Expect New iBooks with new enclosure says Seanyepez

dhagan4755

MacNN forum member Seanyepez has started a <a href="http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=137473"; target="_blank">thread </a>where he states that new iBooks are coming out with a new form factor for MWSF or shortly thereafter.



Edit: Fixed thread title



[ 12-27-2002: Message edited by: DHagan4755 ]</p>

miami craig

He's wrong. I garuntee it.

macsrgood4u

One of the rumor sites discussed such a possibilty about a month or so ago. Not really new. However, only Apple knows the timing of the release.

brussell

That makes no sense. They just updated them less than two months ago.

blue2kdave

OK, I debated on whether to put this in, but my trainer just bought an iBook and said something interesting.



Another of his clients works at Apple, and got him a big discount on price. The client told my trainer he was lucky, because this is the third generation of the current config and most of the manufacturing bugs have been worked out. He went on to tell my trainer that this was better because the new iBooks would be a new kind and would have the normal first gen problems.



Now I know this sounds weak, but my trainer was very certain that is what he said (trainer's not a geek guy, so doesn't really know what it means).



Anyway, not solid proof, but made me curious.

shawnpatrickjoyce

^His answer to that:



[quote]Originally posted by seanyepez:

The new iBook updates in November were pretty basic. The ATi RADEON 7500 and RADEON 9000 are pin-compatible graphics chipsets, and the G3's are also interchangeable. Apple had to change nothing except the plastics to "modernize" the iBook.



The TiBook, however, got a significant makeover. The PowerBook G4 now comes with a SuperDrive (admittedly also interchangeable), a faster graphics chipset (also pin-compatible), and new fans. It'll be around for another update before a new PowerBook in a new enclosure is released.



I honestly haven't heard anything about integrated Bluetooth, but I'm sure Apple has it planned for sometime in the near future. <hr></blockquote>



although he did concede that it sounds pretty unlikely:



[quote]Originally posted by seanyepez:

You know, I didn't either. However, this is what I've heard. I'm not disputing what I've heard with my own logic and individual experience. <hr></blockquote>



[ 12-27-2002: Message edited by: ShawnPatrickJoyce ]</p>

chucker

One thing I've learned about these kinds of rumors is that there's always someone who knows someone who supposedly knows someone who supposedly was told by someone else who supposedly works at Apple that this rumor is true



So let's slaughter this rumor:



[quote]

New iBooks are coming out at MWSF in January of 2003.<hr></blockquote>



Why, it's not like the last revision was 6 months ago or anything?



[quote]The new iBooks will feature a new enclosure.<hr></blockquote>



Apple typically updated the PowerBook enclosure first. At least that's what they did last time (early 2001). What's wrong with the current iBook enclosure? I'm using it right now - it's pretty much a perfect thingie.



[quote] They're supposately extremely sweet machines.<hr></blockquote>



Indeed! The current iBooks already are!



[quote] The person I talked to about the new iBook declined to say whether it was a G3 or a G4, but I'm inclined to believe that they will be 600- and 733-megahertz G4's.<hr></blockquote>



And this is where the rumor starts to make no more sense at all. The current line has 700 and 800 Megahertz G3's. You can demand a G4 a thousand times but I'll tell you the G3 suffices for literally anything.



So the next generation will have 100 / 67 MHz less, but AltiVec and the other G4 stuff instead? No. Especially not considering Nick's latest article (GOBI, you know). The next generation will either have 800 and 900 or even 900 and 1,000 Megahertz G3's.



[quote]There will be a new "iApp" and digital hub device announced at the show.<hr></blockquote>



That's what almost anyone believes - except the digital hub device. And the iApp.



[quote] The application will be related to DVD burning, but I don't have a definite answer on its name yet.<hr></blockquote>



DVD burning? iToast? iDiskCopy?



What's wrong with DVD burning, as of now?



[quote] From what I hear, the digital hub device has something to do with telephony.<hr></blockquote>



Like we don't have enough iPhone crap rumors. If anything, iPhone will be some kind of iChat for video or audio conferencing.



[quote]The look of things is going to be changing.<hr></blockquote>



[quote]Apple will discontinue their 22-inch Cinema Display in favor of a new 19-inch display featuring the same resolution but with higher brightness and the silver-style enclosure.<hr></blockquote>



Anyone can do these kinds of predictions.



<img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[No]" />

@homenow

I'm skeptical of this for one simple reason, the Titanium PB came out first, then the iBook form factor was updated to resemble the PB's. I dont think that the iBook will get a new case untill the PB does for that reason. I guess it is possable that they will bring it back in line with the design of the new iMac, but it seams too soon for a compleatly new case.

dfiler

[quote]Originally posted by Miami Craig:

<strong>He's wrong. I garuntee it.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Garuntee? aye?



He made some predictions like this quite a few months ago. It did not seem like he was trolling but rather has contact with some apple employees. It was my guess at the time that one of his parents or one of his friends parents is an apple employee.



The scenereo that I envisioned.



Apple employee Bob was sitting arround in Sean's family's living room... somehow sean gets the impression with a wink wink nudge nudge that new updates are in the pipeline. These didn't materialize last time and he appologized for the erronios predictions. This time around, he may be right rather than just spouting youthful anticipation.

kidred

Seeing as most of you don't frequent the MacNN boards or know Seany's past, he predicted the TiBook update and was fairly accurate. So now he's predicting the iBook update so I'm inclined to believe most of what he says. He obviously has a little birdy somewhere.

cowerd

[quote]Anyone can do these kinds of predictions.<hr></blockquote>

By all means. Put your money where your mouth is. You make a set of predictions and we'll see how they stack up against seanyepez.

macsrgood4u

If there is to be a new form iBook, I suspect it will have a very large touch area so you can write on it and use the built in Inkwell program. It would be a hybrid style so that the screen would never be touched like the clumsy Tablet PCs.

miami craig

[quote]Originally posted by cowerd:

<strong>

By all means. Put your money where your mouth is. You make a set of predictions and we'll see how they stack up against seanyepez.</strong><hr></blockquote>



Well i think this seanyepez character made me not care at all about any of his other predictions by simply saying a new iBook on (or even near for that batter) MWSF. I mean for christ's sake, apple is still touting the "new iBook" on the front page!

chucker

[quote]Originally posted by cowerd:

<strong>

By all means. Put your money where your mouth is. You make a set of predictions and we'll see how they stack up against seanyepez.</strong><hr></blockquote>



If you want it...



Absolutely uneducated guess:



MWNY

1. updated of some iApps

2. raise of iMac specs, possibly decrease (by $100 or $200 all over the line) of price

3. silent death of iMac CRT afterwards

4. some blah about the oh-so-great OS X, the oh-even-greater AirPort, FireWire and Bluetooth, and of course the Digital Hub



February: Tiny Update of PowerMac Models - perhaps digital audio connectors, although I doubt it



March: tiny PowerBook update

May: tiny iBook update



WWDC: first mention and demoing of 10.3 (metadata?, FireWire 2, USB 2, Darwin 7? - x86 improvements?, etc.)



MWNY

mention of the PowerMac 970 (?) line, to be sold in September



If you've looked carefully, you will have noticed that I didn't mention case changes or improvements. The PowerMac case might be improved slightly. It might be totally changed for the 970 line, although I have no idea how to improve it other than a total revolution like the original El Capitan idea.



The iBook won't receive a new case as the iBook's case for now is perfect, looks perfect, feels perfect, and makes everyone who sees it from a distance of 5 meters want to have one ("ooh, that looks cool." - yes, I've seen these kinds of guys).



The PowerBook case will perhaps be updated in late 2003. It will be two and a half years old by then. I have no idea what path it'll take. Once the PowerBook case got updated, Apple will also update the iBook case several months later to reflect the change. Apple will update the iPod to reflect the change, Apple will update the eMac to reflect it and Apple will update the iMac to reflect it . The PowerMac case style is - and probably will remain - independent (it isn't even similar to the PowerBook in color, any more).

frawgz

I don't agree with the line of reasoning that the iBook was updated to look like the PowerBook. The iBook was updated when it was ready to be updated, and the new look clearly followed the design trend in Apple's newest machines. This was roughly two years after the introduction of the original iBook (which, by the way, did not follow in the footsteps of any PowerBook). So while Sean may or may not be right, I think we will be due for a new iBook enclosure roughly by mid to late 2003.

matsu

While I don't really think new iBooks will grace MWSF or thereabouts, I don't agree with the logic that Apple just updated it so that means further updating is impossible. 6-12 months between product updates is just too long in the modern consumer poduct cycle. 6 months is perhaps just barely acceptable, but Apple often stretches that. It doesn't have to be a significant redesign every time, but plenty of other makers quickly update drive, RAM and CPU specs as parts become practical, and the same minimum standard ought to be expected of Apple aswell. 3 months is not too short for these kinds of additions. Now, people are talking about a case redesign, and I'm not so sure about that, but OTOH the case itself is old enough that Apple could have a tweak or two at the ready. IF the last update was internal the next update could be an external redesign as well as minor internal bumps. That itself is not out of the question just because a product is 3 months old, in fact it ought to be closer to the rule.

drewprops

I'm still disqualified from guessing for another month....I denied the plausibility, practicality and purchasability of the Cube....bascially said it wasn't real.



So....no guessing from me.



It would seem a foolish change to take the iBook to Titanium, if that's the implication. The white plastic is what makes the product line so HOT.





D

barto

I Changed My Mind I Changed My Mind I Changed My Mind... Yeah... I Changed My Mind...



Barto



[ 12-29-2002: Message edited by: Barto ]</p>

addison

Regardless of wether we new new iBooks at MWSF, I think the last update to the iBooks was so minor I would totally discount it. A 100k speed bump just doesn't count, there were probably few of the slower processors to be had so Apple had to move, I am sure it was a no cost option.



If Apple has a new Blue tooth iBook with a swiviling top cover and touch sensitive screen it will release it, the last update just doesn't preclude it.



FWIW, I don't think we will see an update to the iBooks either, however I do wonder if the rumored very expensive top of the range iMac will have a Wacom style touch sensitive screen which can be used with Photoshop, inkwell etc.

pscates

If they put the gorgeous iBook in a lame Titanium shell, I'll puke.







"Yes, let's take our most gorgeous, tough and eye-catching computer ruin it...".



Hell, if anything, the PowerBook needs to match the iBook!

eman

[quote]Originally posted by pscates:

<strong>If they put the gorgeous iBook in a lame Titanium shell, I'll puke.







"Yes, let's take our most gorgeous, tough and eye-catching computer ruin it...".



Hell, if anything, the PowerBook needs to match the iBook!



</strong><hr></blockquote>



I couldn't agree more. The iBook is so much better looking.