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hackersmovie
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 Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 3:39 am Post subject: Macworld 2008 Rumors, What have you heard? |
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I just got this from OWC. I just cut out the part where they speculate what we'll see at MacWorld 2008. I hope they are at least even 50% accurate. . .
| OWC wrote: | Macworld Expo:
The Rumors and likely realities going into the the 2007 Macworld show, the rumor mill was pretty well dead. And right in line with that - Apple had no major new MAC announcement... the iPhone was introduced of course... and right in line Apple Computer, Inc. became just 'Apple, Inc.' - that too announced at the once a year major US Apple Mac 'Computer' show. No, I've still not let go of that.... Regardless, while the show was a little light for us Mac users - Apple certainly didn't disappoint with the Mac roll outs that occurred throughout the rest of 2007. Anyway... there's a little more life out there this year and this show looks likely to live well up to the 'Mac'world name. These are the things I hear and how they rank to me:
#1 - Funny enough, the same Apple 12" Superslim notebook that was the only real new Mac rumor prior to the 2007 show is the number 1 rumored Mac expected at the 2008 show. It's evolved a little - possible use of a flash (solid state) hard drive and featuring a multi-touch enabled display (like the iPhone) would well set it a part from Apple's current line as well as pretty much any other notebok out there.
#2 - Expect to see new Mac Pro Quad and 8-Way Xeons.. with a new 1.6GHz FSB (current is 1333MHz), with more massive on-chip cache, and clock speeds up to 3.2GHz or possibly 3.4GHz. Although that is just a little faster in clock than the current 3.0GHz offering - the faster bus + larger processor caches are said to increase performance by as much as 45% - huge!
#3 - HD format support finally introduced. You can get an HD-DVD or Blu-Ray for a PC and the software to author as well as watch movies has been available on Windows for quite some time. To this point, the same devices on a Mac are good for Data storage only. Going with Disney's choice of Blu-ray + going against all things Microsoft which includes Microsoft's strong support of the competing HD-DVD format, I expect that Apple will officially introduce full Bly-Ray support as well as make Blu-Ray drives an option or the full line of iMacs, MacBook Pros, and Mac Pro systems. The video chipsets in all of these Macs now have specific HD video playback optimized support and Blu-Ray players are available in both slot load as well as the 5.25" desktop versions. In the case of the Mac Pro, there have been two unused SATA ports on the logic boards since first introduction.... the latest optical drives area all going to SATA interface and the Mac Pro has two optical drive bays. Probabl y not going to be unused for much longer.
#4 - A new AppleTV media station - in so many ways Apple has crippled the functionality that the AppleTV could offer. Without a desire to play iTunes content, there are far better solutions (like the Ziova) which cost less and play more formats with less hassle. Such solutions deliver what customer's want and I'd love to see an AppleTV product that goes more open to achieve more of just that. Then... maybe not - in various rumored deals, including one to get iTunes compatible versions of a movie included on distributed DVDs - there will be a real cost for that convenience that we should be able to have for free, the convenience being a right to play owned media via the method of choice. FWIW - software out there already lets you (albeit in the gray) do that without having to pay that extra. We'll see... Still, I like the AppleTV concept - and it's a huge winner if it's just opened up some.
#5 - My own ongoing pipe dream.... My hope is still there for a mid-level 'headless' Mac. Maybe the size of the original Cube G4 - with fast Core 2 Duo processors, two PCIExpress slots and a convenient Express34 card slot.. Not a Mac Pro, but nicely expandable - unlike the iMacs and the especially crippled Mac mini. I'd bet such a system in the $900-1500 price range would sell like crazy just for the upgrade flexibility. Alright, I can dream.
#6 - not so much else... we know Microsoft Office 2008 is finally getting it's official intro at Macworld -this is good news, Intel Macs have been out for two years now - about time Office goes native. Probably see some speed bumps to other existing Mac lines, seems about the right time - be it video or some processor upgrade. Noise about the next iPhone is out there, iPod stuff... but that's about all I got for Mac.
At last year's show, Apple kinda disappointed. The iPhone is certainly the product of 2007 and all - but as the only major new hardware at the Mac expo and not a Mac and not available till June... Anyway - I'm betting this year will be loaded with Mac Action and maybe a few well kept secret zingers to see first light too. Today's speculation is just two weeks from revelations to reality. 
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Aquafire
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| Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 4:08 am Post subject: |
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My expectations are zero.
Nevertheless. I would really like to see a Mac version of KDE4 for the Xwindowing enviroment.
http://games.kde.org/new/counter/
Aqua
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g5g5
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| Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 7:53 am Post subject: |
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My predictions:
- 12" or 13" Mac SlimBook
- Processor and spec bumps with another one or two Macs.
- Mac OS X 10.5.2
- Microsoft plugs Office 2008
- iPhone 1.1.3
- 16GB iPhone at $399, 8GB model drops to $299 (same device otherwise)
- Apple TV 1.2 (new interface with storefront)
- Movie rentals from Fox, Disney, and Paramount.
- iTunes 7.6
One more thing...
The Beatles finally come to iTunes. Paul, Ringo, Yoko Ono, and Olivia Harrison join Steve Jobs on stage for the announcement.
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kbulava
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| Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 11:30 am Post subject: |
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if they dont get rid of/completely redo the mini i'd like to see a better gpu. 4gb *officially* supported. a further upgradable mid-range computer would be cool but i wont hold my breath.
a 30gb iphone would make me commit.
i wish the aluminum keyboard would come with numeric pad, as well as backlit keys with a dimmer switch. another thing i know wont happen. back/forward buttons on the mighty mouse would be nice too.
a new version of the standalone isight.
slimline macbook will probly happen. seems to be that smaller is apples claim to fame.
i wouldnt mind seeing a blu-ray option in all macs....if the price wasnt ridiculous. but even still it would open the doors a little more for other companies to offer cheaper blu ray options.
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hackersmovie
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| Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 12:16 pm Post subject: |
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My personal thoughts. . .
A new mighty mouse, they have redesigned everything but it and now it doesn't match
New ATV (software update)
I think the iPhone is done for a bit but, who really knows 
MacPro FSB and CPU speedbumps
I don't think they would announce an OS X update unless it included something really big
A new feature in iTunes, don't know what but, I'm sure it will be video related. . .
We all shall see in just a short while! (I've got cash ready to go, just in case!)
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WheelSpinners
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| Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 1:50 pm Post subject: |
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| I think this new slim MacBook that everyone is talking about could just turn out to be the new 13" MacBook. A new Mighty Mouse would be nice too. It's not about the coloring for me, it's about the shape. I find it to be way too flat. The side buttons are also a pain. |
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ghostdawg
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| Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 2:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Aquafire wrote: | My expectations are zero.
Nevertheless. I would really like to see a Mac version of KDE4 for the Xwindowing enviroment.
Aqua |
As long as they cut down on the bloatware... 
I'm a gnome user myself!
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Cypher
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| Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 2:40 pm Post subject: Re: Macworld 2008 Rumors, What have you heard? |
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| hackersmovie wrote: | | #1 - Funny enough, the same Apple 12" Superslim notebook |
now that might get my attention. I currently lug around a 17" windows laptop, something nice and small and preferably cheaper than a macbook, might get me to part with some more money for Apple. Although I am considering an iPod Touch as a PDA replacement 8GB is too small and 16GB is better but too expensive so a bump up in the sizes of the Touch might swing me that way.
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devo
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| Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 4:30 pm Post subject: |
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| People always predict that a bunch of new stuff will be announced at Macworld and it usually turns out to be 2-3 things tops. I'm going with three things that are on g5g5's list. Movie rentals, ultra-portable MacBook Pro, and a 16GB iPhone. I'm sure there be a few software updates after the event to support the new stuff. I also know that I'll be ordering an iPhone once it gets bumped capacity wise. |
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JohnnyBoy
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| Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 7:21 pm Post subject: |
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All through 2007, I've been hearing whispers about a new Apple sub-notebook. Now that Apple have created a version of OS X that runs on a phone, I don't suppose that building such a machine and creating a suitably cut-down version of Leopard would present any kind of technical difficulty.
If it is announced, I just hope that it doesn't sell for less than my newly-purchased MacBook, or I will have to hide in a corner and sulk. 
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Aquafire
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| Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 8:58 pm Post subject: |
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| ghostdawg wrote: | | Aquafire wrote: | My expectations are zero.
Nevertheless. I would really like to see a Mac version of KDE4 for the Xwindowing enviroment.
Aqua |
As long as they cut down on the bloatware...
I'm a gnome user myself! |
Bloatware....?
You must be thinking of Fedora 6 & 7... 
KDE itself is hardly what anyone should call bloatware.
That said, what I think your meaning to say, is that KDE 3.5 + in its' current layout, is an overly optionised system.
That's why KDE4 is bringing in major structural changes. To address the confusing layout and options.
With its' new Dolphin File Management I imagine it won't be too long, before people start making comparisons between KDE4 and OSX.
In fact KDE4 is due for release over the next week or two.
(Maybe, we might even be able to persuade you to give it a go...  )
Personally, I can't wait for KDE4 to be intergrated into Granularlinux.
Cheers
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