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15 inch Aluminum PowerBook Soon
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Re: I liked the TiPB look better than the Al PB.
agreed. i do love the looks of my TiBook. Absolutely beautiful. I sometimes stop and think how lucky i am to have the best looking laptop made.
Originally posted by GeneR
There's just something very sleek about the idea of having a black keyboard to make the actual letters and numbers stand out and look way cool.
Maybe it has to do with the fact that they now have light-up characters for the new Al but it they could at least make the keyboard a different color than the rest of the Al body, I'd be a lot more interested in the new 17" PB.
Otherwise it looks a bit bland. And really not terribly striking to look at. (IMHO).
agreed. i do love the looks of my TiBook. Absolutely beautiful. I sometimes stop and think how lucky i am to have the best looking laptop made.
So far in this thread people have said that the 970 is
cooler
uses less battery power
is markedly faster than a G4 at the same clock speed
is too big for a laptop.
I've seen some of the proposed specs, but I for one am not sure what it means in real world terms. I'll bet you anything that the 970 is moderately faster, but not 4 times faster than the G4, as people have said on other threads. And the rest of the system will have a lot to do with speed. Don't forget the hard disk is only so fast, as is the system bus.
It apparently uses less voltage, but not miraculously less voltage; so it probably would not drain the battery as fast, or be as hot - - but how much? do you know? I don't.
Too big: specs I've seen show it to be only slightly bigger in square mm than the G4. So size may not be a factor. Maybe.
Everyone is throwing around opinions about the 970 chip when it hasn't been seen yet, at least not by anyone who doesn't have a non-disclosure agreement.
cooler
uses less battery power
is markedly faster than a G4 at the same clock speed
is too big for a laptop.
I've seen some of the proposed specs, but I for one am not sure what it means in real world terms. I'll bet you anything that the 970 is moderately faster, but not 4 times faster than the G4, as people have said on other threads. And the rest of the system will have a lot to do with speed. Don't forget the hard disk is only so fast, as is the system bus.
It apparently uses less voltage, but not miraculously less voltage; so it probably would not drain the battery as fast, or be as hot - - but how much? do you know? I don't.
Too big: specs I've seen show it to be only slightly bigger in square mm than the G4. So size may not be a factor. Maybe.
Everyone is throwing around opinions about the 970 chip when it hasn't been seen yet, at least not by anyone who doesn't have a non-disclosure agreement.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: 64 bit or not? NOT
I agree with you about the need for a higher resolution than the 17-inch offers, but, unless I'm very much mistaken, there is no Apple-supported way to change the system text size in OS X.
I agree with you about the need for a higher resolution than the 17-inch offers, but, unless I'm very much mistaken, there is no Apple-supported way to change the system text size in OS X.
Angry 17 inchers if 15 inch is 970
I can't believe that Apple would dare to release a 15 inch powerbook with a 970 in just a few weeks.
Given that many 17 inch powerbook customers have not even received their orders yet. I bet a large percent would be extremely angry! They put in orders for the lastest and greatest. Only to have a much greater product released and delivered before they even took receipt. Now that is a fast obscelence rate!
I can't believe that Apple would dare to release a 15 inch powerbook with a 970 in just a few weeks.
Given that many 17 inch powerbook customers have not even received their orders yet. I bet a large percent would be extremely angry! They put in orders for the lastest and greatest. Only to have a much greater product released and delivered before they even took receipt. Now that is a fast obscelence rate!
Re: Empowered-books?
Dude, you're so right. We're so used to waiting until these trade shows to see new products when Apple clearly stated they want to move beyond all that.
Although I hate to do the comparisons, the PC companies really don't have a structured upgrade schedule. I'm sure this helps fend off the "I'm waiting for two more releases" types that frequent Apple's customer base. I think Apple's user base is increasing and may be over 5% for the first time in a while. I've seen more Apple laptops around campus than I saw three years ago and when ever any friends see mine they seem very interested in shopping for one.
Apple could tomorrow decide to upgrade the entire lineup if they wanted to regardless of who just bought their 17" powerbooks in February. They did the same things to those who bought powerbooks in November and then upgraded them to 1 Ghz a month later. It's where Apple is headed, why not start now?
Dude, you're so right. We're so used to waiting until these trade shows to see new products when Apple clearly stated they want to move beyond all that.
Although I hate to do the comparisons, the PC companies really don't have a structured upgrade schedule. I'm sure this helps fend off the "I'm waiting for two more releases" types that frequent Apple's customer base. I think Apple's user base is increasing and may be over 5% for the first time in a while. I've seen more Apple laptops around campus than I saw three years ago and when ever any friends see mine they seem very interested in shopping for one.
Apple could tomorrow decide to upgrade the entire lineup if they wanted to regardless of who just bought their 17" powerbooks in February. They did the same things to those who bought powerbooks in November and then upgraded them to 1 Ghz a month later. It's where Apple is headed, why not start now?
Hehe - after reading that I had the horible thought of Apple putting out a 970 based machine with the current bus architecture! (Effectively crippling the 970)
NOOOOO!!!
Finally...
Glad to hear the 15" will be back on par with the 12/17". Obviously it'll have airport extreme and FW800. Will it have a backlit keyboard? Bluetooth standard, or optional?
I also think the 970 is quite unlikely. Cool thought, but silly.
I vote for keeping the resolution the same. (It would be neat to have a BTO option for a higher-res screen though.)
Glad to hear the 15" will be back on par with the 12/17". Obviously it'll have airport extreme and FW800. Will it have a backlit keyboard? Bluetooth standard, or optional?
I also think the 970 is quite unlikely. Cool thought, but silly.
I vote for keeping the resolution the same. (It would be neat to have a BTO option for a higher-res screen though.)
Re: Re: Re: Re: 64 bit or not? NOT
Actually, I had been relying on information for the G4 as posted by other members. However I just researched this and my statement does not appear to be true from the information I can find.
According to this PDF (Page 5) on the Motorola site, and this PDF (Page 14) on IBM's site, the 1 GHz G4 (7455) and the 1.2 GHz 970 seem to be very similar in power dissipation.
Of course, the 970's numbers are all theoretical anyway.
Actually, I had been relying on information for the G4 as posted by other members. However I just researched this and my statement does not appear to be true from the information I can find.
According to this PDF (Page 5) on the Motorola site, and this PDF (Page 14) on IBM's site, the 1 GHz G4 (7455) and the 1.2 GHz 970 seem to be very similar in power dissipation.
Of course, the 970's numbers are all theoretical anyway.
Justification, shmushtification!
I keep hearing: "How will Apple justify doing this?!" and "How will Apple justify doing that?!"
The answer is that Apple doesn't have to justify anything. In fact, there'll probably be a period of time later this year when Apple simply isn't justifying something. It's unavoidable.
Apple has a ton of stuff to roll out. New towers. New laptops. New tablets (and such). All with a new processor and OS version, just to make things more difficult. They can't release everything at once, so things are going to be a little odd for a while. Deal with it.
It makes sense for Powermac 970s and Powerbook 970s to be announced (possibly released) at the same time. It happened with the G3, and the 970 itself is both faster and less power consuming (on the lower clock speeds, that is) than the G4. I'm actually beginning to wonder if Apple will skip the G4 alltogether in the iBook and go straight to low-speed 970s.
I keep hearing: "How will Apple justify doing this?!" and "How will Apple justify doing that?!"
The answer is that Apple doesn't have to justify anything. In fact, there'll probably be a period of time later this year when Apple simply isn't justifying something. It's unavoidable.
Apple has a ton of stuff to roll out. New towers. New laptops. New tablets (and such). All with a new processor and OS version, just to make things more difficult. They can't release everything at once, so things are going to be a little odd for a while. Deal with it.
It makes sense for Powermac 970s and Powerbook 970s to be announced (possibly released) at the same time. It happened with the G3, and the 970 itself is both faster and less power consuming (on the lower clock speeds, that is) than the G4. I'm actually beginning to wonder if Apple will skip the G4 alltogether in the iBook and go straight to low-speed 970s.
For What Its Worth...
I notice in my latest MacMall catalog that there are price drops on the 15" PowerBook, iBook, and eMac.
On another note in reference to delayed shipments... an Apple rep mentioned that many of the products are stuck in shipping containers on the west coast. Due to recent world events, secuity inspections are taking a lot longer to clear these containers.
I notice in my latest MacMall catalog that there are price drops on the 15" PowerBook, iBook, and eMac.
On another note in reference to delayed shipments... an Apple rep mentioned that many of the products are stuck in shipping containers on the west coast. Due to recent world events, secuity inspections are taking a lot longer to clear these containers.
Tell me, idkew, do you have some inside information? Or are you just stating your opinion as a fact? So far as I'm aware, most (if not all) people who are commenting here are simply stating opinions. None of us has the true information on what it will or won't be, or when it will be, for that matter.
So, call me a dreamer, say I'm silly stupid for thinking that it might be possible, but, unless you'd care to share a reliable source for your information, please don't assert that it's impossible when you don't know any better than the rest of us...
[I am a dreamer, but sometimes dreams do come true...
]
I'll admit that I do wish Apple would do that, and while I'll also admit it's unlikely, it does make some sense. There hasn't been a major iBook revision is ages. It's getting to the point where it feels like Apple's putting off the release for some super secret reason.
That said, my iBook comment had little to do with the point I was trying to make. The only connection would be (here's something to satisfy you justification fans) that Apple would simultaneously put 970s in the Powermac, Powerbook, and iBook. Of course, that alienates the iMac, so why don't they put in there to? Now everything's justified!
I know I am new here, but lok at intel, they have their new mobile technology, mabye apple is going to have 2 processors, their mobil platform, and their desktop platform, i cant imagine hat apple would mae the 15 inch the BIG ONE, it would truely piss off overyone that just bought the 17 inch becasue it was the latest and greatest. I really think that aple just may keep the G4 and 5 line for the notebooks, and have the 970 for desktops, all of apple is basically the same, they are not going to make a different product right in the mix of their new ones.
what do ya'll thsnk?
~blueflame
what do ya'll thsnk?
~blueflame
This is a wild thought:
Could Apple have transitioned to aluminum because they needed a material that was better suited to dissipate heat for dual processors?
(Pinches self)
Ah, nevermind.
Could Apple have transitioned to aluminum because they needed a material that was better suited to dissipate heat for dual processors?
(Pinches self)
Ah, nevermind.
Get real people
There's no way the 15" powerbooks will have a 970 in them when the 17" ones still have G4s. Just no way.
If you want a G4 iBook, go buy one. It's called the 12" powerbook. Yes, it's overpriced, but it's there.
The only reason iBooks haven't gotten any faster is because powerbooks aren't fast enough for apple to make ibooks faster and still have a gap between consumer and pro lines. I'm sure they could get G3s up to 1GHz or more if they really wanted to, but it's not a priority.
I would guess that iBooks won't see a major revision until 970s get into powerbooks (announced in September at the way outside chance earliest). At that point, they'll probably get 1-1.25 GHz G4s, which will all of a sudden seem slow compared to the 970s.
The G4 is holding everything up, and it will continue to do so for a while longer. We're all getting excited because the 970 seems so close, but that doesn't mean it's going to spring up next week in powerbooks. Remember the G5? Any day now...
There's no way the 15" powerbooks will have a 970 in them when the 17" ones still have G4s. Just no way.
If you want a G4 iBook, go buy one. It's called the 12" powerbook. Yes, it's overpriced, but it's there.
The only reason iBooks haven't gotten any faster is because powerbooks aren't fast enough for apple to make ibooks faster and still have a gap between consumer and pro lines. I'm sure they could get G3s up to 1GHz or more if they really wanted to, but it's not a priority.
I would guess that iBooks won't see a major revision until 970s get into powerbooks (announced in September at the way outside chance earliest). At that point, they'll probably get 1-1.25 GHz G4s, which will all of a sudden seem slow compared to the 970s.
The G4 is holding everything up, and it will continue to do so for a while longer. We're all getting excited because the 970 seems so close, but that doesn't mean it's going to spring up next week in powerbooks. Remember the G5? Any day now...
Why would apple spend a bunch of money developing a new 15" mobo with Bluetooth and what not when the 970 is just down the corner?
From apples perspective, *most* people that want a 15" are either going to buy a 17, live with the current 15, or go to the 12 because of the portability and new features. They won't wait for new 15".
I think the delay of the 17 really screwed apple with their dev dollars, because instead of working on new 17" 970 designs, they had to spend a bunch of money fixing the g4 version, and delaying everything, so now they are going to have to shift some things around, and not work on certain projects, i.e. the 15" update.
(Devil's Advocate : You could look at it that they pushed the release of the 970 powerbook back, because of the problems with the 17" and they will come out with a 15" inch update because the 970 laptop won't be for a while)
I bet apple is putting all of its dev dollars into 970's for all form factors. Its also putting its dev dollars into G4's for the Ibooks.
The 12" Powerbook is to hold over the people that want an ibook but want the Bluetooth features, as well as all the other bells and whistles that the ibook doesn't have, the reason why they need to hold over the ibook people is because the next iteration of the ibook is going to be a G4, and its going to be a whole new form factor as well. I can't say it enough, with the release of a new chip coming soon, apple would never throw dollars at g3 designs.
I honestly think the next time apple updates its laptop line in any significant form it will be across the board, both ibooks, and powerbooks, and the 12" powerbook will be the starting point for the new G4 ibooks.
I wouldn't even be surprised if they hold off completely the rest of this year, and release 2.5ghz desktops, g4 i books, 1.42 g4 imacs, and 1.6 Powerbooks all in san fran in jan.
From apples perspective, *most* people that want a 15" are either going to buy a 17, live with the current 15, or go to the 12 because of the portability and new features. They won't wait for new 15".
I think the delay of the 17 really screwed apple with their dev dollars, because instead of working on new 17" 970 designs, they had to spend a bunch of money fixing the g4 version, and delaying everything, so now they are going to have to shift some things around, and not work on certain projects, i.e. the 15" update.
(Devil's Advocate : You could look at it that they pushed the release of the 970 powerbook back, because of the problems with the 17" and they will come out with a 15" inch update because the 970 laptop won't be for a while)
I bet apple is putting all of its dev dollars into 970's for all form factors. Its also putting its dev dollars into G4's for the Ibooks.
The 12" Powerbook is to hold over the people that want an ibook but want the Bluetooth features, as well as all the other bells and whistles that the ibook doesn't have, the reason why they need to hold over the ibook people is because the next iteration of the ibook is going to be a G4, and its going to be a whole new form factor as well. I can't say it enough, with the release of a new chip coming soon, apple would never throw dollars at g3 designs.
I honestly think the next time apple updates its laptop line in any significant form it will be across the board, both ibooks, and powerbooks, and the 12" powerbook will be the starting point for the new G4 ibooks.
I wouldn't even be surprised if they hold off completely the rest of this year, and release 2.5ghz desktops, g4 i books, 1.42 g4 imacs, and 1.6 Powerbooks all in san fran in jan.
As far as the 970 in the PowerBook is concerned, who would have thought in November when Apple bumped the Titaniums, that in January they would come out with a 12-inch and 17-inch ALUMINUM PowerBook? So as much as that was a surprise, the people who say the 970 in a PowerBook is not likely soon, may be just as surprised as the January announcements brought.
Re: Finally...
"back on par"? I for one think the current TiBook is a superior machine to the 12" and the 17". You can keep Airport Extreme and FW800 (FW400 almost never saturates its bus, so the point of having FW800 at this point in the game is beyond me). A flashlight (or USB light) and a bluetooth dongle and we're nearly equivalent, features-wise.
The TiBook is the fastest notebook Apple has ever produced, simply because it's 1Ghz and can run in the much snappier OS 9.
"back on par"? I for one think the current TiBook is a superior machine to the 12" and the 17". You can keep Airport Extreme and FW800 (FW400 almost never saturates its bus, so the point of having FW800 at this point in the game is beyond me). A flashlight (or USB light) and a bluetooth dongle and we're nearly equivalent, features-wise.
The TiBook is the fastest notebook Apple has ever produced, simply because it's 1Ghz and can run in the much snappier OS 9.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: 64 bit or not? NOT
I guess my annoyance comes from customers getting mad at me because of the small fonts. And they invariably have some program that will not scale. I did have one client that adjusted the fonts and lived with the ones that wouldn't scale. Others just got an external monitor and used them as a desktop. (However most of these were Inspirons. I always recommend Latitudes, but sometimes my clients go against my recommendations because of the cheaper prices...
I guess my annoyance comes from customers getting mad at me because of the small fonts. And they invariably have some program that will not scale. I did have one client that adjusted the fonts and lived with the ones that wouldn't scale. Others just got an external monitor and used them as a desktop. (However most of these were Inspirons. I always recommend Latitudes, but sometimes my clients go against my recommendations because of the cheaper prices...
Re: Re: Re: Re: 64 bit or not? NOT
I'm not using the latest 1920x1200 dell, but I am using a 1600x1200 15" dell and I love it. As long as I turn on the Cleartype font smoothing it looks great and is very readable. I actually find that I'm more comfortable on my 15" lcd at 1600x1200 than I am on my 21" crt. I end up running my crt at 1280x960.
Originally posted by Stelliform
I have to agree with Navy, have any of you guys actually worked on a Dell 15"? The text is so microscopic that you need a magnifying glass. And if you reduce the resolution so that it is easier to see, the text gets fuzzy. (So bad that even PC people complain about it.
Dell just releases screens with those numbers to sell laptops. In the long run they are hurting sales. I have had more clients swear off Dell this year than I have had in the last 2 years....
I'm not using the latest 1920x1200 dell, but I am using a 1600x1200 15" dell and I love it. As long as I turn on the Cleartype font smoothing it looks great and is very readable. I actually find that I'm more comfortable on my 15" lcd at 1600x1200 than I am on my 21" crt. I end up running my crt at 1280x960.