Apple today announced that it has unveiled its fastest, most affordable iBook G4 ever, featuring built-in AirPort Extreme 54 Mbps 802.11g wireless networking across the line and prices starting at US$999. They also announced the addition of a 1.8GHz single processor Power Mac G5 desktop priced at US$1,499 to its 64-bit Power Mac G5 line. Apple updated its Xserve RAID storage system too.
Apple Unveils Fastest, Most Affordable iBook G4 Ever
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Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
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on Apple’s part. 1499$ is even cheaper for a full featured Apple PowerMac PC.
The only thing I don’t like it the lack of PCI-X slots on the 2 lesser models.
Now if only the Gabe would consider porting it’s games to Mac OS X.
These prices are pretty nice, but with the educational discount they are dirt cheap. On education, the bottom-end iBook comes to $899, and the single 1.8 to $1349! However, you still get a lot more for the iMac. The single 1.8 iMac is $1399, AND you get a nice flat panel.
I thought they would unveil the slowest, most expencive G4 ibook ever.
They sure look like nice machines, but the headline sounds like it came streight out of an Apple ad.
The Powermac is a bit too expensive. It’s the same price as the 1.8 GHZ iMac (same processor) and the iMac also includes a built-in 17″ flat screen.
But probably done to not destroy iMac sales.
The iBooks… I need an iBook
You get more with the 1.8g iMac, but your still stuck with that piece of crap FX5200U graphics card that can’t be upgraded. Plus you get the full bus speed of the G5 on the Powermac.
“It’s the same price as the 1.8 GHZ iMac (same processor) and the iMac also includes a built-in 17″ flat screen. ”
Yes – but it also has a better video card, which can be upgraded to a 128mb ATI for only $50 more which you can’t do with the iMac. It’s also expandable unlike the iMac.
Don’t get me wrong. I like the new iMacs. I’ve got an 800mhz G4 iMac LCD now and am just waiting for Tiger to get the new one.
Plus you get the full bus speed of the G5 on the Powermac.
Wrong, the single 1.8GHz comes with a 600MHz bus speed, the same as the iMac G5. The only performance difference between the new Single 1.8 PM and the iMac G5 1.8 is the graphics.
Your right. I just seen that. I wonder why they would have done that?
“Your right. I just seen that. I wonder why they would have done that?”
Well people have been moaning about a headless imac, be careful what ya wish for, cuz now they have it.
powermac pricing is done to avoid destroying the iMac and the more expensive powermacs.
$1499 is a move in the right direction, $1199 would be ideal. Apple will continue to shift pricing downwards, as i have repeated about 50 times on this board, because they have to and because they are successful with other revenue generators (ipod, xserve).
the dual 1.8 ghz power mac remains a far better deal.
OK, the time has come. I have heard over and over on OSNews from PC people that if Apple came out with a less expensive Power Mac G5, they’d finally buy a Mac. All right, here you go! Time to put your money where your mouth is. An upgradable tower machine with a good architecture and room for meaningful inexpensive future improvements. Bingo. $1499 will get you a G5, OS X, iLife, the whole ball of wax.
So, no more complaints about woefully expensive Power Macs. The time to buy one is now!
Cheers,
Jared
they will just say “bah, 1499 is still to much, It should have been 1299”
PC folks will never be satisfied. their only job is to complain and bash.
I know, Apple have that lame headline each time. Actually it seems like every manufacturer has some variation on, “the best ever”. I always ask myself, is it like they expect we think they are going to try and go backwards?
Not sure if that is a good deal $999 for a 12″ screen model. One terminal window and your done.
…better tell that to Dell. Their 12″ model is $300+ more than the iBook.
It’s 1240×768 same as the 14 inch and most 15inch x86 notebooks.
I was a bit suprised about the upgrade to the Ibook – a 100Mhz speed bump with built in airport. For the money its good value, but nothing to make me want to upgrade from my current 933MHz G4 iBook. I just wish they would dump the crippled ATi 9200 with 32MB, its just useless and replace it with a ATi 9600 mobility and increase the screen res on the 14″+ displays. If they did that I would consider upgrading.
Last thing, I wish they made the HD a user upgradeable part. I purchased a 7200rpm 2.5″ travelstar to replace the slow 4200rpm drives only to find it nearly impossible to do by myself and void the Applecare warranty too. Currently its in an external Firewire case and to get it fitted by an Apple dealer is going to cost £60.00 !
HarjTT
:o)>
they will just say “bah, 1499 is still to much, It should have been 1299”
PC folks will never be satisfied. their only job is to complain and bash.
Erm… $1499 *is* still pretty steep. The iBook isn’t too badly priced at $999.
But you can still get a souped up PC for under $1,000 at CompUSA even. PC’s are getting insanely cheap. I have seen computers with P4’s, >200GB HD, 64 MB video RAM, for under $1,000. Also includes DVD burner as well.
mmmmh…
first they sold out the 1GHz models… now the are trying to get the 1,33GHz models out…. mmmmh…. this smells like iBook G5 is coming
by the way, I bought an iBook 1GHz some months ago, this is not funny.
Very decent battery life on that 12″ ibook!
“I know, Apple have that lame headline each time. Actually it seems like every manufacturer has some variation on, “the best ever”. I always ask myself, is it like they expect we think they are going to try and go backwards?”
Isn’t that what Microsoft usually does?
I’m kidding
Eugenia, we want a new version of OsNews with more features!!
Finally I don’t have to sell a sibling to buy a mac. With this price I might actually be a convert.
You can have my siblings. Take ’em.
There will be no G5 iBook. If anything, they would move the powerbook line first, but as those already run hot with the G4s in them, there’s no way they could up that to a G5 and still cool it. The only way we’ll see G5s in a laptop is if they figure out a way to get the chip to run cooler.
I think they realize they have the cheapest 12″ ultra-portable on the market. They were one of the first to have an optical drive in a 12″ and they have spectacular battery life. If you want a very small laptop that still has enough juice to be a mid-range machine for a mid-range price, this is it. This is one of the few Mac where you can’t go to the Windows world and find more for less. Sure you can get the same specs for less in a bigger box, or the same size for more money.
<humor>If you want a portable G5, get an iMac. Some of the “desktop replacements” are starting to get that big anyway.</humor>
I have a pbook 15´ (switched two months ago). Very happy. But now I want an iBook 12´ too
and a G5.. and .. and.. and… 
i386 users… time to try PPC platform and Mac OS X once and for all… you won’t regret that.. (unless you’re a freaky neon tubes pc user)…
😀
PC users will never be happy with Apple until Apple ports everything and uses Intel or Amd and gives MS all control over everything……….
My poor sister bought a Dell 3.0 ghz, 1 gig ram, 160 gig sata hard drive, ATI x800 something graphics card,
AND
WinXP Pro, SP2, NAV NInternet, NFirewall,… and it runs like S**T.
Twice as SLOW as my PowerBook G4 1.5, like a 500mhz PIII.
Talk about a step into the dark ages.
I really have to wonder does anyone at DELL actually do any QA or Testing before they send out this junk.
– Why is it necessary to install a bunch of mostly Undocumented services that suck up cpu with out offering your users any value.
– This is one company that shouldn’t be in the business of selling computers.
– I really think INTEL should reconsider their relationship with the incompetent.
Is their insanely pathetic graphics adaptors. 32Mb mem on graphics when we all know you need a fair bit to appease their OS. No way and wait for it, 64Mb on their Power Macs, what crap. The top of the range at that price should include 256Mb Graphics adaptors of either the current Nvidia or ATI chipsets. Anything less is total robbery considering the $ one has to fork out for the priveledge of Apple. Even System memory should be spec’d up as the base configurations are little more than enought to run OS/X
you are a crack head. QE needs 32 MBs of VRAM, that is it. for people looking to get normal work done, that is al you need. if you want gaming or something, then get a frigen alienware laptop.
and 64MBs of VAM will be sfficent for Core video and Cored image, so they are shipping their powermacs with everything they need for movie pros, need more? then you buy the Special edition ATI 9800 w/ 256 MBs of VRAM.
i can almost afford an ibook now but i wanted a g5 powerbook more
I hope soon will realise G5 PowerBook I am ready to by it
it aint gonna happen.
This was a solid upgrade for Apple. I plan on buying 20 for my company.
Very impressive.
Ati radeon 9200 is actually pretty good to have in an entry level notebook. I have an ASUS M3N laptop (one of the most beautiful laptop I’ve ever seen, in both looks and operation). It came with a 1.5pentiumM, 512DDR, 60GB 7200rmp HDD, 14.1 LCD, wireless, cdrw/dvd combo, but the graphics adapter is an Intel Extreme integrated. I can’t play games on it, but I have flawless DVD and DivX/XviD playback on it, so I assume the ATI radeon 9200 can do more 3D anyways, and the price of the ibook is finally coming in range with PC notebooks, though not yet there still.
I would gladly buy an iBook, but I don’t have the money, and I would NEVER sell my ASUS laptop, it has only quality parts in it and I’m running it 24/7 (why did they have to invent bittorrent?), so it has successfully passed the *fire* test.
Your argument is flawed for what you’re getting for the money. The only thing I don’t like about the ibook’s configuration is that they sell it with only 256mb of ram. Besides that, I find it at a rather acceptable price (that’s a first time I see it like that).
Here the iBooks start at 1099 EURO, which is USD1384
The PoweMac 1.8 (Single processor) is 1689 euro here which is about USD2127
At those prices they are not in any way worth it. I love Macs, but they are not worth the money here. Now if it was 1190 euro here I’d get it. It’s a good 500 euro over priced, and there is no good reason.
Please remember it’s not just the hardware you are buying with Apple … the software is just as much a part of the package and there is nothing I’ve seen that touches it on the PC side.
exactly..
Not particularly fair to compare Irish prices including VAT (at 21%) against US prices which don’t include sales tax (because it varies from state to state). Still there is a sizeable difference (about USD146 on the cheapest iBook).