Macworld: Even the Small Talk Will be Big?

[Lyra]

They should have a huge mailing envelope like they used for the MacBook Air announcement and Steve Jobs could jump out and say how thin he is

That has to be the funniest thing I've read today... also maybe the most worrying cause I thought I was the only one who thought he looked sick.

:/

I guess, he's just trying to get with the times and try on the new fad called manorexia. Also in pill form called iRexia.

 

[jncoanalog]

here's what I think

Apple leaving Macworld has nothing to do with Steve Jobs. Period. It has to do with them figuring out that it's more cost effective to do announcements locally like they did the notebook event. so now that's the game. have their own sked for releases and do the announcements on their turf.

Steve not giving the big speech has nothing to do with his health. He is as fine as anyone missing half his intestinal tract could be (hint, that is why he is thinner than he was before the cancer). It has everything to do with the world thinking he's the only brain at Apple and the company will fall apart the day after he leaves. This obsession with his health and the resulting bad mouthing is killing the stock prices and costing him and everyone else a lot of money cause they all own stock in the company. He has been bringing folks on stage to show that there are other brains in the company so that the stock price won't drop $20 every time he coughs and his retirement fund will stay strong.

THere is no iPhone Nano. there is no going back to an Edge only phone, no non smart phone. there is no next huge thing to be released. what there is is a lot of stuff that is in dire need of updating -- the mac mini, the imacs, the mac pro, the apple tv, iwork and ilife (although I personally hope all that online stuff is bogus cause it feels like a very bad idea), mobile me. with the economy hurting the way it is, now is not a time to release some huge and expensive new toy. it is, however, a perfect time to improve on what is out there. lower prices a little, or raise the specs so there's more bang for the buck. cause with money as tight as it is, getting value out of your purchase is on a lot of minds way more than having a cool new, never seen before tech toy is.

so if the IDG banner is a hint of anything Apple related, I think that it is that the things announced will be small but there is a big list of them.

Finally someone says something smart in this thread! 100% Subscribed...

 

[kas23]

This doesn't really matter if it's IDG's sign as they already know what Apple is going to announce. And with this being Apple's last hurrah, IDG is going to milk Apple for all their worth - get the excitement very high before the event (=more $ for IDG). C'mon, all the stars are pointing to an iPod Nano (this quote, rumors, multiple accessory places selling nano accessories). I don't know why people are opposed to an iPhone Nano - I already got a 3G and am satisfied. I could give a flying F if a Nano came out. Some people are acting like they're Steve Jobs and they have a clue in what direction Apple should go in next. Whatever.

 

[sushi]

here's what I think

Apple leaving Macworld has nothing to do with Steve Jobs. Period. It has to do with them figuring out that it's more cost effective to do announcements locally like they did the notebook event. so now that's the game. have their own sked for releases and do the announcements on their turf.

Steve not giving the big speech has nothing to do with his health. He is as fine as anyone missing half his intestinal tract could be (hint, that is why he is thinner than he was before the cancer). It has everything to do with the world thinking he's the only brain at Apple and the company will fall apart the day after he leaves. This obsession with his health and the resulting bad mouthing is killing the stock prices and costing him and everyone else a lot of money cause they all own stock in the company. He has been bringing folks on stage to show that there are other brains in the company so that the stock price won't drop $20 every time he coughs and his retirement fund will stay strong.

THere is no iPhone Nano. there is no going back to an Edge only phone, no non smart phone. there is no next huge thing to be released. what there is is a lot of stuff that is in dire need of updating -- the mac mini, the imacs, the mac pro, the apple tv, iwork and ilife (although I personally hope all that online stuff is bogus cause it feels like a very bad idea), mobile me. with the economy hurting the way it is, now is not a time to release some huge and expensive new toy. it is, however, a perfect time to improve on what is out there. lower prices a little, or raise the specs so there's more bang for the buck. cause with money as tight as it is, getting value out of your purchase is on a lot of minds way more than having a cool new, never seen before tech toy is.

so if the IDG banner is a hint of anything Apple related, I think that it is that the things announced will be small but there is a big list of them.

Well said.

However, I disagree with the "next huge thing" to be released.

You do make a good point about many things needing updating. I do not think we will see a iPhone Nano. I do think that we may see a larger touch device or something that is a convergence of the Mac Mini, Apple TV, Time Capsule and Express AirPort. If I had to guess, I would say an expandable (stackable) mini tower concept -- not a regular mini tower. Don't think we will see one of those. But maybe a stackable, and expandable, concept that links the 4 items together.

I believe the next thing will be important to carry over with Steve not making the Keynote.

 

[kas23]

Finally someone says something smart in this thread! 100% Subscribed...

OK, yes, stock portfolios may be taking a big hit with this ill Steve rumor - even Jobs's retirement fund too. But, due to this, wouldn't it make a lot of sense to him to poke his head out and say "I'm fine," wouldn't that be the sensible thing to do?

And as for the Nano being EDGE only, I don't know why you would think that. There are plenty of non-Internet capable phones that use 3G. 3G is not just a better technology for surfing the net, but also makes voice reception much more clear and stronger. So, no, the iPhone Nano wouldn't have to be EDGE.

 

[Airforcekid]

Maybe the surprise will be the head of Steve Jobs in a jar announcing that he'll be running Apple forever.

Heads never get any respect until they get a robot body maybe he should follow Nixon?

 

[powers74]

snack world

The sign can't be talking about Phil Schiller.

Oh gosh.... Phil... Schiller....... already..... getting.............. ......... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[alexbates]

I wonder what this looks like now? I bets its a lot different. Just if we could see what's under those white banners...

 

[iceman1234]

They should have a huge mailing envelope like they used for the MacBook Air announcement and Steve Jobs could jump out and say how thin he is

Haha... Does anyone know what type of cancer he must have now??

Isn't the pic below so cute they would have to give the iphone nano a more cute name like iphone mini or iphone petite.

 

[Bernie-Mac]

Isn't the pic below so cute the would have to give the iphone nano a more cute name like iphone mini or iphone petite.

More like iPhone Bitch

 

[charlituna]

hmm, i didn't think of this...good catch!

regarding the other non apple posters, i kinda have a feeling that apple has sort of tipped off some people regarding their updates. I think they're going for a theme here.

i disagree. I think that the banners are one thing and one thing only.

a rebuttal that without Apple as THE event moment of the event, without Adobe etc, there is nothing big to warrant Macworld existing. end of story. no tip offs, no Lost esque hints about the end of the plot. just an attempt to counter the notion that Macworld 2009 ain't worth attending cause it would be small talk only by saying that small talk ain't that small in this game. it can in fact be quite big, so you better be there to be a part of it. blah blah

 

[milani]

I wouldn't put it past MW to play off the nano rumor by creating such an ambiguous slogan; they're trying to create some buzz to make up for the fact that Apple is leaving, and you guys are eating it up. I'll tell you this much though, if Apple plans to leave MW next year, why would they ever let onto the nano being released, or to allow the trade show to make it's slogan (because it's MW's not Apples) potentially spoil the unveiling. These aren't the Air ads, they're not made by Apple. Think people.

On the other hand, it (the slogan) could very well be a hint that small talk (i.e. not by Apple or Adobe) will still turn heads this year. Personally I hope Apple updates things that deserve to be updated, and not make a product that causes more problems than it purports to solve by grabbing at a market that really doesn't exist.

 

[macwall]

I wouldn't put it past MW to play off the nano rumor by creating such an ambiguous slogan; they're trying to create some buzz to make up for the fact that Apple is leaving, and you guys are eating it up. I'll tell you this much though, if Apple plans to leave MW next year, why would they ever let onto the nano being released, or to allow the trade show to make it's slogan (because it's MW's not Apples) potentially spoil the unveiling. These aren't the Air ads, they're not made by Apple. Think people.

On the other hand, it (the slogan) could very well be a hint that small talk (i.e. not by Apple or Adobe) will still turn heads this year. Personally I hope Apple updates things that deserve to be updated, and not make a product that causes more problems than it purports to solve by grabbing at a market that really doesn't exist.

i agree

 

[wbeasley]

What if...

i disagree. I think that the banners are one thing and one thing only.

a rebuttal that without Apple as THE event moment of the event, without Adobe etc, there is nothing big to warrant Macworld existing. end of story. no tip offs, no Lost esque hints about the end of the plot. just an attempt to counter the notion that Macworld 2009 ain't worth attending cause it would be small talk only by saying that small talk ain't that small in this game. it can in fact be quite big, so you better be there to be a part of it. blah blah

under the banners it just said "not here next year"?

LOL

 

[sychee]

I think I know what is coming on Tuesday .........

Even the small talk will be Big ????

What is small (its you) and what is big (the other party) .... Its a video chat application together with the next generation iPhone with a camera at the front.

Check this out:
http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/06/0...-colors-check-video-chatting-check-and-check/

 

[Tallest Skil]

I think I know what is coming on Tuesday .........

Even the small talk will be Big ????

I think I know the difference between Apple and IDG...

That article is half a year old. It won't happen. Especially because that isn't Apple's banner.

 

[puffnstuff]

More like iPhone Bitch

iBitch comes in pink to match your sassyness

I think I know the difference between Apple and IDG...

That article is half a year old. It won't happen. Especially because that isn't Apple's banner.

Preaching to the choir

 

[techfreak85]

Oh gosh.... Phil... Schiller....... already..... getting.............. ......... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Im not sure if i can make it through this one too. I ALWAYS forward through schiller's parts. my only hope is that steve will get so pissed off that phil is doing such a bad job that he would storm on stage cuss phill out and make phil give him the mic and steve will finish it up, give us an amazing new product, wow us, and have us all entranced in the iSteve (R) mind beam.

 

[uncdwm]

i know Steve's not doing the keynote but even so, wouldn't he be in attendance of the keynote in the audience or something anyway?

even if the sole reason for phil doing it is so apple can begin to be seen as a company that can survive w/o steve and he's not ill, him showing up or being seen would easily keep health rumors from spreading or affecting the stock prices.

i mean does no one see steve? does he not drive to work? if he is so ill that he can't do a keynote who does all of his other board meetings and how come nothing else has leaked? i don't understand why it's so mysterious - he's just a person.

 

[zedsdead]

i know Steve's not doing the keynote but even so, wouldn't he be in attendance of the keynote in the audience or something anyway?

even if the sole reason for phil doing it is so apple can begin to be seen as a company that can survive w/o steve and he's not ill, him showing up or being seen would easily keep health rumors from spreading or affecting the stock prices.

i mean does no one see steve? does he not drive to work? if he is so ill that he can't do a keynote who does all of his other board meetings and how come nothing else has leaked? i don't understand why it's so mysterious - he's just a person.

He is not doing the Keynote because this is the last Macworld, and it seems there is bad blood now between Apple and IDG. It sounds like a political move, not because of his health.

I agree that if he was in really bad shape, something would have leaked about it. Then again, it is Apple, and they are good at keeping secrets (or at least they used to be).

Side note, this is the first Apple event in a while where no product has leaked beforehand.

 

[jaw04005]

I know Steve's not doing the keynote but even so, wouldn't he be in attendance of the keynote in the audience or something anyway?

I think Jobs showing up at Schiller's keynote would be an unwarranted distraction. Many critics would say "Well, then why didn't he just do the keynote. He must be sick."

If he wants to show up on the show floor (like he does yearly), that's a different story.

Even if the sole reason for phil doing it is so apple can begin to be seen as a company that can survive w/o steve and he's not ill, him showing up or being seen would easily keep health rumors from spreading or affecting the stock prices.

Again, no it wouldn't. Clearly, Jobs feels like this is a personal matter. But, he's has tried to talk to journalists about it to reassure investors including his now infamous conversation with New York Times reporter Joe Nocera. At the recent MacBook event, he told CNBC's Jim Goldman that he was "feeling fine but could stand to gain a few pounds."

However, did it stop? No. Nocera and many others are still speculating about his health today. What is he supposed to do? Go on 20/20 with Barbara Walters?

I mean does no one see steve? does he not drive to work? if he is so ill that he can't do a keynote who does all of his other board meetings and how come nothing else has leaked? i don't understand why it's so mysterious - he's just a person.

I'm sure lots of people see Jobs. Everyone from the staff at his favorite local yogurt shop (see Scoble's twitter posts) to Apple's board to Jobs' management team. But you don't call newspapers and television reporters to comment on how your boss is "feeling" do you?

There is some obsessed culture around Jobs. In the past, that's worked out well for him. But other than his CEO role at Apple he is not a public figure. If Apple's board thinks he can continue (and rightfully so considering Jobs says he is not sick), then that should be the end of it.

Microsoft's CEO Steve Balmer is clearly overweight, but you don't see reporters clamoring over the possibility that he might have a heart attack do you?

Has Jobs lost a significant amount of weight? Yes. However, that doesn't mean his cancer has come back or he is terminally ill. For some reason, the public equates "skinny" with "frail and sick."

 

[charlituna]

OK, yes, stock portfolios may be taking a big hit with this ill Steve rumor - even Jobs's retirement fund too. But, due to this, wouldn't it make a lot of sense to him to poke his head out and say "I'm fine," wouldn't that be the sensible thing to do?

it has been said, a dozen times. Didn't do anything but start a bunch of rumors that he and Apple are lying and they need to stop because they darn well owe their stock holders the truth, they should be sued, blah blah

So now they are using a different tack. Ignore the rumors and put the focus where it belongs. On the products. by mixing up who is making the announcements they will show that Steve is not the only brain at the company and avoid the whole 'rock star' fiasco that has grown up around Steve with the poor sap that ends up on his position when he does finally step down.

him showing up or being seen would easily keep health rumors from spreading or affecting the stock prices.

not at all.

he doesn't show, it's because he's too sick. his cancer is back and this time he's dying. blah blah blah

he shows and he isn't a giant tub of lard looking guy then it starts up rumors that he's losing weight, cause he's got cancer again and he's dying, blah blah.

in other words, dammed if he does, damned if he does not. on making a statement, on making an appearance.

Go on 20/20 with Barbara Walters?

actually that might work. have Barbara do a special on cancer and have Steve as one of the people. Have a doctor state for the record that Steve did have a rare but totally treatable form of pancreatic cancer which was removed via surgery. Explain, with graphics and graphic detail, exactly what was done and how a huge part of in intestinal tract is now gone which makes keeping on weight very difficult etc. Add it to that patients like Steve employ trainers and nutritionist to help them keep tabs on their weight, blah blah.

Barbara is so respected that maybe having her name attached to the statements will give it the clout it needs to stop the 'they are so lying' stuff

But you don't call newspapers and television reporters to comment on how your boss is "feeling" do you?

not if you want to keep your job

honestly I think investors will be looking for new gizmos.
this wil give the investors a little more security in their portfolios.

If, unlikely, apple decides to sit backon their laurels investors may see that as a lack of investment in the future.

here's the thing. if they don't release or announce anything brand new this time but instead announce they are going to devote some time to fixing the issues etc with the current line up, the investors may see it as a vow to create some stability, to stand behind their product etc. remember that apple is a retail company and customer service and satisfaction is a serious issue with retail. You don't want one time buyers, you want repeaters. and you don't want folks bringing stuff back, bad mouthing you to potential new customers etc.

the whole MobileMe fiasco hurt the stock price almost as much as the rumors about Steve's health. and while Apple can't stop the rumors cause all attempts led to "they are sooooooo lying" rumors, they can really push to fix the issues with MobileMe etc. which would restore a lot of faith with the buyers. and that leads to more faith from the investors

 

[NT1440]

actually that might work. have Barbara do a special on cancer and have Steve as one of the people. Have a doctor state for the record that Steve did have a rare but totally treatable form of pancreatic cancer which was removed via surgery. Explain, with graphics and graphic detail, exactly what was done and how a huge part of in intestinal tract is now gone which makes keeping on weight very difficult etc. Add it to that patients like Steve employ trainers and nutritionist to help them keep tabs on their weight, blah blah.

Barbara is so respected that maybe having her name attached to the statements will give it the clout it needs to stop the 'they are so lying' stuff

Well, good luck getting 20/20 to do it.

 

[charlituna]

if apple introduces new product at the beginning of the year then it will provide the consumer to see the product and start saving, instead of using credit, with purchases as far out as next Christmas.

hardly. you release something now, barely 3 weeks after Christmas, and you will get folks who are pissed off that it wasn't released before Christmas.

Wait 6 months for WWDC and that isn't an issue. and there's still time for folks to save up. plus with computers etc folks want someone else to be the beta testers. out in june and there's time for several tweaks if needed so what you buy on Black Friday should be in better shape than what you would have gotten in June (or so folks believe is what happens)

Well, good luck getting 20/20 to do it.

didn't say they would. personally don't care.

all I'm saying is that that might be the only way that some folks will believe the statements that he's as fine as someone who had major surgery and had half his GI tract removed can be.

 

[NT1440]

didn't say they would. personally don't care.

all I'm saying is that that might be the only way that some folks will believe the statements that he's as fine as someone who had major surgery and had half his GI tract removed can be.

If people are calling foul now, i really doubt showing up on a tv show is going to change things. There will always be rumors to the day steve dies a hopefully age related death.