Unveiling the final block in his four-sectioned hardware strategy, Steve Jobs introduced iBook today amid great fanfare. The machine, touted as an "iMac to go," will debut in September for $1599.
The machine features a G3 300 MHz processor, 32 MB of RAM, 3.2 GB hard disk drive, 12.1" Active Matrix display, and an integrated CD ROM drive. It also includes the following in/out: 1 USB, 1 10/100 ethernet, and one 56k modem. The machien has aggressive iMac-esque styling, with a large swath of rubber encasing much of the outer edges. The machine will only be available in Blueberry and Tangerine, while the iMac is available in five colors.
While the features of the "Consumer Portable" are mediocre at best, one single feature may make this product a must-have for home offices and educational institutions: the iBook has a great implementation of wireless networking based on the standard protocol 802.11. The wireless system, dubbed AirPort by Apple, runs at 11 Mbit per second, slightly faster than most standard ethernet networks. All iBook's have the antenna built in, and the AirPort card will cost $99 dollars when it's available in September. Apple also makes a 'base station,' retailing for $299, which allows wireless connections to the built in 56k modem, or a traditional ethernet network.
Overall this product is a big dose of what everyone expected, with a few small surprises thrown in, and the large surprise of wireless Internet make the iBook a distinct Apple product. While iMac will sell right under 2 million units in its scant one year of existence, iBook, with its expected strong educational sales, could easily pose a threat to that record.
