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Apple Updates PowerBooks
Tablespork writes "Apple this morning has updated the PowerBook G4. The new models feature 1.5 or 1.67 ghz processors, 8x superdrives, 512MB memory standard, Bluetooth 2.0, updated graphics cards, a sudden motion sensor, as well as a scrolling trackpad. Looks like we'll have to wait a little longer for the PowerBook G5."
What about articles about new HP or Dell notebooks? Where's all of the hoopla about those very useful systems? Oh, yeah, that's right Apple's are good and anything else is bad, good job on that elitism, jerks.
Why is that flamebait?
After all, how much more does one extra button cost?
MOD PARENT UP - Interesting
I get that the G4 is too slow to be considered a POWERbook.
I get that Apple does this to milk profits.
But i really hate the fanbois who say "But a G4 is fast enough for me".
Its just so freaking dumb. Particularly when you can get roughly the same power in a iBook.
These days, the only POWER in a Powerbook is the price. Its $1K too much. Apple: You'll get money from me for a new PB (I own a Pismo), but only when you drop the G4 and put in a G5. Welcome to 2002.
An iBook can do almost all that a powerbook can for less dinero. And for the same price as a new powerbook you could get 3 mac mini's and cluster away.
Get the Mini for free:
http://www.FreeMiniMacs.com/?r=13921027
Get a monitor to go with it:
http://www.FreeFlatScreens.com/?r=7558289
"The G4 for most people is a better trade off."
Maybe it is, but here's what Apple has to fix:
1) Triple the FSB speed. 167mhz is too slow.
2) Increase CPU speed. 1.5? Are you f'ing kidding me? That would be fine if PB's were $1600, but for the kind of money Apple wants for a PB, its too f'ing slow.
3) Battery life is awful. 2-2.5 hours? The competition has double this battery life.
4) Add a second mouse button. Yes, I know I can plug in an external mouse, but why should I spend $2.5K for a PB, and then have to work around a *BASIC* feature with an external mouse.
Yes, the G4 is... in theory... not a big deal. But Apple has made it a big deal because the G4 they use sucks, and its clear they don't want to redesign the motherboard.
You forgot this:
$1499 vs $999
It all comes down to whether the customer thinks these slight differences in specs are worth $500, ie. the price of a complete low-to-medium end PC.
And $1.5k for a 12" underpowered laptop is insane. $1k isn't exactly cheap either.
Don't want the first generation of an Apple product? Anybody remember the 1st batch of pentiums? Spend like $3k on a computer that is actually slower than a 486? Or the early PIIs when intel didn't realize you needed a decent heatsink. Those were good times. And MS is just too easy...