I began writing this review while on the bus home from university. Having carried a PowerBook in my backpack in previous years, the MacBook Air is certainly a welcomed change. While not a laptop for power users, it is more than adequate for lighter use. But how does it really benchmark against other Macs? Are common criticisms online and in the media founded on real use or simply conjecture? Since the release of the MacBook Air, almost every major publication has released a review of some sort. Instead of evaluating every aspect of the MacBook Air, this review will focus on some of the more common concerns and differences between the Air and its larger counterparts, the MacBook and the MacBook Pro…

As reported yesterday, Apple’s iPhone software roadmap will be officially unveiled in March. Although it will not meet the company’s original February timeframe, Apple has sent out an invitation to a 10:00 iPhone focused event on March 6 at their Cupertino headquarters which will focus not only on an iPhone software development kit (SDK), but also much awaited enterprise functionality for corporations and also educational institutions. Additionally, the event is likely to cover future global availablity of the iPhone, which is currently only officially available in the US, UK and parts of Europe…

Macworld is well and truly over now and this will be the last Macworld specific article until next year. Prior to the keynote, we published photos of the “there’s something in the air” banners around the Moscone Center and later filed our rumor roundup, which on the whole correctly predicted the launch of the MacBook Air (SSD was unfortunately not standard) and rental movies via and redesigned Apple TV interface. Over following days we reported on the keynote, gave you a hands on look at the new MacBook Air and tracked down an assortment of interesting products for our Best of Show Awards. Finally, we bring you a selection of photos taken during the expo.

With Macworld all wrapped up for another year, it’s time for us to announce our very own best of show awards. There were literally thousands of great products out there on the floor and it was really impossible to see them all. Macworld of course announced their awards at a ceremony at the expo on Wednesday and iLounge has also announced its selections. Some of ours overlap, while others are entirely fresh and new. Continue reading to find out who takes home a the prizes in our premier Best of Show Awards…

The Apple booth is busy, with most people heading straight to the MacBook Air demo models, so only a quick look at the product was possible. However, it was long enough for me personally to decide that this is the laptop for me. Up until now, I have put off buying a MacBook mainly due to the weight, so the first thing I did was close and lift it. It’s light, something the Apple employee demonstrating it to me was quick to point out. Many people look at laptops like the MacBook Air and can’t understand why anyone would pay extra for lesser specs simply for a weight cut. However, any student or traveller will tell you that weight is a very important factor when choosing a machine - the MacBook Air meets that requirement. It is a solid machine and will undoubtedly be a big seller over the next few months. Continue reading for more hands on photos…

After checking with a few people who had been to Macworld before, I decided that around 4:30 am was the best time to turn up at the keynote. Luckily, this turned out to be almost perfect, resulting in a great seat within the front half of the theatre (very close to the media in fact). However, Steve did start at 9:00 on the dot, causing those who joined the line around 4:30 to miss the first few minutes - and I suspect those 15 minutes later would have missed quite a bit more. Lining up for the keynote presentation is a very Mac experience. The people in the queue are very friendly and range from students, to self employed to employees of larger companies such as Microsoft. At around 6:30 we were let inside, at which time the queue was wound through the exhibit hall and attendees reminded not to all rush onto the escalator together. Overall, everything ran smoothly and it was a great experience. Photos after the break…

Tomorrow, Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs will deliver his annual Macworld keynote, often referred to as the “Stevenote”. As with previous years, speculation about future product announcements began pretty soon after last year’s presentation, which focused primarily on the iPhone - disappointing many expecting Mac related announcements, yet pleasing those that had been waiting for the device which had been the subject of rumors for years. According to our sources, this year’s keynote - which has the catch phrase “there’s something in the air” - will go down in history as one of the greatest yet. The prime focus will be on a new ultra-portable laptop, which like the iPhone, has been long rumored and much anticipated. There will also be several more secondary product announcements, but we’ll deal with each of those in turn below. Click the title to continue reading…

“There’s something in the air” at Macworld this year. What it is, we don’t know for sure yet, but at least these photos will give those unable to attend Macworld a sense of what is going on at this year’s conference and expo. Our rumor roundup will published tomorrow, so be sure to bookmark maccrazy if you haven’t already done so. Continue reading for photos.

As founder and editor of maccrazy, I have always wanted to attend a Macworld Expo. This year I will be there, bringing you the latest updates, tracking down new products and providing general coverage of everything Macworld, including the keynote. For those that don’t know, Macworld San Fransisco is Apple’s annual US conference and expo and is expected to attract more than 50,000 attendees this year. In previous years the expo has taken place at the same time as the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, with the release of the iPhone at Macworld last year taking much of the attention away from CES. This year the expo will be running from January 15th through to January 18th, with some conference sessions beginning on the 14th. Next year it will run January 5th to January 9th again.

Steve Jobs’ keynote speech is a big attraction each year and this year will be no different. After talking with those who have attended previous keynotes (with non-priority seating) and a representative from Macworld Conference and Expo, the general conclusion is that if you want to get into the keynote, you should being queuing between 4:00 am and 5:00 am. While this won’t guarentee you a seat, your chances are apparently good, though to get a good seat, it appears you will need to start queuing even earlier. Those who don’t get in are apparently sent to overflow rooms where they will be able to watch a live feed.

Photos and commentary will be posted right here throughout the event, so be sure to stop by daily. The flight time from Auckland to San Francisco is approximately 13 hours. Over that time I hope to put together a full rundown of expo predictions, especially those relating to Steve Jobs keynote announcements. As always, there is a lot of speculation in the lead up to the keynote. With the help of our own sources and analysis of industry trends, we hope to provide an accurate analysis of what can be expected on Tuesday 15th.

If your company is releasing a product at Macworld that you’d like us to publish a brief review of, by all means send an email to info@maccrazy.net and I’ll try and stop by your booth for a demo.

Many Mac users, like myself, are attending Macworld for the first time. Macworld Bound a valuable resource, even for those that have been before. It has a vast number of articles containing travel tips, suggestions and a general overview of how the event runs. Be sure to check it out.

Continue reading to see photos from last year’s expo…