Big News: iLife and iDay 2003!

January 7, 2003

Quick update on the fly: Go to my Digital Hub site for details on the new iLife suite, and to the iDay 2003 site to get a free sneak preview of the new iLife programs and the second edition of my book, now renamed "The Macintosh iLife."

Say Hello to "The Macintosh Digital Hub"

July 25, 2002

It's finally out: my new book/DVD hybrid, "The Macintosh Digital Hub" is off the presses and making its way to your local bookstore right now. (Amazon is selling it for $20.99—30 percent off.) "The Macintosh Digital Hub" will be officially available on July 17, and will make its public debut at the Macworld Expo in New York.

Of course there's a Web angle. The Macintosh Digital Hub Site debuted on Friday, and features an exclusive, hands-on preview of El Gato Software's hot new EyeTV product, which turns a Mac into a TiVo-like personal video recorder. Please visit the new site, learn about this first-of-its-kind book/DVD hybrid, and join the hub.

Also Say Hello to Avondale Media:
How-to DVDs By and For Mac Users

"The Macintosh Digital Hub" DVD is a production of Avondale Media, a new venture that I'm a part of. We have a new line of how-to DVDs made by and for Mac users, featuring Adobe Photoshop 7, Microsoft Word X, and Microsoft Entourage X. Visit our Web site—its official launch is later this week. You'll be hearing more about us soon as we embark on our mission: Bringing the experts to you.

Well, Yes, It's Been a While

June 25, 2002

If you've been checking this cobweb site over the last half-year, you've probably noticed, well, nothing new.

So what's new? Lots of things. For starters, I'm on a temporary haitus from my Los Angeles Times gig. And alas, the archives of my "Mac Focus" columns are no longer available for free on the Times' Web site. Perhaps one day I'll post them all here. We shall see.

In any case, I've been up to several exciting new things in the last six months. Together with two long-time colleagues and fine friends, I've co-founded Avondale Media, a video-production company dedicated to producing the absolute best DVD-based training videos on the planet. We have several titles in production now, with many more coming.

Our first titles will be shipping at the Macworld Expo in New York in July. Come and see us at the Peachpit Press booth for all the details. And read on.

Here Comes "The Macintosh Digital Hub"

Another of my big projects has been a new book and DVD hybrid that we at Avondale Media produced in partnership with my favorite computer book publisher, Peachpit Press.

"The Macintosh Digital Hub" debuts on July 10, and although I'm biased, I think it's the most beautiful and innovative computer book ever produced. No long-winded, cutesy text. No forest-leveling tome that's too heavy to pick up.

Just the facts:

• An interactive guide to all of Apple's "digital hub" products: iTunes, iPod, iPhoto, iMovie, and iDVD.
  
• 160 pages, full color from start to finish
  
• Quick-reference design: every two-page spread is a self-contained reference or tutorial on a specific topic
  
• Gorgeous illustrations throughout, done by the award-winning Arne Hurty of San Francisco's BayCreative (he also designed the book).
  
• A companion DVD from Avondale Media that works together with the book: 140 minutes of instruction from yours truly.
  
• The book and DVD complement one another: throughout the book, you'll find references to specific chapters on the DVD that relate to the topic at hand. Throughout the DVD, you'll find references to sections of the book that provide more background information.
  
  We wanted to create a book and DVD in the spirit of the Mac digital hub: friendly, approachable, visually beautiful. We wanted you to be able to experience the Macintosh digital hub instead of just reading about it. I think you'll agree that we succeeded.

Naturally, a fast-moving topic area like the Mac digital hub needs a Web site. So be on the lookout for "The Macintosh Digital Hub" companion site, where you'll find links and -- if you buy the book -- free updates and new product reviews. The site's address will be www.macintoshdigitalhub.com.

I Heart NY

I'll be at the Macworld Expo in New York, speaking on Thursday, July 18 on the topic of, yes, the Macintosh digital hub. My session, "Secrets of the Macintosh Digital Hub," will be a fun look at each of the digital hub programs, with tips for customizing, expanding, and even hacking the digital hub programs. (See this MacCentral story.)

I'll also be doing a Q&A and book signing at the Peachpit Press booth on Thursday, July 18 from 4:15 to 5:15. I hope to see you there!

June 28 Update: I'll be appearing at the brand-new SoHo Apple Store on Friday, July 19 at 12:30 pm, discussing The Macintosh Digital Hub and providing a behind-the-scenes look at the production of its book and DVD.

More to Come

I'll be gradually updating other parts of my site in the weeks to come, as time permits (ahem). In the meantime, stay tuned -- there's more big news ahead.

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