“Although it’s only a fraction of the size and popularity of CES, MacWorld Expo always draws a disproportionate amount of attention because of Apple’s enigmatic and charismatic CEO Steve Jobs and the company’s palpably desirable products. And this year, Jobs and company didn’t disappoint. Apple announced a slew of new products, including a new version of its award-winning iLife suite of applications, a new productivity suite called iWorks that includes the new Pages word processor, and an HDTV version of Final Cut Express called, logically enough, Final Cut HD,” Paul Thurrott writes for Connected Home Media.
“But those weren’t the two biggest announcements Jobs made at the show. No, the two big announcements concerned Apple’s two core products, the iPod and the Macintosh. On the iPod front, Jobs revealed that Apple was going after the 29 percent of the MP3 player market that is based on flash RAM, rather than hard disks. To tackle this market, the company is releasing a new low-end iPod unit, the iPod shuffle, which features 512MB or 1GB of RAM, no screen, and a form factor that’s about as big as a pack of gum. The iPod shuffle, like the iPod before it, will likely be a huge success: It combines the beautiful aesthetics of Apple’s products with the company’s unique needs of the market. Unlike competing flash RAM devices, the iPod shuffle doesn’t feature a screen, so it does away with the ‘tortured’ UI those devices employ. Instead, the iPod shuffle uses a toggle switch on its back to move between shuffle mode and straight play, perfect for the 100 to 250 songs the devices hold,” Thurrott writes.
“On the Mac front, Apple is aggressively targeting the low-end PC market for the first time with the $500 Mac mini, which features an amazingly small chassis, iBook-like internals (including a smaller, laptop-style hard disk), and no mouse or keyboard. Based on the PowerMac G4 platform, the Mac mini is Apple’s cheapest-ever computer, and although it falls short of today’s $500 PCs—which typically feature 17″ screens, printers, more RAM, and bigger hard disks, not to mention keyboards and mice—I expect it to be a big hit. Indeed, don’t be surprised to see the Mac mini reverse Apple’s PC market share slide. Here’s why: Like the iPod, the Mac mini is an affordable luxury, and a relatively inexpensive way for customers to experience the wonders of Mac OS X. Definitely worth a look,” Thurrott writes.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Thurrott has been remarkably consistent about Apple’s iPod shuffle and Mac mini in the various publications for which he writes. Did he really write, “the wonders of Mac OS X?” Spooky, huh? We’ll keep an eye on him to see if this dramatic change is just some short-lived New Year’s resolution about trying to write only the truth or a longer-term objectivity shift.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Tech writer Thurrott: ‘Apple and the Mac are back’ – January 17, 2005
Kiss of death II: Thurrott wants an Apple Mac mini, calls it ‘drool-worthy’ – January 12, 2005
* * * Somewhere between 12/15/2004 and 1/12/2005, Paul receives a severe electrical shock from his Wintel laptop perhaps?
Thurrott: Apple copying Microsoft’s Longhorn search features with Mac OS X ‘Spotlight’ – December 15, 2004
Thurrott: Mac ‘doesn’t offer much value over Wintel-based systems’ – November 01, 2004
Thurrott: ‘Give Microsoft credit for leading the way in digital entertainment’ – October 15, 2004
Thurrott: Apple’s ‘iPod Mini isn’t a sales phenomenon at all’ – March 25, 2004
Thurrott is thoroughly bipolar.
My theory is that Thurrott is getting a disproportionate number of web hits from the Mac crowd, so he is changing his tune.
Maybe these are just the first Apple products that have really appealed to him. And for someone as pro-PC as him, that’s saying a lot. So maybe all this talk of the Mac Mini being a trojan horse are true.
“My theory is that Thurrott is getting a disproportionate number of web hits from the Mac crowd, so he is changing his tune.”
Actually he hasn’t changed his tune. He has been always been very complimentary and surprisingly objective about Apple’s products on Connected Home Media and Internet Nexus, while bashing the hell out of them on Wininfo for the wintel fanboys. I remember when the iPod was introduced, he raved about it on Connected Home Media and raked it over the coals on Wininfo in the same week. Let’s see what he has to say on his Wininfo site before we canonize him.
“me” is correct to state that his writing indicates bipolar disorder, but the simple fact is that he cynically plays to his audience. He tells them what he thinks they want to hear.
Good for Paul.
I’ll give credit where credit is due. He has appropriately recognized Apple for their innovations and achievements, and he seems to be rooting for some desperately needed market share improvement.
Viridian,
Thurrott already did say something on WinInfo:
Tech writer Thurrott: ‘Apple and the Mac are back’
No, I think it’s quite clear that Thurrott has been secretly replaced by a robot. Perhaps a new product that even ThinkSecret didn’t pick up on called the iDiot. Look for the Apple logo hidden somewhere around his hairline. The real Thurrott is surely tied up in a broom closet somewhere in Cupertino.
The link in Peter’s post above has been fixed.
He actually posted that on Wininfo? I’m in shock! Hey! Who are you really, and what have you done with Paul Thurrott?
Don’t forget this one:
http://www.internet-nexus.com/
Paul’s a certifiable convert, I’m tellin’ ‘ya.
I’m so scared. Things just don’t make sense anymore. By that I mean that Thurrott does make sense, and it’s a little unsettling. It’s nice to see that he now likes some Apple products, even if it is just temporary (hopefully not).
It’s almost as if Thurrott’s previous dislike of Apple was based solely on price. With his change of heart seemingly pivoting on the introduction of low-end Apple products, it’s almost like he’s always secretly yearned for Apple’s products, but since he felt they cost to much he could only lash out at Apple with biased insults. Now that Apple has put out a product that meets HIS price guidelines, he can finally sing out his previously restrained praises.
Funny, my word is “feeling” as in he can share his feelings.
Last I checked, the Express version of Final Cut was called “Final Cut Express HD,” not just “Final Cut HD.” I guess he’s not paid by the word, or he wouldn’t have missed that.
I’ve always felt that Paul had an opinion on Apple and it’s products which swayed from time to time between “likes” and “dislikes”, depending upon the product.
Therefore, sometimes his opinion sucked, and sometimes it didn’t.
Now you’re all saying that he’s weirded out because he happens to say the current batch of products are great, when you were all expecting him to slag them off… what’s up guys? Can’t you handle it?
Don’t worry. Enderlie is still a Mac hating whore. They haven’t all been replaced by the iPod people.
Don’t believe the hype. Turdrot is the worst sort of bandwagon bandit. He deserves to be shunned – no matter what BS he’s spewing at the time.
“it falls short of today’s $500 PCs—which typically feature. . . more RAM, and bigger hard disks.” What?!?!?!
Like the bigger 40 GB HD found in the $499 Dell Dimension 3000, or the 40 GB HD found in the $699 Dimension 4700, or the 40 GB HD found in the $800 Dimension 4700c, or the 40 GB HD found in the $899 other Dimension 4700c? He must have been talking about the brick size not the capacity. The higher price computers also feature the bigger 256 MB of RAM. (The $899 Dell does have more RAM)
BTW – I listed the Dell’s “sale” prices.
He’s feeling the change in the wind
Apple posted huge profits this quarter
Apple have increase their sales over that of their competitors.
Mac Browsers have steadily increased their market share (also note that Firefox and Mozilla are collectively taken 20 % of the browser market – IE is now down to 75%
Apple have released new low end ipods and macs.
The tide is finally turning and even Thurrot can see it happening.
When Tiger comes out and the sales of ipods and macs are released, there are going to be a lot of worried PC makers around. Gates is probably worried too.
Pee Turd-rot is irrelevant to the Mac community, please MDN ignore him.
I don’t know which side he is trying to please, but I do know he is an A$$HOLE!!!
I actually clicked on the link and went to the site to encourage him. We should make sure he gets clicks when he writes accurate things about Apple and none when he does not. It still is a bit creepy to get this kind of thing from him.
I believe that Paul is:
1) Impressed with the speed of innovating at Apple.
2) Recognizing M$ is going nowhere, they have lost it, innovating is not longer possible with Windows, without getting rid of backward compatibility.
Turrot is jumping on the Apple band wagon before its to late.
The guy knows its over for the PC’s and he wants to swap sides.
He’s just given in to all the thumpings you lot have given him over the years!!
He’s probably just trying to show who’s boss to his handlers at Microsoft, who forgot to send their usual couple bucks per negative printed word about Apple and other competitors.
Thurrott must have used a Mac and an iPod, and now he is hooked!