Apple speculation thread

[EvilBoris]

You'd of thought if they were willing to let them go PAYG they would do some kind of deal for 3G contractees

[phillai]

Compatible in what way? I'm running 64 Bit vista right now, my iPhone is plugged in and showing up in iTunes.

It might be OK now but I remember last year I had massive problems. It wouldn't sync at all with itunes...

Just googling confirms what I went through.

From engadget...

Struggling with your new iPhone on a 64-bit Windows Vista or XP system? Take solace, you're not alone. The error message, "The software required for iPhone is not installed. Run the iTunes installer to remove iTunes, then install iTunes again." is Apple's magical way of telling you that iTunes is not supported on 64-bit flavors of Microsoft's operating systems. Yeah, we agree, they should have listed the incompatibility on the iPhone specs page under Windows System Requirements. Unfortunately for those of you new to Apple software, it's buried in support article 301301 which states, "iTunes is currently not supported in Windows XP Professional x64 Edition or any 64-bit edition of Windows Vista." Now you know.

Update: Apple's official (read: the non-marketing document which no one reads) iPhone: Minimum system requirements document does say that "64-bit editions of Windows are not supported." Go ahead, try to find it in the small print, we'll wait...

[phillai]

Yeah, it must work now as I just read this from CNET dated 15th January...

Apple has released iTunes 7.6, which features support for iTunes Movie rentals, tweaks for the iPhone/iPod models and new Apple TV and more. The description from Software Update reads:

"Rent and download your favorite movies with iTunes on your computer or directly to your living room on Apple TV. Enjoy rented movies in sizes up to 720p HD with surround sound on your Apple TV and sizes up to DVD-quality on your computer. Transfer your rented movies from iTunes to your iPod or iPhone and enjoy them on the go.

"Also, purchase and download your favorite TV shows, music, and more directly on your Apple TV. Effortlessly transfer purchases made on Apple TV back to your computer with iTunes."

Another major enhancement in this release: Windows Vista 64-bit support. This means Vista 64-bit users finally have an official method for synchronizing the iPhone.

The new release is currently available through Software Update or the iTunes download page.

[EvilBoris]

I think engadget were being stupid, Itunes has been 64 bit since Itunes 7

[phillai]

Well, at least I know that the new iphone 3G S should work on my computer now.

But deep down, I was secretely hoping that they would announce the iphone nano rather than the iphone 3G S.

Don't get me wrong, iphone's are amazing but just a bit TOO bulky for me.

[EvilBoris]

if they did release one, it wouldn't be touchscreen

[Taka]

Those impatiant enough to wait until next Wednesday, the OS 3.0 "Golden master" release has appeared at the usual sources. Gizmodo have already tried it out and appears to work like a charm. Gonna give it a shot later, fingers crossed it doesn't brick anything...

[ChrisF]

I have 3.0 installed and it's fine... although it's been well and truly beta tested, so it should be

edit: Although saying that... two of my apps now crash on start up, which they didn't do in the betas. Nice one Apple!

[ChrisF]

Tell a lie. I've found several bugs with the 3.0 firmware. NICE. Just logging them with Apple!

[charlesr]

iSlate jobby wobby.

I quite like browsing on the wii. If it were higher res, it would be great. Without a keyboard I can just get on with the job of browsing and reading and shopping without having to contribute and more importantly, I can do it sitting on the sofa comfortably. Then when I need to use the forum or other web2 stuff, I can go and sit at my PC.

So as long as this apple thing isn't too expensive, maybe it will be my first apple piece of kit. Depends how comfortable it is to use/hold while sitting on the sofa.

[merf]

i have gone from apple hater to fanboy with my iphone love in at the moment

I really want a slate to replace my Asus Eee as sofa browser

Think they have some media deals up their sleeve to announce so it won't be just a slate pc but also build in Kindle Ereader stuff as well, obviously integrated fully to iTunes.

won't be cheap will it, bet its £600 at launch.

I really want one though but don't know why, it will be harder to use on the sofa as a slate won't sit on an arm as well as a notebook

[Taka]

See, I'm the opposite, merf. I've been an Apple fanboy since I got my first gen iPod, which sold me on to my first Mac.

I have to say that the iSlate/iTablet/iWhatever rumours have left me a bit cold. I would love for them to release a Mac portable with a smaller footprint than the MacBook Air, mirroring the netbook market, though Apple have said they'd never do this because it would cannabalise their own sales of larger Mac portables.

A larger format iPhone would just come across as cumbersome for me, and would require another data connection to get any real use of it outside without relying on wifi. Seems very much like a niche demographic of user they'd target, I just hope it doesn't become the joke that is Apple TV.

[dotoko]

I've been an Apple fanboy since 2001 when OS X first released and I bought an iMac G3. I really think they've let the Mac side of their business slide since they got into iPod/iPhones. Hardware-wise they peaked with the G4 iMac and have gone really downhill since then. 10.5 isn't really the leap forward from 10.6 I was expecting and in my experience both are unstable compared to 10.4. To be honest if I didn't have a MacBook Pro from work I'd probably have switched to a Viao and Windows 7 by now.

[ChrisF]

I'm interested to see what they've got to show. I've wanted a tablet for god knows how many years, but still can't really justify one over a laptop. Apple still need to convince me too.

[abigsmurf]

Tablets have been tried several times before and have always been a pain to use. Heavy, awkward and lacking in any single area of usage. Rather than combining the best aspects of a laptop and PDA, they mix the worst aspects.

Could see it taking off as an e-reader perhaps but then you've got to deal with a limited battery life, the extra weight and the fact that e-ink is so much more comfy to read off of than a backlit LCD. Not to mention you can get e-readers for <&#163;200 and this will likely cost &#163;500.

But meh, there's too much hype for it not to sell in huge numbers, even if it's a PoS