Apple Reinvents Model Railroading with iDCC

Everyone knows that linux has had this capability for years. Sure you had to compile your own kernel modules, but Apple is just repackaging old technology again!

Nothing sells like apple products.  This could be the key to reaching the next generation. I might go for the green one. Think of all the possiblilities: I bet their next step is to introduce n scale (or even Z) sized ipods to put on your teenage passengers. Imagine the realism of the sound effects within your coach, or waiting at the platform.

Assuming this is for real (I googled the subject and came up with nothing), it will, in fact, be an innovation. It has nothing to do with the Apple "stuff", but the wireless power transmission. The reason I believe this to be a hoax is because I don't believe any consumer product would "make it" if it resulted in spontaneous combustion of anything (though it would be interesting to observe:):):):)), or required an automatic fire fighting system. Amusing............. Kerry

This is clearly a joke. The giveaway? "[T]he ease and simplicity of 802.11N wireless protocols"

Surely not on THIS day..wink wink! Apple does indeed have iDCC.....................it just doesn't mean ... what we think it should. In fact, if you google "apple iDCC" you will get the product announcement first posted......well, at least 90 percent of it (unedited). Even the contacts and pub listing are factual. Nice work. Wish I had found this one first.

...I would bet that Microsoft comes to market with a competitive product that costs a lot less and doesn't require zombie like devotion to the manufacturer.

If combusting cats and fire suppression equipment were not enough of a hint that this is April Fools Day, I think the recommendation of a 600 volt, 3 phase power drop to the layout makes it pretty clear. BTW, your shoelace is untied.

Cute. If anyone fell for this shame on you.

 Eric

 Deer Lodge, MT

IF they did come up with a system would it: for no reason derail every 30 miles or twice a day.......require a new engineer install with every load switched.........you would have to press a button twice; once to give the command, and once to verify you gave that command......your controller would include pop-up ads.......after a general protection fault error displayed on your controller screen, you would have to manually replace the entire consist back in the originating station?

But seriously, didn't Steve J. used to have two cats? You don't suppose... nah... Charles

Recieved this morning from someone who must have been Googling this subject:

 "As a spokesperson for Mr. Jobs, I would like to confirm that Steve (as we call him) does indeed have 2 cats. These are the same 2 cats that he found at the Woodside, CA iSPCA, using his iPhone to perform a local iSearch for abandoned animals in i2004. Steve's cats, Lisa and Mac, are happily living in their 4000 sq ft iCathouse and are enjoying their iFriskies and their little plush iMice toys. There have been rumors of some Apple iAssociates' cats gone missing; however, these rumors have been investigated and have no basis in iFact."

iDCC’s pioneering power delivery system, code named “Silent But Deadly” is an industry first Come ON guys . . . . . I'm a newbie to the group but THIS was a dead (IF silent) giveaway. It IS funny, though.

Folks, It is now April 7. Way past April 1, April fools day. Lets let this die a natural death till next year. See ya Ron

And it still got me....me being the computer geek and all....took a search on their website before I came back here to read a bit further. Very funny!

What I think is really funny, everyone bashes Microsoft and Bill Gates, yet Gates owns a sizable chunk of Apple Computers. Latest estimates are he owns somewhere between 40-50% of Apple. Seems everytime Apple brings out a product that tanks and the stock goes down, Bill buys it up... Case in point when the Apple Lisa came out and failed, Apple lost big and needed help... The first iMacs were junk, I worked Computer City at the time and he had a 60% return on defective iMacs. Stock went down, Gates got another piece. The first series of iPod Minis and Shuffles had severe problems, Apple lost on those, Bill bought more stock. There is a rumor that when Bill gets 51% of the shares, Apple computers will come with Vista only. Not a big deal as Macs only have 3% of the current market. Linux has almost 15% and is growing.

Funny thing too... Vista is so close to the MAC OS it is scary... BUT no one seems to like it, they all want to stick with Windows XP... go figure.

This is WAY off-topic but it's scary how you think that Vista is close to OS X. :-) While they both provide a GUI interface for their users, the two operating systems are functionally very different under the covers. There's no need to get into an argument about which is better but I have never heard anyone complain about OS X. -mike