As cool as it would be to have SuperDrive's accross the range, I think it's highly doubtful- as JD said, how many people wanna burn DVDs?
Personally I'd like to see the SuperDrive as a BTO option as I'm a bit miffed as to why the 733 model can't have it (this time last year the 733 had a SuperDrive so it can't be a question of the processor not being able to handle it).</strong><hr></blockquote>
yes it is actually... the 733 doesnt have the L3 cache that it did last year at MWSF.... w/o the L3 cache it is much slower so you would get worse times with the superdrive and iDVD... also apple gets better margins with the CDRW...
Maybe this will come as a surprise to you, but not everyone has their own movies to burn to DVD. In fact it's probably a safe bet that a minority of Powermac buyers will have any need for the Superdrive. If someone plans on using their powermac for DTP, or website development, any number of things that don't include digital video, then a Superdrive is superfluous.
If Apple were going to add the Superdrive to even the low end tower, then I'd rather they keep it off and just drop the price on the low end by 300-500 bucks. The way Apple is pushing this superdrive, it reminds me of the DVD-ROM drives they were pushing a while back. Yeah they were nice for the 5% who watched DVDs on their computer (including me), but most people watch DVDs on their TV. Just like most people don't have any need for a DVD-burner.
If the superdrive could dupe a DVD movie, then it would be a hot item. But for now the superdrive is only valuable to the digital video market--an important market for Apple to be sure, but not their ONLY market.</strong><hr></blockquote>
then they shouldn't charge 1699 and they should offer it as a dwngrade at BTO.
no excuse for this. you don't have to make some dumb winded post about it
then they shouldn't charge 1699 and they should offer it as a dwngrade at BTO.
no excuse for this. you don't have to make some dumb winded post about it</strong><hr></blockquote>
Agreed. And everyone seems to be forgetting that the Superdrive (even if it's not documented) has been shown to be data-compatible. With hard disk sizes getting larger, it would be nice not to have to spend extra $$ on a separate backup medium.
Well Thinksecret agrees and says they will show the machines to employees thursday. And i was for the first time thinking the g5 may be out next month. If they release these itsver for the g5 at least till MWNY
4 usb ports thjat is unlikely that would requite a mobo rev
No it doesn't. Do this experiment. Open up your Quicksilver case. Unscrew the fan that blows over the heatsink. Look on the motherboard under where the fan used to be. There are posts for 2 more USB ports. I can take a picture later at work.
Remember that Apple likes to include the two USB ports on the keyboard when it lists the total number of ports. That's why Jobs said the new iMac has "five USB ports."
NB: this is just me messing with a text editor: the "select" links still go to Apple's current G4s. This is not a leaked Apple Store page.
My prediction is that the 745x goes out in as much style as it can muster: larger HDs, more RAM and GeForce 3s on Faster and Ultimate. The guess is that Apple has a supply of fast 745xs (1 and 1.2GHz), which it is going to use to clear the way for Apollo/G5/whatever.
To make the G4s more iMac competitive, the prices are below current ones, but without the Crystal Clear display offer. Remember that these speculated machines are to clear the SDR mobos/745Xs. The 800MHz "Fast" machine has L3 cache to further differentiate it from the iMac, but keeps a CD-RW and MX to keep costs down. However, I'm unsure if there will be a G4 tower that much cheaper than an iMac 2. The prices are probably too optimistic. Although Superdrives on the whole range would be nice, they're still expensive and not a necessity. The same goes for GeForce 4s/Ti500s.
I don't think that souped up 745x machines would ship with DDR because of the limited benefits with a 133MHz/64bit FSB.
KidRed, that first link you posted shows me absolutely nothing. I logged in with my education ID and password and all it does is bring you to the Learn and Earn homepage with no mention of any new PowerMacs. I just don't see how this can be the real deal unless someone screwed up all of a sudden and then fixed it, which could have happened, but I doubt it.
Again, I don't understand why an update like this wouldn't have been announced at MWSF. It would not have stolen any thunder from the new iMac, and Jobs would simply announce specs and that a higher speed pro line would be shipping at the same time as the iMacs. (SpyMac seems to have its panties in a wad about this) Why delay such a miniscule annnouncement?
Then again, if these "leaked" specs turn out to be true, maybe Steve didn't want to be booed off stage. <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />
The Superdrive is useful for backup. It isn't unreasonable at all to have it in all models. I am involved in digital video but if I had a Superdrive that's not the only thing I would use it for. I hope the new desktops do have the Superdrive in all models because depending on the prices for the various models, I may not be able to afford one of the two high end units and still get the accessories I need. I know Apple hasn't been pushing the Superdrive this way but that's only in keeping with the digital hub idea. If users also use it for backup all the better.
This sound perfect and in tune with what many others have said. The G4 will not benefit much from DDR ram. This is also consistant with other reports that the Apollo chips are lagging behind and will not be seen untill the summer. What they should do is drop the price for all the machines. $2499 for a 933Mhz machine is crappy.
The low end PM has an 800 mhz processor. Does apple really intend to compete with its imac in such a fashion?
If they do, look for the PM line to drop in price by like 500 dollars. (just in the low end)
blah blah. that macworld.uk thing. "apple changed it's plans because they had too much in the channel already" well, sure makes for a better explanation than "still working on getting enough supply of G5s from mot to sell them" (maybe not to you or me, but secret agent Steve Jobs would just die if he gave something away)
I agree Apple will be pushing Superdrives, and one of the ways to get the cost down is to make them standard across the board. Remember they are still smarting from missing the CD-RW boat, so they're not going to let that happen again.
Jobs bragged that the Apple Store now sells DVD media for just $5 each. A year from now these discs will be $1 each. The more Superdrives Apple gets in circulation now the lower the faster the cost of these drives will drop.
Specifically mentioning that the L3 uses DDR is exactly the kind of thing Apple would do to remain buzzword compliant. And having remaining stock in the channel (but moving) is a believable excuse for the delay -- especially a last minute delay. These machines could easily have been the extra half hour at MWSF. There isn't even anything that yells out "Apollo", except (perhaps) the DDR L3... which means they weren't dependant on Moto's fabs for anything new.
These machines are good news for the G5 believers in the crowd (none of whom really expected a January G5, right?). These machines aren't new designs, and they don't include any new goodies. They'll be ripe for replacement in a mere 4-6 months.
Superdrives may be good for backup, but CD-RW are still significantly cheaper and rewritable. Although I'm not sure about all of the new PowerMac G4s having them, I wouldn't be surprised if the PowerMacs after the rumoured 1GHz ones had Superdrives across the range. After all, all recent-ish Macs up to the iMac had a 1.4MB Superdrive.
How cheap would an 800MHz G4 tower have to be to compete with the new iMac, with and without a Superdrive?
The second I heard about this I logged into learn&earn, but alas there was no mention of the new machines. Granted, I didn't check 'till late tuesday night and I assume Apple would have cleaned up any slip-ups by then...
<strong>SpyMac seems to have its panties in a wad about this</strong><hr></blockquote>
I thought it really amusing that SpyMac made a big deal when MacMinute and MacUser UK came out with stories in line with theirs, and they claimed this proved they were right about the rumor. Now that it wasn't an accurate rumor, what do they do?
Comments
<strong>
As cool as it would be to have SuperDrive's accross the range, I think it's highly doubtful- as JD said, how many people wanna burn DVDs?
Personally I'd like to see the SuperDrive as a BTO option as I'm a bit miffed as to why the 733 model can't have it (this time last year the 733 had a SuperDrive so it can't be a question of the processor not being able to handle it).</strong><hr></blockquote>
yes it is actually... the 733 doesnt have the L3 cache that it did last year at MWSF.... w/o the L3 cache it is much slower so you would get worse times with the superdrive and iDVD... also apple gets better margins with the CDRW...
<strong>
Yes.
Maybe this will come as a surprise to you, but not everyone has their own movies to burn to DVD. In fact it's probably a safe bet that a minority of Powermac buyers will have any need for the Superdrive. If someone plans on using their powermac for DTP, or website development, any number of things that don't include digital video, then a Superdrive is superfluous.
If Apple were going to add the Superdrive to even the low end tower, then I'd rather they keep it off and just drop the price on the low end by 300-500 bucks. The way Apple is pushing this superdrive, it reminds me of the DVD-ROM drives they were pushing a while back. Yeah they were nice for the 5% who watched DVDs on their computer (including me), but most people watch DVDs on their TV. Just like most people don't have any need for a DVD-burner.
If the superdrive could dupe a DVD movie, then it would be a hot item. But for now the superdrive is only valuable to the digital video market--an important market for Apple to be sure, but not their ONLY market.</strong><hr></blockquote>
then they shouldn't charge 1699 and they should offer it as a dwngrade at BTO.
no excuse for this. you don't have to make some dumb winded post about it
<strong>
then they shouldn't charge 1699 and they should offer it as a dwngrade at BTO.
no excuse for this. you don't have to make some dumb winded post about it</strong><hr></blockquote>
Agreed. And everyone seems to be forgetting that the Superdrive (even if it's not documented) has been shown to be data-compatible. With hard disk sizes getting larger, it would be nice not to have to spend extra $$ on a separate backup medium.
S
No it doesn't. Do this experiment. Open up your Quicksilver case. Unscrew the fan that blows over the heatsink. Look on the motherboard under where the fan used to be. There are posts for 2 more USB ports. I can take a picture later at work.
NB: this is just me messing with a text editor: the "select" links still go to Apple's current G4s. This is not a leaked Apple Store page.
My prediction is that the 745x goes out in as much style as it can muster: larger HDs, more RAM and GeForce 3s on Faster and Ultimate. The guess is that Apple has a supply of fast 745xs (1 and 1.2GHz), which it is going to use to clear the way for Apollo/G5/whatever.
To make the G4s more iMac competitive, the prices are below current ones, but without the Crystal Clear display offer. Remember that these speculated machines are to clear the SDR mobos/745Xs. The 800MHz "Fast" machine has L3 cache to further differentiate it from the iMac, but keeps a CD-RW and MX to keep costs down. However, I'm unsure if there will be a G4 tower that much cheaper than an iMac 2. The prices are probably too optimistic. Although Superdrives on the whole range would be nice, they're still expensive and not a necessity. The same goes for GeForce 4s/Ti500s.
I don't think that souped up 745x machines would ship with DDR because of the limited benefits with a 133MHz/64bit FSB.
Again, I don't understand why an update like this wouldn't have been announced at MWSF. It would not have stolen any thunder from the new iMac, and Jobs would simply announce specs and that a higher speed pro line would be shipping at the same time as the iMacs. (SpyMac seems to have its panties in a wad about this) Why delay such a miniscule annnouncement?
Then again, if these "leaked" specs turn out to be true, maybe Steve didn't want to be booed off stage.
[ 01-23-2002: Message edited by: Tarbash ]</p>
The low end PM has an 800 mhz processor. Does apple really intend to compete with its imac in such a fashion?
If they do, look for the PM line to drop in price by like 500 dollars. (just in the low end)
blah blah. that macworld.uk thing. "apple changed it's plans because they had too much in the channel already" well, sure makes for a better explanation than "still working on getting enough supply of G5s from mot to sell them" (maybe not to you or me, but secret agent Steve Jobs would just die if he gave something away)
[ 01-23-2002: Message edited by: RazzFazz ]</p>
Jobs bragged that the Apple Store now sells DVD media for just $5 each. A year from now these discs will be $1 each. The more Superdrives Apple gets in circulation now the lower the faster the cost of these drives will drop.
These machines are good news for the G5 believers in the crowd (none of whom really expected a January G5, right?). These machines aren't new designs, and they don't include any new goodies. They'll be ripe for replacement in a mere 4-6 months.
How cheap would an 800MHz G4 tower have to be to compete with the new iMac, with and without a Superdrive?
<strong>SpyMac seems to have its panties in a wad about this</strong><hr></blockquote>
I thought it really amusing that SpyMac made a big deal when MacMinute and MacUser UK came out with stories in line with theirs, and they claimed this proved they were right about the rumor. Now that it wasn't an accurate rumor, what do they do?
<strong>KidRed,....</strong><hr></blockquote>
Just relaying the link where the original poster said he got it from