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A Special Event Next week

Posted by: Arik Hesseldahl on February 21, 2006

Moments ago I just received an email from Apple concerning a “Special Event” scheduled for Feb. 28, which will take place at Apple Town Hall, Building 4 at 10 AM Pacific Time.

The email contains the headline “Come see some fun new products from Apple” and the graphic is a desktop calendar (pictured), identical to the iCal icon, bearing the date Feb. 28, 2006. This would suggest to me that some kind of software update is in the offing. Please correct me if I’m wrong — but it seems to me that iLife and other Apple applications haven’t yet been ported to universal binary for running on Intel machines. They’ll run on Intel machines via Rosetta — but I don’t see the “Universal Binary” stamp appearing here on this iLife 06 page.
Now that those machines have started shipping, it would make sense that this event might address this.

Stay tuned.

Update at 12:21 EST: Okay I’m told that iLife 06 is indeed a universal binary. That still doesn’t change my first blush opinion that next week’s event will focus mostly on software, with maybe an Intel-based iBook thrown in at the end.

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Reader Comments

Lee

February 21, 2006 01:51 PM

Almost certainly some hardware. I don't recall Apple ever having one of these shindigs for (minor) software.

Jesper

February 21, 2006 03:35 PM

The iCal calendar look doesn't mean anything. It was used in both the WWDC and MacWorld Expo keynotes with regards to the whole Intel transition, so if you're going to connect it with anything, new Intel Macs would be the better guess, but it just seems like a generic Apple fixture.

william Carlson

February 21, 2006 03:46 PM

No. This is probably Apple's initial foray into our living room.

Tommo_UK

February 21, 2006 03:48 PM

Actually iLife '06 is Universal Binary :)

John Schroeder

February 21, 2006 05:10 PM

I agree with the guess of the Man Mini w/ integrated Front Row edition with the core solo (maybe even an iSight). The delay to make the announcement until the 28th also allows the 1 billion song mark on iTunes to be made. It is at 996M right now. With the media edition of the Mac Mini should come the long speculated iTunes HD video store.

Kevin

February 21, 2006 05:14 PM

An iPod boombox that includes a larger display for video.

A set of games for iPods (all color displays).

And the real larger-display iPod video along with higher resolution for iTunes video?

onestep

February 21, 2006 09:17 PM

All of the Apple apps that ship with the new Intel based macs are Universal, except for the Pro Line software - Final Cut, etc.
This should be updated by March, according to Apple.

Mark U.

February 22, 2006 07:49 AM

"Fun" products? I'm guessing that, among other announcements, we'll see the iPod boombox that has been long rumored (and was "supposed" to have been introduced at MacWorld).

woz

February 22, 2006 12:58 PM

Intel powered iPod and universal binary version of Hypercard. Bet your house on it.

Kensan

February 22, 2006 01:17 PM

How about a combo, cam-corder, mobile telephone, iPod, and PDA with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Wi-Max, wireless Firewire, and quad-band goodness. Death-ray should be optional.

The iWhat-you-call-it!!!

Strap it on.

MIke

February 22, 2006 02:15 PM

iCal logo: iPDA finall?!

With all the rumors going around lately about touch screen technology and Apple, could the iCal image actually be a clue this time to a new product?

If so, would this be a touch screen on an iPod or a totally separate product?

Joe

February 22, 2006 06:11 PM

OSX 10.5 Leopard preview, amongst maybe an iBook core duo...

insidertrading

February 23, 2006 05:08 AM

Handwritten, kids, Disney, video

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A blog on the daily doings of Apple and the many companies in its orbit, with insight and analysis by two longtime Apple-watchers BusinessWeek Senior Writer Peter Burrows and BusinessWeek.com Senior Technology Writer Arik Hesseldahl.

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