Apple Nixes Live Webcast, Satellite Feed 392
spamguy writes "MacInTouch reports that Steve Jobs' January 11th MacWorld Expo keynote address may not be broadcast live in any way. If you were hoping to watch Stevie present the rumoured sub-$500 Mac, the Motorola phone, the Flash iPod, and/or the office suite, you now have no choice but to buy your plane tickets to San Francisco ASAP."
Apple: Always thinking (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Apple: Always thinking (Score:3, Interesting)
Yesterday, I swear to God, it said "The video will be available shortly."
I can't really blame them, but I really wanted to see it.
Re:Apple: Always thinking (Score:5, Informative)
Best Online Nude Anime Gallery's [sharkfire.net]
Re:Apple: Always thinking (Score:5, Funny)
I am still giggling.
--Paci
(Forgive spelling)
Re:Apple: Always thinking (Score:5, Funny)
Gates has no style, but is safer to be around.
Ooh, how *mercurial* of him! (Score:3, Funny)
Do it as an ordinary Joe, and you will soon be arrested, fired, sued, beat up, divorced, etc.
Do it if you are rich, and gossipy news media will hail your "uncompromising standards," men will shiver at your approach, and women of loose morals will queue to induct your seed.
Moral: Assholes, rejoice! If you make enough money, you'll never have to change!
Re:Apple: Always thinking (Score:5, Informative)
My Windows 2000 and XP machines at work seem to crash a couple of times a month at least.
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Apple: Always thinking (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Apple: Always thinking (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Apple: Always thinking (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:None of my machines crash either. (Score:3, Informative)
https://bugreport.apple.com
Given that you have repro steps, I'm sure they would appreciate it.
Re:Apple: Always thinking (Score:3, Funny)
why? (Score:5, Insightful)
dave
Re:why? (Score:4, Funny)
After all, how can Apple expect to beat something like Microsoft.
2 whole crashes in one day.
No company could beat that record, so might as well not try.
Re:why? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:why? (Score:2)
"...no choice but to [go] to San Francisco..."
Thank you, but I would prefer a Turkish prison.
Re:why? (Score:2)
hmm.. does this apply just to the official webcasts, or can people in the audience continue to type in live feeds so that the rest of us can find out what's going on real time from our desks?
dave
Re:why? (Score:5, Funny)
Probably what happened is in rehearsal the sub $500 mac prototype crumbled and all the parts fell out on the floor everywhere. Needless to say, this would not look good in a live presentation.
You can only cut corners so far.
Please don't sue me Apple.
This is the problem... (Score:4, Insightful)
That's why a lot of the older Mac users (myself included) cringed in '97 when Jobs took over full control of the company. Sure, he's got the marketing touch, but he can really be a brat at times. I mean, why did he kill the Newton division, which was a) way, way ahead of Palm and Microsoft, particularly in vertical markets, and b) out of the red and starting to make money? Could it be that he killed it because it was the brainchild and pet project of his former rival, John Sculley? Is there really any question?
Obviously, it's not because Jobs is opposed to marketing non-Mac gadgets; the iPod is doing phenominally well. And we know that after Jobs killed Newton, he tried to buy out Palm, which was largely staffed by those former Newtonites that he axed. So, why did he give up a market leadership position and then scramble to get it back? He killed Newton out of spite. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Jobs is a great visionary, but he, himself, needs somebody to pull on his reigns every now and then and remind him that this isn't all about stroking his ego.
Re:This is the problem... (Score:4, Interesting)
Also, when the Newton spin out was canceled, Palm and Microsoft raided the Newton group for employees. By the time that Jobs made the decision to kill the Newton, there was no one left at Apple who even knew where to find a copy of the source code for major pieces of the Newton OS.
I loved the Newton, too. But, I can in retrospect understand Apple's decision. Could they have executed it better - absolutely. They might have been able to sell off Newton, Inc. without canceling the spin off.
Re:Indeed (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Indeed (Score:2)
Re:Indeed (Score:2)
Re:Indeed (Score:3, Informative)
The creation of a Unix-based operating system that was accessible to the common man, with no compromises, deserves major kudos for innovation. At the time it was introduced, Linux was still
Re:Indeed (Score:2)
Umm, yes he was. He invented a mechanism for transmission, and introduced the assembly line to auto production. He also displayed the cost effectiveness by keeping things simple with his classic "You can have it in any color you want, as long as it's black."
But I understand the point you're trying to make, which is that although Henry Ford didn't invent the automobile, he helped make it become something that every family could own.
Happened Before (Score:4, Insightful)
I certainly hope there is a webcast, otherwise what will I do at work for those two hours? Actually write code? Bahhh.
Well... (Score:5, Interesting)
I mean, shit, this is pratically begging for someone to use their Powerbook and iSight to do this.
Blog (Score:5, Insightful)
John.
Re:Blog (Score:2)
Re:Blog (Score:2, Interesting)
> the keynote (at least it was on previous occasions).
How do they propose to prevent journalists/fans from simply using a digital camera to record it and them upload it shortly afterwards.
My handy prediction - if a single thing goes wrong during his speech it'll be on the net the same day.
Re:Blog (Score:2)
Maybe they borrowed the RIAA's night vision goggles.
I doubt it has anything to do with Jobs being scared that something might go wrong. Not that nothing can go wrong or that it is even unlikely, but I don't see why that risk would be bigger this time than previous
Re:Blog (Score:2)
Even at 1xRTT speeds, that's still 'good enough' to get data out.
Re:Blog (Score:2)
Uh, WHY? Doesn't Apple want that information out there at that point? It's not like it's secret anymore.
Re:Blog (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Blog (Score:2)
Aww. (Score:2)
Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:what's the big fricken deal? (Score:2)
Buy Plane tickets??? (Score:4, Insightful)
Or wait until the stream is released the next day.
Re:Buy Plane tickets??? (Score:2)
Not exactly a 'stream', now is it?
I didn't read the article (this IS slashdot), but I suspect the feed will only be available in stores.
What I want to know is... (Score:2)
Re:What I want to know is... (Score:2, Informative)
Updated Macintosh Security News [tribbles.org]
Blue screen of death crashes Gates at CES (Score:2, Informative)
What is the attraction? (Score:3)
Errr, why bother? I can think of many reasons to go to San Francisco as it's a great place, but this isn't one of them. Everything he announces will be on te internet in short measure anyway. What is the attraction?
Re:What is the attraction? (Score:4, Funny)
What is the attraction?
A Steve Jobs keynote is performance art. It's salesmanship taken to it's ultimate height. It's better rehearsed and staged than a Broadway musical. There's suspense, drama, comedy.
If any actor on Broadway or Hollywood could perform this well, they would quit and immediately start doing what Steve does. Because there's more fame, praise, adulation, and money in it than whatever they're currently doing.
Peace be with you,
-jimbo
Motorola (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Motorola (Score:3, Informative)
Oh, come on... (Score:4, Insightful)
Rumors, law suits, cancellations, more rumors... it all adds up to an exciting climax.
Alternatively.. (Score:5, Informative)
Thats what i've done for the last few Mac shows where big announcements were expected
revenge (Score:2, Interesting)
Get over it. (Score:3, Interesting)
Regardless, anything important enough that's announced, I can find out at the end of the day on Macintouch. It's not that important.
Besides that, to paraphrase H.L. Mencken (sort of), one goes to MacWorld for many of the reasons one goes to the zoo. Except that there's a much better zoo in San Diego; maybe I'll do that instead while MacWorld's going on.
To big an audience? (Score:5, Interesting)
From all accounts, there is huge interest in this macworld, its being hyped up and they might fear that the webcast cannot handle any sort of predicted load. Instead they will just release it later after all the fanfare and the need to watch it dies away. Just as everyone says, it'll be out on the net anyway moments after the annoucement.
In any case I'll stay off the mac websites until its out for streaming, I want to be equally disappointed like I was last year when GarageBand was demoed for something like 2 hours with some no name artist looking interested.
Re:To big an audience? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:To big an audience? (Score:2)
Their event streaming entry point is even http://stream.apple.akadns.net/ [akadns.net] (although that's still pointing to the Music Event from a few months back).
Apple Nixes Live Webcast, Satellite Feed (Score:4, Funny)
ThinkSecret? (Score:2, Interesting)
Why bother? (Score:2, Funny)
Oh wait [slashdot.org]... Damn!
Some jerk with a website will just post his speech (Score:4, Funny)
Are you kidding? (Score:3, Funny)
Keynote WILL be on the web, just not live (Score:2)
It's more puzzling why they will not broadcast the keynote in Apple stores. Don't they want fans to come and buy some more stuff?
meh... (Score:2)
Steve is pissed off (Score:2)
He did it with ATI a couple of years ago when they had a press release slip out days in advance of MacWorld expo. Apple refused to sell the ATI cards they
"Article" is wrong (Score:5, Informative)
Not sure what the original piece was based on, but it wasn't fact.
I should also note that the only other times our school has gotten a live satellite feed, they announced some pretty kick ass product.
Re:"Article" is wrong (Score:3, Informative)
http://apple.doit.wisc.edu/news/mwsf2005/ [wisc.edu]
Our Apple account executive has gone up to the executive level at Apple, and confirmed there will NOT be satellite downlink for non-Apple-corporate sites, and no satellite coordinates will be distributed externally, including to the media.
I think you'll find your event will be cancelled. If you still seem to think it's going to happen, I'd like to get in touch
It's not "Public" (Score:3, Interesting)
The beauty of satellites is that they're hard to beam into corporate sites. Unless they're doing a digital encrypted stream ($$$) if you find the right bird you'll get to see it.
I can search all of the transponders on the C-band birds I can see in about 15 minutes. They're typically on the air about that long before the keynote and then Steve comes out
This really pisses me off (Score:3, Interesting)
For a tech geek, watching Job's Keynote is a kin to watching some great sporting event live. Sure you can Tivo the Game and watch it later, but when you already read the score and heard about the surprise come back, watching it post-live is not the same.
ATLEAST broadcast it in Apple stores - it is a freaking marketing event!!!
In response to Gate's CES'05 breakdown (Score:2, Funny)
I bet Jobs is just scared the same will happen to him. Yeah Steve, you heard me. You are just CHICKEN! You know if Gate's and his 102% market share can't build a stable OS for his presentation, there is no way your piss-ant fruit company stands a chance. That's right Steve, better not stream your keynote.
Or maybe Steve was planning to get naked [staticusers.net]
The keynote -will- be televised (Score:4, Informative)
They -are- doing a live, remote broadcast. The only question is "how public will that broadcast be?"
Maybe their bandwidth bills were too high after the last one, so they decided to record, encode, and blast to Akamai after the event.
Obvious response, and then a "maybe"... (Score:4, Insightful)
If Apple wanted to limit Internet coverage, though, for whatever reason, they could easily shut down the publicly-available WAP in the convention hall. Do not tell anyone about it and then turn it off at the start of the keynote speech.
Sure, some people could get around that using cell phones, but the scramble would limit a lot of the "blow-by-blow" coverage on websites and IRC channels.
This indicates a release of Quicktime (Score:3, Insightful)
I think it makes sense....a twisted sense! (Score:3, Interesting)
This maybe the reason for the blackout. Although the blackout does not make a whole lot of sense....There will be plenty of Mac news sites that broadcast up to the minute text based websites of the keynote events. So Apple will only be able to keep a lid on the keynote on the visual side of things. Even though I managed to snag some free tickets to the expo this year I don't think I will be able to attend because of my back injury. I have not been able to attend for 5 years now because of it.
The thing that bugs me the most (Score:3, Interesting)
I think that if Think Secret is ultimately responsible for this buy posting illegally obtained information (generally, there is a difference between protecting sources because of fear of physical retribution and protecting sources because they are obviously breaking the law), then TS should be punished. Like, advertisers should realize the kind of scum they are and pull their ads from the site. Sort of like how Bill Maher's show was cancelled at the peak of its ratings because the ads pulled out...
RDF: Highly Focused (Score:4, Insightful)
More likely, he's "punishing" the unruly rumor mongering masses for the leaked insider info. More hype. Love him. Hate him. He still wins.
Re:Apple products are a huge nonevent (Score:3, Interesting)
Like how Apple paid for the shipping and repair of my iBook with a faulty logic board free of charge although I didn't have AppleCare and my warranty was expired. And how they even sent of a loaner iBook (with a faster processor and more RAM) to use while they fixed it.
Apple takes care of its customers better than most other computer companies.
Re:Apple products are a huge nonevent (Score:2)
Re:Apple products are a huge nonevent (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Apple products are a huge nonevent (Score:2, Interesting)
Apple still hasn't admitted there is a problem, not to mention providing a fix.
I gave up about 3 months ago and sold the damn thing.
Re:Whaaa? (Score:5, Interesting)
Ciao
Re:Whaaa? (Score:5, Insightful)
Don't you deal with Apple news on your site? If you do then you've probably just lost a few readers by suggesting that this is "obviously only of interest to Steve Jobs and Apple devotees", and they won't all be Apple fanatics: I'm sure there are plenty of non-devotees, including the CEOs of companies like Microsoft, Adobe, RealNetworks, Creative, HP and Sun to name but a few who pay close attention to what Jobs has to say.
Re:Whaaa? (Score:4, Informative)
The user "Roland Piquepaille [slashdot.org]" is an imposter.
Re:Whaaa? (Score:2)
Uh, no, we don't. Sorry.
Re:Whaaa? (Score:3, Insightful)
I find your faith in media disturbing.
Seriously, I don't own any Apple-hardware, yet I enjoy watching Steve Jobs's keynotes. Why? He's an extremely talented and charismatic speaker. And like it or not, the products he usually talks about ARE cool.
You don't want to know... (Score:5, Funny)
Ted: here it comes...
MacBoy: that wasn't so cool
iluvsteve: it's not small enough
lickable: i'm in love
gregmac: steve is hot
G6: what's happening now?!?!?
doug-eMac: OMGOMGOMGOMG
nickname: one more thing!
AppleDave: One more thing!!!
hax0r: he said "one more thing"
macdude: knew it! one more thing!
steveiloveyou: ONE MORE THING
iPaul: i bet it's the apple tv!
G6: i can't see the stream
yoda: onew moer thigns!!!!!
iluvsteve: one more thingg
BondiTed: there's one more thing!!1
MACSSUCK: YOU GUYS SUCK MY ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!
iDude: ha!
cindyjobs: one more thing!!!!
steve_: it's the icar!!!
mosesjones: one more thing!
applerules: better be a cheaper ipod!
freeipod: one more thing!
G6: i want to see!1
3macs: one more!!
i want steve: one more thing!!
penis: he said one more thing!
And this goes on for about 90 minutes with a hundred or so people repeating every line out of Steve's mouth!
And trust me when I say the Mac web forums are much worse.
Re:Summary (Score:2)
Re:Summary (Score:2)
What's more you can perform critical product enhancing edits while taking care of any "Balmer Monkey Dance" (google it) that may occur.
Once again Apple is showing it's brilliance.
No market? (Score:4, Insightful)
There's your market.
My hand is raised (Score:5, Informative)
Exactly.
I bought an iPod. I was impressed even with the box it came in, the packaging, the wrappers the cords were kept in, etc. Blew my mind. These people know how to design stuff!
4 months later, I took the plunge and bought an eMac (loaded up with RAM). Haven't touched my windows machines at home since then - 'cept to play a few games.
4 months after that, I convinced my employer to get me a Dual 2GHz G5 with a 20" cinema display.
My boss saw what it could do and how it played well in the windows network - so about 1 month later, there was another Dual G5 w/ 20" cinema display in the office (good thing he didn't get the 30" display, or else I would have been pissed off.. heh).
Oh, and a couple weeks ago Santa brought my daughter a pink iPod mini. This is the same daughter that has self-taught herself the whole iLife suite, and her and her friends don't leave the eMac alone when they're having sleepovers, etc. They make radio shows with GarageBand, convert to mp3, then drop them on CDs to show their friends. They make movies, edit them, and make really cool DVDs. She just turned 11, and I haven't had to show her anything. (Her Windows machine sits relatively unused in her room now)
(I think I'm the kind of customer Apple likes)
Re:My hand is raised (Score:3, Informative)
Got the same thing for my Wife for Christmas.
She absolutely loves it. She's not a gadget freak at all, just into her music, and the iPod (and iTunes) has opened up a whole new world for her to enjoy her music.
She's now looking at her rather tired old HP Brio PC and wanting something with a little Apple logo on it.
She is exactly the demographic that would form a good chunk of the market for this imaginary sub-$500 Mac.
Re:No market? (Score:2)
Secondly, most people have different priorities when it comes to buying personal computers from the average
While all this talk of a $500 Mac may be pure speculation, I'm sure there us a market. It is whether Apple wish to play in this market that is the real question.
Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:All you need to know... (Score:3, Informative)
Re:All you need to know... (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:All you need to know... (Score:4, Insightful)
256MB DDR RAM can be had sub-$50
80GB HDD can be had for ~$40
Combo DVD/CD-RW drive for ~$30
So, we're already at $120 and counting
G4 processor and motherboard... not sure. Last I heard, the motherboard alone was around $400. They're not cheap like x86 PC motherboards because the market is small. And that does not include the cost of the processor. Let's figure that Apple can get these parts for significantly cheaper than you or I, though, and that these parts cost around $250
Plus you have to figure in the cost of the case and power supply. I'd guesstimate this to cost ~$50.
The OS doesn't cost Apple anything to bundle, but it does cost them to develop it and they're not just doing that for their health. Presumably they'd want to recoup something on the investment. For now, though, let's say they're giving out free crack in the hopes of hooking a few more Mac junkies, and give away the OS with the hardware, and no cost is factored in. They'll make up for it by charging for updates every year, anyway.
So now, we're up to $420. An $80 margin is barely making it worthwhile for Apple, considering all the R&D they have to put in to bring this product to market. But if every miniG4 buyer ends up becoming a Mac convert, and later on decides to buy a G5 (or a G6 or whatever is out by that time) it will have been well worth it for Apple. This is a venture to expand their marketshare, not just to compete with Dell.
Re:Keynote Protest (Score:3, Insightful)
what exactly would that have to do with _anything_ in San Francisco in 2005?
Re:Keynote Protest (Score:3, Interesting)
What do they expect? Will they ask for receipts and give everyone who bought a Mac during the Amelio era a free iPod?
Boo hoo, they cancelled the London Expo and don't release a version that spells color with a 'u.' I've *never* had a
You need to ask for your money back. (Score:2)
Sure they do you, bizarrely, you chose to make up a few products, declare them boring and then blamed Apple for your inventions.
Whatever it is you've been smoking: you need to ask for your money back, It's bad shit.