PowerPC History and Future Name Change?

[rolandf]

Could be well the case

I wonder if IBM is getting just a little worried, now that they don't have Apple.

2006 will bring certainly some changes, like the awareness of power consumption, transition to 65nm etc. Therefore IBM has also to deliver solutions in a timely manner, that address these issues.

However, it could be well the case that they are a little nervous to loose the big "infotainment market", which Intel is also trying to address. For IBM a lot depends on how the Playstation 3 will be received as a hub for the living room.

If Apple succeeds in delivering an Intel solutions that matches any of the
game consoles, but with cutting edge and innovative software, then this will be critical.

I think it is a pity that the Apple IMB collaboration ended, which the later may also realise.

 

[justinshiding]

Sure it's significant. It's all marketing. See, when Apple introduced the G4 with Velocity Engine™, I went gaga and purchased my first Mac, because I wanted a supercomputer on me desktops.

Me gots a supercomputer!! YAY!

Cell Broadband Engine sounds rather dumb. I'd prefer something like maybe Synergon Cells™? Sounds dumb initially too, but hey, most folks didn't like when AMD called their new K's Athlons.

Here's to the Crazy Ones ​

I actually kind of like the name cell. It's simple, and yet actually is relavent to the product. Athlon , pentium, celeron, they're pretty meaningless. Cell makes sense. Cells are composed of different smaller parts (I'm no biologist...but this seems right...[disclaimer: it's been 8 years since high school bio]) and the cell processor has it's main powerpc processor and then eight spe's (from what I remember they're basically vector processing units.)

It's classy sounding too.

 

[AidenShaw]

If the G4 is a supercomputer, what does that make my G5?

Lame Duck? (last of the PPC line....)

 

[MacQuest]

If the G4 is a supercomputer, what does that make my G5?

SuperDuperComputer.

CRAP! I just noticed that "gangst" posted this same response.

 

[dernhelm]

They probably will change to "Intel"

You see... the last WWDC was a hoax!

No - this past year was all a dream.

 

[steve_hill4]

It's also made by Sony, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., and Toshiba.

http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Press_Archive/200411/04-1129E/

I think the reference to IBM only was merely referring to "out of the PPC partnership", so to call a PPC after a processor only one of the companies has anything to do with would be a little odd, to say the least.

 

[2nyRiggz]

well im hoping that PPC(or whatever they want to call it) stays in there and make a killing....besides after apple dukes intel who will they run to next


Bless

 

[SiliconAddict]

I wonder if IBM is getting just a little worried, now that they don't have Apple.

HAHAHA!

*wipes away a tear* Thanks.

 

[50548]

PPC is Dead!

Fact is, the PPC as we know is dead and deeply buried...the Quad Core is Apple's last stand with it, since IBM abandoned the ordinary microprocessor market in benefit of embedded markets and consoles.

Cell is crap for normal computing, and IBM screwed up big time with the G5...now even MS is feeling the heat with bad yields for the X360...really funny times.

And yeah, I couldn't care less about Freescale and its ghost chips...it's amazing how people still believe the 8641D will be presented in some of Apple's portables...Freescale is dead meat; go figure.

 

[steve_hill4]

And yeah, I couldn't care less about Freescale and its ghost chips...it's amazing how people still believe the 8641D will be presented in some of Apple's portables...Freescale is dead meat; go figure.

Yeah, I can't see Apple deciding to use any updated PPC chips in their portables before Intels find their way in them. It wouldn't make a great deal of sense, apart from to perhaps lengthen the lifetime of the current iBook, while they wait for single core Yonahs. That seems as likely as me getting a PPC embedded into my arse crack though.

 

[SiliconAddict]

They can call it Happy Fun Time Processor for all I care. Its borderline irrelevant for Apple at this point.

 

[Randall]

I wonder if IBM is getting just a little worried, now that they don't have Apple.

HAHAHAHAHAHA

Oh man thanks dude. I haven't laughed like that in a long time. That was hilarious.

 

[Randall]

now even MS is feeling the heat with bad yields for the X360...really funny times.

Really? This is news to me. What exactly about the PPC in the Xbox 360 is considered bad yield? IBM made a choice to focus on gaming consoles, and can you blame them? They make way more money with Xbox and Playstation then they ever dreamed with Apple.

 

[GregA]

Yeah, I can't see Apple deciding to use any updated PPC chips in their portables before Intels find their way in them. It wouldn't make a great deal of sense, apart from to perhaps lengthen the lifetime of the current iBook, while they wait for single core Yonahs. That seems as likely as me getting a PPC embedded into my arse crack though.

I'm one of the people who suggested that possibility (8641D... not a PPC embedded in your arse crack!).

I actually think it's incredibly unlikely. My wonderings were because many, many people have predicted that the iBook will come before the Powerbook - but this would leave the powerbook significantly underpowered (relatively). Many others have said the Yonah is far more expensive than a PPC - so I wondered if this meant there was any life left for PPC in an Apple product.

As I said - I think it's incredibly unlikely. When Steve said "we still have a lot of great PowerPC products coming out over the next years"... I figured that was just a spiel (except for the PowerMac).

 

[Randall]

I'm one of the people who suggested that possibility (8641D... not a PPC embedded in your arse crack!).

I actually think it's incredibly unlikely. My wonderings were because many, many people have predicted that the iBook will come before the Powerbook - but this would leave the powerbook significantly underpowered (relatively). Many others have said the Yonah is far more expensive than a PPC - so I wondered if this meant there was any life left for PPC in an Apple product.

As I said - I think it's incredibly unlikely. When Steve said "we still have a lot of great PowerPC products coming out over the next years"... I figured that was just a spiel (except for the PowerMac).

Powerbook comes first. You can mark that down. I personally guarantee it. The dual core 2 GHz Pentium M "Yonah" is going to be for top of the line laptops only. Meet the Powerbook M1!!

 

[MCroft]

What I've been wondering about the XBox 360 3 core, 3.2 GHz chip is if it would be possible to gank it out of an XBox and use it as a processor upgrade for a PowerMac?

I've no idea if it's cost effective, pin-compatible, has capacity, but even if it's G3 class, putting two of them in place of the dual 450 G4s in my old desktop would make a pretty sweet system, and wouldn't be too expensive. Plus, it's something to do with all the no-HD Xbox 360s.

 

[Stonecoldcleric]

Booooooring

Who cares about this story except you processor gurus? this article could have more exciting if it somehow involved a one-legged gerbil. Fact is, there is no news right now because there's big news coming!

 

[illegalprelude]

No, they're not. The Cell is:
1) Extremely specific in the type of tasks it is good at. It sucks for normal computing, terribly, especially running an operating system.
2) Made by IBM only. There's no way Freescale would call it the Cell Broadband Engine.

im glad you know alot about the Cell, minus the alot of course.

 

[GregA]

Powerbook comes first. You can mark that down. I personally guarantee it. The dual core 2 GHz Pentium M "Yonah" is going to be for top of the line laptops only. Meet the Powerbook M1!!

Powerbook M1?

Actually I have heard the Powerbook-Yonah stuff too, from a non-online source

 

[bodeh6]

POWER6

Under wraps for the most part; but IBM is taking the next step in the POWER line's evolution by involving customers more in setting the requirements for the design of the POWER5+ and higher iterations. The POWER6 is said to be code-named Eclipz, is expected to be based on the 65-nanometer process, and is expected by many to debut in the 2006-2007 timeframe

I guess with the Intel switch we won't ever see that Quad Dual Core (8 cores total) PowerMac G6 with 32GB of RAM with dual 512MB ATI video cards that I wanted so bad to drive 4 - 30" ACDs.

 

[Loke]

im glad you know alot about the Cell, minus the alot of course.

Yes, its always interesting to read about expert opinions on a chip which hasnt been introduced in the market yet. Makes you all warm and fuzzy inside...

 

[Maxx Power]

No, they're not. The Cell is:
1) Extremely specific in the type of tasks it is good at. It sucks for normal computing, terribly, especially running an operating system.

Yeah, reminds me of the G4 and the so called velocity engine.
Good for DSP work and in Cisco's network switches, but terrible at general computing unless optimized the hell out of it.

 

[illegalprelude]

Yes, its always interesting to read about expert opinions on a chip which hasnt been introduced in the market yet. Makes you all warm and fuzzy inside...

I know. for example, I can tell you that the new intel chips coming out, are gonna be sweet for everyday functions but using Final Cut on it, when digitizing HD images just dosent run as good, not sure why. Damn you new intel chip sets

 

[Randall]

Powerbook M1?

Actually I have heard the Powerbook-Yonah stuff too, from a non-online source

Well THey can't call it a G5 (unless it's referred to as Generation) but that will still be confusing. I think Powerbook M1 (for Intel Pentium M) or maybe Powerbook I1 (for Intel) I dunno.

 

[devman]

I've got some suggestions:

SD Processor (SD = "slow development")
Nevermake3 (GHz)
The G6!
Not-Intels

WRAT (we raped apple twice)