The star of the show is the MacBook Air, an incredibly sleek and thin notebook. Billed as an ultra portable, it embraces wireless technologies and drops older technologies, including the optical drive.

My old PowerBook G4 is still alive and kicking, and serving my needs fine. So its the updates to other products that I’m most excited about.

Apple TV, a favorite gadget of mine, got a much-needed boost today. Movies can now be rented from the iTunes Store, and Apple TV has direct access. It’s no longer necessary to download a video into iTunes, and then sync it over to Apple TV. This will make it much more convenient to watch the latest releases.

One new product I am considering purchasing is Time Capsule. Dubbed a NAS device in tech lingo, it is essentially a hard drive that can be plugged into a network and shared amongst multiple computers.

I’ve tried several of these types of devices in the past, and never been very happy with them. I’m hoping that Time Capsule changes that. I’m waiting to read reviews, but indications are it’ll be simple to set up and well supported on Mac OS X. If that’s true, I’ll likely end up purchasing a capsule or two.

With any luck, I’ll manage to sneak over to the Moscone Center this week to catch a first-hand glimpse of the new wares.

Apple’s focus was clearly centered on Apple TV and iPhone. There were a couple of iPhones on display, rotating slowly around behind the protection of a clear case. In person, the iPhone looks sleek and sophisticated, and its claimed top spot on my want list.

I’ve posted the photos I snapped at the expo to Flickr.

The Apple TV had been previously announced, under the code-name iTV. It’s a set-top box that lets movies downloaded from iTunes be watched on a widescreen TV. It’s also capable of playing music from iTunes and displaying photos stored in iPhoto.

The highlight of the keynote, however, was iPhone. It combines a mobile phone, an iPod, and Internet connectivity into a single unit. It does all that with Apple’s signature ease-of-use and revolutionary thinking. The QuickTours available at the iPhone site are amazing. This device is stunning.

The iPhone will be available in June from Cingular, its exclusive carrier. I’m currently a Verizon customer, but that may soon change. I’ve recently been considering switching carriers, in order to upgrade to a BlackBerry Pearl. However, I may put that off and wait for the iPhone’s release.

The keynote address from Macworld San Francisco 2007 is available for viewing online. I’m about to watch it right now…

Naturally, this has excited many Apple fans, myself included. With unparalleled brand loyalty behind it, Apple is building on the momentum of Mac OS X and the iPod + iTunes combination. They’ve already announced the code-named iTV, and the rumor mill is in full effect for next week’s Macworld Conference & Expo.

Coinciding with Macworld is CES, where the consumer electronics industry makes their big announcements. Combined, the two events mark an exciting start to the new year for gadget-lovers everywhere. I’m sure to be on sensory overload.