Next revision of the Powerbook/iBook?
Hi all,
I wanted to know if someone has an idea of when will be the next revision/update of the Powerbook or the iBook.
Will there be and update to the powerbook G4's before it's going to use G5 chips (which is going to take quite some time from what I read)?
Thanks alot.
I wanted to know if someone has an idea of when will be the next revision/update of the Powerbook or the iBook.
Will there be and update to the powerbook G4's before it's going to use G5 chips (which is going to take quite some time from what I read)?
Thanks alot.
Comments
seriously though they just updated the portable line...so buy it unless you wanna waot forever...whether or not the next line of powerbooks will have g5's or not is up for debate but i'm not gunna guess.
As for when they will be updated again...next winter/spring...enjoy
Right now that is also in the air - IBM is having (or had) problems with the 970FX, the Power 5 based Gx is heading to reality and FreeScale (Moto without the duds that screwed up the G4) is also impressing Apple with things scheduled for summer. Best guess is that the Power 5 based chip will go into PM's and the 970fx will go into PBs, unless FreeScale can kick their @ss for less money.
Look for fall for anything significant unless IBM really pulls something out of the hat.
Originally posted by tphss
Hi all,
I wanted to know if someone has an idea of when will be the next revision/update of the Powerbook or the iBook.
Will there be and update to the powerbook G4's before it's going to use G5 chips (which is going to take quite some time from what I read)?
Thanks alot.
Just updated, so it's irrelevant when the next updates will be. Also, I doubt you need a G5 powerbook, if you're considering one.
P.S.
Ofcourse I don't NEED, but it would be nice
Anyway if I'll spend so much money on a powerbook and a month later it will be updated, it will be quite annoying.
And I don't need one anyway. Maybe I can justify it by the time they arrive. And maybe I'll have enough money to buy one by then.
I really wanted a G4 when it came out, but there's something not quite right about the AlBooks. For some reason that escapes me, I prefer the TiBooks. I don't know what it is.
So I'd like a G5 when they get here. I'd be interested in educated guesses as to when they'll get here, so I can save up.
With the rumours about IBM ramping up the production of 975s in May, it seems reasonable to assume that at least the worst of the problems with the 970FX have already been resolved. (Would it make sense to put alot of resources into making a chip when you can't get its predecessor quite right yet? I have to think not.)
Originally posted by Nebagakid
I promise to you that in a month's time, your computer will still be a new PowerBook.
I'm only buying a Powerbook or maybe a iBook on July/August anyway...
Originally posted by Sh0eWax
It will still be new don't worry. Now if you are looking to buy a G5 PB definitevely in the future, you might consider buying an iBook now, then dumping it on eBay by the time the G5 rolls out... You would lose a little cash but it might be worth it to you, depending on how much you want one..
That's a pretty good idea, haven't thought about doing that...
Originally posted by ipodandimac
Just updated, so it's irrelevant when the next updates will be. Also, I doubt you need a G5 powerbook, if you're considering one.
I'm so tired of people saying that. Of course he doesn't need a faster computer, in fact, no one needs a computer at all (it is not integral to survival). We just want computers, and there is nothing wrong with wanting a G5 powerbook.
Truthfully, it is going to take a long time before any computer company comes out with a laptop computer that will really satisfy my "wants." Maybe in an other decade or two. Until then I'll just keep up grading every couple of years to the fastest computer I can afford.
Right now I'm trying to deiced whether to hold out for a G5 powerbook or get one of the just updated one. It is a tough decision: the new powerbooks are twice as powerful as my current 800MHz G4 Ti powerbook, but not really quite fast enough for some of the recording projects I want to do.
Originally posted by Res
I'm so tired of people saying that. Of course he doesn't need a faster computer, in fact, no one needs a computer at all (it is not integral to survival). We just want computers, and there is nothing wrong with wanting a G5 powerbook.
Truthfully, it is going to take a long time before any computer company comes out with a laptop computer that will really satisfy my "wants." Maybe in an other decade or two. Until then I'll just keep up grading every couple of years to the fastest computer I can afford.
Right now I'm trying to deiced whether to hold out for a G5 powerbook or get one of the just updated one. It is a tough decision: the new powerbooks are twice as powerful as my current 800MHz G4 Ti powerbook, but not really quite fast enough for some of the recording projects I want to do.
You said just what I wanted to say.
And I will most likely use the portable computer i'll buy for video editing, picture editing and maybe sound recording, but most likely that I will buy a desktop computer for audio recording and editing.
I think someone's kicking the habit!
1. Apple uses a low-voltage version of the PPC970fx with a higher clock multiplier.
2. Apple uses the Freescale e600.
I tend to believe that option 1 will be the one.
Apple could reuse some of its motherboard and system controller design of the PowerMac G5 for the PowerBook. As IBM learns to handle their 0.09 micron process they will be able to aim for an even lower-voltage version.
Of course it would be perfect for performance and power reasons to have the system controller on the chip. On the other hand that is a little unflexible. If you want to alter the system controller, you would have to change the chip.
Alternatively IBM could include a bigger cache to compensate for the slower bus.
Freescale's e600 product is 90% vaporware as of now. I highly doubt, that they are able to improve the e600 core (more pipeline stages for more MegaHertz), add Rapid IO in place of MaxBus and shrink to 0.09 micron all at the same time.
My prediction is that we will see a PowerBook G5 by AppleExpo 2004 or MWSF 2005.
The G5 depends on high clock and a huge FSB for it's speed.
Both things that are very hard to accomodate in a laptop. A G5 with a high FSB multiplier may not be worth it unless the CPU Hz climb a great deal. A faster clocking G5 might all the benefits of a die shrink, and there you are back to square one.
It's ever more apparent that mobile CPU's will have to develop in a different direction than desktop CPU's.
Which is not to say that IBM can't do it, or that the G5 isn't a great place to start. It just may be a lot more complicated than a simple die shrink.
The longer it takes, the more viable moto/frescale becomes.
Imagine, if you will, today's G4, die shrunk, with a DDR FSB, and 2MB of L3 cache enabled? Moto/freescale is really only one revision away from such a product.
If you're Apple, would you turn it down?
Originally posted by Sh0eWax
What was said by both of you above is very true, but in the light of recent updates, it seems very unlikely that a new update will be available within the next couple months, thus Spring '05 seems most likely in my opinion... None-the less, if you are going to buy that desktop, look more thuroughly into getting an iBook, it will save you some money, unless you can afford both of the "top-of-the-line" computers available in the pro-user catagory...
We will get updates in late September, that's my guess...or possibly by early January (MacWorld San Fran).
Originally posted by quagmire
When the Powerbook G5's come around I would like to see a 20" screen.
I imagine it would come with straps already attatched so that you could carry it on your back like a backpack.
Originally posted by Sh0eWax
I imagine it would come with straps already attatched so that you could carry it on your back like a backpack.
Or how about pop-out wheels on one corner, with a handle so you could pull it behind you.