Apple predictions

[casey warren]

With the iPhone coming out next month I am wondering if, and hoping that Apple will release new gen. models of all their desktops/laptops. Its been quite some time....anyone have info on when the new stuff will most likely be out. I know Apple keeps everyting super secret...but its always fun to speculate.

[Jeff Kilgroe]

New desktops won't arrive until Intel releases their new chipsets and CPUs. I would guess sometime late summer or fall for new Mac Pro systems. New notebooks should come before that, maybe, but once again, it's up to Intel. Right now there isn't anything that Apple can do with their notebook line other than provide higher resolution screens and maybe an updated GPU. The iMac is also tied to the mobile chipset platform as well. But rumors of more industrial-styled iMac systems and 24" models, possibly even a new 30" model, shifting to desktop CPUs. Who knows....

I'm betting we see widescreen multi-touch video iPods by the end of this year too. Possibly even using solid state storage rather than the 1.8" hard drives.

I'll see what RED makes me do when my camera arrives. But I'd like to make my G5 quad workstation hold out as long as possible. I'd really like to wait for the upcoming 45nm, unified quad-core Xeon CPUs before upgrading to a new Mac Pro. That's probably two spec-bumps away... Like in about a year.

[casey warren]

I'm betting we see widescreen multi-touch video iPods by the end of this year too. Possibly even using solid state storage rather than the 1.8" hard drives.



Yeah, that would be awesome. I am pretty sure they will release something like that. They just didnt want to release anything that would take away from the hype over the iPhone. But once thats out....widescreen video ipods here we come.

Solid state storage would be a plus too. My old iPod has had some hard-drive read/write problems in the past. I did get a new one though :) from Apple as a replacement.

[dalemccready]

There are new CPUs out that are not in the MacBookpros but turning up in Windows laptops. They're also well overdue an update.

Word out there is an update is imminent to the laptop line.

[Poi Boy]

I think new ipods will come out in the next couple of weeks before the i phone.
Aloha
-A

[casey warren]

I think new ipods will come out in the next couple of weeks before the i phone.
Aloha
-A

That's a possibility. That would also be really great! I hate having to watch 2:40 movies on my video iPod. I cant wait untill I can fill all the widescreeny goodness.

[Noah Kadner]

Here's a great resource for Mac hardware predictions:

http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/

-Noah

[Jeff Kilgroe]

There are new CPUs out that are not in the MacBookpros but turning up in Windows laptops. They're also well overdue an update.

Word out there is an update is imminent to the laptop line.

Only the 2.66GHz chip... All others are still pre-fab demo/test chips given to OEMs and integtrators. My guess is that the only reason the Macbook Pro didn't get a speed bump on the CPU two weeks ago like the Macbook was/is because there aren't sufficient quantities of the faster chips yet.

Intel will be releaseing their new mobile chipsets literally any day now -- they're about a month overdue. I bet we see a Macbook Pro update sometime in July with the new chipset, ability to hold more RAM (needs the new chipset to do so), faster graphics and CPUs up to 3GHz like Intel is testing right now.

[Jeff Kilgroe]

I think new ipods will come out in the next couple of weeks before the i phone.
Aloha
-A

That would be cool, but I don't think it will happen. Apple doesn't want anything to interfere with the iPhone launch. I wouldn't expect the new iPods until later this year (I'm thinking September / October).

[Bruce Allen]

When are they going to add an eSATA port? It's on some PC laptops already. Come on Apple, make it port-multiplying!

Bruce Allen
www.boacinema.com

[Jeff Kilgroe]

When are they going to add an eSATA port? It's on some PC laptops already. Come on Apple, make it port-multiplying!

The problem with eSATA and what's keeping Apple, Dell and some of the larger mainstream vendors from adopting it is that there's no true standard for it. There's also a very small market for it, that is mostly served by third party component suppliers. But there's really no good reason to not put an eSATA port on systems these days though, so I don't know why the larger computer vendors are hesitating... Even without a true standard, everyone seems perfectly content using the existing SATA connectors and cabling.

There's a few ExpressCard eSATA adapters on the market, but I don't know of a 34mm card that will work in a Macbook Pro off the top of my head. There's several out there in PCI-e form factor that will work in a Mac Pro.

[Simon Blackledge]

Here ya go Jeff,

http://www.sonnettech.com/product/tempo_sata_express34.html

S

[Jeff Kilgroe]

...Yep, that would work. :) I'm sure there's others too, I haven't looked...

[Simon Blackledge]

CalDigit one.. but thats only one port. Our raid supplier said he prefers this one.

At least the io/hd guys can stop stressing about loosin the fw800 port! lol..

s