Will the "Cell" processor be Apple's G6?

[dolphin842]

I know, I know, the G5 isn't even in a PowerBook yet, so perhaps this is a bit premature. But in any event, I found out that Sony, Toshiba, and IBM are next week going to release information about their joint "Cell" processor project. The Cell is derived from IBM's POWER architecture (like the G5), and IBM & co. have stated general/supercomputing as one of the Cell's applications.

And judging from preliminary specs, its performance puts the G5 to shame:

"Since it takes 2200 PowerPC 970 chips - aka the G5 - to yield just over ten teraflops - much the same as you get from 2000 Athlon 64s - getting similar performance out of just 64 Cell cores is impressive, if Sony and co. can deliver."

Or, thinking more conservatively: "A four-core chip home server system will be able to deliver one billion floating-point operations per second, apparently."

I'm not really well-read on Cell development, so perhaps some here can elucidate on why the Cell appears to surpass modern chips by orders of magnitude? Any speculation on whether Apple has an eye on the Cell to use as a G6? Or at least as a mobile chip?

November 2004 article: mentions possibility of AltiVec being put on the Cell
Today's article: general analysis of the Cell project

 

[vouder17]

i think it will be possibly be in the next revision of the PowerMac... Lets hope. then we can officially de-throne Intel!!

Peace
DjVoTeZ

 

[Bear]

i think it will be possibly be in the next revision of the PowerMac... Lets hope. then we can officially de-throne Intel!!

Peace
DjVoTeZ

If it were going to be used in the PowerMac, the odds are that it's a few revisions out.

 

[varmit]

It probably will, or at least the G6 will be a branch off of the cell. Sony was in the Macworld Keynote, and the hint of working together makes me feel that Apple will get to use the Cell Processor made by IBM, Sony, and Toshiba. Also, the three above I believe already stated that they plan to use the Cell Processor in computers after the Playstation 3, so it might be used in Apples computers, or the clones will be born again.

 

[miloblithe]

The article makes it sounds like it's at least 3 years away, and that consumer versions would be less powerful. So, if it's roughly 30 times as powerful as current G5s...

well there's a lot of ways to do the math speculation.

 

[Trekkie]

Maybe 2007 or so. That'd be cool, would give the G5 a good run in life through the next update to the core in 2006 or so to squeeze the last bits out of it and the G6 could be Cell...and with the three next gen systems running on POWER chips (Xbox2, PS3, Nintendo Extreme or whatever it's calleD) that would be something

 

[Abstract]

I think it's posted in either the Current Events or MacBytes forum, but there's a very interesting thread about the CELL that I just posted in before I came here.

Ah hell, I'll go find it for you...... https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/108508/

The guy seems off the wall, but hey, it's interesting. The first place we may see this is in a Sony television. There are hints all over the place that Apple, as a software creator (that the President of Sony praised at the last Keynote last month), will have a hand in this television for HD purposes. Imagine running a modified (yet familiar) version of iMovie HD on your Sony television!! Connecting an HD digital video camera to your Sony TV and editing it sounds sweet!

And yep, CELL may or may not end up in Apple, but seeing as how many companies are sick of the Microsoft and Intel monopoly, they're probably cheering for the Apple's and AMDs of the electronics world to provide variety.

Allowing 1 company to rule every facet of the electronics world isn't cool at all.

 

[maya]

I believe its time for a change, rather than call it the G6 why not just:

PowerMac Cell, PowerBook Cell, iMac Cell, etc...

or just

PowerMac C1, PowerBook C1, etc...

with a second generation of Cell processors it can then be called

PowerMac C2, etc...

Replace the G (generation) with C (cell), has a nice ring to it with an edge.

The G naming scheme is getting old, time for a change.

 

[maya]

I think it's posted in either the Current Events or MacBytes forum, but there's a very interesting thread about the CELL that I just posted in before I came here.

Ah hell, I'll go find it for you...... https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/108508/

The guy seems off the wall, but hey, it's interesting. The first place we may see this is in a Sony television. There are hints all over the place that Apple, as a software creator (that the President of Sony praised at the last Keynote last month), will have a hand in this television for HD purposes. Imagine running a modified (yet familiar) version of iMovie HD on your Sony television!! Connecting an HD digital video camera to your Sony TV and editing it sounds sweet!

And yep, CELL may or may not end up in Apple, but seeing as how many companies are sick of the Microsoft and Intel monopoly, they're probably cheering for the Apple's and AMDs of the electronics world to provide variety.

Allowing 1 company to rule every facet of the electronics world isn't cool at all.

Though the question down the road then brings up, What if Apple is becoming like M$ back in XYZ year(s)?

This can have a positive and negative effect for the present and future.

Not that it wouldn't be neat if Apple have a 50% market share in a variety of multimedia areas, it just becomes a question of have they become like M$ now.

 

[Abstract]

Yes, but they'll be like MS in other fields. They're already MS in the digital music arena, but if you have a fab product like the iPod, and fab software like the stuff that already comes on Macs, what can you do if people want it?

Its not like MS shoving it down our throats, telling us that we have to buy this or upgrade that.

Although I DO feel it's a bit monopolistic to have everything bundled with the OS like Apple does. Sort of Microsoft-esque to me. However, I don't think Apple bullies us into using their software other than in the situation of the iPod requiring iTunes.

 

[wdlove]

I believe its time for a change, rather than call it the G6 why not just:

PowerMac Cell, PowerBook Cell, iMac Cell, etc...

or just

PowerMac C1, PowerBook C1, etc...

with a second generation of Cell processors it can then be called

PowerMac C2, etc...

Replace the G (generation) with C (cell), has a nice ring to it with an edge.

The G naming scheme is getting old, time for a change.

It has a very nice ring maya. The one that needs to be convinced on your idea though is Steve. So guess that we have about three years to determine his answer.

 

[ClarkeB]

I just (September 2004) got an iMac G5, but I do look forward to the day when I can have a FULLY-LOADED PowerMac dual G6 with tripple 30" Cinema Displays. Hooheehahaha

 

[adamfilip]

i read that the cell uses grid computing to get most of its performance
so its like network rendering


what if your not on a network. will it run slow?

 

[atari1356]

There's a big article here with a lot of information (and speculation) on cell processors.

In particular, read the part called "Cell V's Apple"...