New PowerBooks, Power Macs due shortly
Long-awaited updates to Apple's PowerBook and Power Mac systems, once scheduled to make their debut last month in Paris, will finally surface later this October, reliable sources have told AppleInsider.
The new PowerBook G4 systems -- the last Apple laptop revision to run on PowerPC processors -- have been troubled by a series of small issues that have combined to delay their release by several weeks.
With Apple pushing to complete its transition to Intel chips ahead of schedule, the company this summer began dismantling its PowerPC engineering teams in favor of reallocating as many engineers towards its Intel projects as possible.
As a result of the engineering shifts, sources told AppleInsider that Apple's final round of PowerPC projects -- including the new PowerBooks -- have been met by a shortage of resources. The PowerBooks have also reportedly been plagued by bugs in the Intrepid 2 chipset that were causing systems to underperform when compared to their predecessors.
Although previous reports had indicated that the PowerBooks would see a slight speed bump to 1.7GHz via Freescale's MPC7448 G4 microprocessor, more recent information suggests that Apple may have scrapped these plans. Instead, sources say the PowerBooks may continue to utilize the MPC7447A running at 1.67GHz, which is the same processor used in the existing PowerBook line.
Much of the allure that will surround the new 15-inch and 17-inch PowerBooks will be due to component enhancements such as higher-density displays. Previously published Apple documentation hints that the 17-inch model will sport a native resolution near 1920 x 1200 pixels.
Internally, the new PowerBooks are said to sport DDR2 memory (and the Intrepid 2 chipset), larger hard disk drives, slightly improved battery life and dual-layer DVD burning SuperDrives. There's also a possibility, sources say, that dual-layer SuperDrives included with the systems will be Blu-ray drives. However, this is far from certain (and we wouldn't count on it).
Sources say Apple plans to unveil the new 15-inch and 17-inch PowerBook systems on October 19th through its website, though a number of factors could delay an announcement till the following week. Meanwhile, the fate of the 12-inch PowerBook continues to hang in the balance with sources predicting minor, if any, revisions to the offering.
Around the same time that the new PowerBooks make their debut -- and likely on the same day -- Apple is also expected unveil its most powerful Power Mac systems ever. Admittedly, the exact specifications of these systems are unknown at this time, though sources say the systems will be based on IBM's dual-core PowerPC 970MP G5 processors.
Each new PowerMac will boast two of the PowerPC 970MP processors for a total of four cores of processing power. Improved PCI-E-based graphics and dual-layer SuperDrives are also a lock, sources added.
Both the new PowerBooks and Power Macs are expected to gain software support from a build of the soon-to-be released Mac OS X 10.4.3 Update. The Mac OS X "Tiger" update is fast approaching gold master status, recently reaching build 8F40 and weighing in just shy of 100MB.
As an added teaser, sources have also recently hinted at a photography-related announcement that will coincide with the release of Apple's new PowerBooks and Power Macs, but as with the Power Macs, details remain scant.
Unless plans change drastically over the next several months, AppleInsider sources expect these new Pro machines to be the last PowerPC-based systems to ever emerge from Apple's Cupertino, Calif.-based design studios.
Apple last updated its PowerBook systems in February and its Power Macs in April.
The new PowerBook G4 systems -- the last Apple laptop revision to run on PowerPC processors -- have been troubled by a series of small issues that have combined to delay their release by several weeks.
With Apple pushing to complete its transition to Intel chips ahead of schedule, the company this summer began dismantling its PowerPC engineering teams in favor of reallocating as many engineers towards its Intel projects as possible.
As a result of the engineering shifts, sources told AppleInsider that Apple's final round of PowerPC projects -- including the new PowerBooks -- have been met by a shortage of resources. The PowerBooks have also reportedly been plagued by bugs in the Intrepid 2 chipset that were causing systems to underperform when compared to their predecessors.
Although previous reports had indicated that the PowerBooks would see a slight speed bump to 1.7GHz via Freescale's MPC7448 G4 microprocessor, more recent information suggests that Apple may have scrapped these plans. Instead, sources say the PowerBooks may continue to utilize the MPC7447A running at 1.67GHz, which is the same processor used in the existing PowerBook line.
Much of the allure that will surround the new 15-inch and 17-inch PowerBooks will be due to component enhancements such as higher-density displays. Previously published Apple documentation hints that the 17-inch model will sport a native resolution near 1920 x 1200 pixels.
Internally, the new PowerBooks are said to sport DDR2 memory (and the Intrepid 2 chipset), larger hard disk drives, slightly improved battery life and dual-layer DVD burning SuperDrives. There's also a possibility, sources say, that dual-layer SuperDrives included with the systems will be Blu-ray drives. However, this is far from certain (and we wouldn't count on it).
Sources say Apple plans to unveil the new 15-inch and 17-inch PowerBook systems on October 19th through its website, though a number of factors could delay an announcement till the following week. Meanwhile, the fate of the 12-inch PowerBook continues to hang in the balance with sources predicting minor, if any, revisions to the offering.
Around the same time that the new PowerBooks make their debut -- and likely on the same day -- Apple is also expected unveil its most powerful Power Mac systems ever. Admittedly, the exact specifications of these systems are unknown at this time, though sources say the systems will be based on IBM's dual-core PowerPC 970MP G5 processors.
Each new PowerMac will boast two of the PowerPC 970MP processors for a total of four cores of processing power. Improved PCI-E-based graphics and dual-layer SuperDrives are also a lock, sources added.
Both the new PowerBooks and Power Macs are expected to gain software support from a build of the soon-to-be released Mac OS X 10.4.3 Update. The Mac OS X "Tiger" update is fast approaching gold master status, recently reaching build 8F40 and weighing in just shy of 100MB.
As an added teaser, sources have also recently hinted at a photography-related announcement that will coincide with the release of Apple's new PowerBooks and Power Macs, but as with the Power Macs, details remain scant.
Unless plans change drastically over the next several months, AppleInsider sources expect these new Pro machines to be the last PowerPC-based systems to ever emerge from Apple's Cupertino, Calif.-based design studios.
Apple last updated its PowerBook systems in February and its Power Macs in April.
Comments
--B
All dual-core PM lineup sounds like a pipedream. This is Apple we're talking about. They'll have a dual dual-core at the top but the bottom and mid units will be single 970MP systems. Count on it.
So much for the people who shouted "apple they notmakin computrs no more they just for poids now they suk why not pwermacs on wensday"
"With Apple pushing to complete its transition to Intel chips ahead of schedule"
More talk like that, please
I want my YonahBook for New Years
Originally posted by nagromme
I want my YonahBook for New Years
Maybe I am too risk-averse but I rather have a 1.8 GHz G4 running Photoshop natively than having to run it on a Yonah via Rosetta until the end of next year (when the Intel-native version will come out).
...
With Apple pushing to complete its transition to Intel chips ahead of schedule,
...
I like that "ahead of schedule" part.
This makes me ponder: What is Steve going to do for MWSF???
The push on the Mactels is also good news - hopefully the first will be shown at MWSF in January.
Does any developer working with 10.4.3 have any feelings on how close it is to release?
Why not throw in a remote and Front Row, they have to give us something
I would love to see new displays as well with Isight built-in and maybe a larger than 30" cinema display. Hopefully prices on the display will drop too.
I don't see any tacky thing myself. actually is very subtle IMHO.
of course they throw in your face "ahead of schedule"
do i really want to spend 2500 on a new PB?
someone tell me what to do! when will the new intels come out? when would the best time to buy them be?
ahhhhhhh
Originally posted by Elixir
well theres the update i was waiting for.
of course they throw in your face "ahead of schedule"
do i really want to spend 2500 on a new PB?
someone tell me what to do! when will the new intels come out? when would the best time to buy them be?
ahhhhhhh
i hate to go all yoda on you, but answer that, only you can. simply put, do you actually have any current OR imminent paying projects that a.) cannot be handled by your current set-up and b.) can recoup your investment quickly? if not, if you're ONLY trying to buy top of the line to stave off obsolesence, save your money and just buy a nice high-end ibook or the cheapest powerbook on a clearance sale AFTER the new ones are announced, because ALL computers go obsolete way too quickly.
hell, ipods are almost computers and go obsolete on a weekly basis.
Originally posted by Kolchak
1920x1200 on a 17" widescreen display. Ow. I run 1600x1200 on a 20" display and everything's already nearly too small for me. I think we're looking at some serious eyestrain here. (No pun intended.)
1600x1200 is a baseline resolution on 20" displays, with 100 DPI (which is roughly the standard DPI among Apple displays). If that's too small, you may need new eye glasses.
Although 1920x1200 on 17" may yield small fonts (133 DPI), for some people, such resolution is a must for the type of work they do.
Not because I don't want one ('cause I do) ... but I don't want to hear the whining from all the people with poor eyesight.