Predictions for new Powerbook----->

[Mord]

if a powerbook based on the new freescale cpu's (the pci express ones with rapid IO fsb's) comes out i will eat my own head film it and post it here, apple will not redesign the logic board for an intrim bump between the g4 and g5 powerbooks, it's not going to happen people, please stop with the pipe dream, i have said it before and i'll say it again no updated powerbook till the 970GX is produced in quantity, or if thats delayed further a 7448 update.

 

[themacman]

how many models have gone to a rev E? seriously they have to be upated in a signifcant way very soon. That would probably the longest time a g4 has been used in a powerbook. I might be wrong but they have been using the same proccser in the powerbook for almost 4 years!

 

[emotion]

1) 13.3" Widescreen model - 12" becomes defunct
No. I love the 12", and I know I'm not alone.

i love mine too but the 13" WS could be smaller than the 12" (slightly wider tho to allow more thinness (like 15) and more memory capacity or a pcmcia card slot, but not as deep)

 

[Mord]

the g3 did

kanga, wall street, bronze keyboard, lombard, pismo

(kanga kinda dosent count though it's just a 3400c with a G3 in it.)

also the tibook did 4

tibook:

original, onyx, ivory, 1GHz/867MHz.

 

[wide]

if a powerbook based on the new freescale cpu's (the pci express ones with rapid IO fsb's) comes out i will eat my own head film it and post it here, apple will not redesign the logic board for an intrim bump between the g4 and g5 powerbooks, it's not going to happen people, please stop with the pipe dream, i have said it before and i'll say it again no updated powerbook till the 970GX is produced in quantity, or if thats delayed further a 7448 update.

why do you think this would be an interim jump? i see it more likely for Apple to use the single- and dual-core e600 in the powerbooks (and eventually in the ibooks) for a few years, and then they will jump to the 64-bit e700. THe G5 takes too much power and it too large and too fast, and it really does not beat the G4s at the same clockspeed. using the e600 would facilitate the use of DDR2 memory too, which has got to happen at some point.

as for the graphics card, i expect the mobility 9700 to be in 64mb and 128mb versions in the new 13.3 inch widescreen display, which will be replaced the 12 inch, and in the low end 15 inch as well (except 128mb). all 15 inch and 17 inch powerbooks will have high definition screens, and the high end 15 incher and the 16 incher will make use of ATI's x650 mobile GPU with 128MB standard in each model, upgradeable to 256MB for both of them too.

 

[Mord]

because motrola chips are more expensive slower and only a bit cooler, the e700 is no g5 it's completely different, the only similarity is it has altivec and is 64-bit

for apple to maintain two different G5's would be silly and unessercery, the IBM G3 and the motorola G3 were the same chip bar the fab prossess so that allowed apple to bask in the glory of two manufacturers, this is no longer the case.

 

[itsbetteronamac]

I am personally hoping that the powerbooks are updated at WWDC because I plan to buy one.... before june 15. I would be really happy with some small update.... But, I wouldn't be suprised if apple has something really special up it's sleves with the powerbook.

I think that some sort of design change is long over due for both the pwerbooks and ibook. (But hopefully the powerbooks) 😉

 

[Ti_Poussin]

because motrola chips are more expensive slower and only a bit cooler, the e700 is no g5 it's completely different, the only similarity is it has altivec and is 64-bit

for apple to maintain two different G5's would be silly and unessercery, the IBM G3 and the motorola G3 were the same chip bar the fab prossess so that allowed apple to bask in the glory of two manufacturers, this is no longer the case.

I would prefer the e700 over a 970GX, less power consumption, dual core, a good FSB. Why people want a G5 from IBM in powerbook is over my comprenhension?!? They aren't ready, they probably run hotter?!? cooler would be a hell of a chalenge. Freescale make good chip now! why not use them?!?

 

[_bnkr612]

Mr. Maui... i have read a few of your recent posts and for some reason many things you say seems like you are trying to put others down. And even if it is "your opinion" like you say a lot... it gets old. Why would you care if people keep making predictions, its a rumors website.

Sorry for going off subject

it's funny "haha", not funny "make fun of you"

this is a humors website too

 

[BlackDan]

what I'd LIKE to see, but is very unlikely is a 15.4" widescreen ibook added to the line-up, and a dual-core cpu for all powerbooks. Also loose the 12" and get a 13.3" widescreen for the low-end powerbook.

As I said, very unlikley, but one can dream.

Oh and euh, pricedrops off course 😀

 

[Mord]

I would prefer the e700 over a 970GX, less power consumption, dual core, a good FSB. Why people want a G5 from IBM in powerbook is over my comprenhension?!? They aren't ready, they probably run hotter?!? cooler would be a hell of a chalenge. Freescale make good chip now! why not use them?!?

1) you dont know jack about the 970GX, no one dose yet, all we know is it consumes less power

2) a single e700 has not been demoed annouced or sampled, it's just on freescales road map

3) heck the e600 dual cores are not even out yet they were annouced and then just faded into vaporware land.

 

[minimax]

because motrola chips are more expensive slower and only a bit cooler, the e700 is no g5 it's completely different, the only similarity is it has altivec and is 64-bit

for apple to maintain two different G5's would be silly and unessercery, the IBM G3 and the motorola G3 were the same chip bar the fab prossess so that allowed apple to bask in the glory of two manufacturers, this is no longer the case.

only a 'bit' cooler? 🙄 have you actually compared powerconsomption of the 7447a/b with the 970FX? It's comparable to the PM vs P4.
And regarding the different processors, they are different now as well, as long as they share the same PPC guidelines there should be no problem. It's a plain fact mobile processors are a different category. Both Intel and AMD use different chips for their mobile solutions as well. It would be pretty silly for Apple to use the same chip for both markets. That would mean either less performance on the desktop or more inches for the notebook.

To get back on the subject I expect a minor update to the powerbook together with a major update for the ibook to keep both apart.

12" pb around 1499
1.8 GHz 200MHz bus 7448 G4
ATI 9700 64 MB
DL superdrive standard

15" pb around 1999 / 2249
1.8 / 2.0 GHz 200 Mhz bus 7448 G4
ATI 9700 128 MB standard
DL superdrive standard

17" pb << around 2249 / 2499 cheaper 17" option perhaps?
1.8 / 2.0 GHz 200 Mhz bus 7448 G4
same gpu + vram
DL superdrive standard

 

[itsbetteronamac]

15" pb around 1999 / 2249
1.8 / 2.0 GHz 200 Mhz bus 7448 G4
ATI 9700 128 MB standard
DL superdrive standard

That would be the perfect computer for me! I really want it now... and G5 is too far off for it to really matter.

 

[Piarco]

That would be the perfect computer for me! I really want it now... and G5 is too far off for it to really matter.

Ditto! Although if the 12" became a 13.3" Widescreen, I may well be tempted away from the 15"...

 

[aswitcher]

I just hope they keep the prices slowly falling to really make it attractive for us and switchers to buy more Macs.


My guess is a move away from 100dpi to higher densty screens in this year of HD

 

[CmdrLaForge]

12" pb around 1499
1.8 GHz 200MHz bus 7448 G4
ATI 9700 64 MB
DL superdrive standard

15" pb around 1999 / 2249
1.8 / 2.0 GHz 200 Mhz bus 7448 G4
ATI 9700 128 MB standard
DL superdrive standard

17" pb << around 2249 / 2499 cheaper 17" option perhaps?
1.8 / 2.0 GHz 200 Mhz bus 7448 G4
same gpu + vram
DL superdrive standard

These are the best predictions I saw so far. Just I don't see them now but around september. The only change to it would be the graphics. They already use this on for more then a year. My guess is X700.

Cheers

 

[Mord]

only a 'bit' cooler? 🙄 have you actually compared powerconsomption of the 7447a/b with the 970FX? It's comparable to the PM vs P4.
And regarding the different processors, they are different now as well, as long as they share the same PPC guidelines there should be no problem. It's a plain fact mobile processors are a different category. Both Intel and AMD use different chips for their mobile solutions as well. It would be pretty silly for Apple to use the same chip for both markets. That would mean either less performance on the desktop or more inches for the notebook.

To get back on the subject I expect a minor update to the powerbook together with a major update for the ibook to keep both apart.

12" pb around 1499
1.8 GHz 200MHz bus 7448 G4
ATI 9700 64 MB
DL superdrive standard

15" pb around 1999 / 2249
1.8 / 2.0 GHz 200 Mhz bus 7448 G4
ATI 9700 128 MB standard
DL superdrive standard

17" pb << around 2249 / 2499 cheaper 17" option perhaps?
1.8 / 2.0 GHz 200 Mhz bus 7448 G4
same gpu + vram
DL superdrive standard

of cource the 970FX cant go into mobile chips right now thats why i said the 970GX which is the low power version, now the 7448 is an uncertainty, it's a drop in upgrade completely pin compatible, the question is if freescale can produce them in quantity with enough time before the 970GX to be worth apples while to speed bump, personally i dont think so, but it may.

 

[minimax]

of cource the 970FX cant go into mobile chips right now thats why i said the 970GX which is the low power version, now the 7448 is an uncertainty, it's a drop in upgrade completely pin compatible, the question is if freescale can produce them in quantity with enough time before the 970GX to be worth apples while to speed bump, personally i dont think so, but it may.

The GX AFAIK is exactly the same design as the 970/(FX) just with a different manufacturing process (was it SOI? not sure) to reduce powerleakage.
The G5 design, however, is, with it's many pipelines, as powerhungry as is the Pentium 4 Netburst architecture. So while you can reduce heat to a certain point, it's very unlikely to be enough to put it in a powerbook without serious underclocking.
This is the main difference with the G4 7447 vs 7447A as the G4 design was energy efficient from the start, they just needed to perfect the manufacturing process.

 

[maxvamp]

6) Firewire 800 added as standard on all models


I think Firwire 800 sucks. I wouldn't mind seeing Apple just ignore it from future updates. I had nothing but problems with it and Apple doesn't do much to support it.

Am I alone in hating FW800?

I think so. I have Tiger booting off of a FW800 drive. I did have to setup a shell script to 'touch' the boot drive every 9 minutes, but other than that, not too bad.

What issues do you have with it?

Max.

 

[jefhatfield]

every generation of powerbook, G3, G4, and now G5, are too hot to use for a small portable and will get 30 seconds of battery time

...so the god forsaken fairy engineer of san jose has to bless the damn product and suddenly the pesky, anal overheating problems disappear and we have a new powerbook

that's the way it's done

 

[maxvamp]

if a powerbook based on the new freescale cpu's (the pci express ones with rapid IO fsb's) comes out i will eat my own head film it and post it here, apple will not redesign the logic board for an intrim bump between the g4 and g5 powerbooks, it's not going to happen people, please stop with the pipe dream, i have said it before and i'll say it again no updated powerbook till the 970GX is produced in quantity, or if thats delayed further a 7448 update.

Should be a cool video.

I have to ask why people assume that the G5 must be a 970? What is wrong with the premise that future versions of the Freescale processors may ( and are planned to ) have 64-bit extensions. Wouldn't this qualify for the definition of a G5?

Assuming this could be the case, what would be wrong with a MainBoard redesign that would allow for this update path?


Max.

 

[minimax]

every generation of powerbook, G3, G4, and now G5, are too hot to use for a small portable and will get 30 seconds of battery time

...so the god forsaken fairy engineer of san jose has to bless the damn product and suddenly the pesky, anal overheating problems disappear and we have a new powerbook

that's the way it's done

Rock solid 😀

 

[deputy_doofy]

I predict that the next Powerbook I buy will have a new/upgraded architecture.
The G4, with its age and its faults, is still a pretty nice chip. However, the chip now runs 10x its own bus speed. How efficient is that? If the G4 gets any faster, how does that help?
I used a 1.67GHz laptop and I have to say that for every day functions, I don't see/feel a difference from my 1GHz 12". Now, let me clarify. I would buy a 1.67GHz if I was buying a new Powerbook for the first time. It's a quick machine. However, it's not worth the price for such a small upgrade from a 1GHz.
I don't care if the Powerbook gets a G5, a dual-core G4/G5, or some new super-enhanced-revived G3. It just needs to be better than the G4 and its crappy fsb.

 

[jefhatfield]

Rock solid 😀

variously being a certified computer techie, computer salesman, and a dot.com vp in san jose for six years has made me see just about everything

besides death and taxes, two other things are certain in computerland...faster processors and high tech companies going out of business or being taken over 🙂

 

[joshua_msu]

I predict that the next Powerbook I buy will have a new/upgraded architecture.
The G4, with its age and its faults, is still a pretty nice chip. However, the chip now runs 10x its own bus speed. How efficient is that? If the G4 gets any faster, how does that help?
I used a 1.67GHz laptop and I have to say that for every day functions, I don't see/feel a difference from my 1GHz 12". Now, let me clarify. I would buy a 1.67GHz if I was buying a new Powerbook for the first time. It's a quick machine. However, it's not worth the price for such a small upgrade from a 1GHz.
I don't care if the Powerbook gets a G5, a dual-core G4/G5, or some new super-enhanced-revived G3. It just needs to be better than the G4 and its crappy fsb.

Dont forget the crappy resolution too!