Is waiting for an iBook update worth $100

[scrouds]

that's the deal. If i wait for an update, chanches are i wont be able to use the $100 mail in rebate off of the iBook. I'd like better graphics higher res screen maybe widescreen and i want to get this comp for school buy aug 15, but i'm not too sure we'll see new ones in time to get the rebate. Any advise? Buy it now or wait it out?

[staph]

that's the deal. If i wait for an update, chanches are i wont be able to use the $100 mail in rebate off of the iBook. I'd like better graphics higher res screen maybe widescreen and i want to get this comp for school buy aug 15, but i'm not too sure we'll see new ones in time to get the rebate. Any advise? Buy it now or wait it out?

Is there any particular reason why you need the better graphics (e.g. doing serious gaming and/or video stuff)? If not, I'd go for it now.

Ordinarily, the iBook would have been updated by now. It's certainly approaching the end of a cycle, but frankly all bets are off as to when it gets an update given Monday's announcement.

[psmith2.0]

Personally, I'd wait a bit. It's very overdue, and I believe something will happen before the end of this month (admittedly, I have no true info or firsthand knowledge, but neither do the OTHER 1,800 goons who chime in with their bullcrap).

:p ;)

Seriously, if I truly didn't NEED the iBook RIGHT THIS MINUTE, I'd wait another few weeks. The upgrades might be awesome enough to offset any $100 rebate stuff?

[MCQ]

It looks like the rebate ends on June 25... you still have two more weeks to wait to see if a refresh occurs.

[morningstarrising]

Yeah, sadly it might happen the 27th, but hey that's life.

[scrouds]

Yeah, sadly it might happen the 27th, but hey that's life.
yeah, life.

But what pscates said. is he update big enough that i'd want to give up the $100 rebate. and i'll need it for fall semester, so if they dont update by then, then, i'll buy one anyway.

[Luca]

Hey scrouds, you should use the question mark (?) symbol once in a while! I believe your sentence:

is he update big enough that i'd want to give up the $100 rebate.

is supposed to end with a question mark. That kind of confused me at first. Oh and I'm pretty sure you meant to say "the" instead of "he," but oh well :p

Anyway, yes, I would say that an update would be big enough to be worth giving up a $100 rebate. The worst case scenario is you wait until fall and end up having to buy a non-updated one at full price. But I think the iBooks will probably get an update by then. Once they get an update, you can even get a previous model at a discounted rate... in fact, they'd probably cost less than the one you're looking at now.

[thegelding]

i want to buy an iBook soon...but my daughter doesn't NEED it till college this fall...so i guess i could wait...but she would LIKE one sooner than later...

damn you apple...update those iBooks...

should have her wait till the mactels come out next year, but i don't think she will wait that long...

ah, freshmen year, i remember it like it was 25 years ago...blurry and poor and having the munchies....


g

[katori]

I'm waiting for an update as well - the only problem is, I can't afford to wait any longer than the rebate deadline, since I'll be needing the laptop for a summer internship. On the other hand, I'm rather strapped for cash currently, and could really use that $100. :err:

So here's my several questions. How likely are the odds of iBooks updating *and* shipping (ToC says only shipped orders qualify for the rebate) before the June 25th deadline? I figure that since I visit this forum daily, I'll be able to find out about the update and order it on the same day it happens. For that matter, when updated products come out on the apple.com store, are they usually available immediately for shipping, or do we have to wait longer?

Also, I'm planning to BTO mine with a bigger hard drive (haven't decided which) and a bluetooth module. Apple Store says that'll take about 1~3 business days - does anyone have actual experience on this? It'll really, really suck if I wait until the last minute and my order ships on the 26th. :(

And for the last question (I promise!), could Apple be offering another rebate right after this? I saw that amazon.com did this; when their last $100 iBook rebate expired on the 7th, they immediately put out another one. I can't wait until the end of August, which, I assume, is when they'll pull out the big Back-To-School discounts, but I don't mind riding out another couple weeks or so if it'll get me a better/cheaper book with the same discount. Has Apple ever done something like this before? (um, okay, I lied... :o)

Sorry for all the questions, but it seems like I've been waiting forever for the update :mad: when all I really want to do is mess around with an OS that's not as chunky, messy and frustrating as XP has been for me. (and in such a sleek, beautiful case, to boot! :D)

Many thanks in advance. :)

[newt]

I saw this or a similar $100 mail in rebate posted here before. Anyone have the link?

[pmazer]

You have to be a student:

http://education.apple.com/students/go/save/

[DMBand0026]

I'd wait it out. Chances are they'll update within the next month and you'll get $100 of extra stuff in your machine with no price increase so your $100 rebate won't matter much. That, and the Cram and Jam deal. Apple does it every year, they'll offer a $200 (I think) rebate on any iPod when you purchase a PowerBook or iBook. That's a deal, you can't go wrong with an iPod, even if you have an iPod already, you can never have too many. If you had two iPods though, there would have to be two of you to make you cooler.

Take my word for it. Chicks dig iPods.

[Satchmo]

There have been rumours that a Keynote and Pages update are also just around the corner (along with Numbers-a spreadsheet program).
Could they be launched at the same time a newly speed bumped iBook is unveiled next week? Afterall, Apple needs to throw something more than just a few extra megahertz and RAM into any new iBook. Then again, it could be a nice 14" widescreen that's coming.
I'd wait...been waiting this long...what's a few more weeks. :)

[designerguy]

I've had my ibook since mid May...glad I didn't wait for the update because it's still not here. What ever they add to it will be less then the PB so if you can live with that then get it. No regrets! it's an awesome machine all for $899!

[Franz Josef]

There have been rumours that a Keynote and Pages update are also just around the corner (along with Numbers-a spreadsheet program).


Bear in mind Keynote 2.0 is still relatively new (and relatively well developed compared to Powerpoint) - more scope for beefing up Pages.

[clarinettie]

I'd wait it out. Chances are they'll update within the next month and you'll get $100 of extra stuff in your machine with no price increase so your $100 rebate won't matter much. That, and the Cram and Jam deal. Apple does it every year, they'll offer a $200 (I think) rebate on any iPod when you purchase a PowerBook or iBook. That's a deal, you can't go wrong with an iPod, even if you have an iPod already, you can never have too many. If you had two iPods though, there would have to be two of you to make you cooler.

Take my word for it. Chicks dig iPods.

This is why I'm waiting until back to school to get my iBook. I have a 4G 40 gig iPod, and I want to get a new 20 gig for my boyfriend. Any word on when this deal usually starts? August-ish?

[DMBand0026]

Summer. Not exactly sure which, but traditionally Apple will update at least one product during the summer and will usually roll out the cram and jam deal quietly around the same time. So just keep your eye open for it on the Apple website, because they don't usually make a big deal of it.

[windowsforeyes]

Any word on when this deal usually starts? August-ish?

The deal was announced on July 8th last year. One can only hope that it might start so soon (and with a refreshed iBook!).