No powerbook updates?

[Mac Me Up]

ThinkSecret (http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0509g5.html) is reporting that the there will be no powerbook upgrades this year. The Power Mac G5 is being upgraded though...hopefully it's not true (about the powerbook)! :eek:

[mddharma]

:mad: DABNABIT!

There HAS to be an upgrade to the powerbook line before xmas!

:(

[themacman]

there has to be one before october!!1

[mad jew]

That's pretty funny. :D

The iBooks have become ridiculously more competitive than the PowerBooks since their last update and Apple's not doing anything about it. :(

[Jay42]

Yeah, but I still bought a powerbook. In the end the only deciding factors were the screen and the audio in. Plus they probably got a lot of people to make up their minds and buy.

[risc]

That's pretty funny. :D

The iBooks have become ridiculously more competitive than the PowerBooks since their last update and Apple's not doing anything about it. :(

You mean just like this time last year? ;)

Personally I'd still take a PowerBook over the current iBooks.

[Mac Me Up]

Yeah, but I still bought a powerbook. In the end the only deciding factors were the screen and the audio in. Plus they probably got a lot of people to make up their minds and buy.

Well if this story is true (and my feeling is that it is, and a guy I know who sells Macs says that it is) - you're right. It has made up my mind. I think I might buy a powerbook now (even if they are *way* behind PC laptops in features), as a PC user user I've waited a long time to get my hands on MAC OSX, and I can't wait any longer ;)

[slimflem]

Well if this story is true (and my feeling is that it is, and a guy I know who sells Macs says that it is) - you're right. It has made up my mind. I think I might buy a powerbook now (even if they are *way* behind PC laptops in features), as a PC user user I've waited a long time to get my hands on MAC OSX, and I can't wait any longer ;)

*way* behind?? i'm not so sure about that. i think you'll quickly find out you like it better than any other laptop you've ever used. My PowerBook is my first laptop, and first Mac, but I've used a lot of Windows laptops. I can say this without a doubt, the Sleep function on the PowerBooks is second to none. Instant wake up and full restore is awesome! No Windows laptop can touch it. Windows does not have the whole Sleep thing down at all. It's horrible.

When you say way behind, name some stuff. I can say my father's Dell laptop has 6 usb ports on it, but honestly, 2 is plenty for me. are you talking about things like this? surely you can't mean the top-quality LCD on the PowerBook. Maybe you mean battery life, not a big deal to me. 3+ hours is enough for me at once.

Just curious what you see as being way behind.

[slimflem]

Well if this story is true (and my feeling is that it is, and a guy I know who sells Macs says that it is) - you're right. It has made up my mind. I think I might buy a powerbook now (even if they are *way* behind PC laptops in features), as a PC user user I've waited a long time to get my hands on MAC OSX, and I can't wait any longer ;)

You will no doubt LOVE OS X. I am a total convert now and will never go back.

[TheMonarch]

Sweet. This means I made a smart choice in buying my PB in may, instead of waiting till paris. Lesson to you all :p

[gregorydanger]

Apple is treating the PowerBook like the bastard red-headed step child now.

Just kinda weird. I keep thinking that they have something up their sleeve and.. nope, nothing.

Ah well.

[i4k20c]

Just curious what you see as being way behind.

I think he is pretty much just refering to G4 vs. Penitum M! :o

[mad jew]

Personally I'd still take a PowerBook over the current iBooks.


Yeah, I don't claim for a second that there isn't a place in Apple's line up for the current PowerBook. It's just that considering the price difference between the iBook and itself, you'd hope for some more grunt and maybe some new features too. Oh, and maybe some better AirPort reception and battery life too. :p

[wako]

Again I just have to say to those people who have been waiting on the upgrades...


YOU GOT PUNKED


:)

[yg17]

Good, I don't want there to be any updates :D

I just bought a new PB a couple weeks ago, and if they update them this soon, then I'll be pissed ;)

[solvs]

For all who might complain... this is why we're moving to Intel. ;)

[wako]

For all who might complain... this is why we're moving to Intel. ;)



uhh... I wouldnt want to be the first ones to own them though =/

[TheMonarch]

uhh... I wouldnt want to be the first ones to own them though =/


True, I'm glad I won't be part of the 3 thousand dollar beta test... :eek:

[technocoy]

someone says "i know someone who sells macs" i crack up... SO? when was the last time a big rumor was cracked by a mac salesperson? the only time i can remember is when there was a big pallette of product that came in two days before the expo and i think it wound up being the 3g iPods or something.

the mac salespeople know nothing more than we do about new products being announced except for possibly hours if not minutes in advance. would you trust the guy you are paying like 8-12 dollars an hour in a STORE to keep his mouth shut about one of the most secretive companies EVER? no.

there could very well be no update until next year, but then again, who knows?

sorry, just had to get that out. I know three apple employees, one of which works in cupertino in interface development, and he said that most of the time not even they know about a new product until it is VERY close to being made... (unless of course he's working on it).

we'll see in like 5 days

[MacPassion]

*way* behind?? i'm not so sure about that. i think you'll quickly find out you like it better than any other laptop you've ever used. My PowerBook is my first laptop, and first Mac, but I've used a lot of Windows laptops. I can say this without a doubt, the Sleep function on the PowerBooks is second to none. Instant wake up and full restore is awesome! No Windows laptop can touch it. Windows does not have the whole Sleep thing down at all. It's horrible.

When you say way behind, name some stuff. I can say my father's Dell laptop has 6 usb ports on it, but honestly, 2 is plenty for me. are you talking about things like this? surely you can't mean the top-quality LCD on the PowerBook. Maybe you mean battery life, not a big deal to me. 3+ hours is enough for me at once.

Just curious what you see as being way behind.

i think that they are a way behind as far as the screen is concerned...i have to buy a new laptop now (well, i'm selling a 6 months old HP laptop just to get a mac) and i'm not very happy to go for the current powerbook.....

[northernleitz]

I recently had the dubious honor of picking out a Dell laptop for my boss. The thing they don't tell you in their commercials is that the baseline Dell is stripped of any meaningful software or wireless technology. I tried explaining to her that i could show her how to open her Excel files on a Mac without buying any additional software, but she still had to have that Dell... even after I pointed out that it didn't even come with a trial version of Office. By the time you get a whatever laptop spec'ed out to compare fairly with a Power Book, you will be way behind in the dollar race.

From what I have seen of the Wintel bunch, I'd say the current Apple offerings can still hold their own. And if you get the Apple, in two years you will still have a computer, not a quaint relic or inoperable chunk of plastic.

[Mac Me Up]

*way* behind?? i'm not so sure about that. i think you'll quickly find out you like it better than any other laptop you've ever used. My PowerBook is my first laptop, and first Mac, but I've used a lot of Windows laptops. I can say this without a doubt, the Sleep function on the PowerBooks is second to none. Instant wake up and full restore is awesome! No Windows laptop can touch it. Windows does not have the whole Sleep thing down at all. It's horrible.

When you say way behind, name some stuff. I can say my father's Dell laptop has 6 usb ports on it, but honestly, 2 is plenty for me. are you talking about things like this? surely you can't mean the top-quality LCD on the PowerBook. Maybe you mean battery life, not a big deal to me. 3+ hours is enough for me at once.

Just curious what you see as being way behind.

Sorry I should probably clarify. Apple OS is way ahead vs Windows XP, so obviously I'm not talking about software (and this includes sleep, etc). :D

I mean in hardware terms - Radeon 9700 vs the current X800's, G4 vs Pentium M, and yes 4 USB ports should be minimum, 2 is just weird, 'superdrive' vs dual layer 8x dvd burners, etc. It's not that bad, but it does seem like at a hardware level that the powerbook is at least one generation behind a modern PC laptop. ;)

[FFTT]

The PowerBook is STILL one of the worlds best and most proven performers.

Even so every machine you look at right now will be left in the dust sooner or later when cooler running dual cores are mainstream.

If you really NEED a portable you pay a premium anyway, regardless of platform.
With this in mind, lots of people are buying conservative, going for an iBook or a 12" PowerBook to get them through the next few years while the dust settles. At least you've got a great machine running a fabulous OS that WORKS for you NOW for a reasonable price.

[Mac Me Up]

Well ladies and gentleman, I'm off to buy one now :D

12" inch powerbook, with superdrive...it comes with a free mighty mouse as well. Not that I like the mouse (you mean I have to lift my left finger off the mouse to make a right-click *meh*), but free is free!

When I said it was a bit old, it's true. I'm just being objective. Truth be told though it doesn't really make me want it any less.

In about an hours time, I'll be a true switcher :cool:

[mad jew]

Welcome and congratulations Mac Me Up. :)

[kimchimonkey]

still gonna wait it one more week.
:( can't trust the rumor sites..

[risc]

still gonna wait it one more week.
:( can't trust the rumor sites..

Yeah they're what got you waiting in the first place ;)

[Mac Me Up]

Well I went to the Apple store, and had one last look at the 12-inch powerbook. They had it sitting next to the 15-inch and I had a play with them for a while. Then something weird happened...I changed my mind :eek: . Not to worry, it wasn't about buying a Mac, instead I decided to go 15-inch instead.

The service in the store was pretty lousy, and the guy didn't know all that much about the powerbooks, so I've ordered it online instead (saved some money too :) )

So yeah I'll have to wait a bit longer to get it, but it will be worth it. Finally I live up to my nick Mac Me Up baby! :D

[ariechel]

Apple knows that people will be wary of purchasing the first Intel-based Powerbooks. If a new PPC-based Powerbook is released, all the people who have been putting off their Powerbook purchases will buy one to tide them over until the second or third generation of Intel-based Powerbooks is released.

It stands to reason that, if Apple does not want to see poor sales of its first Intel-based Powerbooks, it will not release a PPC-based Powerbook for many months before its first Intel-based Powerbooks appear. If Apple does not release a final PPC-based Powerbook, people will likely be so desperate for anything new that they will even purchase a first-revision Intel-based Powerbook.

Intel-based Powerbooks at MWSF? Marketing (if not software availability, etc.) seems to say yes.

[sw1tcher]

Well I went to the Apple store, and had one last look at the 12-inch powerbook. They had it sitting next to the 15-inch and I had a play with them for a while. Then something weird happened...I changed my mind :eek: . Not to worry, it wasn't about buying a Mac, instead I decided to go 15-inch instead.

The service in the store was pretty lousy, and the guy didn't know all that much about the powerbooks, so I've ordered it online instead (saved some money too :) )

So yeah I'll have to wait a bit longer to get it, but it will be worth it. Finally I live up to my nick Mac Me Up baby! :D

When it finally arrives, don't open it until MW Paris is over. Who knows if there'll be a PB update or not. If there is one, you'll be able to return it without a restock fee. Just something to consider as that's what I'd do.

[generik]

True, I'm glad I won't be part of the 3 thousand dollar beta test... :eek:

Don't worry, it will just be another class action suit and a voucher for a new powerbook replacement.

[Euan]

4 USB ports should be minimum, 2 is just weird,2 does me fine, I'd rather have more FW400 & even the FW800 ports.

[Euan]

If Apple does not release a final PPC-based Powerbook, people will likely be so desperate for anything new that they will even purchase a first-revision Intel-based Powerbook.
True... I might just buy myself an electric drum kit instead :D

[wrxguy]

2 does me fine, I'd rather have more FW400 & even the FW800 ports.
agreed .... same here...plus if you needed more USB its cheaper to get a USB hub as compared to a Firewire one

[slimflem]

I can honestly say that I have never been more satisfied with a piece of hardware than I am with the PowerBook. I think it's just an amazing piece of work. Some evenings I can't even go to bed...I'm just glued to it.

I go to a local coffee shop around the corner from where I live that has free wireless and hang out, drink some coffee, check out the hot girls...the typical stuff. There are usually at least 5 or 6 others with laptops. In the time I have been coming here, I have only seen one person with a PowerBook other than myself. All the others are these large clunky looking, thick, fat, squared-off Dell's, Compaq's, HP's, etc. I mean, I'm not trying to bash these brands, well kinda, but I just don't find *any* of them attractive, at all. They don't have classy styling, they are all either black or some off-dirty-gray-cheapy-plastic looking thing. I am so thankful some guys at work have PowerBooks and I was able to check them out before buying. I was immediately in love with them. I am so proud of this thing it's not funny.

I don't find the lack of 4 or 6 usb ports, dual-layer writers, faster bus speeds, etc. to be any sort of problem at all. If you really need more than 2 usb devices hooked up at once, then get yourself a little hub, done. The quality of the PB, the existence of every connection type you need, the flawless working of the AirPort wireless and the absolute rock-solid OS X is like a dream come true for me. I have had zero problems. I just love it....can't you tell. It's my first laptop, but I have used many. When I see other brand laptops now, I just think they are inferior. I think I have become jaded in my 2 weeks of owning my PowerBook...maybe somewhat arrogant about it...but damn, it is that good.

:D

[Detlev_73]

I just a 15" Powerbook a week ago! This money was burning a hole in my pocket. It's SWEET!!! Absolutely love it. Complements my G5 very well. Airport is awesome, it's just as fast as a wired connection, or at least seems as fast.

[Nereus]

What do you do in case there is no upgrade at Apple Paris Expo?

I was thinking something like this:

Upgrade - buy
Price drop, but no upgrade until next year - buy

No upgrade and no price drop but statement that there will be no PowerBooks until January - buy?
No upgrade, no price drop, and no statement when an upgrade will come - buy?

[FFTT]

Congratulations Mac Me Up,

You've been researching this carefully for quite some time
and I think you'll be delighted with your decision.

[al3000]

Pleeeaase apple, after all this wait... give us something!

[drake]

That's cool. Now I can just go ahead and pickup that Thinkpad.

[adrian-cg]

That's cool. Now I can just go ahead and pickup that Thinkpad.
Good luck with Winblows, man. :)

[MUCKYFINGERS]

Thinkpads are pretty cool if you want a Windows machine...

[tekmoe]

Thinkpads are pretty cool if you want a Windows machine...

thinkpads are the only other laptop i would spend my hard earned money on. i work in the IT department at my current employer and i have seen ALOT of laptops come and go. the ones that are still churning are the thinkpads. the compaqs, dells, hp's, gateways...they all suck. cheaply made, flimsy, pieces of doodoo.

i made my work buy me a thinkpad t42 earlier this year and it is an AWESOME laptop. the only other laptop that can whip its ass is of course, none other than the marvelous powerbook. =)

[m4r71n1]

I mean in hardware terms - Radeon 9700 vs the current X800's, G4 vs Pentium M, and yes 4 USB ports should be minimum, 2 is just weird, 'superdrive' vs dual layer 8x dvd burners, etc. It's not that bad, but it does seem like at a hardware level that the powerbook is at least one generation behind a modern PC laptop. ;)

I'd say theyre alot further behind than most PC laptops. Yes of course the difference between dual layer burners and pentium M vs. G4. The gfx card lags behind much more significantly than one generation. Radeon 9700 is not only a premium price for mac but at least 4 generations behind. The G4 is also at least 4. The superdrive is also not the greatest out. In addition, the hardrive is far beyond simply out of date. With more stylish computers coming out from Windows laptops, it becomes questionable to purchase a Mac. The main thing that mac has going for it is it's OS (and of course thus its lack of viruses). Personally, I am steering away from Mac laptops til' Mactels come out because the currents hardware specs for the Powerbook are weak.

[m4r71n1]

I just love it....can't you tell. It's my first laptop, but I have used many. When I see other brand laptops now, I just think they are inferior. I think I have become jaded in my 2 weeks of owning my PowerBook...maybe somewhat arrogant about it...but damn, it is that good.

:D

Shallow... haha.. but yea... mac laptops are best because they look so godamned nice. But really, in my opinion, it isnt worth the cash to spend that much on a good looking computer. You can also buy a pretty sony one too or even an acer ferrari branded one which looks quite sleek. For some reason you dont see any other laptops that look like the apple one... Wouldnt some PC company just steal those good looks.

[WillMak]

would powerbooks look as kewl if more people had them? ibooks look pretty nice as well.

[Project]

I dont understand how difficult it is for Apple to at least just slightly upgrade some of the more staple stuff, like HD or Ram or something... 768mb Ram and a SuperDrive on the 12" models would be a pretty easy mini update to implement and make the PowerBooks far more value for the hefty price that they are.

[paperinacup]

I dont understand how difficult it is for Apple to at least just slightly upgrade some of the more staple stuff, like HD or Ram or something... 768mb Ram and a SuperDrive on the 12" models would be a pretty easy mini update to implement and make the PowerBooks far more value for the hefty price that they are.

12" models already have superdrives.

[Project]

Sorry, I was referring to the base model 12", which doesnt have a superdrive. I would remove the 12" combo model, and move the 12" SD down to the combos price, and then move each model down one where there would be a gap. That would create a much tighter line of PowerBooks that are way more price competitive.

[supafly1703]

Well ladies and gentleman, I'm off to buy one now :D

12" inch powerbook, with superdrive...it comes with a free mighty mouse as well. Not that I like the mouse (you mean I have to lift my left finger off the mouse to make a right-click *meh*), but free is free!

When I said it was a bit old, it's true. I'm just being objective. Truth be told though it doesn't really make me want it any less.

In about an hours time, I'll be a true switcher :cool:


Since when do Mighty Mice come free with Powerbooks?

[powerbook911]

Sorry, I was referring to the base model 12", which doesnt have a superdrive. I would remove the 12" combo model, and move the 12" SD down to the combos price, and then move each model down one where there would be a gap. That would create a much tighter line of PowerBooks that are way more price competitive.

Exactly. This is what I would like to see as well.

[brepublican]

Since when do Mighty Mice come free with Powerbooks?
Exactly! I've had my Powerbook for exactly one week and one day and they never gave me a Mighty Mouse to go with it... Are you buying from Apple?

What gives?

[Mac Me Up]

Exactly! I've had my Powerbook for exactly one week and one day and they never gave me a Mighty Mouse to go with it... Are you buying from Apple?

What gives?

No there's an apple reseller called 'NextByte' here in Australia (or South Australia at least) that was doing it as a promotion. Apple themselves weren't. I bought from a different store though (www.zerothree.com.au, in Victoria), so I didn't get a mighty mouse, but I did get AUD$200 off, so that seemed like a better deal :)

Should be here tomorrow or the day after... :D

[paperinacup]

Sorry, I was referring to the base model 12", which doesnt have a superdrive. I would remove the 12" combo model, and move the 12" SD down to the combos price, and then move each model down one where there would be a gap. That would create a much tighter line of PowerBooks that are way more price competitive.


I understand now and I totally agree.

[i4k20c]

Yah-

I mean speed bumps would be nice, but it doesn't have to be that if they can't do it. I would love to see even maybe a 1.6 or something and a 1.75 idk how that works, but even if there were no speed bumps, they could have 512 built in (on par with ibook), than throw in a 256 to bring it up to the 768 (step ahead of ibook), they could have maybe a 100gig hardrive (this maybe going overboard tho... :p ) at the very least, it'd be nice if they can throw in the backlit keyboard for the 12inch, reduce the price by a 100-200 (i guess getting rid of the combo would do this..) and maybe work on the graphics card, and bam.. got a laptop that is still competitive imo, deffinetly makes the gap between the ibook and pb nicer!

[tekmoe]

i was about to buy a 17" last night. standing in the apple store, i had the cash in hand. the only thing that stopped me was the fact that my brain said "must...wait...until...after...paris...expo"

after this tuesday, i will probably go get my 17" and call it a day. i may keep it in the box until the tuesday of next week, but if no new powerbooks are announced this week, chances are, there will be no new powerbooks for the rest of the year.

[Euan]

Sorry, I was referring to the base model 12", which doesnt have a superdrive. I would remove the 12" combo model, and move the 12" SD down to the combos price, and then move each model down one where there would be a gap. That would create a much tighter line of PowerBooks that are way more price competitive.
Yep, excellent idea.

[drake]

Good luck with Winblows, man. :)

Hey, eventually I'll get OS X on it :p That will be a screaming machine!! :D

[mongoos150]

Hey, eventually I'll get OS X on it :p That will be a screaming machine!! :D

I hope not...lol I sincerely hope Apple can somehow commercially limit OS X to their own hardware. The thought of OS X running on beige boxes around the world sickens me...sure, more exposure and sales for Apple, but it brings the whole Macintosh experience level down about ten notches.

[Euan]

Well ladies and gentleman, I'm off to buy one now :D

12" inch powerbook, with superdrive...it comes with a free mighty mouse as well. Not that I like the mouse (you mean I have to lift my left finger off the mouse to make a right-click *meh*), but free is free!

When I said it was a bit old, it's true. I'm just being objective. Truth be told though it doesn't really make me want it any less.

In about an hours time, I'll be a true switcher :cool:
Congratulations.