[zillatron]

This just popped up on Apple Insider: clicky

'Citing inside sources, the Financial Times said Wednesday evening that Apple has rented the stage for "several days" at the end of January. Officials with Apple and the center declined to comment.'

This comes on the back of the barrage of tablet rumors in the last two weeks.

Just looking at the YBCA's website...(clicky) the block of days, including the 26th, are free. It's even Tuesday

Let the speculation...commence!

Dan

[mitty]

Apple will be celebrating it's ties with the nation of Australia by celebrating Australia Day. Apple products with special "Australian" branding will be released worldwide. Think pictures of Bindi Irwin on the back of the next gen Iphone.

[kyte]

Originally Posted by mitty

Think pictures of Bindi Irwin on the back of the next gen Iphone.

Now, thats a scary thought

[Meh 626]

Arrandale (Core i5's and i3's) MacBooks and MacBook Pro's.

[matthew858]

Originally Posted by Meh 626

Arrendale (Core i5's and i3's) MacBooks and MacBook Pro's.

I just can't see Apple hiring out the stage just for that.

[Meh 626]

Originally Posted by matthew858

I just can't see Apple hiring out the stage just for that.

Of course, there's going to be more items than just new MBs and MBPs. I was suggesting it was a possiblity that they will anounce new laptops amoung other refresed/new products.

[zillatron]

This rumor is well and truly on fire, Cult of Mac, 9to5 Mac amongst others all picked this up now..

I like the pic of Steve Jobs' car parked out from of Yerba Buena centre on 9to5 Mac haha

Dan

[jack112006]

I'm feeling a few things. First up the big news will be the tablet. It will probably be different then most of us thought, but I'm pretty confident that it will have a screen from Pixel Qi. This will be absolutely crucial if Apple really want to change the publishing industry. It will probably be a 10.1 inch screen, not OLED. I'm guessing that this will also warrant a very early preview of iPhone OS 4.0, but not much will be said about it until a developer event in March. Back to the tablet, it is probably going to cost USD$999 outright, and will be subsidised by carriers, most likely AT&T and Verizon. This will probably the case here in Australia as well. I'm guessing a late March/early April release.

Apple will also show off this Subscription TV killer they have supposedly been working on. It will only be available in the U.S. for quite a while and will run about USD$50 per month. To compliment it, Apple show us all new Apple TV hardware, costing USD$199 outright or free if you sign up to their Cable killer.

Apple will update the MacBook Pro's to i5/i7 CPU's. They will also give them a theoretical memory ceiling of 16GB by supporting 8GB RAM sticks. Graphics will get bumped, with the 9400 being replaced by a 210M and the 9600 by a 250M or 260M The MacBook air will also get bumped, going to 4GB of RAM and getting the same 210M. The display will also have the black bezel to bring it aesthetically into line with the rest of the MacBook Pro's. Apple will finally make SSD's the standard on the MacBook Air, using a 128GB SSD in the base config. The Glass Trackpad will also feature here.

The iPod touch with camera might happen, but it's unlikely considering that they would be pissing off a hell of a lot of people by doing it so soon after the holiday buying season. I would expect it at the iPhone 4.0 developer event in March.

All in all, it should be a very exciting event with lots of new products for us to buy.

[ipwn]

I think it will be the tablet release, and having a stage booked for several days, then this could mean a unique operating system that developers can come and start developing apps for this OS.

or

Stage Booking days..
Day 1 Setup Stage
Day 2 Rehearsal
Day 3 The Event
Day 4 Teardown

At the Event

Tablet First Look with new OSX Lite / SDK for App Development. for July Release as i believe this will join the iPhone/iTouch family.

Macbook Refresh.

iPhone OS4 SDK open to developers for july release.


too me this seems logical and inline with other events...

also if I get any of these right I will donate $50 to MacTalk.....

[~Coxy]

I can't see any laptops with Core 2 Duos getting the NVidia 210M; Apple seems pretty set on integrated graphics these days.

For i3/5/7/whatever based laptops I think you could be right though.

[Meh 626]

Originally Posted by jack112006

Apple will update the MacBook Pro's to i5/i7 CPU's.

I don't think we will see any i7's in the MBP's at the moment as they use to much power. The rumors and speculation point to i3's for 13" and low end 15" MBP's. i5's for the high end 15" and the 17" (all 17" models) MBP's.

Originally Posted by jack112006

Graphics will get bumped, with the 9400 being replaced by a 210M and the 9600 by a 250M or 260M

9400 will be replaced by Arrandale's IGP and the 9600 will probably be replaced by an ATI card.

[Remy]

My two cents:

• iPhone OS 3.2 - a few new features and fixes.
• MacBook Pro & Mac Pro refreshes - processor upgrade.
• iTunes Store updates - "subscription" model, if you like.
• Small Apple TV software/hardware update - larger drive and more emphasis on TV shows, as a competitor to DVRs and Pay-TV.
• A tablet device, of sorts. iPod touch like functionality with a focus on media and in particular, books/magazines/newspapers. Think Kindle-killer with a larger, brighter multi-touch colour screen, internet functionality and an App Store of it's own.

In that order, more or less. If this rumour is to believed (and I think it most likely is), I look forward to the event.

[Amsterdamned]

Arrandale finally. Laptop upgrade time!

Will the tablet rumours ever stop!? Even the SMH is predicting it now...

[zillatron]

Originally Posted by Remy

• iPhone OS 3.2 - a few new features and fixes.
• MacBook Pro & Mac Pro refreshes - processor upgrade.
• iTunes Store updates - "subscription" model, if you like.
• Small Apple TV software/hardware update - larger drive and more emphasis on TV shows, as a competitor to DVRs and Pay-TV.
• A tablet device, of sorts. iPod touch like functionality with a focus on media and in particular, books/magazines/newspapers. Think Kindle-killer with a larger, brighter multi-touch colour screen, internet functionality and an App Store of it's own.

That all seems pretty plausible, 15mins to cover a point update for iPhone OS 3 and small bumps to MB's. 15-30mins on iTunes store horn-blowing and updates including new software for ATV to support the subscription stuff. 30-45mins for a new device - 1-1.5h...spot on!

I think we can safely close the thread now.
Dan

[Rant]

Finally something to talk about. Let's hope the consensus is right and at last we get the Tablet. The device for all other media. A tablet presumes lots of content announcements - magazines, books, movies, television shows, better streaming (currently video content, but there was that recent acquisition), is this list sounding familiar?

The tablet will be bigger than iPhone. Not straight away, and you can't beat the one device that fits in your pocket, especially if it's also the ubiquitous phone. But eventually it might get media off computers and into something the size of a magazine that you can carry around.

If Apple's been manufacturing for months as the 'rumours' suggest, they might even go on sale. You know Jobs likes to say - available today. Don't get your hopes up for price. Diggnation claimed the price would be shockingly low, which could only come as some kind of mobile carrier plan, because Apple doesn't do 'low'.

That date will add quite a buzz to Macworld. Such a pity Apple doesn't want to share it's media mindshare with the people who helped it achieve cult status - industry partners, media/internet supporters and loyal customers.

[Dust For Eyes]

Originally Posted by ipwn

I think it will be the tablet release, and having a stage booked for several days, then this could mean a unique operating system that developers can come and start developing apps for this OS.

Man, MacWorld Expo people will be pissed off if this happens.

[zillatron]

Apparently now El Jobso is 'extremely happy' with the new device-o-mystery.

Not sure this is *really* that surprising, I doubt any Apple product sees the light of day with out the stamp of Steve's happiness.

Dan

[jack112006]

There is no chance that Apple will use Arrendale's IGP. One of the big things they promoted with the MacBook Pro's has always been their graphics performance. Apple would have got Intel to whip them up something custom for their notebooks lacking the IGP. Meh 626 might be right about Apple going to ATI, but based on what we saw when the Unibodies first came out, it seems like Apple and NVIDIA have a pretty serous agreement that won't be easily thwarted.

I personally thing that the 13' MBP will see the i3 as the baseline CPU, with an option to go to an i5. The 15' will have the i5 as its base with options for an under-clocked i7 or maybe a higher spec i5. The 17' will almost certainly feature the i7 as its base CPU and won't be available for customisation.

Mac Pro's are also on the likely radar as their was a lot of take about those insane i7 extreme CPU's with 6 cores and 12 threads finding their way into Mac Pro's around late January. Hopefully this will warrant a physical redesign as they are starting to look a bit dated.

They also really need to update the graphics in the Mac Pro. They should offer ATI's 5XXX series across the board, while still using something decent in the baseline model. They should also take a look into their pricing. It is currently ridiculously expensive to buy a Mac Pro with serious performance. A price drop would be very nice indeed.

Anyway, all of this plus what I previously posted would be a bit much to expect from Apple in one event unless they plan on keeping us put for three hours. Regardless, It will be a very good event.

[Swathe]

It's always exciting to ponder what new gadgets may be heading our way!

[Rant]

Originally Posted by Dust For Eyes

Man, MacWorld Expo people will be pissed off if this happens.

So much for the 'we don't want our employees working through the Holidays' bullsh*t.

The only time you can believe something Jobs says, is when he's holding it in his hand. The rest of the time he's his usual everyone-else-can-just-f*ck-off self.