There are many, many reasons to attend Macworld Expo: you get to see all the latest hardware coming down the pike, you can play beta versions of games that won't be shipping for months, and you get to do it all in the presence of several thousand other Mac fans from all over the world. And there are plenty of reasons why it's a good idea to shoulder the extra expense and buy a conference pass, instead of just admission to the show floor. First of all, the conferences themselves can be hit and miss, but it's possible to unearth some real gems where you can learn a lot, be entertained at the same time, and even qualify for free stuff. But more importantly, in our estimation, is the fact that a conference pass grants you admission to the keynote address-- which, as long as Steve Jobs remains iCEO, is guaranteed to be a Mac user's greatest thrill ride. New products! Upbeat sales data! The glory of experiencing the fabled Reality Distortion Field live and in person! And every once in a while, we even get new commercials, months before they make it to the airwaves.

This past Expo was one such time. We were so jazzed about the introduction of the iBook, we don't think we ever got around to mentioning the five thirty-second commercials for Apple's new consumer laptop, which publicly premiered to the standing-room-only crowd on the large overhead screens. In case you haven't heard about them, the first four are very reminiscent of the original four iMac ads-- stark white background, product shots from various angles, and Jeff Goldblum reprising his role as the voiceover guy. One introduces the iBook as "iMac Unplugged." Another describes it as "iMac To Go." The third features Mr. Goldblum pondering whether it's possible to fall in love with a computer. (The answer, of course, is yes-- but Mac users have known that for years.) And in the fourth, Jeff steps graciously aside to allow the voiceover talents of Mr. Barry White, doing what he does best; unsurprisingly, that one proved to be the most popular with the Expo audience. The last commercial shown focused on Apple's wireless Airport networking architecture, and featured the UFO-looking base station doing its UFO-looking thing.

So if you missed the show, or if you want to revisit those ads before they show up on TV, you're in luck; iBook Planet has the exclusive on QuickTime versions of those five commercials. Plus, there's a bonus: the short clip that's apparently going to run repeatedly on in-store demo models, which features iBooks flying all over the place while words in several languages play up the product's style, speed, and simplicity. So what are you waiting for? Get downloading! There's no better cure for the empty hole left by the current dearth of Apple commercials on prime time television.