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PowerBook Updates Imminent?

It's just you!

Steamboatwillie said:
Is it just me or does the PowerBook's future look grim until they start releasing Intel PowerBooks? There isn't much more they can offer as far as speed bumps and features. Maybe lower pricing and better bundles?
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Apple 'COULD' do many things. The big question is will they do them?

IBM has new low power G5's. Freescale has already delivered low power G4's at higher clock speed and has low power dual core G4's available now or shortly.

New Hires 16 x 9 HiDef displays are available. SATA drives are available. PCI-Express is available.

Apple 'COULD' have designed these components into a new version PB. However I seriously doubt that we will see much of this with the Intel transition looming at one year away.
 
dual core or g5 PowerBooks definitely

Something has to happen with the PowerBook line. Apple will not release the powerbook in June 2006, iBooks, Minis, and iMac G5's will go first. The PowerBook is Apple's "professional" machine. Who would buy one that depends on the machine for their livelyhood in June '06? I wouldn't. For consumers it will make no differece what processor is in it. The PowerBook G5 or dual-core PowerBook was probably designed a year ago in anticipation. The Intel PowerBooks probably wont be released until Jan-June '07, giving Apple AMPLE reason to release one of these dual-core of G5 designs. G5 or dual-core g4 powerbooks are coming soon. think about it.
 
No New Powerbooks Until 2006!

Apple has already gone on record as saying that the iBook and Powerbook lineup they have now is the same lineup that will be in place through the holiday season.
 
It looks like about every powerbook model is being cleared out on the refurb page of the Apple Store, so I suspect something's up, but probably not something big.
 
brainrunner said:
It looks like about every powerbook model is being cleared out on the refurb page of the Apple Store, so I suspect something's up, but probably not something big.
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At this point, any update would be big because so many people have been waiting for this next release. :D
 
The answer to your second sentence is your first sentence.

nagromme said:
I see forum postings and articles alike, claiming everything from "Yonah ready by end of 2005" to "Yonah not available in quantity until late 2006."

Who's right? Just wondering, what are your reasons for thinking Yonah can't be ready early in 2006?

Most articles seem to expect Merom by late 2006--and Yonah much sooner. I'm also led to believe that Intel WILL have quantity available at launch.
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I didn't mean to say that Yonah can't be ready, in fact I've said that early 2006 is likely.

The uncertainty that you describe in your first sentence, however, is real - would Apple make a big commitment based on Intel's roadmap?

I don't think so, that's why a say that they're betting on the sure thing - Dothan.

Any delays in the first MacIntels, then Yonah becomes more likely.

Why is Apple telling people to code OSX86 for Dothan?
 
If this rumor is from an unsubstantiated source, why did macrumors put it on the front page instead of page 2?
 
digitalbiker said:
That's what they were saying about 2005 in late 2004.

Everyone was expecting 3 Ghz PM and G5 PB, look what happened.

.
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And in both cases what was the core reasons for this? Heat and getting IBM to actually design something. Both reasons are moot with Intel's new chips.
 
Well, there's one on the scene report here (about two thirds into the post):
http://www.yourmaclife.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=932#932
of everything but laptops being seen at Apple's booth and one portion of the booth being blocked off with the "new goodies, don't peek" black draping.

But I'd agree with what others are saying, bumps, but nothing jaw dropping.

Snark
 
SiliconAddict said:
And in both cases what was the core reasons for this? Heat and getting IBM to actually design something. Both reasons are moot with Intel's new chips.
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True. But the Intel transition is not without uncertainty as well.

Considering that we don't know when Apple started designing hardware utilizing intel x86 chips, we don't know how long it will take once they start, we don't know what software will be available and when, we don't even know when OS X on x86 will be ready for consumers.

So what makes you so sure that so many things will be ready in 2006. Maybe 2006 will only see a mac mini x86 machine and a handfull of x86 native software. Would that be an exciting 2006!
 
Great Link

Snark said:
Well, there's one on the scene report here (about two thirds into the post):
http://www.yourmaclife.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=932#932
of everything but laptops being seen at Apple's booth and one portion of the booth being blocked off with the "new goodies, don't peek" black draping.

But I'd agree with what others are saying, bumps, but nothing jaw dropping.

Snark
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Hey thanks for the link! This is the first real news that I have heard regarding the PB update. Shawn King is also a very reliable person to post this siteing. Thanks again!

WooHoo, the PB is going to get something after all! :eek:

Since iBooks are also included in the update. Maybe this is the fabled HD screen update across the line that we have heard some rumblings about.
 
Superhob said:
If this rumor is from an unsubstantiated source, why did macrumors put it on the front page instead of page 2?
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Not much else to talk about. It's the big rumor of the month.
 
Walking In The Garden

At last, some of the postings on pages 3 and 4 are starting to smell the roses!

During the past year Apple has been having a series of very unApple-like quality control problems in software and hardware. If it wasn't for the iPod hardware (including nano), the stock price and the company could have sustained a major bleed.

Apple cannot afford to create a new development nightmare for the professional market by rushing into production beta versions of a PowerBook or PowerMac. It will be very late 2006 or mid-2007 before quality units will be available.

Recall the recent deal (back-up) with AMD?
Recall the white spots, the track pads, the batteries, the G5 iMac(A), Tiger (500 more bug fixes in pending 10.4.3), and iTunes 5.0????

Major surgery cannot be hurried and impatience has never been the hallmark of a class act!!

Semper Fi!
 
sliter said:
I was visiting the Compusa in Austin on saturday 09/17 looking for open box powerbooks on sale. The manager told me to come back in 3 or 4 wks as they would be receiving upgraded powerbooks and clearing out current line. I've dealt with this person for several years and feel he was probably accurate. I guess we will find out.
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the guy didn't know anything. trust me. apple doesn't tell stores in advance of what they're getting, not even apple retail, they just get it.
 
To Hell with Processor Updates!

About the only thing I could use a faster processor for is Virtual PC. However, for web surfing, email, even XCode development, my G4-1.33GHz is more than adequate.

I'm much more interested in a change in the Powerbook's formfactor and screen technology. When the Powerbook G4 first came out, it was one of the smallest, thinnest laptop lines on the market with a pretty decent screen. But since then, everyone else is coming up with smaller, lighter notebooks with some variant of Sony's XBrite technology.

I've even noticed that in the land of Wintel, laptops aren't getting a whole lot faster and in some cases it seems like the clock speeds are getting slower... all the while the formfactor, battery life, and screen quality are getting better.

Maybe I'm the atypical Powerbook user, but if I want speed I'll use my iMac or buy a PowerMac. With a laptop, I want portability, long battery life, and a nice display. Those qualities are so important to me, I almost sold my Powerbook and bought an $1100 10.6" no-name laptop with a screen that makes the Powerbook's look like crap. Unfortunately, I don't want to depend on a hacked version of OS X-Intel to run on it... so in the meantime I'm waiting and hoping those ex-Vaio engineers come up with something great. I just hope we don't have to wait until mid-late 2006 for the Intel processors to come out in order to get a new Powerbook design!!!! :mad:
 
Could it be that Apple will actually release a good update for the PowerBooks but are trying to avoid making a keynote as it will most likely not be x86?
Can we really expect a G5 PowerBook before going to Intel? If it were possible I would expect the the PowerBook to go Intel until late 2006 at least.
 
oskar said:
Could it be that Apple will actually release a good update for the PowerBooks but are trying to avoid making a keynote as it will most likely not be x86?
Can we really expect a G5 PowerBook before going to Intel? If it were possible I would expect the the PowerBook to go Intel until late 2006 at least.
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My gut tells me that we will never see a G5 in a PowerBook. In my opinion the best case scenerio would be dual core G4's. I have no proof of that, just my intuition.
 
I call a decent upgrade tomorrow for the Powerbook.

why?

1. The last update (Jan) was overdue and a bit rubbish (aside from tracker pad etc etc)
2. They can't seriously expect anyone to buy a basically unchanged machine this time next year (which is gonna be way before x86 IMHO)
3. They must have been working on something for ages since there hasn't been a major upgrade for a long while

So I think dualcore G4. Prob not G5 since the cooling issue. Also price drops. No more memory, poss faster HD and something random thrown in too!

I heard this from my mate's cousin's sister's mate's boyfriend who once owned a dog that went to the apple store back in the eighties so it must be true... :D
 
paulman said:
I call a decent upgrade tomorrow for the Powerbook.

why?

1. The last update (Jan) was overdue and a bit rubbish (aside from tracker pad etc etc)
2. They can't seriously expect anyone to buy a basically unchanged machine this time next year (which is gonna be way before x86 IMHO)
3. They must have been working on something for ages since there hasn't been a major upgrade for a long while

So I think dualcore G4. Prob not G5 since the cooling issue. Also price drops. No more memory, poss faster HD and something random thrown in too!

I heard this from my mate's cousin's sister's mate's boyfriend who once owned a dog that went to the apple store back in the eighties so it must be true... :D
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Tomorrow would be great! Updated 12' with the education discount AND a free mini Ipod to sell for $150! I'll take it!

Brian
 
Anything without a G5 in it right now is dead to me (Note to change when the Intels come out). The G4 is a joke. And a bad one. 167 mhz bus. I could pi$$ farther than that.

Oh Apple I love you so but please give us more than a 30 mhz jump...and i use the word jump loosely.
 
oskar said:
Could it be that Apple will actually release a good update for the PowerBooks but are trying to avoid making a keynote as it will most likely not be x86?
Can we really expect a G5 PowerBook before going to Intel? If it were possible I would expect the the PowerBook to go Intel until late 2006 at least.
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Works for me!
 
Stridder44 said:
Anything without a G5 in it right now is dead to me (Note to change when the Intels come out). The G4 is a joke. And a bad one. 167 mhz bus. I could pi$$ farther than that.

Oh Apple I love you so but please give us more than a 30 mhz jump...and i use the word jump loosely.
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My G4 PowerBook runs pretty good. I use Photoshop, iMovie and a few other heavy CPU users. Faster is always nicer but to say the G4 is a joke is a bit of a stretch in my opinion. I doubt I'll replace my PowerBook until 2007 unless something totally amazing and cheap shows up.
 
oskar said:
Could it be that Apple will actually release a good update for the PowerBooks but are trying to avoid making a keynote as it will most likely not be x86?
Can we really expect a G5 PowerBook before going to Intel? If it were possible I would expect the the PowerBook to go Intel until late 2006 at least.
Click to expand...

There never will be a Powerbook G5. We should pin this to the top of all the sub forums.
 
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