If there is going to be a 15" AlBook, its ports will definitely be on the side, since the way the hinge is designed, when you lift up the screen, the area where the ports are on the TiBook will be blocked. But what I'm wondering about is if there will be enough space for the ports, since the 15" version is definitely not going to be as deep as the 17" (currently by 0.7in), and judging from pictures of the 17", there is little if any extra space, considering there needs to be room for the HD and SuperDrive. I suppose they could put the FireWire and USB ports vertically, but would this be enough?
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15" Powerbook Upgrade?
- Thread starter MUrhino
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Two non-exclusive possibilities:
One, they already have an investment, commitments to suppliers and distributors, established processes and so forth associated with the existing 15" TiBook. It's going to cost them to rework the 15" PB, which is an unnecessary risk at this time.
Two, the new PBs will not boot into Classic. Quark is not yet out for OS X. They need to have at least one model that still boots Classic, at least for a little while.
One, they already have an investment, commitments to suppliers and distributors, established processes and so forth associated with the existing 15" TiBook. It's going to cost them to rework the 15" PB, which is an unnecessary risk at this time.
Two, the new PBs will not boot into Classic. Quark is not yet out for OS X. They need to have at least one model that still boots Classic, at least for a little while.
do you think they will make the updated 15" any faster or just give it the same specs as the 17"?
Quite right... a great observation! As much as they want to, they can't close that casket lid yet, not while their users still have their hands inside. I've been fumbling back and forth between os9 and osX for some time now but with this upgrade it's really time to drop os9 completelly. Music applications will have to be repurchased, files copied, and the future dealt with. The 17" is so choice and I think it will be later than February till we get the 15" AlBook.
I've always kind of enjoyed the fresh-start idea with a new computer purchase.. this is the real deal too!
hmm.. but that doesnt say anything about the 15.2" stopping production.
so the 17" will be available sometime in feb? any specific dates?
so the 17" will be available sometime in feb? any specific dates?
april/may sounds good
I like the sound of april/may rollout because it won't make me feel so bad that I bought a TiBook 1 Ghz right before macworld only to have it updated only a month later.
But come on apple, you gotta make the "old" TiBooks upgradeable to airport extreme. Otherwise, this whole deal is pretty cheap.
I like the sound of april/may rollout because it won't make me feel so bad that I bought a TiBook 1 Ghz right before macworld only to have it updated only a month later.
But come on apple, you gotta make the "old" TiBooks upgradeable to airport extreme. Otherwise, this whole deal is pretty cheap.
My 15" PB finally shipped today. I ordered it before MW, I've been waiting over 2 weeks for it already. I was tempted to switch to the 17", but didn't want to wait another 2 months, I need it now (actually, I needed it two weeks ago when I ordered it). I wish they had updated the 15" too (2x dvd would be nice, as would fast bus and HD and improved airport), however I would have been really pissed if I'd had to wait two months for it.
I'll be a little jealous if they update it two weeks from now, but the changes don't really affect the system enough for it to be worth the wait (unless you for some reason really need 802.11g or FW800 right now - which I doubt - your internet connection isn't faster than the 802.11b, and you don't have any FW800 devices).
I'll be a little jealous if they update it two weeks from now, but the changes don't really affect the system enough for it to be worth the wait (unless you for some reason really need 802.11g or FW800 right now - which I doubt - your internet connection isn't faster than the 802.11b, and you don't have any FW800 devices).
All the laptop drives are now 4200rpm. Apple used to have an option for a 5400rpm drive in the PB's, but recently took that out. 7200rpm laptop drives aren't for sale yet, but IBM (actually Hitachi now) recently announced that they will be releasing a 7200rpm drive with capacities up to 80GB sometime the 1st half of the year.
could someone please tell me what is different about the "new" superdrive in the new 17" AlBook. some people say its faster but i cant find the information to support this on the apple website. where do you get this from?
Thanks
Thanks
I think the "faster" superdrive in reality is simply the same drive with newer firmware. The superdrive in the powerbook is a quite capable drive I've heard, and it can be capable of good speeds. But until someone have work out a firmware fix that lets the drive spin at it's full potential, then that'll be awesome.
Anyway, I'm gonna look at the MacNN thread I got this info from, and give to full specs of the drive.
Anyway, I'm gonna look at the MacNN thread I got this info from, and give to full specs of the drive.
Ok...the full potential of the Superdrive:
CD-R write 16x
CD-RW write 4x
CD-ROM read 24x
DVD-R write 2x
DVD-RW write 1x
DVD-RAM write 2x
DVD-ROM read 8x
Here's the pic that I confirmed it with:
CD-R write 16x
CD-RW write 4x
CD-ROM read 24x
DVD-R write 2x
DVD-RW write 1x
DVD-RAM write 2x
DVD-ROM read 8x
Here's the pic that I confirmed it with:
thats strange beacuse on the apple website under specs for the powerbook it says:
"- SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW); writes DVD-R discs at 1x speed; reads DVDs at 8x speed; writes CD-R discs at 8x speed; writes CD-RW discs at 4x speed; reads CDs at 24x speed (15-inch and 17-inch models) "
but then in the spec sheet it doesn't mention the dvd-rw or dvd-ram and it states that the drive only writes cd-r at 8x:
". Slot-loading SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW)
. Writes DVD-R discs at 2x speed; reads DVDs
at 6x speed
. Writes CD-R discs at 8x speed; writes CD-RW
discs at 4x speed
. Reads CDs at 24x speed"
hopefully apple just put the wrong specs on their website and pfd.
-wait look at the picture in the upper left hand corner. it says prototype. so does this mean that it is not currently in the new powerbooks and that it may be in the future? or am i just stupid?
I said the "full potential" not what the specs actually are...this pic was taken before the superdrive powerbooks were released. These were displayed by Panasonic...and yes prototypes. However, I don't see the prototypes being less capable then the final drive.
I was just trying to explain why the DVD-R burns at 2x in the 17" powerbook rather than 1x in the 15" powerbook, even if its the same drive. The drive is capable of 2x DVD-R burning, but it seems that the firmware in the 15" pb only allows 1x burning. Obviously the 17" doesn't have that 1x limitation.
I think the drive is very capable...just that the firmware doesn't let it live to its potential.
I was just trying to explain why the DVD-R burns at 2x in the 17" powerbook rather than 1x in the 15" powerbook, even if its the same drive. The drive is capable of 2x DVD-R burning, but it seems that the firmware in the 15" pb only allows 1x burning. Obviously the 17" doesn't have that 1x limitation.
I think the drive is very capable...just that the firmware doesn't let it live to its potential.
Ok...it seems that Apple might have made a mistake with the 2x DVD-R burning of the 17" powerbook. If so, this is one MAJOR typo.
http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=140978
If this is true, then the fact that the tech specs page (http://www.apple.com/powerbook/specs) shows the superdrive for the 15" and the 17" powerbooks as having the same speed (they lumped them together) may actually be the correct spec. As of right now, the main 17" powerbook page still shows 2x DVD-R burning, and so does the pdf file. Apparently that is about to change
.
Only time will tell folks.
Anyway, this is what it says on the tech specs web page:
http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=140978
If this is true, then the fact that the tech specs page (http://www.apple.com/powerbook/specs) shows the superdrive for the 15" and the 17" powerbooks as having the same speed (they lumped them together) may actually be the correct spec. As of right now, the main 17" powerbook page still shows 2x DVD-R burning, and so does the pdf file. Apparently that is about to change
.Only time will tell folks.
Anyway, this is what it says on the tech specs web page:
One question about this whole firmware limiting the speed of the Superdrive: WHY?
I simply don't understand why they can't develop a decent piece of firmware to support the physical capabilities of the drive - and I'm sure that it'd be better for Apple too, advertising the fast speed of their marvelous Superdrive...
I simply don't understand why they can't develop a decent piece of firmware to support the physical capabilities of the drive - and I'm sure that it'd be better for Apple too, advertising the fast speed of their marvelous Superdrive...