iMac, iBook in the spotlight

 

latest developments

Apple won't join the free PC push, for now, while the new iBook portable unveiled at Macworld is a Tangerine dream for many. Software and hardware support is also making news at the trade show. "What we can say is we're watching the market closely." - Steve Jobs, Apple interim CEO, on free PCs

Will Apple join the "free PC" movement? Many speculate that Apple may be working on such a strategy for the iMac, but the company indicates at Macworld that it's in wait-and-see mode. Jobs wows crowd with wireless iBook update Apple announces a new consumer portable called the iBook, a $1,599 laptop that borrows from the iMac and works with a wireless network. Software for the Mac is plentiful again Now that Mac hardware is back, it looks like the software is too, with announcements of new products from IBM and Microsoft indicating that development is picking up steam. Apple gets more Mac support, services Most of the peripheral products at Macworld revolve around services that can be added via the Universal Serial Bus or FireWire connection technologies. Microsoft to update IE browser for Mac consumers Microsoft plans a new version of its Internet Explorer browser and other software aimed at consumers snapping up Apple Computer's popular iMac. PC makers prep machines heavy on color, style Hoping to replicate Apple's iMac success, PC makers will enter the fashion electronics market in earnest this fall with new models emphasizing look, shape, and style.