New iPods and Pro Machines?

[Lacero]

PB & HD: 15" & 17" are already HD.

Dual Core G4: not going to happen. Read Freescale's website. It won't be released for benchmarking until late '06.

As hoping it's not a 30MHZ speedbump: If it's a 1.7MHz 7448, it'd be worth it.

I don't think we'll see PB updates for awhile. Not unless they go to dual core G4s in the pro line. A minor speed bump or at least a major price cut is required.

 

[conditionals]

synaptics stock took a hit ever since apple said theyd stop using them

No way! This is crazy! I totally bought up a trillion Synaptics stocks just after apple announced the ditch because I thought their shares would go up!

Man, what a fool I must have been...

 

[digitalbiker]

PB & HD: 15" & 17" are already HD.

Not really!

HD spec is 16x9 aspect ratio, PB is 16x10. HD spec goes up to 1080i which at 16x9 would be 1920x1080. PB is 1440x900.

 

[LimeiBook86]

I hope...

I have a few things that need upgrades, my 12" PowerBook G4 867mhz and my 1st gen iPod 5gb....so yeah I'd love this update!

 

[AvSRoCkCO1067]

New Powerbooks and 10.4.3

How many times have we heard that the PB & PM were going to be updated soon and then at the last second...(nothing).

I am begininning to believe the few rumor sites that say new code is being added to 10.4.3 for the PB & PM and that Apple is struggling with the updates on these two lines. I also think Apple pulled the plug on the Paris Keynote at the last second because there was a notable delay on these updates.

So what is Apple upto? What new hardware could be causing these delays?

The easiest update would be a low-power 7448 G4 for the PB and a dual dual core G5 for the PM. But wy would that require new code in 10.4.3?

Maybe these updates will be meaningful after all? Maybe both systems are getting new bus configurations to support PCI-E graphics cards?

Exactly what I said in an earlier post - I believe that the code in 10.4.3 must be ready before we see any PB updates...originally, it was set to be released in September, but the code release has been pushed back until mid October. I say (although I am quite the newbie) that we should expect simultaneous 10.4.3 updates along with PB upgrades (exciting ones at that, if there is significant code being developed for them...)

 

[Raidersmojo]

how much code is needed for a new powerbook though? honestly.....it must be something BIG in order for it to be taking this long! I'm in the market for a laptop and I have been holding off for awhile. I need something that will last me for 5 years and the new PBs will be it

 

[~Shard~]

how much code is needed for a new powerbook though? honestly.....it must be something BIG in order for it to be taking this long! I'm in the market for a laptop and I have been holding off for awhile. I need something that will last me for 5 years and the new PBs will be it

I hope that you get your wish in the next week or so.

 

[iMeowbot]

Wouldn't they need an event to update something like this? None are scheduled right?

Sometimes they do a little show, sometimes not. The 4G intro was relatively low key, while the photo model got a little more since it coincided with the U2 model and the revolutionary iPod Socks.

They wouldn't release something as revolutionary as a Video iPod without some kind of keynote/event thing right?

They just might keep adding a feature like that low key, given how often the company has stuck to the story the portable video is no big deal.

 

[Zmmyt]

...revolutionary iPod Socks.

hehe!

 

[ZorPrime]

Yes Realy.

Not really!

HD spec is 16x9 aspect ratio, PB is 16x10. HD spec goes up to 1080i which at 16x9 would be 1920x1080. PB is 1440x900.

True, PBs might not be 16x9 but with 16x10 you have more virtical image real estate.

Even though the 720i standard is considered the starting point of High Definition for television sets/broadcasts, HD is defined as 1 million pixels or more of native resolution, anything 720 or more vertical lines of resolution. Therefore the 15" & 17" fit squarely within that standard. As a result, aspect ratio has little to do with whether or not a monitor is HD; it's how many pixels it has. Now if you're talking about wanting a Laptop with the same aspect ratio as an HD Television Set to watch HDTV broadcasts in the same aspect ratio, that'd be cool but I'd prefer the increase in virtical real estate for graphics and video editing.

EDIT: Also note that the WUXGA LCD class monitors found in upscale WinTel laptops are 1920x1200, which is higher resolution than 1080i/p. Are those not HD, since they're not 16x9?

I totally agree with what you're saying. Apple's Flagship PB is totally behind when it comes to screen resolution.

 

[nichtsicher]

Well, I am more interested in a video card upgrade in the new PB. Do you think it's possible that the delay is similar to the PM? To make it compadible with PCI-E?

 

[Sun Baked]

What kind of a question is this? Thats like asking "What was the name of Ford Mustang before Ford?"

Before Ford, that would still be a Mustang.

Nasty things, that you had to feed and clean up after.

 

[ZorPrime]

I don't think we'll see PB updates for awhile. Not unless they go to dual core G4s in the pro line. A minor speed bump or at least a major price cut is required.

I don't know, if I'm not mistaken the dual core Intel mobile chips will be available for mass production long before the MPC8641D. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

The 7448 has been available for testing since Q1 this year, we're entering Q4. If Freescale keeps it's current pace of testing/benchmarking goal of Q3(or 4) in 2006, the MPC8641D wouldn't be available for mass production until at least Q2 2007 (if benchmarking begins Q3 2006), which is right about time when Apple wants to complete the Intel transition.

I think a low power 7448 is more likely as a last best update for the PPC PowerBooks, unless Apple has something up its sleeves and decides to go with the single core 8641. This will still end up bumping any PB update even further down the line and closer to the Intel switch.

Ahhh... I got it now, no PB updates until the Intel switch.

 

[JRM PowerPod]

My Predictions:

iPod 5G
-20GB (slight face lift)
-40GB (video and wireless)
-80GB (video and wireless)

PowerMac
-Dual Dual Core 2.3GHZ 1GB DDR2 250GB PCIE256mbX600 $2999
-Dual Dual Core 2.0GHZ 1GB DDR2 250GB PCIE128mbX600 $2499
-Single Dual Core 2.0GHZ 512mb DDR2 160GB PCIE128mbX600 $1499

 

[aafuss1]

Playlist folders better be supported by these new iPods. Seems odd that the iPod Nano supports them, but not the September 23, 2005 update for the iPod. After all iTunes 5 added support for it within iTunes, but they don't transfer to the iPod.

I agree-I'd also like the artist and album titles on the now playing screen to scroll across-like the song title does (useful for long artist/album titles)/

 

[motulist]

The current gen ipod crosses the line into too big for my taste. If they knock off the few extra millimeters that were added in the last update then I'm definitely gonna pounce on one for my dad's birthday.

 

[shadowmoses]

The current gen ipod crosses the line into too big for my taste. If they knock off the few extra millimeters that were added in the last update then I'm definitely gonna pounce on one for my dad's birthday.

Exactly when i see a regular iPod next to a Nano especially it reminds me what a brick it is....If it was trimmed down a bit it would be a much better piece of gear....I hope they drop the prices a bit too,

ShadoW

 

[nomad01]

Now do you believe me?

Heh heh... well I've had my money on your prediction for sometime now... so you'd better come through!

 

[Voidness]

So no rumors about a Quad-Core G6 (Based on the Power5, only 1 watt power consumption @ 5GHz) iBook with a WUXGA ultrabright widescreen 13" OLD screen? Where are the "great" PowerPC products in the pipeline? Dissapointed!

A man ...um, a geek can dream

 

[Platform]

Bring it on

 

[0098386]

im guessing that the PowerBook will have an 80gb minimum. if they're aesthetically changing the PowerBook then it must be for a big internal overhaul. i dont want to get stoned to death here but G5? or Dual Core G4? something that warrants a case change. maybe its a new hotter video card instead?

loving all this though! an 80gb iPod is the only thing id replace my 6gb mini for. if its got a better battery than a mini then i'll cry and get one

 

[50548]

Motorola 68000 (or m68k). 68000, 68020, 68030, 68040, and the ever-impressive 68080 that got dumped when Apple moved to PPC, NeXT moved to software-only, and Amiga and Atari stopped moving.

Edit: Damn you, Notjustjay ;-)

You mean the 68060? There was never a 68080...and yep, some of the late Amigas actually used it...notably the Amiga 4000, if I am not mistaken...alas, the Amigas are all but dead now.

 

[MacSA]

You mean the 68060? There was never a 68080...and yep, some of the late Amigas actually used it...notably the Amiga 4000, if I am not mistaken...alas, the Amigas are all but dead now.

My Amiga A1200 still works... I switched it on a couple of weeks ago. It has the 14mhz 68020 chip.

 

[calyxman]

I have one request: ditch the U2 iPod (wasn't that supposed to be a limited edition anyway?), and make both black and white iPods, similar to the nano color offerings.

I do miss the color scheme offered by the Mini lineup, but if I had to choose now, I'd love to have a black regular-sized iPod.

 

[steve_hill4]

From the consumers point of view, the iPod AV is a more exciting prospect, but considering the extra features we could potentially see over the next 12 months in the Powerbook range, I am very excited by that.

Personally I am not so bothered by the HD screens just yet, (ignoring whether they are currently HD or not), I would just like them to stick with the current screens and bump up the brightness. I would dread to think what would happen if they switched over to x-brite screens, as I don't think they are as nice to work with. I would also like to see apple take the lead and start announcing products for the next level of airport. When I eventually get around to it, I plan on networking my house up using Pre-N rather than 802.11g, it would be such a shame if I had to have my laptop closer to my router than my PowerBook.