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Take a much needed three-week vacation, and Apple goes on a small
release binge. Go figure.
So what did I miss, and what do I think of what I missed?
XServe
Apple released XServe on May
14 when I was in Hong Kong. It's a pleasure to see Apple getting back
into the heavy iron of servers. Big businesses will likely begin to
see Apple servers as viable alternative to Linux, Unix, and
Windows.
The XServe has several things working in its favor. The price, for
one thing, is extremely competitive. Industrial strength server power
for such a low price can't help but turn a few heads in these lean
tech times. Couple that price with the power of OS X, the G4
processor, and (hopefully) decent support from Apple, and the XServe
should woo at least some customers away from the competition.
Of course, Apple has a real uphill battle on this front. In the
consumer market, Apple at least enjoys some level of notoriety with
its slick designs and cool software. In the business environment,
Apple has to deal with the entrenched idea that Macs are just toys,
that they aren't stable, and that they don't have the horsepower
necessary to handle the big jobs. Add the fact that Macs are
regularly disparaged in the IT industry and, I'm certain, in IT
schools across North America. Apple has its work cut out for it.
OS X will likely be the biggest selling point of the new XServe.
OS X combines the best of Unix and Linux (rock solid, secure,
powerful) with the, ahem, best of Windows (easy to set up and
administer). Cheaper, stronger, more stable. What more could an IT
manager want?
The Updated iBooks
Apple released the updated iBooks (12"
and 14" models) on May 20.
Sweetening the pot for low-end laptop lovers, the updated iBooks
include a faster G3 processor and 16 MB Radeon Mobility chips across
the board.
No complaints here. Faster is better, and a refreshed iBook line
should bring in new customers. The upgrades aren't so huge that
PowerBook sales will be hurt, but they are good enough for people in
the market for an affordable, well-equipped portable.
Personally, I would have loved to buy an iBook, but the screen
size and resolution are too small for the type of work I do. Dual
monitor support is an essential for me. Apple marketing nailed me
like an indecisive squirrel on a four-lane highway. I had no choice
but to buy the pricier,t better equipped PowerBook.
Such a tale of woe, I know.
So, a few minor, if good, announcements. Can't say I missed a
whole lot. Apple is maintaining strength in the consumer market and
building it in the business market - a sound strategy and one that
we all hope will continue.
Stephen Van
Esch is the founder and president of
the
E-learning Foundry, an online training
resource for Mac users. Steve loves the Mac and is doubly bilingual,
since he's also fluent in Windows and French.
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