“Apple’s mysterious summons to Cupertino tomorrow has the rumor mill watching the maker of Macs and iPods closely. The smart money is on movies,” Owen Thomas writes for Business 2.0. “Apple has issued a vaguely worded invitation to reporters and analysts, to ‘come see some fun new products’ at Apple’s Cupertino headquarters on Tuesday, February 28. And, not surprisingly, the missive has kicked up a whirlwind of rumors What could Apple CEO Steve Jobs have up his sleeve this time? The Apple rumor mill has been wrong before, but it is a reliable indicator of the products people are hoping for. And right now, the rumors center around movies.”
Thomas writes, “Here’s how Apple might go Hollywood on Tuesday: a true video iPod, an Intel Mac mini, a widescreen iBook, [and/or] an iTunes Movie Store… Summoning Silicon Valley’s press corps down to Cupertino on short notice is a dramatic gesture suggesting that Jobs is preparing to make a big statement. With next-generation video as hot as it is right now, this would be a prime time for him seize the spotlight.”
Full article here.
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Related article:
Apple to hold special media event tomorrow – February 27, 2006
all this effort into movie viewing, lets hope apple hasnt forgot about movie production!! more pro!
Steve is going to announce a Death Match between himself and Bill Gates for control of the world! My money is on Steve.
No. I suppose it will be an intel MiniMac, and perhaps this “asteroid” thing that we keep hearing about.
Movies are on the way folks!
Asteroid, intel mini, movies on itunes (Disney to dominate at first), and possibly the “media hub”
it takes too long to DL a movie and who wants to sit in front of a computer to watch it? it’s something else: like a redesigned shuffle.
If i remember correctly, last year, Apple split the engineering team into 2: 1 to focus on ipods and the other for computers. We’ve yet to see something big from the ipod group other than the nano.
I have said it before – Apple should announce that iTMS now stands for iTunes Media Store. Same great acronym with new video goodness.
“it takes too long to DL a movie and who wants to sit in front of a computer to watch it? “
It does take too long to DL a movie but i think you make a huge asumption when you think they expect us to sit in front of our computers and watch it.
1- QuickTime Movie Store. Maybe not tomorrow, but it’s coming.
2- Apple hired the former head of X-Box Live last year. Maybe the new Data Center has something to do with a replacement of the reviled .Mac service. Imagine a Mac Live service with enhanced versions of the current features of .Mac, plus online gaming and all the rest.
Mark my words…
ViPod
Ipod stuff….no ipod video.
The mac mini, video Ipod, ibook will premier in April or later.
i think we are all missing the symbolism in this ad. steve is introducing a new apple pda tomorrow, hence the ical calendar date. apple is going to make pda’s fun again.
plus we’ll see the intel mac mini.
pro movie editing apps will be debuted at nab in april.
the intel ibook will wait and will kick off the school buying season sometime after mid-march.
that’s my 2¢
Movies…
As reported several months ago, Apple will be utilizing it’s new caching technology… The movie service will most likely be a rental not a purchase, just like driving down to Blockbuster, except for the fact that you will not have to drive and the movies will never be rented out…
You will pay 3 or 4 bucks to rent the movie from the iTunes video store. Once selected, it will stream to your computer or television (via a video airport express.) You will only have access to the stream for a 2 day rental period, just like a standard dvd rental..
Apple will slowly but surely become the king of multimedia while putting the cable companies and blockbusters of the world out of business..
PDA’s won’t be and shouldn’t be marketed as “Fun.” Pda’s are business tools for business professionals.
If you get asteroids, I recommend trying shark oil on the afflicted area.
If it’s iTunes Music Store, then iMovie Video Store? iMedia Digital Store?
A new pda with built-in mini iLife apps would be cool.
Vi Pod?
No eff’n way! EMACS-pod!
Just kidding. I’m a vi user.
I’m hoping for an OS X tablet that can be clipped into the car as well:
video
navigation
web
music
for car and home.
My money is on a revamped Mac Mini. I’ve been using one on my 53″ Sony for several months and it’s lots of fun.
A larger video iPod is certainly a high possibility, that would be fun.
I don’t look for Apple to enter video rental business, their model for downloadable movies will be the same except probably twice the cost of TV shows. You’ll be able to keep the file on your computer and your iPod but not burn it to external media (iPod is the media).
In about 24 hours we’ll all know what the next great gadgets really are. I was going to buy another MacMini last week but postponed my purchase to see what gets revealed on the 28th.
KingMel said:
“Apple should announce that iTMS now stands for iTunes Media Store. Same great acronym with new video goodness.”
That sounds like a good catch-all title, it makes sense.
My wish list: a video iPod that just happens to manage your contacts, iCal, and have handwriting recognition. but it won’t be called a newton or pda.
Aiden – PDA’s won’t be and shouldn’t be marketed as “Fun.” Pda’s are business tools for business professionals.
Then why aren’t they called PDAs (Business Digital Assistants)? PDA’s aren’t fun because they’re made by companies who don’t know what fun is. And up until now they’ve been very limited in usefulness to business. If Apple makes one it will be fun and useful.
MW: wish, say no more
Here’s what we are getting tomorrow for sure:
Intel Mac mini
iPod “Hi-Fi” Boombox
Other than that, I don’t couldn’t say. But I would bet alot of money that a video iPod won’t be there.
Special Announcement!
Steve Jobs turns Mormon and accepts both Melinda Gates and Roz Ho as wives!
Their marriage ceremony will be broadcasted live on the Maury Show.
Details forthcoming….
…all great wish lists, which we all share, however…the business angle, like the rediculous reaction from analysts immediately after the reporting of results…think stock split…2:1….
It’s a big 28 inch wall calendar. I’m pretty sure. God, are you people thick and unintuitive.
Spoiling tactics from M$ ? – talk of origami or other virtual products announced as concepts for the future – I’m sorry we’ve heard it all before.
This professional journalist has no more insight than I do.
No new imac. no new mac mini. something completely NEW that nobody saw coming… like the invitation said.
fun=iPod products, not movie products
.Mac is reviled? That’s deliver backwards. Coincidence?
I heard that Steve got special permission to extend this February three more days (hence the iCal icon). But only new and existing Mac users are allowed to eat, drink, breathe and sleep on those days. Don’t worry about showing proof of ownership. They know who you are. Every Mac user gets one of those huge magic wall calendars too. And any all-you-can-eat buffet will be free. Just those three days though. And we all get to move into giant cubes. Don’t forget to bring your Mac. That would be awkward.
Remember you heard it from me first!!
The new “iPod Boombox” is not what you think. Instead it will be wireless satellite speakers based on Airport Express. Each speaker will sell for $100 and have an integrated WiFi point so they will only need to plug into the wall outlet. Each speaker will have full stereo, so you do not need to buy them in pairs unless you want to. An added accessory will be the long-awaited WiFi dock for the iPod so the speakers can recieve input from the iPod or iTunes. Remember the low-key addition in iTunes 6.03 of the ability to stream to multiple speakers simultaneously? The new Universal dock will be updated to support a remote that is not infared so you can control it from anywhere in the house. Another addition will be a small dock-connected WiFi transmitter for the iPod itself (so you don’t have to use the Dock), in which case the iPod will function as the transmitter and remote in one unit. Oh, and did I mention that each speaker will be approximately the SIZE of the current Airport Express? They will work with Bose to get great sound from a very portable design that everyone will want. These speakers will also double as a WiFi point for your computer.
Leave it to Apple to Think Different!
SirROM
Turd Ferguson: But I thought Roz Ho and race car driver Dick Trickle were getting hooked up?
I don’t know why Apple would want to release another iPod with video. Or a bigger (as in size) one. I had my doubts about watching videos on my new iPod (got it a week ago to replace the 3rd generation one that died), and it’s great.
The only thing would be converting the movies to it. If there was some way to speed that up, like a hardware only device that could rip an entire DVD in 15 minutes to iPod format. That would be Godsent. The hardware could also put in some DRM so that only I could use it. I could live with that. Perhaps this is what the Asteroid project is.
Maybe it’s jpegs of OS X Leopard that Steve wants the press and analysts to download from a “special” site (cue evil laugh).
I want iPod trainers!!
And a track suit.
and, and, and a gymbag
also some iPod branded kitchen utensils!
Yea baby!
MW: required, as in – all that is required is for the sun to rise tomorrow so all this speculation will end.
vive la resistance
SirROM…
That would be COOL and FUN!!
Sign me up.
we are not thinking outside the box..what is obvious is a ‘fun new product’, but what we fail to see is, the location of the announcement..Apple Headquarters…A reason beyond we have examined, exists as to the location..the location is vital — can you say “Aquisition of Company” — Apple is set to buy a starving company and make use of it’s talents..mark my words…this is the biggest announcement that will come out of Cupertino tomorrow.
does anyone know if this wil be broadcasted.
I know there will be Live coverage at http://www.AppleNews.info
Ampar ~
But I thought Roz Ho and race car driver Dick Trickle were getting hooked up?
See, that’s the beauty of Polygamized Mormonism – more partners mean more fun!
That will be the creme de la creme of the Extended Febuary Apple Month Event (EFAME)! Bring your laptops and all your partners for a good ol’ home brewed love and eat fest!
Contrary to popular belief, kinky is having only the partial chicken…
Hey, if the Buzzle thing is settled, and if these Blockbuster rumors mean anything, maybe it IS a movie store.
If Steve can do for movies what he’s done for music, there’s no way Bill’s getting his foot in my lounge room.
Joy of Tech has an illustration of all the “fun products” to be intro-ed tomorrow.
macgirl75 askes: “does anyone know if this wil be broadcasted”
Chances are pretty good it’ll be available on the“Apple Events” page later in the day.
To brain dead Turd Ferguson, Mormons haven’t had Polygamy for 130 year. Get up to date dickhead!!!
“A true video iPod”? One that shows you videos? Like in moving pictures?
My iPod does that pretty good, did I miss a problem?
“To brain dead Turd Ferguson, Mormons haven’t had Polygamy for 130 year. Get up to date dickhead!!!”
Really? The Mormons have disavowed polygamy, but a number of splinter groups who claim to be Mormons still practice it, so don’t for one second believe that it doesn’t still exist. It’s a dirty little open secret; the authorities pretty much turn a blind eye as long as practitioners don’t flaunt it. In fact, HBO’s new series “Big Love”, starring Bill Paxton, Chloe Sevigny and Jeanne Tripplehorn is about a seemingly normal, hardworking homeowner in Utah who just happens to have three wives.
As to Turd Ferguson’s assertion that more wives means more fun, I can safely assume that he’s never been married. Polygamy is a crime that has its own built-in punishment. Laugh ladies, it’s a joke.
But that’s offtopic. Sorry. Today’s fascinating Cult of Mac blog from Wired News speculates about Apple’s recent purchase of a colossal 107,000 sq. ft. data center in New Jersey, as well as closing a deal for a 117,000 sq. ft. office complex in Cupertino. Like the blog says, such a large data center seems like overkill just for .Mac, and the capacity raises some interesting questions about their true intentions.
We’ll find out tomorrow I guess.
There will be fun new products announced, but the big news of the day will be a partnership between Apple and Maxxumuss. Apple has bought the rights to Maxxumuss® – yes, his very person. Apple now just considers him content, and will be diplaying him in a huge suspended gorilla cage in the event centre.
ok that’s Maxxumus®…