IBook

The program has since been applied to other similar problems in Apple's hardware range. On February 3, 2006, Apple discontinued the 17-inch iMac G5 and is now offering only a cheaper 20-inch iMac G5 for $1,499. Apple says the program is for "repair or replacement of the logic board in iBook models manufactured between May 2001 and October 2003 that are experiencing specific component failure"[4]. When playing video on Apple's Front Row media browser, some iMacs showed random horizontal lines, ghosting, video tearing and other problems. In response to the problem, in January 2004, Apple initiated the "iBook Logic Board Repair Extension Program" [3]", which covers any expense of repairing "affected iBooks for three years"—essentially an extended warranty for the affected products. In early February 2006, Apple confirmed reports of video display problems on the new Intel-based iMacs. At one point, a group of users [2] even sought to file a class action suit against Apple. The first version of Windows to officially support EFI will be Windows Vista.

In late November 2003, a number of iBook users started to report a display problem with their laptops [1]. The iMac uses the Extensible Firmware Interface rather than a traditional BIOS, which has made it impossible so far to initialise the Windows installer program at boot-up. Each guide also includes a screw guide that lists the different types of screws and where they go. Despite rumours, it is not yet possible to install any current version of Windows on an iMac Core Duo. iFixit offers a set of FixIt Guides for the iBooks that provide instructions with pictures covering how to get to any internal component. The design, features and price will remain unchanged from the iMac G5, but the processor speed was advertised as being two to three times faster. For comparison, most recent Wintel laptop form factors allow removal of a hard drive caddy after removing one or two screws. At the Macworld Conference and Expo on January 10, 2006, Steve Jobs announced that the new iMac would be the first Macintosh to use an Intel CPU, the Core Duo (see Apple Intel transition).

To replace or even access the hard drive, about fifty-six screws need to be removed. The iMac G5 has since been updated with an iSight webcamera mounted above the LCD and Apple’s FrontRow media interface. The current iBook enclosure, however, is also notable for being difficult to open. The iMac’s new design used the same 17-inch and 20-inch widescreen LCDs, with all of the CPU and optical drive mounted directly behind the LCD panel; this gives the appearance of a thickened desktop LCD monitor. This does give the keyboard a "spongy" effect though, if the user types with heavy hands. Apple’s new design managed to incorporate the G5 into an all-in-one design with a distinctive form factor that echoed the Netpliance i-Opener internet appliance. For customer installable parts such as an AirPort (wireless) card or additional memory, installation into an iBook is rather easy, as the keyboard is designed to easily open with two spring-loaded latches that may also be locked with screws if so desired. Famously, the Power Macintosh G5 needed multiple fans in a large casing because the G5 is a particularly hot chip.

Apple's laptop/portable product line consists of the iBook and PowerBook G4, with the MacBook Pro set to ship in February 2006. By that time, the PowerPC G5 chip had been released and was being used in the Power Macintosh line. Later, a PowerPC G4 chip and slot loading optical drives were added on October 23, 2003—finally ending Apple’s use of the G3 chip. In August 2004, the iMac design was overhauled yet again. A 14-inch model was added to the existing 12-inch models on January 07, 2002 during Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco. However, by 2005 Apple had returned to selling the eMac exclusively to the educational market. The iBook design has stayed largely the same since then. The eMac was essentially the 17-inch iMac that consumers had been requesting a few years earlier.

With a few exceptions, white polycarbonate is used in consumer lines such as iMac, eMac and iBook, while anodized aluminum is used for professional products like the Power Mac G5 and PowerBook G4. It was initially sold only to the educational market (the “e” stands for “education”), but Apple started selling it to the general public a month later to make inroads into the low-cost part of the home and business markets. The iBook's design, along with elements from its sister product, the PowerBook G4 are currently used in Apple's entire product matrix. The eMac is a G4-powered Macintosh that resembles the original iMac G3—with the egg shape encasing a flatscreen 17-inch CRT in an all-in-one design. Apple received industry accolades for brilliant design, which has since been widely copied. Because the G3 iMac was obsolete and low-cost machines were particularly important for the education market, the eMac was released in April 2002. These smaller machines were lighter, had a higher quality 12-inch LCD screen and largely thought to be a superior design. However, the LCD iMacs were unable to match the low price point of the previous G3 iMacs, largely because of the higher cost of the LCD technology at the time.

Aesthetically, the former iBook's bold colors and radical (much contested) form-factor were abandoned for a crisp white and slim-line form factor. By then, Apple had all but eliminated the CRT machines from its product line. Essentially, the machine had been reinvented from the very core, with new features and a new design. They were made available with 17-inch (43 cm) and then 20-inch (51 cm) widescreen LCDs over the following two years. A next generation iBook debuted at a press conference in Cupertino on May 1, 2001. The iMac G4 was incrementally upgraded. OS X 10.4 Tiger requires a Firewire port and DVD drive, restricting it to the late-model iBook SE. The iMac G3 CRT model was kept in production, primarily for the educational market.

Support for these iBooks is built into OS X 10.0 through to 10.3.9. This LCD computer was known and sold as “The New iMac” throughout its production life, but after it was discontinued, it was retroactively labelled iMac G4. Most iBooks shipped with Mac OS 8.6 or 9.0. Apple advertised it as having the flexibility of a desk lamp, similar to “Luxo Jr.”, who was featured in a short film produced by Pixar, another venture of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. This limitation still holds true in all iBooks produced today. A 15-inch LCD was mounted on an adjustable arm above a hemispherical dome containing a full-size, tray-loading optical drive and the G4 CPU. Complicated procedures and countless screws had to be removed in order to access any internal components, such as the hard disk and optical drive. In January 2002, a flat panel iMac was launched with a completely new design.

No other modifications could be performed in warranty, and no PCMCIA port existed to provide additional expansion capabilities. Speculation raged over how Apple would fit a G4 and larger monitors into an all-in-one design. The original iBook's only customer installable parts were additional memory and an AirPort card, via two slots under the easily removed keyboard. By 2002, public sentiment was that the CRT iMac needed to be superseded—in particular, the G3 processor and 15-inch monitor were fast becoming dated. The original iBook design was discontinued in May 2001, in favor of the new "Dual USB" iBooks. However, later redesigns of the iMac became more expensive and never matched the first iMac in sales. Colors available were "Graphite", "Indigo" and "Key Lime"; FireWire and video out were added as well. As Apple continued to release new versions of its computers, the term “iMac” continued to be used to refer to machines in its consumer desktop line.

A revision to the iBook brought new colors, directly from the mid-2000 iMac. In particular, the high-speed interface, FireWire, corrected the deficiencies of the earlier iMacs. The line continually received processor, memory, and hard disk upgrades. USB and FireWire support, and support for dial-up, ethernet, and wireless networking (via 802.11b and Bluetooth) soon became standard across Apple’s entire product line. Despite its drawbacks, the iBook was a sales success. Apple continued to sell this line of iMacs until March 2003, mainly to customers who wanted the ability to run the older Mac OS 9 operating system. Nevertheless, this version of the iBook, along with many other Macs, could be seen in hit movies and televisions shows. This second-generation iMac featured a slot-loading optical drive, FireWire, silent fanless operation (through convection cooling), and the option of AirPort wireless networking.

The iBook was labelled as "clamshell" or "toilet seat" due to the distinctive design. A later hardware update created a sleeker design. Long rumoured features of touch-screens, and ultra-long battery life were absent. Aside from increasing processor speed, video RAM, and hard-disk capacity, Apple replaced Bondi blue with new colours—initially blueberry, strawberry, tangerine, grape, and lime; later other colours, such as graphite, ruby, emerald, sage, snow, and indigo, and the “Blue Dalmatian” and “Flower Power” patterns. The iBook was heftier than the PowerBook of the time, with lower specifications. The iMac line was continually updated after initial release. Heated debate was made over just about everything—the aesthetics, features, weight, performance, pricing and so on. In 1999, Apple obtained the domain name appleimac.com from Abdul Traya, after legal intervention.

Apple released the AirPort wireless base station at the same time. Some manufacturers conspicuously added translucent plastics to existing designs. Apple partnered with Lucent in the creation of the iBook's wireless capabilities, setting an industry standard. Apple protected the iMac design by aggressive legal action against computer makers who made lookalikes, such as eMachines' eOne. The first iBook was the first mainstream computer ever to be sold with internal wireless networking, with antenna built around the display bezel, although it still required an optional wireless card installed under the keyboard. The company would later use anodized aluminum, and white, black and clear polycarbonate plastics. To attract sales to schools, the iBooks had power connectors on the underside of the machine that allowed multiple iBooks to be easily charged on a custom-made rack. Apple derided the beige colours pervading the PC industry.

The ports were placed uncovered on the side, as a cover was thought to be fragile. Later releases of the Power Macintosh, iPod, PowerBooks and the Mac OS would have the same striking “Apple look”. USB, Ethernet, and modem ports were standard, as was an optical drive. Apple’s focus on design has allowed each of its subsequent products to create a unique distinctive identity. Like the iMac, the iBook ran a PowerPC G3 chip, and included no legacy Apple interfaces. The company has continued with this strategy of differentiating the consumer versus professional product lines. Apple touted the durability of the casing by demonstrating someone holding on to the iBook jumping off a height (onto cushions). This foreshadowed a similar strategy in the notebook market, when the iBook was released in 1999.

The target audience included young children, so a carrying handle was built into the hinge. The successful iMac allowed Apple to continue targeting the Power Macintosh line at the high-end of the market. Its marketing slogan was "iMac to go". After the iMac, Apple continued to remove legacy peripheral connections and floppy drives from the rest of its product line; other computer makers have started to follow suit. The design philosophy was influenced by Apple's consumer desktop, iMac, with a large distinctive shape, and translucent clear and coloured plastics. Oddly, although USB was invented by Intel and was also available on the PC, many of these USB peripherals were made of translucent coloured plastic, a trend that continues. After much speculation, Steve Jobs unveiled the consumer-targeted iBook laptop computer during the keynote presentation of Macworld Conference & Expo, New York on July 21, 1999. Via the USB port, hardware makers could make products compatible with both PCs and Macs (sometimes Mac driver software was required).

. A third-party cottage industry sprang up around the iMac. With the introduction of the Macbook Pro, the iBook line's future may be in doubt, however, as of January 2006, the Apple website store features the two iBooks with the larger (15.4 inch) Macbook Pro priced well above them. Therefore, some credit the iMac for the proliferation of USB devices, also allowing current Macintosh users to use a large selection of cheap devices, such as hubs, scanners, storage devices, mice, and cables. Instead of the common market practice of selling yesterday's professional technology to consumers, Apple originally engineered the iBook as a derivative of its professional laptop computer, the PowerBook G3, adopting several key features that had made it an early market success. Before the iMac was released, Windows-based machines shipped with both USB and legacy connections, providing little incentive for third-party hardware manufacturers to create USB peripherals. Following the success of the iMac and its ongoing hardware simplification strategy, Apple Computer introduced the iBook, a laptop computer targeted to consumer and education market segments. The color rollout also featured two disctinctive ads: when the "Life Savers" color scheme was based upon the song "She's a Rainbow" and the white advert had Cream's "White Room", specifically its introduction, as its backing track.

(Other Specifications Same as iBook G4 Late 2004). Apple’s introduction of the iPod, iBook, and G5 iMac, all featuring snowy white glossy plastic, inspired similar designs in consumer electronic products. Both models now feature: 512 MB memory (expandable to 1.5 GB) at 333Mhz; ATI Mobility Radeon 9550 graphics processor with 32 MB video RAM; Sudden Motion Sensor (parks the hard drive head if the iBook is dropped); scrolling trackpad; Bluetooth 2.0+EDR; Slightly faster bus 133Mhz/142Mhz. For example, grilling machines, portable electronics, pencil sharpeners, video game consoles and peripherals (including the Nintendo 64 which was released in special edition "iMac" colours) featured the translucent plastic. While the 14-inch display is bigger it is the same resolution as the 12-inch. Apple’s use of translucent candy-colored plastics inspired similar designs in other consumer electronics. M9848LL/A: (Retail $1299) 1.42 GHz; 14-inch display; 60 GB hard disk; Slot-Load SuperDrive DVD±RW/CD-RW. The prefix has caught on for non-Apple Computer products as well.

M9846LL/A: (Retail $999) 1.33 GHz; 12-inch display; 40 GB hard disk; Slot-Load Combo Drive DVD-ROM/CD-RW. Apple later adopted the “i” prefix across its consumer hardware and software lines, such as the iPod, iBook, iLife (iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iTunes, iWeb), and iSync. Still a G4 PowerPC. Another commercial, dubbed “Simplicity Shootout”, pitted an eight-year-old boy named Johann Thomas and his border collie Brodie (with an iMac) against Adam Taggart, a Stanford University MBA student (with a Windows PC), in a race to set up their computers; the boy and his dog finished in 8 minutes and 15 seconds [1], whereas the MBA student was still working on it by the end of the commercial. iBook G4 Mid 2005 (July 26, 2005) - Minor revision