New IBOOK @ MacWorld NY???

[gandalf9]

Does anyone have info on the new ibooks coming out in three months. I heard so many possibilities, but the only believable rumors seem to be a speed bump for the G3 processor, the memory bus, and the harddisks. I heard that we'll definitly see at least a 700mhz and an 800mhz G3, 30gig and 40gig harddisks, and 100/133mhz sdram memory bus. This is pretty believable because although a G4 wouldn't be in the ibook for numerous reasons, G3 processors are available in the same mhz speed offerings that are selling in the latest imac, And the tibook would first have to go to ddr sdram befor the ibook.
Also, can anyone describe the user experience of OS 10.1.3 on the ibook? I have a G4 450 Tower and since OS X is optimized more for the G4, my buddy says that the G3 600 would be just as slow as it's on my G4 450. (I love OS X and wouldn't use anything else, but want it to "feel faster" without dropping 3 to 4 grand on one of the new towers or tibooks coming out).
I'm a programming student looking for the ultimate laptop to code on and travel with. Ultimately, I'm dying for a compact (12" screen) ,sub 5lb notebook that would hold all my music, burn CD's, and get at least 3 years out of it.

)-="@;>

 

[andrew.thornton]

iBook + 10.1.3

hello gandalf9,

I invested in an iBook 600 combo last year after waiting too long for the PB G4 combo.

I'm using 10.1.3 for general office & internet apps, every now and again photoshop!, tons of "iTunes" and a few DVD's & DivX movies (and my first ever game Baldurs Gate 2!!!) and in my opinion it runs great (albeit I've never used OS X on a G4 so beware...)

Obviously the iBook covers all my needs and everyone I know using OS X wishes for more speed - I'm sure 10.2 will also bring improvements.

At the same time I'm also waiting for MWNY maybe a PB G4 or G5: higher res., 60GB+, Superdrive, built-in bluetooth, maybe touchscreen.....don't really need it though I just want it

If you have the cash and can't wait PB G4, not enough cash - wait and save some more or e-Bay an iBook or PB G4.

Just my two (euro) cents

All the best

Andrew Thornton

Loadsa PC stuff lying around (sorry I know!!!)
iBook 600 Combo 30GB Airport

 

[anastasis]

So anyways I was just I my local CompUSA because I am in the market for a new Apple Laptop. I went to the (tiny) Apple section and they had their iBooks and Powerbooks on Clearence!!! The iBooks were marked down as much as $200 (for the DVD/600 mhz model) as well as the Powerbooks. I asked the guy there what was up and he noted that they were clearing stock becuase of the new models coming in. That is music to my ears. I sure hope that they do something that blows me away and makes it impossible for me to live without a Powerbook.

 

[gandalf9]

Thanks

Thanks for the tips guys. I'm guess I'm going to have to wait a little longer, to see what the new ibooks will be like!
Can't Wait!
Daniel

 

[buffsldr]

Gandalf9.... I run a g4 466 tower with 896 mb ram and os 10.1.3... OS X is nice. I went to compusa and have spent tons of time there doing informal speed tests where i compare the tibook against the ibooks (600 and 500). In my opinion the ibook 600 rocks, but not with 128 mb. i ran the 600 with 256. I had iphoto itunes and imovie open. I was playing music in itunes, rendering scenes in imovie, and converting an mp3 to an aiff and the music never skipped. admittedly, the bouncing, magnifying dock slowed down , but it is a great consumer book. Several peeps here have a 600 ibook and swear by it. You can also go to barefeats.com and check out their tests. I personally am going to get the tibook 550 because it will last longer (i hope) and i like the option of having two displays.

Given the rebates, including the new airport rebate, i would say we have a big update coming. Waiting is best, unless you have a legitime need. I personally am not going to wait. I have never had a laptop, and I am stoked to have my own tibook to show the pc fools the wonder of os x's multitasking and all the iApps.

 

[OSeXy!]

I think (without any insider knowledge) there will be a surprise for the iBook at MWNY, and I think it will come from IBM. Anyone heard anything about the Sahara chip recently (is this the 750FX?)? Didn't this have an Altivec-like enhancement (or, at any rate, a 256bit-wide data path to L1 + ON CHIP L2 cache vs. 64 on present G3s) giving a 25% boost at same clock speeds? Fast: 1GHz clock speeds. Nice: 200MHz bus. Practical: Support for 2GB of RAM. New: 0.13 micron process. Cool: 3.6W consumption @ 800 MHz compared to 6W on present G3s. Small: Die size reduced to 34.6 mm² from 42.7 mm². Etc., Etc... And it was to be seeded in January 2002. Could be in volume production by now.

Unless the portable version of the Apollo G4 runs very cool (which I doubt, given the fan noise of the new Quicksilvers), I bet the next rev. iBook has a Very Fast, cool G3 750FX... To me that would be great, a really good CONSUMER option. Of course, it could be that the current iBooks are still flying off the shelves with their current specs, in which case they will just get an ordinary speed bump in NY, while Apple continues to tweek the FX... I doubt it, though. I think (hope) we'll see it.

 

[ftaok]

My opinions

I don't think that we'll ever see the IBM Sahara chip in any Mac, especially an iBook. Apple has cast their lot with Motorola for the entry level Macs. The next major iBook revision will sport a G4 as well as a SuperDrive. The Sahara, while fast, is still a G3. Therefore, it doesn't benefit from Alti-vec and is less than efficient with OS X.

The SuperDrive is pivotal to Apple's Digital Hub philosphy and a G4 is required for DVD encoding.

IBM is all but out of the picture for Macs unless the G5 turns out to be an IBM chip.

 

[OSeXy!]

I see your point ftaok, you might be right. I think it could go either way.

Do you think an Apollo G4 'knocked down' to 400-500 MHz would be cool enough and cheap enough to function in an iBook? They couldn't go much faster than that at first or they would encroach too much on the TiBook's territory (which I guess will be in the 800MHz range)...

How would a 400MHz G4 compare in real-world performace to a 1GHz 750FX, anyway?

EDIT>

Just noticed that the MPC 7445 (Apollo) consumes 10.3W at 733MHz: 3 times as much as the Sahara.

I'm leaning towards the Sahara again. Could be a great chip...

 

[ftaok]

Originally posted by OSeXy!
I see your point ftaok, you might be right. I think it could go either way.

Do you think an Apollo G4 'knocked down' to 400-500 MHz would be cool enough and cheap enough to function in an iBook? They couldn't go much faster than that at first or they would encroach too much on the TiBook's territory (which I guess will be in the 800MHz range)...

How would a 400MHz G4 compare in real-world performace to a 1GHz 750FX, anyway?

Just noticed that the MPC 7445 (Apollo) consumes 10.3W at 733MHz: 3 times as much as the Sahara.

I'm leaning towards the Sahara again. Could be a great chip...

I'm thinking that the next big notebook revisions will see the TiBook (or new design Powerbook) to get the 800 mhz 7445. The iBook will get a 600mhz version of the same chip. What's 10.3W among friends. My iBook 500 isn't too hot (at 6.3W), I'm sure they could stuff in a G4 at 10.3W without angering too many old ladies.

About the speed differences. I think that a 1ghz G3 and a 600mhz G4 would be very close on Alti-vec type applications with the G4 getting the advantage by, let's say, 10%. On regular stuff, the G3 would smoke the G4. NOTE --- this is just my uneducated opinion. I have no info to back it up and if you quote me, I'll do my best Clinton impersonation, "Deny, deny, deny."

 

[oldMac]

The TiBook First!

I suspect that we'll see the TiBook updated first.

The reasoning is simple. Currently the TiBook is at 667Mhz and the iBook is at 600. Apple needs to keep a little space between these models.

How about TiBooks at 1Ghz with iBooks at 800Mhz. Sound do-able?

 

[Mr. Anderson]

Re: The TiBook First!

Originally posted by oldMac
How about TiBooks at 1Ghz with iBooks at 800Mhz. Sound do-able?

TiPB at 1Ghz would be amazing. I run the 667 TiPB and love it. I don't know if Apple would up the Mhz that far, I'd bet it be 833Mhz or close to there. And I'm thinking we'll see it at WWDC on May 6th. Cross your fingers.

 

[ftaok]

Re: The TiBook First!

Originally posted by oldMac
I suspect that we'll see the TiBook updated first.

The reasoning is simple. Currently the TiBook is at 667Mhz and the iBook is at 600. Apple needs to keep a little space between these models.

How about TiBooks at 1Ghz with iBooks at 800Mhz. Sound do-able?

Chances are that Apple will use the 7445 Apollo chip from MOT for future revisions of the TiBook. Currently, the 7445 is up to 800mhz, so I think that the next TiBook rev (due for MWNY???) will be an 800mhz jobber with a SuperDrive (hoping).

And another possibility is that the iBook will get bumped to a G4 (7445 600mhz???) at the same time.

For all of those that are worrying about the heat issue in a G4 iBook, the 7445 only give off a little more heat than the current G3 iBook. And even if it runs a little hotter, the fan will just kick in. (NOTE - I still haven't been able to confirm whether the Icebook has a fan or not. I've seen and read many differing opinions. Plus I'm not inclined to open up my iBook nor do I feel like digging out my manual.)

 

[Ben Sheehan]

so I think that the next TiBook rev (due for MWNY???) will be an 800mhz jobber with a SuperDrive (hoping).

The 'I hope there's a Superdrive in the new Ti book' is becoming the 'one time at band camp' of this forum. It just ain't going to happen for christsakes - how many times do I have to read someone explaining that to people? It doesn't exist for all intensive purposes in a size to fit in the damn thing.

Icebook has a fan or not

You hear that noise the ibook doesn't make when it gets really hot - well that's not the fan ; ^ )

Ben.

 

[buffsldr]

Originally posted by Ben Sheehan


It doesn't exist for all intensive purposes in a size to fit in the damn thing.



Ben.

Ben, I think what you meant to write is

"It doesn't exist for all intents and purposes in a size to fit in the damn thing."

See http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~brians/errors/intensive.html for more information.

 

[Ben Sheehan]

See http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~brians/errors/intensive.html for more information.

You know I'll wear those guffaws because I deserve them - but 'people who don't read much' ?

I'm an honours student, published writer of fiction/non-fiction and an international honours society member - my undergrad was professional writing. I've read millions or words from philosophy texts to classic lit.

What I'm saying is you don't have to under-read to make an ignoramus of yourself - that's elitist crap. Rectal/cranial inversion can happen to anyone, anytime no matter how much you've read

http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~brians/errors/errors.html#errors Great site by the way - though I doubt I'll be consulting it before posting on web forums anytime soon.


On the subject of heat - does the 14" ibook suffer any less from burnt left wrist syndrome than the 12" version?

Ben.

 

[cb911]

i don't know if the 14" iBook is any cooler, although it might be a little bit, just because of its size and more room for heat dissapation.