Macworld2009
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The cat's out of the bag for iWork '09
Take a stroll on over to Apple's downloads page and peek at the 5th entry under Top Downloads. What you will find is an entry for iWork '09 -- which has yet to be announced.We currently don't have any information available as to what changes would be present if iWork or iLife were updated. However, you can bet that if the Philnote features any dazzling effects not previously seen, they are likely a part of the updated suite. Given that Apple is so secretive this seems like quite the slip up. While not featured in our rumor roundup, we would not be at all surprised for an update to both the iWork and iLife suites to be announced. If you have any hot features you'd love to see in an updated iWork or iLife suite throw them down in the comments.Thanks Nick for sending this in!
SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone / SlingPlayer for Mac HD
Our sister site Engadget is reporting that Sling Media, maker of the Slingbox, is going to be demonstrating SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone at Macworld Expo 2009 this week. Sling had produced a proof-of-concept back in June of 2008. Now the word is that the app will be submitted to the powers-that-be at Apple for certification and acceptance into the App Store sometime before the end of March, 2009. If you're not quite that into watching your Slingbox streams on an iPhone, Sling Media is also demoing a prototype of SlingPlayer for Mac HD. This application enables Slingbox PRO-HD owners to zap HD streams to their Macs. This Mac app is expected to be available free of charge, while pricing for the iPhone app has not yet been determined. Stay tuned for our continuing coverage of Macworld Expo 2009, where you'll find news, photos, and video of the flood of announcements coming out of Moscone Center. [via Engadget]
Apple's final Macworld keynote is tomorrow, and we'll be there live!
Don't forget kids, Apple (and our main man Phil Schiller) will be doing its final Macworld thing live and direct come Tuesday morning, and as usual, we'll be there doing what we do: liveblogging the hell out of it. Set your alarms, wake the neighbors, and settle in for the mind-blowingest keynote you done ever seen. Here's where you need to check in on Tuesday, January 6th:Live from the Macworld 2009 keynoteAt these times: 07:00AM - Hawaii 09:00AM - Pacific 10:00AM - Mountain 11:00AM - Central 12:00PM - Eastern 05:00PM - London 06:00PM - Paris 02:00AM - Tokyo (January 7th)
NEC debuts 26-inch LCD2690WUXi2 for professionals at Macworld
Hard to believe that the original LCD2690WUXi was introduced over two years ago, but the squared version is finally getting official here at Macworld. The 26-inch MultiSync LCD2690WUXi² packs an IPS active matrix LCD and is clearly aimed at pros and pros alone; some of the super swank features include 97.8% coverage of AdobeRGB, compatibility with NEC's SpectraViewIITM color calibrator, auto luminance control for consistent brightness and color, support for 12-bit lookup tables and an ambient light sensor. Additionally, you'll notice a 1,900 x 1,200 native resolution, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 320 nits of brightness and a trio of selectable inputs (DVI-I, DVI-D and VGA). The panel is shipping as we speak for just $1,199, which ain't bad at all for a screen of this caliber. [Via Electronista]
C-Mac and Steve's excellent Cupertino adventure
Every other year for the last 7 years, Shawn King of the Your Mac Life podcast has given the Apple faithful a chance to go on a pilgrimage to 1 Infinite Loop in Cupertino, the location of Apple headquarters. As part of our continuing coverage of Macworld Expo 2009, Christina Warren and yours truly hopped on the bus along with about 30 other alpha geeks to visit the Mecca of Macdom and pick up some Apple swag at the Company Store. Former TUAW blogger and Realmac Software PR Ninja Nik Fletcher joined to take photos. I dropped some spendolas on Apple gear, including a logo hat, long-sleeve black mock tee, polo shirt, and three big coffee mugs. C-mac, being the resident TUAW fashionista, bought an Apple notebook (the kind with paper sheets in it), a couple of pens, a navy hoodie, a knit cap, two caps (one knit, one military), and a short sleeve tee. There were several prize drawings on the ride home, and I won an 8GB blue iPod nano courtesy of a "Secret Santa." Suh-weeet! It's too late to join this year's Tour de Cupertino, but keep your eyes and ears open before future Macworld Expos to see if Shawn is planning another trip. Check out the gallery below. %Gallery-40640%
Weekly World News reports Macworld Expo threatened by death ray app
Here at TUAW, we feel that it's our duty to bring you important, fast-breaking Apple news. That paragon of excellence in journalistic integrity, the Weekly World News, reported today that Macworld Expo 2009 is threatened by a death ray application for the iPhone. The app (we are unsure at press time whether or not it's available in the App Store) was created by Dr. Michael Heinous of Colorado State University. Dr. Heinous has also apparently moved CSU, normally found in Fort Collins, CO, to Boulder, home of the University of Colorado.Steve Jobs is reported to have taken time out from constructing an android body that will allow his consciousness to live forever to condemn the rogue app. He's quoted as saying "Apple does not approve of this application. Death ray technology and open source software are dangerous when released to the general public and are not in keeping with our corporate policy."The report was later updated to note that "Specialized Apple gear, like an iPod equipped gas mask or the iLive full body armor with wifi, is will be available at the convention. Apple's executives will attend the convention via telecom from the iFallout Shelter."Stay tuned to TUAW for more breaking news about this important, and obviously true, story.[via Weekly World News]
Microvision's PicoP-based SHOW WX pocket PJ makes debut
While Microvision isn't new (per se) to the pico projector arena entirely, it certainly lacks the namesake of, say, Dell or Optoma. Of course, it's not letting that fact damper its excitement about the PicoP-based SHOW WX. The pre-production device is being unveiled today at Macworld, and it promises to boast a 25% package-size reduction over the company's own SHOW prototype. The diminutive beamer will eventually arrive with a WVGA native resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio, a battery good for around two hours of usage and a chassis that measures just 4.6- x 2.4- x 0.6-inches. The outfit anticipates that commercial production will get going in Q2, with mass availability ready by 2H 2009; regrettably, pricing still remains a mystery.
Eye-Fi functionality comes to iPhone via new application
We'd be fibbing just a wee bit if we said that Eye-Fi functionality for the iPhone has always been imminent, but now that it's real, we suppose we aren't too surprised. Announced today at Macworld, the Eye-Fi application will enable iPhone owners (that just so happen to also own an Eye-Fi card) to upload images taken on their handset to their computer and the web. Reportedly, the app will allow users to aggregate all of their photos from both the iPhone and a digital camera into "organized folders on a computer and to one of 25 online photo sharing and social networking websites." The app is also said to support geotagging just like the Eye-Fi Explore, though two crucial bits of info are sorely missing. First off, what happens with folks that don't own an Eye-Fi card? And second, when is this app even coming out?
Mac mini update with dual display support, banner unfurling rumored for Macworld festivities
We've got less than 48 hours until Apple's last Macworld keynote, and the rumor mill keeps hinting that Phil's gonna announce new Mac minis, which so far are purported to have the Macbook's NVIDIA chipset, aluminum casing, and an SATA optical drive that can be swapped out for a second HDD. Go ahead and add dual display support to that list, which is what Apple Insider is speculating based on their sources saying the new minis will sport both a mini DisplayPort and a mini DVI connector. Additionally, the site has managed to snap some shots from the Moscone Center of the expo being set up. There's a picture of a monitor showing what's presumed to be a live feed of the keynote rehearsal with a blurred figure that kind of looks like Al Gore, and inside the south hall there are several mysterious banners concealed in white cloth. So pretty much status quo, though is it just us or do the banners seem to look a little tired and thin this year?[Via Boy Genius Report]Read - Apple's next-gen Mac mini to get dual display supportRead - Macworld site rife with concealed banners
17-inch unibody MacBook Pro with non-removable battery rumored for Macworld
9to5Mac is reporting that a unibody, 17-inch MacBook Pro will be announced at Macworld, following in the footsteps of the previously released unibody 13 and 15-inchers. The rumor, backed up by some "whisperers" at Macrumors, isn't really an earth-shattering surprise -- though the accompanying revelation that this model is expected to have a slim, extended-life, non-removable battery is rather eye-opening -- and somewhat disappointing, considering the lameness of non-removable batteries. We'll know for sure on Tuesday at the keynote.Update: Apple Insider is now independently confirming the imminent arrival of the unibody 17-incher, and also corroborating the fixed internal battery theory.Read - Apple 17-inch MacBook Pro to go Unibody, sans removable battery (Silver-Zinc replacement?)Read - 17" Unibody MacBook Pro with Non-Removable Extended-Life Battery?Read - Sources: 17-inch MacBook Pro, NVIDIA Mac mini due shortly
Apple announces final MacWorld, Steve Jobs won't deliver keynote
Watch this space folks -- it's the end of an era. Apple has just issued a press release stating that this coming MacWorld in January will be its last, and Steve Jobs won't be on hand to say goodbye. Instead, Phil Schiller will be heading up the proceedings, thus marking a quiet end to a conference that's been the launching point of some of the most important pieces of consumer tech in recent memory. In Apple's words:Apple is reaching more people in more ways than ever before, so like many companies, trade shows have become a very minor part of how Apple reaches its customers. The increasing popularity of Apple's Retail Stores, which more than 3.5 million people visit every week, and the Apple.com website enable Apple to directly reach more than a hundred million customers around the world in innovative new ways.Apple has been steadily scaling back on trade shows in recent years, including NAB, Macworld New York, Macworld Tokyo and Apple Expo in Paris.Update: Oh, and just to clarify, this is merely Apple's last MacWorld, not the last MacWorld. IDG just made a statement confirming that it's on for an Apple-free MacWorld 2010 at the Moscone Center -- January 4th through 8th if you're planning ahead.[Thanks, JBCornelius]
