February 2001 || Volume 01, Issue 07

Remote Viewing

I didn't visit Macworld this last January, but I did take note of what was going on out on the left coast. From this perspective, it seemed one of the most important Macworld's in history.

Look at it this way - so much happened at this one that several important developments went unannounced. Consider this:

• OS 9.1 release unmentioned.
• iTunes was sitting tapping its toes waiting for OS 9 users to download it via iTools.
• At last, the 667- and 733-MHz Power Mac G4s contain the new PowerPC 7450 chip (aka G4+), though no one bothered to mention it.

To me this speaks volumes.

A Brief Recap of Apple Product Introductions

You've read, probably in gross detail, about that which Apple did announce. Just for a moment let me hit the highlights:

• The new Power Mac G4s include a cornucopia of design enhancements including
  256K on-chip level 2 cache running at processor speed, plus 1 MB backside level 3 cache running at one-third the processor speed (667-MHz and 733-MHz systems) and 133-MHz system bus and PC133 SDRAM up to 1.5 GB. A new DVD-R & CD-RW Combo drive is standard on the top-o-the-line model, though apparently available on no others. Add an extra PCI slot for more goodies. It's bigger, faster, and just generally badder.
• The new 1" thick G4 PowerBook Titanium, with 15.2 inch "mega display", in 400 or 500 MHz models confirmed, yet denied, several rumors. The new book was met with mixed emotions from various quarters. Some lamented the loss of the sexy curvaceous nature of the recent PB G3 versions, others couldn't live without one. Portable totin' graphics professionals will find life not worth living without one, though we're down to one FireWire port from the last model G3's 2. Radio personality Don Imus weighed in with his opinion, "I've got to have one."
• DVD Studio Pro and little brother iDVD bring making home DVDs, well... to home.
• The aforementioned iTunes plays mp3 audio files, extracts them from CDs, and copies them onto CDs, as well as functioning as Internet radio tuner. It includes a mind boggling visualization capability that reminds me of 70's light shows. Magic Carpet Ride, yeah! (Though they never announced it was waiting for you via iTools!)
• Apple CEO For Life Steve Jobs demonstrated the new philosophy of listening to your customers with the latest beta version of OS X. This incorporated several suggestions (threats) from Apple customers. Jobs slowly but surely seems to be coming to grips with the word "customers" as well as the concept of "marketing." He also announced a firm delivery date of March 2001. OK. Sure. We'll believe it when we see it. Just get it right.

Other Goodies

Apple's new best friend, Microsoft (at least until David Boise goes away), showcased it's new beta of the long-awaited Outlook Exchange client for the Mac. The new version of the messaging and collaboration client, Outlook: Mac 2001, is expected to ship this summer. This will be of immense help to folks, like myself, who must overcome the prejudice of technical types that only speak MS Exchange server. Microsoft Uber Alles!

Microsoft also announced that it will ship an enhanced version of Office 2001 for Mac OS X this fall.

Speaking of OS X, huge numbers of software manufacturers announced and/or demoed software to run on Apple's "next generation" operating system. (Hasn't it been two generations since they started saying that?) Some of these vendors have never written software for a Mac OS before.

The numbers of new drives by vendors such as La Cie, Imation, and 3ware (a new arrival to the Mac market) could fill pages.

The Rrrrrest of the Story

I think the most important part of Macworld went nearly unnoticed. While scads of the faithful scrutinized Steve Jobs in a fruitless attempt to determine if he had changed clothes since the last Macworld, Jobs announced he wanted to make the Mac "the hub of a digital lifestyle."

I suppose this means different things to different people. To me it means I can painlessly plug a digital video appliance into my PowerBook, edit the video, and upload it to my web site. One of my goals is to be able to send near real time feeds of the family's vacation so that all the expanded family and friends can see what we're doing. When I'm away on business, I'd like to be able to send video back to the family. Likewise when the wife's away.

I know you can do that now, but I said "painless." When I said painless, I meant to the average schmuck using a computer. So what if someone that immersed themselves in this for years can do it? How many people can that be?

With families split among the four directions of the compass, members are anxious to see what's going on with one another. I see my nieces and nephews only a couple times of the year and would love to see what they've been up to.

I think Jobs is right about this also, though most seemed to poo-poo his comment. I guess they haven't arrived at the age that they want to keep up with family and friends.

If any company around today can do this in a way that makes it easy for the average Joe, it's Apple. I am reminded of a Jobs' comment a year or two ago that Apple was going to become a consumer electronics company. His most recent announcement only builds on the earlier one.

If you use a new Sony Viao laptop computer (which everyone is comparing to the new G4 PowerBook), you'll gleefully note that it has Apple's QuickTime 4 software installed. There's a reason Sony did this. There's a reason Sony jumped on the Apple FireWire (AKA iLink) standard as well.

It's because Apple is leading the pack in putting together the pieces necessary to live a "digital lifestyle."

I say this Macworld was another huge step in the right direction for Apple. They've articulated a vision of being the world leader in consumer electronics to facilitate a digital lifestyle. Then they trucked out the new hardware and software to demonstrate they are serious about the bits and pieces to do that. The plethora of new hardware and software introductions by a boatload of vendors should make it plain to even the most obtuse (yes, Windows users) that Apple is here to stay. And may I say it? I must; I must - they're going to prosper. The day's of the Performa are long gone. Long live the G4s.

Craig Cox - craig@macosjournal.com
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