Your 17" PowerBook Update Prediction?

arondale

I already use a fairly new custom P4 PC and aging G4 (867) PowerMac with 22 ACD, but feel I really need a laptop to move about the house and take to clients. Occasional I might use it for remote audio production. I'd mostly be using Flash and Photoshop with it.



For me, the 17" PB is the notebook to have, but the 1GHz and native 1440 resolution is lacking (for my usage).



What do you think Apple will be delivering on the 17PB's next update? (not interested in your dream machine 17PB configs, just a realistic outlook).



Thanks for your opinions.



Arondale

matsu

I don't see why 1440 is a limitation, there's a DVI port on the side and you already have a 22" ACD.

pscates

Honestly, probably not much than a speed bump and a hard drive boost. I mean, it's pretty tricked out as it is.



I can't see them upping the resolution or making any huge, drastic changes of that nature.



I think it'll be bumped to the 1.2-1.4GHz range (probably closer to the 1.2GHz option) and maybe a 20GB hard drive increase. And maybe a 2x SuperDrive?



With Bluetooth, AirPort Extreme, FireWire 800, the illuminated keyboard, the large screen, DVI, etc. already present, it's a pretty serious machine and a total desktop replacement for 90% of the people out there.



I'll be shocked if it's much more than that, honestly. Apple - for better or worse - probably sees this as their "Cadillac" laptop and are pretty happy with its current specs and feature set.



I don't see anything approach "major overhaul" status for a good while (perhaps when the PowerBooks go to a G5?).



Just my two cents...

pscates

And, oh yeah: what Matsu said.



What's the prob?



1440x900 + DVI on the PowerBook + your 22" Apple display = PLENTY of screen area for all but the most idiotic spec whore.

curiousuburb

bigger fins and more chrome if you follow certain caddy update traditions

bperkins

I wanted to do a poll on this, but I figured we had enough PB topics.



How many of you that have the 17" will go back to the 15" PB once it is updated? I love this thing, but man it is a hassle to carry around.

ernest emac

Quote:

Originally posted by Matsu

I don't see why 1440 is a limitation, there's a DVI port on the side and you already have a 22" ACD.

Not very practical though when he takes his PB to his clients.

matsu

Neither is it practical to have a group of clients squinting away at your screen. The 17 is the ultimate presentation notebook: big, easily legible screen. Make it smaller, and it's less good in that capacity, likewise, shrink the pixels, and it's not quite as good for presentations. The 17" screen could probably handle a bit more res, but no more than 1600x1024.

nerv

Quote:

Originally posted by bperkins

How many of you that have the 17" will go back to the 15" PB once it is updated? I love this thing, but man it is a hassle to carry around.

I don't think that the 17" was meant for a great deal of hauling. I don't think I'm going to revert.



What I think is funny is that the Wallstreet was considered portable, and though the 17" is lighter than the Wallstreet, it is considered too heavy. Have humans have weakened a great deal over the past 3 years or so?

arondale

The need for high resolution is not for my clients. I can toggle to 1440 when I meet with clients. The need for high resolution is so I can have more desktop real estate to design. Flash, in particular, is a panel hog. I do not plan on making a habbit of disconnecting and reconnecting my apple cinema display from my existing PowerMac. One of my biggest interests of buying a laptop is so that I am not tied to my desk and I can design freely about my surroundings.



I plan on buying a G5 PowerMac dually when they get to the 3GHz+ spec with native 64-bit OS. That being said, a small bump in resolution with a 1.2-1.4 G4 chip would make be very happy before I buy a 17PB.



arondale

mello

I would like to see the 7200rpm 60gig IBM travelstar drive as an option. Someone told me that it even draws less power than the current hardrives but I'm not sure if that is true.

mrmister

"What I think is funny is that the Wallstreet was considered portable, and though the 17" is lighter than the Wallstreet, it is considered too heavy. Have humans have weakened a great deal over the past 3 years or so?"



No--we just put up with less crap, because that is the nature of progress.

arondale

The mention of a 7200rpm drive is a good point. However, if its going to make it hotter I'd rather just stick with an external 800 firewire.

fuzz_ball

Quote:

Originally posted by bperkins

I wanted to do a poll on this, but I figured we had enough PB topics.



How many of you that have the 17" will go back to the 15" PB once it is updated? I love this thing, but man it is a hassle to carry around.

I don't find it to be a hassle at all. I stuff it into my Brenthaven backpack and away I go. I mean, once you have it in a backpack/shoulder bag, how do you really notice the diff between a 15 and 17???



If you're talking weight, even in that regard it's fine considering my alternative is a Gateway with 15" LCD that's heavy as a brick compared to my PB 17.



I guess you can see that I'll be sticking with my PB 17. I'll only retire it once it is available in a G5 model and VPC works on the G5--for better or worse, I need VPC in order to do my job.