Convenience, simplicity and mixture appear to be the themes for recently released Apple products. Two new Apple products were introduced at this year’s MacWorld Expo. A total of three Expos are held each year: one on the East Coast during the summer, another on the West Coast in the winter and one in Tokyo. Some 35,000 users from all over the world were in attendance at the Expos held in the United States.
The Expo offers an opportunity for Mac users, as well as those pondering entrance into the MacWorld, to ‘test-drive’ and purchase the new products and accessories at the many vendor tables. Cathy Yungmann, associate professor of communication, has been attending the MacWorld Expo for 10 years. “We are on a cusp of whole change of media and it’s getting cheaper and cheaper,” Yungmann said.
Mac mini
The new 2.9 lb. Mac mini allows PC-users to slowly and affordably slide into the world of Mac usage. It gives iPod owners an opportunity to further their Apple product ownership. Starting at just $499, PC-users don’t have to worry about purchasing any needed accessories. The 6.5-by-2 inch Mac mini will accept PC-users already owned monitors, keyboard and mice.
The mini features a G4 processor, dedicated graphics processor, up to 1 GB memory, 40 or 80 GB hard drive, slot loading CD-R/DVD-ROM drive, built-in Ethernet and modem as well as USB and Firewire expansion. As with most products, extras are indeed offered. A SuperDrive can be added for those wanting to burn DVDs, an AirPort Extreme Card can be installed to surf wirelessly and an internal Bluetooth can be used to configure the mini with wireless keyboards and mice. In addition, the Mac mini comes with iLife ’05, Mac OS X v10.3 “Panther,” Quicken 2005 for Mac and various games.
iPod Shuffle
Uniqueness is the new tune. Apple recently introduced another personal DJ- the iPod Shuffle. Smaller than a pack of gum, the Shuffle allows users to add variety to life. If you’re tired of the same CDs or order of them, the Shuffle will randomly Autofill and any 240 songs from iTunes each time you plug it into your USB port. If you decide a day of order is needed, users can drag and drop specific songs from iTunes. Feeling undecided? Flip the Shuffle over and select a Shuffle or Play in Order mode. Weighing in as little as a car key, the skip-free 512MB or 1G Shuffle models start at $99.
At the Expo, visitors could wander through the exhibits, and plug their headphones into the Shuffles hanging on a line. After ‘test-driving’ the Shuffle, Yungmann said, “They are cool. I am going to get one.” Yungmann “stood in line for an hour and they sold out.”
Growing Pod trends
iPod and iPod Shuffle users can also become part of a growing trend- PodCasting. Podcasts can be downloaded and “anyone can be a creator and a castor,” Yungmann said. Adam Curry, entrepreneur and late-’80s MTV veejay, says, “Like all good things on the Internet, you can do it yourself.” “A podcast is a radio show that listeners subscribe to online. Every time a new program is posted, it automatically feeds into the subscriber’s computer,” according to Brian Brailker of Newsweek.
