Many rumours are afoot with regards to Apple's upcoming WWDC. Sources are reporting that it is possible for the entire lineup of Macs are to be refreshed, including the well out-of-date Mac Pro, Mac Mini, iMac, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air
My predications largely based on what I've been reading so far includes a new iOS version, iOS 6 with 3-D maps utility by Apple, Siri for the new iPad. Also likely: iCloud Tabs, Mail VIPS, and a new Do Not Disturb feature. I think Apple will also release the latest version of OS X or Mountain Lion with more iOS-like features like messages, a notification center, reminders, notes and a new game center among other things. On the hardware side I expect a new Mac lineup including a new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, and iMac. I'm hoping for a new version of the Mac Pro but I'm not holding my breath. Apple appears to be putting this amazing desktop out to pasture which is unfortunate considering it's a great machine. We haven't seen a new since 2010 so I doubt we'll see a new one this go round. I'd be pleasantly surprised if we see a new version. I have an older model and think it's the best. Once again these predictions are based on what others think as well. I think Apple will hold out until fall on a iPhone refresh or the rumored iPad mini. As always the rumors and the predictions make this another much anticipated event and announcement. It will be interesting to see what we see exactly what Apple comes out with on Monday. It won't be the same without Steve Jobs magnetic charisma.
OK - this one is coming right out of left field...
A few months ago I picked up an Asus Windows 7 tablet (first Windows machine I have had in years) and was blown away by how good OneNote is. The ability to send an email into OneNote, make notes on it and then send it back out as an email complete with notes is terrific... Writing on the tablet with its Wacom digitizer is also a delight - which makes it all the more ridiculous that Microsoft's own OneNote app for iOS doesnt support inking - its leading feature.
With Windows 8 coming down the pike later this year and such a strong focus on Metro, I suspect the majority of Windows machines sold within the next couple of years will have touch capability - making OneNote a VERY attractive tool in the hands of many executives and reducing the need for an iPad.
Writing notes on the iPad on the oher hand is an exercise in compromise from start to finish. Steve Jobs may have been right when he was decrying the stylus for the iPhone - but the iPad has a totally different usage case and surely SOMEONE at Apple has seen what might be coming at them in the next couple of years.
In 2011 a patent was revealed from Apple for a Smart Pen device - in fact for a couple of them - so I believe this years "one more thing" will be a Smart Pen range of devices. Running Bluetooth 4 they will be extremely low power and pressure sensitive enabling decent handwriting at last on the iPad.
Further think there will be two devices - one a simple stylus that may come with future iPads or as a $30 accessory. Secondly, a more expensive variant that has a small screen mirroring Notifications and perhaps other "bite sized" chunks of information.
Drawing a long bow from there, we havent seen an update to iWork on the desktop for three years now so it would make sense for a new app to be included in an iWork 2012 release with similar functionality to OneNote with decent OCR/handwriting to text and full Spotlight integration. All of this would be kept seamlessly in sync with the iPad vesrion via iCloud. Of course on the iOS version for the iPhone we cant have a stylus - so Siri would be fully integrated for taking Notes on the go...
Anyway - thats my 10c. If its not something in the pipeline it really should be! What do you guys think?
Here is my final rumour collection with websites that provided them. I will clean up the original post shortly. This list was compiled by hand, so its possible I missed a few
