June 2005 Archives

Spammers and scam artists just don't know when to quit. We have all learned to accept that we cannot control the fact that we will get spam and not all of it will make it through the filtering systems we have put in place. It's just something we have to live with for the time being. But to get spammed and scammed by someone posing to offer you a job via a "respected and trusted" career site, is an entirely different animal.

In the latest attempt to lure unsuspecting users into making some cash, a "Russian" company has given a new twist to the good 'ol Nigerian money scam. The email, which comes via CareerBuilder.com, presents you with the opportunity to work for this European based company, that wishes to expand into the US market with their great software product. They speak of their expansion plans and how much potential their product has to be successful. But the poor saps can't seem to get a normal US based bank account to receive payment for their software. Boo Hoo. So the "job" entails you accepting payment for THEIR software, via YOUR bank account. And then of course, you are supposed to make nice and WIRE them CASH via Western Union to the "manager" in Russia.

Are you friggin kidding me? The fact that their grammar is atrocious is one thing. But to insult my intelligence with this stupidity is another thing entirely. They don't even bother to mention what your "pay" will be for providing them the opportunity to sell their product via YOUR bank account, in the USA. Gotta love it.

How something like this gets through the folks at Career Builder is beyond me. Maybe I should seriously reconsider where I am putting my resume these days?

What a day in iPod land. Today Apple has announced a plethora of iPod related news. First, we'll start with the new iTunes 4.9 Update. This update includes a new Podcasting support feature. We'll talk more about this in a minute. Second, a nice update to the iPod itself (clickwhell and shuffles only) to enable that Podcasting feature. Third, the iPod line has been retooled and all iPod models have been merged into either iPod (no more iPod Photo), iPod mini, or iPod Shuffle. The entire iPod line is now full color and there are 2 models to choose from (this includes a new 20GB U2 version). There is the standard 20GB model with a nice new price point of $299. Or you can opt for the mambo monster 60GB rig for a mere $399. Not too darn shabby. The Shuffle price point has quietly been lowered as well. The new price is $129 (down from $149) for the 1GB model. So those are the major announcements. Now for the reviews.

Lets start with iTunes 4.9. The killer on this update is the podcast support. Apple has really outdone themselves on this one. It isn't perfect (yet), but it's one heck of a promising start. It couldn't be any easier to find and subscribe to a podcast (although the categories still lack depth). There are the usual and popular podcasts to choose from, but if your favorites aren't listed, fret not. You can simply go to the advanced menu, click Subscribe to Podcast, and enter your favorite podcast feed URL and it will magically appear. If you have an audio file that you downloaded, you can also import that into iTunes as well. Apple has added a new setting under the AAC Encoding menu for Podcasts. The setting will encode your imported file at 64Kbps, which is more than ample for voice podcasts.

The way iTunes manages the podcasts is great. I have been a long time user of iPodderX and find it to be a great app. However, you have to configure every feed just right in order to have it dropped into your playlist (unless you just accept the default settings, which you may or may not like).

For me, iPodderX sometimes worked, sometimes it didn't. iTunes has made the process incredibly easy by creating a Podcast menu in iTunes, just like you have the Music Store, party shuffle or radio menus. Better yet, when you sync up with your iPod, there is now a Podcast category and all your podcasts are neatly organized by title. One previously annoying thing about having certain podcasts on your iPod was that the interface was horrible. For certain podcasts with long names, it was impossible to easily see what podcast episode you were selecting. More tech savvy podcasters created their own naming conventions which made it a little easier to identify each podcast by its title, but it was a far from flawless method of overcoming the iPod's limited interface. With the new iPod user interface (UI), the name of the podcast will scroll automatically and let you see the full name without having to actually play the podcast. Apple has also added a date field at the end of the title menu that is fixed, so that as the title scrolls, you will always see the date of that podcast. Nifty...VERY nifty. Apple has been listening indeed. If I am not mistaken, Leo Laporte himself had made that very suggestion on one of his many podcasts. No doubt that Adam Curry had a bit of input on these improvements as well.

On the negative side of things, I have seen some people complaining that iTunes is not all that and that you should stick to iPodderX. Well folks, being that I am not exactly biased by being personal buddies with the good guys August and Ray at iPodderX, I can give you a more realistic viewpoint on this. One of the complaints I have read is how iTunes doesn't handle bit torrent very well. That is true, no question about it. However, I only know of ONE podcast (at least of the popular ones) that is delivered via bit torrent. That would be The Week in Tech (TWiT) by the former Screen Savers gang. Great podcast, but guess what? It is also delivered via MP3 through another feed that works just fine in iTunes. That doesn't exactly call for the use of another app other than iTunes. I must say though, I would like to get that bookmarkable AAC feed via normal channels. I don't see iTunes EVER supporting bit torrent, as I am sure Apple wants complete and total control over what you are downloading from their apps and music store. It's no secret that a lot of folks use bit torrent for downloading music in more nefarious ways than we would like to admit. Don't expect Apple to facilitate this practice any time soon. If bit torrent is your thing, then iPodderX is definitely a better choice for you. iPodderX also has really nice RSS support built-in, something iTunes has yet to implement.

The second complaint I have read about is that iTunes won't fetch your podcasts while it isn't running. And the point? That is a pretty simple thing to overcome folks. Just leave iTunes running and if you don't want the controller visible, hit COMMAND-H to HIDE the darn thing! It will still be running and catching all your podcasts on whichever schedule you tell it to retrieve those podcasts. If you want iTunes to startup when you log in, just add it to your Login Items under Accounts in the System Preferences. But again, if this is just too much trouble for you, iPodderX is your best choice.

Another observation I have made is that the list of categories for podcasts in iTunes is too limited. If you go to iPodder.org, you will see that there is an extensive list of categories that better defines what you are looking for. I am sure this will improve in future updates of the music store. Remember, this is only day one.

Enough on the negative, lets go uber geek. So what is new and uber kewl in the new iTunes? Plenty. If you are into making your own podcasts, there are some nice updates that should make you happy. Lets start with the ability to publish your podcast to the iTunes Music Store. Apple has added a "Publish a Podcast" button to iTunes. Apple still has the final word on if you get in or not, but I don't think it will be too hard judging on what they have in there at the moment. If you are just starting out and don't know how to create a podcast, Apple has provided a step-by-step guide to get you going. It isn't the most sophisticated setup, but it works. For a more real-world view on how to podcast, you may want to check out the tutorials at Engadget, or check out the Podcasting Primer on Mac Merc, courtesy of the Wizards of Technology.

Back to geeking out. Apple has also added a Chapter Tool to the mix. Word of advice, this tool is NOT for the faint of heart. It is a COMMAND LINE tool at the moment. If your unix skills are not up to snuff, you may want to pass on this until Apple releases the commercial version. This tool will allow you to add chapters, images and web links to specific time codes in the podcast. iTunes (and iPod Photos) will then display those assets real-time as you listen to the podcast. This will be HUGE for people that like doing Sound-Seeing Tours, another Adam Curry invention, in which he records audio commentary as he strolls through scenic (or some not-so-scenic) areas. Imagine what this will do for Museums and such, where you can be walking through a self-paced tour and viewing the images the author wants to convey right on your iPod or in iTunes. This is the future folks! Any podcast that has been encoded with this feature will now sport a new icon to the left of the iTunes status window with a list of chapters and images encoded in the podcast. Since at this time Apple can only control the AAC audio format, these types of podcasts are limited to the MPEG-4 AAC (.m4a) fie format (same as the tunes you download from the music store).

That pretty much wraps it up folks. Lots of great and exciting news today. If you are new to the world of Podcasting, welcome! If your an old hat, I am sure you can appreciate today's announcements. In either case, one thing is for certain. The face of radio is changing and control is being put back in the hands of the listeners. Radio stations across the country should afraid. BE VERY AFRAID. No longer will we be held at the mercy of the junk being played on the radio. Between satellite radio and podcasting, can anyone tell me why they would listen to the radio anymore (except for live coverage of news or sports)? For the first time that I am aware of, ANYONE now has the ability to create their own radio show and be heard by the masses. You gotta love technology and Apple Computers.

[ Update ] Apparently Apple slipped one more goodie into iTunes which hasn't been publicized much. If you download a podcast from iTunes that has officially been added by Apple, the MP3 file will be bookmarkable! That takes the cake. Way to go Apple. Thanks to Jon for the heads up.

[ Update 2 ] Another interesting bit of info, when encoded properly, podcasts now carry the show-notes into the iPod! Just click the center button of your iPod twice and it will load any show notes that were part of the podcast. It just keeps getting better...

You gotta hand it to some folks. Creativity is one thing, but isn't this taking it a little too far? Someone had WAY too much time on their hands and not enough money for the basics. This guy actually built the furniture for his apartment out of FEDEX shipping materials!!! You gotta take a look at the site for more pictures. Fellow geeks of the universe...here is a hint for those of you about to start off on your own. If you can't afford furniture for that new apartment, you aren't ready to leave home! :-) Anyone out there got a UPS furniture pad? :-)

Something is just terribly wrong with our government and elected officials. It seems that we are losing more and more rights in this country by the minute. CNN Law Center is reporting that "the US Supreme Court just ruled that local governments may seize people's homes and businesses - even against their will - for private economic development."

Ok, so just wait a second. Am I to understand that even though I am the legal owner of my home and the property it sits on, my local government can decide to uproot me and my family, in the name of putting in a profitable shopping center for some rich land developer? Yes, that is exactly what it means. The full story is disturbing to say the least.

When are WE as voting tax payers, going to finally stand up to the rich and powerful and tell them we are not going to take it anymore? This is absolutely insane. Nothing in this world is beyond corruption and immorality in the name of making a dollar in corporate America. Unbelievable...just friggin unbelievable.....

None other than the Steve "Woz" Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Computer, will preside over the Commencement Ceremonies at Nova Southeastern University this weekend (June 25, 2005). Most of you know the history behind the Woz, so we won't get much into that. Should be interesting to see what he has to say, especially following Steve Job's speech at Stanford recently. Too cool...the Woz right here in my backyard!

Gizmodo just finds the coolest damn stuff. This is friggin sweet! I gotta gig in my pocket going jinga-linga-ling...(lemme stop while I am ahead). Check it out...

[ via Gizmodo ]

SwissBit Victorinox retroALOX 1GB Reviewed (Verdict: Worth Its Weight in Nazi Gold):

I had not realized that Victorinox had upgraded their Swissbit USB key/Swiss Army knife combo, but Trusted Reviews got their hands on one and proclaim it a winner. It's got a new look, obviously (the new model is called the 'retroALOX' but I don't know my knife history well enough to tell you if that means it's based on an older knife or not), but also is a USB 2.0 part, making for much faster fills of its 1GB storage.

Plus, I happen to think that Victorinox has the best pocket scissors around, even compared to the Fiskars that come on the Gerber multitools.

Oh, I almost forgot the best part. You can take out of the USB key now, meaning you don't have to leave your data at home when you got on a plane. Smart. Update: And apparently, not a new feature. Still!

Swissbit SWISSMEMORY| Victorinox retroALOX [TrustedReviews]

This definitely merits some attention. It isn't often you find a decent looking display for $300, much less an LCD flat panel display. Westinghouse just announced this slick new screen and it's available now in retail stores. The display uses a standard DVI connector and is VESA compatible so that you can even mount this beauty on the wall. For more specs follow the link. Not too bad for a lightbulb company!

Nice find!

[ via TUAW ]

Blender:

If you're interested in getting into 3D high end graphics, but the nosebleed prices of the software out there keeps getting in your way, why not go free with Blender? Blender is "the open source software for 3D modeling, animation, rendering, post-production, interactive creation and playback. . . . Available for Windows, Linux, Irix, Sun Solaris, FreeBSD or Mac OS X under the GNU Public License."

There was a new version released today, and there are flavors available for OS X 10.2, 10.3, and 10.4. Head over to the downloads page and grab your copy. Post links to your Blender-created stuff in the comments and we'll check it out. If you feel like supporting this open source project, you can invest in the 800 page manual.

Did I mention that it is free?

Following up on my previous post about Steve Job's speech at Stanford, here is the actual video!

[ via the Stanford Report ]

In his Commencement address, Apple and Pixar CEO Steve Jobs urged Stanford graduates to follow their hearts. A pancreatic cancer survivor, he told the Class of '05, "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people's thinking."

This is more like it. Apple is now starting to see the light when it comes to advertising. I can only hope to see some new TV ads and in about a year, hear the Intel jingle on an Apple tv ad. Ahhhh - the horror! :-) Did ya ever think you'd live to see THAT happen? It's going to be a great next couple of years as this transition rolls out...

[ via MacDailyNews ]

Apple Computer attacks Microsoft Windows with two-page Mac OS X Tiger print ad in Time (with images):

Apple Computer has debuted a new two page Mac OS X Tiger advertisement in the inside cover in the latest issue of Time Magazine.�Į�ĮThe ad features the Mac OS X Tiger "X" on a black background on the left page (click for larger image) and powerful quotes from reviews of Mac OS X Tiger on the right page (click for larger image).�Į�ĮThe quotes on the right side read:

[in large, bold print]�Į"It leaves Windows XP in the dust."�Į- Walter Mossberg, The Wall Street Journal

[in smaller print]�Į"It's the most elegant, useful and powerful operating system I've ever used in three decades of computer ownership. It runs circles around Windows."�Į- Mike Wendland, Detroit Free Press

"Spotlight isn't just a fast Find command. It's an enhancement that's so deep, convenient and powerful, it threatens to reduce the 20-year-old Mac/Windows system of nested folders to irrelevance."�Į- David Pogue, The New York Times

"Want to see what the future of personal computing looks like? Don't wait for Microsoft to show you; go out and get yourself a copy of Apple's latest operating system release, OS X Tiger. It's that good."�Į- Michael Gartenberg, Computerworld

"Not only is Spotlight super fast, but it looks through absolutely everything: email messages, contacts, the information attached to digital photos, even a page you scanned in or a map your downloaded from the web."�Į- Chris Taylor, Time

"I remember writing an article about Lotus 1-2-3 back when the product was released during the 80s... It may have been nearly two decades since I wrote that column, but it took Spotlight less than 2 seconds to find it."�Į- Larry Magid, CBSNews.com

This past weekend Steve Jobs gave the commencement speech at Stanford University. From all accounts I have read, it wasn't the most exciting speech, but it brought home some very good points to those about to hit the real world. The full story can be read at SFGate.com.

But that isn't the reason I am writing this today. I am writing about something I found to be somewhat ironic. In his speech, Steve referenced the days when he started college and how certain things in life played out as a result of his dropping out.

"If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on that calligraphy class and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do," he said. "Believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well-worn path, and that will make all the difference."

Here is Steve Jobs, one of the wealthiest people on the planet, and undoubtedly one of the best and most admired CEO's in history, addressing a bunch of kids that just dropped around $100,000 on their education. A college dropout just addressed the graduating class at Stanford. Wow.

So that leads me to the point of this post. Just recently Donald Trump's "The Apprentice" pitted college grads vs. those without a degree. Ultimately a girl with a degree won the battle, but not to be outdone by those that did not have the degree.

I am all for education. I am a college grad myself. Certain professions require it. I certainly wouldn't want a doctor, for instance, that didn't have a top notch education. However, when it comes to the business world and certain trades, I just don't believe that a college education is a necessity. A more practical approach would be a technical or trade school. Then there are those people that just have a natural God-given talent without ever having to pick up a book or attend a lecture. Should those folks be penalized?

There are those who will disagree with me and insist that if you don't have a degree (from a name-brand school at that), you must not be worthy. Heck, they even base hiring decisions on such nonsense. Imagine THAT! But the fact remains that there are those who are book smart, but are completely clueless in the real world. Then there are those that are DOERS. They are self-starters, independent thinkers, aggressive and determined. They are the TRUE Entrepeneurs. I'll take one of those guys in my organization ANY day over the so called "educated" candidate who really has nothing more than good study habits and no practical real-world experience to back it.

Lets face it people, school has become a BUSINESS. It is no longer about education. It is all about the money and how much money the sports teams and alumni can raise. Curriculums are filled with useless classes that are supposed to "round you out", but do nothing more than waste precious time and fill up an already busy schedule. If you are a career student, great. Knock yourself out. But I would rather spend my class time on classes that will directly affect my chosen profession.

So back to the point of this. I found some interesting facts on the net that I am betting many of you aren't aware of. For those of you that insist a college education is a must, I propose a question to you. Where are you in your career today? Take a good hard look at yourself, and evaluate your status in life. If you can tell me that you are more successful that any of the following people, then I want you in my rolodex. Lets take a look:

Steve Jobs
Steve Wozniak
Bill Gates
Larry Ellison
Michael Dell
Wayne Huizenga

These are just a few names that you might recognize. What the hell is the point you ask? Every one of them (and a whole bunch more) are college dropouts.

So again. I ask you. Where are you in your career today? Do you think it is fair to pre-judge a candidate in an interview based on whether they have a degree or not? If that was the case, just look at what we may have missed out on. Many of us wouldn't even have a career in our chosen professions. It's kind of hard to make a case against someone without a degree when you look at some of these people I listed above.

So for those of you in management with hiring authority, I ask you to open your minds before you open your mouths. You just may not be as smart as you think YOU are. The candidate you pass on today, just might be the guy who puts you out of business tomorrow.

This is one of the many questions that mac fans have been asking since last weeks WWDC. The resounding answer is YES. According to Extreme Tech, , Intel quietly announced that it has shifted the majority of its P4's to 64-bit capability over the weekend. "The unspoken message is that a customer will receive 64-bit capability for free." That just about sums it up folks. Everyone was wondering if the higher priced 64-bit processors would mean higher priced Macs. The answer is NO. If anything, prices will most likely go down. This is good news....real good news. I say BRING IT ON INTEL!

Seems like people just can't get enough of Apple these days. In yet another unimpressive attempt to rip off Apple's design teams work, here is a new case (via KREX Computers) for those in the PC world that are jonsing for a taste of Mac. A valiant effort I must say, but it's still no G5. The price is certainly right at $79.95. If I had a decent PC laying around, I might have gotten this. I do however like the blue LED's everywhere. I don't know what it is, but it seems like blue LED's are taking over everywhere these days.

[ Thanks to TUAW for the tip! Grab the Keynote with chapter markers while it's hot folks! ]

WWDC Keynote Video in Chapters:

Joi Ito points to a neat version of the Keynote that has been split into chapters by Kevin Marks.

So now you can jump over to your favorite part, or just watch the podcast bit and skip over all the Intel business.

It's the digital equivalent of sticking your fingers in your ears and repeating "No no no no no..." for close to an hour!

UPDATE: Joi updated with a link to the how-to behind the chaptered video feed. Cool.

Todays weather report from HELL: It's COLD, REAL COLD. Why heck...slap me silly and call me Sally...did I just see a flying pig go past my window? Yep, sure did, and it just IM'd me requesting a flyby. That would be a "Negative Ghostrider...the pattern is FULL".

Today marks a day in history which we Apple zealots will never forget. It almost feels as if we have been violated. There comes a time in a man's life where he must humble himself and admit he was wrong. My predictions were a tad bit off we could say. I am still trying to recover from todays madness and must regroup myself and accept the fact that this is NOT an alternate universe we have just been tele-ported to.

Well folks, the rumors as reported by CNET were in fact, TRUE. Apple has announced a partnership with Intel that will put an Intel based processor at the very soul of the next generation Macintosh, beginning this time next year (2006). Apple will transition all of its Macs to using Intel microprocessors by the end of 2007.

I guess this comes as a shock to us who have always believed the hype that RISC based processors were faster and more efficient. I for one not only drank the kool-aid, I lived it and preached it. The fact that Microsoft switched their next generation XBOX 360 to the same processor used in a Mac was kind of a validation that we Mac-heads were indeed correct, and had the baddest processors on the market. So that leaves many of us asking: WHY? The answer is actually quite simple. IBM dropped the ball in a MAJOR way. Lets get this out of the way first, IBM Makes a kick-ass processor. There is no question that the G5 processor is by far superior to anything on the market. However, IBM missed the mark in delivering a 3GHz processor to Apple as promised, and they have not been able to produce a mobile version of the G5 for the PowerBook line. These are not exactly things to be taken lightly by Apple. It does Apple and the rest of us no good to have this great processor if we can't create new products that are worth upgrading to. It is really that simple. So if you are feeling a little betrayed and Jaded, you can put the blame on nobody but IBM. Way to go Big Blue.

So what's this mean for Apple? A lot of people are truly pissed off. I attribute that to more of an emotional state of mind than a logical rationalization. It is human nature to cry foul and say you are going to go buy a Dell. But seriously, who are we kidding folks. Lets not lose focus of the real story here. It's about the OS dummy. Quite honestly, I could care less about what is under the hood as long as my computing experience does not change for the worse. In NASCAR racing, everyone is running different engines (Ford, Chevy, Dodge, etc), but they are all limited to the same amount of horsepower. The real difference in the race is the driver and the team. Well, a Mac will still be driven by OS X, no matter what the CPU powering it will be, and the same engineering team will be innovating us into the future at Apple. This is probably a good move on behalf of Apple and I for one am not one to say it wont work. If I were that smart, I would be sitting right next to Steve Jobs helping pilot the mother-ship. But alas, I am a humble schlep in the grand scheme of things.

There are still a lot of questions to be answered, but the writing is pretty clear. The biggest concern was the ability to port apps to an Intel architecture and Apple has all but blown us away with their solution for this. Between the Rosetta emulation technology and the new X-Code tools, running PPC apps on Intel will honestly be painless. This probably won't be anywhere near as painful as some people would like you to believe. For those of you wondering if this means you can run Windows on your Mactel, well...that is a big question mark that is yet to be determined. I also wouldn't expect you to be able to grab an Intel version of OS X and be able to drop it on that old x86 beige box you have lying around. These are but a couple of the many questions that will be brought to the table over the following year.

A lot of people (including myself) speculated that sales will drop for Apple over the next year until the new hardware is released. After giving this a lot of thought today, that may not exactly be true. Keep in mind that although Apple is switching to Intel, they will still be supporting PPC code for a VERY long time. There is honestly no reason for anyone to wait up to 2 years to buy a new machine. The G5 you buy today will be running for a VERY long time since a developer can recompile for both platforms effortlessly. In the near future, you will be seeing software released with the code base for both architectures on the same CD/DVD. This will in essence future-proof your purchase. It would be complete lunacy to go buy a Dell in lieu of a Mac at this point in the game. Apple is without a questionable doubt the most innovative company on the planet, and I have no reason to suspect this move will be anything but a success.

Full Quicktime archive of the WWDC 2005 Keynote will be available via this link very shortly. Other points of interest today is an interview with Steve Jobs on CNBC this afternoon. More in-depth discussions can be found at the usual news sources. So there ya have it. No new hardware (but the week isn't over yet). Whatever happens, I think it is safe to say that whatever other news we read this week will not top today. This was a biggie. I hope everyone is coping with this ok. Don't everyone go get drunk all at once and tattoo Apple on one ass cheek and Intel on the other! :-)

Lately I haven't been posting much because quite frankly, everything making the news has been quite <yawn> ... BORING. There has been ONE bit of news hitting the wire in the last couple of days that finally merits some attention. The pundits of CNET have reported that somehow they have an "inside source" that claims Apple is switching over to an Intel based architecture and will be announcing it on Monday at WWDC.

I am here to tell you folks (IMHO)...this is pure HOGWASH. It make absolutely NO sense at all for Apple to make such a monolithic move and the WRONG direction. For starters, this would mean yet another major overhaul and porting effort on behalf of all Macintosh developers out there. They did it once because they had to do it for the OS X transition. But to do it twice in the space of a few years? Ain't gonna happen people. Second, announcing such a move that would not happen on the PowerMacs until 2007 would essentially bring sales to a grinding halt. Nobody is going to spend $3,000+ on a professional system that will be out of date in a MAJOR way in the next 2 years. Apple has spent A LOT of time and energy dispelling the myths surrounding CISC vs. RISC based architectures and the so called "Megahertz Myth". And now, at a time when everyone is finally starting to understand the difference and major gaming platforms like the XBOX 360 and PS3 switching to what is essentially a G5 processor, what would Intel be able to offer that could throw all of that away?

It just makes no sense folks. What DOES make sense is Apple announcing Intel SUPPORT by creating an x86 version of OS X. Apple is a software and hardware company. Although keeping OS X solely on the Mac platform would obviously be good and help increase Apple's hardware sales, it would make more sense to announce that OS X will now run on an x86 machine. At a time when people have reached their threshold for pain on the Windows side of the house, it would tactically be genius to offer those folks an alternate OS that will run on their existing hardware. No more viruses, spyware or Blue Screens of Death. Just like the Mac mini concept, this is not a far fetched idea. Once the general public sees what they have been missing, they will no doubt think of Apple in an entirely new way. That only means one thing, increased hardware sales in the not too distant future. As those folks switch to OS X on Intel, when that hardware becomes obsolete and they need a replacement, now they will be looking long and hard at an Apple box.

The next logical move is the enterprise. One of the biggest concerns for an enterprise migrating platforms is cost. Porting OS X to Intel would allow an enterprise to transition to OS X with minimal cost and pain. The money saved on IT support costs alone would more than justify the money spent on training employees on the new OS. Productivity apps like MS Office would require practically no training. Overall, it just makes sense for an enterprise to switch to a safer and more stable computing environment.

Now we all know hell has frozen over at least once in recent history at Apple. So we can't be 100% sure of what exactly Steve has up his sleeves until Monday morning. It's going to be an interesting week to say the least. Stay tuned for more to come...