We're only half way through January and two of the biggest technology events of the year have happened -- the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, and MacWorld in San Francisco. Both events can contribute to our perspective on trends in technology, each in its own way: CES provides broad market, global perspective; MacWorld provides vision.
CES is a sea of big, flat-screen TVs -- who has the biggest, the thinnest, the cheapest. There are all the big brands you'd expect to see, plus dozens of mostly Asian brands you've never heard of competing for shelf space at Best Buy. But that's not new -- it's been that way for several years. The two key trends from this year: GPS and wi-max.
GPS technology seems to have finally trickled down to the masses, with lower prices on personal navigation devices (PNDs) and more widespread applications into non-navigation uses like having your mobile phone know where you are and accessing location-relevant information (and advertising).
The other thing that caught my attention is Wi-MAX -- think of it as long distance wi-fi. The specifics of the technology aren't that important to understand (in the context of this blog). The key takeaway is that we're on the road to wireless broadband anywhere and everywhere. Two years? Five? Ten? I'm not sure about when the business model will evolve to make the service available everywhere, but the technology is getting there quickly.
The not-as-impressive-as-the-iPhone big announcement from MacWorld was the introduction of the MacBook Air. It's being touted as the world's thinnest laptop, but that really overlooks the features that make this a revolutionary product.
A few years back, Apple took a lot of heat when they introduced the first desktop computer without a floppy drive. People thought they were crazy; they weren't, they were just first. The first to recognize technology that had been made obsolete by CD-ROM and ethernet technology. Now back to the MacBook Air: it doesn't have an optical (CD/DVD) drive or an ethernet port. Apple has assumed that anyone who uses this laptop will be high-speed wireless enabled, making those older technologies obsolete. (Why would you actually buy a DVD movie when you can download it on-demand from anywhere for 20% of the cost of the DVD?) Sure, it will take some time for other computer makers to catch up (and for many consumers to catch on), but three cheers for Apple having the guts to say it's time to move on.
Comments (2)
Wow. A laptop w/o a CD/DVD drive? I feel the same way about that as I did when the iMac debuted--it feels wrong but somehow it will end up being right.
Posted by Dion Warrick on January 22, 2008 3:19 PM
Hmmm...no optical device. I guess that means all the software you ever want or need is either on the laptop, or you can get it via the internet. I'll ask the questions...
1.) Do you get all of your software via downloads?
2.) Have you every downloaded a DVDs worth of program (yes, many of them do come on DVDs now, since the mere .7 gig you put on a CD is not enough).
3.) I suppose this would be effective on the coasts of the US...perhaps you all have great wireless coverage everywhere you go. Here in the Midwest, it's restricted to the coffee shops, airports, and random Micky Dee's. And in between? On the road?
4.) Rather than saying it's time to move on, it looks more to me like a way to keep initial costs low by decontenting, and then charging the customer twice for these things when they attempt to buy the capabilities in the aftermarket. (Keep those channel sales high!).
Sorry for the cynical attitude, but Apple's continued refusal to allow their customers to use software / media the customer has paid for...on no other hardware but Apples, is not a consumer friendly stance. Methinks their marketing is not offered in a progressive gesture, but rather in a protective manner towards their own profits. Nothing wrong with profits, but folks should be aware of their rights or lack of rights with any given product.
Posted by Rich Gosselin on February 14, 2008 11:12 PM