We recently posted about case manufacturer XSKN posting iPhone Nano cases to their website, it seems now another manufacturer is also a believer that the iPhone Nano will be unveiled at the MacWorld Expo in just 7 days. This time it’s case manufacturer Vaja, already well-known for their current iPhone cases.
A visit to Vaja’s website will show a new “iPhone Nano” link under their Apple section. Clicking on the link currently directs you to a form that allows you to sign up for information about the “upcoming release of our iPhone Nano cases.”
It’s believed that although Apple do not provide case manufacturers with details on upcoming releases, they do contract work out to factories to manufacture their hardware. It’s then through these contracts that hardware design specs are leaked ahead of time. It’s obviously a case manufacturer’s best interest to get their cases out early for a new release.
Whilst all these iPhone Nano rumors have been doing the rounds, I’ve been very skeptical about the whole affair. I just can’t understand the reasoning for such a device. However, if Apple produce it, I’m sure someone will buy it. I suppose the longer it goes on, the more I’m starting to believe it will come. And if it doesn’t, you can always buy an iPhone Nano knock-off from Thailand to put in your lovely new case.
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The above is a picture sent in to Macenstein from an anonymous tipster which they claim is the new Mac Mini refresh that we are expecting in January. The picture was immediately deemed a fake for several reasons, however Boy Genius Report have posted the picture on their site today and described why they think the picture might not be a fake after all.
Firstly, the marketing blurb, “The world’s smallest desktop computer.” Many dismissed the phrase as missing Apple’s common word play but in reality, Apple uses simple bold statements quite often in its marcom. In fact, this slide lines up pretty well with early MacBook Air slides.
Read the rest of the post here.
Although Boy Genius Report have provided some decent reasoning to support the tipster’s picture, I am still very doubtful this is going to be Apple’s new Mac Mini. To me, it looks very much like the side-view picture of a MacBook that has simply been cut down. Surely it couldn’t be any simpler to cut out a section of a photograph? I wouldn’t know where to start with picture editing etc, however, even I can cut out a section of a picture in a simple application like Microsoft’s “Paint.”
A side-view of the new MacBook
Whether the picture is genuine or not, as Boy Genius Report point out, it’s likely the new Mac Mini won’t look a whole lot different if it’s to take on the aluminum unibody design of Apple’s latest offerings. Only time will tell and with the January MacWorld Expo just around the corner, it won’t be long before we find out.
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In a shocking move (ok, after some thought this move isn’t really that shocking) Apple has announced that this will be the last year they will exhibit at MacWorld. Apple has been pulling back on shows for some time, I suppose it just comes as a bit of a stunner to think they will be pulling out of the MacWorld Expo… But it’s true. I’m left scratching my head on this one. Will anyone attend MacWorld in 2010? Or will the 2009 edition be the end of it!?
At any rate, below is the official release from Apple:
CUPERTINO, California—December 16, 2008—Apple® today announced that this year is the last year the company will exhibit at Macworld Expo. Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, will deliver the opening keynote for this year’s Macworld Conference & Expo, and it will be Apple’s last keynote at the show. The keynote address will be held at Moscone West on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. Macworld will be held at San Francisco’s Moscone Center January 5-9, 2009.
Apple is reaching more people in more ways than ever before, so like many companies, trade shows have become a very minor part of how Apple reaches its customers. The increasing popularity of Apple’s Retail Stores, which more than 3.5 million people visit every week, and the Apple.com website enable Apple to directly reach more than a hundred million customers around the world in innovative new ways.
Apple has been steadily scaling back on trade shows in recent years, including NAB, Macworld New York, Macworld Tokyo and Apple Expo in Paris.
Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.
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Thanks Dan!
Currently the majority of music available to purchase on iTunes is DRM protected. Apple have created a technology called ‘FairPlay’ which is built in to iTunes, QuickTime, iPod, iPhone, etc and prevents music purchased in the iTunes Store from being played on unauthorized computers and devices.
However 9to5Mac believe Sony BMG are soon to begin offering music in the ‘iTunes Plus’ format, which is of a higher quality and DRM-free. iTunes first started selling the ‘Plus’ format with music from EMI in May 2007 and any music purchased in this format should be compatible with any of your devices.
If the rumor is true, it will leave Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group as the only major labels not to offer DRM-free music through the iTunes Store. It is believed the new agreement with Sony BMG will be announced at the Macworld Expo in January 2009.
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Following our previous post on the rumors that we are to see an updated iMac and Mac Mini next week, Apple have confirmed that this will not happen before the new year.
Apple made a statement to Macworld after the rumors circulated that we should expect updated systems — they confirmed that customers should expect no further hardware updates before the end of the year and that there are no plans for new products before the holiday season — “our holiday line-up is set,” they confirmed.
It is usually unlike Apple to make such a comment, however it is believed that on this occasion the announcement was made to prevent potential customers delaying their purchases in the hope of seeing a new product release. Apple are yet to rule out that we will see the hardware updates at the Macworld Expo that many people are eagerly awaiting in January.
The last time we saw an update to the iMac was in late April of this year when it was revised to include the same processor technology present in the new MacBooks, however the last update to the Mac Mini was back as far as August 2007.
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Many people are anticipating the launch of the new iMac and Mac Mini so they can upgrade their current machines. Not so long ago, we reported a rumor that the Mac Mini may have been discontinued but it has since been rumored that a refresh is on the cards.
Sources for MacNN have reported that they expect the new Apple machines to be unveiled in as little as 7 days away on November 10th, rather than at the Macworld Expo in January. If the rumors are true, Apple will break the tradition of announcing the ‘consumer’ machines at the January Expo and may instead announce a new ‘prosumer’ machine in the new Mac Pro, which is also due and update. It is believed that the reason for this change is that the new chips for the Mac Pro will not be avaiable in sufficient quantity until January and on top of that, Apple would like to cash in on holiday sales of the iMac and Mac Mini.
At this time specifications for the updated machines are not known, although it is believed Apple will opt for the NVIDIA graphics chips, keeping in line with the new MacBooks. It’s possible the updated iMac will also ship with both the 9400M and the 9600M GT, giving the user a choice depending on need, just like the new MacBook Pro. It also seems likely the Mini will see a graphics boost and be equiped with the 9400M that has impressed us in the new MacBook.
Although the sources behind these rumors all have different stories, it definitely seems as though Apple is up to something.
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The new MacBooks are just weeks old and already analysts are announcing what they think will be in the next big update. Strategy Analyst Neil Mawston believes future MacBooks will feature a high speed 3G data connection which will allow users to browse the internet wherever they are, without the need for a WiFi hotspot.
“Bigger-screen or smaller-screen laptops with integrated cellular radios are a logical next step for Apple – and others”, said Mawston, adding that, “many operators in the US and Western Europe would jump at the chance to cross-sell a cellular MacBook to their installed base of iPhone users.”
Although it seems unlikely that the MacBooks would receive such a big update so soon, Mawston believes that the introduction of a built-in 3G modem may come at the January ’09 Macworld Expo.
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Attending Macworld next week? Here’s a handy checklist for you to tote around. Check off the celebs as you see them. Remember, extra bonus points for making eye contact with Mr. Jobs! 
Click the image below for a slightly larger, printable version.
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