So Where are the Powerbook Updates???

[GimmeSlack12]

Intel's fine with me, as long as Microsoft is not in the picture.

But what will happen, or when will we get faster or price drops in the Powerbooks? I guess they did just update, but does this mean we won't get another for a while? Or what about a NEW Powerbook?

 

[ssh]

Intel's fine with me, as long as Microsoft is not in the picture.

But what will happen, or when will we get faster or price drops in the Powerbooks? I guess they did just update, but does this mean we won't get another for a while? Or what about a NEW Powerbook?

...or just a PB with a better screen (higher res, brighter).

 

[StarbucksSam]

We STILL don't know.

There is a POSSIBILITY of speed bumps later on but if that's all it is and it's only been four months then GET USED TO THIS REV. I have the current rev and I am so sick of people complaining about it like it's some kind of piece of **** computer. It does everything I want as fast as I need it to and it is not underpowered for me so let's MOVE ON PEOPLE.

 

[26139]

Who cares?

Intel's fine with me, as long as Microsoft is not in the picture.

But what will happen, or when will we get faster or price drops in the Powerbooks? I guess they did just update, but does this mean we won't get another for a while? Or what about a NEW Powerbook?

They JUST reved them...pay attention.
The only Apple laptop DUE for an update is the iBook.

 

[ericssonboi]

We STILL don't know.

There is a POSSIBILITY of speed bumps later on but if that's all it is and it's only been four months then GET USED TO THIS REV. I have the current rev and I am so sick of people complaining about it like it's some kind of piece of **** computer. It does everything I want as fast as I need it to and it is not underpowered for me so let's MOVE ON PEOPLE.

I also ordered my PB 2 months ago and it does everything i want it to...
No problems from the start..

Just get over it people..
G5 Powerbooks aren't going to be coming anytime soon..
Watch the WWDC keynote
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/wwdc05/

 

[D*I*S_Frontman]

We STILL don't know.

There is a POSSIBILITY of speed bumps later on but if that's all it is and it's only been four months then GET USED TO THIS REV. I have the current rev and I am so sick of people complaining about it like it's some kind of piece of **** computer. It does everything I want as fast as I need it to and it is not underpowered for me so let's MOVE ON PEOPLE.

In some ways I can agree with your sentiments. Most people do Word docs, surf the web, listen to mp3s and get their email with their systems. For normal life, mundane tasks, almost any Mac or PC portable is plenty capable of that stuff. And I love my new AlBook for what it does.

But some of us push portable computing to the limit. I use FCPHD on my 15" AlBook, and rendering takes a LONG time. When it comes to really heavy work, SPEED KILLS.

Tonight I am editing a project on my MMD 1.25 Dualie. I may make several hundred editing decisions over the course of eight hours. Even with this system, I am waiting around while 3-5 second renders to finish with almost every nudge of the mouse, and exporting my 8-minute segment to QuickTime takes almost a half hour. Five seconds of waiting after every tweak = almost 45 minutes of waiting time per eight hours of work. At five days/week of 40 hours labor for 52 weeks, I lose almost 200 hours of productivity waiting for my system to process per year. Even if I am only making $20/hour, I am potentially losing $4k/year in lost productivity.

Hey--wait a minute! Did I just justify buying a new system?! WoHoo! Dual G5, here I come!!

Ahem--back to the subject.

For data-crushing professionals, time is money, speed is money, productivity is money. For that constituency, faster PBooks, even seemingly overpriced, can produce measurable productivity gains. That's why we care about these things. We're not all gaming fanboys.

 

[_pb_boi]

Intel's fine with me, as long as Microsoft is not in the picture.

But what will happen, or when will we get faster or price drops in the Powerbooks? I guess they did just update, but does this mean we won't get another for a while? Or what about a NEW Powerbook?

Of course it means we won't get another one for a while. Common sense should prevail, so next time, think before you type, eh?

If I hear new and Powerbook in the same sentance again, I'll cry. Really, I will. And then you'll be sorry!

andy.

 

[progx]

well, i agree, now that we've all had the hard and bad news about intel in the picture. we have to get used to this rev, now i'm starting to appreciate it because right now i don't want a mactel. powerpc is the best and brightest architecture around, it is the only one with a future in performance.

G5 Powerbook will never happen, so you'll see a junky intel in a powerbook next.

it's funny how we go from leading the hardware race to falling in line. went from 64 bit back to 32 bit, interesting logic. and from an adapatable platform to a architecture that has to be recompiled and reconstructed for 64 bit.

after my powerbook g4, i'm going linux, screw x86, it's f'n garabage and needs to die an ugly death.

but if we had AMD building our x86 processors, then i'd be a bit happier. since they are the only ones who innovate the windows/linux side while intel execs just get overpaid.

so, i'd just buy a 1.67 Ghz PBook, put a gig of ram, superdrive, 128 MB Vram and have a ball. since this is the macs last ride as the original and all innovated. hell, buy a power mac and tell your grandchildren how apple had the future and blew it.

i know i'll get reimed for this, but this how i feel. sorry for all that had to read my outbursts, i still love the mac, i just don't think i can love it with intel inside.

 

[aznsal612]

well, i agree, now that we've all had the hard and bad news about intel in the picture. we have to get used to this rev, now i'm starting to appreciate it because right now i don't want a mactel. powerpc is the best and brightest architecture around, it is the only one with a future in performance.

G5 Powerbook will never happen, so you'll see a junky intel in a powerbook next.

it's funny how we go from leading the hardware race to falling in line. went from 64 bit back to 32 bit, interesting logic. and from an adapatable platform to a architecture that has to be recompiled and reconstructed for 64 bit.

after my powerbook g4, i'm going linux, screw x86, it's f'n garabage and needs to die an ugly death.

but if we had AMD building our x86 processors, then i'd be a bit happier. since they are the only ones who innovate the windows/linux side while intel execs just get overpaid.

so, i'd just buy a 1.67 Ghz PBook, put a gig of ram, superdrive, 128 MB Vram and have a ball. since this is the macs last ride as the original and all innovated. hell, buy a power mac and tell your grandchildren how apple had the future and blew it.

i know i'll get reimed for this, but this how i feel. sorry for all that had to read my outbursts, i still love the mac, i just don't think i can love it with intel inside.

Apple was leading the hardware race?

I hardly believe the mere fact that Apple hit the 64 bit threshold means that they are the industry's leader in hardware.

Not even going to ream you. I just think a lot of what you said was out of frustration.

I'm not a mac head persay, but reading around other threads, people have stated the many possibilities of Intel's roadmap, all of which don't seem to be as bad as the black and white that many of us have criticized this move as.

 

[emotion]

after my powerbook g4, i'm going linux, screw x86, it's f'n garabage and needs to die an ugly death.

honestly, i've been using linux for over 10 years and whilst it's improved greatly it's no macosx (in terms of ease of use and apps available).

try linux by all means but you'll be wanting that Yonah-based (google it) dual core powerbook when it comes out next year.

 

[edesignuk]

after my powerbook g4, i'm going linux, screw x86, it's f'n garabage and needs to die an ugly death.

And what will you be running Linux on? I know you can get Linux for something other that x86, but it seems pretty pointless.

 

[Piarco]

The only possible update to the PBs now is a speedbump. Its highly unlikely we'll see a new processor in there as it makes zero point in spending that much money in porducing something new. More likely to be an increase to 1.8ghz with maybe 128MB vram as standard and double-layer dual format superdrives. Beyond that, I can't see any new tech going in before the first Intel based Apple lappy's get released.
All the announcement did was confirm to me that it is a good time to get a PB - any speedbump will be relatively unimpressive - so I'm ordering a 15" 1.67ghz with the 128MB vram today.

 

[mattyturner]

G5 Powerbook will never happen, so you'll see a junky intel in a powerbook next.

Yeah, cause the Dothan doesn't really flick a G4 of it's arm an ant.

In terms of hardware architecture for mobiles Intel has it. I've got a latest rev PowerBook and compared to many PC laptops (not to mention my apple display) i've come to realise that the only reason it's battery performance is as good as it is comes down to its pathetic backlight.

I for one, would be happy to replace my PB for one based on Intel next time I buy.

This was a very smart move by Apple, they have realised the future (for processors) is going to come down to the technologies that save power consumption. P4 PresHott aside, that means Intel cause IBM and AMD have really done squat about it and SOI isn't going to keep them ahead for ever, not even for long.

 

[Jo-Kun]

apple is not going back to 32 bits...

maybe people think so, but as AMD Intel has its 64bits processors there...

the Intel Macs will be 64 bits... and I think the first ones will al be there to replace the G4 32 bit with an Intel (Pentium D/Xeon... something else) 64 bits especially in portable versions...

IBM couldn't deliver a 64bits processor that could work in a portable... that's why no G5 in there... Intel can... they say and I think Steve wants every new mac to be 64Bits so they can make a full 64bits OS...

they have some PPC stuff in the pipeline? yes they have, see some final G4 speedbumps I guess... the Mac mini needs a small Graphics upgrade to use Tiger tot he fullest (core image)... I think G5 is not dead yet... some new ones will come maybe... I see everything having a last 'rev' before the first Intel machines will be there... and I think the first ones to be Intel will be the Powerbooks followed by the iBooks & Mac mini (everything Laptop Based wich can't get to 64 bits right now)
than probably the iMac & PowerMac will follow and somewhere in between the eMac maybe but since thats the one that evolves the slowest off all hardware... thats still to see...

 

[emotion]

apple is not going back to 32 bits...

maybe people think so, but as AMD Intel has its 64bits processors there...

the Intel Macs will be 64 bits... and I think the first ones will al be there to replace the G4 32 bit with an Intel (Pentium D/Xeon... something else) 64 bits especially in portable versions...

if you can explain to me why you think 64 bit will perform better for you then i'll agree with you. "64 bit= performance" is for the most part a fallacy (unless you require huge memory access in one app....ie. greater than 2GB)

the whole intel thing is mainly because of the problem apple had with the aging g4 in the powerbook (and ibooks to a lesser extent). the intel chips on their roadmap (yonah is the most likely) are still not 64 bit but that doesn't matter they'll still be very fast and efficient. it's a slightly different story for desktops tho.

 

[witness]

... "64 bit= performance" is for the most part a fallacy (unless you require huge memory access in one app....ie. greater than 2GB) ...

That is not entirely true, because in the move from 32bit x86 to 64bit x86 they took to opportunity to increase the number of registers. So theoretically a 64bit x86 chip should be faster, though that's not because it's a 64bit chip but rather because it has more registers.

 

[CmdrLaForge]

The only possible update to the PBs now is a speedbump. Its highly unlikely we'll see a new processor in there as it makes zero point in spending that much money in porducing something new. More likely to be an increase to 1.8ghz with maybe 128MB vram as standard and double-layer dual format superdrives. Beyond that, I can't see any new tech going in before the first Intel based Apple lappy's get released.
All the announcement did was confirm to me that it is a good time to get a PB - any speedbump will be relatively unimpressive - so I'm ordering a 15" 1.67ghz with the 128MB vram today.

Thats the only post in this thread that makes sense and is on topic.

My guess for the next revision is:
- 7448 CPU @ 1.8 GHz
- X700 VRAM 128
- 100 gig drive @ 7200
- released during Paris Expo (or latest in October)
same design, screen etc.

Cheers

 

[emotion]

That is not entirely true, because in the move from 32bit x86 to 64bit x86 they took to opportunity to increase the number of registers. So theoretically a 64bit x86 chip should be faster, though that's not because it's a 64bit chip but rather because it has more registers.

heh yeah i'd overlooked something like that. thanks.

 

[GimmeSlack12]

The Intels won't be 64 bit?? Hmm, not sure about that.

Anyways, guess Pb 15" 1.67 here I come. At least in another month when I actually HAVE the money. Regardless of what people replied on this thread I wasn't going to wain on my desire to own a Aluminum Powerbook (much rather any Powerbook).

 

[sw1tcher]

If I hear new and Powerbook in the same sentance again, I'll cry. Really, I will. And then you'll be sorry!

andy.

I just got a new PowerBook the other day and I'm loving it.