New Product Releases on the 19th?

[MacRumors]

MacBidouille pinpoints a day (or two) for potential updates. English Translation:

Several sources point to a new Apple announcement for Monday August 18 or Tuesday the 19. It could be the PowerBook with Aluminum 15" and an increase in frequencies for the 12" and 17", as well as new display which will port the new G5 look with grilled border. Lastly, less probable, however, we'll never know, a little update for the iMac to spark the sale which is rather weak these last month.

While of uncertain reliability, this offers the first specific timeframe for the PowerBook updates since the World Wide Developer's Conference (WWDC). PowerBooks were last updated in January, 2003 with the introduction of the 12" and 17" PowerBooks. Speculation about PowerBook updates begin shortly after that introduction... however, few credible rumors have emerged.

Recent reports claim that difficulties with PowerPC 7457 production have delayed the release of the updated PowerBooks (and iMacs). The PowerPC 7457 is said to be shipping in Q4 2003.

The only word from Apple has been hints that the G5 would not make it into the Powerbooks "anytime soon".


Based on our Buyer's Guide, both PowerBooks and iMacs have approached the end of their product cycles.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

And this is the n th rumor of this that we've had.

I guess its just a matter of time before it happens. I really wonder what the delay has been....

D

 

[keithcobbett]

This would be a very good thing. I've been waiting for the updated 15" model for quite some time. Would like to see the system bus increased a little and looking for Airport Extreme also. We'll wait and see a little longer.

 

[dswoodley]

oh boy! I am all excited now!! There's no chance this rumor won't pan out.

 

[koelling]

" PowerBooks were last updated in January, 2003 with the introduction of the 12" and 17" PowerBooks."

But the 15 hasn't been updated since last November. It's truly about time.

 

[Mokona]

Well it's good to have a date now... Unfortunately it was set by MacBidoulle whose trackrecord with these things is horrible.

The date does seem reasonable... I need, no let me rephrase that, I NEEEEEEED a new 12". We'll see what happens.

Honestly, I'm losing hope in waiting for a new product line-up.


Year of the notebook indeed. *sarcastic smirk*

 

[MacRETARD]

waiting for an updated 15

Im waiting to buy. Even if they are having problems getting a new chip out I think they should at least do a feature/price update. At least update the 15 inch to the new chassis and add the features the 12 and 17 have even if the cpu stays the same.

 

[arn]

yeah, seems like it's just a crap-shoot. I wouldn't put too much stock in this rumor by itself...

but people are still waiting for them powerbook updates.

I'm not in the market for one myself at the moment, but I'd not want to buy one now.

arn

 

[codemother]

And when they are released what are we gonna do

We 're gonna party like we've been waiting since 1999! (sung to the tune of you know what)

 

[Mokona]

Supposing the rumor is true however, will the problems with the 7457 persist, leaving us with the announcement on 19th and deliveries in Q4?

If we do get new pbooks delivered by q4, then we´ll be pissed in Q1 '04 when the G5 pbooks are announced...

 

[michaelrjohnson]

{sigh} Okay... sure, i'll get my hopes up, just ONE more time... I honestly think they should just tell us what the heck is holding this up. Not that anybody cares except for apple and rumor sites.

I will be purchasing a 15in AlBook. I WANT it to be a G5 (yeah, right), but realistically, I WANT it to be sooner, rather than later.

See you all in the "Dissapointment" or "Jubilation" threads on August 18th (or 19th).

 

[mattalici]

new PB's

The displays don't sound likely as I believe APL is still shopping the 30 inch. Whatever.

PB's on the 19th sounds just as plausible as any other date. I hate waiting.

 

[mainstreetmark]

Windows crashed twice on me today. My Dell Inspiron has 4 cracks in it, is on it's fourth power supply, second network card, third battery and has been taken appart three times to get the control keys (sound, power..) working again. The PCMCIA slots don't show that anything is plugged in to them, although the things plugged in there work fine. The mousebuttons on the trackpad don't "click" like they used to. The screen hinge lacks the strength to hold the screen up, unless it's perfectly vertical, or leaning on something.

"Should we get you a new computer, Mark?" asks the company in late May. "Naa... the updated 17" PowerBook is probably coming out in a few weeks"

 

[IDTheft]

All I can say is that I hope Apple's partnership with IBM turns out much better than their partnership with Motorola so we won't have this type of delay that I think really hurts Apple's chances in the market.

Even with the superior end-user experience of OS X and reliability of Apple computers, the unreliable chip supply and slow speed upgrade just kills purchasing decisions especially for enterprise bussinesses.

Now that laptop has become the main SME and large corp. tools, Apple needs to take the chance in the current context to regain some mind share with reliable, easy to use, stylish and most of all comparably powerful laptops to sell. We all know, with such a system, OSX is a no brainer.

Hopefully, the G5 or a similarly powerful chip can be shoehorned into the Powerbooks. IT managers, especially the Linux/Unix guys will at least give Apple products a chance if not even actively push it (Windows people won't do it because they know their goose is cooked cause systems will stop breaking down)

G5, your great, but we need you in a Powerbook form. Come sooner rather than later?

 

[iGav]

Not that I think it will happen just yet, but the last time I remember Apple saying something similar to the "no G5's in a PowerBook for awhile" thing, was a similar time last year regarding a slot loading Super-Drive for the PowerBook.

Didn't someone from Apple say something like "If we had them we'd fit em'" kind of thing, then a month later we got the slot loading SuperDrive...

Hmmmmm....

But I still don't think it's going to happen just yet.. my mind ticking over in this heat!! heh-heh!

 

[metajunkie]

It seems unlikely that -

As much as I'd like them to, it seems unlikely that Apple is going to change its displays any time soon.

I only say this because Apple just dropped some big bucks on the g5 (somewhat awful) commercials in which the current display is shown. I doubt they would have done that if the new displays were just around the corner (that way they don't have a commericial with an outdated product in it).

 

[jaedreth]

Slot loading superdrives in PowerBooks

Heh. I worked for support at the time, and of course they tell you *nothing* before it's released, and I was caught telling someone exactly a week before they shipped that I seriously doubt the'd be able to put a SuperDrive into a PowerBook. I ate some major crow pie that week.

Jaedreth

 

[Abstract]

My faith in MacBid's accuracy isn't strong right now. You know what? If I were to name every Tuesday between now and the end of September as the day the PB's are to be updated, I'd probably be correct. I don't see what the risk is of simply pointing at any Tuesday and saying, "Yes, new PB updates will happen on this date". There are just too many rumours of this sort. We have heard it all, and nathing has panned out.

We're like a dog that is appeased every once in a while by having a treat thrown in our direction. Someone is pulling the strings at the rumour-mill and playing us..........playing us like minarets, or the violin.

 

[CmdrLaForge]

Once the rumors will be right

If you are psoting every week "NEXT WEEK - NEW PB" you will be right. Once.

 

[jaedreth]

G4 -> G5 PowerBook

Oh, don't worry, there will be at least 6 months time in between the update of the PowerBook G4's and the PowerBook G5's. Of course, Apple *might* have the design for the PowerBook G5's ready by the time they release the G4 update if the waiting continues...

Jaedreth

 

[iGav]

Re: Slot loading superdrives in PowerBooks

Originally posted by jaedreth
Heh. I worked for support at the time, and of course they tell you *nothing* before it's released, and I was caught telling someone exactly a week before they shipped that I seriously doubt the'd be able to put a SuperDrive into a PowerBook. I ate some major crow pie that week.

Jaedreth

heh-heh exactly my point...

I still don't think we're about to get G5 PowerBooks but it does have striking similarities...

 

[Ambrose Chapel]

well a dog-day of summer is just as good as any other for shiny new powerbooks. and more importantly it will come before the start of school; hopefully not after returning students have already made their back-to-school purchases...

 

[CrackedButter]

Just release something.

 

[synthetickittie]

hopefully not after returning students have already made their back-to-school purchases...

ALL my friends are already bought their new system including me. I got my laptop a little over a week ago. I dont know anyone that is still searching for a new laptop or computer for the start of school. That is also saying that when/if they do annouce these things they will be shipping righ then. Im happy I bought my laptop when I did because they might say they are no shipping for a month and I need it before that.

 

[Mokona]

Originally posted by Ambrose Chapel
well a dog-day of summer is just as good as any other for shiny new powerbooks. and more importantly it will come before the start of school; hopefully not after returning students have already made their back-to-school purchases...

I wouldn't be too sure about that. We still have the rumor (also from MacBidoulle if I remember correctly) that the new proc's had a bit of trouble. Sure, the announcement might come during a dog day of summer but it might not be delivered until fall. (Which in sweden is quite soon...)