“Could 2006 be the year that personal computers once again dominate the technology news? PC innovation has been in short supply, and the last really big events came in 2001 when Apple released its OS X operating system and Microsoft followed with Windows XP. Next year promises to bring major changes in both software and hardware,” Stephen H. Wildstrom writes for BusinessWeek. “Apple and Microsoft will again provide the bookends for the year. In January, Apple is expected to unveil the first Macs based on Intel processors. These are likely to include a new generation of mobile chips designed to bring more desktop-like performance to Windows and Mac laptops. And in the fall, Microsoft will release a version of Windows, called Vista, that will bring the first major change in the look and feel of the operating system in a decade. Even without seeing the final product, Microsoft critics already are deriding Vista as just another pretty face. But its real importance lies in security enhancements designed to attack the plague of viruses, worms, and spyware that is crippling computers and damaging consumer confidence in online commerce.”
“PCs won’t upstage the iPod in 2006. Indeed, the advances we’ll see in computing all reflect the importance of digital entertainment, which the iPod helped establish,” Wildstrom writes. “Apple also helped set the stage for a leap in Internet-based programming. The buzz became a reality in 2005, especially with Disney’s deal to sell TV shows at the iTunes Music Store… But I think video on the Net won’t score in the mass market until it becomes easy to watch on your big-screen TV, not just on a PC or an iPod… The big surprise of 2006 could be an Apple-Intel alliance that brings Viiv capabilities to the new Intel-based Macs… A partnership could allow Intel to do the technological heavy lifting, while letting Apple apply its incomparable talents for design and ease of use. I can’t promise that Apple and Intel will actually get together and build the perfect digital entertainment hub — thus disrupting the info-tech industry, consumer electronics, and the entertainment biz all in one shot. But it could happen.”
Full article here.
Nobody is excited about Microsoft’s Windows Vista (aka “Trainwreck” or “Windows XP SP3”). If Windows XP was “innovative,” they must have changed the definition of “innovative” since the last time we checked it. Microsoft is a company in decline, Apple is ascendent; 2006 will only serve to clarify this for more people. In fact, don’t even mention both companies and “innovation” in the same sentence, it unfairly demeans Apple and is way too generous towards Microsoft. And please don’t call Vista “pretty,” if you want to be considered credible. “Cartoonish,” “upside down and backwards,” “clearly derivative,” “unintuitive,” and “massively insecure” all work well for Windows XP, “pretty” doesn’t.
Just a note that iPods and iMac G5s connect to TV sets and larger monitors with a simple wire; we understand Wildstrom wants that connection to be even easier (More info via advertisement: Connect iPod to your television set with the iPod AV Cable. Just $19.00.) For connecting your iMac G5 to your TV/monitor of choice, just click this link to the Apple Store
and click “Mac Accessories” then “Cables” and you’ll find the Apple Video Adapter (US$19.00) and the Apple VGA Display Adapter (US$19.00).
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• The New iPod with Video. The ultimate music & video experience on the go. From $299. Free shipping.
• Connect iPod to your television set with the iPod AV Cable. Just $19.00.
• The New iMac G5. Built-in camera and remote control. From $1299. Free shipping.
• Apple USB Modem. Easily connect to the Internet using your dial-up service. $49.00.
Related articles:
Apple, Intel, Microsoft plan living room assault in 2006 – December 16, 2005
Apple juggernaut looks to roll on, strengthen in 2006 – December 15, 2005
Hedge fund manager Cody Willard: ‘Apple could become more valuable than Microsoft sometime in 2007’ – December 15, 2005
Intel’s Yonah demo shows TiVo-like features buoying rumors of Apple Mac mini digital hub with DVR – December 14, 2005
Intel: no comment on Apple participating in ‘Viiv’ entertainment platform – November 30, 2005
RUMOR: Apple to employ Intel’s ‘Robson’ NAND flash tech to create ‘instant-on’ Macs – November 22, 2005
Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ ultimate goal: ‘to take back the computer business from Microsoft’ – June 16, 2005
Apple and Microsoft battle for control of future living rooms – June 01, 2005
Apple’s shift to Intel really all about Hollywood, owning the living room, and Transitive – June 05, 2005
With Mac mini Apple CEO Jobs attacks the Achilles heel of Windows dominance: the living room – January 14, 2005
Apple Computer will own the living room, not Microsoft – January 10, 2005
Can Apple crack the living-room conundrum before Microsoft? – December 30, 2004
NY Times: Can Steve Jobs put Apple in the center of your living room? – March 23, 2004
One of the problems that Apple and others are facing is the fact that no everyone have broadband access. This is essential to distribute the multi-megabyte files that video will require in it’s present iPod level of encoding. And that is going to get worst once customers demand higher resolutions.
But clearly Apple will be innovating, 2006 is going to be a great year for Apple!
cedreca, You aren’t wrong, but there are grass-roots initiatives out there now to finally get wireless broadband out to all the corners of the world where broadband in any form is currently not available . . .
http://muniwireless.com/municipal/
NPR also had a great story a couple nights ago on community based wireless broadband efforts in West Virginia, as an example.
if u still have dial-up, u should be shot like a rabid dog
Quote:
“MacDailyNews Take: Nobody is excited about Microsoft’s Windows Vista (aka “Trainwreck” or “Windows XP SP3”). If Windows XP was “innovative,” they must have changed the definition of “innovative” since the last time we checked it.”
Trust me, when Vista is finally released, the press and the Windows lemmings will hail it the greatest operating system of all time. Thats just the way it is. There is just a vast amount of ignorance out there.
HuskerMac,
Your words ring true!
Interesting that one could say the same thing about every Mac OS X release, too…
It’s all a metter of perspective.
Vista will be much better than XP according to the standards established by and for Microsoft.
However, it seems unlikely that Vista will be comparable to any OS X.
I’m not convinced Vista will be hailed. Oh, it’s true…some people will embrace it, some writers will praise it…but it is very important to remember that many people still use Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows ME, and of course XP (sans SP2)…
the fear out there is palpable..and upgrades are part of that. I think the reason for delay (or one important one) is that Microsoft realizes it MUST have a home run. It needs it for a number of reasons all obvious. So they are essentially “trying not to fail” by taking as few risks as possible. Yes, that’s a road to ruin…but big companies with tons of decision makers work that way.
The Vista release will, in my opinion, be a huge opportunity for Apple. People cannot just take a set of Vista DVDs and install this on their old hardware. Most likely, the “security” features will also seriously hobble a lot of applications. Backwards compatibility with applications will be poor. Therefore, it is a whole new game. People will need new hardware and new, or newly pirated, software to run Vista.
As we all know, they may just as well buy a Mac then, and get a lot of great software legally and for free, plus a great-looking computer. And the awareness for Apple and the Mac has never been greater. Let’s hope that Intel will be able to deliver on the chips!
How old is the person who writes the MDN takes?
The biggest story of the year 2006 will be that only Apple will be selling computers capable of running OS X, Windows and/or Linux natively and at full speed. That alone will cause an avalanche of new buyers to come Apple’s way. If they come up with the perfect digital hub as well, that’ll just be icing on the cake.
Of course there will be a lot of excitement for Vista, just looook at all the hoopla over X box.
Just wait until PS3 comes out, Xbox will look dated.
Vista will get a lot of press.
screw dial up –
not all of us have the money to pay for broadband. Of course it would be great to have it. Maybe you can pay for some of us to “screw dial up.”
Actually, um, lots of people are very excited about Vista. For example, the other 90% of the personal computing world besides Mac users…
“…beleaguered Microsoft.”
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Yea, Apple is ascending, and Microsoft is descending… at the current rate, Apple might overtake Microsoft in market share by about 2050. And that’ll only be because they include floaties with the computer due to global warming.
Sheesh… Microsoft will not go away any time soon, and if they do, it won’t be because of Apple. It might be in part due to Apple, but I’d suspect many others will have a hand as well (eg. lawsuits, Google, other tech companies and so on.)
When Microsoft’s market share drops 20% (to around 70%), then I’d start with the sky is falling type rumors.
XP took a long long time to make inroads into the Windows user base…
vista will also take a long time – even moreso as you first need to throw out your existing hardware and buy the latest to use it.
By then OSX will have had hugely more exposure and will still compare much more favourably – Why? Because vista is still being delayed, and more importantly is being driven to have less -and fewer- features.
I know where I’ll put my investments…
Microsoft is just SO 20th Century wouldn’t you say?
And…you must realise than in 7 – 12 years time people will have forgotten what viruses were. Some will remember that they were caused by, maintained by and criminally assisted by, the dreadful programming of Microsoft Windows.
Stephen H. Wildstrom writes: “But [Vista’s] real importance lies in security enhancements designed to attack the plague of viruses, worms, and spyware that is crippling computers and damaging consumer confidence in online commerce.”
Not gonna happen.
Those so-called ‘security enhancements’ won’t be there. Windows will continue to be an OS that’s full of holes that virus writers will continue to exploit. As a result, we will start to see a lot more switchers.
The other day, I had someone at work tell me that he’s sick of his computer constantly having viruses and malware/adware. He said his Dell died and he wanted to know which Mac he should get.
People are beginning to realize that you get what you pay for.
to screw dial-up: getting kinda personal there…
BTW, some of us live in rural areas, where no cable company or DSL provider even want to think about serving… and satellite broadband is too freakin’ expensive, not to mention somewhat unreliable… so dial-up still works. Obviously not for serious downloading, but for most everything else… it does work…
on another track… why would I want to watch my ipod video on a big screen tv? At half res, it wouldn’t look that great.
Heck, my Pismo connects to my TV with a simple wire
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