It has become very apparent to anyone wanting one: It’s not that easy to purchase an “Apple iSight” firewire webcam. The former URL Apple.com/isight redirects to a general Mac accessories page. Only two items remain on the Apple.com page related to iSight accessories. Last Thursday, Patrick Ragsdale, rexblog director of hackology, was told by an Apple reseller that their company had been officially notified by Apple that the iSight camera model previously sold is officially retired. A search on eBay shows that used iSights are getting a premium. And on Amazon, the cameras are only available from resellers who are listing the price of a new iSight camera for $550, twice Apple’s price.

With such demand, why has the “firewire” iSight camera been discontinued? One obvious reason is that an iSight camera is now built into MacBooks and iMacs and new Apple monitors are expected to include them. Indeed, one of the current “I’m a Mac, I’m a PC” commercials is dedicated to touting the built-in iSight camera. However, there is still a need for an iSight camera that is independent from a MacBook or monitor. The one I have sitting on the top of my monitor is not only great for a face-to-face video chat, but also for swinging around so that someone can monitor the notes being written on a white board on the wall across from my desk. It is very apparent Apple doesn’t believe the only direction someone wants to point a camera is towards ones face as the camera on the new iPhone is pointed in the opposite direction.

So what gives?

My prediction — or more correctly, my wild guess — is that we’re about to hear an announcement of the #6 rumor on my “All the Apple rumors you’ll ever need“: A wireless iSight camera. I predict it will utilize 80211n and will work seamlessly with the new Apple Airport Extreme and a lot of Macs already sold that, for a $2 ‘unlock fee’ have 80211n. Perhaps an 80211n iSight camera could also work with the AppleTV so that you could stream video from the camera directly onto your HDTV (currently, the only feature of the AppleTV is the streaming of content from iTunes). A camera such as an 80211n wireless iSight camera with the proper type of power supply (the current iSight is powered by the computer via its firewire connection) could be used in a myriad of ways. For example an airport extreme (perhaps with a Mac mini) and a few wireless iSight cameras could be packaged as a powerful, yet comparatively low-cost video survelliance system.

Technorati Tags: apple, isight

As my home team did not make it into the playoffs this year, and my fall-back team lost last week, I’m free to have random reasons for selecting who I want to win today’s NFL conference championships, and thus play in the Super Bowl in two weeks.

In the NFC championship game between the New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears, I’ll have to go with the sentimental favorite (that is, sentimental for anyone who is not a Bears fan), the Saints. If the Saints win the Super Bowl, it will be the feel-good football story of all time. By June, it will be a movie. Besides, I hate hearing those Chicago fans whining about a quarterback who shares my first name.

In the AFC championship, I’m torn. I would be feeling sorry for Peyton Manning’s constant bridesmaid role were it not for his ubiquitous TV commercial spokesmanships. Is there a product for which he is not the endorser? However, Tom Brady is on every commercial Peyton Manning is not so it’s not like I can be against one of the teams for having an over-exposed quarterback.

Besides, I’m just tired of seeing the Patriots play in the Super Bowl. They need to go through a few decades of not playing in it like the rest of us. Also, despite my Manning fatigue, Tom Brady is just too perfect. He’s a great quarterback without all of Manning’s pretensions (like, we’re to believe, Manning studies game video 80 hours a week in between practicing and counting all his money). Also on his side, Brady wasn’t Mr. First Round pick like Manning. He came from way back and is now the defining quarterback of his generation. He appears on the cover of Mens Health magazine. I hate him.

So despite knowing that if Peyton Manning actually wins the Super Bowl, then we’ll be subjected to him on commercials for years, I don’t think he deserves being known as the big game chokingest quarterback of all time.

Anyway, if the Colts win the AFC championship, the Titans will be able to know they are capable of beating the AFC champions.

So, I’m picking the Colts today.

Bonus reason: I’d love to see a Colts vs. Saints Super Bowl. Such good fodder for sub-plots about New Orleans home-town guy (Manning) vs. the team that has helped to bring hope to the tragedy-filled region.

Later: The Bears won — two e-mails from readers of this blog suggest why I should pull for the Bears in the Super Bowl: Former Titans Fred Miller and Nashville native (Vanderbilt, Montgomery Bell Academy) Hunter Hillenmeyer are both players for da Bears.

Even Later: That is what a monkey coming off of ones back looks like. Peyton Manning won a big one. A really big one. Expect him to be in even more commercials. And it was the largest comeback ever in a conference championship game. Cool thing: The first time an African American head coach takes a team to the Super Bowl, there will be two.

Technorati Tags: nfl

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