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Mossberg (WSJ) reviews both the 12″ PowerBook and Safari

First on the 12″ PowerBook:(Subscription required)

The 12-inch PowerBook is one sweet little laptop. Sheathed in an aluminum case, it has the feel of a finely made camera. And it’s the smallest notebook I’ve tested that sports a full range of features, including one I’ve never seen on a compact laptop. Yet it’s significantly less expensive than some comparable Windows laptops.

This PowerBook is slightly smaller than Apple’s low-end laptop, the iBook, but is powered by the more potent G4 processor that drives the larger PowerBooks. Apple has omitted a few standard PowerBook features — including a special memory cache that speeds things up — to protect sales of the older PowerBooks. But in my tests, the little PowerBook felt speedy and sure on every task I threw at it.

and on Safari:

Safari’s main goal was to be speedier than the Mac version of IE, and it is. In my tests of five popular Web sites, Safari beat the Microsoft browser in rendering a page every time, sometimes by seconds, other times by huge margins.

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The ideal PowerBook…

After much consideration following the MacWorld Keynote Address, I think I have discovered the ideal Powerbook

Well take all the goodies of the 17″ new G4 and squeeze them into the 15″ case. Simple right? Include FireWire2, Bluetooth, Airport Extreme, Keyboard Illumination, SuperDrive, Aluminum Case, NVIDIA GeForce4 440 Go with 64MB of DDR SDRAM, 60GB Hard Drive, 1Ghz G4 or faster and support up to 1GB DDR SDRAM.

Simple right? We already have the form factor – just upgrade it!

The 17″ just seems too big and heavy for my daily travel habits and the 12″ requires that you make sacrifices like limiting your RAM needs to 640MB. I think I can live without the Firwire2 for now, but adoption will be quick and soon enough I know I will miss having it. Airport Extreme and Bluetooth are absolute requirements as is the change in placement of the internal antenna. Keyboard illumination is just cool and should be in there.

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Macintosh: An Acquired Taste?

Perhaps, but I feel quite a bit different than Michael Kanellos who wrote (on Keynote) in his News.com Perspective:

Technically, it was fabulous–and completely impractical. Microsoft’s PowerPoint exists for one reason: Sales representatives use it to lull their audiences into an agreeable mood before asking for money. “Your company is fabulous, but I can’t stand that little man holding the stopwatch and scratching his head. We’re going to go with the vendor with that Egyptian papyrus theme,” is a statement that will never come out of a corporate buyer’s mouth.

I guess Michael is not from or involved in a creative industry. In Advertising and Marketing, the presentation can be everything. You need to sell and create excitement about the idea (not necessarily a product) you are selling and the right tools can make this work easier. PowerPoint is not the right tool. It has just been the only tool. I am certainly ready for a change.

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Comparing the New Powerbooks…

I think I am leaning my interest on the smaller 12″ model. I know I can live without FireWire 800, can add the SuperDrive and the 867MHz G4 is fast enough for my needs considering I have been very satisfied with my original 500Mhz model for almost 2 years. The real question is how readable I would find the screen. The resolution is what I am used to, but now on a much smaller screen.

I know I would absolutely love the 17″ model, but am concerned about the size in my bag and having to carry the “extra” weight.

I guess it really does not matter unless I can get my office to agree it is time to upgrade… 😉

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Tivo is using Rendezvous…

Just caught this in a Press Release from Apple. I guess I need to get a new TiVo!

“TiVo’s upcoming premium service package will use Rendezvous technology to automatically discover Macs within the home network and determine which services they provide, allowing customers to listen to their shared music or view their shared photos on their TV,” said Jim Barton, co-founder and CTO for TiVo. “We are excited about working with Apple on other ways Rendezvous can help TiVo Series2 DVRs connect to a Mac to deliver future services.”

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Great Keynote!

Overall it was great… no special new gadget, but two new beautiful powerbooks and some really great changes to the iApps now called iLife as a suite.

I also really like the new browser which of course I am currently testing out.

The presentation software (Keynote) and Final Cut Express also look excellent and will need to be given a test drive as soon as possible…

Be sure to check out Apple

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Is it just me?

Perhaps I am psyching myself out in the final hours (OK – 12) before the MacWorld Keynote, but there is no secret looking home page at Apple. I recall other mind altering pre-notices leading us to believe that something amazing was waiting. This show eve, there is nothing…at least not yet.

The whole day I have been wondering what might lie ahead from Cupertino. I feel the need for a new gadget and can’t help my urge for an Apple Palm or Phone or Tablet or something! A video iPod is not doing it for me at least in the current form factor. Some of the rumor sites have mentioned a touch screen, which begins to make things interesting if they then push what you can do on the device. There are sites that list potential apps for the iPod, but many would be silly if you could only do things with the scroll wheel.

I know the Apple deal with Pixo was for 2 devices and we are still on the first…This Wired News article from last year at this time shoots down the amazing iWalk which would be a super delicious surprise.

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FTP through the Finder

I am not sure who knows this, but the Finder in OS X is capable as an FTP client. That’s right, you can transfer through the Finder via FTP directly without an app. It certainly won’t meet all your needs, but it does work.

I’ve known this for a while, but never seek it out as something to use… until today when my machine decided it was time. I received an email from Proteron suggesting I update my Lite Switch app to the latest version. Lite Switch is a better (in my opinion) application switcher than what Apple provides with Apple+Tab. When I clicked the link in Mail.app a finder window opened and the download began. Pretty cool and efficient. No browser windows to close when it was through…just a stuffit archive on my desktop.

In case you were wondering, my FTP client of choice is Transmit from Panic. It’s simple and reliable and has a very cool feature which lets you synchronize local and network volumes.

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iCal and iSync updates are worthy

Both updates (including tonight’s update to iCal)are very strong and should be considered if you have not already done so. I have found that the way iSync now handles calendar events (from within the app, not the palm conduit) allows for a more sophisticated approach. You can choose which calendars to sync on each device as well as sync more than one calendar application. I can now sync my Palm, Meeting Maker and iCal.

Speaking of iCal… It has gotten a needed update in speed and responsiveness. I can now consider it my calendar of choice, though I do need to continually check through Meeting Maker in order to get notices through my office. This may actually get resolved in the next update to Meeting Maker as well since they have indicated support for iCal.

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Not holding my breath yet, but please please with sugar on top?!

eWeek: Apple Tablet?: “Apple Tablet Rumors from rumors Matthew Rothenberg” Source: MacRumors

My sources sketch the following picture: A device that superficially resembles a large iPod with an 8-inch diagonal screen, lacks a keyboard, packs USB and FireWire ports, and runs Mac OS X along with a variety of multimedia goodies. I’m going to hazard a guess that this specimen also features wireless connectivity.

I’ve opined before that Apple is preparing to apply its InkWell handwriting-recognition technologies and its lengthy experience with portable design to a new product that puts a distinctive spin on the pen-driven paradigm currently being touted by Microsoft and its Tablet PC partners.

A compelling, stylish device that puts Mac OS X in a new form factor, plays to Apple’s multimedia strengths, and borrows momentum from the iPod’s success would fit the bill nicely—and point the company’s Mac OS X pitch in a dramatic new direction.

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David Coursey’s predictions for 2003

ZDNet: Story: What’s ahead in 2003? Here’s what I think

Number 5…

2003 will be a pivotal year for Apple. If Steve can pull another iMac from his hat, things will be better for the company. But the real issues are erosion of the education market, due to Windows predation, and increasingly soft sales of Power Macs to business customers. If this tide isn’t stemmed, Apple could end up a consumer-only company by 2005. And if consumers stop buying, well, I don’t want to think about it. There is also the issue of perception: If people come to believe Apple is a loser, it will become a loser. And that could be a slide the company won’t be able to check.

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OS X and the dismounting of network volumes

I have noticed that when I forget to dismount a network volume, and then reconnect in a new location, my computer will remain on hold for quite a few minutes trying to reconnect. This is more than a little frustrating… I wish the system would realize sooner that the computer is just not there.