I'm sitting here longing for a Titanium G4 that is smaller than the PowerBook (a little bit bigger than the 12-inch iBook in size), an inch thick, and so-forth.
Can we expect something good like this to greet us at MWNY ?
Many people have been asking for the same thing. I sent an email to Apple asking for a cross between the TiBook and the iBook. Metal shell and maybe the form factor of the TiBook but the smaller size of the iBook. Also the weight should be under four pounds. If they could get it under three pounds Escher would be in heaven.
<strong>If they could get it under three pounds Escher would be in heaven.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Did somebody say my name?
Seriously, a smaller TiBook makes good sense. But it should definitely not be larger than an iBook, but rather smaller. A small TiBook that was larger than the iBook would defeat the whole purpose of a small TiBook! in that case, you might as well get an iBook, like those of us who want an Apple subnotebook have been forced to do.
The iBook will get a G4 sooner or later, and thus combine a mid-size form factor with powerful processing. It's in the small category, aka subnotebook category, that we need an Apple product.
The mini Tibook that you ask for _IS_ the 12" iBook - the size dictates what youu can fit in heat/ drive wise.
Anyhow, don't think that now there is the Emac, they will do a different size of Tibook - the eMac, if anything is the desktop equivalent of the 12" iBook, the iMac being the 14" (despite the screens being the other way round, size wise)
The trick would be to have the ice area and the Ti thickness. It would probably give some space issues.
If you used a 1.8 HD and the batteries of the iPod and ditched the optical drive you may be able to make a kickass computer but would it take away sales from the other side or would it only cannibalise other portable sales from Apple? KISS seems to work for them.
<strong>The mini Tibook that you ask for _IS_ the 12" iBook - the size dictates what youu can fit in heat/ drive wise.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Not really. The iBook has an awful lot of padding to make it robust.
I think the 12in display in the iBook is just about ideal, though. So something with a similar surface area to the iBook, less the unnecessarily large frame round the TFT, lose all the polycarbonate padding, and squeeze it down to an inch thick.
Ship it with a tight-fitting slip case.
Make the optical drive an external FireWire device so it can be left at home, perhaps with its own battery to conserve power.
Include the same ports as the PowerBook.
Charge a frickin' fortune for it because - as with Sony's little Vaios - people are willing to pay.
I'm sure that Apple's hardware gurus and Jonathan Ive would relish the opportunity to engineer a sub-notebook.
I bought a PowerBook because I was intending it to be a desktop replacement, and I wanted to run Final Cut Pro. Beyond editing my own little DV movies, I haven't really used FCP as much as I expected - I'd rather use the PowerMacs with huge LCDs and monitors in the office.
Day to day, I use my PowerBook for e-mail, a little browsing, e-mail, writing, e-mail, HTML, keeping my MP3, e-mail, and digital photo libraries organized, and sometimes a bit of coding. Oh, and e-mail.
In another thread, some were arguing that it's not exactly troublesome carrying round a 5.4lb PowerBook, but I think it is. If I'm going out somewhere and have to make a decision as to whether it's worth taking it with me, then it's too heavy. The same applies to cameras and such.
I want to carry around the absolute minimum without having to suffer the "Internet, Jr." experience that comes with PDAs.
I'm not at all confident that Apple will ever make such a beast. I think I've just convinced myself of the main problem with another notebook line - beyond the two models currently available, there is too much variation in individuals' requirements to make it a viable proposition.
I'm not at all confident that Apple will ever make such a beast. I think I've just convinced myself of the main problem with another notebook line - beyond the two models currently available, there is too much variation in individuals' requirements to make it a viable proposition.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Variety in customers is why manufacturers produce a variety of products. Only Apple gets by with just two portables (ignoring speed variations). Sony, Toshiba, IBM and others all feature more choice in screen sizes, weight and such.
This is the result of Apple having a monopoly on Mac OS. If Apple licensed OS X or even if Apple somehow allowed multiple internal business units to compete then we would see more designs such as subnotebooks, handhelds and such. Then it would be up to the market to sort out which combinations of price/features/volume were viable.
If Apple licensed OS X or even if Apple somehow allowed multiple internal business units to compete then we would see more designs such as subnotebooks, handhelds and such. Then it would be up to the market to sort out which combinations of price/features/volume were viable.</strong><hr></blockquote>
And who ultimately will pay for all of the failures? The costs will be recouped one wway or another. Whether it is from investors who lose their shirt (what an advert for the Mac platform), customers who pay in higher prices or reduced or lost support. We've done the "screwdriver shop" thing before and everybody paid.
Here's my perspective why I think this should be a prospective piece of future hardware. I have owned two TiBooks. While I like both of them, a lot of the times I didn't need the enormous screen space, but I required the speed and functionality a G4 affords the user. The problem with Apple's current portable line up is that there isn't a middle product like this.
Now, I have an iBook from work on my desk right now. And while I admire the size of it, I don't particularly care for the hinge design, the naked ports on the left side, and I think the screen inside could be larger to accommodate the frame. The biggest thing, over all that, however, is the speed. The G3 just doesn't cut it for doing a remote Quicktime broadcast, for example. And you don't need a 15.2" screen to do a Unicast stream.
The PowerBook G4 is a great machine, as is the iBook. Yet, I think the travelling pro, who looks for the speed, but not the size and bulk would greatly admire and appreciate a mini Ti. I hope Apple reads this forum and takes up the suggestion. Maybe I should write them a requst? (But where do I write it and who do I send it to?)
Comments
I loved my Pismo. Big machine compared to the modern iBook and the Titbook, butt it was very nice for the time.
Just as expensive as a modern Titbook today.
I wish the modern ones were as durable as the Pismo. I have benaged that thing up enmorsuly. The Titbook scratches easily, I'm toule.d
<strong>If they could get it under three pounds Escher would be in heaven.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Did somebody say my name?
Seriously, a smaller TiBook makes good sense. But it should definitely not be larger than an iBook, but rather smaller. A small TiBook that was larger than the iBook would defeat the whole purpose of a small TiBook! in that case, you might as well get an iBook, like those of us who want an Apple subnotebook have been forced to do.
The iBook will get a G4 sooner or later, and thus combine a mid-size form factor with powerful processing. It's in the small category, aka subnotebook category, that we need an Apple product.
Escher
Anyhow, don't think that now there is the Emac, they will do a different size of Tibook - the eMac, if anything is the desktop equivalent of the 12" iBook, the iMac being the 14" (despite the screens being the other way round, size wise)
David
If you used a 1.8 HD and the batteries of the iPod and ditched the optical drive you may be able to make a kickass computer but would it take away sales from the other side or would it only cannibalise other portable sales from Apple? KISS seems to work for them.
<strong>The mini Tibook that you ask for _IS_ the 12" iBook - the size dictates what youu can fit in heat/ drive wise.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Not really. The iBook has an awful lot of padding to make it robust.
I think the 12in display in the iBook is just about ideal, though. So something with a similar surface area to the iBook, less the unnecessarily large frame round the TFT, lose all the polycarbonate padding, and squeeze it down to an inch thick.
Ship it with a tight-fitting slip case.
Make the optical drive an external FireWire device so it can be left at home, perhaps with its own battery to conserve power.
Include the same ports as the PowerBook.
Charge a frickin' fortune for it because - as with Sony's little Vaios - people are willing to pay.
I'm sure that Apple's hardware gurus and Jonathan Ive would relish the opportunity to engineer a sub-notebook.
I bought a PowerBook because I was intending it to be a desktop replacement, and I wanted to run Final Cut Pro. Beyond editing my own little DV movies, I haven't really used FCP as much as I expected - I'd rather use the PowerMacs with huge LCDs and monitors in the office.
Day to day, I use my PowerBook for e-mail, a little browsing, e-mail, writing, e-mail, HTML, keeping my MP3, e-mail, and digital photo libraries organized, and sometimes a bit of coding. Oh, and e-mail.
In another thread, some were arguing that it's not exactly troublesome carrying round a 5.4lb PowerBook, but I think it is. If I'm going out somewhere and have to make a decision as to whether it's worth taking it with me, then it's too heavy. The same applies to cameras and such.
I want to carry around the absolute minimum without having to suffer the "Internet, Jr." experience that comes with PDAs.
I'm not at all confident that Apple will ever make such a beast. I think I've just convinced myself of the main problem with another notebook line - beyond the two models currently available, there is too much variation in individuals' requirements to make it a viable proposition.
<strong>
(snip)
I'm not at all confident that Apple will ever make such a beast. I think I've just convinced myself of the main problem with another notebook line - beyond the two models currently available, there is too much variation in individuals' requirements to make it a viable proposition.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Variety in customers is why manufacturers produce a variety of products. Only Apple gets by with just two portables (ignoring speed variations). Sony, Toshiba, IBM and others all feature more choice in screen sizes, weight and such.
This is the result of Apple having a monopoly on Mac OS. If Apple licensed OS X or even if Apple somehow allowed multiple internal business units to compete then we would see more designs such as subnotebooks, handhelds and such. Then it would be up to the market to sort out which combinations of price/features/volume were viable.
<strong>
If Apple licensed OS X or even if Apple somehow allowed multiple internal business units to compete then we would see more designs such as subnotebooks, handhelds and such. Then it would be up to the market to sort out which combinations of price/features/volume were viable.</strong><hr></blockquote>
And who ultimately will pay for all of the failures? The costs will be recouped one wway or another. Whether it is from investors who lose their shirt (what an advert for the Mac platform), customers who pay in higher prices or reduced or lost support. We've done the "screwdriver shop" thing before and everybody paid.
Here's my perspective why I think this should be a prospective piece of future hardware. I have owned two TiBooks. While I like both of them, a lot of the times I didn't need the enormous screen space, but I required the speed and functionality a G4 affords the user. The problem with Apple's current portable line up is that there isn't a middle product like this.
Now, I have an iBook from work on my desk right now. And while I admire the size of it, I don't particularly care for the hinge design, the naked ports on the left side, and I think the screen inside could be larger to accommodate the frame. The biggest thing, over all that, however, is the speed. The G3 just doesn't cut it for doing a remote Quicktime broadcast, for example. And you don't need a 15.2" screen to do a Unicast stream.
The PowerBook G4 is a great machine, as is the iBook. Yet, I think the travelling pro, who looks for the speed, but not the size and bulk would greatly admire and appreciate a mini Ti. I hope Apple reads this forum and takes up the suggestion. Maybe I should write them a requst? (But where do I write it and who do I send it to?)