Thoughts on the Keynote

messiah · January 9, 2007 3:10PM

Interesting Keynote, and perhaps confirmation of a new trend for Apple - announcing future products. If you think about it, that's what Apple did with Apple TV, and what they've just done with the iPhone.

MIND THE GAP

There's now a blaringly obvious gap in the hardware side - right between the Mac mini (which will have to be updated to C2D at some point) and the Mac Pro. That gap may or may not be 6.5" cubed, but it's there. I also find it interesting that the new AirPort has the same footprint as the Mac mini, perhaps we're going to see the introduction of a stacking system (like the existing Belkin and Iomega solutions).

GUI

But what I'm really interested in now is the new Apple User Interface. The interface on the iPhone is very similar to the iTunes interface ? except that instead of it being a UI for just a one-off app., it appears to be a system wide interface. And a bloody good one at that. Having been offered a glimpse of the bigger picture, methinks the new interface was developed with greater scalability in mind. If there is ever going to be a tablet, it surely a lot closer now.

DESIGN LANGUAGE

It's also interesting to note that the iPhone doesn't fall easily in to any of the existing design langauges. The new AirPort and the Apple TV clearly do, but not the iPod.

AFTERTASTE

Overall, I have the distinct feeling that Apple have taken two steps forward, and that there have been a variety of products that have been overstepped today. I think there are going to be a slew of new product announcements...

What did you guys think of the Keynote?

kzelk4 · January 9, 2007 3:22PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Messiah

Interesting Keynote, and perhaps confirmation of a new trend for Apple - announcing future products. If you think about it, that's what Apple did with Apple TV, and what they've just done with the iPhone.

MIND THE GAP

There's now a blaringly obvious gap in the hardware side - right between the Mac mini (which will have to be updated to C2D at some point) and the Mac Pro. That gap may or may not be 6.5" cubed, but it's there. I also find it interesting that the new AirPort has the same footprint as the Mac mini, perhaps we're going to see the introduction of a stacking system (like the existing Belkin and Iomega solutions).

GUI

But what I'm really interested in now is the new Apple User Interface. The interface on the iPhone is very similar to the iTunes interface ? except that instead of it being a UI for just a one-off app., it appears to be a system wide interface. And a bloody good one at that. Having been offered a glimpse of the bigger picture, methinks the new interface was developed with greater scalability in mind. If there is ever going to be a tablet, it surely a lot closer now.

DESIGN LANGUAGE

It's also interesting to note that the iPhone doesn't fall easily in to any of the existing design langauges. The new AirPort and the Apple TV clearly do, but not the iPod.

AFTERTASTE

Overall, I have the distinct feeling that Apple have taken two steps forward, and that there have been a variety of products that have been overstepped today. I think there are going to be a slew of new product announcements...

What did you guys think of the Keynote?

I was kind of hoping for some Leopard information and maybe a widescreen ipod (without all the extras on the iPhone). Overall though, it was quite the surprise.

fisha · January 9, 2007 3:35PM

i think your right on the interface side of things . . . seems to be turning towards a smoothed out look and less of the glassy-ness of Aqua.

i also totally agree with you on the gap between the mini and the mac pro. Especially considering the push towards HDTV's as the common place display. Its not going to be long until the TV becomes the display of choice for the computer ( of any kind ) when you look at HDMI and DVI inputs becoming standard on most modern TV sets. The 1900x1080 resolutions of HDTV sets are perfect for computer uses too.

With this in mind, the market for a bring your own keyboards, display and mouse becomes greater . . . and the only products to fill it at the Apple TV, the Mini and the Mac Pro. You really see that gap. Yes, the iMac sits in there spec wise and its a nice machine, but for the display/TV reasons i've given, i think there is opportunity to fill the gap.

Personally, i think a larger mac mini would suffice. It would only have to only slightly taller for it to take a larger HDD and possibly dedicated graphics. Its a height increase i'd happily see.

winstonsmith197 · January 9, 2007 3:56PM

Just give me an iPhone with a 13 inch screen and remove the phone and ill be happy. Full touchscreen Mac OS X support. That would be the ultimate portable computer and you don't have to call it a tablet.

@homenow · January 9, 2007 5:09PM

Well the iPhone and Apple TV are definatly getting press. I think that this was a successfull Macworld, even if part of me does not want to be satisifed. The lack of announced shipping products is of note I think. However, there is a new AirPort Extreme which should be a bit more notable since it adds shared hard drives (USB 2 I believe), which kind of answers the windows home server, especially when paired with timeline in 10.5. I think that the price is finally worth it for this base station.

Another thing of note is the list of older macs that support the new 802.11n airport standard, which includes all Intel iMacs except the 17" 1.83GHz. This leads me to believ that Steve was really PO'ed last year when they couldn't get the Apple TV out on the market.

I think that there is plenty of time to get the Macs out closer to the release of 10.5 in the spring, probably in April. This lets the iPhone steal the attention from Vista, and Steve can hold a special event in the spring without any competition. All they have to do now is get Apple TV and Airport base station out on time and with minimal consumer complaints between their release and the Leopard event.

In the meantime Apple will probably release the Mac Pro update with 8 cores, idealy when Adobe releases CS3 at a joint press conference with a demo. The iMac and others are updated when they can be based on Intel's release of newer chips.

admactanium · January 9, 2007 5:16PM

i think this is the first of a line of devices. remember one of the patents that apple applied for regarding the virtual keyboard didn't show up in this phone. that patent described two halves of a keyboard showing up in a radial pattern from the corners to thumb type on a qwerty board. i think that patent foretells a larger version of the iphone with a bigger screen. there are definitely some other things going on and i can't imagine they did all that r&d just for one singular product.

robm · January 9, 2007 7:07PM

" i can't imagine they did all that r&d just for one singular product."

A pun no less ?

Or

i can't imagine they did all that r&d just for one cingular product.

poppet · January 10, 2007 3:39AM

Looks great for those of you over the pond but for us in the UK I think its disappointing. Both products look great but.

1) iphone won't be here for nearly a year and I really want a bigger screen on the ipod for movies but his leads to point 2.

2) The UK itunes store sucks for content so some of the great functions of apple tv can't be used.

I reckon a design change is also needed for the macbook's and imac but that is just personal preference. I mean the iphone looks great so surely they could do somethings with the macbook and imac.

A whinging pom!

ecking · January 10, 2007 4:14AM

I just disappointed that there's no OMG I GOTTA BUY THAT NOW to the keynote just a bit omg i gotta check that out and buy that in half a year.

Once you come off the high of the phone, this keynote kinda sucked.

backtomac · January 10, 2007 10:51AM

The iphone deserved the stage all by itself( except for the short time he spent on Apple TV). The other products, Leopard, iwork, Ilife will come and help keep attention on Apple and away from MS. People have already commented on how lackluster Gate's intro at CES was.

freakboy · January 10, 2007 11:28AM

the iphone was great, but where are the 8 core pros? What about an update to the rest of the machines? the onward trudge of hardware beckons to us! we want bigger HDs, more video memory and faster RAM!

actually, i just want leopard. and in particular i want time machine. That's all i want.

thelonius · January 10, 2007 11:47AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Messiah

I also find it interesting that the new AirPort has the same footprint as the Mac mini, perhaps we're going to see the introduction of a stacking system (like the existing Belkin and Iomega solutions).

Are you sure about this? I read the new airport was the footprint of AppleTV which is an inch bigger than a mac mini.

e1618978 · January 10, 2007 11:52AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by @homenow

Another thing of note is the list of older macs that support the new 802.11n airport standard, which includes all Intel iMacs except the 17" 1.83GHz.

Nope, sorry - it is not all Intel macs, it is all "core 2 duo" macs. The old intel "core duo" macs are not on the list.

ethelcorn · January 10, 2007 11:56AM

Not disappointed enough to buy a PC.

I miss the computer company.

ecking · January 10, 2007 2:13PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Messiah

I also find it interesting that the new AirPort has the same footprint as the Mac mini, perhaps we're going to see the introduction of a stacking system (like the existing Belkin and Iomega solutions).

I don't think so, it's the wrong colour which I don't think apple would do and that'd probably kill wireless range.

marcuk · January 10, 2007 2:39PM

my thoughts of the keynote - just watched it.

The CEO of cingular is a complete dick.

backtomac · January 10, 2007 4:00PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarcUK

my thoughts of the keynote - just watched it.

The CEO of cingular is a complete dick.

I don't know if he is a dick but i got the feeling he was wondering 'what in the hell am I doing here?'

ecking · January 11, 2007 4:48AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarcUK

my thoughts of the keynote - just watched it.

The CEO of cingular is a complete dick.

He also sounded like the couldn't read. Lord knows he did not have that memorized. At all.

shanmugam · January 12, 2007 5:13PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecking

He also sounded like the couldn't read. Lord knows he did not have that memorized. At all.

Give him a chance, i did not like as well ... but anyone will be nervous when they are with Steve on Stage ... Steve's RDF so powerful ...

I remembered last time one of the CEO from cingular, do not like either

only Google CEO sounded ok, all the others are nervous ...

SpamSandwich · January 12, 2007 7:17PM

Cingular's CEO knew that he would be sucked into the electrostatic RDF shields surrounding Steve and he would be instantly vaporized if he got too close...

Thoughts on the Keynote

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