This time last year, Steve Jobs rocked the tech world with the iPhone. The Apple CEO will attempt to top himself tomorrow, when Macworld Expo 2008 kicks off. Gearlog will be there to bring you Jobs's keynote live, beginning at 9 AM PST, 12 noon EST. Stay tuned.
[Reporting from Cisco Cheng, Joel Santo Domingo, and Sascha Segan]
12:02: They've just filed in and are playing Coldplay. Nothing happening yet.
12:08: We're sitting right behind Engadget. Hi, Engadget!
12:10: We should see Jobs come up to the stage shortly... People are still filing in. VIPs first, media second, and then the rest of the crowd.
12:12: Lights are dimming, something is about to happen...
Starts off with the Apple commercial. Steve Jobs enters; something is in the air today.
Jobs: 2007 was a great year: New Macs, iPhone, Leopard. An extraordinary year!
Four things he'd like to talk about. First thing is Leopard: delivered over 5 million copies. Most successful release of a Mac OS ever. 19% have already upgraded to Leopard.
Time capsule to ship -500GB model - $299
Terabyte model for $399 - perfect companion to time machine.
.
4 million iPhones to date. 20,000 iPhones every day.
[Steve just announced a NAS, "Time Capsule." It is Airport Extreme with a server grade hard drive attached. $500 MB $299, $499 for 1 TB. Analysis: Time Machine, Apple's backup strategy in Leopard, requires some sort of external hard drive. This fits the bill. This also means that Time Machine finally officially supports backing up to network drives, which it didn't before. That was one of Oliver Rist's complaints about Leopard, in fact.--SS and JSD]
[Analysis: Steve's iPhone market share numbers look strange to me. They have no context. How is he defining smart phones? In what market? Without that context, he can say pretty much anything he wants to.--SS and JD]
12:22: iPhone SDK late Feb. Something today for consumers. First, maps with location.
Webclips - you can now make favorite webclips on your website. Create up to 9 home screens. SMS multiple people at once.
Lyrics support in iPhone.
Chapters, subtitles for movies.
[Analysis: That's all nice, but what we really want is the SDK. Also, remember that upgrading to this new firmware will re-lock your unlocked iPhone.--SS and JSD]]
12:28: Jobs demos Webclips--adds bookmarks as icons to iPhone home screen. Uses NY Times web article as example. All the icons can jiggle as you rearrange icons. Can create up to 9 of these homescreens.
[Heckling: Steve, it's nice that you're letting people put icons on the home page, but it's STILL NOT AN SDK. SDK! SDK! USA! USA!--SS and JSD]
12:31: Partnership with Google and Skyhook wireless - partnership for map software. Mapping WiFi hotspots. You can pick up beacons from these hotspots and tell us exactly where we are. Google is doing the same thing with triangular spotting.
12:35: Navigate through videos via chapters, subtitle. Looks pretty cool. All of this software available today as a download. Woohoo!
What about Ipod Touch? Add 6 apps to the Touch -Mail, Stocks, Notes and Weather
Maps with WiFi location. WebClips - same stuff on iPhone. Built-in to every Ipod Touch that leaves the factory--$20 upgrade to current Touch models. [BOO!]
Now to iTunes: Sold 4 billion songs. 7 Million movies, but didn't meet Apple's expectations. Better way to deliver movies: Introduces iTunes Movie Rentals!
Renting doesn't take up hard drive space. 12 partners - Every major studio to support the new rental system. All the films of this year out on DVD will be supported. Over a 1000 films by Feb, available 30 days after DVD release.
Watch them on Macs, Ipods and iPhone. When you rent a movie, 30 days to start, after you start, you have 24 hours to watch them. Transfer to any Apple device, move them around if you have to travel Old titles: $2.99. New realese: $3.99.
[Analysis: Should I read anything into the fact that AppleTV isn't on his list of the places you can watch movie rentals? Also, how high quality are these video files?--SS and JSD]]
iTunes Movie rentals start today. Available as an iTunes update.
12:42: What about flat screen TVs? How do we watch movies there? Everyone missed, even Apple. Tried with Apple TV. Now, trying again with Apple TV, Take 2. This time--no computer required. Rent movies directly on your widescreen TV. Rent in DVD or HD quality. [Crowd erupts in applause]
HD movies in 5.1 surround sound. Get Photos from Flickr and .Mac, without a PC. [Wow!]
Buy TV shows and music right on your widescreen TV. If you're on a computer, it'll sync them over real time. All of this stuff on the new Apple TV. HD movie rentals: $4.99 in HD quality.
12:52: Demos HD movie rentals of Die Hard and Blades of Glory. Really smooth. Zero lag, no stuttering.
Demos what search is like: real fast, live search. You can preview the movie, rather quickly by the way. 6,000 movies for $1.99.
12:53: Lots of podcasts in HD now. Plays podcasts via Apple TV
Live Photo streaming through your .Mac account. [I'm sure this depends on your internet connection. You can't do it on dial-up, obviously.]
12:56: Remember, no computer involved. Tries it with Flickr, Live! And it works! You can look through your friend's photos, not just your own.
12:58: New price for Apple TV, Take 2: $229 from $299. [Crowd applause.] Shipping in two weeks.
[Analysis: Looks like it's time for me to upgrade my 40 GB AppleTV hard drive! Maybe I'll add XVID support while I'm at it.--SS and JSD]
1:01: First studio to sign up for rentals was 20th Century Fox. Steve introduces Chairman of Fox, Jim Gianopulos.
1:07: There's something in the air. About to talk about Macbooks and MBPs...
A third kind of laptop called the Macbook Air. What is it? It's the world thinnest laptop. What does that mean? Compares Sony TZ series, crowd laughs. Generally weigh about 3 pounds. 0.8-1.2 inch thick. 11-12-inch display. Compromises keyboard. Don't run them as fast as they could. [Man, I'm excited already.]
1:10: Thinness: Macbook air is .76" thick down to 0.16 inches in the front bezel. Thickest part of Air is still thinner than thickest part of TZ series. Fits in an envelope!
[Analysis: Yes! Cisco was the right analyst to send! Go, us!--SS and JSD]
1:12: Hoists up the Air with one hand: Full size screen and full size keyboard. Incredible. Simply incredible.
Magnetic latch. 13.3-inch widescreen display. LED backlit display. No surprises there. Instant on.
iSight camera on top of the screen. The full-size keyboard is similar to the Macbook's but black. Best keyboard shipped to date, according to Jobs. Ambient light sensor built-in--lights up in the dark
Generous touchpad, and it's gesture-based. [What does that mean?] Pans around photos with two fingers, rotates a photo by rotating two fingers.
What 's inside? 1.8-inch hard drives. 80GB hard disk. Option of 64GB SSD drive. Didn't compromise on performance. Uses Intel Core 2 Duo: 1.6-Ghz standard with option to go to 1.8Ghz.
Paul Otellini comes on to share the stage with Steve Jobs. It looks like a LV chip from Intel. The good news is that this laptop won't use the ULV stuff, which has plagued performance on other sub-3 pound laptops.
USB 2.0 port, micro -DVI connector, built-in 802.11n and Bluetooth 2.0. headphone. No optical drive. [I'm a little disappointed, but it's OK.] Apple offers a $99 external SuperDrive. Job's doesn't think you'll need an optical drive.
[Analysis: I'm interested in knowing how this interacts with or responds to Intel's Metro and Lorado concept designs for superthin notebooks, especially since Otellini is there. But that's something for Cisco to follow up on.--SS and JSD]
Offer remote disk: shows other Macs on your network and you can ask to borrow optical drive from that Mac. See what's on their optical drives. Read the disc via special software and send that content wirelessly. That's how you install software---- wirelessly.
Doesn't want to compromise battery life - 5 hours of battery life. 3-pound laptop - heavier than the TZ series (2.7-pounds), and the TZ has an optical drive. [Apple didn't mention that, BTW.]
2GB of memory- very good move. Magsafe connector. Price : $1,799.
Shipping in two weeks.
Other side of Macbook Air: Environmental aspect. Aluminum case: Highly recyclable. First display to be mercury free. Quite a milestone for Apple. Bromide-free circuit boards. Packaging helps with volume shipping.
LV chips are energy efficient.
Cisco: This is all he has to share today in terms of products. A lot of things shipping in two weeks. Huge day for laptops. Stay tuned for my Macbook Air preview and video review. Before things wrap up, Randy Newman comes on stage to perform.
He seems to be making up the song as he performs. It's a satire on everything making the headlines... war, politics...
And that's it, folks! Cisco is headed out to the show. Check back for more Macworld news and updates!
[Sascha says: "Wow" from the MacBook Air perspective, but I wanted my 3G and WiMAX. Ah well. Look for my iPhone update review soon.]
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January 14, 2008 5:36 PM
Woohoo! By this time tomorrow I'll know when I'm buying a new MacBook Pro...and which one I'll buy! :D
January 15, 2008 12:32 PM
The comment about market share doesn't state the number he tossed out--19.5%--which I agree makes no sense. No way does iPhone have 19.5% of smartphone share.
"Maps with location" what map doesn't show location? Maybe this means the map can display your current location based on ? triangulation? gps?
January 15, 2008 12:34 PM
Who is JD?
SR = Sebastian Rupley
CC = Cisco Cheng
SS = Sascha Segan
But who's JD?
January 15, 2008 12:35 PM
Show location seems to be the cell tower triangulation that was hacked into a 3rd party iPhone app last year.
January 15, 2008 12:38 PM
@Michael: I think that's exactly what he means.
And I'm skeptical of those numbers as well, but I'd at least like to give him a chance to justify them. I don't think that kind of detail is something you would see in a keynote speech - he's a spin guy, and he's not up there to crunch numbers and justify the graphs on the screen. I think when putting that information together they probably had the most favorable definition of "smartphone" as they could possibly come up with, but let's leave that for analysis after the speech, eh?
January 15, 2008 12:42 PM
JD=Joel Santo-Domingo.
January 15, 2008 12:43 PM
$20 for a firmware update? You've simply GOT to be kidding.
January 15, 2008 12:43 PM
The first mention of JD was actually JSD...so I'm guessing that it's Joel Santo Domingo
January 15, 2008 12:44 PM
Yowza, the news about rentals could be killer. The price is right, and the movies are portable to other devices, like your iPod or AppleTV (I certainly hope). That gets past a huge customer limitation - the notion that you have to pay multiple times to watch your content in different ways. And every major studio participating? That seems to be at odds with some of the strife we were hearing about prior to today...interesting.
January 15, 2008 12:45 PM
Steve doesn't joke about such things. Now please, let's all get back to our bowing.
January 15, 2008 12:50 PM
Movie rentals are totally the way to go. It makes the Apple TV a much better value. Netflix better watch out.
January 15, 2008 12:53 PM
Yeah, sounds like the reality distortion field is running on low power today. ;) We're an awfully uppity bunch, aren't we?
That being said, I can see that $20 upgrade dying pretty quickly after Apple's customer base realizes that their 2-6 month old iPhone needs a $20 "upgrade." Either that or the iPhone hacking community will get a copy of the firmware and it'll be all over the net within weeks.
January 15, 2008 12:56 PM
There are a bunch of companies that have tried to deliver an on-demand movie box in the home. The cable cos dominate this business, because they own the pipe and the set-top box. Firms like MovieBeam have tried to break by using satellite technology with very little luck. Out of the box, the Apple TV is going to be the most compelling on-demand set top box out there.
But if I were Apple I would offer users a 10 free rentals if they buy a new Apple TV.
January 15, 2008 1:00 PM
It is really nice following my first Macworld here online from Nigeria.
January 15, 2008 1:01 PM
Dude, my 1-month old phone now needs a $20 upgrade. That's messed up.
January 15, 2008 1:01 PM
$20 Firmware Bargain--Don't forget it will also relock your unlocked phone for you! How can you put a price on that kind of convenience and control?
January 15, 2008 1:03 PM
I wonder if the rental service will work in Canada right away...because if it does, I will be running over to the Apple store to get an AppleTV
January 15, 2008 1:03 PM
Guys, the $20 is only for the 5 apps on the iPod Touch, the iPhone 1.1.3 update is free.
-JSD
January 15, 2008 1:03 PM
Meanwhile the massive Apple TV firmware update is free. Thanks Steve.
January 15, 2008 1:05 PM
Ha, ha... $20 for the update. Classic Steve Jobs... Nickel and dime you for everything because once you've paid the outrageous price to use his products, you can't afford to go elsewhere, so your stuck. I feel bad for all those out there who have bought into his rip-off propaganda trash...
January 15, 2008 1:05 PM
I wonder how all of this will work with previous AppleTV's will be. I just got one about a month ago.
January 15, 2008 1:05 PM
oh snap. your mouth just got upgraded, kaplan.
January 15, 2008 1:08 PM
The $20 firmware upgrade is cheesier than Happy Days reruns.
January 15, 2008 1:09 PM
@JD: I can't think of a single situation where "nickel and dime"ing is a common Apple practice, or where any of their products are ripoffs (considering Apple's been hailed by dozens of organizations and publications for being an innovation leader) or propaganda (at least any more than any other advertising is). Any examples there, or are we just being angsty during a Macworld keynote? ;)
@Jeremy: I'm so, so sorry. Need a hug? :D
January 15, 2008 1:13 PM
totally buying that.
January 15, 2008 1:14 PM
Will the MacBook Air be $20 too? Or is that just for the firmware upgrade?
January 15, 2008 1:17 PM
oh SNAP.
January 15, 2008 1:21 PM
Uh... just how much is "a little pricey" in Apple money???
January 15, 2008 1:26 PM
The Macbook Air definitely looks smecksy, but it doesn't look like a replacement for the MacBook or the MacBook Pro. It definitely definitely fills the need for an ultra-light Mac portable though. That is a bummer about a lack of internal optical drive though, but then again, Sony and other companies that make ultra-lights sacrifice the same thing in some models for portability. Doesn't make Apple stand out at all here, I don't think.
Very interesting....
January 15, 2008 1:29 PM
Heh - given those $850 4GB RAM upgrades for the aluminum iMacs, who knows?
What I'm dying to hear is what the "Air" part means. What kind of WAN connectivity are we talking about here? With who, how much, does it only work on Tuesdays... The anticipation is killing me.
January 15, 2008 1:39 PM
Hmm. No MacBook Pro updates, eh? Hmph. Guess I'm safe picking up a new one, then!
January 15, 2008 1:44 PM
So Apple is bypassing the carriers and staying WiFi and Bluetooth. Huh.
Thanks for the live blogging guys!
January 15, 2008 2:37 PM
"Job's doesn't think you'll need an optical drive" - what a surprise!! Steve Jobs deciding what consumers need and don't need. That's never happened before... What a joke this company is...
January 15, 2008 2:47 PM
@JD: Except when Dell decided to remove floppy disks from its computers and caused an uproar, remember back then? Or when Sony did the same thing and removed the optical drives from its ultraportable VAIOs?
I don't think this is particularly out of character for any company making an ultraportable, tons of PC manufacturers make the same calls and make the same decisions. At least in this case Apple provided a software solution to the problem instead of saying "too bad, so sad, buy an external drive if you need it" like Sony did.
I don't particularly agree with the removal of an optical drive from the device, but it's pretty naive to view it as some kind of radical commentary on the entire company.
January 15, 2008 4:10 PM
I will be attending MacWorld Expo starting Thursday. I have been waiting for Apple to release the new models of the MacBook Pro; Is there any word yet? Will there be new releases?
Anyone have a clue?
Thanks!
January 15, 2008 4:19 PM
Hey cbdancer; it looks like there were no announcements about the MacBook Pro specifically. I admit, I was hoping for at least a speed increase for the procs, but looks like we came up with zilch! Hey, on the up side, it means you're safe to buy now! (Don't hold me to that - you know Apple as well as I do; they could do a processor revison next month for all we know!)
January 15, 2008 5:08 PM
@alan h: it's not naive, considering Mac has been that way since I was in grade school... Yeah, it is great they have a software solution, for the rare group of people that have multiple Macs at their disposal. I am so tired of Apple fanboys making empty excuses for a company that rides the coat tails of everybody else and then calls them innovators... Talk about naive... Am I the only person left who hasn't bought into the crap that Steve Jobs and his marketing machine spews out time and time again?
January 15, 2008 5:21 PM
@JD: Considering Apple has changed a great deal since any of us have been in grade school (unless you're younger than I might think!), I think that's a bit misguided. You also invalidate your own point by dragging out the old "you disagree with me, so you're a fanboy!" tounge-lashing rather than address any of the real criticism or comparison to the rest of the PC market. Unfortunately that also means there's probably no reasoning with you here, and that's a shame. :( I agree that the lack of an optical drive isn't the best move for this particular product, but it's hardly a product killer, and it's definitely silly to try and take a single element of a single product and one single decision and make it a mass reflection on the entire company. It doesn't take a fanboy to understand that, but it does take irrational thinking to hold up the other end of that kind of logic.
January 15, 2008 5:24 PM
Can't anyone have an Apple discussion anywhere on the f'n web without being called a fanboy, or without the haters dropping in trying to make everyone drink the haterade?
January 15, 2008 7:44 PM
Steve would look better if he shaved...
But I have just the customer for that laptop
if it will also handle XP Pro >>>
January 17, 2008 4:39 PM
Apple can always afford to be innnovation leader. Because the Apple people don't mind paying for it. And paying. And paying. And paying. And paying. And paying. And paying. And paying. And paying. And paying. And paying. And paying. And paying. And paying. And paying. And paying.