Face Off!

The year beginning with a very interesting face off in the auto industry. Finally, Honda are back in the fight in the hybrid auto with the NEW Insight. From looks the Insight and the Prius looks similar, but Toyota has refocused the New Prius to be a bit more upscale. Toyota also has introduced a new Lexus HS 250h base on the same 3rd Gen Prius underlaying technology with a Lexus class fit and finish. Honda went to the complete opposite and believing that the general market will love the idea of a hybrid budget sedan. Who will win, I guess that will be the consumer, cause we will have a much more wide range of feed good and do good vehicle to choose from.

Best wish to Steve Jobs and his family.

Steve Jobs announced that he will be taking a leave of absence from Apple due to his health issue and plant to return his CEO duty by June 2009. I wish him and his family all the best in this difficult time and I'm looking forward for his return to Apple.

In the past years since his return to Apple in 1997 has really put the company back in a very strong position. He also hand picked the best team in the IT industry and resurrected the spirit of Apple.

iMac Introduction at Macworld 1998.

The MacWorld 09 keynote has just finished. Apple has introduced iLife 09, iWork 09, iWork.com, New 17" MacBook Pro and iTunes Music Store with DRM-free music, new pricing and song download though 3G network. Form the list above it looks thin, but there are some really major upgrade on the software side with face recognition tagging, location base search (GPS) for iPhoto 09. There is also a new way to export slideshow to iPhone/iPod touch. Major feature upgrade for iMovie with better editing control and many more. iWorks got some heavy improvement... The disappointing side is that there is only "1" new Mac hardware introduction, the 17" MacBook Pro with Unibody design with small overall size and weight. A much improve battery life is a welcome improvement but a non removable design will be a interesting tradeoff. I think Apple is saving the iMac and other product introduction at a later stage during the 25th Mac Anniversary (22nd Jan 1984).

Link to the MacWorld 09 Keynote click here