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PARIS EXPO - Apple Preps Booth For "Big Surprise"

by , 2:30 PM EDT, August 27th, 2004

PARIS - As anticipation heightens for the opening of Apple Expo in Paris next Tuesday, Apple and over 200 other companies are preparing their booths at the Paris Expo convention center. All of the focus, however, is on Apple and a black-draped sign being constructed in its booth that many are betting is a promotional banner for its new iMac.

On hand Friday as carpenters and builders put their handy work to full use, a large banner was being hoisted to the ceiling in Apple's booth (see photo below), draped in black. When asked what the banner was all about, a booth electrician told The Mac Observer, "Oh, it's the big surprise. We don't even know what it is. We were asked to leave the hall when the began to construct it."

The keynote for Apple Expo will be given by Apple VP Phil Schiller, and leading up to the Paris event, media outlets and tech analysts have reported that Apple is expected to introduce the iMac G5 at the Expo. Apple announced in July that it would introduce the iMac G5 in September.

The Mac Observer is on hand for Apple Expo, and will be covering the keynote and the show floor in detail. 70,000 people are expected to attend this year's show.

Observer Comments

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Close Name:jcbeckman Posts: 55 Joined: 06 May 2004
Subject:

Any word on whether or not the keynote will be streamed via QuickTime live?

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Subject:
Close Name:kenaustus Posts: 601 Joined: 27 Jun 2003
Subject: There's room for more than the G5 iMac on that sign

Now I'm thinking that there will be more than one product announced. Aghhh - there goes my sleep for the next few days.

What would a Keynote be without at least one sign covered in black cloth!

Close Name:technoguy100 Posts: 47 Joined: 12 Aug 2004
Subject: More iTMS

My guess is that Phil will announce the opening of iTunes Music Stores in a few more countries (such as Canada) prior to the big European launch later this year.

View Name:Guest
Subject:
View Name:Guest
Subject: actually ...
View Name:RealityCheck -   Troll Posts: 392 Joined: 06 May 2004
Subject: Big Surprise - Previously Announced G5 iMac
Close Name:Kircle Posts: 271 Joined: 06 May 2004
Subject:

Quote
Guest wrote:
Actually, Apple announced in July that it would introduce an all-new iMac in September. They didn't specify that it would be a G5 although it surely will be.
Nope, in the last Apple quarterly earnings call they state the next iMac will be a G5.

View Name:Guest
Subject: Headless iMacs
Close Name:RealityCheckup Posts: 29 Joined: 15 Jul 2004
Subject: RC

Okay RC why don't you go out and buy your 64 bit Longhorn computer while I wait SO patiently for the ever so delayed imac G5 with tiger in the beginning of next year. Maybe you could wait years until Microsoft never fixes its virus problems. The only innovative solution to virus problems on the Windows platform is for Microsoft to make all of your programs stop working.

And the truth is many home users buying home computers now have a CRT and would love upgrading to a sleek LCD. my dad only bought an iMac over other Mac modelsl because he REQUIRED a flat panel monitor in his purchase and I'm sure many others feel the same way. Bleeding edge people already have LCDs but so many people don't.

And seriously, it's not going to be any more expensive.

View Name:Guest
Subject: And the Big Surprise is...
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Subject:
Close Name:hulugu Posts: 24 Joined: 26 Sep 2003
Subject: Longhorn?

I'm sorry when is Longhorn coming out?

Oh right, same day as Duke Nukem Forever.

Maybe I want an all-in-one and not a headless machine. Maybe I like the iMac and don't mind paying a premium for the number-one company in customer satisfaction.
And maybe you're giggling your ass off every time you get one of us fired up.

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Subject:
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Close Name:kenaustus Posts: 601 Joined: 27 Jun 2003
Subject: I'm buying one on Day 1

Actually within an hour or so of it becoming available at the Apple Store. And a BTO at that.

A couple of things that are sure to confuse RC.

First I do WANT an AIO because I'm tired of all the PC crap that I have at home. Boxes, wires and everything else. Happens when you have a life outside of computers.

Next I want it to be a Mac. Used PCs since the 80's and I'm bloody tired of all the crap associated with WIndows. My PB and OS X are actually designed like all computers SHOULD be. And, yes, I have used DOS and every Windows since 3.1 so I am able to make a fairly decent comparison. I'll leave it to RC to play packet billiards with SP2, thank you very much.

Headless might eventually be available as a PM mini. It won't happen, however, until there is an abundance of G5 chips and Apple can have the luxury of considering one for release. Look for something next spring if the demand for the iMac is going to be as strong as I think it will be. Everyone but RC is gonna want one.

View Name:Guest
Subject: Longhorn Release
View Name:Guest
Subject: The attack of the free headless Wintel PCs !
View Name:Guest
Subject: Spotlight will shine! *NM*
View Name:Guest
Subject: Get a load of this
Close Name:Fliedermaus Posts: 98 Joined: 06 Nov 2002
Subject: Re: get a load of this

That *might* rile me... except that the guy in the movie is clearly talking about OS 9. And if people want to make fun of OS 9, that's fine with me. Just makes OS X look better in comparison (the comparison with almost any OS makes OS X look better).

View Name:Guest
Subject: Anti-Mac video..
View Name:Guest
Subject: nope, it was OS X
Close Name:slinky259 Posts: 91 Joined: 24 Jun 2004
Subject:

lol.

"the mac kills my inner child."

methinks he's just an idiot O

Close Name:Fliedermaus Posts: 98 Joined: 06 Nov 2002
Subject: Re: nope it was OS X

Quote
Guest wrote:
He was clearly talking about OS X. He mentioned the dock a couple of times and clearly dissed the 'blue apple' at the top of the screen.

i_b_joshua
Good point. I missed that.

Note, though, that he also mentioned dragging and dropping from a CD to the desktop not working, because the files you put on the desktop would disappear when you ejected the CD. That's a "feature" of OS 9 that's gone in OS X.

I also suspect that when he talks about crashing he's referring to experience mainly with OS 9 (because he talks about everything freezing, which I haven't had happen in Os X; even when one program goes down and won't move, I can still do things with other programs), although I can't be as certain about that.

All of which is to say, as a few other people have mentioned, this guy isn't overly worried about being accurate.

Close Name:Ubermoose Posts: 2 Joined: 28 Aug 2004
Subject:

Quote
Guest wrote:
Microsoft to Release Next Windows in '06


Email this Story

Aug 27, 5:55 PM (ET)

By ALLISON LINN

SEATTLE (AP) - Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) will drop a much-touted new technology for organizing and storing data when it releases the next version of its Windows operating system as expected in 2006.

Tom Button, corporate vice president for Windows product management, said the company hopes to release the new Windows version, code-named Longhorn, in the second half of 2006, about five years after the release of the current version, Windows XP.


I have no idea where you got this outdated piece of ignorant crap. However, according to several key players at Microswift there is to be no release of Longhorn in '06. In fact, according to quarterly reports filed by MS Longhorn will not be in public hands as a "finished product" until well into '07 and more than likely, '08.
I used to work for Microsoft as a Vendor Trainer and still have many contacts within the company (including a cousin who is a consultant for them). Of those contacts that have seen internal builds of Longhorn they tell me there is nothing to get excited over. I quote one Microsoft Partner Tech Lead for OS support: "by the time we get this piece out the door we'll be at least 5 years behind Apple and Linux".
Now if the MS employees who support all flavors of Windows aren't excited or convinced that Longhorn will be anything more than just another half a$$ed attempt at a productive OS then they certainly aren't getting my business.
I do still keep around a PC for some games that haven't yet come to Mac... so effectively it's just a really expensive PlayStation. But, when I want to get something done... I use Mac.

With Microsoft's latest failures it's no wonder that many computer users are looking elsewhere for thier needs. People who still think Windows is a better OS are the same people that think the Pinto and Yugo were super sweet rides.

For all you Apple fans and Mac users... keep it up. If you know someone that uses Windows and likes it then you need to begin the 12 steps to recovery.

View Name:Guest
Subject: hahahahahaha
View Name:Guest
Subject: dutch Macosx.nl zealots &thiefs are also there
View Name:Guest
Subject: More pictures on iPodFrance
Close Name:jdearr Posts: 341 Joined: 30 Dec 2003
Subject:

Quote
Ubermoose wrote:
I have no idea where you got this outdated piece of ignorant crap.


your ms contacts notwithstanding, the poster can't be blamed if this story is outdated. this story and the countless others on the google news site reference a press release from the horse's mouth.

their own words

Close Name:usvwro Posts: 26 Joined: 06 May 2004
Subject: Paris "Big Surprise"

Looking at the rest of the signage you have to wonder is "Tiger" ready for prime time? Is the "Big Surprise" the release of of a retail 10.4? A tremendous amount of signage for something that is currently reported as "sometime in 2005".

Makes you wonder.

View Name:Guest
Subject: Outdated? Article in todays NYT states 2006 release
Close Name:Ubermoose Posts: 2 Joined: 28 Aug 2004
Subject: Corrected but Not Excited

I read some new articles from MS... it appears that they are going to strip some features from longhorn to get it out the door sooner... so again they will push another half finished product on unsuspecting and unknowing computer users. Anyone remember Windows ME.

View Name:Guest
Subject: Windows ME?
View Name:Guest
Subject: Big sign
View Name:Guest
Subject: New iMac G5
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Subject:
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Subject:
Close Name:scottk Posts: 994 Joined: 25 Jun 2001
Subject:

Quote
slinky259 wrote:
lol.

"the mac kills my inner child."

methinks he's just an idiot O




I didn't catch his name at the end, but I think it's safe to say he's the biggest idiot ever born on Planet Earth. That's a big pair of shoes to fill. I wish I had his email and phone number. I'd call him and tell him just that.

View Name:Guest
Subject: Lead Pipes
View Name:Guest
Subject: I'll Buy It!
View Name:Guest
Subject: still a damn funny vid
View Name:Guest
Subject: corrected and uber-embarrassed?
Close Name:jdearr Posts: 341 Joined: 30 Dec 2003
Subject:

i wonder if it's all just tongue in cheek, since he finishes by saying it was produced on a mac.

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Close Name:algr