An Inside Look At The New Macworld/iWorld

A New Vibe For Macworld

Macworld launched its 27th annual conference for Apple fans with a new name: Macworld/iWorld. With the name change, the San Francisco exposition is giving lots of attention to Apple's iPhone and iPad. To excite fans, show organizers focused on how artists are using the smartphone and tablet, respectively, to create music and video. Among the highlights was the screening of the first feature film shot entirely on a mobile phone. Other events at this year's Macworld/iWorld, which ran Jan. 26-28, included musical performances and dueling DJs.

South Park

Among the most popular TV shows created on the Mac is "South Park." The Art of South Park exhibit featured the original art from the shows. The biting, no-holds-barred humor of creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone meant many images were unsuitable for a general audience, but this one managed to get through the censors.

Silent Disco

DJ MoPo (Motion Potion) spins a "silent disco" for the lunch crowd at Macworld/iWorld. Music fans listened to the beat-heavy electronica on stereo headphones. The concept was introduced at music festivals, such as Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tenn., so DJs could work their musical magic into the early hours of the morning without waking the neighbors.

Digital Art

Not all the creativity was on display was in music and video. Recognition was also given to digital art created on the Mac. Artist Phillip Timper creates abstract surrealist art by scanning painted and drawn images and then applying digital technology to them. "The hectic and chaotic, even manic, nature of modern life can be perceived as overwhelming,"Timper says. "The artwork I create presents an arrangement of colorful elements that express emotions and aspirations that are given form by this chaos."

The Exhibitors

While art brought excitement to Macworld/iWorld, vendors highlighted the business side with iPhone and iPad software and accessories on display in the Mobile Apps Showcase on the showroom floor. The Mac also got its due at the OS X Zone, which organizers said was sold out. Nearly 300 companies had their products on display.

Flipping For Apple

Baltimore, Md.-based Polk Audio, which sells speakers and headphones, drew attention on the showroom floor with trampoline acrobats. The company has a line of sports headphones built for people who like taking their the iPhones and iPods for a jog. The company plans to release this year headphones with what Polk Audio claims is advanced noise-canceling technology.

Filmmaking On The iPad

A demonstrator makes a video of Peanuts character Snoopy skating with friends Lucy, Linus and Charlie Brown, using an iPad, a mechanical toy and software from Gilbert, Ariz.-based i4software. The company makes more than a dozen applications for the iPhone and iPad, including the Video Camera app for shooting, editing and sharing video.

Business On The iPad

John H. Lee, marketing manager for Brentwood, N.Y.-based Digital Right Brain, demonstrated his point of sale software running on the iPad. Apple's popular tablet has been a hit with consumers and businesses. Digital Right Brain's SalonPOS is designed for salons specializing in hair, nail or skin care; spas and tattoo parlors. Features include touch-based sales recording, customer and employee management and reports on sales and promotions.

Beat The Traffic

Yann Lhomme, marketing manager of Santa Clara, Calif.-based Triangle Software, is looking for buyers for the company's Beat the Traffic system that delivers traffic reports, maps and alerts for 122 major cities in the U.S. Triangle sells to radio and TV stations and also has a consumer version for the iPad and iPhone.

Billing On The Mac

Raffi Patatian, a small business IT consultant, talks with attendees about Marketcircle's Billings application for the Mac. Features include one-click invoicing, time tracking, alerts when a customer's bill is overdue, and multi-currency support. The Canadian company also makes applications for billing from an iPhone or iPad.

Running A Business

Northfolk, Va.-based xTuple provides a free version of its open source PostBooks accounting software for small and medium-sized businesses. Director of professional services Anne Cote is hoping SMB owners at the show will give the free version a try and eventually upgrade to xTuple's standard edition, a paid version that has all the features of PostBooks, plus more sophisticated inventory controls.