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PowerBook Updates in September?

I don't know why anyone would be disappointed. As I argued with the iBooks, they're not going to do anything earth-shattering with a pre-Intel update. It's just bad business - you're either going to have to spend the money for two major redesigns in a short period (final PB, first Intel), or you're going to steal some of the thunder from your first Intel machines in using a form factor borrowed from the previous PPC incarnation.

Minor updates across the board (hey, gimme a 15" combo w/ 128MB VRAM standard at the price of the current 15" 1.5 and I'll sell my iBook and get one tomorrow) to keep the fans interested and happy, save the big guns for next year.
 
Gosh im VERY surprised no one is talking about apple thinking of ending the 12inches life!

Precisely what will become of Apple's 12-inch PowerBook offering is an unknown. Prior to Apple's announcement to switch to Intel-based processors in 2006, reliable sources said Apple planned to abandon its 12-inch PowerBook offering with the release of the current model. It's unclear if these plans have changed in light of the Intel announcement and the fact that all PowerBook G4 models will see no further revisions after this year.
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Whatever, too little too late.

G4 powerbooks will always be slower than Centrino based Laptops - which are advancing further.

( YES - Even if your smoking hash and popping happy pills )

Apple, bring on the Centrino based PowerBooks - next year.
 
clayj said:
I hope this is NOT true... I just bought my PowerBook this past weekend. :mad:
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Don't worry, the performance boost won't be that great. And your Powerbook will still work - remember this is a RUMOUR, it may not even happen!

:)
 
runninmac said:
Gosh im VERY surprised no one is talking about apple thinking of ending the 12inches life!
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I would be pissed. If they discontinue the 12" PB, they had better put all of the features of the PB on the iBook (screen spanning, DVI, etc). If they don't they're leaving alot of high-end users out in the cold.
 
This is great :)
The PowerBooks are in need of an update.

With this update ALL of the lines from Apple will be updated :).
 
firststrike101 said:
20" G5 powerbook will never happen. I was bluntly kidding around.
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ok good. It's hard to judge emotion over the internet, especially without exclamation points or smilies.

And there are probably a few around here that would want a 20" PB :eek:
 
better deal if nothing else..

I am at least hoping that the new PBooks will represent a good bump in specs and hopefully a drop in price (seeing as people may mot jump too quick at a 2K+ machine that is going to be using an outdated processor in a year) so that they are a slightly better value. Looking at the current hardware lineup, it seems to me that the PBooks are the worst price to performance ratio. You can get a 12" ibook with 85% of the performance of the powerbook (if not more), and the ability for more RAM, for about 2/3 the price. (iMacs and PM's are G5's and the mini is cheap). Just seems you are getting the least for your money with the current PBooks.

So if nothing else is much changed, a value increase would be nice.
 
milozauckerman said:
As I argued with the iBooks, they're not going to do anything earth-shattering with a pre-Intel update. It's just bad business - you're either going to have to spend the money for two major redesigns in a short period (final PB, first Intel), or you're going to steal some of the thunder from your first Intel machines in using a form factor borrowed from the previous PPC incarnation.
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I believe the new business theory is, to paraphrase, "If you don't compete with yourself, you WILL compete with someone else".

You're suggesting canabalization of Sales with Yourself is a Bad thing. It is a bad thing if you DON'T canabalize sales with yourself. In other words build the BEST Powerbook you can NOW, and the best Intel Powerbook as well. Otherwize, you lose sales to someone else.
 
That's what it sounds like they're doing. They're maxing the potential of the G4 PB as-is. A complete redesign with a 12-month shelf life would be a case of negative returns given their potential sales.

I'd also say that Apple has always (for as long as I've followed them) been a bit more marketing-oriented than most businesses - they need that psychological push that comes with introducing the Intel machines in a new case.
 
Capt Underpants said:
I would be pissed. If they discontinue the 12" PB, they had better put all of the features of the PB on the iBook (screen spanning, DVI, etc). If they don't they're leaving alot of high-end users out in the cold.
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Yeah I really hope they don't discontinue the 12" powerbook. For me personally I love it - it's the perfect pro machine for those who need uber portability: sales reps, business trips, cs students etc. I've downgraded for a 15" and I couldn't find myself a more perfect combo of the 12" for the road combined with an ACD for use at home.

I upgrade every few years though so perhaps the 12" iBook will suit my needs with DVI and processor power by the time I need a new comp.
 
Listen to meeeeeeeeeeee......

Last time Apple made an update like that before chnaging the entire line was when the Pismo came out before it was replaced by the Titanium line which was very poor in features compared with the Pismo.

So...

I asume the last revision of G4 powerbooks are going to come with a lot of features and it make sense for people to get then and then launch the next Intel line with a few ports but with a faster processor.

Probably there is going to be a back lighted 12" Powerbook and hagher resolution screens with 128 MB of video ram, that is going to be the last breath.

Remember... not everybody is aware there is a new Intel line coming up. And based on my experience if this last revision comes like that it would be as memorable and lasting as the Pismo revision. :cool:
 
Macrumors said:
The updated laptop is reported to reach "near 2GHz" with internal support for dual-channel DDR2 SDRAM. The possibility of a high-density (1920x1200 pixel) PowerBook remains open, but few details are provided.
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That would imply they're using the new FreeScale chips with onboard memory controllers. I think it's unlikely they'd go to the effort of redesigning the motherboard for a machine that's only going to be in the wild for under a year.

A better display would be nice though.

EDIT: The MPC7xxx's only have a 200 mhz bus, and DDR2 memory on one of those would be a bad joke.
 
I just predicted this yesterday. Spooky! They must be listening. Trust no one. Fight the future. The truth is out there.

2ghz? Does the G4 really have that much oomph left, even with all this freescale SOI mumbo jumbo? I doubt it - I'm expecting about 1.8ghz max. Still, even though the speeds are a little low, I think the last G4 will be a good buy. It'll run anything made in the next five years and anything made in the past five, without that Rosetta nonsense. I'm planning to pick one up in December.
 
What is really interesting is the talk of the 12'' being discontinued. As a 12'' PB owner, I truely hope not, as I love this machine. (On the second now!)

That said though, the 12'' really isnt for the Power user, more so the Prosumer.
 
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