With a US$250 price difference (not including other bundled apps), it's understandable that recent purchasers of the standalone Soundtrack may be kicking themselves with Apple's announcement today of Garage Band. But there are important differences between the apps and their markets. Let's compare:

Steve anounced new Xserve G5 (2G or 2x2GHz), FinalCut Express 2, MS Office 2004, iLife '04 (iPhoto 4, iMovie 4, iDvd 4, iTune) and GarageBand, a new part of the iLife family.

Jam Pack is an additionnal $99 pack for GarageBand adding more virtual instruments, loops, amplifier models and effects.

Apple updated its low-end iPod model from 10G to 15G still prices at $299.

Apple also introduced iPod Mini , a mini 4G iPod sized like a business card, featuring Firewire and USB2. iPod Mini will ship from february in multiple colors for $249.

Live from San Francisco, Apple has just introduced GarageBand, entry level music production software -- a genre long-missing from the Mac platform. The software is being demoed by John Mayer (with the admission that he's "a guitarrist," hence playing only in C). You can use GarageBand as a 64-track audio/MIDI sequencer, loop-based tool (a la Soundtrack, complete with 1000 pro-quality loops), or simply take advantage of it as a 50-instrument virtual instrument. Export to iTunes bounces directly into a special iTunes playlist. The software instruments sound absolutely gorgeous. GarageBand is integrated into iLife for US$49, free with new Macs. (!!)

Here's the moment you've been waiting for: M, the algorithmic composition software developed by defunct Dr. T's and not seen by many since leg warmers were in fashion, is coming to OS X, courtesy Cycling `74. Okay, that's probably not the moment you've been waiting for, but if M is on OS X, I think we can safely say the OS X transition is coming to a close, and it'll be a chance for many to discover this delightful program. The moment you probably HAVE been waiting for: Pluggo for OS X, bringing with it the ability to create infinite plugins in Max/MSP and to load up your OS X plug-ins menu with an obscene number of odd (and useful) effects. California developer Cycling hasn't stopped there: there's also Sustained Encounters, the first Cycles audio library, plus Mode plug-ins announced at Messe. It's like Christmas for OS X audio. Enjoy.

It's Macworld time again, so you know what that means -- an even bigger show for Mac music, the NAMM, is looming just around the corner. And this is going to be a NAMM of "Blasts from the Past" -- long awaited apps arriving on OS X. First up: Propellerheads' legendary (and still unequaled) app for chopping up beats for tempo warping, ReCycle. ReCycle should be a great companion to Reason on OS X, for newcomers who haven't discovered this software. Check the site below if you're already a user to join the public beta and get ready for more from NAMM. Also promised is a "Reason Education Pack" (I'll let you know what that is), and some "surprises." We'll be watching.