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New iBooks soon? Take a look

MacAztec

MacAztec

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Oct 28, 2001
3,028
1
San Luis Obispo, CA
I think we are going to see new iBooks very soon, as MacPrices.com points out that the Apple Online Store is out of stock on all models.

What do you think the new models will bring?
 
Re: New iBooks soon? Take a look

Originally posted by MacAztec
I think we are going to see new iBooks very soon, as MacPrices.com points out that the Apple Online Store is out of stock on all models.

What do you think the new models will bring?
Click to expand...

Wouldn't get too excited. Inventory-based speculation has been bad recently in predicting new releases, as was the case with the new powerbooks. But...dare to dream.
 
I would think we're getting a new enclosure and new screen sizes. I want a sub notebook, 9in widescreen iBook that has DVI out and a bundled BT keyboard and mouse. That would be sweeeet.
 
it will be interesting to see what they do with the cpu, i would like to see a 867 & 933 g4 with 133 bus etc etc. but with moto selling off the chipmaking side it is hard to say.
 
Re: Re: New iBooks soon? Take a look

True, except that the iBook is due for an update. It usually gets updated in late October, doesn't it?

Originally posted by MacsRgr8
CPU ... ? @ 1.0 GHz, 133 MHz bus
USB 2
Radeon 9000 mobility
Airport Extreme
Click to expand...

If it does, that'll be sweet. The only reason I bought my 12" 1GHz PB over the (new upcoming) iBook was because I really wanted a USB2 port to keep up with the times. I didn't think it would be put in, but it really should. Everything is coming out with USB 2, not USB. A new computer really should have that.

Is the ATI Radeon 9000 better than the Nvidia FX 5200 in the 12" Powerbook? I heard that the FX 5200 was crap, but I think its fine, especially for a notebook computer.
 
The iBooks havent seen any major updates or design changes in quite a while. They have just been getting the usual speed bumps. I think they might put the G3 at a higher clock speed than 12-inch Powerbook. When the original white iBook was out it was 500mhz and the low end Powerbook G4 400mhz, so they might put the new G3's up to 1.1ghz(if they can go that high).
 
The base model 800 MHz iBook price just dropped to $779 at my campus bookstore. That seems like an attempt to clear out. Plus, several friends had just bought iBooks from Apple edu, and they all came with Airports and more memory than ordered. Maybe they were just throwing out whatever they had.
 
As mentioned above, stock supplies is a poor way of estimate releases.

As an example:

PowerBook supplies were dwindling in May 2003. New PowerBooks were release in September 2003.

iBooks are due to be updated. This stock information gives us no new information.

arn
 
I would be surprised to see a new form factor....as these iBooks are the best sellers ever, if I am not mistaken. Second, I would be surprised if the graphics chipset is a Radeon mobility 9000, as that is a better chip (from what I have heard....have no quantitative data to back it up) than what they are putting in the 12"PB. But I would not be surprised to see USB 2.0 and airport extreme. Don't know what I think about a faster system bus or the G3/G4 debate. I would like to see them with the G4 I think, but I might regret my PB purchase if that happens:D
 
Re: Re: Re: New iBooks soon? Take a look

Originally posted by Abstract

Is the ATI Radeon 9000 better than the Nvidia FX 5200 in the 12" Powerbook? I heard that the FX 5200 was crap, but I think its fine, especially for a notebook computer.
Click to expand...

Nope, the FX 5200 mobility just happens to beat the pants off of the Radeon 9000.

The 32MB Radeon 9000 boasts a 64-bit memory connection, while the 32MB and up FX go 5200 has a 128 bit memory interface. Even without the core/memory clock speeds on hand (they really arent advertised), it is obvious the FX Go 5200 indeed the better of the two.
 
The M9 can have 64 or 128 memory, just like the 5200 can have 64 or 128 bit memory. I am pretty sure the only 128 bit 5200 part with 128 bit memory is the Ultra and a small number of regular 5200 add-in boards. The 5200 go is a dog. You can verify this on any PC review site that has reviewed one.

NV has absolety zero good consumer parts right now. They are in trouble.

'the 5200 will not have z-compression, nor color compression'
http://www.3dgpu.com/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=9

This will render the part useless for games as it will be constantly overdrawing scenes - like a Matrox Parhelia, but without the massive fill rate.
 
but that same article that you link to has this as it's conclusion:

"It's certainly exciting that, if luck and money came to my side, that I can go out and buy a laptop and know I won't be deprived from the PC gaming world. Unfortunately the chances of us landing a review unit to show you guys just how nifty the new GeForce FX Go series are is about as high as me getting asked into marriage with Penelope Cruz. Not many companies are willing to hand out $3,000+ laptops, after all. So we'll have to settle with this information we get to share with you. And if you ever get a laptop with the GeForce FX Go chip in it, be sure to brag to us and make us wish we had $3,000 to spend on a nice gaming laptop. ;)"

regarding ibooks, I think Apple will have to be very careful not to step on the 12" PB's toes with this update, while still offering an upgrade worth noticing. I'm interested to see how they'll manage this balancing act...
 
Originally posted by QCassidy352
regarding ibooks, I think Apple will have to be very careful not to step on the 12" PB's toes with this update, while still offering an upgrade worth noticing. I'm interested to see how they'll manage this balancing act...
Click to expand...

They'll do it by not including the DVI output, Cardbus PCMCIA at the very least. The lack of these certainly cancels out the Ibook being used by Video/Still Graphic professionals. Firewire 400, the lack of Altivec SIMD, 1Gb Ram limit, CD-R/RW only BTO option......... this alone would make a clear enough distinction between the 12" Al and the upcoming Ibooks.....anything else is game I say.
 
I think we will probably get 1 GHz G3, USB 2.0, AirPort Extreme and BlueTooth for sure.
 
Originally posted by Plutoniq
Firewire 400, the lack of Altivec SIMD, 1Gb Ram limit, CD-R/RW only BTO option......... this alone would make a clear enough distinction between the 12" Al and the upcoming Ibooks.....anything else is game I say.
Click to expand...

but the current ibooks have CDRW and firewire 400 standard already... and if ibooks got a 1 gig RAM limit, they would be comparable to the 12" PB (which has a 1.25 gig RAM limit).

So altivec (a G4), mini DVI, and cardbus PCMCIA? That's all that will distinguish the two? If the ibooks sell at $1300 (as they do now) and the 12" PB sells as $1600, I think there will not be many takers for the powerbook.

Personally, I agree with macphoria. We'll see those additions... and that's it. The ibook would just be too much like the 12" PB if it got much more than those things...
 
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