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The Keynote Address

Dan Knight
2002.01.07

Streaming QuickTime isn't a mature technology, at least not overtoday's Internet. Connected via cable modem at home, quality of theStevenote ranged from excellent to inexcusably bad and even sometimesnonexistent.

Mac OS X & X Applications

Steve Jobs proclaims OS X, "The most crash proof, secure OS in theworld."

In March 2001, Apple said it would take 12 months to completelytransition to Mac OS X. Six months moved it to 10.1, and thelast three months focused on applications - 2,500 apps for X.

Photoshop for OS X - "It's almost here." New version includesspell checking.

Palm - synching is as easy as dropping your Palm into its cradleand hitting the hot sync button.

Final Cut 3 introduces real time effects, real time titles, andreal time color correction.

Aspyr - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stonefor X should be available in a couple weeks.

"Starting today, all new Macs will boot up into OS X."

The Digital Hub & iPhoto

Jobs introduced the digital hub concept at Macworld San Franciscoone year ago.

Apple has sold over 1 million blank DVDs since introducing theSuperDrive a year ago.

But what about digicams? There are 6 million digital cameras inuse in the U.S. Today Apple introduces the fourth digital hubapplication, iPhoto.

iPhoto will automatically import photos via USB or FireWire, letyou edit your images and print them easily and accurately withColorSync,and organize your shots - even creating thumbnails and displayingthem at whatever size you want.

Although you can edit your images in iPhoto, you can also tell itto use your favorite photo editor.

To share your images, you can create a slide show (complete with asound track and dissolves), publish them on the Web using iTools andHome Page, print individual images or contact sheets on your printer,order Kodak prints on photographic paper online using one-clickshopping, or even order a hard bound book containing your photos.

Storybook, a feature of iPhoto, lets you automatically design yourbook. You tell it how many pictures per page, add any text, andiPhoto does the rest. You can even order the book online and have itshipped anywhere you want. Turnaround? About one week. Cost? Aslittle as $29.99 for a ten-page book.

And the cost of iPhoto? It's a free download from Apple'ssite.

iBook

500 MHz iMac now $1,199. 600 MHz Combo unit now $1,499. Apple topsoff the iBook line with a big brother, a 14" iBook - 600 MHz, 256MB, 1.35" thick, 5.9 pounds, Combo drive, $1,799.

iMac

Apple has sold 6 million iMacs, but today we're saying good-bye tothat iMac. The new iMac is designed to be the ultimate digital hub:flat screen (15" 1024 x 768, official death of the CRT), 700-800MHz G4, SuperDrive available (and DVD blanks are now $5), NvidiaGeForce 2 MX, five USB ports, and two FireWire ports. The new iMacalso takes 1 GB total RAM, and the bottom comes apart with justfour screws.

Apple has been working on a new design for twoyears, but a vertical design just didn't work. The whole computer isin a 10.5" hemispherical base, including the power supply. The screencan be moved with just a touch, providing superior ergonomics. Andall the ports are in the back.

Three models: 700 MHz G4, 128 MB, 40 GB, CD-RW, $1,299. 256 MB,Combo drive, $1,499. 800 MHz, 60 GB, SuperDrive, $1,799. TheSuperDrive model will be available this month, the Combo drive iMacin February, and the CD-RW version in March - and Apple is takingorders today.

Expect to see some major blowout pricingon the old CRT iMacs. Or maybe not, since there will be no $799 and$999 iMacs when the flat-panel models replace the current line inMarch.

Reflections

What's wrong with this picture? Quite simply that the iMac,Apple's consumer entry-level computer, runs faster than the proPowerBook (550 and 667 MHz) and some Power Macs (particularly the 733MHz model). We anticipate these will be upgraded in coming months.

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