Real Kato Blog: Apple Watch: More Macworld Rumors

The anticipation is building. Also, my Apple predictions for 2006.

There is now speculation about a new "iWeb" application coming soon. The term appeared briefly on Apple's GarageBand web page, and several rumor sites caught it before Apple corrected the mistake. Moreover, Apple has announced that their on-line dot.mac service will be experiencing an outage soon.

Some are predicting that Apple will finally introduce better web hosting capabilities, including PHP and SQL support, and domain name registration. And maybe a web-publishing application, complete with "Web 2.0" features, like blogging and photo/movie sharing (with tags). If so, it'll be awfully tempting to move realkato.com there again.

Jason O'Grady posted an outlandish rumor about an Apple-branded plasma display with a built-in media-center Mac attached to it. This looks to be a spoof, but bizarrely, several other web site have picked up this rumor and run with it, even going so far as to post mock-up images. I'd say the odds of this being true are about as good as the odds that Apple will buy out Microsoft.

A more reasonable prediction is that Apple will add a "Numbers" spreadsheet application to its iWork application suite. And now there's some weight behind the idea of an Airport Express for Video, something I talked about a while ago. That might be coupled with an announcement of full-length movies being made available for downloading.

Less than two days until it all comes down. It's like Christmas all over again, here in Apple-land.

By the way, recently Dennis Sellers posted his list of 2006 predictions for Apple. I agree with some, but not all, of those predictions. I'll try my own list of predictions/wishes, and next January I'll see if these pan out:

1. PowerBooks will be the first Macs to get Intel processors.
2. Apple will introduce a living-room home entertainment device, but it won't be a media center Mac mini. It will be a low-cost peripheral of some kind that connects with the Mac. Or at most, a very-stripped-down computer. People don't need a general purpose computer connected to their TV. Not only is it a waste, but customers whose VCRs are still flashing 12:00 won't be interested in having a complicated computer in their living rooms.
3. Apple will upgrade the video iPod with a slightly larger screen, video out capability (perhaps even in high definition), and improved battery life. Heck, maybe this will be the home entertainment device. Oh, and videos will be made available in higher resolutions.
4. Apple will introduce new podcasting and video production software based on the iSight, with one-click publishing to the Internet.
5. Apple will introduce an iPhone, in a partnership with Motorola; they won't go off and just make one on their own. It'll be more than just a phone with an iPod in it. It'll be a remote control for the computer, one that can even access your home Macintosh when you're on the road. Apple will design the exterior and the interface; Motorola will provide the actual cellular technology.
6. Apple will NOT introduce a PDA or tablet Mac. PDAs are an oversaturated market. Tablets have been a big bust except in certain niche markets.
7. Apple will buy out TiVo.
8. Apple will announce a major partnership with Disney, or some other media company.
9. When Apple introduces Mac OS X 10.5 at the Worldwide Developer Conference this summer, it will have a radically new Finder and file management system; and, computer administration will be more highly automated (no complicated installations, no hunting for preference files, etc.) There will be instant startup and shutdown. Apple's goal will be to make a computer work more like an appliance. Windows Vista will look woefully antiquated in comparison, and "desktop Linux" even more so.
10. Apple's stock will split after it reaches $100 a share.

There's plenty more, but I'm trying not to hit all the obvious things like more iPod updates and application suite updates. Hopefully at least a couple of these things will come true on Tuesday.

Permalink 1 Comment

Posted by Ken in: techwatch

Comments

Comment #1 from Ken (realkato)
2006 Jan 10 - 4:06 pm : #

Whoo!

I was half-right on #1; there are new "MacBook" notebooks with Intel processors, clearly intended to replace the PowerBooks at the high end of the notebook line. But Intel-based iMacs were also introduced; those look pretty freakin' sweet.

I was mostly right about #4 too; the GarageBand app supports a "Podcasting Studio", and there's publishing to the Internet via the new iWeb app.

Full update coming soon.

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