Age of the digital lifestyle

The computer, according to Apple Country Manager, Bruno Verolini, is on the threshold of entering its third golden age-the age of the digital lifestyle. Digital devices are everywhere. We carry cell phones, PDAs, and MP3 players. We watch movies on DVD players, and we capture pictures and video with digital cameras and DV camcorders. Digital devices are changing the way we work and play, changing the way we use information and communicate with others.

In short, the computer is becoming an essential home communications and entertainment centre. "At Apple, we believe the personal computer-and especially the Mac-will become the hub of this emerging digital lifestyle, because of the value it adds to digital devices. Apple has been rapidly introducing new solutions that enhance the value of digital devices: iMovie for camcorders, iDVD for DVD players, iPhoto for digital cameras, or iTunes for digital music players," he says.

Demonstrating commitment to their belief in the emergence of the digital lifestyle, Apple recently introduced iLife, an integrated suite of Apple`s industry-leading digital lifestyle applications. iLife features the latest versions of iPhoto, iMovie and iDVD, and the recently-released iTunes 3. iLife is the only integrated suite to include all of the four applications required for today`s "digital lifestyle"-digital music, photography, moviemaking and DVD creation-and is the first product to offer the benefits of seamlessly integrating them. "iLife does for our digital lifestyle what Microsoft Office did for office productivity-all the applications you need are in one box, and they all work together," Apple`s CEO, Steve Jobs, said at the time of the suite`s release. "Apple is far ahead of its PC competitors in offering the best-in-class applications for digital music, photography, moviemaking and DVD creation, and now they all work together seamlessly."

iLife includes new versions of iPhoto, iMovie and iDVD with dozens of advanced new features, all seamlessly integrated to allow users to easily access their digital music, photos and movies from within each application. For example, users can now select music from their iTunes library to use in their iPhoto slideshows, movies or DVD menus from directly within iPhoto 2, iMovie 3 or iDVD 3-without interrupting the creative process by having to switch back and forth between applications.

Of course, nobody wants an unsightly grey box squatting ominously and snaking shocking wires around the digital centre of their living room. Which is one of the reasons why Apple`s consumer-level hardware offerings such as the well-priced eMac and funky iMac are essentially all-in-one units. Naturally, wireless networking compatibility comes as standard on all new Apple computers.

The eMac`s all-in-one design has some tremendous advantages. For instance, there aren`t a lot of extra cords, so setup is simple - and desktop clutter is kept to a minimum. And in addition to the 17-inch display, the AirPort Extreme-ready eMac comes with a built-in 10/100BASE-T Ethernet port for high-speed Internet access, FireWire, USB and amazing stereo speakers - all in one compact computer that`s smaller than most stand-alone PC displays. The base level eMac retails for under R10 000.

For under R15 000, Apple`s top specification eMac now features a more powerful processor, a faster CD and DVD-burning SuperDrive, and Apple`s integrated iLife application. Among the reasons the eMac is so popular is that it features a blazingly fast 1GHz PowerPC G4 processor, and it`s Apple`s most affordable G4-based system. The PowerPC G4 with Velocity Engine uses the same processing technology featured in scientific supercomputers - just what you need to accelerate intensive multimedia calculations, import audio files and create video transitions in iMovie. In fact, the eMac`s 1GHz PowerPC G4 processor lets you encode DVDs in real time - quite an accomplishment for anyone with video editing experience. The bottom line is that the eMac G4 processor makes digital media creation faster - which in turn means that you can spend more time playing and creating and less time waiting.

Pop in a DVD movie, sit back and be entertained. The top specification eMac includes the revolutionary SuperDrive with the ability to read and write both CDs and DVDs. A SuperDrive-equipped eMac enables users to burn iMovie productions and iPhoto slideshows to a DVD that plays in almost any consumer DVD player. Optical discs are also ideal for backup, because they offer enormous capacity in a small package that`s easy to store and that lasts a long time.

With wireless connectivity through AirPort or AirPort Extreme, a new eMac can be located anywhere in a house, not just where the phone jack or broadband connection happens to be. The AirPort Extreme Card is user installable and allows an eMac to communicate wirelessly with other computers and link to the internet (through the AirPort Extreme Base Station). The AirPort Extreme Base Station can support up to 50 simultaneous users (Mac and PC), all sharing a single internet connection. "The digital lifestyle includes not only the online world of the internet, but also the integration of an amazing array of affordable digital devices into everyday life. These devices offer inexpensive, bite-size chunks of technology, but share little commonality in the way they operate or the types of data they collect," says Apple`s Verolini.

All new Mac computers offer loads of added-value when compared with these small dedicated devices:

* A computer gives you large, inexpensive storage. While digital devices offer storage (through devices like memory cards), which is expensive and limited in size.

* The computer`s large screen lets you see more information and allows for a better user interface-two features not possible in digital devices.

* A computer can run complex applications-digital devices can`t since they lack the necessary processing power.

* The computer browses the internet in better ways and, more importantly, much faster than any existing digital device.

* A computer can burn CDs and DVDs to exchange and backup the data-again, not possible with a digital device.

Talking about digital devices . . . the new super-slim Apple iPod once again redefines what a digital music player should be. It`s lighter than 2 CDs, can hold up to 7500 songs, and downloads music at blazing speeds. Now you can take your entire music collection with you wherever you go. It`s available for both Mac and Windows starting at R3 799-00. The new iPod fits comfortably in the palm of your hand and slips easily into your pocket. The device weighs less than 2 compact discs, yet the iPod offers a choice of 10GB, 15GB or 30GB hard drives. That`s space enough to store three weeks of music - played continuously, 24/7 - or one new song a day for the next 20 years.

Once again, Apple has turned the portable digital music player market on its ear with hassle-free functionality and stunning, well-considered design that place iPod far ahead of the curve and the competition. Building on the success of the touch wheel (which made scrolling through an entire music collection quick and easy), the new iPod has been re-engineered with an all-touch interface for enhanced durability and sensitivity. With an LCD screen and buttons that feature a backlight for clear visibility in low-light conditions, iPod is designed for easy one-handed operation.

According to Verolini, Apple is uniquely poised to offer leading digital lifestyle solutions because it is the only company in the industry which creates and develops both hardware and software. "This situation enables us to bring to the consumer integrated computer solution developed as a whole. Each part of the hardware or software is designed to work in concert," he says.

"The result is that Apple has the liberty to create the right technological choice for its consumers. For two years now, all Macs have been equipped with the surprisingly fast FireWire interface. This technology has been invented and developed by Apple, and is now considered as the standard connectivity for audio and video applications. Most DV cameras are equipped with FireWire. This is as easy to use as USB, but simply 30 times faster. Moreover, peripherals may use this cable as a power supply making it a fast, powerful and simple solution. And the competition doesn`t have anything better, and very few of their computers are equipped with FireWire," he says.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Apple is committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world through its innovative hardware, software and Internet offerings.