Gaming Subscription for .Mac Anyone?

It's now rumored that Apple is not only about to change it's online service, .Mac's name, but even more importantly, that it may be planning to make it a cross-platform service in order to attract as many Window subscribers as possible. 

Mark Hattersley, writing for, MacWorld,  has pointed out that a Russian website, 'Deep Apple', has spotted changes that Apple has made to Leopard's 10.5.3 source code that supports these claims, as you can clearly see in the pic below:

Regarding the name change, as MacWorld pointed out, "This is probably a good thing. After all .Mac was always a daft name." A new and improved service could better reflect that change with a new name, and especially if it is true that Apple will extend .mac by making it cross-platform. 

I, for one, believe that Apple will indeed upgrade it's .Mac service, including extending it's reach by making it cross-platform just as it already has done with Safari and iTunes. However, in doing so, how can Apple make it even more appealing for both Mac and Windows users to sign up?

Well, first of all, as already stated, it's obvious that the name .Mac would have to go. What they may end up naming it I can only guess? Apple, however, I believe, would not only have to upgrade it's existing  .Mac features, but would also have to add new ones in addition as well. Currently, .Mac's features are listed as follows:

Web Gallery
Website Hosting
Sync
iDisk
IMAP Mail
Groups
10GB's of storage and the best of the lot - Back to My Mac

So, just what new features, in addition to the ones above, could they possibly offer that would compel Windows users and, as well, Mac users to want to sign up?

Well, I can only think of one, at the moment, but I think it could be a 'game changer' - gaming subscriptions!

Yes, just as some people are advocating music subscriptions, Apple's newer, improved and cross-platform online service could offer it's subscribers the ability to play most popular gaming titles online, in much the way that War of Warcraft does so presently!

Think about it, one could play, via the internet, a version of 'Assassin's Creed, for example, or what have you, and all without the hassle of going out and paying full retail for a game? Yes,its true that most games are now Windows based, but that's the whole point of making .Mac a cross-platform service. This would draw in a lot of Windows users who would just love to play a game, but don't necessarily want to buy a personal copy. When, or if, a subscriber cancelled their new Apple online service, of course, well, then there so goes their ability to further play the game.

This, I believe, would not only be a tremendous asset for any new upgraded, cross-platformed .Mac service, but would even be more tremendous for the gaming companies themselves as they would receive a monthly cut on each and everyone of those subscribers who access Apple's online gaming feature! Not only that, but in addition to Apple and the gaming developers benefiting directly, the subscribers themselves would benefit immensely by having access, for as long as they subscribe, to many, many more gaming titles than they could possibly afford to purchase individually!

Another feature would be to allow Apple's online gaming subscribers, to have the option of downloading and buying the full game, at a reduced cost, in the future, if they so decided to do so! Gaming developers, on one hand, would make money not only by subscriptions, but two, by also increasing their sales through the direct download portion of the service via iTunes!

In the end, whether Apple makes their online service cross-platform, or not, we do know that big changes are coming to .Mac and most likely very soon now - after all, Steve Jobs has already said as much. When Apple does upgrade the service, chances are good that they will also beef up it's existing features, such as increasing it's storage from 10GB to 100 etc., and, as well, I'm assuming, be adding new features, and who knows, at this point, maybe even a gaming subscription feature.

At this point, a gaming subscription feature is only speculation on my part, but still, I think it's a real possibility, if not now, than one that will eventually be offered at some point in the future. 

The sooner, as they say, the better.


And that's my 2 cents on any new .Mac upgrade, 4 this sunny Wednesday, May 29, 2008.

Images via Apple and Macworld.

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Skyrocket: Is This the Best Screensaver Yet?

There is certainly no lack of beautiful and fascinating screensaver's out there, but today, while surfing on YouTube, I came across what could might well be one of the best, if not the best and coolest of them all, a screensaver by the name of: Skyrocket. 

This screensaver, as it's name implies, is one that duplicates the natural beauty of fireworks in a most realistic way, in all their bright, colorful and noisy glory, and one in which you don't even have to wait for the Fourth of July, Canada Day, or any other holiday in which to enjoy!

So, if your into fireworks and screensavers, then, by all means, simply click on the YouTube video above and check out this amazing screensaver for yourself. Please note, however that Skyrocket looks a lot better running on your computer than it does in YouTube.

Skyrocket is available for both Windows and the OS X and can be downloaded here.

Personally, I think that this is a truly awesome screensaver, and one who's Open GL graphics and sound will delight and mesmerized you for hours on end. Skyrocket is my newest screensaver, and one that I 'am pleased to add to my top ten favorites screensavers of all time! It's that good folks, so please check it out.

Oh, one other thing that is really great about Skyrocket is that - it's a FREE download!  So, if your an OS X or Window user, what are you waiting for, go grab it while you can.

And that's my 2 cents on this really cool screensaver, Skyrocket, 4 this sunny Wednesday, May 29, 2008.


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The Largest Tech Drawing In The History of the World!

Some people like Erik Nordenankar, a Swedish artist, like to do things in a big way. When I say big, I mean in a very, very big way. For Erik that meant creating the biggest sketch ever attempted on the face of the planet, as the   Register in Britain recently reported.

Now, just how big are we talking about? Oh, would you believe a sketch of some 100 miles in length? Well, if that's your guess, guess what? You be dead wrong! No Eric likes to think much, much bigger than that - like sketching a self portrait some 110,664 kilometers in length!

Run that by me again, you say? Ok, that's 110,664 kilometers, or some 68,763.4 miles in length, or almost half way from here to the moon!

Fortunately, for Erik, he didn't have to worry about running out of ink since he didn't use very much for the actual sketch. Instead he used a GPS tracking device that he sent on a long, long journey via DHL that spanned six continents and some 62 countries! Altogether the sketch took some 55 days to complete.

The whole artistic endeavor was as a publicity stunt for DHL, and Erik explained:

"The best advertising is developed with society. using a GPs and the express shipping company DhL, I drew a self-portrait on our planet. I used the technological aids of our time to make the world’s biggest drawing, along with advertising adapted to the contemporary era. a campaign the recipient wants to see and which is interesting enough for people to want to share it with their friends."

You can view the YouTube video at the beginning of this post to get an idea of how this world record setting sketch was accomplished, and you can view the end result of Erik's work below -the largest sketch ever created!

Wow, I never would have imagined that one could use a GPS tracking device to actually produced a drawing, but I must admit, that the end result was certainly pretty amazing to see. Mind you, I think that all of the time, money and effort that was spent to produce this sketch certainly could have been put to better use, because for one thing, after all was said and done, I notice that for all of that money and work - the sketch wasn't even in color!


And that's my 2 cents on this cool, but useless use of technology for this Wednesday, May 28, 2008.

UPDATE: Gizmodo is now confirming that this report was a complete FAKE! Live and learn, I guess?

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Is Apple About to Crash the Mobile Gaming Market?

With the pending release of the upcoming G3 iPhone, "Will Apple Crash the mobile gaming party?" This is the question posed in a recent post from GamesIndstry.biz.

Of course, as they pointed out, Apple has already tamed the music downloading business, but can they do likewise for the hand held and mobile gaming industry? Can they compete with Nokia's latest N-Gage platform and others?

Nokia and others certainly hope not, I'm sure, but others, like those in the gaming industry, certainly seem to think so. After using the iPod to test the waters, Gamingindustry.biz points out that Apple has already successfully built up relationships with all of the major gaming companies such as Sega, Electronic Arts, Popcap, Harmonix and Namco, all of whom seem enthused by Apple's potential to transform the mobile and hand-held gaming industry  the way the iPod has transformed the music industry. 

Gaming Industry.biz points out that developers certainly believe that the iPhone and iPod functionality and graphic capabilities offers up some pretty impressive and interesting game play potential. For example, John Riccitiello, CEO of Electronic Arts, says that, "The animation technology in the iPhone OS enables us to build awesome games." And not to be outdone, Sega's Simon Jeffry added, "I think iPhone consumers are going to be blown away by the games we create for this platform. The iPhone OS is a robust development platform that will allow Sega to deliver mobile gaming experiences that are truly compelling, using the iPhone's accelerometer to power a tilt control feature adds a whole new dimension to Super Monkey Ball, and we can’t wait for gamers to try it."

Gaming Industry.biz also pointed out, "In addition to this groundwork, Apple's approach of giving away its SDK should extend its reach to smaller and independent developers. This will undoubtedly result in a large number of games ready for accreditation. Since its release the SDK has received four substantial updates, again showing Apple's commitment to establishing a thriving developer community." 

This will be huge folks and can't be underestimated. What the small gaming developers lack in money, man power, etc., they more than make up for in creativity, originality, resourcefulness and sheer determination and passion. It is those qualities, that in the end, usually produce some of the most interesting and compelling games out there. The impact of these small, independent developers will be as big as anything that the major developers bring to the table.

In addition to the huge developer base of major and minor gaming developers, I believe that Apple's approach of allowing people to conveniently just download their games directly through the iTune, iStore, is a great advance over buying games from the traditional brick-and-mortar store approach. The time and money saved could much better be used in purchasing that next killer iPhone game, after all.

So, in conclusion will Apple, indeed, crash the mobile gaming party? You bet it will, and not only that, I will go out on a limb and predict that it will blow the competition clear out of the water! The competition will come out with their copy cat systems, which will be a boon for their customers, but as they do, I fully expect that Apple will constantly keep on improving their gaming expertise, and in the process, keeping Apple always one or two pegs ahead of the competition. 

The iPhone's gaming future looks bright, and as the gaming developers say, I'm expecting to be blown away with what's coming, game wise, for the iPhone and iPod. I think you will be too.

And that's my 2 cents on the iPhone's great gaming potential for this Tuesday, May 26, 2008.

Graphic via: http://freeverse.com

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Will There Be An Open Source Software Flood for OS X?

Dana Blankenhorn, who writes on Linux and open source for ZDNet, seems like a very nice and intelligent person, and, no doubt, I'm sure that he is, but despite this, he still incredibly managed to write, on May 25, what I thought was a very silly answer to a question he raised in  a post titled, "Don't expect a flood of Mac open source."

Dana, you see, was responding to a post by Matt Gunderloy who spoke on the interesting fact that open source developers love to use OS X. This naturally, of course, would make someone like Dana ask the basic question:

 "Will open source developer's love for OS X lead to a corresponding flood of open source software for OS X?"

 Not apparently, however, to Dana's way of thinking. He answered, " Don't hold your breath."

Dana's answer was based basically on the two reasons given below, which I find personally both rather silly:

"In the PC world, there’s enormous desktop market share and an important motive to develop open source tools — namely to deny Microsoft incremental revenue. Besides, PCs have always been friendly to shareware and start-up," and, 

" Open source is big on Linux because Linux has significant server market share. People running server software gladly pay for support." (I thought Open Source was supposed to be FREE in the first place!)

Hmmm, now what's wrong with all of this, and what do I find so silly?

Well, for one thing, the PC indeed may currently have more market share than the Mac, but guess what? The Mac has a considerably more market share than Linux, and by a very significant factor. So, in regards to all of this, I just have to ask why open source developers would develop for Linux, with barely over one-half of one measly percent of the market, and not develop for the Mac which has anywhere from 8 to 14 %? It just doesn't add up.

Yes, I know that Linux has more server share at the moment, but servers aren't the whole market, now are they? You see, what Dana is totally ignoring is the fact that the Mac, not Windows and certainly not Linux, is growing in market share by a lot more than either than both Windows or Linux are. It's this trend or general direction in which the market perceives to be heading, that will, in the end, direct where all developers, open source included, will finally end up developing for. With the Mac growing at more than three times that of Windows, it is the Mac that has the direction, or the mind share, that is needed to attract developers to it's platform, including the open sourced developers as well. 

Chris Pirillo  is a Windows expert who recently switched to the Mac. And what do you think was his main reason? Open source! Yes, not only does the Mac have a huge and growing number of unique open source software already in place, but also many unique open source software that can be had only on the Mac, such as Quicksilver. Not only that, but the open source programs on the Mac, like Quicksilver, tend to be of a much higher quality than any of the open source stuff to be found on either Windows or Linux!

So, in conclusion, to Dana's question, will there be a flood of open source software for OS X? Well, the answer, even though Dana may have not it noticed yet, is that if he cares to look a little closer, he would realize that not only is there a coming flood of open source software for the Mac, but that it has already started, and for some time now! 

It's now just a question of just how big will that flood grow? Personally, I predict, for many reasons, that it is about to EXPLODE BIG TIME! 

But maybe, I'm being the silly one here?

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Monday, May 26, 2008

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The World's Fastest 3G iPhone?

Reports have been coming in that Australia is about to get the fastest G3 iPhone in the world - fast as in 42 mbs! Wow, now that is fast, isn't it? Australia's Channel News is reporting:

"Australia will have the fastest Apple 3G iPhone in the world a senior executive of Telstra has told ChannelNews."

"We know what is coming, we have seen the new device and it will be available on our network as soon as it is launched in the USA. By Xmas this phone will be capable of 42mbs which will make it faster than a lot of broadband offerings and the fastest iPhone on any network in the world "

Channel News also stated that the long waited for G3 version of the iPhone should go on sale, in Australia, sometime shortly after it's release date in the U.S. , which many believe will be on June 9.

It is expected that the introduction of the upcoming 2nd version, of the game changing, iPhone, will be yet another catalyst for Apple's high-flying stock, which is why Goldman Sachs has also decided to add Apple to its Americas Conviction Buy list.

Canada's National Post reports that analyst, David Bailey, recently told clients that he is expecting that Apple will beat its goal of selling 10 million units by at least one million units, based on the back of broader global distribution and the availability of applications from 3rd party developers. Based on this and his expectations that Apple's Mac sales will be three times that of the rest of the personal computer market, he has raised his priced target on Apple from $185 to $220.

Mr. Bailey is among many who are predicting that Apple is about to make an even bigger impact in the market over the next few years. Business Week, for example, recently published InfoTech's 100 list of the hottest companies, companies that are logging the strongest growth and who are faring the best in these treacherous economic times, and they list Apple as number two, just behind Amazon.com.

For your information, InfoTech's lists the top ten as:

1 - Amazon
2 - Apple
3 - Research In Motion
4 - Nintendo
5 - Western Digital
6 - America Movil
7 - China Mobile
8 -Nokia
9 - Asustek Computer, and 10 - High Tech Computer

Interesting that powerhouse Google came in at number 11, demonstrating, in doing so, just how well Apple is doing these days. Its no wonder that some analysts are now predicting that Apple will become the hub of the digital home in a scant five short years.

One thing is certain: Apple has come a long, long way in the past ten short years since the return of its iconic founder, Steve Jobs. It, as many have pointed out, including Jobs himself, is now a different story, as Apple has been firing on all cylinders.

Will Apple really become the king of the digital home? Will it still be firing on all cylinders five years from now? Well, only God could possibly know for sure, but I am sure that baring some major calamity such a major depression, war world III, etc., that there is little reason why not to believe that it will.

I will, in conclusion, however, predict that the next five years for Apple could, if all goes right, be the best in all of Apple's 30 some year history. As exciting as it's current crop of delicious goodies are, Apple's next bumper crop, I predict, will make those of the past seem downright lean!

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Friday, May 23, 2008

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What Will Bill Gates Retirement Mean for Microsoft's Future?

Now that Bill Gates is about to officially retire from Microsoft, the giant software company that he helped create and control for the past 30 or so years, come this July, what will be the ramifications from his leaving, now that Microsoft is facing some of it's biggest challenges yet?

What exactly will Bill's retirement mean for Microsoft's future? Will it be for the best, or will it be for the worse?

Gates has masterfully guided Microsoft through some pretty challenging times over the years, such as the impact caused by the sudden explosion on the world's scene of the internet, something that Gates originally pretty much scoffed at and said was no more than a mere and passing fad. The web, of course, was not a fad and has effectively changed the game for many traditional business's, Microsoft included.

Naturally, since Gates will no longer be involved with the day-by-day operations of the company, (he will still be the CEO) a good many folks, such as Tech Republic and others, are now beginning to question Microsoft's future by asking the question:

"Will Microsoft lose direction when Bill Gates retires?"

Of course, there are many out there who believe that they already know the answer to that one: that Microsoft has indeed already lost, and for some time now, it's direction to newer, more nimble and innovative competitor's such as Google, and even older competitor's such as it's arch rival, Apple Inc.

They simply only have to point out how the Redmond giant has repeatedly failed in it's attempts to compete with Google for the net's growing share of ad dollars, or to take on Apple with their much hyped iPod 'killer, the Zune. Then again, regarding Microsoft losing it's direction, they only have to point to Vista, who's half-a-decade long development seemed to lack direction from day one!

These people are pointing out that Microsoft has not only lost it's 'direction', but is becoming increasingly more 'desperate,' as seen by it's plan to compete against Google by simply paying people to switch their searches over from Google to Microsoft's.

So, will Microsoft really lose it's direction (or more so, depending on your view?) after Gates retires?

Personally, I agree, that to a degree, Microsoft has already suffered from a lack of direction, and could possibly lose even more direction after Bill Gates leaves. However, it should be noted that Microsoft is still a very successful company, and one that still knows how to bring home the bacon, and lots of it! Microsoft may lack direction in certain areas, but in other areas watch out! After all, Apple, one of the most focus and most successful companies on the planet, was not only 'directionless' itself, a few short years ago, but was in even a far more desperate situation than what Microsoft finds itself in now.

The one thing certain about Microsoft, is that whether they have already lost direction, or whether they are about to do so after Gates leaves, the fact remains that they are still a great company with vast potential, and they have the talent and the resources to change and regain the direction that they need to make Microsoft, once again, the word's leading high tech company, and a company to be feared and reckoned with!

The question is: will Microsoft use it's vast talent and resources to to regain it's direction, or will they squander it?

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Thursday, May 22, 2008

Photo: Microsoft

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The Coming Onslaught of iPhone Games

Many are predicting that Apple is about to turn both the iPhone and the iPod Touch into virtual hand-held gaming units that will give both Sony and Nintendo a good run for their money. Already, both Apple units contain hardware, coupled with software, namely OS X, that already surpasses the capabilities of either the Sony PSP or the Nintendo Gameboy.

If you have already seen, a little while back, the release of the Apple's SDK video for the iPhone, then you would have already witnessed the power of the iPhone for gaming. Some of the games that were demonstrated at the SDK launch were really impressive indeed, especially when you consider that they were all developed by just one or two people working in a short two week time period, or even less!

However, as they say, "you ain't seen nothing yet!" Come this June 9, at Apple's next Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC), we should see an onslaught of hundreds, if not even thousands of new iPhone games! And I'm not talking about so, so games either. Nope, were talking high quality games, and quality games that are in many cases equal, if not even better, than many of the consoles games out there, let alone any of the hand-held units.

To highlight this coming onslaught of iPhone gaming nirvana, a new and dedicated iPhone gaming web site, Touch Arcade, has been been established. As you can see from their excellent coverage, there is a huge interest in developing gaming titles for the iPhone already underway, and one that should grow even more immense once the next G3 iPhone is released.

Touch Arcade did a post on one of these games, Ragging Thunder, that looks particularly impressive, and that also looks like loads of fun to play, even though the game itself is not quite finished. You can click on Rafarorr's YouTube video below to see it in action!



Some of the other games that Touch Arcade has featured  that look equally just as impressive, as well, including:

Cardrenaline

Blackjack
Space Bubbles below is another rather colorful game that I wouldn't mind trying a hand at.

Balls of Steel left, and right, Majong (I really love this game).


A 3D fantasy adventure called, Kingdom of Lores left, looks as good as just about any you would find on a hand-held, regular computer or gaming console.

You can learn more about these games, and others too, of course, at Touch Arcade's excellent site.

For me, the very fact that there is already, so early in the game, a gaming site that is dedicated to the iPhone's gaming abilities is, of and by itself, a great testimony to Apple's basic design philosophy for the iPhone. By using OS X and multi-touch technology the iPhone is no longer restricted to doing just a few things the way traditional phones have been in the past. Now, thanks to OS X and the iPhone's large multi-touch screen, the iPhone is a miniature, but powerful, pocket Mac computer, a computer that just happens, as I have stated several times in the past, to also makes phone calls.

So, in conclusion, I'm quite confident that the iPhone will be taking it's rightful place along side Sony and Nintendo as the third major gaming hand-held gaming device. Not only that, but I also believe that the iPhone and Touch both have the potential to possibly even become the biggest hand-held gaming machines of all time.  And sooner than later.

That is if Apple doesn't blow it, of course, which I really don't think that they are about to do.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Wednesday, May 21, 2008

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Gizmodo: It's Official - G3 iPhone on June 9

It's official, according to Gizmodo,  Apple will, at long last, finally announce their new G3 version of the iPhone on June 9, at it's WWDC event in San Francisco, at least according to what trusted and reliable sources have confirmed to them. It is also believed that the new model will go on sale immediately, rather than later in the year as originally expected.

Gizmodo, like many other sites, has also reported that iPhone case maker, XSKN has let it sneak out what could very well be the very first photos of the upcoming G3 iPhone as seen above. The new iPhone looks to be a tad thicker, with a more pronounced curve on it's back. Of course, as Gizmodo wisely points out, these photos, even though they confirmed to many of the past rumors concerning the device, are still ones that should be taken with a grain of salt. Come June 9, however, just a few short weeks from now, we should all have our curiosities put to rest. Personally, I was hoping for something a little sexier than what XSKN is showing, but the one's shown are still all good none-the-less.

Meanwhile, MacWorld has posted that according to ChangeWave Research's director, Paul Carton, one quarter of those people interested in purchasing a new iPhone have been holding off  because of the upcoming  G3 version. That makes sense to me, as I have been holding off for the very same reason. That and the fact that the iPhone isn't available here in Canada as yet.

Mr. Carton was also quoted as saying, "Assuming Apple's next iPhone is 3G-compatible, it's good news for Apple," Carton said. "That is the key issue faced by Apple, according to our survey." 

All that pent-upped demand is also one factor that should give iPhone sales a major shot in the arm when the G3 model finally lands, as was also pointed out. 

Another major conclusion that came from ChangeWave's poll, conducted between March 17-24, was that the biggest grip of potential iPhone buyers was the speed of AT&T's EDGE network. The second biggest grip was being tied down to the requirement to use AT&T, something that is not limited to just AT&T, but also to other countries such as we Canadians being limited to Rogers when the iPhone launches here later this year.

Also, as usually is the case, another grip was the high price of the iPhone, which saw a huge increase in demand after Apple lowered the price.  It is believed that the new G3 iPhone will be offered at a lower price in order to make it easier for Apple and it's cell partners' to better compete with the ever increasing competition from iPhone 'copy cats' that have been increasingly entering the market.

When it comes to AT&T, MacWorld also quotes Technology Business Research analyst, Ezra Gottheil, as saying:

"AT&T may well be saying, 'Hey, it's worth it for us to pay Apple the full price for the iPhone, plus give a piece of change to the consumer," and I for one agree, this certainly sounds like a real possibility that will benefit not only Apple and AT&T, but more importantly consumers.


And that's my 2 cents 4 this Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Photo via Gizmodo.

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Apple's Amazing Success Secret: The Apple Store!

Joe Wilcox, in his blog, Apple Watch, recently wrote a post titled, Macs Defy Windows' Gravity. What's amazing about Joe's post is some of the numbers that he points out. Numbers that seem to defy the direction in which Windows seems to be heading, namely - downward. Windows numbers may be down, but the Mac's numbers, however, are up - way, way up!

Like Prada, Tiffany's or BMW, Apple is a luxury brand which concentrates on premium products. Apple's market share, at 7 to 14 %, may seem small when compared to the PC side, but when you compared it to the high-end, or premium side of the market, then it's a totally different story. As Joe points out, after talking with the NPD Group about Apple's market share things really start to get interesting in the premium category. In the premium category, or computers at $1,000 and over, NPD points out that Apple's numbers are, "nothing short of phenomenal: 66 percent!. That's right, two-thirds."

In the Mac's first 08 quarter, Windows desktops, for example, had a growth rate of just 14% each for both desktops and notebooks. The Mac, on the other hand, reported an astounding growth rate of some 70% for desktops and some 64% for notebooks! These are pretty impressive numbers indeed. But what's the secret for these mind blowing numbers? What exactly is Apple doing right? Or could it even be more due to what Microsoft and Vista's has been doing wrong?

Well, the secret, according the the NPD Group, isn't so much because of the failure of Vista, but, rather because of the success of the Apple stores, stores which just happen to provide it's customers with the best possible experience, from start to finish. Regarding the Apple Stores, Stephen Baker, NPD's vice president of industry analysis, told Joe:

"What Apple drives home: This is a product that we own from factory to finger," Stephen explained. "We exert some control so that you get the best experience. When you get in the store, we get you what you want."

Apple's factory-to-finger approach works for its own retail operations, but what about what Stephen called its "non-captive channels," such as Best Buy? That's where Apple has to compete with many other products. "They've already won when somebody comes into the Apple Store," Stephen said. "How does it play in places where they're not the only answer? How big a handicap is Windows?"

This factory-to-finger approach has also helped turn the Apple store into more than just a store, but also into a social gathering hot spot as well. Just as people came to see and be seen at the malls, now they come to the Apple store in those communities that are lucky enough to have one.

Personally, I have yet to visit an Apple store, but hopefully I shall soon? People I know who have, however, tell me that walking into an Apple store is quite a different experience than from other computer stores. The staff, the most important ingredient of any business, are friendly, knowledgeable and helpful, without being overly pushy. In stead of pressuring people to buy, people are instead encouraged to simply relax, play games, write emails, surf the net and generally just have a fun time. Once interested in an Apple product, however, the customer can then rely on finding a knowledgeable staff member just waiting to answer any of their questions in a polite and non intimidating way.

All of this is in stark contrast to some of the sales people that I have personally witnessed, in the past, at some stores selling Macs. I have witness first hand, believe it or not, people actually coming in to buy a Mac, but being told by the sales staff NOT to buy a Mac because they had NO software and that Apple would probably not even be in business for that much longer anyway!  This is not quite the case today, but, even still, I'm quite frustrated by the lack of Mac knowledge that many of these sales people have, or should I say don't have?

It is such stores and sales people that was one of, if not, the biggest reason why Apple HAD to establish it's own chain of stores in the very first place. In other words - they really didn't have much of a choice. Macs that were being sold in other stores were usually hidden or off to the side, were they sat pretty much neglected by the sales staff who knew little or anything about them.

I can even remember analysts warning Apple not to open any stores because, if they did, they would certainly be utter failures! After all, if Gateway was closing most and eventually all of their stores because they couldn't make a go of them, then surely Apple would do far worse. In the end, however, I guess it was Steve Jobs that really showed them a thing or two, now didn't he?

In conclusion, Apple obviously is doing something right in regards to it's ever expanding chain of Apple Stores. Apple stores are succeeding to win customers over because they are different, they are unique and they are exciting and fun places to visit. But can they continue to succeed? Well, that will depend on the state of the economy more than anything. If the United States can avoid a long and protracted recession, then most certainly they will, because if the Apple stores were ever to fail or stumble it would be most likely, I believe, be due to factors completely outside of Apple's control rather than to anything on Apple's part.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Monday, May 19, 2008

Store photo: Apple Inc.

Joe Wilcox also writes the Microsoft Watch

UPDATE! Thanks to MacDailyNews for pointing out that today is the 7 th. anniversary of the Apple Store's launch. Happy birthday and many more to come!

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Apple Wins Two Prestigious Black Pencil Awards

The Oscars of the creative world were recently presented in London by D&AD, and in the category of 'Product Design,' Apple received the highly coveted 'Black Pencil' award not once, but twice for both the iMac and the iPhone! 

It is interesting to note that Black Pencil's are rarely awarded, if ever given out, or as Macworld put it so nicely:

"What's particularly special about these awards - known as the "Oscar's of the creative industry - is that Black Pencil's are only awarded when a product meets extremely stringent criteria. At six previous annual ceremonies, no Black Pencil's have been granted at all, most recently in 2003."

So, with that in mind, the two Black Pencils won by Apple are even more impressive and clearly demonstrates that Apple is at the top of it's form in that particular category. The D&AD Awards recognizes creativity in some thirty different categories, from Art Direction, Book Design, Branding, Environmental Design, Gaming, Graphic Design, Illustration, etc.

Apple, of course, is no stranger when it comes to winning awards, be it Black Pencils, Grammies, or what have you. From the Apple II, the Lisa business computer, the original Mac, the bondi see-through iMac, the so called 'ilamp' iMac, Classic Mac OS to Leopard OS X and, naturally,  Apple's very latest award winning computers, Apple has, from the get go, been coming out with a string of uniquely design and award winning products and services.

The question is:  Can Apple keep it up, or will they eventually run dry of creating uniquely new and interesting award winning products? Well, not from where I sit. If Apple can be defined in one word - it would be "Innovated." It's in their DNA and runs deep through their veins. This doesn't mean that they won't make mistakes. After all, the 'Cube' was an award winning design that flopped in the market place, as did the Lisa so many years previously. Still, as is the case presently, I think that Apple will continue to bat out far more home runs than strike outs. I could be wrong, but when it comes to Apple, I think if I'm going to bet on it, then my money (what little I have of it!) would be far safer by betting on the company than against it.

So, in conclusion, let me congratulate the design team at Apple for yet another well deserved award and, as well, to all of the other winners in their respected categories. They may not have won a Black Pencil, but they equally deserve to be proud of their accomplishments at the 2008 D&AD Awards.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Friday, May 16, 2008

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Multi Touch Goes Big Time!

The iPhone has generated a lot of interest and the biggest factor was it's amazing multi-touch capabilities. Multi-touch allows a person to interact with devices in a much more human and natural way. As big as the graphical user interfaced has been, multi-touch will be even more so. In the future it will become a much bigger factor in how we interact not only with PC's but with other devices such as tv's, refrigerators, stove's, etc.

When it comes to multi-touch, Apple isn't going to stop with the iPhone, as it is no secret that they are planning to introduce a much more sophisticated version of multi-touch that should be coming to OS X and main street Macs and relatively soon.

Macinstein recently posted about ~lux preview and it's use of multi-touch on a grand scale. Yes multi-touch is about to go BIG TIME! As you can see, by clicking on the YouTube video above, it is really quite impressive and as Macinstein says, "really cool looking!" Already CNN use's a similar system developed by Jeff Hann, one of the pioneers in developing multi-touch gesturing systems.

Not to be out done, Microsoft recently demoed it's "TouchWall" computer as reported by C/Net news.  TouchWall is a spin off of Microsoft's Surface interface, but flat turned on it's side. 

Both the Lux preview and the TouchWall give us a glimpse of what the future of high tech computing holds. They seem so futuristic, like something out of Star Wars, or at lest, the Jetson's. Neither go as far as some of the science fiction movies that show off 3D holographic images, but at the rate they are going, I wouldn't be surprised to see that coming along soon as well.

Like Macinstein, I too feel that it probably looks cooler than it is as being that practical at the the moment. It will, however, in the near future, advance rapidly to the point that we might just ponder how we ever did without it. It is about to become mainstream and will transform how we interact with complex devices, making them seem as simple as taking candy away from the proverbial baby.

I am certainly no prophet, and I sure don't know exactly how far or how fast multi-touch will advance, but I do know that it is coming and the impact will be as big, if not bigger, than anything technology has yet delivered up to now, and that includes the graphical user interface.

Will multi-touch ever advance to the point that we can have 3D images that we can not only see, put also pick up and manipulate with our hands, maybe even complete with the sensation of touch?

 Probably not, but then again, at the rate technology is advancing, you never know,  - it just might?

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Thursday, May 15, 2008

Image via c/net.com

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My Silly Idea for the iPhone: Marry It To The MacBook Air!!

Mary Jo Foley, writing for ZDNet, reports that Bill Gates is saying that Windows 7 will not only have improvements both in the areas of power and memory requirements, but, even more significantly, that Windows 7 will be getting a major shot in the arm in the area of PC-phone connectivity.

Knowing Microsoft, I'm not sure how well they will succeed, but the idea is certainly interesting.  According, from a transcript, Mr. Gates says:

“We’re hard at work, I would say, on the next version, which we call Windows 7. I’m very excited about the work being done there. The ability to be lower power, take less memory, be more efficient, and have lots more connections up to the mobile phone, so those scenarios connect up well to make it a great platform for the best gaming that can be done, to connect up to the thing being done out on the Internet, so that, for example, if you have two personal computers, that your files automatically are synchronized between them, and so you don’t have a lot of work to move that data back and forth.”

If Apple isn't already working on a similar approach in the area of PC-phone connectivity, then I hope they will do so soon. In the area of PC-phone connectivity, however, I have had this crazy idea for some time. I'm not sure if it is economically viable or not, but my crazy idea was to see Apple, if at all possible, more or less, build a laptop that also included all of the iPhone's circuitry, or, in other words - a MacBook that just happen to have a built-in iPhone! A laptop such as the MacBook Air especially comes to mind as a suitable candidate.

The MacBook Air is already so small and so very light that many people have reported that they carry it with them just about everywhere they go. Wouldn't it be nice if it doubled as an iPhone too? Imagine one device, one with the power and features of the iPhone's and all the power and features of a laptop - all rolled up into one! It would be both an iPhone, and as well, a laptop - but one on steroids!

As I said, its just a silly idea of mine, but who knows, it might just be worth a shot? After all, since the iPhone is already basically nothing more than a pocket sized Mac computer with calling features, then why can't we have a MacBook with a built-in iPhone to boot? Would it be that technically difficult? I don't think so. Would it be economical to build? That I'm not too sure?

If not marrying the iPhone with a MacBook, then at least, for me anyway, it would be nice to see Apple build some kind of docking accessory that would allow the iPhone make use of either a MacBook or a Mac desktop's much large screen real estate! Of course, where not talking about todays models as none of them have multi-touch screens, but they are surely coming! Reports that Apple is about to add significant multi-touch capabilities to OS X suggests to me that multi-touch Macs, and or monitors, are indeed coming and soon. How nice it would be to have them rolled up into one!

Ahhhhh, for now its just a dream, but a nice one at that, and one that could come true!

Couldn't it?

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Wednesday, May 14, 2008

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The iPhone's Amazing Surveillance Potential!

As you can see, by clicking on the above YouTube video, that thanks to a company called, Lextech, you can now turn your iPhone into a full fledged and automatic surveillance system! According to a statement on the company's blog  they say:

"Applying the iPhone’s capabilities to existing real world systems is going to be a large new revenue source for companies in the next 12-24 months. Adding a mobile interface to systems that traditionally required a user to be sitting at their desk will open up many new opportunities. The new touch screen interface will also change how we interact with those systems, creating all new ways to use technology.

As an example, traditional surveillance systems use a joystick or mouse to control camera positioning. With the iPhone, the user has the potential of a much more intuitive interface to drag the camera around and zoom in on things by pinching the picture."

Well, as if we didn't need any more proof of the iPhone's potential and then along comes this bit of juicy news. As you can see from the videos, above and below, the surveillance gear itself seems rather large and bulky, but I'm sure they will eventually miniaturize that. However, just think of the potential of such a surveillance system not only for business's, but also for personal use, if and when this gets to be cost effective? 

Imagine, for instance, that you are at work, etc. and you want to check up on your children at home - well, now you can simply call up and view them any old time you wish, regardless of whether you are at the office, shopping, or anywhere else! Likewise, being able to also check your home property while on vacation would also be very welcomed and would bring a lot of people a lot of piece of mind. I sure know it would for me.

It seems that with each and every passing day, someone, somewhere is coming up with ever new, clever and more astounding software and accessories for the iPhone, which, to my way of thinking, points to a fabulous future for this most coveted after device. Believe me, these possibilities are going to mushroom even more after the next iPhone is released, and you can mark my words on that. G3 capabilities will advance these to a certain extent, but these are just the beginning. Thanks to the iPhone's SDK and the fact that it's already in the hands of hundreds of thousands of eager developers, I believe that we are now witnessing only the beginning of the surface of the iPhone's being scratched!

Personally, regarding the iPhone, surveillance is something that probably would never have crossed my mind, but now that I have seen it in action, I have to admit that the more I think about it, the more promising it all looks. No wonder Lextech says that the iPhone is going, " to be a large new revenue source for companies in the nex 12-24 months", and, no doubt, for a far lot longer than even that.

People are also speculating that Apple's iChat could be rolled out in the next iPhone release. This could be huge! Why, the very idea that you could view the person that you are talking to is something that I, as a child, heard was only for the far, far off future. In that case, the far, far off future is very, very near indeed! Imagine if a wife where to send her husband shopping, rather than get angry by her husband purchasing the wrong thing,  he could simply avoid all that by verifying his purchase over the iPhone - she could see and then approve, or not, her husband's purchase! Think of all the needless squabbles that could be avoided, and all of the time saved by not having to return purchases back to the store? 

So, in conclusion, Lextech's automatic iPhone surveillance system is not only a fantastic idea, but it is one that also shows off splendidly the iPhone's huge potential and bright future. I say let's hurry up and bring on the next gen iPhone, and let's all bring on the future - now!

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Tuesday, May 13, 2008

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G3 iPhone Confirmed for June 9?

According to Fortune, Apple public relations has confirmed to them that Steve Jobs will indeed be delivering the opening speech at it's annual WWDC this June 9. 

It is widely believed that the long sought after 3G iPhone will finally be making it's appearance then, and Job's opening speech, more or less, confirms this. This is addition to the reports coming in from all around the world that the current iPhone is completely out of stock.

This is normally a good sign that Apple is about to either update something, or introduce something new. I see no reason why this shouldn't also be the case here.

In the meantime, RIM is fighting back by officially coming out, before the iPhone, with it's first G3 phone called the Bold, a sleek black, multi-tasking device. The Canadian company also fought back by announcing that it will also up Apple's $100 million iFund for developers with it's own $ 150 million dollar developer's  fund.

Well, in my humble opinion, as great as the new RIM (formally called the 9000) is, it is still going to need to do a lot more if it ever wish's to do battle with the widely anticipated and upcoming 3G version of the iPhone, and thats just if only half of what has already been reported or speculated about comes to past. I have already seen some incredible upcoming apps for the iPhone, and apps that take advantage of something that no other cell phone can possibly hope to offer, the Bold included. That would be - Mac OS X!

The iPhone is basically nothing more than a miniature pocket sized Mac computer, and as such, it can do so much more than your regular phone could ever hope to offer - not only now, but even more so in the future! No, the iPhone will never quite be able to do every thing that a regular desktop can do, but then again, its not necessary. The OS X factor and giant touch screen (something that the Bold doesn't have, by the way) is so much more adaptable and functional. Need a new function - simply add it via a software update! Add buttons, apps, whatever - you name it and the OS X based iPhone can do it in a snap!

The iPhone is so much more than just a phone, or more than just a music player, because with a little help from Apple's developer friends, the iPhone can be transformed into anything that it wants to be - be it an incredible hand held gaming device; remote control unit; internet browser, or a myriad of other things, many of which have yet to even enter developers minds!

The Bold looks like a great system and should do well, but as an iPhone competitor, well, it fails to ignite any passion or desire on my part, because of one other thing, in addition to all of the above, the fact is that the iPhone is also a status symbol in it's own right, just as the iPod itself has become. There are, of course, many great mpg music players out there, some of which, in a few certain areas, are even superior to it, but over all, the iPod status symbol factor has made it very hard for it's competitor's to compete. The same goes here for the iPhone too.

RIM's new and beautiful Bold is just another example of how cell providers are innovating  in order to compete with Apple's iPhone. It has been a welcome shot in the arm for the industry. The iPhone has already spawned off countless challengers so far, and it will most likely continue to do in the future. However, it will still be some time, I believe, before they can come up with an iPhone killer, if ever. Its not impossible, of course, but as it stands now, it looks like the iPhone will be safe for a wee bit longer.

As welcome as the new Bold and other new cell phones are, it is the new iPhone that every one is really waiting for, and the one that everyone is holding their breath in anticipation, and that goes especially for RIM, Nokia and the rest of Apple's other cell competitors.

The iPhone currently is one of the biggest searched items on Google and other search engines, all of which testifies to the iPhone's incredible popularity, and after reading the tea leaves, and all of the recent press concerning the upcoming G3 iPhone, it now looks like they won't have to hold their breath for much longer.

Phew.... I'm starting to turn blue myself!


And that's my 2 cents 4 this Monday, May 12, 2008.


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MacHead the Movie And What Makes Mac Users So Fanatical

Today I had the pleasure coming of across a new site called, MacHead the Movie.com.

The title says it all, it's all about an upcoming movie concerning the amazing, faithful and dedicated community of Mac users. Mac users are famous for their loyalty, their passion in all things concerning Macs and Apple Inc., myself included.

The Macheads movie website describes the film, in part, as:

"MacHeads is a documentary about fanaticism and unconditional devotion to a corporate brand.

The film introduces the fascination characters that make up the Macintosh community. Their stories take us on a journey through Mac history culminating in the Apple revolution and its present day popularity to pose the ultimate question: Is Apple losing faith as a community and becoming just a ...brand?"

All-in-all, it looks like a movie that everybody in the Mac community is going to want to see as surely as they would the next Hollywood blockbuster, after all - its about them.

Kobi Shely is the Director, Writer, Editor and Co Producer of MacHeads the Movie, and his first feature length documentary. Kobi received a BA in Film at Hunter College in NewYork and, according to the movie's site, he got his experience editing several award winning shorts including The John Garfeld Story for the Turner Classic Movies, where he worked as the Assistant Editor.

You can check out more on the film at it's web link above, or at it's official blog.

So, just what is it that makes users of Apple's increasingly popular Mac a MacHead anyway, and why are Apple users, for the most part, so loyal, so dedicated and so vociferous in the first place?

No doubt, it has to do with many and various reasons. One of these, I firmly believe, is simply the fact that Apple users have been, in the past, so isolated and ridiculed by the huge number of Window users that the Mac community has instinctively felt threaten by Windows and it has, in response, developed a type of self defense posture against the notion that Windows was about to completely kill off the Mac. I remember so well being told, over and over, that the Mac was "going out of business any day now!" Such taunts may have seemed innocent at the time, but in reality they were threats, and anyone who feels threaten will automatically go into a self defense mode, Mac users being no different.

Another factor is what Mac users perceived as the arrogance and hypocrisy of Microsoft and it's Windows users, and a real sense of injustice that came from it. Apple, after all, not Microsoft, was the one who pioneered the graphical user interface, one which Microsoft DOS users criticized as being just a toy. Window users (not all, by any means) cried that the Mac was just something for the artsy, fartsy creative types and for people who didn't know how to use a "real" computer. The hypocrisy was palpable as they bashed Apple and Mac users while they slowly adopted first the mouse, the 3.5 inch floppy drive and then finally when they started to copy the Mac's graphical interface wholesale, even going so far to suggest that it was Microsoft who spearheaded all of this innovation. Yes, I know that Xerox experimented first with GUI's, but it still was Apple who advanced and brought it to the masses - NOT Xerox, let alone, Microsoft!

However, now that Mac's are beginning to take some serious market share from the Redmond giant, it is interesting to note that there are other important reasons why the Mac community is so loyal, so passionate, and why it is growing and attracting so much interest. Do you think, after all, that someone would make a movie about the Mac community if there was little, or no interest? No, this movie just underscores just how popular the Mac has and is becoming.

Another main reason for all this user passion and interest is because of the Mac's sheer and unadulterated simplicity. Microsoft loves to cram so many features into it's products that it, for what ever reasons, it creates creates complexity. People these days have enough to worry about, they don't need, nor do they want to add more complexity to their lives. Simplicity, after all, is at the very heart and soul of the Mac and just about everything else that Apple does. Simplicity inspires loyalty, dedication and passion and is possibly the biggest reason I can state for Apple's fanatical fan base. Simplicity and ease of use are words that automatically bring the Mac and Apple to the forefront of the minds of millions of people, inspiring a sense of brand loyalty that most companies would kill for.

OS X, for example, simply doesn't bother it's users with product keys, and constant pop-ups and verifications like Windows does. Also, Apple simply doesn't load it's Mac's with tons and tons of crapware, which is the equivalent of software spam! Apple, as already stated, refuse's to load it's computers with tons of features that nobody needs or wants - Apple may not include as many features as Microsoft does, but the ones that it does include are functional, simple and easy to use - not complicated ones that often don't work as in the case of Windows. It's not the number of features that you put into something - it's the implementation of such, as Chris Pirillo often points out!

Even though Window users like to run down Apple's for being picky when it comes to aesthetics, the fact is, that it does make a difference - a difference that people are actually willing to pay extra for. Apple's iMac is not only beautiful to look at, but the aesthetics are actually practical - less real estate is needed than the typical space pc towers requires. Everything is just there, in easy reach.

I could go on and on, but this is just a simple practice blog, not a novel. So in conclusion, I just want to say that people are passionate about Macs, about Apple, because even though Apple is a huge corporation in many ways, in others it is different. Apple, to use one of it's famous sayings, "Thinks Different." It actually cares about the products it creates, be they on the software or hardware side of things. Apple approaches it's creations as a work of art, something it insists has to be as perfect as possible. Microsoft, on the other hand, approaches creating products and services that will simply give itself the biggest market share and all of those dollars that comes with it.

Maybe, like the millions of old time Mac users and the millions of growing new Mac users, I am a MacHead, but frankly, I prefer it that way. Using a Mac has been, for the most part, a very pleasurable and productive experience that is, in essence, the main reason why the Mac community is so dedicated, passionate, loyal and dare I say it - fanatical!

In other words, Apple and the Mac are not just computers, phones, or just software, but are symbols of a way of life - a lifestyle that considers bringing out the best in itself and it's users!


And that's my 2 cents 4 this Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

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VMWare's Amazing Fusion 2.0 Beta 1 !

VMWare's Fusion  2.0 Beta 1, for the Mac, is pretty impressive as you can see by clicking on the above YouTube video. In this video you can see that it's video capabilities are just that - very capable! I'm not sure how many monitors you may have just sitting around the house, but with Fusion's 2.0 Beta 1 you probably can make use of them all!

Seeing four, five, six, seven or more monitors all attached to a Mac and simultaneously running is quite a sight and one that you don't see too often. I love how you can move objects from one screen to the other, be they in back, to the sides, above or below. It is truly an amazing thing to see! It almost makes me want to run out an buy a dozen or so monitors just for the thrill of doing what they do in the video, but thanks to my modest budget that won't be happening anytime soon.

Fusion's beta enhancements don't just stop on the multiple monitor front either, because as you can see from the Youtube video below, it now has a DirectX 9.0 Shader 2 3D, which if you didn't already figure out, enables you to run many of today's Windows more recent game titles, and run them fairly well and fast I might add.



I'm not a gamer, but judging from the video,  at least for me, the look and feel of the game play seems to be more than acceptable. Of course, serious gamers most likely will still prefer to directly boot up via Boot Camp in order to get every last once of performance from a game, but for the odd game, Fusion's beta looks to be more than capable.

VMWare has also given Fusion some pretty spiffy looking user enhancements to boot, as can be seen at Fusion's YouTube channel which can be found here. There are six YouTube videos presented that showcase many of the new beta features, so, by all means, check them out.

It's really quite amazing  when I look at these Fusion videos, for the simply reason that I remember running DOS, Windows XP Home and Windows 2000 Professional via Virtual PC. Windows, using Virtual PC, certainly worked, but boy, oh boy, did it work slow! I first tried running it on an older iMac, (Rev B) machine and it was so slow, it was a no go! Later, on an eMac, it ran fairly fast, but not fast enough for daily use. Compared to Fusion and Parallel's virtualization software, Virtual PC was like a Ford Model T -  it was historic!

Both Paralell and VMWare virtualization software runs rings around Virtual PC, but neither of them can run as fast as Apple's own Boot Camp.  Apple's Boot Camp, on the other hand, won't let you run OS X, Windows or Linux side-by-side, the way virtualization can either! So, if you wish to run another OS along side OS X,  you can learn more about Fusion's 2.0 Beta 1 here,  or, if you wish, you can download the free beta directly here.

All-in-all, VMWare's Fusion 2.0 Beta 1, looks very promising and I can't wait until it's officially released, because virtualization means that there are now less reasons for NOT switching to a Mac, and EVERY reason to do so.


And that's my 2 cents 4 this Thursday, May 8, 2008.


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Another Day, Another Mac OS X Clone

Another day, and yet another Mac clone appears. AppleInsider  pointed out yesterday, that one enterprising eBay client, going by the name of Chris 555," was offering two Mac clone systems for $549 each, plus $50 shipping. 

The two systems offered the following specs:

Leopard OS X 10.5

2.4Ghz Genuine Intel Core Duo

250 GB DDR2 RAM

Intel Integrated Graphics

Keyboard & mouse

Built-in 10/100/1000 BASE -T Ethernet and three USB 2.0 ports.

These appear to be two home-built systems that were hacked to run OS X Leopard, and not quite the same thing as Psystar. However, we are now presented with the following question: are we now beginning to see the start of an all-out deluge of Mac clones, be they legal or otherwise? Or, is this just a fad, soon to pass as all fads eventually do?

Interesting, in all of this, is that Apple has yet to respond to Psystar's "Open Computer", but for some reason or another, Chris 555's Mac clones are no longer to be found on eBay. Why is this? Where the two systems already snapped up by eager customers; did eBay intervene fearing legal action by Apple, or thirdly, did Apple's legal team threaten Chris 555 in someway? If the later is true, then why haven't they not responded in similar manor to Psystar?

What Psystar, and the clones on eBay prove, without a doubt, is that there is a ready and eager market out there for cheaper and more expandable Macs, and one that Apple has been ignoring for far too long. The question is: will this demand for cheaper and more expandable Mac's be met by the cloners, or will Apple step in and provide us with such systems themselves?

We are still waiting to see how Apple handles the cloners, but I would love to see more options available to us Mac users. Having Apple provide the whole widget - software and hardware, has its points, of course, but so does having licensed clone providers. At this point, I wouldn't recommend buying any Mac clone from any unauthorized sources such as Psystar or individuals like Chris 555  - it is simply too risky! Who would want a system that can't be updated without first going through a lot of complicated loop holes, or hacking? I for one, sure wouldn't.

What I will say is this: I predict that we are about to see a lot more of these Mac cloners popping up all over the place, simply because there is such a huge pent up demand for them. Yes, it's true that Apple can always go after these cloners legally, but it can only do that so many at a time! What happens if, in the near future, hundreds of these cloners emerge on the scene? Apple could, as I said, go after them legally, but it would be a real logistical nightmare, and an expensive one at that. As soon as Apple could shut down one cloner, another one would surely pop up to take it's place. It would be a constant merry-go-round for Apple, and one that would benefit neither it or those in the market for a low cost, expandable Mac.

The only way Apple could settle this potential Mac cloning problem would be by either allowing cloners to legally license the Mac's award winning OS, or two, it would be to provide those looking to buy a Mac clone with a such a system themselves. In other words: Apple should be building it's own clones; inexpensive clones of it's fantastically styled, but higher price, Macs! 

Seriously, if given the opportunity to buy a cheap Mac clone from an unauthorized cloner, or a similarly featured and priced system from Apple, which would you choose? I am certain that if Apple would provide such a system it would double, maybe even triple it's market share that is already exploding overnight!

After all, when you think about it, if GM can build both low cost cars such as the Chevy along side that of their higher priced Corvette's, Cadilac's and Hummer's, then why can't Apple also do the same - build low cost Macs alongside the luxury ones? Of course, even though most people would naturally prefer the more expensive and stylish Mac's, those who can't quite afford one should at least have the option to buy a generic clone type Mac, be it from Apple or whom ever. If Apple doesn't provide it's customers with a Mac clone like system, or legally license them, it may find itself in an expensive and losing battle with the illegal cloners.

After all, OS X is exploding in sales and making money by the bucket full, and wherever you find lots of money, you'll also find illegal cloners. 

The question is: how will Apple deal with them?

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

Clone image via Cnet


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Happy 10th. Anniversary iMac!

May 6, 1998 may not have been a day that changed the world's political landscape, but it did change forever the world of computers and especially that of Apple Computer Inc.

Not long before this fateful date, Apple was in serious decline and according to it's recently returned spiritual head, Steve Jobs, it may have been as close to being only two to four months away from going out of business and being nothing more than an historical footnote in tech history!

Luckily, it was on this fateful day that the iMac was born. It is now the tenth anniversary of this amazing "little computer "that could." Ah.... I remember it so well, that first bondi blue iMac - it totally shocked me! I couldn't believe what I was seeing, as it was so different from anything that had gone before. I thought that it was so ugly that it all had to have been some kind of practical joke or something - it was that different!

From the color (who ever heard of a blue, see-through computer) to the fact that it lacked both an Apple ADB (Apple desktop bus) and, heaven's forbid, even a floppy disk drive! Why it was like some type of digital blasphemy or something! Not only that, but the silly thing only had a measly 33 kb modem! As bad as that seemed, it actually had this strange and unheard of Intel thingy, called USB ports, what ever they were? Weren't they the enemy (Intel)? As far as I knew, no one else really knew what USB's were, let alone did many computers actually used them. So, just what was Apple thinking, anyway?

Well, whatever people's initial reactions were, that little computer went on to perform some pretty big things for Apple - like saving it's hide, and boosting it's image in the press! The iMac, despite all of it's perceived short comings, just happen to go on to become one of the biggest selling models of personal computers of all time, and, in the process, it helped Apple, a company that was losing money by the bucket full, to finally end up posting a profit of some 44 million dollars, I believe?

Clearly, the introduction of the all-in-one iMac was different than what most people would have expected, or have dreamed, but it was a case of "Thinking Different" that made a big difference for Apple.

Even though, at first sight, I hated the original iMac, it wasn't very long before I began to warm up, like millions of others, to this machine. Why, it wasn't so ugly after all, and after awhile it started looking, dare I say it, down right handsome. Why, the more I played with the little critter, the more it became apparent that this was one machine that had personality, and a nice one at that.

That first iMac, so shocking as it seemed, eventually gave way to what many called the iLamp version, you know the model that had what looked like a floating screen. It too shocked me as much as did the original iMac, and it too had me scratching my head and wondering what on earth Apple was thinking?

In retrospect, after personally buying about four of those original iMac's, (Revs B and C) I can say that they were indeed great machines, and even today millions of them are still in use. Today, however, the new all-in-one iMac's reign supreme, and they are among the most beautiful designed pc's ever produced. Besides their stunning looks they are just as equally powerful to boot, all in part to Apple's decision to switch from it's former PowerPC cpu's to Intel's popular and latest offerings.

So, this little and colorful computer not only started what was the beginning of Apple's incredible rebirth, it also went on to kick start Intel's USB rise in popularity. After the iMac took off, so did USB ports and now virtually all computers have them, and despite people laughing at the iMac's lack of them, PC's tool, like the iMac, no longer include floppy drives, testifying, in part, to the iMac's amazing influence on the industry on the whole.

Of course, today Apple is not only big in computers, but it's also big in other areas such as music players, music and video sales and, as we all now know, an emerging giant in the mobile space with it's iconic iPhone. Even though Apple is no longer just a one trick pony, I am still convinced that the iMac - all started by that "little computer that could," will yet, for a long time to come, continue to play a big part in Apple's future and that of the general computer world in general!

So, in conclusion, let me say happy tenth anniversary iMac and many, many more to come.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Tuesday, May 6, 2008.

Image: Arstechnica


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Apple's Big, Big, Piggy Bank!

Wow, like I knew that Apple was already doing great these days, but not until I read a story in SeattlePi  did I  have any idea of just how great they were doing.

There are many ways, of course, to determine just how well a company is performing and two of those ways is to look at both how much a company owes and how much cash a company has on it's balance sheet. In Apple's case it is nothing and a lot - a very  lot indeed! Presently, Apple's balance sheet is showing virtually no debt, but a lot of cash! Wow, if only more companies and individuals, myself included, could say the same thing. 

Not only does Apple have no debt, which certainly is a big plus for any individual or business, small or great, but incredibly, its in the 'cash-in-the-bank' category, that Apple really, really shines - it now has the second highest cash reserves of any big American corporation - and to think that Apple was on it's way to oblivion a measly short ten years ago! Had Microsoft succeeded in purchasing Yahoo, then it would be Apple, not Microsoft, that would be the king of cash reserves!

Microsoft, of course, is still the king of cash, as it has a huge cash pile of some $26.3 billion dollars, as compared to Apple's $19.4 billion. However, what is interesting is the trend of these two mammoth corporations. Microsoft's cash pile, as mind blowing as it is, is only a fraction of it's former glory. Previously, the Redmond giant had the incredible sum of $64 billion in cash just sitting in the bank, give or take a nickel or two! Wow, I can't even begin to imagine such a huge number. 

Apple, on the other hand, had only a little over $2.5 billion in the bank just before Steve Jobs returned, so with a salary of just one measely dollar per year, I think that it's safe to say that Steve's been a good investment for the company.

After Microsoft and Apple, the top five corporate piggy banks belong to (in billions):

Google - $12.1

IBM - $12

Intel -$10.9

Oracle - $10.5

HP - $10 and

Dell - $8

These are incredible piggy banks, are they not, especially when compared to mine, which, if I'm lucky, might total something like 23 cents or there about? Seriously, kidding aside, the trend, as I have already pointed out, is very interesting, because at the present rate, Apple may just surpass good old Microsoft in the very near future? This would be a psychological blow to Microsoft and a psychological boost for Apple. Just today Apple's stock was upgraded and hit the $184.58 per share level,  and gives it a market cap of over $162.5 billion, which, by the way,  is interestingly over four  times the market cap of DELL - who's founder, Michael Dell, once said concerning Apple, “What would I do? I’d shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders." Michael is a great guy and businessman, but I'm sure, in retrospect, he now regrets making that statement.

So, what does having such a huge piggy bank mean for Apple? Well, for one thing, it means that Apple is not only well positioned to ride out any economic down turn, but it also means that Apple can position itself better to take advantage of any opportunities that may arrive, or as Peter Oppenheimer, Apple's CFO, recently stated, that it helps them to, "maintain a strong balance sheet in order to preserve our flexibility to make strategic investments and/or acquisitions," such as Apple's recent purchase of PA Semi.

In conclusion, Apple's mammoth and drool worthy cash reserves will help Apple to continue to do, in the future, what it has already done so well in the past -  innovate! Yes, it is Apple's amazing innovation that has made it the great company that it is, but it is all that cash that helped fund and make it all possible, and, I'm convinced, will continue to do so long in the future.



And that's my 2 cents 4 this Monday, May 5, 2008.

Graph: Seattlepi

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Sneaked 3G iPhone Photos?

Several web sites such as, Endgadget,  are reporting on possible leaked photos of the upcoming 3G iPhone, as seen above. Are these clever fakes or the real thing? They most certainly look real, but nowadays anyone can do just about anything with a little knowledge of PhotoShop.

One thing I have noticed, like many others, about the leaked 3G iPhone, is that in the picture it seems to be very, very scuffed and scratched upped. This is one point that makes me think that the above photo is a fake, because I would have thought, at least have hoped, that Apple had learned it's lesson from those easily scratched iPod Nano screens.  I can't see them wanting to repeat that fiasco, can you?

Interestingly, some sites such as Canada's,  National Post,  yesterday have even speculated that not one, but three distinct models of 3G iPhone's may be coming. This, to me, only makes sense, since some of the features of any top-model phone may be neither needed or wanted for some folks. It's never a good thing to have pay for features that one may not need or want, so by having various iPhone models with various features, and at various price price points,  Apple will be appealing to a lot more potential iPhone customers that could see the new iPhone dwarf the initial success of the original phone.

One site even has been speculating that Apple is about to make a major move in the area of Wimax. With the recent announcement that iTunes will be offering movie rentals and sales on the same day as DVD releases, this is always a possibility. 

I'm not sure, but I have a sneaky feeling that Apple is about to pull off something really big and unexpected with the next iPhone update. What could that be? I don't have a clue, it's just a sneaky feelingt that I have based on past Apple moves. Apple has traditionally been a company that likes to under promise and over deliver. However, we will just have to wait a little bit longer to see if I'm right on this one. We do know, however,  that Steve loves to surprise us, as highlighted in his now famous saying of,  "Just one more thing."

So, are the latest "sneaked" iPhones real or fake? I don't know, but I do have my doubts. The only thing that I know for sure is that the next 3G iPhone is coming and coming soon.

I, for one, just can't wait!

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Friday, May 2, 2008.

Images via Endgadget  and Apple

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