ibook and powerbook will be updated simultaneously

[YoNotYoshi]

seeing that the specs are so close right now I don't see how apple could possibly update the ibook before the next powerbook revision. Here's what I'm thinking:

12' ibook (999):
1.42 ghz G4
384 SD RAM
Geforce FX 5200 go
40 gb 4200 HD
combo drive

14' ibook (1299):
1.5 ghz G4
512 mb RAM
Geforce FX 5200 go
80 gb 4200 HD
Superdrive

12' powerbook (1499):
1.67 ghz G4
512 mb RAM
Radeon 9700 64 mb
80 gb 5400 HD
superdrive
bluetooth 2.0

15' powerbook (1999)
1.8 ghz G4
512 mb RAM
Radeon 9700 128 mb
80 gb 5400 HD
dual layer superdrive
bluetooth 2.0

17' powerbook
1.8 ghz G4
1024 mb sd RAM
Radeon 9700 128 mb
120 gb 5400 HD
dual layer superdrive
bluetooth 2.0

150-200 mhz jumps across the board, plus coreimage-compatible GPU's. There would also be enough of a difference in the 14' ibook and 12' powerbook (for which superdrive is now standard) to justify the extra $200.

 

[jamdr]

I doubt Apple even has access to 1.8GHz G4's and I also don't see them bumping the 12" iBook from 1.2GHz to 1.42GHz. I'm sure they will just be bumped up to 1.33GHz and the 14" will get the 1.42GHz. But that's still too little a difference between the iBooks and PowerBooks, so I don't know what they'll do. I wouldn't be surprised to see the two lines updates together, but I just don't think they have anything left for the PowerBooks.

 

[Pismo]

How many times must we discuss this? PowerBooks were just updated 2 months ago. The iBooks probably won't be updated until June or July. PowerBooks probably won't be updated again until November or December. Next time do a search before you post.

 

[metsfan489]

If the ibook is not upgraded in the next couple of weeks, I believe they will wait till paris, and show off a totally new design, they have been using this white design for quite a while. However the we are not going to see any revision unless they update the powerbook at WWDC. (Which is highly possible)

 

[macbaseball]

How many times must we discuss this? PowerBooks were just updated 2 months ago. The iBooks probably won't be updated until June or July. PowerBooks probably won't be updated again until November or December. Next time do a search before you post.

If the ibook is not upgraded in the next couple of weeks, I believe they will wait till paris, and show off a totally new design, they have been using this white design for quite a while. However the we are not going to see any revision unless they update the powerbook at WWDC. (Which is highly possible)

I agree with both of these. There's no way that the Powerbook are going to updates, and the white design although good looking, has been used through a lot of updates.

 

[joecool85]

2 months? Last I knew PBs hadn't been updated since January...making it almost 5 months. I double checked on everymac.com and it seems I'm right.

 

[mfacey]

2 months? Last I knew PBs hadn't been updated since January...making it almost 5 months. I double checked on everymac.com and it seems I'm right.

Actually its been 3 months to the day. well tomorrow actually. But close enough.

 

[joecool85]

Oh yeah, thats true...end of january, its now end of april...lol. I had it in my head it was May already.

 

[StarbucksSam]

How many times must we discuss this? PowerBooks were just updated 2 months ago. The iBooks probably won't be updated until June or July. PowerBooks probably won't be updated again until November or December. Next time do a search before you post.

Please don't be rude to people for voicing their opinions. You are not a psychic, and unless you work for Apple and are breaking an NDA, none of what you just said is fact. Come on, let's not bully people.

I personally think that it would make sense to update the iBook and Powerbook lines all at once.

 

[metsfan489]

In order to see an iBook upgrade Apple is going to have to upgrade the powerbook before it. So unless we see something at WWDC, no chance.

But to extend my earlier post:
It kind of makes sense that they will make a major revision to the powerbook at WWDC because they made a tiny revision and basically left no "breathing room" for the iBook to be upgraded.

 

[rosalindavenue]

In order to see an iBook upgrade Apple is going to have to upgrade the powerbook before it. So unless we see something at WWDC, no chance.

But to extend my earlier post:
It kind of makes sense that they will make a major revision to the powerbook at WWDC because they made a tiny revision and basically left no "breathing room" for the iBook to be upgraded.

I respectfully disagree-- keep in mind that before the powerbook upgrades 3 months ago, the ibooks were even closer to the powerbooks. The powerbook upgrade this year added the hard drive protection, the trackpad scrolling, faster harddrives and a tiny processor bump-- before that, there was NO reason, aside from build quality and video card, to get a 12" powerbook over a 12" ibook. The thesis of this thread may be correct, but the ibooks and powerbooks HAVE been closer than they are now.

 

[iBunny]

I think that the Powerbooks next update will get Dual Core G4's and get The New ATi Radeon X700 Mobility Chip.

 

[metsfan489]

I respectfully disagree-- keep in mind that before the powerbook upgrades 3 months ago, the ibooks were even closer to the powerbooks. The powerbook upgrade this year added the hard drive protection, the trackpad scrolling, faster harddrives and a tiny processor bump-- before that, there was NO reason, aside from build quality and video card, to get a 12" powerbook over a 12" ibook. The thesis of this thread may be correct, but the ibooks and powerbooks HAVE been closer than they are now.

You are right, the 14" iBook and 12" powerbook used to be at the same processor speed. The question is was it really a matter of choice? Thats the first time that the iBook line has come so close to the powerbook line. Now this is all speculation but is it possible that apple thought in October when they made the upgrades to the ibook that they were going to be making "substantial" upgrades to the powerbook at MWSF? Despite the recent powerbook upgrade i am very confident that we will be seeing an upgrade to the powerbook at WWDC. (That is why I am holding out till then before making my pb purchase.)

If you look at the upgrades:

5400 rpm hard drives - the powerbook is aimed at prosumers; some do video editing and need those faster hard drives so they will not bottleneck the renderng process.

trackpad scrolling - something pc laptops have had for years. Granted this is a modification that is better than the scroll zones on the right edge of the trackpad but it is the same idea.

proccessor speed bump - "required" during every speed bump. However .17 ghz is not a big deal. Previous bumps have been much larger.

Montion Sensor - Something that is nice to have, not sure I would like to test it out though.

So all these upgrades were nice and all, but two of them should have been in the powerbook already, one is something you always achieve out of an upgrade and the last one is a nice feature to have, "just in case".

The current G4 chips have "nowhere" to go, they have just about hit the ceiling and until a new chip either a revised g4 (faster system bus, chips break their current ceiling of 1.8 ghz and go to 2.0 ghz +), dual core g4, or a g5 finds its way into the powerbooks, the powerboks "can't go anywhere". This stops the ibook from being upgraded.

The message of this long post: we are going to see something major regarding the powerbook during WWDC.