[Ryan1524]

yes, it's here, it's here, another WWDC/Macworld madness.

i'm planning to get a PB for university this fall, and i was set on getting the top of the line 15" PB. i know it has less battery life than the other two, but the 17" is too big and the 12" is too small. so i've decided to stick with the 15" - weak battery and all - and hope that i'll somehow have one of the few miracle batteries that a few people reported to have 3.5-4 hours of juice in it.

BUT, then comes the 2.2GHz G5 PB rumor. i know i know. screw the rumor. it's only a rumor. but still, if it'll be announced at WWDC, shouldn't i wait for it a bit???

i'm not naive, and for the longest time have believed that a G5 PB would be announced in january at the earliest, and een if it starts shipping immediately, it'd be too late for school, and it's also a rev A, which can be a nightmare considering what happened to the revA 15" PBs.

but what if it's released at WWDC?? it might be on time. but even if it is, is it worth it to gamble with the first batch??? also, Softwares might not be ready just yet, which means using it in my, most likely windows dominated environment, a bit more difficult. (the school doesn't have mac support, and recommends PC - but the books tore guy said he observes that computers seems t be split 50/50 between macs and PCs. but since i'm going to engineering, maybe that large quantity is in the arts/science area, engineering has the reputation to be more finicky about PCs vs macs - but i hope it's not gonna give me a problem.



oh btw, i'll be using this for Electrical and Biomedical engineering. i'm guessing it should be enough - at least from what i gathered from some people. i heard i'll need Maple, Matlab, and C++ compilers, and Solid Edge. i'm guessing C++ shouldn't be a problem, and the two math apps are native in OS X. the only problem is Solid Edge, but it's only for one class, so i'll just suck it and use the school comps if i have to.
but if there are any other concerns i should know that i might have missed, please do voice it. i can probly use the advice. thx.

[jessejlt]

WWDC is < 1 month away, so of course you should wait.
jesse ;-)

[Ryan1524]

okay, yea i kinda see that coming, maybe i should rephrase, should i buy the G5 if it comes out?? or should i stick to somethinng more reliable? (if you can call the 15" PBs reliable with all the problems it's having - or is it just a very loud minority making noise?)

[cloudaj]

its not coming out (the G5 powerbook), apple just reiterated that it is going be some time before the G5 finds its way into a powerbook. That doesn't mean 2 months, that means closer to a year i think. And Apple just updated the line, I think its safe to purchase now. At least, thats what i tell myself anyway (same situation as you, going to university next year)

[Ryan1524]

you mean this fall?? did you get your PB yet? or going to get it soon? my parents won't allow me to get it until i'm done with the exams. argh. but i guess that's a good idea. i'm distracted enough already without the machine here (notice what i'm doing right now - not studying - lol)

and since i'm a switcher, i guess it's a good idea if i ahve a month or two window to really settle into the machine. i've tried OS X and seems pretty straight-forward, but it'll take time to acquire all the apps and making it like home. (my PC hasn't been formatted for 3 yrs, so it's very very lived in. 3 firewalls and a strong AV keeps it reliable )

[David Hagan]

I don't know if I have said it here, but I know I've said it somewhere on the net...the only possibility I see -- if at all -- is a 17" PowerBook G5, just because it will require a tremendous amount of engineering and cooling. And I see it coming in at $3,299.

If Apple announces a portable G5, it will be addition to the existing PB G4 models, and not replacing them...

It doesn't hurt to wait...but don't hold your breath.

[TheMosco]

I said screw waiting for this fall and just got my top of the line 15 inch. I was in the same boat as you and I couldn't wait. If its going to be your main computer at college, I don't see any harm in waiting. I have a pc too so I wasn't worried about how long my powerbook was going to be the fastest.

[Commodus]

Buy one now, or wait until late fall (possibly even early 2005). Apple updated the whole lineup in late April, and they're not about to introduce a totally new PowerBook model this time around!

Although the thought of Apple adding yet another PowerBook model would be funny. The new 20" PowerBook: an Xserve with a 20" Cinema Display strapped to it!

[cloudaj]

yeah in the fall i mean, and I'm ordering it this week probably. I'm done with school for the summer (graduated june 1st).

[James L]

The rumor is a crock, please don't foolishly let yourself be conned by it. The rumor was posted anonymously, with no backing information, to a site that thought so little of it that it was deleted. It could have been a 12 year old drunk PC user posting it for kicks for all we know.

The PB JUST came out, some people are only NOW receiving their orders. There was a decent improvement, with a corresponding price drop too boot.

The G5 PB is NOT coming out this month. Apple has never said this. IBM has never said this. In fact, they have been saying quite the opposite. It seems like some people think if they will it to happen then it will.

It took the G4 18 months to go from desktop to laptop. There are still heat issues to deal with (and no, I don't mean just the CPU). Oh, and they just released a machine 6 weeks ago.

I say buy and enjoy. Even if the G5 PB comes out in Sept (and more likely in Jan) there will most likely be shipping delays (as always), and the related number of Rev A problems to fix.

Cheers!

[The Placid Casual]

If you NEED one, buy one.

[rglenn]

Ryan1524, I'd say wait until WWDC starts, simply because that's when the current batch of promos end, and you might be able to get a nice freebie.

BTW, Electrical and Biomedical Engineering? You going to McMaster?

[iREZ]

If your waiting for a new PB, I say forget about it and go for one now. WWDC will have updates but I'm guessing its going to be either the iMac line or PowerMac line, or both. I don't see another PB update till late this year, although Apple did surprise a few people when introducing the 12" and 17" so who knows, I guess it is possible just not probable.

[HasanDaddy]

I would wait

at the very least, they'll probably re-intro that Powerbook program from last summer, where you could basically get a free iPod by purchasing a new PB

[Ryan1524]

Originally posted by rglenn:
Ryan1524, I'd say wait until WWDC starts, simply because that's when the current batch of promos end, and you might be able to get a nice freebie.

BTW, Electrical and Biomedical Engineering? You going to McMaster?

yes i am. hopefully i'll be able to work hard enough to score one of the few positions available. wish me luck.

i really hope, if nothig happens at all to the PBs, that they would bring back the free iPod deal.

also, should i buy asap (after the WWDC) or as close to the start of semester?? i assume noting significant will happen for another 4-6 months at least, so buying early july or late august shouldn't really make that much of a difference right? if anything, i can use the extra time to settle into the machine.

[SSharon]

Ryan: I would say buy if they have a promo, but wait if there isn't one announced immediately. This is what I am going to do and hopefully this will also help me choose between the ibook and powerbook. I'm sure they will have some deal before school so unless you really plan on using the mac now I think its worth the month wait.

[an0therdumbsn]

heh it's wierd how many people are all in the same boat.
I too just finished high school and recieved a pb for graduation. I got the 15"" and opted for the extra memory + hd space and the superdrive over the 1.5 model (got the 1.25)
Before this i was using a dell and this seems to be alot faster and more reliable than the dell.
While waiting a month for the "chance" of a powerbook update would be the smart thing to do, if you're anything like i was a month is far too long. Just go for the best you can get now and be happy with it.
The powerbook was going to be just a quick easy portable computer but i can qquickly see this becoming my main computer and the dell colleecting dust in a box before semesters end.

[SSharon]

I should have mentioned that I'm already in University and have had my trusty dual 1.0 MDD with me so this will not be my primary Mac. That makes waiting a bit easier since unless apple magically puts a G5 in the PB my desktop will be faster. Sad that my 2 year old machine is faster but I want the mobility and having a faster mac means I can cut back on things like a larger hard drive since I have 2 external firewire ones. Of course I won't be saving money because of that I'll just be spending it on something else like an upgraded graphics card.

[V0ID]

Don't wait for a G5 powerbook. When Apple do introduce one you can be guaranteed that it will cost at least $1000 more than the current model. This has always happened.

The introductory model will always be quite expensive, with prices decreasing at each revision. I bought my pismo a couple of months before the G4 400 was released so I got a good price. If I had waited until the G4s I would have ended up with an iBook.

I just ordered a 15in 1.5GHz which is quite a bit cheaper than the pismo when I bought it. I also have another reason for buying now: Apple Australia are tightening up the educational discount scheme, so at the end of the month Applecare will no longer be free.

[rglenn]

Originally posted by Ryan1524:
yes i am. hopefully i'll be able to work hard enough to score one of the few positions available. wish me luck.

i really hope, if nothig happens at all to the PBs, that they would bring back the free iPod deal.

also, should i buy asap (after the WWDC) or as close to the start of semester?? i assume noting significant will happen for another 4-6 months at least, so buying early july or late august shouldn't really make that much of a difference right? if anything, i can use the extra time to settle into the machine.

Don't worry too much - I got in just fine (4th year Computer and Management)

If you're not desperate, don't worry about buying it ASAP. A month to get used to the thing might be a good idea.

Also, check out http://titlesmicro.mcmaster.ca/ - the computer store at the McMaster bookstore.

And watch in the first month for announcements about the first IEEE Student Branch meeting - as you're someone going into electrical and biomed, I'd recommend joinging up with us to get to know some of the upper years, as well as getting access to some of our brand-new lab equipment

(Full disclosure: I head the organization at Mac)

[spreadlight]

I just don't get it.

As a casual reader of the forum, this has to be the most often asked question:
Wait or not wait....

Case 1: You NEED a cpu now, then the question is senseless. You buy one, and now.

Case 2: You have extra cash to burn (or even worse, you don't) and you foolishly you decide to spend the money you have (or do not have) on a cpu. Whether you wait or not, I predict you will be disappointed by your purchase. Sooner or later, your computer will be obsolete.

The problem with Case 2 is that your motivations are wrong. Buying a cpu should be based on true NEEDS.

A computer is just a tool!!


Am I missing something?

[Stradlater]

The 17" really isn't too big, and considering it only costs $100 more than the top-of-the-line 15" (factor in the 1 512MB card in the 17 rather than the default 2 in the 15).

Oh yeah, and wait for WWDC.