Apple announced, way earlier today, that it had new iBooks and Mac Minis. However, I don’t really want to spit out the specs on them ## if you want to know, go to Apple’s website at apple.com. What I do want to talk about real briefly is my migration to the Apple platform, way back when it was OS 9.

The first computer I ever had was one I actually bought when I was 11. It was a Tandy and barely had a hard-drive. In fact, I think the hard drive was 20 MBs. I thought, at the time, how could anyone ever possibly fill that much storage up. As I got a bit older, I progressed to a 486 processor and now started seeing some GBs along with spec numbers… now we were getting somewhere.

Needless to say, I was never really a computer-wiz, I just thought they were kind of neat and I know enough to be dangerous. I have never really been a hardware guy, either. I like the software end of technology.

In any event, I started working heavily as a computer operator at Lehman Brothers Bank in Manhatten on the Windows platform. I learned the MS Office suite better than nearly all who touched it. I learned tricks and secrets on how to do things with the software, but I was perpetually discouraged with Windows as a platform. And then, something miraculous happened: I just up and bought a Macintosh.

Now, at first I couldn’t stand the Mac. Having had Windows and even DOS instilled in my brain, the Mac wasn’t making computer sense to me. As I forced myself to use it more and more, I found that the Mac was a far more powerful and user-friendly machine. And, it infact MADE sense. When Jaguar came out, and then Panther, I was off to the stars… Nothing can bring me back now. No Longhorn! No vistas! No windows are large, fast, or stable enough for my blood.

Apple has been innovative in the industry. From a computer manufacturer, and desktop platform programmer, Apple is perhaps the only true innovator. They keep their hardware/software licensing system locked, but that has insured a level of quality and integration not even dreamed of in most Windows environments.

With Apple lowering its threshold prices on machines and software, more people are realizing the power of simplicity and efficiency ## two components far lacking in most Windows machines.

The last bell has sounds, sort-to speak. Microsoft has officially altered the name of its next flagship operating system. Formerly known as Longhorn, the next OS from Redmond will be Vista. I’m not a Windows fan to begin with, but even if I was I would have to say that “Vista” sounds pretty weak for an Operating System, which is probably inconnection with the quality of the platform ## no doubt

Nonetheless, Microsoft continues to keep its loyal customer base on edge year after year until they finally roll out this behemoth they keep sputtering about.

BenQ has been fairly innovative with their products over the last few years. Well, their work hasn’t stopped. Apparantly in Japan they’ve released an ultra light cell phone called the S80. It weighs a measely 97 grams and has a 1.3-megapixel camera, video recording, data transfer, and video-conferencing. Hopefully we’ll see this tiny little device in the United States soon.

Vara Software recently announced that they will be shipping Videocue 2 and Videocue Pro 2, complete tele-prompting, recording and publishing packages for the Apple platform. The lighter of the two packages, Videocue 2, allows you to create professional looking videoblogs. Both packages also include publishing results directly to videoblogs. Videocue 2 costs $39.99, and Videocue Pro 2 costs $89.99 and has many advanced features like chroma key, support for multiple webcams, built-in professional titles, full screen prompting, motion editing controls and mirrored prompting (for professional tele-prompting hardware).

It’s not a surprise that Hewitt Packard has some re-organizing to do. Since dismissing its CEO and seeing its sales number decline faster than a roller coaster, the PC manufacturer has experienced a great shift in market-share and brand identity. Cutting nearly 10% of its workforce should account for nearly $2 billion in savings… how will this effect their products? You tell me

It’s hard not to know of probably the largest 2 websites today: Google and Yahoo! But fewer people probably access both at the same time. Well, you may or may not know this, but a few weeks ago I, fortunately, came across a quirky little site that solves a lot of brand issues people may have had between the two search giants. It’s a little known site called GahooYoogle and it parses both search engines for you on one screen ##- ingenius and but nonetheless thoughtful.

I currently own the original 5GB iPod. Unfortunately I don’t use it nearly as much as I should. My iTrip seems to be broken, so I don’t use it on the boat or in the car. I have yet to fill my 5GB, but I know I could if I tried. But, the real thing on my mind is reducing the physical size, not necessarily the storage.

The iPod shuffle, even at the 1GB size, won’t hold all of my music. I don’t always want to hear a shuffle of the songs, but it is incredibly small.

The iPod mini is tiny too, but huge in comparison to the Shuffle. It will certainly hold all of what I have on my 5GB since it is nearly 4GB itself. My main concern then probably becomes the price factor: is the iPod mini a better product even though it’s nearly $100 more?

Any takers?

The latest news flowing everything Apple is the announcement from Toyota that it’s adding iPod compatibility to its Scion line. This will certainly help Apple grow it’s MP3 market-share, but will it really sell more cars?

“All Scion cars include a Pioneer AM/FM/CD stereo that can be connected directly to an iPod; the head unit pulls track, artist and album information from the MP3 player and places it in a one-line scrolling display on the screen.”

If I were younger, perhaps in high school or junior high, I would probably be pouring a lot of energy into the Linux platform and saying ‘Screw-off’ Microsoft and Apple… ah, the joys of teenage rebellion. But more importantly, only time is really working against open source platforms and software. On the server side, I opt for Linux. On the software side, I opt for open source. Why not a Linux or Linspire desktop?

It’s not necessarily about rebellion, as much as it just makes sense. With open source you have tens of thousands of developers around the world. With Microsoft you have maybe 2000 developers in a building in a central location cracking out code; at Apple, even less. The point is, numbers and diversity is a factor in development, especially when some developers are just too close to their child to realize open ports, bugs, security flaws, etc.

To put it straight: Vive Open Source!

This is simply amazing. I wonder why larger companies like Ford and GM don’t learn more from innovation, I’d bet they’d make more money in the long run ## just look at Apple. The Ech2o would only use 25 watts of power to travel around the world, if it was flat. That blows my mind.

Ok, so it’s nothing to really look at, but 25 watts, does anyone know how little that is?