[Satchmo]

How long has it been since Apple really rocked us with something jaw dropping.

I know, I know, some may say it was as recent as the Mac mini. From a price perspective, it's quite enticing, but it's really rehashed parts and older technology. The iMac G5's are stunning but was somewhat expected given even Apple stated it was coming on it's own site.

I guess I'm harking back to the day the G5 was launched (and leaked online by some webmaster at Apple). That was truly mindblowing specs.
The other time was when the revised iBook was equipped with a G4 instead of the G3...totally unexpected.

I know I get caught up with "what's next" syndrome. And frankly, Apple can only do so much at each update without pissing off recent purchasers. But can we expect to be blown away again soon?

[Brad]

Whenever a PowerBook with a G5 or dual-core G4 arrives, I'm sure everyone will feel that euphoric rush of Mac Madness and holes burning in their pockets.

[scratt]

Agreed...

But one day they will produce a PDA again and regardless of anyones personal views on PDAs that will be a day to remember... And the hype and build up generated by us lot will be quite insane to witness.... :smokey:

[Bryson]

When they come up with a G5 laptop with...wait for it....a docking station. So many people use their laptop as the primary machine these days, and the thing that ruins the look is the miles of cable plugged into it. Imagine an Apple-designed docking station, perhaps a bit like an aluminium iCurve or suchlike...

It makes business sense too, it's one more thing to sell, all the zealots will buy one, and it boosts sales of peripherals too.

[CoreMac]

How about this ?

[naren]

Originally Posted by CoreMac How about this ?

Yeah, that would sure do it.

I hope they develop a modular, software base solution. Then those of us with ridiculously large hard-drive capacity could then integrate this new content network into an existing setup, perhaps with small hardware front end module like the Airport Express. I want my instant film content now dammit.

It would be great if the content holders would then open up their vaults and allow distribution of out of print works. Realistically I feel this is still several years away. However if Apple did pull this off in the near future they would own the market.

[CoreMac]

Oh, and before anyone jumps me, I put the wink there because of the source. Still, I think the time is right and the pieces are in place for Apple to make some move in this space. I love how Ryan tries to protect himself from possible lawsuits at the end. Could it be that he actually has sources on this.

[Robo]

When will Apple rock us again? As early as next month. Not only are we almost positive Tiger will be released in April, Apple is rumored to be updating the iMac and eMac. The iBooks and Power Macs are also about due for an update. Boom. Updates to the entire Mac line, except the Powerbook and Mac mini. And who knows, maybe Apple will add the new iPod mini colors to everybody's favorite microscopic desktop.

When will Apple surprise us again? I'm going to go with WWDC, when Apple will surprise everybody except me by announcing a Power Mac G5 Cube (or "Mac Cube") and a 17" LCD.

Seriously, though. If you hang around the rumor sites all the time, don't complain when Apple doesn't surprise you often.

[dougiemac]

Originally Posted by Roboman When will Apple rock us again? As early as next month. Not only are we almost positive Tiger will be released in April, Apple is rumored to be updating the iMac and eMac. The iBooks and Power Macs are also about due for an update. Boom. Updates to the entire Mac line, except the Powerbook and Mac mini. And who knows, maybe Apple will add the new iPod mini colors to everybody's favorite microscopic desktop. When will Apple surprise us again? I'm going to go with WWDC, when Apple will surprise everybody except me by announcing a Power Mac G5 Cube (or "Mac Cube") and a 17" LCD. Seriously, though. If you hang around the rumor sites all the time, don't complain when Apple doesn't surprise you often.

I don't know about the eMac dude. Stores pulled it out of their displays. I'm thinking they're going edu-only again. I mean if you're redoing the line you don't take it out of the light... you let it stay in people's minds so its a bigger shock when it changes.

[Bofferma]

My vote for the "oh yeah, and one more thing" in conjunction with the PowerMac updates, Tiger release party, and possibly that Asteroid gadget (to be released at NAB):

iMacs with a 970MP processor. Maybe as a single iMac SE at the top end:

2GHz 970MP with all that nice L2 cache

23inch 1920x1200 HD display

whiz-bang graphics card (pixelshader/opengl2/coreimage/doom3 compliant)

Say $2500-2800 for the whole thing

All the power of the top Dual G5 Powermac, but in the iMac form factor and for roughly half the price. Such a system would rock the house. Paint it black with a crimson Apple logo and call it the iMac Carmack Special Edition

[TerryG]

When Apple adds Sony's Blue-Ray Hi-Def DVD burners for iMovie that will be great.
Adding Hi-Def Tivo software to work with the new burners would make a sweet combo.

[trevo]

Last night when i won a 20gb iPod in a competition (wasnt an apple competiton) but i just bought a PB so talk about timing!

[InactionMan]

When the rumour sites stop leaking all the Apple goodness before Stevenotes. The Mac mini would have rocked if we hadn't known about it.

And the PB G5 will probably do the trick regardless of leakage.

[Noel]

Originally Posted by InactionMan When the rumour sites stop leaking all the Apple goodness before Stevenotes. The Mac mini would have rocked if we hadn't known about it.

So, uh, what do you read them for?

[zenarcade]

Originally Posted by Bofferma All the power of the top Dual G5 Powermac, but in the iMac form factor and for roughly half the price. Such a system would rock the house. Paint it black with a crimson Apple logo and call it the iMac Carmack Special Edition

Hooo !

What a brilliant idea !!!

Apple´s choice of colours and styles clearly hints of a family and "nice and quiet" and stuff. Having a mac, whether iMac or PowerMac, with a LOUD attitude would be so cool. It would be a statement that screamed "ROCK MAYHEM SEX!"

Also. better replace the startup-chime with MC-5 !!!

Ok, I know this is a bit off topic and on the verge of being offensive, but here it goes.

I'm a researcher at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. Being an avid visitor to rumor sites for quite some years now I recently began to think about the way I constantly go to rumor sites even though I basically buy a new computer every three years or more. Then why this interest?

If anyone would like to talk to me (anonymously if you want) about their reasons for coming here, and coming back again and again, please feel free to PM me to help me get a better grip on this.

[Kickaha]

Well *this* isn't a rumor site. This is a fan forum. Discussion of rumors takes place, but very little in ratio to the overall bulk of the content.

thinksecret.com, macosrumors.com, etc... *those* are rumor sites. They post rumors directly, and such discussions make up much of the forums.

I know some people will disagree with that distinction, but that's fine, you're free to do so, that's my opinion and definition.

I enjoy going to fan forums. Rumor sites are, well, pretty boring after a few years of seeing the same crud. I'd rather be shocked and surprised, than know precisely what's coming out 24 hrs before the rest of the world. It's more fun that way.

Besides, a good solid tech discussion among fans and developers will come up with 90% of what any rumor site could possibly report.

[octavist13]

When you least expect it. Hence the "rock/surprise" as you called it.

[bassplayinMacFiend]

Originally Posted by Kickaha Well *this* isn't a rumor site. This is a fan forum. Discussion of rumors takes place, but very little in ratio to the overall bulk of the content. thinksecret.com, macosrumors.com, etc... *those* are rumor sites. They post rumors directly, and such discussions make up much of the forums. I know some people will disagree with that distinction, but that's fine, you're free to do so, that's my opinion and definition. I enjoy going to fan forums. Rumor sites are, well, pretty boring after a few years of seeing the same crud. I'd rather be shocked and surprised, than know precisely what's coming out 24 hrs before the rest of the world. It's more fun that way. Besides, a good solid tech discussion among fans and developers will come up with 90% of what any rumor site could possibly report.

I thought this place was the semi-official thinksecret.com forums? I mean, when I click the "Thinksecret Forums" link on thinksecret.com it leads me here. Just thought you might want to know.

[InactionMan]

Originally Posted by Noel So, uh, what do you read them for?

There was no avoiding the last barrage of rumours. When the main stream media picks them up they are awfully tricky to avoid. I suppose I could go into seclusion for the six weeks prior to the WWDC but that isn't realistic....or is it????

[Wrao]

Yea, in retrospect, that was kinda weird. News.google.com kept having articles "apple to make low cost headless mac?!?" like everyday. That was definitely a hard one to avoid, but would have been fucking rock/surprise as all hell.

I don't know what it'll take for apple to really drop some jaws again. I mean, as of now all their major product lines are very mature, and developed. Personally, I'm still pretty rocked by the iMac g5, I think that it's an incredible design, though the chin is a little bit annoying, *shrug*

I suppose if the rumors of an apple 2-button mouse pane out, which I personally hope they don't, but if they do, I'm sure whatever apple is cooking will be pretty sweet, but just a mouse isn't really all that much to get wowed about, even if it's the most incredible moue ever made.

Additionally, the rumors of the apple projector could potentially be very wow inducing. That's one area I could see apple making something that was very high quality and innovative.

Oh yea, if apple ever produces a product using the 'chameleonic casing' patent they have(iPod with no visible screen or buttons until activated, mouse and keyboard set that blend into the desk...etc.) That would probably be pretty rock/surprise.

Maybe, with the release of asteroid, apple will also release real 'pro' speaker/studio monitors. That'd be pretty neat.

Of course, the most surprising thing I think apple could do would be strategic alliances with another PC vendor to produce more OS X compatible machines. like if gateway or HP suddenly were making machines that ran PPC and OS X, that'd be really surprising... not like it has any chance of happening any time soon, but it'd still be pretty "wow"

[bassplayinMacFiend]

Originally Posted by Wrao I suppose if the rumors of an apple 2-button mouse pane out, which I personally hope they don't, but if they do, I'm sure whatever apple is cooking will be pretty sweet, but just a mouse isn't really all that much to get wowed about, even if it's the most incredible moue ever made.

Well, the world was pretty wowed with Apple's first mouse back in 1984.

OK, OK, I guess it could've been the computer it was connected to was quite awe inspiring as well.

[Kickaha]

Originally Posted by bassplayinMacFiend I thought this place was the semi-official thinksecret.com forums? I mean, when I click the "Thinksecret Forums" link on thinksecret.com it leads me here. Just thought you might want to know.

Yeah, I know. I just choose to ignore it.

And, you don't see TS posts popping up directly in the forums, nor links to specific threads at the bottom of the TS reports.

All in all, AN *feels* much less like a rumor site than even, say, MacArsTech, IMO.

[Wrao]

It's cause us old rebels don't care about rumors anymore

[Boondoggle]

This is the "Speculation and Rumors" forum if I'm not mistaken

[BarracksSi]

Originally Posted by Wrao I suppose if the rumors of an apple 2-button mouse pane out, which I personally hope they don't, but if they do, I'm sure whatever apple is cooking will be pretty sweet, but just a mouse isn't really all that much to get wowed about, even if it's the most incredible mouse ever made.

Among many, many Windows types, the single-button mouse is an indicator that the Mac OS is designed for non-power users and is therefore merely a toy OS.

The counter argument, of course, is that the Mac OS and compatible applications are designed to be simple and easy to use.

The Mac mini was a step towards telling non-Macheads that multibutton mice will work on a Mac right out of the box.

But, if Apple makes its own two-button mouse, I'll actually be disappointed. I'd rather see a company stick to its principles, especially when they're right (even though not everyone can see it).

[scratt]

Originally Posted by BarracksSi But, if Apple makes its own two-button mouse, I'll actually be disappointed. I'd rather see a company stick to its principles, especially when they're right (even though not everyone can see it).

I thought we were all secretly pissed off at Apple for sticking to it's principals on this.... But kind of supported them for some absurd reason like that perhaps we like being contrary!

I certainly do. I use two button mice all the time and find single button mice (particularly for playing simulation games) very very annoying.

Power users won't necesarily be playing games, but the people you are talking about that want a 'simple' system are surely games players, and don't they find that annoying? Surely a two button mouse will encourage people to use a Mac for games. I am not suggesting this will be a major factor.. But a factor none the less...

I personally would love a two button Apple mouse.

I am not trying to be argumentative here but would love to know what you mean by 'especially when they're right'.

[BarracksSi]

Originally Posted by scratt Power users won't necesarily be playing games, but the people you are talking about that want a 'simple' system are surely games players, and don't they find that annoying?

I'd classify gamers as power users, really. I'd say that my mother isn't a power user at all. She hasn't quite figured out how or why her iMac 266's (bought in 1999) new 80 GB hard drive is formatted into two partitions. If her iMac came with a two-button mouse, she would have had to spend quite some time figuring out when to use (and to not use) the second mouse button.

But, instead, she got right to work on it, and started cleaning scanned photos and publishing newsletters within her first week. She's still on the original hockey puck mouse, and doesn't need any more buttons.

I am not trying to be argumentative here but would love to know what you mean by 'especially when they're right'.

What I meant was that Apple's tight control over UI guidelines -- including sticking with that single button -- is that made the Mac so easy to use in the first place. Make it simple enough for a 5-year-old and a 95-year-old, and it's easy for anybody.

Besides, there are still a lot of people out there who are far from being power users. Not many are on this forum, I'll bet, so we have a pretty skewed opinion on the capabilities of the general public.

[Krientle]

I don't know about you guys, but I am pretty damn surprised still about how much OS X doesn't suck. I mean, granted, Windows XP is less of a flaming piece than say Windows ME, but that's still not say much.

The fact that I have been using OS X since January '05 when I got my new iBook, and I still enjoy just using the OS....well that's pretty amazing to me.

That and the fact that when my hard drive went kaputt in my iBook, it took them 6 days total to send it off and get it back to me by mail. That's rediculously cool.



~ Krientle

[FallenFromTheTree]

Originally Posted by sweetg Ok, I know this is a bit off topic and on the verge of being offensive, but here it goes. I'm a researcher at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. Being an avid visitor to rumor sites for quite some years now I recently began to think about the way I constantly go to rumor sites even though I basically buy a new computer every three years or more. Then why this interest? If anyone would like to talk to me (anonymously if you want) about their reasons for coming here, and coming back again and again, please feel free to PM me to help me get a better grip on this.

I'm just here for the food!



No really,

The best explaination for me is that I want to be as well informed as possible before I spend my hard earned money on a new system.

These forums provide an extensive knowledge base for all users
regardless of experience and help to drive Apple to continually
improve their products to meet or exceed our expectations.