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DigiTimes Reports PowerBook G5 and iBook G5 Contracts
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Cool, good to hear. And this goes along with what I've been trying to tell all the G5 PowerBook whiners for months - we will not see a G5 (or dual-core G4) PowerBook in the hands of consumers until summer/early fall.
Must say, I'm a little surprised the G5 iBook was mentioned already though - I wouldn't have thought that would be for a long time, just like a G5 eMac, but I guess we'll just have to see...
Must say, I'm a little surprised the G5 iBook was mentioned already though - I wouldn't have thought that would be for a long time, just like a G5 eMac, but I guess we'll just have to see...
autrefois
macrumors 65816
DHagan4755 said:
Just to give us something to talk about.
Two higher-ups have already posted in the thread without giving an explanation despite numerous questions about this, so I can only guess there is no justification or they're not willing to discuss it (maybe Nick dePlume told them?!?).I really don't see Apple updating Powerbooks and iBooks to G5 in the same year. Already people don't see much of a difference between the high-end iBook and low-end Powerbook, as has already been mentioned. Having them both move to G5 would further confuse consumers.
I'm not saying it's impossible, but it really doesn't seem to fit into Apple's usual strategy (he says, while looking at a Mac mini photo...
).
New portable line-up ?
Well, I have to say that when I first read it, I was more than incredulous about G5 iBooks. And it may indeed just be a typo. I would have expected Freescale G4s to be the next CPUs for all portables. However, what if Apple is coming around getting a G5 to be used in a portable? (Their claims to the contrary don't really mean anything, as others have noted (think smokescreen)). As for the iBooks, as Metatron said, they also have an iMac G5 now. So Q2 doesn't seem like a wholly unrealistic date for a new portable product line: 1) a Powerbook G5 which, again, deserves the name 'power'. 2) An iBook G5 that mirrors the iMac G5 and 3) a really low-end G4/Freescale portable paralelling the Mac mini.
Well, I might be over-optimistic here but then I was advocating a really affordable headless Mac and it came. Ok, that doesn't have much to do with it (just feel vindicated... forgive my boasting) but still... we'll see
Well, I have to say that when I first read it, I was more than incredulous about G5 iBooks. And it may indeed just be a typo. I would have expected Freescale G4s to be the next CPUs for all portables. However, what if Apple is coming around getting a G5 to be used in a portable? (Their claims to the contrary don't really mean anything, as others have noted (think smokescreen)). As for the iBooks, as Metatron said, they also have an iMac G5 now. So Q2 doesn't seem like a wholly unrealistic date for a new portable product line: 1) a Powerbook G5 which, again, deserves the name 'power'. 2) An iBook G5 that mirrors the iMac G5 and 3) a really low-end G4/Freescale portable paralelling the Mac mini.
Well, I might be over-optimistic here but then I was advocating a really affordable headless Mac and it came. Ok, that doesn't have much to do with it (just feel vindicated... forgive my boasting) but still... we'll see
i say let them both have a g5... i think apple followers go the extra buck for the powerbook, i did, and im pretty darn happy, even if its almost the same congig as an ibook, i know my money is well spent, but if i had bought an ibook i could have said 'hey i got a great computer at a great price' ... so in any situation i would have been hapy, tiger calls for a g5, doesnt need it but its optimizd for it, the best thing they will do is put a g5 in both laptops, and probably through the whole line by the end of this year, evene the mac mini.... heck anounce the g6 for all i care! im happy with my powerbook, will not change it till the screen goes kaput, but the need to attract new customers is inminent, so g5 for all i say, if you build it they will come
we've been here before
How many of you quoting Marketing 101 phiolosophy actually run a marketing department for a large technology company?
All that is required is an adequate differentiation between the two portable lines. Yes, that may be the processor, however the processor is only one of many other factors, display size and thickness being the most obvious.
Does it make good business sense to sacrifice iBook sales, iBooks that must keep pace with Intel-based laptops running either Linux or Windows, just to keep a few PowerBook owners feeling better? Perhaps. Perhaps not.
The bottom line is that there is simply not enough information available to know either way.
I, like everyone else, wish that we see PowerBook G5s this year, along with PCI Express PowerMac G5s, sooner rather than later and all at lower prices. Only time will tell.
~iGuy
eSnow said:
How many of you quoting Marketing 101 phiolosophy actually run a marketing department for a large technology company?
All that is required is an adequate differentiation between the two portable lines. Yes, that may be the processor, however the processor is only one of many other factors, display size and thickness being the most obvious.
Does it make good business sense to sacrifice iBook sales, iBooks that must keep pace with Intel-based laptops running either Linux or Windows, just to keep a few PowerBook owners feeling better? Perhaps. Perhaps not.
The bottom line is that there is simply not enough information available to know either way.
I, like everyone else, wish that we see PowerBook G5s this year, along with PCI Express PowerMac G5s, sooner rather than later and all at lower prices. Only time will tell.
~iGuy
autrefois
macrumors 65816
dekator said:
Ah, for 3) you must be referring to the headless iBook!
This newest example of Apple innovation has already been forecast here and here and perhaps elsewhere. Maybe "Book mini" will be BYOMKT: Bring Your Own Monitor, Keyboard, and Trackpad. But seriously, I would very much welcome a "Book mini." I have been saying for years that Macs are out of reach financially for the average consumer. Mac mini and iPod shuffle are clearly aimed at finally reaching the average consumer's price range. And I certainly would love Powerbook and iBook G5s ASAP. But Apple would not only have to be technically able to do so, but be able and willing to make a clear distinction between the 3 laptop lines, particularly between the Powerbook and iBook if they both go G5.
The mpc7448 will probably outfit the consumer line (iBook, Mac Mini, eMac) for the next year or two, simply because it's pin-compatible and requires no changes to the architecture.panphage said:
The mpc8461/mpc8461d is dead in the water as far as Apple is concerned. Why? Because it would require a complete redesign of the motherboard. Apple's been on the record saying they're working on a G5 PowerBook; it makes no sense that they'd move the PowerBooks to the 8461 just for a year until the G5s are ready. Unless Apple is planning to migrate the consumer line to the e600 series, those dual-core G4s are simply not for Apple.
First time posting, long time reading
If you read the Digi times article you will see that in the chart displayed at the bottom lists two types of ibooks - ibook/ibook G5 leading me to believe that - as someone mentioned earlier there may be two line ups for the ibook - the ibook G4 and a top of the line iBook with a G5. (With more price reductions on the G4 . . . and all next tuesday! lol
If you read the Digi times article you will see that in the chart displayed at the bottom lists two types of ibooks - ibook/ibook G5 leading me to believe that - as someone mentioned earlier there may be two line ups for the ibook - the ibook G4 and a top of the line iBook with a G5. (With more price reductions on the G4 . . . and all next tuesday! lol
PowerBook mini / iBook mini
If both the PowerBooks and iBooks move to the G5 this could make room for a PowerBook mini (or iBook mini) subnotebook based on the G4. Hey, those future G4 chips have to go somewhere.
If both the PowerBooks and iBooks move to the G5 this could make room for a PowerBook mini (or iBook mini) subnotebook based on the G4. Hey, those future G4 chips have to go somewhere.
montagne said:First time posting, long time reading
If you read the Digi times article you will see that in the chart displayed at the bottom lists two types of ibooks - ibook/ibook G5 leading me to believe that - as someone mentioned earlier there may be two line ups for the ibook - the ibook G4 and a top of the line iBook with a G5. (With more price reductions on the G4 . . . and all next tuesday! lol
I think they just mean that they will ship that many combined for the year, not that they intend to ship iBook G4 and G5 models at the same time. They are shipping the G4s now and will ship G5s when the G4s are replaced. Both are still iBooks so both count as iBooks.
I believe that VicMacs came up with a pretty decent arguement, about Tiger. I do not believe that Apple would want their pro-level laptops sitting on shelves running Tiger only half as well as their pro-level desktops. I guess we'll see a bit more into this once the finally release Tiger.
Marx55 said:
I call troll. I've got a 250GB FireWire 800-capable external drive, and it cost $250; I have no doubt that it can be had somewhat cheaper, but that just doesn't sound like something you'd slap onto a $500 computer.
Incidentally, SATA cables are limited to one meter in length. They're just not appropriate for external use. FireWire allows a much more comfortable 4.5 meters with a 72-meter daisy-chain.
~J
G5 laptop? I will believe it when I see it.
=-=
Logic:
Motorola chips are G4's.
IBM chips are G5.
Therefore an IBM chip in a laptop makes it a G5 laptop.
Whose chip is in the Mac Mini?
... maybe the Mac Mini is really a G5?
=-=
Logic:
Motorola chips are G4's.
IBM chips are G5.
Therefore an IBM chip in a laptop makes it a G5 laptop.
Whose chip is in the Mac Mini?
... maybe the Mac Mini is really a G5?
Apple reasoning
Figure this...
Apple is about to release the mac mini, only they don't want to canibalize their existing line, but there's no real comparision between a mac mini and PB G5.
If the PB line was stale, maybe Apple figures a significant portion of PB owners would just buy a mac mini, given the money burning a hole in their pocket..
Now - once the sales pipeline fills up, and maybe it already has - enough so Apple is at least ready to manage demand - they drop this hint - after the mac mini sales pipeline has filled up.
Apple manages supply and demand - like a chemist. It seems reasonable to me..
Figure this...
Apple is about to release the mac mini, only they don't want to canibalize their existing line, but there's no real comparision between a mac mini and PB G5.
If the PB line was stale, maybe Apple figures a significant portion of PB owners would just buy a mac mini, given the money burning a hole in their pocket..
Now - once the sales pipeline fills up, and maybe it already has - enough so Apple is at least ready to manage demand - they drop this hint - after the mac mini sales pipeline has filled up.
Apple manages supply and demand - like a chemist. It seems reasonable to me..
Good point, as the Mac Mini is essentially a portable desktop. Instead of burning some movies, photos, whatever on a disc, and taking them over to your parents' or friend's places to watch something, or what have you, just unplug a few wires, cart over your entire Mac Mini, plug it into their monitor, and you're set!
Instead of burning some movies, photos, whatever on a disc, and taking them over to your parents' or friend's places to watch something, or what have you, just unplug a few wires, cart over your entire Mac Mini, plug it into their monitor, and you're set!
More than likey a typo, but if by some tiny shred of luck this is true, I'm sure there's plenty of people at Apple tearing their hair out right now in anger and frustration.
Personally I'll believe it when I lay my own eyes on The Apple Store page, and see them there.
Personally I'll believe it when I lay my own eyes on The Apple Store page, and see them there.
ibooks
wow-first front pager in about a week here
i usre hope its not a typo! - if they intro'd a new ibook G5 or even a really low (like mac mini priced) G4 id have to get one of those bitches for college this summer. I just cant buy one now- knowing how obsolete the g4 will be by the time i'm a few years in- i just couldnt drop a grand on one. come on Apple!
wow-first front pager in about a week here
i usre hope its not a typo! - if they intro'd a new ibook G5 or even a really low (like mac mini priced) G4 id have to get one of those bitches for college this summer. I just cant buy one now- knowing how obsolete the g4 will be by the time i'm a few years in- i just couldnt drop a grand on one. come on Apple!
I could see
a new ibook released with 1.5Ghz G4s and something special like decent screens, a la 15" Powerbook....better resolution, good viewing angle, not washed out anymore.
and then a G5 Powerbook line. I bet the ibook g5 is simply a 12" powerbook G5.
Imagine, now their whole portable line will have good displays, matching most compelling wintel laptops. One will have crazy good battery life, but less raw power. The other less battery life, but excellent power. Its about time there was real differentiation, not just crippling one to help the other sell.
Though I wouldn't be surprised if at some time later this year, Apple introduced a G4 powerbook subnotebook....like 3.5 lbs...to complement its g5 larger 'books.
a new ibook released with 1.5Ghz G4s and something special like decent screens, a la 15" Powerbook....better resolution, good viewing angle, not washed out anymore.
and then a G5 Powerbook line. I bet the ibook g5 is simply a 12" powerbook G5.
Imagine, now their whole portable line will have good displays, matching most compelling wintel laptops. One will have crazy good battery life, but less raw power. The other less battery life, but excellent power. Its about time there was real differentiation, not just crippling one to help the other sell.
Though I wouldn't be surprised if at some time later this year, Apple introduced a G4 powerbook subnotebook....like 3.5 lbs...to complement its g5 larger 'books.
Mtn Tamale said:
I agree, its all about portability and style for Apple laptops. Given the current line I hope to see a superlight 1.5kg max iBook in a new look for the switcher market. I still think the mini metal colours have legs for a shell for these guys...
I just don't believe it. As mentioned prior, Apple Legal would have been all over this if it were true.
Although, I'll have finally saved a few thousand dollars by then, and would love to spend it on a PowerBook G5 to replace my iBook G4, instead of buying a Power Mac G5. I really don't want to lose the portability, but I want more power.
Although, I'll have finally saved a few thousand dollars by then, and would love to spend it on a PowerBook G5 to replace my iBook G4, instead of buying a Power Mac G5. I really don't want to lose the portability, but I want more power.
dongmin said:
Complete redesign of the Motherboard? So What.
- When doing a prototype to test the dual-core chip Apple would have to design a motherboard. Aside from that, the mpc8461d moves more logic into the cpu making it Easier to do this motherboard then the G5 motherboard. You'll have to come up with some other completely wrong reason to not go Dual-G4.
But, let me ask you, why are you so hot for a G5 powerbook, when a dual core G4 would be 75% faster?