I've picked the worst time to be macless - buy MBP?

[ImNoSuperMan]

I m also in the same boat. Just sold off my iBook 12" as I couldnt live with a PPC when the whole of apple is shifting to Intel and allowing virtualization,bootcamp etc. I sold it right now coz prices will drop once intel MacBooks are released. In any case I got good price too. I lost only 10%(including ebay fees) of the original value for 5 months use.

But now I m feeling really scared. Tomorrow my iBook will not be with me any more.
God knows how i`ll manage these 2 months with a celeron laptop. Hope mBook launches sooner.
Any ideas about leopard release date?

As far as OTHER`s situation is concerned, I think the major change rite now is intel only. I wud never have sold this ibook ever in my life if not for the intel move. Rest all is just simple little addon. And thier NON IMPORTANCE has already been mentioned it the thread. you can always add them later.

My advice is go for MBP now. But thats only coz budget is not a problem for u. If the budget was tight than you could wait for the MacBook like me.

 

[shrhaider]

Am I the only one reading this thread and wondering what all this anger is about? Apple is "retarded"?

"Waiting is getting annoying."
"Right now, I hate Apple."
"I've been waiting around seven months. Seven. I'm pretty pissed at Apple."

If you're so sick of waiting, STOP WAITING. Buy a computer already. I don't mean to piss anyone off here, but how is your anger Apple's fault?

 

[shrhaider]

I'm pretty sure they'll offer a single core k-12 MacBook base unit for around that price
and an upgrade core duo model with at least as much kick as the upgraded mini for around $1000.

Just wondering where this speculation is coming from. I'm waiting for the MacBook to arrive as well (making the switch) and everyone seems to be guessing at much higher price points, ie $1000 for the base Core Solo price.

 

[NintendoFan]

Just buy the MacBook Pro.

You can't beat the waiting game, everyone will always lose.

 

[other]

Am I the only one reading this thread and wondering what all this anger is about? Apple is "retarded"?

"Waiting is getting annoying."
"Right now, I hate Apple."
"I've been waiting around seven months. Seven. I'm pretty pissed at Apple."

If you're so sick of waiting, STOP WAITING. Buy a computer already. I don't mean to piss anyone off here, but how is your anger Apple's fault?

My anger is Apple's fault since they won't release a computer that fits my needs. That is, they didn't update the 12" PowerBook last October, and that really pissed me off. Sure, I could go and buy a PC, but I want OS X.

I know that my anger isn't really Apple's fault, but who says my anger is rational?

 

[FFTT]

Think Secret and AppleInsider are figuring a higher price point and that may
be true.

I guess this depends on how badly they cripple the base model's features to
be competitive in the k-12 market.

I'm hoping that the top end Core Duo model has a bit more going for it than
the Core Duo mini.

 

[bobber205]

Think Secret and AppleInsider are figuring a higher price point and that may
be true.

I guess this depends on how badly they cripple the base model's features to
be competitive in the k-12 market.

I'm hoping that the top end Core Duo model has a bit more going for it than
the Core Duo mini.

I wouldnt' be surprised if the upper end Macbook model costs so much that it's totally worth to get the current MBP.

 

[FFTT]

They're predicting $1499 retail, so it really depends on how bad Apple
decides to cripple the 13 WS top end model to differentiate it from the MBP.

Personally, I'm hoping for a full featured smaller form factor than the 15" MBP.

I know lots of people prefer more real estate, but I prefer something smaller as
a secondary portable system.

The first MacBooks will be totally REV A, so keep that in mind.

It wasn't that long ago that people bitched and moaned about Apple skimping on the Rev A iMac's
crappy VRAM specs. A year later all that customer feedback paid off and now we have a great iMac.

I think it's very important to take a hard look at your real portable needs and spend accordingly.

For some people, the current 12" 1.33 iBooks will be very attractive as a hold over machine for $799 or less. Same thing goes for close out deals on the current 12" PB's

I saved $600 buying my G5 2.0 8DIMM on closeout.

This will hold me well into 2008 and beyond.

 

[shrhaider]

My anger is Apple's fault since they won't release a computer that fits my needs. That is, they didn't update the 12" PowerBook last October, and that really pissed me off. Sure, I could go and buy a PC, but I want OS X.

I know that my anger isn't really Apple's fault, but who says my anger is rational?

I didn't mean to suggest that you buy a PC. Just buy a MBP, or if you can stand to wait a month or two months or.... wait for the new Intel iBook. That's what I'm doing, tho it's driving me slowly insane.

 

[shrhaider]

The first MacBooks will be totally REV A, so keep that in mind.

I've never owned a Mac, but I want to buy a MacBook. I'm just getting used to all of this. Do a lot of Macfans avoid rev A everything? Is Apple's track record for rev A machines that bad? I certainly don't want to buy a lemon when I'm living overseas and it's hard to return something. For example, the people who bought the new MBPs, did you just really need a new laptop? Are you just the kind of person who wants to have the latest and greatest? Are you happy with your purchase?

 

[FFTT]

Rev A machines are usually O.K., but Apple tends to hold back a few desirable features so they can have a " new improved " version later.

These new MacBooks may indeed start out with integrated graphics and have limited 2nd display support, no backlit KB, that sort of thing.

After about 6 months or so all the feedback usually results in a few tweaks to keep people happy and stay with competition.

A major Rev "B" would be changing over to the Meron processors or some other major improvement.

So in general terms many seasoned Mac users try to hang in there for the Rev "B"'s or later.

Right now the MBP's are actually in their 4th minor revision, but they are still Rev "A" machines.

So while the Rev A machines are generally fine and well covered by their warranties, many users would rather not be the 1st crash test dummies.

Of course many of us have absolutely no will power what so ever , so we cave and buy them anyway.

 

[killmoms]

64 bit CPU: I think it's unlikely that Apple will have 64 bit CPUs in their laptops any time soon. Perhaps in a year. Most people are going to be fine with 32bit CPUs.

You're a nut. As soon as Merom is available, it'll be in the MacBook Pro. It's not just about 64-bitness, Merom is going to be the first true "Core" laptop chip that Intel releases, and will offer considerably higher performance at the same wattages. Today's Yonah-based Core Duo is a bit of a stop-over between the old Banias/Dothan Pentium M and Intel's new unified Core line of chips (Merom, Conroe, and... what's the Xeon replacement, again? Woodcrest?). Merom and Conroe will hit Q3 of this year... so that's about six months, not a year.