Left Field: Apple HDTV?
To see the Apple logo emblazoned, front and center, in the living room on a 50″-ish HDTV and not just tucked away on the desk in the office or bedroom or den, but where everyone lives–what a branding opportunity. Not that Apple has ever created a product just for the sake of brand-building, but if there was ever the perfect blending of meeting a need in an arena where brands are defined like no other, creating an HDTV that wirelessly ties into the iTunes store and runs Front Row so brain-dead simple and right out of the box, this would be it. If Jason Calacanis from Valleywag is correct as reported in Nate Lanxon’s blog on CNET UK, which I originally found the link on TUAW’s Rumor Roundup) (link-love spread around), it might finally be taking shape in Cupertino and even more importantly, close to being released to the public.
Waiting for Obsolesence
Since March of 2008, I’ve been the proud owner of the latest version of the current MacBookPro model knowing full-well that it would probably be the last iteration of its current form factor. With the latest rumors circulating about a new MacBook, I feel a little like Mark Spitz must have felt at the 2004 Athens Olympics watching Michael Phelps taking his first shot at usurping his record. Right now, it seems like most of the new form-factor rumors have been centered around the MacBook and little has been heard about possible MacBook Pro revisions. But that doesn’t really mean anything because even when legitimate leaks occur, which, according to Nicholas Ciarelli, Apple seems to be softening on, Apple has gotten real good at at least keeping some surprises close to the vest even when they know the cat has been partially let out of the bag. And with the rumors of a possible aluminum brick cutting new laser-manufacturing process that would be used across product lines, it increases the likelihood it might carryover to the MBP too. But, if they do announce new form-factor MacBook Pros along with the new MacBooks later this month (maybe), well then, instead of the 2004 Olympics, it will be like the 2008 Bejing Olympics where Phelps shatters all Mark Spitz records. OK, maybe not quite that dramatic, but I’m waiting and watching just the same.
Read more
What If Steve Jobs Kicked the iBucket?
I was at a local marketing meeting this morning, (CDA Web Marketers to be exact) and as I got into my Jeep to leave, I was greeted by a phone call from a friend asking what I knew about these “rumors” that Steve Jobs had had a massive heart attack and that Apple’s stock was tanking as a result. I was a little flabbergasted, because I had checked the news and stocks about 7:30 am (PST) before I left for the meeting and nothing seemed unusual except for the expected punditry on the Palin vs. Biden VP debate and the fact that the house still needed to vote on the Golden Parachute bill. But for the last three hours, I had been off the grid and out of touch with the news (with the exception of someone tweeting a friend that the bill had been passed by Congress and that my debt-load had increased by $700 billion).
Boxee Makes AppleTV Intriguing for First Time
I’ll be the first to admit that I am not a true videophile. We do not have a monumental HD altar dedicated to the pantheon of gods emanating from Hollywood. We have consciously downplayed the role of the television in our household to focus on more profitable, mind-challenging activity such as; conversation (how novel!), reading and game playing (physical games like cards and board games — not Wii, PS3 or Xbox). In fact, with the exception of a couple of 20″ and 24″ computer LCDs, we don’t even own an HD set.
Read more
