Slashdot Mirror


Apple Releases New PowerBook and the eMac

Martin Kallisti writes "Apple has released new PowerBook models whose improvements include faster processors (up to 800MHz), better resolution, 1MB of L3 cache and 32MB of video memory. Also, a new computer looking much like the old iMacs, called the eMac, has seen the light of day. It's primarily targeted at the education market, and boasts a 700MHz G4 processor and a flat 17" monitor. " As Troc pointed out in another submission, the eMac will be available only to profs/teachers, students and higher education institutions.

15 of 637 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Education only!? by fraserspeirs · · Score: 5, Informative

    The point is that it's a machine designed specifically for education. It has some features and options that consumers don't really want.

    One case in point is the CD-ROM only option. Schools like this for security reasons, but who wants to buy a CD-ROM only machine for personal use?

    When he introduced the new iMac, Jobs said that they had listened to consumers top 3 requests - Flat Screen, G3 and Superdrive.

    The thing about the flat screen is a bit of a killer in education for two reasons - primarly cost, and secondly durability. Schools want the G4 power, but not the extra hassle of the LCD iMac . I'm an admin for a school, and we're certainly leery of the potential for the arm getting busted.

    I think the point of edu-only is to give schools what they want and need, without complicating the product line for the general public. I mean, how do explain the differences between the eMac and the basic iMac?

  2. Re:Doh by troc · · Score: 3, Informative

    You are confusing your iBooks with your PowerBooks ;)

    The iBook is still around 1200 as before and the PowerBook is still around 2200 as before but the PowerBook is now a bit faster (and has better graphics etc etc....)

    --
    Troc's dubious podcast and blog: http://www.trocnet.net
  3. Only while supplies are low by DABANSHEE · · Score: 5, Informative

    You see Apple has large Education Dept & university/tech/college contracts.

    This is for them.

    But once supplies get into gear, & the price for that spec starts to decrease, they'll open sales for them to the general public, you watch.

    The way it will work is that large contracts with Education Dept & universities/techs/colleges will get 1st go.

    Then Education staff will be able to by them from the collage Apple shop or through college book & supply shops.

    Then it will be anyone with a student card buying from the collage Apple shop or through college book & supply shops.

    Then they'l be sold in public stores but only to Education institions, education staff & people with student cards.

    Finally when they have gone through all this routine over about 6 months & if supplies stock up a bit, then they'll be released for general sale.

    That's the way its occured here where I am, in the past when Apple has released 'education only' products.

  4. Re:Font change by d0n+quix0te · · Score: 4, Informative

    No the font is Myriad, which is similar to Frutiger but different. I tried both fonts and Myriad is the exact match!

    Adobe also seems to love this font...

  5. Re:The eMac still isn't ergonomic by Riskable · · Score: 5, Informative

    Actually (from the Apple website)...

    Five screen resolutions:
    640 by 480 pixels at 138 Hz
    800 by 600 pixels at 112 Hz
    1024 by 768 pixels at 89 Hz
    1152 by 864 pixels at 80 Hz
    1280 by 960 pixels at 72 Hz


    The eMac has a 17 inch display. Who the hell is going to run that thing at 1280x960!?! I'm sure your eyes would be just fine running at the recommended resolution of 1024x768 @89 Hz.

    The actual range of the human eye for refresh rate is somewhere around 60-72 Hz anyway. So even if you do run at that way-too-big-for-this-screen resolution, you're still at the top of the spectrum.

    Unless you're some sort of X-mutated cyclopse with a high-refresh eye, you'll be fine.

    --
    -Riskable
    "Those who choose proprietary software will pay for their decision!"
  6. Re:Education only!? by Alan+Partridge · · Score: 3, Informative

    "Apple charge 2-3 times US prices outside the States"

    That is a flat-out lie. Apple actually charge something like a 5-10% on top outside the US. An example is the iPod $399 (before tax) in the USA, £349 (279 before tax) in the UK. According to www.ft.com, that makes the before tax UK price equivalent to $406. There's a surcharge there for sure, but it's not a large one. I don't work for Apple but your post is plain misinformation and FUD.

    --
    That was classic intercourse!
  7. Re:Font change by rbeattie · · Score: 3, Informative

    I don't have either font, but here's the links to the Adobe font pages.

    Frutiger
    and
    Myriad MM

    -Russ

    --
    Me
  8. Re: Actually I prefer the existing VGA connector by awharnly · · Score: 5, Informative

    That's a very tough problem. I wonder what you can do about it?

    One idea would be to use the included DVI->VGA adaptor.

  9. Re:Compare old Powerbooks with the new by analog_line · · Score: 5, Informative

    Informative my fat white ass.

    If you actually look at the pages, what is now the low end was the high end model before this announcement, and is now $500 cheaper. The old 550mhz G4 laptops are no longer available from the Apple Store anymore. The new options are more expensive than what used to be on there, but they're better. Materials didn't magically start costing less.

  10. Re:Compare old Powerbooks with the new by popeyethesailor · · Score: 3, Informative

    You mean the price for the older configuration has come down..

    667mHz was around ~3000, now its around 2500..
    Depends on which way you look at it mate :)

  11. Same size by axlrosen · · Score: 5, Informative

    Pretty cool, the 17" CRT eMac is the same depth as the 15" CRT iMac (17.1 inches), and only .8 inches taller and wider. That's pretty impressive.

    http://www.apple.com/education/emac/specs.html
    http://www.apple.com/imac/g3/specs.html

    (For some reason in the marketing description they say it's 8mm shorter, not sure why.)

  12. The Quake test by kruczkowski · · Score: 3, Informative

    "3D games push the graphics processing unit harder than any other application. And of these 3D games, Quake performance has come to be the benchmark against which all graphics processors are measured. So you'll be pleased to hear that when playing the Quake III Arena version 1.30, in millions of colors, at 1024x768 resolution, the 800MHz PowerBook G4 blazes away at a scorching 68 frames per second.*

    * Higher frame rates indicate better performance. Tests conducted by Apple."

    --
    hmm... for fun I enjoy launching DDoS attacks against 127.87.42.5
  13. Re:Yes, but... by stripes · · Score: 3, Informative
    It runs OS X; who knows, it might already be part of the default install.

    Hmmmm...
    $ uname -a
    Darwin
    [...] 5.4 Darwin Kernel Version 5.4: Wed Apr 10 09:27:47 PDT 2002; root:xnu/xnu-201.19.3.obj~1/RELEASE_PPC Power Macintosh powerpc
    $ which emacs
    /usr/bin/emacs

    Seems to have it, vi is a bit more my style though (it's too bad OSX doesn't also have w3m...). Even has ssh, and ssd (and a click box to turn it on).

  14. Re:AIX on PowerPC by saintlupus · · Score: 3, Informative

    I wonder if the new Apple PowerPC's can run the POWERPC version of AIX?

    No. It's a fairly different chip. The only Apples that ever ran AIX were the short-lived Apple Network Servers, which shipped with it.

    --saint

  15. Re:Dandy for the home by dhamsaic · · Score: 3, Informative

    If you had spent any time with the new iMacs you would know that there's no way in hell a 3 year old could break that "neck". It's just not happening.

    That having been said, the eMac is nice because it boasts a larger screen, which is good for the kiddies.

    That having been said, it's harder to adjust the eMac's viewing angle than it is the iMac's, so you may need to purchase some booster seats.

    All in all, I think the iMac is better for kids, but that's my personal opinion. I think it suits them better. YMMV, of course.

    Good luck with picking out the right one (I'd recommend going to an Apple store or another Apple reseller to play with them first).

    --
    Every once in a while I like to masturbate a new word into my vocabulary, even if I don't know what it means.