Macworld

Changes to garageband, and iMovie, and iPhoto, and some iWork programs...
A new macbook...
And some changes to the iTunes store.

That was the macworld keynote today, given by VP Philip Schiller.

Jen wants an iMac. I do too. My first computer was an Apple. I used a Mac at Northeast Broadcasting school and learned a few good things on it. I used a Mac for a couple of classes at Middlesex Community College and did some cool stuff. I used a Mac in the Systems Lab at UMass Lowell and got to the point where I was just as good with it as I am with Windows (which admittedly isn't all that good.)

We were hoping for some swanky new iMac upgrades that we could plan on getting at some point after the wedding, but Apple thought otherwise. I think I might prefer to get a macbook so I can use it all over the house (specifically in the cellar where my little wannabe recording studio is set up) but looking at the specs... the desktop is the way to go. It's so much better.

I'm not really up on their software packages so I don't know what to make of their iLife and iWork upgrades. I do know that the last time I was a Mac user (2001-2004) iMovie was the coolest video program in the universe. It was basic and very easy to use, but still very powerful. I guess at some point they let it slide and then last year rebooted the whole thing, with mixed results. It sounds like they are adding back all the things that were missing. As for iPhoto, it sounds like they are making the same changes google made to Picassa.

Garageband sounds really cool. They added functionality to allow you to take 9 lessons on guitar or keyboard, including lessons from famous musicians... for a price of course. That sounds pretty awesome. I am not sure what that program entails, but when we eventually buy a Mac for Jen I plan on using it every time she steps away from her desk.

The new laptop is a 17" Macbook Pro. They made a big deal out of the battery. Sure it lasts a long time. Sure it can be recharged 1000 times... but it's still not replacable. That's the major downside of all things macbook. If something goes wrong you can't replace the offending part.

Music downloaded from the iTunes store is now free from Digital Rights Management restrictions. Finally. All it took to get this was to cave in to the blood suckers running the RIAA and let them charge more for music. That's all. The Recording Industry has been trying to get their filthy mits on iTune's pricing forever and now they have it. New, hit songs will now sell for $1.29. Back catalog songs will sell for $0.69. Yippee. So the songs that almost no one wants to buy are cheaper and the songs that almost everyone wants to buy are now more expensive. Great. Thanks for dropping to your knees Apple. Removing DRM was not worth letting those pricks dictate your pricing. Not even close. Especially when anyone with iTunes can easily figure out a way around your DRM. Good move.

I still want a Mac though.