Otaku Gadgets

The rumors, they have been flying thick as usual. Apparently there was a lot more to Intel‘s Light Peak presentation than meets the eye. Then, there is news that Apple is readying a new line of iMacs and MacBooks for (almost) immediate release. Apparently the next Apple release is much closer than we all think. Thanks to two dedicated tech-blogs, I bring you news from the other world where secrecy is a way of life and folks are regularly burdened with 100-page NDAs in exchange for a glimpse in to the shiny new future. Well, there’s no NDA between you and the other side this time, so click away to read more.

Light Peak Is More Apple Than Intel, Says Engadget

Endgadget has been reporting that Intel used a Hackintosh during their Light Peak demonstration. Light Peak is a brand new connector standard that, we all thought, is being developed by Intel in order to do away with cables. But there is more there than meets the eye it seems.

According to the tech blog’s sources, Light Peak is an idea from the depths of the Cupertino fortress. Apple is apparently the one who developed Light Peak and approached Intel to make it. Apple as usual had very specific instructions regarding how they want the connector to be built.

The standard was chosen to be optical because no other cable would be able to carry that much data simultaneously. The 10Gbps upstream and downstream makes for a mammoth gateway through which you could shove down data streams the size of African elephants presumably.

Apple’s own roadmap, according to the source, suggests that they are looking at a late 2010 debut for the Light Peak connector. This will indeed be a daring step for Apple who would be cutting out existing standards like FireWire 400/800 and skipping news ones like USB 3.0 altogether. It would be worth seeing how Intel gets the USB group convinced. However, it has to be remembered that Apple is originally the one who pushed USB to Intel who then made it happen. Looks like history is about to repeat itself.

Apple of course intends to use one or more of these connectors as the only connectors on its future devices, thus making them more compact. A smaller version of this connector will probably be seen on the handheld devices like the iPods. If the Apple tablet does happen (and the rumor mills says it will), then this connector could possibly be a key technology that would make it happen.

One Light Peak can easily serve as the Ethernet link, the display output and the data connection without breaking a sweat. Now that would make Apple really happy.

Personally, I would really like to see this standard become as common as the USB. Just think – no more worrying about different connectors and bandwidth bottlenecks. I certainly could get used to not having to worry about eSATA, mini/micro/normal USB 1.0/2.0/3.0, FireWire 400/800, VGA, HDMI, DVI, DisplayPort, ad infinitum and making them work together.

Apple Is Readying New iMacs and MacBooks And Will Release (Very) Soon

Oh joy, oh happy feeling, oh euphoria – more Apple gadgets before we say bye-bye to 2009. That is if Apple Insider has things right from its source. But hey, you know you want to believe them, so lets dive head first into Rumorsville – where fantasies are made, (often) realized and also cruelly crushed without a trace.

According to AppleInsider, Apple finalized a brand new line of iMac desktop systems earlier this month and their Taiwan factory has already started manufacturing them. The process has apparently been going on for two weeks now.

These new models will be better priced, thanks to newer and slimmer casings and other tucks and tweaks. Kasper Jade of AppleInsider is guessing that the new models are likely to resemble the new line of cinema displays from Apple.

More changes and enhancements are believed to be in the works, like in audio and video segments. This will finally make them fit into the category of semi-professional a/v professionals. AppleInsider has always been reliable in getting most of its predictions right. So they are being taken more seriously than the others who don’t have a similar track record.

It is also believed that Apple might finally give buyers the option to upgrade to Blu-ray, which will of course add substantially to the cost.

As an indicator of what is coming, it seems like Apple has instructed the Apple Stores to push hefty discounts on existing models so as to clear off the inventory prior to the arrival of the new ones.

On the MacBook side of things, it has been long since it was known that Apple intends to retain its white polycarbonate body MacBook. It would be the smaller offering from Apple, which is now going to be the most affordable notebook to have ever been offered by Apple.

It would make sense too. The current computing market is extremely competitive and the economy has ensured that the high-end is much smaller than before. In this scenario, Apple had better offer something that would be seen as affordable. Given Apple’s reputation for bringing out quality products, it would actually entice a lot of people into buying ‘the lowest-priced Apple ever’.

AppleInsider is of the opinion that this new MacBook, which will probably be the only sub-$1000 Mac, will debut alongside the newly refreshed iMacs in about two weeks from now. This will give Apple a lot of momentum while heading into the holiday season this year. With lower-priced iMacs and MacbBook, Apple would finally hold a better chance in the holiday-computing market than it does now.

There is a lot of logic in what these rumors are saying. They are in fact logically too strong for them not to come true. Apple, although a pioneer, is still a company and like any company they have to stay afloat. For them though, staying afloat means funding a lot of secret research. So they need to keep that line from going red.