![[Bytes Link logo]](../../../cgif/bytelnk2.gif)
MacWorld San Francisco 2001
by By Schoun Regan—courtesy of APCUG, , sregan@completemac.com - February 22, 2001 at 13:52:42:
MacWorld is the Comdex of the Macintosh world; where vendors hawk their wares, swag is easy to find, and the Macintosh community holds it’s collective breath during Steve’s keynote address. The products Apple rolled-out this time are both subtle and revolutionary, again rocking the PC world and setting standards for others to follow. We will go in the order of the announcements because it’s more fun that way.March 24th. More precisely Saturday, March 24th. That’s the day Mac OS X is to be released to the public for the retail price of U.S. $129. When Apple rolled out the beta, they had over 100,000 users purchase a copy. They had over 75,000 comments. Mac OS X is UNIX with a Mac interface built on an open source platform. From many people’s standpoint, this is Utopia. While I’d like to cover X in more detail, I’ll wait until March to do so.
Next up was an upgrade of the PowerMac line; desktop computers that are great to look at and pop open with the flip of a latch. They’re getting a much faster BUS and a speed bump with four models available—466, 533 (available in a dual processor configuration), 667, and 733 MHz models. The 466 and 533 models come with 128 MB of RAM and the other two with 256MB. Hard drive sizes range from 30 to 60 GB and all models, except the 466, come with GeForce2MX nVidia cards The 466 comes with a RagePro 128. Prices are U.S. $1699, $ 2199, $2799, and $3499 respectively. All models come with CD/DVD/CD-RW drives standard, except the 733. Here things get, well, revolu-tionary. The 733 model, comes with something called a “SuperDrive.” This drive is something different. We all have players than can play CDs. Some of us have players that play DVDs. We may have CD burners-units that can create a CD. However, units that can create a DVD, let alone one that can be played in consumer DVD players, cost US$5000-10,000—until now. The SuperDrive can read and write CDs AND DVDs! Now, most of us have seen a DVD movie and we know they have interactive menus and backgrounds. Apple thought about that. Welcome to iDVD. As easy to use as iMovie, iDVD lets users create their very own DVDs, and it is free with the SuperDrive in the 733! It took a while to create a DVD in the past. A one-hour DVD may take as much as 24 hours to process. This was unacceptable to Steve. Creating DVDs with iDVD can be done at 2x! That means a one-hour movie will only take two hours to encode! All this for a price of U.S. $3499! Steve said this marks the end of a dream he has had. The place went wild. He followed that with professional grade DVD software called DVD Studio Pro. As easy to use as Final Cut Pro, DVD Studio Pro is a bargain at U.S. $995 for the professional.
Then came iTunes. A free download from Apple that allows users to burn audio and MP3 files direct to CDs, connect to Internet radio stations, collect and save play lists, and much. much more. This is yet another free gem from Apple that compliments the free iMovie software nicely.
We were almost done when, in standard Steve Jobs fashion, he simply states, “Oh there’s one more thing” Apple’s new PowerBook G4. Totally redesigned, this will make even the most diehard PC person go, “I want one!” It includes a 5.3 hour battery; 15.2 inch mega wide screen; built-in FireWire, USB, Audio I/O, SVGA and composite video out; 56k modem; 10/100 Ethernet; infrared; PC card slot; AirPort; wireless ready; a 400 or 500 MHz G4 processor; slot loading CD/DVD drive (no tray!); 10, 20, or 30 GB hard drive; 128 or 256 MB of RAM (up to 1 GB); 5.3 pounds (!) and, are you ready for this 1 inch thick! Made of 99.5% pure titanium, this is one killer portable. Talk about a laptop. Rush to your nearest Apple dealer to gander at one of these!
While many people often understate Apple’s influence in the market, taking in a MacWorld and seeing of what Apple is capable may cause more than a few people to start thinking a little different. And that’s all Steve asks.
[Ed note: See MAC SIG report on page 32]
Schoun Regan is the training and media specialist for Complete Mac Services. They are Apple Specialists, Apple Solution Experts, and training and consulting facility in Louisville, KY. He travels around North America teaching people all kinds of computer related things. He also regularly writes for Tech Republic, authors the Mac tips at emazing.com, chairs 84Online, a technology-centric radio program heard in more than 30 states on Louisville’s Clear Channel station 84 WHAS, and dot.com, a technology-centric TV call-in show broadcast in the Louisville area. He resides with his very tolerant wife and kids in the Ohio Valley area.
There is no restriction against anyone using the article as long as it is kept in context, with proper credit given to the author. This article is brought to you by the Editorial Committee of the Association of Personal Computer User Groups (APCUG), an International organization to which this user group belongs.
![[------STRIPE-----]](../../../cgif/str1.gif){kind=small}
Site Disclaimer Suggestions? E-Mail to webmaster@noccc.org