Some new Mac offering are groundbreaking — the Mac mini ’s introduction in January comes to mind — while others are just incremental . The belated rescript to the iBook G4 and Mac mini melodic line fall somewhere between these extremes ; their additional received feature of speech are few , but low-toned prices significantly increase their value .

iBooks get the PowerBook treatment

The iBook G4 line of merchandise has been streamlined to two models : a $ 999 computer with a 12 - inch exhibit , a 1.33GHz CPU , a 40 GB hard movement , a CD - burn Combo private road ; and a $ 1,299 manakin with a 14 - column inch display , a 1.42GHz processor , a 60 GB laborious thrust , and a DVD - burning SuperDrive . Apple essentially added a 4x SuperDrive , twice the remembering , built - in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR , and two stock PowerBook features ( discussed later on ) to the previous midrange model , and then lower the price by $ 200 . The result is an attractively price 14 - in iBook with the same satisfying build as the previous models . The 12 - inch iBook also come with Bluetooth and AirPort Extreme .

Enough RAMBoth iBooks now include 512 mebibyte of computer memory , which seems to be the minimal practical amount for run OS X smoothly and reasonably apace .

new technologiesTwo features Apple introduce on the most recent PowerBooks are now included with the new iBooks : the scroll trackpad and the Sudden Motion Sensor . The scrolling trackpad allows you to sneak two contiguous fingers over the trackpad vertically or horizontally to scroll through a papers or move around an image . This is a wondrous unexampled feature that makes the trackpad easier to use . However , I detect horizontal scrolling a bit awkward in Microsoft Word 2004 .

The Sudden Motion Sensor aims to change your iBook ’s relationship to gravitational attraction — that is , to salve your datum if you drop the laptop computer . If the move sensing element detects a sudden change in axis ( X , Y , or Z ) position or accelerated motion , it parks and locks the hard - drive header to prevent damage to your data . Under Apple ’s advisement , I screen this feature article by playing a QuickTime movie and dropping the iBooks in freefall onto a bed ( the movie would stop before wallop if the effort header were parked ) . The Sudden Motion Sensor worked as advertised .

cause and displaysThe visual driveway on the 12 - inch iBook test model was loud and made an funny sound . The usual whirr and clicks were accompanied by brief grinding phone , somewhat like those the old floppy drives made . The drives ’ performance did n’t seem to be affected , but the noises could cause concern if you ’re not expecting them . ( annotation thatMacworldalso buy a 14 - inch iBook from a non - Apple retailer , and its SuperDrive was very flashy and would not eject discs . It ’s not clean whether this is one bad unit or a symptom of a far-flung job . )

Overall , these iBooks ’ speed trial come up out predictably , with the 1.42GHz model winning handily . ( Click here for arrant iBook benchmark . ) The Speedmark test show that the new 1.33GHz iBook G4 is five pct faster than the previous 1.33GHz iBook G4 . This is partially due to the new ATI Mobility Radeon 9550 graphic bill of fare , an upgrade from the ATI Mobility Radeon 9200 ( though both had 32 MB of dedicated television RAM ) . The Unreal Tournament psychometric test demonstrate that the new graphics card squeeze out a couplet more frames per 2nd than the old graphics card .

The graphics placard may be quicker , but the 14 - in display does n’t take care as sharp as the other model ’s 12 - inch display , not even at maximal resolution ( 1,024 by 768 pixel ) . Even though the 14 - column inch display is large , it shows no more information than the 12 - inch iBook ’s display because the resolution is the same on both ; the pixels are simply farther apart in the 14 - inch presentation , spend a penny text and picture come along larger . The outcome : the larger video display is good only if you have difficulty seeing up close , or if you prefer some distance between you and the screen while you shape . ( The PowerBook line is different : resolution increase with the size of the show . )

If you desire an iBook , know that you ca n’t have it all . The 12 - inch example is four percent slower than the 1.42GHz 14 - inch modeling , and it does n’t have a SuperDrive ( a build - to - fiat alternative is not uncommitted ) . And the 14 - inch model does n’t expose information as crisply as the 12 - inch mannikin does .

Mac mini adds value

In revising the Mac mini crinkle , the most significant modification Apple made was adding a $ 699 model , which include feature that antecedently cost about $ 275 to order à la carte : a 4x SuperDrive , a build - in AirPort Extreme card , Bluetooth , and 512 MB of RAM . It also no longer include a dial - up 56 Kbps modem , which is now a $ 29 option — a sign of increased broadband net use among Apple ’s customers . At a savings of $ 175 ( assuming you do n’t manage about the missing modem ) , this high - end Mac mini ’s time value is nothing to sneeze at .

The other two models remain almost the same as before . The $ 599 model lose the modem and gains criterion AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 1.0 , and all models have 512 MB of RAM — double the memory they had before — which I ’m relieved to see . But with the revision of the iBook credit line , the Mac mini descent make some of the leftovers , such as the older ATI Radeon 9200 graphics menu and Bluetooth 1.0 . Despite its slimly aging hardware and the fact that it still does n’t have an sound recording - in port or a built - in microphone , the Mac miniskirt is still the secure entry - level Mac .

Macworld’s buying advice

In the iBook contrast , the 12 - inch model is simply a better machine , mainly because of its nicer - count display and greater portability ; the downside , of course , is that it ’s slower and ca n’t be outfitted with a SuperDrive ( the only DVD burner that will let you combust DVDs from Apple ’s iDVD or DVD Studio Pro ) .

But with the Mac minis , the veracious choice just depends on what you require to do with your Mac . If you want an internal SuperDrive and some other niceties , the $ 699 manakin is the full note value . Though truthfully , the value of these political machine is moderately even across the Mac mini product lineage .

EDITOR ’S NOTE : 8/15/05 – The clause has been updated to correct the variation of Bluetooth now standard on Mac mini models . The change did not affect the evaluation of the intersection .

( For more information , see our Apple Hardware Guide . )