[LeeG]

Think secret makes reference to "sugar" at the bottom of this article.

I have heard some rumblings that this could be related to the "media server" category. This could be VERY interesting, if they market this rumored "sub $500" mac, not only as a desktop mac, but also as a "living room mac" you could stack with your compenents.

'Sugar' could be the frontend app for media management on this new box - the ultimate digital hub link to the living room.

This is all speculation...anyone else have any thoughts/info?

Lee

[Randman]

Speculations about speculations?

[LeeG]

Isn't that what the grand tradition of pre-macworld rumor-mongering is all about?

Lee

[Millennium]

I very much doubt it. They certainly won't produce a set-top Mac; that kind of market doesn't have the ridiculously high profit margins that Apple insists on. My guess is that if we ever do see a set-top media center from Apple, it will be based on the iPod platform, not on the Mac platform.

Consider, if you will: take an iPod, remove the screen (use video-out instead), and swap the dock connector out for an 802.11g connection. Throw in a big honking hard drive (which can be cheaper for the same size than the iPod's drives, since it doesn't have to be miniaturized), and you've basically got it.

That leaves only two problems. One: they'd need a new syncing protocol, or some other way to get people's media onto these devices. That shouldn't be much of a problem for Apple, though. The other issue is that the iPod's processor simply isn't powerful enough to display full-motion video, but if a more powerful version of that processor exists then this provlem can also be solved, since power consumption isn't much of an issue on a set-top box.

The other way I can see Apple going would be to do something along the lines of ElGato's EyeHome. Done properly, Apple wouldn't even need to include a hard disk, which drives their costs down even further. All they'd need is some kind of means of streaming media, and they've got that in AirPort Express. This 'Sugar' app could be the server-side portion, which resides on a user's Mac and serves up content to the set-top box, just as the EyeHome's current server software does.

[Visnaut]

I agree with Millenium in that if Apple were to produce a set-top box of some sort, it would be a specialized OS, not an app on top of Mac OS X.

It wouldn't be very apple-like if whenever you turned on your home media server, you'd have to wait for Mac OS X to boot, auto-login, and apps necessary for television/remote to start up.

It could and most likely would be some form of a stripped-down Darwin with a custom interface, since they clearly already have a solid OS base to work with that already runs on G4s, if this whole small form-factor headless mac rumor is to be believed.

I myself think the market is ripe for something like this, especially with so many non-Mac people impressed with the ease of use of the iPod. I think the so-called "halo effect" would sell more of these home media devices than Macs themselves, but down the road would have the potential of selling Macs to complete the whole home media package.

And just like there were already MP3 players on the market before the iPod, and there are already Media PCs on the market now, Apple is the company that can "do it right" just like they did with the iPod. I severely doubt the market for portable music players and online music vendors would be as big as it is today if it weren't for Apple's innovation in those regards.

Now it'll be neat to see if this thing would come with a remote that looks like the apple click wheel. Wouldn't that be awesome?

But anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. If we do see a device like this, I'm sure Apple will have done it right. If we don't, I'm sure there'll still be enough to talk about on these forums anyway.

[Randman]

Apple-branded iPod speakers.

[cpac]

Originally posted by Randman:
Apple-branded iPod speakers.

those aren't software.

[Randman]

My speculation, thank you.

[cpac]

Originally posted by Randman:
My speculation, thank you.

Sure - but the whole thread was supposed to be about "Sugar" which ThinkSecret mentioned in the following context:

Sources also say another new application, code-named Sugar, will debut at Macworld Expo, although Think Secret continues to work to confirm details of what that title may be.

Call me crazy, but I just don't think people confuse applications with hardware (like speakers) all that often.

I'm not saying I don't think there will be iPod speakers, just that they aren't the "application" that's being mentioned in this rumor.

[kman42]

I vote for media server application. For the set-top box all they need is a suped-up airport express that can stream video, tune in cable, and handle a remote (which looks like an ipod of course). It could cost less $299. The hard drive would reside on your mac somewhere else in the house (no need to ever shut it down). And if you don't have a mac, then buy the new headless iMac and stack it on top of the set-top box. For $800 you have a Media Mac.

kman

[osxisfun]

Originally posted by kman42:
I vote for media server application. For the set-top box all they need is a suped-up airport express that can stream video, tune in cable, and handle a remote (which looks like an ipod of course). It could cost less $299. The hard drive would reside on your mac somewhere else in the house (no need to ever shut it down). And if you don't have a mac, then buy the new headless iMac and stack it on top of the set-top box. For $800 you have a Media Mac.

kman

i'd agree.

[Millennium]

Originally posted by kman42:
I vote for media server application. For the set-top box all they need is a suped-up airport express that can stream video, tune in cable, and handle a remote (which looks like an ipod of course).

<snip>

The hard drive would reside on your mac somewhere else in the house (no need to ever shut it down).

That's the sort of thing I'm talking about with the EyeHome-like device. EyeHome is neat -I've got one at home- and its Mac integration is actually quite good in most cases, but it has some rather interesting issues that ElGato (or possibly Syabas?) seems to be very slow in fixing.

It could cost less $299.

Could it? Yes. But since when has Apple ever priced competitively? I'm guessing $399 minimum, and that's counting any kind of introductory discount they might offer.

And if you don't have a mac, then buy the new headless iMac and stack it on top of the set-top box. For $800 you have a Media Mac.

That, my friend, is definitely not going to happen.

[spauldingg]

most probably the software that goes along with the "asteroid" hardware.

[cpac]

Originally posted by spauldingg:
most probably the software that goes along with the "asteroid" hardware.

thought that was just going to be the new version of Garageband...

[Superchicken]

What's gona be the reason for buying iLife this year? I guess it won't be called iFlicks since I just saw an app that looks pretty spiffy called that. That said I seriously see Apple entering the TV + Comp market, that said I don't think they wanna do another iPod + PC type combo, so we may very well see a Media Mac.

mMac pronounced mmmmm-Mac... people would just look at you strange... but it'd be fun.

[Judge_Fire]

Sugar? Mmm, suite....

J

[Macanoid]

Originally posted by Judge_Fire:
Sugar? Mmm, suite....

Excellent

[kman42]

Originally posted by Judge_Fire:
Sugar? Mmm, suite....

J

You are one smart cookie. I change my vote.

edit: too early in the morning.

[osxisfun]

Judge_Fire wins the prize:


- Apple will launch its new iWork '05 productivity suite at Macworld Expo, Think Secret has learned. The software, code-named Sugar (as alluded to in our previous Expo report), will include Keynote 2 as well as a new application, Pages.


http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0412expo3.html

[Judge_Fire]

Lolz

My other totally unfounded guesses include:

� Flash device is a 'keydisk' type of pretty file storage accessory, capable of authorized AAC playback, iTunes and iPhoto integration and perhaps simple sound out.

� New iPod minis introduce new color (hint: count the socks)

I, for one, welcome a new iWorks package, though,

J

[Chuckit]

Wow, an upgraded-Appleworks rumor. Is it Friday already?

[LeeG]

Great, I got excited it would be something cool...another appleworks rumor? I for one have never been an appleworks fan, but thats only because I am forced to send and receive Office documents.

The only way I would use an Apple office suite (and I would love to ditch M$) is if its 100% compatible with Word. Word.

Lee

[osxisfun]

a long time ago, there was a story (really really detailed) that told of the history of clarisworks:

http://www.swiss.ai.mit.edu/~bob/clarisworks.php

these guys (or some of them) went on to build a Be office suite:

http://www.gobe.com/

about the same time there was a mention that some of the people had left and it was rumored that apple bought them to build a works type app.

if true, we are FINALLY going to see the fruits of their labor. I never used gobe but it got good reviews for being innovative and such...

<i> Apple and Gobe did indeed discuss possibilities at various points in Gobe's history; however, I am not at liberty to go into details. Apple did not in the end acquire Gobe as such, but three of its founders, Scott Holdaway, Scott Lindsey, and Carl Grice, did rejoin Apple as employees when Gobe failed. They won't tell me what they are up to (even off the record!), but whatever it is, it does not involve the Gobe Productive codebase. Nor, I am reasonably sure, does it involve the ClarisWorks / AppleWorks codebase.</i>

am reading more.. anyone else?

[pliny]

heh heh, Sugar is a suite of apps. Good one. Productivity apps would be great. A new productivity suite bundled with a new $499 Mac. Great stuff if true.

edit:

rqring a serial # for this is a good idea casue there is ALOT of Apple pirating and if this suite is real and sweet it would be worth the money.

AW 6 uses 0% cpu when idle whereas Word ses anywhere from 10-20% depending on version. What a joke.

[Millennium]

This "iWork" rumor would be great if true, but frankly I have my doubts. There have been AppleWorks rumors around for years, and nothing has ever come of them. A lot of the community has become rather jaded because of that.

[lngtones]

However, you can't beat ThinkSecret's record.