Posted on 01/07/2003 1:51:09 PM PST by Timesink
MacCentral's coverage of Steve Jobs' keynote address from Macworld Expo has concluded. Please visit our home page for more news from the show. The coverage below is presented in reverse chronological order, with the oldest content at the bottom of the page.
"What's driving us is one simple thing, and that's innovation."
Jobs says that 2003 is "the year of the notebook for Apple." Displayed video and TV ads showing off new PowerBooks.
12 inch PowerBook G4 will sell for $1799. "Most affordable PowerBook ever, and we will be shipping them in about two weeks." Can be built to order with a SuperDrive for $1999. (15 inch PowerBook remains in the matrix, by the way.)
"There is one more small thing:" A new 12 inch PowerBook. 1.2 inches thick. 4.6 pounds -- smaller than Duos. Full sized keyboard. Smaller than the iBook in every dimension. 1024 x 768 display. 867MHz G4 processor. Nvidia GeForce4 420 Go, 40GB. Slot Load Combo drive. Wireless and bluetooth. Airport Extreme ready (module costs $99). 5 hours of battery life -- "same as iBook even though it has a G4." Also bundled with QuickBooks.
New 17 inch PowerBook G4 priced at $3299. Will be shipping them in February.
Claims 4.5 hours of battery life using new battery technology, regardless of screen. Also bundling QuickBooks.
Airport Extreme Base Station: Support for up to 50 users. Support for wireless bridging -- buy another base station and you will automatically be bridged between them. USB printing support (USB port on the base station). Priced at $199.
Introduced "Airport Extreme:" 54Mbps 802.11g wireless networking. Said the other 54Mbps 802.11a standard is "doomed to failure" because of lack of compatibility with 802.11b hotspots. New card is built in to the 17 inch PowerBook. "Antennas where they belong," on the left and right edges of the screen. Said that the range is equal to the iBook.
Bluetooth is built-in. AirPort is built-in. "Most wirelessly capable notebook in the industry."
Specs: 1GHz G4 1MB L3 cache, SuperDrive, GeForce 440 Go Nvidia chipset, 64MB graphics memory, 60GB hard disk. First system to use "FireWire 800." Interface: USB, FireWire 400, FireWire 800 (can also use older FireWire devices on 800 port with adapter), Gigabit Ethernet, S-Video output, DVI output, security, power, modem, second USB port, PC card slot, audio in, headphones.
17 inch PowerBook G4. Uses the same display on the 17 inch iMac with thinner backlight. 1 inch thick. Thinnest PowerBook ever. 1440 x 900 display. Fiber optic backlighting system in keyboard. Ambient light sensors automatically detect low light conditions to light the keyboard. 6.8 lbs. First 17 inch notebook in the world, said Jobs. Made out of aircraft-grade aluminum alloy -- hard anodized, not painted.
"Put on your shoulder harness." Two years ago Apple introduced the PowerBook G4. (Showed the Jeff Goldblum-voiced PowerBook ad spot.) Calls it "the number one lust object ... and you know what? No one has caught up with it in two years." Apple believes notebooks will eventually overtake desktop sales all together. Apple expects 35 percent of unit sales to be laptops.
Keynote imports and exports PowerPoint format. It can also export to PDF and QuickTime. Open file format; XML based. Apple wants third parties to be able to support the technology. Runs on Mac OS X 10.2. To be sold for $99. Available today. (Keynote attendees get a free copy.)
Expansion and contraction of slides not dissimilar from iPhoto. Fully anti aliased text. Alignment guide. Supports full alpha-channel graphics. Rotational capabilities. Flash support. Compositing capabilities. Built-in tables and charts. Theme support -- 12 custom themes, create your own too. Built in transitions -- wipes, crosses, peels, pivots, drops, twirls. All effects are going through OpenGL and Quartz -- 3D mosaics, cubes, tile flips and more.
Keynote: "A presentation app for when your presentation really counts ... Keynote was built for me." Ostensibly, a replacement for PowerPoint and other similar applications. Jobs has used Keynote throughout 2002. "I can assure you it's a great app," after adding that he was "a low-paid beta tester."
Safari is based on standards. Based on an HTML rendering engine that is open source. Dramatically improved performance as work begun a work ago. "Some people have a problem with open source, we think it's great." Apple will post all the improvements to the engine today. Code base started with was KHTML -- "very popular in the Linux world." Runs on Jaguar. Beta release, free download. Today.
i-Bench Tests compared IE, Netscape, Chimera, on 800MHz G4. 53.7, 33.6, 21.8, 16.6 seconds to load pages respectively. JavaScript test and load and launch times are faster as well. Integrated Google in tool bar. "Minimal" interface. New way of looking at bookmarks -- bookmarks bar and bookmarks library. Library looks like iTunes and iPhoto catalogs. Bug button reports issues to Apple if you find Web sites that don't work for some reason.
"So, buckle up." Safari: A "turbo browser for OS X." First major new browser in five years, said Jobs. Why make one? Speed -- fastest browser on the Mac. Also "Most innovative." Google right on the toolbar. "Snapback" to top level of Web sites.
"Today we're bringing it all together:" The integrates suite of applications is called iLife. iLife is being made available on Saturday, January 25th. Bundled with all new Macs. Free download of iTunes still. Free download of iPhoto 2. Free download of iPhoto 3. iDVD 3's massive size requires it to be sold rather than downloaded, but all iLife apps will be sold on store shelves for $49.
iDVD: 680,000 copies distributed. iDVD 3 announced. Again, fully integrated with other iApps. 24 new "amazing" professionally built themes that you can add your own iTunes music to and much more. iDVD also builds automatic scene selection menus based on chapter indices in iMovie projects. Apple lowering price of DVD-Rs to $3. Jobs expects them to hit $1 a piece within 24 months. "We are so far ahead of anybody, it's not funny."
iMovie 3: Over 12 million copies of original. Integrated with iPhoto, iDVD and iTunes. Added Chapters features -- number one request. Added "Ken Burns effect" and precise audio editing, you can edit within clips. New user interface. Sound effects by Skywalker Sound. "Ken Burns effect" is pan and zoom on still images. New titles, transitions and effects. iDVD is integrated -- export no longer required.
iPhoto: 6 million copies, iPhoto 2 introduced. iTunes music library visible in iPhoto now. Retouch brush and one click enhance. Retouch brush preserves color and texture, one click enhance improves white balance and more. Archive to CD and DVD. iDVD button now causes iDVD to launch. Slides will automatically transfer over.
iTunes: 18 million copies distributed. iTunes 3 was first of new generation of integrated apps.
Digital hub: "Delivered" on digital hub strategy announced two years ago: iPhoto, iTunes, iDVD, iMovie. "No one else has delivered the solutions, and we have." Talks about integration between iApps, and need to rebuild apps for improved integration.
5,000 native Mac OS X apps today. Gives Apple the confidence to announce today that all new products starting today, including speed bumps, will no longer boot in 9. Classic will still work.
Final Cut Express demo given by Apple's Phil Schiller. The interface looks very similar to Final Cut Pro. It works the same way, too, according to Schiller. Over 200 effects and transitions included. Also includes color correction tools. Retails for $299. Available today.
Final Cut Pro is number one pro video app in the world as measured by units sold. Mentioned price as an issue. Solution: New product called Final Cut Express. "Lets you edit like a pro," similar to FCP but minus some pro features.
Dave Lebolt, Digidesign gave demonstration. "Everything you need to make your recordings." Can work with DSP plugins. Anything you need to finish an audio project. Used in television, broadcasting, film, music. Whole systems start at $495. Mentioned Apple's CoreAudio and CoreMIDI support as important. Demonstrated technology by remixing Smash Mouth music.
Microsoft is extending $199 deal on Office to April 7. Jobs also noted Intuit's release of QuickBooks 5.0 for Mac. Mentioned NASCAR Racing 2002 Season as "first force feedback app." Macromedia Director MX mentioned. Digidesign Pro Tools for OS X mentioned -- will ship this month.
Mac OS X: "Came of age" with Jaguar. Hit goal: 5 million active users of Mac OS X. 3.8 million added in 2002. "Confident" 9 - 10 million by 2003's end. "A few laggard apps ... we all know which one we're talking about."
iPod: "Walkman of the digital age." 14 months shipping. Apple has sold more than 600,000 iPods since launch, or 1 every minute since shipping. Number one MP3 player in US and Japan, 42 percent market share in Japan. Burton will introduce a snowboarding/skiing jacket with pouch and integrated controls on the sleeve. $499, Apple online store exclusive for this season. "Very limited edition." Also on display at Apple retail stores.
.Mac: Talked about features and capabilities of Apple's subscription-based online service. iCal, Homepage, virus protection, etc. Admits to "a bit of noise" about subscription model. 250,000 paying subscribers today, growing every month.
iCal and iSync: 1.1 million downloads of iCal since release. Has spawned third-party calendar download sites. iSync "really important strategic application" because it synchronizes calendar to PDAs, cell phones, etc. "You'll be hearing a lot more ... in the coming year."
X for Teachers: Calls them best advocates. 290,000 copies of Mac OS X have been sent out (for free) to teachers. The program has been extended to the end of March (originally to expire in December.
Apple Store Revenues: First 100 million dollar quarter. Last month quarter ended with $148 million in revenue from retail stores -- right on target. 50 percent of the computers are sold to Windows Switchers. 1.4 million visited Apple stores in December, or the equivalent to 20 Macworld Expos.
Apple Stores: 20 months ago was first opening, more than 50 across the country. 85 million people live within 15 miles of Apple store. Showed images Soho store in New York City. "One of the best buying experiences in the world." Also showed The Grove in LA -- most popular LA store.
Switcher campaign: Started last summer. Ellen Feiss gets a big yell from the crowd. Noted Switch site on Apple's site: 7.8 million unique visitors to the site since launch. 68 percent running Windows browser. Over 5 million Windows users checking out why they ought to switch. "One of the best ad campaigns we've ever run.
Largest MPEG-4 streaming event ever. Over 130 countries streaming live, including the Vatican.
"Boy are we gonna start the year at Macworld. We have two Macworlds worth of stuff for you today."
The show begins with Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World." Steve Jobs enters with his customary black turtleneck and jeans.
(Excerpt) Read more at maccentral.macworld.com ...
Your criticism of me carries as much weight as a child insisting "you can't do math with letters." While I don't enjoy malice for malice sake, I will admit some schadenfreude in mixing it up with those who start fights, and feign surprise when others get mad. If "hypocracy is the extent of your analytical repertoire, you've got a problem.
You actually believe that?
Funny, the Mac's market share is still 3% and holding.
Same as it ever was.
You pop in - insult me - show malice toward me and then make the statement "What kind of adult enjoys the practice of malice?"
You reek of hypocrisy and you think insulting me more will cover this up.
Ok, explain to us again why you think the statement "What kind of adult enjoys the practice of malice?" is really an analogy
That's not an analogy. That's a question. How does a question constitute malice on my part? The well/coffee was the analogy.
Then why did you make the following statement: You need a refresher on the meaning of the word "malice." I made an "analogy"
How does a question constitute malice on my part?
Got me? Who said a question constitutes malice?
This is the malice (from you) I was talking about:
you are so self-absorbed
you should be ashamed not only of your attitude, but your myopia
your petulant sneering
Funny, you have not made a single comment related to the thread.
BTW: my eyesight is just fine
You guys are SO blinded! I never said I don't like Mac's. I have just made comments about factually devoid statements related to Mac.
I've already laid out my reasonings.
You did? Where? Seems ALL you have done is attack me personally.
Your claim that PC's left Mac's in the dust in the early 90's is only true in the marketing sense. Functionality and performance on PC's didn't happen for the average business user until the release of Windows 95.
Until that point, I was telling my clients that they had to go with Macs to do the kind of things I was doing. After Win 95 was released, I told them they could do it on their Windows computers, but not as easily. How's that for objectivity? A true Mac missionary told clients to stay with Windows and PC's.
Now most of my clients are Windows users, so I know both platforms. I have 4 Macs and one Windows laptop. Why do I like the Mac? It allows me to work more efficiently without responding to constant messages asking if I really want to do that. Heck yeah, I clicked on it, and I really want to do it.
Mac users can trouble shoot their systems with ease because it is easy! Although I do have few Mac clients, my only callers for tech support are Windows users, and it is usually about Windows issues and has nothing to do with my solution. Mac users never have to call. They just do it.
That is perhaps the best feature of Macs. They don't take you down, cause you to have to call in the IT gurus several times a day to stop the blue screen of death, and intimidate the hell out of you.
Why are you so focused on putting Mac users and Macs down? Most of the posts on this thread are from you. Sheesh... get a life, or get a Mac. There is help for you.
Making comments about you "is" related to the thread. You took the announcement of certain mac product updates to demean both the computer, and the users...on multiple threads. The computers could care less; the users certainly don't deserve anything like the disdain you've poured out on them.
Like what?
Your claim that PC's left Mac's in the dust in the early 90's is only true in the marketing sense. Functionality and performance on PC's didn't happen for the average business user until the release of Windows 95.
I agree with that statement.
Until that point, I was telling my clients that they had to go with Macs to do the kind of things I was doing.
Like what? Be specific.
After Win 95 was released, I told them they could do it on their Windows computers, but not as easily.
When it comes to multitasking and memory management, Mac's SUCKED until the latter half of the 1990's (then it was too late). The "not as easily" is Apple's slogan yet I have never really seen it demonstrated in real life.
It allows me to work more efficiently without responding to constant messages asking if I really want to do that. Heck yeah, I clicked on it, and I really want to do it.
OK. You win that point.
Although I do have few Mac clients, my only callers for tech support are Windows users, and it is usually about Windows issues and has nothing to do with my solution. Mac users never have to call. They just do it.
You have more windows users AND Windows does and supports FAR MORE opinions than the Mac and that is the reason for most support issues IMHO.
Why are you so focused on putting Mac users and Macs down?
I'm not. I have not put down the Mac or Mac users - I have only made comment related to nonsense Mac propaganda. Mac fanatics TRY to box everybody into that trap if we don't buy the Mac propaganda. I can only go on by my real world experience. Macs need about as much support as Windows if you take into consideration the limited opinions you have on the Mac - if Windows could support the same amount of very limited opinions as the Mac, windows would seem rock solid too.
You, my friend, are a liar. I did no such thing.
My first comment was related to some Mac-Clown claiming the PC was a liberal computer.
Please stop this crap, it is pointless.
When one is describing a thief, it is not malicious to use the term "thief." When one is characterizing your performance on the mac threads since last night, the terms I have used are completely appropriate. That they are not pleasing to you does not make them wrong, or malicious. (People usually learn this stuff in their teens, you know...)
You are one egotistical SOB.
Look you are now resorting to lies. Please stop.
Windows does what Windows does. Mac does what Mac does. Sun does what Sun does. HP does what HP does. AS/400 does what AS/400 does (99.9999% uptime). Your problem is with Mac "people". You see them all as fanatics.
When it comes to DCOM, I'm Microsoft's biggest fan. When it comes to databases, IBM DB/2 gets my vote for uptime. For doing scientific or statistical analysis, Mac fits the bill. For high volume transaction servers, give me something Unix with an Oracle database.
I can code them all. I never met a platform or a language that didn't have some advantage to be exploited.
And when you can put them all together in a distributed and cooperative environment then the magic really happens.
Just what is your specialty, by the way? Programmer? Analyst? Designer? DBA? Tech Writer? Hardware Support? Help Center? Manager?
Be specific, now. That's your hot button.
Like what?
I was doing highly customized submittals and presentations to win multi-million dollar projects. The president of the largest service bureau in town took me to see the prototype of the new Fiery printer driver. I told him to buy it and he did. I used it the day it was delivered to print a submittal for a $29 million project, one which I had worked on at home on my Mac every night until 4 a.m. For two weeks. We won that job. :-)
Macs have always had more strength in the graphics functions, and my work on this project isn’t a testimonial to Mac’s strengths. My firm was 100% DOS oriented, and I had to do time and functions tests to convince the IT manager to allow me to buy Macs for the marketing department. I was very objective, because I didn’t want to spend money that wasn’t necessary. Even word processing functions fell behind my Mac in tests. I am not a good typist. The marketing coordinators under me were promoted from the secretarial ranks, and most could type 120 wpm. They couldn’t edit a document or create and type a new one as fast as I could. My time tests won the battle.
Until that point, I was telling my clients that they had to go with Macs to do the kind of things I was doing.
Like what? Be specific.
High end graphics and presentations. Mac territory.
After Win 95 was released, I told them they could do it on their Windows computers, but not as easily.
When it comes to multitasking and memory management, Mac's SUCKED until the latter half of the 1990's (then it was too late). The "not as easily" is Apple's slogan yet I have never really seen it demonstrated in real life.
The multi-tasking point is right on. I haven’t been able to do that until OS X. Quite often I have three computers working on my tasks. With OS X, I have more multi-tasking ability.
Although I do have few Mac clients, my only callers for tech support are Windows users, and it is usually about Windows issues and has nothing to do with my solution. Mac users never have to call. They just do it.
You have more windows users AND Windows does and supports FAR MORE opinions than the Mac and that is the reason for most support issues IMHO.
Not so, IMHO. My Windows uses are scared to death of their computers and are even more scared to call in their IT guys. Because I am so kind and gracious, they call me for help before they call the mean-spirited and overworked IT staff.
Why are you so focused on putting Mac users and Macs down?
I'm not. I have not put down the Mac or Mac users - I have only made comment related to nonsense Mac propaganda. Mac fanatics TRY to box everybody into that trap if we don't buy the Mac propaganda. I can only go on by my real world experience. Macs need about as much support as Windows if you take into consideration the limited opinions you have on the Mac - if Windows could support the same amount of very limited opinions as the Mac, windows would seem rock solid too.
You see, we Mac users also don’t like being put into a box. I use both platforms, but my preference is Mac. In my work, it doesn’t matter because it is cross-platform, so I can choose the system that gives me the least headaches. I am working now on adding XML functionality to my solution, and I can also do anything that is Windows-centric because I can run Windows on my Mac. This Mac solution developer is about to ink a deal for a big Windows based software company to sell my solution as part of theirs, and they don’t see any problem with the fact that I prefer to work on a Mac. It hasn’t stopped us from communicating, sharing files, viewing Webex presentations or synching data. I still love my Mac. :-)
Sure, I take everything Salon says as Gospel.
Yet, if true, their point is that Gates is not in anyone's face with his political leanings. Whatever his largess, it hasn't earned him any points with libs either. It's obvious he never ponied up to the Clintons, if he had, he wouldn't have been wrung through Reno Justice.
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