I'll never buy a desktop again. Portables are just too useful and convenient.
But the iMac is a portable. Only restriction is that you rely on a power outlet. OK, you need also a keyboard and a mouse. So a portable inside the home.
You know, PC reviews classify the new iMac as a "desktop replacement" replacement . And for good reason: some days ago, I saw a 17" Acer laptop, having the weight of the 17" iMac .
Does anyone have any concrete info about the PPC 7448? Is it rumored or confirmed that it has a 200Mhz bus and uses DDR400? Is this a real chip or merely a "logical guess" on what's going to be in it?
Does anyone have any concrete info about the PPC 7448? Is it rumored or confirmed that it has a 200Mhz bus and uses DDR400? Is this a real chip or merely a "logical guess" on what's going to be in it?
No one knows for sure right now. I guess we will find out next week, during the SNDF in Frankfurt. There is a new high-performance and low-power PowerPC processor coming from Freescale, see here. But there are no details at the moment, so we don't know what exactly is it or if it will be suitable for the Powerbooks. Only that it will run at under 10 W.
EDIT: down in the page I posted above, there is something about the 7447A. Can anyone see if there is something new or if it is simply a resume of well-known properties of the 7447A?
But the iMac is a portable. Only restriction is that you rely on a power outlet. OK, you need also a keyboard and a mouse. So a portable inside the home.
You know, PC reviews classify the new iMac as a "desktop replacement" replacement . And for good reason: some days ago, I saw a 17" Acer laptop, having the weight of the 17" iMac .
The iMacs weigh: 18.5 pounds for the 17" and 25.2 pounds for the 20" plus keyboard and mouse. That is not a desktop replacment, it is a desktop.
On the PC side most of the desktop replacements run between 7 - 10 pounds (You can even get a full 3.4GHz HT P4 desktop replacement notebook under 10 pounds).
What I want is a 2.5GHz G5 laptop that weighs around 10 pounds. I don't care about its thickness or looks. I want functional power in a portable form -- is that to much to ask for? You can get it on the PC side, and I don't think that there is a technical reason we cannot get it in a Mac.
On the PC side most of the desktop replacements run between 7 - 10 pounds (You can even get a full 3.4GHz HT P4 desktop replacement notebook under 10 pounds).
Yeah, I know that. However, the Acer I saw was indeed around 18 pounds.
Is not the iMac G5 good for you? Do you really need a machine that can run on battery and be taken on the road?
I carry my PB between work and home everyday - your suggestion is tempting cuz those G5 imacs are damm FAST!. I might even try that out for a week and see if i tire from the lugging.
Still, if indeed we get 1.8G G4 PB's for the next update - that will be the way to go.
But the iMac is a portable. Only restriction is that you rely on a power outlet. OK, you need also a keyboard and a mouse. So a portable inside the home.
You know, PC reviews classify the new iMac as a "desktop replacement" replacement . And for good reason: some days ago, I saw a 17" Acer laptop, having the weight of the 17" iMac .
Ummmm, no. The iMac is portable in the sense that it is not bolted to the ground. It is portable in the sense that you will always be within five feet of a power outlet. It is portable in the sense that the eMac is portable. In other words, the iMac is NOT portable. I am NOT going to take the iMac to a coffee shop, plug it in, plug my keyboard in, plug my mouse in, etc.
You're smoking crack if you think the new iMac is portable. I have played with them at the Apple store, and where they are nice, they AREN'T portables.
You're smoking crack if you think the new iMac is portable. I have played with them at the Apple store, and where they are nice, they AREN'T portables.
I thought I was quite clear. But guess I was not. Of course the new iMac is not portable. But it is pretty easy and simple to move it anywhere in a house or office, that's all I am saying. And after having tried a 12" Powerbook on my back, I would find now difficult to carry anything heavier.
We'll all just have to wait and see for the moment. As nice as a G5 would be inside a Powerbook, is it really entirely necessary right now?
If Apple releases speed bumped Powerbooks in the next month or two, with 1.6 to 1.8GHz G4 processors as the rumour site suggested, that seems pretty reasonable to me. The key thing that Apple needs to address right now in my opinion is the brightness of their mobile displays, as well as their battery life. Shouldn't be too difficult/expensive to bundle a higher capacity battery and migrate to a better screen, and a better battery shouldn't be a terribly big weight hit.
In my opinion, laptops should ideally focus primarily on portability when being designed - the smaller/thinner/lighter, the better. I don't like or agree with the concept of big, heavy desktop replacement category laptops with miniscule battery life, particularly since the noticeable speed difference between the two extremes is now pretty minimal for most purposes (i.e. using a Pentium-M based laptop vs. a Pentium 3.4GHz processor in a desktop replacement behemoth).
Minus my gripe about overall screen brightness, even the current Powerbook models are waaaaaaaaaaay ahead of their peers on the PC side of the pond.
Minus my gripe about overall screen brightness, even the current Powerbook models are waaaaaaaaaaay ahead of their peers on the PC side of the pond.
Pentium M's are much faster than powerbooks offerings, many of the PC laptops are lighter, faster and offer better battery life and wifi reception. Powerbooks might be slightly better in some categories, but they arent "waaaaaaaaay" ahead in terms of hardware, and in a lot of cases they are behind.
Minus my gripe about overall screen brightness, even the current Powerbook models are waaaaaaaaaaay ahead of their peers on the PC side of the pond.
Unfortunately, while that used to be true, nowadays the powerbooks have fallen behind their counterparts on the PC side. A few years ago powerbooks had no peers -- they were more powerful, had more features, and looked better than anything on the PC side. Now they lack power, have a feature list that matched or surpassed, and look about the same as an upscale PC notebook. (The lighted keyboard is the only feature missing form PC notebooks that I can think of off the top of my head. )
I want a G5 in a notebook, and I don't mean one of those wimpy 1.6GHhz ones either, give me a kick ass 2.5GHz G5 on a screaming fast bus with powerful graphics and lots of ports. (And for god's sake use a tray loading superdrive.)
I know that Apple could make one if SJ thought it was a good idea.
I want a G5 in a notebook, and I don't mean one of those wimpy 1.6GHhz ones either, give me a kick ass 2.5GHz G5 on a screaming fast bus with powerful graphics and lots of ports. (And for god's sake use a tray loading superdrive.)
I know that Apple could make one if SJ thought it was a good idea.
If Apple wanted to make a luggable computer, something 2.5 inches thick, 12 lbs, with 2 hours of battery life, perhaps.
Yes, Apple has some performance catching up to do in the area of roughly comparable laptops -- laptops in roughly the same size and weight category as their own -- but let's not confuse product categories.
The PC "laptops" with the kind of speed and graphics performance you're talking about are more like transportable desktops than laptops. I get the impression that such monsters are not a product category Apple is interested in pursuing.
If Apple wanted to make a luggable computer, something 2.5 inches thick, 12 lbs, with 2 hours of battery life, perhaps.
Yes, Apple has some performance catching up to do in the area of roughly comparable laptops -- laptops in roughly the same size and weight category as their own -- but let's not confuse product categories.
The PC "laptops" with the kind of speed and graphics performance you're talking about are more like transportable desktops than laptops. I get the impression that such monsters are not a product category Apple is interested in pursuing.
It would be a portable computer, not a luggable one. It seems silly to me that people are starting to term 10 pound laptops luggable. No, the Osborne was a luggable computer. The 10 pound notebook computers are portables, as was my wallstreet g3 which weighed about 10 pounds with both batteries in it (not to mention the other couple of pounds for the expansion bay accessories).
Unfortunately, Apple has not only been ignoring the heaver desktop replacement portables, but also the 3-4 pound compact modles. I almost got my brother-in-law to get a Mac, but he wanted something lighter than any of the Apple offerings.
I think it is past time for Apple to expand its portable line. They don't need to come out with as many models as Toshiba, Sony or Dell, but it would be nice if they would make the basic three categories:
Compact: 3-4 pounds.
Midsize: 4-7 pounds. (the current power book and iBook lines)
Luxury: 7-10 pounds.
Most of the PC notebook makers offer the notebooks in those three of more categories, Apple should do the same.
Actually, it won't be out for six weeks and Apple is skipping the G5 and moving straight on to the G6.
This is confirmed fact.
My dog told me.
This is odd, as my dog has never spoken to me before.
Even stranger, I don't even have a dog.
PowerBook G5s probably aren't that close but it would be cool if they could make it by Christmas. More like a MWSF, shipping by Feb or haha knowing Apple...March. If they can fit all that in to the iMac they can do it with a laptop. What amazes me is that they fit the power supply in there! I mean why not have a AC adapter brick! I wouldn't mind that at all. That was what really impressed me!
Considering how quiet it is??? Yes it is. Their engineers are so great. When I mean squeeze a G5 in to the iMac I do notmean the CPU itself. I mean everything else. I know that their are different versions of the G5 and that the FX is, I suppose, the chip intended for portables.
Comments
Originally posted by Yevgeny
I'll never buy a desktop again. Portables are just too useful and convenient.
But the iMac is a portable. Only restriction is that you rely on a power outlet. OK, you need also a keyboard and a mouse. So a portable inside the home.
You know, PC reviews classify the new iMac as a "desktop replacement" replacement
Originally posted by Spytap
Does anyone have any concrete info about the PPC 7448? Is it rumored or confirmed that it has a 200Mhz bus and uses DDR400? Is this a real chip or merely a "logical guess" on what's going to be in it?
No one knows for sure right now. I guess we will find out next week, during the SNDF in Frankfurt. There is a new high-performance and low-power PowerPC processor coming from Freescale, see here. But there are no details at the moment, so we don't know what exactly is it or if it will be suitable for the Powerbooks. Only that it will run at under 10 W.
EDIT: down in the page I posted above, there is something about the 7447A. Can anyone see if there is something new or if it is simply a resume of well-known properties of the 7447A?
This is confirmed fact.
My dog told me.
This is odd, as my dog has never spoken to me before.
Even stranger, I don't even have a dog.
Originally posted by PB
But the iMac is a portable. Only restriction is that you rely on a power outlet. OK, you need also a keyboard and a mouse. So a portable inside the home.
You know, PC reviews classify the new iMac as a "desktop replacement" replacement
The iMacs weigh: 18.5 pounds for the 17" and 25.2 pounds for the 20" plus keyboard and mouse. That is not a desktop replacment, it is a desktop.
On the PC side most of the desktop replacements run between 7 - 10 pounds (You can even get a full 3.4GHz HT P4 desktop replacement notebook under 10 pounds).
What I want is a 2.5GHz G5 laptop that weighs around 10 pounds. I don't care about its thickness or looks. I want functional power in a portable form -- is that to much to ask for? You can get it on the PC side, and I don't think that there is a technical reason we cannot get it in a Mac.
.
Originally posted by Amorph
OMG CONFIRMED!!!1
The PowerBook G5!
lol!!!!!!!!!
Originally posted by Res
On the PC side most of the desktop replacements run between 7 - 10 pounds (You can even get a full 3.4GHz HT P4 desktop replacement notebook under 10 pounds).
Yeah, I know that. However, the Acer I saw was indeed around 18 pounds.
Originally posted by PB
Is not the iMac G5 good for you? Do you really need a machine that can run on battery and be taken on the road?
I carry my PB between work and home everyday - your suggestion is tempting cuz those G5 imacs are damm FAST!. I might even try that out for a week and see if i tire from the lugging.
Still, if indeed we get 1.8G G4 PB's for the next update - that will be the way to go.
Originally posted by PB
But the iMac is a portable. Only restriction is that you rely on a power outlet. OK, you need also a keyboard and a mouse. So a portable inside the home.
You know, PC reviews classify the new iMac as a "desktop replacement" replacement
Ummmm, no. The iMac is portable in the sense that it is not bolted to the ground. It is portable in the sense that you will always be within five feet of a power outlet. It is portable in the sense that the eMac is portable. In other words, the iMac is NOT portable. I am NOT going to take the iMac to a coffee shop, plug it in, plug my keyboard in, plug my mouse in, etc.
You're smoking crack if you think the new iMac is portable. I have played with them at the Apple store, and where they are nice, they AREN'T portables.
Originally posted by Yevgeny
You're smoking crack if you think the new iMac is portable. I have played with them at the Apple store, and where they are nice, they AREN'T portables.
I thought I was quite clear. But guess I was not. Of course the new iMac is not portable. But it is pretty easy and simple to move it anywhere in a house or office, that's all I am saying. And after having tried a 12" Powerbook on my back, I would find now difficult to carry anything heavier.
If Apple releases speed bumped Powerbooks in the next month or two, with 1.6 to 1.8GHz G4 processors as the rumour site suggested, that seems pretty reasonable to me. The key thing that Apple needs to address right now in my opinion is the brightness of their mobile displays, as well as their battery life. Shouldn't be too difficult/expensive to bundle a higher capacity battery and migrate to a better screen, and a better battery shouldn't be a terribly big weight hit.
In my opinion, laptops should ideally focus primarily on portability when being designed - the smaller/thinner/lighter, the better. I don't like or agree with the concept of big, heavy desktop replacement category laptops with miniscule battery life, particularly since the noticeable speed difference between the two extremes is now pretty minimal for most purposes (i.e. using a Pentium-M based laptop vs. a Pentium 3.4GHz processor in a desktop replacement behemoth).
Minus my gripe about overall screen brightness, even the current Powerbook models are waaaaaaaaaaay ahead of their peers on the PC side of the pond.
Originally posted by Chagi
Minus my gripe about overall screen brightness, even the current Powerbook models are waaaaaaaaaaay ahead of their peers on the PC side of the pond.
Pentium M's are much faster than powerbooks offerings, many of the PC laptops are lighter, faster and offer better battery life and wifi reception. Powerbooks might be slightly better in some categories, but they arent "waaaaaaaaay" ahead in terms of hardware, and in a lot of cases they are behind.
Originally posted by Chagi
-snip-
Minus my gripe about overall screen brightness, even the current Powerbook models are waaaaaaaaaaay ahead of their peers on the PC side of the pond.
Unfortunately, while that used to be true, nowadays the powerbooks have fallen behind their counterparts on the PC side. A few years ago powerbooks had no peers -- they were more powerful, had more features, and looked better than anything on the PC side. Now they lack power, have a feature list that matched or surpassed, and look about the same as an upscale PC notebook. (The lighted keyboard is the only feature missing form PC notebooks that I can think of off the top of my head. )
I want a G5 in a notebook, and I don't mean one of those wimpy 1.6GHhz ones either, give me a kick ass 2.5GHz G5 on a screaming fast bus with powerful graphics and lots of ports. (And for god's sake use a tray loading superdrive.)
I know that Apple could make one if SJ thought it was a good idea.
Originally posted by Res
I want a G5 in a notebook, and I don't mean one of those wimpy 1.6GHhz ones either, give me a kick ass 2.5GHz G5 on a screaming fast bus with powerful graphics and lots of ports. (And for god's sake use a tray loading superdrive.)
I know that Apple could make one if SJ thought it was a good idea.
If Apple wanted to make a luggable computer, something 2.5 inches thick, 12 lbs, with 2 hours of battery life, perhaps.
Yes, Apple has some performance catching up to do in the area of roughly comparable laptops -- laptops in roughly the same size and weight category as their own -- but let's not confuse product categories.
The PC "laptops" with the kind of speed and graphics performance you're talking about are more like transportable desktops than laptops. I get the impression that such monsters are not a product category Apple is interested in pursuing.
Originally posted by shetline
If Apple wanted to make a luggable computer, something 2.5 inches thick, 12 lbs, with 2 hours of battery life, perhaps.
Yes, Apple has some performance catching up to do in the area of roughly comparable laptops -- laptops in roughly the same size and weight category as their own -- but let's not confuse product categories.
The PC "laptops" with the kind of speed and graphics performance you're talking about are more like transportable desktops than laptops. I get the impression that such monsters are not a product category Apple is interested in pursuing.
It would be a portable computer, not a luggable one. It seems silly to me that people are starting to term 10 pound laptops luggable. No, the Osborne was a luggable computer. The 10 pound notebook computers are portables, as was my wallstreet g3 which weighed about 10 pounds with both batteries in it (not to mention the other couple of pounds for the expansion bay accessories).
Unfortunately, Apple has not only been ignoring the heaver desktop replacement portables, but also the 3-4 pound compact modles. I almost got my brother-in-law to get a Mac, but he wanted something lighter than any of the Apple offerings.
I think it is past time for Apple to expand its portable line. They don't need to come out with as many models as Toshiba, Sony or Dell, but it would be nice if they would make the basic three categories:
Compact: 3-4 pounds.
Midsize: 4-7 pounds. (the current power book and iBook lines)
Luxury: 7-10 pounds.
Most of the PC notebook makers offer the notebooks in those three of more categories, Apple should do the same.
Actually, it won't be out for six weeks and Apple is skipping the G5 and moving straight on to the G6.
This is confirmed fact.
My dog told me.
This is odd, as my dog has never spoken to me before.
Even stranger, I don't even have a dog.
PowerBook G5s probably aren't that close but it would be cool if they could make it by Christmas. More like a MWSF, shipping by Feb or haha knowing Apple...March. If they can fit all that in to the iMac they can do it with a laptop. What amazes me is that they fit the power supply in there! I mean why not have a AC adapter brick! I wouldn't mind that at all. That was what really impressed me!
The G5 Powerbook will come when IBM can resolve its problems with the 970FX. The existance of the iMac has nothing to do with the Powerbook.
Dave
Originally posted by Aquatic
That was what really impressed me!
Motorola will never produce.