January 7th, 2009
MWSF09 Best in Show: DJay
DJay ($50) is one of my favorite software titles here at Macworld Expo and I’m awarding it with an O’Grady’s Best in Show award for it’s slick interface and totally intuitive operation.
If you’re a novice you’ll appreciate its simple operation, djay sees your iTunes library and double clicking a track in the right pan instantly adds it to an available turntable. You can scratch a track by clicking and dragging the record and you can jump to any point in the track by clicking and dragging the turntable’s tone arm. Double clicking a second track cues it up on the other deck. You can use the crossfader switch tracks or click on the transition buttons for a smooth mix. A BPM tab allows you to tap to figure out the BPM of a song. Auto-BPM would be nice, but it’s not in this version.
Pros will love the multi-touch trackpad scratching (nice!), instant pre-cueing (either with USB headphones or a Griffin iMic), real-time sampler and visual loops. If you’ve got the “scratch,” buck up for the Vestax DJ MIDI controller with dual jog wheels (about $500) and you’ll be in DJ hardware heaven.
January 7th, 2009
Finding bandwidth in San Francisco
One thing that’s been driving me nuts here at Macworld Expo in San Francisco is the horrible state of affairs with bandwidth and the AT&T 3G cloud. Phone calls are hit or miss on AT&T’s cell network. About half of my calls don’t connect, fail in the middle or otherwise have weird silent dropouts throughout the call.
Data connections on AT&T are brutally slow and the iPhone’s 3G icon will randomly switch the evil EDGE “E” for no good reason. I thought SF was supposed to be wired? SpeedTest.net won’t even load on Mobile Safari on EDGE and my iPhone can’t hold a 3G connection to save its life. Previously, the fix for no 3G was to reboot the iPhone, now even that doesn’t work.
People, can you please get off the 3G network so that I can have a little bandwidth?
Even worse: A quick check of SpeedTest.net reveals that I am currently getting a miserable 750 kbps (down) and a pitiful 150 kbps (up) with my Verizon USB727 EVDO card connected to my MacBook Pro. I know it’s not WiFi, but still.
So, is it just a timing thing? Are all the iPhone toting Macheads simply oversaturating AT&T’s 3G network? Didn’t AT&T just ramp the 3G network just recently? Maybe there’s some other reason for the horrible bandwidth in SF this week, I’m just not sure what it is.
One thing I am sure of: iPhone users are definitely having a poor experience here in San Francisco, at least this week.
Can you hear me now?
January 6th, 2009
Macworld Expo: Color freak
ColorMunki Photo was released earlier in the year but I hadn’t had a chance to see it in action. I admit that I once worked in the color calibration industry, so I’m a soft touch for a demo.
(If you don’t get what the deal is about color calibration, it’s the search for ways to improve the consistency and accuracy of your color devices, such as a monitor and a printer, so that what you see on one device you may get on hardcopy. It’s not easy technology, nor inexpensive. The ColorMunki Photo has a list price of about $500; and it’s around $400 online.)
January 6th, 2009
MacBook Pro 17 (Early 2009) observations
For me the new, unibody MacBook Pro 17-inch (PN MB604LL/A) is probably the most exciting thing announced here at Macworld Expo. Not only because I’m more of a hardware guy but also because I’m a MacBook freak. So, where to start? The MBP has three compelling new features.
The new MBP17 has a matte screen option. Can I get a Hallelujah?!
I’ve been a staunch critic of glossy displays in MacBooks, and I’m not the only one. It appears that Cupertino is finally listening. The unibody MacBook Pro 17 is the first in the new form-factor MacBooks to offer a configuration with a matte screen Apple calls “antiglare.” It’s a $50 option though, which is a bit of a slap in the face. If I’m spending $2,800 on a notebook computer you’d think that Apple would throw in the matte screen option. But at least it’s available, which is excellent. The question that remains is if the matte screen option will trickle down to the MBP15 and even the MB13. Representatives in the Apple booth didn’t know the answer when I asked them today.
The new MBP17 can support up to 8GB of maximum RAM (and has 4GB standard) which is a huge step in the right direction. If you can get past the 8GB $1,200 sticker price, that is. I’m sure that the RAM price is so high because the new 17 ships with two, 2GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM modules and both have to be removed and replaced with two, 4GB modules to get to 8GB. Prices will eventually come down and 8GB is an attractive option for memory hungry applications and anything to do with virtualization.
Look ma, no latches!
The MBP17’s fixed battery is a bit of a scandal. It’s as if Apple didn’t learn its lesson with the MacBook Air and iPhone batteries. After watching the video by the battery engineers during today’s keynote, I’m partially convinced. Their justification is that fixed batteries save a lot of room previously occupied by connectors, latches and doors. A fixed battery can use more internal real estate in the enclosure to store power – goes the refrain. As a result the MBP17 fixed battery holds 40 percent more energy and will last up to 8 hours on a charge (7 hours when using the faster NVIDIA 9600M GT chip) according to Apple.
I’m curious about the real-world run times though. Most companies base their battery benchmarks on perfect world conditions and it will be interesting to see how long the new battery really lasts. The third USB port is a welcome addition but it comes at the expense of a dedicated FW400 port on the previous model. Solid State Drives (SSDs) are now available as 128MB (+$500) and 256MB (+$900) options. In case you’re wondering, a maxed out MBP17 configuration (2.93GHz, 8GB, 256GB SSD and anti-glare) will set you back $5,250. Start saving your nickels and dimes, kids.
I’m going to wait and see if the anti-glare screen trickles down to the MBP 15-inch before diving in, although the 8GB of RAM is attractive.
What about you?
Loading …January 6th, 2009
Macworld Expo 2009 keynote stream posted
Apple has posted a stream of today’s keynote address by Phil Schiller at Macworld Expo here in San Francisco. The Apple Keynotes podcast (iTunes) has not yet been updated as of this writing.
Apple’s Web site features rotating pages with new announcements today. All the information can also be found in new product pages for iLife ‘09, iWork ‘09 and the MacBook Pro 17-inch.
The Apple online store is open and press releases are posted for the new products.
- Changes Coming to the iTunes Store
- Apple Introduces 17-inch MacBook Pro With Revolutionary New Built-in Battery That Delivers Eight Hours of Use & 1,000 Recharges
- Apple Introduces iLife ’09
- Apple Unveils iWork ‘09
After watching the stream, how do you rate Phil Schiller’s performance?
January 6th, 2009
Cloud Computing: Apple vs. Microsoft
Both Apple and Microsoft rolled out the beginnings of a cloud computing strategy on Tuesday. Apple introduced a beta of its iWork.com document sharing service and Microsoft’s Mac Business Unit unveiled Document Collaboration Companion for Mac Beta.
At the Macworld Expo keynote, Phil Shiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, announced the beta of iWork.com as a trailer of its iWork ‘09 introduction. The service will let iWork ‘09 users post documents to the online site as well as send notifications users and workgroups.
According to Shiller, the program converts the iWork document into a number of cross-platform formats for sharing files with Windows colleagues, including PDF and MS Word.
In a browser, the iWork.com document supports multiple notes along with related discussion threads as well as separate, document-wide discussions.
Analysis: While some folks want more cloud strategy, this implementation is clean, user-friendly and looks do-able for Apple. With all the problems with Mobile.Me, this service looks like a winner.
Meanwhile, stealing a bit of Apple’s spotlight on the cloud, Microsoft took aim at Office for Mac users will soon have “simplified and efficient collaboration” with connections to Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies and Microsoft Office Live Workspace. Due later this year, will be the result: Microsoft Document Collaboration Companion for Mac Beta.
January 6th, 2009
Live: Philip Schiller keynote at Macworld 2009
This page is the live, real-time coverage of the Phil Schiller keynote at Macworld Expo 2009. It is presented in reverse chronological order. Read from the bottom up if you prefer to start from the beginning.
See other live coverage from CNET News, Engadget and Techmeme. See live photo gallery of event too.
## END ##
10:31 a.m. PST: Schiller kicks last Macworld keynote to Tony Bennett. “The best is yet to come.” Bennett performs stage right on a slide-out stage.
10:25 a.m. PST: “One last thing,” says Schiller. iTunes time. 75 million credit cards account on file, 6 billion songs sold, No. 1 channel in the U.S….Three things new. Price (three tiers starting in April–99 cents, 69 cents and $1.29). What is this Taco Bell. iTunes Plus is the second thing with 256 Kbps encoding and 8 million songs DRM free starting today. Big applause. 10 million songs DRM free by end of quarter (bigger applause). iTunes now also allows purchase over 3G–not just Wi-Fi. Same price and selection. iTunes over 3G starts today.
10:22 a.m. PST: Here’s the line on the 17 inch MacBook Pro:
- $2799 2.66 C2D, 4GB, 2 GPUs, 320GB HDD;
- Starts shipping in late January;
- Environmental report card: EPEAT Gold 2009
10:20 a.m. PST: So what exactly do I do after 1,000 recharge cycles. Leave it to Apple to spin a fixed battery. Pass the Kool-Aid. Schiller says the battery lifespan is five years. Schiller gets applause for battery but it’s 5 out of 10 on the applause-o-meter. Schiller says there will be less batteries thrown away.
10:15 a.m. PST: Schiller steals Jobs’ line and says “one more thing” as he mentions a 17 inch MacBook Pro. Schiller said it quickly. The MacBook Pro will be unibody aluminium (no surprise), will be .98 inches (world’s thinnest) and 6.6 pounds (the lightest for 17 inches. it also has a 1920 x 1200 screen with $50 anti-glare option. Death to the glossy and my prayers have been answered. However, there’s the “integrated battery connector” when showing the side ports and referring to the LED battery gauge. Schiller confirms the fixed battery on the 17 inch MacBookPro. Other details: Up to 8GB RAM, 9400M with 512, both GPUs built in, SSD option. Battery is the most important feature though. Battery lasts up to 8 hours and 1,000 recharge cycles without adding to weight or size. There’s a 40 percent larger battery since Apple made it fixed. The battery has custom shaped cells an lithium polymer. The lifespan of the battery is supposed to be three times longer than the industry average.
10:09 a.m. PST: Some clarity on iWork pricing. For now it’s a free beta but will be a new fee-based service at some point. No word on iPhone editing.
January 5th, 2009
Mac OS X Snow Leopard: What price?
Behind the scenes at Macworld Expo, developers have mostly good things to say about OS X 10.6, called “Snow Leopard.” While details may emerge during Tuesday’s keynote presentation, the biggest question mark is the cost of the update.
One developer wondered about Snow Leopard’s marketing: “From a marketing point of view, if you call something ‘Leopard’ and the next version is ‘Snow Leopard,’ then that [latter version] has to be free. Maybe [Apple can charge] a slight bump, but not a $99 upgrade.”
(All of the developers requested their discussion be without attribution.)
Another developer agreed that Snow Leopard would be a “tough sell” as an update. However, the cost question was important to developers’ plans and for customer support.
“Will it be it free, or a $29 update? That answer will define on our end whether we can use any [new] APIs and how we will continue to support Leopard and Tiger.”
January 5th, 2009
FileMaker 10 looks to be the real deal
Customers will point to FileMaker’s friendly new interface in Version 10, for good or bad depending on how welcoming a site is to change. However, some significant improvements in the database’s programming support may drive sites to upgrade, according to several FileMaker consultants.
FileMaker is the venerable, cross-platform database for workgroups that started on the Mac and moved over to include Windows way back when. But FileMaker may not get the respect it deserves, first, because it’s going up against Microsoft Access, and second, because of its static interface, which has been frozen in time for more than a decade, reminding me of classmates who haven’t moved on from the haircut and style of high-school days. FileMaker’s interface was once cutting edge, but that was a long time ago.
Still, both of these wrong perceptions should change with the release today of Version 10, which sports a totally rewritten interface, as well as with the realization that the product is used by 70 of the Fortune 100 companies. According to Ryan Rosenberg, FileMaker’s vice president of marketing and services, the database outsells Access in a number of non-Mac market segments.
Ryan said the new “modern” interface would avoid the problems for the installed base when Microsoft introduced Ribbon Bar that replaced many menu commands and buttons in MS Office. Instead, FM10 retains all its menus and keystroke commands.
“It’s all compatible. There is no file format change and that was tricky. Compatibility that was a big reason that [the update] took a while]. We had to make sure that we nailed it,” Ryan said.
January 5th, 2009
Jobs releases statement about his health
Apple released the following statement from CEO Steve Jobs to address the persistent rumors that his health is failing due to his visible weight loss over the last year.
Dear Apple Community,
For the first time in a decade, I’m getting to spend the holiday season with my family, rather than intensely preparing for a Macworld keynote.
Unfortunately, my decision to have Phil deliver the Macworld keynote set off another flurry of rumors about my health, with some even publishing stories of me on my deathbed.
I’ve decided to share something very personal with the Apple community so that we can all relax and enjoy the show tomorrow.
As many of you know, I have been losing weight throughout 2008. The reason has been a mystery to me and my doctors. A few weeks ago, I decided that getting to the root cause of this and reversing it needed to become my #1 priority.
Fortunately, after further testing, my doctors think they have found the cause - a hormone imbalance that has been “robbing” me of the proteins my body needs to be healthy. Sophisticated blood tests have confirmed this diagnosis.
The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and straightforward, and I’ve already begun treatment. But, just like I didnt lose this much weight and body mass in a week or a month, my doctors expect it will take me until late this Spring to regain it. I will continue as Apple’s CEO during my recovery.
I have given more than my all to Apple for the past 11 years now. I will be the first one to step up and tell our Board of Directors if I can no longer continue to fulfill my duties as Apple’s CEO. I hope the Apple community will support me in my recovery and know that I will always put what is best for Apple first.
So now I’ve said more than I wanted to say, and all that I am going to say, about this.
Steve
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