"Don't Buy - Updates soon" - mini mac & ibook

[xroads42]

Hi.

the Buyer's Guide says about the ibook "Don't Buy - Updates soon". Is this still true? I mean since apple is switching to intel, are there going to be updates on apple pcs till next year? And if the ibook is updated, what can i expect? Is not the gap between powerbook and ibook to close when updating ibook but not the powerbook?

I am actually thinking about buying a ibook(12") or mini mac.. I would like to buy a powerbook(12"), but that is to expensive for me. Both dont support Core Image. But is CoreImage that important? I need the ibook/mini mac for university(physics) and some media stuff ( like watching DVD/trailer, mp3 ). i dont need the ibook/mini mac now, but i have been waiting for a long time...

hope these are not noob questions

 

[SpaceMagic]

It's awful... but wait till next tuesday

Nah! Just buy it if you want it! I'm going to wait personally.. but I dont need it really until uni in september. this is an age old question.. if you're happy what is on offer now, then buy now.

CoreImage is nifty but not essential for anything. If you want all the new tricks of Tiger... then wait for a coreimage compatible iBook/mac mini.

 

[sw1tcher]

i dont need the ibook/mini mac now

If that's the case, then wait. iBooks and possibly mac minis are expected to be updated. It's just a matter of when. And the updates should include core image compatible graphics cards.

 

[punkbass25]

It's awful... but wait till next tuesday

Nah! Just buy it if you want it! I'm going to wait personally.. but I dont need it really until uni in september. this is an age old question.. if you're happy what is on offer now, then buy now.

CoreImage is nifty but not essential for anything. If you want all the new tricks of Tiger... then wait for a coreimage compatible iBook/mac mini.

its not that they don't support core image. Every apple being sold right now supports core image. the only diffrence is some computers have a graphics card capable of being programmed to handle certain instructions, and if yours doesn't it just uses the main CPU to do it. so it is alittle bit faster on ones where you have a top of the line graphics card, but it still runs on every mac available, and unless a little ripple effect in dashboard and a slight graphics speed boost are vital to what your doing, most users will not notice a diffrence without the added support.

 

[MrFusion]

Physics

I need the ibook/mini mac for university(physics) and some media stuff ( like watching DVD/trailer, mp3 ). i dont need the ibook/mini mac now, but i have been waiting for a long time...

I recommend the ibook above the mini. At university, the portability is nice. You could take your ibook to class, and can take to the lab classes. You can meet somewhere (besides your living quarters) on campus to discuss your papers. I can imagine that some of your physics lab work will be group work.<p>
On the other hand, as a physics student a computer is pretty much useless in class. Unless you can type fast and flawless Latex code. Math is still difficult to enter into a computer.
<p>
As to your computational needs as a Physics student, an ibook will certainly suffice. I did my graduation work (in physics) on a 12" PB rev A. (I think that the today ibook is a faster machine than mine) If you need to do really long and hard computations (from a few days up to weeks or even longer), I can't imagine that your university will not supply you with the necessary hardware. For the basic stuff as a student, an ibook will suffice.<br>
<p>
Since this is my first post:<br>
I wanted a mac since the introduction of the iMac G4, my first mac is my current PB 12" rev A. I ordered this machine before they started shipping, have since been reading macrumors and have been an avid fan of Apple from the first day my PB arrived. Now I am saving to buy an PM dual 2.0, and English is not my native language.