How much longer can Apple spounge off the outdated PB line?

[caveman_uk]

Floyde??? You make no sense I am sorry to say. I ask you this much...if apple was thinking of the client then why have they seemingly already "assumed" some clients will buy then want to return it until they get a new one. This is evident in their "restocking" statement. I would imagine if it were YOU and YOU bought a mini you would want the current model not the last model before it. Imagine if Sony did that with their tv's? People would be pissed! Deals like that are for places like Costco and Overstocked that thrive on selling their clients discounted and outdated models. Problem here is apple dont want to give the discount.

This has been done to death in another thread. Can we just move on or do you just want to keep whining that you might get something for nothing.

 

[California]

I'm still using my nearly-5-year-old 800 MHz TiBook everyday. I publish a 4-color print magazine almost entirely on it, and use lots of apps including Cinema4D, InDesign, PS, Illustrator, After Effects, Office, etc., as well as do the majority of my Xcode/IB coding on it. For doing serious animation or playing the newest games, it's feeling the pain a bit, but still gets the job done. I do have a dual G5 for doing the heavy lifting when I need it, but I'm really amazed at how well this box still performs and holds up. Not only that but I've hauled it all over the earth and by all rights it should not even still boot up, but it does. Screen still looks excellent as well, though I do take pains to treat it well (keep it clean, turn off the backlight or sleep it when not in use). The only modifications are I added RAM and put a Hitachi 7K60 hard drive inside, which really made a big difference and extended its life for me.

Now having praised it, I will say I'm definitely ready to retire it and get my paws on a shiny new Yonah/Merom dual-core PowerBook, hopefully this time for something a bit less that the $3,000+ I paid for the TiBook.

Please tell me you meant a 500mhz Tibook, not 800mhz, right? The first Ti's came out in Jan. 2001, so you must have bought the 500mhz, right?

I know, still great machine.

 

[MrSugar]

I've argued that logic before, but what it really comes down to is this: design is one of the founding tenets of Apple. The second, in my opinion, is ease-of-use. The third is powerful technology for everyone. The last of these is key: for the majority of people, the PowerBook does exactly what it was meant to do. Kick some ass, take names, and look good doing it.

What really is lacking? We all know that the G4 is an old chip. But it's also stood the test of time, which is an enormous feat for any technology, much less the short-lived processor.



I think you're right. If Apple had stayed with Freescale they would have redesigned the 'Books for the G4+. The new G4s have "evolved" and require a complete overhaul. Yes, the Pentium M performs better in some areas, but I would hardly say the G4 is that far behind.

The mobility 9700 is still a very good chipset and does its job: low heat, low profile. Storage continues to increase. Resolution is excellent for most folks (if you really want 1900x1200 on a 12" screen, then a PC with Microsoft DestroyYourVision™ 2005 is probably a better choice). What else? USB ports? Please. We have sweet keyboard lights and trackpads, FireWire 800, Bluetooth 2.0... I guess I'm just not seeing your logic here.

And back to the "design" tenet... if Apple must sacrifice some fraction of speed and power for design, so be it. That's the way it is and always has been.

I challenge you to show us a PC laptop that exceeds the PowerBook feature-set, while maintaining good design principles. I doubt you can find one less than 1" thick with a 17" screen. Not to mention Mac OS X and all the other reasons we prefer Mac.

Also: the PowerBook is a premium computer. If you don't really care to pay extra for an aluminum finish, get an iBook! Or don't get the Saab with turbo and fog lights, etc.

BANG!

This post is exactly what I think about the Powerbook line up. Thank you for putting it so well.

No laptop out there can beat the Apple Powerbook on an all around comparison of features. None.




I would like to expand on my post.

If people really believe they have found other computers that are better than the powerbook for a cheaper price, then let's see. I would love to see some links or stats on these amazing computers...

The only thing I can find that comes close is the more expensive VoodooPC laptops.

 

[Yoyodyne]

Originally Posted by MrSugar:
No laptop out there can beat the Apple Powerbook on an all around comparison of features. None.

I disagree. The following, with BTO options that keep it under 2200, are all equivalents:

http://laptopsinc.com/Merchant2/mer...=N6210CTO&Category_Code=FUJIN&Product_Count=2


This one is a rebranded ASUS:
http://laptopsinc.com/Merchant2/mer...Code=MXW3V&Category_Code=P1MX&Product_Count=0

For the cost of the top Powerbook you could get:
http://www.proportable.com/detail.aspx?ID=136

These notebook have there faults, such as bulk, but you will never find a perfect notebook. Outside of the included software and compactness, the Powerbooks are not a good deal right now.

 

[CuriousG]

Now that last one from Asus is simply amazing. It's got me thinking.

 

[Demon Hunter]

Now that last one from Asus is simply amazing. It's got me thinking.

How ironic, it's as close as you can get to a PowerBook without a lawsuit! There you have it friends, the choice between Mac and PC, it doesn't get more clear than that.

BANG!

This post is exactly what I think about the Powerbook line up. Thank you for putting it so well.

Thanks! I feel loved.

 

[carlos700]

The ATI Mobility RADEON 9800 is TOO HOT and will make the PowerBook TOO THICK. It is a graphics chip for desktop replacement notebooks —not thin-n-lights like the PowerBook. The only graphics chip that will work in a thin notebook (faster than the ATI 9700) is the NVIDIA GeForce Go 6600 (and that's pushing it on the 12-inch). The ATI Mobility X600/X700 are just PCI-Express versions of their 9x00 cousin unlike the X800 which is completely different from the 9800.

 

[Bern]

How ironic, it's as close as you can get to a PowerBook without a lawsuit! There you have it friends, the choice between Mac and PC, it doesn't get more clear than that.

I wonder how good this Taiwanese company's worldwide warranty is? I've seen the Asus, the quality is garbage actually in comparison to even an iBook.

 

[Eastend]

I wonder how good this Taiwanese company's worldwide warranty is? I've seen the Asus, the quality is garbage actually in comparison to even an iBook.

Your post is exactly what I was thinking about Asus. That takes care of all 3 that the previious poster listed, because that first one would be slower than the PowerBook and for the size and weight you can have 2 PowerBooks.

Brian

 

[cluthz]

I bougth my 1.33GHz little over a year ago, at that time it was really good priced vs intels (of same quality), a "similar" specced Dell Latitude f.ex was about the same price. That was over 1 year ago, since that the powerbook still has the same gfx, and only 0.167Ghz more.. The latitude has on the same timespan went from 1.6->2.26 GHz. And they still costs the same.

The powerbooks are great products, but atm they are seriously lagging behind in speed.

About build quality, im not sure, had tons of really good macs, but my PBs gfx just died after only been used on my desk even if it was in a "cooler stand", and ofc excactly 1 year and 8 days old.

If Apple releases a new model now that is upgrade (not talking about +100 MHz) I will buy a new PB, but this time with Apple care

 

[willyhunt]

How ironic, it's as close as you can get to a PowerBook without a lawsuit! There you have it friends, the choice between Mac and PC, it doesn't get more clear than that.

I was under the impression (perhaps mistakenly) that Asus built or had a hand in the design of Apple laptops? Also the Vaio's I believe? Of course I could be wrong.......

 

[Bern]

I was under the impression (perhaps mistakenly) that Asus built or had a hand in the design of Apple laptops? Also the Vaio's I believe? Of course I could be wrong.......

hhmm interesting I haven't heard that, but honestly my partner is shopping around for a pc lappie and we saw all three of the Asus (they're very popular at our Chinatown computer retailers) and they look cheap. The HP's are far nicer in comparison.

 

[JRM PowerPod]

Your post is exactly what I was thinking about Asus. That takes care of all 3 that the previious poster listed, because that first one would be slower than the PowerBook and for the size and weight you can have 2 PowerBooks.

Brian

Yeah, the first fujitsu was amazingly compact at only 2" thick and 10 pounds. Real competition for the likes of the powerbook

 

[JRM PowerPod]

What really matters is: would anyone in this forum give away their powerbook for a thinkpad, fujitsu, ASUS, HP, Dell or any other comparable PC. I know for one that I wouldn't.

My 12" 1.5Ghz 1.2gb ram Powerbook does anything and everything i need it to. My brother has a Dell Inspiron 8600 2Ghz 1gb Ram 100gb HD 128mb 9600. He is jealous of my powerbook. How small it is, and even how powerful it is. For a start my loads up in under 30secs is takes 2-3mins. As much as I'd like a 2.26Ghz G5 Powerbook with 2Gb DDR2 120gb HD and an X850XT, it ain't going to happen. When someone buys a Mac they buy the package, the software and the hardware, and in doing so we are buying a superior product.

It looks like there are updates tomorrow anyway, with the BTO PB's going to 3-5 weeks in Australia just for upgrading the Ram.

Just remember why we buy macs and stop the complaining, no one forces you to buy one, a benefit of democracy i guess

 

[Palad1]

What really matters is: would anyone in this forum give away their powerbook for a thinkpad, fujitsu, ASUS, HP, Dell or any other comparable PC. I know for one that I wouldn't.

My 12" 1.5Ghz 1.2gb ram Powerbook does anything and everything i need it to. My brother has a Dell Inspiron 8600 2Ghz 1gb Ram 100gb HD 128mb 9600. He is jealous of my powerbook. How small it is, and even how powerful it is. For a start my loads up in under 30secs is takes 2-3mins. As much as I'd like a 2.26Ghz G5 Powerbook with 2Gb DDR2 120gb HD and an X850XT, it ain't going to happen. When someone buys a Mac they buy the package, the software and the hardware, and in doing so we are buying a superior product.

Heck, I OWN a 15'' Powerbook, and even I am jealous of your 12''
Damn, if only my radeon 9700 could fit in those lovely 12''

 

[drake]

Apple should just do some major price cutting on their existing outdated lineup until they rolllout the Intel versions.

 

[BGil]

Well ... if Vista won't run on any current pc laptop than that makes what is out there outdated by those standards of that OS.

Vista runs on all current laptops and all XP generation hardware as well. At most, one would need a ram upgrade to 512 but nearly every PC since 2002 has shipped with 512 so that's not much of a problem.

I'm failry certian that Vista will install on a machine with onyl 256 but I haven't tried it myself.

 

[Yoyodyne]

Originally Posted by Eastend:
Your post is exactly what I was thinking about Asus. That takes care of all 3 that the previious poster listed, because that first one would be slower than the PowerBook and for the size and weight you can have 2 PowerBooks.

How would the Fujistu be slower than the Powerbook? I already mentioned size being one of the few downfalls, but saying you could have two Powerbooks for one Fujistu makes no sense as an argument for a price/value ratio.

I own an iBook G4 in all its cheap-labor gloriness and I severely doubt the build quality is much better than three I posted.

Watch out when bitch about Asus:
http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=11890