Slash LaneApple Computer in a few weeks is expected to bring its AirPort Extreme base station and iSight video-cam products up to compliance with an environmental directive that has for the last three months barred their sale overseas.
The directive, which went into effect on July 1, prohibits the sale of electronics that contain hazardous materials such as lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium and brominated flame retardants.
While Apple halted new orders for the two products in Europe on June 23, it continued to sell existing inventory in the United States and other parts of the world during the weeks that followed. However, the company has long since exhausted its supply of AirPort Extreme base stations and most recently began pulling remaining inventory of iSights from its stores ahead of revised models.
"Apple corporate directed its stores to pull all iSights from the selling floor and had them shipped back to corporate," a person familiar with the matter told AppleInsider this week.
According to Apple's online store, the company will resume shipments of the iSight in "October." Meanwhile, its AirPort Extreme base station will begin shipping to customers in about "3-5 weeks."
Apple's eMac all-in-one desktop computer and iPod shuffle External Battery Pack also fell victim to the RoHS directive earlier this summer and were removed from sale in Europe. Within a week, the eMac's slot in Apple's product line was replaced by a $899 version of the 17-inch all-in-one iMac.
It's unclear if the iPod shuffle External Battery Pack will see a revision.
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29 Comments
Perhaps they can rename the Airport Extreme at the same time. It sounds like you need a surf board and a can of Mountain Dew and a voice like Keanu to actually want the thing.
Besides, if this is the "Extreme", what are they going to call the 802.11n version? The Airport OMG? This is where version numbers are a GOOD thing. "Airport 2" would have been a good name for it.
On a separate note, if they're updating the model, perhaps they can support 802.11a now that most of their current lines of computers also support 802.11a.
"Leopard will provide the complete package" Steve said. He said Front Row 2.0 will be bundled. Well you know what that means? It means the new iSight will not only have a camera and the usual speakers built-in, it will also have an IR built-in.
So all you have to do is buy an Apple remote and you're on your way.
Besides, if this is the "Extreme", what are they going to call the 802.11n version? The Airport OMG? This is where version numbers are a GOOD thing. "Airport 2" would have been a good name for it.
Airport 2? Nah, that's very un-Apple like. Besides, the Airport Extreme is already the 2nd gen base-station... The first one was simply called "Aiport."
The Airport Extreme has to be in 3 weeks I'd guess. You cannot buy one anywhere, and the online store is at 3-5 weeks for delivery.
Its times like these that Apple needs to be more forthcoming about delays. I need to buy a base station for my new setup. It appears that Apple is not going to have a product to meet this need in the near future. If I didnt check this site, I'd probably have bought a third party product by now.
an $899 imac?????