First MacBook Air Reviews are in! Some arriving on Friday?
Mac Rumors is reporting that a number of journalists have received MacBook Air units for review, and their thoughts on the new notebook are posted at each website.
Wall Street Journal
- “beautiful, amazingly thin computer, but one whose unusual trade-offs may turn off some frequent travelers.”
- “difficult to describe just how surprising this feels in your hands”
- “MacBook Air’s screen and keyboard were a pleasure to use.”
- felt speedy
- Limitations: Sealed in battery, no optical drive, no built in Ethernet jack
- Battery test: screen brightness at maximum, Wi-Fi on, playing endless look of music: 3 hours, 24 minutes.
They are also reporting that one user’s MacBook Air has shipped and will be delivered by Friday.
New 45nm Intel chips may become heart of new Macs
AppleInsider is reporting that Intel has unveiled 16 new 45nm-based processors that could make their way into new Macs launched at Macworld Expo next week.
“Among the 16 new chips, 12 are designed for new notebook and desktops systems and four are reserved for servers or high-end workstations. All of the chips are lead-free and include the company’s new transistor formula and 45nm manufacturing process that boosts speeds, reduces power requirements, saves on battery life, all while yielding smaller packages for more fashionable and compact computer designs.”
AppleInsider also has some predictions as to which of these new chips will make their way into the Mac lineup. MacSpark will be covering Macworld Expo 2008 next week, with live coverage of the Steve Jobs keynote and more.
Apple planning to push iPod-enabled HD Radios
iLounge is reporting that Apple will be pushing iTunes Tagging-enabled HD Radio boomboxes with iPod docks at Macworld Expo in January.
“Announced in September, iTunes Tagging is a new HD Radio feature designed to further boost iTunes sales by allowing listeners to “Tagâ€? the currently playing song, automatically adding its information to a “Taggedâ€? playlist on the connected iPod. When synced with a computer, the playlist appears in iTunes, making it easy to purchase tagged tracks from the iTunes Store.”
More Deals for iTunes Rental Service
According to the New York Times:
“Apple has been trying to interest a number of Hollywood studios in an iTunes rental service, and several people familiar with the negotiations said that more than one studio would appear onstage at the company’s MacWorld exhibition here beginning Jan. 14 to endorse a new Apple movie rental service.”
In addition, the New York Times also confirmed the deal between Apple and 20th Century Fox after the Financial Times first reported it on Thursday.
iTunes Movie Rentals Coming at Macworld?
Financial Times is reporting that movie studio 20th Century Fox has signed a deal with Apple for movie rentals on the iTunes Store.
“Apple has signed News Corp’s 20th Century Fox studio to a new online video-on-demand service in a deal that could change the way people pay for online film content,” the article reads.
The service would be introduced at Macworld Expo in January, along with an improved AppleTV interface for purchasing rentals directly from the set top box.
Steve Jobs inducted into California Hall of Fame
Yesterday, December 6th, Steve Jobs was inducted into the California Hall of Fame along with Tiger Woods, and other pioneers. The inductees were announced this past August, and the event was held at the California Museum in Sacramento, California. First Lady Maria Shriver, and governor Arnold Schwarzenegger presented the awards to each individual.
According to Maria Shriver, who spoke to KNBC, it was hard getting Jobs to attend. “He’s trying to balance children, family, business, he doesn’t like to be singled out,” she said. “He believes that Apple is the star of the Silicon Valley, not him.”
Adobe CEO Chizen stepping down
It looks like Bruce Chizen, Adobe’s current CEO, has decided to step down from his position with chief operating officer Shantanu Narayen taking his place effective December 1st. Chizen will serve the remainder of his term on Adobe’s Board of Directors through the Spring of 2008 and continue in a strategic advisory capacity through the end of fiscal year 2008.
“Bruce Chizen’s vision has helped transform Adobe from a company that was known mainly for its popular design products into one of the largest and most diversified software companies in the world,� said Chuck Geschke and John Warnock, Adobe’s chairmen of the Board of Directors. “We thank him for his outstanding leadership and contributions to Adobe’s success during his entire 14 years at Adobe and the past seven as CEO.�
Read the Adobe press release.
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