Steve Jobs’ Macworld 2008 keynote

Apple fanatics were hoping for some exciting news at Steve Jobs’ keynote to open Macworld 2008. Negative types figured nothing could compare to last year’s unveiling of the iPhone.

Dummies.

Steve today took the cover of the new MacBook Air, a laptop so thin it fits in an envelope. At just three-quarters of an inch thick, the new portable computer is as thin as two iPod Touches. That’s awfully thin.

The MacBook Air weighs only 3 pounds, sports a full-size keyboard (my sausage fingers are grateful), and a 13.3-inch backlit display with built in camera. The track pad mirrors the iPod Touch and iPhone interface, which means more control over the desktop.

There is no optical drive in the Air, though. It installs software by borrowing a DVD drive from another computer on the network.

It borrows the drive.

If you don’t have a drive for it to borrow, you can always get a USB SuperDrive to hook up to it.

You’ll only have to make two decisions one decision after deciding - as I did - that you need a MacBook Air on your desk. You can have a 1.6 or 1.8 GHz processor (Intel Core 2 Duo) and you can have either a 80GB hard drive or a 64GB solid-state drive (although the solid-state drive looks to add more than $1,000 to your sticker price).

It seems there are only two configurations at this point. the 1.6 GHz processor comes with the 80GB hard drive and is listing for $1,899. The 1.8 GHz processor ships with the 64GB solid-state drive, and costs $3,248. But this is the model that is only 0.16 inches thick. Further research reveals that at its thickest point, the Air - regardless of configuration - is 0.76 inches, but the computer tapers down to 0.16 inches at the edges, giving the system a knife-edged look.

Only drawback at this point is that users can’t change the battery, so you’d better stay close to a power source if you’re going to be using your Air for more than five hours.

Here are some other tidbits that Jobs thrilled us with:

• Time Capsule, an Airport Extreme base station with a 500GB or 1TB hard drive, to allow for easy Time Machine backups
• iPod Touch owners in Canada who wish they could have some of the iPhone features now get them: Mail, Maps, notes, stocks, weather updates are all enabled for the Touch
• iTunes 7.6 now offers movie rentals from all major studios. If you live in the U.S. Canadians have to wait. Again.
• Apple TV Take 2 doesn’t require a computer, but connects to your network itself and enables users to get digital movie rentals from iTunes (again, only for U.S. customers)
• Anyone purchasing a DVD distributed by 20th Century Fox will automatically get an iTunes Digital Copy of the film. By inserting the new DVD into your computer, you enter a code and get an automatic download - to your iTunes - of the same film. Then you can watch it on your computer or even transfer it to your iPod. The first release to include this feature is the Family Guy Star Wars spoof, Blue Harvest

All in all, a good day to be a Mac fan. Hope you’ve got lots of money.

Anything in today’s Jobs keynote that got you excited? Pissed off? Let us all know in the comments.

Play Memory for prizes!

This is kinda cool, actually.

Future Shop is celebrating its 25th anniversary. (If you've watched any football or hockey in the past week or so you've seen the TV ad, in which the staff member tweaks the front entrance audio. Which reminds me, Future Shop, that you need to BRING BACK THE ROBOT!)

Anyhow, as a way of promoting their 25 years in the electronics retail biz, Future Shop has put up a few web pages that look back. There is a timeline, a list of "fun facts" about how the electronics industry has changed in 25 years, and a video that looks at how the store has changed over the years.

But the coolest thing they've done is created a short game of Memory. Remember the game where you turn all the cards face down, and by turning over two at a time you have to find matches?

The difference here is that you need to match old technology - like the first digital audio player released in North America, with 32 MB of memory (enough for 8 whole songs) - to new technology - like an iPod Touch.

You're given 25 seconds to match twelve items (six pairs), and if you're fast enough, you can enter to win a $2,500 gift card at Future Shop and other daily prize draws.

And let me tell you, having $2,500 to spend on new gadgets and electronics is better than bragging rights over weird Aunt Irma.


LUNCH: I'm still working on that turkey

iPod Touch discussion

Over at the Futureshop Community Forums, there's an interesting back-and-forth about the pros and cons of the new iPod Touch.

The usual Apple-haters are there, as are the Apple advocates, but generally people seem excited about the touch screen functionality.

My issue is that I have a Mac computer, but can't find a PDA that properly syncs with my calendar and address book. All the Palms and HPs work fine with Windows machines, but they don't sync with Macs very well.

The iPhone looks to change that. But until they become available in Canada, maybe the iPod Touch will at least let me get rid of one device.

But the price is a bit high for me to just get one on a whim. More research required.


BREAKFAST: boiled egg, toast, and cantaloupe

Apple reveals new iPods

Okay, I've had a couple of iPods in my time, and it looks like I'll have to get another one.

Apple today announced new iPods, including a new iPod Nano that has a colour screen and video capability.

But the iPod that'll have me running after it is the iPod Touch.

It's like having an iPhone without messing around with any of that phone stuff.

But seriously, the iPod Touch has the same touch screen interface as the phone, and the same video ability, and the same screen, and the same slickness.

And it's got Wi-Fi, too.

The two models come in 8GB and 16GB capacities. I'm not sure why they don't have the 80GB or 160GB capacity of the iPod Classic models. Anyone out there know why?

These babies are supposedly going to be available at the end of September. Sweet.


LUNCH: smoked turkey sandwich and a crisp, new crop Gala apple