Powerbook G4- The Future
Powerbook G4 is in pretty bad shape. the outlook doesn't look too well either as the fastest G4 that is suitable for use in it is 800Mhz and it doesn't support DDR RAM. To make things worse, SOI has already been used limiting the future potential of less power hungry and heat producing chips besides a die shrink.
Apple hasn't been able to implement new technologies into the powerbook line in quick fashion either.
It's beginning to lead me to believe that the design is limiting Apple's options for quick inclusion of new features. Current powerbooks get pretty darn hot. and are packed so tightly it must take months to just implement and test minor revisions.
First thing Apple has got to do is max out the highend powerbook with every possible thing it could feasibly include at this time.
1.) 800 Mhz G4s are available.. use them
2.) 60GB IBM travelstars are available... use them
3.) radeon 7500 and/or geforce 4 gos are available... use them
4.) higher resolutions displays are from what I see available. although I'm not sure how the aspect ratio effects availability... but use them if possible.
The powerbook line has ALWAYS been an Apple goldmine because its where the one advantage of PPC chip architecture (small, efficient) generally shined. but apple and mot have pretty much killed that with the latest g4 chips which are huge and produce relatively massive amounts of heat.
Apple can't let their signature product line become a has been and a product to be jeered at for being outdated.
Perhaps a thicket TiBook should be developed to be a desktop replacement. I used to be against this thinking Apple served this with the current TiBook but it just seems a thicker model would compete a bit better and offer more options.
Maybe a 1.5 or 1.6 inch thick TiBook. it would make a difference
Apple hasn't been able to implement new technologies into the powerbook line in quick fashion either.
It's beginning to lead me to believe that the design is limiting Apple's options for quick inclusion of new features. Current powerbooks get pretty darn hot. and are packed so tightly it must take months to just implement and test minor revisions.
First thing Apple has got to do is max out the highend powerbook with every possible thing it could feasibly include at this time.
1.) 800 Mhz G4s are available.. use them
2.) 60GB IBM travelstars are available... use them
3.) radeon 7500 and/or geforce 4 gos are available... use them
4.) higher resolutions displays are from what I see available. although I'm not sure how the aspect ratio effects availability... but use them if possible.
The powerbook line has ALWAYS been an Apple goldmine because its where the one advantage of PPC chip architecture (small, efficient) generally shined. but apple and mot have pretty much killed that with the latest g4 chips which are huge and produce relatively massive amounts of heat.
Apple can't let their signature product line become a has been and a product to be jeered at for being outdated.
Perhaps a thicket TiBook should be developed to be a desktop replacement. I used to be against this thinking Apple served this with the current TiBook but it just seems a thicker model would compete a bit better and offer more options.
Maybe a 1.5 or 1.6 inch thick TiBook. it would make a difference
Comments
<strong>maybe this is why Apple is really going to release bumped G4's or G5's at MW Tokyo?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Apple is on record saying there will be no hardware announcements at Macworld Tokyo or for several month for that matter.
very unfortunate. I was really looking forward to a powerbook update and possibly a G4 in the iBook
<strong>Apple says a lot of things...so does the Bible for that matter. It could happen.</strong><hr></blockquote>
It's bad for a company to come right and say something as fact and then revert on that statement without announcement and mislead customers and investors.
Give me a break...Apple is allowed to say what they want even if its not always true...and in this case truth can be bent to "better than expected yields of G5's."
I am pretty sure that analysts wouldnt be to upset and neither would any of us except for those who currently bought the current QS G4's...even those who purchased the QS G4's based on the statements made by Apple regarding hardware.
<strong>note: there is no need to post the same exact foolish banter in 2 threads.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Foolish? Wow.
<strong>I think a processor upgrade is not out of line with their latest statements. Even an upgrade to a Radeon 7500 (they should be pin compatible with the Radeon mobility). These things , i think, would not violate anything about no new 'CPU's'.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Exactly, but the G5 is a new CPU.
<strong>I think a processor upgrade is not out of line with their latest statements. Even an upgrade to a Radeon 7500 (they should be pin compatible with the Radeon mobility). These things , i think, would not violate anything about no new 'CPU's'.</strong><hr></blockquote>
again. the statement was no new hardware in addition to no new cpus
<strong>
again. the statement was no new hardware in addition to no new cpus</strong><hr></blockquote>
Again, circumstances may permit Apple to do otherwise.
<strong>
Again, circumstances may permit Apple to do otherwise.</strong><hr></blockquote>
what circumstances you arrogant ass?
<strong>
what circumstances you arrogant ass?</strong><hr></blockquote>
arrogant ass? arent we being just a little hipocritical here?
change the apple part in all of your statements to the head of the hardware division or whatever that guy was...also i wouldnt take it as gospel. that guy isnt apple, steve jobs is
<strong>
arrogant ass? arent we being just a little hipocritical here?
change the apple part in all of your statements to the head of the hardware division or whatever that guy was...also i wouldnt take it as gospel. that guy isnt apple, steve jobs is
1.) not being hyprocrital at all. not once am I being arrogant here
2.) Apple's senior director of Hardware Product Marketing Greg Joswiak speaks on behalf of Apple. what he says represents what Apple says. That interview was for the sole purpose of informing everyone there would be no hardware announcements. it doesn't get more straightforward than that. I'm surprised that this is such an issue. it's making me think some of you didn't even read the interview
As for a new TiBook, I think we'll see a revision in April or May that looks something like this:
$2299
733 MHz (133 sys bus)
256 MB RAM
30 GB HD
Combo drive
32 MB Radeon 7500 (+ higher screen res)
Gigabit ethernet
blah blah blah
$2999
867 MHz
512 MB RAM
48 GB HD (60 GB BTO)
(rest same)
Oh yeah, evolutionary new case design too. But I doubt it will get thicker.
[ 03-11-2002: Message edited by: Tarbash ]</p>
But to get back on topic now.....
Must the change in thickness be so drastic? Can it get by with only a 10-25% increase in thicknss, rather than the 50-60% Applenut proproses? This would surely retain the TiBook's reputation for thinness. Hmm.
It seems we've come to a crossroads in portability...
Features or Form
Features or Form
Features or Form
[ 03-11-2002: Message edited by: sjpsu ]</p>
More like, and you'll never guess what I'm about to say... Motorola. Their fab is old. They just started .18 SOI chips, whereas the competition (ie Intel) has already been on 0.13 for a little while now.
0.13 + SOI whould give us cool 933 mhz G4s or hot 1200+s.
The form factor is another issue: screensize (weird aspect, though nice IMHO) and drive capability (ie it took the superdrive too long to get inside a Ti).
I'd personally like to see UMA2 debut. It's hella overdue. It will consolidate a lot of chips on the motherboard, makeing it smaller, cooler, lower power. It will also make airport standard, not a PCMCIA add-on card. Again, chips integrated on the motherboard. This will allow 'books to be even thinner, lighter, faster and have slightly better battery life.
As we've seen with the iBook's firewire vs PBG4 500, the newer, consolidated chips also speed up I/O like firewire and ethernet.
[ 03-12-2002: Message edited by: stimuli ]</p>
to counter this, it seems it would be a good idea to produce a less-than one inch thick sub-notebook with say a 10.4" screen or the like. this way, apple can still look revolutionary and cutting edge with its thin, small, beautiful sub-notebook, but stay competitive with a bigger, thicker notebook.
that's what sony does and could work for apple. i know there are people still pleading for a sub-notebook even smaller than the ibook. this could be a good chance. they could have a machine more for performance and ability, and they could have a sub-notebook for bragging rights.
i'm not sure what this would do to the ibook. this could make the ibook go to all 14" models, or maybe put a 13" in there for more difference between models. this is a very difficult problem.
unfortuatley, there are probalby too many obstacles/problems to do this so we'll probalby end up with the same pb with slower speeds and and less able compared to wintel laptops.
<strong>Okay guys, let us compromise. Applenut has a bigger house but Spart and Macintosh have faster cars. There- You're even.
[ 03-11-2002: Message edited by: sjpsu ]</strong><hr></blockquote>
probably the opposite if the pic of Macintosh's house is correct which who knows with him.
[quote]it seems as though it would look bad on an advertising front to go from advertising that the tibook is only and inch thick, to going to 1.5 inches and have to stop talking about the thickness of the tibook, completely retreating from mini-battle (it seemed like there was one) it had with sony and a couple other companies over the thickness of their notebook computers.<hr></blockquote>
note that I am proposing a new model above the tibook. sort of like a tibook on steriods that would have a bigger case while the current tibook would maintain its position although a bit lower in price.