2 posts tagged “leopard”

    There are so many rumors running wild in the blogosphere I felt compelled to set things straight (even if nobody is reading).  This event will be centered around the integration of apple into your living room, although Leopard and the much anticipated iMobile will be discussed. Here is what to expect at next year's Macworld event:

• iTV or whatever it's going to be called:  This one is a no brainer.  Jobs has already announced that the apple media center, code named "iTV", will ship during the first quarter of 2007.  Expect to find out the true name of the device and more about its functionality, especially the USB port.  I would say that it is safe to assume that the USB port will allow users to add the much needed disc for any media center type device

• Leopard Leopard and more Leopard:  Expect to see more of OS X 10.5.  Also, expect to see those "secret" features (the features not ready to show during the Mac developer conference) that Jobs didn't want to reveal prior to the finalization of Vista.  I would expect that brushed metal will have seen its last days in OS X.  Expect improved spotlight performance, enhanced video features in iChat, and a possible MacWorld release date.

• 8 Core Mac Pro:  I forgot this on the original posting so I came back and added it.  I guess I forgot it since it is such a given.  I have been waiting for this since Arstechnica reported swapping the pin compatible 4 core clovertown with the Core 2 chips in October (I think that when it was).  When leopard and the Octo are available I will certainly upgrade.  I just hope that upgraded cinema displays are also available to that I can add a 30" to order.
  

• Updates to the iTunes Store:  Now that the holiday buying season is over expect more movie studios to join Disney at the iTunes box office.  I would also expect an improvement in video quality.  Nobody want to watch 620X480 on their 1920X1080 plasma display.  With the iTV's release approaching soon, and to compete with Xbox Live's HD dowloadable content, expect HD contenet on iTunes soon.
  

• Updated Apple Cinema Displays:  It is a well known fact that stores are no longer stocking stand alone iSight.  It only makes sense that iSight will be integrated into a new line of cinema displays. This would offer the much needed front row support for the Mac Pro.  The fact that the mac pro has not had front row support to this point is just silly.  Hopefully an integrated iSight module will allow the Mac Pro to receive its much needed front row support.  I can't imagine apple's flagship computer suffering from such an inadequacy much longer.  

Integrated iSight with front row capabilities may allow Cinema Displays to function as stand alone Displays.  This couples nicely with the pending iTV release.  Whether we see a 42 or 50" display, which will double as a TV, is still a question, although I don't see apple jumping into the consumer electronics market quite yet.

This one is a little bit more speculative but, we may be fortunate enough to see HDMI connectivity in the new line.  This would be a necessary step to really getting apple, "in the living room."  Maybe unlikely but we can dream can't we.

• The iMobile (or whatever they call it):  Yes we will see the elusive iPhone.  Scott Bourne, please contain yourself!  But, it will not be everything that you expected (although I will be the first to line up and buy one).  Don't worry though, that is what 2G and 3G are for. 

• True Video iPod:  Not yet!  Still have not been able to work out the bugs on that one. Expect it by the middle of 07.

Of course, this is all speculation but, i expect that these predictions will be fairly accurate.  If not hit with the lame tag. 

Leopard

It may seem like a great time to buy a new Mac, but is it?  Although Apple only recently completed the Intel transition it may not be the ideal time to buy for several reasons.

1. 

   Conroe
   Apple just announced at WWDC that Leopard will ship this spring. You could save money (about $130) by waiting to buy a system with OS X Leopard preloaded.   Additionally, Vista ships in the first quarter of 2007.  Apple has said that Boot Camp will ship with Leopard but we may see better an alternative means of windows integration in Leopard ( a la parallels?).  Parallels recently reported that their newest beta is capable of handling Vista.  But, if you plan to run Vista and OSX, make sure you have the RAM and video card to do it.
2. Despite the wonderful reviews of Intel’s new Core 2 Duo chips, it looks like there will be something even better in the near future. Intel has reported desktop and server launch of quad core processors in the fourth quarter of this year.   It is likely that a notebook version ships in the first or second quarter of next year.  Is this why Apple has not announced plans to incorporate the Core 2 Duo chips in the Mac Pro or Mac Book Pro product lines?  I guess we will find out soon enough  
   
3. Apple is preparing a new network card for MacPros called Airport Express (not to be confused with the Airport Express base station).  Although it is apparent that this card will not support wireless N, there has been speculation for some time that Apple will be one of the first adopters of the 802.11N spec, which is capable of data transfer speeds up to 200Mbits/sec.  It is likely that we will see apple computers shipping with wireless N WiFi cards once the details of the N spec are finalized next year. 
   
4. 

   WiMax
   Intel has announced that they will launch their Wimax chipsets in the fourth quarter of 2006.  WiMax is an emerging wide area broadband service that will help to provide wireless access to the massees.  Speculators suggest that these chipsets may appear in apple computers soon after their release.  WiMax may not be broadcasting that soon but it would be nice to have the integrated chipset in your notebook once it is.
   
5. 

   BluRay
   While it will probably be some time before we see BluRay in macs, it may be sooner than you think.  It is obvious that the extra slot in the recently released Mac Pro was built to incorporate this future upgrade. Although unlikely, maybe these drives will ship sooner we think.  One can always hope!
   

So should I wait for all of these advancements to hit the marketplace, probably not.  Whether you should buy or not depends upon your situation.  If you need a new computer now then get one.  The new Macs are amazing, but so are the old ones. If you can wait to buy your new Mac, you may benefit by waiting until spring of next year.  At the very least you will be getting Leopard and you will likely get yourself a Core 2 Duo machine or even a quad core.  If the world was perfect you also find options to integrate BluRay, WiMax, and 802.11N.  In the end it all comes down to your needs and desires but you should know what lies on the horizon.