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I guess I was right - Apple waited to release the faster PowerBook until it could also announce the G4/500. In fact, Apple has updated three of the four niches in its product line.

Here's the quick overview from Macworld Tokyo:

Power Mac G4

Obviously, the big news here is that the G4/500 is finally available. Best of all, and in keeping with Apple's custom, it sells for the same US$3,499 price the G4/450 did. At the bottom of the Power Mac line, the G4/400 replaces the G4/350. (I hope the G4/400s we have on order at work are bumped to 450 MHz!)

Pismo?

"Desktop movies to go." That's Apple's phrase for the new PowerBook (Apple has apparently dropped "G3" from the name) with FireWire. The new PowerBook has the same 14.1" TFT screen as the old one, but uses 400 and 500 MHz processors with 1 MB caches. DVD is now standard on both models, as is a new 100 MHz motherboard. The new PowerBook does accept the same drive bay accessories as Lombard.

Is this the much-rumored Pismo model? The real differences between it and the previous "Lombard" PowerBook are a pair of FireWire ports (instead of a single SCSI port), room for the AirPort card, and a 100 MHz UMA motherboard. I think it's a transitional model between Lombard and Pismo, maybe Lombard 2 would be a good name.

iBook Special Edition

Take your basic iBook, color it graphite, boost the processor to 366 MHz, double the base memory to 64 MB, and replace the small 3.2 GB hard drive with a 6 GB drive. You've got the iBook Special Edition.

At the same time, Apple has increased base memory on the plain old colorful iBook to 64 MB and the hard drive to 6 GB - with no change in price.

With the colorful iBook at US$1,599 and the SE at $1,799, Apple has two real winners on their hands. (BTW, Apple has not switched to slot-loading drives. This must annoy the rumor sites no end.)

Other Reports

• News: Apple unveils new iBook, PowerBook, Power Mac G4 at Macworld Expo, Applelinks, 2/16.

Go to the Mac News Today index.