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Today during Job’s keynote address, Apple took the wraps off “the world’s thinnest notebook”: the MacBook Air.  Yes, it is real and features a 13.3” wide screen and one of the best keyboards, according to Apple, ever.  They are serious about being thin, only .8” thick.  Check it out here.

iTunes will be renting movies from $2.99 up to $4.99 as predicted.  Apple got all the major studios involved on this one and it is full steam ahead.  Read the nitty-gritty here.

The iPhone gets some new fun like maps with location approximation (looks to be based on triangulation).  Sweet.  Adam Fisher-Cox has the latest over at Appletell.

The iPod touch also gets some love (though we have to pay for it, just like in Vegas).  5 apps (that arguably should have been there from the get-go).

And then there is Apple TV’s Take 2.  The second coming of a good idea, now in better form.  No computer needed to download movies, show photos, DVR functionality looks to be possible and a reduced price of $229.  Check it out in detail here.

Also announced is Apple’s time capsule which combines a hard drive with Airport Express to help us back up.  Nice. Check it our here.

Company page [Apple]

We are getting close now...the Apple Store is down now, a prerequisite to anything newsworthy coming out of Job’s jowls.  What will be outed today?  Hinted at?  And how about that “one more thing”? 

I’ve no freaking idea, but I am as giddy as a schoolgirl.  So, I’ll leave it to the Apple experts over at Appletell to let me know.  You can check out their best guesses, er predictions here.

Remember, you can also catch the live blog at Appletell as well.  We’ll talk about the big stuff here at Gadgetell, rest assured, but if you live and breath the Apple life, check out Appletell’s in depth coverage.  Throwing a Digg their way doesn’t hurt either.

Tomorrow, I’ll be tuned into Appletell’s live coverage of Macworld 2008 and the all-important Stevenote.  The Appletell team, our sister site, is aiming at live blogging, twittering, possible live audio feed, along with images and interviews etc. as the week goes on.  This will be Appletell’s finest hour and I hope you join me in experiencing the event via Appletell.

You can visit Appletell’s Macworld page here.  Their live coverage of Steve Job’s theatrics should start shortly before 9am PST.

Here’s to working EVDO cards, good cell reception and slow-talking speakers.

Read: [Appletell]

In chatting up the DLO team at a swanky press event, they let slip some loose details about what we might see next week at Macworld.  DLO is the maker of some of the greatest, in my opinion, iPod gear and it seems they’ve been focused on the iPhone for the past design cycle.

We will see a version of the DLO’s HybridShell for the iPod touch, just for the iPhone.  The clear plastic case is gorgeous and really would make an ideal iPhone case: protection without detracting from the good looks.

Another product that should be making headlines is a new Homedock for the iPhone/iPod that upconverts video to HD quality.  An RF remote would be part of that picture as well.  Interesting.

I would suspect there will be more from DLO and as usual, it will all be well thought out.  We’ll have full details as soon as they become available.

Company site[DLO]

Let the speculation begin about Gates MS Phone introduction at CES this year.  Or maybe Zune Mini or Zune2?  Here is what we know:

• Gates will deliver the pre-show keynote 6:30pm on Sunday January 6.  This is the venue Gates has introduced such hits as the Xbox and other “hits” like Tablet PC, Windows TV and Vista.  Anything is possible and this is the venue to show just about anything.


• Opening keynotes from CEA (Consumer Electronics Association) CEO and Panasonic will come first thing Monday morning.  Nothing major expected here.  Maybe some big TVs.


• Later that afternoon, Intel CEO Paul Otellini will introduce some new chips and cart out the latest in MID and UMPCS (just guessing here).  We’ll be amazed and everyone will envy/loathe how short/long it has taken to get this far.

Read [CESweb]