Apple Confirms NO G5 PowerBooks anytime soon
Thought I would point this out for all those who think a G5 PowerBook is "right around the corner". It ain't...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3639825.stm
They "hint" at at LEAST a year left ( G4 took more than two years from desktop to laptop) until they are ready to roll one out.
So we can buy this one and be happy that we have the latest and greatest at least until Christmas.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3639825.stm
They "hint" at at LEAST a year left ( G4 took more than two years from desktop to laptop) until they are ready to roll one out.
So we can buy this one and be happy that we have the latest and greatest at least until Christmas.
Comments
I read the doom and gloom posts over at MacRumors on this topic. I really get the feeling it's mostly a bunch of young whiners who probably would complain that the G5 is too expensive to buy even if it did come out today.
It wasn't long ago that it was hard to imagine G4 above 1 GHz getting stuffed into a powerbook and even more so an iBook. The G5 will get in there one day, but I still think they are very good and useful machines without it.
People have stated that the Wintel laptops are kicking Apples behind. I can't comment since I won't and don't touch the things. Out of curiosity, I would be interested to hear from anyone who does use both as to the truth in that statement. Do the G4 really lag that far behind? Whatever the answer, it won't seperate me from my alu-baby.
By the time the PB G5 comes out, it should at least have a fuel cell and liquid cooling. Throw in better screens, maybe OLED, and an 8x DVD-R SuperDrive. Oh, and a 120GB 7200 rpm HD and super fast graphics with 128MB standard, AGP 8x.
And the speed? Somewhere in the 2 to 2.5+ GHz range, I suppose.
Originally posted by jfdesign
Thought I would point this out for all those who think a G5 PowerBook is "right around the corner". It ain't...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3639825.stm
They "hint" at at LEAST a year left ( G4 took more than two years from desktop to laptop) until they are ready to roll one out.
So we can buy this one and be happy that we have the latest and greatest at least until Christmas.
greg joswiak is a liar. he said it took apple at least 2 years for the G4 chip to make it from the powermac to the powerbook.
in fact: the powermac G4 was announced in september 1999 while the powerbook G4 was announced in januari 2001... that's just over 16 months
if he refers this way to an occasion in the past as a timeline to expect new powerbooks it can mean 3 things:
he lies and we will see powerbooks G5s in 2004 anyway, because he doesn't want to steal sales of the current crop of powerbooksG4
he tells the truth and that means they were enginering the powerbook G5 since the end of 2002 so we get it in 2004 anyway, because he doesn't want to steal sales of the current rev.
he lies because the truth hurts
from macminute:
April 19, 2004 - 21:30 EDT__ Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of hardware product marketing, told the BBC today that a PowerBook using the PowerPC G5 processor is still a long way off. "The G5 is part of our long term processor roadmap, but it will be some time before that processor will be in a notebook," he said. As previously reported, Apple engineers are working on reducing the heat generated by the chip before it can be incorporated into the laptops. Joswiak pointed out that it had taken at least two years for the G4 chip to make it from the Power Mac to PowerBook.
Originally posted by Rolo
I wonder how much more they can get out of the G4.
As it has already been discussed here, if integrated dual core G4s come in to light later this year or beginning 2005, then there is no point to move the Powerbooks to G5 for quite some time. And don't forget: this 1.5 GHz G4 came suddenly from the nowhere.
They just released new products, so he would say this wouldn't he...
Originally posted by gar
greg joswiak is a liar. he said it took apple at least 2 years for the G4 chip to make it from the powermac to the powerbook.
in fact: the powermac G4 was announced in september 1999 while the powerbook G4 was announced in januari 2001... that's just over 16 months
maybe instead of calling him a LIAR, you could be rational and look at other explanations for why he may have said two years.
For example, do you think that there is a POSSIBILITY that they were beginning with the conceptual designs of the G4 PowerMacs and PowerBooks MONTHS ahead of their initial release of the PowerMac G4? I'd say this sounds reasonable, or even Probable.
So maybe by the time from initial planning to product release, it was a 2 year process.
See how maybe hes not a LIAR but speaking from a different perspective than an "Outsider" who thinks he has the scoop
Patrick
Originally posted by Carson O'Genic
People have stated that the Wintel laptops are kicking Apples behind. I can't comment since I won't and don't touch the things. Out of curiosity, I would be interested to hear from anyone who does use both as to the truth in that statement.
I do Java development for a living. This is quite heavy on CPU performance, but especially on bus-bandwidth and/or cache size. Last fall, I needed to buy a new laptop and did a comparison of the then-current (1.25 Ghz 15", 2,500 ?) PowerBook and an el-cheapo POS Centrino 1.3 Ghz (1,200 ?).
What should I say? the Centrino won hands-down, it was up to two times as fast in certain tasks. So I am currently using my old Ti400 for mail and chat and the Centrino for work, surfing and video.
Originally posted by AppleCello
maybe instead of calling him a LIAR, you could be rational and look at other explanations for why he may have said two years.
For example, do you think that there is a POSSIBILITY that they were beginning with the conceptual designs of the G4 PowerMacs and PowerBooks MONTHS ahead of their initial release of the PowerMac G4? I'd say this sounds reasonable, or even Probable.
So maybe by the time from initial planning to product release, it was a 2 year process.
See how maybe hes not a LIAR but speaking from a different perspective than an "Outsider" who thinks he has the scoop
Patrick
before bitching me about the subject read my entire post:
he tells the truth and that means they were enginering the powerbook G5 since the end of 2002 so we get it in 2004 anyway, because he doesn't want to steal sales of the current rev.
i thought about that option already and based my bs prediction on it.
Making Sense of the Latest Apple Product Introductions
You have to feel energized over the past week, now that Apple has updated its laptops and one of its consumer desktops. It is enough to make you optimistic that more great stuff is coming down the pike, and you can certainly make some educated guesses about what might appear in the next few months.
Unless Apple introduces a whole new computer product line--and an ultra-cheap headless eMac would be nice even if the prospects aren't terribly promising right now--the iMac and Power Macs are clearly next. Since Apple only changed the basic Power Mac form factor last summer, it's not likely that the new models will have substantial changes. I would, of course, like to see a little more elbow room inside to contain another hard drive, and, perhaps, a second optical drive if one is so inclined. But the real excitement would be a much faster G5, assuming you do the sort of work that will require superior performance.
As to the flat-panel iMac, clearly this product just hasn't aged all that well, and is nowhere as successful as its predecessor. Maybe it's a little to pricey in a market where cheap PC boxes are $399, but that's sad. The latest iMac is a first-rate computer, and the folks that have purchased them are largely pleased, not just because it looks great, but because it performs pretty well.
So what's wrong? As I said, price for one thing. The iMac occupies a Twilight Zone that begins only a few hundred dollars below the entry-level Power Mac G5 and ends, with the 20-inch version, a price that's not far removed from the mid-range G5. If you forget the snazzy form factor, you may find that it's not such a good deal after all, especially if you have a display at hand that you aren't ready to discard.
Clearly the falling sales of the iMac aren't lost to Apple, so I wouldn't be surprised if a successor is being worked on as we speak. What form it might take, however, is anyone's guess. Some speculate the lamp base shape will continue, with a few changes here and there, but that Apple will outfit the next iMac with a G5.
It would be nice, of course, to see something of that sort, and, coupled with a lower price, it could reinvigorate the product. But the same issues that, so far at least, prevent Apple from putting a G5 in a PowerBook will make it difficult to accomplish a similar task with an iMac. How do you keep the chip and the rest of the circuitry cool with such a tiny case? After all, it takes nine fans to handle those chores properly on a Power Mac.
I asked Apple VP Greg Joswiak this question during a brief conversation about the new laptop line Monday morning, and he was remarkably forthcoming about the obstacles, admitting that "There is a significant amount of product that engineering that goes into cooling such chips." He reminded me that it took two years to make a G4 work in a PowerBook, although he wouldn't say it would take that long to accomplish the task with the G5. If it did, you shouldn't expect the long-rumored PowerBook G5 until the summer of 2005 at the earliest.
Joswiak also says that the "G4 is an amazing chip. What more can you ask for a portable processor?" After recounting its performance potential, he concluded that "I'm sure we'll be shipping G4s in some shape or fashion for a long, long time."
Now perhaps he has evidence at hand that Motorola will continue to be able to eke out performance improvements with the G4, so perhaps, six months from now, the next iBook and PowerBook speed bumps will simply incorporate speedier versions of that chip.
Yes, I realize some of you readers might prefer to believe that Joswiak is just blowing smoke and that he knows Apple is farther along the path of taming the G5 for laptop use than the company is willing to admit. That way, Steve Jobs can amaze us with something we simply didn't expect. In addition, the conspiracy theorists among you might suggest that he's also trying to goose sales of the existing line. Why buy an iBook or PowerBook today if a much faster processor isn't terribly far off? But even then, based on Apple's traditional upgrade cycle, we wouldn't see anything until late fall at the earliest, and that might be an overly optimistic prediction.
In any case, with laptops taking up nearly half of Apple's computer sales, it's certain the company wouldn't object to an earlier rather than later arrival of a model with a G5. But don't hold your breath.
Isn't Apple trying to update things every 6-8 months. That would mean in October or a little later new Powerbooks should be nearly ready, right?
Originally posted by MacsRGood4U
Joswiak also says that the "G4 is an amazing chip. What more can you ask for a portable processor?" After recounting its performance potential, he concluded that "I'm sure we'll be shipping G4s in some shape or fashion for a long, long time."
Seriously, I believe senior Apple execs should be required to do 25% of their work, typing and surfing on current wintel hard- and software. This way, they would retain a feeling for state of the art.
Joswiak is obviously completely out of sync with reality if he believes the G4 is top-notch for a mobile CPU. People are switching to workstation-replacement notebooks in droves - ultralight laptops with lower performance are no longer the only large segment Apple should cater to.
Originally posted by Smircle
Seriously, I believe senior Apple execs should be required to do 25% of their work, typing and surfing on current wintel hard- and software. This way, they would retain a feeling for state of the art.
Joswiak is obviously completely out of sync with reality if he believes the G4 is top-notch for a mobile CPU. People are switching to workstation-replacement notebooks in droves - ultralight laptops with lower performance are no longer the only large segment Apple should cater to.
The quote makes no mention of Powerbooks using G4s:
Joswiak also says that the "G4 is an amazing chip. What more can you ask for a portable processor?" After recounting its performance potential, he concluded that "I'm sure we'll be shipping G4s in some shape or fashion for a long, long time."
He said it can't go G5 yet, so until then we are "stuck" with G4. But that doesn't mean that "I'm sure we'll be shipping G4s in some shape or fashion for a long, long time." means "powerbooks will be G4 for a long, long time".
I'm sure he means iBook, possibly iMac (but I would think iMac could go G5 sooner). And it might also refer to as-of-yet-unknown products that might use G4s.
Sky isn't falling, it's propped up with a stick. Although I think that 2005 is a tease and it'll actually be sooner. Always exceed expectations by exaggerating development time/delays. Then when you ship on time it'll be perceived as early.
Originally posted by Carson O'Genic
People have stated that the Wintel laptops are kicking Apples behind. I can't comment since I won't and don't touch the things. Out of curiosity, I would be interested to hear from anyone who does use both as to the truth in that statement. Do the G4 really lag that far behind? Whatever the answer, it won't seperate me from my alu-baby.
I use an IBM X30 (bought around 6 months ago) at the office (not sure what chip, but it was top of the range when it was bought) and a 15" Al book (1.256Ghz, 1GB RAM) at home.
Main apps being used are Office, IE, Safari and iPhoto (plus a few others).
Surfing - no noticeable difference in terms of performance - Safari has a few good features such as tabbed browsing which makes things quite a bit more productive.
Office Apps - Word - performance about the same - Apple slightly slower but no impact on productivity. Excel & PowerPoint - somewhat slower on the Apple but still very usable. Bigger documents tend to show more sluggish performance on the Apple. The main issue, I suspect, is poorly written Apps on the part of Microsoft (perhaps they are simply porting the same code base without much optimisation). The well written Apps (some of the Adobe apps), Safari, etc work very very well on the Apple.
Originally posted by johnq
Always exceed expectations by exaggerating development time/delays. Then when you ship on time it'll be perceived as early.
Mr. Jobs, do you always multiply your production time estimates by a factor of four?
"Of course I do, how else do you expect me to maintain my reputation as a miracle worker?"
In a laptop situation, what is the drive to G5 vs G4?
- Jasen.
Originally posted by Smircle
Joswiak is obviously completely out of sync with reality if he believes the G4 is top-notch for a mobile CPU.
Come on, what are you expecting him to say about the G4? How sorry he feels to see it trounced badly by the Pentium-M for more than a year now?
As the head sales honcho, Jozwiak obviously wants people to buy current hardware, not wait for future imaginary products. He has a vested interest in making people buy now, rather than wait until tomorrow. Stating that the PowerBook G5 is far away -- regardless of whether it actually is or not -- makes today's PowerBook G4 look more attractive.
Personally, I couldn't care less when a PowerBook G5 will arrive. I am perfectly happy with yesterday's update, my iBook is running out of steam, and I want to move back into the PowerBook fold asap. I'll be ordering a 12-incher in the next week or two, for delivery after my last finals (wouldn't want to ruin finals with a new tool from Apple), regardless of what Jozwiak says to stir sales.
Escher
Originally posted by Escher
Anybody remember when Greg Jozwiak said that the G3 was part of Apple's long-term plan? Then we got the iBook G4 in the fall of 2003, earlier than we expected, banning the G3 to the vault of antiquity. History repeats itself.
If I remember well, Apple's statement about the G3 and the iBook G4 introduction are separated by more than one year. If history is going to repeat itself, then no G5-based Powerbook before summer 2005. Correct me if I am wrong on the Apple statement timing.