Son of Pismo?14.1" iBook?
Well, is it the long-rumored son of Pismo?
There are a lot of similarities of the new 14.1" iBook and the old Pismo PowerBooks. It is approximately the same weight as the Pismo at 5.9Lbs, has same screen size, G3 processor, same ATI RAGE 128 Moblity graphics, and similar dimensions. It uses the same UMA motherboard as Pismo with the same bus speed, RAM and AGP interface.
One might be able to argue sucessfully that the new 14.1" iBook is the much-wanted mid-range PowerBook, which is simply a retrofitted and updated Pismo?
[ 01-07-2002: Message edited by: Nostradamus ]</p>
There are a lot of similarities of the new 14.1" iBook and the old Pismo PowerBooks. It is approximately the same weight as the Pismo at 5.9Lbs, has same screen size, G3 processor, same ATI RAGE 128 Moblity graphics, and similar dimensions. It uses the same UMA motherboard as Pismo with the same bus speed, RAM and AGP interface.
One might be able to argue sucessfully that the new 14.1" iBook is the much-wanted mid-range PowerBook, which is simply a retrofitted and updated Pismo?
[ 01-07-2002: Message edited by: Nostradamus ]</p>
Comments
Too bad about the resolution not being pushed up to 1280x960, though.....Oh wait, that would make it higher than the TiBook????
SdC
Despite my loving the new iBook...it kinda makes the earlier small-screen model look dorky...especially when you see them side-by-side on the Apple website. <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />
Seems likely to me. Looks like Pismo's a very fertile little bugger.
<strong>I doubt the iBook line will move completely to a 14.1" screen. The reason being, of course, the iBook's size being a selling point. There are people who much prefer the 'tiny' iBook to the Pismo.</strong><hr></blockquote>
exactly. the 12.1 inch iBook is awesome. The 14.1 inch iBook looks.. um... odd. it looks huge with all that white.
and to make things worse we are going to have to hear from O'Grady how he was "right" about the SOP.
I think it's an excellent attempt at a pseudo-PowerBook. The iBook pictured in the background is the new 14.1" model while the iBook in the foreground is one of the current 12.1" models.
Here's another image.
[ 01-07-2002: Message edited by: Nostradamus ]</p>
But I think this form factor looks to a future where Apple has three laptop lines. They just don't have the hardware to pull it off yet. Sahara and Apollo will change that by the end of this year.
<strong>2 more inches of screen size aren't worth an extra 300 US.
</strong><hr></blockquote>
HUH? 2 more inches is well worth 300. hell it costs 400 on Apple's Studio Displays and 1500 for 5 inches from the 17 to the 22
I think Apple's laptop line is now practically perfect. Very nicely rounded out. A 100-200 price cut across the board wouldn't hurt, but this is Apple we're talking about. For Apple, the iBook's price is pretty good.
<strong>
HUH? 2 more inches is well worth 300. hell it costs 400 on Apple's Studio Displays and 1500 for 5 inches from the 17 to the 22</strong><hr></blockquote>
The thing is, the resolution is the same on both machines. If the 14.1 had a higher resolution, I'd be tempted. But the small size of the 12.1 is an advantage and the reason I sold my 500mhz pismo when it came out. I don't see the advantage to the 2", personally. I guess some people like the larger text and pics. To each his own. As it is, the price points are great and they actually do a good job of covering the price spectrum with the ibooks all the way up to the powerbooks.
NOW GET THE TOWERS SOMETHING WORTH BUYING!!
<strong>I think the 12.1 combo is now a smoking deal. Except for an hour of battery the 14.1 offers nothing more. 2 more inches of screen size aren't worth an extra 300 US.
But I think this form factor looks to a future where Apple has three laptop lines. They just don't have the hardware to pull it off yet. Sahara and Apollo will change that by the end of this year.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Read the specs first:
FOURTEEN INCH screen
8x8x8x24 DVD/CDR (instead of 4x4x6x24 on 12.1inch version)
One HOUR more battery life
128MB MORE ram.
YOU tell me if that aint worth 300$ more!!!
I am ordering mine tomorrow
Resolution on the bigger one is a bit of a concern, but I can't see how anyone in the portable market could complain about Apple's lineup now.
And this may be how Apple holds the education market when schools find out how easy it is for 5th graders to break the new iMac.
But your absotutely right about the drive! That is a very nice improvement.
That case must have a lot of extra room... easier to cool and power a hotter chip/mobo. They shoulda juiced that G3 to 700Mhz. They coulda.
The batter, screen, and better drive score for the 14.
Cost, and size/weight, score for the 12.
This is really a matter of taste/needs.
Now if the 14 had a 700Mhz G3 and the aforementioned RAM layout. The extra 300 would be worth it in any case.
Still, I think that case got bigger for a reason (besides the screen). We'll see in the coming 6-12 months.
The bigger screen shouldn't weigh very much. They different drive would have nil factor. I guess it all comes from the battery.
Why didn't Apple use the battery tech. from the iPod? It might get 10+ hours with a battery the size of a an iBook's.
I do agree tho, the 14 incher could use more MHz. But they couldn't go much higher without surpasing the TiBook.
Speaking of the TiBook, the iMac got 800 MHz G4s.... Hmmmmm.... Maybe we'll see a TiBook speed bump at MWT.
I was sort of hoping that iBooks bays would become hotswappable again, but I guess with the combo drive why? Just for the option to double your battery capacity.
I can wait no longer and have been waiting to get a Mac for almost 4 years now... I have been using old macs or work macs until now and since I sold my 6100/60 2 years ago, I havent had one to call my own!
Heck, worse comes to worse, I'll sell the 14.1 in 6months and get whatever is available if I find that its THAT different or incredible. Everyone I seem to hear from that has the 600Mhz iBook seemes to say that it is plenty fast and great all round. With the addition of 2inches of screen and faster optical drive, it seems like a killer deal.
I hope to be the first AIer with one soon!! Hope they are already in stock in Holland (European depot area) and can be sent over by weeks end or maybe early next week. I got ze cash... I vant ze goodz.
I hope to hell Im doing the right thing