Apple To Release Home Media Center: iHome
The Apple Blog has obtained, from reliable sources, information on an upcoming release from Apple of the much rumored home media center. It will be called iHome. The following images that we received from said source are believed to be a mix of official product photos (promo images) as well as product mock ups.
iHome will have the following specs:
The ability to stream video/audio/pictures from and to many Apple products (iPod, shuffle, all laptops, all desktops) on it’s local network.
450 gig hard drive.
1.5 GHz G5
2GB of RAM (upgradeable to 6GB)
SuperDrive (can burn DVD’s in real time)
Component, composite, S-Video, DVI, and HDMI inputs and outputs.
5.1 Digital audio output
Firewire
USB 2
Airport Extreme
AM/FM Tuning
The base price for iHome will be approximately $1,500. A release date is unknown though sources believe it could be ready by late summer or early fall.
Note: Click on the following thumbnails for a full size image.
Note: We’ve also received information on the release of an Apple PDA, the iNote.












David Appleyard on April 1st, 2005 at 6:34 am
If only
That would be so incredibly fantastic :)
B.Greenway on April 1st, 2005 at 6:51 am
Nice one, cant wait to pre-order :P
Peter Koritschan on April 1st, 2005 at 6:54 am
Beautiful, and I would so love it, but being April’s fool day, I must say: good one! LOL.
Dan on April 1st, 2005 at 8:38 am
Josh told me he had something big planned for today, but he refused to tell me what. Either he is an amazing practical joker, and a wiz at photoshop (which he is), or he has really really bad timing when it comes to big announcements.
HomunQlus on April 1st, 2005 at 9:58 am
Only if…
but there’s no 450 Gig HD available today! Gotcha…
Josh Pigford on April 1st, 2005 at 10:03 am
Actually HomunQlus, you’re wrong. There are drives as big as 2TB available. And just because right this moment you don’t think there is one available, why couldn’t there be one?
Melangell on April 1st, 2005 at 10:45 am
I feel that monkeys (not Monkees) are preparing to jump from someones arse
Robert Boylin on April 1st, 2005 at 11:24 am
Good effort! IMHO Jobs probably has some new features more important than packaging a PC in a consumer box. I would like to see a web distribution service that allows subscribers to download via a Bit Torrent type technogy with their Apple hardware based on the forthcoming Cell processor. Add ultra wi-fi to be able to distribute HD video directly to monitors and audio units of Apple’s design Sony is building their own FAB for Cell production and Toshiba might do so as well once volume grows. IBM’s production won’t be consumed by their workstation products. I’m hoping Apple’s secrecy is at work in their not being announced as a Cell partner.
Ian on April 1st, 2005 at 11:40 am
It’s bizarre that someone spent so much time/detail on these but left a port labeled “DIGIATL OUT” in big, bold letters
Adri on April 1st, 2005 at 12:36 pm
The more I look at it, the more I think it resembles the Altec Lansing MX5021 series that we pair up with the G5 iMac in the Applecentre here in Singapore :)
Uncle Crusty on April 1st, 2005 at 1:03 pm
Very nice fakes. However, may I say that watermarks suck. They really detract from the lovely effort that went into creating these. Are you really *that* worried about people stealing your pictures?
Sorry, had to rant.
appleman on April 1st, 2005 at 2:27 pm
LOl.. i see the typo… sad..
Josh Pigford on April 1st, 2005 at 2:30 pm
Folks, that’s no type. Apple has actually invented a new way to spell that word.
tsal on April 1st, 2005 at 3:36 pm
HomunQlus Says:
Only if…
but there’s no 450 Gig HD available today! Gotcha…
ahem. [Link]
True, it’s a 500 GB hard drive, but still.
Mike P on April 1st, 2005 at 3:37 pm
Great! It even has invisible HDMI ports!!
John on April 1st, 2005 at 4:14 pm
I think its the fact that it only costs $1500 points out that its a joke :p
Andrew G on April 1st, 2005 at 4:15 pm
It looks great, but seems to lack a place for a power cord.
Josh Pigford on April 1st, 2005 at 4:18 pm
Andrew, the slot on the far left is where the chord plugs in.
Jim J on April 1st, 2005 at 4:21 pm
Bull ****. 450 gig?
Theo on April 1st, 2005 at 4:21 pm
Actually, guys. I think if you look closely, it has the same power connection that the Mac Mini has. It’s the left-most port.
Not that I think this is real, of course.
bigposerhead on April 1st, 2005 at 4:21 pm
even 500 gig hd in reality is closer to 450 gigs.
Wanderley on April 1st, 2005 at 4:29 pm
I know it’s April’s fool joke, but it is actually a good concept. Except that Apple’s remote would have a wheel…
grey on April 1st, 2005 at 4:35 pm
Oh man Apple is so gonna sue you for leaking information to the net
;)
Charlie Hayes on April 1st, 2005 at 4:38 pm
I like how there are no inputs. Wait, that makes it totally ******! nice try noobs! HAHAHAHHA
Mark on April 1st, 2005 at 4:44 pm
Wow, that’s the most futuristic looking coax jack I’ve ever seen!
Ted on April 1st, 2005 at 4:48 pm
The remote alone will cost a bazillion dollars.
Net Nutz on April 1st, 2005 at 4:56 pm
It could have a wheel, in sofware since the remote is touch screen. Would just have to be 2 cirlcle (inner one gray filled in or some such) with the 4 buttons moved to the 4 corners instead maybe. Not impossible, he just didn’t mock it up.
Rob on April 1st, 2005 at 5:02 pm
Hey DUMBASS, learn how to use apostrophes. “DVD’s” is totally, totally wrong. The apostrophe doesn’t need to be there. Also, you say that the device connects to “it’s” home network. You MORON.
FooManChoo on April 1st, 2005 at 5:03 pm
Hmm, on this picture:
http://www.theappleblog.com/wp-content/ihome/ihome-back.jpg
We see the awesome “DIGIATL OUT”
Nice try guys
Ed on April 1st, 2005 at 5:10 pm
If anything, that shows how much Apple designs are becoming predictable. It’s a totally believable design for them.
Me on April 1st, 2005 at 7:13 pm
Hi:
Actually, Rotel makes a snazzy remote like that.
G
jon on April 2nd, 2005 at 12:56 pm
It also wouldn’t say “woofer”, it would say “sub”
Tom on April 3rd, 2005 at 5:09 am
I read this on April 3. Does that make it real?
Josh Pigford on April 3rd, 2005 at 8:10 am
Why of course Tom!
ARI-Boy on April 3rd, 2005 at 5:05 pm
Why would any kind of “iHome” need any kind processor or RAM?
Just want a device that (wirelessly) links my Mac with a TV and hi-fi to store and display media files, possibly works as a PVR too with the ability to archive onto DVD or CD.
These kind of April Fool mock-ups are all well and good, but completely off the mark as to what is actually required IMHO!
Fifth on April 5th, 2005 at 10:48 pm
You guys are laying the future for Apple products..Haha
mat on April 7th, 2005 at 1:01 pm
Ian Says:
April 1st, 2005 at 11:40 am
It’s bizarre that someone spent so much time/detail on these but left a port labeled “DIGIATL OUT” in big, bold letters
I don’t see the mistake. Did they fix it and try to cover it up? i see DIGITAL. Google image search. It turns up more pics of this iHome. I am 50-50 on the realness of it
employee on April 8th, 2005 at 9:06 pm
fake
raph on September 14th, 2005 at 9:34 am
looooooooooooooooool
BRUHSED METAL BOXES
hahahahahahahaha
good one
Olly T on October 10th, 2005 at 10:41 am
Look at the date. Its an april fool!!!!!!!!!
oliver on November 27th, 2005 at 5:25 am
kiss my ass! baby !!!!!
cuga on December 13th, 2005 at 7:04 am
wow.. great.. i want it ;)
OneThirtyEight on January 4th, 2006 at 2:42 am
I see they fix’d the typo.
So… how about one of you geeks make something out of this.. Apple case modders have been doing cool shit for a while now. How about making one of these things REAL?
If not… then make a PC Media Center case that looks similar to this, cuz’ that’d be fuckin sweet.
OneThirtyEight on January 4th, 2006 at 2:43 am
Oh, and the funniest thing about this whole joke is…
1,500 Dollars!! LOL!! Apple…haha… yeah right…. More like 4k and your firstborn child.
joeyPatafondo on January 19th, 2006 at 12:13 pm
you people must get a life and adri stop filling my box with this ihome shit…..
token on January 19th, 2006 at 6:05 pm
So much for the G5…It’s Intel inside!!!
k9calamity on March 5th, 2006 at 9:05 pm
You know…. If Jobs came out with the intell core duo, low power consuming, 500GB model of this… I would buy it… But not for $1500… Thats what free (service provider’s) DVR’s and a cheap, cheap TV out card are for…
However, if this was more… lets say.. $500, I would get it… Maybe… But hey, my TV supports wireless computer connection stuff… So I’m okay… Pluss, withe airtunes, I have no need for it.
(Take a look at the new Tivo also… It can play photos from ur mac!)
(Then look at airport express.. Music!!!)
(OOOO, now get a “vga-svideo or a dvi-svideo” connector from apple for what… 19 bucks?
There you go..
Styl1n on March 18th, 2006 at 8:54 pm
Let’s face it. These are fakes. Look closely enough and u can clealy see the gentle gradients in the vents on the rear. Good fakes but fakes they still are.
I have to say though, fakes come around for a reason and what’s more, the iPod was a ‘fake’ 18 months before it was released. You think apple think up their own stuff. Think different? Think different person!
Keep up the good work though. Maybe if people stopped creating rumours about future apple releases and actually sent some real ideas into apple then ‘fakes’, or as i like to call them; ‘designs’, would have a proper place in all this.
john martin on June 6th, 2006 at 8:52 am
yoyo people this awsome
Víctor José García on July 5th, 2006 at 4:03 pm
I was waiting for this!! but… i don’t see de HDMI input and output in de image.
Why G5 and not Intel???
Let’s see!!!
Ellie on January 11th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
are ihomes expensive
Ellie on January 11th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
yello how much r they i have a project and i need 2 know
Ellie on January 11th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
fine l8r
kynzluv on January 29th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
u guys are all just weird. elleie do u ever shut up. i have an iHome and it kicks ass! it has everything so all yall better shut up. k!
kynzluv on January 29th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
hey oliver want 2 go out!!!!
Apple brand luvr on March 11th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
I think that i love Apple, but Apple is taking over the technologically advanced world. That would definately be awesome though because apple is allover the world now. Next i guess they’ll make an Ipod that can be playd with USB’s. that would be awesome. like a DVD that could hook into your ipod.
Apple brand luvr on March 11th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
I think that i love Apple, but it’s taking over the technologically advanced world. Next i guess they’ll make an Ipod that can be playd with USB’s. that would be awesome. like a DVD that could hook into your ipod.
J33 on April 19th, 2007 at 4:53 am
I can’t tell where you plug everything else you want to use in. I mean like a video tape player.
MacMan on May 15th, 2007 at 7:41 am
Okay, okay.. to me the speakers look like a mix of a Bose Lifestyle system and one of those clear subs for macs. In reality, there would not be more that on Video output and there would be all the speced. inputs.
theres my 2 cents..