September: Powerbook G4 and iBook Updates

applenutapplenut
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
I think it's relatively clear that both the Powerbook G4 and the iBook will see revisions in September. There are several rebates related to each that end in September. Both are also due for updates and in the past they have been updates in that time period.



I'm not expecting many major advancements. Doing a little research and taking my best guesses this is what I predict



Powerbook G4

733Mhz and 867Mhz G4 7451 with 1MB cache

256 and 512 MB of PC133 RAM

30GB and 40GB hard Drives with 60GB BTO

ATI Radeon Mobility 9000 with 64MB DDR RAM

12x8x32x Combo Drive (slightly faster)

15.2 inch LCD (same resolution)

Airport standard on high end

Only change to case will Powerbook G4 writing which will be in new font style

$2399 and $2999



Notes: Looking at the Motorola G4 website it seems that the 7451 maxxes out at 867. I believe that is the low power variant. correct? 1Ghz 7455 uses max 30 watts. 55 watt battery that doesn't leave much left over. ATI radeon mobility 9000 is set to ship in september so I'll assume Apple has been working with them to coincide with that release. I was hoping an 80GB portable drive would be released in the time between the last rev but apparantly one hasn't so I don't see them bumping up the drives. They have to leave one for BTO.



iBook

700 and 800Mhz G3s

12.1 inch and 14.1 inch screens

128, 256, 256, 256 MB RAM

20, 30, 30, 30 GB HDs

CD, Combo, CD, Combo

ATI Radeon Mobility 7500 32 MB DDR RAM

$1199, $1499, $1699, $1799



Notes: Don't see a move to 133Mhz bus. iMac isn't even there. Don't see a move to the G4. Performance is quite good with latest G3s and quartz extreme. Radeon mobility 9000 allows iBook to move up to the 7500. Should result in much much better performance. Not sure whether third model will be released to resellers. I hope combo drive 12.1 inch gets the bigger drive. I think the 20GB standard on that machine currently is a dealbreaker for some.



Well, that's my predictions. I think they'll both be released at once. Most likely at Apple Expo.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 111
    addisonaddison Posts: 1,185member
    I would love to see an anodised Gold Powerbook. With built in Bluetooth.



    [ 08-29-2002: Message edited by: Addison ]</p>
  • Reply 2 of 111
    brbr Posts: 8,395member
    [quote]Originally posted by Addison:

    <strong>I would love to see an anodised Gold Powerbook. With built in Bluetooth.



    [ 08-29-2002: Message edited by: Addison ]</strong><hr></blockquote>



    30th anniversary GOLD POWERBOOK! Muahahahhahahha.
  • Reply 3 of 111
    applenutapplenut Posts: 5,768member
    [quote]Originally posted by BR:

    <strong>



    30th anniversary GOLD POWERBOOK! Muahahahhahahha.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    would certainly be interesting.





    I don't see Bluetooth being integrated on any mac yet. If Apple hasn't integrated Airport yet after 3 years I don't see bluetooth all of a sudden getting put on the board. Plus having the external solution as an add on is revenue. Apple needs more revenue. Everything they are doing now is to have better financial numbers. .mac, Jaguar, Xserve, etc.
  • Reply 4 of 111
    power applepower apple Posts: 335member
    [quote]Originally posted by applenut:

    <strong>I think it's relatively clear that both the Powerbook G4 and the iBook will see revisions in September.



    Well, that's my predictions. I think they'll both be released at once. Most likely at Apple Expo.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    The specs are very reasonable. A good chance the PowerBook will get a minor (but still nice) upgrade in september, however, I suspect the iBook will follow a month later - just like the last revision. That would still put it in time for christmas sales



    [ 08-29-2002: Message edited by: Power Apple ]</p>
  • Reply 5 of 111
    amorphamorph Posts: 7,112member
    [quote]Originally posted by applenut:

    <strong>

    Notes: Looking at the Motorola G4 website it seems that the 7451 maxxes out at 867. I believe that is the low power variant. correct?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    The 7451 is a bugfix update of the 7450. It's a full power (1.8v) processor with L3 cache.



    The PBs seem to use a hybrid 7455 - apparently it's run at 1.3v, like a 7445, but unlike the 7445 it has an L3 cache. It's also possible, since they used the 7450/1 in prior models, that they use the full-power (and pin-compatible) 7455. Apple is mum on the exact model, so someone would have to go digging to find out exactly.



    [ 08-29-2002: Message edited by: Amorph ]</p>
  • Reply 6 of 111
    flashgordonflashgordon Posts: 284member
    So you predict a new graphics card and 67mhz. Thats stupid. What would be the point. Don't post your pure speculation if it is so mundane that no one could find it interesting. Did you ever think that not everything outthere is on some website? These specs are silly, Apple wont wait 6 mo. to give us 67 mhz; not to mention that the models would be too close together in spec. to be distint(The seperate Powerbooks are too close, and the ibooks are to close to the powerbooks) marketing wise. Damn it, I am serious people, if you are going to post random spec at least make them interesting or fun, what is the f-ing point of this speculation, or talking about what is coming if it is boring?
  • Reply 7 of 111
    amorphamorph Posts: 7,112member
    FlashGordon - if you can think of something more interesting than applenut's line of speculation, please feel free to contribute it.
  • Reply 8 of 111
    flounderflounder Posts: 2,674member
    I think applenut's predictions are probably right, but it would be nice if they could make it 800 and 933. It seems they usually try to turn the high end powerbook into the low end.
  • Reply 9 of 111
    flashgordonflashgordon Posts: 284member
    Wow that is hard...hmmmm...I dunno....how about 1ghz and Superdrives? That was hard! How about more than a 8% increase in proc speed, along with a new graphics card the proc won't be able to take advantage of? These are boring and as they are total speculation based on perusing a website, they could at least be interesting.





    You think he is on to something...that he has Apple all figured out, I can just check a venders current advertised product line and know what Apple is going to release next month? PLEASE!
  • Reply 10 of 111
    flashgordonflashgordon Posts: 284member
    I do apologise for stating his idea was stupid. I don't want to attack him or hurt his feelings. I just think his specs, since they are total guesses , and probably totally wrong, are not interesting.
  • Reply 11 of 111
    undotwaundotwa Posts: 97member
    [quote]Originally posted by FlashGordon:

    <strong>I do apologise for stating his idea was stupid. I don't want to attack him or hurt his feelings. I just think his specs, since they are total guesses , and probably totally wrong, are not interesting.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    PLEASE!!! Why do you actually care if they are 'interesting' or not? It's really a matter of opinion, and I for one too don't find it very interesting (thought this was another 'insider info' thread) - but I don't make a big song and dance over it.
  • Reply 12 of 111
    flashgordonflashgordon Posts: 284member
    I want you and everyone else to realise the thread is interesting now, because I said something that actually elicited a feeling in you. Would you have posted if not for my comments, no. I just want to see some lively action, not the board being muddled and bogged down by unintersting posts which are pointless, and most likely error filled, on top of not getting communication going. All I want to get across is if you are going to be pointless and wrong, at least be interesting. Get a good back and forth going...friendly or not. I have no hard feelings toward any of you...I just want a board that can be entertaining, because we know, most of the time the informative part of it is BS(in the FutureHardware area).
  • Reply 13 of 111
    junkyard dawgjunkyard dawg Posts: 2,801member
    [quote]Originally posted by applenut:

    <strong>



    Powerbook G4

    733Mhz and 867Mhz G4 7451 with 1MB cache

    256 and 512 MB of PC133 RAM

    30GB and 40GB hard Drives with 60GB BTO

    ATI Radeon Mobility 9000 with 64MB DDR RAM

    12x8x32x Combo Drive (slightly faster)

    15.2 inch LCD (same resolution)

    Airport standard on high end

    Only change to case will Powerbook G4 writing which will be in new font style

    $2399 and $2999





    iBook

    700 and 800Mhz G3s

    12.1 inch and 14.1 inch screens

    128, 256, 256, 256 MB RAM

    20, 30, 30, 30 GB HDs

    CD, Combo, CD, Combo

    ATI Radeon Mobility 7500 32 MB DDR RAM

    $1199, $1499, $1699, $1799

    </strong><hr></blockquote>



    I can't see Apple giving the Powerbook a cheesy 66.6 MHz speedbump. More likely, we'll see a 933 MHz top end with an 800 MHz low end. Then the iBook can be bumped to 800 MHz.



    1 GHz would be cool but I just don't see Apple getting it up so hard. It's about time that the Powerbook reach the 1 GHz barrier, particularly since the Powermacs are at 1.25 GHz dual, but with the way Apple works we won't see a 1 GHz Powerbook until MWNY 2003. Of course by then Wintel laptops will be at 3 GHz or so....
  • Reply 14 of 111
    fran441fran441 Posts: 3,715member
    [quote]Damn it, I am serious people, if you are going to post random spec at least make them interesting or fun, what is the f-ing point of this speculation, or talking about what is coming if it is boring? <hr></blockquote>



    One of the purposes of this forum is to discuss what people believe the next revision of Apple hardware will be, and if applenut believes this and we can have a good discussion about it, what's the problem? Part of the fun of this forum is trying to accurately predict the next machine.



    Would him saying that it contains a 1.2 GHz G4 make the discussion more fun for you? What happens when Apple comes out with a PBG4 that's closer to applenut's original speculation then? People get disappointed and moan and groan about how Apple has let them down again.



    Seriously, the specs presented aren't that bad. You have to remember that Apple has a history of not making large bumps to the PowerBook either. Remember that from the Lombard to the Pismo (which took nearly a year to introduce), the machine only gained 100 MHz. Then from the Pismo to the PBG4 (which was 11 months later), the machine gained no clock speed at all. The 550, then the 667s were next, follwed by the 800s now which was the largest speed gain for Apple portables in some time.



    It makes a 67 MHz increase seem all the more possible even though we all hope for a 133 to 200 MHz bump.



    [ 08-29-2002: Message edited by: Fran441 ]</p>
  • Reply 15 of 111
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    I came into some information that the speed bump would be significant. 1GHz is not out of the question, in fact the chances of it are good.
  • Reply 16 of 111
    hotboxdhotboxd Posts: 125member
    what would a current 1.25Ghz chip reduced to 1.3V clock at?
  • Reply 16 of 111
    aquaticaquatic Posts: 5,602member
    I don't care about anything except the fscking price. I think speed is less important than the price. You and Apple are worried about the wrong numbers. Dell is winning marketshare because of price. PowerBooks are great. I would buy one. But I had to buy an iBook for $800 (Circuit Shitty Special ) Unless Apple wants no one to buy their computers, they need to make the PowerBooks, iMacs, and PowerMacs cheaper. iBook and Xserve pricing are good in my opinion and the iPod is heading in the right direction.



    Also, education pricing with bigger discounts couldn't hurt! $50 off an iMac isn't going to change anyone's mind. <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />
  • Reply 18 of 111
    applenutapplenut Posts: 5,768member
    [quote]Originally posted by Amorph:

    <strong>



    The 7451 is a bugfix update of the 7450. It's a full power (1.8v) processor with L3 cache.



    The PBs seem to use a hybrid 7455 - apparently it's run at 1.3v, like a 7445, but unlike the 7445 it has an L3 cache. It's also possible, since they used the 7450/1 in prior models, that they use the full-power (and pin-compatible) 7455. Apple is mum on the exact model, so someone would have to go digging to find out exactly.



    [ 08-29-2002: Message edited by: Amorph ]</strong><hr></blockquote>



    I remember reading that and I remembering seeing the "low power" variants on a PDF or something but wasn't able to find it again.



    933 is probably likely if that's the case. although I still think 1Ghz would require a die shrink.



    [quote]I think applenut's predictions are probably right, but it would be nice if they could make it 800 and 933. It seems they usually try to turn the high end powerbook into the low end.<hr></blockquote>



    I'll agree with that. I like being more conservative with my predictions. But I think 933 will hopefully be the speed.



    Now for FlashGordon

    [quote]So you predict a new graphics card and 67mhz. Thats stupid. What would be the point. Don't post your pure speculation if it is so mundane that no one could find it interesting<hr></blockquote>



    glad you don't find it interesting. sometimes things just are not interesting. do you have anything interesting to add?



    [quote]Did you ever think that not everything outthere is on some website?<hr></blockquote>

    of course. but do you expect another revision to the G4 to be announced with new Powerbooks? Powerbooks pretty much always use what is currently available.



    [quote](The seperate Powerbooks are too close, and the ibooks are to close to the powerbooks) marketing wise<hr></blockquote>



    not any different than it is now



    [quote]Damn it, I am serious people, if you are going to post random spec at least make them interesting or fun, what is the f-ing point of this speculation, or talking about what is coming if it is boring?

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    IP: Logged <hr></blockquote>



    yea, it would have been great for me to say

    1.2Ghz G4 7460s

    Xserve system controller with DDR RAM

    1GB RAM

    Superdrive

    Bluetooth and Airport built-in

    New case



    yea, that's fun and interesting.



    [quote]You think he is on to something...that he has Apple all figured out, I can just check a venders current advertised product line and know what Apple is going to release next month? PLEASE! <hr></blockquote>



    I'm not claiming anything. I posted my predictions. Do you have any? or do you just want to complain about my predictions being lackluster?



    and if you look back in the past I'm quite good with predictions. except for release dates.. cough..mercury rising..cough. Anyways, the Powerbook is always a bit easier to predict because it is traditionally based on what is currently publicly available or known.



    [quote]I do apologise for stating his idea was stupid. I don't want to attack him or hurt his feelings. I just think his specs, since they are total guesses , and probably totally wrong, are not interesting.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    <hr></blockquote>



    good for you. so is everything else on this site. do you have anything else to add? you have made 3 posts now stating the same exact thing. you're point? what exactly is it? that the predictions aren't interesting? yea, you said that already in your first post. you can shut up now if you don't have anything interesting to say



    [quote]I want you and everyone else to realise the thread is interesting now, because I said something that actually elicited a feeling in you. Would you have posted if not for my comments, no. I just want to see some lively action, not the board being muddled and bogged down by unintersting posts which are pointless, and most likely error filled, on top of not getting communication going.<hr></blockquote>



    great, a fourth post. and now you are claiming to be doing it in the interest of making a more lively discussion. desperate.



    [quote]All I want to get across is if you are going to be pointless and wrong, at least be interesting. Get a good back and forth going...friendly or not. I have no hard feelings toward any of you...I just want a board that can be entertaining, because we know, most of the time the informative part of it is BS(in the FutureHardware area). <hr></blockquote>



    there's nothing entertaining or interesting about you writing the same thing 4 times in a single thread. get off your high horse man.



    [ 08-29-2002: Message edited by: applenut ]



    [ 08-29-2002: Message edited by: applenut ]</p>
  • Reply 19 of 111
    flashgordonflashgordon Posts: 284member
    (The seperate Powerbooks are too close, and the ibooks are to close to the powerbooks) marketing wise

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------



    not any different than it is now
  • Reply 20 of 111
    flashgordonflashgordon Posts: 284member
    I have obviously hurt some peoples feelings in here, take it easy. But isn't this a lot more fun than a 67mz jump posting? Your response to me was about 3-4 times longer than your first post (the "important and enlightened one"). Thank you for proving my point so efficiently!
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