New iBooks/PowerBooks soon?

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Just a little conspiracy theory for you all. Anyone notice that both the iBook and PowerBook lost the "new" icon at the Apple Store today? Hmmmm...
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 21
    jasonppjasonpp Posts: 308member
    I wish it was that easy!



    I can see an update soon. Bluetooth would be great to integrate.. but I've heard bluetooth might be coming to airport 2 in 2003...



    the powerbook is amazing right now. All that's needed is a spec update, bluetooth and superdrive to make it super amazing.
  • Reply 2 of 21
    jeff79mjeff79m Posts: 37member
    Bluetooth, why is it that half of Jaguar likes Bluetooth but no mac ships with Bluetooth and Apple doesn't even sell a Bluetooth adapter. Why? Why? Why?
  • Reply 3 of 21
    amorphamorph Posts: 7,112member
    Apple has started taking orders for the D-Link adapter again.
  • Reply 4 of 21
    max8319max8319 Posts: 347member
    i predict there will be an apple event in mid-august where the powermacs will be updated. either then or soon after:



    -1 ghz imacs (only on the 17" widescreen model; everything else would be 933 or 867)

    -ibooks reach 800 mhz (still G3)

    -powerbooks will reach ghz, with DDR

    -emacs stay at 700 mhz; now the combo drive model doesn't conflict with the imac



    these are my reasonable predictions that i hope come to pass. if they don't, i don't particullary mind becuase I HAVE NO MONEY
  • Reply 5 of 21
    macxusrmacxusr Posts: 31member
    i hope so!! i am thinking by back-to-school time we may see some new iBooks and PowerBooks. I sincerely hope they will include bluetooth and a hardware solution to Ink. Once Jag is pre-installed it will be nice to have hardware that compliments all the new features in 10.2



    I also hope at this time they move iBook to G4 but something tells me they will not, despite the OS is optimized for it and a lot of other programs. also, anyone else catch that Quartz Extreme only need 16MB now.......
  • Reply 6 of 21
    blackcatblackcat Posts: 697member
    Anybody know if nForce2 can be used in a laptop? (I mean a real laptop, not a desktop replacement that needs a direct link to the national grid).



    Could we see a 1Ghz nForce2 based Powerbook anytime soon?



    Edit: Grammer!



    [ 07-18-2002: Message edited by: Blackcat ]</p>
  • Reply 7 of 21
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    [quote]Originally posted by jeff79m:

    <strong>Bluetooth, why is it that half of Jaguar likes Bluetooth but no mac ships with Bluetooth and Apple doesn't even sell a Bluetooth adapter. Why? Why? Why?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you. You see, I know things... like conspicious movie quotes... <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />
  • Reply 8 of 21
    I think Max's above predictions are good ones. Only thing I would want added to that is a superdrive Powerbook w/ better video card (Radeon 9000) but that will never ever happen on an August timeline. I also predict a tablet, something simple not these super complicated LCD-touchscreen-portable-garage door opener-serving dish-masseus table gizoms everyone is predicting, just an Apple branded tablet to complement Inkwell when released with Jag at the end of August.
  • Reply 9 of 21
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    Predicting a tablet might put you close to the truth...
  • Reply 10 of 21
    max8319max8319 Posts: 347member
    it's already a freikn' miracle we got the radeon 7000 (or 7500)....don't expect too much...the current radeon is perfectly fine



    and i don't expect to see a superdrive slot load drive that's approx. .75" thin ANYTIME soon. if/when apple get's it, that'll be fine. it's not exactly something that people are clamoring for like with the combo drive



    i'd actually like to see a FASTER combo drive that can write maybe 16x. i think that would be a lot more popular with people than the superdrive.
  • Reply 11 of 21
    animaniacanimaniac Posts: 122member
    Strange... the XServe still has the new icon... I would be ecstatic if they upgrade the laptops soon. Namely, before college starts &gt;.&lt;; I'm sick of my PC; I should have never switched...



    [ 07-19-2002: Message edited by: Animaniac ]</p>
  • Reply 12 of 21
    singensingen Posts: 14member
    I'm in a holding pattern on a new TiBook for more than a month now. I thought there might have been an upgrade announced at MWNY, or at least a price cut to spur sales, but alas.



    All my friends with "connections" (a dubious term at best) are telling me to hold my position as there will be something new and cool "very soon now".



    Personally, I want to get a nice laptop with at least a 1Gb processor, a superdrive, killer battery life and a nice screen. Bluetooth might be nice too.



    Arggh. The waiting is the hardest part. I will be way pissed if I buy a TiBook only to see a new, faster model released a week later.
  • Reply 13 of 21
    jerkjerk Posts: 8member
    [quote]Originally posted by jeff79m:

    <strong>Bluetooth, why is it that half of Jaguar likes Bluetooth but no mac ships with Bluetooth and Apple doesn't even sell a Bluetooth adapter. Why? Why? Why?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    There are plenty of USB Bluetooth adapters on the market, from some $50 and upwards. The apple Bluetooth driver is a generic HCI driver that accepts any compliant device (modulo bugs in apple's driver, which probably will be fixed, and bugs in the devices, that may get fixed). Several devices work today, search for it.



    Note that some of them, including the D-Link, don't have support for SCO - the synchronous protocol used for headsets and the like. Neither does apple's driver today, but maybe some day it will, or at least a third party could provide it, and then you could for example use your mac as a IP telephone with a bluetooth headset.



    [ 07-19-2002: Message edited by: jerk ]</p>
  • Reply 14 of 21
    [quote] Predicting a tablet might put you close to the truth... <hr></blockquote> you hinting at somin that we don't know Matsu?? Would you like to share with the class?
  • Reply 15 of 21
    escherescher Posts: 1,811member
    [quote]Originally posted by jerk:

    <strong>Note that some of them, including the D-Link, don't have support for SCO - the synchronous protocol used for headsets and the like... and then you could for example use your mac as a IP telephone with a bluetooth headset.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    That would kick major ass! I was originally very lukewarm about Bluetooth, mostly because it interfered with AirPort, but now I can't wait to see it built into all appliances in my house (incl. the Macs).



    Escher
  • Reply 16 of 21
    macgirlmacgirl Posts: 10member
    Has anyone looked at the Apple.com hardware page lately. The G4 Powerbook is not shown as one of the products in the grid on top. Who knows maybe it's a sign that they are coming soon to an Apple Store near us. (At least we can that they will be)
  • Reply 17 of 21
    macxusrmacxusr Posts: 31member
    i was thinking about it yesterday and this is all i really would like apple to build... is this asking too much??



    "rugged" like an iBook

    slot load combo from Ti

    a smaller widescreen (like 13.3 or something)

    bluetooth

    trackpad that doubles as an Inkwell tablet



    obvious specs

    G4

    40 or 60 GB

    min 256 memory

    16 or 32 mb radeon 7500

    airport



    and they can price it right between the iBook and Ti
  • Reply 18 of 21
    hotboxdhotboxd Posts: 125member
    and call it what, the eBook?



    Well if Apple really likes symmetry, they can move the iBook to something like you described above, and slot the eBook below it, with basically an updated iBook architecture w/ G3 and 12.1" screen. Then the model matrix would turn out something like this

    Desktop: eMac-consumer, iMac-prosumer, PowerMac-professional.

    Laptop: eBook-consumer etc.



    The only way Apple would be able to really target the prosumer with the iMac is if they at least made the graphics chip upgradeable, plus a 133mhz bus and maybe an upgradeable processor too. I really don't see why this would be so hard or bad. Whatever, it makes sense to me.



    [ 07-20-2002: Message edited by: hotboxd ]</p>
  • Reply 19 of 21
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    It doesn't look like PM prices will fall any time soon, so there is certainly room for another models between the top iBook and the bottom TiBook, even if the have to juggle the names a bit.



    A look at the desktop line-up shows a nice spread of prices from 799 to 2999 in pretty even increments, and a touch of overlap at the high-end where you can choose base on features or expansion (and in the not too distant future, speed). They could do the same with the laptop line.



    Personally, I suggest a DuoBook (with a hybrid iBook/TiBook look) kind of a powerbook neutered in reverse. No dual display, but higher res closed book operation. Sells between the iBook and PowerBook. Give the powerbooks DVD-r and you're set.



    iBooks: G3, 12/14", combo, XGA mirror only display ($1799 max)

    Duo: G4, 13.3" (1152x864), combo, closed book DVI-out operation above XGA (2099, one model)

    TiBooks: faster G4, 15.2 (1440x960) combo/superdrive, larger HDD, and full video spanning. (2499 and up, superdrives starting at 2999)



    They just need to bump the Ti a little more (faster G4, more res) to make some feature headroom for a middle line-up. Easy.
  • Reply 20 of 21
    escherescher Posts: 1,811member
    [quote]Originally posted by Matsu:

    <strong>Personally, I suggest a DuoBook (with a hybrid iBook/TiBook look) kind of a powerbook neutered in reverse. No dual display, but higher res closed book operation.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Matsu: When you said DuoBook, my heart jumped. But I pictured a 3 lbs sub-PowerBook with a Duo-style dock. My ideal 'Book has been the same for so many years...



    Escher
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