Suprised nobody mentioned this little blurb from
macosXrumors:
Quote:
One of our readers has sent us this interesting e-mail during the week-end, hinting that Apple plans to release a new Powerbook with a high definition capable display:
I noticed the new powerbook manuals have changed their wording from referencing the 1440x900 panel to:
Depending on how your Powerbook was configured, it may have a wide-screen display that has a “native” resolution of 1920x1200 or 1440x900.
(From my Powerbook manual page 22)
Could it be that Apple is planning on making a 1920x1200 lcd panel an option in the near future? Or perhaps this was planned and then delayed for the release of the G5 notebooks. At any rate, Apple sales has no clue what this is referring to, and suggest it’s just talking about video mirroring; the wording is pretty clear though… Apple intended for the new 17″ powerbooks to come with either 1440x900 or 1920x1200. I sure wish we know if/when this would arrive.
Our reader, Jonathan, had ordered the lastest generation Powerbook 17″ and has just received it. He has also sent us a picture of the mentioned manual’s page.
Considering that 1920x1200 pixels resolution is used for high definition cinema and that Steve Jobs has said that 2005 was the year of high definition, we may draw the conclusion that this feature will come this year on. Will it be a new “Powerbook HD”? Will it be a BTO option? Will it come with G5 based Powerbooks? Time will tell.
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Sure, we've all heard about Tiger's upcoming 'resolution independence', but holy hell, a laptop with the same resolution as a 23" Cinema Display?
I was curious on the ppi of Apple's existing PowerBooks, and got this from Apple's site:
Quote:
Best Resolution for Images and Words
The quality of the pixels you see impacts how you use your computer. After years of experience, Apple engineers have discovered the ideal resolution to display both sharp text and graphics — a pixel density of about 100 pixels per inch (ppi). Other vendors may offer a larger monitor, but with less resolution, so you end up with fewer pixels, or a smaller monitor with a high resolution that causes eyestrain and headaches. Apple’s balanced 100 pixels per inch format is optimized for images, yet allows you to easily work with text in email, Safari and sophisticated type treatments in layouts.
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OK. So 100ppi is Apple's 'ideal resolution'. This leads to the following possible outcome imo:
1) It's a freakin' typo. Grab a paper bag a breathe in and out deeply, 709.
2) Apple is releasing a PowerBook HD at it's 'ideal' LCD resolution of 100ppi...coming in at an anti-svelte 23".
3) Apple has an uber-dense ppi screen in their underground tunnel labs, making ppi a non-issue. 
4) Apple has a 130-ish ppi LCD, and will offer it as a BTO on upcoming 17" PowerBooks. Or maybe offer a 19"-20" PowerBook with this slightly denser ppi for those HD on-the-go people.
Interesting speculation nonetheless. I'd be on a 19" HD PowerBook in a second. Hell, the 17" just about crosses over the 'unweildy' line as far as size (not thickness), I'd gladly lug a 19" around if I could design/edit at 1-1 ratio.
