CNET News Article: All Eyes On Apple

[Mr. Nice Guy]

http://news.com.com/2001-1_3-0.html?tag=nehd.ne.ball

Apple preps for Macworld harvest
Last modified: January 5, 2004, 1:18 PM PST
By Ina Fried
Staff Writer, CNET News.com


SAN FRANCISCO--Although a winter chill still lingers in the air, the latest crop of Apples is nearly ready to be harvested.

On Tuesday morning, Apple Computer CEO Steve Jobs will take the familiar Macworld Expo stage at the Moscone Center convention hall to tempt the Macintosh-faithful with new wares. This year's Macworld comes on the 20th anniversary of the Mac, which was introduced through a Super Bowl ad in 1984.

While much speculation has centered on whether Apple will debut a cheaper, lower-capacity iPod, a good deal of Jobs' keynote speech is likely to focus on software, as has been the case in past years.

According to Mac enthusiast site Think Secret, copies of Final Cut Express 2.0 have been arriving at CompUSA stores ahead of the keynote speech. Jobs debuted the original version of the entry-level professional video-editing program during his keynote speech last year. Other Apple sites have discussed rumors of a consumer audio program or even a new word processing program to take on Microsoft.

Music is clearly the major focus at Apple these days, with much of its advertising dollars headed in that direction and a large chunk of the company's sales growth stemming from the iPod digital music player. The company has promised that more is in store for its music efforts, announcing a major promotion with PepsiCo that will kick off in conjunction with the Super Bowl.

Analysts say they are hoping to get an update on how well Apple's music store is doing.

"Though we do not expect a business update on demand trends, Jobs often uses his keynote as a focal point to drop some relevant metrics on the success of certain initiatives, such as a number of iTunes downloads," Bear Stearns analyst Andy Neff said in a research note Monday.

It is unclear which Macs Apple might upgrade at the show, as it fairly recently updated several of its models. The company added a 20-inch screen option for the iMac in November, at the same time adding a dual 1.8GHz-processor version of its Power Mac G5. The iBook was bumped from a G3 processor to a more powerful G4 chip in October, while Apple revamped its PowerBook line through much of last year, adding a 15-inch aluminum PowerBook in September to go along with the 12-inch and 17-inch models it introduced last January.

Neff said in his note that Apple may use the show to introduce new servers that contain the beefier G5 chip that now powers its top-of-the-line desktops. Neff also speculated that Apple may update its line of Cinema Displays, which currently come in 17-inch, 20-inch and 23-inch varieties. "Speculation revolves around a new 30-inch high-definition display and a refresh to the 20-inch and 23-inch display offerings to include USB 2.0 ports, sharper graphics and faster refresh rates," he said in the research note.

Apple, of course, has said little about what it will do Tuesday, although the company did announce that it has added Jim Lawrence, chief financial officer of General Mills, to its board of directors.

"Apple is clearly the most innovative company in its industry," Lawrence said in a statement. "My family and I have been Mac users for many years, so I am really looking forward to working directly with such a talented group of people."

Lawrence becomes the company's seventh director. Former Vice President Al Gore joined Apple's board last March, filling a vacancy created when Oracle CEO Larry Ellison stepped down in September 2002. At about the time Gore joined the board, Apple said it hoped to add another independent director to its board.

Although Apple has shifted from making the twice-yearly Macworld events the focus of its new product introductions, the show remains the company's most visible stage from which to tout its vision and new wares. The flat-screen iMac, as well as both the titanium and aluminum PowerBooks, all made their debuts at San Francisco Macworlds.

Along with whatever Jobs says inside the show, there is the possibility of some protests outside the event, with some Mac users complaining about the iPod's battery life and others complaining of reliability issues with the iBook laptop.

Even as most folks were preparing for the current show, one group was already looking ahead to the next Macworld. The Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau was on hand trying to drum up interest among exhibitors and attendees for this summer's Macworld Expo in Boston.

"So, is it really going to happen?" asked Jim Raleigh, a longtime Mac user from New Jersey who stuck around for this year's Macworld, after spending the holidays with relatives in Palo Alto, Calif.

"Rest assured, it is really going to happen," said Paul Griffin of the visitors bureau, answering the question, but probably not for the last time.

In October 2002, IDG World Expo announced plans to move the East Coast version of the show to Boston in October 2002. Apple responded the same day that IDG announced its plans, saying it will not make the move to Boston. Both sides have dug their heels in, with IDG pledging to hold the show July 12 to July 15 and Apple insisting that it won't attend. After briefly reconsidering the move last year, IDG said in September that it would go ahead with the move to Beantown.

Raleigh said he is unconvinced that there will be much to see in Boston. "I'm pretty cynical," he said.

As it typically is, Apple is by far the largest exhibitor at the show here, occupying more than 20,000 feet in the heart of the main floor. Although no other company comes close, Microsoft, Canon, Adobe Systems, Hewlett-Packard, Macromedia, Olympus and Epson all are slated to have large booths.

Security during set-up for the show is tight, as always, with Apple's booth obscured by a huge black tarp on all sides. Posted at the main entrance are two rather generic banners for the iPod. Tucked neatly behind each of the 15-foot banners, however, is another banner that is rolled up and whose contents are obscured from view, presumably a banner containing details of at least some of what Jobs has up his sleeve.

Click here for the live webcast (January 6, 2004, 9AM PT/5PM GMT).

[Agathon]

All been said before:


The new servers are pretty much a lock.

The new mini ipods may well be wishful thinking although the rumour has some basis in fact.

Expect bragging about the success of itunes and the ipod. Apparently they pissed over everyone else including Dell over Xmas.

Appleworks has needed an update (well a bullet really) for some time. I think Apple should do what they did with Safari and base a new version on KOffice. After all they give it away for free with consumer macs.

There will be updates to the iapps too.

I'd like to see them bring back the Cube as the new imac. I need a new mac sometime in the next year and that would be sweet.

[Asher]

Aren't they announcing the iBox tomorrow? Essentially a ripoff of the Xbox/Xbox 2, minus game support?

[Mr. Nice Guy]

Originally posted by Asher
Aren't they announcing the iBox tomorrow? Essentially a ripoff of the Xbox/Xbox 2, minus game support?

It's just a rumor right now. We'll see if it comes true.

[Agathon]

That's supposed to be a TiVo ripoff. Who needs to rip off a product that is losing money hand over fist?

[Asher]

But Apple is expected to charge way more than TiVo.

Apple's got a dumbass userbase who are willing to throw tons of money away on anything that has their name on it.

[laurentius]

Asher, buying Apple is a statement. I doesnt have to have anything to do with rationality.

[Mr. Nice Guy]

On a little personal note:

Although some rumors regarding Apple have turned out to be completely false, some of them actually have had some truth to them.

In 2003, Apple surprised us quite a few times by going slightly beyond expectations, slightly beyond the rumors, that is, and even released some surprise new products, such as the 12-inch and 17-inch Powerbooks and the Keynote application at last year's MacWorld San Francisco.

But no matter what comes, I'm completely expecting Apple to deliver the unexpected at tomorrow's MacWorld. So, IMHO, any speculation of what is to come before the Keynote is heresay until there is confirmation from Steve Jobs.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Apple's got a dumbass userbase who are willing to throw tons of money away on anything that has their name on it.

Well that's the truth. One needs only to look at the overpriced iPod for that.

[Gatekeeper]

Not all Apple users are dumbasses, Asher, and you'd do damn well to keep that in mind, bucko.

Gatekeeper

[Inverse Icarus]

Originally posted by Gatekeeper
Not all Apple users are dumbasses, Asher, and you'd do damn well to keep that in mind, bucko.

Gatekeeper

whats that dumbass?







i kid, i kid

[Asher]

Originally posted by Gatekeeper
Not all Apple users are dumbasses, Asher, and you'd do damn well to keep that in mind, bucko.

Gatekeeper

This is true. All people who buy Apple products, though, are dumbasses.

[Agathon]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

Quote:

Apple's got a dumbass userbase who are willing to throw tons of money away on anything that has their name on it.

Well that's the truth. One needs only to look at the overpriced iPod for that.

I thought you supported the free market?

The ipod is far and away the most popular player on the market. According to the last figures I saw one ipod model holds the top spot and the other two #3 and #5.

It's the most popular because it's the coolest, is the easiest to use, and has the best software and the best online music store (apparently the others aren't even close).

The ipod is stylish, people are prepared to pay for that. Especially when the alternative is made by Dell. Ugh, Dell.

[Agathon]

Originally posted by Gatekeeper
Not all Apple users are dumbasses, Asher, and you'd do damn well to keep that in mind, bucko.

Gatekeeper

Don't waste your time.

A****t thinks that everyone who disagrees with him is a dumbass, which sometimes includes the entire computer industry.

[DaShi]

What? Dell has an alternative?

[Agathon]

Originally posted by DaShi
What? Dell has an alternative?

Dell just introduced its competitor to the ipod. Reviews have been mixed. I don't like the look of the thing, but I'm not going to write it off without hearing it first.

I'm a bit wary of Dell. They used to make good, reliable computers back in the 90s, but in the last five years or so I've heard dozens of complaints from friends and acquaintances about the quality of their consumer lines.

The ipod was endorsed by Stereophile magazine, which is pretty impressive. Those guys really know their stuff and I was surprised to see them endorse any mp3 player since downloadable music is not renowned for its audio quality. It's a bit like having your classical record win a Gramophone Magazine award.

[Agathon]

Here's Dell's player:

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/topi...=us&l=en&s=gen

[DaShi]

Cool!

[Gatekeeper]

**shrug** This whole PC vs. Mac and vice-versa is just annoying in the sense that it so often denigrates into hissing and spitting. People oughta use what they like to use and leave it at that. Or, at the very least, keep the disagreements civil. Yeah, yeah, I know. Human nature isn't conducive to that pie-in-the-sky mentality. Still, it never hurts to try.

Gatekeeper

[Lawrence of Arabia]

garage band looks tight. althought for only $49, i dont know.

[Agathon]

Originally posted by Lawrence of Arabia
garage band looks tight. althought for only $49, i dont know.

You get all the others for that. It looks like iphoto and imovie won't be downloadable for free any more. Alghouth you get them free with a new mac.

The interesting thing was the market share of the music stuff. I mean 70% is just ridiculous, the other places must be losing money hand over fist. The ipod share is pretty impressive too 81% of HD based players and 31% overall with 55% of total revenues.

If the cheaper ipods take off, the game is over. Although 250 bucks is a little steep. He's right about the flash players thought, they suck and are a waste of money.

[Mr. Nice Guy]

Originally posted by laurentius
Asher, buying Apple is a statement. I doesnt have to have anything to do with rationality.

Good point laurentius.

It's a statement. It shows that those who buy from Apple are saying that they are sick and tired of Microsoft, Intel, Dell and other behometh companies' vile ways and will boycott (at least partially) their products and buy from one of their competitors, even if it means they won't be getting as good of a product.

So there!

[Mr. Nice Guy]

Originally posted by Gatekeeper
**shrug** This whole PC vs. Mac and vice-versa is just annoying in the sense that it so often denigrates into hissing and spitting. People oughta use what they like to use and leave it at that. Or, at the very least, keep the disagreements civil. Yeah, yeah, I know. Human nature isn't conducive to that pie-in-the-sky mentality. Still, it never hurts to try.

Yet another good point by Gatekeeper.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I thought you supported the free market?

What does that have to do with anything? I support the right of people to buy Britney Spears, but I'm not going to look too favorably on buying her caterwalling that passes for music.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Originally posted by Mr. Nice Guy


Good point laurentius.

It's a statement. It shows that those who buy from Apple are saying that they are sick and tired of Microsoft, Intel, Dell and other behometh companies' vile ways and will boycott (at least partially) their products and buy from one of their competitors, even if it means they won't be getting as good of a product.

So there!

So instead of making your own tricked out Athlon and installing Linux you'ld rather pay 10 X to Apple. (if you can't get the hang of Linux you can always revert back to Windows XP as a dual boot). Hmmm...... seems a statement alright.

[Asher]

Apple never ceases to amaze me.

I love how they advertise iLife as coming with iTunes -- I thought that was free. What a feature!

[Mr. Nice Guy]

Originally posted by Ogie Oglethorpe


So instead of making your own tricked out Athlon and installing Linux you'ld rather pay 10 X to Apple. (if you can't get the hang of Linux you can always revert back to Windows XP as a dual boot). Hmmm...... seems a statement alright.

Using Linux entails the same concept. I even use that to, so .

[Asher]

Which kernel?

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Point is your daft for wayyyy over spending for an Apple if all your attempting to do is make a point to the MS/Intel/Dell unholy alliance.

[Mr. Nice Guy]

Originally posted by Asher
Apple never ceases to amaze me.

I love how they advertise iLife as coming with iTunes -- I thought that was free. What a feature!

You can still download it for free, .

Yeah, I know your tricky debating tactics, Glonkie, so don't even go there.