PowerMac G5 Updates - March 23rd?

[jsw]

FYI, this is the 2nd most viewed/posted thread ever in the news discussion section of Mac Rumors. Assuming no announcements today, expect it to maybe hit #1. Which would be too bad, because by then, the posts might, say, start getting repetitious. 🙂

 

[jsw]

I don't understand why the processor upgrades are so slow and hidden in the mac wold respect the Wintel world.

More competition and more money. And therefore more development and much more advertising.

 

[applemacdude]

I figured I would go on the record as saying there will be G5 updates today!

In a couple of hours I will be back to say "I was wrong".

Almost 7 and I guess you were wrong 🙁

 

[jsw]

Almost 7 and I guess you were wrong 🙁

There are still two hours left before you can truly mourn. Hope still lives, but it's on life support and fading fast.

Of course, I've got the dual-2, so a lack of an announcement keeps me on top for another week or whatever. But, for Apple's sake - and those of most of the posters here - I hope they announce something soon.

 

[numediaman]

Almost 7 and I guess you were wrong 🙁

Yes, I was wrong. There will not be updates today.

It's a shame -- as an Apple user since '82-83, I have never seen the product line in such bad shape. Yes, I'm excited by the G5s -- in theory. But what does it tell you about a company that announces the G5 at WWDC in 2003, but can't deliver until September -- then can't do updates until the following summer?

Apple reminds me of an Internet company in 1999. They are riding the wave of their iPods, while the computer line dies off. Once Apple's iPod marketshare starts to decrease, then what? Where will the profits come from if no one is buying Macs?

Am I wrong? Is the Mac OS marketshare growing and I don't see it?

When the new generation of G5 (or G6 if they want to call it that) is released in a few months, I'll buy a new Mac because I like the OS. But the hardware? Yuk.

 

[Azmordean]

I don't understand why the processor upgrades are so slow and hidden in the mac wold respect the Wintel world.

I agree with your sentiment. I think the other poster is correct, though I think most of it is the fact that Apple can get away with it. I am currently a PC guy (I build my own), and generally the prices of PC CPUs fall very frequently. Intel and AMD are also both quite open about where they are going and upcoming releases.

Apple on the other hand is a monopoly, one that is far more ruthless than Microsoft - they just dont have enough maket share to get noticed by the FTC - but do not doubt it, in their little world, Apple is all there is. They control both hardware and software with an iron grip. That allows them to pull crap like this (namely, charging full price for a machine that is over 6 months old). It is almost enough to make me say "screw it" and stick with my PC. I ran into this once before, back when they had 12 and 17" AlBooks and a 15" TiBook. I did not want the Ti - it scratched easily, had slow RAM, etc. I decided to wait for the Al, which people on this forum and elsewhere said would be out "any day now." This was around late March/early April. By May, still no news on the AlBook. The Centrinos came out, and I bought one, and it is a wonderful laptop. The 15" AlBook didnt come out till like September - and, of course, Apple screwed its customers by charging full price on the Ti up until then. I see the same thing happening with the PM G5s now.

If I can find a 1.8 single refurb for 1599 again, I'll pick it up. Otherwise, I think I'm out. I love the products, and OS X is pure sweetness, but I don't go for this BS that Apple pulls. If you can't update, fine, but you darn well better lower prices. And the RAM / LCD promos are in my mind just a sham.

 

[michaelal]

Yes, I was wrong. There will not be updates today.

It's a shame -- as an Apple user since '82-83, I have never seen the product line in such bad shape. Yes, I'm excited by the G5s -- in theory. But what does it tell you about a company that announces the G5 at WWDC in 2003, but can't deliver until September -- then can't do updates until the following summer?

🙁 I, like many others, are very frustrated by Apple being so closed mouthed about when the next machines might be coming out. It doesn't make sense. Certainly we are not going to buy the older product because we are tired of waiting, but all this frustration does make me have second thoughts about whether I should be looking at Apple anymore. I want to be able to depend on fresh product, not just for this release, but down the road as the years go bye. It shouldn't be a game. And the H*ll with the IPods. 😡 😡 😡

 

[denm316]

I am shocked yet again on a Tuesday by Apple not releasing new hardware. I am in the market for a new PowerBook, I currently like the 1.25GHz 15inch, however I will not pay full price for something that has been out since September and has not been updated.

I want either a new 15 inch model, or decent price cuts in the current lineup.

I totally feel the pain of everyone who is waiting for new G5 PM's, I am like you, but I just dont want to buy a different piece of out-dated hardware.

And for those waiting for the G5 PB's....ha....GOOD LUCK

 

[denm316]

I am also totally sick of the damn iPods, udate a computer not the iPod

 

[VillageIdiot]

I know this is some of you people's livelyhood and for others just a passion, but damn is this funny to read... you can just hear the little veins start to stick out on people's heads every Tuesday that passes...

Just kinda worry that one of you is gonna go postal one Wednesday...

 

[wdlove]

I am honored to be a part of this great thread. The commiserate the no Tuesday announcement thread. At least there are others in the same boat. It causes me to not feel alone.

 

[paulsecic]

The iMac G4 comes with a cool 20" LCD screen built in, which is real good.

If you get a new dual G5 PowerMac, you will have spent all that money and
still not have the equivilent of a 20" Apple Cinema Display.

My 1GHz G4 PowerMac is more than good enough for me,
are you going to be doing real high-end stuff?
Also, had I gotten a G4 iMac, I'd have a 20" LCD screen to look at,
and I don't. All I have is an old 19" CRT monitor.

Are you in hopes a newly released iMac will have a G5 chip,
if so save your money but be prepared to wait...
probably until Christmas, or maybe even next year at the earliest.
Must admit, it could be next month too, no one knows.

If you use the credit card, will you be paying it off with savings
or are you planning to go into debt?

I promised my roommate I'd sell her my Dell and the eighteen inch flat panel monitor, so I'll buy the high end Imac. She has Cerebral Palsy also. The Imac looks beautiful. I'll buy Virtual PC because I have a word prediction program that is not available for Macintoshes. There is word prediction program for OS 9 or XP but they haven't updated it for OS X yet.

 

[apmeyer]

Can't wait much longer

I have been watching this thread daily for a long time now...anxiously awaiting for the Tuesday in which our prayers will become reality. Like many of you, I have the cash and am just waiting for the announcement.

I have been a PC guy for a while using Adobe and Macromedia products. I was hoping the new G5s would be out by now so that I wouldn't have to spend the money upgrading my PC software and could just buy new full versions with my new G5.

Now, it's getting to the point in which I really want to upgrade to Studio MX 2004 and Adobe's CS line. If I have to upgrade my PC versions, I will not be purchasing a G5. Instead, I will buy a new PC (or give my current system an overhaul). As much as I love Macs, I can't wait forever. This is getting rediculous.

And, yes, I agree with many of the previous posts. You don't see this kind of behavior from Intel or AMD when it comes to new processors. They let us know what's going on and when we can expect to see new products. Apple needs to get their s**t together and notice that many their CUSTOMERS are also customers of the competition.

Part of the reason we buy Apple products isn't becuase they are superior computers (they are, I know). It's because we become members of a particular "clan" of computer users. There is a status one reaches when they become a Mac user. In other words, it's cool to own a Mac. With that said, when it becomes frustrating, the cool factor diminishes greatly. And, the loyal users become irate forum posters who begin looking for the downside of being a Mac user -- like how long we have to wait.

Why not keep us up to date one what's going on? To me, that shows that Mac is loyal to me in exchange for my loyalty to them. This, in turn, sustains the "cool factor" and would keep me (us) happy.

In closing, this waiting is irritating. If the new G5s are not out within one month, I am sticking to PCs. 😡

 

[paulsecic]

Yes, I was wrong. There will not be updates today.

It's a shame -- as an Apple user since '82-83, I have never seen the product line in such bad shape. Yes, I'm excited by the G5s -- in theory. But what does it tell you about a company that announces the G5 at WWDC in 2003, but can't deliver until September -- then can't do updates until the following summer?

🙁 I, like many others, are very frustrated by Apple being so closed mouthed about when the next machines might be coming out. It doesn't make sense. Certainly we are not going to buy the older product because we are tired of waiting, but all this frustration does make me have second thoughts about whether I should be looking at Apple anymore. I want to be able to depend on fresh product, not just for this release, but down the road as the years go bye. It shouldn't be a game. And the H*ll with the IPods. 😡 😡 😡

Apple seems to be in love with Ipods, while ignoring computer customers. I don't understand. 🙁 🙁 🙁

 

[Downdivx]

Just kinda worry that one of you is gonna go postal one Wednesday...

That's halarious.... I wonder what the mac version of going postal would be? I mean mac users "think differently" right? So what would the mac equilivalant be?


I'm waiting for NAB on the 18th. After that I have to buy a new editing system. I just hope we get PM revisions before then...

W

 

[ffakr]

Yes, I was wrong. There will not be updates today.

It's a shame -- as an Apple user since '82-83, I have never seen the product line in such bad shape. Yes, I'm excited by the G5s -- in theory. But what does it tell you about a company that announces the G5 at WWDC in 2003, but can't deliver until September -- then can't do updates until the following summer?

You do realize that Apple told all of us when the G5 was announced that it would NOT immediately ship. The 1.8 and 1.6 GHz DID in fact ship within their announced timeframe (barely), the dual G5 was delayed a bit longer.
I think Apple's product line is stronger than I've ever seen it. They have a still-very-bitching desktop machine (we've got a dual 2GHz and it rocks very very hard), the iMac is still unique if ageing and overdue for a rev, the powerbook line is very nice.. NO ONE else has a 17" laptop that is even close to the Powerbook (Acer's weighs 15.8 lbs and has a battery life UP TO 45 minutes depending on use!)
Not to mention that they own the portable music player market.. which is generating plenty of interest in the Apple, and even the Mac.
As for no updates till Summer.. It isn't summer yet, is it? There may not be updates till summer, but we don't know that yet. Apple doesn't make every component in the Macintosh.. they don't fab the processors, the controllers, the video chipsets. It's very possible that Apple decided to move the next G5 tower to include cutting edge tech (just like they did when the introduced the G5). If they decided to opt for PCI-Express video, they couldn't possibly ship an update yet because neither ATI nor Nvidia has released their PCI-Express chips yet.
Personally, I'd have liked to see an interm update back in January... but I don't know what forces were in play. Did IBM have faster 970s available? Apparently they didn't have the 970fx available in quantity.. it sure took a long time for the xServe to ship (and now only in single CPU configs). It's entirely possible that IBM is holding Apple back.

🙁 I, like many others, are very frustrated by Apple being so closed mouthed about when the next machines might be coming out. It doesn't make sense. Certainly we are not going to buy the older product because we are tired of waiting, but all this frustration does make me have second thoughts about whether I should be looking at Apple anymore. I want to be able to depend on fresh product, not just for this release, but down the road as the years go bye. It shouldn't be a game. And the H*ll with the IPods. 😡 😡 😡

Well, have you tried to consider Apple's position? Apple is a computer manufacturer that builds it's products when the components are available. Intel and AMD may have plenty of roadmaps out.. but where are Dell and Gateway's roadmaps? Aside from a pre-announced paper launch, do you ever see a roadmap from a PC company on when their faster CPUs will be released? I sure haven't.. because they'd have to base it off of someone elses roadmaps.. an estimate based off an estimate.

OK, let's look at this yet another way... Apple is a computer manufacturer with a limited market share. They also run a simplified product line, only three speed grades in the Pro line when ever possible (Apple got MAJORLY stung in the past by having too many product lines, something that Amelio and Jobs cleaned up). Dell can sell machines ranging from 2GHz to 3.2GHz.. if the bottom line speed grade falls off, they simply take a tiny hit, discount it, and move on. Apple, otoh, a) doesn't have a large grade of CPUs available... they haven't been offered G5s in speed grades from 1.6GHz to 2.8GHz at the same time.. and b) hey also can't justify keeping stock that is so varied with such a small installed base. This causes a problem though.. Because they haven't received regular updates in processor speed grades or regular updates in supported architectures (G4s still don't support DDR FSBs), Apple hasn't been able to provide regular if minor bumps to the product line.. as a result they are in a cycle of waiting, .. a long time.. till the next big bump (even if big is 66 or 100MHz). Mac users are trained as a result.. to wait for the next big bump. Evertime a rumor comes out, no one geeky enough to read rumors sites buys any macs.
As a result, Apple can't offer a roadmap because it would significantly affect their sales in a given quarter.

Now, if Apple had received regular updates to their components over the past few years.. if we had G4s with DDR buses running at 2+ GHz and 2.6GHz 970s that were provided at regular intervals.. Mac users would be more like PC users.. We'd expect that the current Mac tower would always have an update around the corner so you might as well buy it when you wanted/needed it. Right now, it's like.. 'oh, the next bump is gonna be big because we only get 1 or 2 a year.. so why should I buy if they haven't updated in 6 months? It's got to be soon, so I'll just wait..'

One more thing to consider.. Apple spends a hell of a lot more R&D and time designing a mac. They don't simply copy some reference design and whip out another ATX gray box. A transition between models is a major effort on Apple's part. The move to something like PCI-Express wouldn't be a big effort on their part.

I agree that I don't like the way Apple rolls out machines, but there are viable explanations as to why the act the way they do. I'd love to see Apple move to a more open, heck more Dell model.. where they had a tower, and you picked the CPU speed from a range of available options.. This would make the machines much more flexible.. it would allow Apple to make revs quicker (and prevent people from playing the waiting game). When a new model comes out, just move the old model to a secondary standing till it cleared out.. and god forbid you discount the depreciated inventory and sell more quantity of machines to drive up your market share a bit.

jmho..
ffakr

 

[mattmack]

Doesn't Mr Jobs read the forums

Maybe we should have a combustion countdown 😀

Peoples lives are at stake here we have people on fire because they didn't get their updates today. and Apple is directly responsible. I smell a lawsuit 🙄

 

[AppleJustWorks]

My Plan

Okay, after sitting and thinking for about an hour, I have decided at this: No Matter how much I crave for a Mac I will NOT buy a G5(or any other model for this matter) until they are updated.

Do you think that it is possible that they move the Dual 1.8 down to where the Single 1.6 is and keep the price within $200?..I mean they can't have a super-high priced low-end model.....

And do you think that they will eliminate the 17" and replace it with the 20" making room for the 30"?

I'm hoping to get a Dual 1.8 GHz with 1 GB Ram and a 20" Cinema Display for around $2500-2800.....Think it'll happen after updates?

 

[Dont Hurt Me]

He may be a stupid ffakr but that was a sweet post. nice

 

[djbahdow01]

Okay, after sitting and thinking for about an hour, I have decided at this: No Matter how much I crave for a Mac I will NOT buy a G5(or any other model for this matter) until they are updated.

Do you think that it is possible that they move the Dual 1.8 down to where the Single 1.6 is and keep the price within $200?..I mean they can't have a super-high priced low-end model.....

And do you think that they will eliminate the 17" and replace it with the 20" making room for the 30"?

I'm hoping to get a Dual 1.8 GHz with 1 GB Ram and a 20" Cinema Display for around $2500-2800.....Think it'll happen after updates?

I would love to get a Dual G5 and a 20" moniter for $2500-$2800. That would save me money for RAM and maybe another HD. Also it keeps money in the bank for me so i can save up for a Digital Camera (Nikon D70). If not i wouldn't mind paying around 3200-3500 if needed as i will still have a little money left in the bank.

 

[dtruett1]

My Plan v.1.1

Okay, after sitting and thinking for about an hour, I have decided at this: No Matter how much I crave for a Mac I will NOT buy a G5(or any other model for this matter) until they are updated.

I'll go you one better. I've been drooling over the D2.0 for months, waiting for the price to come down with the new models. Waiting the last few weeks, my ardor has cooled (cold shower time) and I have come to realize that for the time being my G4 867 isn't as fast and cool, but does the job. Apple is free to release on their own schedule, but the delay means I will not spend my 2.5K, at least for quite awhile longer.

 

[RichardCarletta]

Next Tuesday is my birthday

How about Apple giving us new G5 Powermacs for my birthday ?

 

[Downdivx]

US Apple Refurb store out of G5s

It appears that the US Apple Refurb store is out of G5s. I seem to remember last week there being plenty...


W

 

[djbahdow01]

It appears that the US Apple Refurb store is out of G5s. I seem to remember last week there being plenty...


W

That changes daily. You could look early morning one day and they could have all of the G5's on refurb and later that day they would be out. Not a big deall but i guess it means that a lot of people are buying refurb G5's.

 

[MacRAND]

Apple doesn't make the CUBE anymore.

Apple seems to be in love with Ipods, while ignoring computer customers. I don't understand. 🙁

Paul, people are in love with iPods 😛, not Apple 😎 - which just makes them as part of the Digital Hub concept AND to win PC users over to trying Mac computers through iTunes.😱

Would you want General Motors to stop making Pontiacs, Cadillacs and Hummers just because GM disappoints you when it stops manufacturing your favorite Oldsmobile ,Chevy Camero or El Camino.😱 Buy a Corvette, 😎 next years model (so wait) not this years, or get a pickup truck instead. 😀

Paul, getting mad at other GM products because you don't get the one you like is not logical 🙄, it does not make sense. Ignore the iPod, why should you care? Focus on what you like and want. 🙂