Brief 648 | Apple Updates: Magic Mouse, iMacs, Mac Mini, MacBook
Posted on: October 20, 2009
Posted in: Video
Posted by: Cali Lewis
Shownotes:
Apple pre-empted the Windows 7 Launch with update announcements of their own. The thing I’m excited about the most is the Magic Mouse. It looks kind of like a Mighty Mouse, but it’s multi-touch. It’ll be available at the end of October.
They updated the iMac. There’s a 21.5″ and 27″ version in true 16:9 aspect ratio.
There are two Mac Mini versions. One runs OSX Server, has two 500GB hard drives and no optical drive.
The MacBook is going unibody. It’ll have an LED backlit display, a glass multi-touch trackpad and a built in battery that will last up to seven hours.
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October 20th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
648 is iPod friendly :)
October 21st, 2009 at 3:52 am
Hi Cali & Neal… Are you two visiting Oregon? Hi to Loki!
I’m pretty excited about the entire refresh.
The Magic Mouse is a significant upgrade & I’m looking forward to trying it out just as soon as I can get my hands on one.
I think the iMac refresh is significant as well. Wider is better, LED is likely better, the entry point for the iMac is much faster with more RAM & storage options. What’s not to be excited about?
The ability to use the 27″ iMac as a display looks promising. Apparently you’ll be able to attach an HD video source to it in “Video Target” mode via the Mini DisplayPort. Considering that the entry level iMac 27″ is $1700 and a new 30″ Cinema display is $1800, it seems like quite a value. It’s almost like getting the computer for free.
I’m really kind of indifferent to Blu-Ray, at least for now…
I think it’s pretty obvious that Blu-Ray really is not taking off as fast as anticipated and Apple is factoring that into their decision not to include it.
When the Blu-Ray market turns the corner and actually begins to make a dent in the DVD market, we’ll probably see it show up, at least a CTO option.
The Mac mini Server at $1000 is intriguing. A great value considering the server software alone is $500.
My only concern is that the dual 500GB drives are a bit on the wimpy side at 5400 rpm. Not sure how well this will work as a database or app server, but they should be very acceptable as a workgroup file/print server.
At this price, you could buy two of them for complete redundancy. Firewire target mode on one, clone daily or even more frequently and you’re covered. If the primary fails, take it out of service and boot-up from the secondary. Minimal data loss if any and almost no down time.
Not much of a fan of the white MacBook and less so now that they’ve dropped Firewire. It’s a savings from MacBook Pro, but I’m thinking it’s not a great value. This configuration would be more acceptable at around the $600 price range (Mac mini pricing.) I’m sure they’ll sell a lot of them, but only because it’s the least expensive way to get into a useable portable Mac.
My, this has gotten long winded… Sorry about that. Kudos to anyone that chose to actually read the whole thing!
Cheers!
—RASTER
Albany, OR
October 21st, 2009 at 4:45 am
Hi Cali’s team,
Funny to see Apple Fanatics getting slowy have dought about the direction Apple’s taking… And from my part, your right. Apple is, to my opinion, one of the new Microsoft company. With there monopoly and market share’s getting bigger and bigger… People start to worry… And there right.
Don’t get me wrong, i like what Apple’s products giving to the world… but on every coin, there’s 2 side.
my 2 cents.
October 21st, 2009 at 6:47 am
Cali, I love your show and have for years, but this is my first post on your site. Thank you for pushing apple to WOW you (and others). That said, my WOW came Feb. 2007 when I converted my home office / family (7 machines) from PC’s to Mac. My IT cost in 2006 for my small law firm was 6 figures (seriously), and I was having to replace my PC’s every 2.5-3.5 years. And of course, any OS upgrade meant an entire weekend shot, backing up, reinstalling apps, etc., etc. Well, I am nearing 3 years on the Mac’s, have gone thru 2 OS upgrades on all machines, have never missed a beat, and my IT cost is down in the noise. Everyone in my family has iPhones (5) and my AT&T bill is less than when we used Blackberry.
If Apple made NO changes for the next 3 years, what they have already provided by way of STABILITY, Ease of Use, OS upgradeability, and the fact that I don’t have to play IT support for my kids (ever), has already made my life so much better, that I consider Cupertino akin to Mecca. BTW, its not like we are dumb users. I own a patent firm, and everyone has EE degrees with design experience before law school. Apple’s slogan “They just work” could be amended to say “And continue to work” without hassle or a call to my IT folks.
I’m sure you have seen that youtube clip “everything is wonderful and no one is happy” from the Conan O’Brien show? Your post 648 hit me a little like that this morning :-))) In a world of low margin cheaply built PC’s with tech support in India, and a NEW OS that cannot be installed on top of the old one, while my MacPro’s hum along, and unibody macbook’s are both travel warriors and homework devices, and facebook entertainment, etc., with the occasional question to a tech support person where English is not a second language, I can say that wrt Apple, we are all very very happy…
October 21st, 2009 at 6:58 am
Hi Cali & Neal,
Great video as always. I have to say I agree with RASTER. I was very pleased with the refresh. The magic mouse and the 27″ Quad Core iMac with 16GB of RAM were the best. One other thing that a lot of people are overlooking too is that every new Mac is now including a lot of software. Here is the list of software now included with a new Mac: iWork ‘09, Final Cut Express 4, Aperture 2, Bento 3, Logic Express 9, Microsoft Office for Mac, and of course iLife ‘09.
However, I am a geek and an Apple Fanboy.
I do see your point about coming out with something new and putting Blue-ray into the Mini. (I want that too.)
I think we will see the Apple TV update and the Tablet announcement after the first of the year. (around Mac World or CES) I think too cloud computing is going to become more integrated with Apple products in 2010.
Love the Show & keep up the great work!
October 21st, 2009 at 7:46 am
Hi Cali & Neal,
Is blue-ray that big a deal? I don’t know anyone that has one. And to be frank, what I’ve seen in the stores is barely distinguishable from a plain old dvd unless you have a killer TV. It does run the risk of going the way of betamax because of video download over the net.
I see this update as a nice refinement of existing hardware, which is always welcome and I’d wish they’d do it more often.
What I think is a big disappointment is no USB 3.0 and I’m surprised you didn’t mention it. Apple is usually an early adopter of new standards, and this leaves the door open for someone else to beat them to the punch.
Thanks for a great show,
Mike
October 21st, 2009 at 8:01 am
Correction on my post, I misread Apple’s site. The pre-installed software is not included. Only iLife as usual. I just got excited when reading it the first time. :) Sorry if I misled anyone.
Jimmy
October 21st, 2009 at 8:10 am
I look forward to your Brief every day, it always gives me that 3-5 min smile, today that was no different. A father of 3, I loved seeing your buddy by your side today.
October 21st, 2009 at 8:22 am
Interesting bit on the lack of WOW coming from Cupertino. I think Apple is in a lose lose right now on that front (and they put themselves there in some respects)
No company can innovate great things at an unending fast pace. The world doesn’t really work like that, anywhere. Apple’s marketing blitz has really emphasized this innovation push over the past few years. As the company now settles into refining their lineup a bit, it leaves something to be desired for the crack…err..apple addicts(me included). Making what you have better is now considered boring.
I think the intense focus on needing to be WOW’d totally misses the point. Maybe the better questions are: Do the solutions work really well? Do they serve your needs? Do they effectively integrate in the way you want or need? Have you really examined all there is to what has been delivered? I think the onslaught of new product releases has glossed over some significant things in the inner-workings of their software.
For all the progress Microsoft has made from Vista to Windows 7, it seems that the integration gaps still exist. I think Microsoft’s only shining example of integration has remained the same over the years: Microsoft Exchange.
It seems you are slowly drinking a different flavor of mobile kool-aid (android), which is definitely an interesting platform, one I am keeping a close eye one. Is your motivation to move away from the iPhone more about android being new and different, not necessarily better? I definitely struggle with that geek gadget desire for new or different, just because. For all of android’s goodness, most agree it’s still playing catch up with the iPhone. When you compare app stores, the gap widens.
Granted, the platform will benefit from many hardware manufacturers clamoring to make better hardware than the next, and that will push android performance and capabilities. The points where “open source” delivers on platform and/or device integration, it has a real stage in the game.
/end rant
October 21st, 2009 at 8:41 am
the macbook looks to have done away with firewire; and, the unibody isn’t pleasing some people who like the option to replace the battery themselves. the new specs and sturdier frame is a plus. but it seems somewhat like a trade-off in some ways with an incremental upgrade thrown in.
i too am waiting for this ‘bag of hurt’ called bluray on apple machines, but it’s not quite there yet.
for instance, a bluray burner on a mac mini would be awesome as a htpc/hi-def dvr. it seems to be _possible_ with today’s technology. is it still license restrictions holding them back?
October 21st, 2009 at 9:30 am
Hey Cali…. WOW, Loki’s getting BIG!
Yeah, I’d like some more WOW from Apple… BUT I’d still use a Mac over a PC ANY day!
Have fun in Portland. We play the Aladdin Theater with The Victor Wooten Band… it’s a great town!
October 21st, 2009 at 10:07 am
sick of hearing about lack of blu ray, buy the external if you need it so bad geesh!!
I think the updates were great and your wrong
October 21st, 2009 at 10:35 am
There are other things that have lacked WOW lately.
Always easy to sit on the sidelines – see, I’m doing it now – Apple is still a business, right? We are still in an economic slump that’s lasted over a year right? Seems to me that what people currently interested in a Mac would find the refresh satisfying. No, Blueray is NOT that big of a deal right now. Given the choice, I’d rather have the lower prices at this time.
October 21st, 2009 at 11:03 am
Hey Cali,
First time I’ve felt compelled to comment on your podcast.
So Apple haven’t “Wow’d” you this time but their products are still by far the best on the market.
The magic mouse doesn’t do it for me. Wireless! OMG batteries batteries batteries…
Now if they made the bottom stand of the iMac into a wireless power charger that could recharge my mouse over night. Hmmm… I might just go for a Magic Mouse then.
Blueray will come I think, but they’ll want to sell you on that after this round of updates.
October 21st, 2009 at 6:54 pm
I don’t get it. Why does everyone expect Apple to WOW them every 6-12 months? I can’t say they’ve really done that in the past. They WOW more than most other single companies, and frankly their value is what others have mentioned above; solid, reliable computers (and gadgets), and the best user experience around.
I think this is an excellent hardware release. I think the reason it seems to fall flat in some peoples eyes is because their expecting all the hubub surrounding Apple to be true. If the hubub were right, Apple would have released a tablet Mac to rival their MacBook line, touch screen iMac’s, a 128GB ipod touch with camera & video capabilities, and hell maybe even created a better camera than RED, Nikon, Cannon & Panasonic could combined. OK, I’m exaggerating, but no more than the hubub does over reality. It’s silly.
I also agree that the lack of Bluray is irrelevant.
I think you’ve gotten a bee in your bonnet about bluray and google voice (which I also don’t find very relevant). Gotta let it go.
October 21st, 2009 at 8:53 pm
I switched to Apple in 1997 and one of the first things that endeared me to my new purchase was it’s industrial-strength quality. The machine wanted for nothing and was superior in so many ways to its PC rivals, I’ve been a Mac user ever since.
That is what WOW means to me.
October 21st, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Yup – felt like I needed to chime in here too.
I see Blu-Ray as a non-starter – winning the battle against HD-DVD just to lose the digital media war. And I see Apple seeming to understand that and to be refraining fro
investing time and effort into a long-term loser.
There were several significant upgrades that were glossed over (or simply not mentioned) on this episode, it seems because of your disappointment over Blu-Ray. The changes to both the big iMac and the Mini both suggest that Apple is evolving away from the Apple TV and towards a more complete computer in your living room. Allowing the 27″ monitor to accept other inputs adds to that possibility a great deal – and even allows you your blu-Ray if you want it.
I’m used to seeing – and enjoying – how you look at those possibilities on Geekbrief. I really missed that here.
October 21st, 2009 at 11:04 pm
Perfection takes time Cali. Nothing I have done in the last 7 years of my life wowed me either. @@
October 22nd, 2009 at 5:20 am
Personally I’m not sold on BluRay. We’ve watched some on our PS3, but the leap in quality is not enough to want to pay the extra price. And I’d far rather download content through iTunes, anyway.
There’s nothing around at the moment (from Apple or anyone else) that particularly wows me. But I don’t think that’s the fault of the manufacturers. Perhaps we’re get previews of “technology to come” so early that it’s easy to get “blasé” about what is on offer when it does arrive.
The technology “holes” in my life are mostly filled. My existence is made incrementally easier, and I can’t think of anything that I would really want now anyway (other than better battery life on most devices)! :-D
October 22nd, 2009 at 7:56 am
I’m sold on Blu-Ray as a media format that is superior to DVD. I’m waiting to purchase any additional home theater component because I feel the need to add Blu-Ray capability into the mix. I like the idea of a home theater PC and the Mac Mini just almost fits the bill.
Wouldn’t it be cool to see that Mac Mini with a Blu-Ray player and in house, Apple branded home theater management software?
The thought of sitting on my couch and using my LCD TV as a computer monitor with a bluetooth keyboard and mouse is so intriguing. It’s just not good enough to be a reality yet (for me).
Oh to have the Mac Mini and Apple TV merge into that perfect living room PC. Web TV meets iMac meets home theater in a box.
October 22nd, 2009 at 11:30 am
I’ve always thought that Blu-Ray was a DOA standard and I still do. I wouldn’t pay any additional money for a Blu-Ray drive in my computer. Tell me how you make an mp4 copy of a Blu-Ray movie for your iPod. It’s useless if you want to watch the media on another device. It doesn’t have enough storage capacity for backups, so it’s useless for that, too. In the meantime, it’s getting easier to download or stream videos from the Internet. If there is another successful video storage device, it will have no moving parts, like some of the holographic and flash storage media. Blu-Ray was a thinly disguised attempt to force consumers to buy multiple copies of movies and the format has only slightly better quality than upconverted DVD.
October 22nd, 2009 at 10:02 pm
B. A. Delat said it perfectly with his last statement. Cali has a sour taste about Google Voice and that’s when she started Apple bashing. GET OVER IT. The lack of GV on the iPhone may be annoying to some but it’s no reason to abandon the platform that is the best on the market. When her iPhone “broke,” (that one still seems fishy to me,) she decided to boycott Apple and not get another one just because of GV. Now she is bashing Apple because the updated iMacs, mini, and Macbook aren’t “wowing” her. At this point I don’t think Apple could do anything to make Cali happy.
October 23rd, 2009 at 6:38 am
I’m surprised you didn’t talk about the industry-leading pixel density on the 27in iMac. Seriously you need to see it in person. It’s gorgeous.
I’ve never been WOWed by Blu Ray (I see it as a transitional technology before the industry loses interest and throws its weight behind streamed and downloaded content). The media is expensive and the players have only just dropped to a reasonable price. Selection is still very limited to big-budget Hollywood stuff from the last ten years.
What troubles me is that by watching this brief, is you seem to equate WOW factor to Apple’s non-inclusion of BluRay, which is despite the best efforts of Sony and pals a niche product (I may be putting my foot in my mouth this Christmas). To me, WOW factor is all about beauty, elegance, and innovation which is Apple’s bread and butter. Not using someone else’s expensive technology to satisfy the need of a very small group who want to watch HD movies on their computers and not their bigger televisions. Am I missing something?
I’m more interested in where you see Blu Ray going with Disney’s Keychest and the competing DECE standard.
October 23rd, 2009 at 7:59 am
blue-ray is slowly taking the market I don’t think that I would want a floppy drive on my new macbook pro, in other words what if blue ray fails, its taking a while for me to truly convert my dvd collections to blue-ray i don’t think it would be a smart move on apple to get a blue-ray player just yet. maybe down the line for sure you yourself took a while to get a blue ray player so I love your show but not sure I agree with the blue-ray thing. sorry on the spelling and grammar typing real fast @ work.
October 24th, 2009 at 4:37 am
Wow, first you like Windows 7, and now you’re underwhelmed by Apple. Who are you? Where’s the real Cali Lewis?
To be honest, I have to agree with you. Except, I’m not underwhelmed because of the lack of Blu-Ray, I’m underwhelmed because the iMac hasn’t changed much since its original introduction in 2004. The iMac really needs a total makeover.
October 24th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
I’m totally in agreement about the lack of Blu Ray and HDMI. I would absolutely love to have a Mac Mini powering my home theater setup, but without Blu Ray and HDMI, it’s a non-starter. I think if the price were right I could be willing to even forgive Blu Ray and get an external, but then again there’s no HDMI which stops it dead in the water.
Apple — always promoting such awesome cool technology, but always lacking one or two killer features, or even “duh why don’t they have this” features. Take the iPhone — awesome device overall, but you can’t easily configure custom ringtones for text messages, like every other phone has allowed for years now.
October 24th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Al,
Why exactly does the iMac need a total redesign? What is wrong with the current design that needs to be changed? I’m not a fan of redesigning just because you haven’t done so in a while. There needs to be a reason and I can’t think of one.
October 28th, 2009 at 7:29 am
Seattle Meet and Greet… WHERE ARE YOU ????
October 28th, 2009 at 8:25 am
I’m sorry! We were going to try, but we were getting sick and I thought it was best not to be around people. :)
October 30th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
I really don’t think that 8 months is a long time to wait for something to WOW you! Granted that Apple is good at doing that on a consistent basis, if we rush them, they may start to produce microsoft-like products.:)