What Do You Suppose is Coming Next Month? (1 Viewer)

[JohnRice]

The noise seems to be that there could be abundant product upgrades in the very near future. The entire Mac line is long in the tooth, except the iMac Pro. I even get some mumbling that possibly a less wimpified Mac Mini might come back.

C'mon @Sam Posten , you're always the one jumping in on this.

I want a new Mac to replace my Quad Core Mini.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I would love a Macbook Pro upgrade as it has become my main computer over my slightly aging iMac.

A little unhappy with the 16GB limitation on this model as I do run memory to the max. Also not a fan of the butterfly keyboard.

However, since I bought this last year upon release, I am not certain if I will buy a new one this year without a total redesign overhaul which probably won't come until next year.

 

[Sam Posten]

I got nothing. Dolby Atmos support is all I really really want (cue the spice girls).

iPad pro updates and a swap to nVidia graphics for the macs would be nice. But there is nothing I really need.

Multi user support for iOS and on-device compilation would be my dark horse guesses, but I'm a clean slate...

 

[JohnRice]

I would love a Macbook Pro upgrade as it has become my main computer over my slightly aging iMac.

A little unhappy with the 16GB limitation on this model as I do run memory to the max.

From what I'm reading, odds are very good for a MacBook Pro with 6 core processor and 32GB RAM capacity. I don't know about this summer, but maybe in the fall. Of course, with Apple it seems if you expect it later, it comes out sooner, and if you expect it sooner, it comes out later.

I'm still annoyed at the move toward soldered RAM. I can understand it, maybe, in all the notebooks, certainly the MacBook Airs, but having it in all the desktops except the 27" iMacs and Pros really chaps me.

 

[DaveF]

I’m more interested in the software updates; I don’t need a new iMac (and my laptop buying daydreams are mostly just that).

I continue to hope for a good scrubbing of the basics. Calendar still is worse than Palm Pre from 2004. I’d love it if audio players didn’t get auto-killed and playback forgotten as part of iOS multitasking. Contacts in iOS lags basic organizational features that require macOS to accomplish. Notes got pretty awesome a year ago, and I hope for more there.

macOS needs some love.

iTunes, natch.

As for big features? This is supposed to be a “snow leopard” update, but there will be some keynote-worthy features. I’d like to see Siri access to developers. I want the do not disturb mode for driving made useful. ARKit for me was a bust, and buying the dual-camera 8+ not as awesome as I’d expected. Also Animoji access for developers.

 

[Thomas Newton]

I'm still annoyed at the move toward soldered RAM. I can understand it, maybe, in all the notebooks, certainly the MacBook Airs, but having it in all the desktops except the 27" iMacs and Pros really chaps me.

It's been in all of the notebooks – with the exception of the now-discontinued 13" Late 2012 non-Retina MBP – since Mid to Late 2012.

There was one year where Apple soldered in the RAM on the 21.5" iMac. But as far as I know, this year's 21.5" iMac does not have soldered RAM. It merely has RAM that is sealed in. Apple service shops can upgrade the RAM, although I don't know if you can go beyond 16 GB (2 x 8 GB).

 

[Clinton McClure]

My mid-2012 13” MacBook Pro with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD still does everything I need it to, and does it very well. I would love to see a better Mac Mini. That might actually push me into setting up a Plex server.

 

[DaveF]

My mid-2012 13” MacBook Pro with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD still does everything I need it to, and does it very well. I would love to see a better Mac Mini. That might actually push me into setting up a Plex server.

First, yes we definitely need a mini update, or rather a major mini update

Second, if you want a cheap Plex server and have your media on a NAS or external drive, consider the Nvidia Shield. I don’t have personal experience, but in reading on my Win10 HTPC, my understanding is the $179 Shield is a decent server (unless you need lots of transcoding, I believe).

 

[Clinton McClure]

I would need to put everything uncompressed on a NAS. If and when I set up a Plex server, I would want to use some flavor of Mac so it can host my iTunes collection as well.

 

[Thomas Newton]

From what I'm reading, odds are very good for a MacBook Pro with 6 core processor and 32GB RAM capacity.

The Core i9 can support 32 GB of RAM; but unfortunately does not support the low-power DDR4 kind. So the RAM limit on the 15" rMBP might remain at 16 GB.

https://www.macrumors.com/2018/04/03/intel-debuts-core-i9-coffee-lake-eighth-gen/

The article also suggests that eighth-generation CPUs might allow for quad-core 13" rMBPs.

 

[Ted Todorov]

The noise seems to be that there could be abundant product upgrades in the very near future. The entire Mac line is long in the tooth, except the iMac Pro. I even get some mumbling that possibly a less wimpified Mac Mini might come back.

C'mon @Sam Posten , you're always the one jumping in on this.

I want a new Mac to replace my Quad Core Mini.

Don't know where the Mini rumblings are coming from - other than one Apple (Cook?) statement (I've forgotten the context) that the Mac Mini is still alive, I haven't heard anything else. I'd be amazed if they release a Mini upgrade before the 2019 Mac Pro, but who knows.

The obvious thing with a new Mini is USB C, 4k/5k display support and the promised 5K Apple Cinema Display (i.e. 27" iMac equivalent minus the iMac). Up to 4TB SSD (or up to two 2TB SSDs).

Chances of it happening at WWDC - zip, because hardware tends to leak from the supply chain. Things we aren't expecting are likelier to be software (Swift was a shocker no-one expected)

 

[DavidJ]

First, yes we definitely need a mini update, or rather a major mini update

Second, if you want a cheap Plex server and have your media on a NAS or external drive, consider the Nvidia Shield. I don’t have personal experience, but in reading on my Win10 HTPC, my understanding is the $179 Shield is a decent server (unless you need lots of transcoding, I believe).

I would need to put everything uncompressed on a NAS. If and when I set up a Plex server, I would want to use some flavor of Mac so it can host my iTunes collection as well.

I don’t want to derail this thread, but I’m interested in learning more about Plex and setting up a media server. Anybody know of any good references for getting started? I’d have to start on the cheap and man, the size of the task is a bit overwhelming to me.

Back on topic, I’m interested in an updated MBP. My mid-2104 is getting a little long in the tooth. Like Ron, I’d really like to see a memory bump.

 

[DaveF]

I don’t want to derail this thread, but I’m interested in learning more about Plex and setting up a media server. Anybody know of any good references for getting started? I’d have to start on the cheap and man, the size of the task is a bit overwhelming to me.

Have a look over here to start:
https://www.hometheaterforum.com/co...nter-now-considering-as-the-next-step.357487/

 

[Mark Booth]

I've pretty much given up on expecting a new Mac mini. I don't mean a processor bump, I mean something new.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm starting to think maybe a budget Windows machine might make a better home theater PC.

Mark

 

[DaveF]

I've pretty much given up on expecting a new Mac mini. I don't mean a processor bump, I mean something new.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm starting to think maybe a budget Windows machine might make a better home theater PC.

Mark

Yes. Definitely. I’m an enthusiastic home Apple user, I think that’s apparent. But for HTPC, Windows seems the strong winner. More software. More hacks. Can buy or build custom hardware kit to your specific needs and budget.

 

[DaveF]

If there is new Mac Mini, it’s got to be at least a peer to the current intel NUC, which are tiny and powerful and not cheap.

 

[DaveF]

"A look at Apple's secretive strategies set to unfold at WWDC 2018" (https://iphone.appleinsider.com/art...cretive-strategies-set-to-unfold-at-wwdc-2018)
A look at Apple's secretive strategies set to unfold at WWDC 2018

A retrospective to give some perspective on what might come.

 

[Sam Posten]

6 days to go and buncha hints but no outright spoilers. I dig it.

 

[DaveF]

I do enjoy a good surprise

 

[Ted Todorov]

I do enjoy a good surprise

So do I, and I'm bummed it’s the first time since 2011 that I won’t be there, and this point I am even doubtful I’ll get to watch the keynote live, never mind the afternoon session.