Charles Arthur asks on the Technology Guardian Blog if Apple has ever been so open about technology roadmaps. Well I can remember just one such instance. It’s typically Apple.
I predict a bucket load of iPhone SDK disappointment stories come next Wednesday afternoon. It’ll probably be far too restrictive and each application will probably need Steve Jobs personal approval. On second thoughts that might not actually be such a bad thing…
In other news go and read Sorry for the group email it’s brilliant. Dave’s in Baikal which, I assume isn’t just outside Doncaster. Though the description could well be used to describe Doncaster.
In Baby news we’re* in the last trimester and this means that I’ve now moved from slightly nervous to bricking it.
*by we I mean Joanne really. I’m just a passenger at the moment.
Charles Arthur asks the only question that really matters:
(Super-thin laptops? Why?)
Could be because they can. The comments, complaints and compliments seem to be focussing on the product’s shortcomings, perceived or otherwise. What’s more interesting is why make another laptop? Perhaps it’s a return to the days when Apple had a large range of products. You remember; laser printers, digital cameras, inkjets, PDAs, games consoles (nearly). When Jobs returned to Apple the company began streamlining its offerings, probably because they couldn’t afford them at the time. Recently Apple has reintroduced the peripherals and now it seems it’s extending its computer hardware. This can only be a good thing.
*
The product matrix of Desktop, Laptop Consumer/Pro is growing and why the hell not Apple has a bazillion dollars to spend.
Can I just add that if you think a removable battery** is essential to your portable computer experience don’t buy a MacBook Air. The majority of complaints I’ve read on blogs and elsewhere seem to be from people outlining why they use their laptop in x way so the Air will never sell. I don’t suppose the 17in MacBook Pro is a major seller either but Apple still makes it. Why?
* Remember that give or take this was ALL the hardware they made and sold for a while.
** Insert your own preference here.
P.S. Have you tried resizing the new iTunes Window? From the bottom left corner?
Technorati Tags:
Apple, Keynote, MacBook Air, Macworld 2008
Of course the cool thing to say is that there’s nothing surprising and that the MacBook Air lacks much and costs more than it should. I’ve yet to see one in the flesh but not one of the limitations fazes me.
No Optical* Drive? The last software I installed from DVD was Leopard before that erm … Tiger.
One USB Port? Never, ever, have I had more than one USB port in use on my PowerBook. Fact.
No Ethernet? Not used it in ages.
No FireWire? If you *really* need FireWire you’d never consider a sub-notebook anyhow.
No user replaceable battery? I have a spare battery for my 12in PowerBook on the shelf at home somewhere, used 3 maybe 4 times
Only one speaker?? Audio on your laptop? Seriously?
Soldered RAM? The 12in PowerBook has the same RAM configuration as the day I bought it.
Desperately trying to justify the price tag? You bet your ass I am.
However, if you need all the stuff mentioned above you could stop complaining about what the MacBook Air lacks and move right along to the the MacBook/Pro pages where you’ll find a machine that fits your need perfectly.
The thing is Apple doesn’t design products that fit the mantra of ‘it has to have’ They design products and fit in what they can. This approach doesn’t suit everyone and the MacBook Air certainly won’t but then not all products Apple make do suit everyone. Nor do all Apple products prove a resounding success. I think the proof of the Air pudding will be in the reliability. If complaints are minimal it’ll do well but if it overheats or warps or, worse, snaps then it’ll be a tough sell.
* Bet your ass that Apple will be selling software by download soon.
Technorati Tags:
MacBook Air, Macworld 2008, Apple
Sub-notebook with hard drive not flash memory and wireless USB for accessories such as optical drive. 12in glossy screen and thin like Kate Moss.
Front page of the main Apple site? Come back and watch the keynote? There’s certainly something in the air. Tablet Mac? Wifi across the iPod range? If nothing else Apple is in the enviable position of having people come to its website to watch a 2 hour advert made by the CEO about something which nobody knows anything about. It’s not strategically leaked to ensure high viewing figures, it might not be what someone is after but Apple is encouraging people to come back and see what’s basically a press conference with flashy graphics. I wouldn’t be surprised to see low grade digital channels showing this in a few year time. Come and watch the replay of the Steve Jobs keynote recorded live tonight at 8pm on BBC 67 digital HD extra.
Personally I’m going for a 12in portable with touchscreen and solid state memory. Actually that’s what I want not what I think will really happen. Having said that all the hype around ‘there’s something in the air’ would seem a bit hollow for a new Airport Extreme or wireless backup drive. I think it has to be a new major product.
Technorati Tags:
Apple, Macworld
This Keefe thing has grown into a bit of mountain from the anthill it began life as. The defence of Keefe and his question has been on the slow burner even though criticism was swift. The arguments that his question wasn’t dumb and that people who think it is seem to fall into three camps: The Columbo defence, the I’m a journalist you wouldn’t understand defence and The what would you ask then? Defence.
The Columbo approach
As far as I’m concerned, is total codswallop. Columbo may well have asked dumb questions to illicit an incriminating answer from a potential murderer but it’s not a real world example of anything because it’s fiction. Just like there could never be a president of America like Bartlett or a doctor like House because they are fiction.
The Columbo approach admits that the question is dumb but that it needed to be asked because the questioner had a deeper understanding, or a least a hunch, that there was a deeper story. Also, it requires the person answering the question to believe that they had the upper hand and could never be found out. Not likely in this situation.
The I’m a journalist you wouldn’t understand argument
is the most self-centred and ridiculous argument as far as I can see. It’s an argument that belittles bloggers (lumping them all into one handy basket) as people who don’t get the black art of disseminating information. Don’t get me wrong I certainly think there are journalists who are more experienced and we indeed do perform a different task than that of bloggers but to say your opinion is wrong because you blogged it instead of writing about it for a publication is a bit shallow and self-important.
Finally we reach the
What would you ask then?
Defence. Total waste of breath and time for two reasons. The first is that if you reply with a question the inevitable response is ‘well that’s even dumber because…’ The second is it’s a discussion about how dumb the question was not what else should he have asked because that’s the question he asked. Debating what ‘might’ have been asked is a waste of time.
Though your mother may have told you that the question not asked is the only stupid one she probably also told you that you were beautiful and that you shouldn’t care what other people think of you.
I’ve read a few different approaches to the defence of Keefe.
I stick by my original opinion that asking why Apple doesn’t put stickers on its machines was dumb.
Technorati Tags:
Intel Inside, Bob Keefe, Apple
Who was it? Come on we have to find out. Given the opportunity of a lifetime somebody asked Steve Jobs himself why Apple didn’t add Intel Inside stickers to its products. Now call me picky but were I given the opportunity to ask one of the most influential and important CEOs in the IT world a question it wouldn’t be that. I realise the spotlight of pressure might have been on and the idea that you’d get to ask his Steveness a question might not have entered your mind before hand but for the love of God how on earth could that be your question?
Good bye Mac Mini?
Technorati Tags:
Apple, Apple store, Mac mini
I wonder, would that be a good place to launch the iPhone for Europe? Should I apply for press accreditation and hop on the Eurostar on the off chance? Maybe…
Technorati Tags:
iPhone, Apple, Apple Expo Paris, European iPhone
Beautiful response to a news story about the Apple Store Concierge not being open next week leading to speculation that Apple is going to announce the UK iPhone carrier deal.
**UPDATE**
I’d like you all to note the number of posts this user has on this Mac specific forum. Yep that’s right 15326.