[Fiete5401]

I think this will heat up the months old discussion again:
http://www.hardmac.com/niouzcontenu....005-01-19#3526

I'm waiting since September for the new rev.

[Commodus]

You have to be careful - they're listed as EOL at FNAC, not on Apple's website. There's evidence to corroborate this (week-long delays on any BTO choice you make, no real stock at retailers like Small Dog, etc.), but don't be too quick to presume.

Anyways, if they do announce new PowerBooks next week, that's a pretty certain declaration of a major overhaul either at WWDC or Apple Expo.

[sandsl]

Yesterday Apple Store UK listed the powerbooks as available within 24 hours. Today it lists them as available within 6 - 8 days.

Its highly likely that a we'll seen atleast a minor update shortly, probably Tuesday.

[Fiete5401]

Originally posted by sandsl:
Yesterday Apple Store UK listed the powerbooks as available within 24 hours. Today it lists them as available within 6 - 8 days.

Its highly likely that a we'll seen atleast a minor update shortly, probably Tuesday.

Same here in Good Ol' Germany: Ready to ship in 6-8 days.

[electric monk]

Canada lists stock models at 1-3 days, any BTO bumps it to 10-15 days.

Probably minor specs upgrade -
17"/15" Superdrive
1.67 or 1.73 GHz using the 7447b, Think Secret says 1.67 but 1.73 can be had in upgrade processor cards so...
128 MB standard VRAM on the same Radeon 9700 because the 9800 is a beast, and they won't go PCI express until e600 or G5.
100 GB Hard drives with an option for 7200 RPM drives maybe

12"/15" Combodrive
1.5 GHz with the 7447b to reduce heat (runs at less heat then the 7447a at same speeds).
Give the 12" an option to go to 128 MB VRAM? I've heard that the card can support that much memory, but even so it's still a weak card.
Backlit keyboards for the 12"?

[Dog Like Nature]

I would doubt the backlit kbd would ever appear in a 12" PB. That thing's pretty tightly packed as it is.

[fisherKing]

Originally posted by Dog Like Nature:
I would doubt the backlit kbd would ever appear in a 12" PB. That thing's pretty tightly packed as it is.

yeah, but not too long ago, a dvd writer, or 1.2g ram, or 80g harddrives seemed unreal in a "small" laptop, just as the G5 is not viable in a powerbook today (but tomorrow...hmmmm)

am EXPECTING a backlit keyboard in the next 12"...

[Pierre B.]

Originally posted by Dog Like Nature:
I would doubt the backlit kbd would ever appear in a 12" PB. That thing's pretty tightly packed as it is.

When the first Aluminum Powerbooks were introduced, one Apple executive said that the company chose to not put the illuminated keyboard in the 12" model, just to make the 17" model (the only one that had it at the time) more appealing. So there is not a technical problem, just a decision.

[Fiete5401]

Originally posted by Pierre B.:
When the first Aluminum Powerbooks were introduced, one Apple executive said that the company chose to not put the illuminated keyboard in the 12" model, just to make the 17" model (the only one that had it at the time) more appealing. So there is not a technical problem, just a decision.

OK, in this case it would make sense to implement this technology into the 12" PowerBooks to widen the gap to the 12" iBook.

[wilsonng]

well, there always the clunky USB light that you can find to illuminate your keyboard.

Clunky and effective but not as sexy...

Originally posted by Fiete5401:
OK, in this case it would make sense to implement this technology into the 12" PowerBooks to widen the gap to the 12" iBook.

[fisherKing]

Originally posted by wilsonng:
well, there always the clunky USB light that you can find to illuminate your keyboard.

Clunky and effective but not as sexy...

i use one, and hate it.
several times i've banged the light into the screen (yikes).

my girlfriend has a 15" aluBook, and that is the ONLY thing i am jealous of
(okay that, and less heat)

[power142]

I find the backlit keyboard is really useful - some think it's a gimmick.

As for the EOL... we've been here before.... last time I remember was just before the iBooks were speed bumped, and oh how excited we all got

[Simon]

I guess updates will be announced on Tuesday.

Originally posted by electric monk:
Probably minor specs upgrade -
17"/15" Superdrive
1.67 or 1.73 GHz using the 7447b, Think Secret says 1.67 but 1.73 can be had in upgrade processor cards so...
128 MB standard VRAM on the same Radeon 9700 because the 9800 is a beast, and they won't go PCI express until e600 or G5.
100 GB Hard drives with an option for 7200 RPM drives maybe

12"/15" Combodrive
1.5 GHz with the 7447b to reduce heat (runs at less heat then the 7447a at same speeds).
Give the 12" an option to go to 128 MB VRAM? I've heard that the card can support that much memory, but even so it's still a weak card.
Backlit keyboards for the 12"?

That doesn't sound bad. Of course nothing revolutionary, but accompanied with a price drop of $100 on the 12" and $150 on the 15" it would be a decent update.

I'm desperate to replace my 12" rev B with a new 12" because I expect this to be the last 7447 revision. If I get a new PowerBook now I can upgrade again when they announce rev B of the G5/7448 (whatever wit will be) PowerBook.

But I seriously hope they finally do away with the god awful 5200go on the 12". It's a crappy hell of a POS junk GPU. I'd like the same 9700 they put in the 15"/17" PowerBooks. If Apple keeps crippling the 12" PowerBook compared to the 15"/17" models, they will lose even more sales to the iBook.

[N.N.]

It would also be nice if the next 12" PowerBook would finally gain the ability to hotswap the battery like any other PowerBook.

It's little things like these which make the 12" PowerBook look more like an iBook clad in aluminum than a "serious" Powerbook, and thereby weaken its appeal in competition with its more affordable brethren.

[ichibod]

7-10 days wait in the US AS.

[Randman]

It'll be a minor bump. If it was going to be anything radically different in form or specs, Steve would have announced it during his keynote.

[Pierre B.]

Originally posted by Simon:

But I seriously hope they finally do away with the god awful 5200go on the 12". It's a crappy hell of a POS junk GPU.

Why so negative, if I may ask? I know it is to the low end, but so many cosmetic adjectives... Care to elaborate a little more?

[ichibod]

The 5200go sucks, but not as much as the mx 440 go in my old 17". It was like i had my old geforce 1 in that thing.

[Simon]

Originally posted by Pierre B.:
Why so negative, if I may ask? I know it is to the low end, but so many cosmetic adjectives... Care to elaborate a little more?

Simple. A 15" 1.33GHz with a 9700 plays some games I like to play just fine. A 12" 1.33GHz with the 5200go plays the same games like crap.

The 5200go is ancient and it thoroughly sucks. But I happen to have to put up with one in my PowerBook and that's why I'm having an passionate hate affair with it. Apple puts the 9700 in the 15" and 17" PowerBooks. I want it in the 12" as well.

The PowerBook should be about power, hence the name. If they want to use cheap low-end GPUs in the 12", buyers might as well give them $500 less and get an iBook. It's all Apple's choice.

And don't just take my word for it. Here's rob-ART's take on it, staright from barefeats.com:

[Pierre B.]

Yes, I see .

[Pierre B.]

Just out of curiosity: does anyone know how the Geforce FX Go5200 compares to the Geforce4 Go family (420, 440, 460, 4200)?

[Commodus]

Pierre B:

The main thing the FX 5200 Go does better than the 4 Go series is pixel shading. It has all the features of the rest of the GeForce FX series - it's just not as quick. Speed-wise, I think it's a bit faster, but not overwhelmingly so.

[Pierre B.]

Originally posted by Commodus:
Speed-wise, I think it's a bit faster, but not overwhelmingly so.

Now the question is: faster compared to which of them? I know that the 420 Go is WAY slower than the 4200 Go.

[yoyoman]

I garentee you they already have a g5 powerbook as the imac was made n 2003 henc the picture on apples site with a copy write of 2003. Last year they said they would not compet in the sub 1000 dollar market and focus on musc but they pulled it off. They will have to. AMD has a 64bit laptop and soon a 64bit os to go with it. If the mac mini can get small and the imac can fit a g5. I know apple has something up there sleeves with IBM.

[barang]

Originally posted by electric monk:
Canada lists stock models at 1-3 days, any BTO bumps it to 10-15 days.

Probably minor specs upgrade -
17"/15" Superdrive
1.67 or 1.73 GHz using the 7447b, Think Secret says 1.67 but 1.73 can be had in upgrade processor cards so...
128 MB standard VRAM on the same Radeon 9700 because the 9800 is a beast, and they won't go PCI express until e600 or G5.
100 GB Hard drives with an option for 7200 RPM drives maybe

12"/15" Combodrive
1.5 GHz with the 7447b to reduce heat (runs at less heat then the 7447a at same speeds).
Give the 12" an option to go to 128 MB VRAM? I've heard that the card can support that much memory, but even so it's still a weak card.
Backlit keyboards for the 12"?

That sounds like a decent update.

A lot of times people's expectations are way too high, but this seems reasonable.

[Eug Wanker]

The fastest 7447B available appears to be the 1.67 GHz. The upgrade cards actually use slower chips that are overclocked. ie. The 1.7 or 1.73 GHz cards are 1.42 GHz or 1.6 GHz G4s.

BTW, the Canadian and US stores now have the 12" at 3-5 days, and the 15/17" at 7-10 days. I expect to see G4 PowerBook speedbumps within a couple of weeks. Maybe even on the 25th.

[Pierre B.]

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
BTW, the Canadian and US stores now have the 12" at 3-5 days, and the 15/17" at 7-10 days. I expect to see G4 PowerBook speedbumps within a couple of weeks. Maybe even on the 25th.

That's what MacOSXRumors say today. Oh, and a G5 eMac .

[dt_]

How do you know the eMac is gonna be G5-based? :/ It doesn't seem like the kind of computer that would need a ton of power....

[Pierre B.]

Originally posted by dt_:
How do you know the eMac is gonna be G5-based? :/ It doesn't seem like the kind of computer that would need a ton of power....

I don't know it, it is just what macosXrumors has been told from their source. Yes, it does not need G5-class CPU, but I think that the Mac mini puts now some pressure.

[Simon]

Originally posted by Pierre B.:
Yes, it does not need G5-class CPU, but I think that the Mac mini puts now some pressure.

I don't think so.

The eMac can continue to have the same specs as the Mac mini - it could become a bit cheaper though. The eMac is for edu and in that market it should be cheap, not offer lots of features. If edu customers want features, they can get an iMac, if they want a non-destructable computer, they can get an eMac. I think we should be ready to see the eMac marginalize and I think that's good. The Mac mini and iMac are so much nicer products.

[Pierre B.]

Originally posted by Simon:
I don't think so.

The eMac can continue to have the same specs as the Mac mini - it could become a bit cheaper though.

That's the point. If they keep it with a G4, they need to drop a little the price too.

[vtgts300kw]

here in new zealand i orderd a 15inch combo pb last week and they told me they had a shipment comming in with computers but they didnt know if any powerbooks were on it.
couple of days later they said that theres "something funny" going on with the powerbooks and there are virtually none in this country or ready to supply the demand.

strong hints at upgrades, hopefully soon because i need one before school starts!

[johnpop]

I just ordered a new stock 12" powerbook Wednesday. It will be here Tuesday probaly. Any advice on what to do? There is an Apple store in town, can I return it to them? or do I have to ship it back to China/wherever. If no updates come on Tuesday, should I wait another week before opening?

[Commodus]

Originally posted by johnpop:
I just ordered a new stock 12" powerbook Wednesday. It will be here Tuesday probaly. Any advice on what to do? There is an Apple store in town, can I return it to them? or do I have to ship it back to China/wherever. If no updates come on Tuesday, should I wait another week before opening?

If it turns out that there are new models and you get an old model, usually Apple will let you exchange it for a new model at no cost within a certain period (or even a discount, if the new model has a lower price). It's the standard buyer's protection practice.

[Fiete5401]

And another Tuesday passes without new PowerBooks...

[tortfeasor]

Originally posted by Commodus:
If it turns out that there are new models and you get an old model, usually Apple will let you exchange it for a new model at no cost within a certain period (or even a discount, if the new model has a lower price). It's the standard buyer's protection practice.

This is ONLY true if you leave it in the box unopened. Once opened it can only be returned after a 10% restocking fee, even if a new model is released.

[TailsToo]

Originally posted by Fiete5401:
And another Tuesday passes without new PowerBooks...

LOL! You know Steve is in his office laughing at us.

[Paul Huang]

Apple's policy was ten days, but it's now fourteen days.

Open: 10% charge
untouched: no charge

price matching on the IDENTICAL item. Of course, everything is negotiable--depending on who you are and who you deal with.