So..um...when's the "FUN" start, Steve?

Wow, am I glad I used my lunch break to drop of dry cleaning and grab a burger instead of watching the live blogging on the Apple Event yesterday. The event was billed as a limited, invitation only announcement on the Apple campus to introduce some fun new products. When I got back to my desk munching on my Five Guys burger & fries (small size on both mind you), I read through what was launched yesterday and I had to stifle a yawn.

The Mac Mini is alright, I'm glad they updated another of their consumer desktop line to the new platform. It's missing a few key things that'll make it a GREAT media center instead of a just an okay one. I haven't had much experience with the Front Row software, so I can't really vouch for how great an interface it is for a media center.

The other two offerings introduced yesterday are barely worth mentioning. The Apple Hi-Fi, isn't anything we haven't seen from other third-party peripheral vendors. Honestly the third-party guys have this solution answered pretty well and with more style then the Apple solution. I don't really see Apple moving too many of these things, but what do I know. Surely Steve Jobs has some incite that I don't... yeah... I'll believe it when I see it. The new iPod leather sleeves just have me stupdified. I'd love to see the research that went into deciding the $99 price point for a rather unsophisticated iPod case. This is another market that has long been satisfied by third-party companies. There are sleeves and cases of all varieties, colors and styles already available out there and most come under the $99 price. Hell, even the Kate Spade designer case retails for just $85.

It just seems very late in the game for Apple to be getting into the iPod perpheral business. The iPod has been around so long now that, third-party companies have established names for themselves in this industry. There just doesn't seem to be any advantage for Apple to start into this market now, their attention would be better spent elsewhere. Their initial offerings don't look that special to me, especially for the price they're asking. Despite the time Jobs says was put into designing both, I don't see it reflected in the final products.