Next Generation PB '04
OK, I'm a new guy around here who has the audacity to create another PB thread but this is different. Really! I'd like to discuss a completely new PB that goes beyond the rumor sites--way beyond!
Suppose we combine a few emerging technologies to come up with a wowzer PB that would be far more powerful than anything we can imagine today. A PB without peer or compromise. No limits, no limitations.
One of the biggest energy consumers in a notebook is the backlight for the display. With OLED, no problem. It doesn't have a backlight and doesn't use glass so it's thinner and lighter. I'm not sure when a full sized OLED can be used in a notebook but probably before the end of 2004.
Speaking of energy, how about if the heavy battery were replaced with a small, light fuel cell? With an OLED, such a PB could go for a few days of normal use without refueling. Considering some of the places PBs are used, that'd be really terrific!
Next up is the processor. The obvious choice here is a die shrunk G5 or a G6 using a .09µ process or less. Future chips will be faster but without additional heat dissipation due to improved fabrication processes and die shrinks to .06µ and .045µ over the next few years. Also, new heat conduction techniques could be used to eliminate hot spots from both CPU and GPU.
Hard drives are getting faster so one day we could see 7200 RPM standard and perhaps larger than 60GB. This would be excellent for mobile video editors.
Faster mobile DVD burners would sure be nice. At the moment, PBs use 1x DVD-R but 2x DVD-R is available so it'd be nice to see that in the next PB rev. Perhaps by the end of next year we will see 4x.
On the GPU front, the major vendors have decided to take a break and slow down chip development. They had been going at it pretty hard and need to consolidate a bit. There could certainly be die shrinks of existing desktop chips. I imagine there could be something along the lines of a mobile 9800 using a .09µ process. Basically, some time next year we could have faster graphics without significant additional heat or energy demand.
I don't know what the next predatory cat will be called but by the time 10.4 comes out, Apple could have a really significant new PowerBook that embodies all the latest cutting edge technologies. Here's a basic spec list:
Just something to think about in the year or so ahead.
Suppose we combine a few emerging technologies to come up with a wowzer PB that would be far more powerful than anything we can imagine today. A PB without peer or compromise. No limits, no limitations.
One of the biggest energy consumers in a notebook is the backlight for the display. With OLED, no problem. It doesn't have a backlight and doesn't use glass so it's thinner and lighter. I'm not sure when a full sized OLED can be used in a notebook but probably before the end of 2004.
Speaking of energy, how about if the heavy battery were replaced with a small, light fuel cell? With an OLED, such a PB could go for a few days of normal use without refueling. Considering some of the places PBs are used, that'd be really terrific!
Next up is the processor. The obvious choice here is a die shrunk G5 or a G6 using a .09µ process or less. Future chips will be faster but without additional heat dissipation due to improved fabrication processes and die shrinks to .06µ and .045µ over the next few years. Also, new heat conduction techniques could be used to eliminate hot spots from both CPU and GPU.
Hard drives are getting faster so one day we could see 7200 RPM standard and perhaps larger than 60GB. This would be excellent for mobile video editors.
Faster mobile DVD burners would sure be nice. At the moment, PBs use 1x DVD-R but 2x DVD-R is available so it'd be nice to see that in the next PB rev. Perhaps by the end of next year we will see 4x.
On the GPU front, the major vendors have decided to take a break and slow down chip development. They had been going at it pretty hard and need to consolidate a bit. There could certainly be die shrinks of existing desktop chips. I imagine there could be something along the lines of a mobile 9800 using a .09µ process. Basically, some time next year we could have faster graphics without significant additional heat or energy demand.
I don't know what the next predatory cat will be called but by the time 10.4 comes out, Apple could have a really significant new PowerBook that embodies all the latest cutting edge technologies. Here's a basic spec list:
- 15.4" OLED display
- .75" thin, 3.5 lbs.
- 3 GHz G6
- 1GB DDR500 dual channel SDRAM
- 120GB 7200RPM SATA HD
- 4x DVD-R SuperDrive
- Radeon mobility 9800 128MB
- Fuel cell module (no battery!)
Just something to think about in the year or so ahead.
Comments
Originally posted by Rolo
Speaking of energy, how about if the heavy battery were replaced with a small, light fuel cell? With an OLED, such a PB could go for a few days of normal use without refueling. Considering some of the places PBs are used, that'd be really terrific!
One of the problems they're having is that OLED's, being organic, have the tendency to deteriorate with time.
Quote:
[*]120MB 7200RPM SATA HD
Nice hard drive. I see Apple could have a new logo "small and speedy"
Ah well, it would be nice, but a bit unrealistic I think.
Originally posted by Majuki
One of the problems they're having is that OLED's, being organic, have the tendency to deteriorate with time.
Nice hard drive. I see Apple could have a new logo "small and speedy"
Well, I hope that deterioration problem can be solved. About the HD, oops.
---By the end of 2004...maybe. Sketchy, but maybe.
# .75" thin, 3.5 lbs.
Nice stats, and plausible.
# 3 GHz G6
BWAH! Give me a break--we won't even get the G5 in a 'Book until 2004.
# 1GB DDR500 dual channel SDRAM
You limit yourself--you can put 2GB in a 17" PB now, if you pay for it, and I expect that ceiling to go up.
# 120GB 7200RPM SATA HD
I have an 80GB drive today, so I'd be hoping for more like 160GB, but this is reasonable.
# 4x DVD-R SuperDrive
Yep.
# Radeon mobility 9800 128MB
Does this chip even exist? I guess I agree, since I can't tell what it is.
# Fuel cell module (no battery!)
Hmmmm. This is my fondest hope, but I think it's a long shot--battery tech doesn't progress the way chips and disks do. OTOH, they've been working on it for a while.
They made the Monster book, they have the 12" book, but they still don't have the portable, dockable book.
Today's technology would be fine --
10.4" LCD
.5-.66" thin
<1 gig ram
40 gb hd
3 lbs
2 usb 2.0
1 fw 800/400 adapter
And then all the Superdrive/etc etc would be external, so you wouldn't have to put up with a crappy 8x drive just because it's more portable.
Of course, this is from someone who's seriously drooling over the 17", but it's what I perceive as a long-standing hole in the product line.
The fuel cell could make the machine illegal in airlines due to compressed flamable gases. It would be better if it operated from either fuel cell or conventional battery. A conventional battery can be recharged in so many ways, such as by a car's or airplane's electric system, by portable solar panel, etc.
A benefit of oled's that I remember is that it can have a border of an 1/8th of an inch. I believe the current powerbooks are a little bit larger than 1/4 inch.
Originally posted by halode
I have more modest dreams.
They made the Monster book, they have the 12" book, but they still don't have the portable, dockable book.
Today's technology would be fine --
I've been waiting for the revival of the PowerBook Duo and Dock for ages. Unfortunately, Apple has disappointed me (in that repect only) just like it has disappointed Newton lovers so far. Even with an improved 12-inch PowerBook, I firmly believe there is a need for an optical drive-less 3 lbs sub-PowerBook with a good dock.
I have great hopes for OLED displays. But considering that tiny OLED displays only just started appearing in mobile phones, I fear we'll have to wait beyond 2004. Same with fuel cell technology. I like the idea of small disposable (or rechargeable) fuel cells, which could power PowerBooks for days of work in the field. But again, I fear that PowerBooks with the standby and "talk time" of mobile phones are more than a year off.
Really, I just want an updated 12-inch PowerBook.
Escher
Originally posted by Tidris
What would really impress me is if the OLED screen can be detached and mounted remotely from the CPU. I wouldn't expect the link between the screen and CPU to be wireless because that would require a separate power source for the screen.
The fuel cell could make the machine illegal in airlines due to compressed flamable gases. It would be better if it operated from either fuel cell or conventional battery. A conventional battery can be recharged in so many ways, such as by a car's or airplane's electric system, by portable solar panel, etc.
Well, no compressed gas, just a drop of methanol. My guess for the end of 2004 may be pushing it a bit but I'd sure like to see some significant progress made in the next 18 months. Here's an article dated 7/13 about it: Fuel cells may power laptops, cell phones
Of course, for the time being, I'll just really be happy to get a new 15" AlBook.
Originally posted by Rolo
Well, no compressed gas, just a drop of methanol.
Then it should be OK, after all they already serve alcohol in flight.
(well, as long as we're fantasizing...)
I don't understand fuel cells as a viable power source, because what do you do when they run out? Do you have to run to your local Apple store and buy a few more?
Rechargeable power sources make much more sense, imo.
But that's why the lid of laptops should be solar panels.