Usb 3.0
What's your opinion of when Apple will start using USB 3.0 in Macs and which Macs will get them first? How long before all Macs have USB 3.0?
"When will USB 3.0 come out?"
"NEC was the first to produce host controllers for USB 3.0 (announced on May 18, 2009). Expect to see motherboards with USB 3.0 ports and separate USB 3.0 controller cards as early as Q4 2009. Asus already announced USB 3.0 ports with their Asus P6X58 motherboard. However, production was cancelled due to lack of third-party drivers.
Early USB 3.0 devices will reach the marketing in Q4 2009. Expect mass adoption into high-bandwidth applications in 2010. This timeline indicates broad deployment starting early 2010, which is about when chipset makers Intel and Nvidia will start integrating USB 3.0 controllers into their chipsets."
"When will USB 3.0 come out?"
"NEC was the first to produce host controllers for USB 3.0 (announced on May 18, 2009). Expect to see motherboards with USB 3.0 ports and separate USB 3.0 controller cards as early as Q4 2009. Asus already announced USB 3.0 ports with their Asus P6X58 motherboard. However, production was cancelled due to lack of third-party drivers.
Early USB 3.0 devices will reach the marketing in Q4 2009. Expect mass adoption into high-bandwidth applications in 2010. This timeline indicates broad deployment starting early 2010, which is about when chipset makers Intel and Nvidia will start integrating USB 3.0 controllers into their chipsets."
Comments
What's your opinion of when Apple will start using USB 3.0 in Macs and which Macs will get them first? How long before all Macs have USB 3.0?
It seems like 2010 will be when USB 3 devices will arrive and given that the Mac Pro refresh isn't likely to happen until next March or thereabouts, I wouldn't expect USB 3 in Macs until then. I'd say the update this month or next would be too early. Next year, I'd expect them to update the whole lineup with USB 3 together.
I'd prefer updated firewire though because I wouldn't need all new hardware to benefit from it. Either way, these external interfaces are generally limited to the speed of your drive. 4.8Gbps = 600MB/s is great and all but a single mechanical drive typically won't go above 90MB/s writes, the average is around the 70MB/s mark.
This interface will only matter for external RAID or external SSD and even then it will often be limited by the speed of your internal drive if it's not RAID too.
There is the possibility of driving extra displays but probably in a similar way it is now - not widely supported or used. I think it would be quite nice to have USB 3 (and a micro-USB 3) for displays as a standard.
It seems like 2010 will be when USB 3 devices will arrive and given that the Mac Pro refresh isn't likely to happen until next March or thereabouts, I wouldn't expect USB 3 in Macs until then. I'd say the update this month or next would be too early. Next year, I'd expect them to update the whole lineup with USB 3 together.
I'd prefer updated firewire though because I wouldn't need all new hardware to benefit from it. Either way, these external interfaces are generally limited to the speed of your drive. 4.8Gbps = 600MB/s is great and all but a single mechanical drive typically won't go above 90MB/s writes, the average is around the 70MB/s mark.
This interface will only matter for external RAID or external SSD and even then it will often be limited by the speed of your internal drive if it's not RAID too.
There is the possibility of driving extra displays but probably in a similar way it is now - not widely supported or used. I think it would be quite nice to have USB 3 (and a micro-USB 3) for displays as a standard.
usb has high cpu over load
This next question is purely academic because I don't intend to pry open my Mini and dig around in its guts (I'm too chicken - I ordered the Mini with 4GB of RAM). When USB 3.0 is well established, will it be possible to put a USB 3.0 card into a Mini?
While I have your attention, I have another question. I have had a love affair with my old plastic G4 - my first Mac, and I still use it at times. I can't bear to part with it.
A techie friend, doctorate in engineering and computer science, who builds his own gamer PC's, wants to know why I don't rebuild the G4 with up to date parts.
I know this must have been discussed before in this forum, but i don't recall the answer. What do I tell my friend? We had lunch together today, and he harangued me to try it - I don't mind getting into the 'guts' of the G4. All I could think of as an argument was that it would be a Hackintosh and might not work with OS X and/or some apps.
Marvin,
This next question is purely academic because I don't intend to pry open my Mini and dig around in its guts (I'm too chicken - I ordered the Mini with 4GB of RAM). When USB 3.0 is well established, will it be possible to put a USB 3.0 card into a Mini?
Not at all.
While I have your attention, I have another question. I have had a love affair with my old plastic G4 - my first Mac, and I still use it at times. I can't bear to part with it.
A techie friend, doctorate in engineering and computer science, who builds his own gamer PC's, wants to know why I don't rebuild the G4 with up to date parts.
I know this must have been discussed before in this forum, but i don't recall the answer. What do I tell my friend? We had lunch together today, and he harangued me to try it - I don't mind getting into the 'guts' of the G4. All I could think of as an argument was that it would be a Hackintosh and might not work with OS X and/or some apps.
It's possible to use the G4 case to house the guts of a modern PC. It requires some cutting with a Dremel tool and other modding. It would, of course, be a Hackintosh if you wanted to run OSX on it. Here are some very basic instructions. Not worth the energy IMO unless you're in love with that old case.
When USB 3.0 is well established, will it be possible to put a USB 3.0 card into a Mini?
Nope, all you can change with any Mac that isn't a Mac Pro is the Ram and hard drive.
A techie friend, doctorate in engineering and computer science, who builds his own gamer PC's, wants to know why I don't rebuild the G4 with up to date parts.
All I could think of as an argument was that it would be a Hackintosh and might not work with OS X and/or some apps.
If you upgrade it with Mac-compatible parts like the Sonnet upgrades, you'd be using old PPC hardware, which isn't worth the money. G5 and Intel parts wouldn't be cooled properly as the enclosure doesn't have the right design for good airflow and they'll be expensive parts. The G5 parts would be more affordable but you'd be better buying an old G5, which defeats the purpose of upgrading the G4.
PC components would be the best bet but as mentioned above you'd have to modify the case to fit the parts in. Hackintosh's seem to work ok if you get the right components but it boils down to what you want to get out of your machine.
If you need a very fast processor and or GPU in an affordable machine, a hackintosh is the only way to go and if you want to do this to your Mac, ask your friend if he will help you source parts. It could be an interesting project.
There are step-by-step instructions:
http://lifehacker.com/348653/install...king-required/
http://lifehacker.com/software/hack-...800-321913.php
but it's a long process and quite technical.
I was going to suggest that you could use your G4 as a media center for recording TV shows and streaming movies to your TV but it's not really the most efficient machine for that as it will use a fair amount of electricity when it's on - this is one big reason for Apple making all the consumer machines with laptop hardware.
Some people use their older machines to store movies, music, attach printers for wireless use and so on. I honestly think that you'd be impressed with how much performance you can get out of a hackintosh for the money but you would risk breaking the G4 completely, spending a few hundred dollars and ending up with a noisy/broken/unstable machine.
Someone on the forum did this with a G5 case - I think it was nvidia2008 - he put hackintosh parts in it. I don't think he had any issues with it but it required some drilling to get the parts to fit in.
BTW, I want to give you a heads up. I know this belongs elsewhere, but I mentioned in this thread that while I can work on the G4. I'm afraid to work on my Mini. Some years back, my doctor proscribed statins (Lipitor, etc.) for high cholesterol. He didn't mention that they could have bad side effects. One of those side effects has been damage to nerves and muscles in my extremities. My right hand has lost its dexterity and fine movement. I can do work that doesn't require a delicate touch, but my hand is too clumsy to do delicate work.
Check online the side effects of statins if your doctor prescribes them. In fact, check out the side effects of ANY meds you may have to take. Doctors are usually too busy to discuss their prescriptions. Talk to your pharmacist.
I apologize for using this thread for the 'caveat emptor'.
Nope, all you can change with any Mac that isn't a Mac Pro is the Ram and hard drive.
And even that is nearly impossible on the Mini and iMac.