Checking Out MacWorld 2012

MacWorld is a yearly event in San Francisco, but this is my first time actually attending. It’s most likely because it’s only been within the last few years where I began my conversion to Mac. I still haven’t converted 100%, but I have an appreciation for the tools and software the OS supports.

I’d done my online recon for the show online taking note of booths I wanted to stop by and companies I wanted to speak with that highlighted how storage is the epicenter of the digital ecosystem.  Oddly, enough, I keep stopping at headphone manufacturers.

That aside, some of the other things that have caught my eye are the following:

For the Photographer:
Olloclip & iPro Lens: Both have the same primary function that are attachable camera lenses that allow you to take wide, fisheye or zoom pictures exclusively for the iPhone 4/4S. Given my love for iPhoneography, this is a perfect addition to my mobile picture taking experience. Olloclip’s device comes in a little cheaper at $70 where iPro Lens is listed on the site for about $200.  The handle that the iPro Lens version comes with is presumably the reason for the difference in price between the two.

For the Artist:
Nomadbrush is a stylus for digital painting that really caught my eye…ok, it was the art too that was being demonstrated.  Regardless, combined with any one of their available apps, this stylus is great for drawing or painting on your iPad at a really affordable price.

For the art enthusiast, check out the Art Authority app for iPad. Cheaper than a ticket to the museum at $5, this app gives you access to thousands of works of art dating back from ancient times to present day.  The detail on these works of art is solid and vibrant giving great information about the piece, artist and other details.

For the Music Enthusiast:
The Beosound 8 by Bang & Olufsen has an incredible sound quality that showcased well even over the noise of the convention center.  Working as a dock for iPad, iPhone or iPod and available for $999, this system leaves a great, lasting impression.

Tune Up is an iTunes plug in I will definitely need to purchase.  If you’re like me and have mislabeled music or duplicate songs, this tool will clean that up for you scouring the web for correct track listings, album art and more. If that’s still not enough, the Tuniverse feature will keep you updated with concert information, music videos and more.  Not bad for a lifetime membership of $50, right?

The Airfoil application by Rogue Amoeba, allows you to play music from any device including Apple TV, iOS devices and even other MacBook’s.  Once installed, you can search for where you have your music available (even Spotify) and let your ears feel the tingle.

So while not as big as the recent CES show, there is still a lot to see at MacWorld and the day is still early.  Drop me a line in the comments below or via Twitter of something that has caught your interest from the show.