1/4/10
11:32 am

MacMost Now 340: Apple Wish List 2010

Gary Rosenzweig hopes Apple will improve MacBook Pros and Mac Pros in 2010. He also wishes for changes to MobileMe, AppleTV and iTunes. Perhaps 2010 will be the year the iPhone goes beyond AT&T. He also hopes that a new Apple tablet device will be more than just a media player. Leave your wishes below in the comments.

You can also watch this video at YouTube (but with ads).

Video Transcript: Hi, this is Gary with MacMost Now. In today's episode, lets take a look at my 2010 Apple Wish list.
This isn't a list of rumors, and this isn't a list of things that I think Apple will do. This is a list of things that I hope Apple will do; basically what I would do in 2010 if I was running Apple.
So lets start by looking at Apple hardware. Now the Macbook Pro's have the same core 2 duo's basically that they've had for years. I've got an old Macbook Pro that I really haven't seen fit to upgrade because the new ones basically have the same insides, just some minor improvements.
I would really like to see in 2010, a new processor in the Macbook Pro and sure enough there are some rumors out there that the Arrandale processors from Intel will make an appearance in Macbook Pros later this year.
Also, Apple needs to take a look at the Macbook Air. If you compare the 13 inch Macbook Pro to the Macbook Air, the only advantage of the Air is that its lighter. the 13 inch Macbook Pro on the other hand is much more powerful and cheaper, so maybe Apple needs to come out with a very lightweight version of the 13 inch Macbook Pro; one that's simply missing the optical drive and maybe has a solid-state hard drive in it and they could replace the Macbook Air with the Macbook Air version 2 for a lower price.
In addition to that I think the Mac Pro also needs new processors on the inside. Now the large 27 inch iMac with the I5 and I7 processors kind of rival the Mac Pro's and I would like to see the Mac Pro's leap ahead with some really powerful new processors inside.
One of the biggest items on my wish list is for changes to Mobile Me. I'd like to see changes on both ends. I'd like to see more features in Mobile Me for the same price, maybe some social networking features. Why not connect all these Mobile Me accounts and allow us to communicate with each other? Add some Facebook-like aspect to it, and on the other end, I'd like to see them replace the 30-day trial version of Mobile Me with a free version that all Mac users get and can keep maybe with very restricted bandwidth. If other companies can offer free versions of their web services, I don't see why Mobile Me can't as well. So there could be a Mobile Me every Mac user gets and a mobile me pro that you could upgrade to and other non-Mac users could get as well.
In iTunes I would love to see them add a subscription service something where you can pay a monthly fee and basically listen through the network to any song in iTunes. This would match it with a lot of other services out there. Its probably not something I would use, but I think its something that could be really big and a nice addition to iTunes.
I love Apple TV and I use it quite a bit but the one thing missing from it is access to all of the free video out there. I'm talking about the stuff that the networks put on their websites and on services like Hulu.com. There's really no reason why that content can't be on Apple TV as well and I think Apple should work to convince the networks to do so.
So onto the iPhone. Well, I don't even have any wishes for the iPhone hardware. I love the iPhone 3GS and I think its a much better phone than the network is. I'd like to say the network improved instead. So first of all, I'd like to see AT&T improve its network greatly and have us get good connections without dropped calls and good internet service everywhere but in addition to that i'd like to see it spread to other networks of course. I'd like to see it on Verizon, Sprint And T-Mobile. basically anywhere, and i'd like one of them to offer us a pay-as-you-go option.
The other side of the iPhone is the Apps store and I'd like to see more transparency for developers. A lot of developers complaining that they don't know what's going to happen when they submit their app to Apple; its kind of a black box and they have no idea when or if their App's going to get approved and there's a lot of ones being turned down for all sorts of weird reasons. So I want to see more transparency, maybe even complete transparency in Apps store approval process. Of course I dont want to leave out the iPod touch. The iPod Touch definitely needs an upgrade in 2010. It needs an upgrade with a camera. Now wouldn't it be cool if it actually leap frogged the Iphone and had say a five or even seven mega pixel camera in the Iphone maybe with a decent lens?
So that's it. Well one more thing; there's the tablet. The tablet that of course according to Apple doesn't exist but we all know is coming soon. So what do I want for the tablet? Well, what I really want is for it to be a Mac; a real Mac capable of running Mac software but I know that's not going to happen. I know its probably going to run a version of the Iphone/Ipod Touch operating system so its going to be kind of like that so given those restrictions what do I want? Well I'd really like for it to be more than a media player. I don't want it to just play back media I want to be able to create things. I want to be able to write on it, I want to be able to draw on it, I want to be able to make things on it and alter things on it. Also for the tablet, I really want it to have a low price. I want this to be something that everybody can get so the idea of it being priced around $800 really bothers me. As a matter of fact, I hope its more like the Ipod Touch; more like 2 or 300 dollars. That's wishful thinking. Probably the answer is somewhere in between but another thing is, I want to make sure its not tied to a service. There have been some rumors that it'll be tied to a 3G service and you'll have to go and get a subscription like you do with the Iphone. I'd like this thing to have maybe access to 3G networks if you want to pay for it, but I want it to primarily work over wifi networks like the Ipod Touch does so you can basically buy the device, go home and use it, you don't have to pay anything per month.
That's what I hope Apple does in 2010. What's your wish list? Leave a comment at this post at MacMost.com. Also, check out the other podcasts at MacMost.com, the MacAnswers podcast; it's a daily tips podcast based on the questions you ask at the MacMost forum. Till next time, this is Gary Rosenzweig with MacMost Now.

Comments: 14 Responses to “MacMost Now 340: Apple Wish List 2010”

Greg Howland

15 years ago

I would like to see AppleTV have the ability to surf the web with Safari and a wireless keyboard.

forkboy1965

15 years ago

I'd like to see lower prices. Period. After 9-months of 24-inch iMac ownership I'm still not convinced my purchase was worth $2,100 (including AppleCare and iWorks).

And I usually always feel very confident after any consumer electronics purchase because I research thoroughly in advance of purchasing.

I'd like to make the move to an Apple laptop, but they simply are too expensive in the 15- and 17-inch varieties.

MacMostFan

15 years ago

AMEN to LowerPRICES !!

Paul Brainerd

15 years ago

Apple will enter the real HDTV market and incorporating in a full fledged Apple TV/Media Center into it. The time has come. After all, Steve himself referred to the current rendition of Apple TV as a "hobby" for Apple.

Gary, I like your idea of a free MobileMe and a MobileMe Pro as well as integrating it more into the social networks. As of now it is MobilMe, NOT what it should be....... MobileUS.

I predict the Apple Tablet/iSlate (won't be either name, too pedestrian) will have Mac OS X. And get this, it will have a matrix scanner to read your gestures. Yes, with the point then flip of your index finger in the air above or in front of the screen...... and you will turn a page while reading the newspaper or a book.A four finger point and upward motion, and you clear the desktop..... and on and on. You get the idea.

John RusselL

15 years ago

One of my wishes for 2010 is for Apple to rework its Mac to iPhone/iPod syncing processes. As it is, it's a crapshoot as to what goes where, and when. For starters, I'd like to see in the Summary tab two checkboxes: one would be labeled "Sync all syncable items automatically upon connection" and the other "Sync items according to settings on individual tabs." Then on all subsequent tabs I'd like a clear choice for those relevant items to be synced automatically or manually.

Robb

15 years ago

Couple of things.

1. apple tv and mac mini should merge and create the super-uber system you can use on your tv.

2. If mobile me doesnt change this year, i am going to cancel my subscription. What would help this? Build in a remote time machine idea...like carbonite but done by apple. Have the ability to take your machine into an apple store for the first backup via a lan cable so it wont take a month like carbonite and other online services.

3. revamp ichat to work better for video conferencing so it isnt so frustrating to setup.

4. have itunes offer some kind of wireless syncing ability like the Things app currently does using your wifi network.

5. and of course ATT really needs to pull it together. My local rep has not only admitted pathetic plans for northern colorado for new towers given other metro areas that are priority....but he is giving me a 50.00 a month credit as a way to keep us on board. Nice gesture...but honestly this phone being as great as it is....really doesnt do "phone" very well.

Keep up the good work Gary. Love the show.

Dome

15 years ago

I would like to see a Blu-ray drive on Mac Mini ...

Candice

15 years ago

Time Machine needs to permit users to specify the backups,with greater customization flexibility regarding when and how frequently.

Apple needs to become more proactive for its iPhone customers in seeking better data rates for both domestic and overseas use; also need broader carrier options.

Expanding on Robb's point, I find the sync directions and questions mostly inscrutable when there are discrepancies between iPhone, macbook, and mobile me.

Keyboard short cuts should be easy to locate, and easier to customize

Keyboard & mouse reliability: needs to be enhanced. Even the paint marking letters/symbols wears off too easily

And yes, prices need to drop to expand the apple user community.

Kay Fisher

15 years ago

Tablet should be at least like a big iPod Touch. That is I really want bluetooth so I can use bluetooth wireless headsets with it. It really has to be WiFi also.
I had two iPod Touches and really needed a bigger screen.

New MacBook Pros need Core i7 Bad!

Be nice to refresh iLife and iWork. iPhoto needs two things bad: 1) Major improvement in face recognition and 2) built in editing capability that would stop most of us from needing Ires or Acron or Adobe stuff.

Kay Fisher

15 years ago

iPhone/iPod Apps. I'd like Apple to eliminate the free trial versions of all of them and somehow allow users to try any real app for a few days and then purchase it. With so many it is real easy to spend $2.00 for some app that only 20 minutes later you realize you don't like it.

Teddy

15 years ago

I want there to be the tablet, iPhone 2G use in england, lower prices, mac pro (at least) to get the Intel test 80-core processor, which only uses the power of an ordinary one, but is a lot more powerful!

P.S. I really want 2 80-core processors!

Tom7

15 years ago

How about a keyboard designed to put function ahead of style or cost cutting?

It's surprising how Apple continually stumbles on keyboard design.

How often do you REALLY use ` each day? Or F16, F17, F18, F19?

In the real world, writers need PageUp, PageDown, Home, and End keys... and two handed Fn+another key combinations definitely are not adequate substitutes.

While we are at it, how about conceding that the Internet is here to stay and putting dedicated Back and Forward keys on a keyboard.

Even Apple's VIRTUAL keybaord is more of a pain than it has to be. Why keep it in all caps, even when we are typing lower case?

JeffB

14 years ago

I would like to see a new Mac Mini, similar in size and appearance to the new Apple TV with easily user installed memory and SSD. The base system would sell for less than $350 but would include no memory or mass storage. Memory and mass storage would be sold with the base system for a very low price (make the profit on the system, lock out third party vendors). Power supply would be a charger from a laptop both to save production costs and also to allow a clean hookup with an Apple Cinema display.

Gary Rosenzweig

14 years ago

Well, you've only got 2 more days for your wish to come true. :)

Comments Closed.

MacMost Now 340: Apple Wish List 2010

Comments: 14 Responses to “MacMost Now 340: Apple Wish List 2010”

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