Macworld's Keynote by Apple CEO Steve Jobs

will take place today at 9am ET (6am PT). Afterward the show floor will open and the wraps will come off the Apple booth. Despite some Mac web sites not making the cut this year, there will still be a huge army of media representatives waiting to get into the press section for Jobs' keynote address. We picked up our press pass Tuesday afternoon so we will be one of them.

In the past there have been at least 3 "lines" to get into the Macworld keynote, one each for the general audience, the media and VIPs. The former is very long and out in front of the auditorium. Spirits are high like just before an Apple Store opening. The latter two have their own waiting areas off to the side with early morning refreshments. We have never been in the VIP area but we suspect that some of our colleagues from the more prominent media (major newspapers, TV shows and magazines) are there among the VIPs. In the media area, the media dutifully lines up for most of the wait but the line turns into a surging mass charging the exit once admittance to the auditorium begins just after the VIP area is emptied. We hope we are better controlled by IDG this year since we haven't been able to control ourselves.

No matter how early we arrive nor how up front we get in the media line, the center press section is already filled when we get into the auditorium, hence our thoughts about the upper crust media being in the VIP "line." We always end up in one of the two "wings" on either side of the stage but still up close and personal. Despite the uncivilized antics of our colleagues, we wouldn't miss the keynote for anything and are very happy to be admitted as media. The clock says 7 hours until the alarm goes off...tick...tick...tick....

Stay tuned for our report following the keynote address.