15 inch Aluminum PowerBook Soon

[MacRumors]

According to PowerPage.org, Apple is ramping up production on 15" Aluminum Powerbooks:

According to PowerPage sources Apple has ramped up the production line and are getting ready to go from Ti to Al within a month or so.

Reason for delays are blamed on heating issues as well as board availability.

15" PowerBook rumors have spotted Page 2 since the release of the 12" and 17" PowerBooks in January.

[xj9000]

with all the rumors flying around about the IBM processors, if the 15 inch is released before WWDC it probably won't be 64 bit. There's no proof it will be after the conference either.

[tgranbois]

I'm still waiting for my 17" powerbook in Canada. Maybe Apple should concentrate on producing products before announcing them so that they can ship right away

[moby1]

My last 2 PowerBooks have been a 12" with a left-palm rest which cooked my left wrist & a 1GHz Ti Book with a fan that ran all the time. I'm seriously thinking of just getting an iMac (and this is supposed to be the year of the laptop).

[jamilecrire]

Originally posted by xj9000
with all the rumors flying around about the IBM processors, if the 15 inch is released before WWDC it probably won't be 64 bit. There's no proof it will be after the conference either.

The 970 will not be in the 15". That is the dumbest rumor yet. How would it be in a laptop before a tower? The tower is significanly easier to build and integrate.

The 15" will hopefully have resoultion options like the dell version (Extended XGA, Extended SXGA and Extended UXGA).

[Mr. Anderson]

Yeah, can't believe they're going to put a 970 in a PowerBook before they release Panther and before debuting it at WWDC in June.

It will most likely be a 1 GHz, same as the 17 inch.

I have to say, I don't like the Aluminum as much as the Titanium. Saw a 17" in the Apple Store over the weekend - silver keys and all...much happier with the looks of my TiPB.

D

[szark]

Originally posted by jamilecrire
The 970 will not be in the 15". That is the dumbest rumor yet. How would it be in a laptop before a tower? The tower is significanly easier to build and integrate.

Wishful thinking. The numbers show that the 1.2 GHz 970 runs much cooler than the current 1 GHz G4 in the PowerBooks, so people think it will be used immediately. But I think you're right -- we'll see them in the towers first.

(I sure would love a 970-based 17" PB though... )

[DHagan4755]

I think if there's a press conference about the new PowerBook, we can expect better than a Ghz G4 in the sucker.

[QCassidy352]

this may be slightly off topic, but what order do you all think we will see on these releases: powerbook 15" Al, ipod, ibook. I'd say it'll go ipod, PB, ibook.

I agree that there's no way a 970 will be in a PB before a tower. Let's say they put a 1.8 Ghz PPC 970 in a PB... not only does that ENTIRELY kill sales of the 17" and 12", but it probably cuts in to tower sales as well. The 15" would be Apple's fastest machine (for many tasks)... many professionals looking for top-end power would stop buying the towers. That's not good business for Apple.

[bikertwin]

15-inchers must be coming soon. The latest Micro Center flyer lists the current models as "subject to availability" which they always do on the cusp of new model releases.

[cubist]

...are getting ready to go from Ti to Al within a month or so.

Ramping up production now; getting ready to go to Aluminum in a month.

IOW, they are producing a lot of the current TiBooks now; in another month they expect to change over to AlBooks.

Therefore, there will be enough inventory of the current TiBooks to carry them until later in the year. Don't expect to buy a 15" AlBook for several months. When that machine does come out, it could have a 970, who knows.

[phampton81]

[i]... Maybe Apple should concentrate on producing products before announcing them so that they can ship right away [/b]

I realize you must be eagerly awaiting your 17", but Apple still hasn't announced a revised 15" so your statement has no use here.

[dabirdwell]

what the supposed manufacturer source at MacWhispers said, that his company was to begin producing the mid-sized 970-powered powerbook by late March..

They cited substantial redesign of the 15" between Jan. and Mar. to ready it for the 970.

These rumors, while still rumors, are not inconsistent with each other.

[NavyIntel007]

Originally posted by jamilecrire
The 970 will not be in the 15". That is the dumbest rumor yet. How would it be in a laptop before a tower? The tower is significanly easier to build and integrate.

The 15" will hopefully have resoultion options like the dell version (Extended XGA, Extended SXGA and Extended UXGA).

YES.... model the Powerbook after a dell... cause that's a good idea.

[Snowy_River]

Originally posted by jamilecrire
The 970 will not be in the 15". That is the dumbest rumor yet. How would it be in a laptop before a tower? The tower is significanly easier to build and integrate.

I wouldn't say that it'd be in a PB before a PM. If Apple follows its history, then they will likely be released at the same time. On another thread, someone suggested that the 15"PB could be introduced with a 1.2G 970, with the low-end PM getting a 1.4G 970, both shipping immediately. While also announcing 1.6G and 1.8G 970 based PMs for the Faster and Fastest models, these shipping some weeks later.

I think that this is a very reasonable concept, and it goes along with Apple's history. If they have a new chip that can be released in a PB, then they release it in the PB and the PM at the same time. They didn't do that with the G4 because it's never been well suited to being a mobile chip. But the 970, like the G3, is.

[Stelliform]

Originally posted by NavyIntel007
YES.... model the Powerbook after a dell... cause that's a good idea.

I have to agree with Navy, have any of you guys actually worked on a Dell 15"? The text is so microscopic that you need a magnifying glass. And if you reduce the resolution so that it is easier to see, the text gets fuzzy. (So bad that even PC people complain about it. )

Dell just releases screens with those numbers to sell laptops. In the long run they are hurting sales. I have had more clients swear off Dell this year than I have had in the last 2 years....

[chazmox]

Arn, why did this qualify as a "Page 1" rumor??? Is there more credence to this rumor than to other recent 15 inch PB rumors?

Also, I do doubt that the PB will be released with a 970 soon. MacWhispers' rumor does not meet the common sense test. They say that production has started. That means that shipping should begin inside 3 months; however, Panther will not released until September. Will the 970 need to have Panther or can it run Jaquar??? It's my belief that the 64 bit uP will need a 64 bit OS but I could be wrong. If Panther is needed and will not be released until Sept, then why would 970 models be in production now?

I do not see a problem with PB and PM being released with the 970 at the same time; the 970 low power consumption is perfect for a portable and would be a great answer to Pentium M marketing. Also, Apple does not need to worry about killing the sales of other PB's. That is what a technology company is suposed to do - obselete itself before the competition can...

If the PB 15 inch is released soon then MacWhispers may become the "anti" rumor site. If they say its coming soon then it will be late - if they say that its late then its right around the corner...

[Phrogz]

Originally posted by Stelliform
[b]I have to agree with Navy, have any of you guys actually worked on a Dell 15"? The text is so microscopic that you need a magnifying glass. And if you reduce the resolution so that it is easier to see, the text gets fuzzy. (So bad that even PC people complain about it. )

I love non-Apple bashing as much as the next Mac user, but the above simply isn't true. I have a 15" Dell Latitude C840 running at 1600x1200, and I love its screen.

Running any LCD at anything other than its native resolution (forcing pixel scaling) is never a good idea. Try it with your Apple Laptop and you'll see just as disgusting results. At native reslution the dell screen is crisp and glorious (especially with ClearType turned on).

To complain that the text is too small because the screen is high-resolution is like complaining that your printed-out-paper is hard to read because the printer is too high a resolution. A modern OS like OS X and XP allows the user to increase the font size across the board, resulting in smooth text that's easier to read than on a lower-resolution screen.

I like my 17" AlBook's screen a lot (particularly for the viewing angle and brightness) but it's low resolution is disappointing.

[-hh]

Originally posted by cubist
Ramping up production now; getting ready to go to Aluminum in a month.

IOW, they are producing a lot of the current TiBooks now; in another month they expect to change over to AlBooks.

FWIW, that's not how I interpret the statement: it is not logical to ramp up production of a product that you're discontinuing. Consequently, I interpret the statement to read (adding some more words to clarify it):

"Production of the 15" TiBook has ceased, and they're ramping up production now of its replacement, the 15" AlBook, and they are getting ready to publically announce the change-over to Aluminum in a month."


In any event, this does seem to be early for the 970 to be implimented into a 15" PB, given what we think we know about the 970 motherboard production, namely that the April 15th bidder deadline, which infers a September product release, which we assume will be fore PowerMacs.

But I wouldn't quite write off the possibility still quite yet.

First, there is uncertainty with all of these rumorous tidbits. For example, we are assuming that the estimated September product roll-out is for the PowerMacs - - but what are the implications if we got that wrong?

For example, what if there were board venders who were tight-lipped, as Steve can only like, and the motherboards that we've heard about are for the 970 implimentation of the iMacs, and word on the Powerbook and PowerMac hasn't leaked?

Well, since the iMac probably isn't going to be the first 970 product released, so if its in September, the schedule for the Powerbook & PowerMac would have to be pushed forward in time, and this would make a late June announcement of the 970 quite possible.


We'll see when we'll see.

-hh

[aasmund]

I think it will use a 970. Apple probably makes more money off of portables anyway.

[Death2PCs]

A PPC970 processor is HUGE. I don't think that Apple will put one out anytime before MWSF 04. Look at the history of MWSF:

2003: PowerBooks
2002: iMacs
2001: PowerMacs, PowerBooks, and iApps
2000: OS X, and iApps

I think based off of this pattern we will most likely see the new processors at MacWorld (if thats what they will even call it).

I don't think that Apple will put a PPC970 in the 15in AlBook. The have to update it to be "on par" with the 12in and 17in AlBooks, then do atleast one more revision of the three before you see PPC970's in them. I figure it this way (dates are approx.):

15in update: 4/03
12, 15, 17 update: 9/03 (long overdue, but held off due to the 15in)
12, 15, 17 update: 02/04 (this is probably where the PPC970's will come in, after MacWorld, and just after the PowerMacs see the PPC970)

It's too soon to see PPC970's. All the pieces of the "puzzle" are not in FULL production, and probably will not be for a couple more months. And Apple knows (see the 17in AlBook) that you can release a product before it ships, but not 3 months before.

The prediction of the PPC970 this soon (in Mac's) is unrealistic.

Thats my 2¢ worth.

[GeneR]

There's just something very sleek about the idea of having a black keyboard to make the actual letters and numbers stand out and look way cool.

Maybe it has to do with the fact that they now have light-up characters for the new Al but it they could at least make the keyboard a different color than the rest of the Al body, I'd be a lot more interested in the new 17" PB.

Otherwise it looks a bit bland. And really not terribly striking to look at. (IMHO).

[pyrotoaster]

We're all assuming that Apple will announce the 970 at the WWDC. There's no concrete evidence to suggest that (in all fairness, there are many signs that point to such a release). All I'm saying is what if the 970 comes sooner?

[esome]

Originally posted by szark
The numbers show that the 1.2 GHz 970 runs much cooler than the current 1 GHz G4 in the PowerBooks, so people think it will be used immediately.

Where are these numbers? I'd like to check them out. Can you post a link? Thanks!

[G4scott]

I was thinking to go with the 12" PowerBook right now, or wait for a 15" Aluminum. I went for the 12" because I knew that it would still be more portable, and I don't need all of the super new power user stuff.

The thing I would wish, is that they did put higher resolution screens in the bigger screened PowerBooks. Either with the same pixel density as the 12" PB (106 pixels per inch, I think) or the HD display (not sure how many PPI there are). I don't mind the smaller pixels, and I'm sure that many pro users would appreciate a sightly higher resolution (not microscopic pixel resolution.)