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- Contemplating the uncertain future of Macworld Expo
Jim Dalrymple has been around the Mac community for years, so when he talks, people listen. That's why yesterday's post at Dalrymple's blog, LoopInsight, was so fascinating and got me thinking about whether or not Dalrymple was right in his assertion that things don't look good for the future of Macworld Expo.
The post was titled "Macworld Expo 2010: Success story or a disaster waiting to happen," and it outlined the reasons why this year's Expo in San Francisco could very well be the last. Dalrymple begins tolling the death knell with a list of the big names that won't be attending the show this year -- Apple (of course), Adobe, Epson, and Griffin to name a few. He then brings up the fact that with a month to go until the doors open on the Expo, there are only 157 listed exhibitors. Many of those exhibitors are familiar to Apple fans, but then again, there are a lot of small and unknown iPhone developers on the list as well.
Dalrymple's point that even the press is turning away from the Expo is more daunting. Without a Steve Jobs keynote to attract the world media, the show seems to be entering its death throes. Less media attention means less attention to exhibitor products, which means fewer exhibitors are going to find it worthwhile to pay the price to display their wares.
I'm an optimist by nature. I'd love to be attending Macworld Expo for years to come. I've been attending Macworld Expo on and off between the late 1980s, when the show was vibrant and thriving, and last year's wild ride. But the signs seem pretty clear to me that my trip to San Francisco in February to the Expo may be my last. As much as it pained me to agree with Dalrymple's rather negative appraisal of the future of Macworld Expo, I had to agree that his comments had a lot of merit.
There are some compelling reasons why this could very well be the last year for Macworld Expo -- at least Macworld Expo as we know it. To begin with, the very name of the Expo shows just how out of touch with the realities of Apple the organizers must be. Anyone who has attended Macworld Expo in the last two years knows that the iPhone, not the Mac, has been the real star of the show. Apple is more than a one-trick pony now, and with a new class of device just around the corner, perhaps a new name and new expo acknowledging the company as a worldwide force in the consumer electronics business would breathe new life into the confab.
Second, a lot of attendees I talked to felt that the "town meeting" at Macworld Expo 2009 at which the future of the event was discussed was a total farce. Sure, it appears that IDG World Expo took some of the attendee suggestions to heart, such as moving the event to February so it wouldn't compete directly with CES. But other interesting ideas, such as taking the show on the road to a different city each year, did not seem to register with the organizers. San Francisco is a horrendously expensive city in which to stay during a trade show, and the huge taxes that are levied on hotel rooms, rental cars, and other staples of the tourist trade add insult to injury. Add to that the horror stories I've been told over the years by exhibitors who have had to pay huge "installation fees" to the union-controlled crews in Moscone Center, and it's no wonder that exhibitors are dropping the show. Moving the show to a different city each year would offer a logistical challenge, but it would give more people a chance to attend the show and hopefully make attending less of a financial burden for both exhibitors and attendees.
Finally, the tired story that "it's all about the networking" should be laid to rest. After Dalrymple's post yesterday, I saw a flurry of tweets stating that the show would never die, since it's the only place that Mac geeks can gather and bask in the warm glow of Apple-tinged fellowship. Well, it's not.
There are still a number of very active Apple-related user groups throughout the country, so you don't need to travel to San Francisco once a year to get the Apple love. Take a look at Chuck Joiner's MUGCenter.com website, and you'll see that there is constant activity all over the country. Even more than the physical meetings, there's now a huge electronic community of Apple fandom. Want to get the latest scoop on all of the new products? Check out blogs like TUAW, follow 'em on Twitter and Facebook, or even join the active chat forums on a number of sites. All of these electronic venues are much more up-to-date than an annual conference and expo. For that matter, even a weekly trip to a local Apple Store will give you tremendous insight into the new products, trends, and rumors that surround the world of Apple.
Some people go to Macworld Expo for the conference tracks, and in many cases those tracks are informative and taught by knowledgeable instructors. But there are other, less expensive training options available. There are local training venues in most major cities, and for those in the hinterlands, online training companies such as Lynda.com can provide the gentle hand of a tutor in a much more comfortable venue.
There are glimmers of hope in recent statements from IDG World Expo. For example, there are as many attendees pre-registered so far this year -- about 30,000 -- as were in attendance in total in 2009. IDG World Expo expects more than 300 companies to exhibit, which unfortunately sounds more like wishful thinking than hard numbers. Some of the featured presenters, such as David Pogue, Leo Laporte, John Gruber and Kevin Smith should ease the blow from the absence of Chairman Steve and the rest of the Apple team. But many of these presenters (Laporte and Gruber, for example) already have hundreds of thousands of faithful online followers who might find it too expensive to travel to San Francisco and get an overpriced hotel room just to see these folks in the flesh.
I've stated my views. I would love to eat my words and be attending the Expo again in 2011. Now I leave it up to TUAW's readers to take up the discussion about the future of Macworld Expo. Take our short poll, and / or leave a comment below.
TUAWContemplating the uncertain future of Macworld Expo originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Apple - Steve Jobs - iPhone - San Francisco - Moscone Center
Переслать - Second-generation Blue Microphones Mikey announced, uses free app
Filed under: Accessories, Audio, Hardware, iPod Family, iPhone, iPod touch
The audio wizards at Blue Microphones have wowed Mac and iPod fans with their Snowball, Snowflake, and Mikey microphones. Now, just before the start of CES 2010, Blue has announced the US$99.99 second generation Mikey Portable Recorder for iPod and iPhone.
While the new Mikey hasn't yet achieved iPhone certification, it promises to be a powerful professional recording solution for iPhone owners when it arrives in the spring. Mikey still features two Blue mic capsules for pro-quality stereo recording, but now has improved acoustic circuitry for better recordings of loud events such as concerts.
The new Mikey also has a 3.5mm line input for those times that you want to plug in a sound source like a guitar or mixer. There's also a USB pass-through connection for charging and syncing. A newly designed case makes Mikey usable with most iPhone cases, and the mic can be adjusted to seven fixed positions within a 230-degree range for optimum positioning. But wait, there's more! Blue is also throwing in a soft carrying pouch for Mikey, along with a headphone extension cable for playback monitoring with the iPod touch and nano.
Blue has also put a high-fidelity field recording app for iPhone and iPod touch into the App Store. Blue FiRe [Free, iTunes Link] has been out for a few months and is optimized for the second generation Mikey. The combination of the high-quality mic and free software produces a complete mobile recording experience.
Expect to see the new Mikey at Apple Stores, Guitar Center, and Amazon.com this spring.
[via Engadget]
TUAWSecond-generation Blue Microphones Mikey announced, uses free app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - CES goes down to the docks
Filed under: Accessories, iPhone, iPod classic
It's CES time yet again, and that means that everybody and their business partners will be showing off iPhone and iPod touch accessories that do all sorts of crazy things, from the useful to the useless. Here's two interesting docks that Engadget has already seen at the big electronics show. The first, above, is a speaker dock with a twist -- not only does it play your music and charge your iPhone as usual, but it comes with an app that will turn the whole thing into an alarm clock as well. It's called the iLuv App Station, and it'll be released in February at a price of $130.
In the slightly more functional category, there's the iNet-2.0 tabletop unit from Sherwood, which combines an iPod dock with an 8" display that allows for internet radio streaming, the usual alarm clock settings, and a photo display. It's a pretty nice piece of tech to put on your nightstand, but the price may turn some folks off: it will retail for $300 later this year. We'll keep an eye out for more great iPhone/iPod accessories in the CES frenzy later this week.TUAWCES goes down to the docks originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Boxee box specs revealed
Filed under: Hardware, Multimedia, Software
This is probably the last time we'll post about the Boxee box, as it's not really an Apple product, but given that it's based on software that lots of Apple TV and Mac mini owners use, and that we've been following its release, I figure we can update you one more time. Over at CES, Boxee has officially announced the strangely shaped media center, and released specs for it: It'll sell for "under $200" by D-Link, play everything from DivX to H.264 MKV and even Flash 10.1, and let you log on to plenty of online services, including Pandora, Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr, along with the Boxee app itself, obviously.
Sounds like quite a device. Release date is set only for "the first half of 2010," but it seems closer than ever to actually appearing on store shelves. Our only real concern is that shape -- how exactly is that supposed to fit in our already crowded entertainment center?TUAWBoxee box specs revealed originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Rumor: Verizon and Apple are at odds over pricing on CDMA iPhone
Filed under: Hardware, Rumors, Apple, iPhone
Analyst Maynard J. Um told investors today that while the rumored Verizon/Apple deal to bring a CDMA iPhone to the big V is still on the table, it's hit a snag over a pricing disagreement. Apparently Apple is used to being paid about $700 for every iPhone sold through AT&T, while Verizon pays out just $450 for Motorola's Droid, and the two companies are at odds over how much money should change hands for iPhones sold over the network. Seems like there should be a compromise somewhere in there, but of course any delays in making an agreement mean delays in actually releasing the phone.
And just for the heck of it, Um mentioned that he does expect a tablet this year, and that Apple's stock will depend on the "functionality and appeal" of the rumored new device. This just in: If people like something and think it works well, they will buy it. Thanks, analyst!TUAWRumor: Verizon and Apple are at odds over pricing on CDMA iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Apple files patent for multitouch manipulation of 3D objects
Filed under: Hardware, Rumors, Apple
A blogger at the Baltimore Sun found an Apple patent filed last month that describes a multitouch interface for manipulating "three-dimensional virtual objects." The patent seems pretty vague in terms of implementation, but essentially Apple is citing a way to control 3D objects, whether they be icons, game objects, or characters, with a two-dimensional multitouch screen. Sounds like what you're already doing with a game like Zen Bound.
Given that "the tablet" is the hot thing to speculate about lately, there are rumors bubbling up that this type of navigation and manipulation could be found in Apple's new device. But that doesn't seem very likely -- most of what we've heard about the tablet is that it'll offer a higher resolution version of the iPhone's interface, and Apple has no reason yet to step away from that. It's possible that this patent could be covering a new app set to release on the tablet, but of course as with everything here, we'll have to wait and see what Jobs shows us on stage later this month.
[Via Engadget]TUAWApple files patent for multitouch manipulation of 3D objects originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Report: One-fifth of smart phone buyers want Android
Filed under: Apple Corporate, Hardware, Multimedia, Portables, Apple Financial, iPhone
Those incessant Droid ads are working, as consumer interest is climbing.
Last December, ChangeWave Research conducted a study to determine what kinds of smartphones shoppers want. As in previous surveys, the iPhone topped the list. However, 21% of the 4,068 consumers who stated their intention to buy a smartphone within 90 days said they wanted the Android OS -- a 15-point jump from the last poll taken in September. Just 3 months ago, Android was tied for last place in consumer preference.
Even though Apple's share of those planned purchases is down 4%, it's still positioned to do extremely well. In ChangeWave's research, the dropoff in sales following the introduction of the 3GS (12 points) is a big improvement when compared to the post-3G introduction drop (26 points).
The competition is getting intense and you know what that means: better products for us as the manufacturers try to outdo each other! May the best gadget win!
[Via Electronista]TUAWReport: One-fifth of smart phone buyers want Android originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - KeyRemap4MacBook: the utility keyboard lovers have dreamed of
Filed under: Software, Cool tools
I'm not a keyboard-only guy; I know when a mouse makes more sense. That being said, if I can do it from my keyboard, I do. So, as a followup to my post on the handy BetterTouchTool, I'd like to point out another free utility, KeyRemap4MacBook. It's an awkward moniker, and it's not pretty, either, but it's stable, works with any Mac (not just MacBooks, as the name would indicate) and offers drool-worthy functionality.So, what does it do? Out of the box, it offers you dozens and dozens of options for remapping keys and key combinations to potentially more useful actions. Turn your space bar into a shift key when it's pressed in combination with another letter. Turn your trackball into the world's biggest Mighty Mouse scroll ball when you're holding control and command.
My favorite right now is remapping control-i,j,k and l to arrow keys, meaning I no longer have to move my right hand for basic cursor functions when Emacs mode isn't supported or applicable. I've also got the right option key on my aluminum Apple keyboard set up to turn my arrow keys into page up, page down, home and end when used in combination. In short, the usability of my keyboard has skyrocketed. I shudder to think what will happen the next time I jump on someone else's computer and my muscle memory has to re-adjust.KeyRemap4MacBook can be used to improve accessibility, or to offer familiar shortcuts to switchers. You can even have it remap keys only in certain applications, meaning I can have Command-R remap to Control-R in VMWare or Fusion ... that will save me a lot of fumbles when testing multiple browsers! There's also the capability to add your own mappings, with sample definitions included. It's not exactly a breeze to customize, but it could be worse. I recall it being much more difficult to pull off this kind of extensive remapping in the past, even with tools like ControllerMate in the game.
KeyRemap4MacBook is free, and you can grab a copy at the pqrs.org website. There's even source code available, if you're savvy with C++ and wondering how it works. There's a fully-functional uninstall feature in the preference panel, so you can try it worry-free!
TUAWKeyRemap4MacBook: the utility keyboard lovers have dreamed of originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - App warms your hands by overheating your iPhone
Filed under: Accessories, Software, iPhone, App Store
Here's an app from among the App Store's stranger selections. Much like the Zippo Hand Warmer, PocketHeat [iTunes link] is meant to keep your hands warm.
it works by making the iPhone max out 100% of its power processing capacity. A slider lets you adjust the temperature and illuminate the "heating elements." According to several App Store reviews, it doesn't work so well.
We don't know just how hot it gets, but we imagine there are safeguards to prevent serious overheating. According to the Apple Knowledge Base, the iPhone should be operated "...in a place where the temperature is between 0º and 35º C (32º to 95º F)." Prolonged exposure to extreme heat will produce the temperature warning screen. The app got approved (somehow), so we assume it's safe. But I'm not installing it.
We don't know why you'd want to run your undoubtedly-still-on-contract iPhone at 100% capacity -- buried inside a confined pocket -- for any length of time, but that's up to you. At the very least your battery would drain in no time. At worst, well ... let's not find out. You can get PocketHeat now for $0.99US.
Or just buy gloves.TUAWApp warms your hands by overheating your iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Will Apple buy mobile ad company Quattro Wireless? UPDATE: Yes.
Filed under: Apple Corporate
According to Kara Swisher at AllThingsD, Apple may announce the purchase of Quattro for the relative bargain price of $275 million. I say bargain because, as Kara points out, Google paid three times that for AdMob, another mobile ad company. So what? This bit of news, when taken with the ad patent filed by Apple, could suggest they are going to implement some sort of ad system on something. But what? AdMob could be used on Android-powered devices...
How about ads on a tablet device? Ads could help lower the cost of the mythical tablet, especially when those ads are sold by, say, content creators like a newspaper or four. I realize those are a lot of threads to pull together, but all the speculation seems to be swirling around this tablet, the cost and the content that'll go inside. Traditionally cost has been the Achilles' heel for an Apple product, but with ad-supported price breaks you could theoretically lower the cost of the product to the consumer while keeping some margins.
Then again, Apple may simply be planning to integrate Quattro into the developers' toolkits, and provide them with an in-house solution for ad-supported apps. Or maybe they are going to sell an ad-supported OS X for Dell machines. Who knows? As I write this neither company had any comment on the sale or announcement.
UPDATE: Yeah, Apple bought Quattro after all. Let the advertising begin!TUAWWill Apple buy mobile ad company Quattro Wireless? UPDATE: Yes. originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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