As we inch closer to tomorrow’s keynote at Macworld, we’re getting even more confirmation of a update to the Mac mini.  In an ill timed press release from SeeFile, they reveal that there will be a new Mac mini premiering at tomorrows Macworld. Not only revealing a new mini but they also tell us that it will have hard drives that (most likely) go up to 1TB in size to accompany their server software:

Complete bundled server systems including a Mac mini server with 1 terabyte of storage are available starting at $1,495

In conjunction with a few other rumors I think it’s now safe to assume that we will see an update to the mini. Will it be worthwhile? Not sure, lots of people use their mini’s as home servers and with the inclusion of a much larger hard drive capability along with SeeFile’s software this could very well be something many will upgrade to (not to mention it has not been updated in a very long time).

Don’t forget about to join us for the Macworld 09 Live Chat tomorrow at 8:30 AM Eastern.

[via ars technica][press release SeeFile]

AppleInsider’s latest rumour says that the Mac mini is going to get a dual monitor solution at the coming Macworld update. 

Those familiar with the company’s plans say the small form factor desktop will have both the Mini DisplayPort connector first introduced on unibody MacBooks but also a Mini DVI connector.

I’m calling fake! We’re almost certain that the Mac mini will be updated, and I’m even on board with it having dual-display support. But it having both a DisplayPort and Mini DVI connector is totally impractical!

What’s the second port for? Legacy support? I think Apple is smart enough to know that a converter can be used with the DisplayPort to connect it to a Mini-DVI port. Besides, most monitors in the market need a full sized DVI or Analog port anyway, so the customer will have to buy a converter. Besides, Apple is definitely not one to revisit past technologies. 

Aside from this particular article, the Mac mini is said to be made partially from black plastic, move to SATA, as well as provide an option for a second hard drive instead of the optical drive. All these are, and will remain, at least until the 6th of Jan 2009, rumours. 

[From AppleInsider] [Image sourced from Gizmodo]

Hold on. It’s just a rumour. But a tasty one at that. 9to5Mac reports that their ‘best source’ has dumped a truckload of information on them. The first bit, iWork takes to the cloud. 

The first big piece of information is that iWork is going into the Cloud.  Not just storage, either. We are talking interface for Numbers, Pages and Keynote (which is going to see some interesting new templates and transition additions). Yes, the iWork applications are now going to be Web Applications.

Imagine having Pages and Keynote icons in your MobileMe web apps! I hope Apple does a good job integrating iWork 09 desktop apps, with iDisk storage and the MobileMe web apps. I’m sure they will.

Of course, questions still remain as to whether these (still rumoured) apps will work on the iPhone and iPod Touch, and whether they will work with any browser on the market (using some of that awesome Google Gears technology). And for the love of all things sane, will Apple release a window viewing app especially for Keynote presentations! Be prepared for a lot more rumours to surface, as we approach D-day. 

Buy iWork ($68) from Macmall | Buy iWork ($70) from Amazon

When Apple updated the notebook line in October, they conveniently left the 17 incher out of the equation. We figured they just needed more time to wrap things up in their production lines. After all, when they introduced the MacBook Pro, the 17 inch PowerBook was only updated a few months later. 

Then Intel goes ahead and releases a low-cost quad core notebook chip that definitely fits the bill for Apple’s large notebook. It is after all, a desktop replacement, and people want the best performance they can get from the workhorse. Here’s the report by David Flynn on APCmag.com…

Branded as the Core 2 Extreme Q9000, the chip partners four 2GHz cores with 6MB of Level 2 cache for US$348. That price is one third the US$1,038 ticket for the QX9300 2.53GHz superslab and well under half that of the next-down Q9100 2.26GHz, which lists at US$851.

Both of those processors have twice the L2 cache of the Q9000, but they all share the same 45nm Penryn-class architecture and a 1GHz front side bus, compared to the 800MHz bus (also with 6MB of cache) of the T8300 and T8500 processors used in the 15 inch MacBook Pro.

This still remains a rumour of course, so don’t get disappointed if you see the 17 incher sporting only a two point something dual core processor. Besides, we still have to worry about whether Apple will again exclude the matte option on the display, and leave out some juicy firewire ports on the big one.

Have any tip-offs? Send them along to pr@smokingapples.com

As Macworld approaches (just 7 days to go!) the rumour mill begins spinning faster and faster. AppleInsider has a report (*ahem* rumour *ahem*) that Apple is set to release new Magnesium-Aluminium iMacs early next year. 

“A new family of iMacs due early next year may include a more sophisticated cooling system, hints the latest reports from sources close to the company’s Taiwanese manufacturing facilities.” reports Slash Lane for AppleInsider. 

AI’s report is based on Chinese paper Economic Daily News’ report, which claims that Foxconn has secured a contract with Apple to manufacture the new chassis. Foxconn will also manufacture the ‘cooling module’, says the paper. 

DigiTimes, another publication situated near Apple’s manufacturing facilities, recently cited sources who said Apple and rival PC makers HP, Acer and Dell had each agreed to use a new family of quad-core desktop chips from Intel in systems due early in 2009. These are low-power desktop chips operating at 65W compared to the 55W of the current iMacs’ mobile processors. Therefore, a decision by Apple to employ the chips inside the iMac line could signal a need for modifications to the computer’s cooling methods.

This move will definitely help bring in Quad-Core processors in a big way for Apple’s consumer desktop. They could built in sophisticated graphics and power, ready and waiting for when Snow Leopard comes trotting along with its Multi-Core “Grand Central” optimisations and features. So are we excited about Macworld or not!

[Full report at AppleInsider]

Mac mini rumours and mockups aside, we’re seeing an increase in iPhone nano rumours. First we see the report on TUAW, where a chinese case manufacturer is seen offering a case for an iPhone nano. 

Now a source that has accurately leaked information about the iPhone 3G and 4G iPod nano has jumped into the fray. XSKN began selling iPhone 3G cases in mid-May of 2008, almost 2 months prior to the release of the 3G. In early September, XSKN was showing off new 4th Generation iPod nano cases. - Steven Sande for TUAW. 

Next, we have macrumours with an anonymously submitted press shot of the iPhone with it’s smaller brother, the iPhone nano. I do have the strange feeling that it’s a fake though. It’s not too difficult to attain that kind of an image. Besides the strange feeling there are so many areas where you can tell that the pictured nano is just a shrunken iPhone 3G.

Macrumors wants to think of this as a concept design for the sake of discussion and debate. I think, it’s something nice to look at this holiday season. 

That said, I think an iPhone nano would do great. Apple could decrease the screen size to 2.5” while keeping the same resolution, and have the same features across both models. Or, they could reduce the screen size even further, along with the resolution, while excluding the App Store from the equation. I can see how the keyboard will be a tad bit difficult to tap on, but one of those dual-key intelligent keyboards could be implemented. The iPhone nano is definitely possible.

Of course, I’m sure you know that I’m just speaking out of my head, which is so far yet to accurately predict anything out of Apple. So considering I’ve spoken about this (and the fact that Apple won’t make an iPhone nano), the probability of the iPhone nano seeing the light of day is next to zero. Your thoughts?

Apple rumours have a tendency to suck the excitement out of an Apple Event. Everything is leaked on the web, and most of the rumours turn out true. So we’d rather ignore the numerous spy shots we see on the web, and wait till Steve unveils them on stage. 

Nevertheless, we know some of you may want to see these images, so we’re posting them anyway. We’ve made them very blurry so you need to click on them to see sharper versions. 

So, Engadget has posted a picture of the possibly new MacBook Pro that might be announced today. It looks similar to the spy picture that surfaced some time back. 
Continue Reading »

It always happens with Apple rumours. Disappointment and depression for the macboy. Soon after an event is rumoured, the leaked shots follow, after which we have professional quality press photos, all over a event that wasn’t even scheduled in the first place!

AppleInsider has concluded that the event rumoured to take place on the 14th of October, based on John Gruber’s information, is very unlikely to happen. In usual AppleInsider style, they have gone through the past events and how long before the press invites came through. Save for a small Mac Mini Intel announcement in 2006, the rest of the events were announced a full 7 days in advance. 

With 6 days remaining, it is highly unlikely that a press note will be despatched. However, all hope is not lost, as Apple might just release the new notebooks on the web. They have more than enough of publicity, courtesy the Apple Blogs and don’t need to go through the trouble of having a special sit down. After all, the MacBooks made their way into this world without any special mention, and look how fine they are selling!

AppleInsider also points to a comment by one of it’s readers, that Monday (13th) is a holiday. And going by history, if Monday is a holiday, Apple will host the event on a wednesday, a full 7 days away. Check that forum thread to see some more valuable insights about the situation. 

Only time will tell whether next week will bring a smile on our faces or not. Meanwhile, feast your eyes on this possible candidate for the new MacBook Pro. 

October 14th is rumoured to be a big day for Apple, for that is the day when they are supposed to announce a design refresh, of the 5 year old designs of the MacBook and the MacBook Pro. And as ancient lore goes, where there is an Apple rumour, so follow the spy shots. 

Blurry, unclear, and many times amateurish that they are, the alleged spy spots can never be avoided. The latest in the series is the new MacBook Pro, sporting a glossy black lid and front face, black keyboard, and black trackpad. By the looks of it, the design looks solid and marks a drastic change from the current all-aluminium design. According to the initiators of this rumour, ModmyiMac, the vital statistics of this revision are:

• The ‘Touchpad Dock’ rumor is false
• A new magnetic opening/closing system is in place
• The top of the ‘shell’ is gloss, similar to the iPhone and the bottom is aluminum.
• The iSight is hidden nicely in the glossy frame
• The keyboard is similar to the MacBook Air keyboard

So what gives this away as a fake? The Ad, which is supposed to go up on the Apple website, says “A blend of beauty meets beastly power”. Does that sound right to you? Apple might play around with words when it comes to their iPod lineup (Funnest iPod anyone?), but the MacBook Pro is definitely not going to have such a badly crafted tagline. As far as the imaging goes though, it looks very classy and professional so we might just be looking at the new MacBook Pro.

So what do you think about this rumour? Is this the MacBook Pro of your dreams, or did you have something else in mind? Take note that this is just a rumour, so don’t get your hopes up just yet.

We all know about the NetShare debacle, the tethering app that surprisingly appeared in the App Store, was taken down, appeared again, and was taken down again. What we didn’t know, however, was that this really angered an iPhone user, who sent an email directly up to the God of shiny things himself (that’s Steve Jobs, for all you non-Apple loyalists).

AT&T offers data plans for BlackBerry that include tethering for an additional $30 per month (a total of $60 per month for the BlackBerry+tethering plan).

It seems ludicrous that the same thing is not offered with the iPhone. I understand the desire to prevent tethering with the current data plan, but I am willing to pay more money to allow tethering! With such an advanced device, why can I not do so?

This is where things go wild. Are you ready for this? If you are viewing this on an iPhone, I suggest you be seated, and make sure there is no scope for that phone to fall down on anything other than soft cushions. This is the reply he received:

We agree, and are discussing it with ATT.

Steve

Sent from my iPhone

Gizmodo is counting on the “Sent from my iPhone” part to seal this email as totally authentic. AppleInsider didn’t count on it and has since claimed to have verified that the transmission originated from an Apple IP and the same “D-class” as the other emails sent from the co-founder, CEO, and demiGod.

Of course, unless Apple or AT&T make an official announcement, all this talk is to be considered as rumour, and nothing more. [Ed note: For we all know, Phil Schiller could have snapped up Steve’s iPhone when he wasn’t looking and dashed off a couple emails. It’s not like the pass-code lock is very effective anyway.]

[Via Gizmodo]