Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

New iBooks 'Any Day Now'

Posted by timothy on from the rumorous-is-putting-it-mildly dept.

teewurstmann writes "Thinksecret reports that 'sources have confirmed that Apple's consumer laptop will receive a long overdue refresh very soon, possibly as early as this week.' They speculate that the new iBooks might have a widescreen display. I sure hope they are right! I've been waiting to buy one of those suckers for half a year now!"

9 of 360 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Why? by adamjaskie · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Because it has already been 9 months or so since the last update of the iBook, and Mactels aren't due until 2006. They need something fresh on the market for back to school.

    --
    /usr/games/fortune
  2. Re:Consumer laptop by ettlz · · Score: 5, Funny
    Consumer laptop? Who's their other line made for?
    Florists.
  3. Re:Cool ... but the real question is ... by squiggleslash · · Score: 5, Funny
    I have it on good authority that Apple is going to pull a rabbit out from their hat. They're actually going to put hither-to unannounced 2GHz Motorola 68060s in this one. Apparently, Apple has had OS X running on '060s, Pentiums, and PowerPCs over the last few years. But that's not all.

    In August, they'll be announcing the new range of PowerBooks. These will be powered by 2.5GHz ARM CPUs. And in September, the new Xserve 65816s will be launched, running the latest generation 6502s. SPARC based iMacs will follow in November.

    Finally, in January, you'll see the first Intel based Mac. While some will consider a 4.77MHz 8088* a little slow in today's computing environment, there's little doubt that the power savings alone will make the switchover worthwhile.

    * Note, selected models will feature the NEC V20, depending on availability and demand.

    --
    You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
  4. Re:Better screens by Peter+Cooper · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I agree.

    I think Apple's screen quality is surrounded in a lot of hype. I'm a real Mac die-hard these days, but I don't think the screens live up to what I've heard. I remember people claiming the iBook and PowerBook screens were amazingly "bright and crisp". Okay, the color accuracy is amazing, but bright? My iBook is not particularly bright at full brightness, and neither are any of the PowerBooks I've looked after or worked on. Put it this way, my father's Acer (avoid with a barge pole) has a much brighter and crisper screen than any Apple notebook I've seen. Even better are those Sony glare-free "coated" TFTs, which have insanely bright and vivid colors.

  5. Re:Consumer laptop by generic-man · · Score: 5, Interesting

    "Prosumers." You know, people who think they have to spend $600 more to get features like dual-monitor support that Apple cripples out of the iBook*.

    (Posted from a 12" PowerBook)

    * Apparently you have to hack an iBook to get its graphics card to do something it was built to do.

    --
    For more information, click here.
  6. gimme SXGA+ or more by xeno · · Score: 5, Informative

    I understand the desire for consistency in display pitch, but Apple seems stuck on the idea that no one wants a small hires display. After using a Thinkpad with a 14 inch SXGA+ (1400x1050) and a Zaurus with 640x480 on a 3.7 inch display for a couple of years, the usual 15-in XGA seems positively clunky. Hell, the Dell D800 my new employer gave me seems ridiculous -- who the hell wants to lug around a monster 8-lb 17-in screen and get only a wXGA display? Surely the market will support an iBook or PowerBook with a hires (SXGA on 12-14 or UXGA on 15-17in) display.

    And no, I do not have extraordinary eyesight -- I wear glasses. It's just a matter of seeing more = more work done faster, and I don't think that's uncommon for mobile computer users.

    --
    I think not...(*poof*)
  7. Because... by Really+Wannabe+Geek · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Experts agree that the best type of computer for your individual needs is one that comes on the market about two days after you actually purchase some other computer."
    --Dave Barry

  8. Would be unusual to upgrade before back-to-school. by alexhmit01 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Apple has "historically" (the last 2-3 years) done upgrades AFTER major buying times. Instead of getting a new model out for "back-to-school" shopping, they run "extra RAM" or other promotions for back-to-school folks to think that they are getting a good deal, sell out their existing inventory at basically full price with the shopping season (schools upgrade labs, parents buy kids computers, etc), then roll out new computers in October... It's annoying, but smart business... Most schools/universities turn over their fiscal year in either August, September, or October, to either roll the school year into one (September), or basically do that but not being trying to do year close-outs during the transition (hence August/October).

    That means if they have money left in the budget to spend on the year, they buy the soon-to-be-closed out models at full price, then Apple starts a separate buying frenzy soon after.

    For that reason, iPods tend NOT to get upgraded in late October (announce, ship in November) (in time for Christmas shopping, they get upgraded in January).

    It's a margin maximizing move.

    Now, with Apple's increased market (37% year-to-year increase in Computers, with US Marketshare at 4.5% last quarter), they may have just sold their inventory, so rather than making an old computer, they announce an upgrade and sell it... as I'd imagine as Freescale improves processors, there is no price break on the older ones, so Apple will upgrade, but we shall see.

    Alex

  9. Re:Lighter? by Matey-O · · Score: 5, Funny

    Buy a 5 lb. laptop and lose 4 lbs. of weight.

    --
    "Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus."