But if you consider that this is "The Year of the Notebook" - wouldn't you expect Apple to have bigger plans for the iBook than just a speed bump/price decrease.</strong><hr></blockquote>
The iBook is in a strange place now. It can't have more than 32 MB of VRAM, because that would exceed the 12" PB. It can't have a 1 ghz processor, because that is faster then the mini PB.
I'm talking about "when" they change it, not what they'll do next. Next comes minor bumps/refinements, at least for most and probably all of 2003. However, The Book is competing against 14/15" laptops at the same price. For now it's OK, but the 14" option must come down in price. When it does, why have a 12 if a redesign gets the 14 down to nearly the same size. Not this year though.
I don't know...a minibook (small iBook, not small PB) would be nice on two conditions: It doesn't cost a billion bucks, and that it doesn't drop too many features. Yes I do want one!
<strong>The next iBooks should be real subnotebooks with 7" or 9" extrawide screens.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Ooh. Me likey. Bring on the sub-iBook! I love my iBook (Dual USB). The 12-inch PowerBook is even better. But I still want something much smaller and lighter.
I was kinda fantasizing about (among other things...) a cool 13" or 14" widescreen iBook. I mocked one up at actual size, with a 13" screen at the 16:10 ratio and I think it would be pretty cute.
G4 or not, I'm selling this LCD iMac and jumping on the next iBook update, no matter what. I HATE being chained to this damn desk and only listening to my music and using Illustrator, Safari and Mail while at home. I want it with me, 24/7.
<strong>The iBook is in a strange place now. It can't have more than 32 MB of VRAM, because that would exceed the 12" PB. It can't have a 1 ghz processor, because that is faster then the mini PB.</strong><hr></blockquote>
with the current introductions in mind we can expect a speedbumped 12"pb when they bump the ibook or introduce a new model of it. but that wouldn't be before the 17"pb (metaforically) hits the street and the introduction of the 15"pb. so not before april 2003.
We have received information from one of our plastic products manufacturing sources telling us that the "small, white plastic housing" reported here earlier as being prepared for production tooling for an unknown Apple product is "about five by seven by one inch in size."
The problem is not with slot loaders it is just with the one fitted to your machine. The slot loading drive in my iMac 450 DV+ accepts both sized CD's without any problems. It was designed that way.
Only because it's the cheapest. People in the iBooks target market would buy the 14 if it didn't cost 300 more. Put two identical iBooks in front of people, same spec and SAME PRICE, and 2/3rds would choose the 14". It isn't a product for the road warrior segment, it just landed there by accident.
<strong>Only because it's the cheapest. People in the iBooks target market would buy the 14 if it didn't cost 300 more. Put two identical iBooks in front of people, same spec and SAME PRICE, and 2/3rds would choose the 14". It isn't a product for the road warrior segment, it just landed there by accident.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I hate the 14 inch. you gain nothing! the 12 has the exact same resolution. everytime i use my best friend's 14inch i get so pissed at the frickin resolution that i want to throw it out a window. (well, i want to have better resolution, at least) i absolutely hate going from my crisp 1280 x 1024 CRT to her 1024x768 lcd.. everything looks fuzzy cause the pixels are so big. when i buy an ibook, i am definitely getting the 12 inch unless apple makes something more attractive (i don't need all the power of the mini pb)
Apple seems to be painting themselves into a corner with the 17" PowerBook situation. By the time it's finally released (if ever), it'll already need to be updated! I suspect the 15" PowerBook and the iBook will need an update sometime within the next couple months, but neither one has much room to move with the new PowerBooks in the way. The 15" PowerBook might go all-GHz, with a new aluminium case, FireWire 800, Airport Extreme, Bluetooth, and an option of either a combo or a super drive, but it can't go above 1 GHz because the 17" PowerBook is blocking it off.
Similarly, the iBook is being restricted by the 12" PowerBook. It can't go G4 yet unless it just stays at the same clockspeed and configuration with the G4 vs. G3 being the only difference. Or it could stay G3, and get another measley 100 MHz speed bump like all the previous revisions. I think Apple is willing to make the high-end iBook faster in clock speed than the low-end PowerBook, they've done it before. Besides, there's already other factors that give the advantage to the PowerBook, like the G4, and the optional Superdrive, etc.
Hopefully the iMacs will be updated sometime before 2004 <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />
Comments
<strong>
But if you consider that this is "The Year of the Notebook" - wouldn't you expect Apple to have bigger plans for the iBook than just a speed bump/price decrease.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I don't think it's "The Year of the Notebook."
<strong>I keep wondering if the new iBook will be some radical departure from the current design.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Meaning they'd go back to the horrendous clamshell with lovely blue and orange accent design.
<strong>
I could see the elimination of the 12" iBook since the 12" PowerBook now fills the role of a 12" LAPTOP.
The next iBooks should be real subnotebooks with 7" or 9" extrawide screens.</strong><hr></blockquote>
ooooo, that would be cool!
<strong>The next iBooks should be real subnotebooks with 7" or 9" extrawide screens.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Ooh. Me likey. Bring on the sub-iBook! I love my iBook (Dual USB). The 12-inch PowerBook is even better. But I still want something much smaller and lighter.
Escher
G4 or not, I'm selling this LCD iMac and jumping on the next iBook update, no matter what. I HATE being chained to this damn desk and only listening to my music and using Illustrator, Safari and Mail while at home. I want it with me, 24/7.
<strong>The iBook is in a strange place now. It can't have more than 32 MB of VRAM, because that would exceed the 12" PB. It can't have a 1 ghz processor, because that is faster then the mini PB.</strong><hr></blockquote>
with the current introductions in mind we can expect a speedbumped 12"pb when they bump the ibook or introduce a new model of it. but that wouldn't be before the 17"pb (metaforically) hits the street and the introduction of the 15"pb. so not before april 2003.
maybe mwny03.
We have received information from one of our plastic products manufacturing sources telling us that the "small, white plastic housing" reported here earlier as being prepared for production tooling for an unknown Apple product is "about five by seven by one inch in size."
Sounds like a subnotebook to me!
<strong>Regarding the 7" subnotebook... [snip]...Sounds like a subnotebook to me!</strong><hr></blockquote>
sounds like a tablet to me
NOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
I HATE my slot loader!!!!!!!!!! That's $50 down the drain on mini CDs. I love them and made lots with my iBook. Sloat loaders are SO STUPID!
<strong>I could see the elimination of the 12" iBook ...</strong><hr></blockquote>
that would be worst, because the iBook 12" is the most successfull product apple ever launched.
- best inds. design
- portable
- best bang for buck
but time will tell us...
best
<strong>Only because it's the cheapest. People in the iBooks target market would buy the 14 if it didn't cost 300 more. Put two identical iBooks in front of people, same spec and SAME PRICE, and 2/3rds would choose the 14". It isn't a product for the road warrior segment, it just landed there by accident.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I hate the 14 inch. you gain nothing! the 12 has the exact same resolution. everytime i use my best friend's 14inch i get so pissed at the frickin resolution that i want to throw it out a window. (well, i want to have better resolution, at least) i absolutely hate going from my crisp 1280 x 1024 CRT to her 1024x768 lcd.. everything looks fuzzy cause the pixels are so big. when i buy an ibook, i am definitely getting the 12 inch unless apple makes something more attractive (i don't need all the power of the mini pb)
[ 03-05-2003: Message edited by: gsfmark ]</p>
Similarly, the iBook is being restricted by the 12" PowerBook. It can't go G4 yet unless it just stays at the same clockspeed and configuration with the G4 vs. G3 being the only difference. Or it could stay G3, and get another measley 100 MHz speed bump like all the previous revisions. I think Apple is willing to make the high-end iBook faster in clock speed than the low-end PowerBook, they've done it before. Besides, there's already other factors that give the advantage to the PowerBook, like the G4, and the optional Superdrive, etc.
Hopefully the iMacs will be updated sometime before 2004 <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />