[Nerozwei]

I'm in the market for a new iBook, but can wait. Any estimates on when the next update will be and the specs. Could the 12" hit 1 GHz?

[residentEvil]

that is what i'm waiting for too...a 1ghz 12". will buy then.

[RadarBob2]

Every six months or so there is some kind of tweak. Over time they really add up. Then about every 2-3 years there's a major change.

Wait a year and you'll problably see "a little more memory" or "a little cheaper" or "a bigger HD", etc. But in the mean time you don't have it! Get it now and enjoy.

P.S. I saw the iBook G3 800MHz advertised for $700. MacMall? MacWarehouse? Something like that.

[anaphora68]

Honestly, if y'all are constantly waiting for a speed bump when the 1ghz comes around you're going to want the 1.25.

Go with the 800 and bump the RAM to max, you'll see a more significant speed increase that way anyway.

[residentEvil]

i'm waiting for 1ghz cause i just sold all machines; they where 867mhz (QuickSilver), 800mhz (Ti 15") and 1ghz (iMac 17"). i don't want a processor with a lower speed than i had. and yes, i realize many factors increase/decrease the speed of said machine. i'm only comparing processor power right now.

[iREZ]

Who's to say that the 12" bump isn't going to be just 933mhz or even 900mhz at that. Your best bet for when the new iBooks are goin to come out is http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/. Don't count on the new iBooks being soo fast that the current iBooks will become obsolete or left in the dust, if you can wait go ahead and wait but if I were you I'd go get one right now.

[Nerozwei]

Originally posted by residentEvil:
i'm waiting for 1ghz cause i just sold all machines; they where 867mhz (QuickSilver), 800mhz (Ti 15") and 1ghz (iMac 17"). i don't want a processor with a lower speed than i had. and yes, i realize many factors increase/decrease the speed of said machine. i'm only comparing processor power right now.

Same here. I'm already humming along with a 700MHz CD-ROM model. Works ok, but my gf's 500MHz model is having display problems, again (naturally no warranty anymore, no applecare either). I'll pass this one on to her (the Logic Board Repair problem covers this one ), but will rather wait to get more than a 100 MHz + G3 > G4 upgrade.

If I find an good deal on a 800MHz G4 I'd think about it, though. Not that interested in the 14" models.

[ryju]

Ask Eug Wanker he's got the whole future of Apple's hardware drawn out.

[DeathMan]

I just bought the 12" last friday, and I'm not too worried about going obsolete. The worst thing that could happen is the iBook jumps up to 1.25 Ghz G4 when the powerbooks go G5. But thats at LEAST 6 months out. Plus, since the G5 powerbooks will be clocked relatively slow (maybe 1.4 ish?), I'd be surprised to see iBooks getting much higher than 1.25 ever.

And in my opinion, a 1.25Ghz iBook is not going to be significantly faster than an 800Mhz iBook. Its still a G4, after all. If I have to have more power than an 800Mhz G4, I'll have to wait for a G5 portable.

In the meantime, the extra productivity of having the iBook will help make up the difference between the two, and if I REALLY need a faster iBook, I'll put mine on Ebay. It won't have lost too much of its value.

[pat++]

The next update should be for end of march/mid-april. I would definitely wait for one month if you can...(the G4 iBook was introduced in october, and Apple usually update the models every 6 months)

[Lateralus]

Well, considering that the 7447A has been annnounced, and will probably be what Apple uses, and it is at 1.5GHz, I think we can guess at PowerBooks in the 1.5 range at the high end, with iBook in the 1.3 range at the high end, probably 1-1.1GHz at the low end.

Who knows though. Speculation is stupid because nobody is ever on the mark.

[sniffer]

The only safe thing to do if you are not certain is to save yar bucks until the day it actually gets updated. You never know with Apple anyway.
I am in the marked to, but personally I'll hold back for some time, until I can justify the upgrade.

[Eug Wanker]

Originally posted by PowerMacMan:
Well, considering that the 7447A has been annnounced, and will probably be what Apple uses, and it is at 1.5GHz, I think we can guess at PowerBooks in the 1.5 range at the high end, with iBook in the 1.3 range at the high end, probably 1-1.1GHz at the low end.

Originally posted by ryju:
Ask Eug Wanker he's got the whole future of Apple's hardware drawn out.

Heheh.

You will be interested to know though that Motorola has now released the specs for the lower power versions of the 7447A. It's quite impressive, and would work great in an iBook.

G4 MPC7447A low power version:

1000 MHz 8.0 W typical
1000 MHz 11.5 W max
1167 MHz 9.2 W typical
1167 MHz 13.0 W max

Contrast that to the numbers for the faster 7447A version:

1267 MHz 18.3 W typical
1267 MHz 26.0 W max
1420 MHz 21.0 W typical
1420 MHz 30.0 W max

Thus I suspect that at the next iBook refresh, that slowest machine will be 1 GHz. Oh, and it makes my TiBook G4 MPC7455 1 GHz (15 W typical, 22 W max, 1.3 V) seem like ancient technology. An iBook's 1 GHz CPU would use roughly half as much power as my TiBook's 1 GHz CPU, and that's not even counting the the potential power savings from the more robust power management in the 7447A.

[Nerozwei]

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
Thus I suspect that at the next iBook refresh, that slowest machine will be 1 GHz. Oh, and it makes my TiBook G4 MPC7455 1 GHz (15 W typical, 22 W max, 1.3 V) seem like ancient technology. An iBook's 1 GHz CPU would use roughly half as much power as my TiBook's 1 GHz CPU, and that's not even counting the the potential power savings from the more robust power management in the 7447A.

Sweet. Hmmh. The case of the G4 and the original Dual USB is essentially the same.. I did love my 500 because I _never_ heard the fan go on. I do hear it sometimes on this 700, but not too much.

Got any figures for the wattage for the original 500/66 MHz? Was the model 750CX? I suppose I won't find them from the Mot site

[Big Fat Octopus]

According to a friend in-the-know, all current model iBooks are out of stock in Australia and demos are being moved. New models on the horizon hopefully.

[Carnage Visors]

well, I got my iBook G4 when they were released in september/november last year, and have to say, is I haven't found it slow at all (its the 1 GHz 14 inch) all in all its a great machine.

The thing is, buy the best machine that you can afford, if you want to wait till the next speed bump, that may be an idea, but to be honest, the 1 GHz processor is pretty damn fast

Benjamin

[scottiB]

If the pattern follows, new iBooks (and perhaps eMacs) by mid-May at the latest. Apple typically upgrades its educational products before school systems order for the fall.

Dual USB: May 2001
iBook 700/16MB video: May 2002
iBook 900: April 2003

[preslove]

I've been wanting to buy a pismo, but imho people want insane prices for them, so I'm waiting to either pick up a g3 or g4 overstock iBook after this next revision.

[Eug Wanker]

Originally posted by preslove:
I've been wanting to buy a pismo

Why? By today's standards quite frankly they suck.

I think your overstock G4 iBook idea is a good one, because a G4 iBook is better than the Pismo in just about every conceivable way (including value, unless you can get a Pismo for $300 or something).

[mollusk]

I just ordered the 14" ibook 933 upgraded thru education to 60 mg and maxed out the memory . My clamshell is dead. After reading this I am a bit nervous about not waiting. Am I really making to quick of a decision?

[Eug Wanker]

Originally posted by mollusk:
I just ordered the 14" ibook 933 upgraded thru education to 60 mg and maxed out the memory . My clamshell is dead. After reading this I am a bit nervous about not waiting. Am I really making to quick of a decision?

I wouldn't be surprised if they're not updated for a couple of months yet. The 933 G4 with Radeon 9200 will be very good. (My TiBook, which cost MUCH more has a 1 GHz G4 with Radeon 9000.)

[mollusk]

I really can't wait so that makes me feel a bit better. Off topic.... I am wondering if I can sell my ibook graphite 366 SE "as is" . It has a 1 year old battery, 9 month old AC adaptor, loose cd/dv drive and 512 of memory. Also a regular airport card. There is a crack on the case on the side near the cd drive. Plastic casing is loose and stretched out. Everything else is fine, display and keyboard EXCEPT I dropped it and it will not work. Have tried the things apple suggested. I would sell it just for those parts. If someone knew what they were doing and could replace the board cheap or fix it they might be lucky and have a new computer for the price of parts. Does that make sense and what would be a a fair price? I also don't want to be taken advantage of but i don't really know what these parts are worth. My goal would be not so much to make money but to get good parts to someone who could use them and needs them in the mac community. If anyone can get my files off that would be awesome too. Anyone email me if you have a suggestion. [email protected]

[James L]

2 things:

1) The iBooks will not be updated before the Powerbooks.

2) The iBooks were updated in May 2002 and April 2003.

...food for thought.

[tie]

Also, after the Powerbooks get G5s, the iBooks will be next in line. If you don't mind waiting 18-24 months, I think this would be your best bet. :)

[Eug Wanker]

Originally posted by James L:
2 things:

1) The iBooks will not be updated before the Powerbooks.

2) The iBooks were updated in May 2002 and April 2003.

...food for thought.

The last iBook update was October 2003 (not April).

[James L]

I didn't say the last update was in April. We are talking about the springtime updates, not the fall ones. In the last few years the books have been updated in April and in May.

It is pretty much common knowledge that the iBooks are updated every 6 months, give or take a month. The fall updates tend to come in October or November.

That means that for people who are currently speculating on when the next iBook update will be, if we go on previous spring releases, it will be in either April or May.

The one thing to throw a monkey wrench into the mix, however, is that the Powerbook isn't that great right now. If the iBook were to be updated right now it would bring the iBook too close to the Powerbook line. This wasn't as big of a concern when the iBooks had the G3 processor.

Therefore, IMHO, you will see another G4 update to the Powerbook lineup in the next month or so, which will then open up the iBook to be updated on its regular timetable.

[newcomer]

When the PBs go G5 how long will it be before we see performance in the iBook range equivalent to say the current 15inch superdrive PB?

A superdrive iBook with better screen and video memory would rock.