Apple Inc has just unveiled its line of slimmer desktop computers in Cupertino, California. “This new iMac is the most incredible desktop computer we’ve ever made,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Our new design features the innovative use of materials, including professional-grade aluminum and glass, that are highly recyclable.” 

The all new iMac packs stunning design, professional performance, and revolutionary digital experience in one The new iMac comes in an all-in-one package where a high-performance computer is packed into attractively designed thin aluminum casing. It will have a glossy wide screen display measuring 20 to 24 inches. The aluminum enclosure is joined by an elegant glass cover creating a virtually seamless front surface. 

It is accompanied with the new ultra-thin aluminum Apple Keyboard which is just 0.33 inches thin at its front edge. And if you want to have a cable-free desktop, there is a new optional Apple Wireless Keyboard in a compact design with Apple’s wireless Mighty Mouse. 

Then, every iMac is armed with iLife ’08—- the latest version of Apple’s award-winning range of digital lifestyle applications. With upgraded versions of iPhoto, iDVD, iWeb, and GarageBand and a completely reinvented iMovie, iLife ’08 adds new dimension to your multi-media experiences. With iLife ’08, Taking or sharing or organizing photos, creating movies, making music and building websites become most enjoyable, much easier and completely customizable.   

Above all the iMac is provided with a unique intuitive OS—the Mac OS X. This simple yet feature packed OS is built on a rock-solid UNIX foundation—this lets you rest assured that your computer is free of viruses and malicious attacks. Mac OS X includes built-in, easy-to-use applications that help you find what you are looking for when you look for it. Its mini-applications that appear at the touch of a key include email application with spam protection, Spotlight search, Address book and calendar applications and the Safari browser. 

Moreover, it comes with splendid compatibility— it is possible to add your iMac to just about any network — wired or wireless, Mac or Windows or UNIX. 

You can have this rare combination of beauty and convenience for a price of $1,199. This new iMac line is available immediately through the Apple Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.

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The frenzy over Apple iPhone still looms fresh in the memory of the common people. Who can possibly forget the snaking lines outside the big North American Apple stores? The queue is symbolic of twenty first century men’s fervor for keeping pace with the ruthless advancement of technology! 

But as it seems, there can be no end to men’s endeavor for grabbing their shares on the very cutting edge of the technology! Only weeks passed and speculations about a new generation iPhone have taken the world by storm!A J.P Morgan analyst has spilt the bin open—-“Apple plans to launch a cheaper version of the iPhone in the fourth quarter that could be based on the ultra-slim iPod Nano music player”. Source: Reuters. What led Chang to conclude this? The basis of his belief is his conversations with unnamed sources and an Apple Patent filing for a slim device that uses an input method similar to the familiar iPod scroll wheel.

So what led Apple Inc to go for this version of iPhone? Here are two possible explanations:

1. Apple is probably trying to make inroads into the markets of Asia and Europe where slimmer and smaller cell phones are more preferred. However, the skeptics are of the opinion that it can turn out to be an engineering challenge to pack all the punches of iPhone in a device as small as an iPod Nano.

2. Some quarter is of the opinion that Apple is contemplating a cheaper version of the iPhone on the design of Nano. This new version is going to be cheaper by some $300 making it more affordable than the iPhone priced at $500-600. Even if the Nano based iPhone will definitely have limited functionality (the absence of touch screen interface is definitely a big miss), the lower price tag will help reach the iPhone technology into the hands of more users world wide.

Let’s find out what market analysts have to say about the future of this cheaper and slimmer iPhone.

Presently in the USA, 85% of the consumers are not ready to invest more than $100 in cell phones. So the high price tag of the iPhone is going to have a limited customer base in the cell phone market. On the other hand, with iPhone getting cheaper – Apple; already an unquestionable leader in the digital music player market, could emerge as a tough competitor  to long-established phone giants such as Nokia, Motorola Inc, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson.  

The world, as Chang believes, is going to get its second generation, cheaper iPhone in 2008. The lower price tag can help sell some 30 to 40 million units – predicts the industry watchers.

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CU-SeeMe: The first videoconferencing for Apples on the Internet was CU-SeeMe.  CU-SeeMe is an internet video-conferencing client written by Tim Dorcey  and students at Cornell University. It was first developed for the Macintosh in 1992. The company has been sold several times, and filed for bankruptcy.  However, There is still a small but active community of users who continue to use CU-SeeMe. Although there had been no releases of software from the various incarnations since 2000, there are freeware alternatives available for both Windows and Macintosh platforms.

VChat is a CU-Seeme video conferencing client for use with the Apple MacOS X operating system. With VChat you can participate in videoconferences by connecting to a CU-SeeMe reflector, or you can also have one-on-one conferencing.  It is Freeware, and the system requirements are Mac OS X 10.2.5 or higher.  The download file size is 1.7 MB.

Marratech:  Any number of users can join videoconferences and e-meetings by downloading the free client software to their laptops or Macs. Your organization’s web conferencing rooms are configured in a licensed Portal, which is set up on your company server.  Marratech can be tailor made for the user.  The License Fee for the server is $650 a month or $10,000 outright.  Keep in mind that Marratech is a Freeware Client.  System requirements are Mac OS X 10.4 or higher.  The download file size is 7.3 MB.

Elluminate Live 6.0:  Elluminate Live! 6.0 delivers industry-leading videoconferencing and multimedia capabilities in one collaborative solution. Elluminate Live! enables you to chat online, share whiteboards, and share applications.  The license fee is free for one demo, three additions for $240 a month, and a ten-seat addition for $700.  System requirements are Mac OS X and Mac OS 9.  Elluminate provides the servers.  The download file size is 4.6 MB.

iChat AV:  The newest major release of the Apple’s operating system, Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger, features iChat AV.  Tiger iChat AV brings multi-way video and audio conferencing directly to your desktop with stunning, true-to-life picture and crystal-clear conversation thanks to advanced graphics built in. Patented resizing techniques can fill the entire screen without distorting the images.  iChat allows up to 10 participants for audio conferences .  In addition, iChat video conferencing is completely integrated into an iChat buddy list, so initiating a videoconference is easy.  A simple click on a buddy list will invite and connect the meeting attendees.  Any type of file can be transmitted with this system.  Sent photos are displayed in the Message window instead of launching a disconnected window from another application.
 
The license for iChat is included with Mac OS X.  iSight is a state-of-the-art video camera that can be paired with iChat AV.  ISight makes it easier to videoconference over broadband.  It has an integrated microphone, making it the eyes and ears of iChat AV.  The cost is under $150. 

OhphoneX:  OhphoneX (pronounced as “oh-phone-ten”) is an H.323-compliant client application for video conferencing.  Its goal is to bring standard based video conferencing and IP telephony application to Mac OS X. OhphoneX is designed to be a simple application that does Mac-to-Mac and Mac-to-PC (i.e. NetMeeting) audio/video conferencing.  OhphoneX is free to download, with a file size of 6.2MB.

Collaba 4.7.6:  Video and audio conferencing server features of the Collaba system cannot be run on Macs.  However, Collaba provides dozens of easy-to-use communication and collaboration tools.  It is designed to provide digital workspaces to virtual educational, corporate and governmental communities, making it a companion program for any videoconferencing program. The license is a freeware VL version.  The download file size is 24MB.

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