Would a G4 iBook be more attractive than G5 PB?

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
I know we're all sitting on the edge of our seats waiting for the new 15" PB to be announced.



If speculation that it's another couple of months before we hear anything, perhaps it'll have a G5 in it (although I still think it's more like 9 months before that happens).

In that case, would a newly refreshed G4 iBook line perhaps be more desirable? Certainly the price would be much more affordable than any G5 Powerbook.

If Apple were to, increase the screen res of the 14" iBook and maybe add desktop spanning, it might attract many who may find a G5 PB overkill and simply want an affordable, durable G4 laptop.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 21
    Quote:

    Originally posted by satchmo

    Would a G4 iBook be more attractive than G5 PB?



    No.
  • Reply 2 of 21
    relicrelic Posts: 4,735member
    No, let the G4 drown in it's own miserable goo of a pathetic existance. Let maggots feast on it's inner core. DIE DIE DIE DIE!!!!
  • Reply 3 of 21
    satchmosatchmo Posts: 2,699member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Relic

    No, let the G4 drown in it's own miserable goo of a pathetic existance. Let maggots feast on it's inner core. DIE DIE DIE DIE!!!!



    Tell us how you really feel.

    All I'm saying is there still will be a need for a lower end line (heck, there's a ThinkPad selling here for $999 Canadian!).

    And with the education season upon us, Apple has to realize not everyone can afford a smokin' G5 laptop.

    So pump up the specs of the iBook and voila!, you have your low cost laptop that is very capable running OSX and Panther.
  • Reply 4 of 21
    lucaluca Posts: 3,833member
    How about an iBook with a 1.2 GHz 750gx running on a 200 MHz bus? Especially if it had AltiVec and up to 1 GB of RAM.



    Of course, a G3 with AltiVec is basically a G4 so if Apple did have one of those chips, they'd just call it a G4.
  • Reply 5 of 21
    thttht Posts: 5,437member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by satchmo

    If speculation that it's another couple of months before we hear anything, perhaps it'll have a G5 in it (although I still think it's more like 9 months before that happens). In that case, would a newly refreshed G4 iBook line perhaps be more desirable? Certainly the price would be much more affordable than any G5 Powerbook.



    More desirable? That's not the question that should be asked. The question that should drive us is why doesn't Apple have multiple lines of mobile computing products. 2 just is not enough! As long as everything is priced accordingly, constant performance/price ratio, everything would be fine:



    iBook G4: G4 w/o L3 and with basic feature set

    Powerbook G4: faster G4 w/1+ MB L3 with larger feature set

    Powerbook G5: even faster G5 with even larger feature set

    ThinBook: Really really thin and light Apple G4 notebook

    CellPod: Internet enabled cell phone MP3/AAC radio handheld



    Everybody has desires. I think we all agree that Apple should satisfy them.
  • Reply 6 of 21
    wrong robotwrong robot Posts: 3,907member
    Thinbook? 1 inch isn't thin enough???
  • Reply 7 of 21
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    If I could get a delicious chunk of G4-powered, glossy white goodness in the form of a G4 iBook for the same price as the current models go for ($1299-$1499, maybe a tad more for a SuperDrive model), you can bet your sweet potato I'd get one!!!



    Let's see:



    1. Have the performance I'm accustomed to and happy with on my iMac, possibly even a bit more (see last paragraph below)?

    2. Stellar iBook AirPort performance?

    3. A great, affordable price?

    4. Sexy white glossy plastic?

    5. Did I mention price?

    6. Ruggedness and "go anywhere" nature of the iBook?

    7. Price?







    Pretty much a no-brainer to a guy like me and my computing needs.



    The ONLY reason I'm planning on getting a PowerBook is that, for what I do and all, I think I'd probably appreciate the difference. I don't think, a year from now, I'd be happy with a decision to go back to a G3.



    But if the iBook carried the specs/features/performance of the current 17" iMac and/or the mid- and upper-range eMac, OHMIGOSH...heaven on a stick! I would not look TWICE at the PowerBook.



    Oh how I wish...
  • Reply 8 of 21
    709709 Posts: 2,016member
    You forgot about the 14" widescreen option.



    Why don't you pull out that sexy little mockup of yours for old times sake?
  • Reply 9 of 21
    cubedudecubedude Posts: 1,556member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by satchmo

    OSX and Panther.



    They're the same thing.
  • Reply 10 of 21
    thttht Posts: 5,437member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Wrong Robust

    Thinbook? 1 inch isn't thin enough???



    For some no. Some will want 0.75" thick and weigh 3 lb, and a G4 inside. It will be much much easier to use and lug around airports for instance.
  • Reply 11 of 21
    G5 PowerBooks are probably at least 1 year away. Don't hold your breath.
  • Reply 12 of 21
    kanekane Posts: 392member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Relic

    No, let the G4 drown in it's own miserable goo of a pathetic existance. Let maggots feast on it's inner core. DIE DIE DIE DIE!!!!



    Calm down! Calm down! Let's not get carried away! Aiit?
  • Reply 13 of 21
    All of this makes sense, but for one thing:



    Extended Desktop has never been available on an iBook, and probably never will. That's one feature that Apple saves for the "Pro" PowerBook line. I'm betting that there are a fair number of users (myself included) that would never consider a laptop that doesn't include that one feature. I doubt that I really "need" a G4, but for what I do I need screen real estate, so my hand is forced into an upmarket machine.



    Brilliant marketers, they are.



    Joe
  • Reply 14 of 21
    satchmosatchmo Posts: 2,699member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Powelligator

    All of this makes sense, but for one thing:



    Extended Desktop has never been available on an iBook, and probably never will. That's one feature that Apple saves for the "Pro" PowerBook line. I'm betting that there are a fair number of users (myself included) that would never consider a laptop that doesn't include that one feature. I doubt that I really "need" a G4, but for what I do I need screen real estate, so my hand is forced into an upmarket machine.



    Brilliant marketers, they are.



    Joe




    I couldn't agree more. Many have said, it's a pro feature and if you want an extended desktop you gotta pay. Well, explain to me why there are consumer PC laptops that not only a higher screen res, but also the extended desktop. Surely, the lack of a PC Card slot, processor type, bus speed, thinner form factor etc.. is enough to differentiate the two product lines.
  • Reply 15 of 21
    Quote:

    Originally posted by clonenode

    G5 PowerBooks are probably at least 1 year away. Don't hold your breath.



    I somehow HIGHLY doubt that.
  • Reply 16 of 21
    any 600MHz/Radeon or better iBooks can be hacked to offer extended desktop.

    Obviously, more VRAM and heftier GPU are better, but almost without exception, iBooks used the previous generation PowerBook's GPU, software crippled.



    if you want PB spanning without PB prices, uncrippling an iBook might be an option
  • Reply 17 of 21
    Hacking an iBook for extended desktop? How do you do that?
  • Reply 19 of 21
    philbyphilby Posts: 124member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Powelligator

    Hacking an iBook for extended desktop? How do you do that?



    http://www.macosxhints.com/article.p...21024062517608
  • Reply 20 of 21
    Wow - that's pretty cool. Thanks!



    Joe
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