A checklist for tomorrow's event

And this is why I don’t watch product announcements much these days. They have become far too predictable.

To a significant extent they have. Some of the product details will have already been discovered. Though I still like them because they give demonstrations of the new devices and any OS changes so that you can mull over whether it suits your needs. After seeing the passbook demonstration I understood why there was no need for NFC. Many of the details of the supposed iPad mini have already been leaked so many are already planning to queue outside the Apple stores in anticipation.

To be fair, they wouldn't have an event unless they were planning to announce something but you can never tell exactly what. Apparently, if all the rumours turn out to be true, the list of things Apple aren't going to announceis shorter than the list of things they are. It would be stupid to camp outside the iShop on the keynote day anyway, the things they announce rarely go on sale straight away. And if it actually is an iPad mini, I expect it to go on sale in the US first, with Europe being a few weeks behind.

I would be somewhat amused if they did get people camping outside the shop then everything they announced was software that was downloadable from the app store. iTunes 11 is pretty much an open goal since they said they would be launching it in October anyway. Beyond that... meh. I'm probably not buying whatever it is in any case so...

Jon

I did say planning to queue but I agree completely. A lot of the rumours are more like wish lists from some people. In my case I am more than happy to wait and see what comes along. Most rumours are wide of the mark, some are accurate but it is fun to see what comes true.

New 7.9" iPad mini:

Impressively thin new iMacs

I have to say the 'that's actually quite interesting but nobody will notice in the glare of new shiny' is the upgraded Mac Minis. They're actually now usable desktop PCs. Core i5/i7 processors, minimum 4GB of memory, Intel 4000 graphics, USB 3... They're not massive gaming rigs, but I reckon they'd fulfil 90% of the requirements of 90% of PC users.

UK price of an iPad mIni - minimum £269. Oh dear.

That's way too expensive. Listening to the Ihnatko Almanac podcast earlier this week, a discussion on probable pricing reckoned that $329 was too high and that $249 (about £156) would be more likely. They sure got that wrong, unfortunately. I think it should be pitched at a lower price to be a lot more competitive...but what do I know?

Well, I know that I won't be purchasing one.

I still don't know what I would want a tablet for...

And it seems very expensive for what it is. The screen resolution is very 2011.

Then don't buy one *shrug*. I don't need a set of golf clubs, so I haven't bought one.


The resolution is the 'standard' one for iPads before retina displays, as I'm sure you're aware. I'm also sure you're aware why that is in fact a reasonably good idea.

Jon

They aren't for everyone. I bought Faye and iPad 2 for her birthday last year, it is now pretty much the only computing device she uses, apart for typing up reports on her Mac Mini.
Although I'd love to have one, purely on the 'ooo, new shiney' factor, I don't think I'd get the same level of use out of it to what she does.

Well the trick is to look through the app store and see if any of the apps could do what you want. There are even wedding planner apps available.

Odd point -there's no educational discount on the new iMac but there is on the new mac mini and the retina 13" macbook pro...