Eidorian
May 3, 11:21 AM
These iMacs have discrete chips supporting 6 displays, too. But they are crippled by Thunderbolt, like the MBPs.
Do you think the MBPs will have the power for it also?As before, that support is entirely derived from ATI's GPUs and the available number of outputs.
You can get 5 Mini-DisplayPort connectors on a single slot video card.
Do you think the MBPs will have the power for it also?As before, that support is entirely derived from ATI's GPUs and the available number of outputs.
You can get 5 Mini-DisplayPort connectors on a single slot video card.
dejo
Nov 13, 02:42 PM
Obviously the images are copyrighted by Apple, and those images they don't want people using.
It's just not that cut-and-dried. Apple even provided an API to access these images under Mac OS X. So, seems they do want people using them.
It's just not that cut-and-dried. Apple even provided an API to access these images under Mac OS X. So, seems they do want people using them.
Popeye206
Apr 22, 08:51 AM
You never OWNED any of this stuff. You owned the physical media, and you had an unlimited license to you. The technology is just clarifying this.
If you had actually owned it, you could have copied it as much as you wanted-- legally-- and resold the copies to others. You have been capable of doing this, but it was illegal; it also was difficult to enforce the law. Now the technology is actually starting to match your legal rights. It's actually wonderful. You are not losing anything you had legally, but the true owners (the content creators and the people who support them financially) can stop getting ripped off by criminals.
+1 LOL!
Have to laugh... so many people here are upset about nothing. All it says in this rumor is that you would have the option of storing your libraries on-line and access them from multiple points. And if you upload something you already "own" they will take that too. Not just what you've purchased from iTunes.
It's a value added service that I'm sure Apple is looking to do something different with and I'm sure there's more to the story... like that this will be used for Video, books and other media too. The advantages:
Volkswagen - Small And Mighty
1953 Volkswagen Beetle Front
turboshaft engine
2000 Vw Beetle Engine Top View
This Beetle is a 1971 model
1964 Volkswagen Beetle Engine
New engine
2001 Volkswagen Beetle TDI
1969 VW Beetle (blue engine)
2000 Volkswagen Beetle Engine
1952 Vw Beetle Engine
1972 Volkswagen Beetle Engine
Pink Engine - QwickStep
VW RED ENGINE.
1963 Volkswagen VW Beetle
1967 Volkswagen Beetle Engine
If you had actually owned it, you could have copied it as much as you wanted-- legally-- and resold the copies to others. You have been capable of doing this, but it was illegal; it also was difficult to enforce the law. Now the technology is actually starting to match your legal rights. It's actually wonderful. You are not losing anything you had legally, but the true owners (the content creators and the people who support them financially) can stop getting ripped off by criminals.
+1 LOL!
Have to laugh... so many people here are upset about nothing. All it says in this rumor is that you would have the option of storing your libraries on-line and access them from multiple points. And if you upload something you already "own" they will take that too. Not just what you've purchased from iTunes.
It's a value added service that I'm sure Apple is looking to do something different with and I'm sure there's more to the story... like that this will be used for Video, books and other media too. The advantages:
ChazUK
Apr 19, 11:36 AM
This doesn't look like an iPhone 3GS? :confused:
http://www.parallelimported.co.nz/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/s/a/samsung_galaxy_tab_white_back.jpg
I say again Laguna, are you really liable to get these two pieces of hardware (manufacturing branding and all) confused?
I simply can't see it, especially with the huge size discrepancy.
http://www.parallelimported.co.nz/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/s/a/samsung_galaxy_tab_white_back.jpg
I say again Laguna, are you really liable to get these two pieces of hardware (manufacturing branding and all) confused?
I simply can't see it, especially with the huge size discrepancy.
Wolfpup
Jan 13, 01:11 PM
Explain how to set UAC up correctly to eliminate that issue with online games?
There's nothing to set up. You should increase the setting to maximum when you first install Windows 7, but other than that it has nothing to do with playing games online.
Because the cumulative vulnerabilities of third party software such as Flash, Java, and etc included by default in Mac OS X inflate the count for Apple. Vulnerabilities are attributed to the vendor if included by default. Most of these third party softwares have worse security in Windows.
Flash, Adobe, Java, etc. all have virtually identical issues under all three OSes. It's rare you see something that only affects one, unless it's a significantly different program.
There's nothing to set up. You should increase the setting to maximum when you first install Windows 7, but other than that it has nothing to do with playing games online.
Because the cumulative vulnerabilities of third party software such as Flash, Java, and etc included by default in Mac OS X inflate the count for Apple. Vulnerabilities are attributed to the vendor if included by default. Most of these third party softwares have worse security in Windows.
Flash, Adobe, Java, etc. all have virtually identical issues under all three OSes. It's rare you see something that only affects one, unless it's a significantly different program.
cube
Mar 30, 01:31 PM
Notice how its 1 word. "RoomStore". Room Store wouldn't fly. Its the little things
When would "Room Store" not fly? For a hotel?
When would "Room Store" not fly? For a hotel?
cmaier
Nov 13, 10:22 PM
Amen! You are on the dot! Everyone (including developers) complain about their app not getting approved for one reason or another, and yet it's always because they breached the Developers Guide for the App Store. Just ******** get a printer and print the damn pdf out. Then, step two, READ it. Then, before you go and submit the app, use it yourself and see if it follows the guidelines.
It's like high school, when the teacher gives you a RUBRIC to FOLLOW, when you FAIL, it's because you didn't follow it. So shut up, or nut up. And build a better app. Hopefully one that doesn't say "that's what she says". :mad:
Most of the complaints, including this one, are about when Apple rejects an app for something that is NOT in the developer's guide.
It's like high school, when the teacher gives you a RUBRIC to FOLLOW, when you FAIL, it's because you didn't follow it. So shut up, or nut up. And build a better app. Hopefully one that doesn't say "that's what she says". :mad:
Most of the complaints, including this one, are about when Apple rejects an app for something that is NOT in the developer's guide.
cmaier
Nov 13, 11:51 PM
Which law firm please. We'd all like to know for future reference, who to not trust our cases with. While most law has to do with the letter of the law, jury trials often are won or lost based on what the jury believes to be the intent or spirit of the law.
The british common law legal system was never intended to be like this. The lawyers have destroyed and twisted it beyond all recognition. It was originally supposed to be based on judeo-christian morals and ethics. There is not supposed to be a grey area. You are either deliberately infringing on the rights of others or you are not. The original intent was to have a court case as the last resort where parties would first try to solve the problem by talking to each other, then go to arbitration and then court as a last resort.
Wow. That's quite a diatribe. Historically inaccurate, too. English common law descends from the Roman system of laws that predates christianity (and which was not based on judaism) and from Saxon law, which also has nothing to do with judeo-christian ethics.
And juries are given instructions to follow the letter of the law as explained to them by the judge. Further, in the U.S. system, only matters at law, not equity, are subject to jury trial, and, in many cases, only if the defendant demands a jury trial.
You say:
"You are either deliberately infringing on the rights of others or you are not."
Ok. So when your third grader copies a few quotes from a book for his book report, he is infringing the copyright statute. But, of course, you complain that it's not the letter of the law that matters - it's the spirit. That's why judges came up with the fair use defense (later codified into the statute).
But what if the third grader copies 10 quotes? Still okay? A chapter? How about now? Where's the dividing line? What if instead of a third grader, it's another author who copies a few of the best quotes and competes with the first author? How about then? Gets more complicated, huh?
And that's why the fair use defense has evolved into a complicated legal test involving multiple factors. Among the factors:
the purpose and character of your use
the nature of the copyrighted work
the amount and substantiality of the portion taken, and
the effect of the use upon the potential market.
Let's look at these.
1) the purpose and character of your use
This is often called the transformative test. Am I creating something new and different and worthwhile to society, involving my own creativity? Many people say that the use in this case was pretty creative and useful, but let's assume no. So this factor weighs against fair use.
2) the nature of the copyrighted work
Published works, such as these icons, are entitled to less protection than unpublished. Also, factual or representative works, such as icons, are entitled to less protection than creative works like novels. So this factor weighs for fair use.
3) the amount and substantiality of the portion taken, and
A handful of icons out of an entire operating system? Seems small to me. Weighs for fair use.
4) the effect of the use upon the potential market.
By using these icons, is the "infringer" somehow preventing Apple from selling this sort of software, or preventing Apple from selling these icons? No. Again, weighs for fair use.
You simultaneously argue that things are black and white (you either infringe or you don't) and then you argue that the spirit of the law matters, not the letter. You argue for a bright line test, then for shades of gray.
Well, the answer is a little of both, but men and women far smarter than you have come up with the best tests they can to figure out how to deal with these fuzzy situations.
You can go to church and pray instead of going to court, if you'd like, but for those of us that believe in the legal system, we take solace in the fact that things really aren't black and white, and yet there is a framework in place that let's us try and figure these things out.
The british common law legal system was never intended to be like this. The lawyers have destroyed and twisted it beyond all recognition. It was originally supposed to be based on judeo-christian morals and ethics. There is not supposed to be a grey area. You are either deliberately infringing on the rights of others or you are not. The original intent was to have a court case as the last resort where parties would first try to solve the problem by talking to each other, then go to arbitration and then court as a last resort.
Wow. That's quite a diatribe. Historically inaccurate, too. English common law descends from the Roman system of laws that predates christianity (and which was not based on judaism) and from Saxon law, which also has nothing to do with judeo-christian ethics.
And juries are given instructions to follow the letter of the law as explained to them by the judge. Further, in the U.S. system, only matters at law, not equity, are subject to jury trial, and, in many cases, only if the defendant demands a jury trial.
You say:
"You are either deliberately infringing on the rights of others or you are not."
Ok. So when your third grader copies a few quotes from a book for his book report, he is infringing the copyright statute. But, of course, you complain that it's not the letter of the law that matters - it's the spirit. That's why judges came up with the fair use defense (later codified into the statute).
But what if the third grader copies 10 quotes? Still okay? A chapter? How about now? Where's the dividing line? What if instead of a third grader, it's another author who copies a few of the best quotes and competes with the first author? How about then? Gets more complicated, huh?
And that's why the fair use defense has evolved into a complicated legal test involving multiple factors. Among the factors:
the purpose and character of your use
the nature of the copyrighted work
the amount and substantiality of the portion taken, and
the effect of the use upon the potential market.
Let's look at these.
1) the purpose and character of your use
This is often called the transformative test. Am I creating something new and different and worthwhile to society, involving my own creativity? Many people say that the use in this case was pretty creative and useful, but let's assume no. So this factor weighs against fair use.
2) the nature of the copyrighted work
Published works, such as these icons, are entitled to less protection than unpublished. Also, factual or representative works, such as icons, are entitled to less protection than creative works like novels. So this factor weighs for fair use.
3) the amount and substantiality of the portion taken, and
A handful of icons out of an entire operating system? Seems small to me. Weighs for fair use.
4) the effect of the use upon the potential market.
By using these icons, is the "infringer" somehow preventing Apple from selling this sort of software, or preventing Apple from selling these icons? No. Again, weighs for fair use.
You simultaneously argue that things are black and white (you either infringe or you don't) and then you argue that the spirit of the law matters, not the letter. You argue for a bright line test, then for shades of gray.
Well, the answer is a little of both, but men and women far smarter than you have come up with the best tests they can to figure out how to deal with these fuzzy situations.
You can go to church and pray instead of going to court, if you'd like, but for those of us that believe in the legal system, we take solace in the fact that things really aren't black and white, and yet there is a framework in place that let's us try and figure these things out.
geerlingguy
May 3, 12:46 PM
We were discussing this a few threads down the front page.
Doubt the MacPro will be dead, but the market for it will shrivel up very badly unless some universal need for extreme processing is manufactured. With current processing speeds and ThunderBolt accessories, an iMac can become a full pro machine for all sorts of jobs that don't need to work titanic piles of data.
This Pro I purchased in early 2007 is still excellent. It will last until 2014 or beyond, and by that point I will probably go with an iMac. Today's iMacs are already faster than this tower in most ways.
Heck, my new 2.2 i7 quad MacBook Pro beats every one of the last Mac Pro revisions. The Mac Pro line is more and more for a very specialized audience�those who need the utmost performance and expansion (2-3 video cards, an extra I/O card, 4x SSD drives for speed + space for high end production work...
But for me, this is the fastest Mac I have ever touched. Way faster than the old 27" i5 I was using.
It's very much *not* about the speed nowadays. I worked from an 11" MacBook Air for a few weeks (to see if I could work on a 1.8 Ghz Core 2 Duo), and if it weren't for my work in Aperture, I would've gotten a 13" MacBook Air and been done with everything!
(Instead, I'm staying with a 15" MBP for the foreseeable future).
Doubt the MacPro will be dead, but the market for it will shrivel up very badly unless some universal need for extreme processing is manufactured. With current processing speeds and ThunderBolt accessories, an iMac can become a full pro machine for all sorts of jobs that don't need to work titanic piles of data.
This Pro I purchased in early 2007 is still excellent. It will last until 2014 or beyond, and by that point I will probably go with an iMac. Today's iMacs are already faster than this tower in most ways.
Heck, my new 2.2 i7 quad MacBook Pro beats every one of the last Mac Pro revisions. The Mac Pro line is more and more for a very specialized audience�those who need the utmost performance and expansion (2-3 video cards, an extra I/O card, 4x SSD drives for speed + space for high end production work...
But for me, this is the fastest Mac I have ever touched. Way faster than the old 27" i5 I was using.
It's very much *not* about the speed nowadays. I worked from an 11" MacBook Air for a few weeks (to see if I could work on a 1.8 Ghz Core 2 Duo), and if it weren't for my work in Aperture, I would've gotten a 13" MacBook Air and been done with everything!
(Instead, I'm staying with a 15" MBP for the foreseeable future).
kenypowa
Mar 30, 11:59 AM
Microsoft is suing homebuilders for offering "Windows" in their homes. Instead, they need to refer to them as "transparent viewing portals".
Where were you when Apple sued NYC for using "Big Apple" in its travel brochure? Apple is being a dick in this case.
Where were you when Apple sued NYC for using "Big Apple" in its travel brochure? Apple is being a dick in this case.
AndroidfoLife
Apr 16, 03:27 AM
in all seriousness people, this thing http://snowulf.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/USB-3-Mini-B-Connector.jpg is going to scare people off...
what is that. The usb 3.0 port on my PC looks nothing like that
what is that. The usb 3.0 port on my PC looks nothing like that
KnightWRX
Mar 30, 01:34 PM
An .exe is an executable, not an application. Some people may have called them applications, but not MS. Never. Until now.
See the screenshot posted all over this thread. Application has been used to described the filetype associated with .EXE in Windows Explorer for quite a while.
The fact is, Application has been in use in the Windows world forever. Win16 and Win32 are APIs and API means Application Programming Interface.
This is all besides the point, Apple is not trying to trademark Application or App. They are trying to trademark Grocery Store to sell their Groceries.
as I type this reply, using Safari, I open and close different "windows" on my iMac.
It's a good thing then that Microsoft's trademark on "Windows" does not apply to the graphical squares you see on screen but to Operating Systems then.
See the screenshot posted all over this thread. Application has been used to described the filetype associated with .EXE in Windows Explorer for quite a while.
The fact is, Application has been in use in the Windows world forever. Win16 and Win32 are APIs and API means Application Programming Interface.
This is all besides the point, Apple is not trying to trademark Application or App. They are trying to trademark Grocery Store to sell their Groceries.
as I type this reply, using Safari, I open and close different "windows" on my iMac.
It's a good thing then that Microsoft's trademark on "Windows" does not apply to the graphical squares you see on screen but to Operating Systems then.
1984
Sep 14, 04:54 AM
IF iPhone comes out right after the new iPod, the sale's of the lower-end iPod may be influenced by the iPhone.
Perhaps that is why the 5G iPod had such a minor update after a whole year not to mention a price drop. Got to make way for the more expensive iPhone next month.
Perhaps that is why the 5G iPod had such a minor update after a whole year not to mention a price drop. Got to make way for the more expensive iPhone next month.
shawnce
Sep 26, 03:08 PM
When will we see global releases of iTunes stuff? When the copyright holders, trade organizations, labor groups, local governments, etc. clean up their ***** mess of laws, taxes, etc.
...do that and then Apple will roll it out in very short order.
The simple fact of the matter Apple wants to make a simple to use and consistent service but so many road blocks exist to doing that because of the above mentioned mess that they cannot do it universally. Folks should be happy that companies like Apple are trying to push the world forward in this space.
Yet, it works fine in the middle of nowhere. On my way down to New Orleans, I was on the phone in some tiny little town that couldn't have had more than 500 people. The only thing this place had was a gas station. I'm on my phone and call quality is excellent. An hour later in NO, dropped calls and low signal as usual. Or when I'm on the backroads in Missouri talking, again, perfect signal. Enter the STL city limits? Goodbye service. What phone you have? The newer quad band phones get great service in and out of urban areas using Cingular.
...do that and then Apple will roll it out in very short order.
The simple fact of the matter Apple wants to make a simple to use and consistent service but so many road blocks exist to doing that because of the above mentioned mess that they cannot do it universally. Folks should be happy that companies like Apple are trying to push the world forward in this space.
Yet, it works fine in the middle of nowhere. On my way down to New Orleans, I was on the phone in some tiny little town that couldn't have had more than 500 people. The only thing this place had was a gas station. I'm on my phone and call quality is excellent. An hour later in NO, dropped calls and low signal as usual. Or when I'm on the backroads in Missouri talking, again, perfect signal. Enter the STL city limits? Goodbye service. What phone you have? The newer quad band phones get great service in and out of urban areas using Cingular.
mikes63737
Sep 12, 05:13 PM
Can you say "One More Thing 2"? :D
I'm glad that Apple isn't forcing all you with 5G iPods to buy new ones for the new features.
I'm glad that Apple isn't forcing all you with 5G iPods to buy new ones for the new features.
darklich
Apr 4, 11:56 AM
That's my Apple store. +1 for the good guys.
seek3r
May 3, 10:25 AM
So, with TB moving across the whole line, how long before we can buy a (Data | Display) splitter for TB so that people using the new systems can use external displays and the data connection at the same time without the PITA of daily chaining? Hope before I buy a new system :/
Still USB 2.0
Meh.
You'll need to wait for Ivy Bridge for USB3, that's when Intel is incorporating it into their chip sets. Did you really expect USB3 with this update? It's not like Apple has been incorporating non-Intel USB3 controllers in any other updated systems... We'll get it when Intel makes Apple get it, and not a moment before :-(
Still USB 2.0
Meh.
You'll need to wait for Ivy Bridge for USB3, that's when Intel is incorporating it into their chip sets. Did you really expect USB3 with this update? It's not like Apple has been incorporating non-Intel USB3 controllers in any other updated systems... We'll get it when Intel makes Apple get it, and not a moment before :-(
dst98
Apr 30, 01:21 PM
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_0 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8A293 Safari/6531.22.7)
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8H7 Safari/6533.18.5)
Just hope they don't decide to redesign the iMac the beginning of next year like they plan to do with the Macbooks.
Neither will be redesigned next year. Look at the length of time Apple stuck with the previous design. There are still a few years left to this "look."
When do you estimate they will come out with the redesigned exterior?
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8H7 Safari/6533.18.5)
Just hope they don't decide to redesign the iMac the beginning of next year like they plan to do with the Macbooks.
Neither will be redesigned next year. Look at the length of time Apple stuck with the previous design. There are still a few years left to this "look."
When do you estimate they will come out with the redesigned exterior?
ezekielrage_99
Sep 10, 08:41 PM
Ive heard about cloverton coming all along. and have put off buying a Mac pro
id much rather have 8 cores then 4 for the work i do
With people putting off for the "next big thing" I wonder how many people will end up buying nothing ;)
id much rather have 8 cores then 4 for the work i do
With people putting off for the "next big thing" I wonder how many people will end up buying nothing ;)
jjgb
Oct 12, 10:39 PM
Just uploaded a photo I took today of the 5th Av. Apple Store red logo. Check it out here: Red logo @ Apple Store 5th Av. (http://jj.gbtopia.com/blog/2006/10/12/red-logo-ny-apple-store-5th-av/)
GGJstudios
Mar 21, 11:25 PM
Not false read #104 :D
I did read it. It doesn't answer why there are no viruses today, now that Mac OS has greater market share than ever, when there were viruses back when it had a much smaller market share. The market share theory is pure nonsense. It doesn't stand up to simple math.
I did read it. It doesn't answer why there are no viruses today, now that Mac OS has greater market share than ever, when there were viruses back when it had a much smaller market share. The market share theory is pure nonsense. It doesn't stand up to simple math.
kiljoy616
Apr 4, 12:41 PM
Meanwhile, the robbers are shooting at him...So what if a robber got shot in the head.
So when was the last time that you heard of a person killing an animal for food. :eek: We are not just politically correct but so out of touch with reality. Its an exercise in will power to actually take an animals life with your own hands.
People just want the world to be a utopia :rolleyes: where the security guard pulls out his phaser :cool: and stun them but first he had his personal shield up just in case. :D
So when was the last time that you heard of a person killing an animal for food. :eek: We are not just politically correct but so out of touch with reality. Its an exercise in will power to actually take an animals life with your own hands.
People just want the world to be a utopia :rolleyes: where the security guard pulls out his phaser :cool: and stun them but first he had his personal shield up just in case. :D
aloshka
Apr 4, 11:56 AM
I'm as pro gun rights as anyone, but this sounds like a problem for the security guard. Unless that guard's life was in danger, there was no reason to shoot anyone, especially in the head. The placement of that shot was no accident.
That being said, I'm sure there are a lot of facts we don't know. Innocent until proven guilty, of course.
Only in America, can you have the intention to hurt/kill others, but until an x amount of people are hurt/shot or raped, then charges can be pressed allow criminals to make multiple attempts until they have a good successful one before they are official caught/punished. What the hell did he think would happen robbing a store while being armed? Cops would give him lollipops? Come on, people that rob banks shouldn't be "surprised" that they were shot. He knew the consequences of armed robbery.
That being said, I'm sure there are a lot of facts we don't know. Innocent until proven guilty, of course.
Only in America, can you have the intention to hurt/kill others, but until an x amount of people are hurt/shot or raped, then charges can be pressed allow criminals to make multiple attempts until they have a good successful one before they are official caught/punished. What the hell did he think would happen robbing a store while being armed? Cops would give him lollipops? Come on, people that rob banks shouldn't be "surprised" that they were shot. He knew the consequences of armed robbery.
AidenShaw
Mar 23, 09:54 PM
So its only SSD to SSD where you get the performance? For example, if I have a regular HD 7200 WD in my Imac and an externall Lacie SSD, I wont see the speeds posted? I needs to be SSD to SSD?
Even SSD to SSD you won't see the 10 Gbps wire speed - if for nothing else than the fastest SATA standard is 6 Gbps. (Assuming that the internal SSD isn't a RAID-0 pair on 6 Gbps SATA controller in a PCIe x8 slot.)
On the other hand, it *will* be faster than USB 2.0 or any shipping flavor of 1394 - so it's a good thing. An external ThunderPort drive will be as fast as an internal drive in the same configuration - because as far as the PCIe bus is concerned it *is* an internal drive.
Apples will finally have the same speeds that eSATA has been giving "the rest of us" for a long time - but there will be a very limited selection of products and most likely a much higher price unless ThunderPort breaks into the high volume mainstream. My guess is that ThunderPort will have a niche market for high-end and special-purpose peripherals (RAID arrays, video/audio professional gear, docking stations), but you won't find USB/1394/ThunderPort disks on sale at Costco. Just due to the butt-pain of daisy-chaining you won't see consumer-priced disks.
I'd buy a ThunderPort to 8 port eSATA hub in a microsecond if it had port-multiplier support, though. (Or, more truthfully, a microsecond after my non-Apple system could support ThunderPort.)
Even SSD to SSD you won't see the 10 Gbps wire speed - if for nothing else than the fastest SATA standard is 6 Gbps. (Assuming that the internal SSD isn't a RAID-0 pair on 6 Gbps SATA controller in a PCIe x8 slot.)
On the other hand, it *will* be faster than USB 2.0 or any shipping flavor of 1394 - so it's a good thing. An external ThunderPort drive will be as fast as an internal drive in the same configuration - because as far as the PCIe bus is concerned it *is* an internal drive.
Apples will finally have the same speeds that eSATA has been giving "the rest of us" for a long time - but there will be a very limited selection of products and most likely a much higher price unless ThunderPort breaks into the high volume mainstream. My guess is that ThunderPort will have a niche market for high-end and special-purpose peripherals (RAID arrays, video/audio professional gear, docking stations), but you won't find USB/1394/ThunderPort disks on sale at Costco. Just due to the butt-pain of daisy-chaining you won't see consumer-priced disks.
I'd buy a ThunderPort to 8 port eSATA hub in a microsecond if it had port-multiplier support, though. (Or, more truthfully, a microsecond after my non-Apple system could support ThunderPort.)