I expect an iBook update in May, or maybe June, with incremental improvements generally. The big news, of course, will be AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth support.
Apple might drive the low-end iBook down a little farther pricewise, but I expect them to hold their current price points through at least this next update and improve the models.
Nothing radical will happen to the iBook before it gets a G4, possibly in November.
BTW this is 100% speculation, 0% inside information.
The iBook is becoming an appliance, like an electronic notebook. Anyone who tries to render HDTV quality 3D animations on one deserves to go insane waiting
The point is that all you want an iBook for is to do simple, basic things well. For that you need size and durability, not speed.
All the iBook needs now is just more price drops, and bluetooth and AE just to keep up with I/O
I find it amusing that everyone is expecting new 15" AlBooks within the next two weeks but no one is expecting an iBook update even though they came out on the same day.
The iBooks actually shipped to customers faster than the PowerBooks.
I expect they will split the iBook line much like the iMac line. The older 100 mhz bus machines iwth standard airport will fall in price to $899. They will get 100 mhz bump, cd-r standard and that is all.
The middle line will become $1199 and will feature wannabe DDR, 133 mhz bus, etc. and will feature a combo drive and go for $1199. They will run airport extreme.
That is all for now in my opinion. I would bet they even keep the same graphics.
I have been thinking about this a lot. With the introduction of the new 12" AL PowerBook, I think the time is right for a radical, NEW iBook. Maybe we'll see just two versions; a low end and a high end - like the iMacs - but I'm hoping for something very different.
The prices of the iBooks are very competitive and reasonable. I am just hoping for a reasonable speed bump and more ram. And a metallic blue and black casings would be cool.
B)The Powerbook moves on to a new chip <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />
Even if one (or both) of these things happen, there will still be the problem of putting a (fanless and cool) G4 into the iBook. As I recall, the 12" PB has a fan, and is helped by the heat dissapation qualities of its Aliuminum shell. The polycarbonate used by the iBook would melt before dissapating one degree of wormth.
On the other hand, the new "Sahara" G3 would do the job perfectly, at speeds of up to 1.2 ghz and with less power consumption than the current 800 mhz models. Who doesn't want more battery life? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
<strong>On the other hand, the new "Sahara" G3 would do the job perfectly, at speeds of up to 1.2 ghz and with less power consumption than the current 800 mhz models. Who doesn't want more battery life? </strong><hr></blockquote>
The currrent iBook models, since the Opaque 16mb 700, have used the Sahara 750fx. No?
Apple has proclaimed this the year of the Laptop computer. The iBook has to be different than the 12in. Powerbook. I would like to see a new, smaller, lighter iBook that uses the Toshiba drives in the iPods - that would really cut the size down to nothing. I've seen some really tiny Sonys that were novel, but I think Apple could make something really spectacular.
NOT happening, the next iBook redesign (not soon) will make it all 14". it's going to get bigger, not smaller. It is supposed to be a self contained affordable computer for students, ot a sub note. Apple already has a sub-note, or as close as anyone should care to get, the PB12. I know it upsets a lot of people, but the iBook has a lot of 14-15" budget wintel to contend with, machines that need no external display, machines that many students see as a great value and purchase as their only machine. Expect the iBook to be a more rational alternative, both lighter and smaller than anyting from the Wintel camp, nearly as light and small as the iBook 12" but with a 14" screen.
PS, the iBook already has a fan, but yes, it will remain a G3 based computer for a couple of revisions yet.
They won't kill the 12" iBook. They have sold too well. Instead, the 14" iBook will vanish over time. To consolidate the lines, Apple should move the 12" PB to a 13" widescreen model (1280*768 or 1152*768) and just keep the 12" iBook.
Sigh, the 12 is cheap, when an as cheap or cheaper 14 replaces it, it will also sell as well or better. Don't worry, I'll bet the replacement is nearly as small in footprint, thinner, and so close in weight as makes no difference. Budget laptop must have a larger screen.
Apple has proclaimed this the year of the Laptop computer. The iBook has to be different than the 12in. Powerbook. I would like to see a new, smaller, lighter iBook that uses the Toshiba drives in the iPods - that would really cut the size down to nothing. I've seen some really tiny Sonys that were novel, but I think Apple could make something really spectacular.</strong><hr></blockquote>
no, that even smaller thingy would be the ultraportable powerbook and it would set you back even more than the 12" pb. size mathers: the smaller, the more expensive...
so i am with matsu, he has a point: bigger screen, a bit bigger casing, only matsu believes it will be a 14" and i don't believe that. i look a site and see my pismo, its screen is to big for a ibook imo (okay, the case is smaller than the fruity ibook but that's not the point.) 14" is to close to the 15" titanium, the currunt 14" ibook is to bulcky,
i think it will be a 13" screen with same resolution. or something like fryke mentioned.
but if the next update of the ibook has a new case and the same G3 processor we know what the year of the portable means... we have to wait much, much longer for our beloved ppc970.
I think they could get the bezel down nice and thin on a 14" model, smaller than the current 14 for sure, then it wouldn't look close to the 15" PB at all, especially if the PB gets a tad wider again with a 15.4 size
Matsu noticed something critical that I noticed too. The bezel on the 12" PB is bigger than the the Lapzilla 17 incher, which is kind of strange. It might just be the display mounted Airport antennae, but it might also be that thicker bezels = cheaper price, which may be why the 12" doesn't cost a lot. I personally don't mind bezel size. On the contrary, the added thickness probably adds structural integrity. I am hoping for the backlit keyboard on the 15.4 incher...
I would say that you won't likely see new iBooks until the Titanium is supplanted by the much craved and much rumored 15.4 aluminum model. This is probably because the new iBooks would migrate to Airport Extreme and a faster system bus -- both of which would isolate the Titanium.
I think the introduction of a 12-inch Powerbook G4 suggests Apple will move the iBooks to all 14-inchers. The subtle theme being that you have to pay a premium to be small and portable.
Comments
Apple might drive the low-end iBook down a little farther pricewise, but I expect them to hold their current price points through at least this next update and improve the models.
Nothing radical will happen to the iBook before it gets a G4, possibly in November.
BTW this is 100% speculation, 0% inside information.
The point is that all you want an iBook for is to do simple, basic things well. For that you need size and durability, not speed.
All the iBook needs now is just more price drops, and bluetooth and AE just to keep up with I/O
Apart from that, it is perfect
David
The iBooks actually shipped to customers faster than the PowerBooks.
Well, I'll take that.
Though how they can make the iBook entry cheaper than the eMac/iMac2 entry models...I just don't know...
Why can' they get a desktop that cheap?
Lemon Bon Bon <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />
The middle line will become $1199 and will feature wannabe DDR, 133 mhz bus, etc. and will feature a combo drive and go for $1199. They will run airport extreme.
That is all for now in my opinion. I would bet they even keep the same graphics.
Nick
<strong>
Well, I'll take that.
Though how they can make the iBook entry cheaper than the eMac/iMac2 entry models...I just don't know...
Why can' they get a desktop that cheap?
Lemon Bon Bon <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>
Its still got a G3
A) They're 200 mhz slower than the Powerbooks.
B)The Powerbook moves on to a new chip <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />
Even if one (or both) of these things happen, there will still be the problem of putting a (fanless and cool) G4 into the iBook. As I recall, the 12" PB has a fan, and is helped by the heat dissapation qualities of its Aliuminum shell. The polycarbonate used by the iBook would melt before dissapating one degree of wormth.
On the other hand, the new "Sahara" G3 would do the job perfectly, at speeds of up to 1.2 ghz and with less power consumption than the current 800 mhz models. Who doesn't want more battery life? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
<strong>On the other hand, the new "Sahara" G3 would do the job perfectly, at speeds of up to 1.2 ghz and with less power consumption than the current 800 mhz models. Who doesn't want more battery life?
The currrent iBook models, since the Opaque 16mb 700, have used the Sahara 750fx. No?
Apple has proclaimed this the year of the Laptop computer. The iBook has to be different than the 12in. Powerbook. I would like to see a new, smaller, lighter iBook that uses the Toshiba drives in the iPods - that would really cut the size down to nothing. I've seen some really tiny Sonys that were novel, but I think Apple could make something really spectacular.
PS, the iBook already has a fan, but yes, it will remain a G3 based computer for a couple of revisions yet.
<strong>Heres what I'm thinking....
Apple has proclaimed this the year of the Laptop computer. The iBook has to be different than the 12in. Powerbook. I would like to see a new, smaller, lighter iBook that uses the Toshiba drives in the iPods - that would really cut the size down to nothing. I've seen some really tiny Sonys that were novel, but I think Apple could make something really spectacular.</strong><hr></blockquote>
no, that even smaller thingy would be the ultraportable powerbook and it would set you back even more than the 12" pb. size mathers: the smaller, the more expensive...
so i am with matsu, he has a point: bigger screen, a bit bigger casing, only matsu believes it will be a 14" and i don't believe that. i look a site and see my pismo, its screen is to big for a ibook imo (okay, the case is smaller than the fruity ibook but that's not the point.) 14" is to close to the 15" titanium, the currunt 14" ibook is to bulcky,
i think it will be a 13" screen with same resolution. or something like fryke mentioned.
but if the next update of the ibook has a new case and the same G3 processor we know what the year of the portable means... we have to wait much, much longer for our beloved ppc970.
[ 02-15-2003: Message edited by: gar ]</p>
The currrent iBook models, since the Opaque 16mb 700, have used the Sahara 750fx. No?
I don't know about you, serrano, but I'm not seeing 1.2 ghx iBooks...
<img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[oyvey]" />
[ 02-15-2003: Message edited by: Matsu ]</p>
I think the introduction of a 12-inch Powerbook G4 suggests Apple will move the iBooks to all 14-inchers. The subtle theme being that you have to pay a premium to be small and portable.