New iBook SuperDrive Config [Archive]

pjkelnhofer

May 25, 2004, 05:05 PM

Appleinsider claims (http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=468) that Apple will be introducing a new standard 14" iBook configuration at 1.2GHz with Superdrive for $1699.

This configuration was previously available as a build-to-order from Apple's online store.

Not really very interesting since that is exactly what it cost BTO. My guess would that this means that most of the 14" iBooks they are selling are adding the Superdrive. This will allow that standard config to be availible in the retail stores as an off the shelf product.

afields

May 25, 2004, 05:06 PM

interesting, I wonder what the pricing will be like. Inching closer and closer to powerbook.

pjkelnhofer

May 25, 2004, 05:08 PM

interesting, I wonder what the pricing will be like. Inching closer and closer to powerbook.

It says right in the first post $1699 which is the same as the current BTO option.

johnnyjibbs

May 25, 2004, 05:08 PM

This isn't very big news (hence Page 2) but yes it does mean that you can walk into a retail store and pick up an iBook SuperDrive. I don't think this has any ramifications towards dual layer drives in other Macs or such like. Not much to read into, other than, perhaps, this model was more popular than anticipated.

KindredMAC

May 25, 2004, 05:51 PM

Just like a couple of us have been saying, the only significance is that now Apple will sell them in the box off the shelf in their stores, as well as others like CompUSA. It's a very smart move.

If the demand has been great enough to dictate this then so be it.

My personal opinion is that I would rather spend the extra cash for a G4 iBook w/ Super Drive then to spend for the equivalently priced Power Book. The iBook is just more "rough and tough" then the Power Books. Everyone I know that has an AL Power Book have scratches and dings all over them.
My 900mhz G3 iBook's case is still nice a clean and scratch free after more then a year of taking it with me on plane and train trips for business. I really think that the White iBooks were the best Industrial Designed Macs yet, minus the damn Logic Board going on mine :)

benfid

May 25, 2004, 06:19 PM

sounds like waht happened to the 12" powerbook 867

afields

May 25, 2004, 06:19 PM

It says right in the first post $1699 which is the same as the current BTO option.

Oh yeah, whoops :o

CyberB0b

May 25, 2004, 06:31 PM

I wish they would include bluetooth. The guy at the apple store 1 mile from my house wouldn't sell me an iBook with bluetooth, so I had to order online and wait for it to be flown in from King Kong.

Tenniru

May 25, 2004, 07:03 PM

I was unaware that there was an Apple shipping facility inside King Kong.

All of those computers must reek of monkey innards. The source of the famous New Powerbook smell, anyone?

Stella

May 25, 2004, 07:14 PM

Nice.. the margin between iBooks and PowerBooks are rapidly decreasing.. must only mean one thing...

G5!

Seriously.. this won't do Apple any good with their Pro range.. however, the iBooks become more attractive.. more so than powerbooks.. Lack of iBook Dual Screen isn't a problem since you can hack the firmware to enable this much needed ( IMO ) functionality.

Steven1621

May 25, 2004, 08:13 PM

apple should include a SXGA display on the 14in ibook and PB. 1024X768 is a bit too small in my opinion.

iLilana

May 25, 2004, 08:32 PM

dual layer will be so nice

tacomancini

May 26, 2004, 03:05 AM

a 12incher ibook with a superdrive.

johnnyjibbs

May 26, 2004, 03:58 AM

I still want a 12incher ibook with a superdrive.
It's called the 12" PowerBook ;)

robbieduncan

May 26, 2004, 04:42 AM

dual layer will be so nice

Currently Dual-Layer burning is really slow: Dual-Layer Test (http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.html?i=2045)

Also the only dual layer drives I have heard of to this point have been DVD+R, wheras Apple uses DVD-R drives (although some seem to be able to burn +R discs).

punkmac

May 26, 2004, 05:18 AM

Now it also can be returned. Since Apple's BTO products cannot be.

I.

Windowlicker

May 26, 2004, 05:43 AM

seems like people really want the dvd burner. well, it's quite obvious. any backup you make of your system these days is well over 700mb and well over 1400mb. so for that purpose the dvd is a very useful media. also think of all that imovie/idvd stuff and so on..

i just purchased a 2x superdrive for my 733 quicksilver yesterday and found out I can copy dvd movies from my friends with almost the original quality. this is very nice indeed.

klaus

May 26, 2004, 06:33 AM

.... and found out I can copy dvd movies from my friends with almost the original quality. this is very nice indeed.

Not really what it is intended for (buy 'em).
It would be obvious that Apple makes a standard config if a BTO one is very popular. Good move i'd say

clonenode

May 26, 2004, 06:44 AM

Within the next couple of days this won't even be a rumor... saw it on the Apple Retail Sales website.

dieselg4

May 26, 2004, 07:00 AM

It's called the 12" PowerBook ;)
Nah It'd be a 12" powerbook SD in iBook clothing for $1299

pjkelnhofer

May 26, 2004, 08:42 AM

...and found out I can copy dvd movies from my friends with almost the original quality. this is very nice indeed.

Probably not a good idea to post that you are commiting a crime.

I still think that this is simply a response to a high number of BTO orders for the SD. If they are going to end up shipping with the SD in there, why not make like that from the start.

nsb3000

May 26, 2004, 09:17 AM

I wish they would put a super drive in the 12", as the 14" form factor has no value for me.

nsb3000

May 26, 2004, 09:20 AM

Nice.. the margin between iBooks and PowerBooks are rapidly decreasing.. must only mean one thing...

G5!

With the latest round of Power book updates, the gaped widened. The Power Books got better video cards, a faster Megahertz gap, and airport extreme standard.

pjkelnhofer

May 26, 2004, 10:35 AM

With the latest round of Power book updates, the gaped widened. The Power Books got better video cards, a faster Megahertz gap, and airport extreme standard.

Yes, but in six months the iBook went from a 900 MHz G3 to a 1.2 GHz G4 with a Superdrive. So I would still say that the gap is a lot closer than it was at this time last year.

The slower PB's are only 130 MHz (or about 11%) faster than the faster iBook's. While the high-end PB is 50% faster than the low-end iBook, it does cost more than twice as much ($2500 vs. $1100) so I should hope it is more than just a bigger screen.

Since Airport Extreme is a BTO for the iBook, that is not much of a difference. The superior video card (although I have heard the NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5200 in the 12" PB is not much better than the ATI Mobility Radeon 9200 in the iBook) and the availibility of firewire 800 (again this is only in the 15" and 17" version) are the most major differences.

The gap has definitely closed as of late. The PowerBooks need some big upgrades to really seperate them again. If only Apple had some major keynote speech coming up at which Steve could announce such a thing.

Not that I want to start any speculation ;)

I do not honestly think that G5 PB's are going to be here anytime soon, but I definitely agree that the differences between the iBook and the PowerBook have eroded (much like the difference between the eMac and the iMac).

wrldwzrd89

May 26, 2004, 01:01 PM

apple should include a SXGA display on the 14in ibook and PB. 1024X768 is a bit too small in my opinion.
Steven1621, some people buy the 14" iBook just because of the resolution - they can't SEE the icons/text at higher resolutions. I think that such resolution changes are better suited to the PowerBook more than the iBook. On topic, it's good to see Apple listening to ordering trends and making the SuperDrive configuration standard.

denm316

May 26, 2004, 01:10 PM

this is a good thing, makes more machines that people are able to get in the stores. I would have really loved to get my 12icnh powerbook in a store with a 5400rpm drive, but I ordered it and just got it, I must say it is the most amazing machine I have ever seen. I kind of like it a bit more then my G5

denm316

May 26, 2004, 01:12 PM

Yes, but in six months the iBook went from a 900 MHz G3 to a 1.2 GHz G4 with a Superdrive. So I would still say that the gap is a lot closer than it was at this time last year.

The slower PB's are only 130 MHz (or about 11%) faster than the faster iBook's. While the high-end PB is 50% faster than the low-end iBook, it does cost more than twice as much ($2500 vs. $1100) so I should hope it is more than just a bigger screen.

Since Airport Extreme is a BTO for the iBook, that is not much of a difference. The superior video card (although I have heard the NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5200 in the 12" PB is not much better than the ATI Mobility Radeon 9200 in the iBook) and the availibility of firewire 800 (again this is only in the 15" and 17" version) are the most major differences.

The gap has definitely closed as of late. The PowerBooks need some big upgrades to really seperate them again. If only Apple had some major keynote speech coming up at which Steve could announce such a thing.

Not that I want to start any speculation ;)

I do not honestly think that G5 PB's are going to be here anytime soon, but I definitely agree that the differences between the iBook and the PowerBook have eroded (much like the difference between the eMac and the iMac).

I have my 12inch iBook G3 next to my new 12inch Powerbook, and on looks alone I think the PowerBook wins hands down, and for someone like me I love having the cooler looking computer, before I get flamed I know that is not the case and some people really look at price.

Rod Rod

May 26, 2004, 07:00 PM

I do not honestly think that G5 PB's are going to be here anytime soon, but I definitely agree that the differences between the iBook and the PowerBook have eroded (much like the difference between the eMac and the iMac).

the eMac and iMac have never been that different. in the past couple of years the G4 iMac received upgrades a few months before they were implemented in the eMac. currently, however, the eMac is ahead of the iMac specs-wise. the most meaningful difference between the two is the built in monitor.

rog

May 27, 2004, 01:53 PM

I find this surprising given the cost. Hence, it doesn't fail to not meet my under-expectations.

pjkelnhofer

May 27, 2004, 03:11 PM

the eMac and iMac have never been that different. in the past couple of years the G4 iMac received upgrades a few months before they were implemented in the eMac. currently, however, the eMac is ahead of the iMac specs-wise. the most meaningful difference between the two is the built in monitor.

Not only that but look at it this way, the 17" iMac cost $1799 while an eMac (with superdrive) plus a 17" Studio Display would actually cost $1698. $100 less than the iMac costs!!!

I suspect the iMac as we know it is coming to an end.

coumerelli

Jul 13, 2004, 02:38 PM

Yes, but in six months the iBook went from a 900 MHz G3 to a 1.2 GHz G4 with a Superdrive. So I would still say that the gap is a lot closer than it was at this time last year.

six months....this time last year...:confused: I agree totally with the second half of that statement. My point is that you could use the first half of that statement at almost anytime when you're talking about technology. "We went from 'a' to 'b' in three days!!!" :cool:

[snip]

I do not honestly think that G5 PB's are going to be here anytime soon, but I definitely agree that the differences between the iBook and the PowerBook have eroded (much like the difference between the eMac and the iMac).

I'm sitting here with my powerbook. The difference?

1) Resolution
2) Dual monitor capabilities with BOTH DVI & S-video out (I understand you can 'hack' the firmware, but this is standard and, therefore more stable)
3) Back-lit keyboard
4) FW800
5) Digital Audio Out (am I correct that the iBook does not have this?)
6) Gigabit ethernet
7) Bluetooth standard
8) Airport Extreem Standard (and on some iBook models)
9) Other differences in performance, etc.

At any rate. I don't think the differences justify the HUGE difference in price - tho, at the same time, I cannot justify getting an iBook over the powerbook.

Multimedia

Jul 16, 2004, 01:26 AM

six months....this time last year...:confused: I agree totally with the second half of that statement. My point is that you could use the first half of that statement at almost anytime when you're talking about technology. "We went from 'a' to 'b' in three days!!!" :cool:

I'm sitting here with my powerbook. The difference?

1) Resolution
2) Dual monitor capabilities with BOTH DVI & S-video out (I understand you can 'hack' the firmware, but this is standard and, therefore more stable)
3) Back-lit keyboard
4) FW800
5) Digital Audio Out (am I correct that the iBook does not have this?)
6) Gigabit ethernet
7) Bluetooth standard
8) Airport Extreem Standard (and on some iBook models)
9) Other differences in performance, etc.

At any rate. I don't think the differences justify the HUGE difference in price - tho, at the same time, I cannot justify getting an iBook over the powerbook.5) Digital Audio Out? You mean the audio out port is dual analog/digital? I did not know that.

sorryiwasdreami

Jul 16, 2004, 02:10 AM

I still want a 12incher ibook with a superdrive.

I will second that; and no, it's not the same as a 12" PB.

Greydog

Jul 21, 2004, 11:25 PM

Does anyone have info on a potential iBook refresh? I know it seems early but I tried to order a 12" G4 iBook at the Marlton NJ Apple Store and was told that not only were they out of stock but there was no indication of a fresh supply coming in. They would not even process the order.

What gives?

ajkst1

Jul 22, 2004, 09:17 AM

This isn't anything new for Apple. Airport Extreme and Bluetooth were optional equipment on the Powerbook, but due to high demand they became standard equipment. It's nice because AE+BT is about $150 extra on a machine. By making them standard equipment "technically" the price drops on the laptop itself because you aren't paying $150 for the added features. It's what I like to call "4G iPod price drop." It's where Apple gets rid of a lower model, and "lowers" the price on the higher end models. "TECHNICALLY" it's a price drop, but we know better than that.

James L

Aug 2, 2004, 11:47 AM

I would be amazed if the iBooks were refreshed soon. Look for October at the earliest, possibly November. Some people who are wishful thinkers think that apple will refresh to catch the back to school crowd, etc, but they have never done this to the iBook line before. Here are the release dates:

http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/

Cheers!