Random Thoughts About Macworld

Organized by the order in which they popped into my head:

• The MacBook Air looks really awesome. And holy crap it is thin. Fits in a freakin’ envelope? Are you kidding me? Wow. Unlike some others, it doesn’t bother me that the computer is “missing” certain stuff like extra USB or Firewire ports, an optical drive, upgradeable memory and hard drive. Nor am I put off by the inability to change the battery (just like on an iPod or iPhone). Some people are trying to compare this to a MacBook Pro in terms of features and speed and power, and I think this is unfair. The MacBook Air is quite obviously not supposed to be a replacement for the MBP, otherwise they’d stop selling it. The moral here - as it was with iPhone - is that you need to look at it as a device in and of itself. If the features and capabilities don’t match your desired workflow (and fall within your price range) - for many it won’t - then don’t buy it. There is a computer somewhere that will. Get that one.
• I am so encouraged by Apple’s huge push toward wireless connectivity and downloads and the integration and mobility offered by this connectivity. This is the future, and it’s wonderful for Apple to say “Physical media? Meh.” just like they once did with floppy disks.
• Time Capsule, the Airport Extreme slash network backup device that works seamlessly with Leopard’s Time Machine is going to be a lifesaver for families and do even more to promote positive backup behavior than Time Machine did alone. Good stuff.
• Movie Rentals in iTunes - extremely awesome. That they managed to get all the major studios on board is huge. The only problem is that this increases the likelihood that I’ll spend way too much money impulsively renting things like Robo-cop (which is available, by the way). I know I could save money by getting a Netflix subscription and booting my MacBook Pro in Windows to watch the now-unlimited streaming movies, but a huge draw for me is the ability to move the video from device to device and take it on the go. I’ve watched dozens of movies and even more TV shows and video podcasts on the go with my iPhone, and I love the ability to sync back to my laptop, and continue watching where I left off on my gorgeous Apple Cinema Display. Can’t do that with Netflix (unless I rip a physical DVD - which is technically unlawful and more of a hassle than it’s worth for me - with iTunes it’s automatic.)
• New AppleTV stuff looks great, too. Certainly makes the device more usable, and I suspect will go a long way toward increasing sales of both the device and video content.
• The iPhone upgrade is nice. Nothing earth-shattering, but it’s becoming evident how big a deal the SDK will be when it’s released next month. As great as it is already, iPhone is going to get a whole lot more awesome. My only gripe with the update: I actually quite liked the icon for the iTunes Wi-fi store aligned to the right. Immediately after the update, it was on the left, and now all the icons automatically fill in from left to right as you add/remove them from the home screen. Minor. Minor.

Finally, here is a video of me eating my shorts as promised:


What did you think about yesterday’s announcements?