Mac Attack

 I just finished viewing Steve Job’s Keynote at Macworld 2008.   If you are wondering, Jobs is the big cheese at Apple.  Every year millions look forward to hearing this keynote to see what the innovators at Apple have in store for us.  I am impressed, but not overly excited.  I’ll explain through the post.  I am going to try to explain what he introduced so that anyone and everyone can get an idea of what it is (even if you are ignorant in the realm of Mac.)

note-  I use a Mac and a PC almost daily.  I use my PC for most office work (my employer supplies me one.)  I use my Mac (Intel Duo Core IMAC) for video editing, web surfing, photo editing, etc.

A few stats to let you know that if you aren’t on the Mac wagon, you might get left behind.

• 5 Million copies of Mac’s new operating System (Leopard) sold in 90 days. 
• 4 Million Iphones have sold in 200 days.  That is 20,000 for a daily average. 
• 4 Billion songs have sold on Itunes
• 20 Million songs sold on Itunes on Christmas Day ‘07
• 125 Millions TV shows have sold on Itunes
• 7 Million Movies have sold on Itunes

Things introduced in the keynote:

1.  Time Machine/Time Capsule- Time machine backs your computer up automatically.  If you delete a file and later realize you need it, it’s there.  Time Capsule uses 802.11N wifi so that you don’t even have to plug anything in for Time Machine to work!  Time Capsule also acts as an airport extreme base station(router/hub.) 

500 GB for $299.00, 1TB for $499

2.  Lots of Iphone software upgrades, the most impressive was that it now uses Cell Tower Triangulation to determine your location.  So it will show you where you are on a google map.  Then you can pin or mark your location on the map, get directions, etc.

3.  Itunes updates-rent movies on itunes and you can view it on any combo of machines (iphone, ipod, PC, Mac, etc.)  When you rent a movie you have 30 days to start watching it.  After you start watching it you have 24hours to watch all of it.   Library Titles-$2.99,  New Releases $3.99

This doesn’t do much for me.  There is software ($40.00) that will rip any movie off of a DVD and put it on your ipod….

4.  Macbook Air-  This is pretty cool.  I’m not sure if I will ever get one, especially until any potential bugs are worked out.  I am too hard on my computers, and like having plenty of USB and Firewire ports, but it is cool.  It is the thinnest notebook in the world.  It is only .76″ in it’s widest point (.16″ in it’s thinnest point.)  13.3″ LED Backlit Screen, Magnetic Latch, Built in Isight Camera for video Conference, Backlit Full Size Keyboard that adjusts automatically to the light in the room (you can use it easily in the dark, on a plane, etc.)  80 GB Hard drive or 64GB Solid State Hard drive.   A solid State Drive is faster, and more stable than a conventional Hard Drive because it has no moving parts.  It comes with 2 GB of Ram.  It does have built-in 802.11n Wifi, Bluetooth 2.1 EDR, USB 2.0, Micro DVI, and a headphone Jack.  It DOES NOT have an optical drive (CD, DVD, Etc.)  A cool new feature is the remote disc feature.  It comes with software you can put on your PC or Mac and it will wirelessly “borrow” that computers drive to install software, etc.  That is amazing.    The Macbook Air starts at $1799 and has a battery life of about 5 hours. 

I am curious, do you own a Mac?  Are you planning on purchasing one?  Will you buy any of the items I posted about?