[kscherer]

Really? No WWDC 2011 thread, and it's only two weeks away?

Well, they'll talk about Mac OS X "Lion", obviously, but what else? Are there new Mac Pros? New MacBook Airs? New iPhones? Or is it just about software and "developers, developers, developers"?

Discuss the future, now!

Edit: Drat! I FUBARed the title! Should be "WWDC", not "Wwdc"!

[drewprops]

What Would Drew Create?


...

[psmith2.0]

That's weird...I could've sworn there was already a WWDC thread here. But I guess it's just been mentioned in other threads (Lion, iOS, etc.).

I don't know. I guess I'm not expecting a new iPhone (is anyone, at this point?), but I still think there will be a keynote with a hardware announcement. MacBook Air or Mac mini (and I don't care that it's a "developer show" and that somehow means certain products "don't belong", because that's not carved in stone and I can provide two examples to counter every one anyone would cite.

The Mac mini, of course, is well overdue. The MacBook Air isn't, but they may want to put Thunderburp on it ASAP (the new processors too). Displays and towers too, of course.

I refuse to believe Apple will have a keynote/presence here and not use the opportunity to unveil some new or update hardware. Just seems like a real stretch, and puts a bit too much on the whole "WWDC is for serious developers and they don't care about splashy new hardware rollouts because they're there for completely different reasons and they're above this fun, rah-rah stuff."

Horseshit. Everyone likes new goodies, regardless of their career or how they use their Mac. And if Apple can introduce something in a auditorium full of the upbeat faithful who'll wildly cheer and applaud every other sentence, they're gonna do it.



I have no use for towers or notebooks, but I still enjoy seeing new designs and releases. It's Apple...chances are it's gonna be cool and interesting to talk about.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by kscherer Really? No WWDC 2011 thread, and it's only two weeks away? Well, they'll talk about Mac OS X "Lion", obviously, but what else? Are there new Mac Pros? New MacBook Airs? New iPhones? Or is it just about software and "developers, developers, developers"?

Their track record with hardware releases on WWDC is inconsistent at best. The past three WWDCs have featured a new iPhone, but that one doesn't seem to be happening this time. Lion and iOS 5 seem a lock.

Originally Posted by kscherer Discuss the future, now!

I'd have to kill you.

Originally Posted by kscherer Edit: Drat! I FUBARed the title! Should be "WWDC", not "Wwdc"!

AN has some humorless and evidently flawed anti-all-caps filter.

[kscherer]

Originally Posted by chucker Their track record with hardware releases on WWDC is inconsistent at best. The past three WWDCs have featured a new iPhone, but that one doesn't seem to be happening this time. Lion and iOS 5 seem a lock.

But the iPhone is still hardware, and us Mac fanboys like the new gizmos! Even if said gizmo is nothing more than a new pen, we still like them. We LOVE to be underwhelmed!

What surprises me is how empty the rumor-mills are on this subject. Zero, zip, nada!

Personally, I think a new MacPro is coming. At least I hope so. Smaller form factor, faster processors, lower price point. I don't need one, but I have some customers who are waiting for them.

Alongside that will be a silent update on the Mini, and maybe the Air. But mostly, I think Apple is going to wow us with Lion and how it will run our brains for us. Seeing as that appears to be the focus this year, what kind of hidden Lion features do you guys suppose might spring from this cat?

Originally Posted by chucker I'd have to kill you.

That would suck, but it might be worth it. Going to my deathbed knowing the iHooby was finally announced wouldn't be so bad.

Originally Posted by chucker AN has some humorless and evidently flawed anti-all-caps filter.

[Yontsey]

I can't wait to get my hands on Lion. I'd like to upgrade my MBP, but I have a MB that's sitting at 10.4 and I didn't want to have to buy 10.5 with 10.7 just right around the corner. I'm assuming you will be able to go from 10.4 to 10.7, correct?

[kscherer]

Originally Posted by Yontsey I can't wait to get my hands on Lion. I'd like to upgrade my MBP, but I have a MB that's sitting at 10.4 and I didn't want to have to buy 10.5 with 10.7 just right around the corner. I'm assuming you will be able to go from 10.4 to 10.7, correct?

Doesn't look that way. If the Mac App Store download proves true, you will need 10.6 to do it. However, we fully expect there to be a disk, but we expect it to be either more money, or require 10.5 or better to be installed.

Hard to say. This new App Store thing has Apple acting kind of funny as far as software is concerned.

[Yontsey]

I think the App Store is great for things like Twitter or Angry Birds, but I don't think I could see myself buying a serious piece of software off of it. I like to have the physical copy in my hands.

[kscherer]

Originally Posted by Yontsey I think the App Store is great for things like Twitter or Angry Birds, but I don't think I could see myself buying a serious piece of software off of it. I like to have the physical copy in my hands.

I hear you. Unfortunately, Apple is pricing software in such a way as to make it financially ding-dongish to buy a disk. Example: Aperture is $199 in a box, but $79 through the App Store.

Our expectation is that Lion will be something like $49 through the App Store, and $79-$99 on a disk. It makes sense from a distribution standpoint, but it sucks watermelons from a customer service standpoint. But…oh, well.

On a side note, and as I understand it, 10.7 is around 1 gigabyte compressed. That's pretty small. As an App Store file, that shouldn't take more than an hour or so to download. Not bad. But if anything goes sour, I wonder what the recourse would be.

And I think that will be one of Steve's big "new" features—that it is the first major OS upgrade that comes direct to you from the interwebs. Click here, and you're a Lion!

[chucker]

Originally Posted by Yontsey I'd like to upgrade my MBP, but I have a MB that's sitting at 10.4 and I didn't want to have to buy 10.5 with 10.7 just right around the corner.

Note that you apparently need a 64-bit Mac, so first-generation Intel Macs (Core Solo or Core Duo iMacs, MacBook Pros, Mac minis and MacBooks… did I forget anything?) are out.

[Kickaha]

S'funny, most of my 'serious software' is smaller in size than the games I play...

Anything I really feel strongly about keeping a copy of physically, I copy to a USB key and stick in my desk.

After seeing how mf'n sweet the USB key was that came with the MacBook Air... I'm sold. No more optical for me, thankyouverymuch. Download and I'll copy it myself for small things, just sell me a USB key for OSs and monstrosities like Office or CS5.

I'm done with worrying about scratches during storage corrupting an OS install when I most need it later.

[kscherer]

Which brings up the possibility that Apple may deliver Lion on a USB drive just like the new Air. I would not be surprised. And it may be that the downloaded file resides on your computer as a disk image that can be copied to whatever. Or it might delete itself after installation.

Who knows. But, yeah, I'm no longer a fan of DVD's. What a pain.

[arteggio]

Is it being ignored because of its distasteful name, or is is just a true stretch? iCloud.

Lion, iOS 5, iCloud. Though, I suppose that depends on how 'big a thing' iCloud is. Could it wait out until the September music event?

[chucker]

I already thought "iAd" was a horrible name, but I guess they know no limits.

[kscherer]

Originally Posted by arteggio Is it being ignored because of its distasteful name, or is is just a true stretch? iCloud.

How about a "distasteful stretch"?

Not really sure what Apple's plans are for MobileMe/iCloud. But I am still convinced that this online-music thing is more of a fad than a genuinely useful product. Also, Apple has not really gotten the grasp of "social", but they could, if they tried to out-think Facebook. What they really need is an online social/collaboration and meeting center that is tied to Facetime and iWork.

But that is just my pipe-dream, and it won't happen.

Otherwise, I just don't get it. But maybe I'm too old to get it. Or maybe I don't care enough about music to get it. Or maybe I just don't care. I'm sure one of those is the culprit, if not all three.

But a social/collaboration thing would ring my bell. If I could chat with my friends about a document that we can all be dinking around with (highlighting, circling text, making changes, HTML5-so-it-works-on-all-platforms kind of thing) that would be awesome. Spit the end-product out as a Word or Pages or PDF document. Woot!

Originally Posted by chucker I already thought "iAd" was a horrible name, but I guess they know no limits.

iAdCloudMePodMac. Welcome to the new iApple. i

[Partial]

I'm shocked by how little info has leaked about iOs 5.

The cloud stuff doesn't seem that important to me.

Can't wait.

[kscherer]

It is quite possible that iOS 5 will not be front and center at WWDC. We may be seeing the first Mac-focused event in a long time. Apple cannot afford to ignore their primary platform.

I'm going to reach waaaaay out and give iOS 25% of Steve's time. I really think this event will be more about the Mac OS.

*crosses fingers*

[Partial]

Originally Posted by kscherer It is quite possible that iOS 5 will not be front and center at WWDC. We may be seeing the first Mac-focused event in a long time. Apple cannot afford to ignore their primary platform. I'm going to reach waaaaay out and give iOS 25% of Steve's time. I really think this event will be more about the Mac OS. *crosses fingers*

I disagree with this. I definitely think iOs is Apple's primary platform now. It's certainly the big money maker.

[kscherer]

Even if the iPhone/iPad is the hot-seller and big money maker, it is still the Mac that drives the company forward. Without the Mac, none of this other stuff even exists. The iPhone/iPad may be outselling the Mac platform in shear numbers, but the halo effect is driving the Mac onward and upward. If the Mac is not there to support those folks, then it will start sliding backwards, leaving switchers with nothing compelling to look at, and no reason to entertain the "complete ecosystem" that is Apple.

Yes, the Mac is still the focus, and Apple needs it.

[kieran]

I'm still severely disappointed that there won't be an iPhone at WWDC. This makes me sad.

I want a new iPhone.

[kscherer]

Well, at the worst, you will probably find out what it will do, software wise.

[Kickaha]

Originally Posted by kieran I'm still severely disappointed that there won't be an iPhone at WWDC. This makes me sad. I want a new iPhone.

I just want to know when it's coming out, really... my wife and I have 3Gs. Not 3GSs, 3Gs, and they're starting to show their age... :/

[kscherer]

Originally Posted by Kickaha I just want to know when it's coming out, really... my wife and I have 3Gs. Not 3GSs, 3Gs, and they're starting to show their age... :/

Dang, dude. You're like, older than dirt!

[Kickaha]

Originally Posted by kscherer Dang, dude. You're like, older than dirt!

Inorite?!

Now get off mah damned lawn before I shake mah cane at ya.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by Kickaha I just want to know when it's coming out, really... my wife and I have 3Gs. Not 3GSs, 3Gs, and they're starting to show their age... :/

Don't remind me. Sl-u-g-gish.

[psmith2.0]

Kickaha is in a similar situation I found myself in last year...coming up on three generations behind on the iPhone thing. I used my first-gen until September 2010, so he's heading into summer 2011 with a three year old model too. From what I hear and see, it barely supports iOS 4, and it damn sure won't do anything with iOS 5.

But I'm not sure I could force myself to get an iPhone 4 at this time. At least not full price. If, however, I could score a deal from AT&T's refurbs and get the 16GB iPhone 4 for $79 (both of their models were flawless...not even a scuff, and work perfectly), I could do something like that, facing such an open-ended situation. Something to consider, Kick...say the rumors pan out and the new iPhone is unveiled in September. History tells us (both on the iPhone and iPad) that those first 3-4 weeks are a complete zoo and feeding-frenzy, with retail waiting lists, standing in lines, store sellouts and long shipping times. So even if the phone was unveiled in early September, Apple may not even have it available for sale until another 1-2 weeks after that (they do that a lot too...unveil something, and then announce a sale date 7-10 days from then). And then it could easily take another 2-4 weeks after that before you got your hands on one, depending on how manufacturing and ramp-up goes (and how many zillions of people got their pre-orders submitted in the 11 milliseconds before you were able to get yours in). The iPad 2 is still showing 1-2 weeks for delivery (all colors, capacities and carriers), more than two months after it became available for purchase here in the U.S. There's every reason to think such a pattern could apply to a new iPhone. Long story short, it could be well into October - perhaps longer - before you got your hands on a new iPhone. Five months. You and the Mrs. could try and snag a couple of those $79 refurbs from AT&T and revisit the situation again in 2013 (and the iPhone 7)? I like this approach, personally, because a) the 4 is a known, tested and solid item, b) there are cases and sleeves now easily available for it (any redesign will result in a longer wait for specialized accessories), c) it'll run iOS 5 and d) with FaceTime, Retina Display, the A4, GPS, gyroscope, etc., hardware-wise it's a splendid little piece of gear. IMO, there are no major "lacks" as there were in previous models (and, no...I don't think 4G is worth holding out for, nor do I think it'll even be part of the next iPhone. I think that's 2012. We all know how Apple is about that stuff...often late to the party on nerd buzzwords/bragging rights, but miles ahead in other important areas. I don't know what the rumors are regarding new iPhones, but all I'm really hearing is "edge-to-edge" display and a few other yawners. I think iOS 5 would bring enough to the mix to make an iPhone 4 feel just as modern and snazzy. If it's between a $79 iPhone 4 now (pretending I had a three-year-old iPhone 3G) and waiting another five-ish months on an unknown...screw it, I'm going with the former! Hands down. YMMV, and I certainly understand. I could easily wait for 4-6 weeks if we were in for yet another WWDC unveil/release, but 4-6 months? Nah... Going to this 4 was such an amazing step up in every single way for me, last fall. I imagine it would be very similar for you, in that the first-generation model and the 3G are probably fairly close, performance/spec-wise? My sister's 3G didn't seem any faster or snappier than my 2007 model. And FWIW, she and her husband were/are both very impressed, going from the 3G to the 4. They've had them for about two or so months now. You'll use the camera and video more than you ever thought. Might be my favorite part of the whole thing...amazing how much you'll appreciate having a solid, decent camera - smaller/slimmer than most dedicated point-and-shoots - in your pocket, everywhere you go. A day doesn't go by that I'm not snapping (good) pics or shooting a little video. EDIT: iPhone 4 refurbs are available at AT&T's site (you might be Verizon-bound, in which case all the above really doesn't matter, I just realized...so, uh, never-damn-mind ). But in case you are AT&T, the regular refurbs are $149 (not that great a deal). The $79 were for "cosmetic blemishes", but I was told by AT&T that wouldn't include any screen cracks or pitting, and would be on the side or back. But, again, I looked both of the "cosmetic blemish" refurbs my sister and her husband bought and I literally could not find a single ding, scuff, mark, scratch, etc. I don't know if they just got lucky, or if AT&T considers microscopic imperfections no one can actually see to be "cosmetic blemishes". Because they both looked brand new, every millimeter. They saved $120 on each, $240 total...for phones that work, and look, as good as mine the day I got it new.

[Capella]

With regard to pscates' post, for the record the 16GB 4 refurbs are $99, not $79. See?

[Partial]

I will be a day one adopter of iPhone 4S or 5 or whatever they decide to call it. In a few words, I'm pumped up! Using iOs every day on my job and turned me on to the platform big time.

[psmith2.0]

Originally Posted by Capella With regard to pscates' post, for the record the 16GB 4 refurbs are $99, not $79. See?

See my edit in my previous post, where I differentiate between the regular AT&T refurbs currently going for $149, and the "cosmetic blemish" ones that my sister got - and that I've recently, as of about two weeks ago, seen on AT&T's site for $79.

Interesting...that $99 is a price I've not seen until just now. It's always been $79 or $149 for the iPhone 4, depending on their state of refurb. These $99 models don't specifically state "cosmetic blemish" in that shot you posted. Interesting. Hell, that's half-off right there, way better than the $149.

I just don't see these at AT&T's site right now. All I see is $149 16GB iPhone 4 refurbs. Maybe they're showing us different selections based on our log-in or zip code input? I wonder if that has something to do with the discrepancy?



It's all so confusing!

[Kickaha]

Originally Posted by chucker Don't remind me. Sl-u-g-gish.

It happened the same time that the map-cache update was put in... and we don't get a fix for that. Maps and anything involving Location Services (even taking pictures) are basically unusable. I'm going to try one of those utils to wipe the cache from a Mac, and see if that snappifies it.