Find Whirlpool Deals at Lowe’s
Is there a way to easily link my Macbook with Window running PCs ?.
by pjammer - 1/17/08 12:26 PM
Featuring CNET Editor
Tom Krazit
Macworld edition: All things Apple Session has ended.
Missed this live event? No worries! Each Thursday from 11 a.m. to noon PT, we'll give you the chance to chat live with a CNET editor. We'll cover a new topic each week, from cell phones to TVs. Get those burning tech questions ready! Click here for the Ask the Editors Live event calendar.
Latest questions and answers
A: That's it!
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 12:07 PMSorry folks, I have to move on. Thanks for all your questions, and feel free to e-mail me at tom dot krazit at cnet dot com if you have further questions.
Come back next week for Kurt Wolff's talk on music for your iPod, Kurt's the music editor at Download.com. Here's the link for that:
Thursday 1/24 Topic: Music for your new iPod
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-12548_102-0.html?forumID=136&threadID=280140
Thanks again!
Tom
Q: MacBook Air
by mindyandben - 1/17/08 12:02 PMWhy do you think apple decided to release a product such as MacBook Air? My understanding is that the market for sub-compact notebooks isn't terribly strong. Do you think that will change due to the apple "cool-ness" factor?
A: No, it won't change the market
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 12:04 PMThis ultraportable category has always been a small part of the overall PC market. But it's a stylish part, and it's a profitable part. I think something like the MacBook Air is as much about Apple showing off what its designers and engineers can do as much as market sahre.
Q: Triangulating WiFi base stations
by Daniel L Smith - 1/17/08 11:59 AMI'm a bit baffled by the WiFi-based location tech. If I'm in my apartment complex, there are a bunch of base stations all over the place, but does the device really know anything about them? What happens if somebody moves their base station? What happens when everybody moves in 2 years and the data is all stale? So I wonder how useful that feature will turn out to be.
A: Check out Skyhook Wireless
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 12:02 PMhttp://www.skyhookwireless.com/
These guys are the key to making that feature work. I'm not that familiar on how they tackle issues such as that, the movement of base stations down the road. But the service only works if they've mapped the base stations in your area.
Q: mms for iphone?
by MRSLANEY7 - 1/17/08 11:58 AMWhat are the chances of mms coming to the iphone anytime soon?
A: Good question
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 12:01 PMThat would probably require 3G support, no? I can't think you'd want to send videos and pictures over EDGE.
Q: Student
by maxwell Ribeiro - 1/17/08 11:57 AMIm a Student and seriously thinking in buying a laptop.Apple will be my first pick but i dont see any improvment as far as adaptability on the new mac book air (remote disk!!!!!!!).I have to use a lot of CDs and DVD ROMs that are only PC compatible and also I cant just use anoyher computer to remotely install thos apps.How can I coupe with this????????
A: Don't buy a Macbook Air
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 12:00 PMThe MacBook Air is not a laptop for everybody, and I definitely wouldn't recommend it for a student. Get a regular Macbook, it's far cheaper anyway, and is much more versatile. The Macbook Air is for business travelers that just check their e-mail, or hipsters at coffee shops who want people to notice them.
Q: iPhone 2.0
by Gudzy - 1/17/08 11:57 AMDo you think Apple will abandon the exclusive agreement with AT&T for future versions of the iPhone? Doesn't this exclusivity limit Apple's market somewhat because of AT&T's 2nd tier wireless network? I would think Verizon would have been the natural choice.
A: Not yet, but you're right
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:59 AMI think they'll have to cut exclusive ties with AT&T at some point to keep the sales growth going, there's lots of people who might like the iPhone but don't like AT&T. But if AT&T builds out a solid network, and positions itself well for 4G, it might not matter.
Q: Randy Newman
by mindyandben - 1/17/08 11:55 AMDo you think anyone at apple was cringing over some of Newman's editorializing?
A: Nope
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:58 AMThere's no way they agreed to have Randy on unless they knew what songs he was going to play, and I have a feeling that Randy's mentality and Steve's mentality on some of those issues are pretty similiar.
Q: NAB in April?
by macronerd - 1/17/08 11:55 AMWhat do you expect we will see at the NAB in April?
A: Cinema Displays then?
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:57 AMI forgot about that show, maybe that would be the ideal time to roll those out.
Q: Randy Newman?
by jeremiahdixon - 1/17/08 11:55 AMYou said we could ask about Randy. So what about Randy? Thanks!
A: He was pretty funny
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:56 AMI'm not exactly a huge Randy Newman fan, but he was funnier than most of the musical guests they usually get. He's getting up there, though.
Q: Sanj
by sanjayb - 1/17/08 11:53 AMNot sure if this has already been asked but is there any indication if Apple might reconsider the $20 charge for current Touch owners in order to get the 1.1.3 upgrade? I see this as being a repeat of the whole iPhone pricing mess when Apple dropped the price of the iPhone by $200 after 4 months. There seems to be a lot of upset Touch owners out there.
A: Not yet
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:55 AMI know iPod Touch users are frustrated at that news, but it seems like this was a repeat of the $2 Wi-Fi upgrade fee on Macbooks from earlier this year. Under accounting rules, you have to establish value for upgrades to a product if you want to recognize all the revenue from the sale of that product at the time of purchase.
That's why Apple announced that the iPhone and Apple TV were going to use subscription-based accounting, where they recognize the revenue over 24 months, not up front. They didn't say that about the iPod Touch.
They don't have to charge $20, though.
Q: Bento
by mtassinari - 1/17/08 11:49 AMHave you heard if the new Bento from Filemaker will be cross platform? It seems like a great product and I would like to use it on a PC.
Q: Apple TV partnership?
by BlackEaglejs - 1/17/08 11:49 AMIs it possible that Apple will partner with some cable/satellite provider in order to provide its iTunes offerings as say, an on-demand type of thing? Rather than the current setup which requires you to purchase from iTunes and then wait for the download?
A: AT&T?
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:53 AMSomebody brought this up earlier, maybe there could be something worked out there. But I'd be surprised in the short term, because I think Apple's primary interest is making sure you buy content from them, not from other sources.
Q: Waiting for iPhone 2.0
by jeokim - 1/17/08 11:47 AMI am waiting for iPhone 2.0 support 3G.
Do you think should I wait for it or just buy current iPhone?
A: Hard to say
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:52 AMPersonally, having used 3G data speeds on my Treo, I wouldn't want to go back to EDGE. But if you've never used a 3G phone before, you might not notice the difference.
Ask yourself why you really want an iPhone: if it's to do a lot of Web surfing and browsing, you might want to wait. If it's because of the design, go ahead: you can do your heavy browsing over Wi-Fi.
Q: 10.5.2
by mindyandben - 1/17/08 11:47 AMI was disappointed that 10.5.2 wasn't announced or at leased released contemporaneously with the keynote address. Should we expect it to come yet this week or are we continue waiting. I love leopard, but it needs some polishing that I anticipate will come with 10.5.2.
A: Probably not too long
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:51 AMI think Apple usually reserves Macworld for bigger things than updates to OSes. I'm not sure if it will arrive this week, but I don't think it will be too much longer. Go back to when Tiger was released and see what the interval was between Mac OS X 10.4.1 and 10.4.2, that might be a clue.
Q: Iphone Price
by Gudzy - 1/17/08 11:47 AMHello. I was expecting Apple to drop the price of the iPhone a Mac World. This didn't happen. When do you think the iPhone price will start to dip below the $399 current price point? Thanks
-Dan
A: Not until iPhone 2.0
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:49 AMI think that would be the natural time for Apple to lower the price further. But I don't think it will get too much cheaper until these things start selling in massive volumes, Apple might instead introduce a higher-capacity version of the iPhone at $399 and iPhone 2.0 at $499 or higher.
Q: MSN Messenger
by maxwell Ribeiro - 1/17/08 11:44 AMWhen are we going to be able to use video on MSN messenger? IS that something Apple is thinking about? Is a very reliable messenger app.......
A: Good question
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:47 AMI'm not sure what the holdup is there, but if I want to put my tin-foil hat on, I could see some sort of thing where Microsoft doesn't want to support that feature on Macs, or where Apple doesn't want people using MSN. Conspiracy theories are fun.
Q: New Cinema Displays?
by macronerd - 1/17/08 11:44 AMTom.. alot of us are dissapointed that Steve didn't announce new cinema displays at macworld.. they're way overdue for an update. When do you think we might see them?
A: WWDC in June?
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:46 AMSomebody asked that question earlier today, I think that might be something that's geared more for developers. Although, they could launch that sort of thing at any time.
Q: LWS
by LWS1065 - 1/17/08 11:41 AMI recently downloaded the new software for my iPod touch. The maps feature seems to work only intermittently. Could you explain how this mapping feature works and why I can't always get access to the Google maps feature?
A: Depends on connectivity?
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:45 AMWhere do you live? If you're in a rural area where there aren't a lot of hotspots, the software won't be able to find enough signals to triangulate your position. That's the drawback of Maps on the iPod Touch, it's totally dependent on Wi-Fi access points that have been mapped by Skyhook Wireless.
Q: iTunes Podcast Download Speeds
by aniruddhc - 1/17/08 11:41 AM1. Well I have a 2.0 Mbps ADSL connection..
I live in India. I have a problem.
Well when I download podcasts such as CNET's Buzz Out Loud, the download speed is really poor. Otherwise I get average speeds of 200 KBPS (kilobyte not kilobit). The download speed in iTunes is about 12 kbps or something. I have to waste a lot of time in downloading podcasts which are like 300 MB.
2. I also have an iMac (the new one) 24".
After keeping it on for like 5-6 hours, the screen turns extremely hot. I cannot even touch the screen. Sometimes I get electric shocks if I touch it with my wrist or elbow.
What is the problem?
A: Not exactly sure
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:44 AMYou might want to ask your DSL provider about the first issue. As far as the iMac goes, I'm not sure if it's a static electricity issue or not, I haven't heard that complaint. I have heard things like that happening with some notebooks, but not desktops.
Q: Webex
by AnalyticsUSA - 1/17/08 11:40 AMI've used apple machines at work now for more than twenty years. Even with the advent of duoCore, there's still one thing that prevents me from using Macs fully in a business environment- the absence of a desktop sharing program for Macs. In order for me to use Webex or LiveMeeting )as a presenter), I've got to switch to windows. As remote demonstrations and presentations are pretty much business as usual, are you aware of any progress being made to address this issue?
A: No, sorry
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:43 AMApple simply isn't as focused on that type of business use as Windows PCs. I haven't heard anything specifically about support for that kind of problem, but if they keep making market share gains in businesses, perhaps it will be addressed.
Q: Average Joe
by maxwell Ribeiro - 1/17/08 11:39 AMHow the average Joe that dont have a office job can use the new application on MacBook air called Remote Disk.I mean do you have to go "running "from door to door to "ask" someone to use their PC or Mac to install a new software?
A: All you need is another Mac or PC
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:41 AMWhen you buy the MacBook Air, you get a CD that comes with software designed to run on the second Mac or PC with the optical drive. You install that software on the second computer, and it somehow recognizes the MacBook Air over Wi-Fi and allows you to install new software. I talked to Apple about this yesterday on the show floor, and you can even boot the MacBook Air from a CD in another Mac or PC.
Q: Fullscreen movie rentals
by Daniel L Smith - 1/17/08 11:36 AMMany (perhaps most) of the movies added to iTunes this week -- the ones from the new studios -- are advertised as fullscreen. This includes "Live Free or Die Hard," "300," "The Simpsons Movie," "Fantastic Four," etc. Any insight into why that is? Apple has been shifting to exclusively making widescreen devices, after all -- MacBook, iPhone, ... Any chance this is just a typo in the store's metadata?
A: Good question
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:39 AMI hadn't picked up on that detail, but I'll try to get a hold of Apple later today and find out. You're right, the whole industry is switching to widescreen for almost everything, so that would be a little odd.
Q: Alu iMac Screen Gradient Issue
by derbystar16 - 1/17/08 11:32 AMI'm surprised with CNETs 8.2 rating of the 20'' Alu iMac. How did they not notice the inferior LCD screen that shows a painful gradient from top to bottom?
Apple decided to put in a cheaper 6-bit LCD panel with the top very dark, and the bottom very washed out.
I sent two of them back before realizing that they're all like that.
Do you have any input on Apple dropping the ball on this one?
A: Sorry, I'm not a reviewer
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:37 AMI've heard that complaint about the new iMacs, but I don't actually participate in the review of the product, I'm the news guy. I don't know exactly what led to Apple's decision to use that screen technology.
Q: Displays
by afreemanmd - 1/17/08 11:31 AMI was somewhat surprised and quite disappointed that there were no cinema display announcements at MacWorld. I wonder if you know the reason, especially since iSight has long ago been discontinued. I was hoping for a 30 inch with a built in camera.
Thanks
A: Others were, too
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:36 AMI don't know the exact reason, but I wonder if Cinema Displays are something geared more toward the developer crowd, and therefore something that might get released at WWDC 08?
Q: AppleTV needs to be a DVR too!
by Dave Dugal - 1/17/08 11:30 AMWhy doesn't Apple add DVR functionality to their AppleTV?
I just don't see this as having great appeal without the inclusion of time-warping broadcasted content.
TiVo and Amazon Unbox seems to be the best answer right now.
Couldn't Apple develop their own DVR, or license software from TiVo?
A: You can't get anything live on your Apple TV
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:35 AMYou don't really stream anything live to your Apple TV. You download files that you can watch at whatever pace you like (except for the movie rentals, of course). I wouldn't be surprised to see Apple TV take in broadcast signals at some point, but right now, you're limited only to iTunes Store content and YouTube content.
Q: Quality of iTunes movies
by Daniel L Smith - 1/17/08 11:28 AMWhen iTunes movies were launched, they were advertised as "near-DVD quality" (640x360 for widescreen) with Dolby Surround sound (limited surround sound encoded in a stereo signal). At Macworld this year, Steve talked about the movies as "DVD quality" with "stereo sound". Have the specs changed? Or just the words used by marketing folks?
A: I don't recall his exact line
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:33 AMBut I don't think the specs have changed.
Q: iTunes Rental in Canada
by timmydub - 1/17/08 11:26 AMWhen is iTunes Movie rental be available in Canada?
A: Later this year
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:32 AMJobs said international support was on track for later in the year, although he didn't specifically point out any countries.
Q: Switch to a Mac
by aylwars - 1/17/08 11:22 AMI have used windows forever now and it's about that time to upgrade the family desktop, I have really been considering a Mac for awhile now it's just the learning curve that I'm worried about. I have a Windows laptop and a WiFi network setup in the house so I hope to be able to communicate between computers. My questions is should I go with the iMac or just upgrade in PC so I don't have to worry about my wife asking hundreds of questions about the new mac?
A: There is a learning curve
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:31 AMBut it's not a terrible one. If you're upgrading within the Windows products, you're going to have a slight learning curve going from XP to Vista anyway.
You shouldn't have any problems communicating between the computers, although you can't necessarily share all files between the two. If you like the Mac look and feel, I think you'll find the learning curve really isn't that bad. But you are correct in that for the first couple of weeks, it will take you some time to learn how to do things on your Mac that were second-nature on your PC.
Q: Also when Steve Jobs steps down - Will OS X be available on Wintel machines
by nhl.le - 1/17/08 11:21 AMYes, I understand the rhetoric of good hardware design coupled with good software. But one would think an Civil suite could be filed against apple for making their OS only work on their products, Give me a break you have Windows and Linux that can run on both platforms now. So why not make a different variant of OS X with difference licensing terms to market it to the masses ?
A: Quality?
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:29 AMI can't imagine that anyone who takes over for Jobs would risk trifling with the Mac OS X licensing question, at least not in the near term. With such a small market share, the legal angle isn't really relevant.
They could make a different version of license, but that would involve a lot of work. Why not hang onto the one thing that sets you apart from the HPs and Dells? If you license Mac OS X, then you lose something that makes you special.
Q: Various Questions...
by aniruddhc - 1/17/08 11:21 AMWell with the decreasing prices of flash memory and a great increase in the storage capacity, when do you think we will see a 32 GB iPhone?
Will we be seeing a Touchscreen iMac in 2008?
Will the prices of the Macbook Air drop? Will there be a better configured MacBook Air?
Do you think that Apple will make the 5 new iPod touch apps free of cost?
A: Lots of questions
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:27 AM1. Not this year, I think a 16GB iPhone is next on the list, perhaps coming along with iPhone 2.0 with 3G support.
2. Maybe - multitouch support is turning into a big thing for the computer industry. Having just redesigned the iMac last year, however, I would think a touchscreen iMac would be a little farther out.
3. Not this year. The price of the SSD version might drop as that technology gets less expensive, but this is a premium product overall.
4. Nope. They already said it will cost you $20, and I think they have to charge something for accounting reasons. Maybe $20 is steep, but still.
Q: eBook reader
by Peter Bonte - 1/17/08 11:20 AMWhat i really wanted this year was a smaller than laptop, bigger than ipod touch device. Finally a eBook reader with all the pretty colors and multimedia linked to the text and PDF's. Google is already building up a huge library and iTunes is perfect for the distribution. How likely is it that we'll see this setup in 2008?
A: Not likely
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:25 AMJobs indicated in an interview with the New York Times that the whole eBook thing isn't exactly his cup of tea.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/15/the-passion-of-steve-jobs/?hp
Of course, he said that about video on iPods, too, and now all iPods support video. But I don't think Apple's going to have a special eBook reader this year, however, you might see something in the iPhone that supports eBooks.
Q: MacBook Air - Other than Design - Any techncial reasons why apple choose to have non-removable batteries in their products ?
by nhl.le - 1/17/08 11:18 AMHasn't Apple learned from its mistakes in regards to poor batteries or bricked batteries in their products.
A: Total system design
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:23 AMI think Apple believes that by designing the battery as a non-removable feature that it can actually deliver better battery life than off-the-shelf batteries can provide.
That being said, I think a nonremovable battery in an iPod or iPhone is one thing, while a notebook is a totally different thing. Notebook batteries haven't exactly been the most reliable things over the past few years, and if they run into problems with the battery supplier that could be a serious problem.
Q: ipod touch
by Spidey00 - 1/17/08 11:18 AMAny speculation on the possibility of a a price drop on the ipod touch or an updated model with larger capacity?
A: Sure
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:21 AMThere's always speculation, that's why I have a job. 
I wouldn't be surprised to see a new version of the iPod Touch with 32GBs later this year, which might pave the way for a price cut on the older model. Maybe that will arrive along with iPhone 2.0.
Q: Apple tv
by tfischer1507 - 1/17/08 11:17 AMWhy has Apple not made Apple tv built into an lcd with a dvr, blue ray, 802.1n, and Ipod dock? JVC has the dock and Lowes UK has all the multimedia. Maybe when ATT buys Dish Network it will all come together.
A: Good question
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:20 AMI think for now, they want to take small steps with Apple TV. Their priorities are still Macs, iPods, and iPhones, and Apple TV is a clear fourth on the list after that. But they also want to avoid overloading it with features, they seem to want to keep this product very simple for now.
Q: Windows on a Mac...
by John.Wilkinson - 1/17/08 11:15 AMSince Apple moved to Intel processors there has been a consistently growing demand for installing Windows on a Mac, mostly using BootCamp, to 'get the best of both worlds.' However, driver availability seems to remain an issue. Are there any sources of such driver downloads or tips that you can suggest?
John
A: Download.com, and CNET Tips
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:19 AMI'd check out those two CNET sites for more info on driver availability.
Q: AppleTV vs VOD
by mwsmith824 - 1/17/08 11:13 AMDo you think the changes to the AppleTV will be enough to save the device? Do you see how this is really going to be any different from the already entrenched Cable/Satellite VOD we already have?
A: Yes
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:18 AMI think Apple TV is a much more compelling product with the updates this week, but you correctly identify the real competitive threat, in my opinion. I think Apple TV has a much better interface than my experiences with DirecTV and Comcast's VOD services. But the cable/satellite guys still have so much content they can deliver--you're still not going to be able to completely ditch your set-top box for Apple TV. So, the changes make Apple TV much more interesting, but it's still fighting for a place in the living room.
Q: 802.1x for iPhone
by enso07 - 1/17/08 11:12 AMWhen are we going to see 802.1x capabilities for the iPhone and iPod touch? This is an increasingly popular method for authorization over WiFi, particularly for large businesses and universities. Supposedly the iPhone already has the capabilities, but they are not activated? Is there any way around this with the 1.1.3 update to the iPhone / iPod touch?
A: I don't think so
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:15 AMThat's a good question: maybe they'll want to support it later with iPhone 2.0, especially after the SDK makes the iPhone more attractive to companies and universities, as you point out. I don't think the 1.1.3 update addresses 802.1x, but subsequent ones might if there is sufficient demand from organizational buyers.
Q: macbook pro
by dmayor09 - 1/17/08 11:10 AMWith Macbook Air being revealed at macworld 08', do you think updates and/or price drops would be far around the corner for macbook pro or macbook?
A: Yes, on updates
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:13 AMI'm not sure price drops are coming anytime soon, since Macbooks are selling pretty well at the current prices. I had thought we'd see new Macbooks this week, but now it seems that Apple might be waiting for Intel's Montevina platform refresh, which will supposedly come around in the second quarter.
Q: Apple TV 2
by mkraftjr - 1/17/08 11:08 AMWhy do you think Apple is limiting DVD quality rentals to Stereo- I think this is a huge mistake that seems to take little to fix. Obviously the ATV is capable of putting out a 5.1 signal. They market the ATV to those who want to watch movies on their "big screen" but almost all who have that have a suround system as well. I don't get it.
A: File size?
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:12 AMI'm not sure what exactly is required from a code standpoint to support 5.1 sound, but perhaps that would make the file too large and unwieldy to download. I agree, it's not a big-screen experience without the sound.
Q: Tom, this is about Apple's commitment to Canada
by yycmale - 1/17/08 11:07 AMHey, i am a diehard Apple Supporter here in Canada, I am still patiently waiting for the official release of the Iphone up here which I am OK with, and we finally got some Canadian TV Shows on ITunes. I would like to know when they are expecting to release the new AppleTV (Movie rentals and HD Content) for us here in Canada? Why can't we just use the American site?
A: Studio restrictions?
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:10 AMApple did say that international support would be coming later this year, which would probably include Canada. I would bet they are just testing out the system in the U.S. first before rolling it out around the world, but I also bet the studios wanted to start smaller rather than larger.
Q: Time Capsule / Airport Extreme / Time Machine
by dougwalk - 1/17/08 11:05 AMI'm wondering...am I a victim to a new product from Apple? When I bought my Airport Extreme I noted it came with a USB port and further I had read that developers then working on Leopard had Time Machine working well over the network with a USB drive attached to the AIport Extreme. Is there any hope that I will regain this functionality or do I just get another drive that I can dedicate & plug in for time machine purposes? I Am NOT gonna buy TC! Went to Macworld yesterday, but couldn't get anyone from Apple to talk to me about it all they wanted to talk about was new stuff and, of course the overpriced MBAir...
A: It's not clear
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:09 AMSupport for the wireless backups in Time Machine was apparently pulled at the last minute, and it's not clear whether that will get added in for Leopard 10.5.2 or later.
http://www.news.com/8301-13579_3-9805369-37.html?tag=bl
I think the only way you'll be able to do wireless backups to an external drive--for now--is to buy Time Capsule. And that does stink for anyone who bought an external drive and Airport Extreme just for that purpose.
Q: MacBook Pro Updates
by niemie - 1/17/08 11:03 AMWhat's going on with the Penryn and forthcoming Modevia (I think that's right) platform from Intel in terms of when it will be added to the MacBook Pro lineup? What a disappointment that there was no announcement at MacWorld.
A: Montevina
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:06 AMThat's not going to be ready until the second quarter, according to Intel. The Penryn notebook chips just launched at CES, and with the special package that Intel designed for the MacBook Air, they probably didn't want to take the chance on the new Penryn chips. I bet you'll see new MacBooks and MacBook Pros before the back-to-school shopping season this year.
Q: HP laptop repair
by mhwolff - 1/17/08 11:02 AMWho do you recommend I send my HP laptop to for repair? It was dropped and now the start button doesn't work and sound only works with external speakers. HP repair quoted me $630!!
A: Not sure
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 11:04 AMThanks for the question, but that's a little off-topic for today's chat. You might want to try asking that question in one of our HP-related forums.
A: Welcome to the Macworld edition of Ask the Editors!
by Tom Krazit - 1/17/08 10:50 AMHi everybody! I'll be taking your questions for the next hour or so on anything and everything related to Macworld 2008. Post your questions here, and I'll try to get through as many as possible before my hands turn to stone.
Thanks!
Tom
Incoming questions
Networking
WiFi
When I enable my WiFi on my apartment complex, I get a lot of signal from another computers (Neighbors).I can also disable my cable connection. Is that legal?
by maxwell Ribeiro - 1/17/08 12:06 PM
MacBook Air
Why do you think apple decided to release a product such as MacBook Air? My understanding is that the market for sub-compact notebooks isn't terribly strong. Do you think that will change due to the apple "cool-ness" factor?
by mindyandben - 1/17/08 12:02 PM
Triangulating WiFi base stations
I'm a bit baffled by the WiFi-based location tech. If I'm in my apartment complex, there are a bunch of base stations all over the place, but does the device really know anything about them? What happens if somebody moves their base station? What happens when everybody moves in 2 years and the data is all stale? So I wonder how useful that feature will turn out to be.
by Daniel L Smith - 1/17/08 11:59 AM
mms for iphone?
What are the chances of mms coming to the iphone anytime soon?
by MRSLANEY7 - 1/17/08 11:58 AM
Student
Im a Student and seriously thinking in buying a laptop.Apple will be my first pick but i dont see any improvment as far as adaptability on the new mac book air (remote disk!!!!!!!).I have to use a lot of CDs and DVD ROMs that are only PC compatible and also I cant just use anoyher computer to remotely install thos apps.How can I coupe with this????????
by maxwell Ribeiro - 1/17/08 11:57 AM
iPhone 2.0
Do you think Apple will abandon the exclusive agreement with AT&T for future versions of the iPhone? Doesn't this exclusivity limit Apple's market somewhat because of AT&T's 2nd tier wireless network? I would think Verizon would have been the natural choice.
by Gudzy - 1/17/08 11:57 AM
Randy Newman
Do you think anyone at apple was cringing over some of Newman's editorializing?
by mindyandben - 1/17/08 11:55 AM
NAB in April?
What do you expect we will see at the NAB in April?
by macronerd - 1/17/08 11:55 AM
Randy Newman?
You said we could ask about Randy. So what about Randy? Thanks!
by jeremiahdixon - 1/17/08 11:55 AM
Sanj
Not sure if this has already been asked but is there any indication if Apple might reconsider the $20 charge for current Touch owners in order to get the 1.1.3 upgrade? I see this as being a repeat of the whole iPhone pricing mess when Apple dropped the price of the iPhone by $200 after 4 months. There seems to be a lot of upset Touch owners out there.
by sanjayb - 1/17/08 11:53 AM
Bento
Have you heard if the new Bento from Filemaker will be cross platform? It seems like a great product and I would like to use it on a PC.
by mtassinari - 1/17/08 11:49 AM
Apple TV partnership?
Is it possible that Apple will partner with some cable/satellite provider in order to provide its iTunes offerings as say, an on-demand type of thing? Rather than the current setup which requires you to purchase from iTunes and then wait for the download?
by BlackEaglejs - 1/17/08 11:49 AM
Waiting for iPhone 2.0
I am waiting for iPhone 2.0 support 3G.
Do you think should I wait for it or just buy current iPhone?
Do you think should I wait for it or just buy current iPhone?
by jeokim - 1/17/08 11:47 AM
10.5.2
I was disappointed that 10.5.2 wasn't announced or at leased released contemporaneously with the keynote address. Should we expect it to come yet this week or are we continue waiting. I love leopard, but it needs some polishing that I anticipate will come with 10.5.2.
by mindyandben - 1/17/08 11:47 AM
Iphone Price
Hello. I was expecting Apple to drop the price of the iPhone a Mac World. This didn't happen. When do you think the iPhone price will start to dip below the $399 current price point? Thanks
-Dan
-Dan
by Gudzy - 1/17/08 11:47 AM
MSN Messenger
When are we going to be able to use video on MSN messenger? IS that something Apple is thinking about? Is a very reliable messenger app.......
by maxwell Ribeiro - 1/17/08 11:44 AM
New Cinema Displays?
Tom.. alot of us are dissapointed that Steve didn't announce new cinema displays at macworld.. they're way overdue for an update. When do you think we might see them?
by macronerd - 1/17/08 11:44 AM
LWS
I recently downloaded the new software for my iPod touch. The maps feature seems to work only intermittently. Could you explain how this mapping feature works and why I can't always get access to the Google maps feature?
by LWS1065 - 1/17/08 11:41 AM
iTunes Podcast Download Speeds
1. Well I have a 2.0 Mbps ADSL connection..
I live in India. I have a problem.
Well when I download podcasts such as CNET's Buzz Out Loud, the download speed is really poor. Otherwise I get average speeds of 200 KBPS (kilobyte not kilobit). The download speed in iTunes is about 12 kbps or something. I have to waste a lot of time in downloading podcasts which are like 300 MB.
2. I also have an iMac (the new one) 24".
After keeping it on for like 5-6 hours, the screen turns extremely hot. I cannot even touch the screen. Sometimes I get electric shocks if I touch it with my wrist or elbow.
What is the problem?
I live in India. I have a problem.
Well when I download podcasts such as CNET's Buzz Out Loud, the download speed is really poor. Otherwise I get average speeds of 200 KBPS (kilobyte not kilobit). The download speed in iTunes is about 12 kbps or something. I have to waste a lot of time in downloading podcasts which are like 300 MB.
2. I also have an iMac (the new one) 24".
After keeping it on for like 5-6 hours, the screen turns extremely hot. I cannot even touch the screen. Sometimes I get electric shocks if I touch it with my wrist or elbow.
What is the problem?
by aniruddhc - 1/17/08 11:41 AM
Webex
I've used apple machines at work now for more than twenty years. Even with the advent of duoCore, there's still one thing that prevents me from using Macs fully in a business environment- the absence of a desktop sharing program for Macs. In order for me to use Webex or LiveMeeting )as a presenter), I've got to switch to windows. As remote demonstrations and presentations are pretty much business as usual, are you aware of any progress being made to address this issue?
by AnalyticsUSA - 1/17/08 11:40 AM
Average Joe
How the average Joe that dont have a office job can use the new application on MacBook air called Remote Disk.I mean do you have to go "running "from door to door to "ask" someone to use their PC or Mac to install a new software?
by maxwell Ribeiro - 1/17/08 11:39 AM
Fullscreen movie rentals
Many (perhaps most) of the movies added to iTunes this week -- the ones from the new studios -- are advertised as fullscreen. This includes "Live Free or Die Hard," "300," "The Simpsons Movie," "Fantastic Four," etc. Any insight into why that is? Apple has been shifting to exclusively making widescreen devices, after all -- MacBook, iPhone, ... Any chance this is just a typo in the store's metadata?
by Daniel L Smith - 1/17/08 11:36 AM
Alu iMac Screen Gradient Issue
I'm surprised with CNETs 8.2 rating of the 20'' Alu iMac. How did they not notice the inferior LCD screen that shows a painful gradient from top to bottom?
Apple decided to put in a cheaper 6-bit LCD panel with the top very dark, and the bottom very washed out.
I sent two of them back before realizing that they're all like that.
Do you have any input on Apple dropping the ball on this one?
Apple decided to put in a cheaper 6-bit LCD panel with the top very dark, and the bottom very washed out.
I sent two of them back before realizing that they're all like that.
Do you have any input on Apple dropping the ball on this one?
by derbystar16 - 1/17/08 11:32 AM
Displays
I was somewhat surprised and quite disappointed that there were no cinema display announcements at MacWorld. I wonder if you know the reason, especially since iSight has long ago been discontinued. I was hoping for a 30 inch with a built in camera.
Thanks
Thanks
by afreemanmd - 1/17/08 11:31 AM
AppleTV needs to be a DVR too!
Why doesn't Apple add DVR functionality to their AppleTV?
I just don't see this as having great appeal without the inclusion of time-warping broadcasted content.
TiVo and Amazon Unbox seems to be the best answer right now.
Couldn't Apple develop their own DVR, or license software from TiVo?
I just don't see this as having great appeal without the inclusion of time-warping broadcasted content.
TiVo and Amazon Unbox seems to be the best answer right now.
Couldn't Apple develop their own DVR, or license software from TiVo?
by Dave Dugal - 1/17/08 11:30 AM
Quality of iTunes movies
When iTunes movies were launched, they were advertised as "near-DVD quality" (640x360 for widescreen) with Dolby Surround sound (limited surround sound encoded in a stereo signal). At Macworld this year, Steve talked about the movies as "DVD quality" with "stereo sound". Have the specs changed? Or just the words used by marketing folks?
by Daniel L Smith - 1/17/08 11:28 AM
iTunes Rental in Canada
When is iTunes Movie rental be available in Canada?
by timmydub - 1/17/08 11:26 AM
Switch to a Mac
I have used windows forever now and it's about that time to upgrade the family desktop, I have really been considering a Mac for awhile now it's just the learning curve that I'm worried about. I have a Windows laptop and a WiFi network setup in the house so I hope to be able to communicate between computers. My questions is should I go with the iMac or just upgrade in PC so I don't have to worry about my wife asking hundreds of questions about the new mac?
by aylwars - 1/17/08 11:22 AM
Also when Steve Jobs steps down - Will OS X be available on Wintel machines
Yes, I understand the rhetoric of good hardware design coupled with good software. But one would think an Civil suite could be filed against apple for making their OS only work on their products, Give me a break you have Windows and Linux that can run on both platforms now. So why not make a different variant of OS X with difference licensing terms to market it to the masses ?
by nhl.le - 1/17/08 11:21 AM
Various Questions...
Well with the decreasing prices of flash memory and a great increase in the storage capacity, when do you think we will see a 32 GB iPhone?
Will we be seeing a Touchscreen iMac in 2008?
Will the prices of the Macbook Air drop? Will there be a better configured MacBook Air?
Do you think that Apple will make the 5 new iPod touch apps free of cost?
Will we be seeing a Touchscreen iMac in 2008?
Will the prices of the Macbook Air drop? Will there be a better configured MacBook Air?
Do you think that Apple will make the 5 new iPod touch apps free of cost?
by aniruddhc - 1/17/08 11:21 AM
eBook reader
What i really wanted this year was a smaller than laptop, bigger than ipod touch device. Finally a eBook reader with all the pretty colors and multimedia linked to the text and PDF's. Google is already building up a huge library and iTunes is perfect for the distribution. How likely is it that we'll see this setup in 2008?
by Peter Bonte - 1/17/08 11:20 AM
MacBook Air - Other than Design - Any techncial reasons why apple choose to have non-removable batteries in their products ?
Hasn't Apple learned from its mistakes in regards to poor batteries or bricked batteries in their products.
by nhl.le - 1/17/08 11:18 AM
ipod touch
Any speculation on the possibility of a a price drop on the ipod touch or an updated model with larger capacity?
by Spidey00 - 1/17/08 11:18 AM
Apple tv
Why has Apple not made Apple tv built into an lcd with a dvr, blue ray, 802.1n, and Ipod dock? JVC has the dock and Lowes UK has all the multimedia. Maybe when ATT buys Dish Network it will all come together.
by tfischer1507 - 1/17/08 11:17 AM
Windows on a Mac...
Since Apple moved to Intel processors there has been a consistently growing demand for installing Windows on a Mac, mostly using BootCamp, to 'get the best of both worlds.' However, driver availability seems to remain an issue. Are there any sources of such driver downloads or tips that you can suggest?
John
John
by John.Wilkinson - 1/17/08 11:15 AM
AppleTV vs VOD
Do you think the changes to the AppleTV will be enough to save the device? Do you see how this is really going to be any different from the already entrenched Cable/Satellite VOD we already have?
by mwsmith824 - 1/17/08 11:13 AM
802.1x for iPhone
When are we going to see 802.1x capabilities for the iPhone and iPod touch? This is an increasingly popular method for authorization over WiFi, particularly for large businesses and universities. Supposedly the iPhone already has the capabilities, but they are not activated? Is there any way around this with the 1.1.3 update to the iPhone / iPod touch?
by enso07 - 1/17/08 11:12 AM
macbook pro
With Macbook Air being revealed at macworld 08', do you think updates and/or price drops would be far around the corner for macbook pro or macbook?
by dmayor09 - 1/17/08 11:10 AM
Apple TV 2
Why do you think Apple is limiting DVD quality rentals to Stereo- I think this is a huge mistake that seems to take little to fix. Obviously the ATV is capable of putting out a 5.1 signal. They market the ATV to those who want to watch movies on their "big screen" but almost all who have that have a suround system as well. I don't get it.
by mkraftjr - 1/17/08 11:08 AM
Tom, this is about Apple's commitment to Canada
Hey, i am a diehard Apple Supporter here in Canada, I am still patiently waiting for the official release of the Iphone up here which I am OK with, and we finally got some Canadian TV Shows on ITunes. I would like to know when they are expecting to release the new AppleTV (Movie rentals and HD Content) for us here in Canada? Why can't we just use the American site?
by yycmale - 1/17/08 11:07 AM
To mhwolff in regards to your HP laptop
Hi there,
This live chat event is on All things Apple.
My recommendation would be to post your HP laptop question in the CNET Laptops forum here:
http://forums.cnet.com/5204-7587_102-0.html?forumID=69
I'm sure some of our members will be able to give you some sound advice.
Thanks!
-Lee
CNET community
This live chat event is on All things Apple.
My recommendation would be to post your HP laptop question in the CNET Laptops forum here:
http://forums.cnet.com/5204-7587_102-0.html?forumID=69
I'm sure some of our members will be able to give you some sound advice.
Thanks!
-Lee
CNET community
by Lee Koo (ADMIN) - 1/17/08 11:06 AM
Time Capsule / Airport Extreme / Time Machine
I'm wondering...am I a victim to a new product from Apple? When I bought my Airport Extreme I noted it came with a USB port and further I had read that developers then working on Leopard had Time Machine working well over the network with a USB drive attached to the AIport Extreme. Is there any hope that I will regain this functionality or do I just get another drive that I can dedicate & plug in for time machine purposes? I Am NOT gonna buy TC! Went to Macworld yesterday, but couldn't get anyone from Apple to talk to me about it all they wanted to talk about was new stuff and, of course the overpriced MBAir...
by dougwalk - 1/17/08 11:05 AM
MacBook Pro Updates
What's going on with the Penryn and forthcoming Modevia (I think that's right) platform from Intel in terms of when it will be added to the MacBook Pro lineup? What a disappointment that there was no announcement at MacWorld.
by niemie - 1/17/08 11:03 AM
HP laptop repair
Who do you recommend I send my HP laptop to for repair? It was dropped and now the start button doesn't work and sound only works with external speakers. HP repair quoted me $630!!
by mhwolff - 1/17/08 11:02 AM
Tom Krazit, CNET News.com writer live!
Ask the Editors Live: Macworld edition: All things Apple
Got questions about Apple? Well, you've come to the right place.
Our next upcoming Ask the Editors Live chat begins at 11 a.m. Pacific Time (2 p.m. Eastern), Thursday, January 17. Our special host will be CNET News.com staff writer, Tom Krazit, who will be here to answer your questions, debate, and discuss anything to do with Apple from Macworld 2008, the new MacBook Air, iTunes, Movie Rentals, Time Capsule, or even Randy Newman. You name it, Tom is your Apple man!
So get your Apple questions ready and don't miss out on this live chat event!
Click here for upcoming Ask the Editors Live events and past transcripts of events.
Got questions about Apple? Well, you've come to the right place.
Our next upcoming Ask the Editors Live chat begins at 11 a.m. Pacific Time (2 p.m. Eastern), Thursday, January 17. Our special host will be CNET News.com staff writer, Tom Krazit, who will be here to answer your questions, debate, and discuss anything to do with Apple from Macworld 2008, the new MacBook Air, iTunes, Movie Rentals, Time Capsule, or even Randy Newman. You name it, Tom is your Apple man!
So get your Apple questions ready and don't miss out on this live chat event!
Click here for upcoming Ask the Editors Live events and past transcripts of events.
by Lee Koo (ADMIN) - 1/17/08 10:31 AM
