14 DAY TRIAL // Apple's decision of pulling from trade shows like Macworld now seems like the right one for the company that left out the iMac and Mac mini at its last Macworld keynote, announcing only a 17-inch MacBook Pro among the hardware offerings this time around.
As promised, the company's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, Philip Schiller, took the stage at Moscone Center today and started to go over the reasons behind Apple's decision to pass on events like Macworld, NAB and others. As noted in one of its own official reports, Apple no longer needs trade shows as a means of reaching out to customers, he revealed to the audience.
While Schiller was greeted more than warmly by the eager crowd, the enhancements made to applications such as iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD and Garage Band didn't exactly get him a standing ovation. Neither did the upgraded iWork productivity suite. What did get attendees to put their hands together was the announcement of a new, unibody, 17-inch MacBook Pro. Apple was widely expected to release the refreshed system this time around, as it was the only "missing link" from the company's next-gen line of notebooks.
The 17-incher features the same ultrathin LED-backlit display seen on other Apple MacBooks, as well as a precision aluminum unibody enclosure. High-performance NVIDIA graphics power is delivered by the GeForce 9600M GT, which offers faster, discrete video performance for high-end 3D games and pro applications. Apple touts the new 17-inch MacBook Pro as “the world's thinnest and lightest 17-inch notebook,” leading us to believe that the company has just about run out of epithets.
Apple's “one more thing” didn't exactly cut ice with the public either. For once, iTunes customers can now opt for a three-tier pricing plan that includes a new 69-cent price point for less popular songs (starting in April). DRM-free tracks were announced as well, (already downloaded content requires additional “upgrade” fees to be unlocked), soon expanding to include all 10 million songs in the catalog. Finally, Schiller confirmed that iPhone users can now use their cellular network to download content from the iTunes Store.
Whether or not the disappointment comes from actually expecting each of these announcements, or from wanting more, one thing is for sure: Apple always surprises, even if negatively. Detailed coverage is on its way, so don't go too far. In the meantime, share your thoughts on Apple's latest.
