PC World: Ten Things We Didn't See At WWDC

WWDC 2009 has come and gone.  And it was one of the best I've seen in a long time.  After all, Apple has to make up for a lackluster Macworld, that ended up being the last Macworld keynote ever.


Now, PC World, on behalf of bloggers and critics, is already doing some Monday morning quarterbacking - focusing on things that were missing from WWDC.  Let me be clear, I don't like spreading rumors but, boy, I love them.  Over the years, it's always been rumors, some rooted in truth and others just really really out there, sustain the reality distortion field in between Apple product updates and media events.  


On Apple and Onxo will not traffic in rumors but PC World's article of missing things from WWDC has provided me an opportunity to deal with this.  By address some of the points PC World has brought up, I'll preempt them before they become rumors.


Brilliant, eh?  I'm just gonna pick a couple here and make you head over to PC World to read the rest.

• iTablet - this is what they started off with.  Talk about a greedy lot.  It was never really something that I expected.  I didn't expected it in fall of 2008 and I did not have hope of seeing it on Monday.  Heck, I was surprised to see the new iPhones after 8 demos of the iPhone 3.0.  I thought Apple was just killing time.  With the iPhone 3G S and some of its inner workings now known, we can potentially deduce what the iTablet will be like indirectly.
• FM Transmitter - I think once the intrepid folks get their hands on the iPhone 3G S and gut it, we might find an FM transmitter in there.  Just because Apple didn't say a word about it doesn't meant it isn't there.  Just because Apple doesn't have a word to say about it doesn't mean they won't bring it up at a later day when an add-on feature to iPhone 3.0 update is ready.  Remember the Bluetooth in the iPod Touch?

I've got one of my own.  MobileMe.  And hey, how about the online components of iWorks?  Nothing.  I really expected to see more of that in conjunction with iPhone 3.0.  Perhaps, it's one of those things that Apple will bring up when they're ready.  I still think MobileMe can use some more optimization, particularly the Web components.  Man, they're slow.

A few of the things PC World brought up is just ridiculous but fun reading just the same.  One that really surprise me was removable batteries at number six.  So, fellow Apple mobile warriors, help me out there.  Since when has Apple released an iPod that has removable batteries?  In fact, Apple has only one product left that has removable batteries:  The lone Macbook.  

Adobe Flash.  Okay, I don't even want to go there.  It's not happen, it's not going to happen.  With Flash, iPhone development will be taken out of Apple's hands.  If Flash ever happens for the iPhone, it'll be so crippled Adobe might as well not offer it.  It's the same reason why it's not on Android, WebOS, or Blackberry.

Lastly, another carrier.  Wow, this could have happen and may still happen.  Apple isn't happy with ATT since they can't even get a simple feature like MMS to work for the iPhone.  We discussed ATT being singled out by the crowd.  I speculated on the possibility that ATT may potentially violate its agreement with Apple when it was able to to deliver features for the iPhone.  That may free up Apple to take the iPhone to another carrier.  Apple hates CDMA and in the only other guy in town is T-Mobile.  It not out of the realm of possibility.  But looking further ahead, Apple will need to wait until LTE is completed for it to consider Verizon.

There a few more PC World talked about that was missing from the WWDC keynote.  Look for these ten items to be recycled into rumors in the coming weeks and months.  The only Apple media event we can confidently say will take place is in the fall when the 2009 iPod lineup is introduced.  That'll be in the October-November timeframe.  If we're lucky, Apple might surprise us with something between now and then.  

Via PC World

Note:  PC World missed something obvious:  Apple TV.  One possible rumor to watch out for is iPhone games working on the Apple TV.  More than a few people suggests that Apple is interested in gaming beyond the iPhone and iPod Touch.

ATT Is In Trouble

Who wold have thought that someone else would get booed more at an Apple event than Microsoft.

That's exactly what happened to ATT.  

When Apple started delivering the iPhone for ATT, Apple really delivered.  In the beginning, it was a true partnership.  But with prior 3G issues and now ATT not being able to deliver all the features iPhones 3.0 promises, ATT is starting to look more like a liability.

But ATT still needs Apple and its iPhone to fend off Verizon and its arguably better network.  Now, it's all about playing defense for Ma Bell.  Here's why.

Macbook, You've Been A Great Friend

You were a great friend.  To many of us.  Isn't that right, people?

After the WWDC 2009 keynote, you were left without a companion in the Macbook lineup.  Just you with your white plastic case but very powerful system inside.  Why just last week, Macworld had you pegged as the faster Macbook than your former teammates, those unibody Macbooks with their aluminum case and LED screens.  

But it was you who has been there with us every step of the way, going back to the G3 days.  Then G4.  Now Intel.  You put us through school.  Launched blogs and careers.  Heck, you've probably made those two-man developer teams rich who developed their awesome iPhone apps on you.  You did it all.  There was nothing you couldn't do.

Now, it looks like Apple is prepping you for retirement.  These are going to be the last generation or two of Mac users, switchers, and thousands of school children who will get to know you.  You continue to take good care of them, you hear?  

Look, I'll make sure folks remember you.  I'll keep on telling them stories about your glory years.  And don't mind those 'Softie commercials.  You rock and you put those Vista PCs to shame.  And I don't know what Tim (or Steve) is going to replace you with but you sure left a big shoe to fill.  

I know you can't talk about it.  We know all about that tablet.  But who knows, maybe you'll be around in limited capacity since the kids'll need you to take them through the challenges of the 21st Century.  

Anyway, chin up and head high.  You're still the best, Macbook. 

iPhone 3.0 - Innovative or Mere Playing Catch up

If you're like me, you couldn't be at the WWDC and spent the morning following five or six live blogs providing updates from San Francisco.  And with each update, the more excited I got.  

New Macbooks.  Sales figures (40 million iPhone and iPod Touch users).  Snow Leopard and iPhone 3.0.  And finally, iPhone 3G S.  I had trouble containing my excitement.  Oh, and three cups of coffee didn't help the situation.  

Now hours later, with time to digest the data and allow the reality distortion field to wear off a bit (I'm sure Steve was near by projecting his legendary RDF), I have to ask myself this question.  Did what we see today revolutionary or evolutionary?  Or worse, was Apple merely catching up with features that has been available to the mobile market but has managed to implement them more elegantly and user-friendly?

I can't shake the feeling that there's been a reinventing of the wheel or simply making the wheel easier to use.  Don't make sense?  More at Onxo Gadgets.

Review: Wattpad ebook reader

We're starting to generate some reviews and app analysis. But I'm focusing more on creative contents, ebooks, and games.

The first one I'm reviewing is Wattpad, an ebook file sharing site, that has created an iPhone app for iPhone and iPod users to gain access to its library.

I use Wattpad along with eReader, Stanza, and the Kindle app daily but I especially like the free material that is being shared for readers.

More Wattpad review at Mobile Goodness

WWDC Thoughts

I've waited a whole day to weigh in on the announcements from the WWDC. I've made some notes but I'm not about to weigh in just yet.

For some reason, this is very different. This is a very different beast up at Cupertino. Maybe it's because there is no Steve. But it's more.

Just a few quick notes here:

• Phandroid wondered if the $99 iPhone 3G was an attempt to clear out the stock. No. It's not. I've wondered about that myself but this is Apple going for the kill. The iPhone is the one to beat. And here's what amazing about the competition (except maybe Android): they're trying to beat the iPhone with smartphones. Folks, the iPhone and iPod Touch are a part of mobile computing platform (iTablet will be too when it's finally released). The iPhone just happens to be a handheld computer that makes phone calls.

• Moving the 13" Macbooks up to the Pro league. It's been talked about as a mini Pro but who would have thought that Apple would give the unibody Macbooks the pro designation. Apple is gearing the Macbook Pros for the corporate market. Don't ever say that Apple doesn't have a corporate business plan. This is it.

• And speaking of the business plan from Apple, Snow Leopard (which I'll call SL) coming in at $29 when Microsoft will likely charge hundreds. Look for PC and Mac commercials driving this point home to users and businesses.

• SL with Exchange support - good biz plan even if you have to sleep with the enemy. Business is business. Now about the other optimization such as getting back 6GB of hard drive space after installing SL, multi-core CPU optimization, and using the GPL to help along with traditional computing tasks are just the thing that Apple can lay claim to its base and switchers.

• Price drops on the Apple portable lines. Maybe it's the economy but Apple has said that it will offer no umbrella room for which its competitors can compete. When that statement was made a few financial quarters ago, I thought Apple execs were only talking about the iPhone. They meant the Macs in the PC market as well.

• The refreshed iPhone 3G S and the current iPhone 3G along with the features from iPhone 3.0. Let's be honest. Apple has just caught up with the folks who think of themselves as iPhone competitors with features such as cut/copy/paste. Pre has it (beating Apple by a couple of weeks), Blackberries, WM devices, and Android has it. Now Apple has it. I can think of a few other features that Apple had been playing catch up but Apple has caught up in that sense. However, iPhone 3.0, multi-touch, 50K of apps in the store, the elegant hardware designs, prices really has these competitors in a bind. We'll get into how Apple has really put a hurt on the market and analyze its main competitors' technology, positions in the market, and how they can try to deal with the new iPhones. Seriously, does anyone see a 32GB competitor on the market?

So just a few thoughts. Please come back later tonight and the next few days after we've had a chance to catch our collective breathes and see where things stand with Apple's mobile offerings. One thought I want to leave you with before this post ends.

iPod Touch. What will Apple do to keep folks coming back to the Touch? How will Apple put even more distance between the Touch and the Zune HD that will certainly gain a lot of media and blog attention?

Note: This was a longer WWDC keynote than ones in the past or the Macworld keynotes. After the endless demos, I thought to myself "this is it. No new iPhone hardware announcement today".

Another Note: I like to think that Apple has continue its tradition of bring out hardware when it thinks it is ready. Obviously, the iPhone 3G S is ready for prime time but you have to wonder if the Pre has anything to do with this. Past iPhone releases took place at the end of June or early July. June 19th is less than two weeks ahead of schedule but still...I wonder...well, competition is good I suppose.

Third Note: Make your coffee or hot chocolate. Pull up the blanket (it's cold tonight, that's why) and enjoy the video of WWDC keynote 2009 courtesy of Apple.

On Android: G1 Gets Onscreen Keyboard

Over at On Android, I've updated my user experience with Cupcake and I focused on the onscreen keyboard.

Go on over and see if the new Android OS has made things better for G1 users and how it compares to the iPhone's input scheme.