[billmosby]

iEcstatic. New Macs? Now that we're on the Intel train, they'll come along more frequently than before. We have two new product lines now, at least one of which will present OS X to yet another new audience. In a little while, 10.5 will be out and 10.4 is already better than Vista. Apple may be going in some new directions here, but the Macs will be along for a good ride as well. Jobs said half of new Macs are going to customers new to the platform, and Mac sales are bucking the no-growth PC sales trend these days.
Just step back and realize that during about one third of the gestation period of Vista and Zune and the XBox, Apple has forged ahead with its OS, moved onto completely new processors, taken the MP3 player market (no, make that Invented the MP3 player market), and now has created a phone (+) that a lot of people will want. And also Apple TV, which I think will also be a good seller.
Maybe Macworld should consider changing its name to Appleworld. Then the conference might be more aptly named, too.
Oh, and now I have a better idea of what Widgets are for.

[cseeman]

It's all about the transformation of Apple.
Macworld was at one time geared towards Macs and high end Mac specific products (Video, Music, Graphic Arts). Macworld is now geared towards products marketed to the masses.
Jobs Keynote is a press conference for the mass media and mass marketing these days. iWork, iLife, Leopard are for Mac computer users which is a much smaller audience. Apple TV is geared to people with TVs and might lead them to buying Macs (just as iPods has to some extent and iPhone will).
This transformation of Macworld towards a sort of Apple controlled CES has been going on for years. It's just become more obvious to some this year.
Nothing wrong with the above at all. It's actually been successful at selling more computers too. With the choice to use precious media time between speaking to Mac users, computer users, the general public, Apple chose the last as the broadest market reach.
All the other stuff will happen at the appropriate special event speaking to the appropriate targeted audience. The days of Jobs Keynote for new towers, operating systems and Final Cut like products are gone. Those announcements are for WDA, NAB, various special events etc.

[wintomac]

Amazing, I just don't see how people can be disappointed by this. The iPhone looks absolutely amazing. Go to Apple's website and see the on line demo if you're not convinced. Do people here really think that Apple have now decided to stop development on Leopard, iLife and iWork? If anything this excites me more as I suspect that there will be even more integration of these Apps into the iPhone and future devices. Also would it surprise anyone if Apple were to release a scaled down version of the iPhone later at a lower price point? It wouldn't surprise me. I expect more special events to usher in Leopard, iLfe and iWork. This year looks like it will be incredible. To the nay-sayers I say, in due time.

[Winski]

Yes, it's all about you. "Nothing of interest" - to you maybe. The rest of the world seems pretty up on it. You glossed over the fact that the iPhone actually is a computer, and that the Apple TV is more than just a video extension. And they have just dissed you to death by changing the company name. Boo hoo! Sounds like you need a Midol or something. If you feel that they are losing their commitment to the personal computer, please feel free to go buy a Dell or a Gateway or any personal computer that is ahead of the Mac.... Yeah, that's what I thought.

[ClarkM]

Quote:

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I was also disappointed.
Thinking about trying our iWork, but am waiting for 07.
Getting ready to buy a Mini, but am waiting for Core 2.
Want to replace my Power Mac, but the Mac Pro is a tad too expensive.
Want to replace my 23-inch ACD with a 26/27 inch.
So, I have money and am ready to spend, but need something to buy.
,dave
P.S. The iPhone is way cool, but I am more of a desktop computer person than a phone person.

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I was likewise disappointed for similar reasons.
I was also disappointed that when the Apple Store came back online after the keynote that iWork '06 is still the only option for that kind of pre-installed iMac software.
Getting down to business, my question is...
Can anybody recommend a robust, 750 gigabyte external hard drive to keep a bowling ball iMac kicking for a little while longer, at least until Jobs decides to us know about improvements, 4 core processor, Leopard, iWork '07, blue-ray drives, etc., in desktop computer?
Thanks

[Taghkanic]

Jobs introduced two significant new products, one of which truly major. I don't plan to buy an iPhone until at least the second or third iteration; but to say that this keynote was any less momentous than others is just silly. It was more newsworthy than many in the past.
I do have a beef about iTV, or rather about iTunes. The people with the cash to buy into iTV are likely the same people with higher-definition TVs. Why on earth would someone stream a 640-pixel-wide movie to any size screen over 19", let alone 50"? It's pointless. Until there is the bandwidth and availability to download higher-quality movies from iTunes, Apple is either (a) asking serious movie watchers to wait, or (b) to get their movies from somewhere else.
I'll stick with Netflix for now.

[DG70]

I think the problem is that all the Apple rumors sites are creating great expectations and when it comes the Macworld or WWDC, and the products rumored are not there, everybody gets frustrated.
Not me.
I think this iPhone is awesome and really revolutionary.
That doesn't mean I didn't want to see new Mac minis, Mac Pros, displays... but Apple NEVER said those products would be announced.
The rumors sites are not helping Apple at all with all this false news and false expectations.
Lets Apple and Steve Jobs do their jobs.
2007 will be another great year for Apple.
Leopard will come, iLife 07 will come, new Macs, iPods and displays will come...
But calm down with the anxiety fed by this rumors sites.
My 2 cents.
Gordon

[davebarnes]

ClarkM,
You wrote: "Can anybody recommend a robust, 750 gigabyte external hard drive"
I have an external drive from G-Technology which is dead quiet. They have a new RAID drive that meets your needs. http://www.g-technol...cts/G-RAID2.cfm

I also have a LaCie Porsche drive which has proven to be very reliable. See http://www.lacie.com...t.htm?pid=10188 for something that might meet your needs.
I have had very good experiences with OWC for other products and am considering one their drives for my next one. They are very price competitive, in my opinion. See http://eshop.macsale...shop/ministack/ for one of their products.
,dave

[wintomac]

I'm with you Gordon. I'm excited by the iPhone and the future. I don't understand all the hand wringing and knashing of teeth.

[ClarkM]

Quote:

---

Amazing, I just don't see how people can be disappointed by this. The iPhone looks absolutely amazing. Go to Apple's website and see the on line demo if you're not convinced. Do people here really think that Apple have now decided to stop development on Leopard, iLife and iWork? If anything this excites me more as I suspect that there will be even more integration of these Apps into the iPhone and future devices. Also would it surprise anyone if Apple were to release a scaled down version of the iPhone later at a lower price point? It wouldn't surprise me. I expect more special events to usher in Leopard, iLfe and iWork. This year looks like it will be incredible. To the nay-sayers I say, in due time.

---

The disappointment is not necessarily the iPhone.
The problem is that now, more than ever, you've got to be careful when you buy a desktop computer. Given Leopard, iWork '07, blue-ray drives, Intel's new low-power 4 core processors are on the horizon, I'd essentially be purchasing last year's iMac technology if I ordered one today.
Can you recommend a robust 750 gigabyte hard drive to extend the life of a bowling ball iMac for a few more months until Apple upgrades the iMac's?
Thanks

[PeterG]

Hey Rob,
The iPhone, am I correct in saying if you want to use the iPhone (as displayed) you have to have ear plugs or ear piece or speaker?
Peter

[clb5]

Quote:

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Quote:

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The common man is not interested in a $500 phone (although I would love one). If it was 30GB or better, then it would be a different story.

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LOL... that's what people said 5 years ago when the iPod (with a 5GB hard drive) was announced for $399.

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Which of course is why they never bothered with a smaller, less expensive version like, oh say, a "mini" iPod or a "nano" iPod. Or a $299, 10G version with Windows support. Sales really took off after May 2003, as iLounge reported. Apparently $29.9/GB is much better than 79.8/GB.

[cambro]

I feel exactly the same way.
The iPhone is going to be revolutionary. Just like the iPod, but probably even more so given it's so much more than a music player. But...
...to not even MENTION 10.5 and its status? To not even MENTION the next directions for iLife or iWork? To give NO indication abot the "computer" side of Apple other than..."Hey, it's not in our name anymore!"
I think Steve got a little too wrapped up in the iPhone, which I gesss is an indication of his devotion to the project.

[shavingcream]

I am dissapointed with the lack of Mac stuff. I knew it as soon as I read that Jobs said this is a great year for the Mac but that it would be all he would mention about Macs today.
Apple will no longer focus on Macs, but on entering new markets like cell phones. When you hear Apple vice president say: It will do for the phone market what the Mac did for personal computers, this says alot. And they DID say Apple is now a media company.
At this rate, the kitchen appliance industry better watch their back!! /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif