Apple is growing from all sides, its mobile business has been the engine that accelerated this grow, being the iPhone, iPod and now the iPad the cash cows that provides fresh green dollars to Apple’s bank account while the mac business has grown slowly but consistently, Macbooks and iMacs are everywhere, even in places you won’t expect to see a mac.

This growth has helped Apple get more than 10% of USA domestic computer business for the first time in years according to IDC, securing the third spot in the US PC vendor chart.

So for Apple the Mac is still relevant and for this ocasion, Apple is sending invitation for a October 20th “Back to the Mac”, an event that could shed some light about the next major version of Mac OS X and marks the end of Snow Leopard and the introduction of a whole new cat-based nickname: lion.

Lion could be a whole new Operating System that brings some iOS features back to the mac like multitouch and add more than 200,000 applications that may run freely on the desktop or inside the dashboard, this will be a revitalization of the platform together with an unified environment for easy and quick development of applications entitled to run on Macs or mobile devices.

Going back to the mac could also means providing more hardcore tools for game developers and adding new media and tools to create hardcore mobile newspapers and magazines for the iPad just using Keynote or Pages to help will accelerate the mass adoption of digital of this new kind of media in a broader market.

The reborn of Mac is due in part to Mac OS X, the power behind it and its industry-wise strength as the core, a power that has been transfered to Apple’s mobile devices with iOS and the heart of the next major revolution: AppleTV.

Apple is loosening its restrictions on the AppStore and on its way to do business, licensing DVR IP from Rovi means that every mac or iOS device could act as a wireless media hub for other iOS or non-iOS devices that accept AirPlay.

But, while I like the new AppleTV and its ultra cheap price, I still believe that the new AppleTV is still a hobby or is a half-baked device that is trying to stay afloat in a crowded marekt among better feature-packed devices, it still holds some chances but rivals are not standing still for Apple to satisfy the market.

Why is the AppleTV a half-baked device? It has a tremendous opportunity to take the market by storm, but Apple is holding back some of the most important features for a later update (or not), dvr features, iOS applications, Facetime and more, features that may help move more and more devices out of the Appledome.

Other thing is that Apple could have let the door open for hackers to enhance some features for the machine, a move that is impossible to believe, but not impossible enough watching how media partners aren’t signing into the new AppleTV price scheme.

What is holding Apple for not to open the whole AppleTV programming environment to programmers, why is not available the VLC application or any .avi player that lets AppleTV owners run play or streaming anything.

What’s needed? A real bigger screen or 7″ game-based iPad, because the iPod Touch screen is nice for casual gamers, but hardcore gamers need more real estate, so bringing a 5″ 6″ or even a 7″ game-based iPad could help transform this device into the most successful Apple could have launched and at the same time take away the mobile gaming market almost completely from Sony and Nintendo hands, which can’t compete in games price and device features.

The new 7″ game-based iPad will be always two or three step in front of everybody with features like AirPlay, iPad and AppleTV sync, front-back facing cameras, Gamecenter, iTunes-Ping and more than 220,000 titles to meet user appetite for amazing applications to power their devices.

The new 7″ game-based iPad could act like a dedicated remote control for AppleTV-based games that could be used with up to 3 7″ game-based iPad at the same time, this will help Apple keeps Nintendo Wii running behind, sales from the combination of AppleTV console and a mobile 7″ game-based iPad at the same time could eclipse those generated from the iPhone+iPod Touch and the iPad, because Apple wins selling the 7″ game-based iPad and from the games inside it.

Apple’s iTunes is a well proven ecosystem for music/video and book distritution which primary function is to provide fresh new content to keep members buying and buying, but that content belongs to third-party media networks who decide whether or not to place it in iTunes or take it to other online distribution partners.

iTunes has remained the biggest player in content distribution and content creators are feeling the heat, they want more control over Apple’s iTunes, something that can put Apple in tremendous situation, losing content could mean losing part of iTunes business, Apple knows it, but media executives are ready to burn the house with its business inside.

I’m most than convinced that for Apple the real deal is to invest in creating its own media business, maybe not music in order to avoid another Apple Musci lawsuit, but movies and internet-based series, it would bring fresh new content that could compete with those from CBS, NBC and others.

Creating an internet-based sitcom would drive more traffic to iTunes and can generate a lot more money from syndication or over the air download to iTunes, Apple could leverage its pricing strategy and avoid Hollywood greedy executives; a very risky move, but a really needed one, maybe investing a few millions in AOL, buying a few smaller Hollywood studios or creating its own media business from the ground up for signing young actors, indie movies and short-movies made in home-based studios elsewhere.

Apple has all the components, iTunes for distribution, iAds to provide advertising opportunities for big brands, the iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch and AppleTV for home and mobile media consumtion and enough money to start the media project right now.

This could hurt some media relations, but Apple is used to take risks, this is just another one and would send a strong message to executives and rivals about the power inside Apple’s field.

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Apple has launched Ping, its new Music Social Network where users can follow and be followed by friends, bands and everybody with an iTunes account, but Ping is not the first attempt by Apple to create its own social network related community, there are rumors that points to an imminent redesign to the Support Area into a Support Community where users will be able to collect points depending on how usefull is the information they provide to others.

But the Ping and the Community area of Apple’s support website are not the last known information about social network endeavours by Apple, it’s launched Game Center, a Game related Social Network that will collect information about games played, scores, send and accept direct challenge from other users in a multiplayer-like environment.

With more than 160 million iTunes users these new Apple Social Network could have its success guaranteed, but there is one major problem, none of them are related or unified into the same root, something that could be achieved if all of them run around an universal or unique service (mobileme.com, me.com), an excellent service that is only available to paying members.

Mobileme.com or me.com has the potential to become a real social network bringing information about your mobile usage, photos, emails, upload and download video on the go, calendar and contact sync, plus Game Center, Ping and the new Support Community.

Two keys will be important to the success of the Apple Social Networks, one: free iAds-supported MobileMe.com, where users can have its own mobile Social Network with Sync on the Go while features Like Find My Phone could be access for a monthly charge; two: interaction, how the communities/social networks interact between them and/or outside them (Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, others).

Apple has too many things dispersed when they can be combined to bring more value to the end users and increase Apple user base with interaction from other Networks that will provide fresh information and green cash to iTunes and other Apple Stores, like Books, AppStore and Ping’s concert Store.

But I really believe that Apple is too slow deploying their respective communities, there’s a tremendous opportunity in Books and TV and launching one Community and later the other will only give too much time to rivals to launch similar communities when Apple only has to make one big network (Me.com or iTunes.com) and everything falls in place.

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Rumors point to an imminent upgrade and possibly rebranding to the AppleTV, the hobby device kepts captive for years under Steve Jobs’ Distortion Field, the AppleTV has been suffering of a traumatic Identity Crisis missing real DVR and TV tuner features found almost in every set top box in the market, but with the biggest potential among devices of its kind.

Now is the time, a new AppleTV or iTV could become the real Home Media king taking away the thunders of the recently announced Google TV, but not precisely the TV inside the AppleTV is what will make this new device our favorite, it’s the possibility to run thousand applications or even better, to have the hability to run games developed for the iPad or the iPhone in our TV, a real threat to the Xbox and the PS3 gaming consoles that won’t be able to compete in prices with those found in the AppStore.

Don’t get me wrong, the AppleTV is not in the same level of gaming quality and quantity, but it will eventually, it is a matter of consumer demand and games developers will be more than happy to have their titles running in the iPhone, the iPad and in the AppleTV, a bigger, better and more profitable opportunity for developers.

Gamers will enjoy the possibility to move their scores from the iPhone to the iPad or to the AppleTV thanks to the newly announced Games Center, a so kind of Gaming Social Network that would attract players and developers and could compete with features offered by the Xbox and the PS3. If the rumors become true, the AppleTV will be a headache for Sony or Microsoft when it comes to new game price and features or the multi-device development of the iOS.

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Apple new FaceTime and the unfinished Data Center will provide an amazin experience to iPhone and iPad users, it’s known that the team from Lala (the streaming audio company bought by Apple) is not working on that (audio stream) instead the team is hard working into a better video streaming technology that will be the heart to a rumored Apple TV, but I don’t believe that the Data Center will be just only to streaming video to the Apple TV, it could not only do that, but liberate the FaceTime to all iOS users, the same way Skype provides its video and calling technology to its clients, a non attached-carrier service..

The main reason for Apple to make FaceTime Wi-fi only or a carrier independable technology is that it won’t hurt users in the long run, but it can be power by Apple’s own Data Center.

Apple will extend FaceTime to every device it makes, from iPods to iMacs and this is where Skype is in danger, FaceTime is an Open Standard, so everybody is free to implemented into their services and devices, but Skype can implement it too, the real problem for Skype is that it has 560 million registered users, with 124 million registered users are active on monthly basis and only a 8.1 million of them are paying $96 dollars a year on average. Now imagine if more peopler can have FaceTime, a better video calling technology free of any charge and any carrier, it will mean more troubles for Skype on a monthly basis.

I don’t believe that Apple is launching FaceTime to take away any marketshare from the VOiP or video calling from Skype, Apple is just trying to expand its market including more attractive features and services to its own devices.

Apple is celebrating today that all four of the major networks are offering primetime programs in stunning high definition on the iTunes® Store (www.itunes.com), including viewer favorites “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Lost” from ABC, “CSI” and “CSI: Miami” from CBS, “Bones” and “Prison Break” airing on FOX, and “Heroes” and “The Office” from NBC Universal. The iTunes Store is the world’s most popular online TV store with over 200 million TV episodes sold, including more than one million HD episodes purchased since the launch of HD programming on iTunes last month.

“We’ve got an incredible Fall 2008 TV lineup with over 70 primetime comedies and dramas, including many of the most popular shows on TV in stunning HD,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of Internet Services. “With over 200 million episodes sold, iTunes customers have proven they love watching television on their computer, iPod, iPhone and TV with Apple TV.”

The iTunes Store features the world’s largest online catalog of TV programs with over 70 primetime comedies and dramas from the major networks and television programs from over 70 cable networks including Bravo, Comedy Central, Disney Channel, ESPN, FX, HBO, MTV, Nickelodeon, Sci Fi, Showtime and USA. Standard definition television shows on the iTunes Store are $1.99 per episode, while HD programs from ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX are $2.99 per episode. Many series offer a season pass option which allows customers to purchase entire seasons at a discounted price.

The list of HD programs now available on the iTunes Store includes ABC’s “Brothers & Sisters,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Dirty Sexy Money,” “Eli Stone,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Life on Mars,” “Lost,” “Private Practice,” “Samantha Who?” and “Ugly Betty.” CBS programming includes “CSI,” “CSI: Miami,” “CSI: New York,” “NCIS” and “Numb3rs.” FOX shows include “Bones,” “House,” “Prison Break” and “Sons of Anarchy,” which airs on FX. NBC shows include “30 Rock,” “Heroes,” “Kath & Kim,” “Knight Rider,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Life,” “Lipstick Jungle,” “My Own Worst Enemy” and “The Office,” and SCI FI Channel’s “Battlestar Galactica” and “Eureka,” and USA Network’s “In Plain Sight,” “Monk,” “Psych” and “The Starter Wife.”

The iTunes Store is the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie store with a catalog of over eight million songs, over 30,000 TV episodes and over 2,500 films including 600 in stunning high definition video. With Apple’s legendary ease of use, pioneering features such as iTunes Movie Rentals, integrated podcasting support, iMix playlist sharing, the ability to turn previously purchased tracks into complete albums at a reduced price, and seamless integration with iPod® and iPhone™, the iTunes Store is the best way for Mac® and PC users to legally discover, purchase and download music and video online.

As new rumors resurface about a HDTV with AppleTV attached from Apple and the inevitable dismissal of the 30″ Cinema Display and the new arrival of a new serie of intelligent displays with more features and less power consumption, plus the impending upgrade of the AppleTV to something usable, what We really believe Apple needs to end the Livingroom war against Microsoft is a Television OS.

An OS that give you more control of your watching experience, animation between channels, program bookmarks, review sharing, recommendation and On Demand information (weather, transit, wall street) via widgets. Ok, I know that there are channels that provide that kind of information, but you must spend minutes surfing for them and it is not possible to have this information instantly, a widget system can solve it.

What we need is a TV with brain, hard disc, wireless transmission, automatic download of your favorite Youtube clips, a TV that understands how we interact with information and keeps learning about our habits, a TV that knows when there is nobody watching it and automatically dimm itsel.

A combination of IPTV+Mac OS X+Coverflow, something unique, I know that this kind of monster needs dedication, hardware and software and thousand of man/hours, but Apple has the ability to do marvel, the Mac, the ipod, the iphone and whatever is in the pipeline shows us that when Steve puts his heart on something, it works.

Apple can even get support for AT&T digital Television, broadcast or create an iTunes TV Channel that promotes the latest music, video or events on iTunes or better a direct link to Youtube or any other video website.

Imagine a 30″ Apple designed LCD TV with remote ipod touch and iphone connection, wireless internet connection, Coverflow for channel surfing, W for Widget with ready to use information, Parental control, Google Map, automatic Channel bookmark based on your previous selection of tags or topics, iphoto and imovie ready (wirelessly), automatic computer syncing, Channel and program Reviews, and Music tagging for later download on itunes.

A networked TV that can help us monitor what our children watch and when, that share wirelessly in multiple media what is being shown on TV, imagine having a Server based TV that recharge your favorites programs, movies and news to your ipod or iphone.

Apple is entitled to start the next TV Revolution, today is not about content, it is how you show the content. Tivo and Sony represent big challenges to Apple, they haven’t reached the panacea of their hardware evolution and Apple with its Mighty Touch of sensibility and detail can excel them in 2 more years or less.

Imagine a TV interface based on Coverflow, where you can change your channels moving your fingers in your remote control trap pad, where you can freeze, transmit and record your favorite programs. Where if you listen a song in any commercial, the information about this song is automatically stored in a small area of your screen, where you can link from an ad to a web page just touching a button and where you just can rate, preview and recommend programs as we do in digg.com and others social sites. This is the television we deserve right now, Tivo has done a nice job, but there is nothing new in its interface, Moxi brings a more interesting interface, but it is doomed if they can’t put it inside a TV, not just a set top box.

What we need is a TV with brain, hard disc, wireless transmission, automatic download of your favorite Youtube clips, a TV that understands how we interact with information and keeps learning about our habits, a TV that knows when there is nobody watching it and automatically dimm itsel.
And I know that Apple can transform our TV in something more compelling, in the end HDTV, LCD and new technologies only help you see a clearer picture, they don’t help you enjoy your TV.

Let’s wait for Apple TV evolution hoping that somebody in Apple is being thinking about the next Big Thing for this new Hobby called Apple TV.

Apple today introduced a new LED based 24″ Cinema Display especially designed for the Macbooks, featuring the new Display Port, 1920 x 1200 resolution, stereo speakers, a MagSafe to power your Macbook, a USB port.

While the design is beautiful and the added technology makes it more interesting the price is too high for what it offers, it is a iMac case that behave like a Display but without the iMac and if I want to have a bigger display for my new Macbook this is not the correct one, with this money I can buy a iMac 24″ refurbished that will be more productive than an dull Display. Sorry Apple, not this time

The $899 price is tooo high for a secondary display, instead the smarter thing to do is spend it in two or even 3 display from Samsung, while I won’t discuss that the display looks beautiful, but please the price is out of proportion when you can buy an iMac 24″ refurbished for the same price and even if you need more thand that, you can buy a Epson or any other Projector that you can hook up your Macbook.

Check these offers, while these displays are not Cinema, they look interesting and their beauty relies on their price, check it….

Dell S2409W Black 24″ Widescreen LCD Monitor $324
Samsung T260HD 25.5″ Widescreen LCD Monitor 526.99
Samsung SyncMaster 245BW Black 24″ Widescreen LCD Monitor $299.00

All prices come from PC World.com