Big features headline frequent updates

With their extensive, near-constant beta testing schedule and early looks at upcoming features in both minor and major point iOS releases, Apple does a good job of keeping up hype even when what’s new isn’t all that flashy from an end-user perspective. The key is in highlighting a few big, noticeable changes, and making sure they stay both in and out of view thanks to “closed” developer access.

Then, make those updates more frequent than the releases we currently see for OS X (even if they’re arguably less dramatic) and include major feature additions and changes even in some big minor point upgrades. As it stands, only big cats make big splashes with OS X; doing away with that kind of update nomenclature altogether and more closely mimicking the simple iOS system would make event-caliber updates a much more frequent occurrence — and help OS X feel as nimble, dynamic and anticipatory of user needs as its mobile cousin.

All rides included in the admission price

At $29.99, OS X costs remarkably little as it is, especially compared to the competition (which makes sense, since Windows doesn’t make money from primary hardware sales). But why not take it one step further, and offer OS updates free for the life of the product, the way they are with iOS? Admittedly, that would carry costs; but Apple can offset those costs by driving more users to the Mac App Store (where it gets a 30-percent cut of all software sales), which should be energized by more frequent feature additions and new APIs for developers to take advantage of, if OS X takes the path outlined above of more frequent, feature-driven updates. The App Stores accounted for $3.6 billion in revenue since the iOS version was introduced in 2008 according to figures from July; the Mac App Store, which debuted in January, could probably still be doing more to contribute to that total.

Free updates would also have the benefit of making for an even more unified user base, in terms of the software version they’re running on their Macs. That would help keep the user experience more consistent across the board, and result in fewer dollars spent on software support and customer service for legacy software.

Expand the warm glow of the halo effect

IOS has had a very positive effect on Mac sales, something dubbed the “halo” effect. Apple’s iOS user base continues to grow at an astonishing rate, and bringing those customers into the fold for OS X will be easier if the relationship between hardware and software on the one platform more closely mirrors that of the other. Apple is still selling a record number of Macs, too, but the growth of its mobile division is still outpacing that of its traditional computers.

For many, the idea of a device that you buy that’s then provided with frequent, free software updates for basically the life of the product (or at least the two to three years many own a smartphone for) is now standard practice. If that becomes the norm for owning a Mac, too, it will be a great advantage Apple’s computers have over other Windows-based PCs that are available. Removing the financial impediment to being current is going to be a huge advantage with younger device owners, who prize cutting edge tech.

When software stops intruding

iOS has done something very well that the competition hasn’t yet been able to master: Make software as invisible as possible. Part of that has to do with how its updates are handled and distributed. OS X paved the way for iOS (it even was called OS X in its early days, somewhat confusingly), but now that relationship should be reversed, to help the Mac keep growing as Apple’s mobile efforts take up more and more of the spotlight.

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OS X update: The bloop single

I’m becoming convinced Full Screen mode is to OS X what 3-D is to movies: it seems like a great idea until you use it a lot. I raved about it when Lion launched, but my usage has since waned. With Pages, Safari, and Mail I’ll use full screen, but that’s more for easy switching or creating a distraction-free workspace. Evernote has introduced Full Screen mode and I doubt I’ll ever use it. For me, Evenote is an app I’m likely to have running behind my active window for reference and for quickly dropping links into. Still, it might be useful for taking notes during a lecture.

The developers claim they’ve “embraced the new look and feel of Lion,” which is a fancy way of saying “We got rid of the colors.” The only color to be found in the interface is the Sync icon turning blue when it syncs data. There’s also a new Favorites bar where you can pin frequently used notes, search results or notebooks. Since I have about 15 notebooks, I really appreciate the ability to pin those I use most.

iOS updates: The rest of the story

The double: Shared notebook support

The iOS versions can now read content from shared notebooks. You can’t edit or create shared notes from your device in this version (they’re working on it), but if you’re a heavy shared notebooks user, at least now you can read them. I haven’t played with shared notebooks much, but once you can edit, and if there is push or iCloud support, this should be great for collaboration.

The triple: Searching within notes

You could search for all the notes that contained a word, but if you wanted to find out where in the note it occurs, you couldn’t. Now you can. This is handy, since a lot of my searches are for terms buried in notes.

The Grand Slam: Rich text editing

It’s been their most-asked-for feature. It’s finally here. You can now edit a rich text document inline on iOS.  It’s not perfect; you have to choose to append the document or simplify it. Simplifying makes its best guess on the styles. Make no mistake though; this is a strong hit. I’ll be using this feature a lot since I tend to make notes on clipped content, or a note I’ve previously had the audacity to apply formatting to in the desktop version.

Post-game commentary

While the OS X version rates a hearty “meh,” I’m thrilled with the iOS updates. The ability to finally edit rich text notes means Evernote will see more usage in my daily workflow. In the few days it’s been available I’ve already used it more than I have in the last year. Good job, Evernote.

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Inconsistencies and the app problem

In a post on his personal site, Mark Polino lists six great reasons why his next phone won’t be an Android device. He cites some very technical problems, like the fact that a lot of apps grow in size as you use them, and can’t really be trimmed because data gets stored as difficult to remove data instead of in an easily clearable cache. But he also points to more obvious practical issues, like the fact that finding accessories for your specific Android device may be difficult, and even if you can find some, the range of choices just can’t compare to those that are available even for Apple’s older phones. Some of Mark’s issues come from using an older Android device (the original Motorola Droid), but most apply in a broad sense to the OS as a whole.

Even if you do figure out how to root, you can run into problems with some devices and apps.

Over at ZDNet, blogger David Gewirtz posted a very similar lament about his decision to stick with Apple smartphones, despite the fact that he doesn’t appear to be that big of a fan of the iPhone 3G he currently owns. Gewirtz has a very different list of 10 reasons he’s going with Apple over Android for his next device. Some highlights include inconsistent user experience across devices, inability or difficulty of upgrading if you’re not a technically proficient root user, and malware issues, which Ryan Kim recently pointed out are a growing problem for Android devices. In all of the above examples, iOS offers a better alternative; that’s not the lopsided view of a fanboy, it’s just the truth.

Once place where there’s overlap between both Polino’s and Gewirtz’s perspective is on the subject of apps. Android has many, but Apple has more, and as Polino notes, marquee apps tend to hit iOS first, and Android second, if at all. Apps also aren’t necessarily compatible with all, or even most Android phones when they do come out. I had to hunt down a copy of the official Netflix application outside of the market, because my GS2 wasn’t recognized as supported.

There’s also the problem that Android devices ship with lots of bloatware, a problem ZDNet’s Adrian Kingsley-Hughes also pointed out today. Apple devices don’t have to suffer the same indignity. Apps also aren’t necessarily compatible with all Android phones when they do come out

Not stagnant, but repeating mistakes

I’ve only taken a few examples out of the thorough lists provided by both Polino and Gewirtz, and it’s well worth checking out the rest. But even if you only consider the issues highlighted, I think you can start to see how Apple might benefit from, rather than suffer because of, the aggressive spread of Android over the last few years. The problem is that Android hasn’t done enough to smooth over its faults, and the ones that remain could cause a migration to Apple’s side of the fence, even if Android’s lower cost of entry and greater range of hardware choices proved the jump-start needed to get more cell phone owners on smartphone devices.

The Samsung Galaxy S II: Good, but only as good as Android allows it to be.

Don’t get me wrong, Android hasn’t been stagnant over the past few years by any means. The Samsung Galaxy S II phone I’ve been using easily beats my Nexus S on most measures, and even that device was no slouch. But even though it’s an impressive piece of hardware, the GS2 still suffers from the problems mentioned above. I recently tried to figure out how to update Android to 2.3.4 on my international unlocked version and was left pretty much confused, for example, and seeing battery life take a huge hit, then having to dig through running processes to find out why, didn’t provide a positive experience.

I was definitely impressed with the device in the short-term, but I can see how, after owning one for a year or longer, these and other issues with no fix in sight could dull my enthusiasm. There are often third-party solutions or tweaks that can fix areas where Android is deficient, but over time, finding and implementing these can become a chore.

Taking the easy way out

It’s not exactly inspiring to think that Apple’s biggest advantage in the smartphone war could be due to to customers growing annoyed with the alternative, but it also isn’t a new phenomenon: Apple positioned OS X as a better Windows alternative based on similar circumstances. OS X continues to gain ground, and while Apple might’ve started on top with Android and then suffered a modest fall, it’s beginning to look like the tide could turn in its favor once again.

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9to5Mac suggests that OTA updates, along with iOS 5, will arrive this fall, but Apple may not have ultimate control over when this change occurs. Here’s what has to happen before Apple will implement OTA updates for the general public:

1. The process has to be foolproof. Apple can’t afford to go with an update process that bricks a user’s phone every time they pass a tunnel or momentarily drop a connection or receive a call. Any OTA update process has to have multiple redundancies in place, and a solid backup process that ensures no data loss is possible even in the case of catastrophic failure. Apple would never offer up an update experience like that faced by some Windows 7 phone owners , for instance.
2. File size needs to be reduced. The update that arrived for iPhones yesterday (4.3.3) weighed in at over 600 MB. Even putting aside concerns surrounding bandwidth limitations (which are considerable), updates this size just aren’t practical for true OTA updates. They’ll take too long to download to a mobile device, dragging out the install process. Smaller, incremental updates like those served to Android might be the way to go, but that would require a significant change in the way Apple approaches updates — one that can’t be done overnight.
3. Maximum user control, but minimum user involvement. iOS is often described as the pretty, popular alternative to Android’s geekier, less sparkly counterpart. That’s because it’s easier to pick up and use for a wide variety of people from different technical backgrounds, whereas Android is a little more complex (and a lot more customizable as a result). The OTA update process for iOS has to fit with its user-friendly design, by allowing users to choose when they can update and then getting out of the way, but also by letting users feel in control of the whole process. If OTA updates threaten to make iOS devices more frustrating for the average user, Apple will balk at the idea.
4. 100-percent carrier cooperation. If OTA updates puts Apple at the mercy of carrier whim as to when to push out the software changes, Apple won’t offer them. 9t05Mac says Apple has been in negotiations with Verizon since early this year in order to reach an agreement regarding wireless updates. I’m willing to bet that Apple is taking the position that until it can get all carriers on board (at least in the U.S.) with simultaneous iOS updates, it’ll delay the feature’s release.

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Perhaps the highlight of the new MacBook Pro line (especially for professional users) is the introduction of the new Thunderbolt I/O standard. In the press release announcing the new machines, Apple SVP of Marketing Phil Schiller had this to say about the new tech:

Thunderbolt is a revolutionary new I/O technology that delivers an amazing 10 gigabits per second and can support every important I/O standard which is ideal for the new MacBook Pro.

Unlike what some early rumors predicted, the new MacBook Pros sport the same basic design as their predecessors, meaning aluminum and glass enclosures with a black bezel around the screen. All the new MacBooks also sport an Intel HD Graphics 3000 integrated GPU, although the 15- and 17-inch models also offer discrete graphics, too. And all the revised Pro models also boast a new FaceTime HD Camera, which replaces the built-in iSight camera and offers full 720p quality video for FaceTime calls between the new Macs. SSD upgrades are also available for all options, in sizes ranging from 128 GB to 512 GB. Here are the specs for each individual model:

13-inch MacBook Pro

Configuration #1 ($1199)

• 2.3GHz Dual-Core i5 Intel Processor
• Intel HD Graphics 3000
• 4GB DDR3 1333MHz SDRAM
• 320GB 5400 RPM HD
• Glossy 1280×800 resolution display
• SuperDrive 8x
• Thunderbolt/Mini DisplayPort
• SDXC Card slot, 1x FireWire 800, 2x USB 2.0, Ethernet and Digital Audio/Mini Stereo Jack

Configuration #2 ($1499)

• 2.7GHz Dual-Core i7 Intel Processor
• Intel HD Graphics 3000
• 4GB DDR3 1333MHz SDRAM
• 500GB 5400 RPM HD
• Glossy 1280×800 resolution display
• SuperDrive 8x
• Thunderbolt/Mini DisplayPort
• SDXC Card slot, 1x FireWire 800, 2x USB 2.0, Ethernet and Digital Audio/Mini Stereo Jack

15-inch MacBook Pro

Configuration #1 ($1799)

• 2.0GHz Quad-Core i7 Intel Processor
• Intel HD Graphics 3000
• AMD Radeon HD 6490M with 256 MB of GDDR5 RAM
• 4GB DDR3 1333MHz SDRAM
• 500GB 5400 RPM HD
• Glossy or antiglare 1440×900 resolution display
• SuperDrive 8x
• Thunderbolt/Mini DisplayPort
• SDXC Card slot, 1x FireWire 800, 2x USB 2.0, Ethernet and Digital Audio/Mini Stereo in/out

Configuration #2 ($2199)

• 2.2GHz Quad-Core i7 Intel Processor
• Intel HD Graphics 3000
• AMD Radeon HD 6750M with 1 GB of GDDR5 RAM
• 4GB DDR3 1333MHz SDRAM
• 750GB 5400 RPM HD
• Glossy or antiglare 1440×900 resolution display
• SuperDrive 8x
• Thunderbolt/Mini DisplayPort
• SDXC Card slot, 1x FireWire 800, 2x USB 2.0, Ethernet and Digital Audio/Mini Stereo in/out

17-inch MacBook Pro

Configuration #1 ($2499)

• 2.2GHz Quad-Core i7 Intel Processor
• Intel HD Graphics 3000
• AMD Radeon HD 6750M with 1 GB of GDDR5 RAM
• 4GB DDR3 1333MHz SDRAM
• 750GB 5400 RPM HD
• Glossy or antiglare 1900×1200 resolution display
• SuperDrive 8x
• Thunderbolt/Mini DisplayPort
• SDXC Card slot, 1x FireWire 800, 2x USB 2.0, Ethernet and Digital Audio/Mini Stereo in/out

All the above configurations can be customized with up to 8 GB of RAM, and all include a built-in battery rated for 7-hours of wireless web use according to Apple’s battery testing standards, which it revised to be more representative of real-world use when it introduced the MacBook Air.

So, who’s buying one of these?

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This weekend, a flood of iPad application sneak-peeks and previews choked my RSS reader. There’s also a curious update on e-book pricing in the iBookstore, and finally some news on the iPad’s Camera Connection accessory. So let’s get started!

Sneak Peaks

I can’t do this from here in the UK, but if you’re across the pond you might want to spend some time exploring iTunes Preview. Some applications have started to appear multiple times with the suffix HD or XL in their titles. According to iPhone Alley, these iPad-optimised versions do not appear in the iTunes app store… yet. But since it is thought developers are using the initials to denote iPad-versions of their software, it’s a great indicator of what’s in store this weekend.

App store analytics website AppAnnie reported on Saturday that it had discovered the iPad feed for the app store. A series of shared screenshots suggest we can expect iPad launch day availability of popular apps such as Awesome Note, Flight Control, Cro-Mag Rally and the much-anticipated versions of OmniGraffle and OmniGraphSketcher from Mac stalwarts The Omni Group.

Also on Saturday, MacRumors.com reported that FileMaker’s personal database software Bento will be appearing in an iPad friendly form. Mac rumours Arnold Kim writes;

Bento for iPad can be used as a standalone app or will wirelessly synchronize with Bento 3 for the Mac. The App comes with dozens of ready to use database templates that can be customized for your own usage. The iPad version of Bento is priced at $4.99, the same as the current price for the iPhone version.

Oh, while we’re on the subject of sneak peeks, Gizmodo shared screenshots over the weekend of what they claim to be Yahoo’s upcoming iPad-centric website redesign. Okay, so that’s not exactly an app sneak peek, but the design is compelling, and, as Gizmodo’s Jack Loftus writes, is “…much sexier than anything Yahoo’s ever managed on their homepage over the last decade or so.”

One final sneak peek for you; Vimeo user Federico Viticci posted a video of the iPad app store itself… running in the iPad simulator. At the time of writing, the video has been viewed more than 73,000 times, and is taking a while to load, so if you do head on over there, be patient! Here’s a clue as to what to expect; cover flow, large, finger-friendly icons, horizontally scrolling preview screenshots and, overall, very much the same experience you have come to expect from the app store application on the iPhone.

Book Prices

Just how much will books cost on the iBookstore? Nobody really knows for sure. There has been talk of an upcoming e-book price war; publishers Penguin, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, McMillan and Hachette Book Group have all put pressure on Amazon to change its pricing policies in the wake of Apple’s iPad announcement. The standard price for a new Kindle e-book is $9.99 —  and that’s too low as far as these publishers are concerned; they want to charge up to $15 for bestsellers.

Back in February the New York Times reported that, while publishers would be able to set higher prices for new titles on the iBookstore, Apple had;

…inserted provisions requiring publishers to discount e-book prices on best sellers — so that $12.99-to-$14.99 range was merely a ceiling; prices for some titles could be lower, even as low as Amazon’s $9.99.

Apple wants the flexibility to offer lower prices for the hottest books, those on one of the New York Times best-seller lists.

Last week the website App Advice published what it claims to be screenshots of the iBookstore; they revealed that most bestsellers in the iBookstore were listed at $9.99. It made perfect sense, given the New York Times quote above.

So it’s interesting that the latest leak indicates that prices are slowly climbing from $9.99 to $12.99. Make of it what you will, Gizmodo offers several possible explanations.

Camera Connection Kit

The Mac Observer reports that the iPad Camera Connection Kit finally appeared on Apple’s online store on Saturday.

Essentially a couple of little plastic dongles, the camera connection Kit allows iPad users to directly connect an SD card or camera (via USB cable) directly to the iPad and import photos into the iPad’s Photo app. The Camera Connection Kit costs $29 and can be pre-ordered from Apple’s online store here.

So that’s the weekend’s juiciest iPad rumors. If you’re expecting an iPad to arrive with you on the weekend, I envy you more than you can know. We still can’t pre-order iPads in the UK, so I shall have to enjoy these final days to ‘first launch’ vicariously, through you. So hit the comments with detailed descriptions of your excitement and anticipation — leave nothing out. Oh, and be sure to mention how you also think $30 is way too much for a couple of plastic dongles.

The dawn of a new year never fails to make me excited about all the potential for new devices we’ll inevitably see released. This year is no different, and for Apple’s iPod and iPhone, there are some storms that have been brewing for quite a while that should break in 2010. Hope you packed a raincoat.

I recently came across my still functional (including decent battery life) 30GB iPod Video while rooting through my drawers looking for a proprietary USB cable. After I charged it and booted it up, the palpable feeling of the HDD platter spinning up, and the faint sound that accompanies said action reminded me of just how far we’ve come, and of how far we’ve yet to go with Apple’s portable devices. Here’s where I think we’re headed next.

The iPod

It’s long been the linchpin in Apple’s lineup of product offerings, and it deserves eternal respect for the role it had in reversing the company’s fortunes, but the iPod no longer enjoys the place of highest favor among Apple products, mobile or otherwise. I predict, as a general trend, a continued downplaying of the iPod’s role at Apple, and significant changes to the products on offer as a result of that trend.

Video Comes to the Touch

Probability: Guaranteed
The evidence all but guarantees that video is meant to come to the iPod touch sooner or later, and I predict it will be sooner, rather than later. Tear-downs of the most recently released iteration of the touch revealed a space perfectly designed for the same camera guts found in the new iPod nano, so unless Apple is just very interested in toying maliciously with Apple rumor hounds, this one is basically in the bag. It doesn’t hurt that it’s the next logical step for the rising star of Apple’s iPod lineup.

iPod Classic Gets Retired

Probability: Possible
It’s served long, and it’s served well, but the HD-based iPod Classic is not long for this world, in my opinion. Apple’s already streamlined the Classic to a single available model, and as the price of flash memory begins to trend downwards again in 2010, I think they’ll do away with the beast altogether and focus on turning Classic customers into iPod touch devotees.

Touch-based Control Returns to Shuffle

Probability: Possible
One of Apple’s most questionable decisions made in the service of sexy design is the loss of any and all buttons on the iPod shuffle. I think it will respond to mixed reviews and consumer skepticism by returning some form of manual (ie. non-voice) control to the device itself. That doesn’t necessarily mean buttons will return, if they can figure out some way to make use of the multi-touch tech it’s so clearly in love with.

Nano Gets Incremental Video Upgrades

Probability: Guaranteed
Look for the iPod nano to get steady improvements in the quality of its video camera, and in what you can do with said video on and off the device. Apple’s made its big changes to the device, and will now move into what amounts to a holding pattern in which it upgrades the upgrades it’s already introduced. And consumers will continue shelling out with each bump up.

The iPhone

Predicting where the iPhone will go is a bit more challenging than making calls about the iPod lineup. The upgrades made with the 3GS were logical enough, since many of them amounted to putting things in that should probably have been there in the first place.

The Usual

Probability: Guaranteed
There are the standard upgrades to be expected with any new model. These things include storage bumps (64GB next time around), improvements to the camera and video recording (bump up to 5 megapixels possible, but by no means a sure thing), and improvements to the processing and graphics rendering capabilities of the iPhone. They’re boring and we know they’re coming, so let’s not waste time on this.

New Look

Probability: Possible
The iPhone is incredibly recognizable, and that probably had something to do with the reason the 3GS still has the same distinctive look as the 3G. Other probable reasons include a rushed roll-out, and more emphasis on internal changes. I think next time around, we’ll be treated to a new look, and I wouldn’t exclude the possibility that we may have already seen some early prototypes of this design change.

Better Peer-to-Peer

Probability: Guaranteed
The future of mobile tech is in peer-to-peer interaction between devices. Apple knows this, and that’s why it opened up Bluetooth interaction between devices when it released iPhone 3.0. I think Apple will make further efforts to make P2P experiences technically better and more seamless in the next update. That might come via improved Bluetooth, or using the recently revealed Wi-Fi Direct tech that Apple’s thrown its support behind.

Physical Keyboard

Probability: Absurd
No. Just kidding.

The Big Picture

Flash-bang upgrades will all go to the iPhone, while the iPod line will get natural but relatively small and less showy enhancements. The reason being, Apple is using the iPod touch and its brethren to herd consumers towards the iPhone, which is the real cash cow and the better bet for long-term investment.

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The Mac Pro got a new option in the processor customization department, a 3.33GHz quad-core Intel Xeon processor for an additional $1,200. As of yet, there’s no option to double up the 3.33GHz version of the quad-core to create a more powerful 8-core machine on the more expensive configuration of the Mac Pro.

You can also now outfit your Mac Pro with 2TB hard drives, instead of the 1TB option at which capacity previously maxed out. That means the official total capacity of the Mac Pro, as configured in the Apple Store, is now 8TB, which is nothing to sneeze at. Each 2TB drive will set you back $550.

The only reason to hesitate if you’re thinking about picking up a Mac Pro is that the last time they were updated was back in March 2009. Chances are another major upgrade isn’t too far around the corner, possibly involving Intel’s forthcoming i9 processor, so if you can wait, you probably should.

The configuration options for the Xserve were also updated, allowing for use of the same 2TB drives that are now available to the Mac Pros. That means max capacity for the Xserve is now 6TB. RAM options also got upgraded, with 4GB modules now available, so that the max configurable memory is now 24GB on the quad-core Xserve, and 48GB on the 8-core.

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Yesterday Apple released the latest patches to its iWork ’09 productivity suite, bringing the software up to version 9.0.3. As usual, Apple vaguely mentions improved compatibility and stability in Keynote, Pages and Numbers.

Looking through the detailed listing on Apple’s Support site, it appears that most of the update takes the form of bug fixes and refinements for Keynote and Numbers. Pages gets the least love with ‘just’ four updates.

iWork.com: The Forgotten Cousin

Waaaaay back in early January, shortly after its launch, I wrote a positively-glowing opinion piece about iWork.com, Apple’s seemingly-forgotten online collaboration service. Nothing has happened with iWork.com in the intervening eight months. Nothing.

So it comes as something of a surprise to learn that the current round of updates for iWork ’09 include some modest updates to iWork.com, too. What do I mean when I say “modest?” Well, here’s the entire list of updates to iWork.com:

• Enhanced security with 128-bit SSL encryption and document password protection
• Improved document reviewing capabilities with Comment notification features
• E-mail invitations are now sent via iWork.com instead of using Mac OS X Mail

<sarcasm>I know. I was also completely blown-away. </sarcasm>

While Apple has spent most of 2009 doing apparently nothing with iWork.com, Google has forged-ahead refining and expanding its (free) Google Docs service and even Microsoft has taken its first tentative steps into online productivity with its web-based (free) versions of Office Apps (still in closed beta). Even Adobe has thrown its hat into the ring with its own flash-based online productivity suite (also free for most of the basic functionality and features).

Apple, on the other hand, says of its neglected iWork.com that “Fees may apply to future versions of the service.” And let’s not forget that, unlike all the other competition, iWork.com is limited to Sharing & Collaboration only; that is, you can’t create new documents on iWork.com.

How sad. I’d have hoped for a more substantial update after eight months. But for the five of you (me included) still using iWork.com Beta, I know we’re all super-grateful for the effort. And who knows — perhaps these few changes signal the first of many more to come.

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Given the runaway success of the App Store (if you haven’t heard, just pick up any newspaper, provided you can find one still being printed), I’ve begun to give some thought to the feasibility of a Mac App Store. Does it make sense? Could Apple pull it off? What would it mean for developers and for users?

The introduction of the iTunes Music Store (now simply called the iTunes Store) brought about an entirely new paradigm for providing digital content. There was new ground for Apple to break, and to test the waters, it began with music, before eventually adding support for audiobooks, podcasts, television shows, movies, and movie rentals.

Initially aimed at giving users more choice by allowing them to pay for the specific content they desired (a song vs. the entire CD, or a TV episode instead of an entire season), many more benefits to this new model quickly became apparent — for example, user reviews to highlight the best content, trends to see what others are buying, environmental benefits by reducing physical distribution, and simplicity for producers to get their content quickly before the public. Now with the App Store, developers are once again doing the same thing for the iPhone and iPod touch.

But would this same concept work for big-name applications like Creative Suite 4 or Microsoft Office? In short, yes.

While Apple’s profit margin for app developers might be a little high for companies like Adobe or Microsoft, it hasn’t stopped such companies from exploring their own methods of digital distribution. Creative Suite 4 is available from Adobe’s web site as a trial (which a user can then buy the license and upgrade) or as a full version that can be downloaded once purchased from its online store. Microsoft offers the same solution for Office 2008 on its web site as well.

Objections & Rebuttals

The biggest argument against digital distribution of any kind (software, movies, music) is the lack of physical media. In some cases, I support this, but the App Store has shown us that not dealing with physical media is a lot more convenient. (Just how easy is it to try a new app on your iPhone and delete it if you don’t want it?)

Another common objection you hear is that with physical media, you always have a nice backup copy in case you need it. (One could argue the flip side that by only having physical media, you really have no backup copy if your original disc becomes scratched or damaged.) Apple has once again snuck a hidden gem in the App Store with its ability to re-download content at any time after your initial purchase. Bearing this in mind, now how simple is it to install an application onto multiple Macs, assuming you have the appropriate license? Simply login to iTunes and re-download the application again.

Others like to cite bandwidth as a reason against this distribution method. Granted, broadband is not common in all parts of the world, but this is certainly not an “all or none” argument — simply a direction we’re progressing towards. Furthermore, the size of the average application is usually far smaller than a music album, HD TV show, or feature film.

Yet another aspect to consider is that Apple has already provided one online destination for applications and that is its Downloads section of Apple.com. Unfortunately, this option has many setbacks, including lack of powerful searching options, lack of user reviews, and inability to track purchases to name a few. Almost two years ago, however, Apple also utilized this approach to showcase its collection of web apps for the iPhone, before giving way to a full-fledged App Store inside of iTunes. The web apps are still browsable via Apple’s web site, but with the introduction of native apps, web apps just don’t get the love they once did. With its seamless integration with your iTunes account for billing, reviews, and user recommendations, iTunes would be a more ideal solution for delivering applications and updates instead of a web site.

Additional Benefits

There are many additional benefits for developers and consumers in a potential Mac App Store. With the introduction of a Mac App Store, smaller developers will have the potential to reach greater audiences. One of the best things about using a Mac are all of those neat little applications you always see popping up on the net. With a Mac App Store, now these developers can share the same space as big-name guys like Adobe and Microsoft, without needing an advertising budget as big as theirs.

Looking at how intelligently iTunes can view my past purchases and offer “deals” to complete albums or upgrade to iTunes Plus, and even how the App Store delivers app updates to consumers, Apple could finally allow developers to take advantage of its Software Update app built into OS X. (There are already some popular third-party apps that do this, and one thing Apple loves to do best is to take what’s “popular” and make it its own).

Though Apple has faced a lot of criticism for its policies of approving and rejecting apps from the App Store, such a system would also likely be in place for a Mac specific version. However, as this would not be the only method of distributing applications for the Mac, Apple’s approval policies shouldn’t be seen as a detriment to this idea, especially as Apple continues to refine and improve its approval process.

Essentially, the technology is already in place. Apple has a distribution method (App Store & iTunes), and most developers are already offering downloads via their own sites. If, and when, Apple introduces a Mac App Store, developers will be able to reach entirely new audiences and easier distribution than they currently enjoy.

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While details remain scarce on what specific updates will be forthcoming, it is fairly safe to assume that no major design changes will be introduced, since the aluminum iMac has provided the template for the new look of the MacBook, MacBook Pro, and 24-inch Cinema display. Some sources, though not reliable, are suggesting a new 30-inch form factor that would retain the black-framed look.

More likely, however, are internal upgrades for the existing 20 and 24-inch models, including processor bumps in keeping with the updated Montevina-based chips currently shipping in new MacBooks. Another likely change is the move to better, Nvidia-branded graphics cards in all models, replacing the ATI Radeon 2400 and 2600 HD cards currently in use. Nvidia has clearly become a supplier of choice for Apple, and their presence in all Apple notebooks provides strong evidence that we’ll see them in Apple’s desktops, as well.

Mini DisplayPort, the royalty-free new video connector present on all new Apple notebooks will likely also make the jump to the desktop in new iMacs. Steve Jobs has already said that DisplayPort technology would replace existing video connectors on all suitable Apple products, and since it supports Dual-DVI it can provide higher resolutions than the mini-DVI port used in current model iMacs.

If the changes to the notebook line are followed, expect to also see bigger capacity hard drives provided in base configurations, with improved upgrade options, including SSD alternatives.

The iMac was last updated in April, so a spec upgrade is in keeping with Apple’s hardware release cycle. It will be interesting to see if the Mac mini receives the update it was originally rumored to be getting the last time the iMac was improved. The Mini has remained untouched for well over a year, leading many to suspect Apple is ending the line. News of any changes will likely come soon, before the holiday shopping season gets into full swing.

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Ah, but Software Update says it is!  Bringing a host of fixes, including the long- and impatiently-awaited fixes to NVidia graphics cards, it should be a very, very worthwhile bump indeed for many users of newer Macs.

For full info, see the Apple documentation here.  10.5.3 is available as a 420 mb update through Software Update, and (hopefully soon) as both a delta and a standalone update on Apple’s site.

Check back here for updates on any problems if you prefer to be cautious and let others try it out first.

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This is a minor update to SiteSucker, but it is a program that I depend on, so I am posting it.

For the uninitiated, SiteSucker is a program that sucks everything (pages, images, etc.) out of a website and downloads it to your hard drive. I use it because I update my school web page at the beginning of each year, but I don’t want to lose all the information from before. I don’t usually go back and look at it much, but mainly save it as a backup of what happened the previous year, in case I lose some other record.

The updates are:

• Allowed users to view the download settings while downloading.
• Replaced wildcard support in paths settings with regular expressions.
• Removed “Get Files via Image Links” from the Download Option and added “Only Follow Image Links” option under the Advanced tab in the download settings.
• Added an option to save log files in ~/Library/Logs/SiteSucker.
• Added a Logs tab in the Download Settings window and reorganized the settings.
• Added scanning of the style attribute in all tags for URLs.
• Replaced URL parameters with a value in local file names.
• Deleted empty folders in the download folder when all downloads are paused.
• Modified the document format to improve performance when analyzing files.
• Fixed an issue where some files failed to download when a download was resumed.
• Fixed some issues with the Open File command.

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This news comes on the heals of a study by a couple security researchers from IBM (hmmmm, suspicious) who say that Apple is slow at fixing their 0-day security vulnerabilities (for those who don’t feel like popping over to Wikipedia, 0-day means nobody knew a particular weakness existed before). They say [PDF] that Microsoft is getting faster at fixing their 0-day issues, while Apple is getting slower. I wonder if it has anything to do with Microsoft’s years of experience is fixing so many 0-day attacks…

Anyway, the thing that worries me the most about the 10.5.3 news is that I couldn’t find anything about Quick Look. The ability to look quickly at files makes Leopard so much more attractive than many of its other features. I am hoping for the ability to print straight from Quick Look. Now that would be grand!

What else should be included in the 10.5.3 Leopard update?

Via PC World and The Register

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• Maps with wi-fi locations
• Webclips – Lets you bookmark pages (and their zoom/pan state) and save them to your main screen
• Customizable home screen
• SMS to multiple people
• Lyrics support (for iPod mode)

These software updates will be available today as a free upgrade.

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Thankfully, Jobs did not disappoint and I joined in with the throng of other folks who increased Apple sales by a quarter of a million dollars in just two days. When the shipment came, I opened it up, removed the disk from the packaging and did something that even surprised myself – I put it back in the box, making a conscious decision to wait until Apple added a dot and released 10.5.1. I suspect that I’m not the only one who is holding off, and the reports I’ve been seeing seem to indicate that delay may have been prudent (at least in my case).

I rely heavily on my MacBook Pro Core2 Duo (4GB/160GB) for both work and personal computing. My work VM (Vista+Office 2007) has to be 100% functional and the various bits of software and hardware that support my personal mobility and productivity all need to function with a minimum of interruption. During the week leading up until the official release, I kept reading vendor reports that they had to wait to test their wares on the final release version and then kept seeing reports during the first week after from some of my favourite tools that they were just adding compatibility. Not to mention Brandon’s post.

As if third-party software qualms weren’t enough of an issue, along came the security reviews. I’m an IT security professional by trade and was looking forward to the promised enhancements that would really put OS X even further on the security map (and ahead of Vista, which did include many real security enhancements). Sadly, the independent analyses showed what I suspected: Apple rushed out this release. The fact that we’re now seeing evidence of 10.5.1 seeding (which I’m not at liberty to confirm or deny given the legal verbiage tossed at us Apple Developers) seems to prove that conclusion.

I tried convincing my wife and daughter to let me install it on their systems (we buy family packs of all Apple s/w) and they both asked me why they should upgrade. This was the first time I did not have an answer.

So, I will take the plunge this weekend and put it on a dev box (MB Pro Core Duo) to see just the state of this latest predatory cat for myself. I’ll be paying very close attention to how some of the open source security tools I use compile and work and also what needs to be done to make the firewall as secure as possible. Hopefully, my core apps will all work so I can feel a bit more confident about moving to 10.5.1 when it’s released in a few weeks.

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