I’ve Got Something Apple Should Cancel
December 16, 2008 | 2 Comments
Today Apple dropped a few bombshells announcing that they were ceasing their participation in the annual MacWorld conference and this year Steve Jobs would not be giving the keynote. In an equally surprising announcement Apple announced it was also canceling Christmas. Tomorrow I’m sure Apple will announce it is canceling the value of it’s stock. High-oh! While Apple is currently in the mood to cancel things that have been a huge part of the company for years — I mean introduction of the iPod, iPhone and the iPod Hi-Fi — I’ve got a suggestion of something else they should cancel: the Dashboard.
The Dashboard has been a staple of OS X since 10.4 Tiger was released. It’s concept — that you can have different widgets that do different things — has been repeated all over the internet and now in Windows Vista. With the influx of Web 2.0 website offering basically the same functionality, the Dashboard has become outdated and, dare I say, useless. I can’t remember the last time I actually opened the Dashboard willingly — the occasional accidental F12 key strike does the trick — nor actually used a widget. 10.5 Leopard brought a new feature to the Dashboard, the ability to create your own widgets from any website you wanted using a button on Safari. I can safely say, I’ve never used this feature. It’s a good idea, but again, basically useless.
The problem is not the concept, that in and of itself is okay, the problem is usage. It’s a screen that runs in the background and, when pulled up, is ready to go. The problem here is that it sucks up memory causing the entire system to slow. The other problem — and here’s the kicker — is that why would I launch the Dashboard to see what time it is, look at my calendar, check a contact’s email address or see what the weather is when I can simply do that without launching the Dashboard. So maybe part of the problem is the concept after all.
So here’s what I propose: Apple cancel the Dashboard. 10.6 Snow Leopard is set to debut sometime next year and is not actually offering any new features, but rather a promise to slim down the operating system and make it run much more efficiently. Could there be a more perfect time to get rid of something that causes bloat and inefficiency? While people will miss MacWorld, and probably Christmas too, I’m not sure if I know many people who would miss the Dashboard.
No Big Show for Apple
February 28, 2006 | 1 Comment
If you’re a geek like me then you get excited when Apple invites the media for a special announcement. Before MacWorld, the huge expo held at the beginning of the year speculation rose as to just what Steve Jobs was going to unveil. It turned out it was a new iMac and MacBook Pro computer using Intel’s new Core Duo chip. While these were huge announcements, everyone seemed a little taken a back that there was no new iPod released.
Fast forward to today when Apple decides to call in the media for another announcement. Speculation again rose in the last few days as just what was going to be announced. Talk has been made about a “true” video iPod with a touch screen. Talk has also been made that to go with this new iPod would be the addition of the iTunes Movie Store where feature length films would be available. Or perhaps even a Windows Media Center replacement.
Today’s announcement didn’t even come close.
Job’s unvailed two new products, the Intel Core Duo based Mac Mini and a GIANT speaker box for your iPod. The Mac Mini is no big suprise as Jobs said that by the end of the year the entire Apple product line will sport Core Duo chips. This speaker set, called the iPod Hi-Fi, looks more like an oversized block of plastic and nothing like the “clean, compact design” it boasts. Intial reports say that while it offers a 6 D cell battery power option, it is in no way portable do to the size and weight. Apple is known for their sleak design and craming really great technology into small spaces, but this thing is just the complete oposite. Granted I haven’t heard the quality of the speakers, but I don’t think it matters. I’d rather save the $349 and purchase a cable to hook my iPod up to my current surround sound receiver.
While today was a let down, I guess there is still hope. April 1st is Apple’s 30th birthday. Perhaps the video iPod will be announced then — and hopefully it won’t be some sick April Fool’s joke.