JoyOfTech
Latest
TUAW looks back at Stevenotes past
As Apple watchers, TUAW staffers tend to congregate in San Francisco each January for Macworld Expo. Until recently, the central event of each Expo was the Stevenote. Since TUAW bloggers have covered our fair share, I've collected some memories of Macworld Expo's Keynote Speeches. We'll start with Victor and Mike. VICTOR AGREDA JR: The only one I attended was the Intel announcement in 2006. But it was huuuuge -- lots of gasps from the audience, it seems like a long time ago! Anyway, I remember Steve's polish and how it seemed to effortless for him. Like a geek showing his friends all his cool new toys. MIKE ROSE: Among the Stevenotes I've attended (quite a few over the years), the one that stands out for me is Macworld Boston 1997. I was an enterprise customer at the time, and our Apple SE had arranged for me to get a pass to sit up front in the press section, quite near the stage. Steve's announcement of the alliance with Microsoft ($150m investment, IE to become default Mac browser, Office development locked in for at least 5 years) took a lot of people by surprise. The "IE to become the default Mac browser" announcement did not go over well at all. But it wasn't until the gigantic projected noggin of Bill Gates appeared on the screen that the situation turned ugly. In the press section, even, there were boos and stern shakings of heads along with the gasps and scattered applause from the audience. I don't think Steve had ever had a Macworld crowd go rogue in this fashion (see for yourself), and it seemed to me that he was a little bit embarrassed by the reaction. I certainly would have been -- you invite a guest into your keynote, representing a company that has just saved your company from possible doom and destruction, and the audience treats him like an unwanted interloper? Awkward. Aside from the 1997 event, I'd have to say that my two favorite keynotes were the ones I had the privilege of liveblogging for TUAW: 2008 and (the Steveless "Philnote") 2009. Unfortunately I missed the 2007 historic iPhone introduction, and had to get the play-by-play over the phone from Laurie Duncan (the roar of the crowd in the background as Steve asked "Are you getting it?" was spine-tingling).
Joy of Tech creates Steve Jobs Email Reply Generator
Did you ever have one of those days where it seems like everyone is getting an email from Steve Jobs but you? Well, worry no more! The Joy of Tech has created the Steve Jobs Email Reply Generator. Using a series of drop-down menus, you can compose an email to Steve Jobs, like mine to the right. Then you can create Steve's reply and choose which device he sent it from. Reading through all of the drop-down menu options is pretty funny. However, the thing that stops short of making this gag really funny is that you can't actually send the email to yourself (or any gullible friends). You can only look at it on the screen -- which kind of defeats the purpose of an "email generator." Anyway, props to the talent at Joy of Tech, and thanks for reminding me how much I loved Mad Libs as a kid!
Perspective, courtesy of Joy of Tech
There's a bit of a celebration/commiseration hangover here in the US of A today, with the exact taste depending on your point of view. As always, the fine duo behind the Joy of Tech comic have distilled the Internet's mood down to a four-panel screenful of truth. Regardless of your political persuasion or your technology history, it's high time for us all to reach across the aisle and recognize that we really do agree on what's important. Aside from laughter, that is. (Is the guy with the pocket protector supposed to remind us of someone in particular?) Thanks Snaggy & Nitrozac
Joy of Tech hits 1000th episode
Here at TUAW we're fans of Joy of Tech; we post about the great Mac web comic often, and even have had a cameo. So we can't let the 1000th episode go by without comment, especially since they're also running a giveaway to mark the occasion. Prizes include signed books from Woz and David Pogue as well as a variety of tech toys from RadTech, SendStation, and Freeverse. Check out the contest and join us in congratulating Nitrozac & Snaggy!
Joy of Tech and iPhone accessories
The folks at Joy of Tech posted a funny one recently that makes predictions about the forthcoming iPhone accessory industry. They suggest cramming one inside an old Newton case, among others.You laugh, but I bet it happens. If you're the first person to wedge your iPhone into the case of an old MessagePad 110, please let us know. We really want to see it.
How to buy Vista, Joy of Tech style
We don't link to Joy of Tech that often, because if we did we'd end up doing it pretty much every day (cue Carly Simon... Noooobody doooes it bettah...). When the readers start giving us the heads-up that Nitrozac and Snaggy have produced something especially trenchant and wry, though, we are bound to take (un)official notice.Click the image or the Read link for the full comic; it manages to portray the Vista buying experience in very stark contrast to shopping for Our Favorite OS.Update: Snaggy notes that this cartoon was inspired in part by Erica's post on the multiple versions of Vista. O what a tangled web we weave...Thanks Ronald & everyone else who sent this in.
Engadget appears in Joy of Tech
Oh, we almost forgot -- Engadget recently appeared in the Joy of Tech. Guilty as charged! But hey, we're just doing our jobs, you know -- you guys can give us that, right?
TUAW makes Joy of Tech cameo
Well color us red: TUAW reader loki capret tipped us off that we've been honored with a cameo appearance in the latest Joy of Tech! The comic (their latest as of this writing) features Apple's keynote command bunker, and you can imagine everything they need to keep track of in such a top secret and secure monitoring facility. Without ruining much more of the comic, you can simply see a screenshot of TUAW (alongside Engadget) on what must be a massive Cinema display for internal use only.Check out the comic for yet another good laugh from the JoT crew, and a big thanks to them for the cameo! We'd also like to thank the readers, and our AOL overlords, and the committee, our manager for believing in us and...Thanks, loki!
Joy of Tech with marketing advise for Microsoft's 'iPod Killer'
Joy of Tech has put together a rather humorous comic offering some marketing advice to Microsoft to aid their iPod Killer in its quest. Tips include celebrity endorsements, siphoning Gates' fortune and a contest to win a date with *ahem* Miss iPod Killer.My advice? Instead of naming it Argo, why not just keep the name everyone is already calling it: 'iPod Killer'. That way, everyone will know why they released the device, and it'll be clear what its function is when it locks up, crashes and mysteriously deletes all the users' music beginning with the letter 'i'.
Caption contest Joy of Tech style
So you don't think that the Joy of Tech is funny? Now's your chance to make it so. The Joy of Tech caption contest. You can win some bbq sauce or some fabulously geeky head gear. Just send along a caption for this strip and you're halfway there.Full details here.
Joy of Tech on the new Apple ads
The Joy of Tech has a tiny tweak to the Get a Mac ads that they would like to see. I won't ruin the punchline, but I have to agree with them. That would get me to buy a few more Macs (they come in six packs, right?).Thanks, Douglas.
The Joy of Tech sums up my feelings about XP on Macs
I won't give away the punchline, but it made me giggle.
The rumors dispelled
Nitrozac and Snaggy of the great Joy of Tech comics have finally revealed for us what Steve will be showing off tomorrow. Items include the "Woopie Cushion Pro" (I'm glad we finally have a pro-level edition of this for us power users), the "BudBub" iPod bubble generator (for all of your car ads that are posing as iPod ads) and the all-new Apple Polaris Nuclear Sub! Get your credit cards ready.
Jumping Steve iTunes plugin
I like iTunes, generally, but there has always been something missing. I often found myself wistfully looking at my iTunes window and thinking, 'You know what this could use? A little more Steve Jobs dancing to my music.' It seems that the evil geniuses (I mean that in the best way possible) behind the Joy of Tech, and the folks at Memention, were secretly reading my mind because they have teamed up to unleash Jumping Steve.Jumping Steve is an iTunes visualizer plugin (PPC Macs only) that shows a little Steve Jobs rocking out to your music. You can also toggle it to feature a Steve Jobs iPod silhouette that will... rock out to your music.iTunes can now be considered the single greatest piece of software ever written, only if Jumping Steve is installed though.[via Macminute]
