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April 19, 2004
Apple Update
Aw, hell. Apple just blew out a whole lot of stuff for NAB2004. Don’t even want to try to detail it all: new versions of most digital video editing apps, a new motion graphics app, updated wireless networking software, updated iBooks and PowerBooks, and a new networked storage technology.
If I was a digital video geek in broadcasting, I’d be pretty excited. But I’m still dinking around with iMovie and iDVD.
The new iBooks are pretty hip, because you can now get an iBook (14” only) with a SuperDrive for burning DVDs. You can also get internal Bluetooth in an iBook. You can get more RAM (up to 1152MB). And the slowest CPU is a 1GHz G4. Really, the only limitations of the iBook series are the somewhat anemic 32MB of video RAM, the 1024x768 display, and the firmware-imposed limitation to mirroring-only for external displays (meaning you can’t run an iBook with monitor-spanning). Of course, being a firmware-imposed limit, there are ways around it. But no way around 1024x768. Ugh.
Updated PowerBooks are pure speed-bump and options-made-standard. 1.33-1.5Ghz. AirPort Extreme is standard. Bump from Radeon Mobile 9600 to 9700 with 64 or 128MB. SuperDrive is 4x instead of 2x.
The important question is: Am I still happy with the then-top-of-the-line 15” PowerBook G4 that I purchase back at the end of February, or do I wish I’d waited for updates? Yes, I’m happy, not at all regretful.
Posted by jim at April 19, 2004 10:30 AM