Because of these wonderful iBook "updates"

[Willy S]

I decided to fix my PC and give my second iMac to my mother since she needs a mac and I don´t *need* 2. I was going to order an iBook for her but know the Apple laps are so overpriced that it isn´t funny.

Also after my switch, I started to miss my PC. Not that I like viruses and XP related problems, but there are always some issues surfacing. E.g. I would like to own a Skype dual phone, scanner drivers are better in XP and more software to choose from.

So instead of being taken in by Steve, I just decided to unswitch, at least partiatially. If I could just have one computer I might choose the PC since Apple doesn´t care to offer up to date hardware at competitive prices. What PC producer has updated their laptops as little as Apple has done for the last 14 monhts?

 

[jonomo]

I agree. this update was pretty lame considering the LONG wait.... I can't really recommend Macs to my friends anymore... for a grand you can get a 13" wide HP with Mobile pentium that is faster and has greater HD capacity..

Of course you'll be plagued with all the problems of XP... but then 95% of cmoputer users seem to be fine with it..

now that i think about it, i'm starting to regret ordering the new ibook...

maybe having it in my hands will change my mind again

 

[tsk]

I agree. this update was pretty lame considering the LONG wait.... I can't really recommend Macs to my friends anymore... for a grand you can get a 13" wide HP with Mobile pentium that is faster and has greater HD capacity..

Of course you'll be plagued with all the problems of XP... but then 95% of cmoputer users seem to be fine with it..

Well, the student union promo seems to soften the blow. For $800ish, I don't feel so bad. But I honestly wouldn't want to pay full price.

 

[jonomo]

Well, the student union promo seems to soften the blow. For $800ish, I don't feel so bad. But I honestly wouldn't want to pay full price.

how did you get it for 800ish? I got the free ipod deal and the ibook was 950...

but you're right.. the free ipod definetly sweetens the deal!!!
forgot about that part

 

[Willy S]

I agree. this update was pretty lame considering the LONG wait.... I can't really recommend Macs to my friends anymore... for a grand you can get a 13" wide HP with Mobile pentium that is faster and has greater HD capacity..

Of course you'll be plagued with all the problems of XP... but then 95% of cmoputer users seem to be fine with it..

now that i think about it, i'm starting to regret ordering the new ibook...

maybe having it in my hands will change my mind again

I´ve had tons of problems with XP but know I´m more experienced and can use it without getting burned. For absolute beginners, I might recommend the Mini or just a simple Linux version like Ubuntu.

 

[AcousticDoc]

how did you get it for 800ish? I got the free ipod deal and the ibook was 950...

but you're right.. the free ipod definetly sweetens the deal!!!
forgot about that part

950 sell ipod for around 150 = 800 bucks.

 

[cubist]

The updates are indeed disappointing -- I was hoping for 1.5GHz -- but the 9550 video chipset and built-in bluetooth 2 are good improvements. I suggest haunting the refurb store for a special deal. I'm typing on a refurb 1.2/12" I got 5 months ago, and it is perfect and works great. $849 with airport extreme. I only wish it had a bigger hard drive.

 

[tsk]

On the plus side for me, I only need this to last till I decide on an Intel Mac Laptop. I figure at the price I got it, I won't lose too much money and it ought to easily last me for 9 months to a year (or longer if need be). Honestly, I'm astounded that the 512MB RAM is built in, and also astounded it only comes with 32MB VRAM.

 

[Jay42]

Yep, I feel the same way. Although, I do like OS X, and as a student, the reliability in clutch situations is enough to make me pay more and settle for less hardware-wise. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: If OS X were independent, I wouldn't buy apple hardware.

 

[NICKLOS]

Poor updates indeed, the updates should have been standards already.

Worse if you buy the i book now n they replace it say a couple of months later with the intel insides and widescreens .....that would suck,

looks like the 'best' $ values is PB or PC based laptop.

its amazing with the amount of resources Apple has, this is the best the pdt dept for the ibook could think off...what's going on here...are the new ibooks coming like early next year??? are they just buying time???

no offense but despite what the new ibooks can do they don't represent solid value for money...hard earned laboriously saved money.

no widescreen, 32mb graphic card, 4200 rpm HD,...mirroring support, lousy screen resolution....i am seriously dissapointed .....something is up for sure, a bunch of intelligent people in Apple can certainly do better than this...much better..i mean its not like they are giving the ibooks away for free...they still cost a fair amt of $$...i know i have a choice to take it or leave it but since this is a forum i would just like to express my opinion and bottom line dissapointing updates from a company that can achieve so much more

come on pdt team in apple do your market research!! prices of laptops have dropped and more features are being packed into them at same price points.

just becuz' the iBooks are targeted at students n the budget users doesn't mean they should be so lacking

switching to Intel is your choice ....don't make the consumers pay for it anymore than they already have with sparse hardware updates on the PBs and ibooks!!!

 

[hulugu]

I agree. this update was pretty lame considering the LONG wait.... I can't really recommend Macs to my friends anymore... for a grand you can get a 13" wide HP with Mobile pentium that is faster and has greater HD capacity..

Of course you'll be plagued with all the problems of XP... but then 95% of cmoputer users seem to be fine with it..

now that i think about it, i'm starting to regret ordering the new ibook...

maybe having it in my hands will change my mind again

I don't see how these mediocre updates suddenly make OSX and the iBook less viable. The iBook has only gotten slightly better—not that this isn't a problem, but I still think that the iBooks are very good, tough machines that work for their users. There will always be a cheaper, faster, smaller machine than the one you have, but do you get the same quality, the same experience with a 13" HP? That's the really important question, we can compare stats all day, but what's really important is being able to get work done. I think for new and experienced users OSX is a much better choice than WinXP and I won't hesitate to suggest it even if the iBooks aren't very good. The Powermacs, Mac Minis, and the iMac G5s are still wonderful machines.
I think you're overreacting.