Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Rumors
TUAW predictions roundup for Macworld 06 keynote
Alright
everyone, we're on the home stretch for tomorrow's keynote, and we thought it would be fun to round up predictions
(hopes?) from some of the TUAW bloggers of what will be introduced. Some of these predictions might be honing in on
rumors, others could simply be baseless hope for a particular product. The main point of this post is to spark some
conversation about what we could see tomorrow to help pass the time and keep the shakes from setting in. So without
further ado, here are TUAW's predictions for the Macworld 06 keynote:- C.K. - black Intel iBooks running on flash memory
- Damien Barrett - a Mac mini media center with iLife '06, programmable remote
- Dave Caolo - iLife '06 including FrontRow
- David Chartier - a nearly-finished preview of 10.5
Leopard, with a release scheduled before Vista (like that's hard to do)
- Laurie A. Duncan - iWork 06
gets a major update, finally offering a viable alternative to Office for OS X
- Scott McNulty - Sell your songs on iTunes, publish your blog on .Mac, get your vlog streaming from Apple's servers
- Victor Agreda Jr - AirPort Express update that includes video streaming
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Jay B said 1:08PM on 1-09-2006
The idea of the huge 50+ inch plasma tv with built in computer seems like a feasible Apple product. But in regards to yalls predictions I'm betting on the big Office replacement/iLife update and the blog update to .Mac. Either way though I'm incredibly excited...
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Fjunk said 1:12PM on 1-09-2006
The TV thing sounds great, but a bit pricey at this stage, don't you think?
I'll go for the MacIntel Mini, with iLife '06 including FrontRow 2.
A video enabled Airport Express could be great, too?..
Updated iBooks a bit later on (One more thing...)
And all of these goodies delivered on Tuesday mornning at my place, thank you very much.
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Marcello said 1:17PM on 1-09-2006
What about an updated iPod Video software that enables a sort of (or exactly) Front Row when you connect it to TV?
Is it so funny?
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Alasdair Allan said 1:18PM on 1-09-2006
I think Laurie and Scott are the closest to being right, despite my hopes for an updated Powerbook, I think we're heading for a keynote packed with software announcements.
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jakke said 1:19PM on 1-09-2006
iWork update with an Excel like app.
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J said 1:22PM on 1-09-2006
ahhh the tension... god i hope for a black widescreen intel ibook... available in less than a week =) mmmmmmMMMmmmm delecious. is tuaw doing live updates as info is found out tomorrow?
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Brian said 1:30PM on 1-09-2006
+iLife '06 w/iWeb
+Mac Mini-like media box w/FrontRow 2.0
+Yonah iBooks, not Flash-based but with Robson, still in white, with built-in webcam
+a replacement for the Shuffle that's not screenless
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David Chartier said 1:35PM on 1-09-2006
J: We hope to. We have a few covert operatives in place at Macworld, but I believe they're shutting wifi off in the keynote area during the actual keynote. Our operatives are creative and resilient, however, so we hope to be able to post one way or another.
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Joshua Ochs said 1:36PM on 1-09-2006
My take on your take. ;)
CK - Obviously not in the realm of reality. But hey, we can dream, right?
Damien - Programmable remote goes against the whole simplicity ethos - won't happen. The rest might.
Dave - Agreed. I hope Front Row is rolled out to everyone (and updated to be used on the computer screen with smaller fonts).
David - Unlikely. Maybe an early few screenshots and glimpses of new features. Even a beta won't be ready until WWDC. Intel Macs will ship with Tiger for some time.
Laurie - Numbers is likely, along with updates to the rest of iWork. Last year's spreadsheet-less iWork was something of a joke.
Scott - Interesting; it would certainly quell a lot of complaints about using iTMS. Blogging stuff is almost a dead certainty with iWeb.
Victor - How I hope so. However, it would have to transcode on the fly to whatever the new Airport Express can display. That's easy for audio, but could be hard for video, especially on lower-end machines.
Here's my predictions:
1) iLife '06 with iWeb. Already as good as confirmed, thanks to Apple's goof.
2) Updated Mac Mini. No updates in a year; I could see them establishing an annual update schedule for this entry model.
3) Expanded dot-Mac. Goes with iWeb, announced downtime, maybe to support new offerings.
4) iWork '06. Updated components. Numbers 1.0.
Those are the easy ones. Others I expect:
5) Intel Mac Mini and iBook. Yonah (Core Duo) is out, and they share the same architecture. I'm leaning against the Powerbook as I'll bet Apple would like to do some more development there, as much as it needs a major update.
6) Mac OS X 10.4.4. Was expected before Christmas, but has likely been delayed to roll out with the Intel Macs.
7) Further announcements for iTunes Music Store. More video content and distribution deals; maybe movies?
More tenuous:
8) Mac Mini with video in and major Front Row update for PVR. Sure, they're going to do it at some point, but I just don't think now.
9) Intel Powerbook. My gut just says they're not going to jump it now. Maybe after a couple months of experience with the iBook/Mini.
Not happening:
10) iPod updates of any kind. They happened too recently.
11) Power Mac updates of any kind. Same thing.
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Chris Coleman said 1:36PM on 1-09-2006
I'm still holding out some small shred of hope for an updated iPod, possibly just a bump in hard drive sizes would be nice.
Realistically though my expectations are, Intel news (not necessarily specific product announcements, Leopard news, updated iPod shuffle (doubt we'll see a display), and something that will blow us away (maybe 50" plasma screen iMacs, maybe something unthinkable).
It's a hard show to call, but that makes it even more exciting.
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Chris Coleman said 1:39PM on 1-09-2006
I'll be seriously PO'd if they annoucne front row whatever for iMacs that supports higher res video when I spent the last week ripping seven seasons of The Simpsons with Handbrake Lite to iPod size.
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Greg said 1:41PM on 1-09-2006
My predictions
-they will announce a very near date when first Intel Macs hit market. I guess about two months time.
-nano capacity bump
-new ipod firmware (i like Marcello's idea above very much)
-dropping 512 shuffle, lowering price of 1 gb
-iLife 06 (hoping they fixed iphoto's performance issues)
-one more thing, a small little piece of hardware that we didn't know we can't live without. no idea what.
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CW said 1:52PM on 1-09-2006
I want my new intel powerbook/ibook and i want it now. seriously, steve could pull a bunch of software stuff out of his hat but thats not what really carries that company. For me its new hardware products like powerbook and iPod and mac mini media center. If its just software updates and some video iPod software updates, I, along with the people who are actually attending will be greatly disappointed.
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kc! said 1:53PM on 1-09-2006
I am going out on a limb to predict super-slim intel PBs (and larger "brothers"--hopefully with removable drives!?) and I second the (hope/rumor) of some media center implementation. (I am hoping for a super sexy uber remote control which would replace the keyboard and mouse for a livingroom theater setup, but not holding my breath).
I say, no plasma/computer hybrids, MS Office-killing apps, or indepth previews of 10.5.
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eceres said 1:55PM on 1-09-2006
Steve Jobs saying to the effect of, "we will launch leopard 1 month before Vista. This is going be a hard goal to accomplish as we will have to keep pushing back our launch date."
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Brett Edwards said 1:59PM on 1-09-2006
Keeping with the quarterly new iPods, there will definitely be an update to the Shuffle line. Maybe colors, maybe a small screen, probably even smaller.
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C. Grant said 2:03PM on 1-09-2006
I like CK's idea... a subcompact laptop, flash memory. Sony's had 'em for years, its about time Apple had something equivalent.
Not happening? Fine, I'll take the media center.
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Snesgirl said 2:04PM on 1-09-2006
>deep breath<
please anncounce a pda, please anncounce a pda, please anncounce a pda, please anncounce a pda, please anncounce a pda, please anncounce a pda, please anncounce a pda, please anncounce a pda, >stops to breath<
failing that an apple digital camera please :D
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Brad said 2:12PM on 1-09-2006
I'm guessing:
1) New Intel iBooks and minis (best explanation I've seen for these and not PowerBooks is that pro apps aren't Intel ready and emulation is too slow for pro users on music, design, 3D apps, etc.)
2) 10.4.4 to support above machines
3) Update or replacement for iPod Shuffle.
4) More content partners.
5) Updated iLife to include iWeb, but all the apps will have more podcasting/blogging/video podcasting tools. Integration with major new .Mac features.
6) Something major in the home entertainment field. Maybe even the big plasmas.
I'm leaning against theiWork update to include a spreadsheet. My fear is that challenging Office will give MS an excuse to eventually discontinue Office Mac. Which would kill Apple in switching people and kill them in the corporate world. They can't risk that. So if there's a significant update, I'm going to go with a something more radical. Pro versions of iCal and Mail (please!) and a lite version of FIlemaker.
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iFelix said 2:14PM on 1-09-2006
My opinion is a media centre and blogging/podcasting software.
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