NAB Keynote Today, Check Here Later for Coverage

So today is the day, the annual Apple keynote at NAB. Now, NAB isn’t your typical keynote. It’s not hosted by Steve Jobs, and you usually don’t get all the marketing and financial filler before the unveilings unlike other keynotes. The NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) is flocked with professional broadcasters every year, and is therefor a perfect setting, each year, to unveil some professional products that broadcasters and video professionals will find useful. So, that being said, here are my predictions for NAB.

1. MacBook Pro
I don’t predict an HD screen. Why? Because even if you did have an HD screen, HD content wouldn’t look so different when put on the current 17″ MacBook Pro’s display. The resolution might increase, but HD content will look the same or, at most, a tiny bit different. Yes, the user could see full size HD videos, and edit them at their full size, but this is not a priority among most, and I myself find the current resolution of 1680×1050 more than enough. These HD displays would also increase prices beyond which, in my opinion, Apple would want them to. I predict speed bumps in these portables, from 2.33 to 2.66. I also predict RAM limits being pushed to 4 GB instead of 3 GB. That’s all for the 17″. As for the rumored ultra portable MacBook Pros, I highly doubt they will be released today.

2. Final Cut
Final Cut Studio will definitely be upgraded today, as the last large version update was about two years ago. Expect price drops (as we have seen with Shake) and, of course, Leopard compatibility. I also expect Final Cut Extreme, Apple’s rumored high-end pro editing app. Why Final Cut Extreme? Rumors about the app have said that it requires an extremely powerful machine, and this now makes sense as Apple has released the eight-core Mac Pro. Final Cut Extreme is rumored to go on sale for a hefty price of $10,000.

3. Cinema Displays
Please, Apple, please update these displays! The current form factor was introduced in 2004, and has only had very small updates and price drops since. The prices on the displays were also dropped last week, implying an update to arrive soon. My prediction is that prices rise again, resolutions increase, form factors possibly change, and built-in iSights. However, my prediction on the iSights has become less and less possible over time due to the fact that 10.4.9 supports most webcams. Expect these to be updated today, if not very soon.

The keynote starts at 11 AM Pacific time.