MacBook Pro with 12" screen?
This has probably been discussed quite a bit, but are there any rumors regarding a successor to the Powerbook G4 with the 12" screen? The MacBooks are ok, but I prefer the Pro models more -- plus I wanted a laptop that could double as a better version of the Mac Mini (that is, has better graphics qualities). A 12" MacBook Pro would seem to be ideal for mobility and acting as a computer for a larger monitor. From what I seem to gather, Apple has plans for a sub-notebook, which may not be the same as what I'm asking about. I get the impression that the 12" Powerbook was a success, but it's been a while (two years?) since the G4 version was out. Perhaps Apple thought it wasn't a good design, ultimately?
If Apple has ditched plans for a successor model, does it pay to buy an older G4 Powerbook, or will Leopard (and all future kittens) only run on Intel?
Thanks.
Charles
If Apple has ditched plans for a successor model, does it pay to buy an older G4 Powerbook, or will Leopard (and all future kittens) only run on Intel?
Thanks.
Charles
Comments
- Apple are done with non-widescreen displays.
- The black MacBook is seen as a natural successor to the 12'' Powerbook, in that it bridges the gap between the two lines.
I'll be interested to see if this sub-notebook emerges, and if it does, what it will look like and what specs it will bring. However, I fear it may essentially be a paired-down MacBook without an optical drive, which is of precisely zero use to me. I think it'll come in colours, though.
Edit: Oh, and Leopard will run on a G4 Powerbook, but it is only a matter of time before G4 support goes the way of G3 support (G3 is, as far as I'm aware, being shown the door upon the arrival of Leopard). So if you're in any way interested in futureproofing it doesn't really make financial sense to spend all that money on a machine that's already showing its age when compared to newer models. And they're not cheap - when you consider Apple notebooks hold their value as it is, plus the fact you can't get these anymore and they're still desirable items, they're going on eBay for about £500 a time (roughly $1000) here in the UK, and on the US refurbished store they're going for more than some refurb MacBooks, despite the fact the MacBook smokes it in every single category.
In the same way the power of the 12"powerbook was quite comparable to the 15"powerbook i'd like a 12" to pack some punch.
Oh and why oh why can't we get 4GB of RAM yet? Seems only a logical step to allow the second simm to be a 2GB...
Forget the 12" MBP. A very vocal minority wants it, but outside of people who just want to check e-mail in a hotel room or cafe, it's useless for real work. And the iPhone will reduce the size of the road warrior email readers even further. Today's palette-heavy programs demand a larger screen. I just got rid of my 12" PB for that reason.
With Leopard and Adobe CS3 coming, there's never been a better time to mainstream the Pro Portable experience. 15" screens have dropped sharply in price in the past year. The price of a MacBook tops out at US$1499 while the MBP line starts at US$1999.
I say ditch the huge price divide and make the entry level MBP ring in at US$1599. There has to be room now to do it, and a lot of MacBook owners will trade up.
If there's going to be an addition to the laptop line it'll probably be on the bottom end; there's not enough space in between the MB/MBP to warrant a new product, there's not a big enough gap there, unless the rumours of a 15" MacBook are true. Plenty of people have been upgrading to the Pro model, if they put a cheaper model in at the bottom end of the MBP line it may deter people who were considering taking the step to the $2k model.
I was checking the Lenovo/IBM ThinkPad site and the x60 looks like the kind of machine that Apple would emulate (dare I say). It doesn't have an internal optical drive and the machine, all told, is very expensive. I think Jobs has always liked the ThinkPads (there was a story that he owned one at the time he returned to Apple in the 90s).
But a wide-screen display would be terrible in a 12" size. Who's going to do multi-media stuff on such a small screen? But I could see Apple plodding on ahead with the wide-screen on the small computer, for the sake of consistency.
Charles
But a wide-screen display would be terrible in a 12" size. Who's going to do multi-media stuff on such a small screen? But I could see Apple plodding on ahead with the wide-screen on the small computer, for the sake of consistency.
It's better for watching movies. Even small portable DVD players have widescreen LCDs. There are lots of those players with 7" widescreen LCDs. And you should have seen the widescreen LCD on my old NEC Mobilepro. It was only a 640x240 display for 80 columns by 20 rows of text.
it's funny. i was thinking about selling my 12" pb g4 late last year and getting a 15" mbp, but decided against it because i realised it was far more sensible to stick with my (relatively) powerful and definitely portable g4 and suplementing it with a new imac some time in the future.
this gives me pretty decent power for using logic during deadtime at work and i can add desktop power to it in the future. so unlike when i first had it (15" envy) i feel pretty pleased to have my 12", at least for the moment!
If apple does that I win and apple wins, everybody wins! Make it happen apple.
I have a 15" MacBook Pro and a friend of mine has a MacBook and I don't find it any more convenient to carry about.
Obviously I'm by no means insinuating that anyone who would want a 12" MacBook Pro is mad, I just can't see a need for it.
I never really understood this desire. Why anyone would want a Pro spec portable as small as 12". The Pro models are usually only required for graphical / video / photographic reasons and you want screen real-estate for those kinds of apps. So what's wrong with the black MacBook if you want something small?
I have a 15" MacBook Pro and a friend of mine has a MacBook and I don't find it any more convenient to carry about.
Obviously I'm by no means insinuating that anyone who would want a 12" MacBook Pro is mad, I just can't see a need for it.
I'm a producer/director working in film and TV. At work I use big screens & lots of em, but when I'm travelling I want something small and light with lots of power. I currently have a 15" G4PB that's coming to the end of its life (2 broken hinges, dead battery, pink screen, keys fallen off keyboard etc.). It's been a good friend, but it's still a bit big for use when travelling, and sometimes my work involves looking at, and editing, stuff on the fly. Sure, the screen on a 12" is gonna be small, but that's ok. I'd rather fill the screen and squint a little than spend an 8 hour flight apologising to the person next to me and having to wrangle this thing around everytime I stand up to stretch my legs.
The way I see it, the 15 and 17 inch MBPs are aimed at people who use portables as their main machines. For those of us who don't, having a smaller machine with enough power to handle the files we'd work on at home makes perfect sense. It's having a desktop quantity of aluminium compressed into 17+ inches of unwieldy MBP that seems less logical.
I never really understood this desire. Why anyone would want a Pro spec portable as small as 12". The Pro models are usually only required for graphical / video / photographic reasons and you want screen real-estate for those kinds of apps. So what's wrong with the black MacBook if you want something small?
I have a 15" MacBook Pro and a friend of mine has a MacBook and I don't find it any more convenient to carry about.
Obviously I'm by no means insinuating that anyone who would want a 12" MacBook Pro is mad, I just can't see a need for it.
Comes in handy if you're using Logic alongside something like Reason too.
I never really understood this desire. Why anyone would want a Pro spec portable as small as 12". The Pro models are usually only required for graphical / video / photographic reasons and you want screen real-estate for those kinds of apps. So what's wrong with the black MacBook if you want something small?
I have a 15" MacBook Pro and a friend of mine has a MacBook and I don't find it any more convenient to carry about.
Obviously I'm by no means insinuating that anyone who would want a 12" MacBook Pro is mad, I just can't see a need for it.
What about using a 12" MBP with an ACD? At home, one can have plenty of screen space, and on the go, they have the power to manage certain files.
Count me in. I love my 12" pb g4, and dislike the quality, small print, and glossy screen of the MacBook. I would certainly get a new MBP 12" if one were offered.
The thing I love about my old 12" PB vs my new macbook, is that the 12" PowerBook feels solid in you hands. If you pick it up one handed to slide it into a bag, you don't feel it squish in your hand like a Macbook..
I've gotten used to my macbook, but every once in a while I have to get some files off of the old 12" I realize how much I miss that size..
My first Powerbook was a pismo, and I loved it, but it was just too damn big. I remember watching the keynote when Steve annouced the 17" I was literally screaming at him:
"NO! NOT 17 inches! You Fucker! Give me a 12 inch powerbook for $1799 and I'll order it today!!!"
Later that day I was ordering a new laptop.. Maybe it was the next morning.. I was a bit hazy probably a RDF hangover.. .
Anyways I'd sell my macbook in a second to have a C2D 12" MBP
I never really understood this desire. Why anyone would want a Pro spec portable as small as 12"
the major market for 12" or smaller powerbook is asia, particularly for japanese market. apple is losing big in japan where traditionaly favors smaller and powerful machine. so far macbook failed miserablly in japan. apple has the capability to create a smaller powerbook, which hopefully will be a leader in the batch again, and generate some more revenue outside US/EU. i am not sure it alone will save apple in asia, but at least a try will not hurt.
I really like the Lenovo x60 (the keyboard is excellent, if a little undersized...the feel is terrific though). I'd hope Apple creates an MBP that's similar to that. The MacBook is nice, but I think Apple needs a computer at that size that's a little more powerful. The 15" MBPs aren't exctly light.
I'm not sure how I feel about 11" screens. For one thing the keyboards have to be smaller, which is a problem (little keys).
No, they wouldn't. An 11" widescreen machine could be just as wide as the 12" Powerbook, just losing an inch or so of screen height. That would have no effect on keyboard size. Besides, I've touchtyped on subsize keyboards before. It's not as bad as most people think. I lost about 10% of my normal speed and accuracy, but that's not bad, especially since it took almost no acclimation.