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PowerMac Technical Update?

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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ThinkSecret reports that Apple is planning on quiet internal revisions to the current PowerMac line.

Instead, P58C will include minor internal technical changes, sources said, in a not uncommon practice for Apple. The tweaks are reportedly intended to provide further compatibility with Panther, the next major update to Mac OS X. However, the exact nature of the changes is unknown.
Click to expand...

ThinkSecret also expects that the next major revision of the PowerMac could feature the PowerPC 970 chip.
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2003/05/15/powermac-technical-update/
I thought macs went through several silent revisions over each period.

The last range had those bugs that made them worthless for audio and they eventually sorted it out in a later revision.
 
Biggest Problem: Heat

I hope that they will solve this in the Apple way.

No Windtunnel. I'm thinking Water-based cooling or something like that, cause the noise is actually the worst thing about the current PowerMacs, or all Big Desktop Maschines.
 
hm i dont really believe anymore in the ppc 970. it there is only a minor hardware change, there wil probably not be a new cpu, with a new socket...
 
"Quiet" internal revisions...

Hmm...

I'm wondering if the "quiet" part could mean less noise, or if it's just minor technical changes; it would be nice to have a silent (or close to silent) desktop in the studios that I work at --> no more sound insulation around the computer! :)
 
Re:powerMac Technical Update

Power Mac update "could be the last change to the product line" -before Apple releases its next major update, featuring the PowerPc 970 chip
Someone who post this info have to read once again the info on Think Secret site:confused:
 
Originally posted by maradong
hm i dont really believe anymore in the ppc 970. it there is only a minor hardware change, there wil probably not be a new cpu, with a new socket...
Click to expand...

Seems some of you are confused. They are updating the current shipping models. So when released, every revised model will work with Panther. This is not a not model, just a tweak to the current line in preparation.

My question, is what happens to those before this tweak?
 
Planned obsolescence?

Originally posted by Kid Red
So when released, every revised model will work with Panther.
Click to expand...

Does this mean that Panther will only run on the new models? Makes the Panther "upgrade" pretty expensive, no?

It would be normal operating system engineering to modify Panther to run on existing hardware, not vice versa!
 
Re: Planned obsolescence?

Originally posted by AidenShaw
Does this mean that Panther will only run on the new models? Makes the Panther "upgrade" pretty expensive, no?

It would be normal operating system engineering to modify Panther to run on existing hardware, not vice versa!
Click to expand...
Now, Aiden, you know that cannot be the case... come on!!
Panther would have to be "aware" of the same architecture as that of Jaguar as well as any more radical implimenation, such as the 970s!
Your statement was designed, I know, to instill a little fear into these beloved readers but any rational person would know that Apple is not going to force anyone to buy a new computer in order to upgrade to their revised OS... that really is way over the top, even for a perpetually dyed in the wool Mac basher!
 
This could be...

Originally posted by Macrumors
ThinkSecret reports that Apple is planning on quiet internal revisions to the current PowerMac line.

ThinkSecret also expects that the next major revision of the PowerMac could feature the PowerPC 970 chip.
Click to expand...


Apple is only averaging ~6 months between major revisions, so how frequent do these 'minor' ones come along?

If minors come along every 3-4 weeks, this is not news.

But if there's only 0-1 minors between majors, then they expect them to interval at 3-4 months, and this starts to bump up against the rumored earlyish 970 roll-out timelines. As such, we would have to either view this as "bad news" on the prospects of the possibility of the 970 being on the early schedule....or its a disinformation attempt by Apple.

Has Apple ever been caught spreading disinformation?


-hh
 
Re: "Quiet" internal revisions...

Originally posted by geerlingguy
Hmm...

I'm wondering if the "quiet" part could mean less noise, or if it's just minor technical changes; it would be nice to have a silent (or close to silent) desktop in the studios that I work at --> no more sound insulation around the computer! :)
Click to expand...

I just got finished replacing all the fans, but one, in my quicksilver with some nice ball bearing aluminum ones. It's much quieter now and I don't have to hide the machine behind a stack of boxes to be in the same room with it anymore. The only original fan left is the tiny fan on the superdrive, it's a bit whiny when it spins up.
 
What really intrigues me is the fact that Think Secret, of all sites, is suspecting (but not declaring with certainty, mind you) that the PPC 970 will be in the next major PowerMac revision. TS these days is known for posting rumours with a strong level of credibility (witness the recent iBook update as an example), and generally holds back on anything else.

So in other words, this is a good sign - just be sure to give yourself a reality check until more concrete info surfaces.
 
Re: This could be...

Originally posted by -hh


Has Apple ever been caught spreading disinformation?
Click to expand...

not in the direct sense that you mean, that is most certainly securities fraud. IN this instance, however, its possible for this to be misinformation, but what would be the point?
 
Re: Re: This could be...

Originally posted by drastik
what would be the point?
Click to expand...

To create the impression that the 970 was further in the future than WWDC. PowerMacs are probably not selling well right now considering the number of rumors that point to WWDC. The 15" PowerBook is probably also not doing well.
 
Originally posted by maradong
hm i dont really believe anymore in the ppc 970. it there is only a minor hardware change, there wil probably not be a new cpu, with a new socket...
Click to expand...


why so quick to dismiss everything on the 970 based on this rumor? minor revisions could involve a firmware update
 
Re: Re: Re: This could be...

Originally posted by wallinbl
To create the impression that the 970 was further in the future than WWDC. PowerMacs are probably not selling well right now considering the number of rumors that point to WWDC. The 15" PowerBook is probably also not doing well.
Click to expand...

But why would you buy a current model if you knew a slighly revised model was coming with better support for Panther.
 
Originally posted by fussball
why so quick to dismiss everything on the 970 based on this rumor? minor revisions could involve a firmware update
Click to expand...

Or changing a resistor / capacitor that might have caused glitches on some marchines, you never know.
 
Re: Re: Planned obsolescence?

Originally posted by rjwill246
Now, Aiden, you know that cannot be the case... come on!!
Click to expand...

So you don't think that it makes sense either?

I just find it very strange that it would be necessary to modify the hardware to support an O/S update.

Unless, perhaps, the whole story is overblown and the new systems merely have a firmware update that will be needed eventually for any PM to run 10.3.
 
Re: Planned obsolescence?

Originally posted by AidenShaw
Does this mean that Panther will only run on the new models? Makes the Panther "upgrade" pretty expensive, no?

It would be normal operating system engineering to modify Panther to run on existing hardware, not vice versa!
Click to expand...

No, I said that the tweaks would make the new models work with Panther out the box, the older machines will need a firmware update or something.
 
Originally posted by Postal
What really intrigues me is the fact that Think Secret, of all sites, is suspecting (but not declaring with certainty, mind you) that the PPC 970 will be in the next major PowerMac revision. TS these days is known for posting rumours with a strong level of credibility (witness the recent iBook update as an example), and generally holds back on anything else.

So in other words, this is a good sign - just be sure to give yourself a reality check until more concrete info surfaces.
Click to expand...

well everyone and their grandmother is 'suspecting' that
the 970 will make its way into the Powermacs. The question is when, not if. I'd really like for TS to give us a ballpark date for the introduction.

Basically what Thinksecret is saying is that Apple is tweaking the firmware of the current shipping PMs to make them compatible with Panther. My guess is that all PMs will require a firmware update to run Panther. I don't think this has any bearing on the 970 at all.
 
hideously lame

If it's true that these changes are to provide more fluid funtioning of Panther then I guess me and my old dual-500 are screwed!
 
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