DearApple
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What do you want to see in the next Final Cut Studio?
It's no secret that many post-production professionals feel Final Cut Studio has been falling behind over the last two years. While Apple has taken its time developing a new version of its video suite, competitors like Adobe have jumped ahead with significant updates; some have even questioned Apple's commitment to its Pro apps and hoped that Final Cut Studio doesn't go the way of Shake. As we reported yesterday, that is hopefully going change with Apple's announcement at the Final Cut Pro User Group SuperMeet on April 12, coinciding with the National Association of Broadcasters convention.
Dear Apple: Tear out your optical drives
The only company that can make Apple's products look comparatively ugly is Apple. Take for example the new MacBook Air. Grab one of those babies, put it next to a current MacBook or MacBook Pro, and the bigger notebooks look like monstrosities. Now, I'm sure Apple will start to port many of the improvements of the latest Air -- like the SSD chips and improved screens -- over to the MacBook and MacBook Pro, but I'm hoping that Apple takes the biggest step that it can regarding the MacBook line and tears out the optical drives. I've owned my 15" MacBook Pro (the last one to have a removable battery) since June 2009. Not once in my seventeen months of ownership have I ever used the optical drive. I've never used it to import music, play a DVD, or burn a CD or DVD. I'm not alone in my realization of having a completely irrelevant piece of hardware on my top of the line laptop either. MG Siegler at our recently acquired sister site, TechCrunch, pretty much noticed the same thing a few weeks ago. If the MacBook Air really is the sign of the future of Apple's laptops, then the optical drive just has to go. People own laptops because they take them places. Portability is their main attraction. As Apple has shown us, no optical drive equals more portability. I mean, it's not like most users need them, is it? When was the last time you actually were out and about and needed to use your optical drive? Were you in a coffee shop, and the guy next to you needed to give you a Word file, so he burned it to a CD? I didn't think so. There are so many faster, lighter, and more portable ways to transfer data -- like USB drives or DropBox -- that the optical disc is all but pointless for file transfers. Installing software is also a moot point, since most of us download our software or will buy it through the upcoming Mac App Store. As for watching DVDs? A movie plays better and drains less power on your laptop if it resides on your hard drive.
Dear Apple, you're half-way there
In January you told Apple what you wanted in iPhone OS 4.0. Did the development team heed your advice? Well, even though iPhone OS 4 is only in its first beta release, Apple has already added 50% of the major features you wanted. What was delivered? Vertical swiping, app switching, background VoIP/audio playback and enhanced abilities for apps to save state and return you to the point where you left off are available in iPhone OS 4 through the new multitasking features. App organization and overall device app capacity has been improved with the introduction of Folders. A new home screen has been implemented with background wallpapers and a new dock. What got left out? Flash (and it's never going to happen, so just forget about it), a new lock screen, support for more codecs, and disk mode are the obvious ones that didn't make the list. However, some of the smaller feature requests are still possible, since they would be relatively minor changes that would be easy to implement as the SDK beta continues to progress. The ability to lock the device to portrait or landscape could still be a feature we'll see, especially considering Apple has already implemented the feature on the iPad via a hardware switch. It's also possible that Apple could allow users to remove or hide Apple-installed apps, though there are so far no hints of that in the SDK according to the devs we've spoken to; however, having Folders means that you can pile them all in one folder and forget about them. As for that universal documents folder, no signs of it yet, but Mail app's ability to select which apps should open attachments in iPhone OS 4 is a good start. Now we wait and see if anyone listened to your hardware wants for the 4th gen iPhone.
Dear Apple, did you listen?
Calling all TUAW readers! Tomorrow you're going to find out if Apple listened to the letters you wrote to them. Now in all fairness to Apple, your second letter dealt with the hardware. We don't expect Apple to preview the new iPhone hardware tomorrow, and even if they did, that hardware was probably set in stone eighteen months before release. So we'll have to wait for the 5G iPhone to see if they've heeded your wants there. Now as for the software... I've listed your top twelve general-OS wants from your first letter above. Dare we hope that Apple has hit all of them? Sadly that's unlikely, as 80% of you wanted Flash, but here's hoping for the rest! For the Apple app-specific requests, the list is too long to post here, so I'll let you refer to your third letter to see how Apple did. All your letters can be seen here: Dear Apple: What we want to see in iPhone 4.0, part 1 Dear Apple: What we want to see in iPhone 4.0, part 2 Dear Apple: What we want to see in iPhone 4.0, part 3 And yes, due to popular request, we will be writing more Dear Apple letters on your behalf for Mac OS X 10.7, iWork, iLife, and iPad.
What do you want to see in Mac OS X 10.7?
It's time again for another Dear, Apple letter from the readers of TUAW. In our first series (part one, part two, part three) you told us what you want to see in the next iPhone OS. Now we need your help again to tell Apple what you want to see in the next version of Mac OS X. Think the Finder needs a makeover? Does Mail need improvements? Address Book not cutting it for you? If you have ideas for the Dock, Finder, Dashboard, DVD Player, Exposé, Quick Look, Terminal, Image Capture, Preview, Spotlight, Spaces, Safari, Mail, iCal, Address Book, iChat, QuickTime X, Photo Booth, System Preferences, or Time Machine -- make yourself heard! Tell us what you would change in any of the featured apps in Mac OS X and we'll tell the world (and Apple) for you. If you're dreaming of what Mac OS X 10.7 should be like, dream big. If you think Linux or Windows does something better and want the Mac OS to have it, tell us. Even if a mobile OS, like iPhone or Android, does something you think the Mac OS can benefit from, don't be afraid to say it. Email your suggestions to me at tuawmacosx [at] me dot com by next Thursday, March 25th. Please note that only suggestions emailed to the address above will be included, but feel free to hash out your thoughts in the comments below. Also note that this series will not deal with iTunes, iWork or iLife (that's still coming up though). For the iPhone series I received thousands of emails; for the sake of my eyes (and sanity) bulleted lists are much appreciated. Don't be shy about sending in concept drawings or mock-ups either!
Dear Apple: What we want to see in iPhone 4.0, part 3
Even with rumors swirling that iPhone OS 4.0 will be previewed on Wednesday (along with some tablet thingy), chances are the OS won't be finalized until early summer, so there's still plenty of time for Apple to take your suggestions.
Dear Apple: What we want to see in iPhone 4.0, part 2
While the next iPhone is expected sooner this year than in past years, and the hardware design has most likely long since been finalized, it's clear that plenty of you have your own ideas of how you want the next-generation iPhone to look and work. With that in mind, even though the next iPhone's hardware may be a done deal, let's hope Apple uses your suggestions in a future iPhone (or, if they use these suggestions in the upcoming one -- congrats, you guys are genius-level industrial designers!). Remember, these suggestions and desires don't necessarily align with the ideals of better battery life and 3G call performance... it's a wish list, not an engineering manual, and we do realize that reality can easily get in the way of the perfect design. Just like last time, because there were so many suggestions, I needed to whittle them down. To do that, I tabulated how many times a feature request was made. If more than 40% of you mentioned it, it made it into the letter. A lot of you want to hear the one-off suggestions so I'll add an extra letter onto the series at the end of its run to address those. Remember, this letter deals only with iPhone hardware. If you made suggestions about any of Apple's built-in apps (Mail, Maps, Stocks, Calendar, etc) you'll see those in the next letter.
Dear Apple: What we want to see for iPhone 4.0, part 1
A week ago we asked you, the TUAW reader, to help us tell Apple what you want in the next iPhone: the OS, the apps, the hardware. Within two hours, I had over two hundred emails in my inbox. Within four days, the email total topped 1,100. As I was shifting and sorting through all your suggestions, one thing became clear: you love the iPhone, but you want to see it better, more intuitive, and more versatile – and you know how the iPhone can accomplish those goals. This is the first of a series of letters to Apple on your behalf, telling the gang in Cupertino what would make their wonder-phone even more wondrous. This letter strictly focuses on the iPhone OS in general – the home screen, navigation, and settings. Future letters will deal with hardware and applications. There were so many suggestions, I needed to whittle them down. To do that, I tabulated how many times a feature request was made. If more than 50% of you mentioned it, it made it into the letter. If you guys want to see the others (most were one-offs or had less that 15% of you requesting it), perhaps I'll add an extra letter onto the series at the end of its run.
TUAW readers: Help us tell Apple what you want in the next iPhone!
Apple's campus is a surreal place to be. You're surrounded by a loop of buildings where some of the most advanced technological innovation is going on behind closed doors. That excitement aside, another great thing about being on campus was being able to dine at Café Mac. Café Mac is Apple's cafeteria/restaurant for employees. It's some of the best food you'll ever eat and the café rivals whatever Google has. But I loved Café Mac for more than the food. It is a place where you can meet and mingle with people from all different departments, be that legal, marketing, IS&T, software, or hardware. Now before I go any further, let me state right now that every single Apple employee I've ever met takes their NDAs very seriously and no employee has ever revealed insider knowledge or let any secrets slip (to me anyway). I've remained iChat friends with a bunch of Apple employees I've met from some very cool departments on various trips to campus. I can tell you, though Apple would never admit to being influenced by sites like Engadget or TUAW, individuals at Apple do read those sites and do take into consideration what they read on them. Now, here's where you come in: I know there's been a ton of excitement about the impending Apple iSlate, but let's not forget that, if past years are any indication, the iPhone OS 4.0 will be previewed sometime this Spring with a probable Summer release. I'm sure you all have your hopes and dreams what you want the next iPhone and iPhone OS to include, so here's your chance to get your voices heard – hopefully by many of the people on Apple's campus too. I'm writing a series of features about what people want in the next iPhone and I need you to send me emails detailing what you would like to see in it. I'll have one iPhone article a week for the next month. Each article will deal with a specific wished-for area of the iPhone: next week's article will deal with the iPhone OS as a whole (settings, home screen, search, general behavior, etc.). Week two's article will cover iPhone hardware, while week three and four will cover the iPhone's built-in apps like Mail, Maps, Calendar, etc. Until Friday, January 8, I'll be collecting your wishes and ideas for the next "general" iPhone OS. You have until then to email me your feedback, wants, mock-ups, and concept drawings. Don't be afraid to link to concepts you've seen at other places on the web either. And don't be afraid to borrow features from the Palm Os or Android, too. If they have something you like there's no reason Apple can't learn from them, so by all means include it if you think it would make the iPhone better. I'll present everything you guys tell me in an article and hopefully the boys in Cupertino will take notice. Only feedback sent to tuawiphone [at] me dot com will be considered, but please feel free to lash out your thoughts in the comments too. Also, please only send me your "general OS" wish-lists now, or things could get lost in my mail box if you send your hardware wishes for articles down the line, etc. And, judging from the amount of email I'll get, it would be a great help if you could put your ideas in list form with a description for each if necessary.
