Apple Expo yields .Mac update, but no new Macs
At Apple Expo on Tuesday Apple announced a significant update to .Mac online service but did not introduce either of the previously rumored Macintosh hardware revisions.
The .Mac update combines the Macintosh experience with the power of the Internet to facilitate group communication and make sharing, storing and protecting digital photos and videos even easier.
The new version includes features such as .Mac Groups, a service that helps members communicate, coordinate schedules and stay in sync with private groups of friends or colleagues; an updated version of .Mac Backup software that makes it easy for members to archive their iLife and other important files; a four-fold increase in combined iDisk and email storage to 1GB for individuals and 2GB for families; and full French and German localization.
".Mac provides the simple and elegant online experience consumers expect from Apple," said Rob Schoeben, Apple's vice president of Applications Marketing. "By tapping into the power of the Internet from within the applications they use the most, .Mac members around the globe have discovered a better way to experience the Internet."
.Mac is available as a subscription-based service for $100 per year for individuals and $180 for a Family Pack which includes one master account and five sub accounts.
Both the .Mac update and Backup 3.0 software had been predicted in previous reports.
The .Mac update combines the Macintosh experience with the power of the Internet to facilitate group communication and make sharing, storing and protecting digital photos and videos even easier.
The new version includes features such as .Mac Groups, a service that helps members communicate, coordinate schedules and stay in sync with private groups of friends or colleagues; an updated version of .Mac Backup software that makes it easy for members to archive their iLife and other important files; a four-fold increase in combined iDisk and email storage to 1GB for individuals and 2GB for families; and full French and German localization.
".Mac provides the simple and elegant online experience consumers expect from Apple," said Rob Schoeben, Apple's vice president of Applications Marketing. "By tapping into the power of the Internet from within the applications they use the most, .Mac members around the globe have discovered a better way to experience the Internet."
.Mac is available as a subscription-based service for $100 per year for individuals and $180 for a Family Pack which includes one master account and five sub accounts.
Both the .Mac update and Backup 3.0 software had been predicted in previous reports.
Comments
All of Apple's 'clever' PR is to me becoming increasingly counter-productive and is actually putting me off buying - I'm now completely confused as to what to do.
We seem to lurch from statements like "Great PPC products are coming" to "Sept is going to be a big month" to hyped launches that deliver another iPod (ok, so a nice iPod I'll admit - but still it's just an iPod) and a normal looking phone that can um well, ... play music.
Then a big show with excitingly blacked out stands, huge rumours and all we get are cancelled keynotes and um, well ... just an up-rated iMac service.
How about some clarity Apple?
Stop promising jam tomorrow and deliver some butter today - particularly for your long suffering professional users.
Originally posted by Jeremy Hopes
"Sept is going to be a big month" to hyped launches that deliver another iPod (ok, so a nice iPod I'll admit - but still it's just an iPod) and a normal looking phone that can um well, ... play music.
Then a big show with excitingly blacked out stands, huge rumours and all we get are cancelled keynotes and um, well ... just an up-rated iMac service.
How about some clarity Apple?
Stop promising jam tomorrow and deliver some butter today - particularly for your long suffering professional users.
I'm a bit confused. Has Apple management taken over the rumor sites? It seems that you are holding them to task for not living up to the froth and hype generated by boards like these
No matter WHAT the news, though (even .Mac update), you still choose your method and date for releasing it. That means you take the black curtains out of the drawer during setup.
That doesn't amount to any kind of "promise" from Apple about today.
Originally posted by Jeremy Hopes
All of Apple's 'clever' PR is to me becoming increasingly counter-productive and is actually putting me off buying - I'm now completely confused as to what to do.
We seem to lurch from statements like "Great PPC products are coming" to "Sept is going to be a big month"...
While Jobs did say that a lot of great PPC products are coming, all the rumors and hype about hardware being updated today (Apple Expo Paris opening) were spread by lots of people on these various chat/forum boards. I'm not sure it's fair to suggest that this is the result of "clever PR" when it's people like us reading and writing these messages... and not Apple.
However, I do agree with you in that Apple should give us some better indicators of what's happening or will happen. I'm in the market for a new laptop and I also have three clients who have patiently waited to see whether and what Apple would announce/release at Apple Expo Paris. In light of the lack of info from Apple and knowing that the next year or two will be difficult (as businesses they refuse to be sucked into first-generation Intel-on-Macs), some of them will start reconsidering their Mac loyalty. So I agree with you that Apple's lack of at least providing us with some indicators of what will happen is becoming counter-productive.
So. Apple WAS going to have a keynote; which implies to me they planned to have something keynote worthy - hopefully not the nano. But shortly before they cancelled.
Does that imply that SOMETHING was in the pipe but didn't make it out the other end in time? What's the lead on manufacturing, etc. a new product vs. the lead time of a keynote? Are there upgraded/redesigned PBooks or PMacs sitting in a warehouse waiting for new CPUs? Or is there a manufacturing plant waiting for CPU shipments to start churning out updated products?
I'm just a bit confused why they would schedule a Steve-note months in advance and then cancel close to the date.
Ah well, back to work. Nothing interesting from Apple-land today. *sigh*
- Jasen.
edit: I've now gone to other sites, and it's only happening here.
What's up moderator?
Originally posted by melgross
Are any of you guys getting this crazy page popping up for some morgage company when you click to reply?. It pops up. I close the window, click on the reply page underneith, and it pops up again. Everytime I use the cursor, it pops up.
edit: I've now gone to other sites, and it's only happening here.
What's up moderator?
I can't believe this either. You're right. I'm furious. The company serving these ads ins't open yet for the day. I've dissabled the top ad. I will get to the bottom of this.
My apologies,
Kasper
OK, I take on board what people are saying with regard to rumour sites. Perhaps I was a little aggressive toward them unfairly and shouldn't have used the phrase 'Clever PR', so I'll apologise for that, but...
I've been a professional Mac user for around 15 years or so and I've never known a time when it feels so hard to plan ahead in terms of what's coming and what to spend and when. It's really beginning to affect the business.
Having completed the very painful OS9 to 10 switch we were looking foreward to a nice long stable period in which we could enjoy all the (dare I use this word - as I'm not sure who did promise it ) promised benefits of OSX alongside the PPC stuff. The Intel announcement was a blow, not in terms of hardware (in the end I really don't care what's under the hood) but because it sounds like yet more upheaval and software upgrades. Ok the end result will probably justify things but I not sure I can afford to do it all again so soon!
So, If I'm going to stay with Apple I'm going to need reassurance and information. eg. For quite a while now the only CPU's my suppliers can get are the dual 2.0 - no stocks of the 2.3 or 2.7 Apple doesn't explain why this is...
...surely we deserve more clarity - they must be aware of all the rumours that are flying around. I really would have been reassured more had we been told why the key note was cancelled etc
Apple has no reason to release a Powerbook revision, if the entire line is going to be updated in a few months. Then again, it could also mean that Freescale just haven't been able to deliver the updated G4 chip in time. I doubt their engineers are very motivated ...
Oh well. Wait and see. Wonderful world of Apple secrecy.
Originally posted by Kasper
I can't believe this either. You're right. I'm furious. The company serving these ads ins't open yet for the day. I've dissabled the top ad. I will get to the bottom of this.
My apologies,
Kasper
Thanks Kasper. That worked.
There's a new way of forcing ads down our throats now. Go to PCMagazine or EWeek which are operated by the same company. An Ad takes up the screen before the actual page comes down. You either have to wait some time or click the link on the top right to make it go away. This is actually being used by the sites themselves.
http://www.eweek.com/prestitial/0,,,...0,3960,,00.asp
They must have gotten complaints as I didn't see it on PC Magazine just now.
Well, I just clicked this link and it didn't happen. Maybe it only happens the first time in a session.
I'm happy this is not some sort of revenue raiser here.
Originally posted by murk
Wallstreet must be excited about the new .Mac.
It's at 53.71 now on my real time account and hit a high of 53.81 so far.
But the But the NYSE is up almost 19, and the NASD has been up over 14, though both are coming down a bit now. So this could also be the reason.
Yesterday the new Nano, iBook, and iMac reports drove it up even though the markets were down considerably.
The statement about iTunes pricing could also be a factor. Though if he insults the music industry exec's too much it could backfire.
And at least, they could provide us with more servers - download speeds of 70kbp/s make me the laughing stock of everyone when they are downloading my musicvideos.
Originally posted by Denmaru
It´s about time they upgrade their .Mac services... 250MB for this price is ridiculous at best!
And at least, they could provide us with more servers - download speeds of 70kbp/s make me the laughing stock of everyone when they are downloading my musicvideos.
You're saying that you or they get 70 kilo BITS/sec download? something is wrong. It's not that slow. Depending on your (their) connection speed if it's broadband, 70 kilo BYTES/sec would be more like it. Though that's slow as well.
Someone on Ars said that he went Transmit, and his speeds are much faster.
One can hope.