MacworldExpo2009
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Rumor Watch: New Mac mini go for launch
When it comes to the Mac mini, there are people out there who know everything there is to know... and now, those savvy sources are telling TUAW that they are confident a new Mac mini is set to be announced at Macworld Expo 2009 next week. While many details are still vague -- we still have no idea if the dimensions of the new mini are at all different from the existing model -- some details are starting to emerge.First, the internal optical drive is changing to a SATA optical drive that can be swapped out for a second SATA hard drive, probably as a build-to-order (BTO) option. For those using Mac minis as departmental / small business servers, having a second internal hard drive adds a great deal of utility to the mini in a server role; RAID 1 mirroring becomes simple. Companies like MacMiniColo.net that colocate thousands of Mac mini servers will save rack space as external drives will no longer be mandatory for backups.The second detail is that the new Mac mini won't be made of topped with white plastic like the current model seen above; instead, it will follow Apple's new design meme by using black plastic and aluminum. No more smooth sides, either -- the new mini has a "lip" similar to the Time Capsule. The optical disc slot is hidden under the lip so it won't be obvious in case the owner chooses to have two hard drives instead of a hard and optical drive combo. The lip also provides cooling, so the vents on the back of the mini are no longer needed.For those of you who have been hoping for a new mini, there are many signs that your dreams are about to come true.Thanks Mr X!
The Silent Keynote Campaign
The Apple keynote address at Macworld Expo is usually a boisterous affair, full of cheering, applause, and anxious chatter about new products. With 2009 being the last year of Apple's attendance at Macworld Expo, Lesa Snider King thinks that a silent protest might send a message to Apple's leadership: On Tuesday, Dec. 16 Apple Inc. announced that Steve Jobs would not do the keynote at the 2009 Macworld Conference & Expo. That's okay. They also announced that they would no longer attend the conference in the future. That's not okay. For 25 years, a very loyal and passionate Mac community has descended upon the halls of Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA to see, hear, and learn more about the computers they love. By announcing their departure from this beloved show hosted by IDG, Apple is sending a message to the entire community -- professionals, hobbyists, media, Mac User Groups, and even IDG themselves--that they care nothing for the community who supported them through thick and thin.If you're attending the Macworld Expo keynote on Tuesday, Jan. 6, you can send a message to Apple by remaining silent during the 2009 keynote. While Phil Schiller is on the stage, let there be no applause, no whistling... just utter and complete silence.My name is Lesa Snider King and I'm mad at Apple.My personal opinion is that Apple can do whatever it wants, and that IDG and the Mac community can decide to do whatever they want to. If Apple announces something really insanely great at Macworld Expo '09, would you really stay silent? Let's hear your opinion of the Silent Keynote Campaign.
OpenCL 1.0 ratified; is Snow Leopard now ready for launch?
There's been quiet anticipation for the last 6 months for OpenCL (Open Computing Language), which is an Application Programming Interface standard allowing developers to take advantage of the power of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) in parallel with multi-core processors. The result? Applications become much faster and responsive. Apple announced in June that support for OpenCL would be built into Snow Leopard (Mac OS X 10.6). The Khronos Group, an industry consortium that creates open-standard, royalty-free APIs, put OpenCL on the fast track as a result, and announced yesterday that OpenCL 1.0 has been ratified by all of the consortium members. Now that OpenCL has been officially blessed by the members of the consortium, could Snow Leopard be close behind? There has been speculation that the latest iteration of Mac OS X could be released as soon as Macworld Expo 2009 in early January. Snow Leopard, along with an announcement of quad-core iMacs, could throw a little fire into what is becoming an increasing chilly Expo. TUAW is attending Macworld Expo 2009 in force this year, so stay tuned for the latest news about Snow Leopard.
