“This would be a huge win for WiMax, which suffered a blow when Sprint and Clearwire abandoned plans for a WiMax joint venture. But Apple has proven it can popularize technologies — think USB in the original iMac, and Wi-Fi in the iBook,” Golson reports.
Full article here.
David Morgenstern blogs for ZDNet, “My guess is that the article meant to say was that Apple might add support for WiMax Mobile, or 802.16e, to its notebooks. This makes a lot of sense.”
“Intel announced its intent to ship a combo WiMax Mobile chipset in 2006, which would support current 802.11 Wi-Fi networks as well as the faster WiMac Mobile connections. At the fall Intel Developers Forum, the company said that a number of major system vendors would support for this multiband chipset, including Lenovo and Toshiba,” Morgenstern writes. “Of course, Apple wasn’t among them. It never pre-announces products or technology adoptions. But Apple might want to get a bit of a jump on the competition and ship such a product, as it did with the first Core Duo machines. So, the ‘something’ in the Macworld banners could be WiMax.”
Morgenstern writes, “According to analysts, Intel has poured something north of $1 billion to develop and promote WiMax technology. So, the company has good reasons to encourage Apple to adopt the chipset.”
Full article here.
Charles Jade writes for Ars Technica, “More likely it’s about sending content wirelessly. Our own Jon Stokes puts money on purchasing songs over the AT&T network when you are not browsing the iTunes Store at Starbucks. Or perhaps it’s streaming content to Macs in your home or away from home.”
Full article, with more “There’s something in the air” banner photos, here.
Yeah right. There is not enough WiMax infrastructure to warrant including this technology. True, Apple has popularized other technologies like the article mentions, but those already had a solid user base. not so with WiMax. Maybe next year.
the shadow knows
MY ASS!!!
Here is the answer.
Actually, it sounds plausible. Xerox tossed the mouse, Apple picked it up. We know there was no user base then. Intel tossed USB, no user base, NO PC box had it. Apple picked it up, and turned the world into USB users within 4 years by using it on iMacs, then, later they did the same by developing Firewire, also a transfer method NO other PC box had. If Apple were to bring on WiMax, I’d bet others would follow, even without a solid user base. Apple tends to lure others into it’s vision rather easily nowadays. Why did not MDN use the Magic Word, “Airport”?
>Here is the answer
You’re dating yourself…post something i-nnovative for a change.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />
This, with the Sling rumor, with the Garmin Bobcat rumor, maybe, this MWSF keynote will be all about wireless ways of getting your info, from Wimax, to slinging, to GPS, to FON sharing. Why not? It’s all about making information access ubiquitous.
Is it too early for pollen?
Or maybe if a partner like Starbucks announced a WiMax rollout to coincide with the hardware update… It’s just an infrastructure waiting to happen.
Put it together people.
Apple will introduce a mini laptop with flash memory instead of a hard drive. Light-weight. Longer battery life. No surprise here.
But, the BIG thing is that it will have a built-in wireless GSM Air-Card that provides mobile broadband so you connected to the internet from anywhere. And just like the iPhone, Apple will get a cut of each monthly phone bill from AT&T;.
“a partner like Starbucks”
Nope, it’s gonna be McDonalds, since they have Wi-Fi.
They will simultaneously announce the new iBigMac.
Want fries with that?
Thunderclap Newman “Something In The Air”
Originally named “Revolution” but was renamed to “Something in the Air” to avoid confusion with the Beatles’ ealier released song “Revolution”.
deal with it
Apple is better than you think
you are a follower of microsuck
sorry you wasted your life
we are going to kick your ass
I think this is true. I took the part number for the wireless card in my newly purchased MacPro. It appears it has WiMax capabilities that are turned off at the moment.
Well 10.5.2 could be hear on Tuesday and it could unlock this extra feature. Or maybe Apple will let you unlock it after the 15th January using a low cost download?
Nah I’m just kidding.
wi-max is not something in the air.
Telsa is.
I wait the day when someone invents a device that can charge without plugging it into a power socket. Now thats something in the air
bioness,
Do you mean Tesla?
“charge without plugging it…” Like solar?
WiMax is a very big deal. It is the gun pointed at the heads of the telco industry. The fact that the infrastructure is not yet there is irrelevant. Intel is committed to WiMax and thus WiMax will be available on some Intel communication chips that also support WiFi. If Apple creates a waiting market of WiMax capable computers, then they will have an installed base of Macs being a software update away from being able to take advantage of any WiMax infrastructure roll out.
I don’t know the timing of the coming WiMax enabled communications infrastructure, but when it comes it will revolutionize Apple’s business model and opportunities.
@bloness
Apple filed a patent for that type of technology!
WiMax in Italy will arrive in 2020…
@Denny
I’m betting that something in the air, is something other than wireless communication transmission.
Could be hologram, or charging without cables but not solar panels, or something totally weird…
Obviously.
Maybe apple will do a software upgrade so the AppletV can be like this (sabs the outputs)
http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9839658-1.html?tag=blgfd
this PC keyboard sucks….
MW:town, as in, I’m not in mine…..
Nobody has mentioned Adobe Air…
Apple will introduce a mini laptop with flash memory instead of a hard drive. Light-weight. Longer battery life. No surprise here.
But, the BIG thing is that it will have a built-in wireless GSM Air-Card that provides mobile broadband so you connected to the internet from anywhere. And just like the iPhone, Apple will get a cut of each monthly phone bill from AT&T;
I tend to agree with you.
Apple is making a killing off the iPhone, not from the device itself, but from the kickbacks from AT&T;.
Of course they would want to extend this highly profitable arrangement over to their mobile computers.
AT&T;steals customers from the cable companies. Apple gets to innovate.
Steve Jobs did say that cable companies were a “monopoly”.
$60 a month for home broadband or $60 a month for mobile broadband.
I think we are seeing “something in the air” here.
As long as the new Mac’s are not glossy screens. *prays to Lord Jobs*
Also since laptops are Apple’s best sellers….
“Nobody has mentioned Adobe Air…”
Not even Adobe.
The difference between WiMax and WiFi or USB is that use of latter two are entirely controlled by the end user. I can use WiFi in my house, for example and every other part of the network, past the ethernet cable just doesn’t care. No one else cares if my keyboard uses USB or Apple Desktop Bus to connect. With WiMax, without infrastructure, built by some entity hoping to make a profit, who ya gonna call?
I’m not saying that the “something in the air” isn’t WiMax, I was kind of hoping for a Genisis reunion, butI have no knowledge about that. I’m just saying WiMax is a different breed of connectivity.
Something would then be in the air.
Apple owning the air waves with WiMax.
A few of us believe this could be it! The one big thing.
Now there is this rumor the table, slate, sub-notebook, the “iJesture” will not make the cut for 2008 show.
Very very likely. But this year 2008 will definitely ride the wave of continuous launches, upgrades, options and much much more Apple innovation.
Please stand-by.
WiiMacs
Bidding on the 700 Mghz with Google maybe?
Wireless power has been discussed here? before…at least somewhere we’ve seen the discussion. Actually, it’s been here, now that I think of it.
That would be pretty much catch the world off guard, charging via air. It’s coming. Is it here next week? Will it be announced next week?
The technology is known.
I should have edited that better. Anyway, I think Apple is going to focus on blowing our mind with:
1) wireless syncing of all existing iPod touches/iPhone
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />
2) taking it a step further by streaming content to our iPods/iPhones (like rented movies from our home Leopard Macs) I could be wrong here…but I gotta be close…and close only counts in horseshoes, etc., I know.
3) wireless power…maybe?
If I am right, I get 5000 Apple cool points.
Sorry people, once again all of you are wrong.
Apple will announce that all of their products will operate on the principle of perpetual motion. The Apple logo will be replaced with the spinning beach ball.
It’s source will be the good vibrations emanating from the most powerful reservoir of magical energy in the known universe:
Zune Tang !!!
John Gee,
“If I am right, I get 5000 Apple cool points.”
And if you are wrong, you get 5,000 MicroSoft squirt points.
Please no! NO!!!!
“…Our source gives it a ’60 percent chance.'” In short, this frigtard from Valleywag is pulling this out of his ass. I also heard that the new rumored Mac is going to be plutonium powered too. It’s amazing: just start a blog, spew idiotic garbage and someone is stupid enough to pick up what you say. And if enough people do it, the stupid rumor gains momentum. Why is it that this time of year that all the whack jobs come out of the woodwork to set forth their “irrefutable” prognostications? Just like FakeSteve said the other day, I bet the people at Apple must be rolling on the floor laughing their asses off at stuff like this.
Don’t believe me? Ladies and gentlemen, I proudly present – get ready – Mr. Robert Cringely!
I for one will keep covering my ears until Steve opens his mouth. Everything else is just noise. But it’s amazing what noise can do to Apple’s stock price.
Have a nice day.
Here’s where my money goes:
A new third level in the Apple product grid. No longer just Consumer and Pro.
Steve will show the grid and talk about how it’s been wonderful up to this point, but as Apple grows a new level is needed to meet customer needs.
He goes on to explain that the redesigned MacBooks now cost $999 and new Nano’s now go for $399.
He goes on to debut the new mid-levels: A MacBook Air starting at $1499 and a redesigned Mac Mini (the xMac) for $799.
On top of that the movie rentals…
One more thing regards iPhone bump up 16 Gb and 8 Gb, 1.1.2 with the new Google Map, etc. as seen on the video, plus several sweet games available.
Bet.
Would the following an idea that Apple has been working on?:
Audio streaming to Airtunes stations.
Imagine the following scenario.
Someone died and they asked me to provide the music for the funeral service.
All I need to do is plug an Airport Express into the wall socket next to the church’s audio installation and connect both.
Then I join the family and from my seat, I stream all the tunes I want from my iPod touch or iPhone.
How’s that for an idea?
@vanfruniken
Wow dude, that was seriously morbid. Can’t you think of a better example? Perhaps something involving the beach, partying or summer vacations?
Shogun,
“Wow dude, that was seriously morbid. Can’t you think of a better example? Perhaps something involving the beach, partying or summer vacations?”
OK, so consider this:
He is partying at the beach while on summer vacation, and someone dies from a shark attack and they ask him to provide the music for the funeral service. On the beach, of course.
Are you happy now?
Yep,
A flash based, non-optical drive, GPS, 3G/Edge Network, MacBook/Pro Nano with WiMax and Bluetooth.
Apple gets kickbacks from AT&T;.
Apple makes even more money selling a seperate hard drive and optical drive.
Apple makes a killing renting movies and selling content from iTMS.
pple
A New Orleans funeral parade is very musical.
it’s the media centre !! AppleTV2 – wireless streaming of movie rentals all controlled with your wireless touch keyboardy-mousey thing
I think it is really simple and everybody is reading too much into it and missing the obvious.
I think it is the ability to use the itouch or iPhone to automatically order Video rentals and get them downloaded to AppleTV by the time you get home, Boom they are there. Maybe something like Starbucks too. Services over the iPhone.
Ampar,
And lately, very nautical. They sometimes use gondolas now.
It’s one of two things:
1. Apple laptops with WiMax and/or…
2. A beefed up AppleTV with HD Radio and/or an ATSC tuner. HD Radio would enable “tagging” to add song info from commercial radio stations to your iTunes Shopping Cart.
TV + Wireless HDMI
Discuss
@MCCFR
Wireless HDMI, so tell me how are you going to transfer that to a plasma/laser/lcd TV? Are you going to have a nob that plugs to the tv, that sends a high frequency signal (it obviously needs that bandwidth needed for High Def)… sounds very unapple like to have nobs sticking out of stuff
I bet it’ll be more of storing something in the air, in public.
That is, if someone walks into a room, theres a virtual file, which could be a message or video that someone left specifically for you.
or it could be hologram or even power without wires.
what else useful can you do in the air?
“what else useful can you do in the air?”
The mile high club?
Bioness…
Wireless HDMI is a reality with, IIRC, at least one approved chipset available (Tzero and Analog Devices) and products are due from Philips, Gefen and various others although I know that the Gefen product has been held up in FCC approval hell since the summer.
You are notionally correct in some bits of your post: Wireless HDMI relies on UWB, which is also the transmission technology that underpins the development of Wireless FireWire and it obviously requires a sender/receiver pair, the receiver part of which is a peripheral that hangs off the back of your HD flat-panel.
I called it first over at Infinite Loop.
http://hrmpf.com/wordpress/113/iphone-itablet-dock-inductive-charging
if apple can pull this off that is
that ‘something’ is gonna be a million different things between now and the 15th.