G5 powerbooks new form factor??

[Grokgod]

I want the G5 powerbook! dont you but not with ALU!

I hated the ALubooks, now when I say hate I do not say this loosely.

I mean I hated them.
I had 3 of them.

I also had white spots on screen, defective body around plastic rim.
and ugly video problems and screen redraws!

Now this may sound weird, but the way that they felt was nasty to me.
The Alu was making my palm skin feel very weird! tingling and nasty.

Now of course I want the G5 Powerbook when it arrives, if it arrives.
But is it going to have a ALu form factor?

Now I would think that there is NO way that the Laptop of the freaking century is NOT going to have its own Form factor, but with what materials?

I personally do not think that the ALU books were that popular and that the Ti's were and are still sellign very well. They hold their value and sell well on Ebay.

What are the opinions out there about the arrivals of the new G5's and what materials or form factors will appear?

Maybe color, some kind of process to set it apart from the ALU.

[johnnowak]

Where's that pointless rant emoticon...

[jxyama]

considering PB G5 followed form to use Al, it wouldn't be that surprising to see PB G5 also stay the same course and use Al.

i personally find anodized Al casing very appealing. certainly better than painted Ti.

if you really had tingley problem with Al, it could be mild electrical shocks or you are allergic to Al. (never heard of that one... i've heard of nickel allergy, but not Al. how do you drink your soda?)

[Grokgod]

I actually never drink soda's

I didnt think that this was Pointless Rant, maybe a rant but Pointless.

Now,, what was my point?

Oh yea! i was just trying to get some opinons on wether people thought
that the new G5's were going to be made with the ALu method.

Maybe someone has heard something or had some ideas or experiences similar to mine.

I think that I am allergic to Alu, it could be possible.

I am that weird.... and that is also my point

[aswitcher]

I like the current design but a nice dark alum one with a raised rather than smooth surface could be appealing. I am thinking really fine inch or cm wide lattice/check, half a mill or something, to provide grip, better heat dispersal, but still easy to wipe down and appealing to the eye...

[IndyGopher]

I would like to see them return to something more organic-looking like the Pismo powerbooks. When they brought out the G4 Titaniums, the reason given for them being so square and boxy was that the material used (Ti) wouldn't allow them the subtle curves and such that the Pismos possessed. At the time I was pretty confident that this was basically BS... and now that they aren't using Ti anymore, I would like to see this addressed.

For reference, I believed and still believe that Steve was so geeked up about making it 1" thick that he didn't care how flat and generic it had to be to get it there. Some will argue that the new designs look more professional and business-like, but I think they are confusing "boring" and "business-like". I don't see any corporate purchase orders for Sony Vaio notebooks getting nixed because the machines are a couple hideous shades of purple.

[arf]

What are the opinions out there about the arrivals of the new G5's and what materials or form factors will appear?

Maybe color, some kind of process to set it apart from the ALU.

Piano black, polished feel, somewhat like the iBooks

[switcheroo]

I want the G5 powerbook! dont you but not with ALU!


hmm, i'd quite prefer my G5 powerbook with ALU (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ALU) included.

[aswitcher]

Piano black, polished feel, somewhat like the iBooks

Well that's probably most likely because this is the Mac Year of Music ;) :D

[Sun Baked]

I want the G5 powerbook! dont you but not with ALU!

I hated the ALubooks, now when I say hate I do not say this loosely.

I mean I hated them.
I had 3 of them.

I also had white spots on screen, defective body around plastic rim.
and ugly video problems and screen redraws!

Now this may sound weird, but the way that they felt was nasty to me.
The Alu was making my palm skin feel very weird! tingling and nasty.

[sonofslim]

how about a nice mahogany case? it would certainly age well, as long as you oiled it occasionally.

[atari1356]

A darker metal color would be nice... like gunmetal grey (not that I'm into guns or anything). Or just keep the color of the aluminum... I don't really care as long as it's fast. :)

I probably won't be getting a G5 PowerBook when they come out anyways. It looks like the next revision will still have a G4, and I need a new PowerBook soon, so I'll probably get one of those.

[wPod]

black matte finish with a red apple red sleep light and red backlight on the keyboard. i dont know about you, but there seems to be some craze with blue lights.

but if you just want a different color, go to http://www.colorwarepc.com/products/select_apple.aspx

[g30ffr3y]

aluminum is for the pro machines now... the powermac is aluminum... im sure the g5 powerbook will stay aluminum...

[Chaszmyr]

I know there have been some problems with AluBooks (especially 15'' ones) but the form factor of the AluBook is the best of any laptop ever, imo. Even far better than the TiBooks.

Have you ever looked and an AluBook and TiBook side by side and compared them just by appearance and how sturdy they are?

[leftbanke7]

I have always thought that the Pismos looked so much better looking than the Ti & Ai PBooks. If I had the money to toss around, I'd buy a Pismo solely on how pretty it is. I'd like to see a return to the classic look of the PBooks but it's probably not going to happen due to Apple wanting to keep the Pro line looking pro. However, since the iMac and iBooks are supposed to be the "fun" machines, why not bring back the different color schemes from the G3 iMacs and the Clamshell iBooks? If they decide to keep the dome look, release it in different colors and do the same with the iBooks. Keep the Pro line pro, but make the consumer line wild and exciting...which is what made the G3 iMacs so appealing.

[ingenious]

y is grokgod banned? am i allowed to ask that? :confused:

[phonic pol]

Either machined from a solid block of stainless steel - heavy and expensive but awesome or a lightweight carbon-fibre shell - feather light and still awesome.

Or they could use some lightweight metallic Nasa derivative to bypass G5 heat problems!

[Maritan]

hmm, i'd quite prefer my G5 powerbook with ALU (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ALU) included.


:D

[Grokgod]

HeY! Iiii'mmmmm Baaacckkk! Yeah!

Ok back but there are watching eyes, so I can't discuss it or Big brother will whack me.

ok, on to the Alubook...and the G5!

GunMetal that sounds great!

I have compared the two Powerbooks ALU and Ti and I still like the Ti.

First the ALU heats up MUCH more in the palm rest areas!
It was quieter thats for sure than the Ti's fans.

But the ALU had so many screen problems and video problems.

I found that the extra width despite the fact that it wasnt THAT much thicker, it still felt THICK compared to the Ti.
Wasn't the 17 inch only 1 inch thick.

BUt isnt the issue that its the FIRST G5 laptop.
Its cant be the same as the ALUbooks.

It has to scream G5 LAPTOP! LOOK AT ME!

I am sure that APPLE want to make sure that everyone knows what a G5 laptop looks like and doesnt confuse them with the ALUbooks.

If there are 2 more speed bumps till the g4 is put to sleep for the Powerbooks, that should be enough to use up all the ALU cycle.

How about a cheese grater bottom with a transparent lid with big red letters under it saying G5

[tdhurst]

I don't want the G5 powerbook to be any material at all. I expect a virtual reality type of interface, with the actual tangible item to be just the G5 chip and a light emitting diode that can project displays in 3D, write and read any type of disk as well.

[Grokgod]

I really think that there HAS to be a form factor change and in materials also. I want the rear plugins to return. What are the hopes of that happening?

I think a return to plastic would be better, and some color! :p

[szark]

I think a return to plastic would be better, and some color! :p

Plastic? Yecch! They need to use Liquidmetal (http://www.liquidmetal.com/)!

[Koodauw]

I rather like the square-ish design of the PBs, but I think a change with some curves in needed. I would love to see a carbon fiber case. Not sure how well it work functionaly, but style whise it would be very cool.

I used to read a sight called macwhispers.com It was a guy who made Apple accesories, I think, but he talked to many apple parts suppliers in Asia. He often got tidbits of info, about casings and things like that. Always made for good reading, and speculation. Site is no longer up though, which is to bad. It would be nice to try and get some insight on the new PB cases

[Mord]

if you have ever seen polished titainium YOU WOULD WANT YOUR POWERBOOK TO BE MADE OF IT

it's so shiney and perfect man that would be cool

[tdhurst]

Ports on the back? Oh, god, why? It is so nice not to have to reach around to plug and unplug stuff, and no, I don't want to have to buy a docking station to get that functionality. And while the hell would you want plastic?

[CmdrLaForge]

Either machined from a solid block of stainless steel - heavy and expensive but awesome or a lightweight carbon-fibre shell - feather light and still awesome.

Or they could use some lightweight metallic Nasa derivative to bypass G5 heat problems!

Carbon-fibre sounds really awsome. And some nice colors would be great.

I really hope they change the design with the G5. My guess is that the iBooks will get the colors and design of the current iPod mini. About the Powerbook - I am not sure, but I guess no choice here. I would expect somehow in line with the current G5s. And the iMac like the iBook in the current iPod mini design. Same colors.

[wide]

All this metal...

To celebrate the 10.4 "Tiger", Apple should design tiger-skin PowerBooks. Soft and furry, so everyone would want one. I would certainly pay for it if I had the money.

If that's not possible, how about a nice, bendy silver and blue plastic case with hundreds of moving parts, just like my Inspiron 600m. Then I could just use PearPC and wouldn't have to switch... :D

[Soc7777777]

i have and use a pc, but i am getting a mac for my next computer, prob a rev b or c g5 powerbook, but heres my opinion on the form factor of the g5's.... i think apple should offer 2 form factors (1 ibook form factor and 2 powerbook form factors)... one of the only reasons i didnt get a powerbook is size... i know my dell 300m is 2.9lbs and .9" tall with lid shut and i love this fact about it... i think the future of computing is the ultraportable, and i think that apples could use 2 options, i thin and light version g5 and a 'normal' g5 about the same size as now... (this only applies to the 12" because the 17 and 15 are really thin already) one of the options should be to have a 12" without a optical drive, or even an external... i find that i really like the external i have, because i rarely use it because of programs like alcohol 120% that create virtual cd or dvd drives and cd images that reduce the need of having a drive all the time and it runs at 200x.. much faster than any actual drive available...

so the point of my rant is i think the new form factor should have a 12" thin and light ultraportable form factor (about 3-3.5lbs and less than 1" tall) along with the form factors they use now which i REALLY think look great!!!

anybody agree or disagree with me????? i would really like to know....

[Soc7777777]

All this metal...

To celebrate the 10.4 "Tiger", Apple should design tiger-skin PowerBooks. Soft and furry, so everyone would want one. I would certainly pay for it if I had the money.

If that's not possible, how about a nice, bendy silver and blue plastic case with hundreds of moving parts, just like my Inspiron 600m. Then I could just use PearPC and wouldn't have to switch... :D


I Really disagree, that would produce a bad image for apple that some pc users already have... that apples are made for rich women and old men and small children, not the average power user... but i know that that was probibly a joke post, i just thought i would say that just in case

[Sun Baked]

http://forums.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=12945&stc=1

[wide]

i know that that was probibly a joke post, i just thought i would say that just in case

No, not a joke at all! I want a nice tiger to die for my computing needs. :rolleyes:

[keysersoze]

VINYL.


:) :)

[mkrishnan]

i have and use a pc, but i am getting a mac for my next computer, prob a rev b or c g5 powerbook.

Now there's optimism, or at least planning ahead. :) I think I'll get a new Windows computer with Longhorn SP2. ;)

Carbon fiber would be pretty cool, but I wonder how tough it would be to make it so that it doesn't get scratched up and nasty looking. I guess if they coat it with enough plastic. :( B/c CF is very strong in the sense of tensile strength along the weave, but it isn't very strong in terms of being scratched across the layers. And then if they put a lot of shiny plastic on it, it will have the same scratch issues as my beloved iBook.

I really like the idea of something that would come out gun-metal or dark titanium grey, as long as it doesn't involve a coating that would wear away. Anodized Al would be interesting too, although it tends to chip away after a while. Maybe in five or six colors like the iPod Mini? Or maybe this should be the G5 *iBook*....

What about magnesium polished?

Or....hmmm....CHROME...with a spinning Apple Logo. And two processors, so we can call it the PB 'Dub. Otherwise we'll have to call it the Chromedaddy. :D

[Soc7777777]

Now there's optimism, or at least planning ahead. :) I think I'll get a new Windows computer with Longhorn SP2. ;)

haha yeah, i just bought my dell a month ago, so im good for a while, i'm thinking 2 years from now i'll be in the market again

[BrianKonarsMac]

i personally would like to see a levitating orb that runs off of wireless firewire and ultra wide band wireless, that doubles as a portable music/movie player with retinal implants.

[wide]

Maybe in five or six colors like the iPod Mini?

I doubt this would be possible--

I think one of the reasons Apple is having such a hard time supplying iPod minis is because they weren't sure which colors would be popular and which colors would blow. Luckily, the minis are cheaper and aren't that big investment (probably cost <$150).

With powerbooks, things get much more expensive, and then you would have to put them together with the different colors etc.... If I ordered a two or three thousand dollar computer, I would not want to 5 weeks (the wait time for a mini) until the computer is shipped. Then there is post service wait, being at home when it arrives, etc....

but u can get colored pbooks from this place instead :) :

www.colorwarepc.com

[keysersoze]

www.colorwarepc.com

WOAH. :eek:

Have any of you actually done this to your 'book?!?

[jayscheuerle]

Runs a little hot...

[aswitcher]

Runs a little hot...


No need for one of the usb cup warmers ;)

[wide]

Runs a little hot...

lol..i would actually buy that, especially if the four fans doubled as speakers....and a subwoofer on the bottom. hmmm 4.1 surround sound?

apple always has had shoddy speakers on their notebooks, especially the 17 inch. most 17 inch PC notebooks have a built in subwoofer and up to four speakers

[g30ffr3y]

i would love to see the unicorn that is the g5 powerbook to be black... i dont care much what they make it out of so long as its strong...

as far as lights... red would be so nice... but it doesnt really fit in with apple... the red lights on a black powerbook would look almost sinister... apple products are generally pleasant... how about just doing classic
white lights...

put some film on the inside of the lid to make the light up apple look almost
chrome against the black laptop...

and let the keyboard lights just be nice and white...

as far as styling... i like the tibook the best of all apple laptops... something about the aluminum doesnt sit right with me... and the pismos were over the top in gaudy styling...

apple... keep it simple and sexy...

[mkrishnan]

With powerbooks, things get much more expensive, and then you would have to put them together with the different colors etc.... If I ordered a two or three thousand dollar computer, I would not want to 5 weeks (the wait time for a mini) until the computer is shipped. Then there is post service wait, being at home when it arrives, etc....

Yeah, this is a good point... but I'm not sure such a thing wouldn't be doable at least for BTO units. And think about it this way...after Apple comes to get a better grip on predicting color demands on the Mini, do you really think it should add 5 wks to do this? My engraved iPod 3G and my BTO iBook G4 both took a lot less time to ship than that, and they both had to ship straight-from-factory bc of the customization.

But I'm not that picky...I just think it would be cute. :) And more for the iBook really -- different plastic cases should definitely be doable, since Dell does it now on some of theirs (of course, a new coat of paint doesn't do much for ugly :( )

[Grokgod]

I predict that there will be a new form factor with colors for the iBooks!

They will simply press a button at the factory telling the machine which nozzles of paint to use and presto, chango, colored ibooks.

Make a pink on for my GIRL and she would wet her pants! uhh sorry.

Powerbooks and am not so sure about, but i think the aluminum HAS to GO!!

[wide]

I too think the Alumium PowerBooks need to be replaced. The Pismos were also ugly...I have one (and its my only Mac :(). I would glady trade it in for any newer version of the PowerBook. I would sell it on eBay but it was a gift (a friend of mine works for a company that switched to PC recently, so I was given the Pismo).

I also thing that Apple already attempted to make a redesigned Pismo--with the Clamshell iBook. The Clamshell iBook does bear a similar design to the Pismo. It has the same overhead look (except in multiple colors) and it is thick, heavy, and (now) people are collecting them and making them toilet seats (doesn't it look like one?).

Apple had it right with the Titanium PowerBooks. Titanium. It's just such a cool, expensive, classy word. Aluminum...now I'm thinking about Reynolds Wrap.

Apple's next metal ought to be carbon--strong(er than both titanium and aluminum) and light(er than titanium and aluminum, also). Whatever they do, I hope they get rid of that ugly plastic trim on the Aluminum PowerBooks--all it does is separate from metal case of the computer and look ugly.

[Mord]

sinse when is carbon fiber stronger than titainium?

i want a powerbook case made out of carbon nanotubes or bucky balls the stroungest materials on earth :)

polished titainium is good i'm saving up to get a 1GHz tibook to strip the paint off and polish it untill i can see my face in it :eek:

[stockscalper]

Just go down to any pc computer store and take a look at the 11 pound bricks in the wintel world that pass for laptops and you'll gladly appreciate the Powerbooks.

[mkrishnan]

Make a pink on for my GIRL and she would wet her pants! uhh sorry.

Wasn't there a movie...maybe Legally Blond or Clueless, where she had an iBook modded to be pink? :)

[JFreak]

apple always has had shoddy speakers on their notebooks, especially the 17 inch. most 17 inch PC notebooks have a built in subwoofer and up to four speakers

who cares?

speakers are "shoddy" if they cannot make a 100dB sound pressure at 50Hz, so don't expect miracles with speakers so small. and why on earth would anyone want to have four speakers in a laptop? you cannot make a decent surround sound with speakers so close to each other.

and subwoofer? give me a break. that's a device that can make audible sound below 50Hz, notably between the 25-35Hz area where the definition of 5-string bass lies. some manufacturers do tend to call their speakers "subwoofers" when they are meant to be used in addition to their other crappy speakers. some "subwoofers" i have seen don't even come close to 50Hz, and that should be the highest frequency. some 100-160Hz is NOT a subwoofer at all.

[Wyrm]

I think a return to plastic would be better, and some color! :p

AIiieeeeeeee!!!! Not PLASTIC!!!! Noooooooo! [sound fades as from someone falling into a bottomless abyss]

Actually, it will be different... it won't be aluminium... it will be Meshed Aluminium!!! Ha ha ha ha. So far, Al is the best material I've seen for a laptop - sure, sure, sure... they might be able to give your some Corvette curves or something.

Having 2 batteries would be nice too.... who needs a DVD player 95% of the time?

Maybe only a few more months to find out...

[7on]

There was this thing i read about turning a laptop's LCD into a large speaker. Might be applicable for Apple in the future.

Also a change in Form would be most appropriate for the G5 pBook. The powermac never had a very consistent design. The Quicksilver and the Sawtooth both looked very different. No reason Apple should keep the RevB and RevA G5's looking the same. They could change it with the Powerbook.

And the only reason I can think of why Apply went ALU is the problem with the Ti's and Paint. As well as the infamous hinge. They prolly couldn't (and shouldn't) keep the design because of these problems.

[brap]

who cares?

speakers are "shoddy" if they cannot make a 100dB sound pressure at 50Hz, so don't expect miracles with speakers so small.

True, but I'm afraid I have to go with a 'could do better' -- my partner's HP hunk-o-junk's only redeeming feature is the Harmon/Kardon speakers which, I'm sad to say, totally outclass the sound coming out of my previous iBooks. Any of them.

Everything is relative, and this relative to said useless plastic piece of HP crap makes me sad.

[mkrishnan]

There was this thing i read about turning a laptop's LCD into a large speaker. Might be applicable for Apple in the future.

You mean actually driving sound with the physical glass/plastic substrate, by vibrating it? :D Imagine when you crank the bass...brings a whole *new* meaning to active desktop!

When all-in-ones and LCD screens on desktops were still new, Compaq briefly had an all-in-one with a 15" TFT and the speakers were this big panel behind it, so that the screen floated out in front of the speakers...looked pwetty cool. :)

I personally also think the iBook speakers are a *little* on the weak side compared to some PC laptops....

[wide]

speakers are "shoddy" if they cannot make a 100dB sound pressure at 50Hz, so don't expect miracles with speakers so small. and why on earth would anyone want to have four speakers in a laptop? you cannot make a decent surround sound with speakers so close to each other.

Check out the Alienware Area-51m laptop. My friend has it, and they are much better than the PowerBook speakers.

The truth is that there is room for improvement, and Apple (in my opinion) is being cheap. Another query: why don't the 12-inch PowerBooks and the low-end 15-inch model have backlit keyboards? I don't see why Apple can't include that in all of their PowerBooks, and maybe even in some of the iBooks.

[Wyrm]

Check out the Alienware Area-51m laptop. My friend has it, and they are much better than the PowerBook speakers.

The truth is that there is room for improvement, and Apple (in my opinion) is being cheap. Another query: why don't the 12-inch PowerBooks and the low-end 15-inch model have backlit keyboards? I don't see why Apple can't include that in all of their PowerBooks, and maybe even in some of the iBooks.

:mad: <RANT> You can't be serious? Laptop speakers ALL suck. No bass, high distortion. A good set of Audiotechnica headphones, or hooking your pb into a real set of amp + speakers is the only way to get good sound. </RANT>

I use this set with my powerbook: http://www.audio-technica.co.jp/products/hp/ath-ad10.html
Ahhhhhh (if I plug the powerbook into the stereo set, my wife gets mad... she says "うるさい！")

Why there's no backlight in the low models? Hey, remember when CD players in cars cost $600 if you bought it from the dealer? Same reason... it's called a high-margin "distinguished customer option" ... <ahem>

-Wyrm

[rocketdog]

Hey sunbaked...

Is your avatar a little dog blowing up? If it isn't disregard the following.

If it is....

that's pretty ****in' classless and disgusting. It's stupid **** like that proves that the internet is the degeneration of our species.

RDS :mad:

[JFreak]

The truth is that there is room for improvement, and Apple (in my opinion) is being cheap.

it can very well be designed so. i mean, not being "cheap" but cutting the bass frequencies for a purpose. i mean... if there would be a lot of bass coming out of the speakers, there would have to be a lot of acoustic energy hitting the inside of the laptop also, and over time that would affect the parts inside and some would become loose thus creating hardware problems.

and there's no need for a (really) good pair of speakers in the laptop. it is not a sound reinforcement device after all. if you want good sound, you can always plug the laptop into a big enough home stereo, or use a good quality headphones.

putting in a good quality speakers would of course be possible, but that adds weight and cost, and makes it undesirable that way.

[Wyrm]

Hey sunbaked...

Is your avatar a little dog blowing up? If it isn't disregard the following.

If it is....

that's pretty ****in' classless and disgusting. It's stupid **** like that proves that the internet is the degeneration of our species.

RDS :mad:

I think the PC (*Politically Correct*) forum is somewhere else... that's not a real, live, biological, dog BTW.

Re: degeneration of our species
Some would argue *that* process started when we came out of the trees... others would argue the access to information is liberating.

-Wyrm

[Moo-Boo]

You see her, you can't touch her
You hear her, you can't hold her
You want her and you can't have her
You want to, but she wont let you

She's not so special,
so look what you've done,
boy

I know this is in relation to the G5 PowerBook, but I'm afraid I don't understand the meaning behind the poetry...though it certainly does read well and sounds great.

So, at the risk of sounding academically inept, what's it mean?

[LaMerVipere]

You see her, you can't touch her
You hear her, you can't hold her
You want her and you can't have her
You want to, but she wont let you

She's not so special,
so look what you've done,
boy

I know this is in relation to the G5 PowerBook, but I'm afraid I don't understand the meaning behind the poetry...though it certainly does read well and sounds great.

So, at the risk of sounding academically inept, what's it mean?

"Auf Achse" by: FRANZ FERDINAND! I LOVE THEM!!!

Sorry, I just had to express my blatant Franz love :D

[usersince86]

I too think the Alumium PowerBooks need to be replaced. The Pismos were also ugly...I have one (and its my only Mac :(). I would glady trade it in for any newer version of the PowerBook.

I also thing that Apple already attempted to make a redesigned Pismo--with the Clamshell iBook. The Clamshell iBook does bear a similar design to the Pismo. It has the same overhead look (except in multiple colors) and it is thick, heavy, and (now) people are collecting them and making them toilet seats (doesn't it look like one?).



The Pismo is EASILY one of the favorite laptops of all-time, Mac or otherwise. They still draw looks from PC users. One of the best looking and best-engineered PowerBooks ever (of course, it's obviously past its prime...)

The multi-colored iBooks are NOT at all like Pismos, in my opinion.

If you want to sell your Pismo, let me know. I'd be interested!

[Ph4lynx]

i think that just for the sake of being different and attracting attention the macs need to stay as they are. they have a great thing going for them in their looks. among many other things this is a huge selling point.