Ah! So that's why......

If like me you've been wondering where the latest Apple Cinema Displays have gone, you know, the ones with the built in iSight camera and HDMI port, well I think I may have a theory! Apple have a tradition of moving forward and abandoning old devices and interface ports. Demonstrated by the adoption of USB and dumping old legacy and serial ports along with more recently, the adoption of the ExpressCard/34 slot in the latest MacBook Pro when all but a handful of cards were available. Well, I think that is also going to be true of HDMI, and Apple will skip HDMI. My theory is that the new Apple Cinema Displays will adopt DisplayPort, a new standard ratified by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA). To quote Wikipedia:

DisplayPort is a new digital display interface standard (approved May 2006, current version 1.1 approved on April 2, 2007) put forth by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA). It defines a new license-free state-of-the-art digital audio/video interconnect, intended to be used primarily between a computer and its display monitor, or a computer and a home-theater system. DisplayPort is a competitor to the HDMI connector (with HDCP copy-protection), the de facto digital connection for high-definition consumer electronics devices. Another competitor is Unified Display Interface,[1] a low cost compatible alternative to HDMI and DVI. However, the main supporter of UDI, Intel, has stopped the development of the technology and now supports DisplayPort. Newly featured in version 1.1 is the support of HDCP content protection and support for fiber optic cables as an alternative to copper, allowing a much longer reach between source and display without image degradation.[2] Revision 2.0 is planned for later release.

Apparently, the advantage of DisplayPort over HDMI is that it's scalable with a potential for a maximum data transfer rate of 10.8GB/sec and also is capable of transferring both video and audio in both directions supporting video chat. It's also licence free which will appeal to Apple! Nothing other than speculation I'm afraid, but I've a feeling we'll see something like this either before or at MacWorld 2008.

Technorati Tags: Apple

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A disturbance in the force.....

Wil Shipley is one of the most respected (and innovative) Mac developers out there. He's the one of the guys behind Delicious Library (whose latest unreleased version won an award as the best Leopard application on the yet to be released Leopard OS at WWDC!), as well as being a very astute and funny blogger. However, his latest post this morning is not funny, not funny at all. His post crystalises some mutterings and feelings of discontent spreading around the Apple fan base following some of the more recent questionable decisions that Apple has made. And we're not talking about the iPhone price drop here, it's more serious than that. Issues such as the Ringtone debarcle, the closed nature of the iPhone to third party developers compounded now by the same approach to the iPod touch and also Apples stated intention to play cat and mouse with iPhone unlockers. Not mentioned in the post but I'd also include the changes to the iTunes database locking out Linux users. The bottom line is that it's really a wake-up call to Apple to make some course corrections in its approach to various issues to stem the rising tide of discontent. Perhaps it's something that Apple should really take heed of. Microsoft have long been saddled with the 'Evil" tag, I hate for it to end up on Apples door.

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Another MacVoices Spot - UK iPhone

I stayed up late on Tuesday to have a chat with my good buddy Chuck Joiner from the MacVoices podcast. As you can probably guess, the main topic of conversation was the announcement of the UK version of the iPhone on the same day. Chuck has just published the podcast on his MacVoices site - Link If you've not had enough of the UK iPhone, check out the podcast. Thanks Chuck!

Technorati Tags: Apple, iPhone, iTunes, MacVoices, newmediaexpo2007

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UK iPhone Announced

As expected, this mornings Apple special event in London was to launch the iPhone in the UK. Not Europe mind, just the UK! Priced at £269 inc VAT for an 8GB phone, it looks like it's comparable in price to the US version. Not only price comparable, it also looks like it's the exact same phone - no 3G support just EDGE. The monthly tariffs are £35, £45 and £55 per month which is roughly equivalent to the US. Special deal with Clouds for free access to 7500 wifi hotspots - something we're sorely lacking in the UK although these are existing services I think. The bummer is it's not available until November 9th but I guessed that it wouldn't be an immediate release. Apple now need to build up the buzz here in the UK leading up to the launch date. It's amazing how many people know nothing about the iPhone! All will be revealed with the US ads on TV but revamped with a British Voice over, showing the Guardian Newspaper and the O2 Logo. So all in all, nothing earth shattering but good to see things formalised. I would imagine other countries in Europe are likely to be a bit upset at this being just the UK but hopefully the other announcements might come at the Paris Expo in a few weeks. I'll be discussing the UK iPhone announcement with Chuck Joiner on his MacVoices podcast later today so watch out for that in the next few days. Now do I pick up an iPhone in the US and unlock it or do I wait....

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Edge for the UK

Looks like that the UK iPhone will not be a second generation device supporting 3G. Various sources are reporting that O2 are deploying EDGE technology in the UK to support the iPhone until the next rev of the iPhone with 3G is made available, probably in the new year. It's looking more and more likely, I'll pick up one in the US. Just found out there is an AT&T store 3 miles from the Podcast Expo Convention Center. We'll see!

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