Apple Releases New PowerBooks

[stutz]

I've got to reiterate that I couldn't feel better and more vindicated with my purchase of my 667 G4 PowerBook three years ago. 3 years later, Apple hasn't been able to radically improve the speed compared to their desktops (or improve the other Powerbook features other than maybe the video card). I really want the next generation of chips (just like everyone) before I buy another one. I don't care if it isn't called a G5, but I do want better GPU and bus speeds.

I stick to my rules of buying a new computer.

Next generation chip (that can triple the speed of previous machine)
Relatively new generation of video card
Doubling of current hard drive
Next big OS upgrade

These rules have served me very well in the 10 years I've been buying Apple computers now. I'm essentially hoping that my next Powerbook purchase will not only be my only computer, but can truly become my home media center that can power the plasma TV I'm getting later this year while also doubling as my stereo, game machine, DVD player, as well as all the usual computer only functions in a portable design.

While it also makes me feel good about my current Powerbook, it's also good to see that Apple isn't rushing products that aren't ready. I'm just hoping that I can still get a little money out of my current Powerbook when it's time to buy. The new features are nice since they will serve as the icing on the next generation of chips put in the Powerbook series.

Stutz

 

[lstbelever]

fingers crossed

Guess I should keep my fingers crossed for a nice customer service rep when I call considering I just bought my 1.55/15"/Superdrive PB for $2300....11 days ago. Man I even asked the guy if he knew anything about new models coming and he said nope, since there wasn't anything announced in San Francisco.
Urgh, as a first time Mac buyer/user this is not sitting well with me. I used to work in corporate computer sales and saw this happen all the time, lost hundreds in $K worth of accounts because companies wouldn't work with us on refunds. So now if I want the newer faster model which for audio mixing I could really use I'm going to have to pay the restocking fee and a few more bucks, I would be happy if they would just give me the price difference ($365)for what my model costs now, even though the DVD is slower and the hard drive is slower in mine.
--Find out tomorrow when I call I guess.

 

[anubis]

Guess I should keep my fingers crossed for a nice customer service rep when I call considering I just bought my 1.55/15"/Superdrive PB for $2300....11 days ago. Man I even asked the guy if he knew anything about new models coming and he said nope, since there wasn't anything announced in San Francisco.
Urgh, as a first time Mac buyer/user this is not sitting well with me. I used to work in corporate computer sales and saw this happen all the time, lost hundreds in $K worth of accounts because companies wouldn't work with us on refunds. So now if I want the newer faster model which for audio mixing I could really use I'm going to have to pay the restocking fee and a few more bucks, I would be happy if they would just give me the price difference ($365)for what my model costs now, even though the DVD is slower and the hard drive is slower in mine.
--Find out tomorrow when I call I guess.

Sorry guy, but you're screwed.

If everyone who ever bought a computer demanded a refund every time a computer manufacturer updated its product line, there would be no incentive for them to update, would there?

Would it be reasonable to demand that Saturn refund my money because my '99 SL is no longer the latest model, and I'm upset that they updated the product line? Sounds silly, doesn't it.

The representitive isn't allowed to discuss future product plans. Furthermore, he or she probably really didn't know.

EVERY time there's a product update, there's always at least one person who is angry because their computer is out of date, and for some insane reason they think Apple owes them something. Well guess what, they don't.

Maybe if you have put a little thought and research into your purchase decision, you would have realized that it had been over 250 days since the last Powerbook update, and quick check of this web site would have told you that updates were imminent.

So let's summarize. You want Apple to pay you $365 for... what exactly? Because they updated their product line? Get real and grow up.

 

[D*I*S_Frontman]

No. these aren't dual-core G4's or G5's. But I like what I see.

By including more RAM, BT, AE, and adding scrolling and the HD shock protection to their speedbumped AlBook line, this smells a lot like a "final hurrah" type of update before the next big redesign.

This is reminiscent of the Pismo days. With any company, especially Apple, it is often a good idea to buy the LAST model year of a current design. They have perfected the form and function of it. Problems have been addressed and the overall design has been road-tested in the real world and refined.

The new model/redesign generation of a device, while better suited for new technologies, often are buggy in ways engineers can't perfectly predict. The rev A PowerBook G5 or dual-core G4 (whenever it arrives) will scream--no doubt. So will you when it burns your polyester pants straight down to your thigh skin and smokes like a chimney.

I was a Pismo owner for three of the happiest computing years of my life. If my black lab hadn't tripped over the lousy chord and smashed the display, I'd still be using it EVERY DAY. Sure, it was a G3/400, but with a GB RAM it ran Panther like a champ. The Pismo was a fantastic final "hurrah" for the "Batman's Laptop" Wallstreet/Lombard/Pismo generation of Powerbooks.

My prediction is this: these units are the last of the single-core G4s. Either the G5 is coming or the FreeScale dual-core G4s, and within six months of this update. When the next generation comes out, I predict that these current Powerbooks released today will be "the good ol' days" systems that Pismos are now. A real sweet-spot of design, reliability, and price from a mature-but-not-quite-obsolete platform. More than the sum of their parts, and bulletproof to boot.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

 

[firsttube]

hardly

My 15" PowerBook is officially out of date. Damn.

I would hardly consider your pimped out 15" to be out of date.


Phil

 

[Eastend]

No. these aren't dual-core G4's or G5's. But I like what I see.
My prediction is this: these units are the last of the single-core G4s. Either the G5 is coming or the FreeScale dual-core G4s, and within six months of this update. When the next generation comes out, I predict that these current Powerbooks released today will be "the good ol' days" systems that Pismos are now. A real sweet-spot of design, reliability, and price from a mature-but-not-quite-obsolete platform. More than the sum of their parts, and bulletproof to boot.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Wow, this could start a whole new thread, within 6 months something?
By the way, what book do you use since the Pismo bit the dust? Pismo was nice, lady across the hall at the office has one, looks like an Aramani Suit.

Brian

 

[mhar4]

Originally Posted by i_b_joshua

There has been a subsequent drop of ¥10000 on the 12" iBook in Japan. (A little under US$100)
I couldn't remember what the 14" prices were so I'm not too sure about them.

i_b_joshua

Do not know about the iBooks, but the 17" PowerBook is almost 40000 Yen cheaper now. What area of Japan are you in?


Brian

Yeah, I am pretty sure the iBooks have dropped in price in the UK, too. I don't follow these things has closely as some of the people on this thread. Some people need to relax. PowerBooks are beautifully designed and functioning products and a pleasure to use, with or without a G5 processor.

 

[BJU1223]

Sorry guy, but you're screwed.

If everyone who ever bought a computer demanded a refund every time a computer manufacturer updated its product line, there would be no incentive for them to update, would there?

Would it be reasonable to demand that Saturn refund my money because my '99 SL is no longer the latest model, and I'm upset that they updated the product line? Sounds silly, doesn't it.

The representitive isn't allowed to discuss future product plans. Furthermore, he or she probably really didn't know.

EVERY time there's a product update, there's always at least one person who is angry because their computer is out of date, and for some insane reason they think Apple owes them something. Well guess what, they don't.

Maybe if you have put a little thought and research into your purchase decision, you would have realized that it had been over 250 days since the last Powerbook update, and quick check of this web site would have told you that updates were imminent.

So let's summarize. You want Apple to pay you $365 for... what exactly? Because they updated their product line? Get real and grow up.

i think u would be mad too if u got something this expensive and then after a couple of days they released something better and cheaper ... but then this guy probably is screwed ... in canada apple will credit back the price difference if the new product was released within 10 days of the time your product was shipped and u had yours for 11 days ... but i guess is wortha try since the call is free anyways ... i called today and got credited $480 CDN plus $70 taxes back today (i ordered a BTO 15" 1.5/128vmb/5400rpm hd which shipped and should be here today) ... so they basically just charged me the price of the updated base 15" and i got the 128vmb for free

 

[aswitcher]

iBook updates should come about ~April 2005.

Since if they update it now they might as well just stop selling the 12" PBG4.

Yeah now we have seen the new PBs the iBook upgrade and likely price drop should be interesting...I hope they allow a 64 meg video card on the top 14"...

 

[sw1tcher]

Prices looking more tempting

After doing some more research, these new PB's are starting to look really tempting. With a student discount, I can get them for either $1399 (12"), $1499 (12" w/SD), $1799 (15"), $2099 (15" w/SD), or $2399 (17").

If I join Apple's Developer Connection Student Prgoram, I can get them for $1199, $1359, $1599, $1839, or $2159 respectively, plus $99 ADC membership fee.

The 12" PB with SuperDrive and 768MB RAM for $1419 is what I'm eyeing at the moment.

 

[RichardCarletta]

one problem with the new Powerbooks is

they now make the rest of Apple's G4 productline look like crap. The iBook was updated in October and is now slow with a 1.33 GHZ G4. Does Apple really want to wait a full 6 months before they update the ibook ? Late March or April is when that 6 month period ends . all 3 ibook models now need to be updated to 1.5 GHZ G4's .Same with the eMac which the update is severly late. The new Mac Minis should be updated with 1.5 GHZ G4 and 90NM 1.8 GHZ G5 in June .
Also, the iMac G5 should be updated in the next 30 days with 90NM 2 GHZ G5s.

 

[mac n cheese]

Steve invented the "over-promise"

Well, perhaps Steve is just waiting till WWDC to put out a 3 ghz G5 Powerbook so he can finally deliver on his "year of the laptop" and "3 ghz G5" promises all in one go!

I couldn't help but bust up laughing on that...good stuff! Most things with Apple this year are uncertain right now, except for one thing....you can count on no earth shattering developments with HD, since Steve declared it the "year of HD."

Maybe in '06, they'll roll out a dual core 3ghz G5 powerbook with wireless connectivity to your HD cable box(why not, as long as we're pulling things out of our posteriors) and knock out 3 "overpromises" with one shot.

...Or maybe he'll just do what he does every year and think of some other wild way to promise a Corvette and deliver a Cavalier

Here's to 2006, the "Year of overpromises"

I'm like everyone else on this board- Frustrated and always thinking of new reasons to hate Apple, but knowing that I'll never buy anything but Apple.

Flame on Flamers

 

[Lacero]

No that doesn't seem correct. The 12" Powerbooks can be upgraded to include backlit keyboards. I believe the option pricing is same from the last revision.

 

[aafuss1]

unfourtunately yes.. so you may consider buying iwork instead. unless you really need the features and excel in MSO, iwork is cheaper and (probably) easier to use.. I know keynote one is great, but have no experience with keynote 2 or pages.

Trial version-it's more expensive than iWork.

 

[aafuss1]

My Thinkpad X40 has the cool little accelerometer drive. I hope Mac OS X has a driver that lets you see what the accelerometer does. It's kinda fun to play with on my Thinkpad. you fire it up and it shows what it thinks the position of the thinkpad is so if you tilt it around the graphic of the laptop rotates with it.

The scroll with two fingers thing is really cool.

But for now I'm sticking with my iMac G5, I need the screen real estate and don't want a 17" powerbook.

I didn't really like my PB1400's trackpad (which I used to own but was very unreliable and too promblematic for me -pulled it apart and got rid of it). My MS Wireless Optical Mouse has a wheel which tilts both ways-now the PBG4 has a trackpad which does that.

 

[aafuss1]

Pfft...Right except for the speeds... 2.3, 2.5 3.0 GHz

2.3-the xServe has that speed in some config's-PM G5 ( so that means rev. c might use it)

 

[sw1tcher]

No that doesn't seem correct. The 12" Powerbooks can be upgraded to include backlit keyboards. I believe the option pricing is same from the last revision.

You cannot upgrade the keyboard on the 12" models to have the backlit keyboard. Only the 15" and 17" models offer a backlit keyboard. The only thing you can do to the keyboard on the 12" model is change the keyboard from U.S. English to Western Spanish.

 

[g0gie]

wat do you guys think.. should i buy the 15'' superdrive model? I just sold my 1.25Ghz 15'' superdrive one hopin that the dual core, or g5 would come out and got $2k for it, i can get this by spending jus 100 bux + tax. is it worth it? shoudl i wait until tiger comes out so i can get them together? Should I wait until WWDC? HMMMM

 

[0098386]

...I just want a RAID solution to go.

Theres a laptop called the Rock Ti i think, anyways that has a RAID option and the battery lasts 2 hours, it weighs 4kg and costs a similar price that a PB19" (yes i said 19") might be. not nice at all

 

[D*I*S_Frontman]

By the way, what book do you use since the Pismo bit the dust? Pismo was nice, lady across the hall at the office has one, looks like an Aramani Suit.

Brian

I am 'powerbookless" right now. Typing on my DP 1.25 G4 MMD w/2GB RAM staring into two 21" monitors. Not exactly portable.

 

[curlysoul]

whoohooo.... finally stepping into the world of apple...

was waiting for too long... but now gonna make the move to mac for sure...
This update does it! Putting my mind on a PB 15" superdrive!

Only thing is that I am not sure whether I should wait for Tiger?

How does it work with OS updates?

Curly... yeah, a newbie....

 

[sw1tcher]

wat do you guys think.. should i buy the 15'' superdrive model? I just sold my 1.25Ghz 15'' superdrive one hopin that the dual core, or g5 would come out and got $2k for it, i can get this by spending jus 100 bux + tax. is it worth it? shoudl i wait until tiger comes out so i can get them together? Should I wait until WWDC? HMMMM

The answer's simple: Do you NEED it right this moment? If not, then just wait... whether it be until WWDC or MW Paris in Sept/Oct. Who knows what will come out then. Hopefully there will be a dual core G4 or G5 PB because I can't imagine Apple sticking with such an outdated processor at that point in time or doing another small update. Besides, what would they upgrade the PBs to then, 1.83GHz and 2.0GHz?

They have got to be working their arses off right now, trying any and everything to get a whole brand-spanking new model out by then.

 

[kilpajr]

Hey, Just purchased my first powerbook. I was wondering if anyone can point me in the direction of a good case for my new gem. Thanks!

Since you didn't specify what size, I'm not sure if this will work. I bought a Tom Bihn case for my 15" PB I got in August. It works perfect for me. It only holds the PB, no room for anything else. But, this case is perfect for putting in my backpack to take to class every day.

 

[sw1tcher]

was waiting for too long... but now gonna make the move to mac for sure...
This update does it! Putting my mind on a PB 15" superdrive!

Only thing is that I am not sure whether I should wait for Tiger?

How does it work with OS updates?

Same situation here. Wondering if I shouldn't just wait until Tiger comes out too, that is assuming it comes out during the H1 2005 as Jobs said during MWSF. Anyone have a clue as to when it might come out? I've heard March or April. I can wait til then.

 

[sw1tcher]

Since you didn't specify what size, I'm not sure if this will work. I bought a Tom Bihn case for my 15" PB I got in August. It works perfect for me. It only holds the PB, no room for anything else. But, this case is perfect for putting in my backpack to take to class every day.

That's what I'm planning to do too. Get a slip case and then just throw it (lightly) into my backpack so it's not too obvious that I have a laptop. Considering the Vyper XS when I get my 12" PB.