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Wishlists and Product Concepts

Leopard Predictions for WWDC 2006
What will Apple announce at WWDC06? There will no doubt be some surprises, but here are some well known inevitabilities, some reasonable possibilities for new apps, new UI, and new hardware, and a few commonly repeated ideas that - sorry - have no chance!.

How to Fix the Finder 3: Prettier
The Finder uses a number of graphic effects to reinforce behaviors. A third aspect of fixing the Finder makes it prettier, not by just adding fluff and eye candy, but employing intuitive user interface devices that make sense, enhance utility, and look good too. Here are some examples.

How to Fix the Finder 2: Smarter
Part one of How to Fix the Finder looked at ways to make it faster. The second aspect of fixing the Finder involves making it smarter, by presenting additional simple tools to perform complex tasks.

How to Fix the Finder 1: Faster
The Mac OS X Finder is at the top of everyone's fix-it list. Here's a look at what's wrong with the Finder, and ideas for fixing it.

Apple's Next Killer App
Killer applications fuel demand for a product by exploiting new features or efficiencies in a way that changes how the world works. Here's the next big application, and how Apple is positioned to ride the wave of new hardware sales it will bring.

The Xserve mini
Introducing the Apple XServe mini: what it is, what it does, and why the world needs it.

The Online Music and Movie Rental Myth
According to proponents of this myth, the real road to obscene profits in movies, music, software, and other digital media lies with online subscription rentals, not direct sales. They're wrong, here's why.

Generation 6 iPods
The iPod turns five years old this fall, and is due for its annual revamping. Apple keeps a tight lid on future plans, but here's a look at three designs for Generation 6 iPods, along with three software features I'd like to see Apple deliver.

The Microsoft iPod-Killer Myth
According to proponents of this myth, Microsoft is out to kill Apple's iPod with a player they will design and build on their own. Once it arrives, they expect Microsoft to clean up not only the music player market, but also online music sales, leaving Apple on the sidelines. They're wrong, here's why.

Using iSight as a Hand Gesture Input Device
Apple has included simple hardware features on their laptops that have found new and different applications in the minds of users. Here are two enabling technologies that made news recently, along with an idea I'd like to see inspired by the movie Minority Report and the Sony EyeToy.

Fixing .Mac - Idea 8: Subscription Music
Features Apple needs to add to their .Mac service to move it from "web hosting and email plus" to a complete suite of services that are valuable, obvious, and will sell themselves.

An iPhone Worth Talking About
The options and challenges Apple will face in delivering a mobile phone of their own.

iPod, Therefore, iPhone?
Examining the likelihood that Apple will turn their iPod into a phone.

Why Mobile Phones Make Bad iPods
Why mobile phones and music players are not the obvious match many analysts are describing.

Fixing .Mac - Idea 7: Enhance and Encourage Sharing
Features Apple needs to add to their .Mac service to move it from "web hosting and email plus" to a complete suite of services that are valuable, obvious, and will sell themselves.

The iPod Phone Myth
According to proponents of this myth, Apple's success with the iPod is about to be crushed by an onslaught of music playing cell phones, so Apple needs to desperately come up with an iPod + cell phone combination of their own to remain relevant. They're wrong, here's why.

Fixing .Mac - Idea 6: Add Privacy Management
Features Apple needs to add to their .Mac service to move it from "web hosting and email plus" to a complete suite of services that are valuable, obvious, and will sell themselves.

Fixing .Mac - Idea 5: A .Mac Marketplace
Features Apple needs to add to their .Mac service to move it from "web hosting and email plus" to a complete suite of services that are valuable, obvious, and will sell themselves.

Fixing .Mac - Idea 4: Secure Identity Services
Features Apple needs to add to their .Mac service to move it from "web hosting and email plus" to a complete suite of services that are valuable, obvious, and will sell themselves.

Fixing .Mac - Idea 3: .Macster!
Features Apple needs to add to their .Mac service to move it from "web hosting and email plus" to a complete suite of services that are valuable, obvious, and will sell themselves.

Fixing .Mac - Idea 2: A Reputation System
Features Apple needs to add to their .Mac service to move it from "web hosting and email plus" to a complete suite of services that are valuable, obvious, and will sell themselves.

Fixing .Mac - Idea 1: Hyperblog the Web
Features Apple needs to add to their .Mac service to move it from "web hosting and email plus" to a complete suite of services that are valuable, obvious, and will sell themselves.

The Apple Video Game Development Myth
According to proponents of this myth, Apple's recent recruiting for video game developers means that the company is planning a big new push into video games for the Mac, the iPod, and possibly a brand new gaming console from Apple. They're wrong, here's why.

5 More Reasons Apple Can Kickstart Web 2.0
Five more reasons why Apple is a force to be reckoned with on the new web, and how this will enable them to do things other industry players can't.

10 Reasons Why Apple Can Kickstart Web 2.0
Reasons why Apple is a force to be reckoned with on the new web, and how this will enable them to do things other industry players can't.

What's Broken in iWeb: A Wishlist
When Apple announced iWeb, I was seriously impressed. Rather than being a utilitarian HTML editor, they delivered a website tool that simply did seemingly everything, and a few more things, too. It was more than I was expecting. Sometimes, after getting exactly what you want, you realize you really want something different. The good news is that iWeb 1.0 is a great start, and its problems should be easy for Apple to address.

Universal Applications
How the transition to Intel is very different than the move to PowerPC.

Unraveling The PowerPC Obsolescence Myth
According to proponents of this myth, Apple and third party developers will soon stop making software that runs on PowerPC Macs; even Leopard, the next release of Mac OS X, will be Intel only! They're wrong, here's why.

Will Intel Macs run Windows? - Part 1 | 2 | 3
The answer is No. And Yes. And It Doesn't Really Matter. Read on to find why.

A Brief History of Data Syndication and Podcasting
Back in the mid 90's, visionaries were inflamed with the idea of converting the web into a television. Their fire was further fueled by PointCast's new syndicated content network.

The Apple Wishlist: Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard
It might seem early to be talking about new features for Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, considering that we just got Tiger, but now's the perfect time to look at ideas Apple could consider in the next major release.

Part 1 - Window appearance and behavior
Part 2 - Process control and feedback services
Part 3 - Remote control and management
Part 4 - New services for workgroups
Part 5 - Security services and products
Part 6 - Communications services and products
Part 7 - Media services and products

Is Microsoft's Vista the new QuarkXPress?
Quark has long owned the desktop publishing world. Yet, after a decade of dominance, the company stumbled, leaving the door open for serious competition just as Adobe was introducing a strong competing product. Is Microsoft about to do the same?

Part 1 - Is Microsoft's Vista the new QuarkXPress?
Part 2 - Quark's Strange Top Down Charm Bottom Up
Part 3 - Ready to Fumble
Part 4 - Seriously Underestimated
Part 5 - Competition is Good

Safari Wars VI : Return of the GUI
Episode V left off with the Finder growing stagnant and Microsoft's empire dominating world's browser. What's next? Answers await!

Safari Wars V : The Internet Strikes Back
Episode IV looked at development of the Mac OS Finder before the Internet became widely available. How has the Finder changed since, where is it headed, and how does its development compare with others? How does this relate to Safari? Answers await!

Safari Wars IV : A New Hope
The Finder has ruled Mac applications for the last twenty years. It's always there, right in front or lurking in the back waiting to help. What new features does the Finder dream of when a Mac goes to sleep? What does it have to do with Safari? Answers await!

Beyond Luxo Jr : The next flat panel iMac
Is the iMac in trouble? Sales are down sharply from last year's, prompting dire screams of Apple-panic from the usual suspects. However, reality is far simpler than any pundits suggest. The next step for the consumer icon is, well, plainly obvious.