You have to remember two things. First, not eveyone needs or wants that big of a screen. It's less portable, more bulky, and more power hungry. Some people need the portability that a 12" laptop affords them. Second, dell sucks.
I know Dell stinks, but look at it from a consumers view. Also, for ultraportable people, don't forget the PB 12" is almost 1/2 pound smaller and quite a bit thinner (1.18" for PB vs. 1.35" for iBook)
None of the reasons quoted in favor the iBook 12" are really all that good when it comes to the majority of people who wil buy them.
You have to look at the competition, bigger screens are the orderof the day in the consumer laptop segment. 14" minimum!
The reason 12" iBook were everywhere is that they were cheaper, now that the 14" comes in at a respectable price, expect to see those everywhere, they're what consumers really want. Schools? Actually, they don't care, so long as the price is good. For some schools that means 12" models, for others that means 14", if the prices were equal, then the schools would take 14" models because accessibility is a far more important concern than that "small hands" bunk we hear offered in apology on these boards. If you have ever seen the way a "classroom on a cart" is actually deployed, you will know that the students are to take the laptop to their desks and use them ONLY while seated at their desks (if we're talking K-6) Past K-6, it doesn't really matter, the kids, and their hands, are big enough
There is an interesting question about where this leads the 12" PB. Easy answer, they will continue to refine the formula. Faster CPU, Superdrive, and it will also shed a few ounces and inches -- probably getting a slightly smaller footprint (on the same 12" screen) and losing up to a pound/pound-and-a-half to eventually become a true sub-note, albeit a full featured sub-note that has a legible display, full keyboard, integrated optical, and at least the same battery life it now sports.
i think a 12" notebook is the perfect size for school, apple or not. why? because it's almost the same size as most if not all textbooks, and in some cases, lighter than most university textbooks.
a few year back, laptops were only for the professionals and students rarely used them, now they're everywhere. so i only expect 12" laptops to become more mainstream and apple should be more competitive in this segment.
as to why there should be a 12" ibook and a 12" pbook. well ibook is considered consumer product and pbook is for more hardcore. what's a student gonna need a pbook if he/she only gonna need it for internet and word processing, and likes os X?
They're not becoming more mainstream at all, for the simple reason that people don't like to squint. Should display technology improve dramatically in the next few years, that trend might change, but for now, the overwhelming majority of students, consumers and schools want larger screen machines.
They're not becoming more mainstream at all, for the simple reason that people don't like to squint. Should display technology improve dramatically in the next few years, that trend might change, but for now, the overwhelming majority of students, consumers and schools want larger screen machines.
whether u would squint or not has nothing to do with screen size and everything to do with resolution. when you're using a laptop, your eyes are likely to be closer to the screen than if you were using a conventional computer.
a 12" note book can be easily held with a single hand, especially if it means a small hand, a kid.
no space is wasted on a small laptop, the screen size is just enough to accomodate a reasonable size keyboard and pad and speakers.
You don't have to convince me, I use a 12" PB, but what you say doesn't change anything. The 14" will appear even larger up close, enough to make a reasonable substitute for a 15-17" desktop screen. Size and resolution ARE NOT independent at all since the combination of them produces the ppi of any given display. Thus, for a smaller display the same res will be less comfortable than on a larger display, or the larger display will accomodate higher resolutions at the same ppi.
In any event, yes, I think that the 12" size is right on the money for a travel machine of near sub-note class (since it does incorporate a useable screen and full keyboard). However, consumers, students and schools are NOT interested in a travel machine, they're much more interested in a sensible desktop replacement. Quarter after quarter, the buying trends bear this out. The small hands argument, again, is just bunk, no kids in any classroom are alllowed to handle notebooks in any way other than seated at their desks. Schools who are giving students take home machines are not giving them to K-4/5. Kids have to wait till at least grade 5/6, and even that is young and its real merits under review in most boards, expect that age to climb somewhat to grade 7/8 before schools ever think of sending kids home with laptops again. Even then, the school is interested in CHEAP, not small, they bought 12's because they were cheap, if they could get them for the same money, they'd buy 14's.
If ultimate portability is really your concern, then the 12" PB is still the better bet. It's noticeably smaller (much thinner, and a smaller footprint) a bit lighter, and the case is much stronger.
Once the processor options become clearer, I'd look for the iBook to shrink a bit (one widescreen 14" model) and the PB12 to get substantially lighter and a bit smaller.
I think the 12" ibook is gone: as for the consumer line, but we will see a faster, smaller, g5 type 12" powerbook. For the people most concerned about the size of their laptop, money is less of anobject. For people looking for a laptop, the primary concern is value: and in their eyes value is a bigger screen and low price.
For 12" powerbook users: size d power are important. So bring on the subnote powerbook!
Comments
Originally posted by DMBand0026
You have to remember two things. First, not eveyone needs or wants that big of a screen. It's less portable, more bulky, and more power hungry. Some people need the portability that a 12" laptop affords them. Second, dell sucks.
I know Dell stinks, but look at it from a consumers view. Also, for ultraportable people, don't forget the PB 12" is almost 1/2 pound smaller and quite a bit thinner (1.18" for PB vs. 1.35" for iBook)
http://forums.appleinsider.com/poll....lts&pollid=160
You have to look at the competition, bigger screens are the orderof the day in the consumer laptop segment. 14" minimum!
The reason 12" iBook were everywhere is that they were cheaper, now that the 14" comes in at a respectable price, expect to see those everywhere, they're what consumers really want. Schools? Actually, they don't care, so long as the price is good. For some schools that means 12" models, for others that means 14", if the prices were equal, then the schools would take 14" models because accessibility is a far more important concern than that "small hands" bunk we hear offered in apology on these boards. If you have ever seen the way a "classroom on a cart" is actually deployed, you will know that the students are to take the laptop to their desks and use them ONLY while seated at their desks (if we're talking K-6) Past K-6, it doesn't really matter, the kids, and their hands, are big enough
There is an interesting question about where this leads the 12" PB. Easy answer, they will continue to refine the formula. Faster CPU, Superdrive, and it will also shed a few ounces and inches -- probably getting a slightly smaller footprint (on the same 12" screen) and losing up to a pound/pound-and-a-half to eventually become a true sub-note, albeit a full featured sub-note that has a legible display, full keyboard, integrated optical, and at least the same battery life it now sports.
a few year back, laptops were only for the professionals and students rarely used them, now they're everywhere. so i only expect 12" laptops to become more mainstream and apple should be more competitive in this segment.
as to why there should be a 12" ibook and a 12" pbook. well ibook is considered consumer product and pbook is for more hardcore. what's a student gonna need a pbook if he/she only gonna need it for internet and word processing, and likes os X?
Originally posted by Matsu
They're not becoming more mainstream at all, for the simple reason that people don't like to squint. Should display technology improve dramatically in the next few years, that trend might change, but for now, the overwhelming majority of students, consumers and schools want larger screen machines.
whether u would squint or not has nothing to do with screen size and everything to do with resolution. when you're using a laptop, your eyes are likely to be closer to the screen than if you were using a conventional computer.
a 12" note book can be easily held with a single hand, especially if it means a small hand, a kid.
no space is wasted on a small laptop, the screen size is just enough to accomodate a reasonable size keyboard and pad and speakers.
In any event, yes, I think that the 12" size is right on the money for a travel machine of near sub-note class (since it does incorporate a useable screen and full keyboard). However, consumers, students and schools are NOT interested in a travel machine, they're much more interested in a sensible desktop replacement. Quarter after quarter, the buying trends bear this out. The small hands argument, again, is just bunk, no kids in any classroom are alllowed to handle notebooks in any way other than seated at their desks. Schools who are giving students take home machines are not giving them to K-4/5. Kids have to wait till at least grade 5/6, and even that is young and its real merits under review in most boards, expect that age to climb somewhat to grade 7/8 before schools ever think of sending kids home with laptops again. Even then, the school is interested in CHEAP, not small, they bought 12's because they were cheap, if they could get them for the same money, they'd buy 14's.
If ultimate portability is really your concern, then the 12" PB is still the better bet. It's noticeably smaller (much thinner, and a smaller footprint) a bit lighter, and the case is much stronger.
Once the processor options become clearer, I'd look for the iBook to shrink a bit (one widescreen 14" model) and the PB12 to get substantially lighter and a bit smaller.
No. The 12" iBook (or PB) will not be discontinued. (This is the usually what happens when this topic gets brought up time and time again.)
Originally posted by kcmac
So I guess the answer to this thread is
No. The 12" iBook (or PB) will not be discontinued. (This is the usually what happens when this topic gets brought up time and time again.)
I see it the other way around now that iBooks have a G4. The salient question should be: Will the 12.1 Powerbook be discontinued?
Originally posted by DHagan4755
I see it the other way around now that iBooks have a G4. The salient question should be: Will the 12.1 Powerbook be discontinued?
no... we'll get a 12" G5 powerbook with illuminated keyboard etc.
For 12" powerbook users: size d power are important. So bring on the subnote powerbook!