Next Hardware to be updated

[mr evil brkfast]

Now that the Powermac line has finally been updated here's how the rest of the hardware sits in terms of the product cycle(excluding ipod):

The Powerbook is 4 months old without an update. I am not sure if I believe Apple will wait until next year (4 additional months) before an update if they can do one- even a speed bump - 933 mhz/800mhz would be nice start

The 15" imac as the oldest model in Apple's lineup - besides the price increase and decrease not much has happened to this model in 8 months. They added the 17"- which is a great value but with the emac so close in features it could use a little more powerful processor.

I'm not sure if I can see ibook getting another update before the imac. Apple seems to have this need to keep the ibook in check with the rest of the speeds of its lineup. I the G4 actually scaled and shipped in large quanties we might see a 1GHZ ibook! Not sure if the would do a Bus increase, but perhaps a 100-200mhz increase would be nice.

Realistically, when does everyone think the next hardware update will be- and what line?

[xelterran]

what id like to see:

in the next couple of months:
1ghz tibook
1ghz imac
800mhz+ ibook

in january:

duel1.5ghz+ g5/power4

i agree the imac does need a speed bump and so does the tibook, probably to 1ghz, the ibook would probably be ok at 800 - 900mhz and hopefully sometime in jauary they will release the g5/power4 at atleast duel 1.5ghz.

[firewire2001]

good points! yer right.. the powermacs are only 67 mhz faster than the imac (the lowest) model .. but i think apple *may* be taking the path of just throwing in mp's into its powermacs (at least for right now), so i can see the iMacs being upgraded to similar speeds as the powermacs, except with single processors, of course...

however, i dont think the powerbooks will be updated till january.. its possible they may be updated here in paris, but if not now, i doubt they will till january.. ill bet that ibooks may be updated soon, though..

-f

btw: funny nickname.. thehe..

[xelterran]

if you go to http://www.apple.com/hardware/ the powerbook doesnt have a pic like the rest - could this be a sign that they will release new powerbooks soon?

[kuzelnik]

Apple will not wait until MacWorld to release an update to the Powerbook. The 1Ghz with a SuperDrive will be released in October. This is confirmed information from someone who works at Apple (can't say more than that). This person confirmed that Apple wants to break the product-announcements-at-MacWorld-cycle. This is NOT specualtion. Pioneer is making the SuperDrives small enough to fit the PowerBook enclosures.

Also, the next version of iPhoto (2.0) is due in the next week or so---as is 10.2.1.


Cheers!

[peterjhill]

A faster Tibook, that would be nice, but my 800 is plenty fast. I don't run idvd or imovie though, so if they could put a superdrive in, a faster proc would be a great thing.

I would like to see a new, lighter ibook to get my wife. The current one is so damn heavy compared to my tibook, even the 12" model.

New iPhoto, that is the first I have heard of it. I wonder what it will do that will justify 2.0 status.

[skunk]

This will presumably be the addition of iCal and iSync?

[alex_ant]

Hahaha, when I saw this thread on the front page, I read it as "NeXT hardware to be updated," and I thought, whoa!

[edesignuk]

Originally posted by kuzelnik
Apple will not wait until MacWorld to release an update to the Powerbook. The 1Ghz with a SuperDrive will be released in October. This is confirmed information from someone who works at Apple (can't say more than that). This person confirmed that Apple wants to break the product-announcements-at-MacWorld-cycle. This is NOT specualtion. Pioneer is making the SuperDrives small enough to fit the PowerBook enclosures.

Also, the next version of iPhoto (2.0) is due in the next week or so---as is 10.2.1.


Cheers!
Well....I'd love it if you were right!

[alex_ant]

Originally posted by peterjhill
New iPhoto, that is the first I have heard of it. I wonder what it will do that will justify 2.0 status.
There are lots of little things iPhoto needs. I hope Apple reads this. I'm sure they will.

- Better performance with large libraries
- Better smoothing of thumbnails and pictures in edit mode (this is really annoying)
- Option to view pictures at their actual size in edit mode, with no scaling
- Ability to set a photo as the desktop picture
- Ability to move pictures between rolls
- Built-in ability to easily back up the library
- Fixes for various graphical glitches
- Support for more keywords

And stuff...

[groundhog troll]

I didn't know it was updated, when did this happen? It still looks pretty much the same to me only w/ fake DDR and an ugly chrome plate and air holes in the front.

[rice_web]

I've got a feeling that we'll see the iMac updated in October, with the following:

Fast
- 800MHz G4
- 15" LCD
- CD-RW
- GeForce2 MX
- 128MB RAM
- 40GB Hard Drive
- $1299

Faster
- 1GHz G4
- 17" Widescreen LCD
- Superdrive
- GeForce4 MX
- 256MB RAM
- 40GB Hard Drive
- $1599

Fastest
- 1.2GHz G4
- 17" Widescreen LCD
- Superdrive
- GeForce4 MX
- 256MB RAM
- 60GB Hard Drive
- $1999

That's probably optimistic, with the "ultimate" configuration being entirely a dream. The trouble with the iMac, is that the PowerMac now sports TWO processors, making any guess for the specs of the iMac blurred.

[JSRockit]

iBook to 800Mhz G3, 32MB VRAM, 256MB Ram standard in Paris.

[Postal]

I don't see the iMac going quite that route (though it's at least semi-plausible).

One thing I believe Apple may do is ditch the CD-RW drive on the base model. Outside of the classic iMac, the new iMac is the only model in the lineup where the base write-capable drive isn't a Combo drive. If that happens, Apple will probably shrink the default model options back down to three.

I'd also like to see a 133 MHz system bus; if not, though, I'm sure Apple will at least increase the clock speed by at least 100 MHz through the range. Including the GF4 MX (even if it's a 32 MB version) on all models is also quite possible.

With all those changes, I think the lineup would resemble somehting like this (with clock speeds depending on the system bus):

Fast
- 800 or 867 MHz G4
- 15" display
- 128 MB of RAM
- Combo drive
- GeForce 4 MX
- 60 GB hard drive
- $1299

Faster
- 800 or 867 MHz G4
- 15" display
- 256 MB of RAM
- Superdrive
- GeForce 4 MX
- 80 GB hard drive
- $1499

Fastest
- 933 or 1000 MHz G4
- 17" widescreen display
- 256 MB of RAM
- Superdrive
- GeForce 4 MX
- 120 GB hard drive
- $1799


Of course, this may still be optimistic, but I think it would work.

[Over Achiever]

Originally posted by kuzelnik
Apple will not wait until MacWorld to release an update to the Powerbook. The 1Ghz with a SuperDrive will be released in October. This is confirmed information from someone who works at Apple (can't say more than that). This person confirmed that Apple wants to break the product-announcements-at-MacWorld-cycle. This is NOT specualtion. Pioneer is making the SuperDrives small enough to fit the PowerBook enclosures.

Also, the next version of iPhoto (2.0) is due in the next week or so---as is 10.2.1.
10.2.1 has been well speculated to be released September 1...

Now i haven't heard much about iPhoto 2...I supposed its well due, but has anyone expected it next week?

That said, if a new iPhoto is released next week, I may wait until October to buy my powerbook...ahh the agony of patience. I really want a powerbook for fall semester...arrrgh!

EDIT -- On second thought...no way the superdrive slot-loading will be ready by October...theres no way right?:confused:

[Rajj]

AHHH Speculation, Speculation.:p

Cupertino is keeping all the leaks inside;) :p


Great thoughts!!

[job]

i'd like to see a sub-1000 dollar ibook.

maybe in the future a sub-2000 tibook.

[JSRockit]

Make the iBook a middle range laptop...and make a new eBook at $999. Make the TiBook a super laptop with everything you can throw in it.

If they made a sub $2000 TiBook...I'd buy it today. Probably won't happen, but could.

Let's face it...the laptop market is a decent one that will continue to grow. We have room for three different price points in the Apple portable range.

[job]

Originally posted by JSRockit
Make the iBook a middle range laptop...and make a new eBook at $999.

like the old duo. :)

[skunk]

[i] We have room for three different price points in the Apple portable range. [/B]

Don't we already have 5 different price points?

[Kashchei]

If we are all agreed that the iMac line will be upgraded by MWSF, what do you think the chances are that the new models--or at least the fastest one--uses DDR RAM? I'm sure this trickle-down effect will happen at some point, and if it does by January, that will be my cue to buy. What do you think?

[beez7777]

Fastest
- 1.2GHz G4
- 17" Widescreen LCD
- Superdrive
- GeForce4 MX
- 256MB RAM
- 60GB Hard Drive
- $1999[/B]

I dont think that they would lower the hdd capacity, especially f they were to keep he price the same

[JSRockit]

Skunk. You are correct. However, what I should have said was three different tiers. Budget, MidRange, Professional. I guess you could argue that Apple already has that... but not really.

12" 600mhz iBook with CD-ROM drive at $999 could be a budget notebook...but it sells for $1199.

I don't like the 14" iBook and will not consider it a midrange model...because it is only a mutated 12" iBook.

The TiBook is too high-end...even the 667Mhz model at $2499... about $500 too much for a non-professional.

[macmunch]

Fast
- 800 or 867 MHz G4
- 15" display
- 128 MB of RAM
- Combo drive
- GeForce 4 MX
- 60 GB hard drive
- $1299

Faster
- 800 or 867 MHz G4
- 15" display
- 256 MB of RAM
- Superdrive
- GeForce 4 MX
- 80 GB hard drive
- $1499

Fastest
- 933 or 1000 MHz G4
- 17" widescreen display
- 256 MB of RAM
- Superdrive
- GeForce 4 MX
- 120 GB hard drive
- $1799


- 800 or 867 MHz G4 <--- Yes
- 15" display <--- Yes
- 128 MB of RAM <-- No, They must build in at least 256 (OS X)
- Combo drive <-- Yes, or only CDRW :(
- GeForce 4 MX <-- Must do, Geforce2 is to old the geforce4 MX is only 5 % faster but thants better than nothing.
- 60 GB hard drive <--- Yes, maybe 40GB
- $1299 <--- Yes, maybe we have luck and they will put the price down on every new edition till we go to 999 $ in 1 or 2 Years.

Faster
- 800 or 867 MHz G4 <-- Good Idea, yes
- 15" display <-- Yes
- 256 MB of RAM <-- Yes
- Superdrive <-- I dont think so but would be cool
- GeForce 4 MX <-- Yes, read last comment
- 80 GB hard drive <-- Yes
- $1499 <-- Yes, read last comment

Fastest
- 933 or 1000 MHz G4 <-- Yes, good idea
- 17" widescreen display <-- Yes, also good
- 256 MB of RAM <-- Yes
- Superdrive <-- Yes
- GeForce 4 MX <-- Yes
- 120 GB hard drive <-- No 80GB I think
- $1799 <-- Yes ( I will buy)

[pianojoe]

Originally posted by alex_ant

There are lots of little things iPhoto needs. I hope Apple reads this. I'm sure they will.

- Better performance with large libraries
- Better smoothing of thumbnails and pictures in edit mode (this is really annoying)
- Option to view pictures at their actual size in edit mode, with no scaling
- Ability to set a photo as the desktop picture
- Ability to move pictures between rolls
- Built-in ability to easily back up the library
- Fixes for various graphical glitches
- Support for more keywords

And stuff...

- Gamma correction
- a plug-in SDK, or, even better, accept Photoshop or iMovie plug-ins

[Macmaniac]

I think Paris will be the place for updates for laptops.
The Tibook and iBbok will both get speed bumps.
The Tibook I guess will go to 1ghz with DDR RAM, and the same 133mhz system bus maybe faster but who knows?
The iBook may go to 700mhz or 800mhz, G4 is a possiblity. Also a bigger video card 32mb would be nice:)

Paris will be the big one for laptops.

[rice_web]

From this point on, I've got a feeling that the iMac and TiBook will share the same processor--and why not? If Apple can buy 1GHz G4s for the TiBook and the iMac, Apple could likely get those processors cheaper.

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw both the iMac and the TiBook take on the PowerMacs crippled DDR implementation. It looks good at a marketing level.

[kuzelnik]

I met a woman from the Apple iPhoto team yesterday and she told me that it was going to be very soon-- something like "in the next week or so" is what she precisely said . . .

We spoke about the speed, which is my biggest complaint. Unfortunately, she seemed obliviouos to any speed issues (or maybe she just feigned ignorance). I told her to try iView and compare the speed it takes to open the application as well as scrolling performance.

She was kind of a ditz because she had no idea that there were minimum hardware requirements for Quartz Extreme in 10.2. Macs with less than 16MB of VRAM will have to continue using software instead of hardware acceleration (which currently means all laptops). So Quartz Extreme is virtually meaningless for anyone without a desktop mid-range video card.

[solvs]

Originally posted by kuzelnik
Macs with less than 16MB of VRAM will have to continue using software instead of hardware acceleration (which currently means all laptops). So Quartz Extreme is virtually meaningless for anyone without a desktop mid-range video card.

Uh, no offense... but this is the 2nd time I've read a post where you make this mistake. For the record, current TiPowerBooks have 32 MB ATI Radeon video cards, and current iBooks have 16 MB Radeons, the same as last generations G4 PBs.

You're probably thinking of older (first generation, which I think I read was what you had) G4 PBs and iBooks which had 8 MB cards.

Just thought I'd point that out in case no one else does. Don't worry folks, your old non-Radeons will still get a boost from 10.2. You just won't be able to take full advantage of QE.

Now bring on the GHz+ 'Books with 64 MB+ vid cards!!!

[mr evil brkfast]

Regardless...the Powerbook should have 64MB video and the ibook 32MB for 2 reasons:

1) If you cannot match intel/AMD in processing power- at least match/beat in video.

2) Quartz Extreme

[mr evil brkfast]

Regardless...the Powerbook should have 64MB video and the ibook 32MB for 2 reasons:

1) If you cannot match intel/AMD in processing power- at least match/beat in video.

2) Quartz Extreme

[King Cobra]

>(mr evil brkfast) Regardless...the Powerbook should have 64MB video and the ibook 32MB for 2 reasons:>(mr evil brkfast) Regardless...the Powerbook should have 64MB video and the ibook 32MB for 2 reasons:

>1) If you cannot match intel/AMD in processing power- at least match/beat in video.

The Powerbook was meant to be a top of the line portable. That's why you won't see the iBook in competition with other top dog notebooks, which can handle the intense graphics.

>2) Quartz Extreme

I think as long as you have 16MB of video memory you can do a lot of graphics. Again, the iBook isn't meant to compete, but is just meant for the avg. consumer. The avg. consumer usually doesn't use such highly-detailed graphics.


>(mr evil brkfast) Regardless...the Powerbook should have 64MB video and the ibook 32MB for 2 reasons:

>1) If you cannot match intel/AMD in processing power- at least match/beat in video.

The Powerbook was meant to be a top of the line portable. That's why you won't see the iBook in competition with other top dog notebooks, which can handle the intense graphics.

>2) Quartz Extreme

I think as long as you have 16MB of video memory you can do a lot of graphics. Again, the iBook isn't meant to compete, but is just meant for the avg. consumer. The avg. consumer usually doesn't use such highly-detailed graphics.

:D :p