Apple Adds Two Items to My Christmas Wish List: iPad Air 2 and Mac Mini

I just finished watching the Apple Event this morning (it's 2 AM here in Manila) and I am stoked with two things that the guys in Cupertino unveiled today.  The company just released the latest models of their flagship iPhone last month and now, they released what could be the last of their gadgets for this year in time for the holidays.

Apple introduced this morning the iPad Air 2, which they say is the thinnest and most powerful iPad ever. In introducing the new iPad, Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing can't help gushing about the latest model of their gadget.  He described it as the thinnest tablet in the world and that two of the new gadget stacked on top of each other would still be thinner than the first generation iPad.  

fortune,com

iPad Air 2 has a new Retina display with anti-reflective coating, second generation 64-bit A8X chip, all-new iSight and FaceTime HD cameras, faster Wi-Fi and LTE wireless.  It also includes my favorite Touch ID fingerprint identity sensor.  

It's open for pre-order on the U.S. Apple Online Store starting later today. The Wi-Fi models are priced at $499, $599 and $699 for the 16, 64, and 128 GB capacities, respectively.  It will be available in gold, silver, and space gray.

Initial impressions of the new iPad Air 2 are very favorable.  Most are raving about how thin it is and the better screen resolution.  The Verge noted  the big improvement on the camera:

 "One thing that is definitively better is the new camera, which is now 8 megapixels; it's a lot faster and shots seemed a lot clearer, at least in Apple's hectic demo room. "

I am not yet sure how much iPad Air 2 will cost in the Philippines and when it will be available here but I hope just before the Christmas Season.  Apple also unveiled the iPad Mini 3 but I prefer the 9.7 inch iPad Air.  I am eyeing the 64GB wifi model owing to the experience of the on-air update of iOS a few months ago when I need to delete some files to get some space on my 16GB gadget.

Another good news at the event was that Apple has finally updated the Mac mini.   Nothing much change in the design of the  Mac mini, but many changes happened inside.  It now features fourth-generation Intel Core processors, faster integrated graphics, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and Thunderbolt 2.  The new machine will be shipping with the latest iteration of OSX, Yosemite which was also released this morning and now available for download for free.  It also has a new lower starting price at $499, making Apple’s most affordable Mac an even better value.  Below is a screenshot from the Official Philippine Apple Store of the pricing for the new Mac mini.

I checked our online forum during the event and the most common complaint about the new Mac mini model is that it doesn't come with a quad core CPU. Nevertheless, I am glad there's a new Mac mini and that means I can change my hardworking Mac soon.

In fact, the new Mac mini is now available on the official Philippine Apple Store.  Shipping time is 2 to 3 weeks at the moment.

So these are too items on my Christmas wish list. I'm still thinking which of them I will finally get. I might get lucky though and ultimately get both of them. Happy Holidays, indeed!

PH Finally Gets its iTunes Store

Apple announced this week the launch of iTunes in several Asian countries including the Philippines.  This is good news for us who have an iOS device or two as we now have access to songs, apps and movies that were previously unavailable to us.  These include music from local artists, of course.  Not only that, we can now also shop for books under the iBookstore.

It is only about time that we have our own iTunes Store.  Before this, I can only populate my iPod through ripping my CD.  The only way I can download music and books from iTunes is to ask my sister to get me an iTunes Music Store prepaid card or buy one from an online seller at a higher price.  Now, I can use my local credit card to gain access to all of the goods.

Moreover, Asia is one of the fastest growing markets for Apple products.  Since many of their gadgets now come sans optical drives, Apple users here have no option but to download iOS and Mac OSX software from iTunes or the Appstore.  

iTunes music store has been online since 2003 and after almost ten years, it's here.  Well, better late than never.  Welcome to the Philippines iTunes!

Apple WWDC 2012

In a few hours, Apple CEO Tim Cook will deliver his keynote address at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2012,  The keynote address during the WWDC has always been anticipated part of the event and I suppose will also be this year.  It's when the late great Steve Jobs usually revealed what the company will release in the succeeding months.

Since a few months ago the Apple blog universe has been full of rumors of what Cook will reveal this year.  Apple itself has revealed at least two products that will be announced during the keynote and these include:

Mac OSX Mountain Lion.  The latest iteration of the Mac's operating system.  It will reportedly include the following features: Notification Center, iMessages, iCloud, Airplay and more.  Apple touts the new Mac OS X as inspired by the iPad and re-imagined for the Mac.  I won't be downloading this one immediately though and perhaps just wait for it to be available in the next generation Macs which I intend to buy anyway.

iOS6. This one is expected.  Photos of banners for  iOS 6 being put up circulated in the Internet days ago.  What it includes are still up in the air but rumors are rife with Facebook integration like Twitter in iOS 5, a Siri for iPad. The biggest addition to the iOS would be Apple's own mapping solution which could replace google maps in all our iOS devices.

from cnet

Because of iOS 6, many speculate that Cook will also announce the next generation iPhone. Also, there have been sightings of alleged parts of the next iPhone which led people to believe the announcement more likely to happen.   I highly doubt it though.  The announcement for Apple's smartphone has its own event usually in September or October.  So I think Apple will stick to that schedule.

There are also stories about updates of several Macs including the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air , the iMac and the Mac Pro.  Aside from thinner MacBooks, there are rumors about Retina Display on the iMac and all Mac portables.  I am not an expert on this one and I will wait for Cook's announcement.  But Retina Display and touch capability on the iMac are features that will definitely make me get one.

These are the things that I will be waiting for later.  I might stay up late tonight and hang around the sites that will have a live coverage of the event.

Instantly turn the Magic Trackpad into Mobee's Magic Numpad

If you're one of those who miss the number keys in the Apple Keyboard, fret no more.  Mobee intoduces a solution to your problem, the Magic Numpad.

from mobeetechnology.com

The Magic Numpad is a set of three films with custom number layouts that you attach to your Magic Trackpad.  Yes, you need a Magic Trackpad for this to work.  It is compatible with both Mac OS X Snow Leopard and Lion.  

Mobee says all you need to do is to stick the magic film of your choice on the trackpad, install the application and voila! You instantaneously have a magic trackpad and numpad in one single device.  You can easily switch between the trackpad and numpad in three ways: tapping on the upper right button; use the F6 key on the keyboard; or use the menu on the software.

A downloadable software also allows the Magic Numpad to display an onscreen calculator that can do simple calculations.  Mobee also included a textile for cleaning your Magic Trackpad and the films, an application card to reduce bubbles, as well as a marking pen so you could customize the look of your numpad.

The device is now available for pre-order on Mobee's site at $29 each and will be available in October 2011.

Steve Jobs resigns as Apple CEO

from apple.com

The biggest news of the day in the techworld is the resignation of Steve Jobs as Chief Executive Officer of Apple.  Tim Cook who has heretofore served as Chief Operating Officer has been elected as Jobs's replacement.  Don't be sad though, Apple fans. Steve will stay on with the company as its "Chairman of the Board, director and Apple employee."

In his resignation letter addressed to the Apple Board of Directors and Apple Community, Jobs wrote "I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come."  

The online community believes that it has something to do with his health.  Jobs filed a medical leave of absence in January this year but has made an appearance at the WWDC in June to introduce the upcoming iCloud service.  He was also present during the event to introduce the iPad2 earlier this year.  In 2004, he took a 6-month leave of absence and underwent a liver transplant.

Although the shares of the company dived by as much as 7 percent after the announcement, industry analysts believe that the company will continue to dominate the IT industry under the helm of Tim Cook who has been considered heir apparent as Apple's top man.

Under Jobs stewardship, Apple released some of the most innovative products in the industry.  These include the iconic iPod and its companion application, iTunes which revolutionize the way we listen to and buy our music; the iPhone which raised the bar on what a smartphone should be; and of course the iPad, which still in unrivaled in the tablet industry.

Many IT experts also believe that the company will go ahead with Steve's plans for the company's hardware and software projects.  The iPhone 5 is scheduled to be released next month and the next generation iPad is expected to come out in 2012.  The iCloud service and the next iteration of the iOS is also due to debut this fall.

Steve's resignation letter is available here.

Apple Rolls Out Lion, along with new MacBook Air and Mac Mini

Apple today released Mac OS X Lion their most advanced operating system.  It's now available on the Mac AppStore and I am currently downloading this.  It says that my download will be finished in 8 hours! Ugh... thanks to my DSL connection.

And it's not only Lion that Apple rolled out today but also a refresh of MacBook Air and Mac Mini.  Both machines come pre-loaded with Lion and now sport the latest Thunderbolt technology which promises connections speed of up to 20 times faster than that of USB 2.0. With this new technology, you can connect up to six devices to your Mac. 

The new Mac Mini and the MacBook Air now sport the dual Intel Core i5 processors.  This makes this new generation 2 times faster than the last.  It will prove very helpful when using processor intensive applications.

With release of the new generation MacBook Air, Apple chose to "kill" the white plastic MacBook.  They also decided to make the entry-level 11 inch MacBook Air more affordable, at USD999 on the US Online Store or PhP49, 999 from the Apple Philippines Online Store.

from apple.com

I am looking closer at the MacMini though, priced at PhP30,990 on the Apple Philippines online store (with 3-day free shipping).  In this new machine, storage will not be a problem since they decided to bump up the hard drive to a hefty 500GB.  So we can stock our pictures, videos and music in the Mini.  Should this be not enough for your needs, you can further upgrade your hard drive to 750GB without affecting the speed of your machine.

Oh, and just like in the previous generation, upgrading your RAM is a cinch with the removable bottom panel.  You can upgrade your memory to up to 8GB! 

Apple decided to remove the superdrive from the MacMini.  Yup, just like with the MacBook Air, the optical drive is now an option with this new generation.   I wonder if they will also do this with the other desktops like the iMac or the MacPro.  Perhaps the decision was reached because  you can now download from the AppStore the applications you want to install on your Mac. You can back up your files in the iCloud or in an external drive that has either USB or Thunderbolt connection.  Movies and music are also available and downloadable from iTunes.  In other words, Apple does not see the need for an optical drive anymore so they dispensed with it in the new MacMini.

Will Mac OS X Lion Kill the Mouse?

When Apple announced the release of OS X Lion next month, one of its new features that really caught my interest was the multi-touch gestures function embedded in the OS and its applications.  It's a new way to interact with your Mac, says Apple.  You now pinch, swipe, scroll. tap on your trackpad or magic mouse to control what's on your screen.

No need to click on the mouse buttons to select, highlight or scroll something on the page you're viewing. Oh, speaking of scrolling, Apple has also decided to hide the scrollbar in Lion to give us a bigger screen space when using any application.  It will only re-appear when the you scrolls down the page and quickly fades out when you stop.  That means, we will not run out of space when scrolling just like we do when using a mouse.

from apple.com

Now how does this kill the mouse?  Of course, every MacBook has a multi-touch trackpad that would recognize these gestures.  But it's a different scenario with desktops.  You see, aside from the Magic Mouse, one has the option to use a Magic Trackpad with the MacPro, iMac or Mac Mani.   There's a little bit of learning involved with the multi-touch gestures but it wouldn't take a lifetime I believe.

So come July, the days of the mouse and its buttons are numbered.  At least with the Mac for now.

iCloud: The Future in the Mac Friendly Skies

Along with the announcement of the coming MacOS X Lion last Monday, Apple announced its new service called iCloud, which is coming in Fall this year (around September).

The Mac community has been abuzzed with speculations about this new offering for months before the WWDC.  It was finally introduced by Steve Jobs himself at last Monday's event.

In his address, Jobs explained that ten years ago, their big idea was to make the PC/Mac the center of users' digital life where music, videos and photos are stored.  But all's that changed now because of the new devices that could also store and play music, video and photos.

So Apple's new big idea is to make the PC/Mac as just another device and put all media files in the cloud they named iCloud.  But this cloud is not just a harddisk in the sky, as Steve pointed out. iCloud automatically uploads, stores and pushes your contents to all of your devices. It is also completely integrated to all apps so everything happens automatically and there's nothing to learn.  As Steve puts it, "It just works."

Jobs said that they at Apple love iCloud so much that they're giving the service to their clients for free!  Everyone is given a 5GB space in the iCloud where you can store your Contacts, Mail, Calendar and yes, even your Documents.  No need to bring a USB drive to bring your Keynote presentation or Pages papers.

Of course everything you buy from the AppStore, iBookstore and iTunes store are automatically uploaded to your iCloud.  What more, your apps, books and music are not counted against your free space as long as they remain in their respective stores.

You can already try this service in beta.  If you are an iTunes user like me,  if you buy something from the store, you can make your other devices to download your purchase automatically at no extra cost.  Just go to the settings of your iPad or iPhone and make them automatically download your purchases.      Yes, it just works!

For Those Who Want It Small, Here's the LaCie MosKeyto

While browsing the Internet for new gadgets, I came upon an article on an interesting product from LaCie called MosKeyto, an ultra-small USB storage device.  It caught my interest because I like small gadgets and this one is is so small that one photo shows it as hardly noticeable when plugged in a USB port of a computer.  Reading it's specs however, I found out that it may be tiny in size but big in capacities from 4GB to as much as 16GB!

 

LaCie promises that you can keep this plugged in and it will not harm your computer.  It is also compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems.  

I think I will look for one of these in the local stores if it is already available. Amazon.com offers it starting at US$15.33 for the 4GB unit,  US$23.43 for 8GB and US$48.18 for the 16GB model.

(photos from lacie.com)

Coming in Summer 2011: Mac OS X Lion

It wasn't only the MacBook Air that Steve Jobs announced in yesterday's Back to the Mac event.  The main subject, in fact, was the next iteration of the Mac OS X operating system, Lion.  If the pundits are to be believed, this will be the last of the big cats and they saved the last for the king of the jungle.

Steve Jobs said that in his keynote address that "Lion brings many of the best ideas from iPad back to the Mac, plus some fresh new ones like Mission Control that Mac users will really like."

Some of the features of the upcoming operating system include:

• The Mac App Store works the same way as the App Store and you may purchase applications using your iTunes Account.  It promises to revolutionize the way we Mac users install our software and more.  Applications may be installed in every Mac a user owns and then updated regularly.  Jobs announced that the Mac App Store will be available within 90 days.

• The Launchpad gives instant access to all your apps with just a click on its icon on the dock.  Open windows fade away and apps are displayed in full screen just like in the iPad.  A swipe will show multiple pages of apps and these may be arranged according to the user's preference.

• The Mission Control gives us a bird's eye view of what is happening in our Mac.  It works almost like the Expose and Dashboard combined with Spaces thrown in.  With a swipe gesture, the user will see all open windows grouped by apps, other full screen apps as well as other Spaces.

Lion will also employ the multi-touch experience of the iPad.  Instead of the screen, however, we will use the trackpad to pinch and swipe.  The applications will also open in full screen, just like in the iPad.  User could pinch to adjust the size of the display.

Indeed, Apple brings back to the Mac the technology it has developed for its iPod, iPhone and iPad through the Mac OS X Lion.  I'll surely upgrade once it is available.