[awcopus]

Reliable authority.

Here goes.

iPhoto software like iTunes for photo touch up and organizing.

But the real showstopper is probably going to be called iFrame.

5"x7" superdense LCD frame. Load up pictures via firewire or wirelessly. Display them with nice quicktime transitions. Runs on AC power or Li battery for 8 hours.

All I can say. Going to Mexcio now.

[masskinner]

Keep in mind that this is nothing new:
http://www.howstuffworks.com/digital-picture-frame.htm

But Apple will make a definitive one.

* It will store thousands of pictures AND video!!!
* It will have FireWire, USB, and Airport interfaces.
* It will have the best LCD on the market.
* It will offer the most viewing options.

I am convinced this is the next "digital hub" product. It makes sense, too. The iPod was for music. The iFrame will be for pictures/video. This pretty much constitutes the bulk of all digital files that we are interested in. It also makes sense because Apple already has experience with LCD, Firewire, USB, Airport, etc. And with so many digital cameras being sold, there is a huge market for this type of product.

[MacGorilla]

Interesting, if true...but is this really where "no PC has gone before"?

[awcopus]

My other source, very vaguely referring to a DVD player/recorder product with DVR capabilities. Firewire enabled. Airport capability. Could be great.

On iFrame, storage is CompactFlash compatible. No internal HD, obviously.

When you see it, you'll realize that it's beautiful and transcendent.

[masskinner]

Originally posted by MacGorilla:
<STRONG>Interesting, if true...but is this really where "no PC has gone before"?</STRONG>

I don't think all that marketing should be taken literally. Star Trek cliches aside, I think the iFrame is it.

[shmerek]

If that is the big new I will be very disappointed. Forget iframes and ipod how about fast computers with a fast os?

[awcopus]

iFrame IS it, masskinner.

But it's not all. 2002 is the year Apple user group expands to include noncomputer users.

iPod, iFrame, the ultimate SuperDrive Home Theater component, and.....

drum roll....

computer on belt with eyeglasses display technology from KOPIN technologies. Miracle of miniaturization, from Apple of course.

[masskinner]

Originally posted by shmerek:
<STRONG>If that is the big new I will be very disappointed. Forget iframes and ipod how about fast computers with a fast os?</STRONG>

The iFrame is in addition to a new iMac and new Powermacs, etc. But the iFrame is the new class of product.

[oranjdisc]

A picture frame with transitions? Pffffftttttt.....

But hey, if it DOES exist and DOES accept CompactFlash cards, could be kind of cool. Who knows.

[awcopus]

Want to talk about this stuff so bad. Like holding back urination for 10 hours!

[osiris]

You said it smerek! Bring on the faster chips, I don't need no stinkin' frame.

[masskinner]

Originally posted by awcopus:
<STRONG>Want to talk about this stuff so bad. Like holding back urination for 10 hours!</STRONG>

Hey, man, when you gotta go, you gotta go!

[BTP]

The funny thing is that there are a few really good sounding rumors out there. And not all of them can be true. All at once anyway. I liked the rumor about Danger, because the Woz joined the board.

This sounds good and makes sunse, but there is so much, both good and bad, there is no decisive rumors out. This is probably what Apple/SJ wanted. The amout of rumors is so great that even if the truth were to come out, its believeability is diminished.

No offense awcopus, but the rumors *always* say it is from a reliable source. I am enjoying reading all of these knowing that I'll find out what is correct in the morning.

[shmerek]

Originally posted by awcopus:
<STRONG>Want to talk about this stuff so bad. Like holding back urination for 10 hours!</STRONG>

your almost there less than 24 to go.

[oranjdisc]

Yeah, and having an "apple employee" source doesn't mean squat. I have a friend who works there, and he's been wrong many many times. There are lots of Apple employees that are totally in the dark and only hear rumors and speculation just like the rest of us. That is, unless they happen to be in the cleanup nightcrew that empties Jonathan Ive's wastebaskets. Mmmmm...what a job!

[awcopus]

Faster computers are bullsheet. Every year, the fastest computer is next year's POS.

The iPod, the iFrame, these and Apple's other nonComputers...plus the Cube...these will endure as classics.

That said, Gigahertz is passed and some.

iFrame is $399 for 5x7 pics at 1024 x 768....and if they come out with big bro', $799 for 8x10 pics, same res!

[m a d r a]

Want to talk about this stuff so bad. Like holding back urination for 10 hours!

oh c'mon! let's not have all this "i know but i can't tell...blah blah..... NDA" bollox! if someone's got inside info, they can just log in anonymously and post their crap. it doesn't exactly require topflight espionage skills

[shmerek]

Originally posted by awcopus:
<STRONG>Faster computers are bullsheet. Every year, the fastest computer is next year's POS.

The iPod, the iFrame, these and Apple's other nonComputers...plus the Cube...these will endure as classics.

That said, Gigahertz is passed and some.

iFrame is $399 for 5x7 pics at 1024 x 768....and if they come out with big bro', $799 for 8x10 pics, same res!</STRONG>

The thing is I don't need a fancy gadget to look at pictures shit I can do that already, the more I think about it the more and more useless it seems. I have pictures frames already and I don't need to plug them in.

[awcopus]

Uhhh....the iFrame is definite based on my authorities. I have spilled the beans here.

Only inner circle knows final specs (Airport or no, Firewire or no) and final look and final name, but it is what it is.

Word.

[awcopus]

Just as digital cameras save you cost of film, the iFrame saves you cost of displaying images by getting them printed, etc.

Believe me. Huge market. HUGE. And Apple will make the category killer product for it. Actually, already has.

Tomorrow, word is born.

[BTP]

Originally posted by oranjdisc:
<STRONG>Yeah, and having an "apple employee" source doesn't mean squat. </STRONG>

If I had $50* everytime someone said they got info from an Apple employee, I could buy Steve his Gulfstrem IV.

*$50 because the G IV is about $45 million. Seemed appropriate.

[masskinner]

Originally posted by shmerek:
<STRONG>

The thing is I don't need a fancy gadget to look at pictures shit I can do that already, the more I think about it the more and more useless it seems. I have pictures frames already and I don't need to plug them in.</STRONG>

Saying this is like saying: "I don't need an iPod; I already have a CD walkman" or whatever. I would love an iFrame. I also have picture frames and they take up space on my shelf and they only show one picture per frame. In fact I have no more room to add any more frames. The iFrame will allow me to view many pictures.

[awcopus]

Masskinner has it.

Tomorrow the world.

My sources are not Apple employees. Better than that.

[shmerek]

If it is true it is a lame product iFrickinguseless if you ask me. 399 for a lcd that switches pictures ugh Steve has succumbed to his own reality distortion field.

[arn]

Originally posted by awcopus:
<STRONG>Just as digital cameras save you cost of film, the iFrame saves you cost of displaying images by getting them printed, etc.

Believe me. Huge market. HUGE. And Apple will make the category killer product for it. Actually, already has.

Tomorrow, word is born.</STRONG>

Hm... I've looked into digital Frames before... I never really got psyched about it...

Mostly because it's a peripheral device... you don't sit there and watch a frame... like u watch a television. This is something that your computer can do just as well.... (screensaver software)

arn

[garrettnelson]

Interesting ... I think it'd be a hit for the plebeian market, but if it costs $400 no way is anybody going to buy that over a $15 frame for a $.50 photo ...


I'd buy it if it had an automatic Ugliness Filter that beautified all the people that you have to display ...

[BTP]

Originally posted by awcopus:
<STRONG>Just as digital cameras save you cost of film, the iFrame saves you cost of displaying images by getting them printed, etc.

Believe me. Huge market. HUGE. And Apple will make the category killer product for it. Actually, already has.

Tomorrow, word is born.</STRONG>

Like I said, I am just enjoying the ride. You may (or may not) recall the many times we have had people post similar types of things (believeable rumors) and some have borne out; others have not. There was one remarkable poster that had LOADS of us on pins and needles and at one point, even purported to be posting from MWNY 2001 and was posting that he was peeking at hardware and software. Everything sounded very real. Nothing was. So not that I believe you or not, I have just been around a lot and have a bit of experience with believing rumors.

If you turn out to be right, then tomorrow you will be right and have more credibility here. I am a bit skeptical, but not saying anything but that there are some interesting rumors out there and I'll see for myself in about 16 hours.

If you look around, there are some flaky ideas and some that are quite interesting, yours is among the latter.

[ajprice]

www.iframe.com is an IT services company.

I can't see the use of an iFrame except for company presentations, and this is nothing new, you can get TFT screen picture frames.

Name one everyday use for this thing, because I can't!

[awcopus]

The only other info I have is on a home theater component, a SuperDrive with FireWire and a built-in 60 gigabyte HD. May have wireless capability. It would be first digital DVR to incorporate optical media.

But about this thing's readiness, I know nothing.

iFrame + iPhoto....and the iFrame may also handle direct interface with DV cameras for video playback as well.

[awcopus]

If I am wrong about this, then I too have been very well misled.

If I am right, it isn't because I did anything or knew anyone special. Just fortunate to have been in right place at right time and asked the right "unrelated" question to prompt a longer than required response.

[awcopus]

After DVD, digital cameras outpaced all other consumer spending.

Most people take tons of pictures and end up with big archives of pictures they have a hard time sorting through.

iPhoto will help with that. And iFrame will provide an immediate outlet for displaying these pictures. Large market, and Apple's amazing industrial design and interface may make this a success.

For my money, I'd rather have the SuperDrive thingy, but, again, I'm in the dark on that.

[m a d r a]

let's put a few rumours together here... what if the iframe and ipad are both seperate functions of the same thing?... mind you it'd still be crap. i really can't see how a standalone LCD screen [which is basically all it is] would generate this level of hype- even from apple!

anyway, it's just gone midnight this side o the pond, so i'm off for a bit off.... wait for it...... "shut-i " !!!!

[i really am a comic genius sometimes! ]

[BTP]

We'll just all see soon. Every rumor has +/-'s and this one is that it isn't revolutionary, nor would it 'blow me away', no matter how well done it is. A good product, sure. But a revolution, nah. I have one of those 1st generation frames sitting in a box in the garage...

[ajprice]

web page

As eep! says in 'Will Steve announce this?', Sony have been there already.

[oranjdisc]

I think one point that hasn't been acknowledged is the "style" of the frame. I mean, an Apple LCD looks fine (f*ck, GREAT) in an office setting, but if they're talking about a frame you place on a table, in a living room or dining room, that's a different story.

Now, I know there's lots of nerds with harddrives and SCSI cables lying around in their living room, but think about the crowd Apple would be going for with this.

Would the frame be "skinable" to match different decors? I think not. How would an iFrame be made so that it doesn't look like a piece of computer hardware sitting in your social areas?

[ironknee]

Comeon...iFrame?

[ajprice]

Double post!

[ 01-06-2002: Message edited by: ajprice ]

[oranjdisc]

Originally posted by ajprice:
<STRONG>Double post!

[ 01-06-2002: Message edited by: ajprice ]</STRONG>

Yep. I wouldn't call that "boldly going" anywhere.

[Millennium]

My other source, very vaguely referring to a DVD player/recorder product with DVR capabilities. Firewire enabled. Airport capability. Could be great.

This 100%, absolutely cannot happen. Here's why:

DVD, as you probably know, is a patented technology. At least in theory, if you want to make a DVD player, you have to license the technology from a certain group. One of the conditions the groups makes is that you must not put a FireWire port on any DVD player you make. If you do, they can sue you for breach of contract. Computers, evidently, do not count in this, though there are conditions for computer-based DVD players which take similar steps (no screencaps allowed, etc.)

Why the heck would they do this? Supposedly, an antipiracy measure. They didn't want consumers getting direct access to the original digital stream. How unfortunate for them that it turns out pirates don't need FireWire to do that anyway

[Millennium]

[What's up with Mozilla double-posting everything I write, anyway? This shouldn't be...]

[ 01-06-2002: Message edited by: Millennium ]

[ford prefect]

That doesn't even sound fun. What happened to making fun products? iPod is fun. It even has that "secret" brickout game. I don't think this is the big surprise. Maybe a side thing. Otherwise, I'd be very disappointed.

[garrettnelson]

I don't think Apple is stupid. If they see that Sony has a very similar product, as ajprice noted, I don't think they would go forth and issue some brash statement like "To boldly go where no PC has gone before" without a little market research.

[masskinner]

Originally posted by ajprice:
<STRONG>As eep! says in 'Will Steve announce this?', Sony have been there already.</STRONG>

Actually, a whole buncha companies are making this sort of product, just like a whole bunch of companies are making mp3 walkmans. But Apple will do for iFrame what they did for iPod.

[wataru]

I wouldn't hate Apple for putting out an iFrame, but I would be very disappointed if that's all they have up their sleeves. I have a digital camera that I use occasionally, and my picture archive has grown kind of big. But I'm still not interested in buying hardware just to look at those pictures when I could easily do so on my computer for no extra money.

iFrame is exactly the kind of thing that you find in the Sharper Image catalog--expensive and useless.

I do want an iPod, though.

[masskinner]

Originally posted by garrettnelson:
<STRONG>I don't think Apple is stupid. If they see that Sony has a very similar product, as ajprice noted, I don't think they would go forth and issue some brash statement like "To boldly go where no PC has gone before" without a little market research.</STRONG>

Do you really think Star Trek cliches constitute a legally binding contract?

I wish I had been on the lame-ass marketing team that came up with that. So fresh and original! Gosh, wonder how much they got paid for that...

[hkstar]

I saw one of those at my local Sony Central over a year ago. They're old. Maybe Apple's gonna "do an iPod" and release a really good version, kinda "what sony did but done right this time".

But that's not worth all this hype. We're going to see some new computers with some amazing new capability, not a god damn picture frame.

thanks for sharing, however, awcopus. It makes sense that apple moves into this market area too.

hk-star

[mudzilla]

One of the conditions the groups makes is that you must not put a FireWire port on any DVD player you make.

can you say Playstation2?

DVD player and iLink/Firewire...

[Tarabella]

Despite the undisputed fact that iPod is the king of MP3 players, the $399 price is ridiculed. Yes, I want one. But I won't get one at $399. I know all about the value of the hard disk, etc.

A 5 x 7 digital picture frame, or iFrame, would be overpriced by a factor of ten at $399. I don't care if it has firewire, airport, or ten megapixel resolution. The earlier comment comparing it to a $15 frame and a .50 picture are right on taget.

We buy picture frames not just to diplay precious memories, but to decorate our homes. For $400 I can buy a real piece of original art or an original portrait of one of my children.

Just because it can be done, does not mean that people will buy it.

I can't wait for the $399 iBlender that will connect to the iPod via firewire and download a thousand recipes for fruit shakes and banana daquiries. It will boldly frappe and puree where no PC has ever gone before!

[godzookie2k]

LOL 400 dollar picture frame with a fat ass apple logo on the back, yeah, thats a great mantle topper right there, I'm sure moms would LOVE to get one of these for mothers day, huh? For 400 bucks I could go to ikea and best buy, buy a boat load of frames and a boat load of photo paper and look at all my photos all at once instead of with some cheesy ass zoom, scroll, and fade quicktime transition.


Nick

[masskinner]

Originally posted by godzookie2k:
<STRONG>I'm sure moms would LOVE to get one of these for mothers day, huh?</STRONG>

Yeah, and we all know that moms are Apple's primary market