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Category: Macworld
November 10th, 2009
Macworld 2010: Gearing up for an Apple-less event
He’s no Steve Jobs - but filmmaker Kevin Smith, whose works include the Clerks films, will do his part as a featured presenter to attract a crowd to the 2010 Macworld Conference, which is being held in February in San Francisco, the first without any sort of presence by Apple.
Does this make Smith - recognized by movie fans as his Silent Bob character - the replacement keynote presenter? The folks behind Macworld aren’t necessarily saying that - but they are calling him a “feature presenter” and said he will be on-hand for a Q&A with attendees to talk about pretty much any subject, but likely will stay focused on the role of video technology in the film industry.
You’ll recall that last year, Apple said the 2009 Macworld conference would be its last. And with CEO Steve Jobs headed into a medical leave of absence that would eventually include a liver transplant, Apple exec Phil Schiller represented the company on the stage for the last time.
As they say in Hollywood, the show must go on - and so the folks behind Macworld have been busy lining up speakers. Smith, who was announced today, will join tech journalists Leo LaPorte or David Pogue as presenters this year.
In addition, the show has moved from its traditional spot on the calendar in January - which always overlapped with the big Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas - to February 9-13. It will continue to be held at San Francisco’s Moscone Center.
August 31st, 2009
Macworld without Apple: The show will go on
When Apple announced last year that the 2009 Macworld conference would be its last, there were some rumblings as to whether the show could continue without Apple’s presence - and the big keynote speech that the company offered every year.
No one ever said the show would die - but you kind of have to wonder how long it can make it without the draw of Apple. Still, it appears that the show will go on. IDG World Expo, which runs the show, sent out a news release this morning to announce two full days of technical conference content related to the new Snow Leopard operating system. In the release, Paul Kent, Macworld general manager and vice president at IDG World Expo, said:
When Apple releases a new OS, Macworld is the first and best place to learn how to use and maximize its capabilities. Macworld provides the community with the education, hands-on training and support needed to get more than they ever thought possible out of these new tools. The Macworld 2010 sessions on Snow Leopard and Final Cut Pro 7 are just the beginning of our cutting-edge conference agenda.
For years, the draw of the show has been the anticipation of new product announcements by Apple. But, as times have changed, Apple has had little trouble luring tech press to its product announcement events. In fact, just today, Apple confirmed that it will host an event on Sept. 9 - though I’m still waiting for my invitation to land in my inbox. (Hint, hint, Apple PR)
Last year, the company said that it would no longer participate in the show. The final keynote speech, which was really sort of ho-hum and didn’t have any major earth-shattering news, was delivered by Marketing VP Phil Schiller, who was filling in for an ailing Steve Jobs.
Macworld 2010 is scheduled for Feb. 9-13 at San Francisco’s Moscone Center.
January 13th, 2009
Sling will compete in crowded field as founders move on
The Krikorian brothers and other top execs at Sling Media deserve to take some time off - soak up some sun in Maui or maybe take an extended cruise. Not only did they create some of the most revolutionary television technology since TiVo, they also got out just in time - right before that place shifting concept gets shadowed by networking technology. The executives have left or will soon leave parent company EchoStar, which acquired Sling more than a year ago.
Sling, of course, is best known for its Slingbox, which allows users to access the content on their home TVs - whether live or DVR-recorded - from a remote location. Recently, it introduced Sling Catcher, a device that allowed that same content to be transmitted to other sets within the house. And now, it also offers Web-based television content over the Internet at sling.com. These are all good things - and the company was recognized at both CES and Macworld with Best of Show honors.
But that’s not to say there aren’t challenging times ahead for Sling and its product line. The wireless network is increasingly becoming mainstream and content is moving online. In some cases, content is streamed from a hosted site somewhere. In other cases, it’s stored on networked home storage devices for accessibility by all of the home’s computers. At CES, the buzz was all around TVs with built-in Web connectivity, a breakthrough that creates many opportunities and possibilities in a networked environment.
At some point, Sling - at least in its current form - could become a victim of its own concept. Web-connected devices that bring content into the home - from Apple TV to Vudu - are starting to pop up, creating a new competitive landscape for viewer attention. As technology evolves, viewers will no longer be tied to a single set, or even a specific home DVR to catch up on their favorite shows. Whether it’s from the back bedroom or a hotel room on the other side of the country, networked television content will someday be accessible with a log-in and a few clicks. At the very least, that does away with the need for a product like Sling - again, in its current form.
No, that won’t happen tomorrow. But digital content technology keeps evolving - TiVo hasn’t even been on the scene for 10 years and DVR is finally starting to become a household acronym. Hopefully, EchoStar will continue to innovate around Sling and build even more momentum around the brand and the months and years pass by. In the meantime, we’ll keep an eye out for the well-rested and refreshed Krikorian brothers, who will likely be working on another disruptive venture soon enough.
January 13th, 2009
Apple's future: It's in the Touch
A guest post on ZDNet yesterday posed the question: Has Apple gotten lazy? It’s not the first time I’ve heard it asked, considering Apple’s headlines in recent months: a pullout from Macworld, the distractions of Steve Jobs’ health and relatively low-key announcements out of Macworld. Sure, upgrades to iLife, iWork and the Macbook line were each newsworthy, just not keynote worthy. That doesn’t make Apple lazy.
Still, I think the author of the post is on to something when he says that Apple will need to do something soon if it wants to keep Wall Street (and the fan base) happy. It seems that Apple would want to keep the wraps on anything worth showcasing so it can be unveiled at the company’s own event, not a trade show. I suspect folks are hard at work at Apple, designing the next big thing without racing the clock to meet a production deadline for a trade show release. Instead, when it’s ready, Apple will summon the tech press to some sort of cryptically-announced event and we’ll all ooh and aah (or not.) But here’s the thing: maybe the next big thing isn’t something we hold in our hands.
Instead of calling Apple lazy, I would counter that the company is in a transitional mode. No, that’s not suggesting transitional in the sense that an ailing Jobs will be passing the reins anytime soon. Instead, it’s transitional in the sense that the focus seems to be shifting away from the hardware side and honing back in on the software, err, applications business. Aside from a handful of product categories, the fun techie stuff is less touchy-feely than it used to be. The cool things no longer come in the form of breakthrough gadgets. They come in the form of apps for the iPhone, links between iPhoto and Facebook, virtual piano lessons from within Garage Band.
In terms of a breakthrough gadget, the next big thing is already out there - and has been for more than a year. The iPod Touch (horrible name for it) is the real breakthrough device here, not the iPhone. When it was announced back in September 2007, the Touch got buried by news of a $200 price drop to the iPhone and announcements of an new iPod Nano look, an iPod classic upgrade and a WiFi iTunes music store for the iPhone (and Touch). It’s older cousin, the iPhone, continues to steal the thunder. But as carrier exclusivity (and subsequent connection problems) become deal-breakers for some potential buyers, the Touch becomes an real alternative.
After all, its the non-phone parts of the iPhone - the Touch - that’s seen noteworthy success. Applications have become a sweet spot - both in development and downloads. Some of the key apps from the desktop/notebook computing environment - photos, music and now games - are key apps on the mobile devices. With WiFi connectivity, there’s access to the net and cloud apps such as Google Docs, Yahoo mail, Flickr, Facebook and even business apps such as salesforce and Oracle. Eventually, Skype will release an application that will turn telephony services into just another app - so why does anyone need the carriers again?
There’s been some anticipation around a netbook announcement from Apple but I think we already have access to Apple’s netbook - or at least a predecessor - in the iPod Touch. I suspect forthcoming announcements will focus less on gadgets like the iPhone and the Touch and more on the services, features and tools FOR the iPhone and the Touch. I’ll continue to assume that Apple is hard at work and no where near becoming lazy.
January 9th, 2009
Apple at CES? Don't believe it.
I wouldn’t believe any buzz that might surface this weekend about Apple looking to “go large” at CES next year, now that Steve Jobs and company have dumped Macworld. No way. First of all, how do you give credit to something like that when the only source of information is a blogger who’s citing an unnamed source with “friends who work at Apple.” (No link love from me. I’m sure you’ll find it if you Google it.)
Come on. Really? Cubicle gossip? I know the Apple rumor mill tends to run wild with all sorts of crazy predictions. But this one makes no sense - at all. Why would Apple opt for CES, a venue where even the largest tech companies struggle to be heard above the noise, when it was the king of Macworld? Why haul all the way out to Vegas and pay travel expenses for the staffing entourage when Moscone is just a short hop up 280 from the home office in Cupertino? And what would Apple gain by making a splash at CES? Customers? (Got ‘em and still growing.) International exposure? (Is there anyone on the globe that hasn’t heard of Apple or the iPod?) Press attention? (Haha. I won’t even make a comment on that one.)
I’ll say it one more time: trade shows are so 20th century - at least for a company like Apple. Sure, I think CES has some life left in it still. I’m not so sure about Macworld, though. And some trade shows still make sense. OracleWorld, LinuxWorld, Dreamforce and IDF are a few that I hit in 2008 and they seemed to be attracting their specifically-targeted audiences.
Also see: What does Apple’s MacWorld departure say about future of trade shows?
Lastly, I was originally going to not post anything on this rumor and help spread it. But I decided that, if people Google this rumor over the weekend, I’d prefer that a counter-argument post also be listed in the results.
January 8th, 2009
Video: Macworld's fading future
Larry Dignan and I sit down to talk about this year’s Macworld - Apple’s last. There was no Steve Jobs keynote speech this year as marketing VP Phil Schiller filled in. The announcements weren’t very strong and the expo floor was really lacking a WOW product to fill-in for Apple. The signs at Moscone Center remind us to save the date for next year’s show - but you can’t help but wonder if there’s any future for this show without Apple in the lineup.
January 7th, 2009
If iRecord can rip DVDs, why can't Real?
If I were one of the lawyers for Real Networks, I’d be looking a bit closer at a device called iRecord, which is being showcased this week at Macworld.
iRecord basically allows you to take video and audio clips from any source - cable/satellite, DVR, Video game console and, yes, even a DVD - and copy it to an iPod, PSP or USB device. No, you can’t transfer it to a computer - and maybe that’s the loophole that has kept the lawyers from knocking on the doors of the Streaming Networks Inc., the Silicon Valley company behind the device.
You’ll recall that the Motion Picture Association of America slapped Real Networks with a lawsuit after its September release of RealDVD, a piece of software that allowed users to “rip” their DVD collections into a computer, much the same way iTunes allows them to rip CD music tracks into the computer. A court issued an injunction and ordered RealDVD to be shuttered until the issue could be settled in court.
The folks working the iRecord booth at Macworld were very quick to brush off questions about legal issues with Hollywood, noting that while the content can be copied to an external hard drive or USB drive that can be plugged into a PC for viewing, it’s not actually copied to the PC. Ummm, what’s the difference? The location of the hard drive that stores the video content?
While RealDVD - a $30 piece of software - was destined to be a seller, iRecord - priced at $250 - has yet to take off. Part of the problem is that it records in real-time. Let’s say you wanted to rip your Season 1 DVDs of The Sopranos to your iPhone so you can watch later while on-the-go. That means you have to play the whole season to copy it. Kind of feels like it defeats the purpose.
Notice I said the lawyers at Real - not the MPAA - should be looking closer at iRecord? I always thought the lawsuits and injunctions against RealDVD were bogus. (What can I say? I’m a fan of fair use.) If a product like iRecord can be sold, shouldn’t RealDVD also be allowed to be sold? Does it make it less illegal in the eyes of Hollywood lawyers that one product is destined to be a success while the other is still too awkward to gain any traction?
January 6th, 2009
Macworld show floor: More than just iPhone covers and iPod speakers?
Clearly, the jury is back on the Macworld keynote this morning. The “new and exciting” announced on stage this morning was, well, mostly new but hardly exciting. That’s why I was expecting to see some great things on the expo floor today.
Some of the buzz after Apple announced that this year’s Macworld would be the company’s last suggested that this could possibly be a good thing for the third-party vendors who come to Macworld to showcase their products but usually got lost in the excitement of what the company announces on stage. Without Steve Jobs to steal the show or big announcements to grab headlines, here was the chance for vendors to show their stuff.
For the record, I’m still working my way around the expo floor and plan to be back tomorrow to see more - so I haven’t seen everything yet. But, so far, I have seen more speakers, earphones, iPhone covers, Macbook carrying cases and iPod skins to make this place feel more like a Saturday morning flea market than a leading technology conferences. To be fair, I have seen a handful of pretty interesting things - productivity tools, photo-sharing software, iTunes synchronization services and plenty of accessories to enhance digital photography. Once I get through the show, I’ll post an entry with some of my favorites.
Finally, what a treat it was to see Microsoft and Google with booths only a stone’s throw from each other. Microsoft was showcasing Office for the Mac while Google was showcasing Mac- and iPhone-specific tools such as Picasa for the Mac - a competitor to the new version of iPhoto announced this morning.
January 6th, 2009
Apple's final Macworld: Schiller delivers but announcements disappoint
Moments before Apple VP Philip Schiller stepped on stage at Macworld 2009, there seemed to be a buzz of anticipation in the auditorium at Moscone West in San Francisco. How would Schiller - filling the shoes of the ailing Steve Jobs - perform in this venue? Would he make a mention of his missing boss? Would there be any new cool products for him to talk about on stage? Would the crowd welcome him? What would the crowd’s reaction be?
Clearly, this crowd was excited about being here for the Macworld keynote speech. Even as the lights dimmed, the cheers started in anticipation of what was to come. And when Schiller did walk on stage, the crowd gave him such a warm round of applause that I was waiting for folks to get up from their chairs for a standing ovation. (No, that didn’t happen.) What did happen, as the keynote progressed, was that the applause level seemed to drop, not increase, with each new announcement. 
But that’s not a reflection of Schiller. The announcements, overall, were weak for a keynote speech and probably would have been better for a press conference or even press release - yet another affirmation that Apple’s decision to pull out of Macworld is a smart move.
Schiller kicked off the speech with a slideshow of Apple stores around the world - Beijing, Munich, Sydney - and some stats about the amount of foot traffic in stores around the globe: 3.4 million visitors every week. (More applause.) That’s the equivalent, Schiller said, of 100 Macworld conferences every week. That was an interesting comparison, seeing how the company referenced the retail stores - and the increased traffic in them - as one of the reasons that the company was pulling out of the Macworld conference. They no longer need trade shows as a means of reaching out to customers.
And then there’s that annual end-of-year pressure to introduce something new - a wow-factor product or service - at the show. Sure, Apple is constantly innovating and launching upgrades or new versions to already popular products from the iPod and iPhone to the iMac and iLife - but clearly the company doesn’t need a trade show to grab media attention. Any time Apple makes an announcement - whether a new iPod line or a upgrades to the notebook line - the media comes out in droves and customers flock to stores to touch, feel and buy. Why would they need the pressure of a trade show to introduce products?
Schiller noted that he had three new things to talk about during this speech, beginning with a new version of iLife - the multimedia software package that includes iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, Garage Band and others. Schiller started with new features within iPhoto - things like facial recognition, mapping, integration with Facebook and Flickr and more. That was all cool, I suppose - but it comes a day after Google finally released a free Mac verison of the Picasa photo software, a package that includes things like mapping, slideshow and collage tools and integration with Blogger.
Sure, iPhoto is a fun application and there’s some cool new things you can do with it - but after 20 minutes or so of a presentation about iPhoto features, the applause seemed to slow (including an awkwardly quiet moment when Schiller announced a Travel Maps feature where only a few folks in the packed auditorium managed to put their hands together.) When Schiller shifted to an announcement about new features in iMovie, the applause was luke warm, at best. And when Schiller mentioned a new “Learn to Play” feature within Garage Band, I could literally hear only the tapping of laptop keyboards in the audience over the silence.
By the time Schiller gets to the second announcement - a new version of the iWork productivity software suite - the applause from the audience feels forced. Schiller is a charismatic guy and keeps the audience engaged, touting the new products and features.
But it feels very demo-like, a presentation that easily could have been showcased in a YouTube video instead of from the stage of Macworld. Some of the features are pretty cool but - YAWN - after an hour into the keynote, it’s hard to get excited about new templates in Pages ‘09. The rounds of applause have slowed and seem to be more polite than enthusiastic. Schiller concluded the iWork presentation with an announcement of iWork.com, an online sharing and collaboration tool that compliments iWork.
The final announcement is a 17-inch Macbook Pro. Mac users love to hear about upgrades to the notebook line and the initial reaction was some oohs and aahs - but not a whole lot of applause. What was impressive was an increase to battery life - up to 8 hours now - but even that didn’t generate an overwhelming amount of applause. Maybe it was the $2,799 price tag on the new Mac (a tough sell in these economic times) but the crowd just didn’t seem to be too much into it.
Even a “One last thing…” announcement - a signature Steve Jobs crowd-pleaser - about changes to iTunes didn’t generate a huge amount of excitement. There’s a new three-tier pricing plan within iTunes (requested for a long time by the record labels) that includes a new 69-cent price point for some songs, starting in April. iTunes Plus, which offers DRM-free tracks, will expand to include all 10 million songs in the catalog. And the iTunes store on the iPhone now works over the 3G network, not just WiFi. Sure, it’s cool. But was it worthy of a “One last thing…” announcement at Macworld?
Schiller closed out the keynote - Apple’s last - by welcoming music legend Tony Bennett, who gave performances of “The Best is Yet to Come” and, of course, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”
Finally, something worthy of a standing ovation.
Other coverage:
Philip Schiller’s Macworld keynote detail just got easier
Macs vs. PCs: Is it still a ‘tax’ if users happily pay a premium?
Apple’s Jobs being treated for ‘hormone imbalance’; Will remain at helm
Video: Is Steve Jobs slowly passing the baton?
Jason Perlow: Pondering Apple in a post-Jobs world
January 6th, 2009
Apple expands DRM-free music selection [video]
At Macworld 2009 in San Francisco, Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of marketing, announces a new music price plan and an expanded selection of digital rights management-free songs in its iTunes Store. Users will be able to strip their existing DRM-wrapped music of the controversial copy protection software, but doing so will cost 30 cents per song.
Also see: Apple’s final Macworld: Schiller delivers, disappoints
December 16th, 2008
What does Apple's MacWorld departure say about future of trade shows?
I had already scratched CES off of my January calendar but was starting to book meetings for MacWorld, leaving time open for the Steve Jobs keynote speech, of course. 
But now that Jobs is sending in a second-stringer for the big spotlight event, I’m starting to wonder if I should even bother to show up for the trade show. I suspect there won’t be any real news there, seeing how the best that the Apple rumor mill has been able to round up is an iPhone Nano, new Mac Mini or a netbook. Without Steve Jobs and his “one more thing” at the keynote, it just seems like a waste. (photo credit: CNET)
Initially, I wondered if Steve Jobs’ absence had anything to do with his health. Ever since Jobs appeared at a conference looking unusually thin and frail earlier this year, bloggers and analysts have been asking for a health update on Jobs, a pancreatic cancer survivor.
Previous coverage:
Apple says report of Steve Jobs heart attack is false
Will Tim Cook be the next Steve Jobs?
VIDEO: Is Steve Jobs slowly passing the baton?
Bloomberg publishes Jobs obit but why?
But, when Apple dropped its bombshell announcement that Jobs would not deliver the keynote and that the company would not return to the annual trade show in 2010, I found myself thinking more about the ripple effect that would be created, not just for Macworld but for trade shows, in general - especially technology trade shows. In a very brief press release, the company summed it up best:
Apple is reaching more people in more ways than ever before, so like many companies, trade shows have become a very minor part of how Apple reaches its customers. The increasing popularity of Apple’s Retail Stores, which more than 3.5 million people visit every week, and the Apple.com website enable Apple to directly reach more than a hundred million customers around the world in innovative new ways. Apple has been steadily scaling back on trade shows in recent years, including NAB, Macworld New York, Macworld Tokyo and Apple Expo in Paris.
I hadn’t really thought too much about it but it only makes sense that the Internet’s next victim would be the trade show. Think about the outreach tools that companies have at their disposal these days. Webcasts have become online events where people from around the globe can attend without booking a flight, hotel room or restaurant reservations. Viral videos are being produced by companies to showcase their products and technologies in real-world environments. Brand names are creating loyal followings via “fan memberships” on social networking sites such as Facebook. And, increasingly, there are smaller intimate shows that cater to crowds with specific interests - conferences dealing with social networking, cloud computing, open source and more. Those shows reach the audiences they want to reach and the bank doesn’t have to be broken to participate.
But what a devastating blow to local economies. Without Apple or Jobs, Macworld is pretty much a bust - and that means fewer people have reason to attend. That, in turn, means that hotel rooms are left empty, restaurants never start a waiting list, cab drivers keep circling around in search of a fare and even the bars might think twice before killing happy hour specials. Think I’m exaggerating? Try to find a hotel room in Las Vegas during CES week and you’ll find plenty of choices - and some real bargains. Historically, Las Vegas hotels during CES are all but sold out by early November. This year, the Vegas economy will feel the pinch.
In previous years, one of my biggest reasons for attending CES was the Bill Gates keynote speech. But this year, it’s Steve Ballmer instead of Gates. And I don’t know that there’s really anything on the Microsoft radar that warrants a trek to Vegas - Windows 7 is still a year away and Windows Mobile is getting clobbered by Apple, RIM and Google. And if there’s any real news out of CES, I’m sure I’ll read about it - in real-time on blogs, Twitter or Facebook. But I don’t need to be there.
Yes, I’ll still be at Macworld - but not because it’s a must-attend show. Apple and Jobs, within hours, pretty much killed that feeling. Instead, I’ll go because Moscone Center is only a short walk from my San Francisco office. Otherwise, I would just feel guilty submitting an expense form for a trip like that - especially in this economy.
January 15th, 2007
An exegesis of the Steve Jobs and Bill Gates keynotes
Todd Bishop has come up with a new way to look at the keynotes from CES and Macworld. For the recent keynotes by Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, Todd, a Seattle PI tech reporter and blogger, ran the speeches through a tag cloud generator, ranking commonly used words, and more interestingly with UsingEnglish.com's free textual analysis tool, which provides word count, unique words, number of sentences, average words per sentence, hard words (three or more syllables), lexical density (difficulty level of the text–low index means easier to understand) and the Gunning Fog readability index (gives the number of years of education that the reader hypothetically needs to understand the text–shorter sentences written in plain English achieve a better score).
Based on the results, Jobs' keynote, primarily introducing the iPhone, was much more accessible (easier to grok) than Gates' keynote, which dealt with Vista, Office, Xbox, PCs and home servers. Jobs, by far the better speaker, in fact a legendary presenter known for creating a reality distortion field, clearly has mastered the art of the communication…
January 12th, 2007
Will iPhone revolutionize the mobile market?
Video: On Thursday I went with our video crew to Macworld Expo to get some perspectives on whether the iPhone will revolutionize or reinvent the phone as Steve Jobs predicted in his keynote. We talk to some show attendees and Apple watcher Tim Bajarin, president of market analyst firm Creative Strategies, who offers his analysis after spending some time using the iPhone, which won't get into users' hands until June via Cingular, according to Apple.
January 12th, 2007
The week that was: CES and Macworld
This week on the Dan & David Show, we talk about the big events of the week–CES and Macworld. David offers highlights from his week in Las Vegas, where he produced about 28 video vignettes on the products and technologies that caught his eye. We also talk about Apple's iPhone Steve Jobs introduced at Macworld, which stole the thunder from CES. Check out our full coverage of CES and Macworld.
This podcast can be delivered directly to your desktop or MP3 player if you're subscribed to our podcasts (See ZDNet's podcasts: How to tune in). For more the topics covered during the show, search our blog.
January 5th, 2007
Latest Macworld rumor grist: Jobs' health
While the tech world is talking about Apple tablet PCs, iPhones and such ahead of Macworld, Wall Street rumors are percolating about Steve Jobs' health.
In a blog post recapping 10 things he's hearing on Wall Street, Doug Kass, a general partner for two investment partnerships: Seabreeze Partners L.P. and Seabreeze Partners Short L.P., notes a rumor that:
"Apple (AAPL) will announce that Steve Jobs' health has deteriorated (he has had pancreatic cancer) and that he will be taking a leave of absence from the company." Update: See note on this quote at end of post.
That tidbit is on RealMoney Silver, which is a pay site, so the link will only work for subscribers and those interested in subscribing.
I'd stress a few points:
1. Whether the rumor is legit or not will be known as soon as Jobs take the stage;
2. The rumor could be something circulated by short sellers, those who bet against stocks. Shorts have been shellacked by Apple shares of late;
3. Nevertheless, it's an interesting tidbit to be floating ahead of MacWorld;
4. Kass has no positions in Apple.
So take Jobs health rumor for what it's worth–and a big grain of salt.
Meanwhile, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster breaks out his crystal ball for Macworld in a research note and ranks the certainty on a scale of 1 to 10. Here they are:
Almost Certain within 6 months:
1. iPhone entering production phase of 12 million units (Certainty rank: 9 out of 10);
2. iTV ($299) release at Macworld with some improvements from the September debut (10 out of 10);
Likely (in the next 6-12 months):
3. iPhone with candy-bar form factor (9 out of 10);
4. Widescreen iPod with touch-sensitivity and wireless features (7 out of 10);
5. Second smartphone iPhone model with integrated keyboard (7 out of 10);
6. iSight camera, 4GB or 8GB storage on the iPhone (6 out of 10);
7. Multiple carriers as iPhone providers (vs. Cingular only or MVNO (6 out of 10);
A Stretch (a year to 18 months away):
8. Ultra-portable 12" MacBook Pro (4 out of 10);
9. Radio-transparent material used for iPhone casing (3 out of 10). This is very interesting as Munster opines that iPod casings would make poor mobile phone casings. In other words, Apple has to find casings that would better allow radio waves to penetrate the exterior of an Apple phone.10. iPhone featuring 'iChat Mobile' video and instant messaging (2 out of 10);
11. OSX 10.5 Leopard release at Macworld (3 out of 10).
Addendum: As pointed out by a reader in Talkback, the quote has been altered by TheStreet.com. The original quote from the RealMoney Silver blog, which is the unedited Kass has (see screenshot):
"Apple (AAPL) will announce that Steve Jobs' health has deteriorated (he has had pancreatic cancer) and that he will be taking a leave of absence from the company."
TheStreet.com, the free sister site that picked up the Kass post and ran it as a column, edited the quote to:
"Apple will announce that Steve Jobs will be taking a leave of absence from the company."
I have no idea why the quote was edited on TheStreet.com as Kass was relaying the unvarnished rumor circulating. The initial quote about the rumor is still on RealMoney Silver.
January 10th, 2006
Videos: Jobs shows off Intel-based iMac and laptop
At San Francisco’s Moscone Center, Apple Computer CEO Steve Jobs debuted an updated iMac. The machine sports the same sizes, same design, same features, and same prices as the Power PC-based iMac. What’s different? Jobs said it will be two to three times faster because it uses Intel’s dual-core Duo chip. [See video.] Jobs also showed off an Intel-based laptop that he says is four to five times faster than the PowerBook G4. [See video.]
More video: Apple’s iWeb, a new program for publishing Web sites, includes templates, blog and podcast tools, and one-click publishing.
January 10th, 2006
Transitioning from PowerPC to Intel Macs
I caught up with chip expert Nathan Brookwood of Insight64 after the Jobs keynote to get take on Apple’s shift to Intel and whether users will experience any serious bumps in the road, besides having to spend money on new software.
"Apple seems to be doing all of the right things to minimize the pain that customers will experience moving from PowerPC to the Intel Mac platform. The new notion of universal software distribution–with both PowerPC and x86 binaries in the box–allows user to install either version depending on what Macs they have. Apple has been able to do it for their own applications, and it sounds like ISV partners are moving in the same direction."
"For applications that have been ported, Jobs said computational performance should be two to three times faster than the PowerPC Macs, which is a credible. For applications that run in the Rosetta emulator or translator, you will lose performance, but I doubt that you would lose so much performance that the net of a faster platform and slower software wouldn’t result in a net performance gain."
"Apple has also come up with commercial terms, called cross-grade, a $49 upgrade for its software if you turn in the original CD of the software. We’ll have to see what Adobe and Microsoft do in this area. With Microsoft you wouldn’t really need new software, but for Photoshop you would need to upgrade."
January 10th, 2006
Jobs delivers the Intel goods--perfect timing
Steve Jobs walked on the sparse Macworld Expo stage just after 9:00 AM PST and started with the financial results for the quarter, a record $5.7 billion, including 14 million iPods and about 3 million songs per day sold. As usual, he saved the best for last, introducing Intel Core Duo Macs, an iMac and a new higher-end notebook, the MacBook Pro. While Apple is late to the Intel family (Jobs says Apple is freeing Intel processors so they can live in the Mac), the timing is perfect. Apple is among the first to ship Intel Duo Core systems, which are four to five times faster than previous generation of IBM PowerPC-based Macs. Jobs said the entire product line would be Duo Intel’d by the end of the year.
Jobs also demoed updates to iLife, including a new application iWeb, which allows users to build Web sites, including blogs, that live on .Mac, which has one million subscribers. No new iPods, rocks stars or musicians–a solo performance by Jobs. While the crowd clapped at the appropriate times, the Intel iMac didn’t draw much more than polite applause. It wasn’t until the Intel laptop the Mac crowd reach a crescendo.
More photos here and here.
Below is the play-by-play from the keynote.
Apple Stores and financials
26 million visitors to Apple stores last year
First billion dollar quarter for Apple stores
$5.7 billion for Q4 2005
14 million iPods Q4
Total number of iPods sold: 42 million
32 million sold in calendar year 2005
Music and video
850 million songs sold so far on iTunes
3 million per day
Reach 1 billion songs in a few months
83 percent market share for iTunes
Sold over 8 million videos since October 12
ABC Sports 15 minute highlight video of the Rose Bowl, which is the number one video on iPods
Adding Saturday Night Live skit video clips
Introducing remote and FM tuner accessory for iPod: $49
Chrysler announces optional iPod integration
New iPod ad with Wynton Marsalis
Macintosh software
Aperture, an application for digital photographers promo videos
Widgets: now over 1500 widgets for OS 10
New widgets: Google search bar, ski conditions, calendar, white pages, sports scores and news
New, free release of Mac OS–10.4.4–includes all the new widgets
iLife 06: “A giant release, propel us further ahead than anything else,” Jobs says.
iLife apps
iPhoto: up to 250,000 photos (up from 25,000), “scrolls like butter,” full screen editing, one-click effects, printing and book enhancement, calendar creation, card making. Also, photocasting–sharing albums with others by uploading photos to the .Mac service and people can subscribe to photocast, similar to FilmLoop. Can subscribe via RSS. Demos new features of iPhoto.
iMovie: Adding animated themes, real-time effects and titles, new audio tools, multiple open projects, export to iPod, create video podcast. Demos animated themes.
iDVD: Widescreen DVDs, magic iDVD (a wizard for making DVDs easily), new themes.
GarageBand: Added a tool for creating podcasts, including 200 royalty-free sound effects, 100 royalty-free jingles, automatic ducking effect, speech enhancer, use of iChat for remote interviews. Demos GarageBand podcast studio….his weekly podcsast—“super secret rumors…the 8-pound iPod with a 10-inch screen” (laugh). Also introduced new Jam Packs for GarageBand.
Introduces new iLife application, iWeb, which allows Mac users to share music, movies, photos and content created with iLife in a Web site. “In the iLife tradition of making something super easy to use to build beautiful Web sites so simply and so easily.” iWeb includes Apple-designed templates, including blogs and podcasts, one-click publishing to .Mac, drag and drop editing and RSS support. Jobs demos creating a Web page, blog page and podcast page. For example, you can put songs links on a page and it fires up iTunes to sample the songs. Pricing stays the same at $79, including iWeb. Also a $99 five-pack.
January 9th, 2006
Jobs preparing to lift his veil of secrecy
Now that CES is over, Steve Jobs has the stage all to himself this week as the Macworld Expo gets underway (check out The Guardian’s story on how Jobs preps for his major keynotes). As usual, the rumors are flying in anticipation of Jobs’ keynote tomorrow morning. Fellow ZDNet blogger Jason O’Grady speculates that one of the highlights will be 42- and 50-inch plasma displays with built-in in Macs and compatible with Intel’s Viiv platform. There’s also speculation about Intel-based laptops and numerous content distribution deals, and ab updated iLife suite of consumer software and .Mac service. Maybe some iPod tweaks as well.
Tomorrow at 9:00 AM, Jobs will come on stage in his trademark blue jean outfit and demonstrate why he is one of the most admired CEOs by CEOs. A great deal of the mystique and Jobs’ ability to create what has been called a "reality distortion field" is his command of the stage and ability to keep whatever Apple is planning to introduce a secret. In an age in which getting at proprietary information, such as product specs, is far easier, Jobs still keeps a lid on it, mostly through force of personality with the troops, suppliers, partners, etc and threats of legal action. Keeping the veil of secrecy yields benefits in terms of marketing and building up the suspense, but it would all be for naught if Apple introduced a bunch of shabby products. As long as Jobs can continue to produce the hit products and maintain the cool factor of the brand, Apple will get its share. Microsoft, Sony, Creative Labs (check out iPod competitor Creative Zen Vision: M), Google, Yahoo and others can only hope to grab some of Jobs’ mojo.
Stay tuned for our coverage tomorrow…
Dan Farber, editor-in-chief of CNET News.com, has more than 20 years of experience as an editor and journalist covering technology. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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