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Apple Planning Intel iBook Debut for January?

Posted by Zonk on from the apple-christmas dept.

axonis writes "Apple is planning to release its first entry-level iBook laptops with Intel processors next January at Macworld Expo in San Francisco, highly reliable sources have confirmed to Think Secret." From the article: "Apple will almost certainly tap Intel's forthcoming Yonah processor for the iBooks, a successor to the company's Pentium M. It is unknown whether Apple will go with a dual-core version of the processor, slated for release in January, or a single-core version, which Intel announced in August would be delivered shortly after the dual-core version. The dual-core Yonah chip could very likely deliver performance greater than Apple's current G4-based PowerBooks."

8 of 577 comments (clear)

  1. iBook = Mac Mini, no? by SamSeaborn · · Score: 4, Interesting
    My understanding is the iBook and the Mac Mini use the same components.

    Surely if Apple announces an Intel based iBook, an Intel based Mac Mini will be there too? Or will follow very shortly.

    Sam

    1. Re:iBook = Mac Mini, no? by nine-times · · Score: 4, Interesting
      My understanding is the iBook and the Mac Mini use the same components.

      Surely if Apple announces an Intel based iBook, an Intel based Mac Mini will be there too? Or will follow very shortly.

      Minis are closer to Powerbooks, but either way, it raises a question for me. The Mac mini, PowerBooks, and iBooks all use similar components. If the switch to Intel is going to allow Apple to make their laptops thinner, lighter, more power-efficient, and more powerful, wouldn't it be a mistake to upgrade iBooks without upgrading PowerBooks? Otherwise, you'd probably end up with iBooks (the budget model) that were better than PowerBooks (the high-end).

      Also, if the Intel iBooks are really that great, and the price drops a couple hundred dollars (which has been reported), then wouldn't it start to cut into the Mini's market? I mean, is it worth getting the Mini for $700 when you can get a much better computer, in laptop form, for $800?

      So, if I were Apple, I don't think I'd let there be much of a delay between the release of Intel iBooks and the Intel PowerBooks/Minis. If I didn't do it all at the same time, I wouldn't be planning to sell many PowerPC models during the lag.

  2. Greater performance than current G4? by timeOday · · Score: 4, Interesting

    "Greater than current G4" isn't setting the bar very high, especially if they go with the dual core chip (which would certainly be nice). I hesitate to risk a flamewar by asserting that current Pentium-M's are already a lot faster than the G4, but they are, so I will.

  3. I want to see... by AugstWest · · Score: 5, Interesting

    ...how they implement the instant-on stuff. None of this "hibernation" crap, when I open my powerbook, I start working. Done and done.

    And it it can be easily implemented on Intel arch, why hasn't it been done?

  4. Is the G4 really that good? by superid · · Score: 4, Interesting
    "The dual-core Yonah chip could very likely deliver performance greater than Apple's current G4-based PowerBooks"

    So a dual core new offering might be as good as a 2+ year old G4??

    Is the Pentium M really that bad? Is the G4 really THAT good?

  5. A prediction by dgrgich · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I'm ECSTATIC about this news - as long as the rumored ability to dual-boot Windows XP is a reality.

    I can easily justify the purchase of an iBook as a desktop replacement for my boss if the cost stays at around $1000. For this price, he'd be "buying" my current system as a replacement/"new" PC for others in the company as well as a portable system for me to use at home. However, this is only feasible in my environment if the machine can dual-boot Windows. I am a current Mac user and will be able to use OS X for its UNIX-y goodness but will have to fight Redmond's best minds from time to time as I use several tools that are only available in Microsoft-land. suspect that I'm not alone and that there is a sizeable market for users like me with bosses like mine.

    I can't help but think that since Apple is a hardware company - and not a software company - that they don't care what we do with the hardware once we have it in our grubby little mitts.

  6. Re:WTD does *next* January mean? by cvas · · Score: 4, Interesting

    WTF does WTD mean? I'm usually pretty good wth acronyms, but nothing I can come up with makes sense in context. Please don't tell me you were trying for some clean version of WTF. "What The Damn does *next* January mean?" just doesn't work. If that's the case, allow me to recommend "WTH" for your delicate sensibilities. You can even tell your friends that the "H" stands for "Heck".

  7. Please give me resolutions that don't suck... by httpamphibio.us · · Score: 4, Interesting

    For supposedly being the "graphics" platform the resolutions of the Apple laptops have always been pathetically low. I was running 1920x1200 on my 15.4" laptop, and now I'm running 1280x768 on my 10.6". 1024x768 on a 12.1" doesn't cut it, and it REALLY doesn't cut it on a 14.1".

    I just bought an Access Virus TI Desktop and the fact that you can use it as an audio and MIDI interface as well as a knob box with direct access with a VST plugin is making me seriously consider moving away from Linux after five years... I can't stand MacOS, but I can't stand dualbooting even more.

    --
    sig.