Rendezvous, Apple and Digital Devices in 2003

IPv6 and Rendezvous will be very cool together. Apple once again will lead us into the next revolution of computing. Of course Microsoft and Dell will get all the credit.

.... just for the Phil Schiller toilet remark alone!
:p

Rendezvous sounds cool and all but saying that there are 50 or more companies means nothing to me. I want to hear how it's going to be useful and for what type of products. That alone has a bigger impact on folks if it's truly innovative. Maybe I've just missed it but other than printers and Apple's ipod, what other uses has any of the manufacturers including Apple announced that Rendezvous would be incorporated into. I want to hear of specific announements and not just the fantasy statements "this could be done" or "that could be done". Anyone?

Automatic local resource discovery with minimal configuration. You join a network (WiFi or Ethernet) and you automatically are set up to use other resources on the local network - printers, public files (including music via iTunes), and all manner of peripherals - as well as communicating with local users via iChat.

It's appletalk on steroids, and it's a cross-platform standard. In other words, the tech admin's job just got a lot simpler, because the local network will take care of itself and become something everyone can use to its full potential because no one needs to do much about it.

There's image sharing client and server examples in the Developer Tools that use Rendevous. It's remarkably simple. You select an image, give it a name, and when you run the client you see a list of images available on the network.

I pretty much expect Apple or somebody working with them to come out with a picture frame that uses rendezvous to grab a picture off the network, maybe it'll even be wireless.

Originally posted by cryptochrome
Automatic local resource discovery with minimal configuration. You join a network (WiFi or Ethernet) and you automatically are set up to use other resources on the local network - printers, public files (including music via iTunes), and all manner of peripherals - as well as communicating with local users via iChat.

It's appletalk on steroids, and it's a cross-platform standard. In other words, the tech admin's job just got a lot simpler, because the local network will take care of itself and become something everyone can use to its full potential because no one needs to do much about it.

Reread my question. I was asking for specific announcements. The "this could be done" or "that can be done" type of statements that you are essentially stating mean nothing if no one is announcing they're doing it. Like I also alluded to I know some printer manufacturers(HP being one of them) have announced support but who else?

Originally posted by Cappy


Reread my question. I was asking for specific announcements. The "this could be done" or "that can be done" type of statements that you are essentially stating mean nothing if no one is announcing they're doing it. Like I also alluded to I know some printer manufacturers(HP being one of them) have announced support but who else?

Well, Crappy. The iPod doesn't use rendezvous. Lexmark and HP are using it in some printers. The next version of iTunes will use it to allow you to share your music library. iChat uses it to automatically setup local buddy-lists. Phillips will be using it to stream media to and from their AV components. A program called iMIDI lets your send MIDI from one computer to another over TCP/IP.

But other than that, since Rendezvous is so new, there are mostly announcements about people working on things. Nobody wants to give away their great idea to a competitor, so things are a little vague right now. Just sit back and wait a couple of months, then you'll see what the fuss is about, and maybe it will mean something to you.

And if you really want info, you can get up off your arse and search for it, rather than bitching to other posters.

Originally posted by Cappy


Reread my question. I was asking for specific announcements. The "this could be done" or "that can be done" type of statements that you are essentially stating mean nothing if no one is announcing they're doing it. Like I also alluded to I know some printer manufacturers(HP being one of them) have announced support but who else?

First if you fully (or even partially) understood the product you could see the implications it will have on "the digital hub". How many people are going to want to set up all the networking protocols for their TV, Printer, DVD Player, Stereo, Tivo, Cable or Satellite box, Video or Still Camera... I can go on. The answer: about 5%. This technology will allow ANYONE to connect thies devices together, and to a central computer, wirelessly or not.

If you can NOT imagine the possibilities from this. you need to start to do some brain excersises to get your creativity going.

BTW... Some Names: Philips, Canon, Xerox, Sybase, World Book, Lexmark, and Epson.

It's likely you hear very little about Rendezvous at this point as we all know too well that most companies don't announce future product plans.

The Rendezvous demo at WWDC earlier this year showed several products which were Rendezvous aware to include a printer, Web Cam, LinkSys Router, some applications, etcetera.

iChat is Rendezvous enabled, as well as the demo version of iTunes Apple has been using to push Rendezvous. There are collaboration software products available, be it whiteBoard, outliners and such.

In short, the use of Rendezvous is only limited by the imagination of the developer. Rendezvous can be incorporated into just about anything; Devices, applications... you name it. This includes devices which don't require drivers/apps on the Mac, devices that do require drivers/apps on the Mac and applications only (i.e., Pop-Pop, Collaborate, Worldbook, iTunes, etc.)

While not as specific an answer as you were probably looking for, it gives you some idea of the significance of Rendezvous and that it could be everywhere given time. The fact that Epson, HP, Lexmark, Philips, Canon, Xerox, Sybase, World Book and many others have released or are releasing Rendezvous enabled products/applications speaks well for the technology.

Originally posted by spankalee


Well, Crappy. The iPod doesn't use rendezvous. Lexmark and HP are using it in some printers. The next version of iTunes will use it to allow you to share your music library. iChat uses it to automatically setup local buddy-lists. Phillips will be using it to stream media to and from their AV components. A program called iMIDI lets your send MIDI from one computer to another over TCP/IP.

But other than that, since Rendezvous is so new, there are mostly announcements about people working on things. Nobody wants to give away their great idea to a competitor, so things are a little vague right now. Just sit back and wait a couple of months, then you'll see what the fuss is about, and maybe it will mean something to you.

And if you really want info, you can get up off your arse and search for it, rather than bitching to other posters.

Lose the attitude spanky. A simple question was asked that was finally answered in this last post of yours in the first paragraph and is appreciated. And thanks for the correction on ipod. I honestly meant to type itunes there.

For what it's worth no one has to answer any post here, sure, but when people state and restate the obvious in what's been posted and talked about everywhere about the general form of the technology that doesn't answer the question asked I get a little impatient. If you have issues with that, then you should get out a little more.

And by the way try to keep in mind that this forum is about sharing information. Requesting that people search for info rather than bringing it up here goes against the idea of this forum.