Tech Know: An Apple a day

Mac gadgets galore were on display at Macworld 2002. Takanori Kobayashi reports.

Proving that cool computers will always attract crowds, the 12th Macworld Conference & Expo/Tokyo 2002 drew more than 200,000 visitors to the Tokyo International Exhibition Center from March 21-23.

The expo began with a keynote speech by Apple Computer CEO Steve Jobs, who introduced the latest Mac OS X, a new iPod music player, Bluetooth hardware and software for the Mac. Jobs also used the occasion to deliver some unwelcome news—that Apple had decided to raise the price of its three new flat-panel iMac desktops by ¥20,000 in Japan. The price hike brings the suggested retail price for the high-end model to ¥244,800.

Jobs attributed the increase to higher component costs. Nevertheless, it's rare for a personal computer maker to raise the price of a new product just two months after its launch. Apple took the wraps off the iMac in late January in the US, and then in Europe and Asia.

Steve Jobs

But despite that bad news, all eyes were on the new iPod, a PDA that has a 10GB hard drive and includes software allowing it to store and manage up to 1,000 contacts. The new iPods are available with customized names or messages laser-engraved onto the back. They can store up to 2,000 CD-quality songs. "You can listen to your music continuously on six round-trip flights between San Francisco and Tokyo and never hear the same song twice," Jobs told 6,000 fans.
The iPod's new Contact software enables users to transfer contact lists from Entourage, Palm Desktop or Mac OS's Address Book into the iPod Contacts folder. The AppleScripts, created in AppleScript Studio, will automate the process of extracting and importing contact listings from your computer into an upgraded iPod.

The following AppleScripts are available from Apple's website:

Address book to iPod (74K)—This application will import the contact data from the Mac OS X Address Book into your iPod. This application lets you sort contacts by last or first name. Version 1.0.1 now adds support for Japanese systems.

Entourage to iPod (60K)—This application allows you to import the contact data from the Microsoft Entourage application into your iPod. The application offers the ability to sort the contact names by last name or first name. Version 1.0.1 now adds support for Japanese systems and cell, pager and fax numbers.

Palm Desktop to iPod (74K)—This application will allow you to import the contact data from the Palm Desktop application into your iPod. It offers the ability to sort the contact names by last name or first name.

Users should note that these applications are designed for a computer running Mac OS X 10.1 (with Dev Tools CD) or 10.1.2 and higher.
Jobs was particularly enthusiastic about Bluetooth. Apple isn't the first company to popularize it as a way of connecting mobile devices and peripherals to a desktop computer, but it's aiming to simplify a potentially confusing technology for end users. "Now we're offering a Bluetooth solution that actually works and is easy to use," said Jobs.

Bluetooth is an emerging wireless networking standard designed to enable computers and various peripherals to communicate with each other at speeds up to 1MB over short distances (about 10 meters or less). PDAs, cell phones, printers and other devices are beginning to support Bluetooth. In addition, Bluetooth-enabled computers can communicate with each other.
Fans also flocked to see Jobs demonstrate how the Mac OS X edits movies, music, photos and DVDs. Emphasizing the term "digital hub," Jobs said personal computers will be at the center of the digital hub in the future. "Mac OS X is the best system to make it happen, and iMac is the best for consumers," he said.

While Windows dominates the PC market, Apple's Macintosh is still favored by those working in publishing, printing, video producing, designing and CG industries, said Jobs. Crowds swarmed around booths displaying Mac-related products and services for use with Mac OS X. The Macromedia, Adobe Systems, Microsoft and Symantec booths were all inundated, as was a troubleshooting booth.

The expo also offered 50 sessions designed for creative professionals: publishers, video producers, web designers, 2D/3D graphic designers, constructors, architects or those engaged in medical services and so on.

Photo credit: Takanori Kobayashi

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