milozauckerman
Aug 7, 06:14 PM
I'm SO angry too! I'm seriously going to be PISSED OFF until Apple offers a 50 GHz workstation with 32 GB of RAM and a 4 TB hard drive for free!
Reductio ad absurdum only works if the original argument/request was absurd (hmmm...).
I, for one, am not asking for anything extraordinary or underpriced. I think the people looking for a $999 desktop are nuts, too. That's a market where Apple doesn't have a niche to get into.
But a sub-$2k desktop with a decent-to-good graphics card (and yes, the 7300 GT is completely useless - the x1600 in the iMac I'm using right now
I want something in competition with the mid-range PCs of the world - a tower with a 2.4GHz Conroe or a 2.0GHz single Xeon, with a graphics card at least capable of playing whatever games are out (once upon a time, I remember playing games now and then), two hard drive bays (four is nice, but two gives me a boot drive and a media drive, backups can go external), for $1599-2000 retail.
If Gateway can sell me a 2.4GHz Conroe with X1900 XT - more than adequate for my needs in photography and design, with the added benefit of games - for $1850, why the hell can't Apple sell me one for $2k? I'll happily pay the Apple Tax for something that genuinely fits my needs.
Reductio ad absurdum only works if the original argument/request was absurd (hmmm...).
I, for one, am not asking for anything extraordinary or underpriced. I think the people looking for a $999 desktop are nuts, too. That's a market where Apple doesn't have a niche to get into.
But a sub-$2k desktop with a decent-to-good graphics card (and yes, the 7300 GT is completely useless - the x1600 in the iMac I'm using right now
I want something in competition with the mid-range PCs of the world - a tower with a 2.4GHz Conroe or a 2.0GHz single Xeon, with a graphics card at least capable of playing whatever games are out (once upon a time, I remember playing games now and then), two hard drive bays (four is nice, but two gives me a boot drive and a media drive, backups can go external), for $1599-2000 retail.
If Gateway can sell me a 2.4GHz Conroe with X1900 XT - more than adequate for my needs in photography and design, with the added benefit of games - for $1850, why the hell can't Apple sell me one for $2k? I'll happily pay the Apple Tax for something that genuinely fits my needs.
Eldiablojoe
May 4, 01:38 PM
I would suggest that we always move forward. I think going backwards is only something worth considering IF am adventurer sustains significant injury and we had JUST left a room w an unused healing potion / talisman / chingas. Why give mscriv the opportunity to seed traps behind us?
Detlev
Jul 30, 08:38 AM
- The obvious untapped area is integration of VoIP, 3G, & video - but all the big companies are looking at that. The other thing that most mobile companies are having trouble with is the killer app - so many phones have data connectivity, and people just don't know what to do with it. If Apple can make a compelling product there the phone companies will want to sell it.
ps. Apple might choose to make a phone with no music capability... just to delineate the product. That gives people something to understand... and then they can release the combo products.
Exactly. How could a non-player break open the market without the big companies support and infrastructure? It's not a computer that people want to carry around. It is an extremely simple to use, not bulky, communication device.
Using VoIP and 3G technology would be great but what service is ready to provide it in the U.S.? Apple is not going to sell cell phones to a few hundred people in three or four U.S. metropolitan markets and make money on it unless there is a way to open up the VoIP market BUT VoIP is going to get smothered in Washington politics soon enough so don't plan on that being free or useful (especially if NET NEUTRALITY is eliminated). A 3G phone would spark interest only from the standpoint that none of the networks could provide national (never mind international) service. It is a loosing proposition but I agree, they would have to differentiate it from other products (if it were real). Again the supposed photographer did not say it was an iPod phone. S/he would have made that observation.
Another thing about this mystery phone. Have there been any licenses pulled by Apple for telecommunications devices? There have been patents for all sorts of neat things but this would fall into a new category for them, would it not. Therefore there would be a rash of legal moves going on.
I'm skeptical of the whole cell phone idea. Would there be more use for a home phone or walkie talkie type radio, satellite, a computer phone accessory, or something else? I just don't see Apple providing hardware that gets limited distribution, where you would have to sign up for a two or three year service plan with yet another unreliable service provider that within a year or two will be merged into yet another, and a .Mac account if you do not have it yet, and the possibility that you have to cancel an existing contract with penalty. It just doesn't add up. It would be the most expensive cell phone/package on the market.
ps. Apple might choose to make a phone with no music capability... just to delineate the product. That gives people something to understand... and then they can release the combo products.
Exactly. How could a non-player break open the market without the big companies support and infrastructure? It's not a computer that people want to carry around. It is an extremely simple to use, not bulky, communication device.
Using VoIP and 3G technology would be great but what service is ready to provide it in the U.S.? Apple is not going to sell cell phones to a few hundred people in three or four U.S. metropolitan markets and make money on it unless there is a way to open up the VoIP market BUT VoIP is going to get smothered in Washington politics soon enough so don't plan on that being free or useful (especially if NET NEUTRALITY is eliminated). A 3G phone would spark interest only from the standpoint that none of the networks could provide national (never mind international) service. It is a loosing proposition but I agree, they would have to differentiate it from other products (if it were real). Again the supposed photographer did not say it was an iPod phone. S/he would have made that observation.
Another thing about this mystery phone. Have there been any licenses pulled by Apple for telecommunications devices? There have been patents for all sorts of neat things but this would fall into a new category for them, would it not. Therefore there would be a rash of legal moves going on.
I'm skeptical of the whole cell phone idea. Would there be more use for a home phone or walkie talkie type radio, satellite, a computer phone accessory, or something else? I just don't see Apple providing hardware that gets limited distribution, where you would have to sign up for a two or three year service plan with yet another unreliable service provider that within a year or two will be merged into yet another, and a .Mac account if you do not have it yet, and the possibility that you have to cancel an existing contract with penalty. It just doesn't add up. It would be the most expensive cell phone/package on the market.
BenRoethig
May 6, 07:23 AM
Makes sense in that apple could control their own destiny in chipsets and CPUs, but it just seems like the PowerPC days all over again.
ChickenSwartz
Aug 3, 01:14 PM
They are not setting up for the Paris expo for a long time. There is no chance of this being for Paris, IMO. :)
I don't think so either.
When I first glanced at it I thought it was being "made." Like they were hanging it up to be sure it was corrct. I now see that it is indeed being displayed.
I don't think so either.
When I first glanced at it I thought it was being "made." Like they were hanging it up to be sure it was corrct. I now see that it is indeed being displayed.
Chundles
Sep 10, 11:23 PM
Wanted to add to this thread the "interesting" picture...
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/2006/09/sept12pic.jpg
Source: http://www.tuaw.com/2006/09/10/banner-for-september-12th-event/
Looks fake.
Is fake.
Discussion of fake iPod picture. (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=232341)
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/2006/09/sept12pic.jpg
Source: http://www.tuaw.com/2006/09/10/banner-for-september-12th-event/
Looks fake.
Is fake.
Discussion of fake iPod picture. (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=232341)
basesloaded190
Mar 28, 12:14 PM
Like others have said, with a delay until the fall, this could mean that Apple will deliver a LTE Iphone this year instead of 2012 like what was originally thought.
OhEsTen
Jul 30, 02:09 PM
Yeah tell me about it.
How much does it take to break a Verizon contract again...?
....Your left nut, your firstborn child and a small goat.
I hate verizon so much....that I began hating James Earl Jones simply for the fact he was their spokesman for so long...
How much does it take to break a Verizon contract again...?
....Your left nut, your firstborn child and a small goat.
I hate verizon so much....that I began hating James Earl Jones simply for the fact he was their spokesman for so long...
Cougarcat
Mar 30, 08:15 PM
But the new Mail app follows the same metaphor.
It looks like the iPad version, yes. But it doesn't try to emulate real-world objects, like Address Book and iCal look like an actual address book and calendar. (That would be awful--imagine rummaging through a "stack" of letters in a 3D-rendered mailbox. ;)
It looks like the iPad version, yes. But it doesn't try to emulate real-world objects, like Address Book and iCal look like an actual address book and calendar. (That would be awful--imagine rummaging through a "stack" of letters in a 3D-rendered mailbox. ;)
JackSYi
Jul 21, 02:17 PM
I really should of waited. *sigh
Westacular
Apr 23, 04:51 PM
I think Apple is simply futureproofing here, and we won't see Retina displays for 3+ years, when it would be more feasible.
I agree with you, though, it would be nice if Apple was more serious about their GPUs. Maybe the switch to retina will force them to be.
Agreed re: future-proofing, but are you seriously suggesting that Apple isn't serious about GPUs? They've probably got a higher "minimum acceptable" standard for GPU performance than any other manufacturer. The one thing they don't do is chase the bleeding edge super-high-end gaming GPUs.
Also: games don't HAVE to render at native display resolutions. And as resolution gets higher, the artifacts from not being at the native level become much less visible.
I agree with you, though, it would be nice if Apple was more serious about their GPUs. Maybe the switch to retina will force them to be.
Agreed re: future-proofing, but are you seriously suggesting that Apple isn't serious about GPUs? They've probably got a higher "minimum acceptable" standard for GPU performance than any other manufacturer. The one thing they don't do is chase the bleeding edge super-high-end gaming GPUs.
Also: games don't HAVE to render at native display resolutions. And as resolution gets higher, the artifacts from not being at the native level become much less visible.
ravenvii
May 5, 08:34 PM
Sorry guys, I had to go into the city for a conference.
By the way, mscriv's explanation of the turns/points system is spot-on.
***
"Should we bring the body?" cried Jorah standing next to Wilmer's lifeless body.
"We can't afford the burden. This is a dangerous place, a body will only slow us down and even endanger us," said Rosius as he strode towards the unopened door. "Shall we continue?"
"Jorah, come on. Let's go," said Loras as the remaining members of the group followed Rosius through the door. Throwing a final glance at Wilmer's body, Jorah followed.
YOU WENT THROUGH THE DOOR.
ROUND OVER
By the way, mscriv's explanation of the turns/points system is spot-on.
***
"Should we bring the body?" cried Jorah standing next to Wilmer's lifeless body.
"We can't afford the burden. This is a dangerous place, a body will only slow us down and even endanger us," said Rosius as he strode towards the unopened door. "Shall we continue?"
"Jorah, come on. Let's go," said Loras as the remaining members of the group followed Rosius through the door. Throwing a final glance at Wilmer's body, Jorah followed.
YOU WENT THROUGH THE DOOR.
ROUND OVER
Don't panic
May 3, 01:58 PM
when the villain places monsters/traps, are they one per turn or any number per turn (provided that he has them)?
can monster be moved to a different room by the villain after they are placed? can he reorganize them at every round? does it cost points? can traps be moved? are all traps the same (cost and damage)?
if a villain needs to go through a room where he placed a trap, can he temporarily disable it?
can monster be moved to a different room by the villain after they are placed? can he reorganize them at every round? does it cost points? can traps be moved? are all traps the same (cost and damage)?
if a villain needs to go through a room where he placed a trap, can he temporarily disable it?
Multimedia
Jul 24, 02:31 AM
Would it be worth it rolling over my 17 in macbook pro, w/ a 2.16 core duo to a macbook pro w/ merom chip and other new attributes. Would there be a significant difference in speed , ect. that would make it worth it and if so, what would i do about my registered applecare protection plan?Your Applecare is transferable to the next owner not to your next Mac. I doubt your 17" top of the line MBP will be much different from the next version. But if they go Black Anodized Aluminum - as some of us think they will (including me) - cosmetically it will be very different. Best way to stay current is to sell on eve of or right at the point of the announcement. If you can swing it, buying the next one before selling what you have is the easiest way since you don't have to be without one.
I'm looking for:
1. Merom @ 2.33 GHz
2. User Upgradable HD like in the MacBook
3. 4GB RAM possible
4. Santa Rosa chipset (not due 'til Spring '07)
5. 17" like you have
6. Black Anodized Aluminum
7. 802.11n
8. 10-Gigabit Ethernet
10. Leopard Onboard
11. Refurbished
So I'm gonna only go refurb MacBook meanwhile if anything at all. I really spend most of my time on the Quad since it is so powerful. I'm multitasking something fierce lately. But I don't want 4 other cores. I want 8 with Leopard. So I'm pretty much in a holding pattern until all the above happen on the mobile front. I will especially NOT pull the trigger until they redesign to make upgrading the HD as easy as it is to do on the lowly MacBook.
I'm looking for:
1. Merom @ 2.33 GHz
2. User Upgradable HD like in the MacBook
3. 4GB RAM possible
4. Santa Rosa chipset (not due 'til Spring '07)
5. 17" like you have
6. Black Anodized Aluminum
7. 802.11n
8. 10-Gigabit Ethernet
10. Leopard Onboard
11. Refurbished
So I'm gonna only go refurb MacBook meanwhile if anything at all. I really spend most of my time on the Quad since it is so powerful. I'm multitasking something fierce lately. But I don't want 4 other cores. I want 8 with Leopard. So I'm pretty much in a holding pattern until all the above happen on the mobile front. I will especially NOT pull the trigger until they redesign to make upgrading the HD as easy as it is to do on the lowly MacBook.
uaecasher
May 4, 03:23 PM
I think a lot of fans would rather to get the physical media which gives the feel of buying a new apple product (and opening it).
nuckinfutz
May 7, 10:53 AM
We all remember the internal meeting Jobs held discussing how Google was in effect 'declaring war on Apple' by invading their "mobile" turf; what if this is Apple reciprocating. Offering similar options to Gmail for free and attempting to complement MobileMe with iAds in an attempt to unthrone Google. With the high hopes Apple has for iAds (as suggested by the rumors regarding the high developer pricing of iAds) it does make sense, and in the very least, try to hurt Google. Another intriguing question is: would Apple loyalists prefer Apple service over another as long as the quality is acceptable (perhaps even if the quality was less than the options, at first).
Apple has been doing this stuff since .mac so they've been on the turf for a while. iAds is not gonna be a part of the equation. Apple's building a huge datacenter in NC and with free Mobileme it gives developers a "no brainer" incentive to use Mobileme for their OTA sync. Wifi sync does nothing but irritate the user IMO.
This isn't about hurting Google this is about taking the next leap forward in computing by melding cloud services with mobile and desktop computing
Why not just make it a $20 product instead of giving it away for no profit?
Because Free always has better uptake as witnessed by the legions of people that let Google scrape their emails and other data to provide targeted ads. These people actually perceive this as being "Free" when in fact you're letting Google profit handsomely off your data.
Apple has been doing this stuff since .mac so they've been on the turf for a while. iAds is not gonna be a part of the equation. Apple's building a huge datacenter in NC and with free Mobileme it gives developers a "no brainer" incentive to use Mobileme for their OTA sync. Wifi sync does nothing but irritate the user IMO.
This isn't about hurting Google this is about taking the next leap forward in computing by melding cloud services with mobile and desktop computing
Why not just make it a $20 product instead of giving it away for no profit?
Because Free always has better uptake as witnessed by the legions of people that let Google scrape their emails and other data to provide targeted ads. These people actually perceive this as being "Free" when in fact you're letting Google profit handsomely off your data.
RawBert
Apr 7, 11:21 AM
They only need like ~100,000.
crisss1205
May 7, 05:08 PM
I say that they make it free to Mac users and like $29 a year for Windows users.
inkswamp
Nov 5, 03:31 PM
I'm actually not too thrilled to see this. Mac OS X does NOT need virus protection. Companies like this make OS X seem like it's prone to viruses.
Blah blah blah. Lack of AV software makes Macs very unattractive to business settings.
It installs various components into your system, so no, not until Apple modifies their guidelines.
Seeing how many things it does install and the size of the download, I wouldn't install this on any computer. Looks like FUDware to me.
One of the barriers to integrating Macs into corporate and business environments is the lack of anti-virus tools. Yeah, you can dismiss this as FUD (and maybe there's some truth to that) but the fact remains--someday, one way or another, there will be a Mac OS X virus. I defy you to find one IT dept. in the country that wants to be caught off-guard by that. If you're going to have Macs in a business environment, the IT staff needs to know that they're protected in the event of an OS X virus outbreak. Whether any OS X viruses exist now or not and whether AV companies are trying to sell products with FUD is irrelevant in that context.
Those of you who want to see wider adoption of Macs in business environments ought to be happy to see this kind of thing showing up, regardless of whether you personally need it or not.
Blah blah blah. Lack of AV software makes Macs very unattractive to business settings.
It installs various components into your system, so no, not until Apple modifies their guidelines.
Seeing how many things it does install and the size of the download, I wouldn't install this on any computer. Looks like FUDware to me.
One of the barriers to integrating Macs into corporate and business environments is the lack of anti-virus tools. Yeah, you can dismiss this as FUD (and maybe there's some truth to that) but the fact remains--someday, one way or another, there will be a Mac OS X virus. I defy you to find one IT dept. in the country that wants to be caught off-guard by that. If you're going to have Macs in a business environment, the IT staff needs to know that they're protected in the event of an OS X virus outbreak. Whether any OS X viruses exist now or not and whether AV companies are trying to sell products with FUD is irrelevant in that context.
Those of you who want to see wider adoption of Macs in business environments ought to be happy to see this kind of thing showing up, regardless of whether you personally need it or not.
Pez555
Mar 28, 10:28 AM
Sort of relieved no iPhone 5 announcements, Im firmly bogged down into a 2 year contract.
GoodWatch
Apr 21, 04:06 PM
Who said in another room? Sure if you want to operate it as a remote server, but workstations can very much benefit from being rack mountable.
I have a friend that shoots stills while being tethered to his Mac Pro. It is on a rolling standard rackmount cart but takes up a huge amount of space on it because it is too tall to lay on its side.
When he's done he rolls the cart into his edit room.
I know of other people who use Mac Pro on film shoots to offload video files from cameras and make backups, on the set. They arrive with carts and roll them around as needed. They say the same thing, "I wish it was rackmountable".
You are right, I fold. I know nothing about 19" racks (1.80 meters tall and 150 kg. in weight), and nothing about conditioned server rooms with dual power feeds at all. Flight cases with equipment I also know nothing about. I'm sorry I'm doubting your knowledge and insight.
I have a friend that shoots stills while being tethered to his Mac Pro. It is on a rolling standard rackmount cart but takes up a huge amount of space on it because it is too tall to lay on its side.
When he's done he rolls the cart into his edit room.
I know of other people who use Mac Pro on film shoots to offload video files from cameras and make backups, on the set. They arrive with carts and roll them around as needed. They say the same thing, "I wish it was rackmountable".
You are right, I fold. I know nothing about 19" racks (1.80 meters tall and 150 kg. in weight), and nothing about conditioned server rooms with dual power feeds at all. Flight cases with equipment I also know nothing about. I'm sorry I'm doubting your knowledge and insight.
Burger King
Apr 25, 09:13 AM
I'm guessing silence, since burgers don't talk. ;)
D.
I do and No I didn't steal anything!
D.
I do and No I didn't steal anything!
CKtoph
Nov 13, 02:59 PM
I'll let you know when I take a call on it. This is really the first day I have had it. I do not have the TomTom kit plugged into my car's stereo so navigation comes through the speaker of the TomTom kit. What I can remember from the user manual (I don't have it with me at the moment), even when the TomTom kit is plugged into your car's stereo via an auxilary cable, calls and navigation instructions will still come from the TomTom kit and not the car stereo. I currently have no way of checking because my car does not have that input in its stereo.
As far as visibility on the windshield...it's going to vary on what type of car you drive and where you place it. I'm assuming you have never had a GPS unit in your car. It takes up just as much space as most other GPS devices.
I have a Garmin in our coupe, but the Garmin's screen is obviously bigger than the iPhone's. We had it mounted on the windshield for some time before the suction wore off, to which we ended up getting the sand bag platform which is working out fine.
We decided not to get the Navi package in the new sedan so I'm debating my options for getting one. Basically, I'm deciding between just getting a nice stand alone GPS on Black Friday or getting the TomTom kit.
My concern isn't so much the space taken up by the kit. My concerns before committing to make a purchase are:
- Will I be able to view the navigation maps and instructions with the same visibility as I would with a standalone GPS?
- Will I be able to hear the turn-by-turn instructions with the same audibility as a standalone?
- Will people be able to hear me (and be heard) with the same, or comparable, clarity as if I were using a built-in bluetooth car system?
EDIT: Ticman actually brings up a great point also with the wires. Maybe the dashboard mount is the way to go. Which leaves the only concern left being clarify of calls.
As far as visibility on the windshield...it's going to vary on what type of car you drive and where you place it. I'm assuming you have never had a GPS unit in your car. It takes up just as much space as most other GPS devices.
I have a Garmin in our coupe, but the Garmin's screen is obviously bigger than the iPhone's. We had it mounted on the windshield for some time before the suction wore off, to which we ended up getting the sand bag platform which is working out fine.
We decided not to get the Navi package in the new sedan so I'm debating my options for getting one. Basically, I'm deciding between just getting a nice stand alone GPS on Black Friday or getting the TomTom kit.
My concern isn't so much the space taken up by the kit. My concerns before committing to make a purchase are:
- Will I be able to view the navigation maps and instructions with the same visibility as I would with a standalone GPS?
- Will I be able to hear the turn-by-turn instructions with the same audibility as a standalone?
- Will people be able to hear me (and be heard) with the same, or comparable, clarity as if I were using a built-in bluetooth car system?
EDIT: Ticman actually brings up a great point also with the wires. Maybe the dashboard mount is the way to go. Which leaves the only concern left being clarify of calls.
MikeDTyke
Sep 11, 07:26 AM
I've been doing a bit of thinking about the video airport express rumor thats been doing the rounds.
If you were to take the current AE and add a video out, you'd get a fairly poor user experience. ie. no remote, no control! Also the form factor of the current AE is such that you plug it in and hide it away.
Some might clamour for a wireless remote, but 2 factors limit this possibility, reduced battery life (on wifi) and a poor response through walls (bluetooth). Apple's shown in the past they are quite happy with the reliable and long established infra-red remote.
I believe therefore that the updated AE will appear as a small set top box, in order to have the IR in plain view. The other thing about the set top box. It' aint gonna be some boring grey flat component. Apple will want people to love it as much as the ipod. Therefore i suspect we'll see a distinctly visible design, different to all the other set top's and AV components we have to date. With SJ's love affair with cubes, perhaps this is an opportunity for the Aluminium Media Cube. Small llike 3" with a small hal like blue eye watching our every move. ;)
The other aspect i'd like to touch on is that in order to make these puppies sell like hotcakes, i.e.Cheap, i suspect the aforementioned cube to be very basic dumb terminal. Dependent on a wireless mac or PC for disk and essentially only displaying a frontrow remote display. This of course would mean front row for older macs and pc's.
The other other aspect (Gah i should think about these posts before writing). Is that no one is going to want to run upstairs to their Mac, go on itunes, click on the media store, select Scary movie #17 (more boobs than all the rest), click download. Then run downstairs to the Media cube, finger on button guessing when they can start to play. I therefore think that front row will gain an interface onto the ITMS so that media can be bought from the comfort of the sofa. This will kick off the actual download from upstairs computer and the front row interface will show when the user can start the movie.
Apple have patents for remote displays and specifically buying a item of media on one device and downloading to another. Search Macsimumnews.com if you're really interested.
As i said, this is only a bit of out of the box thinking. I personally hope the device is more intelligent with a HardDisk so if my Mac is powered down, its not completely useless, along with the absolutely essential need to be able to record just like tivo. But here's waiting, should know in about 29 hrs. tick tock, tick tock.
M.
If you were to take the current AE and add a video out, you'd get a fairly poor user experience. ie. no remote, no control! Also the form factor of the current AE is such that you plug it in and hide it away.
Some might clamour for a wireless remote, but 2 factors limit this possibility, reduced battery life (on wifi) and a poor response through walls (bluetooth). Apple's shown in the past they are quite happy with the reliable and long established infra-red remote.
I believe therefore that the updated AE will appear as a small set top box, in order to have the IR in plain view. The other thing about the set top box. It' aint gonna be some boring grey flat component. Apple will want people to love it as much as the ipod. Therefore i suspect we'll see a distinctly visible design, different to all the other set top's and AV components we have to date. With SJ's love affair with cubes, perhaps this is an opportunity for the Aluminium Media Cube. Small llike 3" with a small hal like blue eye watching our every move. ;)
The other aspect i'd like to touch on is that in order to make these puppies sell like hotcakes, i.e.Cheap, i suspect the aforementioned cube to be very basic dumb terminal. Dependent on a wireless mac or PC for disk and essentially only displaying a frontrow remote display. This of course would mean front row for older macs and pc's.
The other other aspect (Gah i should think about these posts before writing). Is that no one is going to want to run upstairs to their Mac, go on itunes, click on the media store, select Scary movie #17 (more boobs than all the rest), click download. Then run downstairs to the Media cube, finger on button guessing when they can start to play. I therefore think that front row will gain an interface onto the ITMS so that media can be bought from the comfort of the sofa. This will kick off the actual download from upstairs computer and the front row interface will show when the user can start the movie.
Apple have patents for remote displays and specifically buying a item of media on one device and downloading to another. Search Macsimumnews.com if you're really interested.
As i said, this is only a bit of out of the box thinking. I personally hope the device is more intelligent with a HardDisk so if my Mac is powered down, its not completely useless, along with the absolutely essential need to be able to record just like tivo. But here's waiting, should know in about 29 hrs. tick tock, tick tock.
M.