I'm so upset that I have the rev A 12" and Apple has the nerve to offer a more powerful processor with that really insane trackpad and installed bluetooth and airport and and and and
i am going to have to affirmatize the pricing. the 12" with education discount (students rule ) is a very competitively priced notebook. a co-worker's dell has almost the same specs as my 12" (CPU and DVD burner are different) with his being a huge 15". i mean HUGE. my powerbook shut is thinner than his base when open. his cost about the same as mine as well. now that he has seen my powerbook, he wishes that he would have gotten one too. i was also told yesterday that the onboard speakers are really nice for a laptop. nothing like SWG yatta to show them off.
and those wintel notebooks that are half the price? shared VRAM sucks and slows down the whole system, current apple users are blessed for never having to experience that. in the 15" and 17" arena, those comparably specced notebooks are ugly hunks of junk and weigh about 12 pounds. all except the acer ferrari series of course.
Why didn't Apple touch the already skimpy video cards?
.
.
.
Added RAM, BT2.0, HD size is nice, but screen resolutions and video cards are still lame.
If you talk about the 5200 in the 12" model perhaps, but a Radeon Mobility 9700 with 128 MB VRAM lame?
And what would you expect Apple to do? Try to cram the 9800 into the Powerbooks? If I remember correctly, this one is too big for a slim laptop and it needs a dedicated cooling system. I even doubt that there is any graphics chip better than the Geforce 5200 that could go into the 12" model. I would like really to see if there are any counter-examples from the PC world in what I said.
+ discs? It's used in all the offices I work because they cost just about the same in the store and offer rewritability. They'll work in pretty much any DVD player you have. We didn't think twice about using them until we realized that the brand new macs in the office couldn't read them but the year old Dells' with older DVD drives had no problems. The worst part is the Apple drive actually do support them, it's just locked off by an Apple firmware.
Quote:
Originally posted by cj3209
While I respect Webmail's freedom to write whatever he wants to, his choice of words could be somewhat more tame... lol...
Sorry, those XBrite screens are the biggest scams. They are just a piece of high-contrast plastic sheet that go over the LCD. In Japan, they've been around for years. You can do the same to the Powerbook/iBook LCD.
BTW, do you know anyone that burns DL+DVDs? In fact, try buying them. The technology isn't quite there yet. I don't fault Apple for not having DL drives although it's about time they added +/- DVDR drive.
The processor and graphics card you can argue until you're blue in the face.
How do you know that there is a G5 Powerbook coming in a few months? SPEAK !
I agree. This is February. Should we really think Apple will have G5s in only 4 months? If so, they should have released this update a few months earlier!
Sorry, I was referring to the DUAL layer (DL) drives. The technology is not quite there yet. And there are NO Dual Layer - drives out yet.
Quote:
Originally posted by webmail
+ discs? It's used in all the offices I work because they cost just about the same in the store and offer rewritability. They'll work in pretty much any DVD player you have. We didn't think twice about using them until we realized that the brand new macs in the office couldn't read them but the year old Dells' with older DVD drives had no problems. The worst part is the Apple drive actually do support them, it's just locked off by an Apple firmware.
A Powerbook G5 would be half an inch thicker, about 2 pounds heavier, and have reduced battery life compared to the thin and light G4s. It would be nice if apple made a DTR Powerbook as well, but I hardly see this as a disappointment.
NEC makes one. Apple has to go with whatever Panasonic has since nobody else makes slot loading drives.
Yes, I know there are Dual Layer DVD (+) notebook drives out there; in fact I have the NEC slim drive myself. What I meant is that there are currently NO notebook Dual Layer DVD (-) drives. And that the technology even for the DL (+) is not quite there yet as I've heard that it doesn't work very well. Also, have you tried to buy DL (+) discs? They're not only hard to find but very expensive.
I agree. This is February. Should we really think Apple will have G5s in only 4 months? If so, they should have released this update a few months earlier!
I'm thinking Q3 for Powerbook G5s.
Do you think that Apple will just upgrade to G5 or do you think that they will
go all out like updated battery technology, screen quality, faster 533 ddr ram,
4. Scrolling trackpad? All new? Don't make me vomit. It's the EXACT same powerbook part as before.
Not according to Apple it isn't. In a MacCentral article Apple marketing director David Moody goes on the record as saying that it's new hardware.
If you know, 100% sure, took it apart and checked the serial numbers yourself, that he's wrong, that would be news. Guys like Moody don't talk off the cuff to the press, even when the press is a second-string outfit.
Quote:
5. Video cards. Don't GET ME started. GRRRRRRRRRR.
The next step up from the 128MB 9700 is the 9800, which only fits in "desknotes." What do you want?
Look people, Apple still meets the mark when it comes to pro laptops.
The PC aisle has lighter notebooks, it has faster notebooks, it has notebooks with better battery life, it has cheaper notebooks, but with rare exception, does it offer anything that's "lighter, faster, and cheaper -- with better battery life" Not when you really egt down and and look at the spec sheet.
The faster machines tend to either be porky, or have useless battery life. The cheaper machines tend to be porky (and poorly put together). The lighter machines tend to lack features (like built-in opticals) or, if they have these, they also have poor battery life.
The light, fast, and autonomous machines, tend to cost as much as Apple's offerings, and often a bit more, ThinkPad.
So, some criticise Apple for not having "desk-notes", others criticise Apple for not having "sub-notes" but mobile pros who need a machine that's just right for the task, they tend not to criticise Apple too much at all.
The iBooks are the weaker of Apple's mobile offerings. They need bigger screens, which are a better fit to the entry level market -- since those machines travel less, and tend to be used more often as the only machine, think dorm-rooms, mom, dad, etc etc -- not likely to hook up external displays...
I'm angry at Apple for upgrading the Powerbooks. I'm also very angry at the drop in price. I'm even more angry that they did not release the Powerbook G5; which they have told us time and again was not in the near future
I for one was thrilled with the update. I just today, ordered a 12" PB with superdrive. Why don't you guys check HP or Dell for "similar" offerings (not only the "specs" but the intangibles like weight, battery life, dimensions, new sms etc.) They will be very competitive in price and performance. The PB's are just great ALL-AROUND machines--something that really can't be said for many (if ANY) Wintel laptops out there. Are some faster? Perhaps. Cheaper? Sure. More battery life? Not usually. Everything put in one package that is built well, has great software, small dimensions, and all of the features the PB's have? Show me and I'll buy it. Lol.
Comments
Originally posted by kcmac
I'm so upset that I have the rev A 12" and Apple has the nerve to offer a more powerful processor with that really insane trackpad and installed bluetooth and airport and and and and
for less than I paid for it.
Dang Apple all to heck.
Man am I angry.
I feel you kcmac, I am on the same boat
and those wintel notebooks that are half the price? shared VRAM sucks and slows down the whole system, current apple users are blessed for never having to experience that. in the 15" and 17" arena, those comparably specced notebooks are ugly hunks of junk and weigh about 12 pounds. all except the acer ferrari series of course.
Originally posted by bborofka
Why didn't Apple touch the already skimpy video cards?
.
.
.
Added RAM, BT2.0, HD size is nice, but screen resolutions and video cards are still lame.
If you talk about the 5200 in the 12" model perhaps, but a Radeon Mobility 9700 with 128 MB VRAM lame?
And what would you expect Apple to do? Try to cram the 9800 into the Powerbooks? If I remember correctly, this one is too big for a slim laptop and it needs a dedicated cooling system. I even doubt that there is any graphics chip better than the Geforce 5200 that could go into the 12" model. I would like really to see if there are any counter-examples from the PC world in what I said.
Originally posted by cj3209
While I respect Webmail's freedom to write whatever he wants to, his choice of words could be somewhat more tame... lol...
Sorry, those XBrite screens are the biggest scams. They are just a piece of high-contrast plastic sheet that go over the LCD. In Japan, they've been around for years. You can do the same to the Powerbook/iBook LCD.
BTW, do you know anyone that burns DL+DVDs? In fact, try buying them. The technology isn't quite there yet. I don't fault Apple for not having DL drives although it's about time they added +/- DVDR drive.
The processor and graphics card you can argue until you're blue in the face.
My two cents...
Originally posted by PB
How do you know that there is a G5 Powerbook coming in a few months? SPEAK
I agree. This is February. Should we really think Apple will have G5s in only 4 months? If so, they should have released this update a few months earlier!
I'm thinking Q3 for Powerbook G5s.
Originally posted by webmail
+ discs? It's used in all the offices I work because they cost just about the same in the store and offer rewritability. They'll work in pretty much any DVD player you have. We didn't think twice about using them until we realized that the brand new macs in the office couldn't read them but the year old Dells' with older DVD drives had no problems. The worst part is the Apple drive actually do support them, it's just locked off by an Apple firmware.
Originally posted by cj3209
Sorry, I was referring to the DUAL layer (DL) drives. The technology is not quite there yet. And there are NO Dual Layer - drives out yet.
NEC makes one. Apple has to go with whatever Panasonic has since nobody else makes slot loading drives.
That'll show Apple.
Originally posted by BenRoethig
NEC makes one. Apple has to go with whatever Panasonic has since nobody else makes slot loading drives.
Yes, I know there are Dual Layer DVD (+) notebook drives out there; in fact I have the NEC slim drive myself. What I meant is that there are currently NO notebook Dual Layer DVD (-) drives. And that the technology even for the DL (+) is not quite there yet as I've heard that it doesn't work very well. Also, have you tried to buy DL (+) discs? They're not only hard to find but very expensive.
Originally posted by ibook911
I agree. This is February. Should we really think Apple will have G5s in only 4 months? If so, they should have released this update a few months earlier!
I'm thinking Q3 for Powerbook G5s.
Do you think that Apple will just upgrade to G5 or do you think that they will
go all out like updated battery technology, screen quality, faster 533 ddr ram,
etc?
Originally posted by mello
Do you think that Apple will just upgrade to G5 or do you think that they will
go all out like updated battery technology, screen quality, faster 533 ddr ram,
etc?
G5 means faster ram and a real FSB.
I would imagine that there will be a battery update to go with the G5's energy needs. Expect to get the same battery life as the current machines.
Screen quality will be about the same unless Apple moves forward with their plans for DPI independent OS. Apple's screens are actually pretty good.
Don't expect a 12 inch G5 powerbook. I'd be surprised.
Originally posted by Yevgeny
Don't expect a 12 inch G5 powerbook. I'd be surprised.
It might be reasonable to caution people not to expect "any" G5 powerbook of any size if by "G5" they mean to say an IBM PPC970 derivative.
We're getting awfully close to some good stuff from Freescale, and Apple will be keen to keep two CPU suppliers in the mix...
Originally posted by webmail
4. Scrolling trackpad? All new? Don't make me vomit. It's the EXACT same powerbook part as before.
Not according to Apple it isn't. In a MacCentral article Apple marketing director David Moody goes on the record as saying that it's new hardware.
If you know, 100% sure, took it apart and checked the serial numbers yourself, that he's wrong, that would be news. Guys like Moody don't talk off the cuff to the press, even when the press is a second-string outfit.
5. Video cards. Don't GET ME started. GRRRRRRRRRR.
The next step up from the 128MB 9700 is the 9800, which only fits in "desknotes." What do you want?
The PC aisle has lighter notebooks, it has faster notebooks, it has notebooks with better battery life, it has cheaper notebooks, but with rare exception, does it offer anything that's "lighter, faster, and cheaper -- with better battery life" Not when you really egt down and and look at the spec sheet.
The faster machines tend to either be porky, or have useless battery life. The cheaper machines tend to be porky (and poorly put together). The lighter machines tend to lack features (like built-in opticals) or, if they have these, they also have poor battery life.
The light, fast, and autonomous machines, tend to cost as much as Apple's offerings, and often a bit more, ThinkPad.
So, some criticise Apple for not having "desk-notes", others criticise Apple for not having "sub-notes" but mobile pros who need a machine that's just right for the task, they tend not to criticise Apple too much at all.
The iBooks are the weaker of Apple's mobile offerings. They need bigger screens, which are a better fit to the entry level market -- since those machines travel less, and tend to be used more often as the only machine, think dorm-rooms, mom, dad, etc etc -- not likely to hook up external displays...
Some people need to wake up to reality.
Originally posted by Matsu
It might be reasonable to caution people not to expect "any" G5 powerbook of any size if by "G5" they mean to say an IBM PPC970 derivative.
We're getting awfully close to some good stuff from Freescale, and Apple will be keen to keep two CPU suppliers in the mix...
I agree. An e600 SOC chip would be perfect for a modern thin and light notebook.
Originally posted by Amorph
The next step up from the 128MB 9700 is the 9800, which only fits in "desknotes." What do you want?
What they want is a 2.5ghz G5 with a 256mb Radeon Mobility x800 in a one inch package aka the impossible.