Interviews with Digital Media Thought Leaders
Analysis of New Products from Mac World
Podcast Audio | Posted by Phil Leigh on January 24, 2008
Summary: If you would like a professional opinion on the products from the recent Mac World conference, this interview is for you.
Our guest today is Jefferson Graham who is a Technology Reporter with USA Today. He and Ed Baig are the Co-Hosts of the Talking Tech podcasts. After stints at The Hollywood Reporter and Entertainment Tonight, Graham joined USA Today in 1984 covering entertainment. He switched to tech in 2000. Graham is also the author, or co-author, of nine books, including Aaron Spelling: a Prime-Time Life.
After attending Mac World, our guest - Jefferson Graham of USA Today - felt that the product innovations that were most important in rank order are (1) mapping for iPhone and iPod Touch, (2) movie rentals, (3) new laptop computer, and (4) new Apple TV.
The mapping function is free on all new iPhones and iPod Touch units and uses the geographic co-ordinates of cell towers or hot spots to triangulate one’s location. Jeff spent much of the day after Mac World in San Francisco testing the feature.
Jeff was also impressed that iTunes movie rentals are available from all of the major studios, especially considering that NBC dropped its television programming from iTunes only recently.
While Jeff also liked the laptop computer and Apple TV, he felt they were less important. For example, he doesn’t like the idea of a computer without a DVD burner and only one USB slot.
Phil’s Take. I agree with Jeff that the mapping feature on iPhone and the iPod Touch is fascinating, especially considering that the units don’t have GPS. However, there were other important software upgrades. The units are gradually transforming into the breakthrough concept of the Teleputer as originated by George Gilder a decade ago.
Also, I was stunned that the Apple TV is capable of delivering High Definition video over the Internet to the television efficiently enough to start playing movies in only one-minute. If it wasn’t from Apple, I would have been suspicious that the demo was Wizard of Oz man-behind-the-curtain experience.
Categories: Podcast Audio
Tags: Apple, Apple-TV, digital-media, iPhone, iPod, iPod-touch, Jefferson-Graham, Mac-World, Phil-Leigh, Steve-Jobs, USA-Today
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