Special Edition G4 iBook @ Macworld
I saw somewhere that this was going to happen next month. What does everyone think? The rumor also said it would be the 14" version, which in my opinion would be a huge mistake. If you wanted a big sceen, buy a G4 Powerbook! 
[ 06-12-2002: Message edited by: Donavan ]</p>
Comments
Maybe that could be the "oh yeah, one more thing..." at MWNY?
"We've worked very hard to bring the G4 to the consumer, starting with the gorgeous flat panel iMac introduced in January; and more recently in the eMac. Today, we're happy to announce that our entire product grid is now G4-based. Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce to you the iBook G4..."
(massive cheering and high-fives...)
THAT would be cool, because I know someone right now who is in quite a G4 PowerBook vs. G3 iBook pickle. She needs to hold off for 30 more days, just in case.
By using a 14" screen in a LE PowerBook they could reduce the footprint and (maybe) the weight a slight bit. However, it would be extremely complicated to shrink the already extremely well packed components in the TiBook even more and also, the SXGA screen might produce more heat and would perhaps suck more power than the 15.2"...not sure about that though, probably depends on what screen they use.
Oh well. The TiBook is a winner as it is.
Exactly! But unfortunately the iBook isn't...
One thing to point out: If Apple does have the G5 released at Macworld the perception of the G3 iBook is not going to be good. The G3 will have a big gap between the G5.
So if the G5 is released, there will be a good chance the G4 iBook will become reality!
Consider this: The G4 can produce a lot of heat, so they might have problems including it into a reduced size TiBook of 1-inch; whereas they maybe able to thicken the frame to resemble the iBook but preserve the overall Ti look?
I'm also not sure if they could use the existing architecture in the iBook to just be able to stick a G4 processor in it.
While you've read the rumors about the iBook going G4 from somewhere, I read rumors awhile back that they were going to stick a SuperDrive in the PowerBook and in order to make this happen they had to increase the thickness. I believe there were even pictures of a supposed test unit with the PowerBook G4 superdrive requiring a pop out drawer instead of a slot loader.
Some I think when we discuss ditching the iBook 14-incher - this is a real possibility - replaced by an amalgam of features from both the iBook and PowerBook to finally produce a "prosumer" portable in the midrange arena.
[ 06-12-2002: Message edited by: Dave Hagan ]</p>
The iBook needs a major overhaul for a G4.
A 66mzh bus would negate the whole purpose of putting a G4 in it. Needs to be at least a 100mzh. That means new logic board.
Besides, they were just speed rev'd and with the way Apple builds their machines it just won't happen until the next full rev.(Sept/Oct)
[quote]by pscates
THAT would be cool, because I know someone right now who is in quite a G4 PowerBook vs. G3 iBook pickle. She needs to hold off for 30 more days, just in case.
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And the last thing Apple is gonna do is minimize the distance between the iBook and TiBook. Particularly for this very reason. It would drain high margin pofits that the Ti units bring. Ti Powerbooks will rev again before iBooks do.
zaz
Would a G4 iBook cannibalize (is that the right word?) TiBook sales? I don't know. I wonder how much - if at all - the LCD iMac and the eMac bite into Power Mac G4 sales.
There's probably enough difference between the two (larger, wider screen, better graphics, higher resolution, more video/output options, higher MHz, faster bus, etc. on the Titanium PowerBook) to still keep the line separate.
For lots of people, it'll still come down to money. If they can get a $1400 iBook for school or whatever, they're not the people who were gunning for a $3000 PowerBook anyway.
Maybe if Apple kept the G4 iBooks at 600MHz (except for the high end model being 700MHz, just so they're not going "backwards" and clocking speeds DOWN within a revision).
I never cared about a G4 until I got one in my new iMac. iTunes freak that I am, encoding all my CDs is dramatically faster than on my old iMac DV. And OS X just feels snappier and more "there". Granted, I also jumped from 400MHz to 800MHz, but still...
I think a G4 iBook is only a good thing. If nothing else, it'll help force the PowerBook up in speed/specs in the near future, just to keep some distance.
I think Apple would be happy to have their entire line at G4 and selling briskly and more than capable of handling it's new "next generation" OS.
I believe the 'G5' is still way off, but a 'G4e' is coming to a powermac and powerbook near you. 10 stage pipeline, more execution units, 512KB L2 cache at 256 bits wide on a 256-bit reload bus, smaller die size and much higher clock speeds is on the way.
Expect a high-clocked one in a powermac, and a lower-clock one in a PBG4, and THEN the iBook will slowly migrate to G4.
This is all conjecture.
Then, as soon as that's over and they can stretch the TiBook a little higher, the whole line can go G4 and there will be no worries.
And of course, that means dumping the stupid and overpriced 14" iBook which guaranteeably has lax sales.
[ 06-12-2002: Message edited by: bradbower ]</p>
<strong>"Oh well. The TiBook is a winner as it is."
Exactly! But unfortunately the iBook isn't...
</strong><hr></blockquote>
Huh? I like my iBook JUST fine. It is (generally) fast enough for everything I do. Tiny (I love how small and light it is...no more weight-lifting regime!) I'd say the iBook (especially w/recent speed bump) is probably fine. I could imagine a higher resolution 14" version (I see no point of the same resolution only a larger screen). Perhaps a slot-loading drive. They've already addressed the video/graphics chip issue with the latest rev.
Gotta remember the target market for the iBook. (which I am NOT BTW...but am using it every day to do software development!)
July new lineup
PM 1, 1.2, dual 1.2 GHz
iMac .8, .9, 1 GHz
Powerbook .8, .9, 1 GHz
iBook G3 .7, .8 GHz
iBook G4 .8 GHz
<strong>Maybe if Apple kept the G4 iBooks at 600MHz (except for the high end model being 700MHz, just so they're not going "backwards" and clocking speeds DOWN within a revision).
</strong><hr></blockquote>
That's exactly what I think they should do. But somehow I don't think it'll happen soon. Apple seem to take baby steps when it comes to laptop upgrades. Granted, this has a lot to do with what Motorola has.
I actually hope they don't do away the 14" iBook. There needs to be that middle ground.
Unless you just have one at 13.3" and get rid of both the 12 and 14 inch models.
But yes, the 14" as it stands, needs a better screen res. Perhaps if only the 14" is given a G4 chip, that may spark some interest in it.
<strong>Won't happen.
The iBook needs a major overhaul for a G4.
A 66mzh bus would negate the whole purpose of putting a G4 in it. Needs to be at least a 100mzh. That means new logic board.
Besides, they were just speed rev'd and with the way Apple builds their machines it just won't happen until the next full rev.(Sept/Oct)
And the last thing Apple is gonna do is minimize the distance between the iBook and TiBook. Particularly for this very reason. It would drain high margin pofits that the Ti units bring. Ti Powerbooks will rev again before iBooks do.
zaz</strong><hr></blockquote>
ibook has 100mhz bus since the 600.
Gotta remember the target market for the iBook. (which I am NOT BTW...but am using it every day to do software development!)"
Don't get me wrong, I love the iBook too! The 12" more than the 14". As for target consumers look at the desktop format. The iBook I would compare to the eMac or lower CRT iMacs. Then you have the PowerMac G4 which compares to the Powerbook G4. So what about the target consumer for the New iMac LCD??? This isn't a entry user, or a pro. It's someone right in the middle. There is a definate market for a G4 iBook! Don't tell me there isn't a market for this. Look at this way. When Apple first released the iBook it was only available in CD, DVD, and CD-RW. The Combo was special order only. Apple assumed that it wasn't needed. After the strong demand they changed it to CD, DVD, and Combo and made the CD-RW a special order. Currently the CD and Combo are only available. That combo user is that middle consumer wanting more than the basic iBook, but not as much as the PBG4. Just like the LCD iMac.
That Combo user would love to have a G4 in their iBook. Doesn't everyone agree? Just my personal 2 cents.
[ 06-12-2002: Message edited by: Donavan ]
[ 06-12-2002: Message edited by: Donavan ]</p>
please help! thoughts?
<img src="confused.gif" border="0">
LCD's are going to get a LOT CHEAPER by this time next year. I'd like to see how Apple justifies its prices then? Hopefully a superdrive TiBook with a half-way competent PPC+GPU (for this time next year, that is.)
[ 06-12-2002: Message edited by: Matsu ]</p>
<strong>ok hi all. this is my conundrum. I HAD an iBook 600/384/20/COMBO...which i sold to someone for 1400, with the hope that i would buy the new 700 mhz combo with a 40GB HD. i did it cause i wanted more speed and a bigger hd. then a friend of mine told me that he may be able to help me get a good deal on the tibooks through his company. so now as i was ready to buy an 800mhz tibook, i'm afraid of apple releasing a new version. I'm going to buy one regardless, i just don't know if i should wait till after macworld or buy it now?!?
please help! thoughts?
I'm in the same boat as you are. I'm going to wait (it's less than a month away). No one knows what Apple is going to release and I know I'd be real mad if I dropped 4 grand (CDN) on a powerbook and Apple releases an iBook with better specs for cheaper in less than 20 days.
Wait and see with me.
Matsu: Are you suggesting he waits a year for a new computer? The dude just said he already sold his current one!