MacWorld San Francisco 2003 Rumor Wrapup: Winners and Losers
12inch and 17inch Powerbooks
Apple did an excellent job keeping these laptops under wraps. While one faint whisper of a 17" Powerbook did arrive to MacRumors.com a number of weeks ago... it was dismissed as incorrect information. No one expected Powerbook upgrades for this MacWorld expo.
Last minute information came out the night before the expo... revealing both 12" and 17" Powerbooks... which spawned extensive disbelief.
While everyone suspected no Powerbook updates, ThinkSecret was bold enough to give it a 0% chance.
iMacs and eMacs
Updates to the iMacs and eMacs were the most consistent rumors surrounding this expo... with MacOSRumors, MacNews.net.tc, MacBidouille, and SpyMac predicting iMac and/or eMac updates at Macworld Sanfracisco.
We also suggested that iMac updates were possible as a vehicle for Bluetooth integration...
ThinkSecret, alone, correctly reported - with 100% certainty - no iMac/eMac updates at MWSF.
iPod II and iTablet
With tensions building... iPod II and iTablet rumors started spinning wildly out of control in the days before the MacWorld Expo.
Devices ranging from the iPod II to the iTablet littered the predictions of MacOSRumors ("a shoo in"), LoopRumors.com (iGadget), and MacNews.net.tc (iPod II)... with a surprising endorsement from eWeek/Rothenberg -- with what appeared to be details of an upcoming Apple Tablet.
No tablet made an appearance... but with the historically accurate eWeek on-board... we still take pause, despite Steve Jobs saying: "We're not sure the tablet PC will be successful" back in September 2002.
iApps and new Apps
ThinkSecret predicted Apple's new browser to be released at MWSF - with a 75% certainty. MacRumors received hints of Keynote in December but with little evidence to support it. Final Cut Express received no mentions prior to the expo... but the iApps were well predicted.
MacRumors' roundup detailed the release of iMovie 3.0, iPhoto 2.0 and iDVD 3.0 with further inter-app integration.
While iApp upgrade prices were predicted by both CNet and ThinkSecret, the actual release was less restrictive than rumors implied... with only iDVD really being a required purchase.
Bluetooth, Airport
Bluetooth was predicted with most certainty by the Inquirer... indicating that Bluetooth would be coming at MWSF. While MacNews.net.tc actually first reported (on Dec 31st) that 802.11g based Airport hardware was due for this expo.
Summary
Information was sporadic for this expo... with volumes of information floating around -- and even CNet inaccurately predicting a digital device, which never came to pass. Apple appears to be successfully clamping down on leaks... and as a result, accuracy of information is hard to assess.
In addition, the proliferation of rumor sites has saturated us with predictions based on predictions. Perhaps the most striking failures in this round comes from MacOSRumors - whose predictions were almost entirely incorrect, as well as traditionally accurate sites such as CNet and eWeek missing their target.
Rumors to Watch
Apple 'Junkyard' Trademark - is this another application like Keynote?
Apple 'iPhone' Trademark - also an upcoming App?
Apple 'XGrid' Trademark - ? clustering
Apple 'Gigawire' Trademark - well, it aint 1394b
Top Rated Comments
(View all)
Now that Keynote is out I guess similar apps to replace Excel and Word will surface in the next years, with Excel being the next candidate.
Mmork
Nice call on the 17 and 12" PB. Reminicent of the Time Canada reveal last year. MacWorldEve and all....
as for the other rumor sites.
MacOsRumors: is way to inconsitent in posting content. When they finally do post it is linked here anyway.
ThinkSecret: Just not enough content. They seem to get some good info once in a while .
Spymac: One word...iWalk
Powerpage: Decent articles/ Bad Forums
not that anyone asked for my opinion..
Originally posted by michaelyoung
not that anyone asked for my opinion..
BUT I agree with everything you said; now in the Safari Bookmarks Bar I have macrumors.com as opposed to having (in Chimera, still used 'cause i can't rely solely on Safari yet) a folder with all the aforementioned websites...
Not that anyone asked for my opinion either...;)
NicoMan
Originally posted by Macrumors
Perhaps the most striking failures in this round comes from MacOSRumors - whose predictions were almost entirely incorrect, as well as traditionally accurate sites such as CNet and eWeek missing their target.
junkyard == uninstall & system tidy app??
i_b_joshua
Apple 'Junkyard' Trademark - Possibly an cleaner app which monitors file usage and registers the files and software that is not used for a long time. Opting then to either archive them or delete.
Apple 'iPhone' Trademark - Possibly an app rather thatn hardware. I have dreamed a long time of a system where I have no phone on the desk and the phone cable is connected to the computer. In the phonecall event music is muted, video paused and phone app takes place.
Apple 'XGrid' Trademark - Grid computing is not clustering. It's something much more advanced. It's mostly used in modern supercomputers. Look at www.globus.org - there's an open-source grid computing framework. Also a good information can be found from www.sgi.com. Which makes me thinking a lot. This is the most intriguing trademark, which actually means a new market. I don't believe in XGrid being spreadsheet app.
Apple 'Gigawire' Trademark - Possibly it still is, but it will appear if we go optic and beyond 1 Gb/s
Rocketman
Apple 'iPhone' Trademark - Possibly an app rather thatn hardware. I have dreamed a long time of a system where I have no phone on the desk and the phone cable is connected to the computer. In the phonecall event music is muted, video paused and phone app takes place.[/B]
Let's think about this a moment. I think iPhone will an iApp too. But if you factor Bluetooth into the equation, then you will have an app that is probably IP Phone, may be video chat with FW webcam, using a Bluetooth headset instead of mic/speaker combo.
I can imagine myself setting up office in any suitable location (i.e. hotdesking) using a PowerBook, Bluetooth headset, a broadband connection (wired or otherwise), and no one can tell where I am. I can be in the office, home, or in the local Starbucks! :D
Originally posted by ipiloot
[B]Apple 'iPhone' Trademark - Possibly an app rather thatn hardware. I have dreamed a long time of a system where I have no phone on the desk and the phone cable is connected to the computer. In the phonecall event music is muted, video paused and phone app takes place.
[/B]
Haha! I had this in 1996 when I bought my futuristic Toshiba Infinia computer (had an LCD panel in front of monitor for controlling TV Tuner, FM Tuner, CD Player, and Voice Mail system - LCD panel was connected to the computer via USB(!) which was unheard of at the time). With headphones and the microphone built into the monitor (the monitor also had built in speakers and subwoofer), there's your phone. Other than the automatic muting/pausing that you mention - the app was pretty slick - automatic launch of phone app with caller ID and everything. Sadly, when I upgraded to Windows 98 I lost the LCD panel (the $3000 product was a flop and Toshiba was no longer supporting it and thus didn't update the drivers).
I'm SURE you could find some 3rd party phone apps. Poke around MacUpdate or VersionTracker.
Originally posted by CountZero
Let's think about this a moment. I think iPhone will an iApp too. But if you factor Bluetooth into the equation, then you will have an app that is probably IP Phone, may be video chat with FW webcam, using a Bluetooth headset instead of mic/speaker combo.
I can imagine myself setting up office in any suitable location (i.e. hotdesking) using a PowerBook, Bluetooth headset, a broadband connection (wired or otherwise), and no one can tell where I am. I can be in the office, home, or in the local Starbucks! :D
I like it! I would also make it work with a regular phone line, though, and add voice recognition and an integrated voice mail app. I would also have a Bluetooth handset, which is quicker for picking up calls. That would be sweeeeeeet!
Oh, and as hard drives get bigger and bigger and audio compression better and better, I could easily see people archiving their phone calls the way people archive their email now. Invasion of privacy? Well, not anymore so than someone leaving your email in their inbox. I think people will just get used to the idea that their calls are recorded...
[ Read All Comments ]
Analytics firm Chitika today released a report showing that by its metrics iOS has now surpassed OS X in overall web traffic share in the United States. Chitika's methodology involves an analysis...
One of the most frequent reasons for an iPhone to go on a trip to the Apple Store's Genius Bar is because of water damage. Typically, a water damaged iPhone can be replaced for a flat $199...
TheVerge's Joshua Topolsky summarizes the iPad 3 casing findings reported earlier today, but also adds his own sources regarding some details of the iPad 3.
Image from RepairLabs
As...
Last July, Apple discontinued the white MacBook from its consumer lineup, pushing consumers toward the company's popular MacBook Air line or the 13-inch MacBook Pro. The company didn't kill...
Popular iPhone Twitter client Tweetbot has finally arrived on the iPad, with a user interface instantly familiar to any current Tweetbot user. Designed for the Twitter power-user, Tweetbot packs a...
