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PowerBook Updates Imminent?

MrSugar said:
I don't know why you think it will be slow. Supposedly Rosetta is the real deal. All reports I have read about Rosetta and its emulation say it's extremely fast, in fact, they don't even call it emulation.

While I don't entirely disagree with your post, simply because the intel jump is a big jump to take, I think your facts seem a bit off. There is a good chance that intel powerbooks, even running rosetta, may run current PPC programs just as fast, or faster, even though they are emulating it.
Click to expand...

Rosetta is fast, probably on Intelbooks as fast as on the last Powerbooks, for all tasks that make no use of Altivec. For pure Altivec tasks expect a slowdown by a factor in the order of ten.

So, I guess Word will just run fine. Photoshop will be unbearably slow on certain tasks (as will most iApps and Apple's Pro apps, if Apple does not manage to bring out native versions by then).

Just sit down on G3 and run all your programs. If you can stand it, wait for Intel, if not get the last Powerbook G4 model.
 
Abstract said:
The 15" Ti PB wasn't updated for over a year, and only became "aluminium" around the time when the 2nd revision 12" and 15" was introduced.
Click to expand...

You are almost right (Nov 02 to Sep 03), and I remember everybody going nuts for months while waiting for that revision.
 
Stella said:
The life span ( sale time ) of such a machine would be limited and I doubt Apple would bother redesigning the machine twice is a short period of time.
Click to expand...

They don't need to redesign to use the 7448. That's the point.
 
what about dual core powerbook and powermac ?

Well, what if Apple was about to show us a new dual core powerbook and dual core power mac ?

Did you look at Apple in recent months ? They tend to keep the suprises (little: new mouse, bigger: iPod nano) coming out of the pipeline just to make the buzz in the press going on...

What we see is a PowerMac and PowerBook line that needs some new, really new breath before the Intel switch happen in those product line sometime in 2006... the only way, to me, is to be more innovative than the MGZ race... the whole dual core thing seems to do it, at least in part.

Dual core CPU for the Power line, single core CPU for iBook, iMac, now there would be a really nice difference...

Will see tomorrow.
 
Funny what is considered an update now a days. :p :rolleyes:

Oh and this could be very very bad if x86 PowerBooks don't make the trans before mid 2006. :( Apple better have a freescale solution then that brings a "nice" speedbump or they are screwed.

This is NOT how I like to start my week. :(
 
cube said:
They don't need to redesign to use the 7448. That's the point.
Click to expand...

they prob do if they want to scale the FSB which at this point is a MAJOR bottleneck in the PowerBook. also the on boad tech is pathetic at best. No SATA support. No PCI-E (Which pretty much every mobile GPU is moving too at this point.) If Apple is going to do ANY justice to a true update then need to do more then drop a CPU into an aging system.
 
jfmartin said:
Well, what if Apple was about to show us a new dual core powerbook and dual core power mac ?

Did you look at Apple in recent months ? They tend to keep the suprises (little: new mouse, bigger: iPod nano) coming out of the pipeline just to make the buzz in the press going on...

What we see is a PowerMac and PowerBook line that needs some new, really new breath before the Intel switch happen in those product line sometime in 2006... the only way, to me, is to be more innovative than the MGZ race... the whole dual core thing seems to do it, at least in part.

Dual core CPU for the Power line, single core CPU for iBook, iMac, now there would be a really nice difference...

Will see tomorrow.
Click to expand...

Freescale dual cores weren't expected to sample until fall of '05. That is SAMPLE. Not ship. And a dual core would not be a drop in solution so a chipset redesign would be in order. I can believe with relative ease that the PowerMac is going dual core. PowerBooks...less so.
 
This may not be the upgrade that we were hopping for but for sure the year 2006 is going to be one hell of a year. :rolleyes:
 
Not very good news from the sounds of it. First of all, it would be bad if the rumored timing on the Intel PowerBooks was true - I was hoping to see them much sooner than that, and I think we need to see them much sooner than that. This is especially the case if this rumored PowerBook update is a "minor" one. So, what, we get to see a blazing fast 1.7 GHz G4 now? If the Intel PowerBooks are still a ways off, Apple should give us something of substance to tide us over, but the combination of a marginal update and a longer-than-expected wait for the Intel PowerBooks does not bode well for the product line, the resulting sales, and customer/fan satisfaction in my opinion. :cool:
 
Stella said:
I'd be very surprised if Apple used the new PPC from freeserve what with the transition to Intel.

The life span ( sale time ) of such a machine would be limited and I doubt Apple would bother redesigning the machine twice is a short period of time.

PowerBooks really need beefy processors in them.
Click to expand...

It's a drop in replacement for the 7447A. It's a no-brainer.

1MB L2 cache
200Mhz FSB
Out of order Altivec
lower power

Even if they keep it the same clockspeed as the current 7447A it should show 10-25% speed increase. It's already been out in the wild clocked at 1.8Ghz so I'd be very surprised if Apple clocked the update at 1.7Ghz. I suspect we'll see 2Ghz if they do use it. Plus 1.7 in the 12" is quite feasible too due to the lower power requirements.
 
SiliconAddict said:
they prob do if they want to scale the FSB which at this point is a MAJOR bottleneck in the PowerBook. also the on boad tech is pathetic at best. No SATA support. No PCI-E (Which pretty much every mobile GPU is moving too at this point.) If Apple is going to do ANY justice to a true update then need to do more then drop a CPU into an aging system.
Click to expand...

Aside from the fact PCI-E and SATA is of almost no benefit in a laptop, the bridge chip is already sorted.

http://www.tundra.com/Products/PowerPC/Tsi108/index.cfm
 
Macrumors said:
Ogrady's PowerPage claims that Apple is prepping an update for the PowerBook line "that could arrive as soon as this week."

The update is expected to be a minor speed bump but few details are available.
Click to expand...

This had better not be the case!! I only bought a new Powerbook 18 months ago and now I find it's redundant already!!

If they don't give me a free upgrade, Apple will be hearing from my lawyer... or my Mom.

Steve

:D Sorry, couldn't resist.
 
bentoon said:
BTW/ the web page shows now new specs
Click to expand...

Apple says nothing about the "new,thin PB"

Here's wat it says :

Description:

- What you will Learn
Exciting new Features of the Powerbook G4.

- Featured Solutions
Apple's PowerBook lineup.
Whether you prefer the ultra-compact 12-inch model, the coveted 15-inch powerhouse or the high-resolution 17-inch stunner,
every new PowerBook G4 features faster PowerPC G4 processors with speeds topping the charts at 1.67GHz.
Want power to burn? The new PowerBook models offer 8x SuperDrives. And each PowerBook comes standard with 512MB of memory
and a 5400-rpm hard disk drive.

- Who Should Attend
This event is open to anyone.

Perhaps they changed the wording..Dunno..
 
aegisdesign said:
It's a drop in replacement for the 7447A. It's a no-brainer.

1MB L2 cache
200Mhz FSB
Out of order Altivec
lower power

Even if they keep it the same clockspeed as the current 7447A it should show 10-25% speed increase. It's already been out in the wild clocked at 1.8Ghz so I'd be very surprised if Apple clocked the update at 1.7Ghz. I suspect we'll see 2Ghz if they do use it. Plus 1.7 in the 12" is quite feasible too due to the lower power requirements.
Click to expand...

That much of a speed increase? I dind't realize it would be that much, so that's good news I guess. I would consider that more than a minor update myself, so let's hope we see something along these lines. This update will have to be something of substance if the wait for Intel-based PowerBooks is now going to be closer to 7-10 months now...
 
Stella said:
I'd be very surprised if Apple used the new PPC from freeserve what with the transition to Intel.

The life span ( sale time ) of such a machine would be limited and I doubt Apple would bother redesigning the machine twice is a short period of time.

PowerBooks really need beefy processors in them.
Click to expand...

Well, if we're not going to be seeing Intel-based PowerBooks until mid-2006 now, as opposed to earlier in the year as I had hoped, I guess that would give Apple a little more time to have this revamped PowerBook on the market. Still though, I agree, the life span would be questionable. But, Apple does definitely need to do something with the line, and a minor speed bump with the existing chips simply won't cut it, so I could see this move being more justified in that respect.
 
Stella said:
I'd be very surprised if Apple used the new PPC from freeserve what with the transition to Intel.

The life span ( sale time ) of such a machine would be limited and I doubt Apple would bother redesigning the machine twice is a short period of time.

PowerBooks really need beefy processors in them.
Click to expand...

The 7448 is pin compatible with the 7447A, so using it is a no brainer, if it is available and works at decent clock speeds.

Future Freescale processors will not be pin compatible however, due to the integration of some of the northbridge functionality into the processor. However that does mean that you don't need to design a new northbridge for it. These processors will have 8 PCIe lanes on board, so I expect them to be divvied up 4 lanes for graphics, 2 lanes for the southbridge (ULi or ATI) and 2 lanes for other items (GigE controller? Next generation PC Card slot?). I don't really see these processors ever getting used in a Mac, the Intel transition will come beforehand, even if the Intel PowerBook is late 2006. There may be a PowerBook speed bump in March or April next year with the 7448 if we are lucky.
 
to me, i could care less what the upgrade is because i am buying a 17" regardless. but, an upgrade is an upgrade, which will force me to wait...

i am glad this rumor came out. at this point, i will wait until october 1st. this apple event is very interesting...i almost agree with the guy above me. i feel like they will change the text if they release the new powerbooks on that date.
 
I might add.Going by the peace-o-meter..The rumors about dual dual Powermacs and now PB's could be true.Considering the last time I bought a PB,4 months later they upped the specs..
I just bought a new Dual 2.3 Powermac so now I'm expecting the Powermacs to be upped..

I say new dual-duals at Paris and perhaps a new dual PB next week.
 
aegisdesign said:
Aside from the fact PCI-E and SATA is of almost no benefit in a laptop, the bridge chip is already sorted.

http://www.tundra.com/Products/PowerPC/Tsi108/index.cfm
Click to expand...

PCI-X is not PCI Express.

PCI-X is nice if you're building a workstation or a server. However the integration of PCI-X into a laptop is totally pointless.

I'm sure Apple, pre-Intel announcement, had spent some time on getting their G4 northbridge operating with a 200MHz FSB in preparation for the 7448.

I guess we will find out this week or next regardless ...
 
Refurb Prices Down

It is also worth noting that the price on a refurbished PowerBook is $100 less than it was early last week.

Updates are imminent.
 
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