Intel "iBook"

[polinho]

I'm sorry, but I REALLY need you guy's opinions. It's driving me crazy on wether to purchase one G4 now or wait. So, what's your prediction: when will we be seeing the intel version of an ibook. March, April 1st, June, ... ? Please give your predictions in form of percentage. Thanks you guys!

 

[miloblithe]

I'd guess definitely by June. Possibly by March/April.

 

[jefhatfield]

i also guess very soon...maybe introduced in between major events...probably single core intel as would be the mini mac, imo (but dual core on those would be really great)

but the powermac is fine for now, and i could forsee that staying basically the same for the rest of this year then migrating to intel without much fanfare, and that it will be the last to change over...i can see a quad powermac serving just about anybody very well for several years

i am skeptical about the speed gains claimed on the macbook pro but we do know that the battery times are bound to improve

 

[luminosity]

I have a suspicion that Apple will mark its 30th anniversary by releasing a major product, like an Intel ibook.

 

[mdavey]

I think that an Intel iBook (MacBook?) and an Intel Mac mini release to coincide with the US Education budget (March/April ?) is very likely. The MacBook might be an entry-level 13" aimed at the student and the switcher, thou - not particularly powerful.

 

[jefhatfield]

I have a suspicion that Apple will mark its 30th anniversary by releasing a major product, like an Intel ibook.

when exactly is their official 30th birthday as a corporation?

i know they operated as a partnership/small business before that, but that was back in their garage days

for their 30th corporate birthday they should do something bigger than just an intel transition...maybe they could put out that rumored plasma screen tv/mac

 

[luminosity]

April 1st is the anniversary, I believe.

 

[jefhatfield]

April 1st is the anniversary, I believe.

that's less than 3 months so it's probably doubtful we will see that plasma screen thing, if at all...so i guess it's the ibook/emac transition...and maybe the next version of os x in a form of an announcement to be shipped much later, of course

 

[BlizzardBomb]

April 1st is the anniversary, I believe.

I'll try not to do an April fools gag about Plasma TV's

 

[iBS23]

I have a suspicion that Apple will mark its 30th anniversary by releasing a major product, like an Intel ibook.

I'm thinking the same thing. When talking about the anniversary in the Keynote, Jobs made a comment about seeing each other before then. My prediction is:

30th Anniversary "Party": New iBook (I think there will only be the 13" widescreen model with different levels of "guts", and they keep the iBook name to keep the distinction between pro and consumer products) and maybe the Mac Mini and a new iPod

NAB at the end of April: Highlight the universal binary version of the Pro apps by announcing updates, possibly the plasma sceens that have been rumored (although I don't believe those rumors myself) coupled with the mac mini media hub.

Developer's Conference: NEW pro level laptops (not new MacBooks) that will have a new design (13, 15 and 17 inch widescreens) and be even more kick a** than the MacBook Pro . . . truly world-class notebooks, and of course a big preview of 10.5.

Fall 2006: New desktop macs (will lose the PowerMac name) and updated iMacs and iPods (just in time for Christmas)


The only thing I'm not sure about is the timing of the iBook/new pro notebook. I've got it in this order given the bulk of rumors that the iBooks were going to be announced yesterday. I think they are ready but they announced the MacBook Pro to take a shot at IBM -- you couldn't get us the speed, well here it is anyway -- and to please the powerbook users who have lived through terrible updates recently.

However, I do not think the MacBook Pro is anything more than a placeholder. I just don't believe that Jobs will make the switch to intel using the same design from before -- and to make the "pro level" laptop such a dog (no Firewire 800, No dual layer superdrive, somewhat disappointing screen resolution, etc.). Therefore, I could see the "new" laptop being announced at the 30th anniversary will be the flagship line that will replace the powerbook/macbook. Then, the new iBook will be announced at the Developers conference -- just in time for back to school buying.