Macbooks Tuesday, May 9?

[ImAlwaysRight]

I doubt that any of the new MacBooks will have only a combo drive. The new ads tout iLife and are aimed at younger customers. If there is a correlation between the new ads and new MacBooks, it doesn't make sense to seduce customers with iLife, then sell them a product that can't use iDVD and offer only limited use of iMovie. DVD burners are less than $50 right now so why not include them in all models and provide full iLife functionality for all.

Interesting point. Up until now I've thought the low-end MacBook would have a combo drive. But now the iMac has all SuperDrives. And the price difference from a combo to superdrive is maybe $10. And Apple wants to promote iLife and what good is iDVD with a SuperDrive? Hmmm... base model comes with SuperDrive and any kind of dedicated graphics, I'm there. I've already got a 100GB 7200rpm hard drive and 2GB matched RAM. Only thing that'll make me go higher end model is dedicated graphics in high end and integrated graphics in the low end, but I don't see that happening either as that will mean two motherboard designs. Apple is all about simplicity and streamlining and using similar parts, so I think it will be all integrated or all dedicated graphics in the MacBook line.

 

[Gnorn]

well u have a point. we could easily have nothing new on Tuesday. but i sure hope that something is released....anything

I also hope the new Macintel book is anounced, since I'm planning on buying a new Mac this month to replace my Bondi iMac, and I want to compare the specs and prices between the iMac and the MacBook (or iMacBook or whatever...) so yeah, I'm as courious as all of you. But be aware that it might be possible nothing happens coming tuesday.

On the other hand... Bungie could anounce Halo 3 on the Mac

 

[DimFlicker]

What if nothing happened on tuesday?? Would most or all of the Apple rumor site members come down at Apple? Even though they initially started the 'tuesday rumor' ??

Don't get me wrong. I'm as curious about the next iBook (MacBook?) as the next guy or gall, but aren't we getting our hopes up to high?

Also, that iPod > MacBook 'mistake' could easely have been a joke by Apple (just to see how everybody would react to it).

nothing can compare to the disappointment of Apple doing ZILCH for their 30th anniversary... I was TOTALLY set to buy a macbook... I won't be that disappointed because I'm not getting my hopes up. However, if it doens't happen by mid June, I'm buying a Vaio.

 

[Gnorn]

yeah as much as im hoping it to be announced this week....it wouldnt surprise me if apple didnt. i think we're getting our hopes up too high. even if it does come out, everyone's gonna be disappointed no matter what because either it wont be good enough or it will be too good and cost too much.

Yeah, I understand what you mean. With all this speculation about the iMacBook specs, it seems it's gonna be a b*tching machine for a b*tching price.

But that was part of my thought too... what if Apple released the iMacBook, and it isn't realy groundbreaking?

I believe these rumors (allthough fun and interesting to read) can hurt the real product more than the product itself...

 

[Legacy]

uh, riiiight.

And what did you do to your iBook that made it run like that?

Erm, switch it on? The iBook build quality is crap. I'm sorry but I havent been impressed that in under 9 months the display went dodgy, the trackpad goes and comes and the Apple light has dimmed....

I mean ok a G4 sucks fair enough thats not a product fault but the errors above...come on Apple! I can't wait to get rid of this notebook and get the new MacBook

 

[Multimedia]

What Will Core 3 Be And When Does It Start?

For those who didn't follow the C|net link, they suggest that Intel will follow the

Pentium
Pentium II
Pentium III
Pentium 4

branding scheme with

Core
Core 2
Core 3
...

But I agree that "Core 64" would have been good - it would clearly show that Merom is twice as good as Yonah. Or even 64 times better.

AS

OK, I tried to find that link but couldn't. So what will Core 3 be and when does it start?

 

[forrest1992]

Is this different?

iBook now shipping with 24 hours.

 

[kugino]

yeah as much as im hoping it to be announced this week....it wouldnt surprise me if apple didnt. i think we're getting our hopes up too high. even if it does come out, everyone's gonna be disappointed no matter what because either it wont be good enough or it will be too good and cost too much.

if the MB does indeed appear on tuesday, a few things will definitely happen:

- people will complain about it not having this or that
- people will complain about it being $100-200 too expensive
- people will say it's ugly

- people will buy it.

aside from these things happening, i have no idea what will happen on tuesday...

 

[runninmac]

iBook now shipping with 24 hours.

Nope its been that way since september.
And honestly this is just ridiculous: Days Since Update: 286 (Average = 172)

 

[Chundles]

Erm, switch it on? The iBook build quality is crap. I'm sorry but I havent been impressed that in under 9 months the display went dodgy, the trackpad goes and comes and the Apple light has dimmed....

I mean ok a G4 sucks fair enough thats not a product fault but the errors above...come on Apple! I can't wait to get rid of this notebook and get the new MacBook

You didn't think to maybe take it back? My iBook is a trooper, works as well today as the day I got it nearly 18 months ago - yes it got dropped or hit at uni while the HDD was doing something and the HDD blew but that's been replaced and it's good as new.

You have a warranty for a reason.

 

[Legacy]

You didn't think to maybe take it back? My iBook is a trooper, works as well today as the day I got it nearly 18 months ago - yes it got dropped or hit at uni while the HDD was doing something and the HDD blew but that's been replaced and it's good as new.

You have a warranty for a reason.

Yeah I took it back thank you very much! Don't patronise me! They changed the display, 5 days later the Apple light started dimming, 15days later the trackpad doesnt work properly. I have a university to attend and a course to follow. I can't run back and forth from London to fix a damn laptop and be without a machine for 10-14days, it's just not practical. I hope Apple get their act together with the new MacBook or I'm goin to have to go PC.

 

[Wellander]

iBook now shipping with 24 hours.

Hi,
No it is not.
And on the us store it sais Shipping: Within 24 hours.

 

[ImAlwaysRight]

Many people have posted to this and past Macbook threads they expect the new MacBook to have the same basic specs as the Mac Mini. But history has shown the iBook and iMac to have very similar specs. January 2005 the Mac Mini comes along, and since the iMac went G5, an area where the iBook could not go, the iBook was doomed to share the same processor of the Mac Mini for 16 months. (but at the end it even had a better graphics card, the Radeon 9550 vs. Mini's 9200)

Interestingly enough, now even the Mac Mini shares the same processor (although at slightly different speeds) as the MacBook Pro. So how does Apple further differentiate the models? Stick integrated graphics in the Mac Mini.

What I'm getting at is I think Apple is going to bring the MacBook (former iBook) back up to iMac standards, except for the hard drive, since the iMac uses 3.5" HD. I don't think Apple will put integrated graphics in the MacBook (reasons below). I find it interesting that NO rumor site has given any specs about the graphics chip in the MacBook. It is the big question still up in the air (next to pricing).

Things I see as certain:

• 60GB hard drive in the base model. Many have specualted 40GB, but that ain't gonna happen when Apple has a 60GB drive in the $599 mini.

• all core duo. AI has reported this, and I believe Apple will only use core solo for the Mac Mini. Plus, now with Merom approaching the MBP's can be upgraded to that in a few months, and Apple won't do a refresh with the iBooks in 3 months, so they'll put core duo in all models now. Apple always wants the recently released model to have better specs that what has been available to make it seem like such a deal. The MBP's have had 4 months of sales, which are surely declining now, so for MacBooks, Apple wants to WOW people and will give it great specs. It's a total redesign, remember. Apple is fully aware of the reaction the Mac Mini got with integrated graphics and doesn't want it's newly designed MacBook to be looked down on because it carries integrated graphics.

• all the obvious stuff, like iSight built-in, front row/photo booth software, magsafe, the magnetic lock that has been rumored, etc.

Possibilities:

Apple wants to WOW people with the MacBook. I believe they will bring it more in line with the iMac. So I think these are very good possibilities:

• SuperDrive in all models (but could easily be combo in low model)

• Dedicated graphics. Could be as high as the Radeon X1600 (just like iMac) or a mobile chip from nVidea. Integrated graphics is a possibility like the Mini but I think unlikely. Whatever the graphics, it will be the same for all models, not integrated in low end and dedicated graphics in high end. Think how buyers will react to get integrated graphics in a $1400-1500 high end MacBook. Apple ain't gonna do that, so I predict dedicated graphics in all models.

• Higher price tag - It happened with the Mini and MBP, but iMac ended up staying the same. If superdrive and dedicated graphics come in all models, the price will go up to $1099 for the base.

• I think we may also see a $200/300 option to upgrade the high-end 1.83GHz MacBook to 2.0GHz. So that makes 1.66 core duo the base and 1.83 the high end, with the 2.0GHz option on the high end.

There you have it. If this all pans out, I may just go start my own rumor site.

 

[kugino]

Yeah I took it back thank you very much! Don't patronise me! They changed the display, 5 days later the Apple light started dimming, 15days later the trackpad doesnt work properly. I have a university to attend and a course to follow. I can't run back and forth from London to fix a damn laptop and be without a machine for 10-14days, it's just not practical. I hope Apple get their act together with the new MacBook or I'm goin to have to go PC.

dude, sorry about your problems, but going to a PC's not going to be better...every company (even apple!) has QC issues...so some of us get hit with a stinker. i've had my logic board replaced on my ibook g4 and recently have had my battery quit...it's part of being a mechanical device...sometimes it's not going to work. as long as you have AC, they will fix it. no need for suicide...

 

[shrhaider]

blah blah blah i can't wait for the MB to come out blah blah blah.

 

[towlo]

Don't know how much you can put faith in this, but I was in the Apple Store on Saturday and was explaining to one of the staff that I was going on a business trip and needed a small laptop before then, but was reluctant to get a powerbook 12" due to the rumours of its replacement, and he said 'I don't know if it helps but the replacement for the iBook will be out within the next week'.

Got the powerbook anyway as I was leaving on my trip yesterday but they told me I can exchange the powerbook within a month.

 

[sparksinspace]

dont forget the ibook's main market is education

SNIP...
Things I see as certain:

• 60GB hard drive in the base model. Many have specualted 40GB, but that ain't gonna happen when Apple has a 60GB drive in the $599 mini.

• all core duo. AI has reported this, and I believe Apple will only use core solo for the Mac Mini. Plus, now with Merom approaching the MBP's can be upgraded to that in a few months, and Apple won't do a refresh with the iBooks in 3 months, so they'll put core duo in all models now. Apple always wants the recently released model to have better specs that what has been available to make it seem like such a deal. The MBP's have had 4 months of sales, which are surely declining now, so for MacBooks, Apple wants to WOW people and will give it great specs. It's a total redesign, remember. Apple is fully aware of the reaction the Mac Mini got with integrated graphics and doesn't want it's newly designed MacBook to be looked down on because it carries integrated graphics.

• all the obvious stuff, like iSight built-in, front row/photo booth software, magsafe, the magnetic lock that has been rumored, etc.

Possibilities:

Apple wants to WOW people with the MacBook. I believe they will bring it more in line with the iMac. So I think these are very good possibilities:

• SuperDrive in all models (but could easily be combo in low model)

• Dedicated graphics. Could be as high as the Radeon X1600 (just like iMac) or a mobile chip from nVidea. Integrated graphics is a possibility like the Mini but I think unlikely. Whatever the graphics, it will be the same for all models, not integrated in low end and dedicated graphics in high end. Think how buyers will react to get integrated graphics in a $1400-1500 high end MacBook. Apple ain't gonna do that, so I predict dedicated graphics in all models.

• Higher price tag - It happened with the Mini and MBP, but iMac ended up staying the same. If superdrive and dedicated graphics come in all models, the price will go up to $1099 for the base.

• I think we may also see a $200/300 option to upgrade the high-end 1.83GHz MacBook to 2.0GHz. So that makes 1.66 core duo the base and 1.83 the high end, with the 2.0GHz option on the high end.

There you have it. If this all pans out, I may just go start my own rumor site.

don't forget that the iBook's main market is education and in that market price and quality is king, not performance. sooo I guess it'll be integrated graphics and core solo to keep the price down. also, this would discourage pro users from buying an iBook, thus increasing revenue. however, I agree with you that it'll probably be a superdrive, this is to firmly establish the iBook as a multi media machine..

 

[netdog]

if the MB does indeed appear on tuesday, a few things will definitely happen:

- people will complain about it not having this or that
- people will complain about it being $100-200 too expensive
- people will say it's ugly

- people will buy it.

aside from these things happening, i have no idea what will happen on tuesday...

Finally a bankable prediction. Nice one.

 

[great high wolf]

And honestly this is just ridiculous: Days Since Update: 286 (Average = 172)

I bought an iBook about a week after the speed bump. So I'm delighted aboout it staying that way for the best part of a year.

 

[kugino]

i just gave my wife my ibook G4 (she was still working on a 400MHz tibook) b/c i'm so certain the MB's coming out this week...oh well...

 

[joelypolly]

Looking forward to this Will sell my iMac and get a 20"LCD with the MacBook for home.

 

[esieens]

E3 / iMac

If Apple really intend to release something during E3 then it must be game-related. A MacBook is not a game machine so they might also announce a more powerful iMac. What do you think?

 

[ACW]

If Apple really intend to release something during E3 then it must be game-related. A MacBook is not a game machine so they might also announce a more powerful iMac. What do you think?

Just cause its E3 dosn't mean Apple has to do somthing game related. They need to get these laptops out ASAP to catch the school buying time.

 

[joelypolly]

Just cause its E3 dosn't mean Apple has to do somthing game related. They need to get these laptops out ASAP to catch the school buying time.

Agreed but it would also be a good chance to show the world that Macs can now play pc games

 

[steve_hill4]

Agreed but it would also be a good chance to show the world that Macs can now play pc games

In that case, a Mac Mini Tower would be ideal. Gives us time for Conroe/Woodcrest to go into the Mac Pro and fits between the Mac Pro and iMac in performance. I really think Apple should bring out a budget tower to increase share. If Woodcrest goes into the Mac Pro, they could also add more RAM as stock, bigger discs and maybe even a Blu-Ray burner as a BTO and bump prices up. That leaves too much of a gap between lines, so a smaller, cheaper tower with Conroe, (Yonah for now), would be welcomed by gamer switchers and those looking for upgrade features.