Monthly Archive for September, 2006

Visit to Apple Store, Fifth Avenue

Published
by
Scott
on September 17, 2006
in Apple
. 0 Comments

Apple Store Fifth Avenue
I was in New York City a few days ago visiting the India Consulate up on 64th Street for a visa renewal. During the processing wait time I went walk about and headed north on Fifth Ave. I had no idea in Manhattan where I was, other than being right beside Central Park. I’ve only been to NYC once before and that was 6-7 years ago. I’m a Boston boy, they have bad baseball in NY!

Anyway, to my surprise I wondered upon the Apple Store with it’s gorgeous glass cube entrance. It was stunning. Not quite as tall as I had imagined from the photos, but stunning none the less. So I circled the cube just to take in it’s presence and then slowly descended down the glass staircase like a kid entering a candy store.

The store is magnificent. Years ahead of the stores I’ve visited in Cambridge, MA, North Shore, MA, San Francisco and Toronto. But more than the store was the buzz and vibe within. It was jammed with people; 11:00am on a Wednesday. Every terminal had a person at it doing email, browsing the web, IMing, an iWeb workshop underway at The Studio and people signing up for time at the Genius Bar. I struggled to get access to a MacBook just to check up on email. Then I noticed the TV cameras and realized they were filming the new iPod Nanos which were out on display. Smack on 11am I heard loud clapping, like when you’re at Applebees and it’s someones birthday, but just without the singing. Anyway, the Apple store employees were all clapping and following a trolly of new colored iPod Nanos being led out into the store, and being filmed by the TV crew.

All in all it’s a magnificent store with an energy only fitting for NYC or San Fran. I managed to leave without a purchase, which was hard given the new iPods. But I’m still waiting the MacBook Pro revision… come’on Steve, I thought Tuesday would be the announcement for sure, but oh no, you’re going to make we wait until the 25th at Photokina, aren’t you?

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Apple Sept 12th preditions

Published
by
Scott
on September 10, 2006
in Apple
. 0 Comments

It’s Showtime!

There is no doubt September 12th will be all about movies. With endless rumors regarding movie downloads on iTunes Music Store the time is ripe for Apple to unleash it’s next big announcement. I’m aligned with everyone else in predicting that Tuesday will bring movie downloads on iTunes, with the iTMS very likely being re-branded; iTunes Media Store perhaps ? I doubt they’ll drop the iTunes name itself, it’s a brand in it’s own right.

Next will be the new iPod Video with an HD wide screen capable of playing movies from the new iTMS. Hopefully the price point will remain in and around the current $300-$400 range. Though, if the rumors are correct and Apple updates the Nano with a video capable model with similar dimensions it’ll be interesting to see how they retain the $150-$250 price point. What of the shuffle ? Probably just a capacity bump.

With a wide screen display on the new iPod, Apple will have to replace the click wheel with a touch sensitive navigation interface. I reckon they click wheel still stay as is, but just became part of the interface.

MacBook Pro?

Last week Apple upgraded the Mac Mini from Core Solo to Core Duo and the iMac range to Core 2 Duo (Merom) while introducing the new 24in model. I visited the Massachusetts North Shore Apple Store yesterday, but they had none yet on display - I’m keen to see just how large the entire form factor is.

So what of the MacBook Pro ? Or even the MacBook ? I’d see reason for the MacBook to retain Core Duo processors and take advantage of a price reduction, leaving room for the MacBook Pro to step-up to the new Core 2 Duo chips. Though with the iMac migrating to Core 2, I see Apple doing the same with the MacBook.

The MacBook Pro is now the only model in their line-up not to receive a revision since it’s launch back in January. As I’m on the cusp of purchasing a shiny new MBP, I’m just waiting for the official announcement of the chip upgrade to Core 2 and my order will be submitted. With others across Europe finding their delivery dates being pushed out to later this month my money is on an MBP revision, literally. But will it just be a processor upgrade, or entire model revision ? As much as I’d love to see the latter with input from the MacBook design, I don’t see this happening. A new chip, larger HDs and upgraded SuperDrives with overall lower heat emissions are my prediction.

So, to summarize, I predict Sept 12th will introduce:

1) iTunes Media Store with movie downloads
2) New widescreen iPod
3) New widescreen iPod nano ?
3) Upgraded iPod shuffle
4) Revised MacBook Pro with Core 2 Duo
5) Revised MacBook with Core 2 Duo, but with entry level Core Duo MacBook for less than $999
6) And, one more thing… who knows!

Sept 25th?

What of September 25th ? There is rumor of an Apple announcement on this date. If not the MacBook Pro’s on the 12th, they’ll be on the 25th. Though I really hope Apple doesn’t wait that long.

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