New iBooks Next Tuesday?

[Tastannin]

The PowerBook will not go to a G5 CPU. Apple will not spend the R&D money to create two new form factors in less than two years. Do you know how expensive those PowerBooks would be?

The new PowerPC 970MP chips will probably only get into the Xserve, the Power Mac, and maybe the iMac.

The PowerBook G4 will hopefully see another speed bump or two, yet the next new PowerBook form factor will be for the Intel CPU.

Well, Apple squeezed a G3 into a PB 3400c chassis and that particular model "Kanga" was on the market for ONLY five months before the sleek WallStreet models debuted.

The way people are today, a Powerbook G5 in the current Aluminum form factor would do much better than a Powerbook G4 over the next year or so until it goes Intel, IMHO. If they can do it with minimal engineering and adjustments, they probably will. If they need an all-new form factor, I'm with you on that, though they _could_ go with the new form factor for the G5 and use it for the first generation of Intels. Kinda like what they did for the first generation of TiBooks - internally it was pretty much a Pismo with a G4.

In fact, come to think of it, Apple leverages their R&D pretty well. The G3 came out in the 3400c form factor, then they came out with the Wallstreet design and refined that over time. That refinement continued through the Pismo (slimming and trimming, adding stuff over time). The TiBook externals were the priority then they re-engineered the internals over time. When the AlBooks came out, the 12 incher was pretty much the same as the iBook internally, and somewhat the same externally. Most of the R&D was done on the 17 incher, and they didn't update the 15 incher for quite a while. I'm betting on more of the same. Either Apple goes with a new form factor and the G5 to grab sales and attention until the Intels come along, using the same form factor for at least one generation of the Intels. OR they keep the same AlBook form factor and squeeze the G5 inside, keeping sales healthy until the Intels debut. R&D is expensive, and they want to make sure it pays off as long as possible. Why do you think Apple stuck with the same El Capitan tower design for so long?

 

[Sam I Am]

Ugh, I can't believe it hasn't been updated yet! I'm really getting sick of waiting, and I'm starting to lose hope. I'd love for it to be updated by the end of July, so I can have it for a trip to NYC in mid-August. The update probably will only be a speed bump, and we don't need an expo for a speed bump. I'd say it's coming any Tuesday now, and the PowerBooks may be updated at the same time, because they are coming to the end of a cycle. There are SO MANY hints that they are coming! Come on people, hang in there! We can do it! Oh, and BTW, in case you didn't read the article on macosrumors.com, there is a very real event in the near future and there are high hopes for it (however, the date is currently unknown). I say it could come there, but it is probably just as likely to come on a random Tuesday in the near future. I think the end of July would still be in time for most education customers. Apple wouldn't let the people who order at the beginning of the rebate get as good of a deal as those who order later on!! New iBooks are coming, I just know it!

 

[sacear]

Well, Apple squeezed a G3 into a PB 3400c chassis and that particular model "Kanga" was on the market for ONLY five months before the sleek WallStreet models debuted.

The way people are today, a Powerbook G5 in the current Aluminum form factor would do much better than a Powerbook G4 over the next year or so until it goes Intel, IMHO. If they can do it with minimal engineering and adjustments, they probably will. If they need an all-new form factor, I'm with you on that, though they _could_ go with the new form factor for the G5 and use it for the first generation of Intels. Kinda like what they did for the first generation of TiBooks - internally it was pretty much a Pismo with a G4.

I think there is no way a G5 CPU is going in the current PowerBook G4 form factor. The heat difference between the G5 and G4 is significantly more than the difference between the G4 and G3 at the time. If I remember right, the new G4s at the time, actually ran cooler than the G3s at the time. That is not the case now. I do agree with, and like the idea of, a new form factor that could be used for both a G5 CPU and an eventual Intel CPU, that is a good idea, similar to the G3 into a PB 3400c chassis.

In fact, come to think of it, Apple leverages their R&D pretty well. The G3 came out in the 3400c form factor, then they came out with the Wallstreet design and refined that over time. That refinement continued through the Pismo (slimming and trimming, adding stuff over time). The TiBook externals were the priority then they re-engineered the internals over time. When the AlBooks came out, the 12 incher was pretty much the same as the iBook internally, and somewhat the same externally. Most of the R&D was done on the 17 incher, and they didn't update the 15 incher for quite a while. I'm betting on more of the same. Either Apple goes with a new form factor and the G5 to grab sales and attention until the Intels come along, using the same form factor for at least one generation of the Intels. OR they keep the same AlBook form factor and squeeze the G5 inside, keeping sales healthy until the Intels debut. R&D is expensive, and they want to make sure it pays off as long as possible. Why do you think Apple stuck with the same El Capitan tower design for so long?

Yes, you are quite right. Also, I think that Apple sticks with things that work (El Capitan tower design, remember the Imagewriter || and the LaserWriters? Very long product lives.) and just refines them over time, not just for R&D savings, yet also for consistency and quality. Why fix it, if it ain't broke, right?

I agree that Apple does leverage their R&D very well. Yet if they did make a completely new PowerBook G5 within the next few months, and then a completely new PowerBook "Intel" about a year later (which does not seem smart in any sense), then I do not want to buy either one. The PowerBook G5 would not be around long enough for a price drop and would not sell well, until it is cancelled. Then the PowerBook "Intel" would be priced to recoup loses on the previous PowerBook G5.

I think the PowerBook line will be speed-bumped and maybe even upgraded with an improved G4 CPU before getting an Intel CPU, yet probably not get a G5. Then the iBooks can get speed-bumped also.

Another possibility is that the PowerBooks do get a new G5 CPU and the iBooks get the improved G4 CPU, however I think this is not as likely.

At this point it just would not be beneficial for Apple to put a G5 in a PowerBook. The new G5 CPUs will go into the Xserve, the Power Mac, and maybe the iMac, basically the boxes that already have G5s. Maybe the Mac mini, but that is a long shot. Again it wouldn't benefit Apple to do so at this point, this close to changing to Intel CPUs.

IMHO.

 

[The_Man]

Do you think that the iBook MUST be updated on or before Sept. 20th.
Is it possible that its not updated until some random time after the 20th. Its scary but i highly doubt that Apple would do that.
But they did do that with the emac, so its possible....I really dont want to have to wait until October.

 

[icarusflies]

Look on the brightside - we're nearer to getting the new ibooks
- than we were last week

When does the american education year start?
I think if apple leave it too late people will have already invested
- and by the look of this thread, it won't be with Apple

Are there any more events coming up before the Paris Expo that apple could release a improved ibook? Or is it more likely now to just appear on the Applestore site?

 

[MacHarne]

Forty-six pages on replies?! From quickly browing these threads, I always overlooked this one since it gets beaten to death (as do all hopeful product release threads). But forty-six pages?! This is history in the making, people.

And I wish all of you iBook-update-hoping people the best. I actually caved a few weeks ago and bought my father an iBook; now that I think about it, I'm glad I went ahead and purchased it.

Ok, time to read other non-update-related threads.

 

[Jo-Kun]

Seriously, on the iBook F12 and eject share the same keycap, on the PowerBook F12 and eject are two separate keys.

on the iBook the space for one key is used by the latches to lift the keyboard... witht he powerbook you can't lift the keyboard in that way... so they could use that space fot seperate F12 & Eject...

just use your eyes...

meanwhile some pages added to the thread... closing up on 50... so allmost half way my 'will reach 100 pages before update' statement

 

[Chef Medeski]

Any chance of an update in Boston on the 12th?

 

[Chundles]

Nope, Apple doesn't attend Boston. MacExpo Paris is the new MacWorld New York. Apple decided not to attend the summer MacWorld when they moved it to Boston.

 

[jonomo]

Korea out of Stock

I'm on a business trip in Korea at the moment... and I just gave up on waiting... so I decided to go to the Apple store in Seoul to buy an Ibook, and the clerk told me that the WHOLE country is out of stock and they have absolutely no visibility on when they will be replenished!!! Isn't that a good sign???? He says that Apple hasn't been replenishing their inventory of Ibooks for a few weeks now....

on a side note, the service at the apple store in Korea is just as bad as the service in the US.. the clerks are all rude and unhelpful... when I asked when the Ibooks would come in, he said he didn't know... and then he told me that if I was that impatient I should just go and buy a PC laptop... geeeze!!!! mac store workers are just eediots.... how can you tell a customer to go buy their competitor's products...

 

[sheaitisnotso]

I'm on a business trip in Korea at the moment... and I just gave up on waiting... so I decided to go to the Apple store in Seoul to buy an Ibook, and the clerk told me that the WHOLE country is out of stock and they have absolutely no visibility on when they will be replenished!!! Isn't that a good sign???? He says that Apple hasn't been replenishing their inventory of Ibooks for a few weeks now....

on a side note, the service at the apple store in Korea is just as bad as the service in the US.. the clerks are all rude and unhelpful... when I asked when the Ibooks would come in, he said he didn't know... and then he told me that if I was that impatient I should just go and buy a PC laptop... geeeze!!!! mac store workers are just eediots.... how can you tell a customer to go buy their competitor's products...

Hey thanks for the info Jonomo, i hope that is a good sign. This iBook thread will always be far superior to the Powerbook thread. Yeah baby!

 

[a2cute2control]

So I checked with my local bestbuy and of course nothing came in. However, talking to the staff at bestbuy seems completley idiotic ( sorry if you work at bestbuy). Anywho, i asked some questions about the ibook and basically all they could do is read their flyer back to me (yeah, that's service). But in the words of johnny rotten "ever get the feeling you been cheated", time to cut losses and move to the powerbook...at least the folks in the states have a chance to buy refurbished ones at a certain cost, canadian customers get the hand me downs of G3's (assuming you find a seller) and that's about it.

 

[sacear]

School Year and Events

When does the american education year start?
I think if apple leave it too late people will have already invested
- and by the look of this thread, it won't be with Apple

I think most grade schools in the USA have switched or are switching to year-round format, so the "school year" timing really doesn't apply anymore. I don't know about Canadian or Mexican schools.

Are there any more events coming up before the Paris Expo that apple could release a improved ibook? Or is it more likely now to just appear on the Applestore site?

No. Paris is the next event scheduled for Apple. It is most likely updated 'books will just appear on the website with an announcement on Apple's front page; updated 'books really are not major event announcement worthy.

 

[akm]

I think most grade schools in the USA have switched or are switching to year-round format, so the "school year" timing really doesn't apply anymore. I don't know about Canadian or Mexican schools.

Really (Year-round)? I didn't know that.

Anyhow, here in Canada (AFAIK) school usually starts after Labour Day Monday (first Monday in September; so school is either the first or second Tuesday of September, depending on whether Sep. 1 is a Tuesday or not).

 

[sacear]

Don't look to MacWorld Boston

Any chance of an update in Boston on the 12th?

No chance. Apple boycotts MacWorld Boston. There is bad blood between Apple and the MW Boston promoters and has been for years.

Apple doesn't need Boston, because they have Paris. Don't ever look for updates at MW Boston, you'd just be setting yourself up for disappointment.

Apple might return to the East Coast if MacWorld moves their Expo back to New York. Yet I don't see that happening anytime soon. Not this year anyway.

 

[Sam I Am]

I think most grade schools in the USA have switched or are switching to year-round format, so the "school year" timing really doesn't apply anymore. I don't know about Canadian or Mexican schools.

No. Paris is the next event scheduled for Apple. It is most likely updated 'books will just appear on the website with an announcement on Apple's front page; updated 'books really are not major event announcement worthy.

Barely any schools here in the U.S. have switched to that format. School for me starts late August...

If you take a look at Apple's Hot News page, you will notice a couple events coming before the Paris Expo. Apple is not as likely to introduce new products at these events, though. Apple also really DOES have a media event coming up. There is a chance that Apple will update the iBooks next week during the Boston Expo, but maybe not IN Boston. I'd have to say it is most likely they will update the iBooks on a Tuesday in the near future, because it will probably only be a speed bump, and Apple doesn't need an event to have a speed bump.

 

[sacear]

Year-round school

Really (Year-round)? I didn't know that.

Anyhow, here in Canada (AFAIK) school usually starts after Labour Day Monday (first Monday in September; so school is either the first or second Tuesday of September, depending on whether Sep. 1 is a Tuesday or not).

Yes, that is how it was in USA for many years, yet that is changing. Each state controls it's own schools and schedules, it's not a federal thing.

Years ago the "school year" started the Tuesday after Labor Day in September, however in the mid-1980s that started to change. The start of the school year started creeping into August and the end of the year (which usually was the first week of June) started creeping further into June. So many school districts simply started adopting the year-round format. The year-round format is generally a nine week school session, then three weeks off, repeated until the grade level is completed.

 

[rose red]

definitely next tuesday

I ordered one today. I just got fed up with waiting, this is my first Mac.

 

[Sam I Am]

Yes, that is how it was in USA for many years, yet that is changing. Each state controls it's own schools and schedules, it's not a federal thing.

Years ago the "school year" started the Tuesday after Labor Day in September, however in the mid-1980s that started to change. The start of the school year started creeping into August and the end of the year (which usually was the first week of June) started creeping further into June. So many school districts simply started adopting the year-round format. The year-round format is generally a nine week school session, then three weeks off, repeated until the grade level is completed.

Well, in Michigan, we start the Tuesday before Labor Day, and get out in the 2nd or 3rd week of June. No year-round format here!

 

[sacear]

Apple will announce 'book updates on their own website

If you take a look at Apple's Hot News page, you will notice a couple events coming before the Paris Expo. Apple is not as likely to introduce new products at these events, though. Apple also really DOES have a media event coming up. There is a chance that Apple will update the iBooks next week during the Boston Expo, but maybe not IN Boston. I'd have to say it is most likely they will update the iBooks on a Tuesday in the near future, because it will probably only be a speed bump, and Apple doesn't need an event to have a speed bump.

You're right about that. I have thought that Apple might make some introductions during the week of MacWorld Boston, yet not at MW Boston, maybe just to spite them. Yet, I think Apple is above that. I least I hope so.

I think what is most likely, is that Apple will just announce the update on their own website, because a media event for a minor update, like a speed bump, would look foolish. IMHO.

 

[sacear]

Year-round school schedule adoption

Well, in Michigan, we start the Tuesday before Labor Day, and get out in the 2nd or 3rd week of June. No year-round format here!

Yeah, it's different for each state, yet the year-round format is slowly spreading across the country. Maybe Michigan will choose not to use year-round. Maybe it will happen in ten to twenty years.

States on the west coast (Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, and Arizona) started adopting the year-round format in the mid-1980s and are still slowly converting. So, that is twenty years now, so far. Probably another twenty or more before all schools in those states use year-round schedule.

I think Texas has year-round schools too.

 

[rose red]

thanks sacear

Does Apple HQ spy on this board? I just got an email from them to say my order will ship on or before 13th. I've ordered 12" iBook with 512RAM, 60GbHD and Bluetooth, AppleCare and iWorks, plus Crumpler Gimp sleeve. Price was ok, I'm a school governor but they haven't asked for confirmation.

 

[The_Man]

I really dont think that they are switching to the year-round format, I have seen this in other countries, but never in America.
Myabe there are a few schools around the nation doing this, but I doubt it will spread very fsat or very far......

 

[iwantmyapple]

Hello. I'm new to board.

Hello. This is my first post but I have been checking this site since April for new iBooks.

I ordered one today. I just got fed up with waiting, this is my first Mac.

I don't blame you. I finally ordered one yesterday because my sister needs it for school. We were going to get a powerbook but in the end it turned out to be over our budget. I think the iBook will be just fine because it is already a huge upgrade over the computer I am typing on now, an old Dell PC. This will be my first Mac too. I hope we did the right thing.

 

[rose red]

Hello iwantmyapple

There's never a right time to order. You always have to work round birthdays, xmas, credit card dates, payday, start of schoolyear, old computer giving up the ghost, and they never coincide with new products or sale bargains. I don't think there will be any great upgrades until next year, and anyway I wouldn't be able to take advantage of all the features just yet. Our computers will probably turn up about the same time.