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Apple unveils faster iBooks with built-in networking

updated 08:40 am EDT, Tue October 19, 2004

Apple unveils new iBooks

Apple today officially updated its iBook G4 product line, featuring built-in AirPort Extreme, G4 processors running up to 1.33GHz, and ATI's Mobility Radeon 9200 graphics with 32MB of dedicated DDR memory and AGP 4X support for gaming and watching DVDs, as well as VGA video out. Available at the is also now selling the refurbished 1GHz 12"-inch iBook with 256MB/30GB for $700 (CD-ROM) and $800 (Combo drive).

The new iBooks offer faster G4 processors and built-in networking at lower price point than previous models.

by MacNN Staff

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theKiwi
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jun 2002

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10/19, 08:47am | report spam | close Reply |
New G5 also

There's also a new PowerMac G5 1.8 GHz Single processor at $1499 on the main Apple Store Page.

Cheers

Roger

MacnTX
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Joined: Apr 2004

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10/19, 08:48am | report spam | close Reply |
Nice

Nice update, especially considering the $100 drop on the 12" model and the fact that they all now have AirPort Extreme standard. Their much more competitive with the lower end Wintel offerings now.

testudo
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Joined: Aug 2001

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10/19, 08:51am | report spam | close Reply |
Re: new g5 also

Wow, they've actually made a 'only 1.75 times more expensive than a stand-alone computer should be' computer.

testudo
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Joined: Aug 2001

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10/19, 08:52am | report spam | close Reply |
Question

How are these different than the last models. Its great that MacNN can tell us their features, but pretend for a moment that one or two readers don't look at the spec sheets on Macs every week, keeping a tally of all their features...

eldarkus
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Joined: Feb 2004

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10/19, 09:11am | report spam | close Reply |
re: Question

Check out http://www.everymac.com They keep a list of all of the released mac models for comparison.

jwdsail
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Joined: Jun 2000

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10/19, 10:25am | report spam | close Reply |
core-image w/ iBook?

OK, perhaps I'm missing something.. but.. isn't this still a graphics chipset *not* listed as meeting the requirements to support core-image in MacOS 10.4 Tiger???

What's the story?

Another iBook update before 10.4? Or are the specs listed for core-image overstated. Untill release, Quartz Extreme was to *require* 32mb vram, then when 10.3 was released that changed to reccomended.. 16mb required....

Or, is it just that early in the day, before I've had my coffee, and I'm missing something here???

Later all...

GORDYmac
Mac Elite

Joined: Dec 1999

0

10/19, 10:38am | report spam | close Reply |
Hmmm...

...looks like I know what I'm buying ME for Xmas.

JohnnyFive
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Joined: Feb 2003

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10/19, 10:48am | report spam | close Reply |
Faster, More!

I ordered the mid-range iBook last week and Apple replaced it with the newer one (at Canadian $50 less). I guess I'm gonna have to return the Airport Card I bought this weekend too.

Fiete5401
Junior Member

Joined: Oct 2004

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10/19, 11:42am | report spam | close Reply |
Where are the PowerBooks?

n/t

cellocgw
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Joined: May 2003

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10/19, 12:23pm | report spam | close Reply |
always right after I buy

sorta like johnnyfive, I guess. I just ordered the 14-inch version last week! Hope I get lucky and it shows up as the new version but somehow I don't expect such largesse from Amazon.

testudo
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Joined: Aug 2001

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10/19, 12:28pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: where are the pbooks

They're still there, here's a link:

http://www.apple.com/powerbook/

TimmyDee51
Mac Elite

Joined: Mar 2000

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10/19, 12:37pm | report spam | close Reply |
Umm, networking?

"Apple unveils faster iBooks with built-in networking"

Welcome to the 90s.

Kees
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Joined: Sep 2001

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10/19, 01:05pm | report spam | close Reply |
wifi

well, they mean wireless networking, but since this is the 21st century, that goes without saying...;)

nice update, as long as you have a networked box for storage somewhere too, these things are awesome as digital hubs.

JohnnyFive
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Joined: Feb 2003

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10/19, 01:19pm | report spam | close Reply |
re: always...

Well, the downside is that I don't get the iBook tomorrow. Looks like I won't be able to play with it until Friday.

Oh well, something to look forward to on the weekend. =D

slipperfrog
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Joined: Nov 2002

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10/19, 02:08pm | report spam | close Reply |
Damn you, Apple!

Man, I just bought a refurbed 1ghz 12" last month. Wonder if I can get a price adjustment.

Halfloaf
Junior Member

Joined: May 2003

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10/19, 02:26pm | report spam | close Reply |
How?

Extract from Apple site:

To maximize its speed, Apple engineers pair the G4 processor with a fast 133MHz system bus and 256MB of onboard memory to accelerate calculations and make your applications scream.

How exactly is 133Mhz FAST???? My 2 year old Tibook has a 133Mhz bus.

porieux
Baninated

Joined: Mar 2001

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10/19, 02:36pm | report spam | close Reply |
VGA out

Can it drive a second monitor?

Kees
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Joined: Sep 2001

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10/19, 05:22pm | report spam | close Reply |
mirror only

all white iBooks can mirror the display to a monitor (or beamer etc.) but you cannot expand your screen with a second monitor. The graphics chip is capable of this, but Apple purposelly disables this functionality. It is deemed a pro-feature and thus only available on the powerbook line of Apple portables.

testudo
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10/19, 06:07pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: mirror only

all white iBooks can mirror the display to a monitor (or beamer etc.) but you cannot expand your screen with a second monitor. The graphics chip is capable of this, but Apple purposelly disables this functionality. It is deemed a pro-feature and thus only available on the powerbook line of Apple portables.

Supposedly (and this is a supposedly), you can flash the firmware of the video card or the computer to get two-monitor support. You can do it with the new iMacs, and the previous iBooks (I think, its so hard to remember what works and doesn't work).

edtekker
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Joined: Mar 2003

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10/19, 06:53pm | report spam | close Reply |
Good enough for class

The market for these puppies is schools. They don't need to expand to a second monitor, or play fast video games, or run Final Cut Pro. They need to wireless browse, run basic Office apps well, handle iMovie, survive kid use and be cheap. The price point on these is why Apple can lease tens of thousands of them to a school distric or state for an annual cost in the $250 per device range, including support and training. It's their most successful enterprise-sized effort, and this bump is just right to keep them doing well in this area.

ottawadave
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Joined: Apr 2002

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10/19, 10:52pm | report spam | close Reply |
Videospanning

With the current G4's iBooks you can patch the PRAM to allow video spanning.

Normally you can mirror the external display, but with the patch you can drive both displays separately.

Powerpoint takes advantage of this in a neat way. Your presentation is on an external display, and your iBook shows the slide with notes and previews of the next few slides.

There's a script (promts are in German) called "iBook Screen Enhancer" that will do the patch for you.

Beware because if you do this to a machine that does not support this, you're dead.

diehlr
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Joined: Feb 2004

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10/20, 01:22pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: Good enough for class

The market for these puppies is schools. They don't need to expand to a second monitor, or play fast video games, or run Final Cut Pro.

Would you care to explain this marketing effort on the Apple Store web site?

"Blistering 3D effects
To power iBook�s brilliant display, we�ve included an ATI Radeon 9200 graphics processor with 32MB of dedicated Double Data Rate (DDR) video memory. The Radeon processor offers dazzling 2D, 3D and video performance, a feature you�ll really appreciate when editing footage in iMovie or while playing Unreal Tournament 2004."

Xiaopangzi
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Joined: Oct 2003

0

10/20, 05:19pm | report spam | close Reply |
New iBook as replacement

The motherboard of my 800 MHz iBook just failed for the fourth time, last night, so it looks as though I have to go in today for another replacement. This is really getting frustrating. I'm hoping that they'll just give me a new iBook as was happening for the most boisterous complainants of this recurring problem last year or earlier this year. It cost something like $2,800 CAD to replace the motherboard last time, so obviously it would be cheaper for Apple to just send a new iBook that is not prone to this recurring problem. As a typically passive Canadian, I don't know how to be as boisterous as some Americans are naturally able to be to ensure the results I want (complaining loud enough about an apparently endless series of motherboard replacements to the extent that they'd just give me a new iBook). Any ideas on how and what I should do?!

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Apple unveils faster iBooks with built-in networking

updated 08:40 am EDT, Tue October 19, 2004

Apple unveils new iBooks

New G5 also

Nice

Re: new g5 also

Question

re: Question

core-image w/ iBook?

Hmmm...

Faster, More!

Where are the PowerBooks?

always right after I buy

Re: where are the pbooks

Umm, networking?

wifi

re: always...

Damn you, Apple!

How?

VGA out

mirror only

Re: mirror only

Good enough for class

Videospanning

Re: Good enough for class

New iBook as replacement

Login Here

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Apple unveils faster iBooks with built-in networking

updated 08:40 am EDT, Tue October 19, 2004

Apple unveils new iBooks

Related Articles

Recent Articles

New G5 also

Nice

Re: new g5 also

Question

re: Question

core-image w/ iBook?

Hmmm...

Faster, More!

Where are the PowerBooks?

always right after I buy

Re: where are the pbooks

Umm, networking?

wifi

re: always...

Damn you, Apple!

How?

VGA out

mirror only

Re: mirror only

Good enough for class

Videospanning

Re: Good enough for class

New iBook as replacement

Login Here

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