We’re finally catching up on sleep we lost at Macworld Expo, and now we’re looking at trends and notable products that will make this year interesting. Along with the explosion in wireless networking, Adam samples photo-cataloging software, Jeff Carlson gets the Palm market in hand, and the rest of the TidBITS staff weighs in with our traditional list of superlatives. In this week’s news, Proxim reunites separated siblings Netopia and Farallon.
Proxim Reunites Farallon and Netopia -- The convoluted history of the company which began as Farallon Communications continues to loop back on itself. In 1997, Farallon changed its name to Netopia and began to focus less on the Macintosh and more on the Internet
Back in 1999, Apple started the ball rolling on wireless networking by releasing the inexpensive AirPort Base Station and providing an AirPort option for all Macs
Missing from Apple's statement of support for the digital lifestyle was an emphasis on digital photographs. I could easily see an iPhoto or iPicture from Apple at the next Macworld Expo - something to categorize and organize digital photographs, print and export them in useful ways, and easily create Web pages with your photos for viewing by your friends and family
Computer sales may have dipped industry-wide, but the popularity of Palm handhelds is looking up - two stories up, to be precise. At Macworld Expo 2001 in San Francisco, Palm's booth featured not only a contingent of Palm OS developers and Palm's lineup of devices, but also a two-tiered presentation stage with balconies that inspired at least one attendee to exclaim, "But, soft! what backlight through yonder window breaks?"
Not to be outdone, Palm OS licensee Handspring dazzled attendees with a large main screen and video displays set behind huge mock Visor handhelds
We couldn't conclude our Macworld coverage without our biannual collection of Macworld Expo superlatives, the products that caught our eyes this year in San Francisco