Macworld and The Philnote: A Second Look

[LTD]

We're spoiled. Admit it. If you're an Apple user today, and especially if you're an Apple user that remembers The Second Coming of Jobs in 1997, you can't help but feel a little guilty. Cake for breakfast, cake for lunch, cake for dinner. Regular Apple product rollouts year after year, or at least enough tasty morsels to ward off the sort of unhappy hunger that marked this year's Macworld. If it wasn't something "revolutionary", it was something new, fun and undeniably cool.

But when there's a slight pause in this headlong rush into the future - a little breather to stop and maybe admire the view, we're suddenly unable to process what just happened. What? You mean rumours are just . . . rumours? You mean Apple didn’t announce specific items “everyone said they were going to announce"?? It's blasphemy, really. At least to those that can't stop to admire the view, especially a good night's sleep later. You wanted a new Mini and a new iMac right at this moment, without standing back to look at the whole Apple lineup and how remarkably the hardware has evolved up to this point. Did we all forget that Apple also sells software? And some of the very best in their respective classes. But we provided plenty of grist for the rumour mill (this Apple fanboy included.) Rumours can be fun, all that speculating and dreaming and wishing. But we lost sight of the fact that Apple in no way shape or form led anyone to believe there was any truth to these rumours.

You can be disappointed that Apple didn’t announce more (and I for one, am), and you can probably be forgiven for feeling like that the following day, but you’re just being ridiculous if you’re claiming to be disappointed because Apple didn’t announce specific items that no one actually affiliated with the company said they were going to announce.

Was it a great keynote? Not really. But Phil Schiller actually did a great job delivering it. Has anyone watched CEOs from other companies? They’d be lucky to have their keynotes delivered by Schiller, let alone Jobs. Schiller was fun, friendly, and animated. Not a Jobsian, charismatic figure, but a methodical and engaging speaker who knows not only knows about the demo items, but also seems happy to show them to you. Apple followers are spoiled. No doubt about it. The problem is he just didn’t have that much to announce. But expecting pie-in-sky items like new iPhones (we just got one!) and iPods so soon is just crazy. Apple might have created this high-expectation Frankenstein - but this beast has gotten out of control. There's only so much Apple can do in only so much time.

We saw a legend like Tony Bennett - a rare treat for anyone given his classic star power - croon away and also drop a few clever hints about the future. The year is still 12 months long, and Apple has plenty of time to continue impressive rollouts. But we can't expect Apple to keep up a frenzied pace without any necessary respite. Once in a while a company as game-changing as Apple needs to step back and nurture the impressive lineup of products it has established. They will get faster, thinner, more powerful and easier to use. The announcements made by Schiller on Tuesday all fit into this new evolutionary theme. There's longer battery life on the MacBook Pro - a battery that will likely set the industry standard, much like nearly everything else Apple cranks out. Variable pricing on iTunes. Dazzling new features on the iLife suite of software products. Even the things that were rumored to be unveiled but weren't, such as a new Mac Mini, were hardly going to set the world on fire. But they were important and necessary steps. Even if you're of the mind that the only reason this Macworld felt like last week's Fritos rather than the fudge sundae we were all expecting because Jobs was unable to attend, which pushed back all the juicy announcements to a time when he could deliver a keynote, isn't it still reasonable to assume a little breather would be good for Apple? That a little software love will add some variety to this hardware buffet?

Apple is now in control of its own timetable and will have ample time to fine-tune what we already have, roll out new treats, and perhaps begin a management transition phase. And Phil has shown he can handle a keynote - even a thin one. It's time to let go of Steve and embrace Apple.

So there's more cake on the way. Macworld was only scattered crumbs . . . just like Apple intended.

Edited January 7, 2009 by LTD

[Hurmoth]

I get the fact that the rumors are just rumors, but let's be honest, yesterday's keynote was a massive disappointment. Jobs' absence had a lot more do with the fact that the company had nothing to announce than it did his health IMO. I wouldn't have thought that before his letter regarding the matter, but I now firmly believe that.

Of course this has a lot to do with Apple having their own events and not sticking to a firm date for making such huge announcements all at once. Why stick to just one event a year that bumps the stock price up a couple of bucks when we can have five or six throughout that year that helps the stock go up 5%? Considering how much of a disappointment the last few Macworld's have been (at least in my opinion), I'm glad Apple has decided to pull out and host their own events.

I am disappointed that they still haven't updated the Mac mini. I've been thinking of grabbing one for a while, but not until they update it first.

I do agree, however, that anyone who thought an iPhone nano was coming is living in a dream world. Keep following the rabbit all you like, sometimes the rabbit hole doesn't end, at least not where you want it to.

[39 Thieves]

I get the fact that the rumors are just rumors, but let's be honest, yesterday's keynote was a massive disappointment. Jobs' absence had a lot more do with the fact that the company had nothing to announce than it did his health IMO. I wouldn't have thought that before his letter regarding the matter, but I now firmly believe that.

Of course this has a lot to do with Apple having their own events and not sticking to a firm date for making such huge announcements all at once. Why stick to just one event a year that bumps the stock price up a couple of bucks when we can have five or six throughout that year that helps the stock go up 5%? Considering how much of a disappointment the last few Macworld's have been (at least in my opinion), I'm glad Apple has decided to pull out and host their own events.

I am disappointed that they still haven't updated the Mac mini. I've been thinking of grabbing one for a while, but not until they update it first.

I do agree, however, that anyone who thought an iPhone nano was coming is living in a dream world. Keep following the rabbit all you like, sometimes the rabbit hole doesn't end, at least not where you want it to.

Apple survives on maintaining perpetual hype. Much like LTD is showing by doing his "the best is yet to come" broken record routine, the only way for Apple to survive and remain relevant is for people to keep talking about them...and to keep hoping (often in vain) that something better is right around the corner.

Articles like this are what is commonly referred to as "spin" or, more accurately, "damage control". ;)

[blachole]

People need to open their eyes and get used to a world without Steve Jobs. The day is coming sadly where he won't be around, but that doesn't mean the end of Apple. Apple has a group of very talented people and their products will continue to impress as the years progress.

[matt4pack]

That's about the most dumb thing ever written. Apple doesn't create the hype as it comes from all the rumor mongering. If anything Apple has been trying in recent years to lessen the hype as they have grown because when you have all this hype you can never live up to the expectations. It's no wonder Apple is stopping MacWorld because people can never be satisfied. I wasn't disappointed at all yesterday because I don't get my hopes up for some magical product in the first place which everyone else seems to do every year. I guess they never learn. I would have liked to see a new mini though but what are you gonna do? I'm sure it's coming somewhat soon.

[LTD]

It's all about having fun, people. Take some time to enjoy what we've got. Trap door under Schiller not activated. Success!

[Quillz]

People care this much about a keynote speech? Really?

[LTD]

People care this much about a keynote speech? Really?

It's a totally different (cult)ure at Apple, and with the Mac Faithful.

It's been this way for a long time, especially since The Second Coming. ;)

[Quillz]

It's a totally different (cult)ure at Apple, and with the Mac Faithful.

It's been this way for a long time, especially since The Second Coming. ;)

The "Mac Faithful?" And is it a truly different culture, or a culture that you and the "Mac Faithful" have invented to justify Apple's high price of hardware?

I use Apple products myself, but I'm not a religious zealot about it. Don't you realize that Apple, as a company, is just as "evil" as all other companies? They're only out to make money and then more money. They get the most money from the zealots who treat the company like a religious entity. The "Second Coming" brought record profits, remember.

[9UnknownMen]

Over/under on what makes it farther, those new 'revolutionary' non-removable batteries or Steve Jobs?

[perochan]

People care this much about a keynote speech? Really?

you said it.

why care so much about a freaking keynote speech. steve or no steve, all the same. as long someone delivers the speech it is all good.

[9UnknownMen]

you said it.

why care so much about a freaking keynote speech. steve or no steve, all the same. as long someone delivers the speech it is all good.

C'mon, you seriously can't tell me you havent heard of the Cult of Mac. Macworld is like their Bonaroo or Loolapalooza or what have you.

Jobs can literally come out on stage at MacWorld, squat and lay a huge one and christen it the 'iTurd' and you'll have everyone in the audience drool and line up to buy it.

[sundayx Veteran]

Mac cult lives....

[Ricardo Gil]

People care this much about a keynote speech? Really?

People care about the products being shown. Is that so hard to believe?

[Rudy]

personally I was hoping for a bit more, but last year crappy keynote should have been a warning.

I started keeping track of the keynotes in 2005 (as I was getting more and more interested in OSX), and the keynotes always had better products/news:

2005: Mac Mini - I actually ended up buying my first mac after watching the keynote, I ended up selling it shortly after to my mother who is still using it as her main computer.

2006: Switch to Intel - That was great news and it helped Apple a lot, there wasn't enough cooperation between IBM and Apple unlike how it is with Intel now

This year could have been much better with a demo of Snow Leopard and an update to the poor mac mini (who in their right mind would buy one right now? It's awfully outdated :()

[Blaine]

<3 to Phil!!! If Steve cannot do keynotes, I am glad to have Phil as a back up :)

[LTD]

The "Mac Faithful?" And is it a truly different culture, or a culture that you and the "Mac Faithful" have invented to justify Apple's high price of hardware?

I use Apple products myself, but I'm not a religious zealot about it. Don't you realize that Apple, as a company, is just as "evil" as all other companies? They're only out to make money and then more money. They get the most money from the zealots who treat the company like a religious entity. The "Second Coming" brought record profits, remember.

Quillz, it was just a joke.

All companies are '"evil" (?) - I'm not even sure what that word means outside of a Tolkien-esque context. There really is no "evil" among people or even corporate entities. We all act out of mixed (and very human) motives. As long as Apple keeps creating the kinds of products I'm (or we) are looking for, and at the price points that the market can bear and continues to bear, then I have no problem with them.

There is a class of Windows user - or rather general computer user (since computer is synonymous with Windows), that has never enjoyed using MS' products. This class of user is far larger than people might assume. I don't claim to know exactly why they exist - there are probably numerous reasons. But these users were keenly interested in a different experience and one they'd find more satisfying. They simply couldn't continue to work in their tech environment, and more importantly (whether consciously or not), placed a premium on the actual user experience - putting ease of use and aesthetics above almost all else. They found it with Apple. So why all the fuss? Part of the reason for their enthusiasm with Apple is that they find the experience so different and refreshing that it rekindled a newfound interest not only in tech, but in everything Apple, since Apple at least on the surface, seems very much like everything MS is not, and very much like what these people wanted so badly. This is made manifest because everything Apple produces has a natural continuity and relationship to everything else it produces. This provides for a very personal, comfortable, homogenous experience - and it is this homogeneity that these users (including me) were always looking for. It appears in the way applications look and feel from one to the other, or on a more macrocosmic level, in the way the devices work so seamlessly with one another while maintaining that same look and feel. Everything Apple produces is pulled toward a unified, familial center by a centripetal force. OS X is the iPhone is the iPod is the Macbook Pro is iLife is the Mini, etc. It's all the variety without any the kind of disconnect that they otherwise perceive clearly in a Microsoft environment. Truth doesn't matter here. Perception does. That goes for Windows users as equally as for Apple/OS X users.

As a result, the expectations and standards of the Apple community are necessarily different from the rest of the tech community. We put hardware, software, choice, pricing scales, all on different levels of priority. And we care a bit more about the products being shown because of how much we value the kind of homogeneity mentioned previously, and because of just how well Apple has delivered in this area over the years. We hope it continues, especially since it does not represent the majority.

So there you have it. Hopefully it explained a few things, or at least made them seem less murky.

Edited January 7, 2009 by LTD

[kyro]

common really? lets not downplay the expectations making them sound unreal, the other part of world is getting cheaper and faster hardware before even we come to know about it, they are going on with netbooks, tablets and what not, we are not spoiled but lately with grand pace of innovations and advancements, we are starved.

/takes my apple hat off.

[suspiria]

Though some of what you said was taken word-for-word from The Macalope, I do agree that the keynote was not as bad as what others are saying. Phil Schiller did a great job speaking and did the demos well. It wasn't as smooth as Jobs' Keynotes, but that's okay. Hopefully we'll see a new Mac Mini and more information on Snow Leopard soon.

[Quillz]

Though some of what you said was taken word-for-word from The Macalope, I do agree that the keynote was not as bad as what others are saying. Phil Schiller did a great job speaking and did the demos well. It wasn't as smooth as Jobs' Keynotes, but that's okay. Hopefully we'll see a new Mac Mini and more information on Snow Leopard soon.

Am I the only one who doesn't care who gives the keynote as long as something of note is released or at least mentioned? People who are getting upset over rumors that didn't prove true are just whining... They. Were. RUMORS. iLife '09, iWork '09 and the 17'' MacBook Pro were all released yesterday, and one could make the argument that they were three major products. We were also told that the iTunes Store will be DRM-free, which is another rather large announcement to make. It's well established now that a new Mac mini will be released, likely alongside a new iMac, but we'll have to wait for a special Apple event. And again, that's exactly the reason why Apple is moving away from Macworld: so they can host their own special events when the products ARE READY for release. Like I mentioned earlier, the new Mac mini could have been announced yesterday, only to be footnoted that it won't ship until March. I'd much rather have an event in March and be told the Mac mini is available on the same day, just like the iPod events since 2005 have always produced at least one model available immediately.

[LTD]

Though some of what you said was taken word-for-word from The Macalope, I do agree that the keynote was not as bad as what others are saying. Phil Schiller did a great job speaking and did the demos well. It wasn't as smooth as Jobs' Keynotes, but that's okay. Hopefully we'll see a new Mac Mini and more information on Snow Leopard soon.

The Macalope and I are very, very close. ;)

[9UnknownMen]

The Macalope and I are very, very close. ;)

No way, I remember him saying he was Canuckistani once on MBW. :p

[MasterC]

It's a totally different (cult)ure at Apple, and with the Mac Faithful.

It's been this way for a long time, especially since The Second Coming. ;)

Quillz, it was just a joke.

All companies are '"evil" (?) - I'm not even sure what that word means blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.

No offense, but I think you've reached a new level of fanboyism. Every thing you post contains nothing but the highest praises for Apple. I'm beginning to wonder if Steve gave you a portable RDF generator or something.

[LTD]

Every thing you post contains nothing but the highest praises for Apple.

Just giving credit where I think it's due. Again, I might think a bit differently from you. We're all entitled. It's all part of the ongoing discourse around here.

When I'm unhappy with Apple or dissatisfied, I'll let you all know.

And no, I'm not offended. You all assume "fanboy" is a pejorative term. I don't treat it as one.

[DavidM]

Quillz, it was just a joke.

All companies are '"evil" (?) - I'm not even sure what that word means outside of a Tolkien-esque context. There really is no "evil" among people or even corporate entities. We all act out of mixed (and very human) motives. As long as Apple keeps creating the kinds of products I'm (or we) are looking for, and at the price points that the market can bear and continues to bear, then I have no problem with them.

There is a class of Windows user - or rather general computer user (since computer is synonymous with Windows), that has never enjoyed using MS' products. This class of user is far larger than people might assume. I don't claim to know exactly why they exist - there are probably numerous reasons. But these users were keenly interested in a different experience and one they'd find more satisfying. They simply couldn't continue to work in their tech environment, and more importantly (whether consciously or not), placed a premium on the actual user experience - putting ease of use and aesthetics above almost all else. They found it with Apple. So why all the fuss? Part of the reason for their enthusiasm with Apple is that they find the experience so different and refreshing that it rekindled a newfound interest not only in tech, but in everything Apple, since Apple at least on the surface, seems very much like everything MS is not, and very much like what these people wanted so badly. This is made manifest because everything Apple produces has a natural continuity and relationship to everything else it produces. This provides for a very personal, comfortable, homogenous experience - and it is this homogeneity that these users (including me) were always looking for. It appears in the way applications look and feel from one to the other, or on a more macrocosmic level, in the way the devices work so seamlessly with one another while maintaining that same look and feel. Everything Apple produces is pulled toward a unified, familial center by a centripetal force. OS X is the iPhone is the iPod is the Macbook Pro is iLife is the Mini, etc. It's all the variety without any the kind of disconnect that they otherwise perceive clearly in a Microsoft environment. Truth doesn't matter here. Perception does. That goes for Windows users as equally as for Apple/OS X users.

As a result, the expectations and standards of the Apple community are necessarily different from the rest of the tech community. We put hardware, software, choice, pricing scales, all on different levels of priority. And we care a bit more about the products being shown because of how much we value the kind of homogeneity mentioned previously, and because of just how well Apple has delivered in this area over the years. We hope it continues, especially since it does not represent the majority.

So there you have it. Hopefully it explained a few things, or at least made them seem less murky.

Thank you for the biggest laugh I've ever had reading a post here on Neowin. I'm sorry but you sound like a 12 year old girl in love with an American Idol contestant. I've tried to respect your opinion in the past but this is just too much. Your love for Apple distorts your ability to see anything but sunshine coming from anything related to it. Good luck.