LOS ANGELES — Now it's Apple's turn.

After tech firms last week tried to out-dazzle each other at the Consumer Electronics Show with gadgets that marry the Internet, consumer technology and entertainment, Apple Computer takes center stage at its own Macworld conference in San Francisco.

Apple fiercely guards its product announcements until CEO Steve Jobs' keynote. In that address today, tech analysts who follow the company expect Jobs to unveil redesigned laptops and a new iteration of the iPod Shuffle player, and perhaps introduce a new Mac mini computer that hooks into a TV set and can track all at-home digital content.

Rob Enderle, an independent analyst with the Enderle Group, says he took special note of the raft of Consumer Electronics Show announcements about new digital media services that worked with Microsoft software — and not Apple's.

MTV is launching a new online music service called Urge. The Vongo service from pay-TV network Starz offers 1,000 movies for viewing on PCs or Microsoft-backed portable devices. Yahoo showed new software to link computers and TV programming.

"Apple is locked out of these services, not because people don't want to work with Apple, but because Apple is a closed system," Enderle says.

Shaw Wu, an analyst with American Technology Research, says most of the big announcements at the electronics show played catch-up to Apple's groundbreaking alliance in the fall with ABC to sell reruns of hit shows for viewing on its video iPod.

Apple has since added NBC to the lineup, and broadcasters have jumped on the portable-video bandwagon. Yesterday, Internet search giant Google was set to begin selling downloads of CBS shows for playback on PCs.

"Now, Apple has to take it to the next level," Wu says.

Wu and other analysts also expect a new line of Powerbook and iBook laptops.

Last year, Apple said it would begin working with chip manufacturer Intel, replacing IBM, and that new Apple/Intel computers would appear by mid-year.

Those laptops are expected to be announced today, six months early.

"The new chips allow for a new form factor," Wu says. "That should get the faithful really excited."

It also should boost sales. Some consumers postponed Apple laptop purchases in 2005, waiting for the new models, Enderle says.

Many Apple-enthusiast Web sites have predicted that Jobs would unveil a redesigned Mac mini computer that could serve as a digital media living room hub, complete with a TiVo-like digital video recorder and selling for $500 to $600.

Tech analysts aren't so sure. "That's a product that will sell best in the fourth quarter, and Apple likes to announce things and have them in the stores at the same time," Enderle says.

Still, Jobs must "set the tone that the living room is Apple's next target zone," says Gene Munster, an analyst with Piper Jaffray. "That's where all the action is going."