MacMegasite

Here are my predictions for Macworld 2009:

• Snow Leopard If it isn’t released, Apple will at least announce a release date. Apple *may* add some user features to make it an attractive update.
• iLife and/or iWork updates I don’t believe that iMovie will be moved online, although it may be able to take advantage of other computers on the network for rendering using XGrid. I think there will be an online version of iWork similar to Google Docs. Applications like iMovie & iDVD will most likely take advantage of Snow Leopard features such as using the GPU to speed up rendering.
• Mac Mini There will most likely be a new Mac Mini, with a lot of the technology introduced in the new MacBook line. It will almost certainly use DisplayPort instead of DVI. It might provide easy access for hard drive & RAM upgrades like the new MacBook & MacBook Pro, although that may be just my wishful thinking.
• iMac Minor update, probably a speed bump or quad-core processor and adding DisplayPort instead of mini DVI. No design change.
• Mac Pro May also receive a speed bump, new processor (16-core maybe), DisplayPort.
• MacBook Line A Unibody 17″ MacBook Pro?
• AppleTV Possibly new software with official support for Hulu and/or Netflix streaming.
• iPhone New software. If there is an iPhone Nano, it will be a stripped down model which probably won’t allow you to install additional applications from the app store at a much lower price ($99?).

The MacBook & MacBook Pro are long overdue for an update, so rumors have been flying about updated models. Several images have surfaced, most of them showing a slim, more rounded design with a dark keyboard that looks a lot like the MacBook Air. Apple has scheduled a media event next month, where they’re expected to introduce new iPods and iTunes 8, but it’s possible they may also introduce the new MacBook Pro.

MacDailyNews reports that Apple’s “secret product” mentioned in yesterday’s financial results conference call may be a tablet-based Mac.

Think MacBook screen, possibly a bit smaller, in glass with iPhone-like, but fuller-featured Multi-Touch. Gesture library. Full Mac OS X. This is why they bought P.A. Semi. Possibly with Immersion’s haptic tech. Slot-loading SuperDrive. Accelerometer. GPS. Pretty expensive to produce initially, but sold at “low” price that will reduce margins. Apple wants to move these babies. And move they will. This is some sick shit. App Store-compatible, able to run Mac apps, too. By October at the latest.

[color=red]This is only a rumor[/color]. Nothing has been officially confirmed.

Apple Gazette points out that Adium’s publicly visible stats page, which lists hardware & OS info from Adium’s software updater, lists a machine identified as “MacbookAir”. I also noticed several other interesting machines there, like non-Apple PCs and several ADPs (Apple Developer Platform, the old Intel transition kit which was supposed to be returned to Apple long ago).

Uploaded with plasq’s Skitch!

Uploaded with plasq’s Skitch!

MacWorld 2008 is just around the corner, and thousands of people are hoping for some great things from Apple. In this blog post I will talk about what I would like to happen from Apple coming up at the MacWorld 2008 Conference and Expo.Personally, I’d like to see a slimmer 12-inch MacBook, with a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo CPU, 4GB of RAM, and a hard drive holding up to 250GB. It would also be nice if Apple would come to the show with a new line of cheaper, brighter and better Cinema Displays that would include a built-in iSight camera. The Cinema Displays haven’t been updated in over 2 years, and I think it is time Apple refreshed those products.

A fellow blogger, Wesley Yendrys, wrote a great post today about what he would like to see at MacWorld 2008:

“I’m hoping for an iPhone release date in Canada, either at MacWorld, or some other time between Q1 and Q2 of 2008. May is when my parents are going to allow me to have an phone, and so, I want to be able to buy an iPhone straight away, rather than waiting for Apple to release one in 2012, when the iPhone has gone through 10 generations. Although, I don’t think we’ll see an iPhone Canada release date, it’s just wishful thinking.As far as software goes, this would be around the time where iLife and iWork ‘08 would be released, but we got that last August. I do think however, we might see some iTunes updates. Maybe even iTunes 8.”

There’s the scoop on what I’d like to see at MacWorld 2008. Please remember that Apple Universe will be recording LIVE during MacWorld at the Zeum from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Please RSVP at Upcoming.

A little bird tweeted that the MacBook Nano will be announced next week. It will be half the size of a MacBook, 3/4 of an inch thick, SSD drive, no optical drive and will use a new thing called Beam Technology to transfer data faster than Bluetooth. The little bird also said something about watching TV on the iPhone. Could that be what’s in the air?

Ars Technica posted a tantalizing image of Apple’s first Macworld Expo banner, “There’s something in the air”. Could it be wireless movie rentals direct from the Apple TV? Any other ideas? Post your predictions here.

IDG News reports on comments by Taiwan’s Asustek Computer that Intel was unable to keep up with the high demand on mobile CPUs. Laptop sales are expected to hit record highs this year, and so is demand on Intel’s mobile CPUs.

“The biggest shortage in notebook components is in CPUs, Intel CPUs. Intel isn’t meeting demand,” said Jerry Shen, president of Asustek, answering questions at an investors conference in Beitou, Taiwan.

Aside from their own computer sales, Asustek performs contract-based sales, including production of Apple’s MacBook computer in the past. Whether or not this may affect future MacBook supplies remains entirely speculative. Asustek, however, reassured investors that it did not expect this shortage to affect its sales.

In a separate note, despite our belief that an upgraded MacBook was scheduled for arrival as early as today (or “within the next week”), this was not the case. New information reveals that this specific expectation was based on faulty information, and should be disregarded.

This, however, does not negate the existing rumors that the MacBook was expected in the “first half of November” and MacBooks could still see updates imminently.

[Mac Rumors]

As has been rumored, Orange announced today that they have signed an exclusive agreement with Apple to distribute the iPhone in France.

No details (price or plans) have yet been provided, and Apple has not yet announced the partnership. Apple Expo, however, takes place next week starting on September 25th in Paris, France.

Earlier this week, Apple announced the iPhone for Germany and the UK.

Not enough new Apple rumors or news leaks? Apple Gazette has the cure with their Apple Rumor Generator. This fun tool will fill the gossip vacuum with the same reliability as your favorite rumor sites. Post your favorite rumors in the comments here.