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PowerBooks on Feb 2nd?

now this is getting really weird...

Get this, I just called Apple about my Powerbook 15 inch order that I placed last week, because the extended warranty package has been shown as shipped today and yet the actual Powerbook hadn't yet.

The guy on the phone said that it was showing up as a "manufacturing delay" and wouldn't now ship until February the 2nd, even though it was originally supposed to ship today.

I don't know if this confirms this rumour about new the ones coming out and/or updated specs, but something tells me this will be one interesting Groundhog day.
 
Re: now this is getting really weird...

Originally posted by agentkow
Get this, I just called Apple about my Powerbook 15 inch order that I placed last week, because the extended warranty package has been shown as shipped today and yet the actual Powerbook hadn't yet.

The guy on the phone said that it was showing up as a "manufacturing delay" and wouldn't now ship until February the 2nd, even though it was originally supposed to ship today.

I don't know if this confirms this rumour about new the ones coming out and/or updated specs, but something tells me this will be one interesting Groundhog day.
Click to expand...

Sounds very promising. Keep us informed, please. However, this can be hazard.
 
Re: now this is getting really weird...

Originally posted by agentkow
but something tells me this will be one interesting Groundhog day.
Click to expand...

Maybe it will be like the Bill Murray movie.

New PowerBooks on Tuesday
Speed bumped G5s on Tuesday
New Apple displays on Tuesday
$99 iPod on Tuesday
G5 iMac on Tuesday

and then the same thing the next day
and the next day
and the next day
and the next day
and the next day
and the next day
 
Something is up...not sure what though!

Hey all, Update for you all.

Ok so...my custom 1.25 pbook shipped two days ago and it arrived at the authorized dealer store where I ordered it. Everything i ordered custom on it was the way I ordered it...except...I ordered the standard 80gig 4200rpm drive to be swapped out for the faster 5400rpm 80gig...but.... they shipped it with the 4200rpm drive and said...deal with it...the 5400rpm drives were back ordered. What the hell are you doing APPLE> I am dropping 5 grand Canadian for this thing and I get a deal with it? What the hell? Does this mean you arent releasing new books on feb 2nd? Or does this mean you are and they will all have 5400rpm drives in them so I lost out on mine? What is going on here? I am not picking my powerbook up until I get some answers tommorrow that is for sure!

Do you all think I should just take it with the 4200rpm drive in it and buy a after market 5400rpm and get the repair guy at the store to swap it for me and I will put the apple drive into an external case....or should I wait the 3 weeks apple says it will be before I can get the right drive I asked for?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks for listening to my first apple/me service vent session.
 
DVD-R media

Umm, actually, all that's required is a firmware flash upgrade for the drive you have already. The only reason the drive is writing 4x media at a top speed of 1x is because it doesn't recognize the media as a type matching its database of discs that handle the higher 2x write speed.


Originally posted by johnnyjibbs
I've got some 2-speed DVD-Rs on order from the UK Apple Education online store. They were cancelled and autmoatically changed to 4-speed discs (which I don't want!!!).

Can't seem to get 2x discs from Apple now, only 4x (which only write at 1x on a PowerBook).

This must mean that Superdrive updates are on the way, if nothing else. Expect new PowerBooks with 4-speed DVD-R drives.
Click to expand...
 
Re: Something is up...not sure what though!

Umm, I can tell you this much.... Unless it's a flat out mistake where Apple doesn't have it on record that you ordered the 5400RPM drive or paid extra for it, they're surely planning on eventually giving it to you (or offering a refund of the difference in price). This might be frustrating, but I wouldn't automatically assume the worst here....

Maybe Apple was just trying to do you a favor and get you a working notebook now, instead of holding up the entire order until they get more 5400RPM drives in stock? I would think that when the drives do come in, they'd contact you - offering to upgrade it if you ship it back to Apple in a supplied return mailer. (They can transfer the data from your old drive to the new one. They've always offered that option with exchanged systems for about $49 extra. In your case, I'd think they'd do that at no extra cost.)


Originally posted by JonRaven
Hey all, Update for you all.

Ok so...my custom 1.25 pbook shipped two days ago and it arrived at the authorized dealer store where I ordered it. Everything i ordered custom on it was the way I ordered it...except...I ordered the standard 80gig 4200rpm drive to be swapped out for the faster 5400rpm 80gig...but.... they shipped it with the 4200rpm drive and said...deal with it...the 5400rpm drives were back ordered. What the hell are you doing APPLE> I am dropping 5 grand Canadian for this thing and I get a deal with it? What the hell? Does this mean you arent releasing new books on feb 2nd? Or does this mean you are and they will all have 5400rpm drives in them so I lost out on mine? What is going on here? I am not picking my powerbook up until I get some answers tommorrow that is for sure!

Do you all think I should just take it with the 4200rpm drive in it and buy a after market 5400rpm and get the repair guy at the store to swap it for me and I will put the apple drive into an external case....or should I wait the 3 weeks apple says it will be before I can get the right drive I asked for?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks for listening to my first apple/me service vent session.
Click to expand...
 
G4 clock speeds

Right you are.... And furthermore, I may be way off base here, but I have suspicions that some of the G4's running a 1.42Ghz aren't really at peak stability. I say that primarily because I owned a dual 1.42Ghz MDD tower for a little while (before upgrading to a G5), and while performance was pretty nice with it - I encountered a few quirks. It seemed to freeze with the spinning beach-ball far too often, and I had to reinstall OS X from scratch at least 4 times during my ownership of the system, due to data corruption and crashes. (I realize it would be easy to blame this on bad RAM or hard drives - but I tried swapping both and it never helped anything. Not only that, but repeated tests with TechTool Pro found no hardware errors.)

On my Powerbook 15" and on my dual 2Ghz G5, I haven't had any of these issues. Sure, I've seen iMovie crash a couple times and things like that -- but not the sort of crashes I got with the G4 @ 1.42Ghz, requiring hard power off's.


Originally posted by spaceballl
Moving from 1.33 to 1.42 is really not that significant of an upgrade. Considering though, that the G4 doesn't want to go much higher, i'm surprised Apple doesn't get a little more creative.
-Kev
Click to expand...
 
Do you think they would send my order this close to an update though?

"IF" the rumors of a February 2nd update release is indeed true....wouldn't you think they would hold back my order of my 1.25 anyways in order to give me the new version? Today is the 21st...the Feb 2nd date is only 12 days away...would they be that sneeky as to sell me a powerbook (which I havent paid for yet) for the full price even knowing they would release a new version and discount the old version that soon after?

Any ideas?
 
who knows maybe for the anniversary steve is having a kick you out the door party for moto, and then celebrating with G5s in every product. now that would be cool.
 
The 1.4 mhz's were severely overclocked. No point in overclocking until they get a faster frontside bus, which in turn will allow them to use faster ram. If the rumor is true that new PB's are coming out I think it's more likely just a minor overhaul; ie, 128 mb ram video card and 5400 rpm drives standard and perhaps the addition of a cache to the cpu. It's too early to see a major revamp, which likely will occur sometime in the summer or in September. At that time look for dual 1.25 processors. Given the current bus speed a dual 1.25 is a much better bet for a processor speed bump than the 1.4. A G5 is more than a year out.
 
Re: Something is up...not sure what though!

Originally posted by JonRaven
Hey all, Update for you all.

Ok so...my custom 1.25 pbook shipped two days ago and it arrived at the authorized dealer store where I ordered it. Everything i ordered custom on it was the way I ordered it...except...I ordered the standard 80gig 4200rpm drive to be swapped out for the faster 5400rpm 80gig...but.... they shipped it with the 4200rpm drive and said...deal with it...the 5400rpm drives were back ordered.

...

Do you all think I should just take it with the 4200rpm drive in it and buy a after market 5400rpm and get the repair guy at the store to swap it for me and I will put the apple drive into an external case....or should I wait the 3 weeks apple says it will be before I can get the right drive I asked for?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks for listening to my first apple/me service vent session.
Click to expand...

I would say that if you ordered and paid for the faster hard drive but didn't get it, I'd return that machine in a hot second. Upon returning it, I'd demand that the proper machine be sent. But, that's just me. (Either that, or demand an immediate refund of the difference. However, given comments below, I'd still be inclined to return it.)

Originally posted by JonRaven
"IF" the rumors of a February 2nd update release is indeed true....wouldn't you think they would hold back my order of my 1.25 anyways in order to give me the new version? Today is the 21st...the Feb 2nd date is only 12 days away...would they be that sneeky as to sell me a powerbook (which I havent paid for yet) for the full price even knowing they would release a new version and discount the old version that soon after?

Any ideas?
Click to expand...

In short, yes, Apple would send you the machine. In general, from what I've observed, they will stop all orders somewhere around ten days before new releases come out. Yes, today there's only eleven days until the 2nd, but it was three days ago when your machine shipped. So it was fully two weeks before the supposed release that they shipped it.

So, given that you have a window to return it and possibly be eligible for an update on the 2nd, I would jump at the chance.
 
So my aforementioned Powerbook Extended Warranty just arrived from FedEx, and I already have a claim to make under the warranty:

Do you think it covers a Powerbook that hasn't ARRIVED YET?!

Anyway, its nice to have a useless box with a package of air and another useless box inside. Atleast I can look at the CD and imagine how much fun it will be to put it in the Powerbook slot-loading drive when it arrives...

As for Apple, I mentioned the rumours to the sales guy and he gave that "can't confirm or deny" speech, but he did point me to this link which proves that there is in fact a 10 day policy. As for actual specs being increased after shipping, he said those would be dealt with on a "case-by-case" basis.

Whatever, if I get a better Powerbook, I can wait a week.
 
$100 rebate at Amazon ...

... good until February 1:

The coupon states "Purchase an Apple PowerBook notebook 15.2" M8981LL/A from Amazon.com between 01/19/04 and 02/01/04." Interesting that this offer ends just before February 2nd.
 
Re: $100 rebate at Amazon ...

Originally posted by jar
... good until February 1:

The coupon states "Purchase an Apple PowerBook notebook 15.2" M8981LL/A from Amazon.com between 01/19/04 and 02/01/04." Interesting that this offer ends just before February 2nd.
Click to expand...

Could also be coincidence. Good point to add though.

In my memory, Amazon often ends offers like that on the first of the month.
 
Could also be coincidence. Good point to add though.
Click to expand...

Yes, it certainly could be a coincidence. I was just wondering if they're trying to move stock. I see that there are similar $100 rebates for the 12" and 17" models as well.
 
Just to add to the 'coincidences', my father ordered a 15" powerbook on the 18th (the day before this rumor was posted). On the order status page, the order has remained "open" with an estimated shipping date of "on or before the 26th" since.
He has just been e-mailed by Apple today to inform him that due to some reason or other (he didn't tell me clearly but I think it had something to do with stock), that his order should now be shipped "on or before the 7th of Feb."

Interesting...
 
Should one order now or wait until Feb. 2

I want to get myself the 17" Powerbook.
Although, reading the rumor that on February the 2nd there might be an small upgrade in performance on the Powerbook series, I am wondering what any of you would recommend?

Buy now and ignore the rumor,
or
definitely wait until February 2nd?

Thanks for your opinions.
 
called Apple today

hey everyone,
I ordered a PB 12" SD/80G that arrived in the mail on Jan. 15th and I was reading this forum and became nervous that I had purchased it a depressingly 3 weeks early to this supposed Feb. 02 update. So, I called the apple return authorization phone number (even though I know apple says they won't take returns on custom orders) to see if I could find out some information.

I told the guy how long I had saved for the laptop and how I waited until after the MacWorld expo because I figured it would be introduced there and since it wasn't, it would probably be a couple months later, yada yada yada. Then, I told him that I have been hearing rumors about manufacturing delays in the powerbooks this week and next week and asked him if I was SOL for buying my powerbook just a couple of weeks before an update.

He gave me the usual "can't confirm/deny any of those rumors," talk but then I asked him to put himself in my shoes and he said if apple introduced the iPod mini at the Macworld expo, and it doesn't ship until mid-Feb, then why wouldn't they have introduced the new powerbooks if they ship beginning of Feb?

So, I am not denying that the rumor is true but thought you all should know what he said. Personally, if I had the chance, I would wait 2 more weeks just to be sure, but not hold my breath.
 
If you can wait, that is usually the best thing. I'm selling my current computer, and have a buyer already, so I kind of need to get moving.

However, even if you did order now, it might not ship until after the rumour and then you would get the upgraded one anyway, plus maybe some money back. I ordered a 15" Powerbook last week and mine won't ship until Feb 2nd anyways, so there you go.
 
Re: Should one order now or wait until Feb. 2

Originally posted by ragelux
I want to get myself the 17" Powerbook.
Although, reading the rumor that on February the 2nd there might be an small upgrade in performance on the Powerbook series, I am wondering what any of you would recommend?

Buy now and ignore the rumor,
or
definitely wait until February 2nd?

Thanks for your opinions.
Click to expand...

If you can wait another week or so, wait. I drove myself crazy because I became really interested in Apple products in Feb/March of last year and waited a whopping 7 months for the 15" Al PB to be released, which I now have an love. Patience is a virtue.
 
Re: Re: now this is getting really weird...

Originally posted by rdowns
Maybe it will be like the Bill Murray movie.

New PowerBooks on Tuesday
Speed bumped G5s on Tuesday
...
and then the same thing the next day
and the next day
...
Click to expand...

We had something like that last year with the "New iPods Tuesday" rumors. It went on for months.

It seems like these days, any Apple release takes much longer than expected. Figure a reasonable date - say, 1/20/04 - then add 3 to 6 months or more.:(

And for the calendar-challenged, Feb. 2 is a Monday. Feb. 3 is a Tuesday.
 
What if after all this waiting and speculating the rumours don't come true and then we all receive our Powerbooks eventually, and then get this, they turn out to be exactly the same as all the other Powerbooks except then we notice that they are in fact quite different, and that difference is that they took a really long time to arrive.
 
Re: called Apple today

Originally posted by socal
hey everyone,
I ordered a PB 12" SD/80G that arrived in the mail on Jan. 15th and I was reading this forum and became nervous that I had purchased it a depressingly 3 weeks early to this supposed Feb. 02 update. So, I called the apple return authorization phone number (even though I know apple says they won't take returns on custom orders) to see if I could find out some information.

I told the guy how long I had saved for the laptop and how I waited until after the MacWorld expo because I figured it would be introduced there and since it wasn't, it would probably be a couple months later, yada yada yada. Then, I told him that I have been hearing rumors about manufacturing delays in the powerbooks this week and next week and asked him if I was SOL for buying my powerbook just a couple of weeks before an update.

He gave me the usual "can't confirm/deny any of those rumors," talk but then I asked him to put himself in my shoes and he said if apple introduced the iPod mini at the Macworld expo, and it doesn't ship until mid-Feb, then why wouldn't they have introduced the new powerbooks if they ship beginning of Feb?

So, I am not denying that the rumor is true but thought you all should know what he said. Personally, if I had the chance, I would wait 2 more weeks just to be sure, but not hold my breath.
Click to expand...

For what it's worth, was considering buying a new iBook a few years ago. I had heard rumors that a new model was going to be released in a few weeks. I was getting ready to start school, and I was really feeling the need to get a new computer, so I called Apple. I talked to the guy and begged and pleaded, saying 'if you were in my place...' He gave me the usual "can't confirm/deny any of those rumors," talk, too. And then gave a very reasonable explanation as to why there wasn't going to be any update at that point.

Well, I decided to knuckle down and wait, and, guess what? In October 2001, the 'Late 2001' iBook was released, just about when the rumors said they would. So, I think that these people really don't know anything about new releases. I've consistently heard from Apple and Apple authorized reps that there is no new release coming, even when the release is a day away, and all of the most obvious signs point to it. So, don't take that guy's word as golden...
 
Well Well Well....

Well everyone....new news on my custom 1.25 powerbook order.

I finally recieved it today....yes...I recieved it today.. BUT...and I mean...big BUT....

They sent me
A) a 1 Ghz system....instead of 1.25Ghz
B) a 80 gig 4200rpm drive instead of 5400rpm..(as I was informed previous because of backorder on the faster drives)
C) a machine without any of the pluses like Airport extreme, backlit keys, no nothing...very basic system....

so what did I custom order?

I called the store and they said that is what apple sent them and so they sent it to me....well hello thank you for screwing me over dealers and thanks for taking that extra money I paid for upgrades....anyways I am sending it back to the store and buying drect from apple from now on and I am calling APPLE after I write this and asking who it was that messed up my order and that I demand satisfaction....as they wasted a month and 2 weeks of my time while in need of this system.

I will write more after I talk to apple.

Cheers and I hope everyone else is having a better purchase experiance then I!

Jon
 
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