Apple Event 14th October
Here’s hoping it’ll be something I can buy.
Cuil
Another nail in Facebook's coffin?
Link
WWDC 2008
8GB model will cost £99 on the £30 & £35 tariff, and free on the £45 & £75 tariff. 16GB model, £159 on the £30 & £35, £59 on the £45 tariff and free on the £75 tariff. They will also be releasing a Pay-as-you-go version, pricing not yet available. Update: Previous owners will also be able to upgrade for free to the new model. Visit O2 for full details.
It’s also now available in white and black, the buttons are metal and the headphone socket is no longer recessed, making it easier to work with other headphones. Oh, and back is plactic now, which should help with reception I’ve read.
Not upgrading the camera seems a strange oversight. It still has the same 2 megapixel camera of the previous model, and no ability to record video, why? Many were also expecting a front facing camera, but that’s just an expectation, a good one mind. The problem is we still tend to go by the numbers and see 7mp as better than 2, just like the old days of the Mhz myth, we have the Megapixel myth:
“The megapixel myth was started by camera makers and swallowed hook, line and sinker by camera measurebators. Camera makers use the number of megapixels a camera has to hoodwink you into thinking it has something to do with camera quality.”
Really, unless you’re heavily cropping an image or planning on printing over A5, 2mp is probably fine. I’m not an Apple appologist, as it does seem rather dumb to have missed even adding 1 extra megapixel. Sure it’ll happen in the next revision, they probably were concentrating on 3G & GPS first. If you’re a serious photographer, you’re going to have a proper camera anyway.
David Pogue came to the same conclusions.
The only other missing feature it seems, is MMS (Multimedia Message Service), unless you’re waiting for that haptic feedback? They have improved Enterprise integration (which is interesting for those corporate chappies). My brother is planning on getting one, so I’ll see what he uses most, I’d suspect I’d be surfing mostly.
You can watch the new iPhone advert here.
Update: Apple have released a guided tour of the iPhone here.
Apple also launched MobileMe, a replacement for .Mac (itself a replacement of the free iTools, damn them!). MobileMe will push services like calendars, mail and contacts to the iPhone. As well as a suite of web based applications. It’s still going to cost you 20GB storage $49 - 40GB storage $99 annually. You can no doubt get these services for free elsewhere, perhaps less elegantly, but you pays your money... You can now watch a tour of the service here.
There was also some information on the next version of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. The OS appears to be laying foundations for the future, rather than adding flashy new features. Expected 2009.
Sadly, and I didn’t really expect it, there were no new Macs, specifically a new MacBook or MacBook Pro which is what I’m waiting for.
The keynote is available to watch here (but it’s a pretty dull one).
Sex and the City
Link
Apparently she's still on Tiger.
Cambridge Apple Store - Grand Opening
I played it smart, I thought and went in via the new John Lewis end of the mall, which seemed to have less people waiting than the Lion Yard entrance (it turned out most had waited outside the main Grand Arcade entrance). There were balloons suspended from the ceiling ready for the opening, but to my disappointment they didn’t drop at 10:00.
At 10:05 I could hear a loud count down shouted at
the other end and they were let through (even then
the balloons didn’t drop). Some made a run for
the Apple Store (others walked past), leaving the
people at my end in some confusion, still being held
back, until a few made a break for it. This lead to
the normal human need to follow the crowd and
stampede. Many rushed down to the Apple Store, but
were made to form another queue against the wall
opposite the store before being let in. I still
managed to be in a line with about the first 15
people, had I been further back I’d
would’ve gone home.
Hey you, get to the
back of the queue.
There was some confusing as we were let in - other
shoppers were either trying to squeeze past the
store, or when trying to walk in were being ushered
away down the line, not realising it was anything
special. There was the usual noisy clapping, shouting
and hooting as we entered, this was mainly from the
Apple staff - not the people coming in. We were also
extensively filmed & photographed by
Apple’s staff, for no doubt more promotional
videos, (like I saw during my Apple
interview/seminar). I kept my hood up.
Once inside, I picked up my T-shirt from a guy I had
been to the seminar with. I called him Vicas for some
unknown reason. I couldn’t remember his name,
it might’ve been close? I apologise if he ever
reads this. I shook his hand, congratulating him. The
(not so) funny thing; I’m sure he admitted not
knowing that much about Macs at the seminar, but he
does have a friendly face. I also spied another guy
who had talked way too much during the seminar and is
now one of their greeters! I guess Mac knowledge
isn’t high on Apple’s wish list to work
in a store (I think I’ve a right to be have my
nose put out slightly - how could they not want
MisterMac! heh).
Many shops remain
empty
The shop seemed pretty generic, not very big but
nicely laid out as you’d expect. After a look
about and quick play with an iPhone (forgetting to
look at the MacBook Air). I remembered to enter the
competition, once I found
it. I also took some
photos, which you can see here.
After leaving, I found the queue stretched right down
to the old Lion yard. I’m actually unsure if
some of the people in the queue knew what they were
queuing for. I have a feeling some just thought it
was still for the grand opening of the mall, or maybe
I’m wrong and a lot of those old Grans really
are Mac users? You never know!
Whilst walking out via John Lewis - one of the staff
asked me "what is in those
boxes?". I explained it was a
T-shirt and he seemed slightly disappointed. They
are one of the other major stockists of Apple
products, so I cheered them up saying the Apple
Store still don’t give that free
extra two years
guarantee, unlike themselves.
They thanked me heh.
Chic Apple Store, right
next door to the classy
Clinton Cards. That’s gotta make you
grin.
I kinda felt sorry for
the other shops, most had more staff than customers
in comparison, the guy at the Sony store looked quite
miffed as I left with my Apple T-Shirt box.
Update: Just noticed my
story has been linked by MacDailyNews - just to add;
the Sony store isn’t in the
Grand Arcade, it’s around the corner
in Lion Yard , I just past it on
the way out - I think the guy was more bemused. My
old Sony Trinitron CRT TV has been going strong
for 18 years, so not a comment on their products,
but their stores do need modernisation.
Saturday I think will be the real test as to what
shops people are actually interested in.
Top Man, that’s where I
plan on going. Now I would’ve queued
if they
were
handing out free T-Shirts, well they might do
sizes other than large, or perhaps I should eat
more pies!
Update: On Sunday the
Apple Store was pretty full when I went
past.
There’s still many empty shops in the Arcade,
some of the new shops have just moved in from other
parts of the town centre, leaving closed stores
elsewhere. Hopefully we’ll get some real new
stores soon, and not just expensive brand stores (not
everyone in Cambridge is rich).
Update: I saw on
the local news that they did let the
balloons down later, with dancing girls! They
don’t mention the Apple Store, odd
considering it had the most interest. Still, I
can’t believe I missed that, instead I was
inside a Mac shop. Here’s hoping I win
something.
T-Shirt; only comes in
large.
Phorm
Phorm will allow the 3 big ISPs to track everywhere you go on the internet and sell that information to an advertiser, oh and with some guff that they're making the net a better place.
See:
BadPhorm
BBC Reports: 1 & 2
Update: You can now also sign the petition here.
iPlayer downloads for Mac 2008
That nonsense over developing for every platform, ohh really there's only 3.
I wish they'd stop announcing and start delivering.
Get a Mac ads get gone?
The ads may not have been to everyone's tastes, usually rather anal people, but I found some quite funny.
That doesn't explain why they've vanished? No doubt it's something sensible to do with them not brining enough switchers and it's time for something new. As I mentioned below, perhaps an advert more on the lines of the iPhone would be better? Show off that OS and iLife etc.
Mitchell & Webb were a fun choice, although odd considering some of their sketches took the piss out of advertising, perhaps an unknown pair may've been better?
Update: The Japanese Get a Mac
page has
also been pulled.
MacBook Air - Macworld 2008
The big news from this
years Macworld Expo was the
MacBook Air, a super lightweight
super thin notebook. It weighs just 1.36 Kg or
just 3 pounds, for comparison the previous
smallest notebook, the PowerBook 12" weighed 2.1
Kg.
If you travel a lot,
or as my girlfriend says, find MacBooks too heavy for
her lady like arms, then this is the machine for you.
It may not be a super-sub-notebook, but I find it's
the weight more than the size of a notebook that puts
my back out and this way you still have that 13.3
inch widescreen.
It has a couple of unique features, other than the
weight & how thin it is. The trackpad now
supports gesturing, like you'd find on the iPhone,
pinching to zoom, three finger side swipe to go
back and forth on a web page. It also has an
option for a solid state hard drive, 64 GB or a
standard drive at 80 GB.
The Air comes as a 1.6 Ghz £1,199 or an optional 1.8
Ghz £2,028 with 2GB of memory, built in 802.11n wifi.
Behind a cool flap hides the Audio Out, USB 2.0 and
Micro-DVI for external monitor support and of course,
a built in camera. Full specs can be found
here.
What's missing is the optical drive. This reminds me
of when Apple removed the old floppy drive when
introducing the iMac, people got all hot and bothered
about it, but now who uses floppy drives? Apple will
sell you a USB optical drive (or buy a 3rd party
device), but what's clever is, they've introduced
some clever software, Remote Disc, which allows you
to use an optical drive of another PC or Mac, just
as if it were attached to your machine wirelessly.
The whole point of this machine is to go wireless.
Some have complained about the built-in-battery,
probably the same ones who complained about the iPod,
I don't see it as much of an issue when Apple won't
charge to replace it, plus it's bound to have some
third-party battery replacements for those who don't
mind using a screwdriver, just like the iPod. You
just need to think about what you want, and if the
Air ticks all your boxes, it's for you, if not
there's always the MacBook and Pro.
Apple have put together a handy video tour to explain
a lot of the features here.
Update: Reviews of the MacBook Air
The Ars Technica
Review
MacWorld US
MacWorld US - Fitting files
on
MacWorld US - Migrating
Lower iTunes Prices
Apple have said this is what they wanted to do at the start, but were prevented by the major labels.
The new prices should be available in 6 months.
Reports from the BBC & MacWorld UK
BBC iPlayer on the Mac
You still won't be able to download anything on the Mac yet, but streaming is working at least. Downloads are meant to be coming to the Mac (and Linux) sometime in 2008. I still don't like that they're using any form of DRM, we pay the license fee, we should be able to keep whatever we download for as long as we like. I'm not the only one to think that. The service is said to have had low take up so far.
Quality is pretty so-so and I've not found a great deal I want to watch, but there is the Sky at Night! I also wish it would stay full screen on one screen whilst I do other things on another (that's for those of us with a Mac & two monitors or a laptop Mac connected to another screen). It's still nice to have though!
The service comes out of beta on Christmas Day.
The BBC, ITV and Channel 4 also recently announced they'll be creating a combined on-demand service, we wait to see what computer support it will have, as at the moment 4oD is not Mac compatible.
Hello iPhone
I tried out the iPhone in the Carphonewarehouse in Cambridge today (and then saw it in the O2 shop opposite). I found it remarkably easy to use, surprisingly so, the keyboard works well and was very accurate, camera shots looked fine (I'd not believe the MP myth) and Safari was great, I even managed a smidge of self publicity.
I came out with my very own iPhone, it's very slim...
Trojan Hype
He says: "At the moment the fake codec is being spread via porn sites, but it will quickly spread to more mainstream sites", which shows a complete misunderstanding. Trojans are not viruses. Trojans can’t spread on their own and they can’t self-replicate (viruses can do both).
He's not the only one of course, and for a nice take on the whole thing, take a read of Daring Fireball on the same subject: "To get hit by it, you must (a) be the sort of moron who downloads “video codecs” from porno sites; (b) mount the disk image and launch the installer;"
It's not going to turn up on YouTube (since when did you download a code for YouTube? ummm never?), so don't worry about it, the people getting hot under the collar about this are just after headlines. Your Mac is as secure as ever it was.
Updated MacBooks
Apple have updated their MacBook line with intel's
Santa Rosa chip set, so if you have been waiting,
now's the time to buy.
Clock speeds haven't changed that much, frontside bus
has increased to 800mhz.
13" White 2.0Ghz Core 2 Duo, 1GB RAM, 80GB hard
drive, GMA X3100 Graphics chip set, Combo drive £699
13" White 2.2Ghz Core 2 Duo, 1GB RAM, 120GB hard
drive, GMA X3100 Graphics chip set, Superdrive £829
13" Black 2.2Ghz Core 2 Duo, 1GB RAM, 160GB hard
drive, GMA X3100 Graphics chip set, Superdrive £949
The MacBook Pro now has a 2.6Ghz option £160 and
5400rpm, 250GB hard drive £100 (7200rpm 200GB
£130).
Leopard, THE review.
BBC iPlayer
Really it was no different than the BBC saying, unless you own a Sony TV, you can't watch our content.
Talking of things Microsoft, John Pugh MP has pointed out that the Government has pretty much sold its soul to Microsoft. There's a surprise.
Update: Not that I've got it in for the BBC, but this interview with Mary Taylor, President of UK Open Source Consortium, by Sean Daly makes you want to shove their license fee where...well you know.
Cambridge Apple Store
It's set to open in the newly built Grand Arcade once it opens March 2008, John Lewis flag ship store will be opening there this November which is a pity as at the moment John Lewis is very nearby.
Mac OS X 10.5 arrives 26th October
Single user is £85 and Family Pack (5 license) £129 from Apple's store.
However; Amazom.co.uk prices £79.98 for single license and £119.98 for the Family Pack.
You can see all 300+ New Features here. It's best to check the minimum requirements before buying, as it might be the time to sell your old Mac, and buy a new(er) one.
The iPhone has arrived (almost).
It will cost you £269 plus a monthly tariff of either £35, £45 or £55 but all plans offer free unlimited traffic (with a fair usage caveat) as well as access to The Cloud WiFi hot spots.
You'll be able to buy the iPhone from Apple, O2 and Car Phone Warehouse. No news on whether the Starbucks deal is coming to the UK anytime soon.
I'd still say wait for the next version, but if you wants it, you can now get it.
iPods
New Shuffle colours, a squarer larger screened nano, higher capacity iPod Classic (as it's now known) and to top it off, the iPod Touch, which is like a cut down iPhone without the phone, so it's an i then, ahem. It has wifi and Safari. You can now also download music from Apples new iTunes WiFi store straight to the iPod Touch or iPhone.
Check them out.
iLife 08 going cheap
See Apple's site for more details.
Apple Special Event - August 2007
BBC iPlayer Petition
Go fill it in
Buying a Phone
Yahoo Messenger Poll
Yahoo are asking
Yahoo! Messenger users whether they'd prefer to wait
for the messenger to be updated to work with older
versions of OS X, or release updates sooner but will
only work with newer versions of the OS.
I
went with the later, it's not like the older OS won't
still be able to run the older version of the
messenger.
Take the poll here.
Just one more iPhone
iPhone iPhone iPhone
It does look impressive for a first generation product, iPhone II should be interesting.
iPhone Ad
s Alec Sutherland has made his own take on an iPhone Advert, it's unofficial of course, but clearly professional.
Get a Mac Ads cleared by ASA.
Smug link
WWDC 2007 - Keynote Video
Watch
WWDC 2007 - Mac OS X 10.5: Leopard
Apple announced the near
final version of Mac OS X 10.5, otherwise known as
Leopard, they also let
developers have a copy at the conference. Steve Jobs showed
off 10 features out of the 300 new features in the
up-coming version, due to ship in October.
First, the entire OS is now 64-bit! Great, you’re
thinking? It should mean faster applications in
the long run, now you’re more impressed.
There will only be one version of the OS, 32-bit
applications were shown to work without any
problems.
This window is just like the other ones, this
window is just the same
The whole OS has a more unified look, rather than the
mix of brushed metal and Aqua etc. I did notice the
scroll bars still looked like the old Aqua ones,
perhaps this may change? You can of course get a more
unified look at the moment using Uno. The translucent top
menu is bound to have its lovers and haters, I
suppose it depends on if you can change it or not.
The main feature you’ll notice at first is the
new more 3D Dock, I’m not sure if it’s
any bigger or not, or even if I like it. They seemed
to make quite a deal that the dock
reflects,
I’m not
exactly how this is a feature or just more visual
noise. I suspect they’ll be 3rd party ways of
changing it back to the the old dock if it’s
not an option. I was hoping for a new launcher, along
the lines of Over Flow.
The dock does have a much welcomed feature; Stacks:
When you download from Safari, instead of defaulting
to the desktop, it’ll save to a stack, which
should mean we all have a lot more tidy desktops.
Clicking on a Stack will reveal its contents either
in a grid, or they’ll be fanned out above. To
get an idea, you can watch a demo here. I don’t know
if they’re only for the dock, it seems to me
being able to have them on the desktop itself
would be useful.
Leopard showing off its stacks
Stacks aren’t really a new feature, Apple has
had a patent on the idea for many years and was once
known as Piles (Such a shame they didn't stick with
that name).
The Finder has also been updated
with a much improved sidebar, somewhat like iTunes
and now you can view files in Cover Flow, just
like iTunes. I’m not sure how much I’d
use this feature, as I don’t tend to in
iTunes (other than to show off).
Thinking about it; it may turn out to be more useful
in the Finder than in iTunes. The Finder is made up
of many different document types of documents, which
should be instantly more apparent with the large
preview of Cover Flow, this may give a quicker visual
clue as to the file you’re looking for, rather
than in iTunes where it's really just one type of
file (cover art).
Spotlight can now search other machines on the
network, and it’s now more easy to share
content over the network and internet via .Mac. There
was no other mention of .Mac, really as I’ve no
intention of paying for .Mac I may never see the
internet sharing feature. .Mac really ought to be
free to my mind.
Quick Look is really a great new
feature that allows you to preview your documents
without having to open any application right from
the Finder.
A Quick Look
Steve also showed off the power
of
Core Animation and what 3rd party
developers could do with it.
We also saw the new built in backup solution
Time Machine again, you will be
able to back-up to a local drive, or a network
volume including one attached to an AirPort
Extreme. This has to be one of the best features
(even if you’ve seen it before). It amazes
me how many people still don’t back-up. Some
may think this dull, but if you’re one of
those people who has lost something critical,
you’ll love this.
It’s a Time Machine
Spaces was also shown again;
I’m still unsure if or how much I would use
it (I may turn around and love it), unlike
Dashboard, which I actually
have turned off for being just too
slow on a 12" PowerBook.
Dashboard did gain a new widget, and WebClip which
allows you to use any part of a website as a Widget.
I wonder how the websites feel about this? After-all,
you’re avoiding seeing any advertising.
Owners of Virtualization software must’ve
breathed a sigh of rel