Quick! Come and get it under $800 New 12" iBook!

OK, this hasn't even made it to dealmac yet

Amazon is running a $899 brand new 12" iBook sale right now, and that is before the $100 mail-in rebate

But wait! There's more! If you purchase the iBook today, you also get a FREE after mail-in rebate Apple Mighty Mouse... yes, I said FREE!! Did ya hear that?? FREE!!!

The mail-in for the MM is worth up to $50, and since the MM is $49, yes, Virginia, that means a free Mighty Mouse.

Also a bunch of other free after mail-in rebates goodies (Kensigton Mouse etc.) if you prefer.

But wait! There's more! If you used the nifty A9 search engine owned by Amazon, you are eligible for another 1.57% discount on your ENTIRE purchase, and since your MM is free and your iBook is actually gonna be $100 less when all is said and done, you are actually making out like a bandit, considering the 1.57% is computed off the original amount (before the mail-in rebates). Of course you had to be preparing for that by using the A9 for a couple of days, so...

But wait! There's more! Select Free Super Shipping and you pay $0 for shipping and handling PLUS, according to Amazon, it'll arrive no later than dec 23 anyway... shhhweeeet!

But wait! There's more! If you are lucky enough to reside in a state where there is no tax on Amazon shipments, you get it all TAX FREE!!!

But wait! Ummm... actually DON'T WAIT! Go ahead and order... why? Cause last time Amazon held such a sale it lasted only for a day, and was gone. I'm not sure there will be another opportunity like this - the $100 mail-in rebate expires dec. 20, so you snooze, you lose! This is the best deal on a new 12" iBook that I've seen anywhere, so if you were thinking of gettin' it, well, here's your chance!

Anyhow, yes, I did buy the 12" iBook, and the Apple Mighty Mouse. Can't wait! My total came to $934.09 after the instant A9 rebate (was about $14.90). Once I mail in the other two rebates (which I'll do as soon as my stuff arrives!), my total will be $785.09 +$0 shipping +$0 taxes!!! I mean, $785.09 for a brand new 12" iBook and Apple Mighty Mouse, that's insane!!!

And no, I do not work for Amazon, own no Amazon or Apple stock and am in no way affiliated with either

Of course, if you prefer to wait for the Mactels, well that's your decision. I'm extremely comfortable with buying the current iBook!

I'm a switcher and looking forward to my new toys, natch!

OldCorpse
quietly dying

waiting for intel...

epepper9 said:

Nice catch, nice deal. I'm waiting for intel personally.

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I totally understand waiting for the intels, it's a thoroughly understandable strategy. I chose to buy now...

I thought about it carefully, and here's my reasoning... of course, completely IMHO and just a subjective take for me, personally:

1)The current 12" iBook really suits my needs perfectly. That I think is the key reason for me. The only slight regret? No superdrive! Of course, I can always get an external DVD burner, and it'll only be a hassle if I'm not at home... but how often do I find myself wanting to burn DVDs while not at home? Hasn't happened yet, so it's not so much of a problem.

2)I get to use the iBook NOW - and I need it!

3)What if the intels don't come until Feb., or even later?!

4)This one's a biggie - I really, really am not anxious to be a guinea pig for a Rev. A laptop - almost every single time Apple has had a major change, the Rev. A's have had problems... I don't need that.

5)The iBook's problems are the devil you know - we're pretty much familiar with the range of possible problems, and some of these we can guard against right out of the box so it can be sent back pronto if defective (bad pixels, uneven body, improperly set keyboard etc.), but who knows what problems may lurk in the rev. A intels down the line, like after a month or two? Remember all those bad motherboards on the ibook that would go bad? What a hassle (I haven't heard of that being a problem on the last couple of revisions of the current G4 iBook). This is a very major transition, and I feel that the problems are almost a given... that's not a lottery I want to play

6)Software availability... zero danger of PPC software being abandoned for at least several years... the install base of Apple is 100% PPC, and it'll stay close to 80%-90% for a long time yet (years). No developer (nor Apple) will abandon 80% of their market. So, I'm not afraid of software not running on my G4. If anything, I'd be leery of the intels - tons of smaller developers may not bother porting from PPC to intel, and what about all the software that is no longer developed? If you run that under Rosetta, you're taking a performance hit. Plus, eventually, I'll be in the market for a new iBook, so no sweat.

7)I'm buying Apple Care - this will last me until almost 2009. So, I'll be covered for the next 3 years, and considering that not only does Apple have to honor their warranties, but they'll still be releasing PPC machines possibly well into 2007, you can be sure that they'll keep working on backward compatibility for quite a long time. Bottom line, I certainly do not fear being abandoned with obsolote hardware/software. That install base will be big enough so that Apple will keep developing their OS for the PPC for a very long time yet!

8)By the time I'm out of Apple Care, it's 2009. Anything can happen - I can be due for another iBook anyhow, so it doesn't matter that the current one is out of warranty. And now, if I'm ready to buy in 2009, that gives Apple 3 solid years to develop the macintels, and iron out any transitional bugs! Just in time for me to jump on a nice mature platform. I'm not going to be a bleeding edge early adopter. I want something that's reliable!

9)Having bought the last production run of a PPC iBook, I'll have the freshest PPC for the longest term... it's not like I'm nursing a G3 until 2009!

10) I only paid $785 and got a free Mighty Mouse - I doubt it'll be less than that for a new mactel!

So, for those reasons, I'm very comfortable with my decision.

And I won't be steamed by new mactels even if they come out in january. OK, I'd only be slightly envious, if the new iBooks were not only, say, 50% faster (less than 25% faster would not impress me), had a battery life of 8 hours (considering that current ones get 5-6 hours - anything less than 8 hours is not so impressive), but also:

1) Came standard with 80 gig HDD
2) ***BLUE RAY*** Superdrive
3)maybe backlit keyboard like on the pbs
4)much nicer, brighter screen
5)Way better video card

I won't be that impressed with Firewire 800, dvi out, audio in jack and such smaller refinements, though it'll be nice for those who buy them

Still, I completely understand if you wait for the intels. Good luck!

OldCorpse
quietly rotting

rye9 said:

Oops, sorry. Well, it's still a great deal. About the free mighty mouse, do you buy that on the same receipt as the iBook or do you get a free one sent to yuo when you enter in the codes from your order?

Click to expand...

Yeah, the other 5% coupon didn't work for me, so I didn't mention it... and sorry for not posting a link to Amazon... I thought it was simple - go to amazon.com, type in iBook into the Amazon search window and pick the 12" from the search results... however, as long as I typed a small book in that post, I ought to have included a link... my bad

Re: Mighty Mouse - my understanding is, you buy the mouse at the same time you buy the iBook, and pay full price. Then, after you receive the mouse, do you redeem the coupon... you have to go online, fill out something and use your shipping slip and stuff... and since the rebate equals the price of the mouse, the mouse is free once they return your money from the rebate.

Re: the other poster saying "who knew OldCorpse was Tony Little"... hmmm... I don't get it... who's Tony Little? Sorry for being thick...

OldCorpse
quietly rotting

err, I don't think so!

Le Big Mac said:

. . . . until prices are reduced further upon the release on macintels.

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Really? FYI, the Amazon deal I described when I started this thread - is gone. At this point, the 12" iBook just got $100 more expensive (the $100 mail-in rebate is still available though, until dec. 20).

Actually, I kind of doubt your statement that upon release of the macintels, the price will drop FURTHER, or below what I paid... I bought this latest 12" iBook, brand new for $785. I'm pretty sure that won't happen. Apple themselves usually drop the previous model of 12" iBooks by about $100. Remember, we are not talking refurbs, we're talking brand new. So you're telling me that a brand new 12" iBook from the July 26 2005 revision will drop to below $785 "upon the release of macintels? Fat chance, IMHO. But we'll see I guess

Regardless, I'm happy with my purchase, especially at this price. The only chance that you may see lower prices is if the new mactel iBooks themselves started at $800 as some have speculated. Personally, I think they'll keep the price at $999... ok, maybe drop it to $899... but $799? I don't think so! That said, clearly laptop prices in general are going toward the lower end. You can already buy brand new PC laptops at below $400 ($365 is the lowest I've seen)... sure, it's prolly a POS, but still... in any case, I'm not so sure Apple wants to play in this segment of the market (though they sort of have with the minis). I think Apple laptops will always have a slight price premium.

OldCorpse
quietly rotting

Tigger7 said:

My husband ordered one for me on December 16th also. We paid $799 after rebate. It should be here tomorrow. I can't wait, it will be my first Mac. I've plenty of AMD's and Intel's so the new mactel thing really doesn't do much for me at this time. I just want to switch!!

Click to expand...

Yes, mac newbie here also! And hopefully a switcher, though I must admit I'm a practical sort of corpse, and I'm willing to use a PC if that's the best tool for the job anyhow, I'm trying to prepare myself as best I can... I bought the two David Pogue books "Switching to the Mac - Tiger edition" which I already read, and the much thicker "Max OS X - Tiger edition", which I'm going to keep for reference (who has the time to read an 850 page book from cover to cover ). I can't wait to delve in, once the lappy arrives .

OldCorpse
quietly rotting