Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ announcements this week “set off some tremors that could have long-range effects on the technology landscape,” Ellen Lee reports for The San Francisco Chronicle.
“Over the years, Jobs has developed a reputation for identifying trends and jumping on them at just the right time. The iPod and iTunes Music Store weren’t the first to tackle the digital music industry, but they managed to turn the market on its ear. Similarly, the iPhone wasn’t the first smart phone, but it is ushering in an era of Internet-enabled mobile devices,” Lee reports.
“That begs the question for Apple’s newest products, the super-slim, lightweight MacBook Air, its revamped Apple TV and online movie-rental service, and the Time Capsule, a backup device,” Lee reports. “Could they have a larger influence than initially thought?”
“Jobs announced a new Apple TV, which no longer requires a computer, and introduced the iTunes movie-rental service, teaming with not just some but all the key film studios, and offering high-definition films for the first time,” Lee reports. “Pundits believe that this go-around may have the desired effect, shifting the movie industry the same way Apple did the music industry, and enabling people to access films through the Internet instead of relying on DVDs or cable or satellite television… Its deal with Twentieth Century Fox also could raise awareness and build a steppingstone toward digital film copies. New DVDs released by Fox will allow customers to make one digital copy to their iTunes library.”
“Time Capsule, which costs between $299 and $499 and stores up to 1 terabyte, fills a critical hole by supplying a place to back up growing collections of digital data automatically and wirelessly,” Lee reports. “Once turned on, users don’t have to remember to connect the Time Capsule to the computer to update it because the backup is done automatically.”
Apple’s new ultra-thin MacBook Air “could make over the notebook industry in other ways as well. Just as few computers come with floppy disk drives today, the MacBook Air does not come with an optical disc drive for CDs or DVDs,” Lee reports. “Instead, consumers are backing up their data wirelessly, downloading movies and music from the Internet and transferring them to their cars using their iPod, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said. And to install software, the MacBook Air’s Remote Disc feature can wirelessly connect to another computer with an optical drive and borrow from it.”
Full article here.
I’m wondering if this will eventually mean that Apple will attempt to make or integrate a digital software store? I’ve been reading and reading, but I can’t find anyone talking about this. Is it just me?
Never, ever, ever, ever underestimate Steve Jobs, period, full stop.
Well I’m pretty pissed that Time Machine still doesn’t work with USB HD’s attached to AEBS.
I’ve got a very expensive setup that Apple advised me to get “in preparation for Leopard” which now doesn’t work.
You mean like the Apple Store?
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?nnmm=browse&mco=8B21AA38&node=home/shop_mac/software
@ @ Questioning
I think the 1st post means a store within iTunes that allows you to download the software for installation.
-rather than order the physical, shiny, plastic disc from the Apple store.
The other side of the coin is also on today’s MDN page…
“Time Warner tests multi-tiered pricing structure based on broadband usage”
If the ISP’s start charging big-bucks for big-bandwidth, it could take a big-bite out of Apple’s plans for a wireless download utopia.
I’m wondering if this will eventually mean that Apple will attempt to make or integrate a digital software store? I’ve been reading and reading, but I can’t find anyone talking about this. Is it just me?”
well maybe itunes will after the iphone sdk
A lawsuit is pending on this bandwidth limits. Hopefully the law will prevail for us consumers for a change and stop this tiered crap before it becomes standard.
“If the ISP’s start charging big-bucks for big-bandwidth . . .”
We can always depend on governments to help. (/heavy sarcasm)
Hey Jamie,
I use TM to back up my desktop and powerbook to the same back up drive. The drive is connected to the desktop and sharing is on. The desktop is not set to sleep.
All I did was mount the back up drive on the PB, choose it as the backup drive for TM and that’s it.
It works perfectly. Backs up wirelessly when the PB is awake.
I’m sure you can do something similar with your set up.
Movie Rentals is a rip off. 24 hours to want a movie !@##@. I assume you can’t rewind or watch it twice in the 24 hours. Steve Jobs is becoming worst than Bill Gates.
I wonder if there will be an OS update before the Time Capsule ships. Perhaps this update will re-enable wireless back ups in general?
You can watch the movie rental as many times as you like, within that 24 hour window.
iDon’t. you can watch it as many times as you want within that 24 hour period. Try it before going and spouting shit you don’t know anything about. And assuming just made an ass out of you…
>Well I’m pretty pissed that Time Machine still doesn’t work with USB HD’s attached to AEBS.
I think there’s an easy fix for this. I don’t know the specifics, but my IT guy searched via Google and found a couple lines of UNIX code that instruct Leopard to connect with a NAS for our TM backups. Granted, this was with OS-X Server, but I *think* it’s the same for all.
There’s also this which might work for you: iTimeMachine. http://www.xiotios.com/itimemachine.html