Well, with Apple and Avid out of the show, the congestion factor should be down. I know last year wasn't bad, but the last few years with Apple and Avid directly across from each other moving through that area was a pain.

Official Announcement?
 

Anyone know if we should expect an official statement from Apple about the NAB thing? Avid put out a press release announcing why they wouldn't be attending, but is Apple going to, or should they be expected to?

Here's an article in the Hollywood Reporter:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...4c4333c0daa68c

And here's an article about Apple getting into broadcast:
http://broadcastengineering.com/news...ceptance_0211/

What has really happened is that Avid has gotten a solid knock down blow. They had to pull out of NAB. They couldn't sustain the competition against Apple and Grass Valley. This is not unlike how the U.S. knocked the wind out of the former Soviet Union with the arms race.

Apple now pulls out of NAB, so it can marshall all its resources, come around the end and give Avid the real death blow.

By the end of the year, Avid will be close to calling a liquidation company.

Meanwhile, Avid has been quietly setting Pinnacle free, like an innocent child is set graciously in the a row boat and pushed away, leaving the Titanic to go rushing to the bottom of the sea.

I see this more as an indication of the state of NAB, not Avid or Apple.

Oh, well. NLE wars are more exciting.

But the truth is, the way people get info and sales are made is changing. This past year DV Expo in Los Angeles was frightfully spare. Lots and lots of exhibitors I've seen there before weren't there this time.

With instantaneous communication and with video production becoming ubiquitous, networking is more important and big showing is waning it seems.

A conspiracy theory laid to rest from "Is Apple Shedding its Final Cut Pro Apps at NAB?"

http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/0...o-apps-at-nab/

However there is an error in the piece:

Actually, Avid announced months prior. Not days or even weeks... but months.

There is no truth to the rumor that Apple is selling the Pro-Apps or have sold or is willing to sell. None. Zero. How do I know this? I just do. I'm in a position to know. Apple has committed heavily to the FCPUG SuperMeet April 16 at NAB. Do you think a company not committed to its users would commit to a User event?

This rumor needs to stop. It is hurting a lot of people because a lot of people are believing it. Smart people who don't have the time to think this rumor through and see it for what it is, an utter load of crap. These believers are now questioning Apple's commitment to them and that hurts sales and/or stalls sales. People make a living using these apps are being hurt. It is irresponsible to perpetuate this rumor so please just stop speculating and let it go. Its over. It's yesterdays fish wrap. Lets move on to rumors about Britney.

I read about the x-serv raids too. This one I'm not reading much into this one. They probably weren't making much money on that line and axed it. If I were in the market to buy a big expensive raid system I would have gone third party for cost savings alone. No big deal here I don't think.

I hope not...Pinnacle selling to Avid is one of the reasons I switched from Liquid to Final Cut Pro (that and they wanted $700 to upgrade from 5 to 6).

Another reason is to get a Premiere system that would come anywhere close to the FCP system I got, I would have had to spend several thousand more than I did with my FCP system.

I'll have to beat them if they did/do sell...But I seriously doubt they did or will because they would piss off a LOT of high-end clients and probably even some studios as well.