New G4 PowerBooks

Apple today introduced later this week starting at $1,500 (12-inch), $2000 (15-inch), and $2,700 (17-inch).

Both the new 15- and 17-inch models now feature a backlit keyboard--up to 10x brighter--with ambient light sensors for working in low-light conditions as well as an ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 (either 64MB or 128MB); the 17-inch model also adds Dual Link support to drive Apple's 30-inch Cinema HD Display (also available as BTO on the 15-inch model).



"Apple continues to lead the industry with the most innovative notebooks," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "With new features like the scrolling TrackPad and Sudden Motion Sensor, the new PowerBooks are the ultimate combination of performance and portability."



Designed for creative and business professionals, the new PowerBooks introduce Apple's scrolling TrackPad, allowing users to easily scroll through long web pages or across large photographs using the two fingers (instead of one) to quickly scroll or pan within the window. The new PowerBooks also feature Apple's Sudden Motion Sensor technology which integrates a "tri-axis accelerometer" to help protect a spinning hard drive if the notebook is accidentally dropped.

• 12.1-inch (1024x768), 1.5GHz G4, 512MB RAM, 60GB hard drive, Combo DVD/CD-RW optical drive, Nvidia GeForceFX Go5200 with 64MB, FireWire, mini-DVI out for $1499.



• 12.1-inch (1024x768), 1.5GHz G4, 512MB RAM, 80GB hard drive, SuperDrive, Nvidia GeForceFX Go5200 with 64MB, FireWire, mini-DVI out for $1699.




• 15-inch (1280x854), 1.5GHz G4, 512MB RAM, 80GB hard drive, Combo DVD/CD-RW optical drive, backlit keyboard, ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 with 64MB, FireWire 400/800, DVI & S-Video out for $1999.




• 15-inch (1280x854), 1.67GHz G4, 512MB RAM, 80GB hard drive, SuperDrive, backlit keyboard, ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 with 64MB, FireWire 400/800, DVI & S-Video out for $2299.





• 17-inch (1440x900), 1.67GHz G4, 512MB RAM, 100GB hard drive, SuperDrive, backlit keyboard, ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 with 128MB, FireWire 400/800, DVI & S-Video out, Digital/analog audio, Dual link DVI, for $2299.

The 15- and 17-inch models feature build-to-order (BTO) memory configurations of up 1GB (2x512MB), 1GB (1x1GB) and 2GB (2x1GB). The 15- and 17- models come standard with one 512MB memory module; however, the 12-inch PowerBook has 256MB of RAM soldered to the motherboard (and a 256MB module in the user slot in the standard configuration for 512MB) for a maximum memory of 1.26GB ($425 at the Apple Store). Upgrading the video memory to 128MB version of ATI's video card on the 15-inch PowerBooks is $100 (ATI card is not available on the 12-inch PowerBook).

by MacNN Staff