I've been toying w/the idea of a PowerBook for a while now and I love the 12". I just want to make sure (as best I can) that an update won't happen right after I order one.
Does anyone think the 12" will be updated w/in the next month or two? WWDC?
Well it was released on January 8th right? Seems like it won't be long before another update. Especially because the new iBooks have "faster" (re: to the uninformed) processors. I plan on getting on as soon as their updated.
Yeah, it seems like they'd be bumped soon. Anyways, if I needed it, I'd just get the current one. I just know my luck...I buy today, they update tomorrow.
How many months does Apple usually go btwn PB bumps? The 15" is long in the tooth. I don't want to wait until July/Aug to buy, but I would wait another month...otherwise I'll be going by the Apple Store this weekend.
If I see one more new topic started about laptops that has could have just as well be posted in one of the other threads (see below) I think I'm gonna freak...
- "Year of the Portable" defined!
- G4 iBook...when do you imagine?
- Year of the powerbook indeed!
- When will we see a 15" Albook?
- When will the 12"PB be updated?
Sorry about the rant, maybe it's just PPC 970 lust getting the best of me but is anyone else getting REALLY sick of all the disjointed and non-related to 'future hardware' laptop threads as of late? Or it could be I've just had a really crazy day and need to vent about something and this was the first thing that came to me... I dunno but carry on I guess...
If I see one more new topic started about laptops that has could have just as well be posted in one of the other threads (see below) I think I'm gonna freak...
- "Year of the Portable" defined!
- G4 iBook...when do you imagine?
- Year of the powerbook indeed!
- When will we see a 15" Albook?
- When will the 12"PB be updated?
Sorry about the rant, maybe it's just PPC 970 lust getting the best of me but is anyone else getting REALLY sick of all the disjointed and non-related to 'future hardware' laptop threads as of late? Or it could be I've just had a really crazy day and need to vent about something and this was the first thing that came to me... I dunno but carry on I guess...
D
At least someone hasn't posted this:
"Well, I want to be a switcher and get a new Powerbook right now. But I hear the new 980 chip from IBM is coming out soon after the 970. Do you think I should wait until the 980 12" Powerbook is released? I always want to get the latest and greatest so if I wait until the 980 PB it will be the best. What do you guys think? "
"Well, I want to be a switcher and get a new Powerbook right now. But I hear the new 980 chip from IBM is coming out soon after the 970. Do you think I should wait until the 980 12" Powerbook is released? I always want to get the latest and greatest so if I wait until the 980 PB it will be the best. What do you guys think? "
I will be buying my first Mac shortly. Seeking to test drive an iBook, I fell in love with the 12" powerbook (unfortunately for my wallet) and have been saving for about a month.
My question is not when the 12" powerbook will be updated but what the update will entail. Do you(s) think that a FireWire 800 port will be included? USB 2? How about a better video out, instead of the VGA out? L3 cache? Bigger RAM chip soldered to the motherboard?
It seems to me (although I am a newbie) that the main benefit to buying an apple is forward-compatibility. Therefore, the inclusion of these features would be a deciding factor in whether to wait a month or two or not, seeing as I have the money now.
I'm calling for rampant speculation. Will Apple continue to make the little Al its bargain-basement PB or will they simply make it a scaled down (physically) version of the upcoming new 15"?
"Well, I want to be a switcher and get a new Powerbook right now. But I hear the new 980 chip from IBM is coming out soon after the 970. Do you think I should wait until the 980 12" Powerbook is released? I always want to get the latest and greatest so if I wait until the 980 PB it will be the best. What do you guys think? "
I think I just did. Your customs are strange and foreign to me.
If I see one more new topic started about laptops that has could have just as well be posted in one of the other threads (see below) I think I'm gonna freak...
DaveGee: You concede yourself that you are ranting! I honestly think that the PowerBook threads in Future Hardware have been quite focused. Except for the two "year of the notebook"-related threads, I don't see any duplication. I actually think it was about time that we had a dedicated 12-inch PowerBook thread again.
Quote:
Originally posted by rhoge
Will Apple continue to make the little Al its bargain-basement PB or will they simply make it a scaled down (physically) version of the upcoming new 15"?
rhoge: Your question shows that you've done quite a bit of reading. So you should definitely not be put off by DaveGee's rant.
Right now, the 12-inch PowerBook is indeed Apple's "bargain-basement PB", as you call it. It has a small cache, the same paltry max RAM as the iBook, no DVI-out, etc. IMO, there are only three things that make the 12-incher a PowerBook right now: the G4, the metal case, and the slot-loading optical drive (including SuperDrive option). [Edit: I forgot to add monitor-spanning and higher-than-internal-res mirroring as a Power-feature. That's one of the main reasons why I want to replace my iBook with a 12-inch PowerBook.]
My personal hope, however, is that the Rev.B 12-inch PowerBook will indeed be a physically scaled down version of the 15-inch. In other words, I want 1GB RAM, DVI-out and cache. And I'd be willing to pay for it. IMO, there's a good chance that the iBook will get quite a bit more powerful in the next six months. This might leave room for the 12-inch PowerBook to gain more PowerBook features. On the other hand, Apple might think that nobody in their right mind would want a 15-inch PB in a 12-inch case, and stick with the slightly dumbed down 12-inch PB. That's probably the more realistic scenario, but I don't know.
So realistically, I think Apple will keep the 12-inch PowerBook where they launched it, namely right between the iBook and the 15-inch PowerBook: definitely more powerful and feature-laden than the iBook, but not quite as powerful as the 15-inch PowerBook. Either way, I think I'm ready to buy the Rev.B 12-inch PowerBook when it comes out.
ugh... I guess I really am tired... This whole time I was thinking this thread was about the 12" iBook (not the PowerBook)... Since the 12" iBook was only just update 22 days ago I hope you could see why I was ranting...
The update will come in the fall -- at or after MWNY -- depending on when the 970 PM's get out the door. There are 2 priorities ahead of it. The PM's and the 15". And because the 15 won't get touched untill the 17 can also get a bump, make that three models in the cue before the PB12. Look for .13u G4's w/512KB L2, and incremntal bumps to the battery, HDD, and standard RAM.
The update will come in the fall -- at or after MWNY -- depending on when the 970 PM's get out the door. There are 2 priorities ahead of it. The PM's and the 15". And because the 15 won't get touched untill the 17 can also get a bump, make that three models in the cue before the PB12. Look for .13u G4's w/512KB L2, and incremntal bumps to the battery, HDD, and standard RAM.
I would guess AT Creative whatever...
Motorola is going to die a quick death as far as Apple is concerned. Betcha....
The cache thing completely bites hard cheese. I ran Deimos Rising on a brand new iBook at work and it played flawlessly. Put the same game on my 12" and it drops frames and stutters.
That is total BS. I suppose it could be some driver issue with the graphics card, but I don't think so. Whatever, Apple needs to fix it.
I'd wait to get the new updated version. Surely it will have a better cache.
The cache thing completely bites hard cheese. I ran Deimos Rising on a brand new iBook at work and it played flawlessly. Put the same game on my 12" and it drops frames and stutters.
I've only barely put the book to work (mainly setting up and transferring files) but it seems great to me. I've run some photoshop and Illustrator...played iTunes and surfed the web.
It is a great machine and I'm glad I bought it. I am planning on getting a 970 when they come out so, I didn't want to pay for a Desktop replacement. This is perfect for me.
Anyways, now that I've dropped the cash you can expect an update in short order.
Comments
How many months does Apple usually go btwn PB bumps? The 15" is long in the tooth. I don't want to wait until July/Aug to buy, but I would wait another month...otherwise I'll be going by the Apple Store this weekend.
Very cool machine indeed. So far, 2 weeks into ownership, it is the best Mac I have owned since my Wallstreet... No regrets at all.
If you need one, just buy it...
M
If I see one more new topic started about laptops that has could have just as well be posted in one of the other threads (see below) I think I'm gonna freak...
- "Year of the Portable" defined!
- G4 iBook...when do you imagine?
- Year of the powerbook indeed!
- When will we see a 15" Albook?
- When will the 12"PB be updated?
Sorry about the rant, maybe it's just PPC 970 lust getting the best of me but is anyone else getting REALLY sick of all the disjointed and non-related to 'future hardware' laptop threads as of late? Or it could be I've just had a really crazy day and need to vent about something and this was the first thing that came to me... I dunno but carry on I guess...
D
Originally posted by DaveGee
ARGH!!!!!!!
If I see one more new topic started about laptops that has could have just as well be posted in one of the other threads (see below) I think I'm gonna freak...
- "Year of the Portable" defined!
- G4 iBook...when do you imagine?
- Year of the powerbook indeed!
- When will we see a 15" Albook?
- When will the 12"PB be updated?
Sorry about the rant, maybe it's just PPC 970 lust getting the best of me but is anyone else getting REALLY sick of all the disjointed and non-related to 'future hardware' laptop threads as of late? Or it could be I've just had a really crazy day and need to vent about something and this was the first thing that came to me... I dunno but carry on I guess...
D
At least someone hasn't posted this:
"Well, I want to be a switcher and get a new Powerbook right now. But I hear the new 980 chip from IBM is coming out soon after the 970. Do you think I should wait until the 980 12" Powerbook is released? I always want to get the latest and greatest so if I wait until the 980 PB it will be the best. What do you guys think? "
Originally posted by jante99
At least someone hasn't posted this:
"Well, I want to be a switcher and get a new Powerbook right now. But I hear the new 980 chip from IBM is coming out soon after the 970. Do you think I should wait until the 980 12" Powerbook is released? I always want to get the latest and greatest so if I wait until the 980 PB it will be the best. What do you guys think? "
D
My question is not when the 12" powerbook will be updated but what the update will entail. Do you(s) think that a FireWire 800 port will be included? USB 2? How about a better video out, instead of the VGA out? L3 cache? Bigger RAM chip soldered to the motherboard?
It seems to me (although I am a newbie) that the main benefit to buying an apple is forward-compatibility. Therefore, the inclusion of these features would be a deciding factor in whether to wait a month or two or not, seeing as I have the money now.
I'm calling for rampant speculation. Will Apple continue to make the little Al its bargain-basement PB or will they simply make it a scaled down (physically) version of the upcoming new 15"?
Originally posted by jante99
At least someone hasn't posted this:
"Well, I want to be a switcher and get a new Powerbook right now. But I hear the new 980 chip from IBM is coming out soon after the 970. Do you think I should wait until the 980 12" Powerbook is released? I always want to get the latest and greatest so if I wait until the 980 PB it will be the best. What do you guys think? "
I think I just did. Your customs are strange and foreign to me.
Originally posted by DaveGee
ARGH!!!!!!!
If I see one more new topic started about laptops that has could have just as well be posted in one of the other threads (see below) I think I'm gonna freak...
DaveGee: You concede yourself that you are ranting! I honestly think that the PowerBook threads in Future Hardware have been quite focused. Except for the two "year of the notebook"-related threads, I don't see any duplication. I actually think it was about time that we had a dedicated 12-inch PowerBook thread again.
Originally posted by rhoge
Will Apple continue to make the little Al its bargain-basement PB or will they simply make it a scaled down (physically) version of the upcoming new 15"?
rhoge: Your question shows that you've done quite a bit of reading. So you should definitely not be put off by DaveGee's rant.
Right now, the 12-inch PowerBook is indeed Apple's "bargain-basement PB", as you call it. It has a small cache, the same paltry max RAM as the iBook, no DVI-out, etc. IMO, there are only three things that make the 12-incher a PowerBook right now: the G4, the metal case, and the slot-loading optical drive (including SuperDrive option). [Edit: I forgot to add monitor-spanning and higher-than-internal-res mirroring as a Power-feature. That's one of the main reasons why I want to replace my iBook with a 12-inch PowerBook.]
My personal hope, however, is that the Rev.B 12-inch PowerBook will indeed be a physically scaled down version of the 15-inch. In other words, I want 1GB RAM, DVI-out and cache. And I'd be willing to pay for it. IMO, there's a good chance that the iBook will get quite a bit more powerful in the next six months. This might leave room for the 12-inch PowerBook to gain more PowerBook features. On the other hand, Apple might think that nobody in their right mind would want a 15-inch PB in a 12-inch case, and stick with the slightly dumbed down 12-inch PB. That's probably the more realistic scenario, but I don't know.
So realistically, I think Apple will keep the 12-inch PowerBook where they launched it, namely right between the iBook and the 15-inch PowerBook: definitely more powerful and feature-laden than the iBook, but not quite as powerful as the 15-inch PowerBook. Either way, I think I'm ready to buy the Rev.B 12-inch PowerBook when it comes out.
Escher
Never Mind
D feeling very very silly...
For anyone who is interested in the topic at hand, here is a link to a thread at Macnn: http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...hreadid=158126
It seems that there are rumors of a late May update or a Fall update. I find May to be unlikely since the 15" is much more in need of a bump.
So, maybe I will wait couple of weeks.
Originally posted by Matsu
The update will come in the fall -- at or after MWNY -- depending on when the 970 PM's get out the door. There are 2 priorities ahead of it. The PM's and the 15". And because the 15 won't get touched untill the 17 can also get a bump, make that three models in the cue before the PB12. Look for .13u G4's w/512KB L2, and incremntal bumps to the battery, HDD, and standard RAM.
I would guess AT Creative whatever...
Motorola is going to die a quick death as far as Apple is concerned. Betcha....
How do I know? Its because I said screw it and picked up a 12" at the Tyson's Apple store last night. LOL.
That is total BS. I suppose it could be some driver issue with the graphics card, but I don't think so. Whatever, Apple needs to fix it.
I'd wait to get the new updated version. Surely it will have a better cache.
Can you take your new one back?
hah!
Originally posted by WelshDog
The cache thing completely bites hard cheese. I ran Deimos Rising on a brand new iBook at work and it played flawlessly. Put the same game on my 12" and it drops frames and stutters.
[cough]**bullshit**[/cough]
It is a great machine and I'm glad I bought it. I am planning on getting a 970 when they come out so, I didn't want to pay for a Desktop replacement. This is perfect for me.
Anyways, now that I've dropped the cash you can expect an update in short order.
Originally posted by Matsu
[cough]**bullshit**[/cough]
Um, that was't really called for now was it?
I installed the game and it played poorly. What part of my verbage don't you understand?