Digital Journal — When I buy Macintosh apples at the grocery store I often chuckle to myself, since I think more about computers than I do produce. But now, my Apple-minded train of thought extends beyond my shopping trips, as the PC trailblazer has also become known for other delicious goodies.
Thanks to iPod’s burgeoning success and the PC redesign around a G5 processor, Apple announced it’s 2005 first-quarter results today, and the earnings far surpassed expectations: the Mac maker posted a net profit of $295 million (US), on a revenue of $3.49 billion (US).
“We are thrilled to report the highest quarterly revenue and net income in Apple’s history,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. Apple shipped five times more iPods this quarter compared to last year at the same time, and enjoyed a 26 per cent increase in Mac sales.
On the heels of this financial boom, it’s no surprise that Apple has now come out with a flurry of new products that would make the most hardened techie titter with excitement. Ringing in the New Year on a flashy note, Apple has unveiled gadgets and software that appeal to music-lovers, musicians, filmmakers, business leaders and Mac fans.
In short, there’s something for everyone.
Below is a summary of Apple’s latest goodies that prove the company is determined to lead the pack (all prices listed in Canadian dollars):
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The 512MB iPod Shuffle holds up to 120 songs and the 1GB version holds 240. |
iPod shuffle
It’s tiny, it’s inexpensive and it loves surprises. iPod shuffle randomly selects songs from your playlist so you never know which tune is going to blast from your earphones. The 512MB model holds up to 120 songs and the 1GB version holds 240 tracks, and they’re both very affordable: $129 for the 512MB, and $189 for the 1GB.
Jobs says the new iPod allows hands-free musical pleasure. “With iPod shuffle, you just relax and it serves up new combinations of your music every time you listen,” he says.
Smaller and lighter than a pack of gum, iPod shuffle is wearable with an attached cord, works seamlessly with iTunes’ Autofill feature and doubles as a portable USB flash drive with up to 1GB of storage space. It may not have as much storage space as the regular iPod but for music-lovers in the mood for a random mix of their playlists, iPod shuffle becomes the everyday DJ.
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Available in the U.S. on Jan. 22 and worldwide on Jan. 29, the Mac Mini is poised to attract frustrated Windows users or inquisitive PC fans always hunting for an alternative to clunky desktops. |
Mac Mini
This new desktop computer from Apple follows the current trend that small is the cool. Forget “Bigger is better” because the new Mac Mini weighs only three pounds, yet it boasts up to a 1.42 GHz processor power.
As a standalone PC starting at $629, the headless Mac Mini is an affordable way to enjoy OS X and iLife ’05 (see preview below), both included. Part of the Mini’s innards is an ATI Radeon 9200 graphics card, 32MB of dedicated DDR memory and a slot-loading 24X DVD/CD-RW combo drive. Like the similarly compact iMac G5, all the ports and power button are grouped together on the back panel.
Available in the U.S. on Jan. 22 and worldwide on Jan. 29, the Mac Mini is poised to attract frustrated Windows users or inquisitive PC fans always hunting for an alternative to clunky desktops.
iLife ‘05
“If you have a digital camera, digital camcorder or create music, iLife ’05 is built for you,” says Jobs, summing up iLife’s mandate. I always considered this massive software bundle as a jack-of-all-trades ideal for those with intense digital dedication. Featuring major new versions of each useful application, iLife ’05 tweaks what has already been a favourite in home studios worldwide.
iPhoto 5 adds advanced editing tools to touch up photos without leaving the app. It also includes a sideshow builder which allows easy application of effects and transitions to each slide. iMovie HD catches up to growing trends by capturing and editing High Definition Video found on the latest camcorders. Import videos into separate clips, add titles and music, all in one step. iDVD 5 allows users to create DVDs by plugging in a DV camcorder and clicking a button, as well as featuring moving drop zones that display video clips across DVD menus. GarageBand 2 is for the do-it-yourself musician looking for 8-track recording to capture the entire band at once. It also displays musical notation in real time for more advanced rockers. Finally, iTunes 4.7 is the latest version of a digital jukebox known to supply sidekicks such as iPod, iMovie and the other iLife apps.
iLife, available Jan. 29, retails for $99 and requires a PowerPC G3, G4 or G5 processor, and Mac OS X v10.2.6 or later.
Final Cut Express HD
Film enthusiasts aspiring to be the next Tarantino should take a long hard look at Apple’s upgrade of its video editing application. Final Cut Express HD delivers real-time high-definition editing tools and offers hundreds of transitions, filters and effects to enhance video projects. The flexible interface lets you move seamlessly between editing, compositing and effects functions.
And for those aspiring Tarantinos who loved Kill Bill‘s impressive soundtrack, you can easily add sound to your movies with a collection of 4,000 royalty-free instrument loops and sound effects, turning musical scoring into a less intimidating task.
Final Cut Express HD will be available in February for $379, with an upgrade price of $119 for current Final Cut Express owners.
iWork ’05
Microsoft Office is a Goliath who should be nervous about an enterprising David making bold steps in 2005. Apple’s iWork ’05 bundles Pages — a stylin’ word processor — with Keynote 2, a new version of presentation software perfect for tech-friendly business staff. Selling for $99, the productivity suite integrates with iLife ’05 and opens the door to creating graphs, newsletters, presentation and ad brochures.
Pages is a super-charged word processor known for its cool add-ons: Wrap text around any graphic, create free-form arrangements of text and revel in the advanced typography and font-handling. Pages can also export documents to PDF, HTML, and Microsoft Word format.
Keynote 2 debunks the myth that only veteran techies can create stunning presentations. With a simple interface, this app makes slide presentations as easy to assemble as a light lunch. The Presenter mode lets you preview and manage a presentation running on a projector, still quite popular in boardroom meetings.
Together, Pages and Keynote 2 work as a design-friendly successor to AppleWorks by focusing on the looks and compatibility of its components. In an increasingly visual business environment, the accompanying graphics are as important as the supporting text. iWork ’05 morphs dry assignments into futuristic fun.
