When will we see a 15" Albook? - Page 7

I agree. When the 15" is updated, then the 17" is also updated. Either the 15 gets a totally trivial update, or both it and the 17 get updated. Given the ammount of time since teh last update to the 15", I think that it will get a significant update. I think that the question is what kind of CPU will be in the upgrades. I hold out a blind hope for 970s.


I don't think that faster laptop CPUs (e.g. 970s) will be in the 12" model.

It has to be in the 12" model because then what the point of the powerbook 12" the ibook G4 will be exactly as good

Simple. The 12" powerbook would have a faster G4. If the 17 and 15 inch powerbooks have 970's, then the 12" can have a 1.2-1.4 GHz G4, leaving plenty of room for G4 iBooks.

It's not just the CPU. The PowerBook line, even the 12" (although this may spark some disagreement) is aimed at being desktop replacement machines, given their array of external connectors, memory capacities, and ability to drive big monitors at high resolution (even though a VGA port). The iBook is marketed as a portable companion, but not a desktop substitute unless your needs don't demand much in the way of ccomputing muscle. So even with the same CPU, they're different computers with different capabilities aimed at different markets.

-K

P.S. What G4 iBook? Did I miss a meeting? Or a rumor?

Apple would never mix G4s and 970s in the Powerbook line. When any Powerbook gets the 970, they all will.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Apple is standing pat on the current Powerbooks until they can go 970 across the board. If they were going to do a simple aluminum enclosure update to the 15", they would have done it by now. The recent price cuts are just a reflection of reduced manufacturing costs and an effective way to maintain sales throughout the summer.

Also, an all 970 Powerbook line is an obvious requirement for the iBooks to go G4, which Apple badly wants. Remember people, perhaps the most important thing about the 970 is the liberating effect it will have on the previously crippled consumer lines.

September:
12" AlBook 1.2 GHz 970
15" AlBook 1.4 GHZ 970
17" AlBook 1.4 GHz 970 (maybe 1.6 if heat allows)
10.3 pre-installed

October:
12" iBook CD-ROM 876 MHz G4
12" iBook Combo 1GHz G4
14" iBook Combo 1 GHz G4
10.3 pre-installed

This, my friends, is a rockin' holiday portable lineup.

It is to the average schmoe who walks into an Apple retail store. Having a G4 in the iBook and Powerbook lines at the same time is a recipe for mass confusion.

Looks great... But, will Apple really wait until September to update all this stuff?? I certainly hope not. \ I really need that 970 Powerbook before I go to college in August. I'm really tired of waiting for them to slap that stinken 970 processor in there and package it with a 9600 Radeon card.

Once they do, then I'll then be good to go....8)

Hey, me too, but I think it's a little unfair to accuse Apple of dragging their feet on a chip that is still a rumor for desktops, let alone laptops.

This speaks to the whole problem in the first place. The 12" Powerbook already is a G4 iBook, just with a metal case and the Powerbook name for marketing purposes. When the Powerbook line goes 970 across the board, these kinds of gimmicks will no longer be necessary.

I pray this happens...but please Apple, while you're at it, perhaps you could bring back the silver palm rests. Most of all, give the iBook line true monitor spanning. Otherwise, don't bother upgrading at all.

buy a powerbook

I agree. Apple is probably saving themselves some work here knowing that the powermacs will have new mother boards not to long from now. So they make the G4 iBook mother board, make a new 12" alu enclosure, and use it there for a while guessing it will generate quite a few sales (which it has). Then the 970 enters the PB: take the 12" PB mother board and toss it over to the iBook line, where it probably will still be used for a while. That is one possible explanation for the missing features in the 12". They are probably just trying to save themselves for doing yet another mother board design here, knowing that they probably will be busy making the mother boards for the 970 powerbooks and the iMac when they are finished with the powermac.

The next 12" powerbook motherboard will probably sport more of the features from its larger siblings.

Or not.
If the Powerbooks go 970, then why limit the iBooks? Afterall, most PC laptops provide this feature.

because it takes more than a G3/G4 or G4/970 difference to make potential customers to shell out hundreds of dollars more for a powerbook. it needs the extra (pro) features, like larger screens, pc-card slots, monitor spanning and oh yes, but not as important if you just want to give a powerpoint presentation, faster processors.

it's obvious you want the monitorspanning but don't care that much for other features as faster processors, bigger screens etc. for the lowest price as possible... so does a large bunch of powerbook users and that's not what apple wants or need.

why do you überhaupt care what pc laptops provide? they don't work and feel like a mac, so why compare? because they fit in your lap? most mac laptops provide monitorspanning too but not for a price you want to pay for one

Yes, I do want monitor spanning. Essentially give me the current Powerbook 12" G4 in iBook form. Is that really asking that much? I don't think so.
Products need to improve and the mere inclusion of adding monitor spanning does not position it as a professional product. Unlike the present, doing so may actually get the video out port used.

Yes it does. I'm not saying that you don't want it or need it, but it is a pro feature. iBooks are for soccer moms, students and newbies. These people have no idea what monitor spanning even is, let alone have a need for it.

Anyone who actually needs monitor spanning is doing pro work. You've got palletes or timelines or source code windows open. If this is you, then you should be using a Powerbook anyway. It's not like you don't get a lot more for the extra $300.

Cherry picking one pro feature and wanting that put on a consumer product at no extra charge is like asking Dodge to build a Neon with a Mercedes suspension, but no other Mercedes features, all at the same price.

I respectfully disagree. You're assuming students are that naive? Do you know how much research goes into the buying process today?
The iBook serves many sectors. Newbies, yes. But it also serves the less affluent small business owner. Not necessarily someone who's doing Final Pro edits for a living but perhaps a consultant.
All I'm saying is if the Powerbooks go 970, simply unlocking this monitor spanning (it's presently hackable)is not a big deal or cost to Apple.

Here's the repectful disagreement right back at ya

I'm a full-time Mac consultant, and I have overseen the purchase, setup and training of hundreds of iBooks for scores of clients in every possible environment from small businesses to Technology Magnet High Schools and not once as the phrase "monitor spanning" ever been uttered.

Is it lame that Apple disables it? Yes. Would it be easy and cheap to "fix"? Yes. Would it make a bit of difference to anyone but a few Mac geeks who are too cheap to buy Powerbooks? No.

Maybe slightly off topic...

Just came back from the computer store of my old college and they have the 15" 1Ghz superdrive on special (again) for $1999.00.

Also have the 2 higher end powermacs on special where you buy either and can get the 17" LCD for $99.00 extra.

Checkout the Apple Store. At least at this moment, ALL Macintoshes shipping is estimated at 30 days! Either the site is haywire, or ...8)

Slight correction - also Xserves are 30 days. iPods and Displays have normal shipping times...

Think something must have been haywire. I just checked the powermacs and they are same day

Now they are! Darn!

I know it's day-old and addressed elsewhere in AI, but seeing as it's still germaine to this thread...

Anyone believe MacWhispers?
http://www.envestco2.com/macwhispers...ves/000071.php

(Not to mention AI's front page?)

-K, panting

(Panth-ing?)

no

but, and i know: wishing is for suckers, me is hoping.
on the other hand: i can wait

Less than two weeks to go and the excitement level is already sky high. Good thing I'll be on vacation next week. It would be hard to get any work done feeling this much anticipation.

Oh well. The fickle finger of fate had dried up this thread, as newer (and redundant) speculative threads have made their appearance in front of this one. About 12 hours to go! A friend of mine is heading to an Apple Store tomorrow, credit card in hand. My guess: he'll leave with a G5 PM in his trunk. If I'm lucky (and, at present, I don't believe I am) I'll leave with a 15" AlBook in mine.

-K

When it gets this close to the keynote there is not much more to be said. You just suck it up and wait to see what happens. You say your location is the East Coast. Which Apple Store will you head to? We will try to go to the Palo Alto store if I can get away.

Just remember, Apple is really, really good at keeping a secret. No one expected the 1GHz PB last November. Almost no one expected the 17 inch PB with backlighting last January.

This whole keynote secrecy thing and rumors reminds me of Schrodinger's cat. The state of the cat is unknown till someone looks in the box. We can believe that something like the 970 PB exists right up to the keynote when all the various possibilities are resolved in one reality.

He's in Boston; not sure where his is, but I'll be panting somewhere in the viscinity of the SoHo store in Manhattan.

I like the cat analogy. As of now, all speculated Apple products exist. Should I be disappointed when, at the unmasking, they take the PB away from us?

-K

Bummer. The PB didn't appear. The one consolation is that it does seem it will appear soon.

I have been waiting for a few months now for the updated 15" PB, and after reading all the rumor sites I was pretty sure we would know something at WWDC.

Since there was not an announcement, does anyone have a realistic idea of when the 15 Al will appear? The G5's arent going to show up until August, and I have a hard time imagining the PB would be updated before December...

If thats the case I will just buy the current 15". However, I don't want to throw down almost 3K if the updated model is right around the corner.

Anyone have some advice?

There's always the "page 2" rumor over at MacRumors claiming an unverifiable/anonymous source that new PowerBooks will be released on Tuesday June 24th at 9 AM PT (Noon ET).

I'm in the same pickle, but after today I feel pretty confident that the G5 isn't going to find its way to the PowerBook at ANY point in 2003. I just don't. Perhaps first quarter of 2004. MAYBE MWSF even? Surely by this time next year.

But if the aluminum 15" PowerBook comes out here in the next few weeks or couple of months, I'm going to get it, knowing that - realistically - it's going to be a great machine (1-1.2GHz, L3 cache, decent bus and graphics, AirPort Extreme, BlueTooth, probably FireWire 800, etc.) and just enjoy it.

I know today's events suddenly somehow make the G4 look like yesterday's fish, but for what I do and want, I'd be more than happy. I'd buy it, use it for a long time and maybe in the autumn/early winter of 2004 (year and a half from now or more), consider getting a G5 model...IF they're out and IF they're reasonably priced and IF they don't burn a hole through my pants when I use it.



In the meantime, bring on the 1GHz+ G4 aluminum PowerBook, Apple, and I'll happily give you $2599 for the effort!

I agree with you completely. I hope we are wrong, but, after watching the keynote and seeing the G5 machine, the cooling for those chips is serious. I'm not sure that they would be feasible in a powerbook until they drop to 90nm...

That's just my take.

I think that would take the thunder away from the whole G5 and Panther thing. ALTHOUGH, I'm not quite sure how you'd classify such an announcement. Technically, it's minor enough that it could be done without a big splash because essentially all that's happening is that the 15" is getting a new skin and the same up-to-date features as the 12" and 17". It's really no big surprise and it's not like we don't know what it's going to look like or have on it.

But I still see it in a few weeks, probably on a Tuesday (as usual) and it'll occupy a space on the front page.

If all it's doing is a chassis upgrade and a slight G4 bump, yeah it could be one of those "small" deals/updates. I don't see them making any sort of big splash over it. That would only be if the PowerBook was going to the G5, and that's just not the case IMO.

Still don't think it'll happen tomorrow, but I bet we'll be able to buy new 15" aluminum G4 PowerBooks by mid-July or so.

We should remember that Steve Jobs said that this is the year of the laptop. He wouldn't say that, and then not doing anything about it besides releasing the two different updated versions. If anything, he would have said this is the year of the desktop, and then release the desktop G5, which in itself is a huge feat, especially for Apple. So if you think about it, not hinting at the worlds fastest desktop, and then releasing it, means there must be something as big. It would seem to me that Apple would release the new G5, which would sweep the industry, and then to top it off, release the G5 Powerbook, which would solidify Apple even more. Market share would rise, and Apple would hold the reigns once again, completely both mobile and stationary. There is a reason the 15" is held back, and that is because it would be too expensive to update it and then turn around and update it again with the 970 processor, instead, spend the money you already were going to spend on the update, but go directly into the 970 setup, saving time and expenses. The others had to be built from scratch, so putting the money into it was a given, and gave them a base to sell and introduce stronger laptops, while the time gap was closed between the G4 and the new G5. I suspect (and I only have an idea based on watching Apple and just from Apple's general understanding of it's customers needs) that the revised Powerbook line will appear about the time the new desktops are made available, giving the desktops time to soak in, and then complimenting them with a mobile line to nearly match the desktop line. In addtion, iBooks would then be updated to G4's, giving college students and holiday shoppers plenty of reasons to purchase new macs, while ridding Apple of G3's and closing the large (soon) space between the lines.

-CFPC

I'd really enjoy it if you were right.

Merry Christmas to me!!!!! (my hopes for a G5 PowerBook come December)

I would expect that if Apple can't produce a G5 PowerBook by mid-summer, they'll go ahead and aluminize the 15" with a G4 inside. There are an awful lot of folks waiting to buy a 15" who are afraid to because some kind of update is expected soon.

I kinda think we'll see a full line of G5 PowerBooks in January, '04 or possibly just before the holidays this year. Apple could surprise us much sooner though. As others have said, it's pretty strange that it has taken so long for the 15" to catch up with the other two aluminum models. There could be a big reason.

I was being a little casual when I said the 15 inch Al book would come soon. The only fairly solid evidence I've seen is the article in a Taiwan newspaper recently about some company getting the contract to produce a 15.4 inch laptop for Apple and that shipments would begin in the second half of this year. Pretty vague timing.