Wow! What a week. The BIG news was Apple's introduction of new M1 MacBook Pro laptops. Like many, I've waited years for these new systems to see the light of day. The new M1 Pro and M1 Max chips are beyond exciting! It's my lead story.
NOTE: I've already ordered my system, which is due to arrive in a couple of weeks. I'll have more on this new hardware when my gear shows up. (The article linked above describes what I bought.)
But there was a LOT more than hardware from Apple released this week: new versions of Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Motion and Compressor with new features; new Air Pods; new Tech Talks for developers; and a specific release date for macOS Monterey.
BIG CAUTION! Within hours of this newsletter, Apple will be releasing the latest version of macOS: Monterey. As I have counseled for years I STRONGLY RECOMMEND you hold off upgrading any systems that are business critical - at least until Apple releases a .1 update.
Apple works very hard to make each new version of the macOS as strong and reliable as possible. But the real-world is a challenging place. Our job is to deliver high-quality media projects on time. Never upgrade to a new OS with systems you are using to meet deadlines. Waiting a bit is far better than dealing with a system that doesn't work.
Unlike past OS updates, there are features in both Monterey and the new version of Final Cut that require M1 systems. In spite of that, I still recommend waiting until we see how stable the new OS proves to be.
As I mentioned, new versions of Final Cut, Motion and Compressor were also released this week. Here's the complete list of changes:
Anthony Fleming's article on YouTube penalizing filmmakers for using music in their projects hit the larger web last week, generating tens of thousands of views. If you haven't read his comments, it's worth reading. Nothing changes if we don't protest.
Adobe MAX is coming up this week and it promises to be, ah, eventful! If you haven't signed up for this free conference covering all things Adobe, here's the link. Past events have proven to be well worth your time.
Nvidia announced GTC, another free event showing "how the world’s leading film and production studios create the most advanced, visually rich feature films and television shows with stunning visual effects (VFX), realistic animation, and ray tracing. And see how broadcasters are redefining how content is created, distributed, and consumed." (Nvidia website). Windows users will be especially interested in seeing the latest in tech from Nvidia.
