The Almost Traditional Post-MacWorld Post

Reading Apple rumour sites is a bit like discovering your presents a week before Christmas; it’s rather disappointing to know everything in advance. However, seeing the new products for the first time is almost as exciting.

The iPod Shuffle is what the iPod Mini should have been. Yes, I know it's very popular, but I still think it's overpriced compared to equivalent players made by other companies (especially iRiver and Creative), and is an odd fit within the iPod line, considering the 20Gb iPod is only $50 more. The Shuffle, though, is at exactly the right price point: $99/$149. I'm not going to complain about the lack of screen; after all, most Walkmans and portable CD players don't have one, do they? Plus, the Shuffle has a button that should really be present on all players: a switch on the side that turns random playing on or off, rather than having to navigate a host of menus. Do not eat the IPod Shuffle.

The iLife update is a little disappointing, consisting only of incremental improvements and a $30 increase in price (although I imagine the BitTorrent version will be doing swift trade at the end of the month). Although GarageBand 2 now features autotuning! You can pitch correct your voice - and create a mini Stock, Aitken and Waterman factory!

(hmm, Grange Hill is turning into Hollyoaks Junior. This makes me sad)

But! But! The Mac Mini! Swoon! The cheapest Apple Mac ever! So small you can hold it in your hands! A fully functional Macintosh for under $500! Less than what a Commodore Amiga used to cost! Yes, it doesn't come with a keyboard, mouse, or monitor. But it's aimed at PC owners, who would like to switch, but don't fancy spending out the $1,000 for a complete iMac. They have a keyboard, mouse, and monitor already. Just get rid of the box, and plug in the Mini! *drool*

Oh, and the New Order album might leak on Friday. Consider this a two-day warning; if what I've heard about the record so far is true, I will be gushing uncontrollably…

currently playing: The Chemical Brothers — Out of Control