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What better way to launch a new rumor site than with
the scoop on the long-anticipated next (and maybe
final) retooling of the PowerBook G3 expected at Macworld Expo in
January.
New PowerBook in January
12/10/99: Okay, everyone expects it, but Apple's going to do
something so radical it will make the iMac look beige.
Other rumor sites call it Pismo, but it's going to be a
cobranded model that will make John Dvorak lose his lunch -
the PowerBook Pepto-Bismol.
That's right, this PowerBook G3 (Yes, the official name will
still be PowerBook G3. If it's not broke, don't fix it!) will be a
true speed demon, available at 500 MHz, and maybe even faster.
It'll help you avoid an upset stomach by letting you work faster
than any portable computer in the world.
The PB P-B will come in shocking pink, a color that has brought
great success to the Mattel toy company and their Barbie line. It's
also the color of Pepto-Bismol, the gooey stuff you take for an
upset tummy.
But there will be more innovations than just another garish
Apple color scheme. The PB2 will have an
ultrafast FireWire-native hard drive, 128 MB of memory (who cares
about cost!), and dual AirPort slots for twice the bandwidth.
Bucking all trends on the Wintel side of the industry, the
PB2 will be even larger and more rugged
than the already oversized iBook. In fact, the PB2 takes a page from the past - I believe there was
an HP laptop that had a full sized keyboard, including Fn keys,
navigation keys, and a numeric keypad.
That's right, folks, the Apple Extended Keyboard is back, this
time housed in an extra-wide pink laptop. No need to put up with
small arrow keys. The forward-delete key will be back. No more tiny
keys!
Best of all, when Dvorak and his ilk call it a girlie
computer, you can just smack 'em with the 11.3 pound
behemoth. It's designed to take that kind of abuse.
Price? If you have to ask, you can't afford it. Steve Jobs has
been so successful selling against the market ($1,200 iMac vs. $400
PCs) that the $6,500 price tag should make the PB2 Apple's biggest success since the iCEO ousted Gil
Amelio.
- Anne Onymus
Recent Rumor Mills
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A Calfiornia assemblyman wants to make incandescent light bulbs illegal - but that's just the beginning. His next target: CRT monitors and TVs.
Sudden impact: Apple's great Asteroid hoax, 06.09.
Truth of the matter is, the Asteroid Project didn't exist to produce a viable product, but as a way to shut down rumor sites.
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Group of the Day: Mac Canada is our list for Canadian Mac users.
December 1 in LEM history: 99: Monitor dot pitch - 00: Macs for new users - Everybody wants to use iMacs - Career options - 03: Pfinder: Panther-like Finder for legacy Macs - 04: Why I use an eMac, iBook, and Power Mac - ThinkFree Office - MacLink Plus 15 - 05: PowerBook 190 still a great laptop - Eudora, the Mac's most powerful email client - 06: Core 2 'Books cooler and faster
Recent Content on Low End Mac
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Apple has produced lots of good Macs, a few dogs, and some 'best of breed' models that stand apart from the pack.
Apple Could Buy Dell, and Linux Is No Threat to Mac OS X, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 12.01.
Apple has the cash to buy Dell outright, and the idea has some merit. Also, why Linux still isn't ready to displace the Mac OS.
Will Snow Leopard Support Some PowerPC Macs?, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 11.26.
It just doesn't make sense that Apple would ship a new OS that won't support Macs sold less than three years ago.
Apple Retail Will Break Records This Christmas, Tim Nash, Taking Back the Market, 11.26.
"Despite all the economic problems, Apple Retail can look forward to another successful quarter with sales maybe breaking through $2 billion...."
Old Macs in the New Economy, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 11.25.
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Virtualization Shootout: VirtualBox 2 vs. VMWare Fusion 2, Kev Kitchens, Kitchens Sync, 11.25.
VirtualBox is aimed at a different audience than Fusion and Parallels. While it works well, the typical desktop user will probably prefer Fusion.
Software to Keep Your MacBook Cool, Phil Herlihy, The Usefulness Equation, 11.25.
Heat is the enemy of long hardware life. Two programs to keep your MacBook running cooler.
Best Mac Pro Deals, 12.01.
Used 3.0 GHz 4-core, $2,102; new 2.66 GHz 4-core, $1,949 after rebate; 2.8 4-core, $2,099 a/r; 8-core, $2,515 a/r; 3.0 $3,320 a/r; 3.2, $4,099 a/r.
Best MacBook Deals, 11.26.
Used 1.83 GHz, $595; 2.0 SD, $660; refurb 2.1 GHz, $949; 2.4, $999; black, $1,099; new 2.1, $869 after rebate; 2.4, $1,150 a/r; black, $1,194 a/r; more.
Best iPod touch Deals, 11.26.
Used 1G/8 GB, $160; refurb, $179; new, $198; used 16, $200; refurb, $219; refurb 32, $319; new, $340; 2G/8 GB, $219; 16, $289; 32, $379.
Best Power Mac G5 Deals, 11.26.
Used 1.6 GHz single, $450; 1.8, $499; dual, $600, 2.0, $800; 2.3, $816; dual-core, $1,000; 2.5 dual, $1,000; 2.7, $1,050; 2.5 Quad, $1,400.
Best MacBook Deals, 11.26.
Used 1.83 GHz, $595; 2.0 SD, $660; refurb 2.1 GHz, $949; 2.4, $999; black, $1,099; new 2.1, $869 after rebate; 2.4, $1,150 a/r; black, $1,194 a/r; more.
Best Mac mini Deals, 11.25.
Used 1.42 GHz G4 Combo, $429; 1.66 GHz Core Duo, $449; 1.83, SuperDrive $629; new 1.83 Core 2 Combo, $570 shipped; 2.0 SD, $760 shipped.
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