and internet browsing

    --
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    1. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by iluvcapra · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Apple already did number 1, it was called "iTV" at WWDC. (You said "announce plans" and that's exactly what they did.)

      How about this one: In the wake of an accounting scandal, Apple is found guilty corporately of fraud and is broken-up into an Computer Systems company and a media delivery company. It'd be ironic that after all these years Apple got broken for shady business practices before you-know-who.

      --
      Don't blame me, I voted for Baltar.
    2. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by Inoshiro · · Score: 1

      "1. Apple will announce plans for a set-top box, integrating gaming, cable, and internet browsing"

      Your its vs. it's confusion aside, they already announced this in 2006.

      --
      --
      Internet Explorer (n): Another bug -- that is, a feature that can't be turned off -- in Windows.
    3. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by Cadallin · · Score: 1

      Um, I'd say that's incredibly unlikely. Corporate break-ups generally only occur after they have been recommended by the FTC or legal investigations as a result of Antitrust abuses. I'm not even aware of any lawsuits pending against Apple for Antitrust violations. "Shady Business Practices" are cause for fines from the FTC, and possibly criminal prosecutions of Corporate Officers. I'm also unaware of any company being forcibly broken up on such a basis.

    4. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by unother · · Score: 4, Interesting

      That's why a fleet of lawyers is spending night and day to ensure that Steve Jobs has a cloak of plausible deniability. I'm not going to speculate on what he knows--that would be crass, and although Jobs is a sharp strategist (and corporate icon) I am not certain he would choose to understand any details of the alleged financial chicanery--nonetheless, should Apple be forced to oust him again for bureaucratic reasons it would be an ill-timed morale blow to Apple.

      I imagine this will eventually settle under a legal tarpulin of promises and the obligatory fine. Still, any cracks in the Apple empire are sure to be more and more exploited by a press hungry for material. This is all we are seeing; it only matters for Apple because people pretend Apple is a "good" company, unlike say, Marsh and McLennan...

    5. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by Cadallin · · Score: 1

      I'm not really all that impressed by the charges. Oooooh, back dating Stock Options to do a bit of tax evasion. That's some really nasty stuff there. As for Apple being a "good" company. I don't believe the Sun shines out of Steve Job's ass, but if some light tax evasion is the worst Apple's ever done (which it isn't) they'd still be a darn sight better than a lot of the competition.

    6. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by Sachiblr · · Score: 1

      In 2007, 1. iPod Nano prices will fall, with the 8GB selling below 190$. 2. Apple iPhone will actually be a joint development with a phone-maker Motorola?) and will be a huge success. 3. Apple will release a tablet computer with convergence of computing and audio/video/Wifi. 4. Apple will launch a home theater type of system built around their Mac. 5. Apple will sell >10 million iPods.

    7. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by UbuntuDupe · · Score: 4, Funny

      What about:

      6. Apple will reveal it has been recording phone calls made on the iPhone and that they're available for sale on iTunes for 99 cents.

    8. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by Salvance · · Score: 1

      And searchable via Google Phone Search

      --
      Crack - Free with every butt and set of boobs
    9. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by Sargeant+Slaughter · · Score: 1

      My Top 5:

      5. Apple sales will drop at least 10% 4. Cell phones will replace the entire zune/mp3 player market, that sector will decline in 2007 and more in the years following 3. Profit! 2. Iphone has mediocre sales dealing with competition in cell phone/mp3 market 1. Macs will run windows

      --
      I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. -Confucius
    10. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're fired.

      Steve.

    11. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by Basehart · · Score: 3, Insightful

      ........any cracks in the Apple empire are sure to be more and more exploited by a press hungry for material...

      I must admit to being pretty amazed to see the Apple stock option headline marked in red on the Drudge Report for three days running. As they say, no press is bad press, especially on the eve of some very highly anticipated product releases. Go Apple :-)
    12. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by Lord+Kano · · Score: 1

      Or you can pay $5,000 to exempt your calls from the iTunes directory.

      LK

      --
      "Hi. This is my friend, Jack Shit, and you don't know him." - Lord Kano
    13. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      #s 3 and 1 have already happened. Haven't you been paying attention?

    14. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by coolgeek · · Score: 1

      Apple iPhone will actually be a joint development with a phone-maker Motorola?

      Maybe that's why Zander let Jobs steal the iTunes Phone show by presenting the Nano at the same press conference, because they both had something much better in mind...like a cell phone just a smidge bigger than a nano. I'd love that. Way to lighten up the Bat Belt.

      --

      cat /dev/null >sig
    15. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by SpinyManiac · · Score: 1

      Apple already did number 1, it was called "iTV" at WWDC. I doubt it'll be called that in the UK.
      --
      It's never too late to have a happy childhood.
    16. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by hritcu · · Score: 1
      1. Apple will announce plans for a set-top box, integrating gaming, cable, and internet browsing
      Games? What games?
      --
      If you don't fail at least 90 percent of the time, you're not aiming high enough. (Alan Kay)
    17. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by iainl · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Well, World Of Warcraft is available on the Mac. It's quite disturbing how many people want that and nothing else anyway.

      --
      "I Know You Are But What Am I?"
    18. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by Khabok · · Score: 1

      integrating gaming, cable, and internet browsing.

      Notice how the Nintendo Wii does two of those, and sits in such an Apple-like shell? Well, the big challenge with the Wii wasn't developing new technology, but rather doing it affordably. Imagine, then, Apple releasing a similar control scheme, using a Core (2) Duo as the processor with a MacBook derived mainboard and a tv/cable tuner built in. Throw in some basic DVR software, a really simple UI, and a big hard-drive...

      When price isn't such a big factor in the design, how long would it really take? And your launch-titles would be rough-and-ready ports of all the games Mac users already enjoy. Until the fresh games start rolling down the line, it's still a really nice DVR.

    19. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by Dionysus · · Score: 1
      2. Apple will release the iPhone, and it will be the must have phone of 2007

      Maybe in the US marked, but I doubt anywhere else.
      --
      Je ne parle pas francais.
    20. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by Xymor · · Score: 1
      1. Apple will announce plans for a set-top box, integrating gaming, cable, and internet browsing
      That will happen when MS releases directx for MAC. Seriously, I hope(well, dream) Apple join forces with the OSS community actively supporting and lobbying SDL or some other alternative to tackle Windows/directx dominance of the pc gaming market.
    21. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by __aahlyu4518 · · Score: 3, Funny

      "6. Apple will reveal it has been recording phone calls made on the iPhone and that they're available for sale on iTunes for 99 cents."

      That's just silly ! It wouldn't be a top 5 anymore, now would it ? ;-)

    22. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by Blakey+Rat · · Score: 1

      3. iPod will release a hard-drive free version of it's Video iPod, utilizing multiple flash memory cards to achieve 40GB+

      That would take like 20 Secure Digital cards. And it's not Apple's style to make them removable.

      No, if they made a video iPod that ran on flash (IMO: Unlikely) it would use internal flash memory, not removable cards.

    23. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by poot_rootbeer · · Score: 1

      4. The iPod will face it's first big competitor at Christmas 2007, from a vastly improved Zune

      As we know, the 2.0 version of any Microsoft product is always the best.

      3. iPod will release a hard-drive free version of it's Video iPod, utilizing multiple flash memory cards to achieve 40GB+

      Sony will sue for patent infringement, claiming that the idea of a portable video player that costs over $700 is theirs exclusively.

      1. Apple will announce plans for a set-top box, integrating gaming, cable, and internet browsing

      Bandai will take a bath on manufacturing it and vow not to make the same mistake a third time. It doesn't help that Apple's name for the product ends up being "Power iPippin@World.mac Pro".

    24. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by Fred_A · · Score: 3, Funny

      They could call it iTelly for the UK :)

      --

      May contain traces of nut.
      Made from the freshest electrons.
    25. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by rootofevil · · Score: 2, Funny

      dont forget 1995

      --
      turn up the jukebox and tell me a lie
    26. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by MtViewGuy · · Score: 1

      Some comments:

      1) Apple will not break 10% marketshare unless they can seriously ramp up production and gets a major state university system to highly recommend their systems.

      2) The Zune may become more of a threat than people think, as Microsoft improves the software (possibly including Play For Sure downloads again) and designs the player to be physically smaller in size.

      3) Unless Apple can get large supplies of the next-generation high-capacity flash memory, I don't expect Apple to release a flash memory based video iPod. The nano will up its capacity to 16 GB, though.

      4) Apple's new phone will NOT be called the iPhone, since Cisco Systems has released telephony products under that name. But it will be available by May 2007 and will include 4 GB and 8 GB storage capacity for music downloads from the iTunes Music Store and storage from the built-in video camera on the phone. Being a GSM phone, only Cingular and T-mobile will offer this new Apple cellphone in the USA.

      5) The set-top box--based on the Mac Mini but with much more storage capacity--will probably arrive in Spring 2007.

      6) Apple will finally unveil a true video iPod, something about the size of the Samsung Q1 tablet PC. It will offer 80 to 120 GB of storage, a big enough screen to see even 16:9 aspect video clearly, and all controls will be via touchscreen. Cheap it won't be, though.

    27. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by octal666 · · Score: 1

      2. Apple will release the iPhone, and it will be the must have phone of 2007

      I don't believe so, the cellphone market, since the first boom of Nokia, is much more complex than the mp3. At first it will be novelty, then it will burst as noone wants to have "the phone everyone has".

      --
      DON'T PANIC
    28. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by jdray · · Score: 2, Informative

      I was talking to a friend of mine the other night, a friend who has had an opportunity to work with people at Apple to develop drivers for a network adapter or something similar. He says that Apple is horrible to deal with because no one knows (is allowed to know) anything going on outside of their department. Evidently the company has informational bulkheads everywhere, very likely so that, like in a submarine, a leak in one area won't take down the entire vessel. Having established a structure like this, it's likely that even the guys at the top can maintain plausible deniability.

      --
      The Spoon
      Updated 6/28/2011
    29. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by Run4yourlives · · Score: 1

      The Zune may become more of a threat than people think,

      I have my doubts about the Zune. I think MS is missing a key piece of marketing strategy with mp3 players that isn't present in their traditional market: Being cool matters.

      I'm not sure they (ms) adequately understand the market. Wearing a much smaller sony mp3 player isn't cool. Using a possibly better Zune isn't cool either. Having an iPod is cool. With portable players, cool is in.

      In order to beat Apple, any newcomer has to sufficiently reinvent "cool". That's a lot harder than actually improving the product offering - it has nothing to do with technology either.

    30. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by vindimy · · Score: 1
      2. Apple will release the iPhone, and it will be the must have phone of 2007


      iPhone is already released by Linksys... Too bad, Apple will have to come up with another name if they are going for it.
    31. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      1. Apple will continue to produce over priced crap hardware
      2. The EU will force them to "open up" the ipod to other music vendors
      3. They will release another OS upgrade in addition to Leopard in a futile attempt to counter the vastly superior Windows Vista.
      4. OSX86 project will develop vastly, easily allowing pc users to dual boot it seemlessly or easily run it under vmware when we feel like having a good laugh.
      5. Steve Jobs will retire or die.

    32. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by MtViewGuy · · Score: 1

      The hardware currently isn't cool because physically, the Zune device needs to be 15% smaller. But given Microsoft's patience and financial resources, the second-generation Zune (which will probably arrive by November 2007) will likely include far more "user friendly" interface software and will look "cool," both of which will attract users.

    33. Re:My top 5 predictions for Apple by SETIGuy · · Score: 1
      Apple already did number 1, it was called "iTV" at WWDC.
      I doubt it'll be called that in the UK.

      Actually, rumour has it that Apple has a separate product, the iWC, that's designed specifically for the UK market.

  3. Jail by sycodon · · Score: 4, Funny

    Apparently, someone will be going to Jail and Steve Jobs will be losing a boat load of money.

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
  4. How about a two button mouse? by 4020 · · Score: 0, Troll

    I mean really, is it that big of a deal? Not a problem on a desktop, but the Macbooks could really use one.

    1. Re:How about a two button mouse? by B4RSK · · Score: 4, Informative

      I bought a MacBook Pro a month ago, my first Mac in 15 years.

      The touchpad works quite well overall, the two-finger scrolling is especially good IMO.

      You can perform a right-click with the touchpad as well, but you have to turn on the feature first. Once it is on just have two fingers on the touchpad and click the button -- right click.

      Overall the MacBook Pro is far and away the nicest notebook I have used, and I've used a lot of notebooks. My Toshiba Libretto and IBM ThinkPad are soon to be for sale.

      --
      Some people are like slinkies--basically useless but they bring a smile to your face when pushed down the stairs.
    2. Re:How about a two button mouse? by CoolMoDee · · Score: 4, Informative

      There are three ways to right click from apple. The old fashioned ctrl-click. Going in to system preferences and turning on the option so when there are two fingers on the track pad and clicked for it to act like a right click. And of course the Mighty Mouse. Personally, I use both the wireless mighty mouse and the two finger touch-pad click for when I am too lazy to pull out the mouse. Oddly enough - I don't find myself right clicking that often...

      --
      Jisho - A Japanese English German Russian French Dictionary for the rest of us.
    3. Re:How about a two button mouse? by flyingfsck · · Score: 1

      Huh? Any 3 button mouse with scroll wheel and whatever, works on Apple. Just buy a $10 mouse and plug it in.

      --
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    4. Re:How about a two button mouse? by jerk · · Score: 2, Informative

      You don't have to use the mouse button, you can just tap with two fingers for a right click once you've enabled two finger scroll and tap in the trackpad settings.

    5. Re:How about a two button mouse? by B4RSK · · Score: 1

      Yes, but touchpad taps will rapidly drive any touch-typist insane.

      --
      Some people are like slinkies--basically useless but they bring a smile to your face when pushed down the stairs.
    6. Re:How about a two button mouse? by SuperMog2002 · · Score: 1

      You missed one! My personal favorite is tapping two fingers simultaneously. Now that my MacBook has gotten me in the habbit of doing so, I find myself trying to do it on Windows laptops constantly. It annoys me to no end having to use the physical button to right click on Windows laptops.

      --
      Sunwalker Dezco for Warchief in 2016
    7. Re:How about a two button mouse? by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      I'm a touch typist (120+ wpm). I like the tapping. I hate it when someone has it turned off.

      Why would it drive me insane? I have to take my fingers off the keyboard to move the mouse anyway.

    8. Re:How about a two button mouse? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why?

      I touch type and I *far* prefer trackpad tapping over clicking the button.

  5. Apple phone? Not me. by complete+loony · · Score: 1

    I want an iTV. Or whatever they want to call it. Preferably with Mythtv support.

    --
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    1. Re:Apple phone? Not me. by Tibor+the+Hun · · Score: 1

      i'm with you. I got a miglia TV micro, and it's just waiting for the iTV.

      --
      If you don't know what AltaVista is (was), get off my lawn.
  6. Predictions by laffer1 · · Score: 0, Troll

    1. Apple's stock price will flake out in 2007 with constant pressure from Microsoft products.
    2. ITMS and the iPod will be targeted heavily by Microsoft. Eventually the iPod will be replaced just as sony list the Walkman/Discman fame of the 80s and 90s.
    3. Apple will see a surge in market share on the Mac line during the first half of the year but have poor sales for back to school late in 2007. Dell's Indian production will allow them to lower prices and hit apple's bottom line. Consumers will know what Vista is by then.
    4. Apple will fail to advertise Mac OS X again and let people think Apple is out of date and Vista is new and innovative.
    5. Steve Jobs will leave apple or end up on the board. It could be related to the stock scandal or because of his health problems over the last year.
    6. Apple will blow it again.

    1. Re:Predictions by PPGMD · · Score: 1
      Apple will fail to advertise Mac OS X again and let people think Apple is out of date and Vista is new and innovative.

      I have to agree, Apple ads for it's Mac products leave much to be desired. The ads are not what made me purchase a Mac it was Aperture. And based on a sampling of my friends and family they seem more confused by the current Mac ads compared to the switch ads, and even the Switch ads left much to be desired. The iPod ads on the other hand, are excellent, and eye catching.

    2. Re:Predictions by b17bmbr · · Score: 5, Insightful

      2. ITMS and the iPod will be targeted heavily by Microsoft. Eventually the iPod will be replaced just as sony list the Walkman/Discman fame of the 80s and 90s.

      it wasn't so much the ipod replaced the walkman, but the .mp3 replaced the cd. apple was late to the mp3 player party, and the first ipods weren't even that good. but when they finally got a great product, it took over the market. as long as .mp3 is the preferred format, the ipod will always be successful. microsoft is determined to make their .wmv (or whatever it is) the standard and they are too focused on implementing their own special brand of DRM. ITMS is so popular because it "just works". and of course it does, ITMS, iTunes, and the ipod all come from the same people. microsoft will have to have their own store, their own program, and their own player. that will take a few years to get mind as well as market share. and even then, their size can't help them like it did in the office suite market. I think apple's biggest concern is not microsoft but current ipod users not upgrading.

      --
      My problem? I was perfectly gruntled, until some numbnuts came by and dissed me.
    3. Re:Predictions by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Apple's stock price will flake out in 2007 with constant pressure from Microsoft products."

      That's like saying the selling price of 6,000 sq. ft. homes in Santa Fe will be adversely affected by the constant pressure of new huge concrete apartment buildings in Soviet Russia.

      MS keeps attacking this from the tech standpoint, which is why they will keep losing. They should send their entire design team to Finland for a year for some remedial education. But they won't, of course, because not only are they technology laggards, they are idea laggards. That's OK though, Bill's piles of money and his army of ghost writers makes up for all of this, right America?

    4. Re:Predictions by tbone1 · · Score: 1
      1. Apple's stock price will flake out in 2007 with constant pressure from Microsoft products.

      Um, care to name those products? Zune is a dog, Vista doesn't look much better, the XBox 360 is in a market that Apple doesn't even notice, and as for competing with Apple's iTV, Microsoft hasn't even had a "me, too" vaporware announcement.

      --

      The Independent: Reverend Spooner Arrested in Friar Tuck Incident - ISIHAC, Historical Headlines
    5. Re:Predictions by MyNameIsEarl · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I just received an Xbox 360 for Christmas and have to wonder is it not already "iTV" it streams movies and music from a Windows PC, it has a movie store (albeit a very limited selection, but there are hi-def offerings), it has a TV show store (once again a small selection, better than the movie selection though as it has recent episodes, and once again available in hi-def, it plays DVD's and HD-DVD's if you want to spend a little extra, and of course it plays video games, heck my Directv remote even has a code to program it to control the Xbox.

    6. Re:Predictions by eboot · · Score: 1

      Hi Bill, good to see you taking an interest in the competition.

      --
      Two tears in a bucket. Motherfuck it.
    7. Re:Predictions by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're joking right? The XBox 360 does most of what the iTV supposedly can do and on top of that it plays games!!

      The iTV is late to the market...there will be 20-30 million PS3's and 360's out there. Who would want to pay $300 more for a machine that doesnt play games?!?!??!!?

    8. Re:Predictions by laffer1 · · Score: 1

      I understand your perspective, but stock prices are partially controlled by what ANALYSTS think. They don't understand the technical merits of anything. Analysts assume that Microsoft will do well and Windows will continue to be a monopoly because they have done so in the past.

      I think some misunderstood and thought I hate Apple. I do own Apple products and Apple stock. After all, I was only making predictions which analysts do everyday.

    9. Re:Predictions by laffer1 · · Score: 1

      No problem Balmer. I had some extra time.

  7. iLawyers by tinrobot · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Apple has a major stock scandal brewing. You'll probably be reading a lot more about their legal woes than their products next year.

    1. Re:iLawyers by coolgeek · · Score: 2, Informative

      Jobs will just fire up the RDF, and with a mesmerizing Keynote, simply move all that stuff way into the back of the minds of the investigators, judges, etc.

      --

      cat /dev/null >sig
    2. Re:iLawyers by constantnormal · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Are you sure that you don't mean Dell?

      Last time I looked, it was Dell that had an actual SEC investigation going on how their earnings were manipulated (known as "cooking the books" in the popular vernacular). Apple's options issues are a tempest in a teapot compared to those.

      Or perhaps you mean the Hewlett-Packard hearings in Washington, and the possibility of jail time for their senior management due to their actions in nailing boardroom leakers.

      So far as I know (and I'd be willing to bet as far as YOU know), Apple has investigated their options problems thoroughly, and is turning those results over to the SEC. To the best of my knowledge, the only indication of possible further troubles is due to a blizzard of rumors occurring, curiously enough, as Apple closes out the best calendar year in it's history, with a lot of pressure from various quarters to knock the stock down before the earnings are announced. Remember how the rumors surfaced about sales plummeting at the iTMS? Look how silly those rumors appear in the wake of the Christmas Day transaction volume problems at the iTMS.

      I think that their product announcements on January 8th will easily eclipse any "stock scandals" in 2007, as will their earnings announcement the following week. And in any event, the magnitude of any impact of past options misbehavior will be shown on Friday (Dec 29), when Apple makes their restated earnings for the past several years public. All the responsible estimates of those changes indicate it will be a trivial change.

    3. Re:iLawyers by Isca · · Score: 1

      What exacty did he do to anyone but the goverment anyhow? He is just trying to skip out on paying as much tax. Fine him and move on. He's not cooking the books here.

    4. Re:iLawyers by Ubergrendle · · Score: 1

      Don't forget his Columbo technique of wrapping up the presentation, then absent mindedly remembering "one last thing" and announcing the biggest item of the conference. Cheeky geek that Jobs is!

      I think iPods in 2007 are finally going to start losing steam, everyone who wants one has one, and they're very close to commoditisation. MS rarely succeeds at their first product launch (re: Zune), but launches 2 and 3 potentially will see a strong product. Samsung and Creative Labs finally have some products close to iPod, the danger with the iPod brand is that if there's a backlash (e.g. 'that's sooo 2005!') it will happen fast and Apple won't be able to react.

      --
      John Maynard Keynes: "When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do?"
  8. #1 by Konster · · Score: 2, Funny

    #1 Steve Jobs will move in next to Jeffrey Skilling.

    1. Re:#1 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Interesting
      #1 Steve Jobs will move in next to Jeffrey Skilling.


      Jobs didn't do anything on the level of Skilling.

      What is more likely is that Steve Jobs will be forced to leave Apple.

      What then? If these issues fester or get worse, Steve could go. Apple gives the appearance that the company's products are overseen by Jobs in minute detail. He's also their best salesman. I remember the non-Jobs years, and frankly I am a bit concerned about what will happen to the company as a whole.
    2. Re:#1 by coolgeek · · Score: 1

      Yeah, definitely all of those guys he let put on their own dog-and-pony show at the WWDC Keynote this year have a very long way to go to come close to Jobs' presentation level. Especially that guy that demoed Time Machine, boy, you could tell he really wants to be the next front man for Apple, and boy did he ever fall flat on his face. The only thing that made his presentation interesting was the technology itself, but even then, I was like "Didn't IBM have this sort of stuff on the 360 years and years ago?". Okay, they didn't have the spiffy timewarp graphic thingy, but you could definitely get back every revision of a file that you had space to store.

      --

      cat /dev/null >sig
  9. a couple things I predict by ILuvRamen · · Score: 4, Funny

    I think these are the most likely to happen:
    Finalcut Pro will come out with a Windows version and Apple will lose a ton of the market share until...
    Apple makes themselves compatible with AMD processors too and increases their market share until...
    China demands repayment for all the invested/borrowed money we owe them and we try to pay it off by sueing thousands of Chinese companies for making inadaquite, bad quality products and they start world war 3 over it and we all nuke each other and have to live in caves and the Apple market share dips a little until they put in solar panels outside the caves for power so ppl can run their Macs again :P
    I'll give 10:1 if that doesn't all happen! Any takers?

    --
    Google's Super Secret Search Algorithm: SELECT @search_results FROM internet WHERE @search_results = 'good'
    1. Re:a couple things I predict by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why the fuck would Final Cut be released for PC when its OWNED BY APPLE?
      My prediction is that 2007 will be the year that consumers become aware of DRM and people will attempt to move away from Windows Vista's draconian DRM. Apple may or may not capitalise on this.

    2. Re:a couple things I predict by Ash-Fox · · Score: 1
      Why the fuck would Final Cut be released for PC when its OWNED BY APPLE?
      Using your logic and language:

      Why the fuck would QuickTime be released for PC when its OWNED BY APPLE?
      Why the fuck would iTunes be released for PC when its OWNED BY APPLE?
      Why the fuck would Microsoft Office be released for MAC when its OWNED BY MICROSOFT?
      Why the fuck would Microsoft Messenger be released for MAC when its OWNED BY MICROSOFT?
      --
      Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
    3. Re:a couple things I predict by stewbacca · · Score: 1

      Worst post ever. Full stop.

  10. Windows Use Increasing Among Mac Users by Bones3D_mac · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I do strongly feel this may well describe the future state of the Macintosh in general. Look at sites like Mac Gamer, and you'll see a steady decline in the updates to these sites since the Intel Macs went mainstream. It almost seems like the Mac game developers/porters have thrown in the towel and have acknowledged that the majority of their previous customer base would rather install Windows on their shiny new Macs, rather than wait the usual six months for them to produce a native Mac OS X port.

    If gaming on the Mac has eroded to this lowly state, it can't be long until other markets are affected too. Developers of several popular multimedia/graphics/productivity tools that have maintained multiple code bases over the years may finally decide to kill off their Mac versions to cut costs, once armed with the knowledge that the average Mac user can simply be coerced into buying a copy of Windows and installing it via a Bootcamp-like utility. Before long, Apple may well have to break down and start to officially sell Macs with Windows pre-installed to remain competative in the PC market.

    Eventually, being a "Mac user" could mean little more than "someone who uses the Mac OS for file management, internet activity and itunes, and uses Windows for everything else". Granted the integration may be tighter between the two OSes, but it'll still end up with Mac users paying royalties to Microsoft in the end... either for Windows, or the necessary APIs needed to ensure complete compatibility.

    In a few years, Apple will be as generic a name brand as IBM, Dell or HP.

    --


    8==8 Bones 8==8
    1. Re:Windows Use Increasing Among Mac Users by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Before long, Apple may well have to break down and start to officially sell Macs with Windows pre-installed to remain competative in the PC market.
      ...
      In a few years, Apple will be as generic a name brand as IBM, Dell or HP.

      This post should be probable cause to search for drugs at your address.

    2. Re:Windows Use Increasing Among Mac Users by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Developers that do this in a world with growing mac market share are in for a world of hurt when they seen inversely proportional movement of customers to competing products written in native code.

    3. Re:Windows Use Increasing Among Mac Users by Bones3D_mac · · Score: 1

      You do realize by my username that I myself am an avid Mac fan, right?

      I'm not suggesting in the least that I personally *want* the Mac to end up as little more than just another Windows-running clone, but I'm not foolish enough to ignore the trends I'm seeing throughout the community. Apple wants to push the PowerPC line into an early grave. Once they have achieved that goal, all reason to support both OS platforms needlessly will die with it. They're all running identical hardware, regardless of the brand name sticker on the casing, so why not push your customers into using the same OS used by the majority to cut development costs? All it'd take is enough developers to do it for the userbase to simply accepted it as the norm. Most users are just too lazy to take the steps needed to prevent such activity. (aside from pointless online petitions.)

      It's the same methodology used by the **AA cartels and their major partners to control what Apple can or can't charge the end user for a song/tv show/movie, yet we happily bend over and take it for the convenience of instant gratification. Until we become more willing to show some patience for the latest and greatest must-have items, this is just how things will be. (Not unlike the near riots over the PS3 a few weks ago.)

      Remember, Apple is a hardware manufacturer first and software developer second. If it takes selling Windows pre-installed to move Macs out the door... they will do it.

      --


      8==8 Bones 8==8
    4. Re:Windows Use Increasing Among Mac Users by WiseWeasel · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Give it up, PPC is dead. Don't expect new software releases from any major developers (including Apple) within a year or two. That doesn't mean the Mac platform is in trouble, though. Sure, the games market is a tough sell because it's a social activity, and kids will do whatever it takes, including booting into Windows, to play the games their friends are playing. Waiting for a Mac port is not an option. Mac game distributors are going to have to do simultaneous launches or give up the serious (non-casual) gamer market. For professional and productivity apps, however, any non-native solutions wouldn't stand a chance against native solutions; and with market share rapidly expanding in a very attractive demographic of home users and creative pros, developers catering to those markets would be foolish to give it up like that.

      --
      "I like systems, their application excepted", George Sand (French)
    5. Re:Windows Use Increasing Among Mac Users by cuzco · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I don't see this happening at all. I bought a MacBook Pro about 6 months ago specifically so I could run Windows for Web 2.0 compatibility testing and, except for the initial cool factor of running Windows on a Mac, I really have no use for Windows. It has literally nothing I actually *need* I haven't fired up Parallels in over 2 months as there's just nothing at all compelling requiring me to use Windows.

      As for gaming, who cares? After people turn 30 or so, the appeal drops dramatically. Sure, the occasional "first person shooter" is fun once in awhile, but I don't know anyone over 30 who actually games on a regular basis and certainly no one in that age group who actually factors in gaming when buying a computer.

      Hard core 30+ year old gamers are like 30+ year old pot heads. They definitely exist, but they aren't the mainstream

      If there is any danger to Apple, in the OS arena, I think it comes from Web 2.0. not Linux or Windows. All major OSes need to rethink their relevance in a Web 2.0 world.

      Web 2.0 isn't there yet in terms of allowing greater use of system resources, programming language etc, but that is where the future lies. If Apple can get ahead in this area, for example providing free libraries developers (on any OS) can use to do powerful data, image and animation processing through a browser, (opening up Core Data, Core Image, Core Animation as Web standards) they could really have a shot at creating the first compelling and powerful Web OS.

      I don't see OS X losing to either Windows or Linux, I see all three losing to Web 2.0 (or Web 3.0)

    6. Re:Windows Use Increasing Among Mac Users by mk2ja · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "Windows Use Increasing Among Mac Users"

      One explanation is that more and more people who used to be exclusively Windows users are now buying Macs in order to get the best of both worlds. Thus, the number of "Mac users who use Windows" increased. Seem valid to you kind /. folks?

    7. Re:Windows Use Increasing Among Mac Users by initialE · · Score: 1

      I'd settle for crossover support rather than supporting the game on OSX natively. Less code to manage too.

      --
      Starbucks, Harbuckle of Breath.
    8. Re:Windows Use Increasing Among Mac Users by LKM · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Will the Mac game market suffer? Sure. The reason is simply: it's always been a really small market. People never bought Macs for gaming, but some Mac users wanted games. Porting games to Macs is a huge undertaking, so only few games got ported, and they always arrived late. Mac users only bought Mac games because they had no other choice (apart from a few truly great Mac games).

      Obviously, being able to run Windows games on the Mac (and not having to wait for a crappy port a year later, if one is even planned) is a huge advantage.

      All of that does not apply to the rest of the Mac software market. The Mac software market is not small, it doesn't have "ports," there are lots of great Mac-only apps, cross-platform apps are generally developed for both platforms at the same time (and often have unique Mac-only features), and so on. The Mac game market may be pretty much dead. The Mac app market remains unscathed.

      Mac users bought Mac games because it was the only choice. They bought Mac apps because they wanted to.

      Now that there's another choice, they won't buy Mac games anymore, but they'll still buy Mac apps.

    9. Re:Windows Use Increasing Among Mac Users by Jeppe+Salvesen · · Score: 1

      I think Mac for computing and a console for gaming is a good solution for any gaming needs.

      Plus a few deep strategy games for the Mac - since I've yet to see something like Civilization IV well executed for a console.

      Anyhow, I share your worry that the developers will ditch their Mac branch if you can run any windows application on your Mac without a performance penalty and without paying for a windows license.

      I also worry that running windows applications on your Mac will make your system more confusing to use - reducing one of the USPs that attract the home market to Macs.

      Anyways, over past few years, it's become pretty obvious that Apple is aiming a lot of attention towards those people who want to listen to music, arrange their photographs, edit their home movies, watch movies, email and surf the web. You know - most computer users.

      Only catering for creative professionals is not enough for a company of Apples size and vision.

      --

      Stop the brainwash

    10. Re:Windows Use Increasing Among Mac Users by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Given the fact that Windows PCs have many more applications available than the Mac, it's more likely that formerly "pure" Mac users are taking advantage of the ability to run Windows apps.

    11. Re:Windows Use Increasing Among Mac Users by Ash-Fox · · Score: 1
      Developers that do this in a world with growing mac market share are in for a world of hurt when they seen inversely proportional movement of customers to competing products written in native code.
      Let me know when there is a competing Half Life 2 product on the Mac.
      --
      Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
    12. Re:Windows Use Increasing Among Mac Users by falconwolf · · Score: 1

      I'd settle for crossover support rather than supporting the game on OSX natively. Less code to manage too.

      I'd rather see Windows software natively running on Macs in OSX than in a vm running Windows or in Crossover Mac. Get rid of the extra overhead. I am switching from Windows to Macs specifically because I don't want to have to deal with Activation and WGA in Windows. Let me run Windows apps in Mac without a vm. Crossover Mac allows you to do this however not all Windows software is supported or works.

      Falcon
    13. Re:Windows Use Increasing Among Mac Users by arminw · · Score: 1

      .....Eventually, being a "Mac user" could mean little more than "someone who uses the Mac OS for file management, internet activity and itunes, and uses Windows for everything else........

      Eventually Windows users, including those of the new supposedly "secure" VISTA, will tire of getting their computers hosed by mal/spyware and switch to the Mac OS. Apple may at some point license OSX to a few selected hardware makers. The huge installed base of hardware for Windows is in danger of becoming useless, since the vast majority of existing systems will not run VISTA. Also much existing Windows software fails to run under VISTA even on brand new computers. Many buyers of new computers with VISTA installed are going to be severely pissed when they find out their favorite programs, they have used for years won't install or run on their shiny new boxes. Once many people find out that they have to buy a new computer and all their software again anyway, many will seriously consider and buy a Mac.

      In order to maintain even a semblance of compatibility with the vast store of existing Windows programs, MS had to make some very limiting compromises in their new OS. Most users, in order to be able to use their existing favorite programs will turn off many of the nice new security features of VISTA. If they cannot do it themselves, they will take their non-functional box back to the store and the store geek will do it for them. If enough people want this, the stores will turn off the security before the customers even get the computer out the door. The end result will be that VISTA will be plagued by malware problems again. Windows VISTA is still Windows and therefore is basically a single user system with multi-user functionality bolted on afterwards. For that reason alone, it can never be as secure as the Mac OSX, which was built upon a true multi-user system and its better basic security from the beginning.

      --
      All theory is gray
    14. Re:Windows Use Increasing Among Mac Users by arminw · · Score: 1

      .....Remember, Apple is a hardware manufacturer first and software developer second........

      Yes and they are the ONLY such manufacturer that makes a whole computer, software and hardware. Everybody else only makes half of one. There will always be many people who appreciate this integration that Apple provides. Apple will never just become another run of the mill computer maker who will give up their unique advantage. Why is it that Apple's sales figures are always pitted against the entire rest of the computer market, rather than say against each of the other makers. In such a more fair comparison, Apple is right behind Dell in sales, especially to consumers and laptops. In iPods and Mac, Apple provides an end to end solution including both hardware and software. MS is, as always, copying Apple's innovations, including Apple's business model with their XBOX and ZUNE. Other than games, there is no dearth of Mac software for consumers.

      --
      All theory is gray
    15. Re:Windows Use Increasing Among Mac Users by seebs · · Score: 1

      PPC is dead except for Xbox 360, Wii, and PS3.

      And supercomputers.

      And... come to think of it, I'm not so sure it's dead.

      --
      My blog: http://www.seebs.net/log/ --- My iPhone/iPad app: http://www.seebs.net/seebsfrac/
    16. Re:Windows Use Increasing Among Mac Users by WiseWeasel · · Score: 1

      I was just referring to Mac PPC software... The architecture itself is used in a huge variety of other platforms that aren't going anywhere. As far as Mac software is concerned, however, PPC's days are numbered.

      --
      "I like systems, their application excepted", George Sand (French)
  11. Only 1 needs be productive. by SubliminalVortex · · Score: 1

    I tend to think that Apple would come out on top if it knew how to combine technology with students and classrooms and teachers. Just as Sony has their new e-book reader, perhaps a wireless device used by teacher and students alike, just as useful, would allow for that student to 'shoot' that note over to the person at the other seat who they find attractive.

    No more having to get your friends to deliver notes by hand, no more being turned down in public.

    ...and if the response is a 'yes', woo hoo! I'm going to the dance!

    1. Re:Only 1 needs be productive. by bytta · · Score: 1

      would allow for that student to 'shoot' that note over to the person at the other seat who they find attractive.

      Do we really want squirting in the classroom?
      And doesn't Ballmer have exclusive rights to that?

    2. Re:Only 1 needs be productive. by bob122989 · · Score: 1

      Unless i'm mistaken, i believe they called that the Newton. Big hit ;)

  12. Harder and harder by Swimport · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Its getting harder and harder to innovate in consumer electronics, and to have your product noticed. I have trouble thinking of Apple coming up with something as ubiquitous as the ipod in the near future.

  13. Here are mine... by xTown · · Score: 0, Redundant

    1. Apple will buy Nintendo.
    2. Apple will release a version of Mac OS X that will work on any PC.
    3. Apple will introduce a new Newton.
    4. Apple will introduce its own cell phone.
    5. iTunes will become able to function in much the same way a traditional record label does. :)

    1. Re:Here are mine... by jmauro · · Score: 1

      Isn't that half of the list of this story? Please come up with something more original than old, old rumors.

    2. Re:Here are mine... by sRev · · Score: 1

      Pretty sure it was a joke...

    3. Re:Here are mine... by Taleron · · Score: 1

      3. Apple will introduce a new Newton.

      But the current Apple Newtons are still quite delicious!

    4. Re:Here are mine... by xTown · · Score: 1

      I guess I should have made it more obvious. :/

    5. Re:Here are mine... by eboot · · Score: 0, Redundant

      WiiTV!!!!

      --
      Two tears in a bucket. Motherfuck it.
    6. Re:Here are mine... by sRev · · Score: 1

      No, it was obvious. :)

  14. Parallels.... vs OSX native... by HockeyPuck · · Score: 1
    OSX and Windows, working together at last - I expect to see Parallels fully integrated into Leopard by the time the OS is released, giving us the first OS in history (to my knowledge anyway) that will allow us to seamlessly run our Windows, Mac, and even Linux programs from the same desktop.


    As a former longtime OS/2 user, I would always have preferred to run a native OS2 app than a windows app under os2. I realize parallels runs windows, however, by integrating in parallels developers could now decided to write ONE version of their software (windows) and be done with it. Sure in this case your running a full windows environment, however, I'd much rather run a OSX application than a windows or a linux (ala OpenOffice under X).

    1. Re:Parallels.... vs OSX native... by theurge14 · · Score: 1

      OS/2 didn't die because of Win-OS/2. OS/2 died because nobody outside of a few of us knew what it was. Even people in IBM didn't even know what it was.

    2. Re:Parallels.... vs OSX native... by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I predict that the market will clone the Windows API, and it will stablize, much like Unix has.

      Apple will implement the API and tie it with all the goodness of Mac OS X and none of the badness of Windows.

      Linux will implement the API and tie it with all the goodness of ... well Linux, and none of the badness of Windows.

      The term "Windows Compatable" will become much like "IBM Compatable" was in 1980s. Software will no longer be written for Microsoft Windows, but rather the new Windows API.

      Microsoft will abandon Vista fairly quickly after nobody wants it. Mac and linux takes off.

      --
      Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
    3. Re:Parallels.... vs OSX native... by coolgeek · · Score: 3, Insightful

      however, by integrating in parallels developers could now decided to write ONE version of their software (windows) and be done with it

      Which is precisely why there will always be obstacles to running Windows under OS X. I don't see Apple providing a Wine port, nor virtualization in Leopard. Can't have dedicated Mac Developers abandon coding under Cocoa and Carbon and let OS X die on the vine. The farthest Apple will go is to maybe provide a little "special" help to Parallels in the form of providing access to OS X engineers, but that's about it. They want -no- they NEED it to be inconvenient to run Windows on a Mac. An $80 charge before you can pirate windows onto your box is a pretty good level of inconvenience. $80 + a retail Windows license...even more convenient.

      Oh wait, didn't we just have a bazillion threads about the Vista EULA forbidding users to run it under a VM. Why is that? Seriously, the answer is because it significantly simplifies any efforts to bypass the DRM technology in Vista. Just like Napster, Apple would find themselves behind contributory copyright infringement suits as soon as they provide virtualization tech and it is used to bypass DRM on HD or BluRay DVDs. So, this is reason #2 why Apple won't be selling bundled virtualization. "But that wouldn't make any sense to file a suit like that" you might say, to which I would have to reply "When has the MPAA ever been logical about filing lawsuits?".

      --

      cat /dev/null >sig
    4. Re:Parallels.... vs OSX native... by Canordis · · Score: 1
      Apple will implement the API and tie it with all the goodness of Mac OS X and none of the badness of Windows. Linux will implement the API and tie it with all the goodness of ... well Linux, and none of the badness of Windows.

      Except, the Windows API is A) Not open, and B) Responsible for a lot of Windows' badness.

      --
      I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: "O Lord, make my enemies ridiculous." And God granted it.
    5. Re:Parallels.... vs OSX native... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In fact, I cannot remember where, but I'm sure I read something like: "we're not getting into the virtualization market right now" from Apple itself... I think VMWare Fusion is gonna be much closer to the "one box - all the OS's" vision than Parallels approach. I also find the point about software companies dropping their Mac OS version of their apps interesting...humm... and scary. Yeah, I guess that's a risk Mr Jobs will have to assume anyway... but don't you guys think Apple already took that possibility into account when moving to intel-based architecture? (I mean seeing the potential effects of the virtualization software in the Mac platform) cheers!

    6. Re:Parallels.... vs OSX native... by AaronLawrence · · Score: 1

      Probably true. The Win-OS/2 thing was just an excuse for everyone (who felt uncomfortable about working on OS/2 software anyway, given IBM's hopelessness) to avoid something they didn't really want to do.

      Still there were lots of mistakes, it probably did contribute to the overall situation.

      --
      For every expert, there is an equal and opposite expert. - Arthur C. Clarke
    7. Re:Parallels.... vs OSX native... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So was the x86 architecture...

    8. Re:Parallels.... vs OSX native... by toddestan · · Score: 1

      And...

      C) One of the most common Windows application, MS Office is controlled by Microsoft, so Microsoft can change the Windows API, change Office to work with it, and attempt totally screw over everyone who isn't running Office on Windows. Ditto for things like DirectX.

    9. Re:Parallels.... vs OSX native... by CmdrPorno · · Score: 1

      You used "Windows" and a form of the adjective "stable" in the same sentence, with no modifiers...

      Cloning/reverse-engineering Windows will be a tough task--you would need an awfully large team to get through the ten godzillion lines of code.

      --
      Sent from my iPhone
  15. By the numbers... by Rod+Beauvex · · Score: 1

    Are they purpously looking around for a bunch of numbers articles?

  16. Where is the market for a full screen video iPod? by dircha · · Score: 3, Interesting

    From the article:
    "After years of speculation, the full screen video iPod will make it's debut just in time for the 07 holiday season sales push."

    Can someone please explain to me what the market is for portable video players with builtin viewing screens, in general?

    I see these at electronics stores and their appeal is completely lost on me.

    When might I use such a device? Well, I suppose when I am somewhere without access to a computer or television, want to watch a video, and can devote my full attention to a little ~2.5" screen (so not when I'm driving). For me, that is never.

    As far as I can tell the primary markets for these are:
    1) People who spend a large amount of time on public or air transportation, but don't carry a laptop.
    2) Young children of parents who are rich enough to buy them personal video viewing devices but don't already have viewing screens built into their SUVs.

    Anyone? I can't even think if a reason to buy the existing video iPod, muchless a full screen model.

    Video is overrated. BBC radio news, for example, is more informative than any broadcast or cable television news outlet in the U.S. Add in the daily hour long DemocracyNOW broadcast (or podcast) and you have more real, compelling news than you will find in a week of 24x7 Fox News. And you can listen those while you commute or work. Video monopolizes your brain. Not only that, but even old pre-1950 radio dramas are at least comparable in quality to the majority of sitcoms, dramas. and comedies on television today: i.e. they are crap.

    Kill your television. Don't bring it with you in a little box.

  17. 5 little things, with joeberdomous by Joebert · · Score: 1

    1) Someone at Apple will check themselves into rehab for a cocaine addiction.
    2) Someone at Apple will comment on what Martha Stuart did with the prison during her time there.
    3) Someone at Apple will come forward & admit that the majority of their iTunes traffic is pirates trying to crack passwords.
    4) Someone at Apple will confess to the world they are gay & announce their love for Ellen Degeneres.
    5) Someone at Apple will write a book about their life as an Apple employee that will get close to making the best sellers list.


    All in all, a pretty average year for a Superstar Mega Company.

    --
    Wanna fight ? Bend over, stick your head up your ass, and fight for air.
  18. Re:Well, I know one thing by Chandon+Seldon · · Score: 1

    How does he feel about the PS3 by the way?

    I was just talking to him about that. He's decided that one isn't enough - he needs at least two more. He's going to make Linux on PS3 his primary development platform.

    --
    -- The act of censorship is always worse than whatever is being censored. Always.
  19. 5 things Apple should do in 2007 by u19925 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    1. Acquire satellite radio: This would allow apple to sell iTunes over wireless without a computer. Also, satellite radio use digital transmission. iPod can either do built-in transmitter or make it as an accessory. This would allow user to play their iPod on car radio (satellite radio) without wire and without loss of signal quality. I can think of tons of other benefits of Apple-satellite radio merger, but not enough space here. This will also allow wireless song sharing like Zune.

    2. Acquire TiVO or offer similar service. Allow TiVO to download iTunes song and synch with iPod. Agains this will allow people to buy iTunes over broadband without using computer. Also, people can play their iTune songs on home stereo via DVR easily. This would fit in ther iTV or MacMini strategy quite well.

    3. iPod remote: Make an iPod remote which looks like iPod nano. It can be synched with real iPod using a computer. Now user can truly do full control of their iPod using this remote control. My biggest problem of current generation of remotes is that I can't select a song, photo, video. I can only do play and then skip it if I don't like it. With a wheel and display, I can exactly select the song and then play. Such a remote should not cost more than 50/60 dollars.

    4. External memory/battery module for iPod nano: Make an external memory/battery module for iPod which will connect to docking connector. That way, I can expand my iPod nano. How about 8 GB module for $99? Or a 48 hour battery module.

    5. A camera module expansion.

    1. Re:5 things Apple should do in 2007 by Karlt1 · · Score: 1

      "1. Acquire satellite radio: This would allow apple to sell iTunes over wireless without a computer. Also, satellite radio use digital transmission. iPod can either do built-in transmitter or make it as an accessory. This would allow user to play their iPod on car radio (satellite radio) without wire and without loss of signal quality. I can think of tons of other benefits of Apple-satellite radio merger, but not enough space here. This will also allow wireless song sharing like Zune."

      Satellite radio has a high capital cost, high licensing costs, and still not profitable. It would make more sense for Apple to use cellular technology for wireless such as EVDO and Bluetooth for sharing files like Zune. My cell phone already does a better job at wireless transfers to other phones and to my computer using Bluetooth than Zune.

      "2. Acquire TiVO or offer similar service. Allow TiVO to download iTunes song and synch with iPod. Agains this will allow people to buy iTunes over broadband without using computer. Also, people can play their iTune songs on home stereo via DVR easily. This would fit in ther iTV or MacMini strategy quite well."

      Tivo is dead...It's been on the market for years and still has less than 5 million subscribers and declining especially since DirecTV is no longer using Tivo. There is hope with Comcast though. Besides, iTunes is not a money center for Apple. More likely is iTV/iTunes integration.

      "3. iPod remote: Make an iPod remote which looks like iPod nano. It can be synched with real iPod using a computer. Now user can truly do full control of their iPod using this remote control. My biggest problem of current generation of remotes is that I can't select a song, photo, video. I can only do play and then skip it if I don't like it. With a wheel and display, I can exactly select the song and then play. Such a remote should not cost more than 50/60 dollars."

      Already available. Not quite the size of the Nano. But what is there to sync on a remote?
      http://www.hammacher.com/publish/73001.asp?promo=Q Search&ls=CH#

      "4. External memory/battery module for iPod nano: Make an external memory/battery module for iPod which will connect to docking connector. That way, I can expand my iPod nano. How about 8 GB module for $99? Or a 48 hour battery module."

      The whole purpose of the Nano is the small size. If you want something larger with a larger capacity, the 30GB iPod is the same price as the 8GB Nano. As far as battery packs there are plenty of them out there....

      Rechargeable battery pack that adds 6 hours of video or 10 hours of audio:
      http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process ?Product_Id=282059

      Battery pack that uses standard 9V batteries. $29.00 (not a referral link)
      http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007NZQ2W/ref=dp _cp_ob_title_1/002-0578485-3817628

      "5. A camera module expansion."

      Do you mean something that allows you to transfer photos from your camera to your ipod? Apple sells the iPod Camera connector.

  20. Only thing I can predict about Apple... by istartedi · · Score: 1

    ...is that I will continue to not care about it. The whole "compete by selling different kinds of hardware" model reminds me of the 8-bit days. It was bad enough when you had to port to multiple 8-bit machines. The only thing that's worse is game consoles. You have to pick which one you want to port to, *and* you have to be a company that's big enough to pay an arm and a leg to the console company for the privelege of developing on their machine. Oh please, mr. console maker, oh please let me write software for you. I'll kiss your boots. Oh, please, pretty please.

    If Apple released OS-X for commodity PC hardware and competed againts MS, then I'd start caring. Or, if they allowed Mac clones, I'd start caring. Othwerwise, they can tank and I won't shed a tear. I just don't get how everyone can hate MS so much, and look the other way at Apple's proprietary hardware and DRM.

    --
    For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
    1. Re:Only thing I can predict about Apple... by mblase · · Score: 2, Interesting

      If Apple released OS-X for commodity PC hardware and competed againts MS, then I'd start caring. Or, if they allowed Mac clones, I'd start caring. Othwerwise, they can tank and I won't shed a tear.

      The fact that they don't do either of those things is the reason Apple hasn't tanked yet. Say it with me: "Apple is a hardware company."

      I just don't get how everyone can hate MS so much, and look the other way at Apple's proprietary hardware and DRM.

      It's a matter of degrees, really. Apple's DRM is about ten times less restrictive than anyone else's, and their "proprietary hardware" is perfectly amenable to installing other OSes. What you meant is that they won't let their OS be installed on anyone else's hardware, which of course is a good thing for them since (1) it's the main reason people buy their hardware in the first place and (2) it makes OS X more stable and dependable because there's a much more limited range of hardware to adapt it to.

      This is old trollfood, of course. But it's late, and I'm bored.

    2. Re:Only thing I can predict about Apple... by istartedi · · Score: 1

      Say it with me: "Apple is a hardware company."

      Duh. So is Intel. That's OK though, because Intel works at the wholesale level. The statement is an incomplete truth: "Apple is a consumer hardware company". Having competing consumer hardware companies for say... CD players or radios is fine. They all play standard CDs and receive standard AM/FM signals (except for the new satellite radios, which are evil).

      Why is this distinction important? Because with PC hardware as an industry standard, which IBM did the inadvertant public service of allowing to escape its clutches, is what enables the FREEDOM to devlep an OS like Linux, which so many on Slashdot hold to be so bloody sacred. If the Apple business model were to prevail, if there were several incompatable PC hardware vendors vying for our attention, this has the potential to make the effort to develop something like Linux N times harder, where N is the number of hardware vendors.

      I don't care what you say. This is NOT a troll. It's an important point. Mark my words, 10 years from now we could be looking back on these times as the good old days, before the clones were effectively killed by competing hardware platforms and game consoles. The open specification for IBM hardware was a happy corporate mistake, just like the simple elegance of analog AM/FM, and you can just see the corporations trying to "fix" that "flaw" in these systems.

      Oh, and how is Apple's DRM 1/10th as bad? Isn't being "a little bit DRM'd" kind of like being "a little bit pregnant"?

      --
      For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
    3. Re:Only thing I can predict about Apple... by immovable_object · · Score: 1

      "Apple is a hardware company.. So is Intel"

      Umm, no. Intel is a chip company. They've tried hard to become a hardware company, but haven't succeeded, as yet. VERY few systems ship with true intel motherboards.

      "If the Apple business model were to prevail... this has the potential to make the development of Linux N times harder"

      I don't think you know much about Apple hardware. It has followed open standards for years. It's no worse than the current PC hardware out there today.

      Replace Apple with HP, and you'll find the issues remain the same. Some hardware is easily open-sourced, while others (notably broadcom wireless cards) are not.

      "And how is Apple's DRM 1/10th as bad?"

      It's reversible. I can burn a CD with DRM'd songs, and re-rip them as native. You can't do that with Vista or any other DRM out there.

      I don't like DRM, but Apple at least makes is palatable for the vast majority of people.

      "Mark my words.."

      I will. In 10 years, the computing industry will look similar to how it does today. It will take a disruptive technology to change the direction of the industry, and DRM and game consoles won't be it.

      When typical families run into MS Vista DRM lock-in, that will be the last time they'll buy that technology. The market will determine who will be the winners, and the winners will be the consumer.

      Stupid lock-in by corporations will continue to fail, as consumers won't buy locked products.

    4. Re:Only thing I can predict about Apple... by JFMulder · · Score: 1

      I don't see Apple as a software company, but I don't see them as an hardware company either. I mean, the Apple hardware (as far as Mac goes) has nothing from Apple in it. Apple differentiates itself by smart software. The fact that they provide the hardware to run their platform doesn't necessarily make them a hardware company.

      Is Microsoft's console division a hardware division because they sell the 360s? If anything, the 360 is the most software based product on the console market right now. The hardware is nothing to write home about (compared to the PS3's cell and blu-ray or Nintendo's motion detection), but it differentiates itself with smart software like the Dashboard, Marketplace and online multiplayer gaming through XBox Live. All this is can be achieved on any piece of hardware. They simply decided to provide their own for it.

      The way I see it, Apple is at most a 50% hardware / 50% software company.

    5. Re:Only thing I can predict about Apple... by Budenny · · Score: 1

      Think you've got the last two points wrong. First, the range of hardware has nothing to do with stability any more. It might have done 10 or 15 years ago. Though, when the argument about stability from a wide range of hardware was valid for Windows, it was also at a time when Apple was using OS9, and the balance of instability from W98 on was probably in favour of Windows. Windows crashed more from hardware problems, but less from OS problems, and the Mac OS stability problems were greater than the Windows hardware ones. Nowadays supporting lots of different hardware is not a stability issue at all.

      Second point wrong is its being good for Apple to make people buy the hardware. This completely illogical argument comes up all the time. If it is so great for the buyer and Mac user to have their hardware and OS from the same vendor, why would they, if given a choice, buy any other hardware than Apple's? So, why does the OS need to be locked to the hardware? Is it perhaps because the average Mac user, given the chance, would abandon the imaginary benefits of integration in a flash, in favor of being able to buy the hardware he really wants and needs?

      Finally, we have the usual mantra of "repeat after me - Apple is a hardware company". Why do Mac people keep on chanting this in this crazed cult like way? The issue is not, what Apple's current business strategy is. We all know what it is. The issue is, what it should be. And the issue is not, what is good for Apple. The issue is, what is good for us. Of which, amazingly enough, we and not Cupertino are the best judges.

    6. Re:Only thing I can predict about Apple... by Budenny · · Score: 1

      Its also only half a computer company. So if you like, its 25% a computer hardware company now. 25% OS. And 50% iPod.

    7. Re:Only thing I can predict about Apple... by JFMulder · · Score: 1

      Oh please, mr. console maker, oh please let me write software for you. I'll kiss your boots. Oh, please, pretty please.

      Considering consoles takes billions to research, market and assemble I think it's fair that the console makers receive a cut on each copy of the games sold. If you don't have the money to support your own hardware business, I think it's ok if the hardware vendor asks for a cut.

      Or think of it this way : if it weren't for 3rd parties, Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony wouldn't produce enough games to sustain their own hardware business. Even Nintendo! Nintendo can't make enough games to make them profitable all the time, they still partly rely on 3rd party licensing fees, tough they obviously rely less on them than a Sony or Microsoft because their first-party stuff is so popular. They have to make a buck somewhere. Hence licensing fees.

      I mean, if Nintendo didn't have 3rd parties, we would have had what, 5 games at the Wii launch? And if 3rd parties didn't have consoles to program for, gaming would not be as popular as it is today. Computers? Computers really squeeze the fun out of gaming for a lot of people because they are not as intuitive to use and simple to set up. So by making development simpler and providing tools and a platform, consoles makers have are right to expect royalties.

      And don't believe the hype about games costing more and more. People have been developping games for the PC for years and we've been playing them at 1600x1200 for a long time. Having 25% more real estate horizontally is not going to make the price sky-rocket. Especially since it should cost less to develop for a console since the hardware is fixed and you don't have to worry about incompatibilities.

      Gee... I kinda overshoot my rebutal. Oh well. :)

    8. Re:Only thing I can predict about Apple... by coolgeek · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Apple is an integration company. The product they sell is user experience.

      --

      cat /dev/null >sig
    9. Re:Only thing I can predict about Apple... by cuzco · · Score: 1

      "So, why does the OS need to be locked to the hardware? Is it perhaps because the average Mac user, given the chance, would abandon the imaginary benefits of integration in a flash, in favor of being able to buy the hardware he really wants and needs?"

      I think too many on slashdot, view as prissy, any preference for a nicely designed computer. I'm sure, given the time and energy, I could buy a bunch of top notch components, epoxy them to a piece of diamond plate steel, load some uber-geek version of Linux and have a computer that would wipe the floor with a Mac. But just as important to me as raw stats, is that it has a nice "look and feel" to it.

      Internally, Macs have many of the same components but the whole package is just a nice, dependable, easy to use computer that requires almost no maintainence. The only PC that even tempts me is the Acer Ferrari. Not because I'm a slave to status symbols or flashy logos (I'm not) but because it looks like quality. It's laid out well with great attention to detail, same as Macs.

      As for buying hardware users really want, I don't think Apple wants or needs to cover every conceivable base. They are trying to produce good computers that do what most users need done and to do it with a bit of style.

      The combination of OS X and a lineup of well desined computers is why Apple is still alive and kicking. OS X isn't a commodity OS and Apple computers aren't commodity computers. If they break the interdependency, they would become just another computer maker or just another OS maker. It's the software/hardware dependency that has allowed them to survive in an otherwise completely commoditized PC world. It's a business strategy that works well for them at this point in time.

    10. Re:Only thing I can predict about Apple... by Weedlekin · · Score: 1

      "The issue is not, what Apple's current business strategy is. We all know what it is. The issue is, what it should be."

      And you, with your record of running so many multi-billion dollar multinationals, are obviously well placed to give Apple advice.

      "And the issue is not, what is good for Apple."

      No, it is what's good for their shareholders, as is the case with all publicly traded companies.

      "The issue is, what is good for us."

      If you are a shareholder, the issue is what's good for your investment in terms of maximising its value, but that's all they are obliged to do.

      "amazingly enough, we and not Cupertino are the best judges"

      Is this a royal "we", or a group "we", and if the latter, which group do you have the hubris to assume the role of spokesperson for? It can't be Slashdotters, because Slashdotters have a vast range of opinions on any topic, so who precisely is this "we" that warrants Apple scrapping what is currently a very profitable strategy to serve?

      --
      I'm not going to change your sheets again, Mr. Hastings.
    11. Re:Only thing I can predict about Apple... by KozmoStevnNaut · · Score: 1
      The only PC that even tempts me is the Acer Ferrari. Not because I'm a slave to status symbols or flashy logos (I'm not) but because it looks like quality. It's laid out well with great attention to detail, same as Macs.
      If you ever buy one, you're going to be sorely disappointed. They're just like any other Acer laptop; cheap, flimsy and prone to breaking. Except for the nice paint and the prancing pony, it's really nothing to get worked up over.

      The only x86 laptops apart from Macbooks that are properly put together and built to last are Thinkpads and Panasonic Toughbooks. And perhaps Fujitsu Lifebooks, a few of HP's professional models and some of Toshiba's higher-end models.

      Everything else is plagued with flimsy hinges, wobbly screens, lousy keyboards and connectors that come lose at the most inappropriate times.

      It may look like quality, but trust me, it isn't. For the same kind of money you'd spend on an Acer Ferrari, there are lots and lots of much better options.
      --
      Eat the rich.
    12. Re:Only thing I can predict about Apple... by ClosedSource · · Score: 1

      "Umm, no. Intel is a chip company. They've tried hard to become a hardware company, but haven't succeeded, as yet. VERY few systems ship with true intel motherboards."

      I guess what you mean is taht Intel wants to become a PC system company. Chip companies are hardware companies to a much larger degree than Apple, Dell etc.

      S"tupid lock-in by corporations will continue to fail, as consumers won't buy locked products."

      Perhaps you mean it will start to fail in the future. Last time I checked vendor lock-in was working pretty well for the iPod.

    13. Re:Only thing I can predict about Apple... by JFMulder · · Score: 1

      That's a very good way to put it. They simply integrate other technologies from other companies (Intel, ATI, NVidia, NeXT, etc) and package it and make it simple to use. Brilliant. I'd mod you up if I could. :)

    14. Re:Only thing I can predict about Apple... by Run4yourlives · · Score: 1

      Last time I checked vendor lock-in was working pretty well for the iPod.

      What lock in is that? All 30 GB of songs on my ipod are mp3's, about as free as free can be.

    15. Re:Only thing I can predict about Apple... by ClosedSource · · Score: 1

      Yes, if you don't buy anything from iTunes to play on your iPod, you won't fall victim to the lock-in. But the topic wasn't your personal way of using the iPod. Many people buy songs from iTunes and are thus locked-in to the iPod. So the general statement holds: Vendor lock-in is working pretty well for the iPod.

    16. Re:Only thing I can predict about Apple... by toddestan · · Score: 1

      It's a matter of degrees, really. Apple's DRM is about ten times less restrictive than anyone else's

      Where everyone else is.... Microsoft? Apple's DRM is pretty heavy handed compared to Linux and BSD.

    17. Re:Only thing I can predict about Apple... by falconwolf · · Score: 1

      Yes, if you don't buy anything from iTunes to play on your iPod, you won't fall victim to the lock-in. But the topic wasn't your personal way of using the iPod. Many people buy songs from iTunes and are thus locked-in to the iPod. So the general statement holds: Vendor lock-in is working pretty well for the iPod.

      There's not much lockin with iTunes. Music downloaded from the iTunes store can be burn in iTunes to CDs so there's no lockin there. There are only two way iTunes can be considered as "locked in", one is that it will not allow to burn a mix of the same songs in the same order onto more than 4 cds. And iTunes doesn't lock you into playing only songs downloaded from the store either, you can easily burn and import into iTunes any cd you want. Along with any other music you can get your computer to play, say with the tape deck or, better, a turntable you've got connected to your PC so you can use the PC to listen to the music. The only other way iTunes can be considered to have lockin is that it only allows a max of 4 different peaces of equipment to be authorized to play an iTunes downloaded song. However that can easily be overcome by burning the music to cd then reimporting it.

      Falcon
    18. Re:Only thing I can predict about Apple... by ClosedSource · · Score: 1

      Hey, that's great if you strap a CD player or laptop to your body when you go jogging. A lock-in, of course, applies to devices in the same class. Which devices that are direct competitors of the iPod can play iTunes downloads?

      The vast majority of itunes users download songs to play on their iPods, not their PC, not CD's. Those people are locked in to the iPod, but that doesn't stop them from buying one. So, I say once again: Vendor lock-in is working pretty well for the iPod and thus lock-in is not currently a big liability in the marketplace.

    19. Re:Only thing I can predict about Apple... by superversive · · Score: 1

      The vast majority of iTMS users download songs to play on their iPods; this is true.

      The vast majority of iPod owners do not download songs from iTMS at all, or if they do, very few. If you divide the number of iTMS song purchases by the number of iPods sold, you'll find that the average iPod would be well over 99% empty if there were no other content on it. I myself have exactly one iTMS song on my iPod. I downloaded it as a free promo track on a 'New Music Tuesday'. It stunk. I've yet to spend my first 99 cents on iTMS. By way of comparison, I have 4,155 songs that I either downloaded in MP3 format with no DRM, or ripped myself from CD.

      So . . . what vendor lock-in?

    20. Re:Only thing I can predict about Apple... by ClosedSource · · Score: 1

      Well, somebody is certainly downloading a lot of music from iTunes and I don't find it credible that most of it is for making CDs. Perhaps you don't realize that iPod customers aren't exclusively geeks or even young people, there are plenty of older customers who are used to paying for their music as well.

      I never said the lock-in was 100%, but there is lock-in and there's no evidence that it's hurting the sales of iPods. In fact, it's probably increasing sales since there is nothing as extensive as iTunes available for the iPod's competitors. If you think about it, it makes perfect sense: there's no logical reason why Apple would make iTunes downloads incompatible with competing devices unless they wanted to prop-up sales of the iPod. No doubt the margin for the iPod is signicantly greater than that of iTunes downloads.

  21. "OSX and Windows, working together at last"? No. by dircha · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Frm the article:
    "I expect to see Parallels fully integrated into Leopard by the time the OS is released, giving us the first OS in history (to my knowledge anyway) that will allow us to seamlessly run our Windows, Mac, and even Linux programs from the same desktop."

    This would be a user experience and customer support nightmare for Apple.

    Not to mention it would be incredibly risky for Apple to acquire and bolt on a complex 3rd party application at this late stage in Leopard development.

    The author of this article is clueless. Which isn't surprising, considering it is essentially a blog post on a mac fan site. He's just regurgitating rumours from Mac community forums in order to get page hits.

    Nothing to see here. Move along.

  22. "Can someone please explain..." by tlambert · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Can someone please explain to me what the market is for portable video players with builtin viewing screens, in general?"

    Glad to... you can't see video on a portable video player without a viewing screen. Hence the desire for a viewing screen.

    Hope that helps you out, there.

    Cheers,
    -- Terry

    1. Re:"Can someone please explain..." by forkazoo · · Score: 1
      "Can someone please explain to me what the market is for portable video players with builtin viewing screens, in general?"

      Glad to... you can't see video on a portable video player without a viewing screen. Hence the desire for a viewing screen.

      Hope that helps you out, there.

      Cheers,
      -- Terry


      Actually, I wouldn't mind a portable video player that is designed to work with video glasses. You can now get cheap, decent video glasses for on the order of $200, which actually makes it fairly feasible.
  23. All I want by Jethro · · Score: 4, Interesting

    13.3" MacBook Pro. Please? Can I have a decent upgrade path for my 12" Powerbook that doesn't involve getting a much bigger laptop or crappy plastic keys? Please?

    --


    In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is kinky.
    1. Re:All I want by mrcdeckard · · Score: 3, Interesting

      you know, i'm surprised i'm not hearing more about this. i bought a portable computer to be just that -- portable. so apple nixed the 12" powerbook and forced the line to the 15" -- i am now holding onto my 12" PB with a deathgrip until apple (hopefully) gets a clue and comes out with a 12" MB pro.

      does anyone have a clue why they supersized their whole laptop line? the only two things i can think of are 1) their market research suggested that people want bigger or 2) they need the space to squeeze in the extra processing/gadgets.

      to 1) i suppose i understand. i guess. no. no i don't. i thought the trend was smaller and lighter...

      to 2) i can say, give me less processing and gadgets. the small size and weight of a laptop are the biggest selling points for me.

      also, what's with the glossy screens? after going through years of those shields to go over your monitor to cut glare, and other check-out lane solutions to the glare problem, the new trend is *GLOSSY* screens? OMGWTF?!?!?!

      anyway, to the parent: like, right-on, man.

      mr c

      --
      "Physics is like sex. Sure, it may give some practical results, but that's not why we do it." - R. Feynman
    2. Re:All I want by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Mod Parent up. That's all I want Apple to ship in '07.

    3. Re:All I want by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Forgot to mention: If you want a smaller form factor MacBook from Apple, email them about. Every vote counts:

      http://www.apple.com/feedback/macbook.html

    4. Re:All I want by Jethro · · Score: 1

      Done!

      --


      In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is kinky.
    5. Re:All I want by maztuhblastah · · Score: 1

      Me too... or rather I'm surprised I'm not having more of a problem with this.

      I switched from a 12" PowerBook to a MacBook, and I gotta say... I love it. I too thought the "crappy plastic keys" would bother me, but 1) I adapted to them after about 15 minutes of typing, 2) They're really comfortable, at least for me. and 3) The PowerBook's keys turned out to be plastic too (don't believe me? Pry one up and look at the underside.

      The glossy screen really isn't too bad, although I guess it can be annoying at times. For the most part though, I don't notice it unless I happen to have a very bright light shining directly at the screen from behind me. It certainly helps the movie experience, and colours look far less "washed out" than they did on the PowerBook. That, and the screen seems to be about 1000x brighter, which is a nice plus.

      Also, the MacBook is wider than a PowerBook/iBook, but it's a bit shorter. If you travel on airplanes, you'll find this to be A Good Thing (tm).

    6. Re:All I want by MrHatken · · Score: 1


      I'm hoping Apple will go even further and bring out an UltraNotebook!

      Black and made out of carbon fibre and without an optical drive.

      I'm hoping they will still have a hard disk drive because this would be my ultimate portable for casual browsing, email and productivity and yet still be a fast external firewire drive when I want to use a larger, faster desktop machine with my home and all other personal files accessed from the ultranotebook in Target Disk Mode.

      I currently do this with a 15" AlBook but it would be much sweeter with a smaller carbon fibre ultranotebook.

      Howver, I'm worried they will use Flash memory and include the optical drive instead.

      Cheers,
      Ashley.

    7. Re:All I want by cgenman · · Score: 1

      You can get a decent optical drive in an ultraportable. I'd recommend it... otherwise how do you re-install the OS?

      Otherwise, an ultraportable 11" widescreen powerbook would be great. Like Sony's TX line, but not constantly breaking.

    8. Re:All I want by MrHatken · · Score: 1

      Yes, thanks, I understand you can get optical drives in ultraportables, although I am not as sure about slot-loading optical drives and we all know what Steve prefers.

      My concern though is that they go for an optical drive and flash disk, rather than a hard disk drive and larger (but not large ;-) battery without an optical drive.

      I believe most people with an ultraportable would also have another Mac (with an optical drive). Installing using TDM is easy.

      Or even a usb2/firewire external optical drive.

      Cheers,
      Ashley.

    9. Re:All I want by CmdrPorno · · Score: 1

      You reinstall the OS using a USB/FireWire slimline external drive. There are bus-powered CD-RW drives available, but I think the DVD burners require more power than USB is designed to carry, so even if you have a slimline one, you have a second power cable to go along with it. Not slick enough for Apple. They could always use a proprietary connector, though.

      I had a Toshiba notebook with an external, bus-powered PCMCIA CD reader. It was smaller and lighter than my 12" PowerBook is. I would be first in line to buy a small, thin, lightweight Apple notebook with a decent keyboard and no internal optical drive.

      --
      Sent from my iPhone
  24. Re:Where is the market for a full screen video iPo by theurge14 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Anyone? I can't even think if a reason to buy the existing video iPod, muchless a full screen model.

    Since I own a video iPod (80GB woot), I can state my reasons:

    1) I have my entire photo collection with me at all times. No more pictures in my wallet.
    2) I watch lastnight's Daily Show before work every morning.
    3) Video podcasts.
    4) I can share music videos with others on a drinking night.

    And I haven't even mentioned my music until just now.

  25. Slashdot is so tired... by gordgekko · · Score: 1, Troll

    After weeks of near daily bashing of Microsoft, are we now to be treated with a week or two of glowing press (outside of that SEC story) about Apple?

    My prediction? Apple will release new models of computers and digital audio players. Slashdot will rave about the company's greatness. Apple's desktop market share will once again remain static.

    --
    You want to know who isn't running Firefox 2.x? They spell it "definately" and "rediculous".
  26. Parallels by saleenS281 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    I love the mac fanboi's who keep claiming things like parallels will allow you to "kiss windows goodbye". "Vista who?"... here's a thought, how the hell were you planning on running an app that requires vista without actually purchasing a copy of vista? Parallels STILL requires you to install vista, it just allows you to virtualize it. MS is still getting theirs unless you pirate it... I guess you can't expect fanboi's to use common sense.

    1. Re:Parallels by boer · · Score: 1

      You can of course continue to use your current copy of Windows XP and the software you currently have on that platform. And that solves the problem for the most switchers: What about the software I need now but does not exist on the Mac platform?

      Do not expect those switchers to jump on the Vista wagon anytime soon. And why should anyone really while Windows XP still has years left of it's supported product lifecycle left? It might very well be that the XP is the last Windows you will need.

      --
      (This sig intentionally left blank)
    2. Re:Parallels by mrchaotica · · Score: 1

      No kidding -- that's why I'm a much bigger fan of Crossover Mac and DarWINE.

      --

      "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

    3. Re:Parallels by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think you misunderstand. It's OS X that allows us to 'kiss windows goodbye'.

      Bye.

    4. Re:Parallels by saleenS281 · · Score: 1

      right, except I specifically said "new software that requires vista".

  27. My guess at the iPod by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Long term, there will be a steady stream of maybe 4 different iPods
    An iPod20xx[a,b,c,d]
    Basically, 4 different flavors of iPod every year. Each model having just enough extra power/memory/new feature to get repeat buyers but all will fall in the $100-400 range.

    You can buy your new iPod when you get the new Madden.

  28. Aqua port for Linux by Mogster · · Score: 1

    At least that's what I'd like to see

    --
    ACK NAK RST
    1. Re:Aqua port for Linux by mrchaotica · · Score: 1

      They have that already; it's called GNUStep.

      --

      "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

    2. Re:Aqua port for Linux by Mogster · · Score: 2, Informative

      I know GNUStep.. and it's not Aqua

      --
      ACK NAK RST
    3. Re:Aqua port for Linux by mrchaotica · · Score: 1

      Sigh... yeah, but we can dream, right?

      --

      "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

    4. Re:Aqua port for Linux by Mogster · · Score: 1

      Aye I right with you on that one :)

      --
      ACK NAK RST
  29. Wifi to plug the Zune Hole by EmbeddedJanitor · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Yes, I know that Zune's wifi isn't real, but "has wireless" is a checkbox that ipod cannot currently check.

    --
    Engineering is the art of compromise.
    1. Re:Wifi to plug the Zune Hole by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Apple will implement wireless right. Don't ask me how, I just know they don't just throw _____ (insert latest gadget here) into a product as a checkbox filler.

      --
      Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
    2. Re:Wifi to plug the Zune Hole by Macthorpe · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Are you kidding? That's all Apple have ever done!

      Can you give me anything about the iPod that's actually innovative, rather than "Same as competitor's product but looks sexier". They stole the menu system from Creative, evidenced by the $100 million license payout, and event their own patent for 'rotational user-interface' as been constantly rejected, suggesting prior art.

      And no, looking sexier is not an innovation.

      --
      "It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him." - Tolkien
    3. Re:Wifi to plug the Zune Hole by morcheeba · · Score: 1

      I hope and sense that they will. Besides all the things the Zune should have done (wireless streaming to others, wireless sync, and maybe wireless music store), I hope they offer streaming to AirTunes and iTV so that it can act like a super-remote.

    4. Re:Wifi to plug the Zune Hole by UnknowingFool · · Score: 1

      I think one of the reasons Apple hasn't implemented wifi is that wifi hasn't been ready. No implemented 802.11 standard has the bandwidth to match USB2 or Firewire. 802.11g is only 54mbps. 802.11n has only been ratified as a draft spec and not a full spec. Many companies that have made Wireless-N equipment, don't tell you that they may not be certified as compatible with each other. It won't be a true standard until April 2008. Wireless USB would have the necessary bandwidth but has only recently been implemented. When there are more wireless USB equipment, then Apple might use it as the standard.

      --
      Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
    5. Re:Wifi to plug the Zune Hole by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Lame.

    6. Re:Wifi to plug the Zune Hole by guywcole · · Score: 1, Interesting

      I disagreee, because apple has this trend of making USEFUL gadgets. What are we going to use wireless on an iPod for? You can imagine nifty little we browsers all you want, but the market wouldn't support it.

      Apple discovered this with the Firewire connection on iPods. It was great for a subset of iPod users who had macs and knew Firewire was better, but in the end it cost too much and didn't sell any additional iPods. Now, iPods don't ship with support for it.

      iPod wifi is a neat idea, but not a very practical one.

      (On the other hand, I have to admit that having that "check box" checked would make a lot of geeks buy new ones, regardless of usefulness.)

    7. Re:Wifi to plug the Zune Hole by hondo77 · · Score: 1

      "Toilet flushing" is a checkbox that the iPod cannot currently check but it isn't really something that people are clamoring for :-).

      --
      I live ze unknown. I love ze unknown. I am ze unknown.
    8. Re:Wifi to plug the Zune Hole by Ash-Fox · · Score: 1
      Well, the following event did mean the following:

      • iPods are Terrorism!
      • Blockbuster 'iPods on a plane'
      • iPods failing at "toilet flushing"
      --
      Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
    9. Re:Wifi to plug the Zune Hole by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You can still stream over 802.11b, and I suspect that the convenience of wireless updates of podcasts whenever WiFi is in range would outweigh the extra delay.

    10. Re:Wifi to plug the Zune Hole by cayenne8 · · Score: 1
      "Apple discovered this with the Firewire connection on iPods. It was great for a subset of iPod users who had macs and knew Firewire was better, but in the end it cost too much and didn't sell any additional iPods. Now, iPods don't ship with support for it."

      Hmm...and now I'm screwed...I only have an older iBook, with firewire, but, only USB 1....so, I can't sync AND have it recharge at the same time.

      Guess I'll have to get a wall socket to recharge it....

      :-(

      I'm not sure I understand the move...don't most PC's now have both usb and firewire?

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    11. Re:Wifi to plug the Zune Hole by guywcole · · Score: 1

      I don't know if I've ever seen a PC with Firewire. I know the hardware exists and works well, but most people don't have it. Those that do probably don't know and don't use it. It's sad but true.

    12. Re:Wifi to plug the Zune Hole by arminw · · Score: 1

      ....And no, looking sexier is not an innovation.....

      Nevertheless, sex sells. Apple makes good looking, friendlier gadgets that may have other functionally equivalent competitors. There are many people, especially outside of geekdom, that appreciate good looks and ease of use. If they do come out with a phone, it will be well designed and made, as well as being easy and fun to use. Likely it will be a great music player that also works as a phone, rather than the other way round such as is available already today from others.

      --
      All theory is gray
    13. Re:Wifi to plug the Zune Hole by Trumpet+of+Doom · · Score: 1

      I can't sync AND have it recharge at the same time.

      How so? I have a 1GHz G4 iMac with FireWire 400 and USB 1.1, and an iPod nano, which didn't come with a FireWire connector. It recharges and syncs over the USB connections. Sure, it's a little slow to sync, but I don't mind... my library rarely gets over 100 songs, most of which don't have to re-copy. It recharges, but I haven't taken the time to see how long it takes when hooked up to the computer. Disclaimer: I don't know whether it'll recharge over USB on a laptop.

    14. Re:Wifi to plug the Zune Hole by mjc_w · · Score: 1

      My last two Windows PCs have been Sony Vaios, and they both have Firewire. That's one of the reasons I got them. I can connect my digital camcorder and I prefer Firewire to USB 2.

      --
      This is the Constitution.This is the Constitution under the Bush administration. Any questions?
  30. not parallels by fermion · · Score: 1
    Boot Camp and Parallels are useful for a certain segment of mac users. Those that might have a site license for MS Windows and easy access to the media or other install material, or those that use MS Windows enough to justify the cost of paying for OS. This cost, which is already significant, is going to get even more significant due to the versions of Vista that we may legally install as a virtual machine.

    What I would much prefer, as a casual user who needs to run minor MS Windows application, is the VMware solution. Note that this is also the type of solution many MS windows users employ to access a *nix type system. I would much rather Apple license a solution from VMWare and have virtualization for those that need it.

    I really see this as a cost and performance issue. These was a time when one could buy a copy of MS Windows NT, but a copy of Connectix VPC, and have an inexpensive solution to an occasional problem. Now that Vista is going to a bloated and expensive hog, I don't see how anything but Boot Camp, for those few that really need it, or VMWare is going to be an effective solution.

    --
    "She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
  31. jail time by eagl · · Score: 1

    I'm predicting some jail time for a few Apple execs. Now that forged stock option paperwork linked to Jobs has appeared, it's just a matter of getting the legal thrash over with while they find out who goes to jail for being greedy bastards and who is merely unlucky enough to be within the frag pattern.

    1. Re:jail time by coolgeek · · Score: 1

      Having an option granted is a very different thing from exercising that option and profiting from it. Apple has disclosed an irregularity in granting an option to Steve Jobs, which he never exercised, and indeed gave back to Apple. Of course, they board did choose to compensate him similarly with new options, but there's nothing illegal about that.

      --

      cat /dev/null >sig
    2. Re:jail time by eagl · · Score: 1

      I'm not saying Jobs will go to jail, but as there appear to be many forged and fake options documents surfacing, *someone* is going to jail. That's my prediction...

  32. Carnac the Magnificent! by adaminnj · · Score: 0

    envelope please.

    Answer: Microsoft or Martha Stewart.

    Open the envelope please.

    Question: who's behind the fraudulent stock option paperwork charges at Apple.

    Can someone hand me the iPhone I need to call my Lawyer.

    --
    I'd Tell you all my secrets but I lie about my past
  33. Re:Where is the market for a full screen video iPo by value_added · · Score: 1

    Can someone please explain to me what the market is for portable video players with builtin viewing screens, in general?

    Sure.

    The market segment could be characterised as weird old old guys who live in their vans down by the river. Or put another way, the same folks bought those mini TVs 20 years ago.

    Funny thing about those TVs -- no one could really stand to watch them, but that didn't prevent any of their proud owners from showing them off to friends and strangers.

    Kill your television. Don't bring it with you in a little box.

    Even better, find a way to record those 5 hours of weekly programming actually worth watching, and enjoy them at your leisure.

  34. Prediction: OS X will be ported to x86 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    oh, wait...

  35. Re:"OSX and Windows, working together at last"? No by natd · · Score: 1
    Parent: "Not to mention it would be incredibly risky for Apple to acquire and bolt on a complex 3rd party application at this late stage in Leopard development"

    Who says they haven't been working on it for the last 6 months? That they changed references on their web site from 'bootcamp' to 'parallels' must at least raise suspicions that they saw it as something worth aligning themselves to.

    --
    Only big ligs use sigs.
  36. $3000 Laptop Transcodes In Less Than 15 Times by cannuck · · Score: 0

    Just tried out Apple's $3000 laptop at Apple Store. Surprise surprise it had a short video in FinalCut. So I trancoded it to H.264. And the speed? It clocked in at 1 to 2 frames per second.WOW

    I predict Apple's next $3000 laptop in 2007 will scream at 3 frames per second ;)

  37. Ah, predictions... by FuturePastNow · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I know nobody cares about my predictions, especially since they're about to end up at the bottom of the thread, but here are a few anyway:

    Eight Core Mac Pro- just so Apple can advertise the most powerful personal computer EVAR

    New Cinema Displays with built in iSight, IR sensor, HDCP. 23" becomes 24", firewire hub goes away. Maybe a smaller one

    New keyboard, with USB2.0 ports built into it (three years too late)

    .Mac will morph into some kind of social networking thing. Myspace for Mac users. It should, but won't, be free

    Windows versions of Safari and iChat A/V, which no one will use because they both kinda suck

    Apple needs a mid-tower computer between the mini and the Pro. The iMac doesn't cut it. Steve's cube fetish will resurface here

    A tablet Macbook would be great, as long as the voice and handwriting recognition work better than anything before

    --
    Give a man fire, and you warm him for the night. Set a man on fire, and you warm him for the rest of his life.
    1. Re:Ah, predictions... by Penguinisto · · Score: 1
      "Eight Core Mac Pro- just so Apple can advertise the most powerful personal computer EVAR"

      I think Tom's Hardware did just that awhile back with some Intel Woodcrest chips. (and damn - for a guy who does 3d artwork and hates long render times, that would be pure frickin' nirvana... if only half of the software I use supported SMP/hyperthreading...)

      "Apple needs a mid-tower computer between the mini and the Pro. The iMac doesn't cut it. Steve's cube fetish will resurface here"

      Damnit, sometimes I MISS my old Cube! No fans in it, hopped-up to a 1.2GHz G4, shoe-horning a Radeon vidcard in it... and still it trooped on. But you're right - the iMac ain't cutting it, and the Minis are too small (spec-wise as well as otherwise). I just had to bite the bullet and save my pennies for a dual G5, which is still plugging along quite nicely, two years after I bought it (I may bother with replacing it next year at this time... it's still that damned good performance-wise IMHO).

      /P

      --
      Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
    2. Re:Ah, predictions... by lmpeters · · Score: 1
      Eight Core Mac Pro- just so Apple can advertise the most powerful personal computer EVAR

      I'd be surprised if they don't offer it. It's such an obvious step up for a high-end computer.

      New Cinema Displays with built in iSight, IR sensor, HDCP. 23" becomes 24", firewire hub goes away. Maybe a smaller one

      Sounds fair. I would also expect it to come in more, larger sizes; with the much-anticipated iTV just around the corner, Apple would do well to offer a high-quality display that's large enough to use as a television.

      New keyboard, with USB2.0 ports built into it (three years too late)

      *drool* I have to say, if I didn't use a MacBook Pro (for which this is something of a moot point), I would REALLY like to be able to plug my USB flash drive into the keyboard and have it run at full speed.

      .Mac will morph into some kind of social networking thing. Myspace for Mac users. It should, but won't, be free

      No comment--I don't use MySpace, I still don't really understand why so many people are so attracted to it, and Apple would have to give me a significant amount of control over my .Mac account's social networking features before I'd trust it.

      Windows versions of Safari and iChat A/V, which no one will use because they both kinda suck

      iChat A/V: Maybe. It would certainly be nice to be able to videoconference with Windows users reliably.

      Safari: No way. There's no market incentive. The Windows version of iTunes was meant to drive iPod sales. Making a Windows version of Safari won't drive anything in Apple's favor.

      Apple needs a mid-tower computer between the mini and the Pro. The iMac doesn't cut it. Steve's cube fetish will resurface here

      Is there a fair-sized market for mid-tower Macs? I don't know, but I know that is the key, because Apple won't build it unless they believe there to be a large enough market for it.

      A tablet Macbook would be great, as long as the voice and handwriting recognition work better than anything before

      If the speech recognition on my MacBook Pro is any indication, Apple isn't even close to being able to pull this off. Furthermore, the market may be too small to attract their interest (as with the mid-tower).

      Based on what I've seen of tablet PC's, they have a long way to go before they're useful enough for a company like Apple to care about them. But maybe that's because companies like Apple haven't been working on them, thus perhaps a sort of chicken-and-egg paradox.

    3. Re:Ah, predictions... by FuturePastNow · · Score: 1
      Is there a fair-sized market for mid-tower Macs? I don't know, but I know that is the key, because Apple won't build it unless they believe there to be a large enough market for it.

      I think there's a market for it, based on the number of people on the internet clamoring for one (not exactly a scientific poll, I realize). Regardless, there has to be a bigger market for it than for the Mac Pro (since a $2500 computer isn't even an option for most people). The chief argument I hear against this machine is that it would cannibalize iMac sales, but profit is profit no matter what. Other companies have dozens of products that overlap in capability.

      If the speech recognition on my MacBook Pro is any indication, Apple isn't even close to being able to pull this off. Furthermore, the market may be too small to attract their interest (as with the mid-tower).

      Based on what I've seen of tablet PC's, they have a long way to go before they're useful enough for a company like Apple to care about them.

      I've never used speech recognition on a Mac, so I can't comment on that. Supposedly Apple's Inkwell handwriting-recognition is good, though I've never used it, either.

      Regardless, I have used a Tablet PC before, for work. While I'm sure it isn't for everyone, once I got used to it, I really loved it. Walking around with a computer cradled in your arm, writing on it like a notepad, is really cool. It isn't quite there yet, but I think Apple could do a tablet right if they tried.
      --
      Give a man fire, and you warm him for the night. Set a man on fire, and you warm him for the rest of his life.
  38. Re:Where is the market for a full screen video iPo by coolgeek · · Score: 1

    HEY! I own one of those "mini TVs". Well, not exactly, it's a 5" LCD, but still, I don't live down by the river. I live in a house, and I even take a bath every Saturday Night whether I need one or not.

    --

    cat /dev/null >sig
  39. You're both right by LKM · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I just know they don't just throw _____ (insert latest gadget here) into a product as a checkbox filler. Are you kidding? That's all Apple have ever done!

    Heh, that's funny. There are lots of things to criticise about Apple, but they absolutely don't "just throw [latest gadget] into a product as a checkbox filler." One of the main criticism of iPods is that "they don't contain feature X found in many other mp3 players." Compared to players from Creative or even to the Zune, the iPod is underfeatured. That's because unless the feature makes some kind of sense and can be integrated into the "iPod experience" in a moderately non-confusing way, Apple won't do it.

    Can you give me anything about the iPod that's actually innovative, rather than "Same as competitor's product but looks sexier".

    Uhm... That's an entirely different question. Did Apple introduce anything new with the iPod? In a way, no. They took features away compared to other MP3 players, which is what grandparent was saying: Apple doesn't just throwin features left and right. What they did was make the iPod easy and efficient to use (especially compared to other players at the time).

    So... you're not even contradicting what grandparent has said. You have a valid point (the iPod's features aren't that innovative), but it actually agrees with grandparent's point (Apple doesn't just add the latest fancy feature to the iPod whenever it gets the chance), as far as I can tell.

  40. Dull by Savage-Rabbit · · Score: 2, Insightful

    6. Apple will reveal it has been recording phone calls made on the iPhone and that they're available for sale on iTunes for 99 cents. Let's not forget an old classic:

    7. Apple will license OS.X to generic PC manufacturers starting with Dull^W Dell.
    --
    Only to idiots, are orders laws.
    -- Henning von Tresckow
  41. Re:Where is the market for a full screen video iPo by Jeppe+Salvesen · · Score: 1

    Sure I can tell you something about the market for a portable video player:

    1. People who spend a lot of time on airplanes - and that's quite a few on a global scale.
    2. People with kids - since kids don't necessarily agree on what to watch, and they don't spend _all_ their time in the back seat of a Volvo SUV.
    3. People who use public transportation for more than 15 minutes or so straight.

    Anyways, I agree that mainstream TV is evil thought control. :)

    --

    Stop the brainwash

  42. Expanding on the Mac brand by __aahlyu4518 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm thinking... MacChicken

    1. Re:Expanding on the Mac brand by iknowcss · · Score: 1

      I heard Steve Jobs prefers "iChicken"

      --
      Life is rarely fair. Cherish the moments when there is a right answer.
  43. Re:Where is the market for a full screen video iPo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Your compelling argument intrigues me. I have thrown out my television and from this day forward will only listen to The Shadow and Amos and Andy.

    Your tastes seem to be developed enough and somewhat eclectic. Possibly, just possibly you could look inward and see that just because YOU have no need or desire for something, doesn't mean the rest of the world feels the same way. There are a lot of people buying video iPods and I don't think they need to explain WHY to you. Though I do feel you are completely misguided in thinking they are all purchasing it solely to watch videos.. Have you noticed that an iPod with video costs the same as the previous models without? And that you cannot buy a new 30/80 gig iPod without video? Could it be that the capability to watch an occasional video is just a "bonus" feature to a device that most purchase to store and play music libaries?

  44. It might be fun to guess by iminplaya · · Score: 1

    but don't be too accurate if you don't want to be sued. And please, don't start any rumors.

    --
    What?
  45. My prediction: Jobs gets fired by ad0gg · · Score: 0
    My prediction: Job gets fired from apple. Prediction number two, i get modded down for my 1st prediction.

    Jobs accused of recieving stock options through fraud

    --

    Have you ever been to a turkish prison?

  46. Leopard for Generic PCs using Virtualisation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Apple is going to release MacOS X for generic PCS. But there is a twist to this story. Many people have claimed it can't (easily) be done, becuase of all the different hardware out there. They are correct. How can Apple do this and support all this hardware?

    The trick is that they will use virtualisation. That way, MacOS X will see a standard set of hardware, and will need no more than a few generic drivers. MacOS X will run on top of Windows.

    1. Re:Leopard for Generic PCs using Virtualisation by maztuhblastah · · Score: 1

      Look up "YellowBox". Yes, it was publicly released. Yes, it did essentialy allow what you're describing (although it did require a recompile of software, it didn't require re-coding.) It was (thankfully) dropped, mainly because if it was successful, even in a state less transparent than what you described, it would have more or less killed Apple.

    2. Re:Leopard for Generic PCs using Virtualisation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Completely different. That (a) as you point out required recompilation, and (b) ran end-user applications under windows, not the whole of MacOS X.

  47. Re:"OSX and Windows, working together at last"? No by hey! · · Score: 1

    I'm not so sure it's any more a support nightmare than letting the users run third party applications at all. You run Windows or Linux in a virtual machine, use MacOS as the display and window manager for Linux and add extensions to Windows that achieve the same effect.

    The problem is that Windows and Linux apps can only be superficially skinned to look like MacOS apps; they won't really behave the same way. This won't create a support problem for Apple because OS vendors don't provide relief for substandard applications.

    So the downside is this: it greatly reduces the incentive for developers to create native MacOS apps, and as a result more and more the user will be getting only a superficial MacOS experience. It'd be better for them to release a windows implementation of Cocoa that allowed Mac applications to run without recompiling/linking. This would attract more developers for creating native Mac apps, and it wouldn't really help Microsoft that much if at all.

    --
    Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
  48. Re:Where is the market for a full screen video iPo by MrHatken · · Score: 1

    > Even better, find a way to record those 5 hours of weekly programming actually worth watching, and enjoy them at your leisure.

    Yep, I agree and our TiVo does that for us, all from FTA TV.

    5 hours of TV is plenty for us, and its all top quality, viewed at our leisure, paused, replayed and commercial skipped.

    This is the way TV should be (IMHO).

    Cheers,
    Ashley.

    PS In fact, we have trouble watching 5 hours a week, but no problem. That means we have plenty to watch when the rating finish and there's nothing on FTA TV. No need for cable (at least for us).

  49. Re:Higher prices by aplusjimages · · Score: 0

    It's not flamebait if it's true. Damn fanboys.

    --
    Can I bum a sig?
  50. Google... by drexeljoe · · Score: 1

    ... will find that the word 'iPhone' is both the most searched for and most common word found on the Internet - replacing the ten year reign of 'free porn.'

    Such disappointment that the author not only contributes to The Great iHype, but placed it first.

  51. No "Office Killer" rumour this year? by Andy_R · · Score: 3, Interesting

    One prediction that's been going round for years but has never really happened is the Apple Office-killer. Sure Pages and Keynote are nice, but there is an obvious gap where you woudl expect the spreadsheet and database to be, and those MacPro desktop machines are conspicuously overdue for a speedbump. I think Apple are saving up for something big...

    I predict Apple will go agressively after the business market, this upgrade cycle would be the perfect time to convince businesses to 'switch', especially if iWork had all 4 expected apps, robust compatibility with office documents, and the pricetag of (MacPro + Leopard + "iWorkPro") is significantly less than (Vista capable pc + Vista + Office 2007), which seems entirely possible. Throw in the expected 8-core MacPro, a bit of dual boot hype and garnish with XServes, and it's a tasty package.

    As for the iPhone and widescreen video iPod, I wouldn't be at all surprised if these were actually one device not two. A 360 degree clamshell design that's a very scratch-resistant shuffle when closed, a phone when 180 degrees open and a widescreen video iPod when 360 degrees open sounds like a highly marketable device to me, especially if Apple leverage their close ties with flash memory producers to give it good video storage space without a hard drive. Nokia tried hard with the N93, but they ended up with a rubik cube designed by a committee. Apple product design head Jonathan Ive must have been looking at that thing and laughing.

    --
    A pizza of radius z and thickness a has a volume of pi z z a
    1. Re:No "Office Killer" rumour this year? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      > I predict Apple will go agressively after the business market

      MS office isn't going anywhere - here's why:

      #1. 20 or so years of MS Office dominance has created an enormous legacy of files. Nothing will be ever accepted as a competitor in business unless there is a 100% backwards compatability with ms docs
      That can't happen because of vba (visual basic for applications - the cut down version of VB6 that essentially turns Ms Office into a development environment in the hands of people like me). You may be able to read and write compatable excel docs - but can you open the attached compiled vba, complete with api function calls and active x components and make it do something sensible on a mac?)
      This is Especially true now that Ms have announced discontinuation of vba emulation in future OSX versions

      #2. tight interaction between office apps and other parts of MS universe make breaking away almost impossible. For example - I have a MS Access app that connects with a SQL server database, reads and writes various excel and word docs, relies on various bat files and has basically become insinuated in every part of the office. Port THAT to a apple network with backward compatability. ...shame though - I'm sure apple will come up with something really special that I'll never get the chance to become aquainted with in my working life!

    2. Re:No "Office Killer" rumour this year? by louzerr · · Score: 1

      Based on Apple's advertising strategy, I think they're leaving the business & office suites to the suits in Redmond. If they really wanted to push an alternative to MS's Office monopoly, perhaps they should invest in OpenOffice.org (if that isn't a little too much like hopping in bed with Sun).

      I've only really used Winders & Linux (many, many flavors), and have done very little with Macs. But everyone I know who is into playwrighting, music publishing, and the vast majority who deal with print media publishing all prefer the Mac environment. I've personally attempted to work with music on a Winders environment, and even after shelling out WAY too much money (SonicFoundry), I still can't do anything on Winders except rip songs.

      No, Winders is by far the king of the office environment. And I like that the Mac advertising doesn't deny it, but makes light of it. They've jousted at the "Office Killer" windmill long enough - focus on the fun factor.

      --
      "The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away" -- "Step Right Up", Tom Waits
    3. Re:No "Office Killer" rumour this year? by Ash-Fox · · Score: 1
      20 or so years of MS Office dominance has created an enormous legacy of files. Nothing will be ever accepted as a competitor in business unless there is a 100% backwards compatability with ms docs
      OpenOffice.org can read old Microsoft Office files that new versions of Microsoft Office can't.
      That can't happen because of vba (visual basic for applications - the cut down version of VB6 that essentially turns Ms Office into a development environment in the hands of people like me).
      Which is why OpenOffice.org already supports the most common Visual Basic macros already, futher development continuing.
      You may be able to read and write compatable excel docs - but can you open the attached compiled vba, complete with api function calls and active x components and make it do something sensible on a mac?)
      Nope, but I actually haven't seen macros used to that extent yet.
      This is Especially true now that Ms have announced discontinuation of vba emulation in future OSX versions
      I think Crossover is going to become more popular on Mac OS X for this reason.
      --
      Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
    4. Re:No "Office Killer" rumour this year? by arifirefox · · Score: 1

      the problem is that Windows can do boring office stuff *and* killer games for fun

      --
      Firefox Power http://firefoxpower.blogspot.com/
    5. Re:No "Office Killer" rumour this year? by falconwolf · · Score: 1

      I predict Apple will go agressively after the business market, this upgrade cycle would be the perfect time to convince businesses to 'switch', especially if iWork had all 4 expected apps, robust compatibility with office documents, and the pricetag of (MacPro + Leopard + "iWorkPro") is significantly less than (Vista capable pc + Vista + Office 2007), which seems entirely possible.

      Unfortunately I can't take this as anything more than a fantasy. Mac Pros start at $2500 but someone should be able to get a PC running Vista, when OEMs ship them, with Office preinstalled for less than half than. Now if Apple were to produce a mid range Mac, between the iMac and the Mac Pro they could come close. As it is though I'm wondering what effect MS's restrictive licensing is going to have on people switching to Macs. I am a Windows user but because of MS's Activation and WGA I am switching to Macs when I get a laptop, the Macbook Pro.

      Falcon
  52. Still waiting... by guruevi · · Score: 1

    My wish list/predictions: iTV, new Apple Newton (iNewton?), smaller iPod's, bigger screens on everything, cheaper LCD panels, OS X Leopard, cheaper Mac Mini's (maybe the iTV will have something cool for a good price), Airport firmware that enables the network port and allows for wireless bridging. Screw any iPhone, I want something like the Newton.

    --
    Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
  53. My prediction by bkedersha · · Score: 0

    Steve going to jail! Love those illegal stock options!

  54. Re:Where is the market for a full screen video iPo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ahh, but you haven't lived until you've seen the DemocracyNOW TV show. Amy Goodman... rawr.

  55. Lets commit acts of stochastic tittilation by crovira · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    as to the direction an elephant is heading in from a vantage point slightly in front of and below its tail.

    I loathe articles like this; lazy-ass pieces of toilet paper shat out by someone who's too ignorant and/or stupid to write a decent sci-fi plot.

    --
    MSBPodcast.com The opinions expressed here are my own. If you don't like 'em... Think up your own stuff.
  56. Re:Where is the market for a full screen video iPo by Thumper_SVX · · Score: 1

    Spoken like a true American who doesn't live in a city that relies on public transport :)

    Seriously, I live in the midwest these days so public transport for me is almost non-existent. But god, I would have KILLED for a video iPod when i lived in London and rode the tube every day. Crammed into a rolling tube like sardines is bad enough, but is made particularly bad when someone near you has chronic BO. Believe me, any escape for the 30-45 minutes that'll take your mind out of that tube car is good in my book. I had a portable CD player back then, but believe me there were times I wished I could whip out a small compact device and watch some video.

    I admit though, today the video iPod is a much harder sell for me. I have a Nano because it's small, light, simple and robust. I don't use it all the time, but when I do it's nice to have around. However, I tend to use it only a few places: In my car (iPod dock in my dash), at the gym or sometimes at my desk at work (deep in a coding session I like classical music). None of these places would fit the video iPod... but that's why Apple sell more than one model of iPod.

    Having said that too, I must admit I find the current generation of video iPod sexy, but it's a hard sell for me because the only places I could see using it would be (a) on a plane (so long as I'm not the pilot! :) ) or (b) at a coffee shop. The former I don't do so much these days, and the latter... well for some reason I find it much more relaxing to sit at a coffee shop with a book or... like... talk to the other patrons.

  57. Five Predictions for Apple in 2007 by Orion+Blastar · · Score: 1

    #1 Apple makes an iPod Video with optional SVGA, S-Video, and RCA Jack adapters so the video can be played on TV sets and monitors.

    #2 Windows Vista is supported with Apple Bootcamp.

    #3 Apple looks to make a cheaper iMac using AMD chips instead of just Intel ones. Maybe they can make a price of $499 or $399 with the AMD chips.

    #4 Apple ports iTunes to the XBox 360, Playstation 3, and Wii to use the Internet connection to download songs and videos to those game consoles provided they have hard drives to store the media on.

    #5 Due to charges from the SEC and the DOJ, Jobs steps down as the iCEO and lets someone else take over. Jobs cuts a deal with the government over the 2001 stock options scandal and agrees to pay millions in fines and step down as iCEO in order to avoid jail time.

    --
    Remember, Slashdot does not have a -1 disagree moderation, and no, troll, flamebait, and overrated are not substitutes.
  58. Re:Who Cares by tezbobobo · · Score: 0

    Actually, I think the correct terminology is 'just the other company.

    That's why it is news.

  59. 5 Predictions... or maybe it's a wishlist by Adeptus_Luminati · · Score: 1

    Here's my 5 predi...wishlist

    1. Apple will launch a new ipod that will have most or all of the following features:
            a) Widescreen movie playing & screen on ipod
            b) FM receiver (not just transmitter)
            c) Plays most popular video formats (a la Creative Zen) instead of just trying to lock users into MP4 & MOV "Apple" & quicktime crap formats.
            d) Provide faster & different types of interconnects to the ipod such as:
                    -WiFi (b,g & n)... ok that last one is a wishful thinking
                    -Wimax
                    -"infrared" red light projecting keyboard, so people can interact better with software & turn it into the smallest laptop ever.
                    -infrared output at various frequencies, so we can turn ipod into a remote control for TVs
                    -power adaptor connector, so we dont have to pay for overpriced USB2 to AC converters
                    -Firewire (latest high speed verison)
                    -ON/OFF button, so batteries don't drain slowly
                    -Allow for easy physical access to battery & hard drive, for end-user replacement

              NOTE TO APPLE: Don't do these and Zune and/or Creative Zen will become the new "ipod" of choice!

    2. Apple will start to make products & specifically software that are not overly dumbed down (i.e. provide advanced modes), because if they don't most PC users (windows/linux) will remain PC users.

    3. Stop over pricing their dumbed down and highly restricted (annoying) hardware/software. Only fashion fools with fundamentalist mentalities and too many dollar bills in their pockets buy apple everything year after year.

    4. FIX your very very lame iTUNES... no I do NOT want to SYNCH my entire PC's MP3s & Videos to my ipod. Also, I want to create my own folders on the ipod, not live with the choices you make for me. Turn off that annoying advertisement to sell me songs from your store that I could care less about. Please learn something (ideally a LOT) from the folks over at Anapod (http://www.redchairsoftware.com/anapod/)

    5. Do Keep up your inovation and teach microsoft a few more lessons where possible (i.e. how to design nice looking physical & software gui's).

    Thanks,
    Adeptus

    --
    No trees were killed in the making of this post; however, many trillions of electrons were horribly inconvenienced.
  60. My 5... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    5. Apple will strengthen ties to entertainment industries
    4. Apple will continue to open retail stores
    3. Apple will continue to design its devices
    2. Apple will continue to sell electronics
    1. Apple will go bust

  61. Apple says they haven't by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Apple Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller in July and Apple Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer said it again at the beginning of this month.

    "absolutely not, the R&D would be prohibitive and we're not going to do it. Our solution is dual boot."

    "Apple ... is very pleased with Parallels software and didn't feel the need to compete with its own version of embedded virtualization."

    http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=2277/

    1. Re:Apple says they haven't by natd · · Score: 1
      Yeah, I probably worded my post poorly.

      The way I see it, Apple are pretty cosy with Parallels. Parallels 'coherence' is pretty slick and moving very quickly in each beta to the point that I now have an 'IE7' icon on my dock and for all intents and piurposes it's a native app. (BTW, I only need IE for testing and troubleshotting when an end user is on it, I'm a Safari user in the main :)

      There can't be much work required for Apple to actually include it and hide the 'third party-ness'. At the very least, they could just bundle it. Parallels Inc. has already done all the 'prohibitive R&D' to make it work.

      --
      Only big ligs use sigs.
  62. Re:Higher prices by steveo777 · · Score: 1

    I didn't know Poland had fanboys. (hey, hey, I'm part Polish and my Great-grandpa was a pure-bred)

    --
    This sig isn't original enough, it's time to come up with something witty...
  63. Quick feature list by cgenman · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Just a quick list of things the iPod did first in an MP3 player:

    1. the smaller, more expensive drives
    2. touch wheel
    3. click wheel
    4. database frontend
    5. an annoying hardware dock
    6. shipping earbuds that aren't terrible
    7. non-replacable batteries in an integrated form factor
    8. No stop button (?)
    9. No screen
    10. Companion music store
    11. DRM
    12. Random-only play
    13. Podcasting
    14. Prioritizing physical size over storage space

    They're like The Matrix. Revolutionary when it came out, copied to the point of being trite now. But Apple has done some very original things with the line throughout the years, and should be recognized for such.

  64. My 5 (ish) by twotommylong · · Score: 1

    5. Front Row becomes the 'real' 'Universal app': Apple will take the iTV idea and slowly take over the home computing market.... iTV will hub your Video/VidonDemand/TVtimeshifting/Tivo and VOIP. Much like Apple's 'going against the man' with the music labels... Apple will attack the Cable and Telcos (aren't they the REAL Enemy?). See apple partnering with Sprint or possibly some major ISP delivery company (Onvoy? Level3?) and provide a final mile solution for combining .Mac (backup services, email services, Identity services), internet, cable on demand services 'for the rest of us'

    4. One Front Row to rule then all: As you get your digital appliance hub above, iLife becomes the MS office of the personal life. You cradle your macPhone, and your calendar, ipod shuffle music, your fav vidpodcast, updated phone list, email and stock tips get uploaded. you change your plans, your macPhone 'calls home' via .mac and updates your operational calendar. 3rd Party home automation systems are given a SDK to integrate alarms, home automation, webcans, etc... so you can 'call home' and 'see' whats going on in the back yard via a iChat AV optimized for your phone.

    3. Wireless displays. If you can use 'n' protocols to beam DVD quality to your TV set, why not beam from your system to a disconnected display... High end Apple Displays will have Airport'N' built-in (see the iTV as a tuner above), and your 'laptop' will all of sudden be bluetooth enabled battery powered Mac Core 2 Duo Mini [form factor: about 1/4 the size of a MacbookPro] and a keyboard pointing device that folds up into a similar form factor. High End Laptops will use 'n' protocols to use a high end display as a wireless docking station (firewire 800, USB, isight, speakers on the CinemaDisplay... all connected via 'n' to the laptop). With 'N' wireless speeds, your iTV hubs your data storage around the home, syncing 'hot files' to your local cache of 40GB Hybrid disk (nearline storage powered by 'time machine' undertechnologies.). This new macMini will have a 'tablet' connector built (friction lock, way cool btw), with a small form screen/ptr/keyboard (utilizing apple's infinite resolution patent). This will have cross over applicability into the mobile workforce (Jobs and I actually talked about this in the medical model during the NeXT days.... We needed the ability in a hospital setting to 'beam down' medical records to a handheld for portability during a care episode, and dynamically sync the master record with new/entered info, (this was 1991, mind you), and be able to just have 'displays' in diagnostic rooms where you could carry in your computer and it automatically 'beams' your information into the larger display for visualization and/or collaboration).

    2. Apple will become a 'systems' company. It's not hardware that people crave, it's not software that people desire... it's the 'it just works' and the 'insanely great' that the common folks desire. Apple will press systems integration as it's 'insanely great' idea. Home networking is now the 'pain' families put up with. Networking computers, Home Theater, Music, etc. Apple's 'sharp point' into the consumer market place will be that it has the core hardware and software to 'bring it all together (iTV, MacPhone, ITunes, Bonjour, Airport)... The Apple Store will compete with BestBuy's Magnolia AND GeekSquad for the 'servicing' the common folk.

    1. Leopard will make everyone from the wall street Journal to Dr Dobb's Journal orgasm.

    0. I will short apple stock next year... Wall Street will be overrun by people running from Google and Toyota and Cable companies and will be pouring money into Apple. By Xmas next year, Apple will have nowhere to go but down.

  65. Regards? by Patentmat · · Score: 1
    2006 is coming to a close, and all anyone can think about (in regards to Apple, at least)
    Sorry, but it is Friday before New Years and I can't contain myself on this one. Search Google for "regards" and many of your hits will be about its misuse. Here is one:

    • "Business English is deadly enough without scrambling it. "As regards your downsizing plan . . ." is acceptable, if stiff. "In regard to . . ." is also correct. But don't confuse the two by writing "In regards to.""

    http://wsu.edu/~brians/errors/regards.html - Patentmat

  66. Prediction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Apple is going to buy New York City so that they can finally be known as "The Big Apple."

  67. Head less mid-range system by Joe+The+Dragon · · Score: 1

    Apple will come with a desktop that uses DESKTOP parts and lets you use your own monitor with a good video card.

  68. I like yours better. by guidryp · · Score: 1

    Particularly because I agree with most of them. Especially the need for a mid tower mac.

    I just can't get why they ignore what is essentially the biggest chunk of the market. As a would be switcher this is what I want. I want a screen less machine between the mini and the pro, using normal sized components and not laptop ones.

  69. Re:Where is the market for a full screen video iPo by painandgreed · · Score: 1

    Can someone please explain to me what the market is for portable video players with builtin viewing screens, in general? 1. Plane travel - Lasts longer than a laptop. Can be powered on normal batteries unlike a laptop. Can play till it's dead and not worry about being unable to do work on your laptop.
    2. Public transit - Lots of people ride the bus for an hour or two every morning even in the largest American cities. More in other countries with decent public and mass transit.
    3. Gym - Lots of people spend several times a week running in place for an hour and would rather watch what they want to than what the gym management wants to.
    4. for photos - When on vacation, or a photoshoot, photos can be downloaded and still viewed to an effectivly weightless iPod on the go rather than a large 10 pound laptop that requires more space than you camera
    5. Riding in somebody else car for long periods of time - It gets boring riding in a car fo r several hours, especially if you're not in the front seat with the driver
    6. Lighter and smaller than a laptop
    7. It's not a TV, it allows you to watch what you want, not what others want you to watch.

    It was 1 & 4 plus a trip to Tokyo for me. I was very happy that I was able to watch the TV shows I wanted to watch (Lost & BSG) rather than the crappy movie they played. It allowed me to take photos all day long without making me tote along my laptop or run back to the hotel to download pics from my camera, while costing less than the extra CF cards that I would have required to shoot all day long without having to download. 3 came later but I am very glad I'll never have to watch episode of Friends ever again and would be enough of a reason to buy a new one if my current one broke.

  70. Re:Where is the market for a full screen video iPo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    >2. People with kids, since kids don't necessarily agree....

    And it's considered child abuse for parents to bring books for the kiddies in these times. THEY MUST watch television otherwise they won't be able to participate in the discussion around the kiddie water cooler in the morning.

  71. Re:Where is the market for a full screen video iPo by jb.hl.com · · Score: 1

    I'd rather have the picture in my wallet, tbh. Least then I can still see it if my iPod is out of battery...

    --
    By summer it was all gone...now shesmovedon. --
  72. Why would Microsoft... by falconwolf · · Score: 1

    Why the fuck would Microsoft Office be released for MAC when its OWNED BY MICROSOFT?
    Why the fuck would Microsoft Messenger be released for MAC when its OWNED BY MICROSOFT?

    Because MS is a conficted monopoly? Actually at one tyme MS got good sales from Mac software.

    Falcon
  73. #1 Apple Buys ABC & Disney by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Think of the MSNBC marketing BS - and Think how PIXAR has jumped to the top of Animated Movie production...

    Apple purchasing ABC and Disney would once and for all mark Apple as a major player in broadcast television and content ownership.

    #2. The iPhone will allow VOIP iSight calling to any other Mac user
                  - for free unlimited minutes always. (supporting both WiFi and Cell tower communication).

    The more people who buy iPhones & Macs - the bigger market share Apple will gain in the telecommunications industry - look-out Verizon! (who wont suffer much - they sell the high bandwidth DSL and Fiber home links anyways...)

    #3 iTunes will offer uTube - a type of service to upload your own original garageband / iMovie content and sell it for .99 1.99 - etc. Think of YouTube with real profits - all built into every client of iTunes - completely bypassing Google's Mind Blowingly HUGE investment in YouTube.

    #4 The iPod wide-screen touch screen wireless edition will sport a 24 mega-pixel microcam,
              developed by Canon. The innovation will include 'wide-spectrum imaging' with near night vision and near infrared photography. The high resolution means no complex lens optics are needed for snapshots, and the camera records directly into RAW, TIFF, JPEG, and H.264 video. The iPod camera, of course, can run in an iSight compatibility mode - giving even the basic Mac Mini User a full iSight experience. The iPod eye will also work seamlessly with iPhoto and iMovie.

    #5 OS X - A free scaled down trial version without iLife will be available as a free download.
    The Basic OS X will include only Safari, QuickTime, iTunes, Calculator, TextEdit, and DVD player.
    Optimized for all AMD 64 and Vista compatible computers, the 'freeware' OS X will only support up to XGA graphics, and not include any advanced graphic card acceleration support. To get all the yummy Mac goodness - you gotta buy an Apple.

    For all the people who Do download OS X,
    they are entitled to the 'Make Mine A Mac' Trade-In program.
    They will bring their OS X PC (or any Vista PC) in to the retail store, then pick the Mac they want to buy. An Apple Genus will run the 'Switch' program to copy off all the users data from the PC to their new Mac.
    The Switchers will get a $100 off their new Mac, and Apple will recycle their 'old' hardware in an environmentally Green (and $$green$$) method.

    My off-the-cuff predictions for Apple in 2007! (your mileage may very...)

  74. Apple wants to push the PowerPC line into an early by falconwolf · · Score: 1

    grave.

    They may now that they've switched. However the big reason Apple switched to Intels is because IBM and Freescale didn't release any G5s that could be placed in Powerbooks and iBooks, laptops. Instead of spend money on researching how to lower power requirements and therefore heat generated by G5s they decided to develop cpus for game consols. After Apple released G5s, I spent more than two years for them to release a G5 laptop constantly haunting Apple stores.

    They're all running identical hardware, regardless of the brand name sticker on the casing, so why not push your customers into using the same OS used by the majority to cut development costs?

    Because Mac users want to run the MacOS, OSX now. They don't want to run, or only occassionally want to run, Windows. I am a Windows user, I'm typing this on an HP PC running Windows ME which has been my main system for more than 6 years. At some point I may, just may, get Windows 2000 but if at all possible I will never ever get XP, Vista, or any other MS OS unless MS gets rid of Activation and WGA. If not for Apple I would switch to Linux compleatly, I've recently got a Linux box but I plan on getting a Macbook Pro.

    Remember, Apple is a hardware manufacturer first and software developer second. If it takes selling Windows pre-installed to move Macs out the door... they will do it.

    Apple is both a hardware AND a software business. While I can see Apple selling Macs with Windows preinstalled I can not see them getting rid of the Mac OS, instead these computers would be dualboot or Windows running in a VM. I may be wrong but I can't see what you suggest as coming to pass. There's the "be different" thing as well as not being another "Dell".

    Falcon
  75. MacOs on commodity hardware by falconwolf · · Score: 1

    If Apple released OS-X for commodity PC hardware and competed againts MS, then I'd start caring. Or, if they allowed Mac clones, I'd start caring. Othwerwise, they can tank and I won't shed a tear.

    The fact that they don't do either of those things is the reason Apple hasn't tanked yet. Say it with me: "Apple is a hardware company."

    Apple didn't do it with OSX, but they did it with MacOS 9. This was after Jobs left and was at Next. When Apple finally brought Jobs back he stopped licensing MacOS to OEMs. He pointed out that Apple was loosing more from lost hardware sales than they were making from licenses.

    Falcon
  76. Macbook sizes by falconwolf · · Score: 1

    you know, i'm surprised i'm not hearing more about this. i bought a portable computer to be just that -- portable. so apple nixed the 12" powerbook and forced the line to the 15" -- i am now holding onto my 12" PB with a deathgrip until apple (hopefully) gets a clue and comes out with a 12" MB pro.

    does anyone have a clue why they supersized their whole laptop line? the only two things i can think of are 1) their market research suggested that people want bigger or 2) they need the space to squeeze in the extra processing/gadgets.

    Until a couple of hours ago I didn't know Apple got rid of the 12" Macbook. I only saw it after visiting the Apple store online when I was told they dropped it.

    to 1) i suppose i understand. i guess. no. no i don't. i thought the trend was smaller and lighter...

    Me, I want a bigger, larger screen mostly, laptop. I'm not concerned about a laptop being too heavy.

    to 2) i can say, give me less processing and gadgets. the small size and weight of a laptop are the biggest selling points for me.

    Me, I want something I can carry with processing Power, a Larger screen, a Large hdd that's fast, and a big enough battery to power it all for hours. ie I want a desktop replacement I can take with me.

    Now I realize many won't and don't ask for the same thing I do, many are like you and want something small which is why it supprized me that Apple dropped the 12" Macbook and/or don't have a smaller one.

    also, what's with the glossy screens? after going through years of those shields to go over your monitor to cut glare, and other check-out lane solutions to the glare problem, the new trend is *GLOSSY* screens? OMGWTF?!?!?!

    I was wondering about the new glossy screens myself. I looked at one in a store and I liked the rendition of the graphics however I wasn't able to see how well one looks in sunlight. At first I was thinking of getting a MBP with the flat or dull screen but after looking at a glossy one I decided that when I get a MBP it will have a glossy screen. In this I'm glad they give you a choice.

    Falcon
  77. getting in bed with Sun by falconwolf · · Score: 1

    Based on Apple's advertising strategy, I think they're leaving the business & office suites to the suits in Redmond. If they really wanted to push an alternative to MS's Office monopoly, perhaps they should invest in OpenOffice.org (if that isn't a little too much like hopping in bed with Sun).

    My, my, this sounds like an article I read a year or two ago in a business magazine, maybe "Forbes" or "Fortune". In the article the writer suggested Apple, Sun, and Redhat merge. I wish I could easily find it as I don't recall his logic but it seemed pretty reasonable. Of course expecting businesses to act reasonable is utterly...

    Falcon
  78. cd and mpg players by falconwolf · · Score: 1

    Hey, that's great if you strap a CD player or laptop to your body when you go jogging.

    Yes, when I go running, bike riding, or rollerblading I listen to a cd or tape player. I have an old cd Walkman and an even older cassette tape Walkman. I don't have anything newer, ie I don't have an iPod or any mpg player. I don't even listen to music on my PC, when I listen to music I either listen to my stereo or a radio, but I've been thinking about getting a turntable and/or a reel-to-reel tape deck. The only reason I've just been thinking about it instead of actually buying them is because I am neither independently wealthy nor do I work, I am on disability. Even if I were wealthy though I don't think I would get an iPod or other mpg player.

    Falcon
  79. Return of the PPC by FooBarBlatDing · · Score: 1

    Given the overwhelming success of the Wii, Apple will finally see the huge mistake it has made in abandoning the PowerPC platform and return with a massively powerful G6 processor. You heard it here first.

    Foo

    1. Re:Return of the PPC by superversive · · Score: 1

      From all I've seen, the Wii isn't successful because it has a 'massively powerful processor'. It's successful because unlike the tired old drones at Sony and MS, Nintendo have actually put some thought into making their new games fun. I know this is a quaint concept, but many people are still playing games originally released in the 1980s, which nowadays would run on your average toaster if the toaster had a lobotomy to enable it to think down to the 8-bit level.

      On the contrary, I predict that by this time next year the Wii (and the other consoles) will look pretty juiceless and underpowered compared to the latest desktop chips . . . but the console makers will still be pumping them out, because they need to sell them by the tens of millions to amortize their enormous initial investment in the PPC platform. Those chips were designed to have a three- to five-year product cycle, as opposed to the four to six months common in desktop and laptop processors.

      Even now, the PPC chips used in current consoles would be horrible for general computing. If you don't understand why, repeat after me: 'In-order execution on a multitasking system really, really sucks.'

  80. Re:Higher prices by jhylkema · · Score: 1

    I see the fanboy mods are out in force again.

    I like Apple products. I own two of them myself. The advertising slogan is true - it Just Works. But the fact remains that their hardware is fucking overpriced, especially for the Mac Pro tower box. THAT is why they're so keen to keep OS X from running on any other hardware, they'd lose their monopoly.

    Don't forget, AAPL is a member of the Business Software Alliance. And it looks like their megalomanic CEO Jobs was recently caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

  81. Wrong conclusion to draw from this data by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Apple has being going gangbusters making it easier for little-shop guys to write professional apps. Look at Core Data, for example. (They're doing about everything they can, short of using a real HLL. *duck*)

    And it shows: all of the top apps today, by any measure, come out of either Apple, or little places nobody's heard of. Adobe and Microsoft are really dragging their feet with Intel binaries, but they weren't really even great apps on PPC. They were mostly just "you have to have this" apps. MS Office on the Mac never felt like a real Mac app. Some of the biggest names in software are just plain bad at the Mac (Retrospect's backup apps are rated "Avoid at all cost")

    Result? If I want a not-quite-Mac office suite, I can get OpenOffice -- oh, and it's Intel-native and saves me a few hundred dollars. When presented with these choices:
    - buy the Windows version, and run Windows on the Mac (expensive, bad interface)
    - wait 6 months for the Mac version, which won't be great, anyway (semi-expensive, ok interface)
    - buy a no-name Mac app that does most of what I want now (cheaper, good interface)
    - find an open-source port that does what I want (free, bad interface)
    I can't imagine any Mac user picking #1.

    This doesn't mean the end of the Mac. It means the end of big companies pushing out crappy software. Between Apple's productive development environment helping little guys compete with the big guys, and open-source apps and ports making people wonder why they're spending $500 for a single app, there's not much room for big software houses who make crappy software any more.

    Good riddance.

  82. Integrated Parallels by sidb · · Score: 1

    Apple has flatly and repeatedly stated that there will be no Windows virtualization integrated into Leopard. That the author of this article thinks that Parallels will acquire new status as anything other than a standalone, third-party product just makes him look uninformed.

  83. Apple Tablet PC by dugurama · · Score: 1

    Everybody knows the new Apple Tablet PC will be like the Itab with an ipod dial and accelerometer keyboard, but will it have a dvdrw?

  84. My Predictions for Apple by pubwvj · · Score: 1

    xMac Tablet - $1,000 - $2,000 display - touch sensitive, sunlight readable, rugged, waterproof Wi-Fi - for networking, cloud, terminal mode with base station at distance Bluetooth - for earphones, mouse, keyboard, microphone, joystick, remote Optical data jack - earphones high quality, mic high quality, Optical Network jack - for connecting at high speeds to the base station Battery - 6hr runtime in the dark, induction recharge, solar skin recharge, 16 hr full use in sunlight, 8 hr full use office light, ? light use, 20 yr battery Speaker - for alerts when no headphones plugged in Microphone - for audio input with no mic plugged in Camera input - for use as camera, video conferencing/iChat, scanner, OCR Status LED - Charging (yellow), Charged (green), Sleeping (slow blink white), Dimmed (white) GPS Real World Rugged Notebook - clips onto tablet and can be used attached or separate - $500 - $1,000 Keyboard Trackpad Stereo speakers Storage draw for ipod, headphones, mic, money, etc Battery with features like Tablets and also has plug into wall outlet or automotive 12v for power HD 250GB - option DVD-R/CD-R drive - option Full complement of I/O ports: FaxVoiceModem, DVI, Ethernet, FW, USB, Headset, Microphone, S-Video I/O Not necessarilly fully Real World Rugged due to optical drive opening, I/O ports, speakers, etc. Desktop unit - sits on or under desk, keyboard and mouse on desk, can use tablet as display or another display and tablet integrates as part of system iPal and Tablet connect to and unify with Desktop unit iPal - Palm sized tablet Macintosh - same as tablet but smaller and less powerful - $500 3x5 touch screen runs MacOS full enough to run all but the most demanding software (not what???) Slower than other Macs of course Music, Videos, WiFi connected, VOIP/Cell/Radio phone, Camera Scanner GPS Real World Rugged