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Stelliform · Nov 25, 2002, 11:49 PM

I am a newcomer to Apple, yes a switcher, and I have a question for the Mac users who have been around for a while.

It seems to me that Apple is having a hard time meeting the demand for TiBooks. Is this update better than most? Or is this par for the course? I just want them to do well since I just dumped 3k on their hardware.

cruise · Nov 26, 2002, 12:02 AM

Originally posted by Stelliform:
I am a newcomer to Apple, yes a switcher, and I have a question for the Mac users who have been around for a while.

It seems to me that Apple is having a hard time meeting the demand for TiBooks. Is this update better than most? Or is this par for the course? I just want them to do well since I just dumped 3k on their hardware.

It's a pretty sweet release. I'm a life-long Mac user, and this is the first release that has ever made me decide to finally buy a PowerBook.

And you'll just LOVE it when you start getting those envious looks from VAIO owners who thought they had the sweetest notebook money could buy...

quadgrande · Nov 26, 2002, 12:18 AM

Just about every major release from Apple follows the same route, but for me they have done nothing but meet my expectations. For this particular release, there were many holding off their purchases due to an anticipated release. Also, there were many who argued the final release would be much later and much less.

Apple did a fine thing by releasing such a laptop. This move has prompted many to purchase before they planned. I for one am one of those who planned to wait until the pandemonium ceased. I was seduced.

But I wax rhapsodic.

This release is pretty normal. I think they're doing a great job of fairly distributing units evenly. Moreover, when I ordered, I was told by the web page itself that my wait time would be 3-4 weeks. I expect I will receive it then.

Welcome!

euphras · Nov 26, 2002, 12:17 PM

From my personal point of view the rev. C upgrade was the biggest leap forward: improved casing, better cooling, better graphics (the difference between the 7500 and the 9000 in terms of performance is not as big as the numbers imply), Brighter AND higher res. screen, sound in, DVI out, G4 processor with 1 MB L3 cache (which missed in the rev. B), enhanced frontside bus speed (133 MHz).
As i don�t feel the need to burn DVD�s on the run, i�m still satisfied with my 667 DVI

Pat

claughery · Nov 26, 2002, 12:20 PM

Originally posted by Stelliform:
I am a newcomer to Apple, yes a switcher, and I have a question for the Mac users who have been around for a while.

It seems to me that Apple is having a hard time meeting the demand for TiBooks. Is this update better than most? Or is this par for the course? I just want them to do well since I just dumped 3k on their hardware.

Yes!!! With the new graphics card and Superdrive, This model is revolutionary! I think that the biggest revision was the 800's...
With that you saw a better screen, and a few external changes such as the audio in, and the DVI port...

YOU WILL BE PLEASED WITH THIS PURCHASE!

jd112 · Nov 26, 2002, 12:32 PM

As a switcher myself, I am a little disappointed in Apple's lack of stock. I would like to see them rapidly get the TiBook's out.

I think that the original poster was talking more of the logistics than the specs.

James

Eug · Nov 26, 2002, 12:47 PM

Originally posted by claughery:

Yes!!! With the new graphics card and Superdrive, This model is revolutionary! I think that the biggest revision was the 800's...
With that you saw a better screen, and a few external changes such as the audio in, and the DVI port...

YOU WILL BE PLEASED WITH THIS PURCHASE!

Hmmm... I think it's evolutionary rather than revolutionary.

IMO what would make it (almost) revolutionary is if they included full support for DVD-Multi (which would be possible since the drive is actually capable of this feature).

But it's one of the best updates in a long time. The price is now much better, and the jump from previous models is quite significant. It's not just the speeds and SuperDrive, but there are improvements in the paint and battery, etc.

cruise · Nov 26, 2002, 12:47 PM

Originally posted by jd112:
As a switcher myself, I am a little disappointed in Apple's lack of stock. I would like to see them rapidly get the TiBook's out.

I think that the original poster was talking more of the logistics than the specs.

James

On the issue of logistics, I can't honestly say that Apple has a very good track record. Considering the number of people on this forum who already have their PowerBooks (both combo and SD), I would say that Apple may actually be doing a better job than in the past. There have been previous releases where Apple didn't have a profitable quarter simply because they couldn't meet demand. Considering the difficulty of figuring out logistics in this unpredictable industry, I still have to go a little easy on Apple. The typical Dell user is not as fanatically devoted to the platform as most Macintosh users are, and that's why they probably don't have as many supply issues (plus their manufacturing capacity far exceeds Apple).

psyclone · Nov 26, 2002, 01:25 PM

Originally posted by cruise:

On the issue of logistics, I can't honestly say that Apple has a very good track record. Considering the number of people on this forum who already have their PowerBooks (both combo and SD), I would say that Apple may actually be doing a better job than in the past. There have been previous releases where Apple didn't have a profitable quarter simply because they couldn't meet demand.

Well put. As a Mac customer with a order for a PBSD currently shipping I want my gratification as quicly as possible. As an Apple shareholder I want them to meet demand efficently and effectivly. Apple's two key props to it's share price over the last 18 months has been it's bundles of cash-on-hand and falling inventory-on-hand levels. It is or was down to one week of inventory at some point.

So I think they've struck a fairly good balance this time.

Dragomir · Nov 26, 2002, 03:40 PM

Over the years, when ordering laptops from other manufacturers like Dell I've sometimes had long delays. I don't like it, but I guess it's understandable. It's hard to predict demand, and you don't want to be stuck with excess inventory.

I'm frustrated by the long delay for PBs, but in the broader sense I'm excited by the (apparently) unexpected high level of demand created by the new model. As someone pointed out, the hard-core fans already had their PBs, so I'm guessing this indicates a continued broadening of the customer base.

Stelliform · Nov 26, 2002, 05:52 PM

I was getting at the logistics of the release, but the impressions of the significance of the release were intresting.

I have to agree with the dissatifaction some of us are posting about the long delay on recieving our laptops. However, I have my TiBook now, and it was well worth the wait. I am just used to ordering from a buffet of options, and usually I pick something that I can get next day.

The month wait I experianced was difficult. (First 3 weeks for the rumors of a new release, and then 2 weeks to get it (finally from smalldog.com and not apple.com) But I think I can get used to the wait. I really think that this will be the last laptop that I will buy for at least a year or two. The power is unbelievable. The speed is addictive. My Desktop PC running XP now looks like a slow dinosaur. And the instant return from sleep is fantastic!

However, back to the subject of the thread, I was wondering if the numbers of sales were better than Apple anticipated. I have to say that they didn't lie about shipping times. (yet at least) The Apple rep said that demand was greater than they expected, however that could have been just for my benefit.

Based off of the forums, I got the impression that this was a good release for Apple, and could make it a great quarter. But being a newbie to apple I wanted to defer to the Mac Gods.

mjlukich · 11:25 AM

I can't comment on any hard sales figures, but FWIW, the local Apple Store has been extremely busy the last few weeks.

I am really enjoying my new Powerbook. BTW, I am a new Forum member. I just purchased my very first Mac on 11/9/02; the new Powerbook G4 867 with 40gb HD. I had the RAM doubled to 512. I've been lurking for the past two weeks and decided it was time to sign up. -Thanks

dvd · Nov 26, 2002, 07:08 PM

first off how do new ppl find this forum or site? is it in the premade links for new comps ( i never check). anyways, i think apple will make a lot of money on this. I have this pc friend at church who says he wants one. I'm sure having a 1ghz will attract more poeple because they think of raw #s

mjlukich · Nov 26, 2002, 07:49 PM

Originally posted by dvd:
first off how do new ppl find this forum or site? is it in the premade links for new comps ( i never check).

Speaking for myself, I found this site by running a search (on Google) for Apple or Mac Forums.

LeeG · Nov 29, 2002, 01:14 AM

the instant wake from sleep is incredible.

And I have been a devoted desktop user until now - brand new 867 combo - and its the best computer I have ever used. Awesome.

Lee

ivi · Nov 29, 2002, 02:20 AM

Just wanned to add that after two days of having this SD Powerbook I am very dissapointed with its screen. I have SGI F180 Screen at home, which used to be amazing, now, after having worked for so short on this powerbook SGI looks like a dark peace of junk. This screen is very very addictive.

TheTrinity · Nov 29, 2002, 02:54 AM

Stelliform,

This release is definitely better than average and has created a peak in demand.

People may debate whether it's "evolutionary" or "revolutionary." I think that it tends more towards being evolutionary, but in any case it's a significant improvement bringing the Ti PG design to a new high.

The Pismo PowerBook was the last of the old-style black clamshells, and it represented a new high in notebook technology at the time (introduced Feb. 2000). The Pismo, likewise, was evolutionary rather than revolutionary, but it was somewhat of the perfection of the old line of PowerBooks. I think that this release of the Ti PB is being seen in the same sort of light. A lot of the problems of the new slim Ti design have been worked out with this model, while the technology overall has moved ahead of the Windows crowd.

This model of the Ti PB provides much greater motivation for upgrading (or switching) than previous updates.

seanyepez · Nov 29, 2002, 03:01 AM

The only difference is that this isn't the last TiBook. The Pismo was the last of the plastic-cased machines for Apple.

Apple will introduce a new TiBook in the summer of 2003 based on the same basic titanium enclosure format. Then, we're in for a surprise...

Stelliform · Nov 29, 2002, 05:57 PM

Switching to a Mac for me was an easy decision with this Powerbook. With virtual PC it is like carrying 5 laptops in one bag. (OS X, Linux, 98, 2000, XP) I primarily use 2000 for the 1 app that I have yet to purchase the OS X license for. The speed is highly usable.

Also the instant restore from sleep will keep me from ever going back to PC's. At the first client I went to I shaved 15 minutes off of the visit. (I was repairing a router. I had to reset the memory and reconfigure it. It took 45 min. The Mac instantly recognized the new network settings after each reconfigure. I always had to refresh the IP manually on my PC. That and the sleep retore is where I saved all my time on that call.)

I have talked a couple people into checking the Mac out. I bet I will have at least 2 switchers by the end of the year. The TiBook DVD burner has raised the eyes of several PC power users. For the other folk, I show them my TiBook and then tell them about the low priced refurbs that look exactly like mine. They respond better to the lower prices.

I feel that this update is the evolution of Steve Jobs' plan to take a big chunk of the PC market....

rambo47 · Nov 30, 2002, 05:08 PM

As far as revisions to an existing line, this one was huge. Major speed bump, addition of what we thought was the impossible slot-loading superdrive, and prices kept in check. Very impressive.

Logistically, it seems Apple has taken some lessons from the past. They learned not to announce a product unless they can supply it immediatley or at least very soon. The initial crush of orders for the superdrive model was handled very well, with Apple seemingly beating most anticipated shipping dates. Kudos to the folks in Cupertino!