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Apple Unveils Speedier Notebooks
High-end Powerbook and consumer-focused iBook featuring faster processors are now available.
Sam Costello, IDG News Service
Apple Computer on Tuesday made weeks of rumors official when it announced upgraded versions of its mobile computers, the high-end PowerBook G4 and the consumer-oriented iBook.
The new PowerBook G4 comes in two models, built around 550-MHz and 667-MHz PowerPC G4 processors. The speedier model offers a new system bus (the path by which data is routed around the motherboard) running at 133 MHz, while the 550-MHz system uses a 100-MHz bus.
Upgrades to both models include a 4X AGP video system and a Gigabit Ethernet port. Each system comes with a slot-loading DVD drive, a 15.2-inch screen, a 56-kilobits-per-second modem, Universal Serial Bus and FireWire ports, and weighs 5.3 pounds.
A slot-loading CD-RW drive is available as an add-on, marking the first time a slot-loading CD-RW has been available for the PowerBook G4.
The 550-MHz model comes standard with 128MB of RAM, a 20GB hard disk, and an integrated antenna for Apple's AirPort 802.11b wireless Ethernet system. The 667-MHz system offers 256MB of RAM, a 30GB hard disk, and comes equipped with an AirPort card and antenna.
Both systems can be expanded up to 1GB of RAM and can be customized with a 48GB hard disk. Each system comes preloaded with both MacOS 9.2.1 and MacOS X 10.1. The 550-MHz model costs $2199 while the 667-MHz model runs in at $2999. Both are available immediately.
The new iBook line comes in three models, built around a 500-MHz or 600-MHz PowerPC G3 processor. All models offer a new 100-MHz system bus and 128MB of RAM standard.
The portables also include a 12.1 inch screen, an ATI Technologies Rage Mobility 128 Graphics chip with 8MB of RAM, a 56-kbps modem, on-board Ethernet, USB and FireWire ports, and an integrated AirPort antenna (though the AirPort networking is not included). All systems are preloaded with MacOS 9.2.1 and MacOS X 10.1.
The low-end 500-MHz model offers a 15GB hard disk and costs $1299. The midrange 600-MHz model comes with a 15GB hard disk and a DVD-ROM drive for $1499. The high-end system, sporting a 20GB drive and a combination DVD-ROM and CD-RW drive, retails for $1699. All models are available immediately.
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