The World in Words

Steve Jobs, I think, has yet to unveil everything he has at MacWorld this year.

My predictions? We’ll see new a revised iPod and iPod nano, and a new shuffle. We’ll also see a redone Mac mini, that has media center capabilities.

Read on to see what I think will happen.

Jobs starts out with iPod background information, shows charts on how many they’ve sold, etc etc. He pulls out an original iPod shuffle. He looks at it and says it’s not shaped like the new iPod and nano, doesn’t come in black, and, well, doesn’t have a screen.

He pulls a black stick out of his pocket, which is about half as thin as a 1st gen shuffle, is rounded onto the back like the new iPod is, but… doesn’t have any controls. Whatsoever.

Then, he touches the center of it and the Apple logo appears. (As it boots up. Only there for about 2 seconds)

It has a touch-screen OLED on the top. You can either use it with just the buttons or you can also optionally display a screen with song info. (This screen will become blank when you put it in your pocket or put it on hold, so it saves power. It features Bluetooth for syncing (when you’re by your computer, just press ‘Connect to iTunes’ and iTunes will open, ready to transfer songs) and headphones, and slips into a special dock (which is included, with an actual power adapter) to get power (transferred through a place on the bottom where the plastic is thinner- electricity will kinda go through that). For computers that don’t have Bluetooth, a Bluetooth USB dongle will come with it (and will not only work with the iPod, but with all other Bluetooth devices too). Same price points, and it will come in 1 and 2 GB and in black or white.

Then, he pulls out a white iPod nano. He starts to say how well it’s been selling, and yadda yadda yadda. He then puts it back in his pocket and pulls out another black thing from his other pocket, and says that they’ve done the same stuff with the nano. He touches the center, and an Apple logo appears for a moment, and then the menu and click wheel are displayed. It also has a touch-screen OLED, displays pictures, uses Bluetooth for syncing and headphones, slips into a special dock for power (power adapter also included), etc. Now, he says that there are two things wrong with this. One, it wouldn’t work with accessories that work with a dock connector, and two, the shuffle now comes in a 2 GB form.

So, he shows a little flap on the bottom. Pokes it up, and there’s a dock connector port inside. It will also work with all dock connector peripherals.

Then, he proceeds to announce that it now comes in 5 and 10 GB models, same price points, still comes in black and white.

He puts it back in his pocket. “I think you know what to expect now, right? Sorry to disappoint those of you who got a new iPod 5G for Christmas… but we’ve redone that too.”

It, too, has a touch-screen OLED, all the other features that the others have including Bluetooth, etc… still comes in 30 and 60 GB at same price points.

“The reason that we’ve done it with the iPod too may not be as evident to most of you in the audience, but a lot of people have been complaining that the iPod with video had too small a screen.” He proceeds to start a video, and lo and behold, takes up the entire front panel of the iPod instead of the 2.5 inch screen that was on the older one. It and the new nano can also do the same for pictures. (The shuffle doesn’t display pictures.)

Lots of applause is heard, everyone is happy.

He also announces a new Universal Dock for the older iPods with dock connector, that will also use Bluetooth to sync (but will take power from the iPod unless it’s also plugged into the wall.)

“Oh… wait up. One more thing, guys.”

He proceeds to walk over and sit down at a desk that has a Mac mini on it, and stares at it. “The Mac mini is a really good machine. It’s small, and it’s our first foray into the low-price market.” But, it doesn’t have Front Row, and a whole bunch of other things.

He throws the Mac mini onto the floor, reaches behind the desk, and pulls out a new Mac mini and a HDTV.

The new Mac mini will have full Front Row capability, as well as a remote. “And because the new iPods are Bluetooth, well, we don’t really need a dock built into the Mac mini, do we?”

It’s slightly thinner, as well as appearing white instead of the old grey. It will also come in black. Same price points, 2 times faster than the old Mac mini, etc.

He then looks over at the HDTV, and points out the Apple logo on the bottom. “It will power up when you power the Mac mini, automatically.” It gets its power straight from the Mac mini unless you want to use it standalone. It has RCA connectors, coaxial cables, etc. But one feature that he really likes is that “you can connect the HDTV to the Mac mini, and if you have a coaxial cable for your television connected to the HDTV, it will go to the Mac mini”, can be recorded, and watched in QuickTime. The HDTV will come in black and white.

“Oh wait… just one small little note.” He mentions that the new iMac, as with the rest of the things announced today… “will also come in black.”

Applause, he walks off the stage. The end.

So, whaddya think? You think any of this is gonna be real or do I just dream too much? 8D