Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

New iBooks Released

Ensoniq said:
The two changes that were needed:

1 - 12" iBook should have been a 40 GB drive, instead of 30. On the custom build page of the Apple Store, HD sizes are 30/60/80. Where did the 40 go? Unless there is a supply problem on the 40, the 40 should have been the base size.
Click to expand...

I don't follow the component markets, but I'm inclined to think Apple will soon need to push forward on hard drive sizes. An 80 GB drive is fine for basic applications and running a 15 GB iPod, but I just don't see it serving content to a 60 GB iPod. External drives are great for video-intensive apps and for storage, but more stored video and photo content are going to push the need for larger factory-installed drives.

Factory-installed drives haven't kept up with the iPod.
 
ugh i got that too ..

hey doubleing your hard drive only costs $75 .. yea!

thats about the money you save on the airport card ... :rolleyes:
 
Very happy with this update.

Glad Apple is seeing that wireless is no longer a luxury feature.

Trying to decide whether to pick mine up from the store tonight, or to order it with the 60 gb hard drive.

Decisions, decisions.
 
Mitthrawnuruodo said:
Dunno... always liked the iBooks (even though my last machine was a Pismo, and that is still going strong...). Of cource if a PowerBooks meets my specs, ans I have the money, then I might go for it, but I don't think I will buy a G4-based PB next Chirstmas... ;)
Click to expand...

I don't blame you the Pismo is going strong since it has a 1M cache, and max out the ram and you won't notice much difference from the new iBook or PB line(unless working on graphic intensive applications).

Still love my Pismo, even the trackpad seems effective. The hew trackpads lack something. I can't place my finger on it. :confused:
 
iGary said:
Very happy with this update.

Glad Apple is seeing that wireless is no longer a luxury feature.

Trying to decide whether to pick mine up from the store tonight, or to order it with the 60 gb hard drive.

Decisions, decisions.
Click to expand...

60 ! 60 ! DO IT !
 
MacNeXT said:
Great, the 'Apple is expensive' argument has become a less valid. Pity there is no gfx update and the screen resolutions are the same. I would've liked to see a 14" or 15" with more than 1024x786. Right now the 12" is still the most attractive one for me, because of this. I'm thinking of buying one. The only thing I need is the money :D
Click to expand...

Even though the iBook is relatively cheap for macs, it still doesn't hurt the PC competition by much :(

http://slickdeals.net/#p5335

a 1.6 GHz Centrino with 512 MB of RAM for $750.

Too bad it runs Windows...
 
Good job Apple.

They made improvements in all of the right areas. They may have been able to do slightly better with the GPU (as usual it seems) but I think they know what they are doing.

Can you put RAM into an iBook by yourself? cause $540 for 1.25 Gig is daylight robbery.

It makes me really wonder about what is up next for the PB though. The iBook has become a strong competitor now and if they are doing all of this with the iBook I can only wonder at the improvements they are making to the PB.

I don't know if making BT a standard item makes sense yet. There aren't that many products that are BT enabled yet and it only adds to the cost. When printers, scanners, all in one office machines, photocopiers, and other office items get standard BT, it would make much more sense. I know that you can get adapters already but it would be a little pricey to do all of that, the adapters aren't all that cheap yet.
 
It's funny how, a year ago when the iBook G4s first came out (at 800MHz, 933 and 1GHz if you recall), people were saying how the ATI 9200 mobility in the iBook G4 (with 32MB VRAM just like today) was better than the 5200GO (32MB VRAM) found in the PB 12" at the time, and now people are wanting "that crappy graphics card" in the iBook ;)

Ah, the joys of CoreImage. Don't worry - there doesn't have to be another iBook revision before the release of Tiger and it's not as if Tiger won't run on these iBooks :p Do you really think Apple would make maachines now that wouldn't run Tiger? :D
 
Zaty said:
Nice update, why is BT still optional? The iBooks are still stuck with the Radeon 9200 (which doesn't support CoreImage!).
Click to expand...

Because BT is forbidden in many environs, and it's just not used as much.
 
abrooks said:
This must mean some kind of new Powerbook because the iBook is nearly identical in spec to the lower end Powerbooks.
Click to expand...

Well, there are still differences.

- iBook has DDR266, as the PB has DDR333
- iBook 32VRAM against PB 64-128VRAM
- Combo vs SD
- BT is built in into PBs
- PBs have true display mirroring, and 15" instead of 14" display
- 15" & 17" PBs have FW800 and gigabit ethernet
- PB has audio in
- anything else?

So there still are lots of differences. Not so dramatical ones, but these will make the PowerBooks still the pro laptops and iBooks consumer laptops.
 
Porchland said:
I don't read today's announcement of iBook refreshes to have ANY impact on the release date of Tiger. That said, I don't think Tiger will be available until April 1 or so.
Click to expand...

No, it doesn't have any impact on Tiger's release date. I just wanted to point out that it's more than likely that Tiger won't ship early next year b/c I think Apple might want to change the specs of some of their computers so they are all 100% Tiger ready.

As for the PBs, apparently there will no be PB refresh before Christmas which can only mean two things:

a) Apple is stuck with what they have, i.e. no faster CPUs, bigger hard drives, etc.

or

b) Apple will introduce a new PB linie early next year, probably at MWSF.
 
Machine for dummies

Nobody who knows what he's getting will buy an obsolete machine incapable of supporting Core Image in six months unless he is really desperate.
Buy this an expect to get a bad deal the day you want to get rid of it on ebay.
 
i- vs. power-

I need a laptop. I really want to buy one before a big work/pleasure trip in mid-November. I want a PB, but come on-- i'm not buying the old ones that are out now, especially with the iBooks being so similar. Don't make me buy an iBook... or nothing at all! I've got the cash in my pocket... c'mon, get those PBs out soon!

I know that the G4 processors can't get much faster, currently. That's ok, they're fine, but throw in some more stuff and give us a little price cut.
 
HMM, I sold my 12" powerbook to pay for my 2.0 G5. I hate not being able to carry my computer around with me, so a 12" iBook would be perfect for those days that I want to work outside. I've always preferred the PB design to the "cheap" looking iBook design, but for $1,000, it's not that bad.

.narco
 
The graphics card is the issue for me. I just can't accept buying a machine with only 32mb. When I ran through the Apple store purchasing it only gave options for a larger HD (80) and more RAM, neither or which really go that high. They've definitely kept the PB the only option for music, video, and gaming lovers. I don't know why they even put iLife on the iBook. :(
 
friction3000 said:
I need a laptop. I really want to buy one before a big work/pleasure trip in mid-November. I want a PB, but come on-- i'm not buying the old ones that are out now, especially with the iBooks being so similar. Don't make me buy an iBook... or nothing at all! I've got the cash in my pocket... c'mon, get those PBs out soon!

I know that the G4 processors can't get much faster, currently. That's ok, they're fine, but throw in some more stuff and give us a little price cut.
Click to expand...

Mac Central said:
"This new line-up of iBooks, along with the current PowerBooks we have will make-up the complete portable line-up we will be offering for the holidays," said Moody.
Click to expand...

So it seems you will have to wait until at least MWSF in January to get a revised PowerBook.
 
I've believed for a while that Apple will wait to upgrade the PB till MW in Jan, and that this will be a major upgrade. I really don't think that the processor issue is such a big deal because the PB's do pretty well against recent Pentium M notebooks. Before someone starts to howl on this one, I recently bought a 1.5 Ghz Pentium M, and its overall responsiveness is VERY poor compared to my 1.5 powerbook.

However, one thing that needs to be looked into immediately is the PB screens. Even though the PB's have very good screens (in terms of contrast and viewing angle) compared to a lot of Wintel laptops, they are no longer the best. You should take a look at the screen that Sony has put on its latest 17" beast. That is one hell of a screen.

I'm not really sure if the next Powerbook will see a G5, due to the heat constraints. However, even if they manage to include a 1920*1600 screen and get a processor near 2 Ghz with a memory controller in this system, it will be one hell of a machine (and worthy of apples efforts to design a new enclosure).

So here is what I think we might see in Jan
Powerbook 17"
17" 1920*1600 screen
80 GB 5400 rmp hard drive
2.0 Ghz G4 with on board memory controller
200 Mhz system bus
ATI 9800 (or whatever else is the newest at the time)
New design
 
MacPhreak said:
And my 12" G3 800 seem even older, even though it's not even one yet (bought it as a leftover).
Click to expand...

I feel your pain. I would _LOVE_ a G4 based iBook. Serious lack of funds this year though (I bought a new CBR600RR instead!).
 
Just for the record ... I think this iBook upgrade is great!! With the small extra price cut we got in Norway, you can get an iBook with 512MB RAM, 1.2GHz and Airport E for less than the price of an iBook with 256MB RAM, 1.0GHz without AE a week ago.
 
cube said:
Nobody who knows what he's getting will buy an obsolete machine incapable of supporting Core Image in six months unless he is really desperate.
Buy this an expect to get a bad deal the day you want to get rid of it on ebay.
Click to expand...

I think Apple's unit sales figures beg to differ. This range will only improve on some already tasty numbers.

Get over it. Core Image is not the most important thing in the world for entry level laptops.
 
ASP272 said:
The graphics card is the issue for me. I just can't accept buying a machine with only 32mb. When I ran through the Apple store purchasing it only gave options for a larger HD (80) and more RAM, neither or which really go that high. They've definitely kept the PB the only option for music, video, and gaming lovers. I don't know why they even put iLife on the iBook. :(
Click to expand...

That's funny, but iTunes, iMovie and iPhoto seem to run just fine even on my old iMac G3. :D C'mon now, I realize that people are upset over the lack of a "fully CoreImage compatible" graphics card, but that doesn't make them unusable by any stretch and it's silly to suggest that it does.

These are consumer notebooks afterall and as I mentioned earlier, the graphics cards in the iBook are far better than what comes in most sub $1,000 Wintel notebooks. If you need a pro notebook, you need to buy a PowerBook, not an iBook. You're certainly not going to get a pro level Wintel notebook for under $1,000 either.
 
My uncle ordered a 12" iBook the first day of this month. It is custom built, and hasn't received it yet. I wonder if he is getting one of the newer ones or if there is any policy for this so that he gets a newer iBook. :(
 
Huezo said:
My uncle ordered a 12" iBook the first day of this month. It is custom built, and hasn't received it yet. I wonder if he is getting one of the newer ones or if there is any policy for this so that he gets a newer iBook. :(
Click to expand...

Cancel the order or Re-Order it and get it transfered to the new model(s). :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back