:: Wednesday, July 16, 2003 ::

Nothing too crazy and new, but fun nevertheless...

Macworld CreativePro Keynote update ... : Just finished checking out Joz's keynote speech for the Expo here. His Reality Distortion Field definitely doesn't compare to the Steve's, and his presentation was quite similar to what the Steve said in San Francisco last month. But, it being my first keynote and my first Macworld, it was still a lot of fun to take in. While the hall wasn't packed to the rafters, the turnout was muchh bigger today than it was yesterday.

The biggest announcement was that Apple is selling Soundtrack, a component of Final Cut Pro, as a separate application for $299. It's a basic audio editing app for taking royalty-free loops and clips (provided) and making them into soundtracks for your movies in FCP or DVD Studio Pro, etc. It also automatically adjusts the key and tempo to match what you're doing. It looks pretty cool, but you can get it as a part of FCP already.

We haven't been to the floor yet, so we'll what treasures await there. At least we'll get to play with a G5, if we can fight the crowds to get to one.
:: Steve 8:10 AM [+] ::
Nothing too crazy and new, but fun nevertheless...

Awake and ready to hop on the shuttle bus...

The big day, Radioland and new G5 ads ... : Good morning, everyone! Matty and I are dragging ourselves out of bed and trying to get ready to head over to the Javits Center for the big day at Macworld CreativePro Conference and Expo. You want to hear something crazy? Your little old Webmaster was somewhat of a radio/Internet radio star today. Many of you know I have a gig as contributing editor over at OSXFAQ.com. Webmaster Scott Shephard interviewed me for his radio show early this morning, right after we come back from going out to a bar near our hotel on Times Square. I think I did OK! You can get the download of the .mp3 file of the interview here.

Also, Apple has apparently released a new PowerMac G5 ad (screenshot at left) in which a speeding tower charges through the neighborhood, through an unsuspecting house and lands, unscathed, on a desk in the den. Jeff Goldblum intones something like: "The new PowerMac G5. The world's fastest, most powerful personal computer." Oh, that'll really get them all riled up again with the benchmark results!

Anyway, word has it that we might actually get to hear something halfway interesting today, and that Apple may have some big announcement in the wings, so I'll report later!
:: Steve 4:56 AM [+] ::
Awake and ready to hop on the shuttle bus...

We're here...

Hello everybody from NYC ... : I'm here with my friend Matty in the Media Lounge at Macworld CreativePro Conference and Expo. We arrived in the city a couple of hours ago, and are staying at the Marriott Marquis hotel, with an absolutely incredible view of Broadway from our 38th floor suite. We came over to the show to check in and get situated, make sure we could connect to the media Airport network and see what's going on.

What's going on? Nothing, really. Not yet.

Exhibitors are still setting up, and we were dying to play with the new G5s, but got turned away by the overzealous security guards. Tomorrow (Wednesday), should be a little bit more exciting. At 9:30 a.m., we'll hear from Apple VP Greg Joswiak, who will give the keynote presentation. Whether or not he will reveal anything exciting, we're not sure. But I'll definitely take notes and file a report here as events come in.

:: Steve 12:37 PM [+] ::
We're here...

Off To MacWorld (Or Whatever It's Called)

Stevie J. won't be there, but it should be fun ... : I'm off to MacWorld CreativePro Expo in New York this coming Tuesday-Wednesday to take in an instructional session on Final Cut Pro (I'm still learning how to make movies with my new JVC digital camcorder). I promise I'll have a movie of some sort about the Expo sometime after I get back. While all of the big announcements, like the new G5 and iChat AV, were made last month at WWDC in San Francisco, I'm holding out hope that Apple left something to introduce in New York. Even if they don't unveil something cool and new, at least I'll be among the first to play with the G5. I plan on posting notes to United Mac from the Expo (hopefully from the floor of the keynote speech if I can find an Airport signal), so check back next week.

Miscellaneous from the Web ...: Before I hit the New Jersey Turnpike for the drive to New York from Delaware, 12-inch Powerbook in tow, here are some tidbits picked up from the 'Net recently that are worth investigating.

First, go to Google and type "weapons of mass destruction" into the search field. Click "I'm feeling lucky" for a good laugh. If that's too much for you, just click here.

There is also a great spoof of the music industry's crackdown on peer-to-peer music traders. Called "Sue All The World," the song uses the tune of "We Are The World" to poke fun at the RIAA and artists like Metallica.

One more thing ...: In the great tradition of Steve Jobs, there's one more thing I nearly forgot. I had yet to announce here on United Mac the grand opening of theiSite.net. I started the site just after the release of iChat AV to help users find one another with their cameras. Many of us downloaded the program, bought Apple's iSight camera, and then realized we had no one to talk to! I didn't do it for money, and I didn't do it for attention, only so those of us with Mac interests and firewire Web cameras can find each other and help get the next generation of video conferencing off the ground.

:: Steve 11:26 AM [+] ::
Off To MacWorld (Or Whatever It's Called)