MacGenie

Leopard's Big Secret

2007-01-11T15:45:00.000-08:00

After iPhone, the advance of technology in user interfaces and latest apple patents, one can make solid assumption on Leopard's Secret.

See the links

1. iPhone video preview in CBS

2. Multitouch Technology video

3. Apple patent for trackpad use as multitouch user interface for laptops (the multitouch trackpad is already used in macbooks for scrolling when using two fingers, instead of pointing when trackpad is touched with one finger)

4. Zooming User interface (Jeff Raskin was the first in charge of the Mac project inside Apple in 1979. After leaving Apple he was into user interfaces research until he passed away recently)

5. Zooming user interface demo

6. Apple patent for resolution independent Graphical User Interface

7. Todays MacOS X (from 10.2 days) can zoom into the desktop. One can choose this from Universal Access control panel with the keyboard combination [apple option +] (zoom in) and [apple option -] (zoom out). Recently, 10.4.7 made possible for someone to zoom in and out using the keyboard combination [control key along with up or down the roller of the mouse].

8. Also of great inportance is the 'expose' feature of 10.4.x and the multiple desktops use which Steve Jobs already announced the will be a new feature of Leopard (X Windows have this feature for years)

My prediction of Leopards secret is this:
Apple will use a desktop graphical user interface in Leopard with windows, like todays user interfaces. But the OS is going to be resolution independent, so it will be made possible to have an infinite width and height desktop with multiple windows open. With the use of the mouse (combination of control key and mouse roller) you can go zoom out and zoom in. And the windows come closer or further away, until they are close enough so you can use them. The evolution of this desktop user interface is to run on hardware that supports multitouch trackpads or even multitouch touchscreens.

Quicktime Media Center

2005-10-06T14:22:00.000-07:00

My speculation about the Apple Event on Oct 12 is this:

Apple probably will present to the world a software and device that a person can use to:

1) rent & watch video clips and music videos
2) rent movies online and watch these movies on the computer
3) buy movies online
4) watch shows built from ordinary people (something like video podcasts)
5) use all of the above on a hardware device for the home rack, like a DVD player.
6) the above hardware device should have constant wired or wireless connection to the computer (pc or mac) and the software on the computer that I described.
7) this device would work on it own without the need of the computer. The computer is needed only for buying the movies.
8) the device of course is a media centre and can play music also. AND video clips. AND connect to iPods.

This is my speculation.

Add a fancy name to the device and here we go! We have a great product!
In order for the marketing to work, the device must have a great feature that helps the iPod do more things. Maybe the device does not have a hard disk and uses an iPods hard drive to store content. Like I predicted a year ago.

The plot thickens

2005-10-05T15:16:00.000-07:00

It's Oct 5, 2005

Apple on Oct 12 will gather a special event named 'one more thing...'
traditionally this phrase means that good news are coming. But since the nano was launched in the very near past (on september 7th) what on earth could Apple do?

Hopefully the ipod music video device that I predicted a long time ago.

Or even better, the home media center ipod docking device.

Who knows?

Let's find out next week!

(Apple, MacMini, Tiger, iPod) + Sony

2005-01-13T14:08:00.000-08:00

Apple just introduced a rather inexpensive computer. (500$)

A computer marketed like this
- it just works
- no viruses, spyware
- focused on the user (bundled iPhoto, iTunes, iMovie HD, iDVD etc)

People right now have awareness of Apple as a company that builds 'better products but much higher priced'. That was the case for some years now, and I believe that will actually be a GOOD thing, now that the prices are down!!!!
That 'thing' that people wanted for so long but couldn't afford, NOW they can get their hands on!

This will generate very good sales on the start. But in the long term?
I believe Apple in the long term will seek partners to sell computers too through their distribution channel.
Maybe a 'Sony' branded MacMini, like the 'HP' branded iPod...

This is based on something that Steve Jobs himself said in his 2005 MacWorld Expo keynote when Sony Leader left the stage: 'We are looking forward to cooperating with Sony on many areas... who knows... maybe computers too!'

(or something like that)

C'mon Sony.... sell some Macs...
let the next line of VAIOs be MacOS X computers!!!

Original Ideas and execution

2004-11-09T06:49:00.000-08:00

I would like to comment a little about the slogan on the right panel of my site.
'If you are apple and want to hire me send me a message at my blah@email.bla'

This is obviously a joke. MacGenie site was made in order for me to share my points of view with the ...world. Many good ideas have existed in my head for years, and if someone could gather all the ideas in the world and could make all these happen, maybe we would reach very high levels of technology.

But it is not that way. A good idea is nothing without a very good execution. Many have very very good ideas, many have the same idea at a different time. The point is

POINT TO ME THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THINGS HAPPEN!!!

MacGenie site is about the technology of today that I personally know of, that I personally would choose to market to the world, and believe that it would sell GREAT and bring profits AND get a good market share BEFORE the competition.

But that requires executing, that I cannot personally do where I am located, here, in Greece.

so it is simple!
[joking]
Apple, if you want to hire me, you know where you can find me!!!
[/joking]

Tiger: My wishes come true

2004-11-03T05:22:00.000-08:00

Having read about the new features of Tiger and recently having seen screenshots I am simply amazed. Back on March 6, 2003 I sent an email to Apple feedback 'wishing' for some features that I was convinced that MacOS X needed.

Specifically:
I proposed for
1) iTunes-like Database driven Mail.app
2) iTunes-like Database driven Finder

What I asked for, is coming true in the MacOS X Tiger operating system today, two years later! Also, some of my ideas came to life in the GMail service of google (the conversations idea) [read on and you 'll understand]. I wonder if someone working at Apple moved to Google....

I don't know... maybe I have very good ideas, maybe I am too lucky, maybe I wish for the correct thing with the right timing to the right company.. Maybe these ideas were the natural evolution of the MacOS X 10.2 operating system I was using then, so many developers could have these ideas...

The point is, I don't know if I should be happy that my ideas come to life, or should be sad that my ideas were stolen :-)
what is your opinion? leave a comment...

Here is a copy of the email I sent to macosx feedback. (Dated on March 6, 2003):

I would like to make a suggestion so Apple could decide if Mail.app can have a whole new approach on reading and organizing emails.

I suggest that the "logic" of organizing potential of iTunes, Safari bookmarks and iPhoto could be "moved" on Mail.app.

What I mean: Imagine all incoming emails written on a database. And the view could be
1) classic email view: (inbox, sent, folders, etc..)
2) the NEW way: Conversations.
All mail is viewed in a single "itunes like" window.

b) when I have some people on my address book:
In Mail preferences I can set "smart playlists" like itunes that I select persons and view all the conversations with them. Sent mail, incoming mail, everything. Keyword is the "person"

c) when I want even more:
I create "VERY smart playlists": I take persons and put them to teams. When someone from a mailing list or get mail with certain text in subject sends me email, I can set a new "smart playlist": Keywords: person1, person2, person3, subject="%MayEvent%"

The above is a "database driven" way of viewing email. The same database structure of iTunes and other apps. It is a "database driven" way of applying "Rules". "Smart Rules"

And of course you can always "like iTunes" view email the "old" way, "library".

The same could be applied to the Finder and it could have something like 'smart folders'.

iPodHome Entertainment System Device

2004-10-29T07:11:00.000-07:00

iPod is a great personal music device. I mean, it's iPod not ourPod or theirPod... and this 'pod' word is amazing! Implies a 'thing' that is a part of your computer, something that without your computer, has no point existing! It is the essence of the 'Mac as a digital hub', as Apple wants things to be...

That's why analysts believe that the huge success of the iPod can have 'halo effects' and may bring greater sales for Apple Computers, which the press sais they are great just like the iPod.

Home Entertainment though, is not going to be affected by any iPod 'halo effects' in the near future. Unless Apple (I don't believe that anyone else could pull this off) innovates again, introducing the iPod Home Entertainment System.

Imagine this: it's 2006 and 25 million iPods are on consumers hands. People love their iPods, sync their music, their photos and maybe their quicktime music videos on their computer with the iPod. What could be better?

But what else! A docking device for the iPod that can be used in our living room! At the size and shape of a normal home DVD Player or CD player! The iPodHome could change the way we listen to the music, or watch TV in our living room!

We could buy songs on the iTunes Music Store, sync them with our iPod, enjoy them on the go, go back in the living room, put the iPod in the iPod Home Entertainment System and enjoy! We can control the iPodHome with its remote control, watch iPod photos on our (iPodHome connected) Television, watch our favorite quicktime music videos from the iPod!

But wait! Maybe we can also use a great Apple User Interface on our TV through the iPodHome remote control, and record TV shows or football games in Quicktime format, directly on our iPod! That way we can enjoy these recording later on our TV, on the go, or archive on our computer!

Wouldn't that make the Mac an even greater digital hub? (And a simple PC or media center PC too maybe...)

But wait... Apple has good marketing power, but doesn't yet have good enough distribution channels to market, support and sell such a great product.

But Hewlett Packard does... :-)

iPod music video

2004-10-28T15:06:00.000-07:00

We 've been reading all these websites and all these pro tech analysts, having an opinion about Steve Job's refusal to produce a video iPod. Many think Steve is wrong. That video iPod would be so cool that many would buy it. Other think that he is correct, and very few people have the content.

But if we listen to Steve carefully and if we read between the lines, we 'll see what he is on to! He said:
'iPod will always be about music'
'noone has the content'
'even if they did, they would'nt like the small screen'
'there are many licensing issues''

So i strongly believe that it is TOO difficult for any company to have today a complete solution (=that will sell well and bring profits) for a software-hardware-gadget combination for movies that the consumer would want to use.

But what about MUSIC videos?!

Maybe THAT content is something that Steve himself could deliver! He has the artist deals! He has the connections with the music industry, he has Quicktime, he has iPod, he has iTunes!
That IS indeed something that could sell well!

We would love to buy our favorite artists Music Videos from iTMS and watch them on the little iPod Screen or the huge TV screen!

But maybe that is the 'next step'...

Welcome the MacGenie

2004-10-28T14:30:00.000-07:00

Blogspot seems to be the easiest way to fire up a website today. And since we think we have something more to tell the world about Apple, Macs and iPods, than what is published today, maybe we have a place in the mac universe.

Stay [i]Tuned...