Widescreen iBooks?

[GTJ]

Think secret just put this story up....

http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0507ibook.html

Sounds like the update might be soon!!

[aswitcher]

We can but hope.

[cooknwitha]

How reliable is Think Secret?

[GroundLoop]

How reliable is Think Secret?

They are pretty much spot on 99% of the time. Sometimes they have issues with the timing of product releases, but if they publish specs, you can bet that they are identical (or really close).

Hickman

[aswitcher]

How reliable is Think Secret?

Highly. So expect it anytime now as they say.

[marvbloke]

Apple tend to release products on Tuesdays (not always though). So keep an eye on the US (http://www.apple.com/store) and UK (http://www.apple.com/ukstore) online Apple Stores to see if they go off...

[wide]

Apple likes to release products on Tuesday, and at an "even" hour, so we should be seeing them at 11am EST, 1pm, or 3pm. 5pm would be going a little too late, I think.

[aegisdesign]

iBook 12.1" ship times in the UK store are 7 days which is much longer than usual.

I'd guess we may well be due a new iBook this week. A nice 13.1" widescreen iBook a little smaller than the current 12.1" overall would be very nice. Sony T2 or Fujitsu Lifebook kind of size.

[shadowmoses]

I am too pretty sure thinksecret are correct with there news, we will surely see a new iBook this week or next week at latest.....

ShadOW :)

[Aaon]

Well, I would love to see it if they do. There has been a lack of new Mac developments in the past few months (Intel switch notwithstanding), and the laptop line is in need of updating.

[Bibulous]

Thinksecret says wide screen, cool. I think they will update very soon for the back to school season. If they do increase the specs along with a new widescreen form, what will happen to the powerbook line?

[xli_ne]

powerbook will not seem so nice with new ibooks

might have widescreen, probably faster processors and what not for the ibooks.

can only hope for dual core g4's or something before intel takes over for the powerbooks

[redAPPLE]

i would need an iBook. cheaper would be great. i actually don't care if it has a widescreen or not. as long as they update it next week at the latest.

when does the "buy a mac, get a free iPod" end? would that be an indication?

[Arcus]

i would need an iBook. cheaper would be great. i actually don't care if it has a widescreen or not. as long as they update it next week at the latest.

when does the "buy a mac, get a free iPod" end? would that be an indication?


Whoa..where is the free iPod promotion. *heads to apple store*

[wide]

anyone think Apple will eventually (perhaps with the intel processors) merge each of its notebook lines?

for instance, Dell sells the Inspiron 6000 with multiple configurations--you can get it with a piece of **** celeron processor or with a 2GHz Centrino...

Anyone think Apple might go all-aluminum at some point, with pretty much the same cases for their notebooks (less ports on the cheaper ones), and offer, say, nine models to choose from (low end 12.1 inch/15/17 inch, middle end 12/15/17, and high end 12/15/17?

sort of how they used to have "fast" "faster" "fastest" and "ultimate" configurations?

[villanova329]

<old posts deleted>

[wide]

The one thing that I truly wish for is that Apple would pump up the features of the Airport .Express. There is so much potential in that little brick. The one feature I everso pray for is to control appliances plugged into the airport express. Great alternative for those that don't want to invest in a complete automated home system. Imagine when you turn on the music in the living room, the lights dim at the same time.... =)

yes, apple has definately not taken airport express seriously enough. it's unfortunate...it's been out so long i would have hoped to have at least some accessories for it that are made by apple and not Griffin tech or some other company.

but if you're really an audiophile and ambience freak, check out Crestron. you can get wall panels installed that control radio, tv, lighting, mp3s (you can hook it up to a system that is basically a huge hard drive and it rips CDs to it so you can access it through any wall panel). it's damn expensive but also really cool. one step up from Sonos. www.crestron.com

[nagromme]

Airport Express NEEDS a modem jack! I'd love that portability, but 90% of the places I travel don't have broadband. They ALL have phone jacks. For mobility, you can't rely on Ethernet alone.

And Airports with modems NEED V.92 already! Otherwise you miss calls... and so does the person who is loaning you their phone line! Their callers don't even get a busy signal. Not good. Modem-on-hold and call notification is old news. I love it on my PowerBook, and so do the people I visit and check my mail without losing their incoming calls. So bring it to AirPort already.

I'm done :)

As for iBooks... it would be weird to change the case twice in a row, so maybe if there are new iBooks soon, that means the Intel ones next year will use the same basic casing, even though a new CPU chip generally means a new case.

Which isn't all that odd in a way: keeping the shell adds a sense of stability to a transition that makes some buyers nervous.

And the G3 tower case was re-used for the G4 towers, after all, just cosmetically changed.

[SpaceMagic]

If Apple bring out a 13.1" Widescreen iBook, I'll press One-Click buy within the hour of release.

[djkny]

If Apple bring out a 13.1" Widescreen iBook, I'll press One-Click buy within the hour of release.

I wouldn't. Maybe on a 15.4" PowerBook MacTel.

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com)

Last month's Widescreen iBook rumor (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2005/06/20050620113113.shtml) has resurfaced in a Think Secret article (http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0507ibook.html) today saying that sources have confirmed an iBook update "very soon" and possibly today or this week.

The last iBook updates (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2004/10/20041019083450.shtml) were nine months ago today, making this the longest-ever interval without updates. The article speculates, based on an unconfirmed tip, that the delay is a result of a change in form factor, to widescreen configurations.

[Bibulous]

when does the "buy a mac, get a free iPod" end? would that be an indication?

September 24th, hope it's not that long of a wait.

I like the idea of the last ppc and first intel ibooks sharing the same case, downplays the switch.

[Mac]

This will again put the iBooks on the map.

Now, they are REALLY, REALLY old (9 months..pheeew).

[Hattig]

It is within a week, I'm certain.

[SpaceMagic]

Apple UK store is saying 7 Days shipping, yesterday I'm certain it was Within 24hours. (I realise there was a thread on this last week, saying BTO options were taking 7-10days, but stock iBooks were still Within 24hours).

The US Store is still saying Same Business Day, however.. so could this just be another Red Herring?

[tsk]

This is really great news. I was planning on jumping all over a new 12" iBook the second it was out, but if they put out a widescreen, I may have to spend some time at the Apple store deciding which way to go.

The main thing I hope for in this update is: 5400 RPM drives. Please no more 4200 RPM.

[plastique45]

Apple will always have the option of integrating all their systems to make their product line less distinguishable. But Apple has always followed and maintained their consumer and prosumer matrix (consumer: imac/ibook and prosumer: powermac/powerbook). But I too am starting to rethink the material issue because it was rumored that the 5th generation iPod would be enclosed in an aluminum casing. It would be quite interesting if Apple maintained the con/prosumer matrix throughout all their products (iPod, iSight, Airport Express)


The one thing that I truly wish for is that Apple would pump up the features of the Airport Express. There is so much potential in that little brick. The one feature I everso pray for is to control appliances plugged into the airport express. Great alternative for those that don't want to invest in a complete automated home system. Imagine when you turn on the music in the living room, the lights dim at the same time.... =)


My $0.02

It would be cool, but the white plastic doesn't cost as much (to say nothing of the cheap iBook keyboard!).

HDTV, HDV is 16X9, widescreen is the future of TV and computers. The iBook is the only Apple product that is 4X3. A widescreen iBook is a CERTAINTY sooner or later.

[Trowaman]

Since it did not appear today, it will be tomorrow (Apple has done Wednesday releases if there was something Monday, iTMS 500 million)

Or they will want to keep the 500 million as their big story for a whole week and do the iBooks next week on Tuesday.

If it is neither of these dates it won't happen for a wile b/c it'd fall out of the financial quarter and it would not make enough of an impression for the 4th quarter financial reports.

[TomSmithMacEd]

This is the second best news I could've seen on this site. Now I just want it to happen. Get me a cheap iBook to tie me over for a year, until I buy a powerintelbook for college next summer.

[hob]

HDTV, HDV is 16X9, widescreen is the future of TV and computers. The iBook is the only Apple product that is 4X3.
Don't forget 12" PowerBook...!

[bit density]

The main thing I hope for in this update is: 5400 RPM drives. Please no more 4200 RPM.

I disagree. 4200 more quiet and longer battery life. If you want performance buy a powerbook.

[jeriqo]

powerbook will not seem so nice with new ibooks

might have widescreen, probably faster processors and what not for the ibooks.

can only hope for dual core g4's or something before intel takes over for the powerbooks

Dual Core G4s are not to be mass produced before Apple switches to Intel.
low-power G5 maybe..

[djlu]

A new iMac would be nice. I'd just like a small one with wireless to drag along for meetings and trips :) .

[jeriqo]

Don't forget 12" PowerBook...!

And emac

[mpw]

It would be cool, but the white plastic doesn't cost as much (to say nothing of the cheap iBook keyboard!).

HDTV, HDV is 16X9, widescreen is the future of TV and computers. The iBook is the only Apple product that is 4X3. A widescreen iBook is a CERTAINTY sooner or later.

Aren't the eMac & 12" PBook both 4:3. The iMac isn't 16:9 either, it's 16:10 I think, and the iPod's look pretty square to my eye also.

[quigleybc]

A new iMac would be nice. I'd just like a small one with wireless to drag along for meetings and trips :) .



Agreed, a new widescreen iBook would be great, lets hope for an announcement today! :rolleyes:

[mac-mania]

I just bought a new iBook on Thursday, because I friggin' was sick of waiting. If it happens a new iBook is released within' 14 days, I know I can return this iBook but I have to pay for a damn restocking fee, is it possible that I can just pull a switch-er-oo?

[CubaTBird]

gotta love the hope on macrumors... it never fails! :D

[AidenShaw]

HDTV, HDV is 16X9, widescreen is the future of TV and computers.

16x9 is an aspect ratio of 1.78

Apple's products:
o 1.33 - 12" PB
o 1.48 - 15" PB
o 1.60 - 17" PB
o 1.60 - 20", 23", 30" displays

Typical wide DVD movie:
1.85 to 2.35
___________________________________

So, an Apple "wide screen" doesn't come close to being the correct form for either HDTV or DVD.

You still have black bars on the top and bottom, they're just slightly narrower with "wide screen".

[corywoolf]

I just bought a new iBook on Thursday, because I friggin' was sick of waiting. If it happens a new iBook is released within' 14 days, I know I can return this iBook but I have to pay for a damn restocking fee, is it possible that I can just pull a switch-er-oo?

nope

[Jay42]

Nooooo! What about new powerbooks!!! I need my audio-in jack!

[Stella]

An iBook with wide screen would be excellent.

No real need to buy a power book, except for the extra screen resolution. The iBook can do pretty much everything a PB can ( with Hacks).

The Apple laptop line is sooo wanting these days.. the PB range is running out of steam.

[bodeh6]

Don't forget 12" PowerBook...!


I am hoping that the Powerbooks will be updated before mid September. When they do update them, it would be stupid not to make the 12" PB Widescreen. They should do that so that their entire laptop lineup is widescreen if they make the iBook widescreen. Widescreen is the future and Apple needs to realize that. Their laptops are being trumped in performence and features by the newer PC laptops. The Powerbooks aren't so "Powery" anymore.

[Some_Big_Spoon]

Wait!!! Apple makes COMPUTERS?!?!? You mean.. oh wait.. they make RUMORS about computers :rolleyes:

[MacsRgr8]

12" Widescreen would be a cute little toy. :cool:

Or something like 14" 1440 x 900 pixels :)

I wonder Apple will do to keep the PowerBooks any value... :confused:

[jholzner]

Since it did not appear today, it will be tomorrow (Apple has done Wednesday releases if there was something Monday, iTMS 500 million)

Or they will want to keep the 500 million as their big story for a whole week and do the iBooks next week on Tuesday.

If it is neither of these dates it won't happen for a wile b/c it'd fall out of the financial quarter and it would not make enough of an impression for the 4th quarter financial reports.

Their quarter ends Sept. 25th. That's a ways off. They could still intro them in early-mid august and get an impact.

[xli_ne]

And emac

and 14" ibook

[nagromme]

If Apple bring out a 13.1" Widescreen iBook, I'll press One-Click buy within the hour of release.
I'm holding out for a Yonah PowerBook, but I do really like the idea of a 13" widescreen form factor (maybe 1152x768--be kind to my eyes!) and would happily take that instead of a 12" 4:3 screen.

The old rumors of 14" AND 15" widescreen iBooks sound just too odd to me. Maybe 13" and 15."

We already have a 12" iBook and PowerBook both, so other sizes can overlap too.

[Doctor Q]

I work on documents and view web pages a lot more than I view (or edit) movies. Perhaps I'm the only one who doesn't think of widescreen as an advantage. Tallscreen suits me better than widescreen.

[corywoolf]

how about having only 1 size ibook? Drop the 14" and that would make things more simple= better.
if someone wants a 14" still then they can shell out the cash for a combo drive 15" powerbook. I dislike the 14" ibook, it just doesn't fit in, it is bulky, underpowered, lame resolution, etc.

how about:

-13.1" ibook
2 versions:

-dual layer super-drive, 1.5 Ghz G4, standard bluetooth 2.0 and airport extreme, 64 MB graphics card, support for screen spanning, widescreen, 5400 rpm 80 GB hard drive. 5 hour battery life
$999


-combo-drive, 1.33 Ghz G4, airport extreme, 64 MB graphics card, widescreen, 5400 rpm 40 GB Hard drive. 6 hour battery life
$699

both have an anodized aluminum case, apple drops 12" PB

either apple drops the 12" PB, or the ibook becomes the 13.1" PB in place of the 12" PB slot.


apple better have something like this planned, other wise people will just wait for mactel 'books. At least have a good price drop.

[CubaTBird]

how about a firmware update so us 12 inchers can go above resolutions 10x7... is that too much to ask? im sure it can be done...

[jeriqo]

I work on documents and view web pages a lot more than I view (or edit) movies. Perhaps I'm the only one who doesn't think of widescreen as an advantage. Tallscreen suits me better than widescreen.

Work on documents with the tool bars on the side of the screen.
Browse the web while keeping an eye on your IM program.

[jeriqo]

how about a firmware update so us 12 inchers can go above resolutions 10x7... is that too much to ask? im sure it can be done...

What do you mean 10x7?
I'm not sure it is just a firmware update.

[hob]

how about having only 1 size ibook? Drop the 14" and that would make things more simple= better.
if someone wants a 14" still then they can shell out the cash for a combo drive 15" powerbook. I dislike the 14" ibook, it just doesn't fit in, it is bulky, underpowered, lame resolution, etc.

how about:

-13.1" ibook
2 versions:

-dual layer super-drive, 1.5 Ghz G4, standard bluetooth 2.0 and airport extreme, 64 MB graphics card, support for screen spanning, widescreen, 5400 rpm 80 GB hard drive. 5 hour battery life
$999


-combo-drive, 1.33 Ghz G4, airport extreme, 64 MB graphics card, widescreen, 5400 rpm 40 GB Hard drive. 6 hour battery life
$699

both have an anodized aluminum case, apple drops 12" PB

either apple drops the 12" PB, or the ibook becomes the 13.1" PB in place of the 12" PB slot.


apple better have something like this planned, other wise people will just wait for mactel 'books. At least have a good price drop.I can't see Apple dropping the iBook line for the foreseeable future. There's a definite difference between the iBook and the PowerBook. I think it's important - and obviously so do they. I like the distinction between pro-sumer and consumer markets. It also means that it there's an affordable laptop in the lineup. A 13" widescreen Powerbook, which is what you're suggesting, would cost too much for the people they're aiming the £699 iBook at.

[nagromme]

I work on documents and view web pages a lot more than I view (or edit) movies. Perhaps I'm the only one who doesn't think of widescreen as an advantage. Tallscreen suits me better than widescreen.

I know what you mean, but I still prefer widescreen: room for palettes, or for two documents side by side.


And re having just ONE iBook model... yes, I can see that happening maybe.

[Rangerhall6]

this is the first good news i have heard in a long time... i guess there is light at the end of the tunnel

[hob]

this is the first good news i have heard in a long time...
That's a shame :(

[Rangerhall6]

That's a shame :(

I was talking about iBooks

[AP_piano295]

Widescreens would very much make this worth the wait and right after my rave about the anger apple was driving me into with their failure to update ibooks :D

[Fourbin]

Having trouble loading apple.com on my fast internet connection here. Perhaps they are updating the home page right now?

[jsarrasinjr]

I get the feeling its not going to be today, its pretty late for Apple.

[bellis1]

I was at compusa over the weekend and they had a white laptop with a similar finish to an ibook but was widescreen and <12" running what looked like XP. I would dump my 12" in a second for something a little smaller. Widescreen ibook mini pretty please.

P.S. Both things I bought at compusa that day had to be returned because they were junk. The Belkin KVM switch worked haphazardly and the video resolution was poor. And the cheap memory I bought was bunk.

[fire365]

Grrrrr Apple just get on with it this would make me very happy. There are a lot of students buying laptops right now for college and its not going to be cool if you don't update the ibook line soon. I had been using some new emacs and old G4s/G3s for yearbook during school but I am ready to switch over to mac I am just waiting for an update people.

[saturnino3]

Amazon.com lists a 1-2 week wait for the iBook...

Please new iBook tomorrow....

[manu chao]

[...], that the delay is a result of a change in form factor, to widescreen configurations.

You can bet that the delay is due to lack of faster processors, if they speedbumped the iBooks now, they would have to come very close to the Powerbooks which Apple will not want to have for two long.

[cr2sh]

It's going to be quite sad tomorrow morning when Apple releases the same configs... except in wide-screen form.

[tacojohn]

yes, apple has definately not taken airport express seriously enough. it's unfortunate...it's been out so long i would have hoped to have at least some accessories for it that are made by apple and not Griffin tech or some other company.

but if you're really an audiophile and ambience freak, check out Crestron. you can get wall panels installed that control radio, tv, lighting, mp3s (you can hook it up to a system that is basically a huge hard drive and it rips CDs to it so you can access it through any wall panel). it's damn expensive but also really cool. one step up from Sonos. www.crestron.com

I work for a company that installs crestron products (I design the interfaces), and while they may be expensive, nobody offers a system as complete and customizable as a crestron system.

You can control basically everything in your house from a touch panel- lighting, HVAC, Audio, Video, Surveillance, etc.

You can have "themes" for different lighting/audio/video atmospheres- party, dinner, etc. It's really the total "Smart Home" package.

[rockthecasbah]

It's going to be quite sad tomorrow morning when Apple releases the same configs... except in wide-screen form.
That wouldn't happen. Changing product lines costs money, so to release an update, it will have to have a few big changes or people won't buy it. Sure the widescreen would be one of them, but it alone wouldn't merit an update. Couple the screens with products "IBM has down the pipeline" as stated by Apple and you've got a nice little update. :)

[macrumors12345]

how about a firmware update so us 12 inchers can go above resolutions 10x7... is that too much to ask? im sure it can be done...
__________________

Uh, LCDs don't go higher than native resolution, only lower. And they don't go lower very gracefully. It's not something as simple as a firmware update. In fact, it necessitates replacing the entire screen.

(Note: I assume that by 10x7 you mean 1024x768).

Unless you bought one of those special edition CRT iBooks...

[macrumors12345]

Amazon.com lists a 1-2 week wait for the iBook...

Please new iBook tomorrow....

Where? The pages I see say 24 hours (12") and 1-2 business days (14").

[Sox]

It's now 7-10 days when adding to the stock configs for both the iBooks and the Minis at Apple. Hopes getting up...

[nsjoker]

how is this even possible? unless they keep same specs but new enclosure.. other than that and it'll wreck powerbook sales. if they put a 64 mb vcard, standardize 512 mb ram, and give it a speed bump that'll be the death the pbook this year.

[gogoman]

If they bumped up the VRAM to 64MB, would that be enough to possibly add a DVI port for digital dual monitor spanning??? I would be diggin' this!!

[nsjoker]

i don't know about this. i don't see it happening this week. the most they could bump the chip to is 1.42ghz like the mac mini, but you can't touch 1.5 or 1.6 like the pbooks. perhaps this computer will use an intel processor?? we'll see. right now the powerbook seems like a ripoff, it's only useful for its ports.

[Shovel]

Ha! Ahh, the sweet taste of the inevitabile… I gave Apple a deadline for updating, taking a view that a small graphics card and CPU bump wasn't going to be worth too long a wait. Thus I bought my 12" iBook 2 weeks ago.

I've had the machine for almost a week.

Having got the thing, I'm actually not that bothered about updates. As much as the update may be long delayed, the iBooks remain fantastic pieces of kit, with or without CoreImage. It's well built, OSX is outstanding and despite the jibes about the ‘cheap’ keyboard, it's still of better quality than any other portable I've seen (bar the PowerBooks in the Apple store, of course). These systems are still plenty fast enough.

It's strange, before I bought it I had images of being really angry if they immediately did updates, but now that I have, I think I'm just happy with what it is.

Congrats and ‘nice luck’ to those who've waited until now and face reward, but if (like me) you're hugging a brand new one I wouldn't be disheartened, it remains an outstanding piece of kit.

Of course, if the new ones are made with diamond casing and contain one of the laughably over-the-top hardware specifications members have been touting around here recently, then maybe I'll be a little miffed.

[pimentoLoaf]

Just priced something and this is what I saw:

[Eevee]

Could it be true??? :confused:

[bit density]

Ok, remember folks that there are some overriding factors here...

Old Things
$1000 US cost
6 Hour Battery life

New Things
Plays HD well
Consumer Movie Making
Consumer DVD

PB difference
Logic and Motion capable Prosumer/Pro products. Faster IO, Faster Processors, Faster frontside bus, Faster memory, just faster.

This is what I expect.
Speed bump 1.3 and 1.5
Wide Screen
60 Gig 4200 drives (battery keeps them at 4200, but higher bit density makes them faster).
Superdrives (possibly lightscribe!)
512 Memory
Ilife and Tiger

$999 for 13.1 model (new form factor because of wide screen. Same color, slightly wider and less deep than current 12 inch model).

[Jazzbolicious]

I don't see any way they can update the ibook without a simultaneous powerbook refresh! Not a chance.

The 12" ibook is already dreadfully close to the 12" powerbook, so any improvement on the ibook without a powerbook refresh would send sales into the toilet in no time.

Both of them will be replaced by widescreen models, and the 14" ibook will be gone.

ibook 13":
13" widescreen
1.33ghz g4
64mb radeon 9600
512mb ram
combo/superdrive option

powerbook 13":
13" widescreen
1.5ghz g4/1.67ghz g4 option
64mb radeon 9700 w/128mb option
512mb ram
combo/superdrive option

...and everyone will collectively yawn and wait for macintel 'books :cool:

[Arcus]

I was at compusa over the weekend and they had a white laptop with a similar finish to an ibook but was widescreen and <12" running what looked like XP. I would dump my 12" in a second for something a little smaller. Widescreen ibook mini pretty please.

P.S. Both things I bought at compusa that day had to be returned because they were junk. The Belkin KVM switch worked haphazardly and the video resolution was poor. And the cheap memory I bought was bunk.

We must shop at the same CompUSA . I got memory from them that was bad. Brought it back, they tested it and said 'yep its bad' Went through stock and couldnt find a good one.

I love belkin cables. Hate belkin anything else.

[w_parietti22]

This will again put the iBooks on the map.

Now, they are REALLY, REALLY old (9 months..pheeew).

But it will take the PBs off the map.

Im predicting 1.33Ghz 12" iBook (regular), 1.42 14.1" (regular), and a 1.42 14.1" (Widescreen)

Apple- Please put at least a 40gb HD in the baseline iBook, they've had 30gbs for like 3 or 4 years!

[CiBoys]

i just want an upgrade to the 15" PB in the Macworld Paris :D

[minimax]

I don't see apple designing a new formfactor for the computer before the switch to Intel. I predict 13" / 15" ws formats of powerbook and ibook no sooner then that moment.

[xnu]

Is this too much to ask for? I am in love....

http://www.applele.com/pict_05ibookmini_r01.html

[CiBoys]

I don't see apple designing a new formfactor for the computer before the switch to Intel. I predict 13" / 15" ws formats of powerbook and ibook no sooner then that moment.

Wouldn't it be ouragious if they make a 20" PowerBook (that sounds crazy@_@)

[CiBoys]

Is this too much to ask for? I am in love....

http://www.applele.com/pict_05ibookmini_r01.html

thats NICE!!! but it would be nicer w/o the sticker.

[Jazzbolicious]

Whoa baby! I hope those stickers peel off easily :D

[iDrinkKoolAid]

-dual layer super-drive, 1.5 Ghz G4, standard bluetooth 2.0 and airport extreme, 64 MB graphics card, support for screen spanning, widescreen, 5400 rpm 80 GB hard drive. 5 hour battery life
$999


-combo-drive, 1.33 Ghz G4, airport extreme, 64 MB graphics card, widescreen, 5400 rpm 40 GB Hard drive. 6 hour battery life
$699

Those price points seem awfully low for Apple products, although I thought the Mac Mini and iPod Shuffles were initially priced quite low for something made by Apple.

Until now, we haven't seen much overlap between the iBooks and PowerBooks (processor speed among other things). Realistically, maybe just a form-factor re-design and widescreen display. I'm not holding my breath.

Even in its current form-factor even some PeeCee die-hards (1 (http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2142)) (2 (http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2123)) find the iBook quite appealing. My girlfriend (DULL Dimension owner) thinks the current iBook is the cutest thing.

[Hemingray]

Boy, I sure made the right move in December by buying a 12" iBook... the thing's going on 7 months and it's still not outdated yet! A far cry from my Yikes G4. :rolleyes:

What's the big deal with widescreen? To me, the 12" iBook is perfect. If they made that a widescreen they'd either have to cut off pixels from the top and bottom to maintain the same width, or tack on extra pixels on the side to keep the same depth.

The only thing I really care about them upping is the VRAM! 32MB does NOT cut it.

[Deefuzz]

would be cool...I am in the market for an ibook...and I don't know if I want to wait until the intel ones come out...that could be a while

[CiBoys]

Whoa baby! I hope those stickers peel off easily :D

I agree, it makes it look cheap. Jonathan Ive wouldn't like it :D

[devilot]

Is this too much to ask for? I am in love....
Ooooh... if Apple came out w/ such a portable little lappy, I'd sell my PB quick-style and snatch one up!

[ham_man]

I can see a widescreen update coming, but Apple better be careful in relation too PowerBooks. They could end up shooting themselves in the foot if they are not careful...

[$MacUser$]

I just placed an order the other day for a 17 inch powerbook. Do you think I should cancel the order and see what happens over the next few days/week, or go with my original plans?

Although the current top of the range PBook is quite nice, a faster CPU and some other features would be welcome...it would suck to have an update the day the thing is supposed to show up on my door step.

[After G]

New iBooks? Good for those who need new notebooks.

There are some things that I wish apple would do.
New form factors is one of them.
This is a good thing.

[jiv3turkey748]

has anyone on here ever bought a computer and then like 2weeks later sold it because they came out with a new rev that you really want? if this rumor is true i might have to do that

[LaMerVipere]

What about iPod minis? Colour screen + capacity boost + updated colours!

...

Someone had to say it.

[LFrascogna]

I purchased a 12 inch iBook for my sister 5 days ago, pre-rumors. They listed my expected ship date as August 1st. That is way too long for their not to be new iBooks enroute. July 14th - August 1 = 17 day wait. Bollocks, I guess she will be getting a nice new book.

[$MacUser$]

Any word on how this update may impact the Powerbook line? Would the next update to the powerbook line warrent canceling an order for a current top of the range model? Ive heard updates to the powerbook line would be lackluster until intel, leading me to believe Ive made the right choice in ordering now...i am having my second thoughts, however...

[newmaccanada]

I teach at a Canadian university. My faculty is doing a computer renewal program and is paying half the cost of new computers. The choices are standardized and the 14in' ibook g4 133 superdrive with 512 mb ram was the only Mac notebook option. Things like this move very slowly at universities and even though partcipants had to confirm their contributions by June 15, the bulk order was placed with Apple only last week. I don't think they have been delivered yet.

I've been really excited --I'm a switcher and this is my first Mac.

Now with the rumored release of new ibooks, I am feeling less excited.

I will probably receive my new ibook just as the new ibooks are released, if the rumors are true.

AARGH! :mad:

[Chunkywheats]

I ordered a new ibook that is scheduled to be here around thursday. If/when the new ibooks get updated, will i be able to trade up, or somehow get my money's worth, (Not that i am not happy w/ my purchase anyway) or am i out of luck?

[1984]

They are pretty much spot on 99% of the time. Sometimes they have issues with the timing of product releases, but if they publish specs, you can bet that they are identical (or really close).

This used to be the case but their track record has taken a beating recently. It seems ever since the lawsuit their sources have all but dried up. They even quoted Digitimes in this latest article which is a really bad sign. Still, the iBooks are so ridiculously outdated and overdue for an update that it's a pretty safe bet to say new models are coming soon.

[mklos]

I ordered a new ibook that is scheduled to be here around thursday. If/when the new ibooks get updated, will i be able to trade up, or somehow get my money's worth, (Not that i am not happy w/ my purchase anyway) or am i out of luck?

You are stuck with what you purchased. You can however return it within 14 days of receiving it and just pay a restocking fee.

I don't see why people do this. It doesn't make any sense to me. You will more than likely not see very many differences between the iBook you're getting and a new one besides a possible widescreen display. The CPU speed increase won't be very noticible, HD sizes won't go up very much, etc... I'd just stick with you bought. I bought a Rev A iMac G5 3 weeks before the new ones came out and I'm fairly happy with my iMac besides the noise it makes (way too much freakin' noise!!!!). But as far as the new specs vs the old specs, it doesn't bother me any.

[mbdamdg]

I'm still upset I can't play HD on my 1.67 15" albook,

if anybody knows a way around this PLEASE help me

I NEEED HDEEEEEEEEE

but seriously
is there a way to make it happen?
I can freakin edit HD just not play it back, what gives? :mad:

How much RAM do you have?

[mklos]

I'm still upset I can't play HD on my 1.67 15" albook,

if anybody knows a way around this PLEASE help me

I NEEED HDEEEEEEEEE





but seriously
is there a way to make it happen?
I can freakin edit HD just not play it back, what gives? :mad:

Please don't post in big bold letters. Its highly annoying and not necessary. We participants at MacRumors are not blind and can read just fine.

As far as your problem, look through the Apple Discussions under the 15" PowerBook. Someone is bound to have the same exact problem you're having.

[ham_man]

I'm still upset I can't play HD on my 1.67 15" albook,

if anybody knows a way around this PLEASE help me

I NEEED HDEEEEEEEEE





but seriously
is there a way to make it happen?
I can freakin edit HD just not play it back, what gives? :mad:
Your monitor has to be HD capable, which the 15 incher is not. Out it too a 23 or 30 inch ACD and that will be HD...

[mklos]

IMO, I can't stand a 12" widescreen laptop. It looks so poor IMO. We have a 12" PC laptop at work and it looks like hell to me. I would look more for a 14", or 15" widescreen.

I think that the iBook needs a major change. Its look the same since 2001, and I think the case design is getting a little old. I know the iBook still sells very well, but I still think Apple should change the design of the case.

[mklos]

Your monitor has to be HD capable, which the 15 incher is not. Out it too a 23 or 30 inch ACD and that will be HD...

For a 30" ACD to work, you'll need the PowerBook BTO with 128MB of VRAM (ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 Pro w/128MB VRAM Dual-Link DVI)

That would mostly likely be the reason why you're not getting HD play back. The 15" screen on the PowerBook is not an HD screen. The Apple 20" ACD is also NOT an HD display.

[Manatee]

That's my next Mac. :)

I wouldn't. Maybe on a 15.4" PowerBook MacTel.

[ebunton]

That Applele design is cool. I think that Apple wouldn't create a laptop without a built in optical drive. I got a laptop sans optical drive and it's caused me all sorts of problems with os reinstallation. Too much hassle!

[berkleeboy210]

Any word on how this update may impact the Powerbook line? Would the next update to the powerbook line warrent canceling an order for a current top of the range model? Ive heard updates to the powerbook line would be lackluster until intel, leading me to believe Ive made the right choice in ordering now...i am having my second thoughts, however...

I'm having 2nd thoughts too. I just ordered 15" 1.67 Today, If and when the iBooks get updated, I think i might plan on using the 15" PB as my main computer, and get an Apple LCD Display for it, and use the widescreen iBook as my portable Mac. Heck, if you got money to burn do that, that's what I'm doing.

[Draelius]

how is this even possible? unless they keep same specs but new enclosure.. other than that and it'll wreck powerbook sales. if they put a 64 mb vcard, standardize 512 mb ram, and give it a speed bump that'll be the death the pbook this year.

What powerbook sales?

[QCassidy352]

I'm having 2nd thoughts too. I just ordered 15" 1.67 Today, If and when the iBooks get updated, I think i might plan on using the 15" PB as my main computer, and get an Apple LCD Display for it, and use the widescreen iBook as my portable Mac. Heck, if you got money to burn do that, that's what I'm doing.

Um, why would you have a 15" PB that doesn't move from your desk? If you're going to have two computers, make one a real desktop - MUCH more bang for your buck.

[berkleeboy210]

Um, why would you have a 15" PB that doesn't move from your desk? If you're going to have two computers, make one a real desktop - MUCH more bang for your buck.

Good Point. I've already got my 15" on the way, Gotta love Mac Mall, They ship pretty darn fast! Maybe I'll just get a Mac Mini for the desk.

[nsjoker]

What powerbook sales?

my point exactly. it may be too late.

[Rangerhall6]

On the US Apple Education store i noticed that shipping on the low end stock iBook has always been 1-3 days, but now it is showing 5-7 days on the stock low end iBook from the US Apple Education store.

Also i just noticed that mac minis have gone to 5-7 day shipping on the normal US site

[jwhitnah]

How reliable is Think Secret?
They get sued for being so good.

[AcousticDoc]

Does apple still release new products on tuesdays only?

[AcousticDoc]

They get sued for being so good.

I'm new to apple. Can anyone here summarize wha thappened to them? What product did they reveal?

[Platform]

Bring it on.........13" and 15" ;)

[Lazyhound]

I'm new to apple. Can anyone here summarize wha thappened to them? What product did they reveal?
They were sued for refusing to reveal who leaked the Mac Mini announcement. I don't know if they were sued prior to that or not.

[steve jr.]

SpaceMagic
If Apple bring out a 13.1" Widescreen iBook, I'll press One-Click buy within the hour of release.

I wouldn't. Maybe on a 15.4" PowerBook MacTel.

I agree on the 15.4 PB MacTel. I can't wait! I really hope that the pb's are one of the first to get the intel's for the only reason that it has been forever that they have been dramatically updated, and they are apart of the Pro line.

[Trowaman]

I'm new to apple. Can anyone here summarize wha thappened to them? What product did they reveal?

All of them. Or at least everything since early 2004 when i started following them with a few exceptions. Where's my asteroid and I don't recall anyone calling the airport express.

[AcousticDoc]

All of them. Or at least everything since early 2004 when i started following them with a few exceptions. Where's my asteroid and I don't recall anyone calling the airport express.

YES!!!!!! IN that case, I look forward to buying the new updated ibook tommorow morning! (Ibook was released on a wednsday).

[evolutioneight]

Yep wednesday october 22nd 2003 was when the original iBook G4 was released.

[nagromme]

If/when the new ibooks get updated, will i be able to trade up, or somehow get my money's worth, (Not that i am not happy w/ my purchase anyway) or am i out of luck?

"Trading up" might be possible at a price... but what you CAN take advantage of is Apple's price protection policy (30 days I think).

That means that if your old model drops to clearance pricing (which is likely), you just have to ask (or maybe it's automatic) and they'll give you the new low price.

So maybe your new iBook is about to get cheaper :) You can hope!

(I've never used this policy, so others may have a batter handle on it than I.)

[mcarnes]

Not gonna happen this month or next month. 'books will be updated in Sept.

[dejo]

"Trading up" might be possible at a price... but what you CAN take advantage of is Apple's price protection policy (30 days I think).

Unfortunately, it's only 10 days:

Should Apple reduce its price on any shipped product within 10 calendar days of shipment, you may contact Apple Sales Support at 1-800-676-2775 to request a refund or credit of the difference between the price you were charged and the current selling price. To receive the refund or credit you must contact Apple within 14 business days of shipment.

Apple Store - Sales Policy - Prices (http://store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Images/salespolicies.html#Apple%20Prices)

[AcousticDoc]

Not gonna happen this month or next month. 'books will be updated in Sept.

no no no please don't say that! :(

[bryanus]

Please god, not tomorrow or this week! I have on on ebay right now... :(

[sw1tcher]

Not gonna happen this month or next month. 'books will be updated in Sept.

It will come out sooner then that. A September release would make the iBook one month shy of a year of no update. Apple would be crazy to do that. Hell, they're crazy for taking this long right now. Of course, I know that their hands may be tied because Motorola can't get anything faster (and cooler) out the door.

Damn you Mototola (and IBM).

Good thing I saw this first. Was about to go pick up a 12" PB to hold me over until the Intel-based PB's come out. Now I'll just wait and see what materializes. Come on Apple, tomorrow would be a nice day for an update.

[DaftUnion]

maybe even today (Wednesday) There have been things that have been released in the past on a Wednesday.

[AcousticDoc]

maybe even today (Wednesday) There have been things that have been released in the past on a Wednesday.

yes please...please...I haven't been able to think about school, sex or food since this ibook rumor release!

[CmdrLaForge]

how is this even possible? unless they keep same specs but new enclosure.. other than that and it'll wreck powerbook sales. if they put a 64 mb vcard, standardize 512 mb ram, and give it a speed bump that'll be the death the pbook this year.

Between the last iBook update and the last Powerbook update (oct04-jan05) they have been very close as well. Don't forget - they will sell this machine for another 6-9 month and the specs must be ok for that timeframe. The pb will probably get an update in October. Thats only a 3 month overlap.

Cheers
LaForge

[weg]

maybe even today (Wednesday) There have been things that have been released in the past on a Wednesday.

Yeah.. I'm sure they will bring out a great update... like "hardware completely unchanged, iBook now black (with a red apple logo), signed by Steve Jobs". :eek:

[AcousticDoc]

Yeah.. I'm sure they will bring out a great update... like "hardware completely unchanged, iBook now black (with a red apple logo), signed by Steve Jobs". :eek:

noooo u2 colors have no business with ibooks!

[tjwett]

"Trading up" might be possible at a price... but what you CAN take advantage of is Apple's price protection policy (30 days I think).

That means that if your old model drops to clearance pricing (which is likely), you just have to ask (or maybe it's automatic) and they'll give you the new low price.

So maybe your new iBook is about to get cheaper :) You can hope!

(I've never used this policy, so others may have a batter handle on it than I.)

You can indeed redeem discounts after a purchase, however I thought it was 14 days. In any case, I bought an iBook last year and one week later they updated them with built in Airport Extreme and a price drop. I called the Apple Store and they did offer me the opportunity to come in and exchange for the new model, for a 10% restocking fee. I didn't feel like wiping the HD, boxing it up and then spending another week getting a whole new machine setup so instead they just gave me cash for the price difference of the iBook as well as cash for the price I paid for an Airport Extreme card. I was pretty happy with the whole situation.

[MacSA]

Rumour sites are building peoples expectations with these rumours of widescreen iBooks, i'd be very surprised if they actually came true. I suspect we will see a small speed bump and a few other minor alterations to the specifications.

[Sol]

I like the idea of the tiny iBook with the external optical drive. I suggest a 1.8 inch hard drive instead of the typical 2.5 inch drives used in laptops. The 1.8 inch drive would use less power, prolonging battery life.

Such a laptop would be good for applications like Safari, Mail, Pages and Apple Remote Desktop. The GPU would be the most power efficient they can get for QuickTime, Core Image and Core Video.

Of course I would expect Halo to run on it. The demo is good on my 2002 PowerMac so why not iBook Mini?

[JFreak]

(removed as a redundant comment)

[aegisdesign]

IMO, I can't stand a 12" widescreen laptop. It looks so poor IMO. We have a 12" PC laptop at work and it looks like hell to me. I would look more for a 14", or 15" widescreen.


So don't buy a 12", buy a bigger one. Some of us prefer laptops that are small. I've personally never seen the point in the 14" iBook - same 1024x768 but bigger and heavier. And most people don't. The 12.1" outsells the 14" iBook by far.

Personally, I wouldn't mind something much smaller. OQO or Libretto sized. That would be perfect for me.

I think that the iBook needs a major change. Its look the same since 2001, and I think the case design is getting a little old. I know the iBook still sells very well, but I still think Apple should change the design of the case.

IMHO the design from 2001 was much better than the current one. Back in 2001 it was translucent plastic with white underneath and a silver surround. Like an iMac G5. Now it's much cheaper white plastic all over. But I still reckon they should keep the design essentially the same. It's iconic and much purer Apple design than the Powerbooks. The last Powerbook I liked was the Ti.

[Hattig]

I'd really love an iBook Mini (10.6" 1280x768 display) with a 40GB 1.8" hard drive, a single SODIMM slot for up to 2GB memory, a >1GHz G4 processor (<10W), no optical drive* (able to boot from external Firewire or USB drives of course!) and possibly the ability to operate in 'iPod Mode' when turned off (will require an external display of some sort as well - some laptops in the PC world are starting to come with these, so you can see if you have email, meetings, etc, at a glance). Integrated wireless and bluetooth of course.

* 10.6" PC Laptops like the Sony VAIO VGN-T140P/L do manage to fit an optical drive inside however, so maybe Apple can as well, which would make the device a nice portable DVD player as well.

[emotion]

I'd really love an iBook Mini (10.6" 1280x768 display) with a 40GB 1.8" hard drive, a single SODIMM slot for up to 2GB memory, a >1GHz G4 processor (<10W), no optical drive* (able to boot from external Firewire or USB drives of course!) and possibly the ability to operate in 'iPod Mode' when turned off (will require an external display of some sort as well - some laptops in the PC world are starting to come with these, so you can see if you have email, meetings, etc, at a glance). Integrated wireless and bluetooth of course.

this seems like the logical route for apple to take with the ibook imo (and i've been saying this on this forum for a while), esp. given the ceiling of performance with the cpus available.

if they released the above machine i'd buy one like a shot and i could see many others doing the same if it was suitably priced.


* 10.6" PC Laptops like the Sony VAIO VGN-T140P/L do manage to fit an optical drive inside however, so maybe Apple can as well, which would make the device a nice portable DVD player as well.

these machines do seems to be very thick though.

[IscariotJ]

Is this it?

J

[Hattig]

Is this it?

J
Working fine here.

[IscariotJ]

Working fine here.

That is odd. Two refreshes, and I got the "We'll Be Back Soon" page, and now it works.

Never mind.

J

[unknownfairy]

Bit early yet. They're not even awake in the US of A.

[animefan_1]

I think the next iBook specs will be:

12"
1.33 GHz
256 MB Ram
60 GB HDD
ComboDrive
$799-899
---------------------

14" (wide?)
1.42 GHz
256 MB Ram
80 GB HDD
ComboDrive
$1099
--------------------

14" (wide?)
1.42 GHz
512 MB Ram
80 GB HDD
8x SuperDrive
$1299
-------------------

All models include:
Mobility Radeon 9600 w/ 64 MB VRam
Bluetooth 2.0 Built-In
Scrolling Trackpad
Sudden Motion Sensor (great for schools)

[animefan_1]

If Apple's going to do an Online store update, it'll be around 9 am EDT.

[IscariotJ]

I'm hoping for a minimum of 512MB and a CoreImage capable video card.

J

[MacSA]

Oh well.....looks like we won't be seeing anything today either.

[Rootman]

Minis went from same day to 5-7 days this morning on US store.

[mrgreen4242]

Minis went from same day to 5-7 days this morning on US store.

iBooks are still same day though. I wonder if the shippign time for the mini is related to a supply issue, as most of Europe has reported delys, and BTO systems have been delayed. I wonder if Apple had a huge run of mini's built up front and stopped production to keep costs down? Maybe they sold them all before they expected and are a little behind with the next batch...

Just a thought.

[Hattig]

Oh well.....looks like we won't be seeing anything today either.
I guess they want to run with the 500000000 songs thing for a week, and we'll see new stuff next Tuesday.

[~Shard~]

Well, I'm coming late to this thread, but I just wanted to say that this is great news. My fiance has been wanting a new iBook for months, and I've told her just to wait, as updates are overdue. With it being 9 months since an update, I would be somewhat disappointed with a simply marginal speed bump, new (still old) video card, and 512 MB RAM standard after all that, so a form factor change, widescreen, etc all would be most welcome! Let's hope it is released soon, so Apple can fully take advantage of the back to school campaign in the fall. :cool:

[crazydreaming]

9:01:28 Eastern Time and no changes on apple store site.

[jocknerd]

Unbelievable if true. I can't believe Apple would finally realize that an entry level laptop should have a better video resolution. OMFG!

What's next? Are you going to tell me that Apple is dumping the PowerPC and going with Intel? Ha-ha!

[crazydreaming]

:mad: OK I'm Really REALLY getting sick of this whole routine :(

[~Shard~]

:mad: OK I'm Really REALLY getting sick of this whole routine :(

Your reaction is a bit surprising considering your username - I thought this would be right up your alley... ;)

[Xaimous]

it would be nice to have an update for before august and the back to school frenzy.

I want to get a used FW800 PowerBook late august with the help of some excess grant money but if a 14 widescreen is due, I'm all for not getting the prestidge of Power and going i.

Even if it's not widescreen, trying to sell 9 month old hardware to people who want a computer to last them 4 years seems more difficult than selling them speed bumped hardware even if the speed bump seems like a joke of one.

[AP_piano295]

Do you ever wonder who votes negative on these threads? :confused:

[tsk]

So don't buy a 12", buy a bigger one. Some of us prefer laptops that are small. I've personally never seen the point in the 14" iBook - same 1024x768 but bigger and heavier. And most people don't. The 12.1" outsells the 14" iBook by far.

I think he's talking about 12" in reference to a widescreen, not in general. I tend to agree that a 12" widescreen sucks (not enough screen). But I would purchase the current aspect ratio 12" instead of the 14".

I also tend to doubt we'd see a 12" widescreen. Maybe there would be and addition to the line (the 13" widescreen people mention) or something.

[tsk]

Do you ever wonder who votes negative on these threads? :confused:

It's the people who listen to the people who say: Buy now, even if there is a speed bump, you won't be disappointed when the new model comes out.

[JonMaker]

Do you ever wonder who votes negative on these threads? :confused:

I dont know about the rest of you, but I interpret "Negative" to mean "won't happen", not "bad news" when we are referring to rumors.

[Shasta]

It appears CDW, Amazon, and CompUSA all have new stock in, they are all quoting 1-2 days...

Damn

Shasta

Edit: OR NEW iBOOKS TOMORROW!!! (had to sorry, the wait is killing me, nothing better then waking up at 6:00 A. M. with dreams about an iBook refresh)

[AidenShaw]

It appears CDW, Amazon, and CompUSA all have new stock in, they are all quoting 1-2 days...

Damn

Shasta
Maybe Apple shipped all the old stock to the channel so that they wouldn't be stuck with it.... :eek:

[arrizaba]

Apple UK: Ibook starts shipping in 7 days, while the PBook does it within 24 hours.
Same for all the other european apple sites.

Does this mean it's coming within a week?

I'm a Mac newbie, do you know if Apple releases the Ibook simultaneously everywhere ?
I've been convincing my wife to convert herself to Mac and buy an Ibook, but she needs it before mid august. So, If it is released next week and comes to europe in another 2 weeks, she will give up and buy a PC with.... hell!!, no!!.... Windows!!

[AP_piano295]

Apple UK: Ibook starts shipping in 7 days, while the PBook does it within 24 hours.
Same for all the other european apple sites.

Does this mean it's coming within a week?

I'm a Mac newbie, do you know if Apple releases the Ibook simultaneously everywhere ?
I've been convincing my wife to convert herself to Mac and buy an Ibook, but she needs it before mid august. So, If it is released next week and comes to europe in another 2 weeks, she will give up and buy a PC with.... hell!!, no!!.... Windows!!

It could but there have been many shiping time discrepancies ove the last nine months and none led to an update but in light of this new report from Think Secret I wouldnt be surprised.. Im considering that europes products probably ship from a different location then that of the US and perhaps their supply of the current ibook line has just been exausted so they wont be shipping untill the get the new books in.

[Shasta]

(I need to get a hobby, and quick)

As other people noted
The Mac Mini in the US store has jumped to 5-7 stock
The CDROM iBook is 5-7 stock
All BTO iBooks are 7-10

... jump to your own conclusions

Shasta

[arrizaba]

(I need to get a hobby, and quick)

As other people noted
The Mac Mini in the US store has jumped to 5-7 stock
The CDROM iBook is 5-7 stock
All BTO iBooks are 7-10

... jump to your own conclusions

Shasta

So, Mac Minis are also going to be updated then?....cool, that would confirm the suspicions already seen in:

http://mac.zicos.com/news.php/n/192222/

(Shasta, you've got a hobby already: gossiping over macs, :D )

[iEric]

I highly doubt that any MacIntels will show up because I don't think developers have transferred the code to universal binary. So even if MacIntels do show up, you'll have no software (other than the stuff bundled with apple) to use.

[powerbook911]

Well, I'm looking at next Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, for the iBook & Mac Mini release.

[KindredMAC]

I highly doubt that any MacIntels will show up because I don't think developers have transferred the code to universal binary. So even if MacIntels do show up, you'll have no software (other than the stuff bundled with apple) to use.

HUH????
That is what Rosetta is for......

[_bnkr612]

Staples already carries a 13" iBook doppelgänger.

Yuck. (http://www.staples.com/Catalog/Browse/sku_image.asp?PageType=1&SKU=605193&ImageTypeName=Enlarged&ReturnURL=%2FCatalog%2FBrowse%2Fsku%2Easp%3FPageType%3D1%26Sku%3D605193%26bcFlag%3DTrue%26bcSCatId%3 D3%26bcSCatName%3DTechnology%26bcCatId%3D71%26bcCatName%3DComputers%2B%2526%2BPDA%2527s%26bcClassId% 3D142715%26bcClassName%3DNotebook%2BPCs%2B%252D%2BPre%252DConfigured)

[AidenShaw]

HUH????
That is what Rosetta is for......
Rosetta will run most applications at modest speed (unless they depend on AltiVec, in which case they'll run slowly or not at all).

Sounds like an easy decision for consumers make...

[nagromme]

The Intel transition will have some rough edges for the first buyers--it's a question of how many.

Apple COULD release Intel Macs very soon. There would be some software issues for a while, and some frustrated people who need certain apps.

Or they COULD release them really late, after every one of the top 2000 apps is running well on Intel or Rosetta, and the big name ones are all native.

But realistically, they have to find a balance in the middle, so I think they'll stick with the schedule they said. Not to mention, telling your developers one schedule, giving them early warning, and then yanking the rug out from under that warning would be very bad developer relations, at a time when developers have a key role to play.

The stated schedule has some wiggle room. Steve said Intel Macs would already be "in the market" (not just "released" but "in the market," addressed TO an audience of people selling software to users)... BY June 2006.

So starting to sell them in May seems like the latest date (not "summer" as many have reported). It's not as if Intel might not deliver the goods: the CURRENT Pentium M line, at next year's lower prices, should be fine for the Mac Mini and iBook, if nothing else. (PowerBooks depend on Yonah I think, but Yonah's due at the very end of this year.)

And if May is the latest date, and the current Pentium M is all that's needed to get the ball rolling, then much earlier is possible. I'm betting on MWSF in January. (Holiday season 2005? That would be great, but I think it's a long shot unless Apple gives developers a new warning.)

[MacHamman]

Hey, I just ordered a 12" iBook last Sunday. The order status page says that the estimated ship date is the first of August. If Apple does upgrade the iBook, will I get an upgrade to the new version or not. I know that there is no way to know for sure, but I'm a newbie and would appreciate the advice.

[monke]

Yeah.. I'm sure they will bring out a great update... like "hardware completely unchanged, iBook now black (with a red apple logo), signed by Steve Jobs". :eek:

I couldn't see a U2 iBook, but I could see a Coldplay iBook/iPod.
1. Apple was giving away four tickets to Coldplay's concery in the iTunes Promotion
2. iTunes has Coldplay in an iTunes ad, look in the music videos section
3. Before Apple released the U2 iPod, Vertigo was the top selling song for quite some time, and 'How to Dismantle and Atomic Bomb' was the most popular album for about the same time period. Now look at Coldplay, their single 'Speed of Sound' was one of the top downloads few weeks ago, and their album 'X&Y' is the top selling album right now.

[thejp2000]

I don't see the new iBooks being Mactel machines. I mean, c'mon, don't you think that Apple would put the Intel chips into the prosumer machines long before the consumer machines? Desktops and Powerbooks usually get all the cutting edge stuff first, with iMacs & iBooks following suit significantly later.

We might see a change in form factor, but I think the Intel chips will go into the high-end machines first.

[nagromme]

If Apple does upgrade the iBook, will I get an upgrade to the new version or not. I know that there is no way to know for sure, but I'm a newbie and would appreciate the advice.

If new iBooks come out before then, call Apple.

Typically, you'd get the new one--along with an email giving you the chance to cancel your order if you'd rather (or at least the choice to get the old machine at a lower price).

If nothing else, you could cancel and then re-order.

Now, how much do you trust ThinkSecret's good--but not great--rumor record? :D You could cancel earlier than the 1st, in fear that the ship date might move sooner and miss the new models (unlikely). It's a game of chicken! :D

If you do get the old machine in your hands, and then new ones come out, you should at least make sure you get a lower price on the old model. Apple's price protection policy allows for that situation.

[nagromme]

I don't see the new iBooks being Mactel machines. I mean, c'mon, don't you think that Apple would put the Intel chips into the prosumer machines long before the consumer machines? Desktops and Powerbooks usually get all the cutting edge stuff first, with iMacs & iBooks following suit significantly later.

I don't see Intel iBooks happening now, but I think Apple DID say consumer machines would be the first to go Intel--and laptops being among the first too seems very likely.

Your logic is good, but some factors may turn the "pro line first" logic around:

* G5s will keep getting faster, maybe enough to keep the pro desktops going strong for a while. But the G4 is another story--Intel's Pentium M is great for laptops (and the Mini is built like a laptop in many ways). So the G4 Macs may have the "greatest need." (PowerBooks especially of course--I don't expect Intel PBs to be delayed at ALL behind Intel iBooks.)

* Pro users may be pickier about having their high-end apps run native. So maybe they're not the best early adopters of a new chip architecture.

* The Pentium M is suitable for iBooks and Mac Minis, and already exists. The dual-core Yonah Pentium M sounds good for PowerBooks, and is coming in the next 6 months. But DESKTOP Pentium "M"s (whatever the name) will take longer into next year to come out. Apple doesn't HAVE to wait for desktop Pentium "M"s, but the Pentium M architecture is the future--with good reason--and Intel is phasing out everything else. Pentium 4/Xeon chips run hot and waste power. That impacts Apple's case designs and everything. If I was Apple, I'd much rather skip the Pentium 4 line altogether--and that means waiting into mid/late next year.

* The first new M-based Intel desktop chips (dual-core Sossaman) will be 32-bit I believe. That's OK for iMacs possibly (it matters to few users), but PowerMacs should not step back away from 64-bit (they may wait for the Conroe chip). PowerBooks will go 64 bit in a year and a half maybe, with the Merom chip (dual core, 64-bit laptop chip). All M-based.

So Intel's roadmap may affect Apple's rollout. See:
http://freespace.virgin.net/m.warner/Roadmap2006.htm

Apple may use some Pentium 4/Xeon chips if they have to, but I'm thinking it would affect their hardware design in terms of cooling, and therefore even in terms of physical size.

I'm new to Intel stuff, so corrections are welcomed.

[beatle888]

Rosetta will run most applications at modest speed (unless they depend on AltiVec, in which case they'll run slowly or not at all).

Sounds like an easy decision for consumers make...



sunny as always.

[jiv3turkey748]

Staples already carries a 13" iBook doppelgänger.

Yuck. (http://www.staples.com/Catalog/Browse/sku_image.asp?PageType=1&SKU=605193&ImageTypeName=Enlarged&ReturnURL=%2FCatalog%2FBrowse%2Fsku%2Easp%3FPageType%3D1%26Sku%3D605193%26bcFlag%3DTrue%26bcSCatId%3 D3%26bcSCatName%3DTechnology%26bcCatId%3D71%26bcCatName%3DComputers%2B%2526%2BPDA%2527s%26bcClassId% 3D142715%26bcClassName%3DNotebook%2BPCs%2B%252D%2BPre%252DConfigured)
yuck??? that thing is awesome

[CiBoys]

so far everything sounds great, and i'm guess this will all goes back to our topic of the "iBook Widescreen" :D

[AidenShaw]

sunny as always.
No, "sunny" was the guy who suggested that a mainstream MacIntel could be released this week and Rosetta would make it "rosey". ;)

[JonMaker]

Staples already carries a 13" iBook doppelgänger.

Yuck. (http://www.staples.com/Catalog/Browse/sku_image.asp?PageType=1&SKU=605193&ImageTypeName=Enlarged&ReturnURL=%2FCatalog%2FBrowse%2Fsku%2Easp%3FPageType%3D1%26Sku%3D605193%26bcFlag%3DTrue%26bcSCatId%3 D3%26bcSCatName%3DTechnology%26bcCatId%3D71%26bcCatName%3DComputers%2B%2526%2BPDA%2527s%26bcClassId% 3D142715%26bcClassName%3DNotebook%2BPCs%2B%252D%2BPre%252DConfigured)

Yuck?! That's the *exact* model I'll be getting if Apple doesn't get their act together! :mad:

(Seriously. I saw it in my local Staples and, other than not being a Mac, it rapes current iBooks: it's cheap, small, fast, and would run Slackware *very* nicely. I think I can BTO it without Windows.) :eek:

[AcousticDoc]

(Seriously. I saw it in my local Staples and, other than not being a Mac, it rapes current iBooks: it's cheap, small, fast, and would run Slackware *very* nicely. I think I can BTO it without Windows.) :eek:

that little avratec is a real bargain.

[CiBoys]

as much as exciting and thrill the new iBook sounds, i think i should stick to Powerbook :o i'm getting new laptop, as of now i probably will stick with my original plan of getting a PB 15" 1.67

[Rangerhall6]

every other apple store around the world has iBooks with very delayed shipping accept for the US store, how could someone say its not coming?

[AcousticDoc]

every other apple store around the world has iBooks with very delayed shipping accept for the US store, how could someone say its not coming?

how com ethe US ibooks wouldn't have delayed shipping compared to the rest of the world?

[kahleeb]

Thus I bought my 12" iBook 2 weeks ago.

I've had the machine for almost a week.

We got our first mac earlier this year with the Mac mini. Now that my wife needed a notebook for some college classes, we bought her a 12" iBook at CompUSA during their "employee pricing" sale this last weekend. We got her machine for $920. While it was a good deal, I think we will personally take advantage of their 21 day no restocking fee return policy if these new iBooks come out as rumored.

Has anyone commented on what the new pricing structure might be if these new iBooks do come out??

[CiBoys]

We got our first mac earlier this year with the Mac mini. Now that my wife needed a notebook for some college classes, we bought her a 12" iBook at CompUSA during their "employee pricing" sale this last weekend. We got her machine for $920. While it was a good deal, I think we will personally take advantage of their 21 day no restocking fee return policy if these new iBooks come out as rumored.

Has anyone commented on what the new pricing structure might be if these new iBooks do come out??


Are you sure is no restocking fee? you open it already... :rolleyes:

[hob]

Yuck?! That's the *exact* model I'll be getting if Apple doesn't get their act together!
That's the exact model you'll be getting if apple DOES get it's act together. What a rip-off!! :rolleyes:

[ICEBERG]

July 26,2005 will be the day we see Intel make their way into iBooks. Mark my words. :)

[bellis1]

Yuck?! That's the *exact* model I'll be getting if Apple doesn't get their act together! :mad:

(Seriously. I saw it in my local Staples and, other than not being a Mac, it rapes current iBooks: it's cheap, small, fast, and would run Slackware *very* nicely. I think I can BTO it without Windows.) :eek:


Even better look at the ibook mini made by that company:

http://www.averatec.com/notebooks/1000series.htm

[artifex]

I can hear it now, in that Apple guy voice:

"The new widescreen iBook. HD... for the rest of us."

[paulsecic]

Highly. So expect it anytime now as they say.
I thought Apple wasn't going to release new products until Intel gets involed?

[artifex]

We got our first mac earlier this year with the Mac mini. Now that my wife needed a notebook for some college classes, we bought her a 12" iBook at CompUSA during their "employee pricing" sale this last weekend. We got her machine for $920. While it was a good deal, I think we will personally take advantage of their 21 day no restocking fee return policy if these new iBooks come out as rumored.

Has anyone commented on what the new pricing structure might be if these new iBooks do come out??

If she's in college, you might want to check out the educational pricing at the online Apple store. I haven't tried it yet, but they might also give it to her at a walk-in Apple store if she's got her ID. Her college may also be selling Apple stuff directly at a discount. Don't forget, they're offering a free iPod mini if you buy a qualifying system... oh, and they've been sending me $30 off coupons every few months in e-mail, too.

[nagromme]

I thought Apple wasn't going to release new products until Intel gets involed?

Steve said that newer, better PowerPC Macs ARE coming. It's a transition, not a sudden jump to Intel.

PS, Mac Minis due for a new version too?
http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1190

[~Shard~]

Do you ever wonder who votes negative on these threads? :confused:

Anti-widescreen fanatics?

[AliensAreFuzzy]

July 26,2005 will be the day we see Intel make their way into iBooks. Mark my words. :)
Marked and on the Calender. But it you're wrong... *Shakes fist*

[Doctor Q]

Anti-widescreen fanatics?I'm not a fanatic about it, but I don't have a preference for widescreen, as I explained earlier. Then again, I haven't used the thread-rating feature because I don't find it very useful when others use it. Without explanations (i.e., a poll), the votes don't tell us much about people's real opinions.

[psxndc]

July 26,2005 will be the day we see Intel make their way into iBooks. Mark my words. :)

A saturday? I doubt it. Highly.

--EDIT--
Would have helped if I actually LOOKED at the calendar before making that comment. *sigh*

That said, my order got bumped and is supposed to ship on the 29th. I'd love for it to be an updated one, Intel or not.

-p-

[Rangerhall6]

July 26,2005 will be the day we see Intel make their way into iBooks. Mark my words. :)

I thought Steve Jobs said at WWDC that the switch to intel would start in june 2006

[AidenShaw]

Anti-widescreen fanatics?
If they add 256 pixels to the width of a 1024x768 and call it "wide screen" - that's good.

If they subtract 154 pixels from the height of a 1024x768 and call it "wide screen" - that's bad.

I like more pixels... I'd rather have the 1280x1024 4x3 than a 1280x768 widescreen. But I'd also rather have a 1600x1024 widescreen than the 1280x1024.

More pixels....and smaller pixels. Apple tends to use huge pixels, and that makes for poor resolution imaging.

[rabadash]

July 26,2005 will be the day we see Intel make their way into iBooks. Mark my words. :)

I think theres only a very small chance apple could have designed a new ibook to incorporate intel processors at this time. I've heard everyone say that the ibook will use a single core centrino based chipset, if that's true and apple puts one into the ibook right now, the ibook really will be faster than the powerbook. I also remember someone saying that the intel announcement was a fairly recent decision to WWDC, and if that's true, apple really hasn't had enough time to develop an intel laptop by july 26th.

[nagromme]

Apple's pixels aren't at all big compared to average displays. (You want big pixels look at a Dell 19" LCD or similar!)

Higher DPI/smaller pixels is a two-edged sword. I'm very glad Apple doesn't make tinier pixels standard--I find that those high res displays crammed into too few inches sound good on paper, and work OK for some tasks, but in practice they make it harder to see things and painful to work for long hours. Not worth the privilege of cramming in more windows. (I prefer Exposé for that: tiny windows when I want them, not full-time.)

I find even the 12" 10x7 screens have pixels too small for my tastes if use them for too long. Menus are too small, Photoshop crosshairs are too small, etc. etc.

BUT I do think higher-res OPTIONS would be nice to have, for the people who want that. At least BTO on the 17" PowerBook if nothing else.

And I will want those tiny pixels too--not today, but in the future: once the UI is completely resolution-independent. (A feature hidden in Tiger, so I fully expect it with Leopard.)

THEN smaller pixels will have no downside (except maybe cost).

[CubaTBird]

if a widescreen ibook does come out... it would go head to head i guess with this sony style 13.3 inch widescreen laptop.. i have seen it in person and i must say its a pretty slick machine.. the battery life.. well that's another story... :o

[monke]

iBooks are now 5-7 days in the Canada Store!!! :)

[~Shard~]

I'm not a fanatic about it, but I don't have a preference for widescreen, as I explained earlier. Then again, I haven't used the thread-rating feature because I don't find it very useful when others use it. Without explanations (i.e., a poll), the votes don't tell us much about people's real opinions.

Yah, I hear you. I think many people may just assume "widescreen=better" and rate this positive, whereas to some people it doesn't matter, or perhaps if it isn't implemented properly, some people would indeed see it as a negative. And then there might be the people who rate it negative because it won't be an Intel iBook. :rolleyes: ;)

If they add 256 pixels to the width of a 1024x768 and call it "wide screen" - that's good.

If they subtract 154 pixels from the height of a 1024x768 and call it "wide screen" - that's bad.

I like more pixels... I'd rather have the 1280x1024 4x3 than a 1280x768 widescreen. But I'd also rather have a 1600x1024 widescreen than the 1280x1024.

More pixels....and smaller pixels. Apple tends to use huge pixels, and that makes for poor resolution imaging.

See my above comments - absolutely, it depends how they define "widescreen". Still though, I would rate this as positive simply because it means a redesign (whether it's good or bad) and not simply just a marginal processor/memory/video card boost. After 9 months, Apple needs to do something more than what constitutes (in my mind) a marginal update, and I see this widescreen possibility as one way to accomplish that.

[tikibangout]

I hope widescreen isn't the only thing they add, I don't want to cancel my order just for that.

[berkleeboy210]

Kinda the wrong thread to post this on but, Mac Mini's Stock Model Shipping Time has increased to 5-7 Days. iBooks however still show same bus. day for stock models. but it still shows 7-10 when you add any BTO options.

I'm going w/ you guys on this one and saying definetely 7/26/05 we'll see an update across the board. Minis/iBooks/PBooks

[evolutioneight]

Well if you are right....the iBook is doing pretty well going up against a machine thats about double in price. Also I'm pretty sure it might even be double in performance. But man, whoever wants a laptop that gets between 2.5 to 3 hours of battery life is beyond me. Think of all the freakin extra batteries you'd have to carry around if you were leaving outlet territory. One of those would have your praying for fuel cells pretty quick.

[~Shard~]

I hope widescreen isn't the only thing they add, I don't want to cancel my order just for that.

No, they will definitely update the standard RAM to 512 MB like every other line (sans eMac) And upgrade the outdated video card with a less-outdated video card. :p ;) A speed bump would be prudent as well, obviously, even though it would only be a couple hundred MHz.

Of course, if Apple does go this route, what about the PowerBooks? Or are they content with simply having the iBook and PowerBook lines close to each other once again, resulting in less differentiation?

[bodeh6]

Yeah. I expect the Powerbook to be upgraded either the same day as the iBook or a week later. August 2 at the latest.

[fredwards]

I can't see them releasing something ridiculously small like a 10.3 inch widescreen as some people have mentioned in this thread. It would LOVE something comparable to the 13 inch Sony VAIO.

I'm primarily a PC user looking to switch to Macs and I've been holding out for a while for an updated ibook. The thing is when shopping and looking throughout the ENTIRE market, for the price of an ibook you can get SO MUCH MORE in a PC.

If apple is looking to upgrade the line up especially for back to school, they NEED to improve on the necessities. 32mbVRAM, 256MB RAM, and a 30GB HDD @ the price the ibook goes for is way below what the rest of the industry offers at around the same price.

Personally if they kept the same price for the 12inch and upgraded it to 512, 64 vid card, 40-60GB HDD and included bluetooth, they could even leave processor speeds and widescreens alone and i would be more than happy.

[AidenShaw]

I'm primarily a PC user looking to switch to Macs and I've been holding out for a while for an updated ibook.
Update in specs, or an update to get rid of the really dated white plastic look?


The thing is when shopping and looking throughout the ENTIRE market, for the price of an ibook you can get SO MUCH MORE in a PC.
The obvious question then is "why switch", if you can get so much more for the same price in a WinTel laptop?

PPC is officially dead according to the Lord God Jobs, so that can't be a reason. Malware - no big deal, just run Norton and any of the free spyware tools.

OS X is "prettier", perhaps - but only the guys at "Queer Eye..." would choose a tool because of the eye-candy in the GUI.

So why, inquiring minds want to know, why you'd want to spend more for less, just to have a Mac....

[corywoolf]

intel is def not happening this soon. I bet you it is a widescreen and a goodbye to the white plastic ibook, say hello to to the aluminum ibook (powerbook now has a younger brother), It makes sense when you think about it, if you can't add more power, make the thing look awsome and throw in some cool features (like what they did with the PB). I say minor speed boost and a face lift.

[woolfgang]

OS X is "prettier", perhaps - but only the guys at "Queer Eye..." would choose a tool because of the eye-candy in the GUI.

Is it worth even responding to idiots anymore?

[Alasta]

intel is def not happening this soon. I bet you it is a widescreen and a goodbye to the white plastic ibook, say hello to to the aluminum ibook (powerbook now has a younger brother), It makes sense when you think about it, if you can't add more power, make the thing look awsome and throw in some cool features (like what they did with the PB). I say minor speed boost and a face lift.

Fair comment. Considering that so many people believe that an update to the iBook would bring its specs too close to the Powerbook, it's entirely possible that the next iBook update may be more cosmetic than functional.

[Machead III]

Would be a good idea to release a tablet now, as a sort of low-end iBook. It could be powered by the many Intel processors for protable devices.

Yeah, I think the time is right for an iTablet alright, fanboy hype aside.

[arrizaba]

iBooks and Mac Minis will be updated, for sure. Now, the gap between iBooks and Powerbooks becomes so tiny that they might consider to update the powerbooks as well.
If they don't update the Powerbook, the main question is which will be the price of a new iBook. From what I have gathered from all the forums I've read is that the iBook could have the following specs (for the 12'' bottom-line)

-G4 1.33 Ghz
-40 Gb HD
-Radeon 9200 64 MB DDR
-512 MB RAM
-Aluminum cover

If the new IBook has these specs (I doubt it), then why buy a Powerbook 12'' for $1500 if you can buy almost the same for $1000?
My conclusion is:
-Either they update considerably the Powerbook or
-The update above for the Ibook is not realistic and Apple will just introduce a couple of changes (say, pick 2 from the list above).

[arrizaba]

The obvious question then is "why switch", if you can get so much more for the same price in a WinTel laptop?


Well, I'm not so sure about this. Look at the following comparisons:

http://www.systemshootouts.org/shootouts/laptop/2004/1019_lt1000.html

I would say that Macs tend to be slightly slower than PCs for the same price, but the other specification make up for the difference (including the Mac OS). Mac OS X is not just "eye-candy", come on.... The stability UNIX gives Mac OS X is far from what Windows can ever achieve.

[Hattig]

I don't see the new iBooks being Mactel machines. I mean, c'mon, don't you think that Apple would put the Intel chips into the prosumer machines long before the consumer machines? Desktops and Powerbooks usually get all the cutting edge stuff first, with iMacs & iBooks following suit significantly later.

We might see a change in form factor, but I think the Intel chips will go into the high-end machines first.

I don't think we'll see Intel based machines simply because last month Jobs said that they would start migrating in 2006. Unless I overslept, I make it July 2005 and we're talking about an update within the next couple of weeks.

I think it would be the ideal time to introduce a new formfactor however.

[jeffreyg]

I wouldn't. Maybe on a 15.4" PowerBook MacTel.

I sure would. The tinier the better.

[Sol]

The stability UNIX gives Mac OS X is far from what Windows can ever achieve.

I agree that OS X is more stable than Windows. It is great to have the option of a mature 64-bit OS that can address more than the 8 GB that a PowerMac can host. I am sure that PCs can be tweaked to perform admirably but Windows can attract some big problems for your work-flow and besides, OS X is relaxing in a way.

[ftaok]

If they add 256 pixels to the width of a 1024x768 and call it "wide screen" - that's good.

If they subtract 154 pixels from the height of a 1024x768 and call it "wide screen" - that's bad.

I like more pixels... I'd rather have the 1280x1024 4x3 than a 1280x768 widescreen. But I'd also rather have a 1600x1024 widescreen than the 1280x1024.

More pixels....and smaller pixels. Apple tends to use huge pixels, and that makes for poor resolution imaging.
Incidentally, 1280x1024 is not a very good resolution for LCDs. To get this resolution, you'd either have to make rectangular pixels or have a 5:4 screen. 1280x960 is the correct 4:3 resolution (used by the eMacs). Take a look at some native 1280x1024 LCDs and you'll notice that the shape is "odd" looking.

Whatever Apple does with the iBook, it's likely that they'll keep the the ppi to between 100 and 110, or so. Assuming they use a 15:10 ratio, the likely resolution would be 1280x854 (like the PB15). At 110 ppi, the screen size is 14", which is one of the rumored sizes. At 13.3" (which is a common widescreen LCD size), the ppi is 115. For reference, the 12" iBook has a ppi of 106 and the 15" PB has a ppi of ~100.

Personally, I'm guessing 13.3" and a res of 1280x854. The 12" PB gets dropped and the 15" PB gets a bigger 15.4" screen with (1440x960) and the 17" PB gets 1600x1024. Just wild guesses.

[AidenShaw]

...and besides, OS X is relaxing in a way.
Now, honestly, here's a good reason for *you* to switch. Not trying to justify any claim of objective "superiority", but a simple subjective preference. That was the question I asked the other poster - since s/he wanted to switch in spite of reservations about the features of the Apple systems.


I agree that OS X is more stable than Windows. It is great to have the option of a mature 64-bit OS that can address more than the 8 GB that a PowerMac can host.
"Mature 64-bit"??? OSX is a bit of an infant in the 64-bit department (no GUI or Cocoa support, for example) even though the basic core design is 30 or more years old.

I'll have to tell a few of my Windows machines that they're unstable and can't support memory....

Uptime: 39 days 22 hours 15 minutes 56 seconds
Kernel version: Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Multiprocessor Free
Processors: 4
Processor speed: 2.2 GHz
Processor type: AMD Opteron (tm) Processor 848

Physical memory: 24408 MB

[dernhelm]

Personally, I'm guessing 13.3" and a res of 1280x854. The 12" PB gets dropped and the 15" PB gets a bigger 15.4" screen with (1440x960) and the 17" PB gets 1600x1024. Just wild guesses.

You know, I just bought a 17"PB despite the fact that the screen couldn't get to 1600x1024. I hmm'd and haw'd for quite a while over that one issue. And as ut turns out, it has been less of an issue than I thought it might be (I actually like the screen OK), but that's still the one thing that I would change if I could. So I for one hope your prediction comes true.

[Little Endian]

I am betting the ibook and PowerBook will be getting one last PowerPC G4 upgrade before the intel switch. The ibook needs to be updated now and naturally the PowerBook will be updated at the same time or within a few weeks of the ibook. I doubt Apple will release Intel based notebooks this year because if they do they will have to do it in the next three months in time for the holiday season. I highly doubt that Apple would be able to have any intel based macs shipping in Volume to meet demand for this Holiday season.

ibook will be upgraded with a top speed G4 running at about 1.42-1.5 Ghz

Power Book will see an update with the single cored G4 7448 which may top out at 1.8-2Ghz with a 200Mhz FSB and 1MB of L2 Cache. Sure it is'nt on the G5 or Pentium M level of performance but double the L2 Cache with slightly faster FSB and Corespeed and we could see a nice 33% boost in speed over the current high end 1.67Ghz G4 7447A

Even if Apple Could ship intel based portables as early as Jan 2006 after the holidays we will still see another G4 based upgrade. Apple would be crazy to go into the 2005 Holiday season with what will be a year old + ibook and 9 month old PowerBook.

[bodeh6]

There are going to be NO Intel based Macs this year at all. Look for the first to come out some time around February to June of 2006.

[fredwards]

Update in specs, or an update to get rid of the really dated white plastic look?



The obvious question then is "why switch", if you can get so much more for the same price in a WinTel laptop?

PPC is officially dead according to the Lord God Jobs, so that can't be a reason. Malware - no big deal, just run Norton and any of the free spyware tools.

OS X is "prettier", perhaps - but only the guys at "Queer Eye..." would choose a tool because of the eye-candy in the GUI.

So why, inquiring minds want to know, why you'd want to spend more for less, just to have a Mac....


Because the mac just works. I've been using a mac alot over the past year at school and at my friends etc and it feels like its designed more in tune with what i want to do. I love how easy it is to install and uninstall things and how accessible everything is as well. I KNOW that based upon the specs u can get MUCH more performace out of an apple system over a windows system because it is an extremelyefficient OS.

All I am saying is that for the price and for what you get in terms of hardware, I just think it is hard for alot of people to justify buying the ibook as it is (UNLESS THEY ARE MAC USERS).

EDIT* and with regards to your Queer Eye statement. I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure almost anyone would prefer a sleek looking GUI versus an ugly one and even then I dont see how that affects the topic in any way!!

[RAF++]

I am really staring to get desperate. I feel like Apple is not caring about macusers who actually have to earn money with their machines anymore. For 2 years now, all Apple is talking about is iPod, iPod, iPod, iTunes, fancy shiny lifestyle-stuff. The last iBook was outdated when it was released a year ago. And I am not only talking about processorspeed, same with the graphiccard, RAM and Harddisk was also very mediocre... Same problem with the Powerbooks... Same problem with the Powermacs... The only interesting product Apple released in the last two years was the macmini (because it's very cheap and small), which we use as fileserver now. I really hope, Apple is going to remember their professional clients soon... I know this is a little off-topic, but I think, the way Apple it treating the iBook-line is very typical for how this company has changed during the last few years ...

[AP_piano295]

Anyone here notice that Mac users tend to be better students? (maybe this is due to the inability to play games) :p

More likely it is because the macs are premium machines so the well to do and usually fairly intelligent family (USUALLY) would own one any shmow can afford a pc these days they cost like nothing... also macs are known for being the democratic machine (NO POLITICAL ARGUMENTS PLEASE JUST STATING A POSSIBILITY) and after these last elections it was noticed that the 13 states with the highest average SAT scores all voted democrat Virginia breaking that trend...

[peharri]

More likely it is because the macs are premium machines so the well to do and usually fairly intelligent family (USUALLY) would own one any shmow can afford a pc these days they cost like nothing... also macs are known for being the democratic machine (NO POLITICAL ARGUMENTS PLEASE JUST STATING A POSSIBILITY) and after these last elections it was noticed that the 13 states with the highest average SAT scores all voted democrat Virginia breaking that trend...
I don't think this is true. Rush Limbaugh uses one. Slashdot's "pudge", the editor of the Apple section there, is a well known Republican who has stood for various minor posts in the Republican Party. His blog is fairly clear on what he stands for:

http://slashdot.org/~pudge/journal/

I don't think there's any political allegance that traditionally goes with Macs. Al Gore may be on the Apple board, but Mac users themselves encompass a wide spectrum of political views.

[page3]

Far too much 'Apple MUST update the iBook' posts on here ;) Its supposed to be an entry level machine and was only upgraded 9 months ago. Its got plenty of life in it still.

My Mother just got her first portable today - the 12" 1.2 G4 iBook. She's thrilled with it. It's perfect for her as an entry level machine. She doesn't need (or want) more speed, bigger screen etc. The software suite it comes with (Tiger, iLife 05 etc) is new, interesting, powerful and useful to her. This is what the iBook range is all about. Reliable, fun and easy to use computing that's good value too.

Enjoy your iBook, I know she is.

[Deepdale]

Far too much 'Apple MUST update the iBook' posts on here ;) Its supposed to be an entry level machine and was only upgraded 9 months ago. Its got plenty of life in it still.

My Mother just got her first portable today - the 12" 1.2 G4 iBook. She's thrilled with it. It's perfect for her as an entry level machine. She doesn't need (or want) more speed, bigger screen etc. The software suite it comes with (Tiger, iLife 05 etc) is new, interesting, powerful and useful to her. This is what the iBook range is all about. Reliable, fun and easy to use computing that's good value too.

Enjoy your iBook, I know she is.

Allow me to thank you for a perfectly sensible post ... they tend to be rare sightings in the midst of endless update fever.

[alex_ant]

Incidentally, 1280x1024 is not a very good resolution for LCDs. To get this resolution, you'd either have to make rectangular pixels or have a 5:4 screen. 1280x960 is the correct 4:3 resolution (used by the eMacs). Take a look at some native 1280x1024 LCDs and you'll notice that the shape is "odd" looking.
Most 17" 1280x1024 LCDs ARE 5:4 and have square pixels. I don't know where you got the idea that they were 4:3 or if you just assumed they were, but the Dell 1704FPT is definitely 5:4 and manufacturers would have to be total idiots to make a screen with rectangular pixels.

[aldo]

Far too much 'Apple MUST update the iBook' posts on here ;) Its supposed to be an entry level machine and was only upgraded 9 months ago. Its got plenty of life in it still.

My Mother just got her first portable today - the 12" 1.2 G4 iBook. She's thrilled with it. It's perfect for her as an entry level machine. She doesn't need (or want) more speed, bigger screen etc. The software suite it comes with (Tiger, iLife 05 etc) is new, interesting, powerful and useful to her. This is what the iBook range is all about. Reliable, fun and easy to use computing that's good value too.

Enjoy your iBook, I know she is.

Sorry, but you are wrong. The trouble is that the iBook is now at a premium pricepoint for laptops. Never before has the gulf between iBook hardware and PC laptop hardware been so big, along with the price gap.

For the price of a £699 iBook I can get a machine that's twice as good in all areas apart from the screen, in the PC laptop world - 60GB HDD vs 30GB on the ibook, 1.8GHz Pentium-M vs 1.2GHz G4 (P-M is much faster clockspeed for clockspeed than a G4, that's why apple is switching to it), 512MB ram and a DVD-RW instead of a DVD/CD-RW combo.

The price? £399. Nearly half the price for twice the features.

Would I buy it? No. OSX has me totally hooked.

Consider that when the iBook G4 was last bumped, the difference with the PC world was negligible - maybe £50-£100 saving. Now it's huge.

[bodeh6]

The above poster has a point. Apple Laptops, both the iBook and Powerbook are currently using parts that have been available to the PC laptop market for at least 1.5 to 2 years. Apple needs to shape up if they want to compete. This fact however will not stop me for getting my PB this fall.

[MacSA]

For the price of a £699 iBook I can get a machine that's twice as good in all areas apart from the screen, in the PC laptop world - 60GB HDD vs 30GB on the ibook, 1.8GHz Pentium-M vs 1.2GHz G4 (P-M is much faster clockspeed for clockspeed than a G4, that's why apple is switching to it), 512MB ram and a DVD-RW instead of a DVD/CD-RW combo.

The price? £399. Nearly half the price for twice the features.



£399 for all of that? Care to provide a link to it?

[page3]

£399 might buy you a 'PC' but not with the build quality, design (not just looks but functionality), software suite, Operating System (with support, remember OEM Windows doesn't give you support) and just plain old 'niceness' of the iBook.

This all means a lot to a 60 year old - Mhz does not - it is only so fast she can word process, browse the web, write emails, listen to CD's, manage digital camera photos, chat with friends abroad, catalogue her books, watch DVD's...as I said before - all the things she desperately tried to do with a Windows box, but failed to. She's loving it - and at the end of the day isn't that the whole point?

[cr2sh]

£399 might buy you a 'PC' but not with the build quality, design (not just looks but functionality), software suite, Operating System (with support, remember OEM Windows doesn't give you support) and just plain old 'niceness' of the iBook.

This all means a lot to a 60 year old - Mhz does not - it is only so fast she can word process, browse the web, write emails, listen to CD's, manage digital camera photos, chat with friends abroad, catalogue her books, watch DVD's...as I said before - all the things she desperately tried to do with a Windows box, but failed to. She's loving it - and at the end of the day isn't that the whole point?

Eh... maybe. But last night when I was browsing in the local circular ads... I found an avdert for the new Lance Armostrong laptop being sold by HP.

http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=329226&pfp=cat3

This 14", widescreen laptop is in the same price range as the ibook.. comes with a gig of ram, a 100gb harddrive, dual layer dvd burner... and supports cancer research.

Sure sure, Apple has an ease of use but this LA machine is at an amazing price / performance ratio... if I were in the laptop market I'd consider it very seriously.

[cwoloszynski]

I think that we need to all think about how Apple is going to lay out the next 6 months of products to understand their plans.

When they announce the first Intel boxes, I expect that they'll want to hit a homerun with that product. It will have to be sexy. To me, that seems to argue for Apple to wait for the Yonah dual cores and ship something big in April-May of 2006. Updating the iBook with a M70 would not be sexy enough without cannibalizing their PB sales. Likewise, I don't see a Mac mini with an Intel processor until they have a sexy box out.

I could see them doing a PowerMac as the first update, but I think that the roadmap from Intel pushes that too far out (to use the M processor series), so I vote for a PB Yonah as the first machine out.

So, I expect that we'll see a nice bump for the iBook and the Mac mini, both using PPC processors. I hope that they are improved with better video support to allow these boxes to re-code HD DVD content (to be bought on iTMS) down to something that can be viewed on a iPod screen and play this content back and tie into a HD monitor.

That would allow the video plans (music videos first, then whatever content they can get rights to) to start to feed into the home market.



P.S. My first post here.

[ph0rce]

£399 might buy you a 'PC' but not with the build quality, design (not just looks but functionality), software suite, Operating System (with support, remember OEM Windows doesn't give you support) and just plain old 'niceness' of the iBook.

This all means a lot to a 60 year old - Mhz does not - it is only so fast she can word process, browse the web, write emails, listen to CD's, manage digital camera photos, chat with friends abroad, catalogue her books, watch DVD's...as I said before - all the things she desperately tried to do with a Windows box, but failed to.
She's loving it - and at the end of the day isn't that the whole point?

exerlent comment, but an update would be good. every one wants more speed, come on, and if its cheaper... everyones happy :)

[AP_piano295]

I don't think this is true. Rush Limbaugh uses one. Slashdot's "pudge", the editor of the Apple section there, is a well known Republican who has stood for various minor posts in the Republican Party. His blog is fairly clear on what he stands for:

http://slashdot.org/~pudge/journal/

I don't think there's any political allegance that traditionally goes with Macs. Al Gore may be on the Apple board, but Mac users themselves encompass a wide spectrum of political views.


I know that Jobs is a well known Democrat and taking note of the people I know who are mac users all of these are democrats while my republican friends tend twards anti mac.. of course I do know a number of democrats that are mac haters aswell.

PS:still not taking a political side here just stating personal observations

[digitalbiker]

[QUOTE=cwoloszynskir "so I vote for a PB Yonah as the first machine out."
[/QUOTE]

Both the WallStreet Journal and Cnet were the first to report the switch for Apple to Intel from official news releases prior to WWDC2005. In those releases it was stated that Apple would transition slowly starting with the "consumer line" (most likely Mac mini).

I think even Apple still realizes that most of the PB & PMac users are professionals who use professional software for supporting themselves. This means a power user not only has to take into consideration hardware but also software. To run Alti-vec Pro Software adequately will require native pro intel apps. An Intel PB first release would sell to non-power users then flop with pros not wanting to shell out big bucks for software.

On the other hand, a majority of the mac mini and ibook users probably only use OSX, ilife apps, and various low demand software. An intel ibook or and intel mac mini would not require a huge reinvestment of software dollars and would work great for most users immediately. Therefore the first big sales success will be a low cost intel mac mini and a new sleek look intel ibook.

It just makes sense. Also Yonah will be desired for PB and Yonah is "anticipated" to be release sometime in the 1st half 2006. No one knows for sure, not even intel right now. Low Power Pentium-M is available now. This gives Apple plenty of time to get ibook and mac mini ready for bug-free first release to the masses. Apple will not risk first release on potentially late or low supply Yonah. :rolleyes:

[robinmurphy]

I just spotted that the shipping time for iBooks has gone up to 7 Days on the UK Apple store - is this a sign of an imminant update?

[cwoloszynski]

Both the WallStreet Journal and Cnet were the first to report the switch for Apple to Intel from official news releases prior to WWDC2005. In those releases it was stated that Apple would transition slowly starting with the "consumer line" (most likely Mac mini).


From my read on this, if Apple releases an Intel produce in the consumer space, the performance will quickly cannibalize the prosumer devices. Apple cannot afford to cannibalize itself in the move to Intel.

An iBook with an M70 will whip a PB machine. How will Apple maintain any product distinction?

I can see a Mac mini as an initial system, as it does not cannibalize anything else. All the other updates will be planned to minimize cannibalization. The iBook and PB are prime examples where the transition is most needed; I'd expect them at the same time. I read 'prosumer' later as mostly focused on the Power Mac, where the Intel roadmap is weak for another 9 months (dual core, dual processor M processors).

You need to read between the lines when Jobs speaks. Consumer here may have only meant the mini will be first, and the Power Mac last. The laptops will be synchronized in their transition to avoid cannibalization. You read it here first :-).

[Websnapx2]

Further Conformation
from ThinkSecret (http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0507ibook2.html)