Francis A. Boisvert
Contributing Editor, Go2Mac Japan
Editor MacTokyo
Jason,Here are some reactions on the new iBook from prominent PowerBook users in Japan:
Atsushi Iijima, president of PowerBook Army.
The new iBook gets a “double bullseye” in my opinion. The new iBook should be a big hit with Japanese users mainly for its size. The new screen size is great (1024×768) and being able to play DVDs and make CDs is amazing although I’d get the DVD version and opt for an external Firewire CDRW drive for the price difference between the two models.
The new iBook may be a disappointment for current iBook users with the lack of a handle and plain look. I think the original iBook had a handle because it was heavy, not because Apple wanted to put a handle on it.
The new theme of “Your Life to Go” makes the new iBook the center of the digital hub. The new iBook isn’t just a computer that can be carried around but is the mobile center of our mobile lifestyles.
We should thank Apple for listening to their users and becoming a company that can create products that users want.
The approval rating on my site’s survey is over 95% for the new iBook which is better than newly elected Prime Minister Koizumi’s who has the best ever rating!
Yuko “Mobile Pochi” Tanaka, editor Mobile-Dog, author of “iBook Style”
My first impression of the product was that it is a halfway product although I haven’t seen the product in person. The original concept of the iBook series was ease of use for beginners and consumers. It seems that Apple is forgetting the four quadrants. Is this iBook really for beginners? If the trackpad is the same as on the TiPB, it will be hard to get used to. Many users may call this a subnotebook but it isn’t due to the lack of IrDA and a PC card slot. I don’t know if putting the iBook name on this product is right. Taking off the handle and making a miniature version of the TiPB isn’t an iBook. But the new iBook will be popular with Japanese users due to its size.
Hirokatz Komatz, president of id-ee east end
The new iBook is a great product! I think everyone around the world was waiting for this, not just Japanese users. I’m sure many users who bought the new Titanium PowerBooks would have been happy with this model.
This was probably the real iBook concept that Apple was striving for. Not a subnotebook, not a full notebook but yet has everything you need.
The use of polycarbonate and magnesium and not titanium makes it more rugged and cheaper to produce and the new styling makes it less bulky.
The smaller size makes it easier to carry around and should be popular with everyone in Japan.
I think that iMac users will eventually all switch to the new iBooks. It’s got everything you need and the price point is right.
I would have recommended this new machine to all new Mac users in Japan except for the lack of a PC card slot. Many of us here in Japan use wireless telecom PC cards like PHS cards and PinCompact Compact Flash cards. These cards allow you to browse the internet and send/receive email on the fly at 64K! The lack of IrDA is not a big issue. How many people really use IrDA?! But the lack of the PC card slot is really too bad. It would be great if there was some way of using the AirMac slot for telecom PC cards here in Japan. Maybe some company will produce one!
Apple has once again created a masterpiece!
Masayuki Takaku, 3D creator
The new iBook is fantastic! It’s just what a lot of users in Japan was waiting for. Many users of the DOS-V and Windows subnotebooks are going to get this! Some of them may get rid of their current subnotebooks and run Virtual PC on the new iBook! Ha ha ha! I just recently bought a Vaio since I didn’t think Apple was going to come out with this! Time to auction it off and get the new iBook! Thank you Apple!
