macworld

Macintosh at 25: Still the innovation leader

On January 24, 1984, the Macintosh came into the world, starting the second major revolution in the personal computer industry. Steve Jobs and team took some lessons from Xerox PARC and created the first user-friendly, mass market computer.

By today's standards, it wasn't that user-friendly (some will remember disk-swapping with the original Mac, which had 128KB of RAM and a 400KB 3.5-inch floppy disk drive), but compared with Microsoft's DOS operating system, it was a major technical innovation.

The 128K Mac version of the graphical user interface, with icons, fonts, folders, audio and a mouse, started … Read more

Quad-core MacBook Pro on the way?

Intel sneaked out a new low-cost quad-core mobile processor on Monday, prompting some observers to wonder if Apple will finally release a quad-core laptop.

The lack of fanfare surrounding the 2.53GHz Core 2 Quad Mobile Processor Q9000's introduction--it was merely added to Intel's CPU price list--is certainly interesting. It's a slow news week between Christmas and New Year's, so why not play it up?, is how the logic goes.

APCMag.com says it's possible Apple's been waiting for the processor to arrive from Intel, and it just happens to coincide with Macworld … 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

What we Craved this week

What a hectic week it's been. If you, like some, were busy lobbying for a federal bailout this week, that likely left you even less time than usual to keep up with the happenings on Crave. No worries, here's a roundup of some of our favorite stories from this week.

• The Mac maker will no longer be part of MacWorld after this year.

• Rumors swirl regarding a possible Dell competitor to the MacBook Air, apparently called "Adamo." Yeah, we're not sure how to pronounce it either.

• T-Mobile is dropping its handset upgrade fee.

• No ZunePhone … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 876: A year without lawsuits, how did you know?

The RIAA has given us the greatest gift of all this holiday season, a promise not to sue you. However they are enlisting the ISPs into their fight against piracy. We also talk about how Universal is making bank, Apple fans are planning protests (Shah), and wish a fond farewell to Majel Barrett. Listen now: Download today's podcast Episode 876

In these troubled times, RIAA can’t afford to sue you http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10127003-93.html http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122966038836021137.html http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-recording-industry-moves-away-from-lawsuits-enlists-isps-in-piracy-figh/

Universal Music seeing ‘tens of millions’ from YouTube http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10126439-93.html… 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

CNET News Daily Podcast: What a Steve-less Macworld means for Apple

Apple shocked the tech world Tuesday with the news that it won't participate in the annual Macworld trade show after January and that CEO Steve Jobs has delivered his final Macworld keynote speech. Reporter Tom Krazit stops by the podcast studio to talk about why Apple might have wanted to sever ties with Macworld, what it means for the upcoming conference, and how Apple can continue to generate buzz around its products.

Also in this podcast: New York State is considering taxing digital downloads; Yahoo ups the ante on user privacy; and Motorola freezes salaries and cuts employee compensation.… Read more

Without Jobs, will the faithful make Macworld pilgrimage?

The yearly Macworld Expo is a place for Apple fans to get their hands on new products, hobnob with like-minded Mac fans--and to see chief executive Steve Jobs in the flesh.

The question is whether the largely local attendee base will still be compelled to attend after Apple's announcement Tuesday that Jobs won't deliver the next Macworld keynote speech and that this will be its final year of participating in the event at all. The Macworld Expo doesn't have a huge economic impact on the city of San Francisco. (It's attended mostly by local people, so … Read more