[HHogan]

I wonder if they'll put the iSight built into the displays as standard, and drop the prices.

I've been waiting to pick myself up a 30"er

[Satchmo]

Originally Posted by InactionMan I think Steve's completely lost it with these things.

Jobs is lovin' every second he's in the spotlight. Actually this PR assault is quite unprecedented for Apple. Hit em hard and hit em often.

oops double post sorry

[atomicbartbeans]

Well we've already went through a page of discussion in about an hour. At that rate, I think it's safe to say we'll beat the October 12 thread.

[staph]

Why does Apple always schedule major annoucements when I'm supposed to be finishing theses or studying for exams?

Sigh.

[Wraven]

Damn, I was considering a new iMac + iPod (video), but now I will wait to see what is in store for the PowerMacs / Powerbooks.

[RobM]

Originally Posted by atomicbartbeans Well we've already went through a page of discussion in about an hour. At that rate, I think it's safe to say we'll beat the October 12 thread.

Satchmo's trying hard ˆ- we'll be there in no time.

At last - now on a more serious note. I remember there has been heaps of posting in thread ages ago discussing what exactly this dual dual was or is likely to be, specs performance etc; can a kind soul slip me a linky to that discussion, I can't find it.

[Dima]

2GHz 15' powerbook with 1Gig ram and 128 Vram and 1900*1200 screen res and buildt-in iSight at price 1499 will just fit my needs

[byzantium]

Whoa Apple! Two special events one week back to back? damn. And they've even said it's Pro this time. Can't wait.

[Wraven]

Dima,
Sorry - I can't see 1920x1200 fitting in anything less than the 17". Just my 2 cents of course. Has to do with Apple not wanting to stray too far from 100dpi.

[Joshua]

I think it's going to be a video iPod...oh wait...

[psmith2.0]

I, for one, simply can't buy into the talk about how the PowerBook updates will be really underwhelming. They've not been updated in 10 months (and have been passed up, in certain areas, by the iMac and iBook).

I can't see how Apple wouldn't have something fairly nice ready by now. Even the 7448 is a step up, but is there some sort of manufacturing or acquisition glitch involving them? Because that story makes it sound like they might just stay with the current processors, at 1.67GHz.



People won't be thrilled, especially after this long.

Surely there's going to be a good, reasonable PowerBook update (in nearly all the key areas: processor, graphics, hard drive, optical drive, etc.)?

[atomicbartbeans]

On the flip side of the coin... they've spent 10 months revising the Powerbook, so they must've made something really good.

[psmith2.0]

Originally Posted by atomicbartbeans On the flip side of the coin... they've spent 10 months revising the Powerbook, so they must've made something really good.

Exactly. The optimist in me is holding on to that way of thinking about it.

[Dima]

Wraven, anyway, any update of powerbooks will be just great because it means the new lower price. And maybe they become close enough to up-to-date speeds somehow, if update will be seriouse

[chucker]

Originally Posted by Roboman Adobe did "leak" that "Photo Pro" thing

Incorrect. Adobe did a survey that included a hypothetical Apple Photo Pro product. Hypothetical. An idea in Adobe's marketing division mind. They wanted to know if customers would buy this in place of an Adobe-based solution, and why.

Notice that this is not about image editing, but image organization, i.e. it would have been a professional version of iPhoto, akin iView Media Pro.

...and they decided not to bring Photoshop Elements 4 to the Mac...

Also incorrect. Rather, they decided that it was more important to have the pro applications in sync platform-wise, so Creative Suite will always be realized in sync, whereas Photoshop Elements is a much more minor application. It will still be released for the Mac. Patience.

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 I, for one, simply can't buy into the talk about how the PowerBook updates will be really underwhelming. [..] I can't see how Apple wouldn't have something fairly nice ready by now. [..] Surely there's going to be a good, reasonable PowerBook update (in nearly all the key areas: processor, graphics, hard drive, optical drive, etc.)?

Paul, I hope you're right, but without stepping too much on your toe, aren't you doing wishful thinking here? I mean, I know you really want a 13-inch widescreen PowerBook badly; incidentally, so do I. But what if Apple just really can't deliver right now? What if Freescale is in fact a dead end already?

Even the 7448 is a step up, but is there some sort of manufacturing or acquisition glitch involving them?

I think I read just that on ThinkSecret. Or was it an earlier AppleInsider story?

Ah, yes:

The PowerBooks have also reportedly been plagued by bugs in the Intrepid 2 chipset that were causing systems to underperform when compared to their predecessors.

Now, the Intrepid is Apple's own design, so if it's "just that", then it's up to Apple to fix; at least they don't depend on Freescale then.

[dviant]

Man if they deliver the same "wow I didn't see that coming" as they did with the consumer event I'm going to be very impressed. It'd be nice to see some innovation on the pro side for once. Looking forward to picking up the last rev of the PPC Powerbook.

[Robo]

My Predictions:

1. Dual Core Power Macs. This is big enough news to warrant such an event. It'll be a nice redesign of the Power Mac, too - DDR2, PCI-Express, and maybe even a whole two optical drives! Oh yeah, a slick black enclosure. We might see some older, single-core/single-processor Power Macs sticking around as an interim mid-range desktop, but I'm not sure how "Apple" that would be. Mighty Mouse standard.

2. A Powerbook update. The Powerbooks have to be updated, and Apple knows this. I'd say everything short of going Intel is possible - AppleInsider has been suggesting a mere Mac mini-style option-reshuffling and price drop, but on the other extreme, I hope we'll see an iMac-style "next-generation" Powerbook G4, with HD screens, "Mighty Trackpads," black enclosures, etc. I'm even not ruling out an all-new Powerbook (and by that, I mean G5), although I believe this would be the absolute last chance for Apple to introduce it. Oddly, it seems like the least likely option for the Powerbook, for better or for worse, is a "typical" speed bump. This is really a "go big or go home" update, so I'd suggest expecting the unexpected.

3. Mac mini officially updated, although this could happen on Tuesday. It has to happen sometime, right?

4. Monitor price drops alongside all the new pro/headless gear. I wouldn't at all be surprised to see it get a built-in iSight and Front Row. And if the new pro gear was black, the monitors would match.

5. Bluetooth Mighty Mouse...I hope.

I'm not sure what I think about the possibility of Apple's new "Photo Pro" software. In any case, this will surely be the last big Apple event this year. After this, I'm not expecting much else from Apple for the rest of the year, besides some price drops for the iPod shuffle ("Stocking shuffler!") and maybe on the stand-alone iSight.

[audiopollution]

PB 13.3" 1.67+ 1280x854 120 512 DL-16x -$150

Please.

[PB PM]

Of course the update may just be for the G5 PowerMacs, and a few need things slapped into the current Powerbook at a lower price. That is ok IMO, but a nice speed bump and 128MB VRAM standard would be great. I would like the 128MB VRAM, but if its not standard and costs a hundred $$$ more I might just hold off till the next rev or model, maybe buy a 14" ibook to hold me over for school in the spring if new ones don't come up late winter.

[Wraven]

Originally Posted by Dima Wraven, anyway, any update of powerbooks will be just great because it means the new lower price. And maybe they become close enough to up-to-date speeds somehow, if update will be seriouse

I wasn't knocking you down, so no anyway needed. Just pointing out that Apple MAY up the resolution for the 15" and 17", but not by that much. Theoretically, 1600x1050 for the 15" and 1920x1200 for the 17". But that is pure conjecture. Hell, they could do what you said - 15" / 1920x1200. Just trying to keep it a little bit realistic.

I agree with you, any kind of reasonable upgrade to the Powerbook will be great (not sure how it will lead to a lower price though?).

[Robo]

Originally Posted by chucker Incorrect. Adobe did a survey that included a hypothetical Apple Photo Pro product. Hypothetical. An idea in Adobe's marketing division mind. They wanted to know if customers would buy this in place of an Adobe-based solution, and why.

I know, that's why I put "leak" in quotes. If that was all we'd ever heard on this "Photo Pro" software, I wouldn't buy into it at all. But we've heard other rumblings on Apple introducing a new photo-related program at this event.

[datapusher]

I think we should see a replacement for the eMac.

Put 500 of them in the middle of Times Square and see what kind of stampede that will cause. THAT's a media event right there.

[Dima]

i do really hope that the design of new PB (if it occurs) will remain the same perfect alluminium one - the "black enclosure" or whatever else would be the worst that could happen to powerbook

[Robo]

Originally Posted by audiopollution PB 13.3" 1.67+ 1280x854 120 512 DL-16x -$150 Please.

You want all that for $150?

[PB PM]

the "black enclosure" or whatever else would be the worst that could happen to powerbook

Why would black be so bad? I love the good old Black Powerbook G3!

[audiopollution]

Originally Posted by Roboman You want all that for $150?

Sure!

I'd like to see the 'base' superdrive 13.3" drop $150 in price from the base 12" (wishful thinking, I know), if they can't meet a $150 retail price.

[Robo]

Originally Posted by Dima i do really hope that the design of new PB (if it occurs) will remain the same perfect alluminium one - the "black enclosure" or whatever else would be the worst that could happen to powerbook

You do realize I'm talking about black aluminum, right? Exact same material, same shape, same weight, just adonized black. Something Apple could easily do to increase demand for their new offerings and make them look like the significant makeovers they'll hopefully be.

[Robo]

Originally Posted by audiopollution Sure! I'd like to see the 'base' superdrive 13.3" drop $150 in price from the base 12" (wishful thinking, I know), if they can't meet a $150 retail price.

I can't see the Powerbook getting any cheaper than $1,499 for now. It's already dangerously close to iBook country. The 15" and 17" Powerbooks should see price drops, and the Superdrive will be made standard, so that's sorta a $200 drop on the 12" model (if you were going to buy the Superdrive version).

I do hope we do see the 12" Powerbook go widescreen (and 13" as a result).

[Dima]

Matter of taste - i'm in love with silver alluminium.

[Engine Joe]

Ah yes, black enclosures... so we can look like all the other PC laptops out there...