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Mskr · Aug 21, 2003, 04:33 PM

Here are some pics of the new MacMall catalog (says vol. 164S on the cover)

:

Now, the thing to notice about these pics is that the bottom of the PowerBook on the cover looks like a 17" PowerBook: speaker grilles are large, power button is near the delete key of the keyboard, etc. BUT the screen & hinge are the current 15" PowerBook screen & hinge! Look closely at the close-up of the hinge & you'll see what I mean!

Also, why have a girl unveiling a PowerBook with the caption "See what's new for mobile professionals!" if there's nothing new? And, all the contents of the catalog itself are the current PowerBook line up.

So, in short, what's going on here?!?!

Cantab · Aug 21, 2003, 04:38 PM

This is nice detective work.

The Placid Casual · Aug 21, 2003, 05:11 PM

Interesting picture indeed.

Mskr, I linked this thread over at Apple Insider, see if they can add anything to the detective work. Hope you don't mind...

Peace,

Marc

AHDuke99 · Aug 21, 2003, 05:12 PM

Probably just design reasons, but thats not the "new" 15-inch, maybe a sign, but the airport antennas are still on the sides, and the new ones are on the top of the screen. How bout you call for details.

beefstu01 · Aug 21, 2003, 05:13 PM

Is it just me, or do the keys not look real?

Mskr · Aug 21, 2003, 05:18 PM

Originally posted by AHDuke99:
Probably just design reasons, but thats not the "new" 15-inch, maybe a sign, but the airport antennas are still on the sides, and the new ones are on the top of the screen.

True, true. I didn't notice that. So, it looks like only the top face of the PowerBook is stolen from the 17", and the rest of the body is the 15". I wasn't really speculating that this was a new 15", but I think it's really strange that MacMall would do some weird photoshop job of a PowerBook as a highlight on their cover! Did they think people wouldn't notice this? On the contrary! By highlighting this pic, they must WANT people to notice it... I just can't think of a reason why they would do this.

How bout you call for details.

I guess I should. I'll let you know if I find anything out....

AHDuke99 · Aug 21, 2003, 05:22 PM

Originally posted by Mskr:
True, true. I didn't notice that. So, it looks like only the top face of the PowerBook is stolen from the 17", and the rest of the body is the 15". I wasn't really speculating that this was a new 15", but I think it's really strange that MacMall would do some weird photoshop job of a PowerBook as a highlight on their cover! Did they think people wouldn't notice this? On the contrary! By highlighting this pic, they must WANT people to notice it... I just can't think of a reason why they would do this.

I guess I should. I'll let you know if I find anything out....

Good, let us know if you find anything out, that girl unvieling things is usually on there when there's a new product, maybe macmall was banking on apple releasing them on tuesday and they didn't come.

Mskr · 05:48 PM

Just looked at the back cover to find this:

[Click for larger image]

Now, looking at this, they've totally screwed these images up!

15.2" has a 17" slot drive and two clips in the top of the screen, just like the 17". Which makes me believe that they've just shrunk a 17" and are calling it the 15.2".

The 17" is the same PowerBook as on the front cover: Old slot drive, airport antennas, one clip in the screen & old hinge!

What the heck is MacMall doing?!?

Please note that I don't think this is because they have new PowerBooks; these pics that they're using are obvious chop-jobs.

[Edit] Just called them, got sales guy who said he knows of nothing new, just what's been in the catalogs for "the past 3 months or so". Actually, nothing's changed in that timeframe other than the pricing, as far as I know...

[Re-edit] Placid Casual: No problem. Don't mind at all.

j0nkatz · Aug 21, 2003, 08:52 PM

You people need a life!!!

The new books will come out when they come out.

Sakino · Aug 21, 2003, 11:01 PM

Originally posted by j0nkatz:
You people need a life!!!

The new books will come out when they come out.

Were all waiting.. and most of us will keep on waiting till it comes out. So far there is 35 ppl waiting in that poll. That just as of now. Think of how many mac adicts out there are waiting still?

iWrite · Aug 22, 2003, 06:22 AM

MacMall has great prices, no doubt about it.

But, they will beg, borrow, con, and steal to make a sale...and now it appears that they will also alter photographs.

I remember when they charged my credit card twice for a Powerbook and then it took me three weeks to get a credit put back on -- had to call them constantly.

Then they told my mother that they'd sold her AppleCare for her iBook and instead it was their own lousy protection plan instead -- along with charging her over $50 for shipping when they said it would be free.

I don't trust them one whit.

Bottom line? ALWAYS GET A FAXED OR EMAILED PRICE QUOTE WITH MACMALL. ALWAYS.