With the WWDC keynote just finished, the US Store (online) is back up and running. It has had no new products introduced to the site, but does sport a completely new look. What do you all think?
Apple WWDC 2007 Coverage
Well, it is about 5 minutes until the WWDC 2007 starts and Steve Jobs takes to the stage. We will be giving you as much coverage as we can here, from the various feeds we are following, including some live audio feeds that we have access to. I hope everyone enjoys the announcements to follow.
6pm GMT (10am San Francisco): the Keynote is starting, lights dimming. New commercial playing, sounds very funny, joking about Vista.
6.03pm: Steve takes to the stage.
6.05pm: Announcements about attendance and ADC members, going over Intel switch.
6.06pm: Intel CEO Paul Otellini on stage.
6.07pm: Apple Store worldwide is down. Paul Otellini given special Apple Award designed by Ive.
6.09pm: Eleectronic Arts, developing for Mac again. This includes Command & Conquer, Need for Speed Carbon, Harry Potter and Battlefield 2142 - all in July.
6.12pm: Wow, Mac games will come from EA at the same launch date as PC titles. Madden 08 and Tiger Woods 08 in August.
6.14pm: John Carmack from iD Games on stage, showing some new technology for the first time. A game can be built first, then the graphics get done.
6.16pm: Moving on to Leopard. 22 million active OSX users at present. Leopard will ship in October with 300 new features. Showing 10 new features now.
6.19pm: New features include; Transparent menu bar and dock. Dock is also thinner, or should I say narrower. New 3D look. Dock allows 'stacks' which are like folder organisation right in the dock. Stacks pop out into a neat window or column that has transparent background, can be used to open files or even applications.
6.27pm: New finder windows look similar to iTunes. You can navigate through files like in Coverflow.
6.29pm: New .Mac feature 'Back to my Mac"… Seems like .Mac is automatically updated with your Macs IP address, so it knows where you are. Allows you to easily get files from your work Mac through your .Mac service.
6.35pm: New feature, Quick Look, allows you to preview most file types without opening the application you used to create it. Quick Look even plays movies!
6.39pm: Leopard is fully 64-Bit, but works with both 32 & 64-Bit applications. Massive speed improvement shown opening a large image. Running filters on the image, almost 3x faster in 64-Bit.
6.41pm: Core Animation. Stunning animation effects whilst searching for a video.
6.44pm: Boot Camp. Built right into Leopard. Runs XP and Vista. Comments on Parallels and VMWare, saying that users have three solutions to run Windoze. Quite funny as the screens on those Windoze show it running Solitaire :-)
6.47pm: Spaces… (we have seen this before). Group alike apps into their own space. Re-arrange with ease with drag & drop.
6.49pm: Dashboard. New Movie Time widget, plays trailers right in the widget. Web Clip (which we have seen before) lets you clip bits from the web and make widgets out of them, very clever.
6.55pm: Feature 9 - iChat. Better audio, backdrops, effects and tabbed chats (yes!). Demo with Phil Schiller. Sharing right from within iChat (with iChat Theater), they are sharing a slideshow. If it works in Quick Look, it seems that it will share in iChat. Even sharing a video.
6.59pm: Now using a backdrop. Phil with fishes swimming behind him.
7.00pm: Time Machine. You can back up more than one Mac with a Network Attached Hard Drive. Search back in time (seen it all before).
7.07pm: Developer copies of Leopard available today.
7.10pm: Safari 3 (that will ship with Leopard) announced for Windows. Runs on XP and Vista. Faster than Internet Explorer. Public Beta of Safari 3 released today.
7.16pm: iPhone. Will ship June 29. Custom apps will be possible, no Software Developers Kit required, just need to be written as a web application. Apps run on the iPhone within Safari.
7.25pm: Keynote is over.
New Apple Store in Munich, Germany - photos
Thanks to AppleInsider, who has an article and loads of photos showing the work on the new Apple Store due to open in Munich, Germany, during the second half of 2008. Check out the superb photos and if you have any you would like to send to Geekanoids, please feel free to email them in.
The Night Before WWDC 2007
So, it is the night before the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference kicks off. All is quiet on the news front at the moment, but is this the calm before the storm (this is the only type of storm I really like). Hopefully, Steve Jobs will really mix things up this year. Yes, we are going to get the iPhone, Leopard release date and full details, and most likely iWork 07, but what else is he going to throw in.
One more thing…
Hopefully, there will be more than one 'One more thing'. Will it be a new aluminium iMac, a revised Mac Mini, full screen iPod, or perhaps something completely new on the software front. Will the 'One more thing' announcement be connected to the iPhone, with YouTube video streaming direct to the device. This may sound selfish, but I hope that not too much is centered around the iPhone, as being in the UK we cannot really get too excited yet.
Keep checking back on Geekanoids tomorrow, we will bring you the latest WWDC07 news from Steve Jobs keynote speech as it happens… I personally cannot wait.
Apple MacBook Pro Speedbump + HD Screen
Not delving too deep, but the Apple Store is now back up and running with revised MacBook Pros. Same sizes, but with speeds starting at 2.2GHz and topping out at 2.4GHz. You also get the new NVidia GForce 8600M GT graphics card sporting either 128MB or 256MB.
This BIG NEWS is that the 17-inch has an option to include a 1920x1200 glossy or matt finish screen. This is a £60 option ($100 US). In addition, the 15-inch model has the new LED back-lighting, whereas the 17-inch does not.
**UPDATE** You also get 2GB RAM as standard, well done Apple.
Apple Store Down Around the World
In true Apple style, the online store is down, preparing us all for last minute predictions and the imminent introduction of something new. Will it be MacBook Pros, a new Mini, or something to surprise us all? Check back regularly, we will bring you the news as it happens.
Apple iPhone Adverts - Confirm June 29
Apple have posted three iPhone adverts, which can be found here. They confirm that June 29 is the day and that a 2 year contract will be required for the iPhone. So, things are hotting up, let us hope they do offer a contract free iPhone too. For an alternative ad, check out this mix from peteryan.net
New MacBook Pros for Tuesday
It seems that all the pieces of the jigsaw are falling into place. With WWDC just around the corner, a lot is pointing at MacBook Pro revisions this Tuesday. Firstly, it would leave the WWDC clear for Leopard and iPhone news. Plus, if Apple waited until WWDC to update the MacBook Pro, then this would be right in the middle of their "Back to School" promotion.
The MacBook Pro is definitely due for an update, so this all really makes sense. There have also been reports of orders being placed blindly at Apple for an undisclosed new model. What could the revisions include? Well, I would expect the new Santa Rosa chipset, which would mean increased performance and better battery life. LED backlit displays, would also equal better battery life and better display performance. We may also see a slightly revised design, maybe even a matt finish powder coated or anodised black offering. One last possibility is a new 17-inch HD model, with increased screen resolution. Though this HD model is a possibility, it may well over complicate the line-up, so is the least likely of the revisions. Tune in on Tuesday to see if anything occurs.
WWDC 2007 - What can we expect?
The Apple World Wide Developers Conference kicks off soon, running June 11th thru to June 15th at the Moscone Centre, San Francisco. Apart from the various sessions and special events, everyone looks to the Keynote by Steve Jobs, which is scheduled in for 90 minutes this time around. You all know that Geekanoids is by no means a rumour website, but I have to have my say, so below you will find my wants, alongside the rumors that other websites have mentioned. I won't mention the iPhone in my wishlist, because it is a foregone conclusion that we will get the lowdown on this product.
What I Want
I would love to see a firm ship date for the next version of the Mac OS. Leopard has some great features that we know about already, but seeing what the final offering puts on the table will be very exciting.
Next up, I would like to see updated MacBook and MacBook Pros, with new LED backlit displays. The MacBook just recently had a speed-bump, so this is unlikely, but the Pro versions may get a head start.
The Mac Mini has been reported by some rumour sites to be discontinued. This would be a big shame. Surely this little wonder, that converted so many, deserves an update, or maybe a major re-design into a Mac Midi.
My final wish is similar to my Mac Mini comments. With the Mac Pro being out of the reach of many who want a desktop machine, the Mac Mini just does not have enough power, or dual display support. So it would be nice to see something fill this middle ground. The Mac Midi would be two bays high, offering room for a second hard drive or optical drive. It would also have easily accessible memory slots. Apple must have seen (or wept) at how many took decorating tools to their Minis to get inside, so should take this opportunity to make it easy for everyone.
The Rumours
Well, it has been reported elsewhere that we will see MacBook Pros with the new Santa Rosa chipset, as well as LED backlit displays. Maybe Apple will also do something brave with a redesign. MacRumors has reported that these revisions may happen on the 5th June, leaving the way clear for a Leopard/iPhone WWDC.
It has also been said that we may see the MacBook Thin, or in other words, an ultra thin, optical drive-less, laptop with perhaps a 10-inch or 12-inch screen.
There have been other rumors floating around, but none really worth repeating here.
Enjoy the WWDC Keynote, whatever we get, it'll be an important and very exciting set of announcements.
Apple updates YouTube details
Apple UK finally updated what went on their US website pretty quickly. Finally, the YouTube announcement goes online, showing the interface change and the June timeframe, which could mean the end of June. I quite like the idea of YouTube content, as I find myself viewing something specific, then having a quick browse, it all adds up to be some good entertainment. Only one small problem, what about the videos unsuitable for kids? hmmmmmmm
Lacie Launch 2TB Ethernet Big Disk
Lacie have made a new larger capacity Ethernet Big Disk available for purchase. In its new 2TB, yes, you read that right 2 terrabyte form, the drive is in stock at £669. Having been a long time Mac user, I have always liked Lacie products for their superb build quality, so this new drive is well worth a look. It offers Gigabit ethernet, and full support for Windows, Linux and Mac platforms. Of note for Mac users, AFP and Bonjour is supported, plus you get a USB2 port for extending the capacity further, or photo sharing with compatible digital cameras. I must admit, I want one.
Steve Jobs talks Apple to Walt Mossberg
Another great video from the All Things Digital conference, with Steve Jobs talking to Walt Mossberg… you even get a glimpse of the iPhone, which Steve confirms will ship at the very end of June.