These predictions seem pretty realistic and expected. I think the move to a 13'' is a great idea - the 14'' was too big and clunky and for me the 12'' was a little bit too small.
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Intel iBooks with Front Row?
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What no one here seems to realize...
Is that, unlike Apple, Intel has their roadmap public for years ahead. Sure, it's largely speculative, but you get a pretty good idea of what to expect. Also, Intel's availible processors are clearly listed by model number (and price!) so guessing specs is NOT that hard. No 2.5ghz MacBooks coming out, and no 1.4ghz iBooks. Why? Those chips do not exist.
There will be nothing significantly faster than 2.16ghz availible until the Merom. The 17'' MacBook will probably max out at 2ghz because the 2.16ghz chip is VERY VERY VERY expensive. The reason Apple didn't put a 2ghz chip in the 15'' MacBook was to leave room for a faster 17'' version.
The Core Solo ONLY goes as slow as 1.67ghz. So we won't get slower than that. Furthermore, the Core Solo chip is about $30 dollars less than the Core Duo in quantity. At Apple's discount, it's probably a $20 difference. So if Apple does not include it in the high end iBook it will ONLY be because they want to cripple the machine to avoid competing with the MacBook. Iroinically, the Core Solo actually IS a Core Duo with one core shut off. So...Apple would be crippling their iBook by using a crippled Intel processor. This would make me very mad at Apple, especially since dual cores are key to Rosetta performance.
Intel does, however, have some cool ultra-low power chips, meaning that Apple code feasibly release an ultra-portable. An expensive, one, though. The Core Duo is absurdly pricey by Intel standards.
Is that, unlike Apple, Intel has their roadmap public for years ahead. Sure, it's largely speculative, but you get a pretty good idea of what to expect. Also, Intel's availible processors are clearly listed by model number (and price!) so guessing specs is NOT that hard. No 2.5ghz MacBooks coming out, and no 1.4ghz iBooks. Why? Those chips do not exist.
There will be nothing significantly faster than 2.16ghz availible until the Merom. The 17'' MacBook will probably max out at 2ghz because the 2.16ghz chip is VERY VERY VERY expensive. The reason Apple didn't put a 2ghz chip in the 15'' MacBook was to leave room for a faster 17'' version.
The Core Solo ONLY goes as slow as 1.67ghz. So we won't get slower than that. Furthermore, the Core Solo chip is about $30 dollars less than the Core Duo in quantity. At Apple's discount, it's probably a $20 difference. So if Apple does not include it in the high end iBook it will ONLY be because they want to cripple the machine to avoid competing with the MacBook. Iroinically, the Core Solo actually IS a Core Duo with one core shut off. So...Apple would be crippling their iBook by using a crippled Intel processor. This would make me very mad at Apple, especially since dual cores are key to Rosetta performance.
Intel does, however, have some cool ultra-low power chips, meaning that Apple code feasibly release an ultra-portable. An expensive, one, though. The Core Duo is absurdly pricey by Intel standards.
The voice of reason!!! They could have upgraded the iBooks to the fastest G4 available the day they announced the MacBook Pro. And they would have had my $$$.
The outdated PowerBook kept the iBook at low-specs, but now there's no more reason to do so!
Frontrow vs. MediaCentral
Try downloading the FREE copy of MediaCentral from Equinux at
http://www.equinux.com/us/start/index.html
It is a lot like Frontrow and it will launch your VIDEO_TS folders.
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There are a few little buggy things (or rather features that don't work quite well enough-I can't connect to the Trailers) and it's front end isn't quiet as nice as FrontRow but you can't complain about the price.
mcarnes said:
Try downloading the FREE copy of MediaCentral from Equinux at
http://www.equinux.com/us/start/index.html
It is a lot like Frontrow and it will launch your VIDEO_TS folders.
----
There are a few little buggy things (or rather features that don't work quite well enough-I can't connect to the Trailers) and it's front end isn't quiet as nice as FrontRow but you can't complain about the price.
They can't, because the MBP is currently only 15", plus pro buyers will still buy the PowerBook G4s if they need to use the pro apps now. But no new models will be produced with G4 chips, because Apple wants to complete the transition ASAP, and will not waste any energy refreshing G4-based offerings.DrEasy said:
Where in Intel's roadmap does it show that there will be no speed bumps for the Core Duo for the next 6 months? Of course there will be speed bumps. The fastest chip will, however, continue to be significantly more expensive then the rest, and will probably not make its way into the MBP. And Apple CAN underclock chips (I know, it sounds stupid, but so is buying a Core Solo for the same price as a Core Duo) if it feels it really needs to cripple the iBook to differentiate them from the MacBook Pro. Underclocking also reduces power consumption significantly.Policar said:
Of course, Apple may not even use the Core chips in the new iBook, and could use the Celeron M instead (it is a consumer notebook, after all). This would take quite a hit in Rosetta, however, and I think it is an unlikely choice.
BORING!
I am really happy that i got a MacBook pro instead of sitting around and waiting for the iBook.
Geez, they really need a redesign, it has been way toooooo long!
I am really happy that i got a MacBook pro instead of sitting around and waiting for the iBook.
Geez, they really need a redesign, it has been way toooooo long!
I call this rumor spot-on. Not only because it's from AppleInsider, but because this is exactly what we have been expecting for a while now. Well the included iSight and Front Row software is kind of a surprise to me, but you know where I am coming from. It would be nice to see a new design, but the current one is just fine how it is, much like the PowerBook becoming the MacBook Pro.
I'm happy I got an iMac and decided to keep my Powerbook G4 12-inch as my portable, for the foreseeable future. I just don't need that much power, when not at my desk.
Nevertheless, I *could* be tempted to sell both the iMac and my Powerbook, if there was a 13-inch MacBook Pro. However, I don't see it happening. I see Apple making a MacBook consumer, with a core solo, which won't be sufficient to me.
I'm sure iBooks will get Core Duos, but not until MacBook Pros get an entirely different chip.
Nevertheless, I *could* be tempted to sell both the iMac and my Powerbook, if there was a 13-inch MacBook Pro. However, I don't see it happening. I see Apple making a MacBook consumer, with a core solo, which won't be sufficient to me.
I'm sure iBooks will get Core Duos, but not until MacBook Pros get an entirely different chip.
Design?
Almost everybody seems to think that it's time for an iBook design change. What do you guys want to see?
Personally, I would like to keep the polycarbonite (I think) cover, since it has better Airport/Bluetooth reception than aluminum (the PB's and MBP's have the little plastic strips/bezels [respectively] so that the signals can pass through and not be completely hindered by the aluminum). Thinner and widescreen, to a certain degree, would be nice.
Almost everybody seems to think that it's time for an iBook design change. What do you guys want to see?
Personally, I would like to keep the polycarbonite (I think) cover, since it has better Airport/Bluetooth reception than aluminum (the PB's and MBP's have the little plastic strips/bezels [respectively] so that the signals can pass through and not be completely hindered by the aluminum). Thinner and widescreen, to a certain degree, would be nice.
by the way
Powerbook 17" => MacBook Extreme
Powerbook 15" => MacBook Pro
Powerbook 12" => MacBook Express (13")
iBook 12" & 14" => iBook (13")
Now, what I wonder is if the EFI will allow us to drop in a Core Duo in place of the Core Solo it will ship with
Powerbook 17" => MacBook Extreme
Powerbook 15" => MacBook Pro
Powerbook 12" => MacBook Express (13")
iBook 12" & 14" => iBook (13")
Now, what I wonder is if the EFI will allow us to drop in a Core Duo in place of the Core Solo it will ship with
dongmin said:
I hope they put in 64meg VRAM, higher res screen than current models, 512 MB ram with decent expansion, audio in/out (5.1 support), heaps better battery life, 100 GB HDD option. And illuminated keyboard option would rock as well..
i'd like to speculate about the price difference between the Low Voltage Core Duos and the Core Solos...
...Apple could claim they have dual-core in every Mac if they adopt the Low Voltage Duos...
...Apple could claim they have dual-core in every Mac if they adopt the Low Voltage Duos...
What's all this fuss about the names?
It seems like every other person posting here has some kind of psychological problem with the new laptop names. Why?
Is it mysticism over previous names? Because names change with product changes. Doi. And "Power" is kind of retarded if it doesn't run on a PowerPC chip.
Is it that you don't like Macs? Jobs said he wanted "Mac" in the name of Macintosh-running products, and I think he's right - it IS the biggest part of what sets them apart, ain't it?
I just don't get it. Macbook seems like a good name to me - Macintosh + Notebook = MacBook. Better than Sony T-Series X12951 or whatever crud the competition calls their poop. The other day I saw someone's signature that said "I'll NEVER call it a MacBook" or something...you know, that's just plain irrational. There is already a bias against Mac users in that some people consider them to be marked by irrational behaviour and thinking...let's not further it along by having emotional attachments to product names. I am sure the average Mac consumer doesn't really care that much about the name, MacBook versus PowerBook. Any other company could have chosen to call their machine a powerbook. At least MacBook is distinguishing!
angelneo said:
It seems like every other person posting here has some kind of psychological problem with the new laptop names. Why?
Is it mysticism over previous names? Because names change with product changes. Doi. And "Power" is kind of retarded if it doesn't run on a PowerPC chip.
Is it that you don't like Macs? Jobs said he wanted "Mac" in the name of Macintosh-running products, and I think he's right - it IS the biggest part of what sets them apart, ain't it?
I just don't get it. Macbook seems like a good name to me - Macintosh + Notebook = MacBook. Better than Sony T-Series X12951 or whatever crud the competition calls their poop. The other day I saw someone's signature that said "I'll NEVER call it a MacBook" or something...you know, that's just plain irrational. There is already a bias against Mac users in that some people consider them to be marked by irrational behaviour and thinking...let's not further it along by having emotional attachments to product names. I am sure the average Mac consumer doesn't really care that much about the name, MacBook versus PowerBook. Any other company could have chosen to call their machine a powerbook. At least MacBook is distinguishing!
WOW!!! All this would be the perfect little notebook. I was hoping for built in isight and frontrow. So they better do it. I've been hanging out to buy an ibook for only a wee while now and this is perfect
powerbook911 said:
I've got to say, I hope they make a 12" MBP with a far better screen than the 12" PB I use. My PB is new - I won't be replacing it for 2~4 years, probably. With my Mac, it just works, so I'll replace it when it doesn't. Still, some time down the road when it inevitably becomes insufficient, I want to be able to replace it with something stronger but not gigantic. Nothing beats 12" for size. The problem is that even though pros may not value portability as much as I (as a "consumer") do, I'm going to want something small AND powerful. And what about pros that could use small form?
As for the Duo vs normal chips idea, it seems like using Duo in the iBook replacement MacBooks would make sense - just with a lower number, like 0.2~0.4 Ghz lower than the MBP's. Why? Because using a 1.63 Ghz normal processor would be slower than a 1.43 Ghz Duo, wouldn't it? Or am I misinformed? I think it's best if Apple doesn't make weak consumer models, but rather have strong consumer models and stronger pro models.
(L) said:
A Core Solo is not a weak chip by any stretch. And whatever cost savings it has over Core Duo, it will be enough for computer makers to use them. Apple included. Choosing a lower-cost part in a low-end laptop makes sense. With laptop sales ballooning, Apple does still need to have a low-end entry model.
I wouldn't be at all surprised to see the lowest MacBook have no iSight, no Front Row, and integrated Intel graphics. Such a machine would still be VERY capable for most tasks, and there's a huge market for something that low-cost.
But whether that happens or not, I expect the low end of MacBooks (the iBook replacements) to use the least expensive of the new Intel chips--and that means one CPU core. But still a fast core compared to a G4 or a Pentium M.
And what many people are asking for here (an iBook with high-end features like dual cores, lighted keyboards, etc.) isn't so much a super-iBook as a smaller MacBook Pro. Names, schmames... I'm 100% in agreement with that concept!
Sounds like a good move (if they make it) to keep the budget line competitive. But let's face it - you can get a budget PC lap top for $600 - if apple doesn't add these types of features to their budget laptop - it will fall short. I (like other posters) would love to see the super drive become a standard across the various product lines. We will see....
Legacy said:
I really disagree about the firewire. How many camcorders that you buy today use firewire as the main digital video transfer method? Pretty much all. What would iMovie and iDVD be good for if consumers can't get video into their computer? Dropping firewire makes absolutely no sense.
I also think that Apple will create one single laptop line. MacBook. This would just make sense and would also be very easy to understand for the consumer. This is the MacBook..and this is the MacBook PRO. But then what would they call the pro line? iMac Pro?
(L) said:
So very true. It really doesn't matter if a name sounds cool to people who already love macs... it matters if it sticks in the heads of people who hear it, and are in the market for a computer. I think the people who've said that they're never getting a macbook based on the name are probably people who weren't likely to get one anyways.
ALL THAT SAID, who cares what the call the new ibook. Widescreen, faster cpu, same price: that's already a better deal than what is already still a decent deal. I think superdrive standard is a big fat waste of money. Built in iSight would be cool and is much more likely to be included than faster graphics, more VRAM, or whathaveyou. The iBook line hasn't ever been about allowing people to do things very quickly, but allowing them to do things that they can't do on windows laptops, such as easy video editing and music creation. iSight adds another tool to that toolbox, letting people do more than ever with the computer. Getting all caught up in making things faster and faster and faster has never been the apple design philosophy. Empowering the user has. That's why I think the Apple Insider call on iSight is spot on, and why we're not getting faster this or better that - I don't even think we'll get core duo. In the end though, I don't think it's a bad thing. Now that Intel is on board the speedbumps will come faster than ever anyways.
I'm not really in the market for an iBook (or whatever the name turns out to be) since I'm looking for the baddest laptop I can buy to operate as my primary computer. Currently I'm still using a Titanium PowerBook but am aiming, I hope, for a Merom-based 17" beast at the end of the year. Given this an iBook just isn't going to be something that I'm interested in but would make a nice computer for my wife when the current PowerBook needs to be retired.
All this said, the addition of iSight to another line of computers as built-in option will continue to make video chatting something that might actually happen. One of the primary reasons why I have never bothered to buy a web-cam is that no one I know actually has one, but if they become standard then all that will change. A Skype upgrade would certainly help move this concept into reality since I don't know many other people with a Mac (and therefore iChat AV) but I do know quite a few with Skype on their PC. Bring it on.
All this said, the addition of iSight to another line of computers as built-in option will continue to make video chatting something that might actually happen. One of the primary reasons why I have never bothered to buy a web-cam is that no one I know actually has one, but if they become standard then all that will change. A Skype upgrade would certainly help move this concept into reality since I don't know many other people with a Mac (and therefore iChat AV) but I do know quite a few with Skype on their PC. Bring it on.
