AaronEdwards
Apr 26, 04:52 PM
wanna re-check that sunshine..?
No. Why should I?
No. Why should I?
pink-pony115
Aug 12, 10:44 AM
I'm not holding my breath.
paolo-
Apr 9, 09:17 PM
@ Mac'nCheese and Tilpots
I think tilpots has shown that he understands the proper priority of operation but is simply stating the fact the this notation can lead to interpretation or at least doubt as to what is meant. I clearly see the answer as 288 and would consider 2 a wrong answer. But if you take it for it's face value, it has to be 288, write it down with � and X, instead, you'll end up with 288, and that's what should be meant. But I still think this is a ****** notation and a second set of parentheses would make it clear.
Wow I should be studying way more complex stuff than this right now...
I think tilpots has shown that he understands the proper priority of operation but is simply stating the fact the this notation can lead to interpretation or at least doubt as to what is meant. I clearly see the answer as 288 and would consider 2 a wrong answer. But if you take it for it's face value, it has to be 288, write it down with � and X, instead, you'll end up with 288, and that's what should be meant. But I still think this is a ****** notation and a second set of parentheses would make it clear.
Wow I should be studying way more complex stuff than this right now...
eric_n_dfw
Aug 7, 01:52 PM
Excellent. Now it's time to wait for the sub-$2000 "Pro" desktop announcement. There's a suspicious gap in their lineup. Mac Pro Cube (http://macprocube.com), perhaps?
I was thinking exactly the same thing. (although the Mac Pro is VERY tempting right now.)
I was thinking exactly the same thing. (although the Mac Pro is VERY tempting right now.)
dba7dba
Apr 18, 05:18 PM
Good, so let LG sue Apple. Just one problem: the iPhone doesn't actually look like the Prada. At all.
SInce you obviously don't want to leave macrumors screen to see the image of LG Prada, please look at post #242. Pic is embedded.
SInce you obviously don't want to leave macrumors screen to see the image of LG Prada, please look at post #242. Pic is embedded.
MacRumors
Sep 10, 10:55 PM
http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com)
Apple is hosting (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060905144401.shtml) a media event on Tuesday, September 12th 2006 in San Francisco, CA at 10AM Pacific. The event will also be simulcast to a location in London (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/08/20060831122800.shtml) where journalists have also been invited.
The invitation to the media was entitled It's Showtime (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060905144401.shtml) -- suggesting Movie-related announcements. Rumors sites had originally expected (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060904073025.shtml) iMac updates during the event, but Apple surprised everyone with iMac (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060906091309.shtml) and Mac mini updates (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060906094056.shtml) last week.
This leaves iPods (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060904073025.shtml), a Movie Store (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060906185220.shtml) and the possibility of a new streaming Media device (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060904194920.shtml) for the Tuesday event.
As usual, a number of anonymous images have been circulating claiming to represent upcoming products, but these are all considered to be fake. Other circumstantial evidence (http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadgets/ipods-invisible-in-ads-199610.php) has been reported, but no definitive information on the event.
As always, MacRumors will provide continuing coverage, however, access to these events have become more restricted, so please contact us (http://mailto:webmaster@macrumors.com?Subject=Showtime Coverage) if you are attending.
Apple is hosting (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060905144401.shtml) a media event on Tuesday, September 12th 2006 in San Francisco, CA at 10AM Pacific. The event will also be simulcast to a location in London (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/08/20060831122800.shtml) where journalists have also been invited.
The invitation to the media was entitled It's Showtime (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060905144401.shtml) -- suggesting Movie-related announcements. Rumors sites had originally expected (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060904073025.shtml) iMac updates during the event, but Apple surprised everyone with iMac (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060906091309.shtml) and Mac mini updates (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060906094056.shtml) last week.
This leaves iPods (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060904073025.shtml), a Movie Store (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060906185220.shtml) and the possibility of a new streaming Media device (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060904194920.shtml) for the Tuesday event.
As usual, a number of anonymous images have been circulating claiming to represent upcoming products, but these are all considered to be fake. Other circumstantial evidence (http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadgets/ipods-invisible-in-ads-199610.php) has been reported, but no definitive information on the event.
As always, MacRumors will provide continuing coverage, however, access to these events have become more restricted, so please contact us (http://mailto:webmaster@macrumors.com?Subject=Showtime Coverage) if you are attending.
cgc
Aug 4, 09:12 PM
although the Merom is average faster than Yohan 10%~20%:cool:
Even accounting for the 8% increase in clock speed that's an nice performance boost.
Even accounting for the 8% increase in clock speed that's an nice performance boost.
moot
Jul 29, 11:17 PM
I will now be picturing Steve Jobs answering that phone during his Keynote in my dreams. :)
I cannot see it happening. I am not saying it won't be released in August but it wont be at the WWDC.
For a start, the Worldwide Developers conference is not a suitable place to release an American-centric consumer product.
Secondly, this would be big news and would require its own dedicated news conference. It would be really hyped up to all the assembled press.
Not coming at WWDC.
oh, and I hope this thing makes it international when it does finally come.
I cannot see it happening. I am not saying it won't be released in August but it wont be at the WWDC.
For a start, the Worldwide Developers conference is not a suitable place to release an American-centric consumer product.
Secondly, this would be big news and would require its own dedicated news conference. It would be really hyped up to all the assembled press.
Not coming at WWDC.
oh, and I hope this thing makes it international when it does finally come.
MikeTheC
Nov 25, 10:46 PM
All this talk about Palm needing to modernize their OS, or it is outdated, or needing to re-write is absolutely hilarious.
On a phone, I want to use its features quickly and easily. When I have to schedule an appointment, I want to enter that appointment as easily as possible. When I want to add something to my to-do list, I want to do it easily and quickly. And first and foremost, I want to be able to look up a contact and dial it as quickly as possible.
A phone is not a personal computer. I couldn't care less about multitasking, rewriting, "modern" OSes (whatever "modern" means). "Modern" features and look is just eye candy and/or toys. A mobile phone is a gadget of convenience, and it should be convenient to use. Even PalmOS 1.0 was convenient. It was just as easy to use its contact and calendar features as any so-called "modern" OS is today.
I would really like to know how "modernizing" the OS on my phone would help me look up contacts, dial contacts, enter to-do list entries, and entering calendar entries any better that I could today.
Again, I repeat: a phone is not a personal computer. There's no point in treating it as such.
The same point could largely be made about cars, but I don't think either of us would want to be driving a Model T or Model A Ford these days, would we?
The term "Modern" as applied to operating systems has little to do with the interface per se. It primarily concerns the underpinnings of the OS and how forward-looking and/or open-ended it is. Older operating systems, if you want to look at it in this way, were very geared to the hardware of their times, and every time you added a new hardware feature or some new kind of technology came out, you wound up making this big patchwork of an OS, in which you had either an out-dated or obsolete "core" around which was stuck, somewhat unglamorously, lots of crap to allow it to do stuff it wasn't really designed for. Then, you wound up having to write patches for the patches, etc., ad infinitum.
Apple tried to go the internal development route, but that didn't work because their departmental infrastructure was eating them from the inside out at the time and basically poisoned all of their new projects. They considered BeOS because it was an incredibly modern OS at the time that was very capable, unbelievably good at multitasking, memory protection, multimedia tasks, etc. However, that company was so shaky that when Apple decided not to go with them, they collapsed. One of the products which was introduced and sold and almost immediately recalled that used a version of BeOS was Sony's eVilla (you just have to love that name -- try pronouncing it out loud to get the full effect).
Ultimately, they went with NeXT's BSD- and Mach-Kernel-based NeXTStep (which after a bunch of time and effort and -- since lots of it is based on Open Source software, there were a healthy amount of community contributions to) and hence we now have Mac OS X.
I'll leave it to actual developers and/or coders here to better explain and refine (and/or correct) what I've said here, should you wish greater detail beyond what I am able to -- and therefore have -- provided above.
The whole point of going with a modern OS implemented for an imbedded market (i.e. "Mac OS X Mobile") is it gives you much more direct (and probably better implemented and/or better-grounded) access to modern technologies. Everything from basic I/O tasks that reside in the Kernel to audio processing to doing H.264 decoding to having access to IPv4 or IPv6, are all examples of things which a modern OS could do a better job of providing and/or backing.
From what I understand, PalmOS is something that was designed to first and foremost give you basic notepad and daily organizer functionality. When they wrote, as you say, PalmOS 1.0, they happened to implement a way for third parties to write software that could run on it. This has been both a benefit and a bane of PalmOS's existence. First off, they now have the same issues of backwards-compatibility and storage space and memory use/abuse that a regular computer OS has. I said it was both a benefit and a bane; but there's actually two parts to the "bane" side. The first I've already mentioned, but the second is the fact that since apps have been written which can do darn near any conceivable task, people keep wanting more and more and more. And this then goes back to the "patchwork" I described earlier in talking about "older" computer OSs.
Then people want multimedia, and color screens, and apps to take advantage of it, and they want Palm to incorporate DSPs so they can play music, and of course that brings along with it all of the extra patching to then allow for the existence of, and permit the use of, an on-board DSP. And now you want WiFi? Well, shoot, now we gotta have IPv4 as well, and support for TCP/IP, none of which was ever a part of the original concept of PalmOS.
And even if you don't want or need any of those features in your own PDA, I'm sorry but that's really just too bad. Go live in a cave if you like, but if you buy a new PDA, guess what: you're gonna get all that stuff.
And at some point, all of this stretches an "older" OS just a bit too far, or it becomes a bit absurd with all the hoops and turns and wiggling that PalmOne's coders have to go through, so then they say, "Aw **** it, let's just re-write the thing."
Apple comes to this without any of *that* sort of legacy. Doubtless there will be no Newton code on this thing anywhere, but what Apple's got is Mac OS X, which means they also have the power (albeit somewhat indirectly) of an Open Source OS -- Linux. And in case you weren't aware, there are already numerous "imbedded" implementations of Linux -- phones, PDAs, game systems, kiosks, etc. -- all of which are data points and collective experience opportunities which ALREADY EXIST that Apple can exploit.
So no, having a "modern" OS is not a bad thing. It's actually a supremely awesome thing. What you're concerned about is having something that is intuitive AND efficient AND appropriate to the world of telephone interfaces for the user interface on the device you'd go and buy yourself.
All I can say, based on past performance, is give Apple a chance.
Now, here's a larger picture thought to ponder...
If Apple goes to market with the iPhone, then this is going to open up (to some extent) the viability of a F/OSS community cell phone. And this is a really good thing as well because it represents a non-commercial, enthusiast entrance into what up until now has been a totally proprietary, locked-down OS-based product world. It has the potential to do to cell phones what Linux has inspired in Mac OS X.
On a phone, I want to use its features quickly and easily. When I have to schedule an appointment, I want to enter that appointment as easily as possible. When I want to add something to my to-do list, I want to do it easily and quickly. And first and foremost, I want to be able to look up a contact and dial it as quickly as possible.
A phone is not a personal computer. I couldn't care less about multitasking, rewriting, "modern" OSes (whatever "modern" means). "Modern" features and look is just eye candy and/or toys. A mobile phone is a gadget of convenience, and it should be convenient to use. Even PalmOS 1.0 was convenient. It was just as easy to use its contact and calendar features as any so-called "modern" OS is today.
I would really like to know how "modernizing" the OS on my phone would help me look up contacts, dial contacts, enter to-do list entries, and entering calendar entries any better that I could today.
Again, I repeat: a phone is not a personal computer. There's no point in treating it as such.
The same point could largely be made about cars, but I don't think either of us would want to be driving a Model T or Model A Ford these days, would we?
The term "Modern" as applied to operating systems has little to do with the interface per se. It primarily concerns the underpinnings of the OS and how forward-looking and/or open-ended it is. Older operating systems, if you want to look at it in this way, were very geared to the hardware of their times, and every time you added a new hardware feature or some new kind of technology came out, you wound up making this big patchwork of an OS, in which you had either an out-dated or obsolete "core" around which was stuck, somewhat unglamorously, lots of crap to allow it to do stuff it wasn't really designed for. Then, you wound up having to write patches for the patches, etc., ad infinitum.
Apple tried to go the internal development route, but that didn't work because their departmental infrastructure was eating them from the inside out at the time and basically poisoned all of their new projects. They considered BeOS because it was an incredibly modern OS at the time that was very capable, unbelievably good at multitasking, memory protection, multimedia tasks, etc. However, that company was so shaky that when Apple decided not to go with them, they collapsed. One of the products which was introduced and sold and almost immediately recalled that used a version of BeOS was Sony's eVilla (you just have to love that name -- try pronouncing it out loud to get the full effect).
Ultimately, they went with NeXT's BSD- and Mach-Kernel-based NeXTStep (which after a bunch of time and effort and -- since lots of it is based on Open Source software, there were a healthy amount of community contributions to) and hence we now have Mac OS X.
I'll leave it to actual developers and/or coders here to better explain and refine (and/or correct) what I've said here, should you wish greater detail beyond what I am able to -- and therefore have -- provided above.
The whole point of going with a modern OS implemented for an imbedded market (i.e. "Mac OS X Mobile") is it gives you much more direct (and probably better implemented and/or better-grounded) access to modern technologies. Everything from basic I/O tasks that reside in the Kernel to audio processing to doing H.264 decoding to having access to IPv4 or IPv6, are all examples of things which a modern OS could do a better job of providing and/or backing.
From what I understand, PalmOS is something that was designed to first and foremost give you basic notepad and daily organizer functionality. When they wrote, as you say, PalmOS 1.0, they happened to implement a way for third parties to write software that could run on it. This has been both a benefit and a bane of PalmOS's existence. First off, they now have the same issues of backwards-compatibility and storage space and memory use/abuse that a regular computer OS has. I said it was both a benefit and a bane; but there's actually two parts to the "bane" side. The first I've already mentioned, but the second is the fact that since apps have been written which can do darn near any conceivable task, people keep wanting more and more and more. And this then goes back to the "patchwork" I described earlier in talking about "older" computer OSs.
Then people want multimedia, and color screens, and apps to take advantage of it, and they want Palm to incorporate DSPs so they can play music, and of course that brings along with it all of the extra patching to then allow for the existence of, and permit the use of, an on-board DSP. And now you want WiFi? Well, shoot, now we gotta have IPv4 as well, and support for TCP/IP, none of which was ever a part of the original concept of PalmOS.
And even if you don't want or need any of those features in your own PDA, I'm sorry but that's really just too bad. Go live in a cave if you like, but if you buy a new PDA, guess what: you're gonna get all that stuff.
And at some point, all of this stretches an "older" OS just a bit too far, or it becomes a bit absurd with all the hoops and turns and wiggling that PalmOne's coders have to go through, so then they say, "Aw **** it, let's just re-write the thing."
Apple comes to this without any of *that* sort of legacy. Doubtless there will be no Newton code on this thing anywhere, but what Apple's got is Mac OS X, which means they also have the power (albeit somewhat indirectly) of an Open Source OS -- Linux. And in case you weren't aware, there are already numerous "imbedded" implementations of Linux -- phones, PDAs, game systems, kiosks, etc. -- all of which are data points and collective experience opportunities which ALREADY EXIST that Apple can exploit.
So no, having a "modern" OS is not a bad thing. It's actually a supremely awesome thing. What you're concerned about is having something that is intuitive AND efficient AND appropriate to the world of telephone interfaces for the user interface on the device you'd go and buy yourself.
All I can say, based on past performance, is give Apple a chance.
Now, here's a larger picture thought to ponder...
If Apple goes to market with the iPhone, then this is going to open up (to some extent) the viability of a F/OSS community cell phone. And this is a really good thing as well because it represents a non-commercial, enthusiast entrance into what up until now has been a totally proprietary, locked-down OS-based product world. It has the potential to do to cell phones what Linux has inspired in Mac OS X.
WildCowboy
Aug 3, 11:23 PM
are people not expecting merom to go immediately into the macbook as well? i don't see a reason for apple to purposely gimp their best-selling notebook when a merom chip is supposed to cost the same as its yonah counterpart.
Why not? They did it with the iBooks for quite some time...
Why not? They did it with the iBooks for quite some time...
42streetsdown
May 6, 01:50 AM
This seems like an inevitable move in the convergence of iOS devices and Mac computers. They will eventually be the same thing. Powerful, robust, thin, power efficient, easy to use touch interface. Lion is moving in the direction of the iPad and iOS in general. The iPad has been gaining more Mac-like features and robust applications. I think the time tables are probably off. I don't see this happening for 4 to 5 years at the earliest. But with billions upon billions in cash reserves, Apple can pretty much do whatever they want!
If this convergence were to happen i think it'd be more likely for iOS to take on intel processors, not the other way around.
If this convergence were to happen i think it'd be more likely for iOS to take on intel processors, not the other way around.
boncellis
Jul 30, 10:24 PM
Some rumors for the Verizon Chocolate (http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/cellphones/lg-vx8500-chocolate-to-verizon-confirmed-187461.php) suggest an AUGUST 7TH Release Date. That's the same day as the start of WWDC, when Apple's new products will be announced! Just a coincidence?
The wheel on the front of that phone looks very familiar...
I used to think that it all depended on the service provider, but now my feelings have changed. I would be plenty happy with a 4 GB Nano-like device with improved wireless synchronization for a better address book, email viewer, to-do list, etc. even without the phone capability.
The wheel on the front of that phone looks very familiar...
I used to think that it all depended on the service provider, but now my feelings have changed. I would be plenty happy with a 4 GB Nano-like device with improved wireless synchronization for a better address book, email viewer, to-do list, etc. even without the phone capability.
Applejuiced
Mar 26, 11:11 PM
Change the thread title!!!! Whats with all these crappy/misleading titles lately!!!
Just to get attention that's all.
I doubt iOS 5.0 or the next iphone will be delayed.
Nonsense.
Just to get attention that's all.
I doubt iOS 5.0 or the next iphone will be delayed.
Nonsense.
iJohnHenry
Apr 9, 07:19 PM
Do you really think the answer is 2? lol.
Yes, if you assume the (9+3) is a power.
No, if you assume there is a fantom multiplier between the 2 and the (9+3).
It's a loaded question, due to incomplete specifications, yet again.
Takes me back to my User days. Kill them all!!! :mad:
Yes, if you assume the (9+3) is a power.
No, if you assume there is a fantom multiplier between the 2 and the (9+3).
It's a loaded question, due to incomplete specifications, yet again.
Takes me back to my User days. Kill them all!!! :mad:
shawnce
Aug 2, 11:06 AM
Woot WWDC is getting close ... just gotta pack my bags and drive up on Sunday, should be an interesting week (over 1/3 of the sessions are still marked as to be announced, historically many of those relate to new technologies).
Al Coholic
Apr 7, 12:59 PM
I've found most of the time what they do only benefits their coffers.I don't begrudge Apple for looking after their shareholders. (And no other publicly held company for that matter).
It's the kool-aide drinkers that actually buy their crap based on "emotion" and a monkey-see-monkey-do mentality that I don't understand. Somebody needs to do a study on these lemming types and bottle it.
It's the kool-aide drinkers that actually buy their crap based on "emotion" and a monkey-see-monkey-do mentality that I don't understand. Somebody needs to do a study on these lemming types and bottle it.
QuarterSwede
Apr 10, 06:30 PM
Just gave the problem to my 12 year old brother. Yup, its 288. To all you people who still believe it's 2, I hope you don't deal with math a lot in your careers. It might also be a good idea for you to hire somebody else to do your taxes ;)
It's not surprising that we lose basic math skills that most people really don't need to use on a day to day basis.
It's not surprising that we lose basic math skills that most people really don't need to use on a day to day basis.
macenforcer
Aug 7, 05:19 PM
Thanks for raising the noise question. My thoughts exactly. Since there wasn't a case redesign, I suspect the noise specs to be similar to G5.
Anyone?
No way. The G5s main problem was the fan that cooled the HDs and the main motherboard chipset, it wasn't the cpu fans that were loud. This machine will be much quiter.
These new xeons require 1/4 the watts.
Anyone?
No way. The G5s main problem was the fan that cooled the HDs and the main motherboard chipset, it wasn't the cpu fans that were loud. This machine will be much quiter.
These new xeons require 1/4 the watts.
DJMastaWes
Aug 11, 09:56 AM
Damn all this waiting :( I want one now!!!
Pfft, I know, this really sucks. I want to have fun with it BEFORE school starts.
The 29th seems like a good day for a Merom MacBook pro, it's more then 2 weeks pass of WWDC and 2 Weeks untill Paris.
Pfft, I know, this really sucks. I want to have fun with it BEFORE school starts.
The 29th seems like a good day for a Merom MacBook pro, it's more then 2 weeks pass of WWDC and 2 Weeks untill Paris.
adamfilip
Aug 4, 09:44 AM
I was kinda surprised that teh Core 2 Duo is only 10-15% faster then the Core Duo, but im not sure why im surprised. i wasnt really sure of the differences at the time..
balamw
Aug 7, 01:51 PM
Excellent. Now it's time to wait for the sub-$2000 "Pro" desktop announcement. There's a suspicious gap in their lineup. Mac Pro Cube (http://macprocube.com), perhaps?
Core 2 Duo (Merom/Conroe) was conspicuosly absent from this Keynote.
I too hope when the consumer lineup gets Core 2 Duo that they'll fill this gap with either a high end consumer machine or a low end pro.
B
Core 2 Duo (Merom/Conroe) was conspicuosly absent from this Keynote.
I too hope when the consumer lineup gets Core 2 Duo that they'll fill this gap with either a high end consumer machine or a low end pro.
B
GregA
Jul 30, 07:45 AM
Unfortunately, I'm pulled back into thinking, "What could Apple do with phones that hasn't already been done." Small, light, photos, video, internet, music, games, personal organization? Most of this is pretty well covered with the current offerings. So what is going to be the selling point here? Is it going to be expensive or affordable? Is it going to be full-featured or bare bones?
Very good questions.
- Apple could release a stylish simple phone with a simple interface, and the capability of an iPod shuffle built in. There would really be nothing special about such a phone - at most they might give it 3G data connections so someone with a MacBook could use it to get on the net.
- They could certainly be the first provider to make a phone that can ONLY be used handsfree (via the headphones).
- They could leverage their airport base stations to release a VoIP phone that works at home, work, and wireless hotspots.
- The obvious untapped area is integration of VoIP, 3G, & video - but all the big companies are looking at that. The other thing that most mobile companies are having trouble with is the killer app - so many phones have data connectivity, and people just don't know what to do with it. If Apple can make a compelling product there the phone companies will want to sell it.
ps. Apple might choose to make a phone with no music capability... just to delineate the product. That gives people something to understand... and then they can release the combo products.
Very good questions.
- Apple could release a stylish simple phone with a simple interface, and the capability of an iPod shuffle built in. There would really be nothing special about such a phone - at most they might give it 3G data connections so someone with a MacBook could use it to get on the net.
- They could certainly be the first provider to make a phone that can ONLY be used handsfree (via the headphones).
- They could leverage their airport base stations to release a VoIP phone that works at home, work, and wireless hotspots.
- The obvious untapped area is integration of VoIP, 3G, & video - but all the big companies are looking at that. The other thing that most mobile companies are having trouble with is the killer app - so many phones have data connectivity, and people just don't know what to do with it. If Apple can make a compelling product there the phone companies will want to sell it.
ps. Apple might choose to make a phone with no music capability... just to delineate the product. That gives people something to understand... and then they can release the combo products.
bogen
Aug 7, 05:21 PM
Can't wait to get one for work, ok I really really can't wait
ste1989
May 9, 09:41 AM
I don't know if anyone has mentioned this so far, but to me it is very obvious the reason why some features will be free.
The iChat and a/v integration on the next iphone.
Obviously iChat needs either a mobile me email address, or an AIM username, or some other less common ones.
Needless to say, AIM is not very popular outside of USA. Everyone uses hotmail or gmail afaik.
If they really want to plug the new iChat, they need to get as many people using it as possible, so therefore the @me email addresses will probably become free, and maybe more features with it
The iChat and a/v integration on the next iphone.
Obviously iChat needs either a mobile me email address, or an AIM username, or some other less common ones.
Needless to say, AIM is not very popular outside of USA. Everyone uses hotmail or gmail afaik.
If they really want to plug the new iChat, they need to get as many people using it as possible, so therefore the @me email addresses will probably become free, and maybe more features with it