With Macworld underway this week, here is our top five product wishlist.
Last year it was the iPhone, but Apple’s killer product for 2008 remains an open bet in the lead up to the annual US Macworld event this week.
More than 50,000 visitors and more than 500 exhibitors are expected to the event, held over five days in San Fransisco. Macworld has already spurred a flurry of predictions of what major product announcement Steve Jobs will make. Here’s our wishlist for the event.
3G iPhone
Still the one feature lacking from the iPhone’s killer spec is 3G data access. Sure, it’s got WiFi, but on launch in Australia (expected this year, but Apple's made no announcements yet), the iPhone will lag well behind local smartphone when it comes to truly mobile broadband. Meanwhile we’re still waiting for the iPhone to appear here (oh, unless you’ve hacked yours).
SSD Notebooks
Solid State is fast becoming the hottest thing in portable computing. It’s still well into the premium end of the price scale, but we’re willing to bet more than a few MacBook Pro users would happily part with the money for the performance and battery gains. Solid State isn’t everything (we’ve already seen some lacklustre benchmarks results on the SSD Zepto), but with 128GB drives from Toshiba on the way the time is right. An SSD Macbook would make the EeePC decidedly underdone.
Wireless Broadband
Apple is now in the unusual position of being one of major vendors without a notebook with built-in 3G Internet access. Data rates are still expensive, but they’re coming down, and moves by Vodafone and Optus to expand nationwide coverage means 3G Internet is looking like an extremely promising prospect. Dell has already jumped on the bandwagon with no less than 14 notebooks with optional 3G – you choose between Vodafone or Telstra when ordering, and the machine comes with a SIM pre-inserted, and 3G antenna installed. Sure, you can always add a 3G USB modem to a Macbook, but that just wouldn’t look as slick would it?
13.3inch Macbook
We love 13.3inch notebooks – they’re small enough to carry around easily, and don’t suffer the crippling effects of low voltage Intel chips, like sub 1kg ultraportables. But for some strange reason, Apple fans have been stuck with a choice between 15 and 17inch screens for the premium Macbook Pro lineup (though you can score a 13.3inch Macbook). Message to Steve Jobs – small is in.
Apple TV with movies
One of the more popular predictions in Australia in the leadup to Macworld, and for good reason. More than six months since the local launch, and Apple TV is still essentially a glorified music box and photo slideshow unit (without DivX support either). Sure it gives you video podcasts, but what everyone’s waiting for is movies and TV shows. To be fair, this is dependant on movie companies, TV studios, and licensing deals. Meanwhile we’ve spent thousands on flat screens, so lets put them to good use.