iBook Updates... Details?

[MacRumors]

As a followup to the initial iBook update rumor posted last week, there have been more scatterings of reports that we will see an iBook revision this week.

ThinkSecret can confirm some Apple product announcement this week, and feel the iBook is the likely candidate.

A few scattered and unconfirmable reports claim that iBooks have already arrived and may start at $999 (down from $1099 now). Other expectations point to minor speed bumps and Airport Extreme built-in.

[Chaszmyr]

Would be great to see it at $999. Unfortunately, if they drop the price that means it probably won't be much of an upgrade, either. The 1.3ghz report is seeming likely.

Lets hope the PowerBooks manage a larger upgrade than that, though. *crosses fingers for the dual-core which he thinks is entirely improbable*

[Steven1621]

a speed bump and/or graphics update would have to mean that a PB update will be in the near future. the specs would be very close and would eat into PB sales

[Chaszmyr]

Originally Posted by Steven1621

hopefully, the combo drive will be standard on the lowest model. it's rather silly to have only a cd nowadays...

People who have a laptop only as a secondary computer don't really need a CD burner in their laptop... It would be nice to have a DVD drive in the low-end though.

[iShater]

Always good news, however, I just convinced my bro to pick up an iBook, he got it delivered last week

[AirUncleP]

Extreme built in?!? Now that would be nice and would sell well.

[Chaszmyr]

Originally Posted by AirUncleP

Extreme built in?!? Now that would be nice and would sell well.

I agree. I overlooked that on the original post. What good is a laptop without WiFi these days anyway?

[runplaysleeprun]

Originally Posted by Steven1621

hopefully, the combo drive will be standard on the lowest model. it's rather silly to have only a cd nowadays...

I agree. It wouldnt be bad at all if they maintained the price point they currently have and added a bit of speed to the processor and AE built in.

a bit more ram would never hurt, either.... but thats just wishfull thinking.

[Some_Big_Spoon]

so a G4 12" laptop at 1.3GHz.. and now the 12"powerbook is a hockey puck.. what gives? 12"PB's not worth it if this is the truth. They have to do something, anything, to differentiate the two.. lighted keyboard, better VRAM, free happymeal toy.. anything..

[PlaceofDis]

i wonder what this means for the next powerbook revision, they are due too

[Steven1621]

Originally Posted by Chaszmyr

People who have a laptop only as a secondary computer don't really need a CD burner in their laptop... It would be nice to have a DVD drive in the low-end though.

true but it becomes significantly more difficult to transfer large files without the availability of a network or high speed internet.

[Chaszmyr]

Originally Posted by Some_Big_Spoon

so a G4 12" laptop at 1.3GHz.. and now the 12"powerbook is a hockey puck.. what gives? 12"PB's not worth it if this is the truth. They have to do something, anything, to differentiate the two.. lighted keyboard, better VRAM, free happymeal toy.. anything..

It would only be temporary. If the iBook gets this update now, I'm sure the PowerBook will be updated within a month.

[russed]

all sounds good! apple is really going for the bigger market share and i think the ibook is the way to do it.

[nagromme]

It would be great to see the iBook back under $999. Even better if you get edu pricing! I hope that's true, whatever the specs. I know some potential switchers who would really like an OS X laptop with a three-digit price.

[Zaty]

Originally Posted by Chaszmyr

It would only be temporary. If the iBook gets this update now, I'm sure the PowerBook will be updated within a month.

Exactly, there is no reason why Apple should wait with the iBook update just because the new PBs are not yet ready.

[Windowlicker]

The price tag of under $1000 really makes the iBook a consumer machine. I think the price is something Apple really needs to get down. The computers already have enough power for most peoples needs. Also the biggest complaint I hear about Macintosh is the relatively high price — yes, I know it really isn't that high, but it still is when the target consumer is a student or such with not that much money to put on a computer.

[ashon3611]

Originally Posted by Chaszmyr

It would only be temporary. If the iBook gets this update now, I'm sure the PowerBook will be updated within a month.

I agree within a month is probably very most likely... based on the buyer's guide ALL ibook and powerbook releases are released within a month of each other except for one time the upgrade of Jan 03'...

[Porchland]

With the emphasis on its design similarity to the iPod in the new iMac's marketing campaign, I wouldn't be surprised to see Apple make some iPod-ish changes to the iBook. The perfect Christmas gift under $1,000 for an iPod owner is, of course, an iBook.

Bring on the iBook mini!!

[Chaszmyr]

Originally Posted by Porchland

With the emphasis on its design similarity to the iPod in the new iMac's marketing campaign, I wouldn't be surprised to see Apple make some iPod-ish changes to the iBook.

I doubt it would happen, but it would be interesting to see something like a scroll wheel (or maybe just a scroll line) next to the trackpad. I can't stand using a track pad or any sort or "traditional" mouse because of the lack of scrolling mechanism.

[Steamboatwillie]

My wish list for the iBooks:

12" iBook
1.25 GHz PowerPC G4
512K L2 cache @ 1GHz
12-inch TFT Display
1024x768 resolution
256MB DDR266 SDRAM
40GB Ultra ATA drive
Combo Drive
NVIDIA GeForce FX
Go5200 (64MB DDR)
AirPort Extreme built-in
$999.00

14" iBook
1.25 GHz PowerPC G4
512K L2 cache @ 1GHz
14-inch TFT Display
1024x768 resolution
512MB DDR266 SDRAM
60GB Ultra ATA drive
Combo Drive
NVIDIA GeForce FX
Go5200 (64MB DDR)
AirPort Extreme built-in
$1199.00

14" iBook
1.33 GHz PowerPC G4
512K L2 cache @ 1GHz
14-inch TFT Display
1024x768 resolution
512MB DDR266 SDRAM
80GB Ultra ATA drive
Super Drive
NVIDIA GeForce FX
Go5200 (64MB DDR)
AirPort Extreme built-in
$1399.00

And.. as long as I have my head in the clouds how about the ability to connect a monitor and use it as a second screen (not just a mirrored screen)

[MacSA]

A price drop is always welcome. $1099 > $999, I guess that might mean a drop from £799 to £749 here in the UK.

[jared_kipe]

Of course any update is a good thing, I don't know about most families but mine would never consider something like an ibook as a gift. MAYBE an ipod but my family was always for a bunch of small gifts.

[dizastor]

They could probably put a g5 in there, but the plastic would laminate your legs when you turned it on.

I still hope to see Aluminum Mini style enclosures. That would rock. I want a green iBook pod.

[Yvan256]

Originally Posted by Chaszmyr

I agree. I overlooked that on the original post. What good is a laptop without WiFi these days anyway?

And what good is over-pricing a piece of hardware if about half of your possible buyers don't even have a WiFi setup?

Keep the wireless optionnal, please. Or I'd better be able to remove that card and sell it back on eBay.

Not everyone has a need for WiFi, bluetooth, DVD burner, 3GHz, GigaByte Ethernet, etc.

We're talking iBook here, keeping the wireless stuff optionnal is still helping differenciate from the PowerBook line. And it keeps the price down.

[dongmin]

Originally Posted by nagromme

It would be great to see the iBook back under $999. Even better if you get edu pricing! I hope that's true, whatever the specs. I know some potential switchers who would really like an OS X laptop with a three-digit price.

Just for the record, the edu pricing is already under a grand, $949 in fact for the cd-rom iBook, which btw is ONLY available at the edu store. But yes, I agree with you about the psychological significance of the under-$1000 price tag, for reg folks as well as edu folks. And an edu price of $899 would be super sweet.

As far as the specs go, moving up to 1.3 ghz would only represent a .1 ghz jump, unless they go 1.3 ghz across the board. If the top-end 14" iBook does indeed go up to 1.33 ghz, it's reasonable to assume that the 12" PB will move up to 1.5 ghz and the 15" and 17" PBs will move up to 1.8 ghz (either a freescale 7548 or an IBM 97x). That seems pretty certain. Unless Apple is having major chip constraint issues, Apple will release a PB update in time for the Xmas season. They have to.