Aperture, it is the software that makes Apple strong

Apple released more hardware today, the really quite nice, if not revolutionary PowerBooks and faster Quad PowerMacs. Yet the thing that took my attention was the Aperture application. Are Apple really trying it on with a Photoshop competitor ?
RAW image-based workflow, image management, full screen working space. All colour managed, with an emphasis on print. It looks lovely from the flashy Apeture website. The 100 percent loupe is a lovely feature for working on images and from the video it seems very quick. Though it does prefer the faster G5 machines. Importantly I could see myself using this application and getting on with stuff, much as I love Photoshop, is this a case of less being right.
Apple are seriously muscling in on Adobe with this application, let alone the specialist RAW convertor companies. This looks focused, competent and well thought out. I'll be very keen to see a comparison between Photoshop CS2 and Aperture. This isn't the first time either, Shake and Motion are making in roads, just like Final Cut Pro before them.
Apple are becoming the creative persons tool of choice, from the alpha-geeks at O'Reilly conferences to the bio-scientists, to the more traditional visual creatives. It is fascinating to watch each move.