Apple Exec: No G5 Laptop "Anytime Soon"

[MacBytes]

Category: News and Press Releases
Link: Apple Exec: No G5 Laptop \"Anytime Soon\"
Posted on MacBytes.com

Approved by Mudbug

[tomf87]

I would not expect anything but this to happen.

[CubaTBird]

well thats a bust.... i thought they would be sooner though

[mixylplik3]

The new G4 revisions are pretty good. I don't know why everyone is freaking out about G5 Powerbooks. I bought a 17" Powerbook yesterday, and the 1.5ghz G4 is NOT significantly slower than the single processor 1.6 G5 it replaced.

[omnivector]

is this supposed to be a surprise or something?

there will be NO g5 powerbook until the ibm powertune chips come out. you're looking at a minimum, beginning 2005 before these chips even start coming off the production line. which leads me to believe WWDC 2005 is a good time to expect a g5 powerbook. but no sooner.

[RichP]

I am not at all suprised, the G5 packaging in the new imac alone is a feat, nevermind making it half the thickness (actually, less than half, a powerbook opens, and has a keyboard, which takes up some space), significanly lighter, and less power hungry.

I think dual core is definitely on the plate, and its performance may not be too far behind a single processor G5 (I am thinking back to old G4 v. G5 comparisons from last year)

[ZildjianKX]

Hey Apple, if you're not putting a G5 in a laptop, why not make the powerbooks nicer by using better LCDs and using 5400 RPM hard drives standard to distract people?

[bentmywookie]

*crosses fingers, toes, legs, and arms in hopes of dual-core powerbook g4*

[azdude]

From a "Global Good" perspective... "Darn. That really sucks"

From an "I spent $3000 on a 15" PB two months ago" perspective, "Rah! I made a good gamble! I can now continue my ecstasy-fest longer than I expected!"

[Poff]

Why don't just people accept the fact that G5 powerbook is not coming soon. We all know it won't work the way it is now.

[Mord]

tis true the g5 cant run under 1.2 volts so it's not possible untill it runs under 1 volt

[Sogo]

I don't find this suprizing in anyway. I would love a G5 Powerbook, but it doesn't seem feasible right now. They got it down to 2" which is very good, but i would never get a laptop that huge!

[mixylplik3]

Don't forget about the supply problems, so YOU and I won't see them for longer.

[MacsRgr8]

Enter dual core G4 PowerBook.

Othwerwise the name "PowerBook" must be altered...

BTW.. not anytime soon: later than halfway 2005?

[AmigoMac]

we knew this but we did hope for it ... Dual Core, here I come ...

[migue]

Originally Posted by RichP

I am not at all suprised, the G5 packaging in the new imac alone is a feat, nevermind making it half the thickness (actually, less than half, a powerbook opens, and has a keyboard, which takes up some space), significanly lighter, and less power hungry.

I think dual core is definitely on the plate, and its performance may not be too far behind a single processor G5 (I am thinking back to old G4 v. G5 comparisons from last year)

To me it seems that the most significant feat in putting a G5 in a thin powerbook is the chipset, among other things. Did you look at those chipsets on the original PowerMac G5? They've gone through an amazing feat to squeeze it into the iMac - power brick included. Probably it'll take some more tweaking, but the 90nm PPC970FX and its successors - which have a small area - are definitely going into the powerbooks during 2005. My two cents.

[dontmakemehurtu]

No G5 Powerbooks "anytime soon?"

OK.

I'll wait for them "anytime [later]."

HA HA

Seriously, I honestly do not care when it happens as long as it does.

[migue]

Originally Posted by migue

To me it seems that the most significant feat in putting a G5 in a thin powerbook is the chipset, among other things. Did you look at those chipsets on the original PowerMac G5? They've gone through an amazing feat to squeeze it into the iMac - power brick included. Probably it'll take some more tweaking, but the 90nm PPC970FX and its successors - which have a small area - are definitely going into the powerbooks during 2005. My two cents.

And probably, unless it's 90nm and the powerbook you want is the 17", it doesn't make sense to put any dual core G4 in a laptop instead of a G5. Unless...

[Lancetx]

Yep, nothing new here. The dual core G4 will likely be the next major innovation when it comes to PowerBooks. They're simply hitting the wall with the G5 just as Intel has done with trying to put desktop processors in notebook computers. I'm sure it could be done, but it would be an 11 pound, 2 inch thick brick like some of the larger Wintel notebooks are.

[dieselg4]

I can't recall - is the e600 dual core or single? I remember reading it would scale to 2ghz. Maybe the e600 is the next Powerbook chip, and the iBook's next bump will be to base 1.33 thru 1.5ghz G4's.

[zelmo]

Well, this is a disappointment, but not really a surprise. IF they can announce something at the WWDC, then product might make it into our hands by September '05. My [very unpopular] guess is that there won't be an announcement until MWSF '06, and it will ship within two weeks time. Hope I'm wrong.

I'm content with my recently purchased 1.33 PB 15, but I'm not that big a power user. For those of you who really "need" a G5 [or dual core G4] PB, I feel your pain.

[nagromme]

Dual-core G4, or other next-gen-non-G5, be it from Freescale or IBM, is the future.

The iMac's amazingly compact, but still SO much bigger in volume and weight and power consumption than a laptop could stand to be.

I will just enjoy my G6 tower while waiting for my G5 PB

[tny]

Originally Posted by MacBytes

Category: News and Press Releases
Link: Apple Exec: No G5 Laptop \"Anytime Soon\"
Posted on MacBytes.com

Approved by Mudbug

Am I the only one reminded of "Dolphins - More Days Without Them" jokes in *So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish*?

[Sun Baked]

Originally Posted by omnivector

is this supposed to be a surprise or something?

there will be NO g5 powerbook until the ibm powertune chips come out. you're looking at a minimum, beginning 2005 before these chips even start coming off the production line. which leads me to believe WWDC 2005 is a good time to expect a g5 powerbook. but no sooner.

Actually the current PPC970FX is PowerTune capable, it's just that Apple doesn't implement PowerTune in their energy saving process.

The Power5-UL may off some additional power saving features that may make it a more attractive option for notebooks. If these features make the transition from Power5 to Power5-UL.

[quagmire]

I say Paris 2005 is the latest for G5 Pbooks. WWDC 2005 is sounding more likely. By time freescale gets dual core G4 shipping in quantity the G5 pbook will be ready to go most likely. I don't see freescale shipping dual cores in quantity intill May. I would suspect if they have the G5 pbooks ready by WWDC 2005 they would wait intill the pbooks got dual core G5's then put the dual core G4 in the ibooks with a re designed case.( as much as I like the ibooks look they are getting stale).