Apple unveils new generation G4 iBooks

[Ioman]

Apple today unveiled its new iBooks featuring PowerPC G4 processors, with the 12-inch display model starting at just $1,099 and the 14-inch display model starting at just $1,299.

The new iBook line offers advanced connectivity with AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth, and all models include 256MB of Double Data Rate (DDR) memory and slot-load Combo drives for burning CDs and watching DVDs. The new iBooks also include Apple’s latest operating system, Mac OS X version 10.3 “Panther,” pre-installed with over 150 breakthrough new features, including FileVault to secure data for iBook users on the go.
“2003 is the ‘year of the notebook’ and Apple has the industry’s best notebook lineup, which has resulted in Apple's mix of notebooks growing to double the industry average,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “The new iBooks bring powerful G4 processors and slot-load Combo drives into the most affordably priced G4 notebooks ever, just in time for the holiday season.”

The new 12- and 14-inch iBooks have been completely re-engineered based on the high performance PowerPC G4 processor and DDR memory architecture providing improved speed, efficiency and overall system performance. Each iBook provides incredible graphics performance with ATI Mobility Radeon 9200 graphics with 32MB of dedicated DDR memory and AGP 4X for gaming and watching DVD movies at the highest quality. Outfitted with its hallmark durable, sleek polycarbonate plastic enclosure and weighing as little as 4.9 pounds, iBook notebooks are the ideal mixture of form and function designed with consumers and education customers in mind. The new iBook G4 provides up to six hours of battery life for all-day mobile use in the classroom or on the road.

Each iBook now features the latest in wireless connectivity with support for AirPort Extreme that is Wi-Fi Certified and based on the ultra-fast 802.11g standard, offering data rates five times faster than 802.11b while maintaining compatibility with millions of 802.11b products.* Options include an internal Bluetooth module for wirelessly connecting peripherals such as Apple’s new Wireless Keyboard and Wireless Mouse, as well as a full complement of I/O ports, including FireWire® 400, USB 2.0 and a built-in 56K v.92 modem and Ethernet (10/100BASE-T) that enable connectivity to all of today’s popular peripherals.

Every iBook comes with Panther pre-installed. Panther delivers more than 150 breakthrough new features including a completely new Finder™ that provides one-click access to a user’s favorite files and folders; Exposé, a revolutionary new way to instantly see all open windows at once; and iChat AV, a complete desktop video conferencing solution. Panther enhances the mobile experience with automatic networking that intelligently detects and switches the network connections between Ethernet, 802.11 and modem for easily connecting to the Internet. Panther also features Fast User Switching to elegantly switch between active users without having to quit applications or log out; FileVault, which uses the latest security standards and 128-bit encryption technology to ensure that data in the home directory is kept secure and private at all times; and enhanced Windows compatibility that ensures files, printers and network services can easily be shared with Windows users.

Perfect for today’s digital lifestyle, every new iBook also includes iLife™, Apple’s integrated suite of award-winning digital lifestyle applications that features the latest versions of iPhoto™, iMovie® and iDVD™ and iTunes®. iLife is the only integrated suite to include all of the four applications required for today’s “digital lifestyle”—digital music, photography, moviemaking and DVD creation—and is the first product to offer the benefits of seamlessly integrating them.

Pricing & Availability
The new iBook with a 12-inch display is available immediately, and the new iBook models with a 14-inch display are expected to be available next week through the Apple Store® (http://www.apple.com/), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers in three standard configurations.

The 800 MHz PowerPC G4 iBook, weighing just 4.9 pounds, has a suggested retail price of $1,099 (US) and includes:

a crisp 12.1-inch (diagonal) active-matrix TFT display;
256MB DDR SDRAM;
a 30GB Ultra ATA hard drive;
two USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 400, VGA video out, S-video and composite video out support;
up to 6 hours of battery life; and
a slot-load Combo (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) drive.

The 933 MHz PowerPC G4 iBook, weighing just 5.9 pounds, has a suggested retail price of $1,299 (US) and includes:

a crisp 14.1-inch (diagonal) active-matrix TFT display;
256MB DDR SDRAM;
a 40GB Ultra ATA hard drive;
two USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 400, VGA video out, S-video and composite video out support;
up to 6 hours of battery life; and
a slot-load Combo (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) drive.

The 1.0 GHz PowerPC G4 iBook, weighing just 5.9 pounds, has a suggested retail price of $1,499 (US) and includes:

a brilliant 14.1-inch (diagonal) active-matrix TFT display;
256MB DDR SDRAM;
a 60GB Ultra ATA hard drive;
two USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 400, VGA video out, S-video and composite video out support;
up to 6 hours of battery life; and
a slot-load Combo (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) drive.

Additional build-to-order options for the new iBook line include the ability to upgrade to up to 640MB of DDR SDRAM, a 40GB or 60GB Ultra ATA/100 hard drive 4200-rpm performance, internal Bluetooth module, AirPort Extreme Base Station, AirPort Extreme Card and the AppleCare® Protection Plan.

*Actual speed will vary based on range from the base station, environmental conditions and other factors.

[ECA]

Why not go with the G5?
HEAT??

[triton]

If they used the G5 chip on that thing they might as well take the apple logo out and replace it with George Foreman's grill. SIZZZZZZZLE! I really like the slot-loading drive though, that's a nice addition. Seriously, wouldn't this eat into the 12" Powerbook sales? Hmmm cannibalism!

[techfreak]

Originally posted by triton
If they used the G5 chip on that thing they might as well take the apple logo out and replace it with George Foreman's grill. SIZZZZZZZLE! I really like the slot-loading drive though, that's a nice addition. Seriously, wouldn't this eat into the 12" Powerbook sales? Hmmm cannibalism!

Wasn't there just a new 12" PowerBook introduced? I wonder how that compares to the new iBook.

I really like the price of the new iBook and like you said, the slot loading drive is killer.

The Powerbooks get SUPER hot and will burn your lap if you are not careful.

[gr00vy0ne]

What's up with Apple and them seemingly stopping to put PCMCIA slots on their notebooks? They are so useful for digital photographers (which they are targetting).

I think it's a design mistake...unless they want to be the first ones supporting the new PCI Express version of PCMCIA slots.

I use my PC Card adapters all the time with my various digital cameras (so I don't have to bring along cables and waste camera battery life for transfers). I often leave the adapters in the computer and only need to take the memory cards out. It's so much faster than many cables and it's more convenient.

[gr00vy0ne]

Originally posted by ECA
Why not go with the G5?
HEAT??

Judging from the complex cooling system needed in the tower-based G5s, heat definitely does seem to be a problem currently. Also, since iBooks are the lower end product it doesn't make economical sense to put in faster chips in it compared to their professional line Powerbooks. The Powerbooks will get the G5 first. I suspect they may be due for G5s early next year at MacWorld since the newer iBooks totally hurt the sales of their 12" Powerbook.

IBM will probably find a decent way to cool the chips either by a die shrink or some other method. They'll still need to rig some sort of complex heatpipe system in the notebook to keep it cool. Hopefully it's design that doesn't burn people's laps.

Has anyone heard of or read any reviews on the 12 inch iBook yet? By the way I doubt the 12-inch iBook will take too much away from the 12-inch Powerbook sales because of the fact that the max speed of the 12-inch iBook is 800 mhz w/ 256 k of cache and the Powerbook 1 Ghz.w/ 512 k of cache. The fact that the Powerbook comes with more 'professional options' than the iBook (example 1... the Super drive... the ability to burn DVDs in a 12 inch laptop) also separates it into the more professional market. Maybe the line isn't definite size wise between the two but performance wise I'm positive it is. One thing I have yet to see on this form as far as a G5 in an laptop is not the question of heat but POWER. We're talking 1 GHz FSB; 64-bit processing... there are enough complaints on current G4s about power management. If Apple were to release a mobile G5 , they'd either have to make it really big so they could put a nice size batter and cooling system in; OR they'd have to incorporate fuel cell and water cooling technologies into laptops.

Thanks for your time,

-Jody-