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Friday, July 16, 2010, 07:45 am
Apple's updated Mac Pro, iMac rumored to have USB 3.0, faster FireWire
Apple will update its Mac Pro desktop at the end of this summer, and its all-in-one iMac a few weeks later, adding both USB 3.0 and faster FireWire connectivity to the machines, a new rumor states.French Mac website Hardmac reported Friday that Apple aims to update the desktops in time for its back to school sales period. The report cited one of the site's "better sources" in relaying the information.
"On this occasion, Apple should inaugurate two great innovations, the arrival of USB 3.0 and a faster FireWire interface, 1600 or 3200," they wrote. "Thus, FireWire will not be forgotten. Note that Apple is also interested in LightPeak technology, but they do not expect to use it or set it up before one year."
Finally, the report also said that the new hardware will not support Blu-ray discs. That news should come as no surprise to those who have heard Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs' assessment of the format. Jobs was recently alleged to have said that the physical medium's days are dying, and will give way to digital download services like iTunes.
The USB 3.0 specification was in Apple's hands over a year ago. The new standard will be ten times faster than the current Hi-Speed USB standard (USB 2.0), and also more power-efficient, leading to lower active and idle power requirements. Like its predecessor, USB 3.0 is backwards compatible with USB 2.0 devices.
Rumors of a new Mac Pro have persisted for all of 2009, with Apple expected to adopt Intel's Gulftown processor, the 32nm Core i7-980X with six cores. The chips have 12MB of L3 cache. Apple usually doubles the processors in its high-end professional workstations, so it's possible the new Mac Pro system could have a total of 12 cores and 24 threads.
The last major refresh to the Mac Pro equipped it with its Nehalem Xeon processors, with a high-end eight-core Mac Pro offering two 2.26GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon 5500 chips. Last year, Apple quietly upgraded that to a potential maximum 2.93GHz eight-core system.
Last October, Apple updated its iMac desktop line, redesigning the hardware with a new edge-to-edge glass design and seamless all-aluminum enclosure. The LED-backlit iMacs come in screen sizes of 21.5 inches and 27 inches.
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Previous Comments View All
Yay!! Another underpowered and overpriced update are on their way...
Apple used to be first to market with new CPU's and such and the Mac Pro was the one that usually did it. I guess its just another sign that iOS is Apple and the Mac is being slowly left out of the loop.
Sadly...this is so true. I always thought the iPods and iPhones were supposed to be a gateway drug to bring users into the Mac fold. Now, I think they're slowly becoming a gadget company instead of a computer company.
Hopefully the new iMac will give me enough justification to upgrade my C2D. But, it's going to take more than USB 3.0 to get me excited. What about eSATA that I have on several of my external HDs?
Personally, I would love to see the following:
1. Blu-ray (as a storage option, not for watching movies)
2. Two internal HDs optionally configured as a Raid 1 in the 27" model. There has to be enough space in the case and an internal Raid would be a great. The iMac would automatically boot from the mirrored HD in the event of the primary drive failing and alert the user to take their Mac into the Apple Store to replace the failed HD.
3. Ambient backlit keyboard like those on the MacBook Pro.
4. Perhaps lose the white on the mouse and keyboard, which feels a bit out of place on an aluminum and black machine.
5. Optional multi-touch input device to be used in conjunction or as a replacement for the Magic Mouse.
6. Not really iMac specific, but could Apple PLEASE begin updating software between versions of OS X? With the time between OSes increasing, I don't see how Apple can hold off on upgrades to key software such as Mail. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO STRUGGLE USING WIDEMAIL OR LETTERBOX FOR WIDESCREEN MAIL PREVIEWS WHEN MOBILEME AND THE IPAD ALREADY HAVE THAT FEATURE!
how about a wireless keyboard that has a numeric keypad....
nothing like working on a spreadsheet with a laptop sized keyboard. 
Two things prevent me from buying a new iMac. One is the lack of USB 3, and the other is the lack of blu-ray.
Looks like my Win 7 box won't be replaced anytime soon then.
Sadly...this is so true. I always thought the iPods and iPhones were supposed to be a gateway drug to bring users into the Mac fold. Now, I think they're slowly becoming a gadget company instead of a computer company.
No surprise here. It is years since they dropped the "computer" from the company name (which was Apple Computer Inc.).
Glad I checked the site out as I was just about to get an iMac!
Faster Firewire and USB 3.0 is enough to get my wallet out at the moment. Lack of blu-ray's not such a deal breaker now, as if they aren't going to put it in without a r-vamped iDVD.Blu-ray I might as well just stick with third-party options.
The Firewire is best for my editing needs and shows a glimmer of hope that Apple haven't entirely abandoned the pro-sumer market, even if the do prefer to sell mobile phones these days.
Glad I checked the site out as I was just about to get an iMac!
Faster Firewire and USB 3.0 is enough to get my wallet out at the moment. Lack of blu-ray's not such a deal breaker now, as if they aren't going to put it in without a r-vamped iDVD.Blu-ray I might as well just stick with third-party options.
The Firewire is best for my editing needs and shows a glimmer of hope that Apple haven't entirely abandoned the pro-sumer market, even if the do prefer to sell mobile phones these days.
I Shopped in 4 local <<10036 and 10310 zip codes>> Best Buys for a Fire Wire 800 1tb or 2tb drives . 2 YRS ago i found them . Now they all but are gone and people who work there look at I am like i am nuts. Apple stores sell them at such a high price .
I move 400 g of movie data back and forth all the time . FIRE WIRE 800 blazes thru ,
usb 2 is so f--ing slow .
what is light speak ??
peace and thank god no one is talking about you know what !!!
9
best buy sells macs ?? so why not sell mac users drives ???
duh
nine
I don't understand why Apple doesn't do a basic hardware refresh every 6 months for their desktops, they wouldn't have to redesign the asphetics at all.
The current generation of Mac Pro's are now a joke and Apple should be ashamed to still be trying to sell them, even the iMacs are really starting to show their age (internally I mean). 
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A friend of mine, has been waiting for this update all year. He needed a new Mac Pro to run SL server on for his office. I told him "just wait the new 6 core version is coming out soon" but months later its still vapor. He got tired of waiting and his new Mac Pro arrived yesterday.
I am sure it will eventually come out, and saying end of summer is kind of funny after reading many times here that is would be sooner.
Apple used to be first to market with new CPU's and such and the Mac Pro was the one that usually did it. I guess its just another sign that iOS is Apple and the Mac is being slowly left out of the loop.