I'm sure the typical analyst doesn't differentiate between Powerbooks and iBooks, but it will be interesting to see how Apple handles the two lines. When a January release for the iBook was rumored, the question immediately surfaced as to whether the iBook would then out-perform the Powerbook. Seems like Apple would do well to release new versions of both lines simultaneously.

I'm usually one to wait for at least version 2 of any new system but in this case I'll be at the front of the queue for an mac-intel laptop. I just hope these rumours turn out to be true - here's hoping.

DrD
- who has tried about 10 times to login to TMO and can't remember his password !

If Apple fails to live up to these rumors, the stock will drop by several points, no matter what's introduced/updated at MWSF 2006. I expect this stupidity from rumor sites, not financial ANALysts. Then again, it's becoming more and more apparently there isn't a line between the two camps.

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Guest wrote:
If Apple fails to live up to these rumors, the stock will drop by several points, no matter what's introduced/updated at MWSF 2006. I expect this stupidity from rumor sites, not financial ANALysts. Then again, it's becoming more and more apparently there isn't a line between the two camps.

I would think that a powerbook first would make more sense to differentiate the two lines. RIght now they are so close, it is basically feature sets and casing that keeps them apart. Power book users need to be rewarded for waiting so long. A simultaneous release would be an ideal one-two punch, but is unrealistic I would think unless they want to truly compete fully against all the other manufacturers who will be releasing varieties of laptops with the same chips. I guess this situation has never happened to Apple before (sharing a predominant component) so it's hard to tell how they will react.

Wow. So we've got Intel-based iBooks, Intel-based Powerbooks, and Intel-based Mac mini's w/ optional DVR functionality. Boy thats gonna be quite a Macworld! I guess we're due for an Intel-based iMac prediction anytime now.

there needs to be a few Pro apps available to run natively on this chip. When it comes to changing Pro hardware, Apple is fairly conservative, as it should be. It's an unnecessary risk to create a negative impression on the new machine if the software isn’t quite up to par …
My bet is we'll see the mini and iBook be the first Intel-based machines at MWSF. Besides, it's Apple's own line that the Pro machines will be updated in 2007 and that the consumer lines will be the first to be moved. Why should that have changed ? Unless Rosetta is sooo efficient …
Also, it makes sense to let the consumer machines be the ones on which to work out the early bugs …
I'm ready and willing to get an Intel mini in January …

if you remember when jobs announced the intel switch, mac apps have been intel-ready since the incarnation of osx. This could possibly be why aperture came about, so apple doesn't have to wait for adobe to please the professional photographers when the new Macintels come out.
With that in mind, I don't think there will be a pro-macintel until adobe is ready with its creative suite. Until then we can still get all the mac apps on intel with no rosetta needed - pages, keynote, FCP, DVD SP, Motion, Aperture, Mail, Safari, iPhoto, etc.

Maybe Adobe is ahead on development also?

Would be a nice surprise to have Adobe announce Creative Suite Universal at the same time as the release of the first machines.