Apple shows off its networking savvy at WWDC
After building a temporary network of WiFi hotspots to provide coverage for the 5,200 attendees at its annual Worldwide Developer Conference, Apple has set up a graphic visualization of the network itself.
Depicted within the Moscone West conference hall, Apple's WiFi statistics display presents available bandwidth statistics, a heat map of active hotspots, an animated depiction of network performance over time, and ongoing stats of all the visible WiFi networks (click to enlarge images below).
The presentation of displays highlights the efforts of Apple's network engineers, who have also installed over a thousand wired Ethernet jacks in the building to enable developers in attendance to set up a very fast connection suitable for downloading the 4GB new build of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, as well as new developer builds of iOS 5 and Xcode, Apple's integrated development environment for its desktop and mobile platforms.
Unlike previous years' WWDC events, Apple is exclusively distributing all of its new software builds to developers as digital downloads rather than via optical disk. The move foreshadows the company's announced plans to deliver Mac OS X Lion and Lion Server to its customers as a digital download this fall, exclusively through the Mac App Store.
Apple first announced the Mac App Store just last fall and rushed it into active production at the beginning of this year. Apple noted this week that it has already become the number one source for Mac software, largely making optical media obsolete as a way to distribute new programs.
Faster, cheaper, better, stronger
In addition to simplifying and streamlining the delivery of new software, Apple's Mac App Store also gives the company more leverage to push its third party developers to adopt new system features, ranging from security (Mac App Store apps must increasingly meet various security-oriented requirements) to the use of modern frameworks (the Mac App Store only accepts Cocoa apps).
Additionally, the Mac App Store, like the iOS App Store Apple launched in 2008, gives the company a cut of software revenues, which Apple uses to maintain and embellish the store itself. Both App Stores have also brought down the the price of software by following a low cost, high volume business model supported by the use of DRM intended to greatly reduce casual piracy.
Apple itself has dramatically reduced the retail price of its own apps, ranging from slashing the cost of Aperture by $120 to just $80, and lowering the price of its iWork apps for iPad to just $10 each. In the WWDC Keynote, the company revealed that Mac OS X Lion would be offered for just $30 rather than the customary $130 price of previous major Mac OS X reference releases.
Depicted within the Moscone West conference hall, Apple's WiFi statistics display presents available bandwidth statistics, a heat map of active hotspots, an animated depiction of network performance over time, and ongoing stats of all the visible WiFi networks (click to enlarge images below).
The presentation of displays highlights the efforts of Apple's network engineers, who have also installed over a thousand wired Ethernet jacks in the building to enable developers in attendance to set up a very fast connection suitable for downloading the 4GB new build of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, as well as new developer builds of iOS 5 and Xcode, Apple's integrated development environment for its desktop and mobile platforms.
Unlike previous years' WWDC events, Apple is exclusively distributing all of its new software builds to developers as digital downloads rather than via optical disk. The move foreshadows the company's announced plans to deliver Mac OS X Lion and Lion Server to its customers as a digital download this fall, exclusively through the Mac App Store.
Apple first announced the Mac App Store just last fall and rushed it into active production at the beginning of this year. Apple noted this week that it has already become the number one source for Mac software, largely making optical media obsolete as a way to distribute new programs.
Faster, cheaper, better, stronger
In addition to simplifying and streamlining the delivery of new software, Apple's Mac App Store also gives the company more leverage to push its third party developers to adopt new system features, ranging from security (Mac App Store apps must increasingly meet various security-oriented requirements) to the use of modern frameworks (the Mac App Store only accepts Cocoa apps).
Additionally, the Mac App Store, like the iOS App Store Apple launched in 2008, gives the company a cut of software revenues, which Apple uses to maintain and embellish the store itself. Both App Stores have also brought down the the price of software by following a low cost, high volume business model supported by the use of DRM intended to greatly reduce casual piracy.
Apple itself has dramatically reduced the retail price of its own apps, ranging from slashing the cost of Aperture by $120 to just $80, and lowering the price of its iWork apps for iPad to just $10 each. In the WWDC Keynote, the company revealed that Mac OS X Lion would be offered for just $30 rather than the customary $130 price of previous major Mac OS X reference releases.
Comments
PEACE
9
A Wi-Fi network and Ethernet connections will be available to WWDC attendees. If you are using a MacBook Air, please bring an Ethernet adapter. All attendees should have a release version of Mac OS X v10.6.7 running on their systems. To connect to the Wi-Fi network at WWDC, enter the WPA2 password "wwdc2011" when prompted.
Right from the WWDC 2011 FAQ (http://developer.apple.com/wwdc/faq/)
Any reason why they're still hiding it?
Apple itself has dramatically reduced the retail price of its own apps, ranging from slashing the cost of Aperture by $120 to just $80, and lowering the price of its iWork apps for iPad to just $5 each. In the WWDC Keynote, the company revealed that Mac OS X Lion would be offered for just $30 rather than the customary $130 price of previous major Mac OS X reference releases.
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]
Pages, Numbers, and Keynote are still showing for me as $9.99 in iTunes Store and App Store (iPad). Was this iWork price drop announced?
I want a disc. No lion for me.
what?so you can put it next to your 8-track cassette?
(At least, that's what Jobs said.)
I want a disc. No lion for me.
Why? It makes no sense. Might as well just download it. It will take less time than a disc, anyway.
Maybe this is a dry run for the free public WiFi network for Cupertino that was asked for at the zoning meeting for Apple's proposed ringworld campus? ;-)
I want a disc. No lion for me.
Luddites miss out on lots, nothing new.
I feel Apple IS writing a new fantastic chapter. Once again things i never knew i could live without I find I can't live with out . Get well Steve we all want you to take this ride with us .
PEACE
9
Nicely said!
It's official. The Mac App Store is the end of DVD software. And I'm excited about it.
Constructing a WiFi network to support 5,200 very tech-sensitive attendees and have it all humming along is no mean feat. Kudos.
Maybe. But if they really want to impress me, how about fixing Internet Sharing, which has been broken in every version of Snow Leopard?
Where are the new Airport and Time Capsule?
Apparently that was a bogus rumor
I want a disc. No lion for me.
That makes sense given that your handle reveals you to be someone who is still stuck in the early 90's.
So awesome that they're going Disc free. One step closer to MacBookPros with no optical drive!!!
It's official. The Mac App Store is the end of DVD software. And I'm excited about it.
Yep! I agree on both points. I remember negative comments about the newly arrived MBA having no Target firewire capability. The MBA's have been selling well and yet I don't hear any complaints.
Apple is leading the way relegating the PC to "just another device" and making the cloud the "truth" (read: digital hub).
On a side note, I'm not hearing the "overlap" criticism concerning the iPad, iP4 and laptops anymore, either.
Did anyone notice the computers used for the Keynote demos were, for the first time MBP's not iMacs. Hmmm.
On a side note, I'm not hearing the "overlap" criticism concerning the iPad, iP4 and laptops anymore, either.
What is this "overlap" criticism you speak of?
Nicely said!
thanks dude
9