Category: Macworld 2008

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Keynote announcements

by Michael Gaworecki

The Macworld Expo 2008 Keynote Address by Steve Jobs has finally come and gone, putting an end to all the speculation. The big news, of course, is that the MacBook Air predictions were nearly spot on.

There was plenty of other news, too, but it took quite a while for the event staff to get the masses in the door and in their seats. So long, in fact, that many of us missed half of the Keynote. The main auditorium was beyond capacity, and so were the rooms playing the Keynote on closed-circuit television. But no one was grumbling. Everyone had come to see a big announcement, and they weren’t disappointed.

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My Macworld keynote initial impressions

by Chris Ainsworth

Wow…where to start?

I gave myself time to think about Steve Jobs’ Macworld keynote on my way back from Moscone West to the hotel, and let what I just saw sink in a little. Let me take the major announcements and items one-by-one and give you my first thoughts. Bear with me…I’m still trying to get my head around some of this stuff.

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Macworld 2008

The Women of MacWorld

by Kathryn Vercillo

As I was walking around the MacWorld Expo yesterday and this morning, it struck me that there seems to be a fairly even balance between men and women attending the event. This is a notable change from many of the tech events that I’ve attended over the years where I frequently find myself to be the lone gal in a group of guys. That got me wondering whether women were also equally represented as speakers at MacWorld.

A quick perusal of the conference speakers’ schedule reveals that the speaking part of the event continues to be male-dominated. However, there are some women speaking throughout the week. Here is some more information about the women that I found on the schedule:

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Software

First-night parties and late-night campers; plus, help wanted

by Michael Gaworecki

I checked out the Ars Technica/Gizmodo pre-Keynote party this evening. They were giving away the last raffle prize just as me and my girlfriend got to the front of the line to get in. We also missed the free food and booze, which is probably why that long line behind us was completely gone when we left 30 minutes later.

One good thing about the trip down to Harlot – see grainy, artsy photo I took (okay, I took it with my cell phone) of a painting of a harlot that adorns the wall of this stylish joint – was that we got to see the campers waiting outside the Moscone center on our drive back. About 20 people at 9:30 p.m. A Macworld rep told me while I was at the convention center earlier today that they were expecting campers, and that I should show up by at least 6:00 a.m. tomorrow if I want a seat at the Keynote. She wasn’t kidding, apparently.

After the jump: Help me decide which sessions to attend!

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Macworld 2008

Hopes and predictions

by Michael Gaworecki

If you take “There’s something in the air” as literally as you can, it seems obvious that Apple is planning on releasing either a new wireless device or new wireless capabilities for its existing product lines. But then who knows if they even mean it literally at all.

Instead of what I think Steve Jobs is most likely to announce, here is my list of the rumored products that I’d most like to see unveiled tomorrow morning…

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Macworld 2008

6 Macworld Users Conference Presentations for the Average User

by Kathryn Vercillo

The MacWorld Expo has a number of different conferences going on within it. Some people started attending lectures today at the Power Tools Conference. Others are waiting until later in the week when the Mac IT Conference begins. For the average user, the best conference is probably the Users Conference. Happening on Wednesday and Thursday, this conference is absolutely jam-packed with things to satiate the curiosity of any kind of computer user.

On each day, there are three time slots during which presentations will take place. This means that a person attending a full presentation during each time slot can catch six different Users Conference information sessions during the conference. There are seven to choose from at each time (falling under the general categories of Click, Create, Inspire, Leopard, Magic, Work, and Vision). Many of these presentations are of specific interests to certain niche users (gamers or photographers, for example). But there is at least one during each time slot that appeals to a more general audience.

Here are the six general presentations that a basic user might check out this week at MacWorld’s User Conference:

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Macworld 2008

The day has finally arrived

by Michael Gaworecki

I’m mostly looking forward to cruising the Expo floor, I’d say. Grabbing free schwag and being overwhelmed by all the activity at a convention this size is always fun. More specifically, I’m especially excited to check out Berklee College of Music’s Dream Studio, which promises to be “filled with Mac hardware and software to help bring your musical vision to life.” There are over 30 companies unveiling new products this year, too; I’m sure more than a few of them will be worth tinkering with. I’ll also be stopping by the CCP Games booth, no doubt. As a sci-fi nerd, Mac nerd, and former employee of an MMO developer, I was pretty stoked when they announced that EVE Online was coming to the Mac.

The beauty of a convention the size of the Macworld Expo is, I have no idea what else I’ll be checking out while I’m there, but I’m guaranteed to find something completely awesome. Probably many things. Stay tuned to the Macworld Expo blog here on Mac-Forums.com and I’ll tell you all about them. I’ll show you pictures, too.

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Macworld 2008

5 Reasons Macworld Appeals to a PC User

by Kathryn Vercillo

As I’m walking around the Moscone Center checking out all that Macworld is going to offer this week, I’m highly aware of the fact that I am the only person in the entire building who is using a PC Notebook. (See original post here as to why I’m doing that.) As I enviously walk past all of the shiny, small notebooks with the Apple on the front of them, I feel conspicuous. I’m convinced that everyone is thinking, “what is this PC woman even doing here?!”

To answer that question, here are five good reasons that a PC user might want to be at Macworld this week.

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Macworld 2008

Could it be Apple Air Freshener™?

by Bryan Schwegler

The Macworld banners have everyone wondering what the big announcements will be at the keynote on Tuesday. “There’s something in the air” conjures up all kinds of ideas. I personally think Apple is going to unveil an environmentally-friendly line of air freshening products ala method.

Ok so not really…

So what I do I really think it could all mean?

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Mac-Forums Apple Logo Predictions

A tough act to follow

by Chris Ainsworth

(Ugh. When is Apple going to update this handout photo)

How do you follow up the Keynote of All Keynotes?

I don’t think you can.

I think while everyone is hoping for something spectacular to come out of Steve Jobs’ Macworld Expo keynote address tomorrow, I expect his speech to be more state of the Apple union than anything. So, while I know the reality distortion field generators will be outputting at their fullest capacity at Moscone West, I’m preparing myself for product announcements that are more incremental in nature than anything else.

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