rumors

This image of the unreleased Dave Smith Instruments Mopho Keyboard comes via Jabberwalky on flickr.

Is it a real photo of an unrealeased synth or just some create Photoshop work? And would you buy a Mopho Keyboard?

You make the call – and leave your reasons!

Macworld San Francisco 2009 starts next week – so MacRumors put together a Rumor Roundup summarizing speculation on what will be announced.

We already know that Steve Jobs is not planning to make an appearance and that Apple is not planning on participating in future events. This suggests that Apple is likely to save its most important announcements for 2009 for its own events, rather than Macworld. 

Here are the highlights of Apple rumors for MacWorld:

• New iMac and Mac mini - The latest versions of Mac OS X include references to NVIDIA-based iMacs and Mac minis. The NVIDIA chipsets were just introduced into Apple’s notebook line and promise faster graphics hardware for these new models. Rumor suggest that updated iMacs with Quad-Core processors are in the pipeline, and that updated Mac minis will support up to 4GB RAM and dual monitors. More powerful Mac minis would be welcome – but Apple doesn’t sell what you want, they sell what they think you will want in the future. 
• 17″ MacBook Pro – Fixed Battery - Aside from adopting the NVIDIA chipset and aluminum unibody design, the most notable change expected is the elimination of a removable battery. While most people may not have to replace their batteries, the change would be a real inconvenience for power users that do have to change or replace their batteries. 
• iLife ‘09. iWork ‘09 - Apple may make a major effort to turn portions of their iLife and iWork products into Internet services. This would allow some or all of iWork and iMovie to be accessed from your web browser and possibly your iPhone. 
• GarageBand – Apple may begin selling “celebrity music lessons” to GarageBand customers.
• iPhone and iPhone Nano – few expect major iPhone announcements at MacWorld
• Cinema Displays / Mac Pros / Home Media Server / Tablet or PDA – no confirmation on rumors for these items. 

All in all – it seems likely to be a fairly quiet MacWorld, with Apple saving its big ammo for its own events. 

I’d like to see updated minis, an Apple TV update that turns the system into an iPhone-like software platform, as Apple did and some sort of expandable media server. 

What do you expect from Apple at Macworld? Anything that will affect how you make music?

2009 NAMM Show rumor: GearJunkies reports on a 61-keyboard version of the Kurzweil PC3, the Kurzweil PC361, which is rumored to be coming in January. 

It would be welcome to see a new keyboard from Kurzweil, but we’d rather see something revolutionary than evolutionary.

Got any more NAMM rumors? Leave a comment! Read more…

The Quietus reports that Brian Eno will be creating the score for Lord Of The Rings director Peter Jackson’s next film, The Lovely Bones.

The Lovely Bones is based on Alice Sebold’s 2002 novel about a murder victim watching friends and family from beyond the grave. The movie is expected to start Mark Wahlberg & Rachel Wiesz.

Eno’s last score was for the 2005 film The Jacket.