Apple Expo Rumors!

Saturday December 3, 2005 at 9:21 pm | Filed under Gadgetry, Mac

In recent Apple fashion, they’re about to make more things that they just announced obsolete. Front Row 2.0 is rumored to be announced in January at Apple’s Annual MacWorld Expo. It’s rumored to be powered by a new version of the Mac Mini that will be powered by one of the new intel chips. That would mean the first of the Intel chips would be released 6 months ahead of schedule. Good news for my new Powermac that I want to get next year. If you want to know what Front Row is before it’s replaced by a new version, check out how cool this is.

Anyway, this new Mac Mini is rumored to be the new digital multimedia hub in your livingroom, and that sounds mighty cool. It might even include an ipod dock built into it. Here’s a quote from Think Secret, a pretty accurate Apple rumor site:

Specifics surrounding Front Row 2.0 and Apple’s DVR application are limited at this point, although sources with knowledge of the project have dubbed the latter a “TiVo-killer.” The moniker might not be without some bias, however, as sources report that talks of an Apple-TiVo deal recently fizzled, prompting TiVo to independently announce this month that it will soon offer customers the ability to copy stored content to a video iPod.

While Apple surprised watchers when the company delivered Front Row alongside updated iMac G5s recently, Apple’s media center intentions have become startlingly clear in the past year since Apple first delivered the Mac mini and customers first started connecting the system to home theaters and installing it in automobiles. Sources have hinted that additional media announcements will further propel Apple’s strategy, and with the hardware, software, and iPod sales behind it, Apple now seems poised to firmly plant its footprint in living rooms.

This next bit sounds like what we would expect from the Netflix/TiVo partnership that hasn’t produced anything yet. Apparently Apple is planning on announcing a content distribution service that will allow a sort of “video on demand” service that utilizes your internet connection to let you watch movies you want. I guess it would continue with what the video iPod started with video available for purchase, but this would be more of a rental as you would never have the video n your hard drive, it would stream from the net through your existing internet connection. Sound like the beginnings of what could be Netflix 2.0! Can Apple do for video what it’s done for music?

I’d love to see what Apple can do with a Tivo-like application. I’m not sure how that subscription video thing is gonna work out. I think it’s cool as long as the video quality is good. I haven’t read anything about HD, and first go-arounds of thins kinda thing probably won’t include that, but who knows? Is Apple looking to keep up with Microsoft and their Media Center Edition of Windows? Will they be able to one-up them? I hope we find out in January!

Read the latest on the expo at Think Secret.

In other tech related news, if you’re following the blu-ray vs. HD-DVD race, Blu seems to have the edge of late. Another reason to wait for the PS3? Hmm…

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2 Responses to “Apple Expo Rumors!”

  1. Danny Says:
    December 5th, 2005 at 11:57 pm

    I just know those Intel chips will arrive ahead of schedule. The Mac Mini is what I’m interested in, which will be the first place the new chip shows up…it’s cheap and I can use my current (ahem…PC) monitor, keyboard and mouse.

    If it’s a little bigger than the current mini because they include the larger format drive it’s ok by me. Although hard drive space might not be as important if Front Row 2 uses the iDisk feature as they’re talking about. As the TS article stated the only question is bandwith. I, theoretically, get 4+ mbps…is that enough to feel comfortable having my entire audio/video library online? I don’t know. The Mac as a TiVo killer? I’ll believe it when I see it. All other DVR interfaces I’ve used fall below my beloved TiVo.

    Blu-Ray: From what I’ve read over the past year or so, blu-ray seems to have had the advantage in every aspect except one…price. It’ll cost more becuase it’s a completely new technology, requiring all new equipment to create software and hardware. HD DVD can retrofit existing equimpent to make the disks, and would therefore be cheaper. Hopefull we won’t have to make a desision.

    A few years ago when SACD and DVD-Audio material showed up, people had to choose which format to buy. Then the manufacurers got wise and started making universal players that could handle both disks…instant solution! Is it possible for one machine to read both HD DVD and Blu-ray? I havn’t heard, but it sounds like a good idea to me.

    Perhaps this format war will be solved the same way the VHS/Beta issue was. Let PORN decide! Yes, it seems to be a legit story…it was the porn industry that supported VHS (for cost issues). So much so that it, clearly, became the tape of choice even though Sony’s Beta was the superior format. This time around I’m willing to pay more for a better product (Blu-ray…not porn).

  2. Joe Says:
    December 6th, 2005 at 6:10 pm

    Danny, you pervert! ;-)

    Yup, I agree about the Tivo-killer statement. That will have to be proven. I’m also leary of any streaming “I never get to hold the movie in my hand” kinda service, but here’s hoping they find a way to do it right. It appears the movie download service and the TiVo functionality are separate, at least as far as the rumors go, and that’s a good thing. My gut tells me that the TiVo-like thing will be the more usable service out of the gate since DVRs have been around for 5 years or so.

    DVD quality audio is great, but no matter what format you use (my car can play DVD-As) there isn’t much out there available. That’s too bad because they sound tremendous.

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