Macworld 2009

On eve of Macworld, Jobs talks health

Update 9:23 a.m. PST: This story was revised to clarify that Apple did not make any explicit connection between Steve Jobs' health and the decision for him not to give the Macworld keynote address.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs is lying low rather than giving his traditional Macworld keynote speech Tuesday, with health issues apparently a partial factor in the decision even as he and the company avoid an explicit statement to that effect.

In letter to employees, Jobs wrote this Monday:

For the first time in a decade, I'm getting to spend the holiday season with my … Read more

Steve Jobs discloses 'hormone imbalance'

The health of Apple CEO Steve Jobs has been a topic of concern for some months now. On Monday, with the company's Macworld show getting under way, Apple and Jobs issued statements on Jobs' health. We'll be following this breaking story throughout the day.

CUPERTINO, Calif. -- It is widely recognized both inside and outside of Apple that Steve Jobs is one of the most talented and effective CEOs in the world.

As we have said before, if there ever comes a day when Steve wants to retire or for other reasons cannot continue to fulfill his duties … Read more

Apple's last Macworld beginning of new era

Even though CEO Steve Jobs will not be playing his customary role, the last Macworld Expo with Apple's participation will still be interesting--for perhaps that exact reason.

Apple's decision to pull Jobs from Tuesday's Macworld keynote speech--and its announcement that 2009 would be its last year at the show--deflated much of the usual pre-Macworld speculation regarding the company's 2009 product plans. The show must go on, however; and Senior Vice President of Marketing Phil Schiller will likely have a few new products to show off, such as an iPhone Nano, a revamped 17-inch MacBook Pro, and … Read more

Another rumored 'iPhone Nano' photo

With Macworld coming up in just two weeks, the parade of Apple-flavored rumors, wishes, and murmurings continues.

The latest to surface--or resurface--involves a purported concept photo of what's said to be an "iPhone Nano," a more or less three-quarter-size version of the Apple iPhone. Even as it presents the photo, MacRumors.com also invokes a healthy dose of skepticism:

We have some serious doubts about the likelihood of such a device. These doubts are based both in the quality of the sources as well as the practicality of introducing a new form factor to the iPhone/iPod … Read more

Files in Mac OS point to new iMacs, Mac Minis

A Mac fan with way too much time on his hands may have discovered evidence of new iMacs and Mac Minis coming soon.

A forum poster on InsanelyMac.com found code strings inside the version of Mac OS X running on the new MacBooks that point to a new version of the iMac and Mac Mini. MacRumors.com verified that the identifying marks uncovered by the poster (iMac9,1 and Macmini3,1) would indeed represent a new version beyond the marks used by the current iMac and MacMini (iMac8,1 and Macmini2,1).

The new systems appear to use the … Read more

Week in review: Apple snubs Macworld Expo

.

After some 25 years, Apple has decided that it can do without the Macworld Expo.

Apple announced that CEO Steve Jobs had given his last keynote address at Macworld in San Francisco and that January's Macworld would mark its last year participating at the show. Apple said Phil Schiller, the company's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, will deliver the keynote, usually handled by Jobs.

An Apple representative declined to comment on Jobs' health, a prominent topic of discussion this year. Jobs' keynote addresses at Macworld have become almost legendary events, launch pads for some of the company'… Read more

Voice, video chat coming to Mac Messenger

In some great news from Mac Mojo, the Office for Mac team blog, it looks like Windows Live Messenger for Mac will receive a major update sometime early next year. The biggest new feature update will be AV support for the personal client, which means users will be able to participate in cross-platform audio and video chat using the personal version of Microsoft Messenger for Mac. They are also working on additional features for the personal Windows Live Messenger client and are on track to preview some of the new implementations at Macworld in January at the MacBU booth. The … Read more

It's official: Let's blame everyone but Apple

Over the years, I've become inured to the rah-rah pumpathon that is CNBC. With the notable exception of the delightful curmudgeon Mark Haynes, the channel's anchors and correspondents dutifully perform their function as glorified cheerleaders for Wall Street.

But now CNBC's Silicon Valley bureau chief, Jim Goldman, can add to his impressive credentials the title of media apologist for both Apple and Steve Jobs

In a postearlier Wednesday, Goldman came out swinging against unnamed market "manipulators" responsible for punishing Apple stock, especially in the aftermath of Apple's abrupt announcement that Steve Jobs would … Read more

Apple's blind-side hit on IDG

After Apple informed IDG that CEO Steve Jobs would skip next month's Macworld, the news left the conference sponsor in a state of shock.

The announcement "completely blindsided" IDG, according to a source familiar with the negotiations, coming just weeks before the event was scheduled to take place. IDG World Expo, a division of tech publishing giant IDG, had no reason not to expect Jobs would make his customary appearance at Macworld. Then came the word from Cupertino.

What is not clear is when Apple decided Jobs would skip the keynote. The source indicated that Apple had … Read more