WWDC Keynote Makes My Brains Go Boom
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by
June 15th, 2007
If you listen to some folks who attended Apple's World Wide Developer's Conference, you'd think that Steve Jobs didn't live up to his 'Master Showman' title. I guess some attending expected to have their brains spontaneously explode after some "...one more thing..." announcement.
I watched the video online. While I agree that there appears to be nothing overtly mind-blowing, or even mind expanding in the keynote, from three thousand miles away, several days later, and upon closer examination, my mind is about to have a melt-down that would put the Bikini Island nuclear test to shame.
What is making my grey matter go boom is the seemingly nebulously connected announcements concerning .Mac, computer file access via the Web, Safari on PCs, and iPhone.
I was watching Mr. Jobs go through the Finder demo again when it became suddenly clear to me that with Leopard and .Mac, it may one day be possible to "reach out and touch" my Mac from my iPhone the way AT&T only wished they could when they ran those commercials many years ago. Since Apple has built this into Mac OS X, and Mac OS X is what makes the iPhone go, the company need merely make it accessible from the iPhone to make it possible.
What's even more interesting is the possibilities this technology presents: What if I could not only share files, but applications?
There is an application called Citrix that allows you to access files and folders through firewalls in the Windows world via well known and secure ports. Citrix also allows you to remotely run applications from within a browser window, and pretty much do what you could normally do if you were sitting at your computer at home.
This technology is not new, but it has been refined to make it far more secure than it used to be. There's an Open Source version of Citrix called Universal Terminal Services (UniTeS) which runs on BSD and could provide the framework for a Citrix-like environment in the Mac world.
What could this mean for the average Joe?
Imagine sitting in a coffee shop sipping on a latte when you remember that you have a presentation that needs editing and its due in the morning. The coffee shop is hopping and the latte is delicious, you are thoroughly chilled and don't want to ruin your groove by rushing home to edit your charts.
No worries. You pull out your iPhone, link to the Web via the coffee shop's WiFi, and log in to .Mac. From there you not only locate your charts, but also Keynote, which is installed on your Mac in the den at home. You remotely fire up Keynote and go through your charts, making edits as you go. You even add a few new slides to your presentation while you empty your latte and order another.
Pretty soon you are done, just as a three piece band setting up in the corner of the shop strikes up some jazz chords. Your presentation looks cool, your fresh latte has arrived, there's someone hot smiling at you from another table, and the night is still young.
Pretty cool, huh? This is not smoke and mirrors, my friends, this is all very possible, and I think Apple is laying the foundation for such a system now. And if Apple isn't doing it someone will.
Is that more exploding brains I hear?
Vern Seward is a writer who currently lives in Orlando, FL. He's been a Mac fan since Atari Computers folded, but has worked with computers of nearly every type for 20 years.
Just a Thought Archives.
Observer Comments
How does your brain react to the thought of similar connectivity through Apple TV. ATT&T bundles with Direct TV, who just happens to be delivering HD broadcasts using H.264 - "Hey, that's the same as on my iPod and Apple TV."
TV, Phone, Computer, Music, Internet. At the end of the Apple TV intro., Steve said, "I think you can see where were going with that." Hmmm.
I don't think you'll be able to edit most documents, but I think you'll be able to very easily log into your mac remotely, browse the files using cover flow and use spotlight search and that fancy QuickLook preview instead of launching apps.
Let's not forget the apps themselves require mice, keyboards and lots of memory to operate, the fancy QuickLook feature really CAN work on the iPhone.
There will basically be an application that is not yet shown on iPhone, might not be available until October via software update, but I think you are right -- a Finder for iPhone is under way.
That's an incredible observation - thanks for bursting my brain with an idea worth getting excited about. This is one rumor that is likely to come to pass.
Fri Jun 15, 2007 5:17 pm Subject: I just want to know...
Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:00 pm Subject: back to my Mac... for iPhone... wow
That's something that hadn't dawned on me... hadn't crossed my mind in the slightest.
And yet it makes total sense. Thanks for showing us!
A spotlight search from your iPhone, of your home computer, with coverflow browsing of the search results (or a scrollable list) and a quick look at the content...
Very very interesting.
ps. And same for Safari windows users?
pps. I saw a zoomed graphic of the 2 buttons provided when a user is networking back to my Mac or locally (as Guest) - these were "login" and "remote desktop".
Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:15 pm Subject: Bit of confusion
QuoteGuest wrote:
I don't think you'll be able to edit most documents, but I think you'll be able to very easily log into your mac remotely, browse the files using cover flow and use spotlight search and that fancy QuickLook preview instead of launching apps.
Let's not forget the apps themselves require mice, keyboards and lots of memory to operate, the fancy QuickLook feature really CAN work on the iPhone.
There will basically be an application that is not yet shown on iPhone, might not be available until October via software update, but I think you are right -- a Finder for iPhone is under way.
That's an incredible observation - thanks for bursting my brain with an idea worth getting excited about. This is one rumor that is likely to come to pass.
I don't think that Vern was implying that one would edit the documents ON the iPhone, but WITH the iPhone. The processing would be done by the remote Mac.
I was thinking the same thing... in a previous life I supported a server farm and had a PocketPC phone specifically for the purpose of using VPN/VNC to be able to get to those machines remotely if I wasn't near a computer. Only problem was that it was a PocketPC which meant that it only worked about half the time and when it did work it didn't work that well. With this new .Mac service (which is conveniently encrypted) doing something like this becomes trivial.
... plus streaming video, music (iTunes sharing), et al ... no wonder the iPhone doesn't need/have that much memory
really nice to have access to all my music, photos, etc. through the iPhone ... and -yes- access to my 'business' files
i was impressed by the potential NOT being RDF'ed by Jobs ... this is Apple integrated value at it's best (an iPhone, appleTV, other macs, and ONE mac to rule them all ... and, simple backup for all)
cheers
With a windows server running Citrix at the office you can already do all of this & more, hel with the release of longhorn(sorry windows 2007, not cool names allowed) a small busniess could probably do it with just Windows 2007 & save the cost of CItrix.
Hmm running citrix in the office, but now have to take the laptop on a plane? lets just use application streaming & download word to my laprop & take it on the road.
Citrix makes clients for everything under the sun, hell I even have one for my blackberry. I wrote a custom vb app that allows me to unlock a AD user account from my blackberry anywhere on the road.
I already have a laptop, why the hell would I want to edit a presentation on a 3 inch screen & go blind
p.s. Citrix works on far more than just Windows. We have hundreds of mac users that access out system via citrix. You don't even need a windows server to run it. Ever hear of CItrix for Unix?
Now, would I like to see Citrix or terminal services functionality on the MAC platform?
yes that & a decent alternative to exchange & they might get somewhere in busniess world.
p.s. If not for Microsoft Office they would have almost zero footprint.
Now that I am done playing with Ipods & stuff I am going to go migrate more physical servers over to vmware so I can lower our footprint in the datacente & save $3000 a month on srack space & work on automating snapshots of our oracle database on our new iSCSi san.
Call me when apple makes something I might use besides an mP3 player
Do your homework next time skippy
Also consider Safari for Windows, I would not be surprised to see Apple announce iLife for Windows. Something makes me think that Apple has created Windows versions of it's apps for a while like it did with OS X and the intel switch. Remember Steve think (and I do too in most cases) that they also create the best software. While I know they will keep some things OS X only to get a reason to switch but there is more to this Apple apps than is being said at this point. I would bet on it.
Hmmmm. Actually, there as a 'Citrix for Mac', I just saw it demoed. It is AcquaConnect, http://www.aquaconnect.net/solutions/.
And, as for Mac in the enterprise, Genentech, Intuit, and Google all use Macs, in substantial numbers.
Do your homework next time skippy.
thats an idea! how about this:
iweb for iphone! you are traveling, on a road trip or just on the road and lets face it, you cant always carry your macbook or macbookpro with you. you see something awesome that must go on your .mac web page/blog. you take many pics w/ your iphone, edit your site and post right from your iphone! or just take many pics and decide to have them on your mac but you're far away from your mac, .mac to the rescue again to transfer those pics to your iphoto on your mac or photocast from your iphone! some of the ilife apps to go would be an awesome addition to the iphone!
QuoteDeKU wrote:
thats an idea! how about this:
iweb for iphone! you are traveling, on a road trip or just on the road and lets face it, you cant always carry your macbook or macbookpro with you. you see something awesome that must go on your .mac web page/blog. you take many pics w/ your iphone, edit your site and post right from your iphone! or just take many pics and decide to have them on your mac but you're far away from your mac, .mac to the rescue again to transfer those pics to your iphoto on your mac or photocast from your iphone! some of the ilife apps to go would be an awesome addition to the iphone!
I really like this idea. I hope Apple is listening and we will all remember who had the idea first.
I don't call it an "iPhone". I think the correct name is "The Mac Nano". It's not a phone, it's a Mac! And it also happens to have a phone. From this point of view, anything that is possible for a Mac to do is possible now in a *very* portable platform, fits in your pocket. I don't want a phone personally. I want a Mac that I can carry in my pocket. In about 13 days I may have one at last!
Web 2.0 is all about running applications and other functionality from a remote website, and storing documents on the webserver.
Imagine that those Apps like Keynote would become webbased applications. The small app on the phone is just the front-end. The processing will be done on the powerful servers of .Mac. You can create and edit your documents completely online, from whatever computer, iphone, kiosk or what else you have available at the moment.
No need to leave your computer at home running al night 
That's the future of computing...
Sat Jun 16, 2007 10:21 am Subject: Questions about Citrix
QuoteAnonymous wrote:
With a windows server running Citrix at the office you can already do all of this & more,...
Do your homework next time skippy
Several questions:
- How much does Citrix cost? Citrix also provides GoToMyPC, at a cost of $12.95 per month PER PC. That's a lot more than a .Mac account, which can be used by multiple computers. What does the server-based solution cost? (I couldn't find any pricing information on the Citrix web site except for GoToMyPC, which they hid pretty well.)
- Citrix apparently requires a server. Why not just be able to connect to ANY computer, without a server? I sure don't have a server in my home office.
- How difficult is it to set up Citrix? The Leopard-based system apparently requires almost no setup.
Sat Jun 16, 2007 3:20 pm Subject: RE: Questions about Citrix
Quotegslusher wrote:QuoteAnonymous wrote:
With a windows server running Citrix at the office you can already do all of this & more,...
Do your homework next time skippy
Several questions:
- How much does Citrix cost? Citrix also provides GoToMyPC, at a cost of $12.95 per month PER PC. That's a lot more than a .Mac account, which can be used by multiple computers. What does the server-based solution cost? (I couldn't find any pricing information on the Citrix web site except for GoToMyPC, which they hid pretty well.)
- Citrix apparently requires a server. Why not just be able to connect to ANY computer, without a server? I sure don't have a server in my home office.
- How difficult is it to set up Citrix? The Leopard-based system apparently requires almost no setup.
Yo G.
I have some experience with Citrix, the difference, which some posters fail to realize and you have so eloquently pointed out, Citrix is server based. It has to be to provide the level of IT support, security, and maintenance large users need.
What I believe Apple could be doing is setting up an environment that's closer to peer to peer than client/server. It actually gets kinda muddy because in essence the home-based Mac is the 'server' where your files and apps are, your notebook or iPhone is the 'client' that accesses the Home-Mac, and .Mac acts a gate keeper/firewall where you need to log in before you can get connected to you home-Mac.
I really like the set up because it has built in security: You have to log into .Mac and you have to log in to you home Mac before you can get to anything. That's 2-level authentication which is industry standard. Furthermore, you have to set your home-Mac up to do this, it is not an automagic thing.
What some people don't realize is that while on the surface the scenario I spoke of is very much like Citrix under the covers it is very different.
Citrix is design to handle a lot of incoming requests for service, the Apple scenario only needs to handle yours, it a great concept and unlike what some guests have said, it is NOT something that is done already, not the way Apple's system could be done and certainly not of the scale Apple's system could be.
I can also answer your questions about Citrix.
- How much does Citrix cost?
Citrix is pricey, and it has to be supported by an IT team and dedicated servers. So you are right in that the scenario I spoke of won't require much additonal cost, just a .Mac account and a Mac and an iPhone, of course.
- Citrix apparently requires a server. Why not just be able to connect to ANY computer, without a server?
As I have mentioned, Citrix does require a server, but also, behind the scenes, Citrix is a far different beast than what Apple might be doing.
- How difficult is it to set up Citrix?
Again, because Citrix has a different infrastructure comparing it to what Apple might be doing is not fair. A better comparison is to GoToMyPC, essentially does the same thing as the Apple scernario. As you've already pointed out, GoToMyPC is more expensive, but setup is about the same.
It's going to get real interesting real fast.
Vern Seward
Mon Jun 18, 2007 10:20 am Subject: Re: If Intuit uses Macs . . .
QuoteAnonymous wrote:
Then why the hell does Quicken for the Mac still suck super mega bigtime?
Damned Intuit, get your Mac act together already. I'm tired of using Quicken for Windows on VPC.
Perhaps because they don't sell many copies of Quicken for the Mac. There are similar problems with QuickBooks.
Mon Jun 18, 2007 11:23 am Subject: Or you could use a Symbian or PocketPC phone and use VNC
What a joke, you can already do this for free with nearly no set-up using Virtual Network Computer (VNC), which has native clients and servers for everything under the sun (including several browser-based clients). It's sort of like Timbuktu, only with less features and for free.
As I speak, I'm using the clear superior to the iPhone and devices like it, a Raon Vega UMPC (4.3" LCD, runs full WinDOS, got it for $600).
I mean, when the designers of the PowerBook G4 leave Apple in frustration after their dream machine is refused by management and end up founding OQO to build the first UMPC before M$ even thinks of Project Origami, you know that there's something wrong
Mon Jun 18, 2007 4:36 pm Subject: Re: Or you could use a Symbian or PocketPC phone and use VNC
QuoteAnonymous wrote:
As I speak, I'm using the clear superior to the iPhone and devices like it, a Raon Vega UMPC (4.3" LCD, runs full WinDOS, got it for $600).
I mean, when the designers of the PowerBook G4 leave Apple in frustration after their dream machine is refused by management and end up founding OQO to build the first UMPC before M$ even thinks of Project Origami, you know that there's something wrong
Tidbits from a review of the Vega:
- "4-5 hours of battery life .."
- No built-in WiFi or BlueTooth. (It comes with a USB WiFi dongle.)
- Terrible stylus (and no storage/silo--just a lanyard)
- "Device gets very warm under heavy and continuous load"
From another article:
- "15.8 x 7.8 x 2.8cm and 480g"
(That does not include the separate USB WiFi dongle.)
Versus iPhone's 11.5 x 6.1 x 1.16 cm and 135g. IOW, the Vega is 4.24 times the volume and 3.56 times the weight of the iPhone.
To which I'd add:
IT'S NOT A PHONE--without some add-on, it CANNOT directly connect to ANY wireless phone network. Thus, your "mobility" is limited to places where you can connect to a WiFi network.
Tue Jun 19, 2007 10:56 am Subject: quicken: Mac = JUNK
spent several hundred dollars over the years buying & upgrading Quicken; it's been semi-functional AT BEST since '98, and they are apparently uninterested in improving the situation. I for one am off the merry-go-round: no more money from me, Intuit, you've used up yer cred. way to build your customer base, yo.
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