jcampa
Aug 27, 12:42 PM
Just a few hours left, let's hope we see new MacBook Pros tomorrow, I think we'll see the new iMacs with Merom in Paris, because it's a very good announcement for consumers, and get the Pro MB's tomorrow.
bryanc
Aug 26, 06:12 PM
... those who understand binary and those who do not.
Just sell Merom as "64 bit", that's twice as much as "32 bit".
64 bits is not twice as big as 32 bits.... it's 2^32 (roughly 4.3 billion) times as big. Just like 1000 is not twice as big as 10.
33 bits would be twice as big as 32 bits.
But yes, you're right, the important thing here is not that merom is 20% faster (or 20% more power efficient), it's that it's 64 bit.
Leopard will be 64 bit, and you can bet that once leopard is the shipping OS, there will be 64 bit only software that you will want to run. That's why it's worth having a Core 2 Duo system.
Cheers
Just sell Merom as "64 bit", that's twice as much as "32 bit".
64 bits is not twice as big as 32 bits.... it's 2^32 (roughly 4.3 billion) times as big. Just like 1000 is not twice as big as 10.
33 bits would be twice as big as 32 bits.
But yes, you're right, the important thing here is not that merom is 20% faster (or 20% more power efficient), it's that it's 64 bit.
Leopard will be 64 bit, and you can bet that once leopard is the shipping OS, there will be 64 bit only software that you will want to run. That's why it's worth having a Core 2 Duo system.
Cheers
Squire
Aug 7, 06:31 AM
this is me going out an a limb here.
but do you think the desktop lineup could become this?
Mac mini (2 models)
the Mac
iMac
Mac Pro
I'd like to see your "Mac" model bumped up past the iMac. I think a lot of people, myself included, would pay a premium for the ability to upgrade. In fact, I wouldn't care if they didn't offer a completely new model as long as they offer some "affordable" manifestations of the Mac Pro. So how's this (and go easy on me here because I rarely delve into the technical aspect of things):
Eventually (i.e. by November), Core 2 Duo/Woodcrest across he board:
1) Mac mini: 2 models both with the 1.86 GHz Core 2 Duo
2) iMac: 2 models with 1.86 GHz and 2.13 GHz Core 2 Duo
3) Mac Pro: 4 models; 2 Core 2 Duo-based systems (2.40 GHz and 2.66 GHz) and 2 Xeon-based systems (2.80 GHz and 3.0 GHz). The higher-end Xeon systems would sport the same enclosure as the Core 2 Duo systems (similar to the PM G5) but would come in an anodized charcoal black enclosure.
Any takers?
-Squire
but do you think the desktop lineup could become this?
Mac mini (2 models)
the Mac
iMac
Mac Pro
I'd like to see your "Mac" model bumped up past the iMac. I think a lot of people, myself included, would pay a premium for the ability to upgrade. In fact, I wouldn't care if they didn't offer a completely new model as long as they offer some "affordable" manifestations of the Mac Pro. So how's this (and go easy on me here because I rarely delve into the technical aspect of things):
Eventually (i.e. by November), Core 2 Duo/Woodcrest across he board:
1) Mac mini: 2 models both with the 1.86 GHz Core 2 Duo
2) iMac: 2 models with 1.86 GHz and 2.13 GHz Core 2 Duo
3) Mac Pro: 4 models; 2 Core 2 Duo-based systems (2.40 GHz and 2.66 GHz) and 2 Xeon-based systems (2.80 GHz and 3.0 GHz). The higher-end Xeon systems would sport the same enclosure as the Core 2 Duo systems (similar to the PM G5) but would come in an anodized charcoal black enclosure.
Any takers?
-Squire
CaoCao
Mar 1, 05:00 PM
^^ Well maybe, but the Obama administration doesn't believe that law is constitutional.
Gov't seeks to uphold DOMA in gay lawyer's lawsuit
SAN FRANCISCO
The Justice Department says a lesbian federal employee should still be denied permission to add her wife to her health insurance despite the Obama administration's refusal to defend a federal law banning recognition of same-sex marriages.
Government lawyers told a federal judge Monday in San Francisco that the administration will still enforce the Defense of Marriage Act until it is struck down by a court or repealed by Congress. They say its new position on the act's unconstitutionality is irrelevant.
Karen Golinski is a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals lawyer suing the Office of Personnel Management for not authorizing family health coverage for her wife. The circuit's chief judge has twice ordered the office to allow it.
The Justice Department says the rulings were not binding because they were made in the judge's role as Golinski's boss.
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9LMIFS80.htm
I can't help it if you live in a backward country. I was talking about civilised norms. And whatever your cockeyed definition, it is still not equality.
Right, that's why England is preventing a married couple from adopting.
Gov't seeks to uphold DOMA in gay lawyer's lawsuit
SAN FRANCISCO
The Justice Department says a lesbian federal employee should still be denied permission to add her wife to her health insurance despite the Obama administration's refusal to defend a federal law banning recognition of same-sex marriages.
Government lawyers told a federal judge Monday in San Francisco that the administration will still enforce the Defense of Marriage Act until it is struck down by a court or repealed by Congress. They say its new position on the act's unconstitutionality is irrelevant.
Karen Golinski is a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals lawyer suing the Office of Personnel Management for not authorizing family health coverage for her wife. The circuit's chief judge has twice ordered the office to allow it.
The Justice Department says the rulings were not binding because they were made in the judge's role as Golinski's boss.
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9LMIFS80.htm
I can't help it if you live in a backward country. I was talking about civilised norms. And whatever your cockeyed definition, it is still not equality.
Right, that's why England is preventing a married couple from adopting.
Pez555
Apr 11, 12:54 PM
grrrr stop posting this macrumors, i want the iphone 5 in june!
Zadillo
Aug 27, 05:19 PM
hmmm... the funny part is that it's been done to death.* that's the bit.* i guess you don't see it as funny.* ever heard of a reoccuring joke with a little aphormism mixed in?
But that's the problem. The joke was that it was done to death...... but THAT part has been done to death too, which is why most people no longer find it to be all that funny.
I'm happy that some people still seem to be able to find humor in it, but that doesn't mean that the people who no longer find it to be funny just don't "get it". It just means that the lifespan of this joke has long since passed for many people.
But that's the problem. The joke was that it was done to death...... but THAT part has been done to death too, which is why most people no longer find it to be all that funny.
I'm happy that some people still seem to be able to find humor in it, but that doesn't mean that the people who no longer find it to be funny just don't "get it". It just means that the lifespan of this joke has long since passed for many people.
Trekkie
Sep 18, 02:19 PM
The Thinkpad X40 I'm typing from Bluescreened on me no longer than three weeks ago. My crime? coming out of suspend mode.
Windows Crashes.
Believe it or not, Mac OS X can crash too. While it is prettier, it's still a crash.
Pretty funny reading the last few pages, thanks for the laughs.
Windows Crashes.
Believe it or not, Mac OS X can crash too. While it is prettier, it's still a crash.
Pretty funny reading the last few pages, thanks for the laughs.
Thex1138
Apr 19, 07:34 PM
So what's your point? The presence of competition does not harm a competitor? Seems contrary to that whole "competition" word.
And your next point is what? A successful company should allow a competitor to use it's technology/patents to compete with it? All at the same time as just taking it from all the competitors that sue Apple on the other companies' patents, right?
How many anti-Apple suing trolls here are also pro-other company suing Apple trolls in other threads?
So you don't like the way IP law works? Vote for someone who will change the legal structure. Until then, corporations are going to work in the environment your legislators and courts created. Hate the game, not the player.
Where did i say I don't like how IP works buddy? Where in my post does it read 'don't like the way IP law works' ? Wipe your tears and try again... Don't make $#!t up.
the rest of your blurb about stuff in your head that I didn't event write isn't worth responding too...
My anecdote premise was pretty straight forward...
Two dudes who come from some place where they don't read tech feeds as often as the rest of us here... they go to a city shop and get sold phones that look like the ones they heard about...iPhones... the premise is not necessarily from the US... from any country on the planet where average Joes go to a tech shop to buy a smartphone... they look and feel and work in very similar ways which causes confusion.
P.S. The whole point of Apple's patent leverage is that they have... patented everything about their devices... form factor, processes, icons and interface... When you read deep into the context and content of Apple's submission which includes these comparisons and that Samsung copied everything and then applying a slight-of-hand to make it look a little different...
:rolleyes:
Like i say.. a bunch of Jawa's selling second hand Android's
And your next point is what? A successful company should allow a competitor to use it's technology/patents to compete with it? All at the same time as just taking it from all the competitors that sue Apple on the other companies' patents, right?
How many anti-Apple suing trolls here are also pro-other company suing Apple trolls in other threads?
So you don't like the way IP law works? Vote for someone who will change the legal structure. Until then, corporations are going to work in the environment your legislators and courts created. Hate the game, not the player.
Where did i say I don't like how IP works buddy? Where in my post does it read 'don't like the way IP law works' ? Wipe your tears and try again... Don't make $#!t up.
the rest of your blurb about stuff in your head that I didn't event write isn't worth responding too...
My anecdote premise was pretty straight forward...
Two dudes who come from some place where they don't read tech feeds as often as the rest of us here... they go to a city shop and get sold phones that look like the ones they heard about...iPhones... the premise is not necessarily from the US... from any country on the planet where average Joes go to a tech shop to buy a smartphone... they look and feel and work in very similar ways which causes confusion.
P.S. The whole point of Apple's patent leverage is that they have... patented everything about their devices... form factor, processes, icons and interface... When you read deep into the context and content of Apple's submission which includes these comparisons and that Samsung copied everything and then applying a slight-of-hand to make it look a little different...
:rolleyes:
Like i say.. a bunch of Jawa's selling second hand Android's
blahblah100
Mar 31, 05:03 PM
Ah linux trolls are my favorite :rolleyes: I lost count how many times I've answered a question and/or posted on something to have the random linux guy show up and spout "Or just toss out your mac/pc and install linux on a new machine". Of course no one asked about linux.
What?
What?
dernhelm
Nov 29, 05:02 AM
dang it microsoft.
Don't curse Microsoft. They're just doing what they've always done - try to screw over anyone they see as a threat. They can't defeat Apple, but they can screw up the market so bad that it won't matter if Apple is king of the hill.
Curse the idiots that buy the Zune without even knowing what they are doing. Better yet, pass the word. This isn't about the Zune being a nice device or not, this is about the DRM in the thing, and the tax you pay to the music companies even if you don't buy any of their songs.
In the end, the Zune will fail, because it is big, expensive, and has DRM that isn't compatible with anything anyone has ever bought before anywhere. It isn't even Vista compatible yet! But this isn't about the Zune being successful, and I'm beginning to think it never was. The Zune is more about Microsoft trying to throw a wrench into the music download industry - and if it can make Apple less profitable by doing so, then so much the better.
Don't curse Microsoft. They're just doing what they've always done - try to screw over anyone they see as a threat. They can't defeat Apple, but they can screw up the market so bad that it won't matter if Apple is king of the hill.
Curse the idiots that buy the Zune without even knowing what they are doing. Better yet, pass the word. This isn't about the Zune being a nice device or not, this is about the DRM in the thing, and the tax you pay to the music companies even if you don't buy any of their songs.
In the end, the Zune will fail, because it is big, expensive, and has DRM that isn't compatible with anything anyone has ever bought before anywhere. It isn't even Vista compatible yet! But this isn't about the Zune being successful, and I'm beginning to think it never was. The Zune is more about Microsoft trying to throw a wrench into the music download industry - and if it can make Apple less profitable by doing so, then so much the better.
Silentwave
Aug 18, 10:17 AM
I know if it is it will work, what i'm asking is, is it? Or is that not known at this time?
Not known. There might be other concerns apart from the socket compatibility: FSB, firmware, and in particular the heat output.
Not known. There might be other concerns apart from the socket compatibility: FSB, firmware, and in particular the heat output.
samcraig
Apr 27, 08:39 AM
if any of you are concerned about being tracked - why on earth would you buy any product that has a GPS in it (all computers cash info) and why on earth would you buy a cell phone - the towers know almost exactly when (which apple doesn't know) and where you are? The reaction to this news is stupid.
Your type of apathy in the long term will do more harm than good.
There is a big difference between voluntarily and involuntarily giving out personal information and that's what was at stake here.
Apple admitted error - it's ok - you can admit it might not have been in the best interest of consumers too. Apple won't come and take your iPhone away.
Your type of apathy in the long term will do more harm than good.
There is a big difference between voluntarily and involuntarily giving out personal information and that's what was at stake here.
Apple admitted error - it's ok - you can admit it might not have been in the best interest of consumers too. Apple won't come and take your iPhone away.
akadmon
Sep 19, 11:19 AM
I ordered my 15" MBP yesterday and they are telling me it will ship next Tuesday. I sure hope that when the package arrives the MBP will have no stinking Merom, no more than 512 MB RAM, no better than an 80 Gb/5400 rpm HDD, and -- please God -- no magnetic latch! Oh - and one more thing: Apple better not send me a refund if they lower the price before the package hits my doorstep. :mad:
angrynstupid
Apr 27, 08:02 AM
I actually thought looking at a history of where my phone has been on a map was kinda cool. Bummer.
Since I'm neither a criminal nor paranoid, I thought it was kind of cool/interesting too.
Since I'm neither a criminal nor paranoid, I thought it was kind of cool/interesting too.
rezenclowd3
Aug 14, 06:28 PM
well to my understanding, there should be a lot of change between GT5 prologue and the full release.
It's been that way for all of the GT series prologues ;)
It's been that way for all of the GT series prologues ;)
peharri
Aug 11, 01:13 PM
Hahahha coverage maps don't mean jack.Everyone in the wireless business knows they are gross approximations of the reality.
to the New York Knicks
Goodbye Denver, Hello New York
The New York Knicks were
gorgeousninja
Apr 20, 09:40 AM
Don't let a few cherry picked pictures trick you, most Galaxy models don't look at all like an iPhone :
http://www.rogers.com/cms/images/en/Wireless/CellPhoneDetail/Banners/banner01_i896blkr.png
This one can go either way. Of course the Apple biased media are cherry picking their pictures. I'd doubt you'd have a hard time telling both devices apart in the real world with both in front of you.
Especially consdiring the Samsung doesn't use the icon grid on its homescreen at all, contrary to what the pictures are trying to show.
http://cultofmac.cultofmaccom.netdna-cdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Screen-shot-2011-04-19-at-8.37.05-PM.png
feel free to point out how difficult it is to see any similarities...
http://www.rogers.com/cms/images/en/Wireless/CellPhoneDetail/Banners/banner01_i896blkr.png
This one can go either way. Of course the Apple biased media are cherry picking their pictures. I'd doubt you'd have a hard time telling both devices apart in the real world with both in front of you.
Especially consdiring the Samsung doesn't use the icon grid on its homescreen at all, contrary to what the pictures are trying to show.
http://cultofmac.cultofmaccom.netdna-cdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Screen-shot-2011-04-19-at-8.37.05-PM.png
feel free to point out how difficult it is to see any similarities...
SevenInchScrew
Dec 8, 12:54 PM
^^^ Again, from Sony and referenced in my post 152 (http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=11513752&postcount=152)
I'm not arguing, just pointing out what Sony themselves have to say on the subject. Of course, as you progress further into the game, you are going to use more Premium racing models.
I understand that Sony are saying damage is not "unlocked" at some point in the game. And that is correct. When you start the game, there is damage. You can head on crash at 120 into a wall, and your bumper will crumple a little, in a Premium car. But, do this same thing, in the same Premium car, at level 20 and 40 and you will see increasing levels of damage.
So yea, Sony is right that damage itself isn't "unlocked" at some point, but the higher degrees of damage ARE. And not just from using race cars, Premium cars as well. Just like how as you progress, the AI gets slightly less brain-dead, the cars will start to somehow damage more.
I'm not arguing, just pointing out what Sony themselves have to say on the subject. Of course, as you progress further into the game, you are going to use more Premium racing models.
I understand that Sony are saying damage is not "unlocked" at some point in the game. And that is correct. When you start the game, there is damage. You can head on crash at 120 into a wall, and your bumper will crumple a little, in a Premium car. But, do this same thing, in the same Premium car, at level 20 and 40 and you will see increasing levels of damage.
So yea, Sony is right that damage itself isn't "unlocked" at some point, but the higher degrees of damage ARE. And not just from using race cars, Premium cars as well. Just like how as you progress, the AI gets slightly less brain-dead, the cars will start to somehow damage more.
anim8or
Sep 19, 06:14 AM
Apple is beyond critique! Omg! :rolleyes:
Its not so much that you criticise apple, hell no company is perfect and they all deserve a little criticism...
...its more how you take the piss out of everyone else's post.
I used to find your posts funny when you were critical but now i cringe whenever i see that you have posted 'cos 9/10 times you will be insulting someone.
Lighten up a little.
Its not so much that you criticise apple, hell no company is perfect and they all deserve a little criticism...
...its more how you take the piss out of everyone else's post.
I used to find your posts funny when you were critical but now i cringe whenever i see that you have posted 'cos 9/10 times you will be insulting someone.
Lighten up a little.
miniConvert
Mar 22, 12:47 PM
Samsung redesigned the 10.1 'just like that' did they? Wow, that's going to be one impressive piece of carefully considered and crafted engineering if they poured over it for such an extensive amount of time.... </sarcasm>
Seriously, either Samsung have pulled something incredible out of the bag or, more likely IMHO, this 'new' 10.1 wont be all that. They're certainly desperate to have a tablet success!
Seriously, either Samsung have pulled something incredible out of the bag or, more likely IMHO, this 'new' 10.1 wont be all that. They're certainly desperate to have a tablet success!
Glideslope
Apr 25, 03:53 PM
Except it doesn't use GPS data. It uses cell towers and wifi.
Ouch!!!!! :apple:
Ouch!!!!! :apple:
maelstromr
Apr 25, 02:31 PM
Look out Apple...the chattel are beginning to rise. I hope these power-hungry thugs (Apple) get taken to the cleaners. Sad that Apple now views our location as a resource to be exploited.
While I can't say that I like the idea of private information being recorded without clear consumer knowledge or warning, I have to wonder what exactly is getting 'exploited' here? In two years when you throw your phone out Apple secretly searches your trash, takes it and markets to you based on where you went two years ago? Give me a break. :rolleyes:
While I can't say that I like the idea of private information being recorded without clear consumer knowledge or warning, I have to wonder what exactly is getting 'exploited' here? In two years when you throw your phone out Apple secretly searches your trash, takes it and markets to you based on where you went two years ago? Give me a break. :rolleyes:
appleguy123
Feb 28, 06:51 PM
inclusivism is not inherently good and that position holds no hatred or malice
They decided not to rehire him, so?
In what case is inclusionism not a good policy? Being consistent in our thinking and morality is a sign of a logical and sound mind.
I can not think of a single case where making arbitrary exceptions is a good practice.
They decided not to rehire him, so?
In what case is inclusionism not a good policy? Being consistent in our thinking and morality is a sign of a logical and sound mind.
I can not think of a single case where making arbitrary exceptions is a good practice.
Squire
Aug 8, 05:52 AM
Okay, after reading the ten pages, here are my thoughts:
I think one of the biggest things is the iChat remote desktop functionality. I have long been wanting very basic Apple Remote Desktop abilities in OS X. It is the perfect way to help a friend or family member troubleshoot a computer problem or teach them how to do a particular task.
Now, it seems, in iChat, all they have to do is share their screen, and you can take over! (If I am reading the description correctly!)
This is huge, in my opinion. I even considered buying Remote Desktop last year to help my computer-challenged family members with certain issues. Excellent-- yet totally unexpected-- development. (Strange that they didn't demo this feature during the keynote, though.)
Oh yeah, Time Machine is cool.
And this is the other biggie for me. Idiot proof and, in my opinion, truly necessary. Sure, you hope you'll never need it but it's the same with insurance. (And to those whining about the space theme, don't worry. Someone-- either Apple or a 3rd party developer-- will make it so the theme can be changed. Personally, I like it.)
http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/accessibility.html
From this site:
Closed captioning
QuickTime currently supports closed captioning by including a text track alongside audio and video content. But improved QuickTime support will automatically display the CEA-608 closed captioning text standard in analog broadcasts in the U.S.
-----
Anyone think this means support for Closed Captioning in iTunes video downloads? As a hearing-impaired Mac-User, the lack of subtitles/captions in the TV shows is the one thing keeping me from buying a bunch of them. I hope they address this issue soon...
Good point. I would love that if they ever decided to make TV shows available to those outside the US.
* Mail: The advancements are welcome. I, also, send emails to myself all the time. Good idea.
* Spaces: Well, not a huge feature for me. I think Expose does a good enough job.
* Dashboard: I like the web clip thing.
* Spotlight: Not much new there for my use.
* iCal: I never use it but now that the To Do list option is there, I might.
* Accessibility: I think the new voice is more important than some may think. Having an OS voice that sounds, well, real, might have some interesting applications.
* 64-bit: Depends on apps, doesn't it?
* Core Animation: Now, is this something the average Joe can utilize or is it for pros? Looks cool, nonetheless.
Enhanced iChat: Nifty new features, but here's the deal: Apple needs to look beyond Cupertino and survey the IM landscape that exists outside of the US, because it's huge. Most PC-using kids and twenty-somethings overseas live and breath and depend on two kinds of software, an internet browser and an IM client. Overseas, Yahoo and MS Messenger are all that's used and the features that are provided by those clients are heavily depended upon by the overseas youth culture because they were born and raised on that stuff. If iChat (or any other client) at a minimum can't provide support for Yahoo and MS Messenger protocols with absolute one for one feature parity with PC's, you can forget about selling a Mac (or at least the Mac OS) to these kids, because it's just an absolute deal-killer without IM support that they are used to. The IM culture overseas is just that big, that integrated, and they (along with their IM friends) don't use AOL and they don't use .Mac and they aren't going to. The IM scene overseas and it's dependence on MS Messenger and Yahoo is practically a youth culture in and of itself now and ignoring that is simply bad business for Apple at this point.
Of all the iChat comments on these 10 pages, this one is the most significant. Apple has to get together with Microsoft and Yahoo! to work this out. I know, like, 3 people who use AOL. and I don't want a 3rd party patch job. (I know some of you swear by Adium but I really like iChat.)
Finally, it appears that some of these make features included in the .mac service redundant. Specifically, Backup (displaced by Time Machine) and, to a lesser extent, iCards (now challenged by the stationery features in Mail). This is in direct contrast to MWSF '06 where it seemed that .Mac would take on a larger role.
-Squire
I think one of the biggest things is the iChat remote desktop functionality. I have long been wanting very basic Apple Remote Desktop abilities in OS X. It is the perfect way to help a friend or family member troubleshoot a computer problem or teach them how to do a particular task.
Now, it seems, in iChat, all they have to do is share their screen, and you can take over! (If I am reading the description correctly!)
This is huge, in my opinion. I even considered buying Remote Desktop last year to help my computer-challenged family members with certain issues. Excellent-- yet totally unexpected-- development. (Strange that they didn't demo this feature during the keynote, though.)
Oh yeah, Time Machine is cool.
And this is the other biggie for me. Idiot proof and, in my opinion, truly necessary. Sure, you hope you'll never need it but it's the same with insurance. (And to those whining about the space theme, don't worry. Someone-- either Apple or a 3rd party developer-- will make it so the theme can be changed. Personally, I like it.)
http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/accessibility.html
From this site:
Closed captioning
QuickTime currently supports closed captioning by including a text track alongside audio and video content. But improved QuickTime support will automatically display the CEA-608 closed captioning text standard in analog broadcasts in the U.S.
-----
Anyone think this means support for Closed Captioning in iTunes video downloads? As a hearing-impaired Mac-User, the lack of subtitles/captions in the TV shows is the one thing keeping me from buying a bunch of them. I hope they address this issue soon...
Good point. I would love that if they ever decided to make TV shows available to those outside the US.
* Mail: The advancements are welcome. I, also, send emails to myself all the time. Good idea.
* Spaces: Well, not a huge feature for me. I think Expose does a good enough job.
* Dashboard: I like the web clip thing.
* Spotlight: Not much new there for my use.
* iCal: I never use it but now that the To Do list option is there, I might.
* Accessibility: I think the new voice is more important than some may think. Having an OS voice that sounds, well, real, might have some interesting applications.
* 64-bit: Depends on apps, doesn't it?
* Core Animation: Now, is this something the average Joe can utilize or is it for pros? Looks cool, nonetheless.
Enhanced iChat: Nifty new features, but here's the deal: Apple needs to look beyond Cupertino and survey the IM landscape that exists outside of the US, because it's huge. Most PC-using kids and twenty-somethings overseas live and breath and depend on two kinds of software, an internet browser and an IM client. Overseas, Yahoo and MS Messenger are all that's used and the features that are provided by those clients are heavily depended upon by the overseas youth culture because they were born and raised on that stuff. If iChat (or any other client) at a minimum can't provide support for Yahoo and MS Messenger protocols with absolute one for one feature parity with PC's, you can forget about selling a Mac (or at least the Mac OS) to these kids, because it's just an absolute deal-killer without IM support that they are used to. The IM culture overseas is just that big, that integrated, and they (along with their IM friends) don't use AOL and they don't use .Mac and they aren't going to. The IM scene overseas and it's dependence on MS Messenger and Yahoo is practically a youth culture in and of itself now and ignoring that is simply bad business for Apple at this point.
Of all the iChat comments on these 10 pages, this one is the most significant. Apple has to get together with Microsoft and Yahoo! to work this out. I know, like, 3 people who use AOL. and I don't want a 3rd party patch job. (I know some of you swear by Adium but I really like iChat.)
Finally, it appears that some of these make features included in the .mac service redundant. Specifically, Backup (displaced by Time Machine) and, to a lesser extent, iCards (now challenged by the stationery features in Mail). This is in direct contrast to MWSF '06 where it seemed that .Mac would take on a larger role.
-Squire