Macworld discussion thread

okay, i called the updated Apple TV. but many saw it coming, i'd guess. they had to upgrade it to make it desirable. movie rentals is huge and the prices are right. i'll be all over it.<br><br>

I like it - all major studios at launch!<br><br>My first thought: BSG is off of iTunes. Can I finally watch Razor tonight after all? (I'm around 100th in line on my library hold.)<br><br>nagr[color:red]o</font color=red>mme<br><br>I require stroyent!<br>http://TeamMacOSX.com | http://MacClan.net

i mentioned wireless time machine backups in the other thread and then dismissed it. but, now looking over the specs and price . . . this is a really good deal:<br><br>Apple just announced Time Capsule, a full Airport Extreme base station with 802.11n wireless and four ethernet ports, plus server grade hard drives to back up all of the Leopard Macs in the house. Details and pics to come, but for now we're celebrating the pricing: 500GB for $300; 1TB for $500.<br><br>

I wonder if the older AppleTV's can be upgraded via software? I'm going to be pissed if not, because Steve said that AppleTV upgrades will be free. And so far the only upgrade I have seen is the stupid YouTube one. <br><br>my photos

And with that post, I get a good surprise!<br><br>10:00 am The new Apple TV is a free software update.<br><br>!<br><br>my photos

version 2 is appealing to me, especially the new price:<br><br>----<br>"Photos from .Mac and, when they're serving up photos, Flickr." This is where we're at with Apple TV. "I think it's a revolution. Certainly, we've made some progress since our first try." Apple TV 2 is a free software upgrade, that's a smart idea. So how much is the price for version 2? "We want to make Apple TV even more accessible." New price is $229. Shipping in just two weeks.<br>----<br><br>

MacBook Air<br><br>my photos

I really like my AppleTV a lot.<br><br>my photos

So ATV2 does HD now? Hmm...<br><br>[color:purple]Work With ____! </font color=purple>

OMG is this thing thin. wow! wow!<br><br>i want one and i don't need it. wow again!<br><br>

"Otellini: The processor is as thick as a nickle and as wide as a dime."<br><br>And costs as much as a bar of gold! <br><br>[color:purple]Work With ____! </font color=purple>

the processor speed has been compromised, but something had to be. still seems quite appealing. i'll be in the market after my Blackbook is ready to be retired . . . in another year.<br><br>

MBA is smaller than the Sony that was my benchmark--yet has a bigger screen. Also faster and WAY cheaper.<br><br>I'm sold!<br><br>Plus it runs OS X.<br><br>So... it's not one of the known Penryns (which were 2.0+), but nor is it the old Merom: it's much smaller. Are these some new Penryn-era chips or are the from the outgoing generation?<br><br>1.8 + SSD coming up....<br><br>nagr[color:red]o</font color=red>mme<br><br>I require stroyent!<br>http://TeamMacOSX.com | http://MacClan.net

I'm glad the early Apple TV adopters are getting their reward <br><br>nagr[color:red]o</font color=red>mme<br><br>I require stroyent!<br>http://TeamMacOSX.com | http://MacClan.net

I'm pissed about having to pay $20 for software that right now is free on my Touch.<br><br>my photos

The old AppleTV did HD as well. <br><br>I'm just wondering if the new software update is going to come out for Leopard's Front Row software. I have no use for an appleTV because my iMac is in my living room. <br><br>I may be sitting a bit closer to the screen to see the good ol HD titles though! 4.99 f0r a HD movie rental is fine with me. 2.99 for older movies is good with me too. Can't wait to see which movies are available from my netflix cue. I will be dumpin netflix for sure now. I hate having to keep a subscription going when there is really nothing I want to watch. <br><br>zweisoft<br>

new updates are available right now . . . including front row. <br><br>installing . . .<br><br>

What a crappy name. <br><br>

What updates? <br><br>I'm at work on my PC<br><br>my photos

front row, iTunes, Quicktime and something else -- oh yeah, iMovie.<br><br>

I figured 10.5.2 would be out now.<br><br>my photos

Lighted keys!<br><br>All jealousy for that $4000 Sony has evaporated.<br><br>nagr[color:red]o</font color=red>mme<br><br>I require stroyent!<br>http://TeamMacOSX.com | http://MacClan.net

In the MBA ad I see the sleep light, and next to that is a black slot that looks like an IR receiver. Yet no IR report remote is listed in the specs. I wonder if it can support an Apple remote?<br><br>nagr[color:red]o</font color=red>mme<br><br>I require stroyent!<br>http://TeamMacOSX.com | http://MacClan.net

yes. it's an option when purchasing:<br><br> Apple Remote<br>Add an Apple Remote to enjoy total command of your music, photos, videos and DVDs from anywhere in the room.<br> <br> Apple Remote [Add $19]<br><br>my photos

Ah - good. I already have a remote anyway. Guess they are cutting pricing to the edge on this one! Still, they did include DVI and VGA dongles.<br><br>nagr[color:red]o</font color=red>mme<br><br>I require stroyent!<br>http://TeamMacOSX.com | http://MacClan.net

The separate superdrive looks sweet. It says it's only for the MBA but I wonder if it would work on my PB12 - which only has a combo ?<br>No tech reason why not.<br><br>

Great. Get an iPod now, same price I paid, and you get those apps for free. <br><br>Me? I have to pay $20 for them.<br><br>No thank you. I'll stick with my jailbroken iPod Touch.<br><br>my photos

OS X what features do you like the best?<br><br>I think the new one is a cool idea w movie rentals.<br><br>David (OFI)

I really like how I can select movies/TV shows without having to pop in a DVD. And I'll have to check out these movie rentals. Did i get that right? You have 30 days to start watching it and once you start, then only 24 hours to finish it?<br><br>The reason why I like renting the DVD is because I can rip it to my HD and watch it later at my leisure. <br><br>Then delete it.<br><br>my photos

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>I really like how I can select movies/TV shows without having to pop in a DVD.<p><hr></blockquote><p><br>Sounds like Apple is only lagging behind Comcast by 5-6 years :)<br><br><br><br>Hey I'm an F'n Jerk!®

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p><br>The old AppleTV did HD as well. <p><hr></blockquote><p><br>720p, does the new one do 1080?<br><br><br><br>Hey I'm an F'n Jerk!®

considering the fact that you are going to be able to get v2's features in a software update ...I'm guessing no<br><br>zweisoft<br>

You mean that On Demand stuff?<br><br>Nah, not the same thing. On Demand, you have to pay for it, correct?<br><br>my photos

The MacBook Air is VERY disappointing! Too much money for too little product. IMHO, it will have a very limited user base. This may be the first real mistake Apple has made in a few years.<br><br>- alec -

Don't tell that to Sony, who charges even MORE for something bulkier, with a larger screen! (And some nice pack-ins like an external HD... but still, nearly 4 grand and you don't even get the top version of Vista, much less Leopard.)<br><br>It's not the exact product I'd hoped for: it's as small as I wanted in volume, but I would have gone a bit thicker for the sake of the other dimensions being smaller (less margin around screen). It is, however, the closest to my needs/wants of any computer that has ever been made. So, I'll be BTOing one with the works Minus SSD. I'd love it, but the price has to come down, and Apple managed ultrathin without it. I'll put the grand I save towards another Mac another day.<br><br>If I could wait for MacBook Air 2 (a bit better, a bit cheaper) I would--but you never win that battle! This really doesn't compare exactly to any other product--it's a new mix of features. One I've been waiting for.<br><br>I see a lot of negative votes on MR for the MBA, and I must say I don't get why. Probably one of two things:<br><br>1. They expected some imaginary thing SO far beyond what's possible, that something merely better than anything before it would never be good enough. (And the iPhone was one outrageous expectation that came true, so people can't help but hope.)<br><br>2. It's not the product THEY want, so they assume it's not right for anyone else.<br><br>I'd give a negative vote to the $20 touch update. The rest sounds good to me.<br><br>nagr[color:red]o</font color=red>mme<br><br>I require stroyent!<br>http://TeamMacOSX.com | http://MacClan.net<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Nagromme on 01/15/08 04:31 PM (server time).</EM></FONT></P>

Well looking at the specs, it does 1280x720, but only at 24FPS. 30FPS content is limited to 960x540.<br><br>Which leaves me wondering, does the Apple TV do the 2:3 pulldown, or is that left to the TV? Many of the less expensive TV's don't do 2:3 which means motion can look jerky.<br><br><br><br>Hey I'm an F'n Jerk!®

It occurs to me that if I need the $29 ethernet adapter (which I occasionally would), then I may as well spring another $70 and get Airport Express: it adds wireless audio, storage and printing, and lets me surf untethered. And it would even work fine just for machine-to-machine LAN transfers. As long as power is available. (If not, one of us will likely have a thumb drive, iPod or camera with USB.)<br><br>nagr[color:red]o</font color=red>mme<br><br>I require stroyent!<br>http://TeamMacOSX.com | http://MacClan.net

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>The MacBook Air is VERY disappointing! Too much money for too little product. IMHO, it will have a very limited user base. This may be the first real mistake Apple has made in a few years.<p><hr></blockquote><p> Just my opinion but I think we need to keep that comment and compare in a few months to other comments in the No Clue Hall of Fame. It might edge out, "I think these new iPods are just stupid!" Or even, "Apple is going to compete in the cell phone market? Steve is an idiot!"<br><br>I could be wrong but at 1799 (1599 dot edu) these are going to sell like hot cakes. In business there is this niche of constant note taking connectedness. From business trips to trips down the hall to a meeting. Lots of meetings frown at the computer dorque who brings his big laptop and starts annoyingly pecking away. These things are just below the threshold. <br><br>One of these and you are not a geek. You are cool. One of these and you are not annoying, you could have this on your lap. In a seminar you would not be tappingly intrusive.<br><br>Or at least I hope so. Since I am cool already I will be getting one. I'll tell you how it goes. But I saw how that crowd in that room clapped and I could see it in their eyes even with the cra[i][/i]ppy connection. Every single person in that room at the Keynote called back to the office to tell the secretary to order one.<br><br>I may have the patience to wait for RevB. I wish I did but I doubt I will make it.<br><br>

It's 1699 at .edu. Deal breaker, right? <br><br>&#63743; &#63743; &#63743; &#63743;

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>So, I'll be BTOing one with the works Minus SSD. I'd love it, but the price has to come down, and Apple managed ultrathin without it. I'll put the grand I save towards another Mac another day.<p><hr></blockquote><p> I will be following suit likely with the exact same BTO. This is the computer I have wanted. I too wish it had been somewhat smaller in height. Lose some framing and lose some mousepad. It could have slipped into a jacket pocket then but maybe when we pick it up the size will be right. Sure is thin.<br><br>The only problem is the spinless SSD. Yes, the cash difference is too high to justify. But what do you get when you have SSD. <br>1) More instant on, nothing spins up.<br>2) Faster constant access, there is no spinning disk.<br>3) Power consumption goes way down.<br>4) Less heat.<br><br>The power consumption going way down is the only benefit that has me thinking before I BTO. This computer with small CPU and LED screen is trying to cut power. Would you actually get 5 hours with the SSD and maybe only 2 hours with a constantly spinning hard drive? I don't know if anyone can answer that.<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>

1699 at dot edu? Ah, that's perfect. I think new employees get one of these. (OK maybe the first one gets my MBP.)<br><br>

I hope you're right and I'm completely out in left field.<br><br>But I don't know of too many corporate laptop users who don't regularly have a need to plug in an ethernet connection. And how about all the missing ports? The transition to wireless data transfers is likely to be riddled with complaints. I'm a die-hard Firewire fanboy and urge all my laptop clients to carry a FW pocket drive. USB doesn't yet cut the mustard for those in a hurry. And no user replaceable battery? Maybe in a phone, but NOT in a laptop.<br><br>$1799 - this thing might be just for those with "luxury" money.<br><br>- alec -

I'm in academia and I thought we were slow on the wireless. We have wireless on every floor in every building especially soaking conference room. We have a public link in (cancer patients and families can get on with no hassle) and a password protected link which gets us to databases and stuff. The day Apple came out with the first Airport I put one in my lab. Now it's all "official". <br>But your point is moot since a little USB2 to ethernet adapter comes with the MBA.<br><br>You do have a point with the glued in battery. That sucks not to be able to carry a second battery for emergencies. But then I really haven't carried a spare in years. I carry my talk on a thumb drive and that is all the insurance I need. Now hopefully we will be able to pry this battery out once a year and replace it. I would hate having to keep using a one hour burned out lithium battery.<br><br>

the other significant thing is the solid state static HD...this one is small and very expensive, but as far as I know it's on of the first on a wireless laptop... that's a significant step isn't it?? 2-3 years from now we'll have laptops with terabyte static drives. <br>so IMHO it's not always what this product is but what new technological doors has it opened for the future !??<br><br>example: first iPods were large, clunky, and short on storage... Now look at em !!<br><br>David (OFI)

You're right, Dave. As Ottelini said at the keynote, Apple keeps pushing the envelope, and that's all to the good. Whether a particular product does or does not succeed is less significant, IMHO.<br><br>&#63743; &#63743; &#63743; &#63743;

[color:blue]"Since I am cool already I will be getting one"</font color=blue><br><br>and you've got good taste <br><br>

Sony (and others I believe) already offered SSDs. At similarly high prices. Apple should help boost volume and thus help bring prices lower, faster.<br><br>As I think about this machine with essentially only one port, I ask myself--what can this machine NOT do as a result? Connect a camcorder is the only thing I can think of.* Other things can still be done--in a variety of different ways. External storage may be slower than Firewire, but that only matters for single long transfers. That mainly means backups, and backups (whether WiFi or USB) won't be single full-drive transfers anymore. Not with Time Machine.<br><br>(BTW, the ethernet dongle is optional, not standard.)<br><br>* The thing IS a camcorder anyway!<br><br>nagr[color:red]o</font color=red>mme<br><br>I require stroyent!<br>http://TeamMacOSX.com | http://MacClan.net

[color:blue]"I see a lot of negative votes on MR for the MBA"</font color=blue><br><br>They are driving me nuts over there!<br>I have been lurking at the MacBook Pro forum.<br>Everyone wanted an ultraportable at MWSF.<br>I swear to God that it sounded like if Apple didn't bring out an ultraportable at MWSF, they were all going to Cupertino and go postal on Apple.<br>Apple brings out the thinnest 13" notebook possible but now it's not good enough.<br>What the heck does anyone expect from a notebook that thin?<br>Those people at MR were going to be unhappy no matter what Apple did.<br>Stupid friggin' Mac people!<br><br>Okay, I've got that out of my system. <br>I'm getting a Mac Pro so why do I care? <br><br><br>

i am not complaining too much, but to me the dimension sizes (height and width) would have trumped being thin. ah well; not a big deal and i am also a year away.<br><br>

I hear you.<br>I also am a year or two away so we'll see what happens.<br>And I'm not talking about anyone in this forum. <br>There was very little talk about the ultraportable here.<br>But at MacRumors...<br><br>