Steve Jobs Macworld Expo Keynote
Wednesday, January 16th, 2008
Apple has made the Steve Jobs Macworld Expo Keynote video available at their site. I urge you all to take the time to watch it.
I’ve just started reading the editorials about what Apple released yesterday but I don’t agree with much of it. I think they’ve done a great job of tightening their strategy of networking the home wirelessly and moving into smaller devices for using the internet and they’ve made it incredibly easy to share content between them.
They’ve updated iPhone, iPod touch, Apple TV, have released a new backup device that’s also a wifi access point called Time Capsule, and are releasing the new thin and light MacBook Air. And, they’re offering movie rentals through the iTunes Music Store that can be played on Macs, iPods, iPhones, and through Apple TV on your home TV.
Expectations for these keynotes are so high these days that no matter what Jobs talks about some people will be disappointed but I’m delighted with these offerings as they point to a well-considered long term strategy to integrate beautifully designed devices into our lives in ways that make using them easy and enjoyable.
Oh, and I loved Randy Newman’s first song. Took guts to do it and for Jobs to allow it. Good for both of them.
Hi Richard,
Just back from my quick trip to the Expo. Wow, the MacBook Air is spectacular. Not just the thinness but what they’ve done to the trackpad. The technology from the iPhone and iTouch is now on this computer’s trackpad, and I’m sure will eventually trickle up to the MacBook Pros.
I expected the 13.5″ screen to be too small for me, but it is really beautiful; the tech I talked to said it is only offered in Glossy, but it is hard to imagine it being any better in Matte. And, the new Time Capsule is fabulous! It is a 500GB storage and Wi-Fi base station all in one.
I also saw a very good demo of Leopard and I’m amazed at all the wonderful features; of course, whichever computer I get will have Leopard installed.
As I mentioned to you previously, I’m in the market for a new computer, and planned to attend the Expo to look at laptops and backup drives and learn more about Leopard. Well, after watching the demo of Leopard, and the demo of MacBook Air with the Time Capsule, I’m pretty convinced that this will be the way for me to go.
During the demos I kept shaking my head in amazement.
Just wanted to share my excitement with you.
Diane,
This is great news and I know you’ve been around the Mac world for a long time (like me) and have a decent overview of this stuff.
I very much like the direction Apple is going and whether you got an “Air” or a MacBook Pro you’ll be very happy. My guess is that there will be updates to existing MacBook Pros at some point given that Jobs said that there are many more things coming in 2008. Whether to wait for that or buy something now, I have no idea.
I would not (if it were me) want the glossy screen on the Air. For general use it’s fine but for looking at images, editing them and doing any slightly critical work with color you’ll want a flat (not glossy) monitor. You could connect a flat screen to the Air easily but one has to build that into the pricing equation I think.
Yes, Time Capsule is incredible although there’s a current flap because they did not offer backward compatibility to users who bought the last generation Airport Extreme base stations with big USB drives thinking that TimeMachine/Leopard would support wireless backup on those. Apple dropped support for wireless backup on those when Leopard shipped no doubt because at that point they saw Time Capsule coming.
They ought to make a firmware upgrade to those Airport Extreme base stations so that they can become a Time Capsule. If they can update Apple TV I would think they could update those. Since I have none of that, I’d buy Time Capsule for the built in HD but it would be good PR for Apple to do that.
Thanks for your report, I’m jealous you got to go.
Richard,
As I was viewing the MacBook Air and discussing the glossy screen with the Apple tech, a fellow behind me said he was a photographer and interjected that he prefers a matte screen but found the Air’s screen not as reflective as most glossy screens.
For now, I’ll wait a while and see if the next upgrade of the 15″ MacBook Pro will have the new trackpad; that trackpad is fabulous!
Diane: Good thinking and thanks for the update on the Air screen. Maybe all glossy screens aren’t created equal. I’ll go look at one soon at an Apple Store. I’m with you, the next 15″ MacBook Pro is the way I’d like to go.