15inch Powerbook Next Month?

[AmbitiousLemon]

Re: Bluetooth PCMCIA Support please!!!

Originally posted by AhmedFaisal
More than anything else I want support for Bluetooth PCMCIA Cards. What does my Powerbook have a PC Card Slot for if not for a Bluetooth Card. The stupid D-Link dongle is an annoyance and it blocks a USB Port.

you do realize that the 12" and 17" have built-in bluetooth don't you? no need for an adapter (pc card or usb).


What will be interesting is to see whether they will include FW800. The17" has it. The 12" doesn't. The powermacs have it. The iMacs don't.

The lack of FW800 on the 12" PB was a big reason I didn't buy one. The last powerbook i bought was the last mac built without FW. It was a major pain the next 4 years. I do not want to be stuck in that situation again. (The other reasons I didn't buy one was the poor graphics card, benchmarks which showed the ibook beat it in many tasks, 640MB RAM max, and upcoming PPC970 chips)

 

[ColoJohnBoy]

PowerBooks Tomorrow?

In response to the report that the Cambridge MA store is missing all their display TiBooks - If other stores are experiencing the same thing, it is likely that there could be an announcement of new 15.4" PowerBooks tomorrow. I used to work at an Apple Store here in Denver, and when we were switching out old floor models for new, we always did it in one night, so customers never saw a dissheveled store. Check the Cambridge MA store tomorrow to see.

The other possibility is that they were clearing for electrical work. At my store we frequently had problems with the power sources for the digital camera/camcorder stands. To me, though, this seems unlikely. Even if they were having electrical problems, there would be no reason to move the computers. Plus, they wouldn't move them until the electricians arrived - SJ is very anal-retentive about how the stores look.

If they don't come tomorrow, don't count on the PowerBooks until mid-May, or after 90% of the 17" models have shipped, and are available at an Apple reatil Store. While Apple isn't that great about keeping dates (SJ said at MWSF that the 17" models would start shipping in 2-3 weeks) they are VERY picky about marketing - it doesn't make sense to announce a new 15" before the 17" models have shipped.

 

[yzedf]

Re: Never mind screen resolution...

Originally posted by bikeboy
I'm assuming that because it's the last to be upgraded, the 15" will be more advanced in some way(s) than the 12 and 17 PBs.

One can only hope that the 15.x" will remain the hi-spec machine. 17" is too big to take on the road for sales presentations and such. More of a desktop replacement machine in my opinion. :::shrug:::

 

[scem0]

I'm glad someone is reinforcing the BT pro keyboard and mouse
rumors. I think a wireless pro keyboard and mouse would attract
more people to switch, and would look much nicer.

 

[rt_brained]

Re: PowerBooks Tomorrow?

Originally posted by ColoJohnBoy
...it doesn't make sense to announce a new 15" before the 17" models have shipped.

Good point. There are enough people out there eagerly awaiting the release of the 17" who've been frustrated with the delay so far. Announcing the 15" now would only create longer waiting lists and frustrated customers endlessly calling to find out the status of their machines.

My guess is that they're working fervently to release the 15". But it doesn't "seem" make any sense for at this point for Apple to announce another machine in the new Powerbook lineup until the others are in the pipeline. There's rarely a justification for creating your own bad PR.

 

[tompatros]

Unless...

I'm gonna playing the wishful-thinking optimist and hope that Apple has used their time getting the 17" PB ready to also get the new 15" PB ready as well. I agree that Apple has gotten a bit of egg on their face with the very long waiting lists for the 17". The could redeem themselves a bit by hitting the ground running with the new 15". But, again, don't "announce" anything with another 8-12 week delay, somehow I don't think that wins customers...

 

[DHagan4755]

Re: Unless...

Originally posted by tompatros
I'm gonna playing the wishful-thinking optimist and hope that Apple has used their time getting the 17" PB ready to also get the new 15" PB ready as well.

A fair assumption. For the R&D Apple has at it's disposal to have both of these machines finalized at the same time makes a lot of sense.

Originally posted by tompatros
They could redeem themselves a bit by hitting the ground running with the new 15". But, again, don't "announce" anything with another 8-12 week delay, somehow I don't think that wins customers...

If they announce the 15", say tomorrow, it has to be available immediately or else it's going to lead to more frustrated and pissed customers.

 

[Egg]

15" delayed by 17"

I actually heard today, from a sales rep at one of the big computer wholesalers, that the 17" IS shipping, but that the Goverment put a hold on them, and is buying all of them for the Military. Never thought the Military used Macs. Could that be true?

 

[legacyb4]

12" BTO-only Models now in retail channels

at least out here in Japan...

Bic Camera has started to sell the 12" Superdrive model (640MB/40GB) at the same price as Apple Store Japan AND you get a 10% discount in points back...

Which means JPY273,600 minus 10% which brings price down to close to US$2,000 for the top of the line model without AppleCare.

BicBic.com Pricing

Signs of either really slow sales, or maybe an early shot at clearing inventory?

Cheers.

 

[Stelliform]

Not that I want to hurt apple, but each day that they 15" is delayed makes me happier with my 15" I bought in November. Now that I have 3 solid months under my belt with it I am ok if they release an update. I would have been perturbed if they had a new 15 in January though. The latest I can see a delay would be May. Giving the November model 6 months of life. And like it has been said before, I really doubt we will hear anything until the 17" orders are mostly filled. (Like 3 weeks after it starts shipping.)

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Grimace]

New PBs

So given that most people think the 15.x" will ship after the 17" PBs finally emerge, does anyone have a substantiated idea of when the 17s will ship?

 

[yzedf]

Re: 12" BTO-only Models now in retail channels

Originally posted by legacyb4
at least out here in Japan...

Bic Camera has started to sell the 12" Superdrive model (640MB/40GB) at the same price as Apple Store Japan AND you get a 10% discount in points back...

Which means JPY273,600 minus 10% which brings price down to close to US$2,000 for the top of the line model without AppleCare.

BicBic.com Pricing

Signs of either really slow sales, or maybe an early shot at clearing inventory?

Cheers.

My guess is that the 12" PB is not selling well in Japan. It is too big. 10.4" and no optical drive would prolly be a hit, IMO.

 

[crankopotamus]

TiBook shipping delay

I ordered my 15" TiBook two weeks ago. Not quite ready to let go of OS 9 just yet, don'tcha know. Anyway, Apple was e-mailing me every two days to tell me my ship date had been delayed another two days, and I was convinced they were going to announce the ALbook and cancel my order. But it finally shipped yesterday, from the factory in Taiwan.

This tells us... nothing, really, except that they are still making the titanium, and the supply delays are just that. It doesn't mean they don't have a parallel assembly line ramping up to make a 15" aluminum, or already making it. Anybody familiar with their manufacturing process?

-crankopotamus

=====

I touched AlphaTech's motorcycle once. Does that make me cool?

 

[Rasmus]

Hm. Take a look at this:

http://rasmusandersson.com/rp13/stuff/pb15creen_rumor.txt

 

[jlemon]

Originally posted by rt_brained
But if you could instead get a brand-new top-of-the-line 15" TiBook 1GHz/512/60/Superdrive for $1,799.00, plus (mandatory) Applecare warranty for an extra $200.00, would you cave?

Probably, but where are you getting a brand new 1 GHz TiBook w/ superdrive at that price?

 

[Abstract]

They're probably producing the new AluPB 15" right now, but don't want to say anything yet because of the 2 month delay of the 17" AlPB. The 17" PB are shipping late March/early April. Well, the Apple retailer at my school is.

 

[xenotek]

Hmm... seems like the link Rasmus posted has been since taken down. What was it?

On a different note, I've read all of the speculation regarding the new 15 (15.4?) inch notebooks and I am still quite confused as to why Apple would release the 15PBs after the 17s. Generally speaking, new computer updates tend to leave the previous ones in the dust, but this doesnt seem like a smart move. A 15inch PB with high screen res and lots of droolworthy bells and whistles would surely piss off everyone who bought a 17 and ultimately undermine its sales so I think we can safely assume that won't happen. On the other hand, a 15 with so-so screen res and the expected options would probably be a lackluster machine in comparison to the 12 that's already available. What gives?

 

[Rasmus]

Well, I think it will have a lower res than before (1280x800) and the main upgrades will be faster FSB, DDR333 RAM, FW800 and of cause some good aluminium. I don't think people want higer screenres than 1280x800 on a monitor this small. Maybe they should put some more pixels in the y-direction. Hm. We'll see soon.