Monthly Archives: June 2012

Microsoft Surface

So this evening Microsoft released a tablet which may potentially be a competitor to Apple’s iPad … or so Microsoft hopes. Let’s be honest, they’re late to the game. As they were late to their own event in Hollywood apparently. (I personally wasn’t invited and it would have been a bit of a trek for me from Toronto.)

Microsoft has very seldom hit a target according to historical information, provided by avid Microsoft followers. I have been told that the relationship between users, developers and Microsoft itself is love / hate. Not surprising since it seems that they don’t truly care about their communities. That stated, they are making an effort it seems. Whether its enough though, I will leave to the community to determine.

Let me be clear and honest for those readers who already don’t know. I run on Apple tech and software. I am writing this post on my MacBook Pro while replying to iMessages on my iPhone and monitoring Twitter on my iPad. My fiance is currently watching something on Netflix through our Apple TV. The only non-Apple tech in my home, is the Dell laptop and BlackBerry phone that was provided to me by the company I consult for. So I am a big Apple ”guy”.

Now that that’s out-of-the-way, I should also mention that I work within a Windows environment on a daily basis. The company for which I consult operates off of Windows 7 Enterprise Dell laptops, which make for a great little work companion. We are currently also using BlackBerry’s to communicate with, however we’ve recently also began deploying a solution which would allow us to incorporate iPhones and Android devices. So I shouldn’t be ridiculed for being an Apple fan, because I appreciate the innovation that Microsoft has done, though little of it has been made recently.

The Surface for Enterprise
Let us not kid ourselves and get straight to the point. The Surface (yes Microsoft specifically called it “The” Surface and not just “Surface”) is an iPad copy engineered to target enterprises. Here’s why.

No one will be buying a device when they can buy an iPad for entertainment. From the various articles and online sources I’ve read through, the dev environment for Windows right now is small. Aside from some articles touting that developers are actually willingly adopting or creating applications for Windows Phone 7, not much else has been written. I must admit that I was thoroughly impressed with the performance, sleekness and responsiveness of the Nokia Lumia 900 when I played a bit with it over the weekend. Going back to the whole “dev environment is small” part, apps are scarce right now. Meaning that IF you want something that will do what you want and entertain you, you’ll most likely be looking at an iPad, or an Android tablet.

The biggest reason why I personally believe that The Surface is designed for enterprises and not for the joe blow who wants a tablet, is its native Microsoft Office support and the interesting built-in keyboard in the folding cover.

One downfall of an iPad in a corporate environment at this moment, is its lack of native support for Microsoft Office apps. Acting as a solutions tester for my company, I’ve had to find workarounds to allow users to utilize the iPad while still being able to run the most critical applications we all need, Enterprise Email and Microsoft Office. With The Surface, this problem is solved. The built-in applications, keyboard and the fact that it is Microsoft, will be very enticing to many individuals that work. No need to buy a third party app to open and edit a simple Word document.

The first downside that I’ve read for now, is the lack of pricing. Microsoft was quoted as saying that the 3 flavours will be priced “competitively” with current tablets on the market, but what does that mean? The new iPad starts at $519 CDN but can run you up to $849 for the top end model. That’s a fairly wide price spectrum to place The Surface into. The second, Microsoft has announced it will sell the device at “select online retailers”, implying exclusivity. That’s okay but you aren’t really giving it a chance to hit the market if people can’t play with it first.

For now we have to wait and see. I am personally excited however to get my hands on one and test it out for work. I wouldn’t pick one up as a personal devices, despite the fact that the Lumia 900 did entice me very much, but I am very interested in testing and potentially deploying it within an enterprise environment.

Microsoft will be offering five different cover colours, seems like us iPad owners are seeing a copy cat.

Some Other Post-WWDC Updates

With WWDC’s opening keynote now behind us, there are a few other notable updates that should be mentioned. As always, with the announcement of new hardware and upcoming software, these few things were most likely missed by the general public.

Updated Mac Pro’s
Not to get confused with the MacBook Pro’s, Apple has finally updated its Mac Pro (tower) lineup. Now with three preconfigured units, one of which is configured as a server, Apple bumped up the Pro’s for the first time since 2010. The Pro’s are designed for really intense activities which may include, but are not limited to; videography, photography, hosting and or centralizing company virtual assets and application (a server), for recording studios or perhaps someone who really likes to just have a ton of raw power. Aside from some internal changes, nothing has been added or removed from the current design.

Similar to the reshuffle of the Mac Mini’s, the Pro’s seem to now only offer 2 non-server configurations and a single server configured unit.

New AirPort Express
We all remember the older AirPort Express which looked like a power adaptor for a 17″ MacBook Pro, bulky and unattractive. A practical device though, for those of us who wanted to setup a secure wifi hotspot at a hotel or perhaps a lodge somewhere.

In its latest update, Apple has changed the design to better match that of its big sister the Airport Extreme. Sporting a very familiar design to that of the Apple TV, the new Express enjoys dual-band 802.11n, AirPlay, Wireless Printing and can now be setup using an iOS device. The only new features in the Express are the dual-band 802.11n signals and the ability to setup the device through one of your iOS gadgets. Until now, in order to setup security, you would have to go through a Mac. This latest upgrade brings Apples ecosystem closer to truly being a post-PC environment, and does not force users to be tied down to a laptop if they choose not to own one.

Wireless printing and AirPlay are features which have been available even in the first generation Express. Similar to the previous models, in order to utilize either, the printer or speakers need to be plugged into the available speaker connector and USB port. Therefore, if you are looking for true wireless printer, you’d need to fork over an additional $100 and move up to the Extreme. Another shortfall with this update is the need to have a power cable. Previously everything was built right into the Express, no need for extra cables, making it a friendly device for travellers.

iPad Smart Case
We all like to think and believe that Apple comes up with original idea’s. I’m sorry but that is not the case. Like Samsung trying to copy its MacBook Air’s, Apple has gone ahead and copied a case from various different manufactures.

The new Smart Case encases your iPad 2 or iPad 3 in a Polyurethane case which protects the back and sides. Available in 6 different colours (Light Grey, Dark Grey, Blue, Green, Pink and (PRODUCT) Red) the Smart Case brings a new level or protection for those of us who’d rather spend $49 at the Apple store rather than roughly $29 for a comparable product from another manufacturer.

The only added benefit with the Smart Case is that it can be laser engraved when purchased online. So for those of us, like myself, who like to ensure that our products are tagged with our name and contact info, Apple offers at no charge engraving. A welcomed little add-on. Otherwise there is nothing truly special about the Smart Case. Take a look for yourselves.

Additional New Products
Other smaller items which have been updated to the store since the keynote include a 45W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter for MacBook Air, a 85W MagSafe2 for MacBook Pro with Retina Display, a MagSafe to MagSafe 2 Converter and a few Thunderbolt adapters for various connectors.

Not much else that I’ve been able to discover however I’m sure most of the updates were made to the available configuration options to the newly updated MacBook Pro lineup.

Until next time, cheers.

WWDC 2012 Round Up

Apple kicked off its 23rd WorldWide Developer Conference this year with an opening act by Siri. Let’s be honest, it was bad. That said , Tim Cooked took over and rehashed some valuable data regarding the App Store and its worldwide presence. Available in 120 countries and being opened up to an additional 32 by the end of the month, the App store has brought over half a million apps to people’s fingertips. Apple also has made cheques totalling $5 billion to its developers, creating what it has called a “self-sustaining economy.” This economy has brought millions of people together and proved to the world that it is possible for one to make a difference in the lives of many. As Apple showed us through its video, developers have been able to enrich the lives of almost everyone that has access to any iOS device. Enriching lives which some may have thought not possible less than half a decade ago.

Apple teased us with a bit of an introduction to its keynote by giving us a hint at what it was going to discuss with the community today. Mention of a refresh to the MacBook lineup, review of OSX Mountain Lion and a showcase of iOS6. In other words, no information about a new iPhone. Admittingly I was a bit disappointed but let’s be honest, we really shouldn’t have expected anything. To start us off, we were run through some stats again on Mac adoption and provided with some nice sales figures. However, I find most of that just boring so let’s dig into it.

MacBook Air’s
Shipping today, Apple has upgraded its MacBook Air lineup with the latest generation of dual-core Ivey Bridge processors. Increasing the speeds significantly but also integrating the latest 1600MHz RAM into its units. This speed bump will be visible most likely on heavier applications such as iPhoto and iMovie where accessing data at higher speeds will result in quicker feedback to the users. Some other more notable upgrades;

Up to 8GB RAM versus previous maximum of 4GB
Configurable to 512GB of storage
USB 3.0 with USB 2.0 support built-in
Upgraded FaceTime webcam which supports 720p
$100 cheaper for US models (add $30 for Canadian’s)

Most of these upgrades have been expected and not as mind-blowing as many would hope, however, the increased speeds and upgraded chips produce a (according to Apple) 60% performance boost overall. A notable improvement for a machine which can easily slide into a intermail envelope. As mentioned, available to configure and purchase today.

MacBook Pro’s
Unlike it’s sleeker cousin the MacBook Air’s, the MacBook Pro’s did not see a price drop. Nevertheless the upgrades are very similar to what I mentioned in above.

Top-end 13″ model comes standard with 8GB 1600MHz RAM, where as the entry-level only has 4GB
3rd generation Intel Ivey Bridge dual-core’s on the 13″ lineup and quad-core on the 15″ lineup
The discrete graphics chip has been upgraded allowing for a performance boost of up to 60% (according to Apple)
On the 15″ models, the dedicated GPU chips are now NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M’s with 512MB or 1GB dedicated RAM (15″ entry and 15″ top-end respectively)
USB 3.0 and 2.0 support

Not much else has changed on these as can be seen. The slight boost in performance will be welcomed for those power-hungry users that require it, but nothing to jump to the ceiling for.

New MacBook Pro
Apple surprised many with the introduction of what some had predicted would be a 15″ Air styled MacBook Pro. Seems like speculators were correct in stating that Apple was moving away from the traditional form of laptops and creating a new line of Pro’s specifically tailored around performance, speed and portability. For anyone who had read my pre-WWDC post, you’ll note that I had made a statement that I was interested in seeing basically what Apple presented to the community today. A gorgeous laptop which for many will become their new workhorse.

The key specs on the new MacBook pro worth noting:

Slim design, only 0.71 inches tall with its lid closed (that’s the same width as a current 15″ MacBook Pro with its lid open)
4.46 pounds, lighter than the current generation 13″ MacBook Pro’s
Retina display, 2880 x 1800 displaying 5.1 million pixels on a 15.4″ screen
Reduced glare by 75% (according to Apple)
A 2.3GHz or 2.6GHz i7 (configurable on the top-end to 2.7GHz) with 6MB L3 cache
8GB of DDR3 RAM, configurable up to 16GB on the higher priced model
256GB or 512GB of storage, upgradable to 768GB on the top-end model
The same graphics chip as on the refreshed MacBook Pro’s: 1GB GeForce 650M and the discrete Intel HD 4000 chip
2 Thunderbolt ports, 2 USB 3.0/2.0 ports, a HDMI (brand new for Macs but much overdue) and a slimmer MagSafe
Standard 802.11n wifi chipset and the latest Bluetooth 4.0

An impressive engineering achievement if you ask anyone I would think. It isn’t easy to cram all those pieces into something that small and yet, be able to claim a good 7 hours of battery life, depending upon use. The new MacBook Pro is designed completely around flash. As such, the price point is fairly high. Starting at $2199 USD and jumping up to $2799 for the top-end model, one can easily push the price point to well above $4000 before taxes if configured appropriately. For example, jumping from the 512GB to the 768GB will cost you an extra $500. Do to the fact that the machine is built entirely around flash, like its sister the MacBook Air, there is no way to upgrade later down the road, at this point in time. You would need to upgrade what’s critical for you right on the spot, or be locked into which ever configuration you chose to purchase for the life of the unit.

Despite the price, we’ll most likely see some of our friends carrying around this beast under their arms fairly soon.

No More 17″ MacBook Pro’s
One important fact to note which was not announced but most likely those who’ve been on the Apple store since the keynote have realized, the 17″ MacBook Pro models are no longer available. As predicted, the 17″ has gone end-of-life. For those who still are looking for one, take a look at the “Refurbished Mac“ section on the Apple store. At time of writing this, there are a fair amount of models still available, some saving you as much as 26% off the original price.

OSX 10.8 … Mountain Lion
We all knew that we’d see this, it was announced at Apple’s last keynote and developers had let it slip to the public that it’s coming. The 8th iteration of OSX 10 is close to release as stated by Apple announcing its availability next month. Priced aggressively at $19.99, Mountain Lion will be available for upgrade through the App Store on our Mac’s soon. Customers who purchase a Mac as of today, will be upgraded for free when it is released.

Apple presented us with a few of the 200+ new features we’ll be seeing in Mountain Lion, some of which will allow us to better integrate between our iOS devices and some which will improve the way we work on our Mac’s. The first four new features that will be the most noticeable are Notification Centre, Messages, Notes and Reminders, similar to the versions on iOS. These applications will communicate together through our Apple ID’s instantaneously updating data on the fly where changes are detected. iCloud at its finest, for once.

Speaking of iCloud, with Mountain Lion, the integration is even tighter. When you setup for the very first time, you will be prompted, similarly as on your iOS device, to log into your iCloud account. This will then connect all of Mountain Lion’s applications with those counterparts on your iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. A big addition being what has been called Documents in the Cloud. Connecting your iWork applications to allow you to create, edit and view any Numbers, Pages or Keynote documents across all platforms. In simpler terms, Apple may have finally gotten iDisk right. Only took them a decade but hey, it has been an interesting trip.

Next Apple introduced us to its level of integration across applications with services we most commonly use. Starting off with Twitter and FaceBook. In Mountain Lion, we will be able to Tweet or post to our FaceBook timelines from virtually any application. Sending a webpage via email will become easier and updating a friend with some relative research through Messenger will be a breeze. The level at which Apple has gone to integrate its applications with services most commonly used is mind-boggling. I’ve personally not seen a tighter level in another OS and I have the pleasure of working across multiple operating systems. That said, please note that as stated on Apple’s website for Mountain Lion, FaceBook integration will not come until the fall.

Two features which I am personally looking forward to are AirPlay and Power Nap. AirPlay will allow a Mac to connect to an Apple TV and display pixel per pixel what you are viewing on your Mac. Boardrooms that are setup, we will no longer need to connect via a VGA or HDMI cable, but will be able to display presentations and other key information over their wifi networks.

Power Nap is a neat little feature which keeps our Mac up-to-date while it’s in sleep mode. Meaning that when you fire it back up, your mail, calendar, address book and reminders will be all updated with what ever happened while you were asleep. While plugged into a power source, your Mac will be able to pull down updates and install them as well as backup to your TimeCapsule. The only question still unanswered is whether you can close your lid or not. I guess we’ll just have to wait until we get our hands on it.

Overall it seems like an impressive update. For only $19.99 I don’t see why anyone would stick around on an older OS version. Apple has also announced it will be making available upgrade packages for those users who are still stuck on versions older than Lion. How far back and what the prices will be are currently unknown. Also, as with any other app purchased through the App Store, you will be able to upgrade up to five Mac’s while logged in with your Apple ID.

iOS 6
Every year since the release of the first iPhone, Apple has graced us fans with a new version of the iOS. This year was no different. We can expect to upgrade our iPhone’s, iPod Touches and iPad’s sometime in the fall. Most likely at the same time perhaps see a new iPhone. With over 200 new features, iOS 6 brings with it a new Maps application, Passbook, better Mail, Siri to more international customers and onto the iPad, FaceBook integration, enhanced phone app and FaceTime over cellular.

Support for iOS 6 will be on the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPad 2, iPad 3 and 4th generation iPod Touch.

We’ve read that Apple could be dropping Google Maps in its latest iteration of iOS and the rumours seem to have been true. Built from the ground up, Apple is shipping iOS 6 with its own redefined Maps. Built-in with 3D FlyOver, turn-by-turn navigation, integrated with local traffic and anonymous real-time crowd sourcing data, Apples take on Maps seems to be what people have been asking for. Siri aids by announcing exactly when to take a turn but more importantly, turn-by-turn works while your screen is locked. A nifty feature if you ask me.

Keeping to brining new apps to iPhone users, Apple has built a native Passbook app which stores all of your reward cards, flight boarding passes, coupons and gift cards. The app will know where you are through geotagging and location services and help locate the right rewards or gift cards by sending you a notification when you enter a store. This unique spin on using your phone to make purchases removes the need to have several different applications by localizing everything in one place. Well thought out, however I’m curious to see the adoption rate for it once it is released. Seems also vaguely similar to something another company was working on.

A notable and much welcomed update to Mail will now allow users to set up multiple email signatures as well as tag important contacts. For those users who use their iPhones and or iPad’s for work and personal communication, will be glad to know that now we can create customized signatures for each mail account. What does this mean, it’s simple. I no longer will have to worry about removing data from my email signature that I wouldn’t want one of my work contacts to have. Currently only one email signature applies to all of your accounts. In iOS 6, we will be able to differentiate this. Another key feature, the ability to add a VIP status to contacts, will ensure we don’t miss anything important. If you don’t want to miss emails from your boss or family member, marking them as a VIP will help identify those emails with a star as well as group them into a smart mailbox on your iOS device for quicker access. Finally I won’t miss out on important updates.

Siri apparently had gone through some major learning curves and now understand sports. Not something I personally am looking forward to but I am looking to getting my hands on it here in Canada and utilizing it properly. As stated in my pre-WWDC post, Siri was localized to the US since its initial release. In iOS 6, Siri will be able to do everything our US friends have been able to, but localized to where we live. Until we get our hands on it, not much else can really be written on this feature. Oh one more thing, Siri is coming to the iPad.

Integration seems to be the running theme in this years WWDC. iOS wasn’t able to avoid that. Last upgrade, Twitter was the big partner to be integrated into iOS. This time around it’s FaceBook. From the demo, you’ll be able to do pretty much what has been made available to Twitter. Post directly to your timeline from most built-in applications. In other words, we won’t need to launch the FaceBook app to post a picture or update our timeline. Not something I’m excited about as I don’t use FaceBook as heavily as say twitter.

The most impressive update however for me was to the phone app. There are three upgrades which are worth mentioning and most likely will be utilized heavily. Reply, Remind and Do Not Disturb. We’ve all been in situations where we get a call that we cannot take but would like to let that person know that we’ll get back to them or perhaps set a reminder for ourselves which by the end of our activity, we forget. With iOS 6, we will be able to do just that right in the middle of an incoming call. Slide the screen up and you will be presented with two options. “Reply with Message” or “Remind Me Later”. When replying to a call, we can either select a preset response or send a customized message without having to go into Messenger. If we select to remind ourselves later, we are presented with 4 options; In 1 hour, When I Leave, When I Get Home or When I Get to Work. Utilizing geotagging present locations, or perhaps just using our data in our contact card, the iPhone will be able to send us a notification to call back once we’ve stepped outside a geo-fence. Nifty but I foresee battery drain issues if the GPS keeps verifying our location.

More importantly in my opinion, is the new Do Not Disturb (DND) feature. Essentially it does what we all think it’ll do. Eliminate notifications both visual and audible when set. We can either manually set this or setup a timeframe which to put our iOS devices into a DND mode. I know my wife will personally appreciate this as my iPhone has woken her up in the past due to late night work emails or other notifications. That said it is smarter than just setting itself up and leaving it at that. There is an option where we can specify a specific group of individuals who regardless of this feature being on, can still get through to us. For those important contacts like family members, we can set up the DND feature to permit calls from them regardless of DND being enabled. Handy if you don’t live with your family or your spouse works late and you’d rather not sleep through what may be an emergency call. Also, if a number or contact calls you twice within a 3 minute window, the DND feature will push the call through to notify you that someone urgently needs your attention.

Lastly, I think it is important to note that finally since its release, Apple will enable FaceTime over cellular. No longer will we need to be tethered to a wifi hotspot in order to make a FaceTime call to a loved one or a friend. Despite this great news, I am hesitant to find out how much data this will chew up. Perhaps in iOS 6 Apple has coded some new compression algorithms which will aid in keeping FaceTime from eating up our data plans. For now I’m sure many are just happy that they can do this without wifi. We’ll see the reports after iOS 6 gets released, as to what type of damage it does on our pockets.

That’s basically it. WWDC 2012 in a nutshell. There were a few other minor features in both the OSX and iOS preview which could be mentioned, but for that, I’d just recommend you watch the keynote which has been posted on Apple’s website. Overall, an impressive kick-off to a week-long conference. New hardware, better understanding of what to expect from OSX Mountain Lion and a preview of what we’re looking forward to this fall.

Cheers.

My WWDC Wish List

Traditionally I don’t speculate. I began with my post from Thursday regarding the little list, or recommendation as I like to think about it, for the Apple TV. With WWDC 2012 hours away, I can’t help but join into the fun and throw out my little wish list of things I’d like to see during Apples opening keynote tomorrow.

We all are aware that most likely we’ll be seeing a finished, or close to, version of OSX 10.8 Mountain Lion. It has been announced for summer of this year and some features have already been published. You can even download the beta of Messages and begin to enjoy messaging your friends and family from your Mac. Another sure thing is the announcement of a new iPhone. We’ve all seen multiple speculations online, and even got the pleasure of seeing what potentially may be the back housing of the new phone. Last but not least, we’re all hoping to get a preview of what will be the latest iteration of iOS. Many of these may come to fruit, or not.

So we’ve got three potentials, but what else could we possibly expect or better yet, what do I wish we could see.

With Steve Jobs no longer with us, and Apple in the hands of Tim Cook, Apple has the potential to really shake things up. Some things I’d personally like to see happen to a variety of different products …

iPhone 5
As I said earlier, we’ve all been speculating what is to become of the new iPhone. One thing that is a given is that it will most likely tout the latest LTE chip. There is also potential for it to have a better processor and more RAM. Aside from new internals, we’re all hoping for some new design as well. There is no one design which I found that suits me personally, but one thing I definitely would like see changed, is for the iPhone to move away from a glass back. I’d personally prefer aluminum or a brushed metal. Also, a thinner profile and a antiglare retina display.

Some strong predictions are that it will move towards a larger screen. With most phone manufactures moving to 4″ screens, the iPhone 4S seems to be lagging behind. That said, I’m curious to see what they would do with the overall design. If we believe what we have seen from the release of the back housing video, the iPhone 5 may be taller and thinner. Two things I am not excited about however, is the potential for the 30 pin connector to disappear as well as the possible placement of the headphone jack. If either one is true, we will now be connecting our ear buds like iPod Touch users, at the bottom, as well as replacing all of our charging cables.

On the positive side though, it did appear as though there would be a larger speaker. This would help for those times when we miss a phone call or are having trouble hearing someone while FaceTiming.

When it comes to capacity, the iPhone stacks up fairly well. With 16GB, 32GB and 64GB options, I believe that there isn’t much to improve on. Yes it would be amazing if Apple came out with a 128GB model, however I don’t think it is necessary. If you’re carrying that much data with you, well, you’re up to something.

As I said, all speculation, can’t even classify any of these as predictions.

iOS 6
The next iteration of the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch’s OS, will most likely be dubbed iOS 6. Unless someone decides to only increase it by half, then we’d see something called iOS 5.5 … not pretty.

Last time we were here, Siri was one of the hottest additions Apple put into the OS. Presented as a personal assistant, Apple had come out with a few interesting ads for it and all. Unfortunately, it’s a flop. I’ve personally never seen anyone walking around or sitting on a train and talking to their phone. The concept is good, but it’s full of bugs and truly unusable from what I’ve been told. (I only have an iPhone 4 so Siri isn’t supported.) Unfortunately Siri for the time being is also only a beta. Many of the features don’t work outside of the United States and from what I’ve gathered, don’t work as flawlessly as seen in the ads.

I am hopeful that for iOS 6, Apple will have taken some time to improve on its usability and capabilities. Unlocking all features for international customers would also be something to look forward to.

A simple and effective way to gain access to your critical settings. Only available on a jailbroken iPhone.

Siri aside, one new feature which I personally would like to see is having the ability to have a customizable pull down bar for quick access to such things as your wifi and bluetooth settings, quick access to my VPN or perhaps even to personal hotspot setup. A way to simplify the path to getting to those critical setting. For those of us who use these settings frequently, it would save us a few cycles to get to where we need.

Something we’ve all been hearing about is a new Maps application. I’m not sure how I personally feel about this. I don’t care about 3D, I care about getting to where I want to go with as little distraction as possible. If this new application has a way to better integrate itself with live traffic reports, turn by turn directions and the ability to provide better walking paths, then I am all for it. I find it frustrating that I can’t get from one place to the next properly in some cases, because the Google Map doesn’t support it that particular walk pathway. A more streamlined, faster and fuller Maps application would do a lot for those of us who don’t need to go long distances and care more about knowing where our destination is.

In terms of apps and features, I thing that’s really all we need updated. I’m sure Apple will have something interesting to show us at the event, but I’m not holding my breath. I would however like the OS to be lighter. Smaller in size if possible and more thoroughly designed to allow for quicker access and better speed. A streamlined OS would permit for better performance on the device.

Hardware
With school now just coming to an end, many of us are already looking forward to finding out what Apple and others will bring out for the new year. Yes I said it, many of us don’t want to admit it, however we all know that as of the end of June, companies will begin rolling out Back to School promotions and new gadgets. With the MacBook Pro line being a success, the Air’s enjoying a life of comfort either at home or in a board room and the iMac’s doing most of the heavy lifting, it is time to give all of them a bit of a boost.

We’ve all seen proposed specs released online recently of upgraded 13″ MacBook Pro’s and speculations of higher resolution 15″ screens. We’ve also heard that there is a possibility of getting a 15″ Air styled Pro. Something that I personally would love to see and have.

The key upgrades for me would be the following:

Higher resolution screens for ALL MacBook Pro’s, not just the 15″
A antiglare option for the 13″ MacBook Pro
A true antiglare for the Air’s
256 GB SSD drive upgrades priced at maximum $200
Latest Intel chipset
Removal of those damn SuperDrives (DVD drives) and giving customers the option to double their internal storage through thee addition of a second Hard Drive
Slimmer 15″ Pro profile, possibly exactly what we’ve heard about online
LTE enabled laptop, something which would be truly a miracle

Of course my wish list is somewhat based on what I’ve heard, subconsciously I can’t get rid of it. Some of the features though are just upgrades I think would benefit both Apple and customers. Something we’d all be appreciative of. Hopes are there though.

Software
There is only one request that I have from Apple in this category. PLEASE UPGRADE iWORKS … it has been too long since us users have seen anything. Yes Aperture, Final Cut X and a few others have gotten some great new features, but iWorks has been what seems like in the dark. No one has mentioned what has been happening with it and no one has even heard of any remote rumor’s.

iWorks is Apples attempt on competing with Microsoft and their Office suit. Not a bad attempt but it has been lacking upgrades since it last release, more than 3 years ago. There have been a few attempts at making it work with online storage and integration with the suits for the iOS platform, but nothing which would overhaul it as it desperately needs to be.

I’m not going to request anything here because I’m not sure what I’d need. I find it funny and stereotypical, but I am occasionally one of those Apple Fan Boys, who doesn’t know what he needs until it is released by Apple. That said, I’m not one to love or jump at new products right away either.

For those of us who will be online scouring the internet for what Apple has released and watching our screens refresh with live updates from the keynote, find below a few online portals which will do just that; Gizmodo, Mac Rumors, MacLife and MacWorld.

I look forward to seeing everyone’s tweets and coverage of tomorrow’s keynote. The show begins 10:00 PST or for those of us on the east coast, 13:00.

Stay tuned …