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jzdziarski · Feb 12, 2005, 09:18 AM

From my Powerbook manual page 22:

Depending on how your Powerbook was configured, it may have a wide-screen display that has a "native" resolution of 1920x1200 or 1440x900.

Wtf? Apple's sales guys insist that there is no such upgrade available; they even tried to convince me that this is talking about an external screen, which is clearly not the case. Has anyone ever seen a 1920x1200 powerbook? If so, I want one!

jamiep · Feb 12, 2005, 09:43 AM

yeah... that'd be awesome.

tooki · Feb 12, 2005, 10:53 AM

Originally posted by jzdziarski:
From my Powerbook manual page 22:

It might be helpful if you told us what model PowerBook you have, since each one (including each revision) has a separate manual.

tooki

jzdziarski · Feb 12, 2005, 11:38 AM

This is the 17" 1.67Ghz model

Mafia · Feb 12, 2005, 11:46 AM

i think its saying. if you have a widescreen powerbook then you can hook up a widescreen monitor with those native resolutions.

jzdziarski · Feb 12, 2005, 12:04 PM

I just don't see it..

Depending on how your Powerbook was configured, it may have a wide-screen display that has a "native" resolution of 1920x1200 or 1440x900.

... "may have" "wide-screen display" of either "1920x1200 or 1440x900". If you look at the older manuals, this sentence just says that your powerbook has a display with a native resolution of 1440x900.

Why would they add 1920x1200 if they were talking about mirroring? You can mirror at much higher resolutions than that. I can't see any other way of interpreting this other than talking about the internal LCD.

Dog Like Nature · Feb 12, 2005, 12:30 PM

Maybe that's from the next rev, that just happened to slip in to the Rev.D manual?!?

Or, maybe that's just wishful thinking?

anamexis · Feb 12, 2005, 01:06 PM

Can someone with a 12" or 15" Rev. D find something similar in their manuals?

wuzup101 · Feb 12, 2005, 01:41 PM

mmmm... that would be awesome... BTW... you can always download the manual for the 15 online and see what it says...

anamexis · Feb 12, 2005, 01:51 PM

The manuals for the latest revision aren't at Apple.com yet.

Link · Feb 12, 2005, 04:49 PM

I knew it!! Powerbook HD! Damnit I wish this would come out already.

jamiep · Feb 12, 2005, 05:07 PM

THAT'S RIGHT! Same native resolution as the 23" cinema HD display...

i think we're on to something here....

porieux · Feb 12, 2005, 05:07 PM

You can 'configure' your PB with an external Apple Cinema Display when you are putting together your BTO at the Apple Store online. That's what I did...

Link · Feb 12, 2005, 05:47 PM

That's irrelevant, because you could do that before, and if that was the case they would have noted the max res of the 30" as well.

They did not do such, so the point is moot.

MrForgetable · Feb 12, 2005, 07:52 PM

maybe a leak of what is to come in tiger?

jzdziarski · Feb 12, 2005, 08:12 PM

I like the Powerbook HD theory; I've noticed that the 1.67 version came with iMovie HD 5.0 instead of plain old iMovie 4.x. It would also certainly make sense that you'd have to buy the Powerbook HD to get dual-layer burning, as there's no other logical reason they'd have left it out of this model.

Commodus · Feb 12, 2005, 11:06 PM

Just in case you guys think this is bunk, I had a friend at Apple check the physical manual (the PDF version hasn't been updated on Apple's site yet). Sure enough, p. 22:

Changing the Size of Images on the Screen

Depending on how your PowerBook was configured, it may have a wide-screen display that has a �native� resolution of 1920 x 1200 or 1440 x 900. For either of these native resolutions, other standard resolutions, such as 1024 x 768, are supported.

No mention of an external display there, and I'm pretty sure that's not just a typo. Sounds like Apple decided against upping the resolution at a certain point and neglected to tell the printers.

nuggetman · Feb 12, 2005, 11:15 PM

Originally posted by jzdziarski:
I like the Powerbook HD theory; I've noticed that the 1.67 version came with iMovie HD 5.0 instead of plain old iMovie 4.x. It would also certainly make sense that you'd have to buy the Powerbook HD to get dual-layer burning, as there's no other logical reason they'd have left it out of this model.

the new powerbooks ship with ilife 05, which includes imovie hd. they aren't going to ship top end machines with last year's ilife.

John123 · Feb 13, 2005, 12:09 AM

This is the most interesting rumor stuff I've seen in a while...

Good find...

slffl · Feb 13, 2005, 12:16 AM

Same sized 17" PB with 1920x1200 display, built-in HDTV tuner and DL DVD burner...

I'LL TAKE IT!!!!!

porieux · Feb 13, 2005, 12:54 AM

Originally posted by Link:
That's irrelevant, because you could do that before, and if that was the case they would have noted the max res of the 30" as well.

They did not do such, so the point is moot.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that everything in the world operates on a rational basis. It does not.

Simon · Feb 13, 2005, 02:05 AM

So, what are we discussing here?

The PowerBook has the same old 1400x900.

But people are getting excited just because they saw a HD res in a manual?

jamiep · Feb 13, 2005, 07:04 AM

Originally posted by Simon:
So, what are we discussing here?

The PowerBook has the same old 1400x900.

But people are getting excited just because they saw a HD res in a manual?

precisely. next question?

Simon · Feb 13, 2005, 08:09 AM

Originally posted by jamiep:
precisely. next question?

OK, here goes: so you're all wetting your pants because you honestly believe their is some <woohoo> hidden functionality that will somehow <wohoo^2> be made accessible by Steve's <wohoo^3> telepathic skills?

jamiep · Feb 13, 2005, 08:13 AM

Originally posted by Simon:
OK, here goes: so you're all wetting your pants because you honestly believe their is some <woohoo> hidden functionality that will somehow <wohoo^2> be made accessible by Steve's <wohoo^3> telepathic skills?

no sir, not some hidden feature, but a delayed plan for another model of 17" powerbook with a HD screen as an option. If you don't find it interesting, why join in the discussion?

Simon · Feb 13, 2005, 08:18 AM

Originally posted by jamiep:
If you don't find it interesting, why join in the discussion?

Oh, I do find it interesting; that's why I asked what this was really about.

Assuming it's a canceled feature, I'd be interested in hearing guesses as to what reasons there were to cancel it and when it might be included in the future.

Maybe Phil Schiller considered HD to be such a bomb that it should be introduced together with the G5 PowerBook... So next question, is the G5 PowerBook around the corner?

jamil5454 · Feb 13, 2005, 08:58 AM

My guess is that they'll release one more G4 PowerBook, except with higher resolutions across the whole line. This will buy them some time to release the G5 PowerBook (or dual-core G4, or just a better processor). Or, they may be further along than we think. A G5 PowerBook with an HD screen would be a must for me

TailsToo · Feb 13, 2005, 10:31 AM

Originally posted by jamil5454:
A G5 PowerBook with an HD screen would be a must for me

When they finally release the PB G5, that will probably be what happens. I doubt that Apple will make a higher-res G4 (Although I wish they would have!)

Link · Feb 13, 2005, 03:39 PM

Originally posted by jamil5454:
My guess is that they'll release one more G4 PowerBook, except with higher resolutions across the whole line. This will buy them some time to release the G5 PowerBook (or dual-core G4, or just a better processor). Or, they may be further along than we think. A G5 PowerBook with an HD screen would be a must for me

Another 18 months with G4 powerbooks?

iREZ · Feb 13, 2005, 03:55 PM

If they go dual core, you could be looking at a few years with G4's.

jzdziarski · Feb 13, 2005, 05:21 PM

Here's a screenshot of my manual.

http://www.nuclearelephant.com/manual.jpg

Dog Like Nature · Feb 13, 2005, 09:49 PM

Originally posted by jzdziarski:
Here's a screenshot of my manual.

http://www.nuclearelephant.com/manual.jpg

Very interesting....most definitely not a mistake.

Well, it was a mistake to put it in the current manual, but you know what I mean!

Commodus · Feb 13, 2005, 11:07 PM

I wonder if Apple is looking at increasing resolutions due to the implementation of resolution-independent technology in Tiger - I'd heard that it was supposedly not going to materialize as far as end-users would notice, but maybe they've changed their minds...

Also, in reference to the manual again - if you look at p. 21 of the 2004 17" manual (still the latest version on Apple's website), the wording is very different:

Changing the Size of Images on the Screen

Your PowerBook has a wide-screen display that has a �native� resolution of 1440 x 900 and that supports other standard resolutions such as 1024 x 768.

I think this pretty much confirms that they're not referring to external displays at all.

macintologist · Feb 13, 2005, 11:54 PM

Here's a link to that image in case the original link goes bust.

http://img103.exs.cx/img103/8924/manual4jg.jpg

John123 · Feb 14, 2005, 05:07 AM

This is a dumb question, so let's not have a bunch of dumb answers....

But for you folks that have 17" PowerBooks with the special manuals, have you tried calling Apple to ask about it? I mean, it's in the book, so it's a totally legit question to ask. It's not like you're asking about rumors or stuff. Just ask what the deal is, reference the fact that the old manual didn't show it, see if you can talk to a tier-2 person or something like that.

Yeah, I know, typical employees are as in the dark as we are, blah blah blah...but it just sounded like it's worth a shot.

all2ofme · Feb 14, 2005, 06:31 AM

I'd definitely buy a new PB if they came out with screens like that. I'd be even more interested in a 1680x1050 15" one, though

jzdziarski · Feb 14, 2005, 08:29 AM

Yes. Apple's first level of tech and sales people are for the most part idiots. Nobody has any clue and they all dismiss it as video-mirroring related. Duuuh.

KP* · Feb 15, 2005, 10:25 PM

This is so much more important to me than G5s (and much more likely to be achieved soon!) A 1600x1050 15" would be perfect!

Link · Feb 15, 2005, 10:58 PM

Before the current PBs were released, I speculated the following, and this is why I still get a real kick out of the 17"s accident there, but I'm pretty sure you can dig it up around here somewhere:

12" 1280x1024
15" 1650x1080
17" 1920x1200

It's amazing that I was SOOOOOOO close with the 17", but then they didn't implement it!

NO FAIR APPLE!

TailsToo · Feb 15, 2005, 11:31 PM

Originally posted by all2ofme:
I'd definitely buy a new PB if they came out with screens like that. I'd be even more interested in a 1680x1050 15" one, though

Dog Like Nature · Feb 17, 2005, 11:45 AM

Originally posted by jzdziarski:
Here's a screenshot of my manual.

http://www.nuclearelephant.com/manual.jpg

Hey, AppleInsider have stolen your image!

Agent69 · Feb 17, 2005, 01:53 PM

They sure did!

jzdziarski · Feb 17, 2005, 02:10 PM

it's ok, they had my permission

MORT A POTTY · Feb 17, 2005, 05:56 PM

Originally posted by Link:
Another 18 months with G4 powerbooks?

fantastic!

dual core G4 >>> G5.

but, this is a pretty interesting error on Apple's part! it's almost a gimme that the next revision will have higher resolution displays (and be based on a 7448 more than likely)