Apple Decision: iBook vs Powerbook?

[zach]

Originally posted by mvc
Correct me if I am wrong, but both the 12" and 14" iBooks have EXACTLY the same number of pixels - 1024 x 768. So although the screen is 14", it actually offers no more pixel real estate than the 12", and is way short of the 15" in resolution.

Since you have to lug a bigger laptop around, and there are no other real benefits, I have no idea why anyone buys the 14" iBook over the 12"unless they are a bit longsighted or desperately need an extra hours battery life.

C'mon Apple, make those extra inches count for something!

I have a 12" iBook, and while the screen is a bit small, once you really start using it, it is great for email, web, etc. While you may not have enough screen space for photoshop or the like, the 14" doesn't solve the problem either, because of the above mentioned resolution similarity. Personally, i am all in favor of killing the 14" iBook, putting a Gobi in the 12", putting G5's in the 15 and 17 inch powerbooks, and putting a GHz+ G4 with L3 cache in the 12" powerbook. I think that would make everyone happy.

 

[bennetsaysargh]

Originally posted by iShater
Well, I definitely hope Apple is not planning on sacrificing any iBooks!

i do too.

Apple needs to have the two different "lines", the PowerBook and the iBook. For a minute, forget about the screen size, the screen size is pretty much helps in determining the price but more importantly the portability of the system.

the screen size is very important.

They need to differentiate the lines by specs and price. The iBook has to remain cheap to stay comptetitive in the market, and that is why it is a 'consumer' machine.

i completely agree with you.

The problem with the 12" PB looking a lot like the iBook is that Apple did not include any innovations in it. The G4 is still not available in them > 1Ghz, if it was, you would see a bigger difference between the iBook and the PowerBook and this whole issue would be moot.

what the 12" powerbook needs to distinguish it from the 12" iBook s stuff like FW800 USB2 and other stuff. Let the iBooks have USB1.1 and FW400, and kjeep Airport. That is the real way to make the line btwqeen the 2 more clear.

 

[iShater]

Originally posted by bennetsaysargh
i do too.


the screen size is very important.


i completely agree with you.


what the 12" powerbook needs to distinguish it from the 12" iBook s stuff like FW800 USB2 and other stuff. Let the iBooks have USB1.1 and FW400, and kjeep Airport. That is the real way to make the line btwqeen the 2 more clear.

Thanks for agreeing

I don't think my comment about the screen was clear. However, people should not be considering a 12" system "slower" than a 15" system. Apple tried to do that in their stupid "fast, faster, fastest" scheme. If you need a big screen, then an iBook is not for you, even the 14" would help, so right their you are locked into the PowerBook.

If you power is important, well, again you are going for the PowerBook line.

Now, if you need a portable on a budget, the iBook line is for you.

People don't see the difference between the 12" iBook and PB because for $300 you don't feel you are getting that much more, and that is correct. Once they make a significant update to the PowerBook line, that gap will start to show better and people can make easier choices.

 

[Sun Baked]

Originally posted by Abstract
And I agree with anybody who said that having a 12" PB and 12" iBook appears redundant, but they don't have to be completely different in order for Apple to produce them. If the only difference between them is the Alu and plastic casing, then so be it.

But then again you look at the Ford, Mecury, Lincoln example and see that you can sell the same machine for three different prices.

But the G4 iBook and the PB12 would not only be different in case design and price.

But the included software and warranty are different between the two.

About the only problem with killing the iBook would be killing the software package that comes along with the iBook (which is consumer oriented).

Though a PB12 SE with a plastic case, a $999 price, combo drive, and a consumer oriented software package (Games, Appleworks, Quicken Home edition) would kill off the iBooks.

 

[Raidiant]

did you guys see the sales report? the ibooks are STILL the best selling laptop out there...they will not stop production..the ibooks can do everything an average consumer wants including video editing and games. I see no point in buying a powerbook if your on a budget unless you really need that slow 1x superdrive and extra screen space.

There is also a huge price gap between the powerbook and the ibook. I believe if the 14" 's resolution is raised and the proccesor is speeded up to 1ghz + it will even be better. The ibook packs a decent graphic card, software suitand everything into a good package. In addition the bad economy only makes cheap things sell better, and they do as the product sales show.

I would say go for it and push the ibooks up

 

[DakotaGuy]

Apple shipped 771,000 Macs during the quarter (down 5% from last year)

287,000 iMacs and eMacs shipped (down 24%)

190,000 iBooks shipped (up 12%)

161,000 PowerBooks shipped (up 71%)

133,000 Power Mac G4s shipped (down 20%)

This rumor is stupid or Apple is stupid. My guess if Apple did not show sales combined from the iMac and eMac, you would probably see the iBook is their best selling line. Up 12% at 190,000 sales and Apple is going to dump it? I don't get it, maybe someone else does...

 

[bennetsaysargh]

maybe someone messed up and it was G4 vs G3?

 

[Raidiant]

that said you can make a very attractive ibook, by lowing the current 12" to ibook's price. I foresee apple thinks, the ibook is an old design, and the G3 needs to be replaced sooner or later. What more better idea then to just shift the 12" PB to the consumer market. The current 12" PB would make a very attractive ibook.

BTW nowadays the consumer and prosumer market is getting more mixed up. You have prosumers only needing slow proccesing power, and consumers seeking for expensive power which they won't even use.

 

[bennetsaysargh]

the 12" PB will stay a powerbook. the iBooks will stay consumer. there may be people not knowing what they want, but apple needs not step in here.

 

[AppleMatt]

Originally posted by Abercrombieboy
161,000 PowerBooks shipped (up 71%)

I've read this before...it's a big increase!

AppleMatt

 

[tizza]

now that the G5 is out, Apple may have a much harder time selling a G3-based machine i.e. the current iBook. But like people have said, it does seem stupid to dump a cunsumer laptop that has been selling so well - still think I'll be getting a new 12" PB though ...

 

[Phil Of Mac]

Originally posted by bennetsaysargh
oh yeah, have an option for the BTO ones where you can kill OS 9.

I can imagine a bundled version of UT2003 where instead of shooting your friends, you shoot giant floating Mac OS 9 CD's

I think Apple's strategy, and it's a good strategy, and it should be done more and better, is that they realize that people of all walks of life like to use both subnotebooks (12 inches) and regular notebooks (14/15 inches). Obviously they need both an iBook and a PowerBook of both types, with the PowerBook endowed with more features, a better processor, and a metal look to it (as opposed to the consumer-level white plastic). For subnotebooks, you have the 12" iBook and the 12" PowerBook. For regular notebooks, there's the 14" iBook and the 15" PowerBook (the PowerBook gets an extra inch just because it's so studly.) In the meantime, the 17" PowerBook is just there as a luxury toy/desktop replacement/mobile content creation machine.

 

[murak]

iBook is greate

I´m not even gonna comment if iBook is toast. Hopefully IBM has finnished their new G3 (1ghz 1 meg cache etc) by now and we will se it during september. I don´t think Apple will introduce Altivec in iBook and I can´t see how we need it? More cache and higher busspeed chould be enough (think: price for buyer) My gues is also that we will see the Radeon 9000 in the next iBook, and PB will get either GF52-something or a new ATI card.

Please hurry Apple!

 

[vollspacken]

Originally posted by tizza
now that the G5 is out, Apple may have a much harder time selling a G3-based machine i.e. the current iBook.

why so? I would instantly buy a up-to-date 1+Ghz low-end G3 box..! the G3 is a nice processor that still has a lot of potential in it. I believe that an enhanced G3 will replace the G4 in the iMac/eMac line and the iBook after the PB-line will get G5s sometime next year...

c'mon Apple, gimme da G3-box, pleeaaase

vSpacken

 

[iPC]

Originally posted by neoserver
If they were to do this to the 12" powerbook... Then Apple would no longer have the worlds smallest full-featured notebook. Wouldn't it look funny to advertise it as that and then just make it bigger all of a sudden...

It is not the world's smallest full-featured notebook.

Sony and others offer 10.6" sub-notebooks that include optical drives, higher res widescreen displays, wireless networking (802.11b or 802.11g/b), and long battery life (enouogh to watch 2 DVD's). You can even choose between a Centrino based solution (Sony Vaio PCG-Z1RA or Fujitsu LifeBook P series) or Transmeta Crusoe (Fujitsu Lifebook P series).

http://www.fujitsupc.com/www/productbridge_pseries.shtml

http://www.vaio.net/

 

[iPC]

Originally posted by AppleMatt
I've read this before...it's a big increase!

AppleMatt

3 models compared to 1 last year. Sales had better go up....