Every year, we ask several experts to predict what the next 12 months will bring us in terms of products and innovations across the Mac landscape. But we also want to hear what you think is on the horizon.
What do you predict will be the most significant Mac hardware and software products of 2007? Keep in mind, these products don’t necessarily have to come from Apple. Also, what do you think will be the biggest Mac news of year?
We asked these same questions a year ago, and Macworld.com posters offered a number of intriguing suggestions—some daring, some a little bit safer.
Here’s a sampling of what you said, and how you did.
- Larger, wall-mountable iMac: Right on both counts—Apple came out with a huge 24-inch iMac, and also sells a $29 VESA Mount Adapter Kit that lets you connect that iMac to wall mounts and articulating arms.
- PCI Express graphics, SATA II hard drives, and DDR2 memory on all Macs: All Macs currently use DDR2 RAM, but only the Mac Pro has 3Gbps SATA II hard drives. And although Apple has switched from PCI to PCI Express graphics, several Mac models instead use Intel’s GMA 950 integrated graphics chip.
- AirPort Express with video capabilities: The iTV is close, but it looks to be a more intelligent piece of hardware—and it’s not coming out until next year.
- Leopard: Although Apple previewed Leopard at this year’s Worldwide Developers’ Conference, the next version of OS X won’t ship until 2007.
- Front Row on all Macs: Technically, the answer is yes. (And it will be even more correct next year, when Front Row is included with Leopard.) But even though the Mac Pro has the Front Row software installed, you can’t activate it without a little hacking. Check out this tip from our Mac OS X Hints Web site to see how it’s done.
- iLife ‘06: Yep, with iLife ‘06, Apple updated the existing apps in the suite and added a new one—iWeb—for building pretty Web sites without knowledge of HTML or CSS. And it’s a pretty safe bet that iLife ‘07 is just around the corner as well.
- True video iPod with a bigger screen: Despite many rumors, Apple has yet to release an iPod with a larger or wide screen, and it doesn’t look like the company will do so before the year is out.
- Blu-ray and/or HD DVD optical drives: Nope, not yet. But the fact that the Mac Pro has two optical drive bays does mean that once such computer drives become widespread and affordable, there’s a space just waiting for an Apple option (or an after-market installation).
- iSight built into more Macs and displays: iSights haven’t made it to displays yet, but MacBooks and MacBook Pros—the Macs most in need of built-in video cameras—do have them now.
- New version of iWork: Yep. iWork ‘06 came out with the second version of the Pages layout app and the third incarnation of the Keynote presentation software.
- iTunes Music Store becomes iTunes Media Store: Well, the idea was spot on, the name was just a little off. In September 2006, Apple renamed its online store the iTunes Store, which added full-length feature films to its video repertoire.
- Bluetooth Mighty Mouse: It seemed like only a matter of time, and Apple finally did release the Apple Wireless Mighty Mouse in July.