All Points North

I was throwing together a quick work through on how to make a slideshow with some music to it and thought what better than iMovie 08. WRONG, it’s utter shite. Nothing about it is intuitive it lacks the most basic features and to top it off is just as flakey as the iMovie which came before it. At least the previous incarnations of iMovie offered a halfway decent video editing solution. I reviewed iMovie as part of the iLIfe suite and said at the time that it was a step backwards but I hadn’t realised just how much of a step backwards it was. Anyhow, here’s the video I made. I’ve been assured that I’m not winning the baby bore competition so it’s time to ramp up my efforts with a sickening montage to music. Enjoy,

I was about to wipe my old 15GB iPod and thought to myself I’ll have a look before I do. The only thing on it was the copy and PDF of an interview I did with Steve Wozniak when I worked full time at MacUser magazine. I also interviewed Gil Amelo, Jef Raskin and Andy Hertzfeld not bad going for a lowly staff writer.

It was part of a series with all the same questions for ex-Apple people. Of the people I emailed, phoned, wrote letters only John Sculley, Bill Atkinson and, of course, Steve Jobs didn’t reply.

Of all the interviews this is the one I’m most proud of (which must be why it had an iPod all to itself) but tucked away on page 67 of the 9th of July 2004 issue is a really special piece of information that, looking back is really quite interesting.

I asked Gil Amelio What should Apple do next? His reply?

If it wants to remain a computer company, it should port Mac OS X to the Intel Processor and compete with Windows head-on.

Bloody good idea.

Here’s the text of the Wozniak interview:

MU What is your favourite Apple product ever?

SW That’s a tough one. The [Power Mac] 8500 goes and goes to this day (even the power supply). The first PowerBook changed my life forever. The Duo was my favourite of all – ultimate portability, light, great dock. The Titanium was the best-conceived product ever. Until the Aluminium series – my most useful Macintosh ever. The Cube really changed my home. The 20th Anniversary Macintosh with its sound system – wow! The G5 with its clean looks. The iPod changed my music life forever. The iPod mini is my music device now. It’s tough when you’ve had almost every Macintosh and loved them all.

MU What’s so special about Apple Computer that makes people love it so much?

SW Every product is great and special and lovable. Well, almost every one is. Apple lives up to its image of humanism in computers, ease of use and leadership. Owning a Macintosh makes you a special person. Being in a threatened minority makes you passionate. Our history is a lot of it.

MU What was your favourite time at Apple?

SW The early days – starting a revolution and knowing it.

MU As you see it now, what should Apple do next?

SW More consumer electronics products that go well with the computer – in other words, home products.

MU Is Apple’s future in software or hardware?

SW Yes. Seriously, it has been mainly in software. We bought Macintoshes even when they looked dull, because of the operating system. Switching isn’t that easy or that much an option. Also, certain apps that fit those that remain in the Macintosh camp, such as Photoshop and video editing, were driving factors for many to buy Macs.

MU Which person do you most admire?

SW My father. He taught me good values and supported my electronics interest.

MU If you could change one thing, what would it be?

SW Having had so much money.

MU What was the last book you read?

SW Deception Point by Dan Brown.

MU What’s your favourite holiday destination?

SW Maui. But I must say that London is close and safaris can’t be beat, also a cruise in the South Pacific without a computer was great, too.

MU Have you ever been to Bill Gates’ house?

SW No.

Bloddy hell that’s four years ago..

Technorati Tags:
Apple, Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs, Andy Hertzfeld, Jef Raskin, Gil Amelio

A group of atheists were going to run an advert on the side of a bus. They didn’t raise the cash but I’m not sure the were really atheists at all.

‘There’s PROBABLY no God’ perhaps they should have more faith in their beliefs.

Testing testing, come in night hawk.

I know that recently Apple has been giving away user data willy nilly recently but I never thought I’d get in on the act. A couple of weeks ago I bought a graphics card for my shiny new Mac Pro. It arrived and like a doofus I’d ordered the wrong thing. Never fear says I laughing in the face of my own stupidity all I have to do is log on to the Apple website and organise a return. The returns process was a piece of cake and said graphics card was back with Apple in a matter of days.

Get on with it I hear you cry. Ok, I have a mailbox for emails from Apple that I rarely read. It’s the mailbox where all the iTunes and Apple store receipts go. I rarely check it but today I noticed there were 47 items in it. Odd, I hadn’t bought that much stuff recently. Turns out it was confirmation of the receipt of my returned graphics card and that of 46 other people who’d done the same thing. They were pan-european emails too. On closer inspection the emails only gave me the name of the person retuning the goods so nothing major has left the Apple server but it’s not a good thing by any stretch of the imagination.

Hardly inspires confidence though, does it?

Technorati Tags:
Apple, Apple Store, Data Protecton

Has occurred so things might be a bit screwy from time to time. If you spot any crazy please do let me know.