So do you guys think this is it?? If i do buy one in the spring do you think they will release a newer/FASTER one in the summer?? What about the 17", do you think this will be coming out shortly after the 15" is in stores???

I think you can pretty much count on the fact that whatever computer you buy in the Spring will be replaced with a faster/better/cheaper one in the Summer...

Personally... if I desparately needed a new Mac I might buy one of these, although I'd be fully aware that I was taking some chances. Just like everything else, if you can wait then there isn't much reason to buy it now. Seems like a 12" and a 17" will eventually appear, but who knows when?

http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/edit...reax/index.php

my only concern, as pointed out, is the lack of firewire800 - what were they thinking? Why would they get rid of something that they themselves created and that worked so well?
I'm planning to get one in the fall, but will there be a firewire800 card to fit in the ExpressCard/34 slot? If so, that solves things.

Greg, they are tied to Intel time frames now. Intel are indeed planning a new edition of the their chips by the end of the year, and there might be the possibility it will be very nice in terms of processing, but I have no hard facts on it. ATI will also eventually be releasing a GPU like the one in the xbox360, that should do wonders for most things 3D and video compared to normal GPU's (new architecture allows more general purpose usage and more processing). these two features may improve video performance greatly. But apart from these (and 10Gb Ethernet and true 1080 display) if it's got what you want why bother waiting?

lack of FW800
 

It would seem that the lack of firewire 800 is due to Intel providing the board set to go along with the chips. As far as I know and have read, Intel does not make a board with firewire 800 built into it.
I wouldn't get too worked up about this laptop. I think it was rushed out the door by Apple. I'm pretty sure a REV.B version will be better thought out and more Appleish.

i heard some thinking a while back that Apple was going to migrate away from firewire in favor of USB and WUSB. i'll try to dig the articles up.

...yawn..burp...maybe in a couple of years. The new iweb and garageband 3 , however, look cool. And as usual apple wants me to pay $49 for a universal disk of my new fcstudio. I'm glad my new g5 and pwb are able to run pro apps( just like apple said it would )but I can't understand why they want to dead end their software w/o offering a free upgrade to universal. Ok , it's just 49 bucks , but it's apples' sticky fingers in the pie everytime . Apple should think about maintaining the customers it has, in addition to converting windows owners. Final Cut Studio and Shake owners should get a free universal disk in the mail ( w/ an ice cream coupon) .Kurth

Everytime an upgrade comes along this same issue arises, and I know that some people feel very strongly about it. But like you said, "it's only 49 bucks." I can't imagine that this charge will have the slightest effect on retaining users or winning converts. If you can hold out just a bit longer it wouldn't surprise me if there was a completely new version of FCP for the usual upgrade cost.

BTW, I was just reading that April 1 will be the 30th anniversary of Apple's founding. Hmm, I wonder if Steve is planning anything to commemorate that event?...

yea, he's planning two weeks on his private planet w/ 10 geishas , each w/ their own ipodcasting thru the new garageband. In a more serious tone , I think steve might look no further than Mr. Nattress' business model . I love apple things but I don't love how they try to peel those bills from my own sticky fingers - usually 2 or 3 times for the same product. I don't see canon charging me for firmware upgrades , for example.And , if they want $49 for a universal disk - ok. But they also want an exchange.That means I have to mail the old one internationally. Couldn't they do this by downloads ? Just a small break in the ranks of the faithful....I also don't see any products this year that would make me envious except the aforementioned garageband 3, jampack world music and iweb, which is nice to go thru a macworld and not want to spend 2,000. This year I can get all the cool stuff for a couple of hundred. And Boyd , you're probably correct. Each time, this does come up -& I'm probably the culprit. I refuse , even if I live in appleworld, to be a patriot. take care-Kurth

Probably another cover story on Time Magazine. Seems that's what their number one goal is anymore.

Taking an app from one binary to another isn't like updating firmware. The programmers had to pore over thousands of lines of code and remove dependencies that aren't allowed in Universal Binary apps.

I wonder if a client made you go back and edit changes to work previously completed. Would you feel comfortable if they expected this for free?

Harrison - do you really think that's what the $49 will be used for - to cover programmer costs ? When most fcp users have invested usually a couple of grand into the game, and the rules are changed mid-game, by Apple, well, yes , I think they should offer the universal disk for free. And allow us to keep the original .

The $49 upgrade is only necessary if you purchase a new Intel based Mac. I'm thinking that Apple will offer this for people that need Universal Binary version but don't want to buy the next version of Final Cut Studio.

I wouldn't say the rules have changed because your PPC binary FCP works just fine it's only an issue if you purchase a Mac intel based computer. We're all here to make money and I don't have much of a problem with Apple charging for the uprade because of the work involved. This isn't fixing a bug it's code rewriting. I don't expect anyone to work for free.

just curious, what if I want to run a new software version (designed for Intel processors) on my G5 - will I need to do anything special like buying this $49.00 disc or will new software run on both?

Why are you guy even complaining? Unless you're buying an imac and/or macbook pro before NAB(probably when fcp 6 will debut) why would you even need this? Our versions run fine on the computers we have.