Apple has reduced the prices of it’s cinema displays so that they now start at $999 for the 20” model (previously $1299). This could be a sign that Apple is releasing smaller cheaper displays for use with the headless iMac. A budget display range could generate Apple more money from the headless iMac as the cinema displays are currently too expensive for the average home buyer

Today Apple got started releasing the new kit for the start of 2005.  With the release of new XServes (now up to 2.3 Ghz) and their storage technology XSan.  Apple are proudly boasting that XSan is as little has half the price of Avid, SGI or IBM’s offerings in similar areas.  This helps to confirm that MWSF will indeed be very consumer centred, and that pro machines like the Powerbook and PowerMac will have to wait until after the event.

The Associated Press (via MSNBC)

SAN JOSE, Calif. - TiVo Inc. pioneered digital video recording as a new way of watching television ó when you want it. Now it could be TV where you want it, too.

The long-awaited service feature called TiVoToGo, set to launch Monday, will give users their first taste of TiVo untethered.

No longer confined to TiVo digital video recorders in the living room or bedroom, subscribers will be able to transfer their recorded shows to PCs or laptops and take them on the road ó as long as the shows are not specially tagged with copy restrictions. Thatís also the case for pay-per-view or on-demand movies, and some premium paid programming.

Very cool stuff. This is something TiVo owners have wanted for a very long time.

It seems to me that TiVo really ‘gets it’ when it comes to helping people make the most of their TV. Of course, they are the most successful pioneers of the concept so they should be the best at it, but one can’t help but feel that there is more to it than that. I mean, it would have been easy for TiVo to say “well, we’ll let you…
(Continue)

The iPod is the best selling digital audio player in the world, and for good reason. It’s flat-out cool. It has a nice feature set. It’s easy to use. However, other companies such as Dell sell MP3 players like the iPod, often for less. This begs the question: which is really the better value? Can such a thing even be measured, since everyone’s definition of a good value is different?

Although I own an iPod, I started this comparison open to the possibility that another player may have a better value. Please note that by “value,” I do not mean price alone, but what you get for the money. This article takes into account included hardware and software (and I’ll do a breif rundown on available accessories for each, because some may take that into account when making a purchase. Also note that I do not own any of these products aside from an iPod, so I must go off of other sources (manufacturer web sites, online reviews, etc...) for information. This is not a definitive guide; it is only intended to give you an idea how various players stack up. Also, I will not say one is a better…
(Continue)

ThinkSecret reports that Apple is planning to unveil a low-end $499 G4 Mac, basically a screen-less eMac.

The new Mac, code-named Q88, will be part of the iMac family and is expected to sport a PowerPC G4 processor at a speed around 1.25GHz. The new Mac is said to be incredibly small and will be housed in a flat enclosure with a height similar to the 1.73 inches of Apple’s Xserve. Its size benefits will include the ability to stand the Mac on its side or put it below a display or monitor.

Along with lowering costs by forgoing a display (Apple’s entry-level eMac sells for $799 with a built-in 17-inch CRT display), the so-called “headless” iMac will allow Apple’s target audience—Windows users looking for a cheap, second PC—to keep their current peripherals or decide on their own what to pair with the system, be it a high-priced LCD display or an inexpensive display. Sources expect the device to feature both DVI and VGA connectivity, although whether this will be provided through dual ports or through a single DVI port with a VGA adapter remains to be seen.