[Peter Cohen]

mewantmac said:

When might this 'September Suprise' be? Whatever product is unveild, will it be on sale by the holiday season?

You're welcome to speculate whatever you want, but based on past September product introductions -- and remember, as Munster points out, those product introductions have specifically focused on the iPod, iPhone and related products and services for the past three years -- Apple often tries to get those products out immediately with the announcement.

[Peter Cohen]

lwdesign said:

I think Peter Cohen is thinking too small.

As I say elsewhere, readers are welcome to speculate to their heart's content. I, personally, only feel comfortable pointing out the historical precedents, which indicate that Apple will have some sort of announcement associated with the iPod, iPhone and/or related products and services.

[nmpike]

You guys have learned nothing from Apple's past...
apple will NEVER make a product that will compete with another product it has... I've been hearing for YEARS, "oh here is a Mac tablet."
Microsoft has been doing tablets for years, they are STILL failing, and MS did a great job with them...
You won't see a tablet because it would compete with the MacBook Air....
You won't see a 32gb iPhone unless there is a 64gb iPod touch... (they put the gap in there to hit people who want more capacity but still want the phone).
If apple tried to enter the video game market they would be KILLED. Like MS or hate them, the 360 is pretty close to perfect. I have the first 360 released.. very noisy (just like an old G5), but just bought a new elite, I don't even hear a fan in that unit...
XBOX live is done brilliantly, and the XBOX is a breeze to develop for. the PS3 has more power than the 360, but the 360 has superior software all the way around... The Wii.. that's just cool... nobody is dethroning that in the near future. I DO NOT LIKE microsoft, and I have all three systems (Wii, 360, and PS3).. as much as I hate to say it, the 360 is miles ahead of the other game systems, (other than the Wii, but the Wii is unique in what it does with a long franchise of history (super mario bros, etc). But if could only have one, it would be the 360.
Maybe the "transition" will be Steve Jobs leaving apple... I was at WWDC... had a VIP, saw him up close... I've been there every year... this was not the best I've seen him in (enough on the health issues though)...
I think that will be the transition, Steve not being so active in Apple... I can tell the iPhone 3G had a lot less "Steve" in it than the first... a plastic case? The headphone port?
The iPhone 3G is so poor in design compared to the first one its not funny... and you could see the lack of passion when Steve introduced it at WWDC... not near what the first phone was.
And iPhone 2.0 and 2.01? This phone crashes MORE than any windows mobile phone I ever had! I'd say almost as much as the moto razr. Quality has slipped at Apple... between their OS's not being patched, the phones crashing all the time (on Apple apps, not third party ones)... App Store updates not working... MobileMe being a technical nightmare...
None of this happened before... Steve was in full control... maybe he is getting ready to step down (or already is stepping down) which is now why Apple products have really went in the crapper over the last year...
The transition will be management... not hardware.

[lhudd]

I would always recommend waiting until October if you're looking to buy a Mac in September. They always (seem) to have a performance refresh just after back-to-school and before the christmas season. Apple typically tries to use specials during the back-to-school season (free ipods, printers, etc) to clear out their inventory just before bumping performance. The changes are never significant, just a few MHz here or there, but there usually is no price increase either. So, you might as well wait. If you want to wait for a more major revision, the January announcements are always more significant.

[chewygoat]

I think, or perhaps just hope, that we will see a new iPod Touch, the primary change of which will be the addition of a real speaker, similar to the iPhone. This is necessary for the iPod Touch to be a real PIM, and is obviously a good thing for apps. If they release this, I will be upgrading. I'm trying to use my touch as a replacement for my old Palm, and the one major shortcoming is alarms. On the touch they are quiet little chirps. I need a PIM that can even wake me up! Also makes things like the recently pulled, PhoneSaber, a lot more fun.

[macnuke]

Expectations lead to disappointment.

the only way to not be disappointed with an upcoming Apple announcement is to expect them to do exactly what Apple wants.

[MacSoap]

see this it might me the andswer

http://www.appleinsi...8/08/04/chineseblogclaimsphotosofapplesnextgen13inchmacbooks.html

[DisabledTrucker]

I seriously doubt there is going to be an iPhone update anytime soon, (they just updated it,) maybe on the iPod front though. The MacBooks are most likely to be updated again next year as well. I look primarily for something new to hit the shelves this fall.

A new iCam maybe? One that can tear the doors off the Sony Mylo, by not only taking great pictures, but, also do video and text and upload those to the likes of MySpace, Bebo, Facebook, YouTube, etc. With an include of it's iChat to do video chats between users, (though I'd prefer Skype,) and work on Wi-Fi N or G. Maybe even compete against 3's Skype Phone and be available here in the US. More geared for the younger crowd then the iPhone, (iPhone Jr?). Still, I'm NOT too sure about this.

They haven't updated the Mac Mini yet this year nor the Apple TV, maybe a combination of those will be introduced, or as one speculated, they may finally decide it's time to step into the arena with a Mini Pro, that is geared for the home audience for home server duties. Being able to download more movies and have a place to store them onboard seems a more viable solution, maybe even working with AT&T to utilize it's U-Verse service that is supposed to see a larger imprint this year in it's newly acquired "BellSouth" markets. (U-Verse with On-Demand powered by iTunes using an aTV Pro with built-in (H)DTV tuner(s)?!?)

Maybe it's time again for a total redesign of the iMacs, (or shudder at the thought, kill them off;) with better cameras (maybe including a removable bluetooth one instead,) larger monitors; Solid State Drives; Touch Screens, Better Audio Inputs; using AMD components instead of Intels; Maybe finally switching back to nVidia's Video cards instead of AMD's (OK, ATI's for those who want to argue;) redesigned mice and possibly wireless keyboard; (not too many buying into the loss of their number keys and it's tiny footprint;) inclusion of a card reader that can accept AT&T's, (or anyone elses for that matter,) wireless service; maybe even another card reader that can accept the XD/SD/MMC cards that all these electronics are using these days.

Most likely though it will be something really innovative and out of left field though, that soon, noone will be able to live without that somehow will fit into the multimedia category while connecting you at the same time. With Wireless being their thing and the new 700MHz band in the hands of various players, I'm sure they are looking to break out into that arena as well with some sweet innovative product!

[Peter Cohen]

fulorange said:

Or a Mac Gaming system, to compete with Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony?

Oh, please, no.

[matt_s]

I also owned a Titanium G4, and then, two PowerBook G4's, and then, two Intel MacBook Pros. After almost 7 years of the same metal thing, I was wowed by the BlackBook's look - primarily because it was finally something different !

My wife has a 2008 MacBook Pro - I can sit on the deck and surf the web, while she can't get a signal :-) I have been digging the WiFi range on this puppy since I bought it. Hey - it turns out metal DOES make a great shield material.... Who woulda thunk? :-)

This may be the best Mac laptop I've ever owned, actually. Let's see - over the years I've bought a 165, a 180C, a Duo, a 5300, a 1400c, a 3400, a WallStreet, a Lombard, a Pismo, a Titanium G4, a PowerBook G4 15", a PowerBook G4 12", three iBooks (a 12" and two 14" units) and a white MacBook 13" for my daughters, two MacBook Pros 15", a MacBook Pro 15" for my wife, and the BlackBook 13".

I've dragged this BlackBook across the planet - it has over 300,000 air miles - the front is chipped, corners smashed in from a couple of drops (one out of a cab onto the pavement!), the top is badly scarred, the trackpad is worn... but the LCD is pristine (I always use a foam keyboard cover). I maxed the RAM out, added a 320 GB drive, and it runs fast. I love the keyboard!

If the LCD was 12" instead of 13", it would fit the seat back tray on aircraft perfectly (I really miss my PBook 12"). If the DVD drive was external, I wouldn't have to tote that around. But that's it, man. I can't think of another thing I'd change. I do not miss the backlit keyboard like I thought I might. It has plenty of horsepower. The machine is just killer.

I am so sick and tired of the whole 6-1/2 - 7 year old aluminum look, I found this unit's appearance refreshing. If Apple ruins the MacBook line by making it aluminum too (new slogan: Think Same!), I will dash over to my local Apple Store to get a new BlackBook before the stock runs out! It's odd that the company known for their design savvy has basically let this product line stagnate for over half a decade - an eternity in the electronics business.

[Jason Snell]

lwdesign said:

I think Peter Cohen is thinking too small. When Apple talks about a "product transition" it's not about a minor redesign or update of an existing product. They've been doing that for years incrementally and never called it a "transition."

Actually, you're wrong about this. In a financial conference call last year they specifically referenced a "product transition" that was forthcoming; it turned out to be the replacement of the white iMacs with the new aluminum-skinned iMacs.

[Schneb]

DisabledTrucker said:

>Maybe it's time again for a total redesign of the iMacs, (or shudder at the thought, kill them off;)
Highly doubt they will kill off the iMac. It still has too many sales.

I foresee something upgradeable to dissolve the upstarts that create Hackintoshes.

[Schneb]

matt_s said:

>it turns out metal DOES make a great shield material.... Who woulda thunk? :-)

Anyone out there willing to bet the next generation of MacBook Pros will be Carbon Fiber?

[rab777hp]

If a 'product transition' is something small; then I'm absolutely 100% sure that it's an upgrade of MacBooks, if last time the 'product transition' was an upgrade of iMacs, then it's MacBooks this time. They're about due for one anyways, they only got a small change earlier this year, but there's going to be something physical this time. I'm guessing they're going thinner. That there will be a release of what was described in that rumor that then got confirmed about pictures and patents about thinner MBPs, that have the optical drive on the bottom. And expect a huge price drop, like what happened with the iMacs, and the iPhone 3G, also there might be one for the MBA, most people are screaming for a drop on the SSD, and, there's a possibility of a minor upgrade; maybe a larger HD on the SSD. Then again, these are only my predictions and they could be absolutely wrong, striking a million yards off the mark; the point is, we won't know until apple let's us no, we might get a leak, like with MobileMe, but we're not going to be hearing anything for a long time.