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Are Apple iBooks Next?

Originally posted by bennetsaysargh
yes!
am i the only one who loves the iBooks?
that will be by first portable. im starting to save up already:)
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Nope, the PB upgrade barely registered with me. An Ibook upgrade would have me dancing in the streets!

I still think dollar for dollar the iBooks are best laptop deal and have been considering a used one, so I can download my digital camera images on the go.
 
i was planning on getting an ibook, but i turned to the pb 12". i do think the g4's are a bit better, and i don't like the white too much... i liked it when they had the colors, but i didn't like the i books then cuz they were bulky... if they could make something that is cool and compact then i would consider getting an ibook for my next purchase. i think they should go all out with the powerbooks, i don't mind if its a bit thicker or a bit heavier, i think they should be something like the speed deamons and then the ibooks are more in the lightweight division, giving you good speed (not the best mayb g4 when pb's are g5's) but they are small and lightweight... price drops wouldn't hurt either...
 
A hope they get a drawerless DVD drive like on the powerbooks. That and Airport Extreme would be sweet.
 
You know, some people don't care about resolution. A lot of people probably don't know what it is. A 14" iBook might be easier on their eyes. Ok? The 14" iBook won't die just because we don't like it.
 
i've been waiting for ibook updates only because i hate buying at the end of a product cycle, and the ibook's been due for an update for a while. that said, the current ibook doesn't lack anything that i want or need, and the reason i won't buy one is partly because of imminent updates, but also because of price. as an education customer, i can get the 12" PB for $1399 US. the 12" combo drive ibook is $1199 US with the discount. not much difference. if they drop the ibook prices somewhere in the range of $150-$200, i pick one up right away. the ibooks need something. like has been said before, the ibooks just look lousy right now at their prices with the 12" Powerbook just a few hundred bucks above it. since updates appear to be a ways away, a price drop is definitely in order--Apple, are you listening?
 
Originally posted by bennetsaysargh
yes!
am i the only one who loves the iBooks?
that will be by first portable. im starting to save up already:)
Click to expand...

I have the last model and I love it. I think it's due to the cost issue and we all agree it is not the speed we're after, just the portability. Unfortunaly i can't afford the new powerbooks so i'm waiting for whatever update (mainly bluetooth built-in and airport extreme) with panther preinstalled. Oh and iBooks still boots into os 9..

And imagine....white aluminium case...mmmmmmm...
 
I think the 14" iBooks are pointless, too, but that doesn't mean everyone does--I bought one for an older fellow who prefered the lower resolution since it was easier on his eyes.

I'm pinching my pennies for a G5, but a friend of mine bought a new 12" G4 about an hour ago. She was about to get a midrange 12" iBook, but the new PowerBooks bumped the refurbed previous generation 12" PBs down to exactly the same price point at the Apple Store, and the metal enclosure and G4 just seems like a better choice for the money.

But, here's hoping for some nice new iBooks soon, since there's obviously plenty of market for them.
 
Originally posted by vollspacken
update the iBook to 1.1Ghz and drop the 14" model... noone needs it, since it has no increase in screen resolution. it's just bulky and ugly, drop it...
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ah, I was wondering how long we'd go before encountering a 14" ibook bigot. ;)

It's not ugly, it's not bulky, and it exists because people asked for it. :p

Why does no one bi*ch about the 15" imac, which has an even larger screen than the ibook, and the same resolution? Or the Pismo, which had the same screen size and resolution and yet might be Apple's best loved laptop ever?

The 14" ibook is not going anywhere; get used to it. Everyone I know who has actually owned/ used one really likes it (me included). If you don't, who cares? Are you saying Apple should displease customers and lose revenue just because you don't like the look of one of the products? Don't like it, don't buy it. I'll never understand why 14" critics seems personally offended by this machine. :rolleyes:
 
14"s not dead yet!

My girlfriend is about to buy a 14" iBook 900 since we're getting a deal where we can buy it at the same 1199 price point (education) as the 12" iBook 900, same combo drive, 128MB more ram (although we're going to trash it and pickup a 256 or 512 to go in the slot.) and she is more into having the bigger screen than portability (yes she realizes it's the same resolution) her current laptop has a 13.3" XGA screen and she just wants the readability I guess.

But if we were buying retail, we'd probably go 12" PowerBook all the way.
 
Originally posted by Dont Hurt Me
why not just throw in the 1 gig g4? they got to be getting cheap for apple and now you are only writing for 2 chips,g4 & g5.
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They would have to redo the mobo to put in a g4 and its not like they arent going to have to write for the g3 anyway for another 5 years to support older machines. On the other hand a cheap /power efficient 750vx at 1.1 ghz and 1mb l2 cache will probably beat a g4 for applications that dont make good use of altivec.

In the medium term its probably more like they will drop the g4's. ie g3 for consumer G5 for Pro, Both from IBM and zip from motorola.
 
wow thats really good to hear..i might get a G3 then..I hope its Airport Extremeable..LOL...
But I'm only getting it if its cheap......Mmm..I dont know..
 
I don't think the iBook is going above 1 GHz with the next update, because the 12" and 15" G4 PowerBook can have a 1 GHz G4 (although the 15" can also have a 1.25 GHz G4), especially since the iBook has a G3 in it.

Even though Apple has touted the megahertz myth as just a myth (which it is), it still exists in the minds of consumers.

If you point to the iMac, that is a different story, because then you have to compare it to the PowerMac, between which there is now a significant gap in performance. Having the iMac with a faster processor than the PowerBooks is not a problem, because the PowerBooks exist because of portability.

I don't see the iBook being upgraded to a G4 either, since that would really cannibalize 12" PowerBook sales. The 12" PowerBook is kind of like the G4 iMac of the desktop line -- it's sandwiched between the powerful 15" and 17" PowerBooks, and the awesome price/performance ratio of the top-of-the-line iBook which is rivaling the 12" PowerBook in pure performance. The iMac was similarly sandwiched between the PowerMacs, and the awesome bargain that was the eMac. Now that the PowerMac has gone G5, the iMac has a ton of room to grow without encroaching on the PowerMac.

So, aside from maybe a graphics card update, a jump to a 1 GHz G3 with 1 MB L2 cache (perhaps), AirPort Extreme support, maybe a slot-load optical drive, and perhaps a modest price decrease, I don't see the iBook getting a significant update anytime soon. Although, all in all, that wouldn't be half bad as an iBook update. :)

The iBook will see a significant update only after the PowerBook line goes G5, IMHO.
 
Originally posted by simX
I don't think the iBook is going above 1 GHz with the next update, because the 12" and 15" G4 PowerBook can have a 1 GHz G4 (although the 15" can also have a 1.25 GHz G4), especially since the iBook has a G3 in it.

Even though Apple has touted the megahertz myth as just a myth (which it is), it still exists in the minds of consumers.

If you point to the iMac, that is a different story, because then you have to compare it to the PowerMac, between which there is now a significant gap in performance. Having the iMac with a faster processor than the PowerBooks is not a problem, because the PowerBooks exist because of portability.

I don't see the iBook being upgraded to a G4 either, since that would really cannibalize 12" PowerBook sales. The 12" PowerBook is kind of like the G4 iMac of the desktop line -- it's sandwiched between the powerful 15" and 17" PowerBooks, and the awesome price/performance ratio of the top-of-the-line iBook which is rivaling the 12" PowerBook in pure performance. The iMac was similarly sandwiched between the PowerMacs, and the awesome bargain that was the eMac. Now that the PowerMac has gone G5, the iMac has a ton of room to grow without encroaching on the PowerMac.

So, aside from maybe a graphics card update, a jump to a 1 GHz G3 with 1 MB L2 cache (perhaps), AirPort Extreme support, maybe a slot-load optical drive, and perhaps a modest price decrease, I don't see the iBook getting a significant update anytime soon. Although, all in all, that wouldn't be half bad as an iBook update. :)

The iBook will see a significant update only after the PowerBook line goes G5, IMHO.
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all of that is true except for the iBooks not going over 1 Ghz. remember before the powerbooks got updated? they had a 900Mhz iBook, and an 867 PB. people can tell the difference. i would love an altivec enhanced iBook with the foloowing specs.

iBook
14.1 or 12.1 inch screen
G3+
1.0 or 1.1Ghz
Built in BT
airport extreme. USB 2.0
Combo drive. 40 60 or 80GB hard drive.
 
Agreed.

A nice price adjustment would definitely make the 12" 900 a lot more appealing...

Ditto on the end of the product cycle; while I don't necessarily *need* the new stuff (DVI, USB 2.0, Bluetooth, Extreme) it definitely makes sense to buy forward technology rather than buy backward technology unless the price really merits it.

Cheers.

Originally posted by kidA
i've been waiting for ibook updates only because i hate buying at the end of a product cycle, and the ibook's been due for an update for a while. that said, the current ibook doesn't lack anything that i want or need, and the reason i won't buy one is partly because of imminent updates, but also because of price. as an education customer
Click to expand...
 
gosh i wish i didn't get the powerbook g4 12" 4 months ago... but then again, i did need an update... a 350 mghz g3 imac isn't quite as fast as it seemed to be 3 years ago..... you should see it load up safari! it takes about 20-30 seconds to load up safari and laggs when playing any game now... well my lil sis likes the imac now... mayb the ibook was a better deal.......?
 
Re: Are Apple iBooks Next?

Originally posted by Macrumors
While there have been numerous unverified reports of Altivec-enabled G3s, few reliable reports of this have emerged.
Click to expand...

See? Two words for you: Urban Legend.

Originally posted by lmalave
Probably not for a 200MHz speed bump. Besides, I actually like the white iBooks - I think they're much more distinctive than the AluBooks. I mean, companies like Fujitsu and Sharp have metal-cased laptops. But who else has white Pyrex-encased laptops?
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I think the glowing Apple logo makes either line distinctive enough. Who else has a glowing logo?
 
i do i like the glowing logo, on my dad's powerbook, the apple logo is upside down when his laptop is on... my dad's so jellous kuz i'm the only one in the family who has a g4 right now.... but he's gonna get a g5 powerbook once they come out so... i've got another year or so of making fun of him :p
 
I think Apple will just up the speed to 1Ghz, and update the rest of the hardware like USB 2.0. They might also support BlueTooth, with the new line of wireless equipment.

They also need to drop prices by about $200 all the way through the line.



Enter a Raffle for a Powerbook G4 867!! Here!
 
How about letting us have the 200Mhz FSB this chip already supports?

I forgot, that's because the PowerBook doesn't have that yet.

An un-tampered with IBM 750 would be very nice in the iBook and would give even the current PBs a serious run for the money. In fact, they'd beat it in everything except that which USES AltiVec.

I guess that's not politically correct though, for the consumer level to be superior to the pro level.

People keep begging for the G4 in the iBook....forget that....when the PB goes G5, give me the "REAL" G3 in the iBook, not the crippled one.

Tim
 
Re: Wait 'til iBook upgrades or buy a PowerBook now...

Originally posted by usersince86


12.1" ibook/PowerBook Comparison (w/combo drive):

SAME (essentially)
================
12.1-inch TFT display
1024x768 resolution
512K L2 cache
40GB Ultra ATA/100 drive
Combo Drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
10/100BASE-T Ethernet
Built-in 56K v.92 modem
FireWire 400

DIFFERENCES (iBook --- PowerBook)
==============================
900Mhz G3 --- 1Ghz G4
128MB SDRAM --- 256MB DDR266 SDRAM
ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 (32MB) --- NVIDIA GeForceFXGo 5200 (32MB)
USB 1.1 --- USB 2.0
AirPort ready --- AirPort extreme ready
(No BlueTooth) --- BlueTooth
VGA, S-Video and composite video --- Mini-DVI video out
$1299 --- $1599


DEFINITELY WORTH THE $300 DIFFERENCE (imho)


Again, the iBook has a market, but right now they need updated (or, again, prices need lowered).
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In general, I agree. But there is one more difference that a lot of people miss--the software on the iBook vs the PowerBook. For someone who already has a Mac and a software collection, the PowerBook is totally the way to go. But for a switcher (like my mom next week), the iBook is very attractive b/c of the included software (AppleWorks, etc.). That way she can write letters, flyers, etc. without having to buy Office or even just Word.

I can't wait until she gets her iSight set up and we can video chat--she can watch her granddaughter from a thousand miles away!
 
Originally posted by bennetsaysargh
yes!
am i the only one who loves the iBooks?
that will be by first portable. im starting to save up already:)
Click to expand...

iBooks ROCK! I might even like the 12" a little MORE than the alu book! Go figure...
 
Well first of all they are not going to release a iBook that is a 1.1Ghz and has 1Mb L2 Cache because that would mean the thing would be faster then their 12inch PB which is supposed to be the pro line and have more features and be faster, so they are not going to cut into their PB sales by releasing a more powerful iBook yet, unfortnately!!

I agree they will most likely wait till the PB line gets G5 and then they can explore the real potential of the IBM chip!! i mean i read somewhere that the IBM 750 was able to support like 1.1Ghz with dual processors! in a notebook and that was like a year ago or something! IBM really makes good chips, but Apple can't really release a consumer notebooks that would put their pro line to shame!! lol and they can't just pur a G3 in the PB cuz that would be stepping down the processor and would look bad, although it may mean better performance!

Well we will just have to wait and see, all i know is that the iBook has real potential :)
 
Originally posted by bobpensik
Well first of all they are not going to release a iBook that is a 1.1Ghz and has 1Mb L2 Cache because that would mean the thing would be faster then their 12inch PB which is supposed to be the pro line
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I dont know if a G4 1Ghz is slower than a 1.1 Ghz G3..I dont think so...
 
Originally posted by iEric
I dont know if a G4 1Ghz is slower than a 1.1 Ghz G3..I dont think so...
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The G4's faster in an altivec optimized application. Beyond that, you're in a grey area.

Edit: Of course, system bus, RAM, and etc. are even bigger factors in a close comparison like that.
 
Doubled L2 cache is big factor

Originally posted by iEric
I dont know if a G4 1Ghz is slower than a 1.1 Ghz G3..I dont think so...
Click to expand...


If the G3 has a somewhat higher clock rate, and double the *L2* cache - you will find the G3 on top (or at least equal) on lots of tests.

As others have said, only the AltiVec-friendly tests will come out ahead on the G4.

But that's cool, if AltiVec-friendly apps are really important to your productivity. If not, the bigger cache, faster clock, and cheaper G3 will be the "ticket to ride".

And, as others have said, Apple won't do it because they need to push people to the higher profit margin "pro" systems. Can't have the high end "consumer" products beating the low end "pro" products, now can we? Artificial barriers....
 
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