Rumors of Blu-ray and Networked HDTV

[AppleChic]

Rumors and supposed leak photos abound days before the long awaited October 14th media event hosted by Apple, where they will most likely unveil a refreshed line of notebooks. The latest rumors are that the new MacBooks will support Blu-ray and that Apple is working on a networked television.

EdibleApple reports that the new Blu-ray rumor was revealed live at a Diggnation podcast by Kevin Rose. According to Rose the new MacBooks will support Blu-ray drives. In my opinion this would be great! But with all the other rumors flying about, I have serious doubts about the likelihood of this…but I do think this is a much more feasible improvement for Apple to achieve relative to brick casing. Also, if you remember Rose was pretty much right on with his predications for the iPod and iTunes for Apple’s September event.

As far as the networked TV rumor goes, this one was started by Jason Calacanis, founder of Weblogs, Inc. (sold to AOL in 2005 for an estimated 25 million), who claims that Apple will unveil a new networked TV. As one insider says;

“These LCD HDTVs will be fully networked, with the ability to stream all your iTunes content from your Mac or PC. In fact, Calacanis told me they'll function like a standard TV with an Apple TV box, only without the need for the box.”

I have no idea as far as this one goes, and personally I just cant wait until all these rumors are put to rest…only 2 more days!

Source: Macrumors, EdibleApple

[haibane]

Sounds good. Good thing I haven't bought a macbook yet. I would love one of these

[TheAppShare]

I think Blu-Ray and the overall price decrease of the Macbook sort of contradict each other. I doubt they will incorporate the BR drive, and lower the starting price of the macbook? I am not trying to rain on anyones parade, just speculating on the release of all this news.

Just my $0.02

[jibaro3]

wow I Have a pc and a mac and my pc support blue-ray send day one and i also have the dvd blue-ray install on my pc for the past 3yrs. Before that i use Mplayer Clasic to see the blue-ray. This is why I use my mac in my job only and PC for personal stuff

[bluaeon]

yeah, i kinda doubt that BR will be in it... i mean how can they put a BR player in it without raising the price that much? that's just me though. oh wells, 2 more days and we will know.

[DarkoNova]

It's Blu-Ray, not Blue-Ray.

Matt

[Sparblaze]

Ya an Apple HDTV would be weird. You buy one and next thing you know Apple has a new one on the market that makes yours seem like a peice of crap

[haibane]

wow I Have a pc and a mac and my pc support blue-ray send day one and i also have the dvd blue-ray install on my pc for the past 3yrs. Before that i use Mplayer Clasic to see the blue-ray. This is why I use my mac in my job only and PC for personal stuff

What?

[jaded_lude]

blu-ray will probably be available as an optional upgrade, not included in the "base" macbook starting price. just like the superdrive used to be on certain models

[Macboy67]

I think If Apple does release a LCD HDTV it will be ridiculously over priced, seriously.

[one1]

BR has just never been useful to me. I have some of the best stuff out there (not the best, some of the best) as I have always spent for quality, but I just never had a use for BR.

[sziklassy]

Blu_ray drives really aren;t THAT expensive anymore. They cost about as much as DVD drives did when Apple (and PC companies) started incorporating them into all their systems (of course when DVD was the new hot thing "replacing" CD) I really don't see the utility of this though. You will really see only a small bit of difference on the relatively small screen on the Macbook (when compared to 40+ inches on a widescreen). Also you don't have near the sound pumping power on some cheapie built in laptop speakers (again comparing this to thousands of dollars of surround sound equipment) to really get the added bonus. The only utility I honestly see is that you can finally start replacing your DVDs if you so choose with Blu-Ray. You will now have a portable player which will plug into (I assume?) other systems so you can watch Blu-Rays anywhere (such as at a friends house who doesn't have a player). Really in my opinion it is going to be hard for a laptop of any make to really make the blu-ray drive worth it, and I think (or HOPE) that we are far off from needing 40+ gigs of space on a disc for installing software.

Ya an Apple HDTV would be weird. You buy one and next thing you know Apple has a new one on the market that makes yours seem like a peice of crap

Funny how we KNOW this to be true with mostly everything Apple releases yet we continue to buy!

[morphiusrt]

well they incorporated all the features in the new iphone and kept the price lower so this could very well be true, but who knows.... all i know is i'm gonna be pissed when the new imac comes out cuz i was forced to buy a computer a month ago and then i read there will be a new one in november... oh well i have no complaints about my current one so i guess its ok.

[sziklassy]

well they incorporated all the features in the new iphone and kept the price lower so this could very well be true, but who knows....

But the phone isn't cheaper... it;s simply subsidized this time around...

[Lute]

I doubt the hdtv going to be that big in the beginning if is true, think they should keep improving the normal apple tv like they did with the ipod and have more sales that way I think.

Why would I want to change a 65" tv or a projector for a little screen supposing is going to be small. People might buy it for tv on their bedroom who knows people sometimes tries to follow any product from apple.

[CyberKira]

Blu-ray Freaking Sweet.

[Fear1508]

Interesting, well it was to my understanding that Apple intended to release a new "type" of macbook that is at an affordable price of around $800. And that the white/black macbook, and macbook pro's are attended to still remain the same. That this entire brick casing, new macbook, is actually suppose to be an entirely NEW mac laptop at a price that is lower so itll follow a trend:

"New" Mac > Macbook > Macbook Pro
$800 > $1200 > $2000

[czarnachmura28]

blu-ray player (software ) its what we need , i have mac pro , macbook pro , aaand i have pc ,external blu-ray burner player . And the pc its to play my blu-ray content on projector via dvi, or dvi to hdmi adapter and optical sound out to sound system . Now if i can play the hole think on mac !! it will be haven !! all we need its a software ;;