YoureThePundit
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You're the Pundit: What's up with the Mac Pro?
When it comes to forecasting the next big thing, we turn to our secret weapon: the TUAW braintrust. We put the question to you and let you have your go at it. Today's topic is the Mac Pro. The powerhouse of the Mac universe, the Mac Pro is a hard-working mainstay for video editors, graphics shops, and other professional use. With Apple turning almost overwhelmingly towards producing consumer products, and with the higher end iMacs providing screaming power and great peripheral support, does the Mac Pro have a future? You tell us. Place your vote in this poll and then join in the comments with all your predictions. %Poll-70070%
You're the Pundit: When will we see Siri on the iPad 2?
When it comes to forecasting the next big thing, we turn to our secret weapon: the TUAW braintrust. We put the question to you and let you have your go at it. Today's topic is hands-free operation on the iPad. There's no technical reason that Siri can't run on the iPad 2. The iPad 2 has all the resources iOS needs, and knowing TUAW friend Steven Troughton-Smith's ingenuity, a prototype probably will be fully operational within a few weeks. But Apple has never been all about the hands-free on its iPad line. Unlike the iPod touch and the iPhone, the iPad has never supported Voice Control, aka Siri's older and less attractive aunt. So why isn't Apple pushing hands-free onto its hugely successful iPad? What's holding them back? You tell us. Place your vote in this poll and then join in the comments with all your predictions. %Poll-70076%
You're the Pundit: Is Amazon's tablet a contender?
When it comes to forecasting the next big thing, we turn to our secret weapon: the TUAW braintrust. We put the question to you and let you have your go at it. Today's topic is the Amazon tablet. Powered by Android, with a 7-inch screen, the Kindle tablet will have a capacitive multitouch screen with traditional LCD technology, according to TechCrunch's MG Siegler, who recently got an exclusive look at the new device. With only 6GB of onboard storage helping to lower its price into easy consumer access, no camera, and no buttons, is Amazon making their tablet too minimal? Sure, the pricing has to be just right, and Kindle has always focused on reading more than surfing, but will the updated Kindle be a contender against Apple's dominance of the tablet market? You tell us. Place your vote in this poll and then join in the comments with all your predictions. %Poll-69317%
You're the Pundit: iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, or both?
When it comes to forecasting the next big thing, we turn to our secret weapon: the TUAW braintrust. We put the question to you and let you have your go at it. Today's topic is speculation on whether there will be one or two new iPhones coming soon. As the beginning of October looms, more and more rumors about the "next thing" are coming out. A lot of the buzz right now seems to be about cases that are appearing. Slashgear has posted several photos (one reproduced below) showing an OtterBox iPhone 4S case that was in an AT&T Store. There are also pictures of a Speck case that was sourced from BGR, although the photo doesn't show anything that states that it is for an iPhone 4S. Both Wedge Partners analyst Brian Blair (talking to Fox Business) and Greek website Digital Life seem to agree that a new version of the iPhone 4 is more likely to appear in October than the iPhone 5. As reported by Pocket-Lint, the new device would have the same form factor and display as the existing iPhone 4, but would have a modified antenna, possibly more RAM (1 GB?), a higher resolution 8-megapixel camera that will record 1080p video at 30 fps, and a speedier A5 processor. Earlier in the week, CNET's Josh Lowensohn (quoting J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz speaking to Fortune) noted that it's beginning to look like two new iPhone models could arrive this fall -- an iPhone 4 "plus" that is most likely the iPhone 4S and the slimmer world phone iPhone 5. Those are a lot of sites all pointing towards a possible mix of new iPhones. So what will actually happen in the next few weeks? Do those iPhone 4S cases really mean anything? You tell us. Place your vote in this poll and then join in the comments with all your predictions. %Poll-69281%
You're the Pundit: Does the classic iPod have a future?
When it comes to forecasting the next big thing, we turn to our secret weapon: the TUAW braintrust. We put the question to you and let you have your go at it. Today's topic is the iPod. Are the non-touch units examples of dead devices walking? The iPod classic and shuffle lines have had a big "expiration date" stamped on them for quite some time. Maybe it's time for Apple to hold the funeral for these formerly ground-breaking devices. The classic, with its large capacity hard drive and touch wheel, and the shuffle, with its tiny form factor and limited interface, have each served a niche market for quite a while. Does the shrinking demand for these items and the greater capacity and lower cost for the touch and nano mean an end to the ten-year-old classic collection? You tell us. Place your vote in this poll and then join in the comments with all your predictions. %Poll-69103%
You're the Pundit: Windows 8
Other sites have rumors and speculation. We have the TUAW braintrust. We put the question to you and let you have your go at it. Today's topic is Windows 8. Will Microsoft's newest operating system prove a threat to Apple's OS X or iOS? The touch-friendly Windows 8 operating system has been heavily overhauled for greater stability and user friendliness. High resolution (think Retina for Microsoft) models may ship sometime in the next 12-18 months, with high touch accuracy, optimized finger control precision, and more. Features like Picture Password, which invites users to draw on pictures with a known set of shapes and lines for authentication (e.g. add a mustache on Mom and a hat on Dad) and a brilliantly colored tiled Start Screen, all add to Windows 8's appeal. Should Apple be worried? You tell us. Place your vote in this poll and then join in the comments with all your predictions. %Poll-69095%
You're the Pundit: When will iOS 5 debut?
Other sites have rumors and speculation. We have the TUAW braintrust. We put the question to you and let you have your go at it. Today's topic is iOS 5. When exactly will this new firmware launch? So far, Apple has shipped seven iOS 5 betas. Will we see an eighth or ninth beta? Or is it time for the Gold Master release candidate? And if so, how long until iOS debuts and is distributed to consumers? Will it be in synchrony with a new iPhone? You tell us. Place your vote in this poll and then join in the comments with all your predictions. %Poll-68865%
You're the Pundit: iCloud's Future
Other sites have rumors and speculation. We have the TUAW braintrust. We put the question to you and let you have your go at it. Today's topic is iCloud. With so much to offer, what will its true killer feature be? iCloud stands ready to revolutionize the way we think of cloud storage. It brings so many options to the table, it's hard to pick just one. So, of course, that's what we're going to ask you to do. Of all these features, which is going to truly change the Apple user experience most profoundly? You tell us. Place your vote in this poll and then join in the comments with all your iCloud predictions. %Poll-68871%
You're the Pundit: Are we going to see a touch iMac?
Other sites have rumors and speculation. We have the TUAW braintrust. We put the question to you and let you have your go at it. Today's topic is the iMac. Are we about to see a touch iMac debut? For years now, Apple patents have hinted at iMac and MacBook touch screens. A year ago, rumors arose that Sintek Photonics were producing touch panels for those units; rumors that were quickly quashed by Sintek spokespersons. Third party Touchscreen iMacs were actually launched in 2006 by Troll Touch, although they never seemed to take off the way some people expected. In 2010, Steve Jobs talked about vertical touch screens in the Back to the Mac press event. Jobs told the world that "[t]ouch surfaces don't want to be vertical. It gives great demo but after a short period of time, you start to fatigue and after an extended period of time, your arm wants to fall off. It doesn't work; it's ergonomically terrible." Of course, that assumes a primarily touch modality. In the last four years, i.e. since the iPhone debuted, how many times have you reached out to your computer screen in the midst of doing other work and were surprised that the screen didn't respond to touch? Maybe vertical interaction is best as an augmentation of standard mouse/trackpad/keyboard input rather than a replacement. You tell us. Place your vote in this poll and then join in the comments with all your predictions. %Poll-68704%
You're the Pundit: Will iOS and OS X merge?
Other sites have rumors and speculation. We have the TUAW braintrust. We put the question to you and let you have your go at it. Today's topic is operating systems. Are iOS and OS X set to merge? Under the hood, these operating systems are very close cousins. They share many frameworks and many APIs. Sure, there are differences, particularly in system services, multitasking support, and windowed UIs. Apple said, though, that Lion was designed to integrate the best features of iOS. Could the two grow even closer? Will we be seeing a merged universal Apple OS in the next few years? Or will we see more platform definition as the operating systems grow apart? You tell us. Place your vote in this poll and then join in the comments with all your predictions. %Poll-68668%
You're the Pundit: Should Apple build a TV?
Other sites have rumors and speculation. We have the TUAW braintrust. We put the question to you and let you have your go at it. Today's topic is the Apple TV. The one with glass and buttons, not the tiny black box. Some people believe passionately that this is a market that Apple is perfectly poised to jump into. With its iMac success, Apple has shown that they understand display technology and can build an HDTV to die for. Architectural glass, impossibly thin bezel, 5x brighter with more contrast than a similar Sony. Are these the measures that Apple can bring to the table? And how about integration with your iOS device as a remote? Or maybe we'll see Kinect-like gestures? You tell us. Place your vote in this poll and then join in the comments with all your predictions. %Poll-68680%
You're the Pundit: What's the Apple "Product Transition" going to be?
Other sites have rumors. We have the TUAW braintrust. We put the question to you and let you have your go at it. Today's topic is Apple's mysterious fall "product transition." During Apple's Q3 Financials, Peter Oppenheimer mentioned an upcoming product transition due to take place this autumn. Without giving specific details, Oppenheimer hinted that it could impact earnings. So what is this "future product transition that we will not talk about today" that will affect the fall quarter? You tell us. Place your vote in this poll and then join in the comments with all your predictions. %Poll-68613%
You're the Pundit: iPhone 5 US Carriers
Other sites have rumors. We have the TUAW braintrust. We put the question to you and let you have your go at it. Today's topic is the iPhone 5 and its carriers. As Autumn rolls around and the iPhone 5 gets ready to launch, what carriers do you expect to see joining Verizon and AT&T with official Apple support? By "official", we're not talking about putting a T-Mobile SIM into an unlocked Apple GSM iPhone. We're talking about announcement and roll-out in integration with the company. Place your vote and then join in the comments with all your predictions. %Poll-68460%
