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The best Steve Jobs Macworld Expo moments
Apple CEO and tech legend Steve Jobs doesn't present keynotes at Macworld Expo anymore, though he does occasionally rile crowds at WWDC and City Council meetings. Ranker, a website that publishes ranked lists of just about everything, has compiled a list of the top 10 Steve Jobs Macworld Expo moments. Each item on the list includes an accompanying video showing Steve at his best. Number one on the Ranker list is the 2007 Macworld Expo moment when Jobs introduced the iPhone to the world. That is my personal favorite -- I was in the audience and remember having the distinct feeling that the world was about to change. It was such a charged emotional moment that I ended up buying a Nitrozac painting of it that is on the wall in my office and at the top of this post. For those of you who have been Apple fans for a long, long time, what's your favorite Steve Jobs Macworld Expo moment? Leave a comment below.
10th anniversary retail poster tells of Apple's retail journey
Almost two weeks ago, Apple celebrated the 10th anniversary of its retail stores, and took the opportunity to launch iPads as in-store product information kiosks. But, as MacRumors reports, there was also a mark of the occasion behind the scenes: a moving poster meant for store employees that artfully details the lessons gleaned from a decade in retail. The poster begins, "In the last 10 years, we've learned a lot. We've learned to treat every day with the same enthusiasm we had on the first day. We've learned the importance of giving our customers just as much attention as they give us. And we've learned the art of hiring the right people for the right positions. We've learned it's better to adapt to the neighborhood rather than expecting the neighborhood to adapt to us. Which is why we spend so much time and energy building stores the way we do." It continues with other revealing bits of information about Apple's retail stores: "We've also learned that glass can be much more than glass. We've learned that a 32'6" transparent glass box can stand tall even among the giants of the Manhattan skyline. That when glass becomes as iconic as the Fifth Avenue Cube, it can also become the fifth most photographed landmark in New York City. And we've learned that if you have to, you can close an entire street in Sydney to bring in three-story panes of glass." And, "We even built a full-scale facade of the Regent Street store in a Cupertino parking lot to be sure the design was right. Which taught us the value of seeing things full size." MacRumors has transcribed the complete text. It's worth a read, even just to observe the energy and attention to detail Apple places in its retail stores.
Tweeting from a Newton
Getting old technology to do new things in a creative way is fun. Take, for example, Tony Kan of the My Apple Newton blog who details how he uses twittermail, to send tweets via email and Twitter's now defunct RSS feed to receive his incoming feed. Though Twitter no longer supports RSS, the link for your account is still live and kicking. Best of all, both services are available for free. Using a combination of services is one way to tweet from your MessagePad, but there are other ways, too. Some folks use Newtscape, a text-only web browser for the MessagePad, to browse Twitter's mobile website. Others like Ron Parker use email on the Apple Newton to both send and receive tweets. It's rudimentary, but works well on the iconic Apple device. Anyone else out there tweeting from legacy Apple hardware? If so, how do you do it? [Via Forkbombr]
Two years after Fred Wilson dumped AAPL...
We all make predictions that don't turn out as planned. For example, this morning I said I'd have a few beers, enjoy a barbeque in the sun with friends and perhaps go to the cinema tonight. Turns out I have two daughters under the age of 3, so there went my day. But at least I'm not kicking myself like Fred Wilson must be. Wilson is the venture capitalist managing partner of Union Square Ventures who, two years ago, famously announced that he was selling all his shares in Apple because he didn't believe the company was "being straight with investors" over Steve Jobs's health. "My average price on my entire position in Apple is US$96, so I'll take a small loss on this and a small gain on the stock I bought during the meltdown last fall." He sold at $91.36 -- and at close yesterday, Apple shares were at $338.08, up $246.72 or 270 percent. He sold Google at the same time but announced a short time later he was buying back into the search giant. See the chart above for how that one worked out for him. Maybe he only had one share in Apple (although $246.72 would go nearly halfway towards a new iPad 2). Maybe he's happy with that 50 percent-plus gain in Google's value. Or maybe he's still kicking himself now. Me, I think we'll have that barbeque tomorrow. [Via Daring Fireball]
Happy 10th birthday, Mac OS X!
It's hard to believe that 10 years ago today, Mac OS X made its official debut after several months of a paid public beta. Mac OS X v.10.0 "Cheetah" was released on March 24, 2001 for US$129. It was slow, clunky and made many users want to throw their Macs out the window, into the closest body of water or quickly scurry back to the safety of OS 9. Despite the plethora of errors, it was clear that 'Classic' Mac OS's days were numbered. The anniversary comes a day after one of Mac OS X's major development leaders, Bertrand Serlet, announced that he was leaving Apple. Serlet helped guide the transformation of the NeXTStep OS purchased by Apple into the Mac OS X (and eventually iOS) that we know and love. In the rest of this post, we share the seven (soon to be eight) major releases of Mac OS X (10.4.4 is considered a major release because of the rewrite for the Intel platform) and video blasts from the past as we share footage of the original announcements and previews of Mac OS X. Check out the gallery of UI changes as well. %Gallery-88902%
Apple's cheez-tastic 1984 disco promo video
For the viewing pleasure of those folks who were tuned into TUAW TV Live on Wednesday, February 16, we had a little disco inferno going. Tipped by a reader about a godawful Apple marketing film titled "We Are Apple: Leading The Way," it was so bad it just had to be good. Now we have a few more facts, including that this video was shown at the introduction of the Mac. There are some memorable moments -- like a guy carrying a 60-lb. Apple Lisa under his arm like it was a MacBook Air. Most of all, it's the screechy Irene Cara-like disco soundtrack, heavily copying from "What a Feeling" from the movie Flashdance, that makes your stomach churn. CrunchGear noted that the poster on YouTube noted that Apple dealers in attendance were so excited by the video that they ran to the pay phones (pre-mobile days, of course) to call their stockbrokers with AAPL buy orders. Here's hoping that their market savvy was better than their taste in music videos. The video can be viewed in all of its tacky glory by clicking the Read More link.
Chris Espinosa: Apple's longest-serving employee
Here at TUAW, we often keep you up-to-date on Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, the famed Apple cofounders. But Electricpig.co.uk today pointed out that there's an Apple employee who has more years of service with the company than even Steve Jobs -- Chris Espinosa. Espinosa actually joined Apple at the ripe old age of 14 before the company was formally incorporated, and after the official launch in 1977, he became Employee #8. Espinosa was involved in writing the Apple II Reference Manual while attending college classes at the University of California, Berkeley. He also had the fun of helping to write the preliminary business plan for the computer known as the Macintosh. Electricpig notes that Espinosa still works with the company 35 years later and has never, unlike Jobs, had a tenure with another company. Jobs, you'll remember, went off to found NeXT and was with that company for 11 years before returning to Apple, bringing his total years of service to a measly 24. Steve Wozniak still receives a paycheck from Apple, but hasn't done any work for the company since 1987. Espinosa is still actively involved with the development community and maintains a friendly face on Twitter as @cdespinosa.
Happy 27th Birthday, Macintosh
Apple unveiled its first Macintosh-branded computer 27 years ago today. Steve Jobs introduced the Apple Macintosh on January 24, 1984 and received wild applause from the crowd of 3,000 people. The original Apple Macintosh was the first personal computer to be powered by the Mac operating system, then lovingly called System 1.0. The all-in-one beige case included a 9-inch monitor, a convenient handle and an accompanying keyboard and mouse. It also featured an 8 MHz processor with 128 KB DRAM, 16-bit data bus and non-upgradeable internal components. It was originally introduced simply as the Apple Macintosh and was re-branded as the Macintosh 128K when its big brother, the Macintosh 512K, was introduced in September 1984. The history-making computer debuted with a price tag of US$2495. For those that want to relive a piece of history, Steve Job's unveiling of the Apple Macintosh is above, and the famous "1984" Ridley Scott TV commercial, which aired during Super Bowl XVIII, is after the break. Enjoy!
Mac Plus reused as a Time Machine server
Showing us that there is, in fact, a much more useful application for an old Mac Plus than a DJ using it as a helmet, Macenstein reader Dean Gray has turned his 1986 Mac Plus 1 MB into a Time Machine Server. By using an Intel Atom motherboard and replacing the screen with a 10" digital picture frame, Gray has taken an important piece of Apple's history and made it into what could be the coolest 2.3 TB-capacity Time Machine server we've seen yet. Sure beats using a run-of-the-mill Mac mini as a server on style points alone! While I do both online backups with Backblaze and local backups using Time Machine, Gray's Mac Plus server would look a lot better in my office than my boring Western Digital drive looks now. But even if you don't have a Mac Plus to call your own, if you aren't yet incorporating backups into your daily life, you may want to read Erica Sadun's piece about why Time Machine holds a special place in her heart, or Steve Sande's Mac 101 on backup basics. The most important thing is that you start backing up your computer today, no matter the method.
Business Insider names iPad "Biggest Tech Winner" of 2010
It's December, and that means "Best Of" lists. Business Insider has published their "Biggest Tech Winners of 2010," and the "magical" iPad is sitting atop the heap, while the iPhone 4 is listed at number 10. What's interesting is the number of other winners that wouldn't exist without iOS. Flipboard is listed at number 15, Kleiner Perkins' iFund is number 8 and that bird game is number 3. It's incredible to consider how significantly the iPad and iPhone have influenced the industry during their relatively short existence (especially the iPad, which has yet to celebrate its first birthday). Here's to 2011.
Woz gets quizzed on Wait Wait
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is something special. He has an uncanny wit and carefree personality that makes everyone smile. His latest foray into the public spotlight found him as a guest on the NPR program Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! In the show, host Peter Sagal quizzes celebrities, asking them to figure out which statement is real and which one is made up. Woz's topic of apples, the real fruit kind, was aptly chosen. While the three-question quiz on apples was enjoyable, the brief interview before the questionnaire is where Woz really shines. Host Sagal asks Woz about his early history with Steve Jobs and his thoughts on the computer and smartphone revolution. Woz reveals some gems, like the fact that he carries three iPhones - one Black model, one White model, and a third used for tethering and other testing purposes. Woz flashed this white iPhone on CNN last week and now admits with candor that his white model is one of those case hacks obtained illegally (at least from Apple's perspective) from China. The 10-minute audio clip is embedded after the break (apologies for Flash) and is worth a listen to help chase away those Monday blues. Enjoy!
Found Footage: Steve Jobs demonstrates NeXT Step
Here's a great piece of Apple history. In this video (check it out after the break), Steve Jobs gives a demonstration of a NeXT computer. You'll remember that Steve formed NeXT in 1995 after being ousted from Apple. Years later, in 1996, Apple purchased NeXT after Steve's return. Much of the current Mac OS X system is built on the OPENSTEP foundation. You needn't look too closely to see the predecessors of Mac OS X, like the dock, the services menu, the home directory and windows that display their contents while being dragged. It's also interesting to hear Steve put the Mac down on a couple of occasions. For a nice illustration of how NeXT features became a part of Mac OS X, look here. Looking at this, one could argue that Steve's dismissal from Apple was the best thing that happened to the Mac OS. [Via Reddit]
Apple I sells for $210K at Christie's auction in London
One of the first Apple computers ever made, the Apple I, has been sold at a Christie's auction in London on Tuesday. The Apple I, one of only 200 of its kind to have been made, was won by the Italian businessman and private collector Marco Boglione for $210,000. The Apple I was released in 1976 and originally sold for $666.66. The computer came with its original packaging, a signed sales letter from co-founder and current CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs, as well as an autographed letter by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, who was present at the auction. Wozniak said of the Apple I, "It really was an important step, [even though] I didn't feel that way when I designed it." Wozniak added, "I'm very delighted for the gentleman who purchased it." According to Christies, the Apple I was the first personal computer to come with an assembled motherboard that worked out of the box. However, users still needed to provide their own keyboard, display and power supply. However, according to the BBC, the Apple I's processor works 1,000 times slower than the processor found in today's iPad. Francesco Boglione, the brother of the winning bidder (who was present at the auction), said that the Apple I would likely be restored to working order before joining a collection of other Apple computers owned by Marco Boglione who "...loves computers." A detailed picture of the Apple I can be viewed on Christies website here. [via AppleInsider]
TUAW TV Live: A brief history of notable Apple product announcements
Today on a special remote edition of TUAW TV Live, I'll be screening some amazing video clips for you that show Apple product releases of the past. It's hard to believe how far Apple and its product lines have come since the late 1990s. You'll see the first incarnations of some of the current Apple cash cows and marvel at how bad the specifications were on top-of-the-line equipment just a little over a decade ago. How can you join in on the fun? From your Mac or PC, go to the next page by clicking the read more link at the bottom of this post, and you'll find a livestream viewer and a chat tool. The chat tool allows you to participate by asking questions or making comments. If you're driving somewhere and would like to watch TUAW TV Live while you're stuck in traffic, please don't -- keep your eyes on the road! However, if someone else is doing the driving, you can watch the show on your iPhone by downloading the free Ustream Viewing Application. We haven't neglected our iPad users, since you can tune in to TUAW TV Live on your iPad! That link will send you to a non-Flash page, although you won't have access to our chat tool. And one final note -- if the show has started and you're seeing a previously recorded show instead of the livestream, you can always pop on over to ustream.tv/tuaw to join the show in progress.
Today at 5 PM ET: TUAW TV Live's Apple History 101 episode
On today's TUAW TV Live, I'll be taking you on a video trip down memory lane. If you're an old-time Apple geek like I am, you'll remember these product rollouts with a bit of nostalgia. Relative newbies are going to gawk in awe at Apple CEO Steve Jobs with more hair (and weight) than he has now. You'll laugh at the horrible specs of the equipment that is applauded and cheered at the events and shake your head at the design of some of the older product lines. To join me on this remote edition of TUAW TV Live (I'm out in Silicon Valley this week), drop by a few minutes before 5 PM EDT (2 PM PDT), and you'll see a full set of instructions on how to watch the show and join in on the chat. As part of today's show, I'll also be talking about computing on the road -- something I've been doing for way too long. I'll pass along some hints on how to make your mobile computing work for you. I'll see you at 5 PM EDT today, here at TUAW.com.
Happy 9th birthday, iPod!
Wow. It seems like just yesterday that we were all looking at Apple's new baby for the first time. No, I'm not talking about the new MacBook Air, but the device that seems to have jump-started Apple's meteoric climb to success. The iPod was first launched on October 23, 2001 and begat a family of highly-popular portable media players that continues to this day. The first model was a Mac-compatible device with a 5 GB hard drive and a capacity that put, in the words of Steve Jobs, "1000 songs in your pocket." Since then, we've seen iPods as tiny as the third-generation iPod shuffle and as large as the 160 GB, sixth-generation iPod Classic. The iPod touch has become a huge success as a web-surfing, game-playing, picture-taking "iPhone without the phone." The iPod even has some popular siblings now, the iPhone and iPad, both of which include and expand upon the media player roots of the iPod family. The name iPod was first proposed to Apple by copywriter Vinnie Chieco, who thought of the phrase "open the pod bay door, HAL" when he saw the first all-white prototype of the original device. Chieco thought the relationship between the media player and a personal computer was similar to the small space pods in the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey and the large Discovery mothership. We'd love to have you share your memories of your iPods with us. Please leave those wonderful (or not) thoughts in the comments below.
John Sculley on Steve Jobs' guiding principles
In an unprecedented interview, former Apple CEO John Sculley discusses his relationship, past and present, with Steve Jobs. Initially pulled from Pepsi Co. by Steve Jobs in 1983, Sculley ran Apple with Jobs until Jobs was ousted in 1985. Sculley then ran Apple as the sole CEO until 1993. In the interview with Cult of Mac, Sculley notes that he isn't in contact with Jobs anymore, and he considers his time at Apple "ancient history." Still, Sculley went on to describe what he called Steve's methodology for building great products, which includes: Beautiful design (no surprises there) Customer experience Perfectionism Minimalism Again, there's not a surprise among the bunch, and John elaborates on these and other aspects of Steve's drive in the full interview. Sculley also goes on to note that it was "...a mistake" to make him CEO: "Looking back, it was a big mistake that I was ever hired as CEO. I was not the first choice that Steve wanted to be the CEO. He was the first choice, but the board wasn't prepared to make him CEO when he was 25, 26 years old." The whole interview is broken into several parts, starting here. It's candid and, as we said, unprecedented. Go and read it for a unique look at a significant figure in Apple history.
Bloomberg Game Changers to feature segment on Steve Jobs
The brand-new documentary series Bloomberg Game Changers will air its second episode on Thursday, October 14th at 9:00 PM ET with Steve Jobs as the subject. It will feature interviews with a who's who from Apple's history, including Steve Wozniak, John Scully, Robert X. Cringley and Guy Kawasaki. Additionally, Dreamworks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg and Michael Moritz will appear. The hour-long special will follow Steve's career from the infamous garage to the release of the iPad and everything in between. The first episode in the series featured Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and was very well done. Be sure to check it out episode two on Thursday, even if you think you know the story. You can watch a teaser video after the break.
A study of 17 Apple press invitations
Reporting for Fortune, Philip Elmer-DeWitt reiterates Dan Frommer's question: "Is Apple really going to announce a TV gadget at an event with a guitar on the invitation?" It's a legitimate question, as Apple's press events have the power to move AAPL's price. When rumors become expectations that ultimately aren't met, the stock price has shifted downward. In this case, the "TV gadget" Frommer refers to is the rumored iOS-powered Apple TV. With that in mind, AAPLinvestors compared the wording on the last 17 press invitations to what was ultimately introduced at each event. What they found was that Apple often takes liberty with their often cryptic text. For example, the September 2, 2008 invitation read "Let's Rock," and Apple introduced the fourth-gen iPod nano, the second-gen iPod touch, iTunes 8 and HD TV shows. HD TV is cool, but does it really "rock?" Also, the August 31, 2009 invitation read "It's only rock and roll but we like it." That afternoon Apple introduced iTunes 9, iPhone 3.1, the fifth-gen nano, the third-generation iPod touch and additional colors for the iPod Shuffle. Reading into Apple's terse press invites is part of the fun. So we still might see a new Apple TV next week. Who knows if we will, though. [Via MacDailyNews and Fortune]
Wired named the iPad... in 1999
Here's an interesting tidbit from WIRED. Way back in 1999, the magazine ran a short piece in the Hype List section reflecting on the company's recent financial turnaround. You'll remember that Apple introduced the iMac in 1998, which was a huge success. The piece was written in April of 1999, just 3 months before the clamshell iBook was introduced at Macworld Expo in New York City in July of 1999. Here's the interesting part. While reflecting on Apple's future, the snippet predicts that "The next iMac attack promises new lollipop laptops, a more serious series of professional machines and a wireless handheld dubbed the iPad." [Emphasis ours.] Betsy Mason (WIRED.com's science editor) posted a TwitPic of the article for all to see. It's an example of a lucky guess, of course (Apple was "i" crazy back then), but still a lot of fun. [Via ReadWriteWeb]
