Apple Mac mini

The Mac mini is the smallest desktop computer made by Apple Inc.The mini, which resembles earlier Mini-ITX PC designs, is quite small for a desktop computer: 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) wide, 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) deep, and 2 inches (5.1 cm) tall. It weighs 2.9 pounds (1.31 kg).For newbies the box you see above is the processor tower you normally have at home.The 
Mac mini looks smart and fits anywhere
While we certainly had a fairly solid idea that Apple would be unveiling a new breed of iMacs and a snazzy new set of keys, you can color us mildly surprised to see a Mac mini refresh thrown in for good measure. Available today, the newly revamped minis arrive in two basic configurations, the first of which includes a 1.83GHz Core 2 Duo, 1GB of RAM, and an 80GB hard drive for $599, while $200 more will buy you a 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo, the same 1GB of RAM, and a 120GB hard drive. Both units come with Front Row and an Apple Remote, iLife '08, OS X 10.4, a DVI-to-VGA adapter, and the same cute box we've come to know and love. Those looking to CTO can toss in an extra gigabyte of RAM, bump the HDD to 160GB, and throw in one of those oh-so-sexy keyboards while you're at it. Best of all, they're slated to ship within 24 hours.

Apple iPod Touch (16GB)

If you find yourself dazzled by the Web, video, and music capabilities of Apple's iPhone but can't stomach the contract commitment, the iPod Touch might be just what you're looking for. Offered in 8GB ($299) and 16GB ($399) capacities, the iPod Touch is a premium-priced device with an attractive set of features for a midsize portable video player (PVP). Still, the Touch's limited storage capacity makes it a difficult choice when held up to higher capacity products like the iPod Classic or Archos 605 WiFi

Design
For better or worse, the iPod Touch is clearly the iPhone's baby brother. Like most products that roll out of Apple, the Touch shows the love of committed designers, hardware engineers, and usability experts. The Touch measures a slim and pocketable 4.3 inches by 2.4 inches by 0.31 inch, with an all-metal-and-glass design that feels as expensive as it looks. Because nothing will ruin a portable video player faster than a gouge across its screen, we're happy to see that the face of the iPod Touch uses the same scratch-resistant glass found on the iPhone. Most users will still want to buy a protective case, however, since the Touch feels a little fragile and the back is covered with the glossy, scratch-prone, smudge-loving chrome exterior common to most iPods.

There are only two physical buttons on the Touch: a button on the face of the player used for calling up the main menu; and a screen deactivation button found on the top-left edge of the case. The Touch is controlled largely using an icon-based touch-screen navigation menu nearly identical to the iPhone's, but with greater emphasis placed on music, photo, and video playback.

The two design details that distinguish the iPod Touch from the iPhone are the headphone jack and volume controls. While the iPhone surprised us with its difficult, recessed headphone jack, the 3.5mm headphone jack on the iPod Touch runs flush with the case and accepts any standard minijack headphone connection. In the absence of dedicated volume control buttons, the Touch gives users the ability to bring up an onscreen volume slider by double-clicking the main menu button. The same volume screen offers controls for playing, pausing, and skipping through tracks.

When it comes down to it, the iPod Touch's most unique selling point is not its feature set, but its interface. You can find products that offer more features, as well as higher quality audio and video performance, but you won't find any other product that can match the feeling you get using the iPod Touch interface. In the absence of jetpacks or flying cars, the futuristic novelty of zooming photos with a pinch of the finger or flying through your music collection in Cover Flow is difficult to quantify into a bullet point, but it is probably the most justifiable reason to invest in the Touch.

Features
The iPod Touch draws 99 percent of its features from the iPhone. While iPhone owners have zero incentive for buying the Touch, the rest of us now have a way to get our hands on many of the iPhone's features without costly and contractual AT&T service plans. The bad news is that the iPod Touch does away with more than just the iPhone's phone capabilities--it also gives up POP/IMAP e-mail, built-in speakers, microphone, camera, Bluetooth, and a handful of widget applications such as stock monitoring and weather forecasting. Remaining features such as a Safari Web browser, YouTube video portal, photo viewer, music player, video player, and iTunes Wi-Fi music store still place the iPod Touch on the cutting edge for portable video players, however. In fact, at the time of this writing, the only product that can even compete with the iPod Touch's combination of a Wi-Fi-enabled Web browser, wireless music store, wide-screen video playback, photo viewer, and audio player, is the Archos 605 WiFi.

One of the few notable features that put the iPod Touch ahead of the iPhone is the ability to output video and photos to a television using an optional Apple AV cable, Universal Dock, or qualifying third-party video accessory. Another advantage the iPod Touch offers over the iPhone is the ability to manually manage music and video content in lieu of setting up automatic content syncing rules within iTunes. We are a little disappointed that the iPod Touch is the only iPod that does not support a generic USB storage mode, but we doubt many users will be upset by this.

Audio format support is unchanged from previous iPods. The Touch supports standard and purchased AAC, as well as MP3, Audible, WAV, AIFF, and Apple Lossless. Video format support is likewise unaltered from the H.264/MP4 files playable on 5G iPods, as well as the third-generation iPod Nano and the iPod Classic. The Touch supports video resolutions up to 640 by 480 at 30 frames per second.

Safari
The Safari Web browser found on the iPod Touch is more or less the same great browser found on the iPhone, minus a few features. For instance, without the iPhone's e-mail application or phone capabilities, e-mail addresses and phone numbers found on Web pages will no longer launch e-mail or dialing options. Web-based e-mail, such as Gmail or Yahoo mail, work fine in Safari, but without the ability to copy and paste text, manually entering in e-mail addresses found on the Web can be frustrating. Just like Safari on the iPhone, Flash-based Web objects are still disabled, including embedded video players and music players.

Despite these few limitations, using Safari on a small mobile device like the iPod Touch is still fun and useful. The intelligent touch-screen keyboard and multiple browser window management are a big plus.

iTunes Wi-Fi
Both the iPod Touch and iPhone allow users to browse, preview, purchase, and download music from the new iTunes Wi-Fi music store. The store is limited strictly to music downloads--no movies, TV shows, podcasts, or games--at least, not yet. You'll have to hop onto an available Wi-Fi Internet connection to take advantage of the wireless music store, but once connected, you can search for any artist, album, or song in the iTunes catalog, as well as browse by genre, top sellers, featured artists, and new releases. Store purchases require you to enter your iTunes password as a security measure. Once the download is complete, the song is immediately available to listen to and will transfer to your computer's iTunes music library the next time you sync the device. The feature seems to work without any kinks. Even interrupted downloads pick up once a Wi-Fi connection is re-established.

Apple has also announced a partnership with the Starbucks coffee chain that will allow iPhone and Touch users the ability to access a Starbucks-branded version of the iTunes Wi-Fi music store when the device is used at participating cafes--without paying to use the hot spot. We doubt that anyone will purchase the Touch based on this added functionality, but it bears mentioning.

Wish list
Complaining about the iPod Touch's lack of FM radio or voice-recording features feels like complaining about a Porsche's lack of cup holders. Still, there are some missing features on the iPod Touch that we would have enjoyed. High-capacity SD memory card expansion is at the top of our list of most-wanted features for the Touch. We could easily forgive any PVP's limited built-in memory capacity if the option of SD memory card expansion was available (the Archos 405 or Creative Zen are perfect examples of video players that give us the option to expand).

We'd also love to see embedded Flash support in the otherwise fabulous Safari browser. Whether video content from sites like DailyMotion or Viddler or music from Web radio sites like Pandora or Slacker, embedded Flash media content is a big part of the Internet media experience. And while we're being picky, we also want the iPhone's notepad application, iTunes game support, and stereo Bluetooth transmission. The ability to use the Touch as an external storage drive like the iPod Nano and iPod Classic would also be a plus.

Performance
Putting aside the Touch's sleek design, futuristic interface, and innovative feature set, the quality of its audio and video playback rank only slightly above average. The iPod Touch reportedly uses the same audio chipset as the iPhone, but a different one than the iPod Classic. The Touch offers good audio quality, but not the stellar audio we were hoping for in an expensive product. The audio issue is compounded by Apple's long-standing history of preventing iPod users from defining their own custom EQ settings. Apple's 20 built-in equalization presets are handy, but there's just no substitute for rolling your own five-band EQ curve. With the Touch's emphasis on video playback, it would have been especially useful to have a surround-sound emulation effect similar to the Cowon A2's or Sony NWZ-S610's.

We've heard some complaints about the iPod Touch's video performance, but we found the overall quality to be good. Viewing angles are less than great, producing some color and contrast shifting from even slight tilting. We also found that the glossy glass screen kicks back a lot of glare. Still, despite the common complaints, the Touch is unquestionably the most video-worthy iPod yet.

Apple rates the iPod Touch's battery life at 22 hours for music playback and 5 hours for video. Our CNET labs found that the iPod Touch lasted an average of 23 hours for audio playback and 6 hours for video--which is better than expected, and more than adequate for a few in-flight movies.

We think the iPod Touch is a great product with lots to offer, but its premium price tag and limited capacity should give some shoppers pause. Don't assume that Apple's most expensive iPod is the best solution for your needs. If you're planning on watching a lot of video, high-capacity products like the iPod Classic or Archos 605 WiFi will allow you to load entire seasons of your favorite TV shows. Also bear in mind that if you're not around an available Wi-Fi network, features like the Safari Web browser, iTunes Wi-Fi music store, and YouTube video portal won't mean much at all. While the iPod Touch may not be the slam dunk we were hoping for, it is an unquestionably cool product that continues Apple's legacy of sleek, innovative design.

Digital Home:The Ultimate Digital Home Series

Panasonic TH-103PF9 103 Inch Hdtv Plasma Screen:

The Panasonic TH-103PF9BK is the world’s largest high definition plasma display and destined to be the awe-inspiring centerpiece of any facility or event. From the lobby or conference room of a corporate headquarters to the focal point of a trade show exhibit, this super-large 1080p panel is a show stopper for a wide range of professional applications including video production and screenings, live events, and control and command centers. This super-size display is equivalent in size to four 50-inch Panasonic plasma displays.

Features

• Full HD pixel resolution of 1,920 horizontal x 1,080 vertical
• Industry’s leading 16-bit processing to produces 4,096 steps of gradation
• Contrast ratio of up to 4,000:1 to reproduce exceptionally deep, rich blacks
• Effective display area is approximately 89″ wide by 50″ high
• Supports 1080/60p/50p, 1080/60i/50i/24p/24sF/25p/30p, 1080/50i, 720/60p/50p, 480/60i/p, and 575/50i/p video signals
• Advanced Dual Picture mode to overlay a video image onto a full-screen PC image
• Expanded configurations for multi-screen displays and the ability to enlarge an image up to 4X vertically and horizontally
• Three interchangeable slots and comes standard with the TY-FB9DD DVI board (compatible with UXGA input), TY-42TM6A analog component board, an integrated D-sub15 PC input, and an integrated D-sub9 RS-232C interface
• Plug-in architecture allows the addition of multi-function terminal boards for added connectivity and functionality

As Bill says:There should never be a Microsoft phone

In a recent interview with Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Bill Gates was asked about the future and whether or not his company will ever release a a proper competitor to the iPhone.

"No, we won't do that. In the so-called smart phone business we will concentrate solely on software with our Windows Mobile program," Gates said.

"We have partnerships with a lot of device manufacturers from Samsung to Motorola and this variety brings us significantly more than if we would make our own mobile phone," he added.

And with one fell swoop, the founder of Microsoft finally told the world that a Zune Phone or some other Microsoft toy won't be coming to fruition. And while I can't say that I know the exact reason why Bill and company doesn't want to compete with the iPhone, I can see about three reasons why he has decided against it.

Reason 1: Windows Mobile

Sure, we all sit here and have fun talking about some of Microsoft's flops, but Windows Mobile has not been one of them. According to the most recent numbers, Microsoft currently controls 6.1 percent of the entire cell phone market and has a solid hold on the smartphone business.

Beyond that, the company has formed a number of strategic partnerships with major manufacturers (as Bill points out) and there is little need to get in on the hardware business.

And for all of its bad (it has quite a bit of that), there are still some redeeming qualities that should not be overlooked. After all, with Windows Mobile 6 looking like it could be a viable solution going forward, the possibilities could be endless for the platform.

That said, I still think Windows Mobile is pales in comparison to some of its competitors.

Reason 2: Google

Let's face it: the future of Microsoft has nothing to do with operating systems or mobile platforms and everything to do with making sure Google doesn't kick its teeth in.

Let's recap, shall we? Microsoft was the world's most powerful company for years and it seemed as though no one could supplant it. But within just a few short years, Google grew at an exponential rate right under Bill's nose and now Microsoft isn't the only bully in town. To make matters worse, those coffers of cash that Ballmer stares at before he goes home every night aren't nearly enough to swallow up Google, and his company is finally forced to compete.

Realizing this, Microsoft did everything it could to increase its advertising services and even bought a no-name company (aQuantive) for far too much money just because Google acquired DoubleClick.

And now, as we await the arrival of Android, Microsoft is once again wishing Google never existed. After all, how much attention does Bill and Ballmer pay to Apple when Google is in the same business?

If you ask me, the main reason Microsoft has lost its way over these past few years is mainly due to Google. The company has focused so much of its energy (and capital) on Google, it has lost sight of its core business and watched its most lucrative products -- Windows and Office -- go down the tubes.

So do you know why Bill doesn't want to get in the hardware business? He wants to deal with Google first.

Reason 3: Uh, it's ugly

Let's be honest with ourselves -- how many good looking Microsoft products have you ever used? One? Two? None.

By and large, Microsoft is a company that excels at making bloated software and flounders when it needs to make something pretty. Zune? Ugly. Any and all Microsoft peripherals? Gross. Xbox 360? Yikes. When will it ever end?

If we've learned nothing from Apple, we've learned that good looks go a long way in this business. And although we may know that, I guess the Microsoft folks didn't get the memo.

Suffice it to say that if Microsoft ever got into the cell phone hardware business, the phone would probably weigh five pounds, be a disgusting chocolate color and run Windows Mobile. Oh, and it'll probably be overpriced too. Sounds like fun, huh?

Honestly, Microsoft made a fine decision by getting away from the cell phone business. After all, when you're worried about Google, you have a relatively popular mobile platform and your design team leaves much to be desired, how much money would you really want to dump into a junker?

Nice work, Bill. Enjoy your retirement.

What Apple should (and shouldn't) announce at Macworld

Came across this article on Cnet and its worth reading for the Mac-enthusiasts.
With all the rumors surrounding Macworld, it's difficult to sift through those possibilities that could actually come true and those that are pure rubbish. And while I don't think I have all the answers, it seems more and more likely that some of the expectations some of us have for Steve next week may not come true.

As it stands, most people are saying that iTunes movie rentals will become a reality next week and an ultraportable Mac is in the works. Still others believe Jobs will revamp the Apple TV and some people believe he'll refresh the entire MacBook line. As for me? I'll tell you what he should (and shouldn't) do when he takes the stage next week.

Possibility 1: iTunes Movie Rentals

Gee, you think? Of course Steve is going to announce iTunes movie rentals next week. Whether you want to believe it or not, iTunes is in the midst of a major battle with Amazon on the music front and it's losing right now. Sure, Amazon may not generate as much revenue, but which service has all the DRM-free tunes that you can put on any device you want? It certainly isn't Apple's.

Because of that, Jobs can differentiate iTunes with video and movie rentals. Not only will rentals generate even more revenue for the company's service, it could become a hub for those who are unwilling to leave their homes to rent a movie. That said, this won't take off unless the company has a solid infrastructure in place and we won't need to sit there for hours waiting for the feature-length film to download.

If Apple can't address those issues, look for a flop. If it can, Netflix and Amazon better start to worry.

Possibility 2: The Ultraportable Mac

How many times do I need to say it? Apple should not release an ultraportable. In fact, I'll go out on a limb and say that it won't announce such a device at Macworld either. Could I be wrong? Sure. But can someone give me a good reason why Apple should add another computer to its product line even though this group is doing just fine?

Think about it: the company has the high-end level down with the MacBook Pro and if you think the MacBook isn't portable enough, you may want to hit the gym.

As I've said here before, Apple is not run by a group of idiots and I think they know that an ultraportable will be nothing more than an also-ran. As it stands, the company doesn't need another computer in its notebook line and for the rumored price of around $1,500, I just don't see anyone buying it.

If Apple does announce the notebook, I think it'll have a shelf life of about a year before it's discontinued.

Possibility 3: A new Apple TV

Aside from iTunes movie rentals, I think a revamped Apple TV is a guarantee. Let's face it: Steve Jobs called the device "a hobby" and said that it would be an experimental product to see what sort of traction it gains. And while it hasn't even come close to that one million unit sales mark, it's still a viable product for the company.

Why you ask? Simple: iTunes movie rentals.

What good is iTunes movie rentals unless you have a working device to stream content onto an HDTV? Sure, Apple could always update the firmware and add this functionality to the Apple TV, but it's still such an underpowered product that I think it would be easier for the company to start anew.

Some of the features I expect to see in the new device: iTunes Movie Rental support, Internet browsing, direct-to-iTunes downloading and streaming and full-fledged syncing capabilities so you don't necessarily need to plug your iPod or iPhone into your computer.

Needless to say, I'm looking forward to it.

Possibility 4: A refresh of the MacBook line

It just makes sense that Apple would refresh the Macbook line. After all, if there won't be an ultraportable announced, don't you think the company would want to offer something worthwhile with its notebooks?

I suspect Apple will upgrade the components in the MacBook and probably even reduce its size a bit on the low-end model to almost get us to the ultraportable level. On the MacBook Pro side, look for a slight redesign and drastically upgraded components so it can better compete with some of Dell's and HP's high-end offerings.

Beyond that, it's difficult to say what could transpire with the notebook refresh. I honestly don't think we'll see much of a change with the iMacs because of their relatively new design and because the Mac Pros were already updated, there isn't much more to say.

Possibility 5: Steve Jobs Gloating and Delusions of Grandeur

A guarantee.