Return Episode — Lachy Groom

[MJCP]

At last it is here.

Just by the way, we're not doing the MP3 version of it on the site anymore, because frankly not many people were getting it that way and it's simpler just to put the thing on iTunes. If anyone really wants us to bring back the MP3 version, let me know.

MJCP and Alex Kidman chat with Lachy Groom, Perth-based founder of CardNap and iPad case Finder, among other businesses. Topics covered include entrepreneurship — is it about passion or money — what makes a good (or bad) iPad case, Apple's stealthy approach to a recent Mac product announcement, what happens when an iPhone app changes hands, and (somewhat unexpectedly) the birds and the bees.

[Gazza]

Originally Posted by MJCP

At last it is here.

Just by the way, we're not doing the MP3 version of it on the site anymore, because frankly not many people were getting it that way and it's simpler just to put the thing on iTunes. If anyone really wants us to bring back the MP3 version, let me know.

MJCP and Alex Kidman chat with Lachy Groom, Perth-based founder of CardNap and iPad case Finder, among other businesses. Topics covered include entrepreneurship — is it about passion or money — what makes a good (or bad) iPad case, Apple's stealthy approach to a recent Mac product announcement, what happens when an iPhone app changes hands, and (somewhat unexpectedly) the birds and the bees.

The iTunes "road" is the simplest. As soon as I saw this topic in "Todays Posts" I cranked up iTunes and by the time I came over here to read the post the podcast was downloading. I'm not surprised the MP3 version is not used much.

Looking forward to listening to the return episode, thanks. Now this hurdle is over you will hopefully find they will "flow."

[clinton1550]

I really need to take notes when listening to the podcast, by the time I get around to commenting I've forgotten most of the things I was going to say.

I do remember this though, I can tell you exactly the kind of person that would buy a Mac mini, me.

Back at the beginning of 2006, I bought a PowerBook G4. I bought a PowerBook because it's portable, I could take it anywhere I wanted, I could use it in any room of my house, I could take it to school and I could take it on holidays. I had always wanted a laptop because I could take them anywhere. I spent the next three years turning my laptop into a desktop.

I bought a 23" Cinema Display, a wireless keyboard and Mighty Mouse. My PowerBook was rarely disconnected from my display and it rarely ran on battery power. When the Mac mini was finally refreshed in 2009, I already had the display, keyboard and mouse ready to go so a Mac mini was the cheapest way to get an Intel based Mac.

The original PowerPC Mac mini was marketed as a cheap Mac for switchers but as Alex said most switchers go for MacBook Pros. Apple has shifted the Mac mini from being a Mac for switchers to being what people actually use Mac minis for, media centres and servers. The Mac mini has found a niche, it was never intended for that niche but Apple is quite happy to serve that niche now that the Mac mini occupies it. The last two updates to the mini show that.

[golfer]

I was also interested in the comments that the Mac Pro is becoming irrelevant. I couldn't agree more.

[John Chidgey]

Given his age I have to admire Lachy's temperament - especially when he was taking a ribbing from the Hosts about prophylactics.

A good return podcast Matthew. Looking forward to the next one with the Beard, I mean Jim. (And the Beard)

[clinton1550]

Originally Posted by John Chidgey

Given his age I have to admire Lachy's temperament - especially when he was taking a ribbing from the Hosts about prophylactics.

A good return podcast Matthew. Looking forward to the next one with the Beard, I mean Jim. (And the Beard)

Pun intended?

[Lumeswell]

Originally Posted by golfer

I was also interested in the comments that the Mac Pro is becoming irrelevant. I couldn't agree more.

*sigh*

Sorry, but I couldn't disagree more. To me, saying the Mac Pro is becoming irrelevant is the same as saying there is only a world market for maybe five computers (I know its a misquote, but I hope you get what Im saying).

If this is true then Final Cut Pro should also be made redundant, because whats the point in having high end video post software if you cant actually ingest and work with high end footage?

Just because you don't have a need for it doesn't mean others don't. NOw if the market isn't there then I understand them dropping it - but they should not be looking at the last 6 months sales figures, because those who can have been waiting for an update (I believe its verging on 16 months now for the Mac Pro, hows that for a company staying on top of the technology wave)

I personally cannot see a point in the Mac Book Air, but it gets updates and love from Apple - lets see some for the Mac Pro.

Personally, I think my views have been clear lately - from my point of view Apple has been very form over function lately, and focussed on toys not tools - so I fear you may actually be right, but I will go down fighting.

[golfer]

I understand Lumeswell, I do. And while I am unfamiliar with "what it takes", wouldn't a core i7 iMac run Final Cut Pro, and if so, what would you be losing by using an iMac instead of a Mac Pro? I ask out of interest, not to denigrate.

[Lumeswell]

Originally Posted by golfer

I understand Lumeswell, I do. And while I am unfamiliar with "what it takes", wouldn't a core i7 iMac run Final Cut Pro, and if so, what would you be losing by using an iMac instead of a Mac Pro? I ask out of interest, not to denigrate.

Im sure an i7 iMac will run FCP pretty well, but you cannot add the sorts of IO options and discs that large video files required to iMacs.

The ability to add 3rd party cards like, for example, a Kona (http://aja.com/products/kona/) to properly ingest and monitor what you are working on. I know the consumer world has embraced tapeless recording, but it is still a big part of the professional world, so cards like this are essential.

At the real heavy lifting end, support for fibre channel networks and distributed storage. I work at a facility which has 100TB online shared between about 20 edit suites. Not sure where you would put a fibre channel card in an iMac.

And yes, i7 would be very nice to work on (my new 17" MBP runs very nicely, thank you), pity I cant get one in a Mac Pro ....

At the heavy processing end, I create animations in Lightwave and After Effects - every processing core you can throw at the rendering stage helps. iMacs max out at 4, Mac Pros currently at 8 (but should be at 12!). If I could get a 12 core Mac Pro and assume it could render roughly 3 times faster than the equivalent iMac then I could cut render times from 3 days to 1 day - thats 2 more days I can refine a project and still deliver on time.

I could go on, but at this end, everything helps.

[golfer]

okay, with that type of work example, I can understand you needing all the grunt you can get.

The people I don't get are those who whinge they want a Mac Pro and all they use them for is Word, Excel and Filemaker.