MacWorld SF

[Joel]

Hey, just letting everyone know that I'm here at the Moscone Center. I'm attending some conferences but will be going around the exhibit hall after.

[SamuraiCatJB]

congrats! enjoy! don't forget the starbucks white chocolate mocha with an extra shot, or two... or three.... :)

[Reggie]

Post anything you find out! I suggest you open a word processor while you are listening to the keynote(s), and take notes. :)

Anything on the $500 ne iMac?

[zackepceo]

My sources tell me a lot of things; more information and announcements than I have ever seen before. Whatever happens, Apple is going to start the year with a product-laden iBang. What is certain:
Powerbook G5 with PPC 970mp and speed-throttling technology
Small OLED display
Flash-based iPod
Larger iPod mini
5th Gen. All-colour iPod (20/40/60 with 80 released in Q3)
Dual Core Powermac G5s
phasing out of the eMac, to be replaced by an LCD model or a headless model
New Garageband
Improved Keynote with possible office suite
EL keyboard on all Powerbooks
EL Keyboard on Bluetooth keyboard
all-around Bluetooth 1.2
2006 Powerbook + iBook switch to OLED

I'm sure there's more, but that's all I can remember right now.

[JackAxe]

I'm hoping they anounce the Dual core chips or at least the 3 Ghz Steve promised by last summer. I'm planing on purchasing a XServeve this year if things keep up just for rendering and encoding and would rather invest in a Dual Core version.

New GarageBand. :eek: *Droooooool.* I just addded all the Celtic Instruments from Advanced Media Group. Please say it's soooooo.

Crap, where's Joel's update post. :D


<]=)

[zackepceo]

Dual core won't be out until May, but it's supposed to vastly improve speed compared to dual processor single core computers. And I can't be sure if they're going to have 1 die with 2 cores or (get excited here) dual processors for a total of 4 cores. Each of these will have a processor-speed link to each other, virtually free of lag, and 1 MB of L2 cache. I would rather have a quad-processor Powermac that dissipates 120 watts of heat at 2.5 ghz then a 3ghz powermac that dissipates 150 watts and has over 50% less power.

[SamuraiCatJB]

I'm hoping they anounce the Dual core chips or at least the 3 Ghz Steve promised by last summer. I'm planing on purchasing a XServeve this year if things keep up just for rendering and encoding and would rather invest in a Dual Core version.

New GarageBand. :eek: *Droooooool.* I just addded all the Celtic Instruments from Advanced Media Group. Please say it's soooooo.

Crap, where's Joel's update post. :D


<]=)
he spilled his starbucks when he saw the demo of the Dual Core Powermac G5s. ;) he's still cleaning up the mess. ;)

[JackAxe]

I would be licking it up, so that I wouldn't miss anything. Only 24 hours left before something new cometh.

I wanteth a neweth and improvethed GarageBand. :D

<)=)

[JackAxe]

Dual core won't be out until May, but it's supposed to vastly improve speed compared to dual processor single core computers. And I can't be sure if they're going to have 1 die with 2 cores or (get excited here) dual processors for a total of 4 cores. Each of these will have a processor-speed link to each other, virtually free of lag, and 1 MB of L2 cache. I would rather have a quad-processor Powermac that dissipates 120 watts of heat at 2.5 ghz then a 3ghz powermac that dissipates 150 watts and has over 50% less power.

I'm hoping for now since it will take several months just to release them to the public after their announcement and then maybe by July the XServes would be updated. Grumbles, so realistically no new XServe until at least fall.

I just assumed they would release the 4 core verisions and that's what I've been waiting for. 8 threads for rendering would be fricking nice. Each core will still have an Alti-vec capability correct?

Does this mean G5's will be shipping with internal refrigerators for cooling now. :)

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[zackepceo]

Yeah, they all have Altivec. Can't wait until the 980 when they do Altivec2.
And, no, a dual 2.0 GHz G5 now puts out 110 watts at max load. The 4-core one would do 120. I predict for them to revamp the case into something tinier.. at least I'm hoping. Those things are behemoths.

[Joel]

The Keynote is not until 9AM Tuesday (PST). I'll be going there early to secure a good seat... but I hear some folks are going much earlier.

There will be no live feed -- I also heard that no one is allowed to report from within as things happen. Also, Apple has already announced that the full Keynote will be posted at 6PM.

So... no announcements yet. Sorry SamCat, I take my "coffees" black. ;)

[JackAxe]

I'm soooo jelous of your Macworld trips joel. :) I would really like to go some year.

I'll just wait impatiently until 6 pm tomorrow for what's new.

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[zackepceo]

Leo Laporte is going to be reporting live with his Hiptop 2 with a telnet client on his IRC server.

[Joel]

I'll be wearing my 1src shirt tomorrow. Do you think they'd allow me to report live after they see my shirt?

[JackAxe]

Yeah, they all have Altivec. Can't wait until the 980 when they do Altivec2.
And, no, a dual 2.0 GHz G5 now puts out 110 watts at max load. The 4-core one would do 120. I predict for them to revamp the case into something tinier.. at least I'm hoping. Those things are behemoths.

behemoths :confused: My G5 is not even 4 inches taller then my MD G4 counting the handles and acutally weighs much less. If you want a behemoth, there are 2 worksation PC cases here make my G5 look quite small and weigh about 10 pounds more, or about the same as the G4. :)

A tinier case is the last thing I want for my workstaions. Putting 2 extra HDs into my G4 was a nightmare because it was so cramped for space. The current G5's are already running too hot, so going to a smaller case wouldn't help that. Tis why the XServes are only at 2.3 GHz, air cooling was not sufficient for 2.5. They mentioned that the chips are getting so tiny now, that heats actually not dissipating.

I just read that Altivec2 requires a 65nm chip. This I can not wait for. I just found a roadmap that predicted the 980's would've been out 8/04. That would've been a nice surprise. Anyways lot's of great things this years. I'm personally hoping for workstation video cards from 3DLabs. I would sell my 6800 Ultra for one of their 640meg monster cards. :)

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[JackAxe]

I'll be wearing my 1src shirt tomorrow. Do you think they'd allow me to report live after they see my shirt?

Change it to MacScrc. ;) I hope they let you report though, you should at least ask.

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[kp*]

I knew they weren't doing a webcast, but that sucks that they won't even let people type text updates during it. That's how I always spend my keynote days following along. I hope somebody sneaks one through. If it's half of what zackepceo said, it's going to be incredible. My personal fave is the G5 Powerbook, although OLED in 2006 sounds really cool too. That's a huge step forward in technology, which means it will probably be really awesome and have some horrible design or build flaw. :D Maybe I should learn to wait for Rev. B.

I don't need a new PB at this very moment, but my 1.25 Albook with 1GB of RAM is having a rough time now that it's driving my 23" Cinema Display. I'm getting rid of my PowerMac, so the 'book now has part-time custody of the display, and has been picking up all the duties of the PowerMac, like Photoshop and such. It's huffing and puffing a bit. I've never heard the fan so much before in all the time I've had it. I'm still happy with it, but I also don't have a job that requires it right now. If a G5 came out and I happened to get a big job or especially a tour, I would probably have to get one.

An iPod is also on my list of things I don't have to have now but might soon. My 3G has always had a funny hard drive. Not ha-ha funny, more like click-click... click... whirrr.... freeze on apple boot screen funny. It always recovers after a few hours of attempted reboots and software reinstalls, but I figure one of these days it's going to go. The 4G doesn't really do it for me, so if I have to upgrade it would be nice to have something better to go for. Either way I can use more storage than my 15GB.

[JackAxe]

I still have 12 gigs free on my 15Gb. :D It's going to be a very very long time before I upgrade to a new iPod. The weef could easily suck up a 100GB if available though. But an iPod with a larger screen and video capability would be tempting.

I was originaly planning on upgrading to a dual core G4 PB, but I'm definately going to wait for the G5 now. Especially since a 64-bit version of Photoshop will eventually be available. I'm hoping it will be available when Tiger is finally released. This would be a buggy upgrade asking for problems, but I would do it. :) I'm still using 7.

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[Joel]

From DaringFireball, via Macworld UK:

"There was panic at the Apple stand at Macworld Expo San Francisco 2005 on Monday when one of the covered Apple banners was briefly exposed to other exhibitors building their booths at the Moscone Center’s South Hall.

The micro iPod is white, and will hold 240 songs — but has no screen so will play the unlisted tracks in a set order or in random fashion. Four buttons are arranged in a square formation – two large buttons and two smaller ones.

Apple’s slogan for the iPod is “240 songs a million ways”.

[Reggie]

I was just reading Engadget's minutes of Steve Job's Keynote (http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000477026962/), and guess who walks at top of the stage with Steve -- Sony president Kunitake Ando!

"10:03am - Kunitake Ando, president of Sony just walked on stage. Ando giving Jobs props: “Great admiratio and respect for Apple products.” Jobs is filming Ando on Sony HDV camcorder."

[Reggie]

Some notable notes (updates as it goes):

9:30am - QuickTime 7 - 24 channels of surrond sound, support for high-def. video, live resizing. Full screen overlay One button audio and video recording. More transparent onscreen controls. Using H.264 as codec so it could transcode movies for PSP.

10:06am - Ando says “Just keep introducing great software”, “Stay off the PC!”

10:07am - Ando says looking forward he expects Sony to bring features of FX1 into smaller and lighter cameras. Seems like he’s definitely overstaying his welcome.

10:08am - Jobs saying that maybe some day they’ll work with Sony on “computers and music, too.”

10:15am - Vocal transformer. John Mayer walks on stage (just like last year!). He’s about to start playing.

10:16am - Music notation does live transcribing as the music is being played. it’s pretty sick. John sings “I didn’t win any Grammys for playing piano.” Now John’s playing guitar and singing with a bass accompanyist. Jam session going on now. GarageBand is recording it all.

10:33am - Things are getting good. “Why doesn’t apple offer a stripped-down Mac that is more affordable?” The Mac mini. About the width of a CD. Slot load combo drive (DVD/CD-R). DVI & VGA out. Ethernet. USB 2.0. Firewire. Runs quietly.

10:35am - Holding it in palm of hand
Ross Rubin: Looks about a third of the size of the cube. Like you took a slice of the Cube. BYODKM: Bring Your Own Display, Keyboard, and Mouse. It’s about 6” x 6” x 2.5”. Comes with Panther, iLife ‘05. $499 with 1.25GHz G4 processor. 40GB hard drive.

10:44am - Cellphones. Rehashing stuff Motorola announced at CES. Will be Motorola-branded phone, out Spring 2005. No applause.

10:48am - Something happened in the iPod market. They discovered a new way to listen to music: shuffle. Basing new flash-based player around shuffle. iPod Shuffle. No display on player. Looks like a little stick. Smaller than most packs of gum. Like an elegant thumb drive. Weighs less than one ounce. Button to play and pause. Volume up and down button. Previous and next song. That’s it. Nothing else.

10:50am - Cap on bottom hides USB 2.0 connector (you can use it as a flash drive!). PC or Mac. Shipping with lanyard. 12 hour rechargeable battery. Integration between device and iTunes.

10:52am - Something called “AutoFill”. Will automatically build a playlist for iPod Shuffle.

10:54am - 512MB = $99. 1GB for $149. No 2GB version. Shipping TODAY from the factory. Accessories, armband, dock, waterproof sports case. Battery extender. Accessories are $29 each.

10:56am - Showing TV ad for the new player. “Life is Random”. Ad plays on silhouettes, adds shuffle arrows.

10:58am - “Might be some at the Apple Store over here today.”

10:59am - Steve giving kudos to development team. Thanking their familes and spouses.

11:00am - John Mayer is playing “Daughters” as people leave. That’s it!

[JackAxe]

Must have *more.* :eek:

*MORE!!!* :D

<]=)

[Reggie]

just updated it. ;)

[Reggie]

6” x 6” x 2.5” !?!?! Man, that Mac mini is hot!

[JackAxe]

GarageBand 2 and Jam Pack 4:Symphony Orchestra. :D I'm making a trip to the Apple store. :D

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[Joel]

Only the iPod shuffle is available today. iLife 05 and iWork will be available in January 22.

[JackAxe]

Aaaaaaaaarrrrrggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! :(

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[RMCF]

Any news of the Powerbooks? I want to ditch my old iBook.

[zackepceo]

Expect powerbooks in May.

[JackAxe]

And Tiger and the new G5's and the... :D I just want GB2 now not it 11 days. :(


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[jmg_NX21]

LUCKY you Joel!!!

I want the s/w... I doubted the ipod mini, so I don't don't the ipod variations... My problem now is do I get a NOKIA 7610 or wait for the Moto Iphone?

Decisions, decisions...