Briefing: New Apple Products

Guess what folks… it’s October 23rd. That’s been a pretty good day for apple releases in the past. (Hint: The iPod was originally announced on October 23rd, 2001.)

The internet-o-sphere is all abuzz with the two big stories:

1. APPLE PRODUCTS OMG I LOVE THEM
2. HARUMPH, APPLE PRODUCTS ARE SHIT COMPARED TO WHAT I’VE ALREADY GOT

In my opinion:

• From a security perspective, Apple is continuing the path towards relatively locked down systems which are limited in one way or another.
• The new iPad 4 / iPad mini are likely a pretty good thing for the world. Limiting the kinds of damage that Mom and Pop can get into while trying to do simple things on the internet is a good plan. Lack of a true multi-user solution means that it’s pretty much “one iPad, one human” and the lock screen password is the only one that really counts. Reducing the price to $329 is a good way to ensure that it’s easier to have one iPad for each human.
• The new MBP13R gives me pause. I’m an MBA11 convert, but I like the idea of a higher end machine that I can use in the multitude of places I spend time. Would I be ok going from MBA11+iPad2 =-> MBP13R+iPadmini? There’s a real question there. (Of course, I’d need to get an iPhone 5 as well, since I can’t handle carrying both a 30pin and Lightning cable.
• The new iMac is strongly derivative. We knew where it was going. Apple’s (perhaps only Jony’s) fetish with thin edges makes me irritable. The iMac looks like the iPad 1 — with the bulging back to make it thicker while appearing thinner. Would I buy one? Nope.
• The new Mac mini is very interesting. Quad-core. 16GB RAM. Dual disks. 11w while idle. Can drive 2 monitors out of the box (and 3 if you use my little trick). And it’s just plain pretty. Gives one pause.

Overall, it’s pretty good for all of us to have choice. It’s good that someone is driving the point of elegance through vertical integration. It’s good to have the important discussions about general purpose computing vs. security risks. It’s good to enjoy the possibilities of truly awesome toys.