We're ashamed to admit it, but we're finding it hard to get too excited about this week's Macworld Expo. Partly it's the fact that we don't get to go, but mostly it's that we're pretty burned out on the pre-Expo hype. In fact, in a more general sense, we're all hyped out; the holiday season is three solid months of hype, and we're just coming down off of that now. This time around it's been worse than ever, because in addition to the usual consumer frenzy known as Christmas, we also had to deal with "millennium" hype-- the dawn of a new era, yadda yadda yadda. And in addition to that, there was all that Y2K hype. Frankly, we're just glad that it's all over and done with. So you can understand why this year we're just a smidge more resistant to Macworld hype than usual.

That doesn't mean, however, that we aren't just a little thrilled about the expected unveiling of Apple's latest PowerBook, code-named "Pismo." Rumors about Pismo's specs have been flying all over the place for several months now, and it's nice to think that we're mere hours away from finding out which rumors were true and which ones missed the mark. Personally, we're keeping our fingers crossed for the specs list published over at O'Grady's PowerPage, because there are some really neat features described there. In addition to everything you'd expect (FireWire, AirPort compatibility, a motherboard based on Apple's new Unified Motherboard Architecture), the PowerPage throws in a few extras that have us intrigued. Try these on for size: a light-up keyboard, a two-button trackpad, IBM's ViaVoice complete with headset, and a new Harman Kardon sound system. (Unsurprisingly, it's the light-up keyboard that really has us buzzed.)

In fact, the only big disappointment in the PowerPage's spec list is its description of Pismo's enclosure. Whereas the rest of the Mac product line is replete with swooping curves, translucent materials, and multiple colors and textures, Pismo is reported to "look just like Lombard," the current PowerBook G3; "word is that Steve wants to keep this machine pretty much black to avoid losing business customers." Say it ain't so, Steve! Could it be that the negative feedback generated by the Power Mac G3's Blueberry-and-Ice casing has actually made Apple's iCEO a little gunshy about "unusual" hues? The Power Mac G4 is Graphite and Ice, and we haven't heard a single complaint about it being unsuitable for a business setting-- surely Pismo could stand some flash and glitz? Personally, we'll be very surprised if Pismo doesn't include at least a few tasteful silver or Graphite highlights. After all, Apple's got a reputation to uphold, here.