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Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Final Cut Pro - last rumors and news

Tonight's the night we find out what all the fuss is about. Will Apple dazzle us at the SuperMeet?

Tickets
If you're in Vegas, and still don't have a ticket, the last batch of tickets go on sale at 10:00am Vegas time:
SuperMeet

The doors open at 4:30PM for the SuperMeet Digital Showcase, and the stage show begins at 7:00PM (Las Vegas time)


Reporting
Still no word on a Live Stream, but it appears there will NOT be one this year. [CONFIRMED: NO LIVE STREAM]

Live Blogs: No one seems to be doing those either, except for this French one! : www.finalcutmtl.org: Supermeet live sur Final Cut MTL

Looks like Twitter is going to be the place to get the latest buzz.


More Rumors
Business Insider thinks Apple is going to launch a "far reaching" video service:
Apple will use its new massive data center in North Carolina to offer an advanced web-based video subscription product that rivals Netflix.
Apple's been building this data center for ages now, and for just as long, people keep predicting Apple is going to announce something to do with it [it's turning into another 'Beatles on iTunes' meme! -Ed]

Maybe they'll announce a new and improved Apple TV or an actual TV with an Apple in it sometime, but I don't think this is the right venue. NAB is too business oriented for a consumer product announcement...Note too that Engadget doesn't appear to be live blogging this event!
BusinessInsider:Apple Ready To Launch "Far Reaching" Video Service That Will Disrupt Traditional TV Business


The Support Partners blog seems to think a lot of Apple people had no idea this was going to happen, that it's a real preview, and the final release may be months away.

The 4-5 months seems just a bit too far in the future, but waiting for Lion seems likely. Lion is supposed to come out in the summer, so 2 months seems a more likely date....surely!

Support-Partners: Final Cut Studio X Rumors



Predictions
Chris Fenwick wrote a list of things he would like to see in the new Final Cut [Final Cut Studio 4 Review], then Chris White at The Unofficial Apple Web Log wrote a wish list [Dear Apple, here's our Final Cut Studio wishlist] and the first Chris can't help thinking that the two lists are kind of similar: Did TUAW Read my "Review"?


Larry Jordan - who saw the original demo a while back - doesn't offer his predictions on the interface - or even features - he wonders how much it will have changed based on the input of those present:
When Apple presented the software to the group, they asked us to provide feedback. I provided a great deal, and I’m sure others did as well. I’m curious as to how Apple responded to what they heard.
LarryJordan: Twas The Night Before Supermeet – Thoughts from NAB


Paul Griffiths, after seeing what Adobe has done with the Photoshop SDK, wonders if Apple will make it possible to use the iPad as an interface to Final Cut (rather than running Final Cut)
offline-editor: FCP8 thoughts: Touch API for Final Cut?



My Ratings
Just for fun, here's my ratings on the rumors and suggestions that have been floating around the past month. Let's see how I do.
  • They'll change the name to iMove Pro [THUMBS DOWN]
    the audience would rise up and kill them!
  • Tighter integration of functions. [THUMBS UP]
    This just seems like a no-brainer. The question is; how much compositing will be integrated into Final Cut?
  • 64-Bit [THUMBS UP]
    If they can't manage that, what were they doing all this time?!
  • Won't be released until Lion [THUMBS UP]
    Lion ii only 2-3 months away, so why not wait for that? It'll probably require Lion.
  • Won't be released for Two to Three months [THUMBS UP]
    Maybe they'll announce the ship date for Lion too?
  • Will be sold on the App Store [THUMBS UP]
    Another no-brainer!
  • Price will go down [THUMBS UP]
    Just seems the nature of things
  • Steve Jobs will be there [THUMBS DOWN]
    Sorry, but it just doesn't seem big enough for Steve; unless Apple is truly taking over the world of video with production and distribution agreements, the whole works!
  • Support for uncompressed formats and acceleration with graphics cards [THUMBS UP]
    They shouldn't even bother demoing if they don't have that!
  • Support for Touch interface [THUMBS DOWN]
    doing intensive editing work on a touch screen just doesn't make sense for power users
  • BUT: use of the iPad as a touch surface [THUMBS UP]
    having already played with an interface for sound controls on Final Cut using the iPad, and seeing Adobe's presentation, this seems almost irresistible.
  • New Mac Pro announced with Thunderbolt support [THUMBS UP]
    If not here, then where?
  • New iMac [THUMBS DOWN]
    these should be updated soon, so maybe they will announce them here, but only because they have nothing better to fill the time with.
  • Improved Blu-ray support [NEVER!]
    ever, ever
  • iPad 2 support for Thunderbolt [Thumbs Down]
    I doubt they feel they need to add that just yet

1 comment:

Unknown said...

what if all these apple distribution a la netfilx rumors is tied into the new FCP, new data center and all... indie filmmakers can now distribute to the masses, apple gets a cut, like the app store?