[Graymalkin]

With MWSF being just around the bend I figure I will forego real speculation and just my wishlist of stuff I would really like to see come out of MWSF.

1. A new iPod, with say a 30 or 40GB hard drive while keeping the 5-20 line available but at lower prices. I know several people who get googly eyes over my 20GB iPod but balk at the price tag of the 5GB. While I'm extremely happy with my iPod and think it is worth every penny I paid for it, a 5GB version is a bit steep for the size. I think a 5GB iPod for $150-$200 would be ideal for a lot of people.

2. AppleWorks:Whatever number you want. Functionally AppleWorks does ok for me but it is a complete PITA to run in Jaguar. It is slow and looks very crappy. It is priced very well and has a good sized installation base since it comes bundled with consumer Macs but Apple isn't doing anyone any favors by making it run so poorly on X.

3. Something from .Mac I actually find useful. For a few dollars more than a .Mac membership I get 190 more MB of disk space, shell access, as many e-mail aliases as I want/need, 10 POP boxes, and a higher transfer limit. Having a mac.com e-mail address is not enticing enough to grab my money. I would like to have a mac.com address but not for the price they are charging and the features they provide with it.

4. Competitive pricing on Apple Base stations. For what you get they are ridiculously priced. A Linksys or Netgear base station will cost you a fraction of the Apple one and not require you to buy an extra switch for your wired network. Like .Mac, the cool looks can't possibly make up for the lack of functionality. Apple doesn't need to start spitting out beige box PCs or hard angle cubist base stations but I'd like a little substance for my hard earned dollar.

5. Speed bumps for the consumer Mac lines if not out and out price drops. I think the CRT iMac is becoming a bit irrelevant to the whole line-up now. The iBook's G3 has a place but the iMac is just a manufacturing liability at this point. I'd like to see the iMac phased out and the bottom line eMac replace it (for the iMac's lower price). I'd pay $799 for an eMac with a CD-ROM, a thousand is a bit much to lack the ability to play DVDs.

6. Firmware update for the iPod to fix some of the smaller bugs like requiring a restart to show the battery is indeed fully charged. Maybe at the far stretch of probable an iPod SDK.

7. Some sort of announcement regarding the G5/970/G4/68040/Doritoium that they intend to use in PowerMacs. Again like .Mac and the eMac I'm not going to pay for an underperformer. All the "it's a more efficient architecture than x86" motards can shut up. A hybrid electric Honda is more efficient than my Mustang but my Mustang will get me to the beach faster. A G4 might be more efficient than a Pentium but it simply can't keep up in raw performance because of the sheer number of clock cycles the Pentium has to waste on its inefficiencies. I want a chip in a PowerMac that gets some really awesome performance numbers in real applications. I want to be able to say to point to Photoshop benchmarks and show how damn good a PowerMac performs. If I'm not going to get �ber-performance out of a product I don't want to be paying obscene prices for it.

7. A really impressive totally bad-ass Mac-ONLY game that emphasizes every positive aspect of the Mac as a gaming platform. If Apple wants to keep selling to the like her fan club they really need something to wow their senses (moreso than just Ellen). A couple years ago that game was going to be HALO, at least for a while. There's nothing now that is really causing people to salivate game wise. One of Windows XP's biggest bonus points is the fact games run pretty damn well on it unless they're really old and unsupported. If you were about to move into a dorm with a super fat internet connection would you want a system that ran last years hits or something that was going to play something new and original? The consumer portion of the Mac market is facing a serious deficit in desirable games. Nanosaur may impress your ten year old but it won't last long for anyone else.

Well that is my wishlist. Even if only a few of those things happened I would be inspired. The Mac platform is a hard sell to non-Mac affectionatos because of some of the issues on my wish list. Other points are just little things for myself. I'd like to pick up an eMac as a seconary system but not lacking the ability to play DVDs or write CDs for a thousand bucks. I'd also like to see people let loose to develop extensions for the iPod in the realms of codecs or maybe even feature expansion. A cool project might be a Firewire to Airport bridge device and a Rendezvous enabled mini version of QTSS. You could serve up MP3 streamsdirectly off the iPod to anybody within Wi-Fi range of you. Not useful to many but it'd be a cool pet project. Well lets see some more wishlists before Tuesday rolls around.

[sworthy]

Since you got most of the major things, I'll just nit-pick.

I want to see as many things that are possible to be wireless. If that means bluetooth, or something else I don't know. BTW, what are bluetooth's transfer rates? I have so many components from compact flash cards to mice to keyboards. Maybe even monitors could be wireless, everything except the power would be my wishlist.

Hopefully bluetooth would be integrated into all of these devices so my desk can look a little cleaner. Even my "cordless mouse" has a cord and a reciever on my desk. I want true "wireless" like wi-fi without external receivers and dongles.

So what do you think apple? Bluetooth mice and keyboards would help push the industry towards this wireless world. Oh, and even better, make a combo airport/bluetooth internal card so all existing airport ready machines can use it.

[Prahn]

Video iPod!
Video iPod!
Video iPod!
Video iPod!
Video iPod!
Video iPod!

A Video iPod with a cinch-output to view video (DivX/MPG4) and photos on any TV would be the greatest thing. Hoping the rumors are true...

Prahn

[Graymalkin]

Bluetooth's bitrate is about 1MBps under the most optimizaed conditions you can get. It is designed to be on par with IrDA, not 802.11. BT periphrials would be cool in some respects but my keyboard needing batteries would piss me off.

[Jansar]

Originally posted by Prahn:
Video iPod!
Video iPod!
Video iPod!
Video iPod!
Video iPod!
Video iPod!

A Video iPod with a cinch-output to view video (DivX/MPG4) and photos on any TV would be the greatest thing. Hoping the rumors are true...

Prahn

But it wouldn't be that impressive without a large screen.

[gthyb]

does anyone know if techtv will be showing the keynote? i'm between ISPs so i'm just on dial up for now. i really want to watch it.

what time/day is the keynote going to be?

[michaelb]

I just wish the rumors of an tablet "iPad" are true.

Mac OS X on a handheld 8" screen, driven by pen (Jaguar's Inkwell technology).

If under $1000 USD, I'd buy one in an instant.

[Jasoco]

All I want is a G4 iBook. And I don't want iMac updates so my iMac doesn't get TOO outdated too fast.

[tikki]

Originally posted by gthyb:
does anyone know if techtv will be showing the keynote? i'm between ISPs so i'm just on dial up for now. i really want to watch it.

what time/day is the keynote going to be?

TechTV won't show it I am pretty sure after the pisspoor job they did at MWSF02.

Its at 9am Pacific. How does that translate to Eastern and Central time though?

[Graymalkin]

That is noon Eastern and 11AM Central time.

[Tominator]

Originally posted by gthyb:
does anyone know if techtv will be showing the keynote? i'm between ISPs so i'm just on dial up for now. i really want to watch it.

what time/day is the keynote going to be?

No, TechTV will not be carrying the keynote.

[TC]

What I would like to see:

iPod
Fix it so you can use it when jogging.

iChat
Video Conferencing. There was a lot of talk about this but it seems to have dropped off lately.

iPhone
Video phones are starting to get big over here in Europe and since Apple has signed a deal with a Japanaese firm to use Quicktime as their standard for Video I can see a quicktime video phone from Apple.

Any other cool new item of hardware instead of just a small speed bump. An iPad would be awesome, ink and other Newton technologies should allow it to p�ss all over pc tablets. The other biggy for me would be a rendezvous style device to allow us to easily connect our Macs to TVs and HI-FIs.

[solitere]

I would be happy if some of the following things would happen!

- iChat recives a "icq" update

- More and cheaper Graphics Cards options (Ati 9700, Nvidia FX and cheaper GF4 Ti cards)

[Stephane]

1- Update of iPhoto: new ways to store pictures in a more natural way (instead of the 02>12>02 folder hierarchy), with folders one can rename or bearing the films names.

2- An Apple browser or a Chimera-Apple/Netscape partnership just to have the choice of another browser, faster that IE to avoid the "Apple is **** when you have to browse the Net" kind of comments. An Apple branded skin (like AOL) for this browser would be really cool.

3- Update to Apple Disc burning app to add new features and have it on par with Roxio Toast or, even, Nero.

4- Apple handheld: I know what people think but I just bought a Palm and, though I am glad to have a rather easy of use and light OS (in regard to the Pocket PC 2002), I think Apple could do wonders in this area.
Also, handhelds designs are really crappy, except, maybe , for the Cli� and the Zire. And new PDA are now appearing with Linux OS: does it rings some bells?

5- DivX and Ogg Vorbis capability for Quicktime

6- Announced features of major things to come (just to boost a little APL value and to boost fans moral): G5, FW 800 or OS X 10.3

7- Exclusive sneak peek of next Apple really agressive ad campaign to debut in Spring to prepare the arrival of new macs.

[LightWaver-67]

iPhone: MY Hopes for iPhone are:

Similar to other rumors I've read, I'd rather it NOT be a 'phone' per-se... but rather a SOFTWARE solution that allows you to utilize other hardware out there such as headset microphones and VidCams.

My limited knowledge on the subject just leaves me to the very few 'rumors' I've read around these boards regarding a small box that you plug a phone-line into and connect the box to your Mac via FireWire and it now acts as the bridge to your telephony needs.

I don't know if there's ANY truth to that rumor, but it WOULD be nice. My needs are MUCH simpler than Video Conferencing... I want to make calls from my Mac, dial from the AddressBook, speak using my Telex� headset, see CallerID info on-screen, manage voice-mail, send faxes...

I really hope there is such a product in the works.

[Sven G]

[Appleman]

Originally posted by gthyb:


what time/day is the keynote going to be?

This is the url and if you want to know at what time it is at your local time, just change the time of your mac to the timezone of Pacific to know the difference with your local timezone.

[Millennium]

What's my wishlist:

1) An updated AppleWorks. As long as it ceases to be the epitome of the Bad Carbon Port, I don't much care what else they do with it.

2) Announcement of a new chipmaker. Not a new architecture; here is hoping that Apple realizes that a superior architecture will win in the long term, even if a quick-fix may help in the short term. But at this stage, I think a new chipmaker is probably the only thing that's going to break the choke-hold on the PowerPC architecture's clockrate. Motorola has never made the desktop a priority, and while that lack of commitment didn't hurt us for many years, it has begun to do so. I doubt it's likely that Motorols will change, so the only other option is to leave them.

3) No commercialization of any of the iApps. Or, if they must do it, then upgrades to those iApps that actually make them worth whatever Apple decides to charge. I'm not holding my breath on that, though, given Apple's tendency to overprice. But if we're expected to accept a price gouge, then they'd better be giving us a good reason to accept it.

That's about it for me. Honestly, whatever this "knock-your-socks-off" thing is, I don't think I'll be getting it right off the bat (unless it's a new AppleWorks or something); I'm just not in the market for new stuff right now.

[zeebe]

Originally posted by Tominator:
No, TechTV will not be carrying the keynote.

How do you know this?

[tikki]

Originally posted by zeebe:
How do you know this?

Because it is tomorrow, and they havnt announced it. Regardless, the last time they did it was when they broadcasted TechLive all day. Now, they dare not take away from their Techno Games or Thunderbirds episodes. :gag:

[TC]

Looks like something will be getting firewire 2:

http://www.insanely-great.com/news.php?id=1472

What are the chances of Apple updating the entire line with firewire 2 + bluetooth??

[piracy]

Originally posted by zeebe:
How do you know this?

http://www.macminute.com/2003/01/06/techtv

[Emotionally Fragile Luke]

All I want is:

1) Some sort of tablet/video iPod.
2) updated iTunes and iPhoto that are FREE to .Mac members.

Then I will one happy byatch.

[dwishbone]

since ive already decided im going to buy a 1Ghz Tibook/Superdrive after the expo all i really want are price cuts to that model with a faster superdrive.
id also like a video iPod to go along with it :-)
i would also like a version of iDVD that supports external burners.

[Graymalkin]

Why does everyone clamour for native Bluetooth support in Mac hardware? I think Bluetooth has the potential to do some awesome stuff with periphrials but that cool factor is mitigated by Bluetooth's impact on 802.11b/g devices. If a Bluetooth adapter causes even a 20% drop in my 802.11 signal I'd have to war chalk parts of my house as inaccessible. I don't think Bluetooth is a required component quite yet, there's too serious a lack of devices in the mainstream. It's cool for the people who own T68i phones but for everyone else it is just a hinderance adding an extra couple dollars to the price of the Mac. I think Apple is smart to include BT support in software and let third parties make the hardware adapters to utilize it. That way you only pay for BT if you're going to use it.

[TC]

Originally posted by Graymalkin:
That way you only pay for BT if you're going to use it.

But they push companies to introduce BT products if every mac ships with it.
Putting USB ports on every Mac gave printer manufacturers a market for USB printers. If it was just up to the consumer to add USB it would have taken longer.

The problems with interference are a concern but there should be a way to disable the BT if you don't want to use it. Right now on a powerbook you can disable communication ports to save battery life by not including them in your Network Configuration.

[DaedalusDX]

Heh... you'd all like some sort of technology demonstration of future PowerMac hardware...

I can see how that would boost morale, but it would also mean that PowerMac sales would plummet for the next month or two until they actually make an announcement...

Apple usually doesn't tease you with something without releasing a product that its ready for... They have been know to announce a product, start taking orders, and then fail to ship it on time or actually lower clock speeds on shipping systems (G4, remember that?), but they'd never do a technology demonstration to the public with IBM 970 hardware unless they were willing to start taking orders that very day.

[DaedalusDX]

Originally posted by Graymalkin:
Why does everyone clamour for native Bluetooth support in Mac hardware? I think Bluetooth has the potential to do some awesome stuff with periphrials but that cool factor is mitigated by Bluetooth's impact on 802.11b/g devices. If a Bluetooth adapter causes even a 20% drop in my 802.11 signal I'd have to war chalk parts of my house as inaccessible. I don't think Bluetooth is a required component quite yet, there's too serious a lack of devices in the mainstream. It's cool for the people who own T68i phones but for everyone else it is just a hinderance adding an extra couple dollars to the price of the Mac. I think Apple is smart to include BT support in software and let third parties make the hardware adapters to utilize it. That way you only pay for BT if you're going to use it.

My Bluetooth adapter doesn't seem to reduce airport range or effectivness.

Generally, I agree with you that there are a very very limited number of compatible devices out there, but that shouldn't mean that it shouldn't be built into macs. It'll be stimulus to integrate it into more devices, especially laptop peripherals. If apple does it correctly, it should cost them a trivial amount of money to integrate them into computers. The D-link one that is sold is $50 because its a 3rd party device going at list price. BT was designed to be cheap.

Also, a bluetooth adapter is acceptable or a desktop machine, since i can stick it on the keyboard and it doesn't bother me, but on a laptop it hangs off the side or back and i worry about breaking it and a USB port. It would be better if it didn't have to be that way.

[Graymalkin]

I think if Apple was on the Bluetooth wagon a year or two ago instead of just recently including it in hardware would spurn better acceptance of it with periphrial manufacturers. That's what they did with USB and the iMac. USB was a ratified specification when the iMac was released however, Bluetooth is still fraught with compatibility difficulties between different generations of devices.

BT is also a sort of orphan technology in that it fills a niche between other niches. USB is good for low bandwidth tasks that don't hog CPU time. Firewire is great when you've got a high bandwidth requirement and you don't want to over burden the CPU with meanial tasks like periphrial control. Ethernet is great for wired networking while 802.11 is good for wireless networking. Bluetooth is like USB without wires in terms of usefulness to the system overall. In highly mobile devices like phones and PDAs it makes a lot of sense, wires are a liability. With a fixed system like a PowerMac Bluetooth is a bit redundant for periphrials but is a good option when you want to talk to highly mobile devices.

[TC]

Originally posted by Graymalkin:
With a fixed system like a PowerMac Bluetooth is a bit redundant for periphrials but is a good option when you want to talk to highly mobile devices.

Bluetooth is also very cheap which means it can be used in devices like mice and keyboards.
For releatively low bandwidth devices like printers it might also be useful to.

There is a kick ass pen out which uses special paper and records what it is writing. This can then be transferred to your computer using bluetooth. With Ink technology to convert this it could work really well with Macs.

Anoto is the company behind the technology but their web site now requires registration, this story gives the gist of it:
http://www.edgereview.com/ataglance....andheld&ID=141

[TheIceMan]

Sven G:
Thanks for posting that cartoon. I like it.