MacworldExpo
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Skype for Mac 2.8 Beta offers screen sharing
Good news for Skype users. Skype has announced the availability of Beta 2.8 for the Mac, which offers two huge new features: Screen sharing and WiFi access for a MacBook or MacBook Pro via "Skype Access."Screen sharing works via the Skype video channel, of course, and allows for a complete view of a participant's screen. For now, only a Mac may act as a source, though a Linux or Windows machine can view its screen. File transfer is also possible, though a lot of detail wasn't available on this.The other major feature, Skype Access, offers WiFi access for a MacBook or MacBook Pro via any Boingo access point. These include McDonald's, hotels like Marriott and Hilton and more than 500 international airports. Skype Access will run you $0.22US (€0.16) per minute using Skype Credits.While we haven't had a chance to play with it yet (we're a bit distracted by a little trade show today), the pitch from Skype sounds interesting. Let us know if you give this a try.
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!
Surprise! The US online Apple Store is down
As expected, the US online Apple Store has become unavailable as it's prepped to sell this afternoon's post-keynote goodies. While you're waiting, why not take a last gander at the rumors, check out our photos from Macworld Expo or dust off your credit card in preparation for a new Mac mini?To our readers outside the USA: is the online Apple Store down in your neck of the woods, too? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to TUAW for our live coverage of the Phil Schiller keynote later today.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
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%
Macworld Expo '09 rumor roundup
As we draw ever nearer to Phil Schiller's Macworld keynote, we've been privy to more rumors than a high school cafeteria. What's the fun of a juicy tidbit that you can't share? Here's our roundup of the latest Macworld Expo rumors. Just don't tell anyone we told you. AT&T Tethering A little birdie flew into TUAW headquarters earlier this morning and suggested that tethering between an iPhone and an Apple laptop was imminent. Specifics were sketchy, but MacBlogz suggested that a 5 GB data cap and $30/month supplementary cost is likely. For an additional $30/mo, I'll wait until I find a Wi-Fi hotspot. But I'm a cheapskate. MegiPod Techcrunch suggested that a larger touch-based iPod is in the works. Supposedly all current apps will run on it, which suggests resolution independence or serious hocus-pocus. That's a technical term. Unibody 17 inch MacBook Pro This one seems likely, as the 17 inch MBP is the only Apple laptop without a sleek, new body. The juicy part of this rumor is the addition of a slim, non-removable and long-lasting battery. That should get the community fired up. New iMacs The iMac has been the star of many Macworld Expos, and we wouldn't be surprised if it happened again this year. It's a consumer show, the iMac is Apple's consumer desktop and it's certainly due for a makeover. Rumors suggest that the new iMac will feature a similar form factor and a new 65W, low-power, quad-core desktop chip from Intel. There are also questions about a new cooling system, but we couldn't learn any more about that (read: the Magic 8 Ball said, "Ask again later."). New Mac mini Probably the most reliable rumor of the bunch is the new Mac mini. We're glad that rumors of its discontinuation have been greatly exaggerated, because the diminutive mini is a great little workhorse. This rumor is twofold. First, it seems that the internal optical drive will changing to a SATA optical drive, which can be replaced with a second SATA hard drive. Secondly, the new mini will sport an aluminum body topped with black plastic. Update: SeeFile pretty much spilled the beans on the new mini. We've also compiled a wish list of things not necessarily floating around as rumors. First, an update to the AppleTV would be nice, especially if it came with Hulu support (think of an Apple version of Boxee). iLife '09 seems likely as well, though we haven't heard any rumblings. The iPhone nano case leaks are interesting but we haven't seen anything definitive there. I hope we get a full demo of Snow Leopard and a release date. Sure, it won't have a lot of demo-friendly, whiz-bang new features, but we feel certain the changes that make the cut will please just about everyone. That's what we've got so far. If you want to pass us a note in study hall, we're all ears.
Rumor: Mac mini supports 1TB storage, SeeFile
Ars is reporting that software company SeeFile may have exposed at least a part of Apple's plans for the new Mac mini. According to a poorly timed press release (it's actually dated January 6th, the same day as Phil's keynote), the "New Apple Mac Mini hardware [will] be supported by revolutionary SeeFile web sharing DAM software." The SeeFile software is used to build a no-fuss, digital asset manager accessible via a web browser and starts at $499US.Here's where it gets interesting. Towards the end of the press release, we find this"Complete bundled server systems including a Mac mini server with 1 terabyte of storage are available starting at $1,495. The hosted Web service will be available starting in February 2009 at several pricing tiers, starting at under $50 per month."We can only assume that SeeFile will be selling minis bundled with their software and not Apple. Many people use minis as home servers, and with the rumor of 1TB of internal storage all but confirmed by this press release, building a similar, web-accessible setup should become very easy indeed.Either way, the lesson here is the same: Don't hit your web editor's "Publish" button unless you really mean it.
Phil Schiller's death-defying stunt at MWNY '99
Everyone in the Apple community is eager to see Phil Schiller deliver tomorrow's keynote address at Macworld Expo. While we're uncertain as to what he'll do, we know that he won't be leaping onto an inflatable mattress while holding a laptop. Because he's already done that. At Macworld Expo '99 in New York City, Phil demonstrated a Tangerine iBook's wifi capabilities and accelerometer by falling from a significant height onto a small mattress below, thus ushering him into "The Demo Hall of Fame." It might not have been the Mother of All Demos, but still pretty cool. Way to take one for the team, Phil! Click below to watch the video. [Thanks to the folks at thinkingbricks for pointing this out]
Macworld Expo minus Apple still equals Macworld Expo
In the story of love, there is always a winner and a loser (the loser being the one who sits at home with ice cream in one hand and a remote in the other, crying while watching The Notebook). In the romance between IDG and Apple, it seems that IDG is not content to sit at home now that Stevie J. has stopped returning its calls.While we know that Macworld Expo is scheduled to continue in 2010, there is not a solid sense of what next year's conference will look like. Because IDG wants to get attendee input on the future shape of the event, it has elected to have a "Townhall" open forum where attendees can meet and discuss the future of Macworld. The emphasis of Macworld Expo is expected to shift back to the Mac and the many products and services that can enhance it. Because Macworld showcases hundreds of products that are not found in Apple retail stores (including sessions & vendors who focus on large enterprises and educational markets), it is a great opportunity to get them into the hands of users who would not normally get a chance to see them in person.Here's hoping Macworld Expo continues on for the foreseeable future -- and who knows? Perhaps the popularity of Macworld will bring Apple back in, but who needs 'em, right? Have a good idea for something you'd like to see in Macworld's future? Let us know in the comments, and perhaps one of our intrepid staffers attending the townhall will discuss it with IDG's team.For continuing coverage of Macworld Expo 2009 from our team on the ground in San Francisco, stay with TUAW -- you can see all coverage in one place, get a feed for our stories or follow us on Twitter for instant updates.[via Ars Technica]
Munster: New Macs for MWSF, small iPhone by second quarter '09
Our favorite-named analyst, Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster, predicts that Apple will announce new Mac models at Macworld Expo, and a smaller iPhone for the March quarter. Piper Jaffray expects that Apple will sell 45 million iPhones during 2009, though that estimate is predicated on the fact that Apple will release a lower-cost iPhone model early in the year, priced between $99 and $149. As for Macworld Expo, the expectation is that there won't be any groundbreaking announcements, since Phil Schiller will be giving the presentation. They do expect new iMac or Mac mini models, however. Piper Jaffray is maintaining its "buy" rating, and $235 price target, on shares of AAPL. The stock was up slightly during morning trading. [Via StreetInsider.]
Rumors swirling around new iMacs
It seems that an upgraded iMac is a shoe-in at Macworld Expo in January. It's a consumer show, and the iMac is Apple's consumer desktop. Plus, it hasn't received a significant change in a while, so it's due. Now that the winter holidays are just about over, the Expo rumors have begun to circulate.AppleInsider has posted a few iMac rumors. First is mention of a new "...magnesium-aluminum alloy chassis," as well as a "cooling module." That's all the details there are, folks, so your guess is as good as ours if the current fan system will be replaced. We all know Steve and Jon Ive like quiet machines.The more solid rumor is about the new 65W, low-power, quad-core desktop chips Apple is expecting from Intel. Along with Acer, HP and Dell, Apple has decided to make use of these chips, according to DigiTimes, though their target machine has not been identified. DigiTimes claims that these chips are suited to small form factor and all-in-one PCs.
Talkcast tonight at 10 pm, last dance for 2008
Robert and Dave fought their way through a Talkshoe hardware failure to do a great talkcast last week, covering the concept of the 'kitchen Mac' and more. You can listen to the show from Talkshoe's site, or download the episode in iTunes / via RSS.We're back again tonight (Sunday 12/21) at 10 pm ET with one item on the agenda: the Macworld Expo announcements from Apple, Schillerizing the keynote address and what it means for the future of the preeminent Mac tradeshow. Of course, we'll be taking your questions and comments on that story and more, including best guesses and rumors for products coming in the new year.Next week (12/28) we'll be taking our holiday break, so this will be the last live show of 2008; don't forget to join us again on Sunday January 4 as we ramp up for our Macworld Expo-stravaganza of coverage, with multiple live call-ins during the week, reader meetups, videos, giveaways and more! You can participate on TalkShoe by using the browser-only client, or you can also use the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client. For the web UI, just click the "TalkShoe Web" button on our profile page at 10 pm Sunday. You can also listen in on the Talkshoe page or call in on regular phone or VOIP lines: dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *-8. Talk with you then! Recording support for the TUAW Talkcast provided by Ecamm Network's CallRecorder for Skype.
Apple Expo Paris has been cancelled
You may remember that Steve Jobs attended Apple Expo Paris in 2005 after undergoing successful pancreatic cancer surgery, but didn't deliver the keynote speech. Instead, Steve and a few other Apple Executives held a Q&A session. Apple did not participate at all in 2008, and it was announced this week that the 2009 Apple Expo Paris has been cancelled all together, according to a report from Macworld. There were 30 events in this past September's expo. It's unfortunate for all of the participants and attendees that the major European Apple trade show is going away, but in light of yesterday's news for Macworld Expo it's not entirely surprising.
Thoughts on Apple's last Macworld Expo keynote
Late yesterday, Apple surprised pundits, fans and presumably IDG by announcing that Macworld Expo 2009 would be their last as an official exhibitor. Along with that news came the announcement that Phil Schiller will deliver the keynote address in place of Steve Jobs. People will speculate about the reasons for Apple's move for some time. Here are my thoughts.There must be a financial component. Sure, Apple announced $25 billion in cash reserves and no debt at the end of Q4 in October, but it's very expensive to attend these events, even for Apple. Consider the extent of Apple's presence at Macworld Expo, between machines, people, displays, etc. Even software giant Adobe has dropped out.Of course, it goes beyond the cost of the show. Nearly every year, Apple's stock dips after the keynote presentation when rumored products or services aren't introduced. It's a silly, unfortunate and routine drop... which brings me to point number two.The rumors themselves. The current iPod nano model was all but revealed prematurely when photos of a case produced by a 3rd party manufacturer appeared online. When Steve Jobs mentioned it at the official press event a few days later, some attendees laughed. Steve responded by saying, "It's not funny" in a stern tone of voice. He was clearly pissed.That wasn't the first time Apple had been scooped by the media. In 2002, the Canadian edition of Time Magazine leaked a cover photo of Steve and Jon Ive with the G4 iMac just prior to its introduction at Macworld Expo. You'll also remember that Apple aggressively pursued rumor site Thinksecret last year, and it's currently offline. Not only do rumors hurt the company financially, they take some of the excitement out of product updates, and in turn, the media's enthusiasm. When the media basically knows what's coming, their interest wanes just enough. Apple wants more control.Control over product schedules outside the constraints of Expo keynotes. Once Apple steps away from the tick-tock of January showcases, it will be able to stage a press event and introduce a product or service when it's actually ready, not when a certain calendar date arrives.Finally, I've always found the timing to be odd. The first week of January is right after all the major winter holidays. People are tapped out financially and enjoying the loot they picked up the in weeks before from family and friends. Asking them to spend another grand on a computer just then isn't ideal. Alternatively, Apple has consistently released iPod updates in September, just as kids are going back to school.The inevitable question is one of Steve's health, but I think John Gruber got this one right. If Steve was ill, they'd send in a proxy like Phil but keep the rest of the game intact. The fact that they've abandoned the whole thing says to me that it's a political and financial move more than anything else. Time Magazine asks the health question right away in their reaction article, quoting an Apple spokesperson as saying, "Phil is giving the keynote because this is Apple's last year in the show, and it doesn't make sense for us to make a major investment in a trade show we will no longer be attending." Even if Steve is as healthy as a horse but still looks thin, his appearance could have an affect on the company's stock. I don't think I've ever seen a company whose financial well being is so closely tied to the health of its CEO.For now, at least, IDG plans to put on Macworld Expo 2010, with or without Apple. I say more power to them, but as a person who attended two Macworld Expos in Boston without Apple, my faith is waning. It is a bit sad that Steve won't wrap up the final Macworld Expo; we can hope that he'll make a special appearance as Phil Schiller's One More Thing.
Apple announces 2009 will be its last Macworld Expo, Schiller to deliver keynote
In a surprise announcement, Apple said that next month's Macworld Expo will be its last. The company doesn't plan on exhibiting at the event after 2009. Also, Steve Jobs will not be giving the keynote address, handing that honor to Phil Schiller, senior VP of worldwide product marketing. It will be Apple's final keynote address at the event. In a press release, Apple said it has scaled back its presence at other trade shows, including NAB, Macworld New York, Macworld Tokyo, and Apple Expo in Paris. This will be the 25th Macworld Expo. Steve Jobs had given the keynote address since 1997, when he returned to the company as interim CEO. Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
Wired: New Mac mini to be announced at MWSF
Wired's Brian X. Chen writes that Apple will release a new version of the Mac mini at Macworld Expo early next month. Chen's unnamed source didn't disclose any details about the Mac mini, but Chen offered plenty of specification speculation. Based on "trends seen in Apple's latest products," Chen expects the new Mac mini to feature a unibody enclosure with speeds and video specs that closely match the new unibody MacBooks. This follows another rumor of a budget-priced, small-form-factor iPhone that could be announced at the same time. Nilay Patel, of our sister blog Engadget, notes that this may be a reaction to slowing sales numbers, and an overall reticence by consumers to drop large amounts of money on a new computer system. We'll see next month: The keynote presentation is scheduled for January 6. Macworld Expo typically announces by now if Steve Jobs will give the presentation, but they've been keeping mum about his involvement so far.
Rumor: Case manufacturer drawings show smaller iPhone 'nano'?
Our sister site Engadget notes that iDealsChina found this rendering of a silicone case for a new iPhone-like device with a smaller form factor. iDealsChina says the case is "in production," and has many 3D images of a variety of angles. The device may be unveiled during Macworld Expo next month. The site also claims the "iPhone nano" will have three "sensors," a camera, a "mirror screen" and no 3G. The device will allegedly start production on December 20th at a rate of 60,000 to 80,000 units a day. This falls in line with unsourced rumors of a wireless product slated for announcement at Macworld. It could wind up being the magic $99 Walmart iPhone that we've heard so much about. The look of the new iPod nanos was leaked (famously by Kevin Rose) earlier this year as a result of a supplier showing off renderings of new cases for the device. According to iDealsChina, "...once one company starts making a mold their information is passed onto other mold companies or accessory companies through a China underground network."
Saying "goodbye" to .Mac
Tonight, we will all say "goodbye" to .Mac, a service that has been a small part of Apple for almost 8 years. iTools, .Mac's predecessor, was launched on January 5, 2000 at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco and was a free service that included a HomePage, iCards and the much coveted @mac.com e-mail address that is commonplace today (as well as the forgotten 'KidSafe,' which was a database of kid friendly websites Apple compiled so you could make sure your children weren't up to no good on your Mac). As more users came to the service and the cost of bandwidth went up, Apple began charging for the service and called it .Mac. The name ".Mac" was born at the Macworld Expo in New York on July 17, 2002 and provided several new services including: a beefed up iDisk (with a dizzying 100 megs of space), Backup, and a free copy of Virex. On September 17, 2002, Apple announced that it would discontinue the free iTools service in favor for .Mac. That brings us to, well, tonight. Apple is scheduled to take down .Mac and replace it with a newer, rebranded service named "MobileMe." While some scoff at the name, TUAW can't help but see the other side of the picture: look how far iTools has evolved over the past 8 years. So, join us in saying, "So long old friend, we hardly knew ye." Do you have a favorite story to tell about iTools or .Mac? Be sure to mention it in the comments below! Apple is scheduled to take down the .Mac service between 6 p.m. and 12 a.m. pacific time.
Ultra-portable Apple laptop rumored to be landing at Macworld Expo
We've certainly heard this rumor before but, according to the folks AppleInsider, it looks like we could now be fast approaching an actual debut of the oft-discussed ultra-portable Apple laptop. If they're right, the system (which is said to be a 13-incher) will be introduced at the Macworld Expo in January and, as previously speculated, it apparently won't boast an internal optical disc drive. That, along with some desirable NAND flash storage, will supposedly make the system about 50 percent lighter han Apple's current 15-inch MacBook Pro, not to mention "strikingly slimmer". As AppleInisder points out, those changes should also help to make the system considerably more power-efficient, with an LED-backlit display also helping on that front. Of course, this is all still up in the air for the time being, but at least this rumor has a definitive expiry date we can look forward to.
Mac publishers expect 2007 rebound, iPhone games uncertain [Macworld Expo]
Mac game developers and publishers at this year's Macworld Expo expect 2007 to be a significantly better year for the platform, with more releases and sales. The Mac companies are looking forward to the iPhone and hope to develop for that platform, but none we spoke with over the show week expected to have that opportunity since the iPod has eluded them. The companies said last year's transition to Intel hardware stalled the Mac gaming industry and closed or slowed several competitors. Ian Lynch Smith, president of Freeverse told us, "Everyone else in the industry ran for the hills. That's why there were very few releases last year versus the year before." His brother and vice president, Colin Lynch Smith, remained positive, saying, "2007 should be a great year for [Mac] games." (Disclosure: This writer has created occasional trailers for Freeverse.)David Stephen, head of Feral Interactive, said the "outlook is decent" for this year. "We're benefiting from growth in Apple's installed base," he added. Stephen also looks forward to the thinner number of competitors, saying the few remaining game companies "[make] it a little less competitive."The companies respond to the iPhone after the break.
OWC and Axiotron announce the ModBook, a Mac-based tablet computer
A Mac Tablet? Seriously? Seriously!OWC is well known for their iPod solutions, Mac CPU upgrades and Firewire hard drives, but they will now be known as the folks who brought us a real Mac tablet solution. On Jan 9th they, along with their manufacturing partner Axiotron, will unveil the ModBook, a "high-end slate-style notebook computer solution" featuring WACOM Penenabled hardware that is fully compatible with Apple's Inkwell handwriting and gesture recognition technology, allowing you to write and draw directly on the screen. There's even a built-in GPS option available!Full details won't be available until their press conference at Macworld Expo on Jan 9th, but here's the official teaser to hold you over: "Engineered in the U.S. by a renowned team of German and American designers, the ModBook's condensed form factor and integrated pen-based user experience makes it the ultimate solution for applications and situations where a keyboard only gets in the way. Ideal for: Mobile Users, Business Professionals, Artists, Students, and Technology Leaders!"We will be at the unveiling, of course and promise to have lots of pics and details as they unfold! And if you're attending Macworld yourself, you can stop by Booth: S2218 for a hands-on trial!UPDATE: We hear from OWC that the ModBook will initially be offered as a turnkey solution., but it will be offered fas an after-market mod solution at a later date (TBA). The turnkey ModBook will come standard with a 1 Year Warranty similar to Apple's and with a similar Applecare like extension program offered as well.[obDisclaimer: I have close ties to OWC, but my excitement about this product is quite sincere!]
