Still on an Apple theme...

It would seem that my initial lack of enthusiasm about the new Intel-based Apple machines unveiled at the Mac Expo may actually be backed up by some hard facts according to this Wired News article.

In a nutshell, it says that at present - due to the fact that there are very few applications that are written specifically for the new Intel based system - the stated speed increases, in the main, don't exist. Worse still, if you want to run something like Aperture, Final Cut Pro or Logic Pro (and I think that would apply to a huge number of Mac users) they won't run at all at the moment.

In some cases - for example in Adobe Photoshop - the whole thing runs SLOWER on an Intel mac than it does on a G5...

Obviously, that won't be the case forever. Things will get updated and everything will be optimised for the Intel/Mac experience. However, I really like the quote in the Wired article that sums things up quite succinctly: "The Apple faithful are coming to terms with one troubling fact -- the whole platform has gone beta again".

This might explain it...

So, according to this post, there was a very good reason that Steve Jobs keynote speech at the Mac Expo was so uninspiring. Allegedly - according to "an anonymous source" - Steve was unable to talk about the "very, very cool stuff" due to the fact that is wasn't quite ready to unleash on the world at large because of a shortage of Intel Core Duo chips.

So, maybe we should take it with a pinch of salt, but I can't help but feel more than a bit excited about whatever it is that Apple has lurking just around the corner...

I'm trying to suppress a yawn...

So then... the Mac Expo has been and gone. And, to be honest, it was really very uninspiring.

Yes, they've put an Intel chip in the iMac. Yes, they've got a new laptop to replace the Powerbook, again with an Intel chip. Yes, they've updated iLife and released a new app called iWeb (but it only works with a .mac account). Yes, there's an incremental update to OSX 10.4. Yes, Garageband now does Podcasting and iPhoto can support more pictures. Ooh, and don't forget the remote control for your iPod.

SO WHAT?! COME ON APPLE! Where's all the cool, innovative, "never saw that one coming" stuff? Where's the media hub version of the Mac Mini? Where's the PVR update to Front Row? Where's the new iBook? Where's the updated Shuffle? Where's "Asteroid"?

Frankly, I'm disappointed.

Expo-nential

So, it's that time of year again. The time when Apple afficianados the world over start getting giddy about what delights lie just around the corner. Yes, that's right. The Macworld Expo. This is the annual event where Steve Jobs stands up - and with consumate showmanship - unveils an array of goodies that collectively turn the IT world upside down once more.

For those of us who love all things Apple, it's an exciting time. Last year, we were treated to the Mac Mini, the iPod Shuffle and iLife 05. This year, it looks like we'll have updates to all three (including some kind of media hub/PVR functionality for the Mini and a new app called iWeb which looks to be some kind of web design program). It's also likely that there will be the first of the Intel-based machines on show, likely to be a newly-redesigned iBook.

So, we all wait with baited breath. The keynote starts at 5pm GMT. Updates to follow...

Flickr clickr

Bolton Abbey

After much faffing around, I've finally got round to uploading some pictures to Flickr. Not many on there yet, but I'm hoping to get out and about with the camera a bit more in 2006. Feel free to browse!

High Resolution

Now it has been traditional (well, for the last three years at least) for me to announce my new year resolutions to the world at large, just to give me a bit of impetus to actually try and keep them. I've thought for quite a while about what it is that I want to achieve in 2006, and I've come up with some things. None of them are of particularly big consequence, but here we go:

1) Get outdoors some more and enjoy the fresh air.
2) Cycle more (this should help me to achieve resolution 1!).
3) Only drink proper coffee, not instant (shouldn't be too hard, as I've grown to loathe instant coffee recently).
4) Take more photographs. I have a great camera, and I don't use it enough.
5) Buy more clothes - preferably decent ones that I'll actually wear. Hopefully this will include good shoes!
6) Get rid of the CDs that I no longer listen to. They're just taking up unnecessary space.
7) Get to work earlier!

So there you have it. Nothing earth-shattering, but all worthwhile I think.

Happy New Year!

Yeah. Here's to 2006 and all that...