Killer PowerBooks:
Jobs called 2003 “the year of the notebook” for Apple, and it may be just that. Apple takes off this year with the launching of two innovative PowerBook G4 notebooks.
The sleek aluminum alloy-enclosed 17-inch PowerBook G4 replaces Apple’s Titanium PowerBook as “the number one lust object,” to use Jobs’ term. Not only does the slim, 6.8 lb. machine boast the world’s largest notebook display (at 1,440 x 900 resolution), but it also incorporates cutting-edge technology for connectivity and wireless Internet access like FireWire 800, Airport Extreme, 1GB Ethernet, and Bluetooth. The notebook has illuminated fibre-optic backlit keys, and can also measure ambient light and adjust keyboard illumination and screen brightness based on user preferences. To top it off, the 17-inch PowerBook G4 comes with a SuperDrive that not only reads CDs and DVDs, but can also write to both types of media.
Just as its bigger brother impresses with its screen size, the new 12-inch PowerBook G4 delights with its sheer compactness. While lacking the topflight features of the 17-inch version, the 12-inch model is a full-featured notebook with a fast CPU and video card — all weighing just 4.6 lb. and measuring just over an inch thick. Plus, the 12-inch model can be upgraded to include some of the goodies in the 17-inch version.
Cutting-Edge Technology:
Part of the excitement over the 17-inch PowerBook G4 has to do with the upgraded technology integrated into it. For one thing, the new FireWire 800 technology blazes along at 800Mbps, twice the speed of standard FireWire. For another, there’s Airport Extreme, Apple’s implementation of the 802.11g Wi-Fi standard that offers speeds of up to 54Mbps. While it’s close to five times faster than 802.11b, Airport Extreme is backward-compatible with the older standard, thus enabling Airport Extreme users to continue logging into existing 802.11b networks and hotspots.
Apple’s Own Browser:
For Apple users, wave goodbye to Internet Explorer and say hello to Safari, Apple’s own home-brewed browser. Reportedly up to three times faster than other browsers used by Mac users, Safari runs under Mac OS 10.2 (Jaguar), and is bundled with the new PowerBooks. It’s also currently downloadable as a public beta. Safari supports industry standards such as HTML, XHTML 1.0, DOM, CSS, SSL, JavaScript, and Netscape style plug-ins like QuickTime with MPEG-4, Flash, Shockwave, and Real Player.
Powerful Software at Lower Prices:
Other good news from Apple included announcements of new applications, as well as upgraded packages being made available at substantially lower prices. Jobs formally introduced Keynote, a full-featured presentation software package that runs under Jaguar and supports the importing and exporting of PowerPoint files, as well as PDF and QuickTime files.
Jobs also announced the iLife package, consisting of upgraded multimedia applications like iPhoto, iDVD, iMovie and iPhoto. iLife, bundled free with all new Macs, will retail for $75(CDN).
Yet another plus for video buffs: Apple’s Final Cut Express, a $449.95 (CDN) version of Final Cut Pro, a professional digital video editing program.
Steve Jobs and Apple put on quite a show at the Macworld Expo 2003, announcing hot new notebooks, Apple-brewed browsers, dramatically improved technologies, and impressive operating system and software developments.
17–Inch PowerBook G4:
Some like it big . . .
The 17-inch PowerBook G4 may boast the largest notebook screen in the market, but it’s literally no heavyweight: It comes in at just 6.8 lb. Packed into that are a powerful 1GHz PowerPC G4 processor, 512MB of RAM, 60GB of hard disk storage, and an Nvidia GeForce4 graphics card with 64MB of dedicated video memory. Other goodies: a keyboard that lights up in the dark, FireWire 800 and standard FireWire ports, built-in Airport Extreme (54Mbps Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, and a SuperDrive. Price: $4,699 CDN
12–Inch PowerBook G4:
. . . and some like it small
The smaller of the twin PowerBooks announced at the Macworld Expo is no slouch either. Just over one inch thick, the lightweight (4.6 lb) PowerBook has an 867 MHz PowerPC G4 processor, 256MB of RAM, a 40GB hard disk, and a Nvidia GeForce4 graphics card with 32MB of dedicated memory. The slot-loading Combo drive (DVD read/CD-RW) can be optionally upgraded to the SuperDrive, and Airport Extreme capability can be added through an add-on module. Price: $2,549 CDN
Airport Extreme:
The $379 (CDN) Airport Extreme Base Station (with modem and antenna port) provides 54Mbps wireless connectivity and Internet sharing for 802.11g-equipped Macs. The plug-in card enables Airport Extreme on the new 12-inch PowerBook G4 notebook.
iLife:
The new iLife package integrates iPhoto for digital photography, iMovie for digital video editing, and iDVD for creating DVDs. It ships free on new Macs, and is available for $75 CDN.
Final Cut Express:
The $449 (CDN) Final Cut Express provides professional video editing tools for non-pros.
Keynote:
The $159 (CDN) Keynote is Apple’s answer to PowerPoint. Jobs beta-tested it throughout 2002 in all his public presentations.
