<strong>Go check out Motorola's semiconductor web site. The listing for the MPC7445 processor -- their lowest wattage G4 chip -- has recently been updated to include 933MHz and 1GHz clock speeds. The 7445 dissipates 10.3 watts (typical) at 733MHz, versus 13.4 watts (typical) at 700MHz for the one I believe they're currently using in the PowerBook, the MPC7441. Not quite a G5, but definitely a substantial opportunity -- available for Apple to order right now -- for a speed bump. Or, for that matter, longer battery life and less fan noise.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Depending on battery technology then it looks more likely we'll see a 733/800 than a 933/1Ghz.
But then again, if a 7445 draws about 10 watts @ 733 I wonder what its like at 933? Not good I imagine as if Moto will be listing the best figures.
Interestingly enough, the shipping wait on stock TiBooks at the Apple Store is now 10 days. So we find out the answers to our speculation sooner rather than later.
Its one of the seven signs. The other six involve barnyard animals, plagues and not hitting any traffic on the Hollywood Freeway at 8am on a weekday. When all these condition are met Apple updates a product. Which explains the long development cycles.
"Its one of the seven signs. The other six involve barnyard animals, plagues and not hitting any traffic on the Hollywood Freeway at 8am on a weekday. When all these condition are met Apple updates a product. Which explains the long development cycles. "
<strong>Interestingly enough, the shipping wait on stock TiBooks at the Apple Store is now 10 days. So we find out the answers to our speculation sooner rather than later.</strong><hr></blockquote>
That actually is quite interesting. Any word on why? Or has the wait gone back down to normal times yet?
I only mentioned this because a week ago, ship times were only 5 days, and had been that way for almost a month, I think. So, I don't know what means, but I hope it means new powerbooks (but don't take my word for it).
Edit: Well, I just checked again, and it's back down to 5 days. So, I don't know what's happening at all.
What I expect from the new PB is that it will start out strong but quickly fall behind and stay there for the remainder of its term.
Usually Apple's problem is not what it releases, but rather its slow development cycle. It does not matter if Apple releases something that is slightly ahead of the technological curve. PC makers have a more vigorous development and release cycle. Therefore, they quickly overtake Apple's new release and leave it in the dust. Apple allows itself to fall years behind the competition. Years behind is where Apple products spend most of their life cycle.
Now we are starting to see an even worse trend. Apple is releasing products that are behind current PC specs. Besides the small size and the adjustable arm, the new iMac brings nothing new to the table. The 1GigDp barely holds its own against the Athlon 1.4Gig. With these new and improved products, the best Apple can do is run a close second. It will only get worse from there.
As far as portables go, their newest one, the 14" iBook is late to the table as well. PC notebooks have been shipping at that size in the budget class for some time now. $1800 will get you top of the line processing power in the PC universe with a 14.1 or 15" screen and in some cases, higher resolution. And in almost all cases, better graphics card.
The days of Apple playing leapfrog with PC's may be over. Now it is a monumental task just for them to play catch up. Therefore, I do not expect to be impressed with whatever they put out in the portable space. I'm sure that it will be impressive compared to previous Apple products, though. Should that be all they're concerned about, or should they care about surpassing PC specs?
So -- a few questions that pop up often in my mind, what with the new developments (rumors) and all:
1) Slot-loading or tray-loading Superdrive (or none at all)?
2) Better graphics card? Which one?
3) Thicker?
4) What date in May? (May Day has a nice ring to it.)
5) Do any other notebook computers have DVD burners in them? Is this one way Apple may be able to "leapfrog" the "Dark Side"? (Okay, so I didn't try hard enough to ignore that last post.)
Believe it or not, Pete, I want to see Apple leapfrog the PC. I want to see the style and performance envelope pushed to the max. The train is going in reverse right now. PCs are defining power, performance, and price. The Mac is struggling to catch up. It used to be the other way around and I would like to see it that way again.
I haven't heard the issue of heat come up in quite a while conserning the Powerbooks. Personally I haven't had a chance to work with one more than a few minutes at the local Apple reseller so I can't really judge. I was thinking if this problem is as bad as everyone thinks, this could possibly be remedied by ribbing whole or part of the bottom side (maybe adding .15-.2 of an inch which would also leave the possiblity for venting in the crevases to draw air in as well as using the ribbing as a giant heat sink more than doubling the surface area. The ribb design could also strengthen the case from bending and twisting which also seems to be an issue from what I hear. Enlarging the screen to 16.1" or so and giving it a 16:10 widescreen ratio would add nearly 10 square inches to the display (106.8->116.4) possibly for a little larger battery as well. I would love to see it add DVI and the ATI Mobility FireGL 7800 with 64MB making it the true mobile workstation. I hope to post a few images of my rendition of a new casing within the next couple days hopefully. (Envision some of the styling cues from the PS2, IBM UNIX class desktop workstations and the Powerbook Ti combined in a sleek, black, robust mobile powerhouse.)
Does anyone think Apple will change the case from Ti to something else? Do you expect evolution or radical change of style (such as the change from the first generation iBook to the current one)?
What I expect from the new PB is that it will start out strong but quickly fall behind and stay there for the remainder of its term.
Usually Apple's problem is not what it releases, but rather its slow development cycle. It does not matter if Apple releases something that is slightly ahead of the technological curve. PC makers have a more vigorous development and release cycle. Therefore, they quickly overtake Apple's new release and leave it in the dust. Apple allows itself to fall years behind the competition. Years behind is where Apple products spend most of their life cycle.
Now we are starting to see an even worse trend. Apple is releasing products that are behind current PC specs. Besides the small size and the adjustable arm, the new iMac brings nothing new to the table. The 1GigDp barely holds its own against the Athlon 1.4Gig. With these new and improved products, the best Apple can do is run a close second. It will only get worse from there.
As far as portables go, their newest one, the 14" iBook is late to the table as well. PC notebooks have been shipping at that size in the budget class for some time now. $1800 will get you top of the line processing power in the PC universe with a 14.1 or 15" screen and in some cases, higher resolution. And in almost all cases, better graphics card.
The days of Apple playing leapfrog with PC's may be over. Now it is a monumental task just for them to play catch up. Therefore, I do not expect to be impressed with whatever they put out in the portable space. I'm sure that it will be impressive compared to previous Apple products, though. Should that be all they're concerned about, or should they care about surpassing PC specs? <hr></blockquote>
Maybe I got to this particular thread a little late, but MacV I cannot help but say this is one of silliest rants I have seen on these boards. To talk about the new iMac bringing nothing new to the table is total rubbish.
There seems to be a sadly inadequate element in the Mac community who cannot recognize what is right in front of their eyes!
Of course I would love to have everything on everything at low cost and never have anything on my Macs "fall behind" anything anyone else has, but this is not a foot race. What do you use your computer for? What are your computers doing for you in your life , work, business, enjoyment?
Do we sit over our Beige (or increasingly Black) Boxes and run speed tests long after the JOLT cola runs out in the Computer Center caf? Not anymore.
I happen to hate the 14" iBook because it is no better than the G3 Pismo and BECAUSE it is bigger than the little iBook, but that has to do with ease of use, not specs. What I want is G4 across the line so I can really enjoy running OS X. My Cubes and the Cinemas do everything on the desk top, my iMac 800 is my communication and fun machine (digital hub if you must), while I use the G3 Firewire PB for galavanting around the world! Each machine has its function, and its strengths. ALL are better than anything my colleagues have at university from design to function.
The MS Office that runs in multiple languages (my needs include English, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean--though I occasionally do a smatterng of British and Australian as well--) are integrated into the OS9.2 and OSX system!
OOps , forgive the rant <img src="graemlins/embarrassed.gif" border="0" alt="[Embarrassed]" />
This was about PowerBooks I suppose. Me? How about better screen resolution on the PB and up to a G? Or , give me a G4 on the little iBook that won't melt through, and I will abandon my Japanse-language iBook and go with that around the world.
<strong>This is upsetting news (rumors) for me. I want to buy a PowerBook in early fall/ late summer, but I want it to last throughout my four years in college. If I buy in May, I have a laptop for the start of college but if i wait til October, I run the risk of Apple not even updating it then. I might even have to wait until MWSF 2003! I don;t think I could deal with buying a $3000 computer and then having it updated with a 25% increase in processor clock speed 5 months later (more importantly, only 1 month of actual use since college starts in september).</strong><hr></blockquote>
Computers get updated constantly, so don't sweat that. Really, do you expect any computer to still be current after 4 years?
Buy what you need. If I could get through college with an Apple //c (from 1986-89) you can probably scrape by with a TiBook. Obsolescence is determined by use: My mom bought Apple's bottom of the line notebook in 1992, and just retired it last summer. It still runs Word 5.1 as well as it did when she bought it, so she had no reason to replace it until it started getting a little flaky.
Since O'Grady came out with these interesting tidbits <a href="http://www.powerpage.org"; target="_blank">here</a> I'm wondering a few things:
1) Will audio-in allow users the freedom of non-USB microphones so we can run Cubase, making the Powerbook an out-of-the-box recording studio? (It's been my dream for all too long now.)
2) What other uses will audio-in have? Will ripping my vinyl collection to MP3 be an option now?
*somebody say yes*
3) It's interesting that Apple would bump the Powerbook sans graphics improvements, new bells & whistles, etc. in the face of their Superdrive marketing blitz, new Bluetooth announcements and better available graphics chips.
4) What dates do you kids imagine the NEXT revision will fall into? (Bluetooth, graphics, audio-in, etc.)
5) I can't believe I'm about to skate through ANOTHER revision and wait for "the next best thing." I'm becoming the most patient bastard on the planet -- <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" /> <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" /> <img src="graemlins/embarrassed.gif" border="0" alt="[Embarrassed]" />
I've got you beat Pete. Your only the second most patient bastard on the planet. I currently have a 1st generation G4/450 AGP tower 640mb ram and I want to make my whole design operation mobile. This is driving me NUUUTTTS!!!! Oh when to buy, when to buy? I just don't want to miss out on the next "BIG" PB machine! And a friend was going to buy my G4/450 for $1200 but fat chance on that now.
Comments
<strong>Go check out Motorola's semiconductor web site. The listing for the MPC7445 processor -- their lowest wattage G4 chip -- has recently been updated to include 933MHz and 1GHz clock speeds. The 7445 dissipates 10.3 watts (typical) at 733MHz, versus 13.4 watts (typical) at 700MHz for the one I believe they're currently using in the PowerBook, the MPC7441. Not quite a G5, but definitely a substantial opportunity -- available for Apple to order right now -- for a speed bump. Or, for that matter, longer battery life and less fan noise.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Depending on battery technology then it looks more likely we'll see a 733/800 than a 933/1Ghz.
But then again, if a 7445 draws about 10 watts @ 733 I wonder what its like at 933? Not good I imagine as if Moto will be listing the best figures.
Pity we won't get a 7455 really!
Edit: Motos 7445 factsheet says it doesn't do 1Ghz at all but <a href="http://e-www.motorola.com/webapp/sps/site/prod_summary.jsp?code=MPC7445&nodeId=01M98653"; target="_blank">this</a> says it does.
[ 04-12-2002: Message edited by: Blackcat ]</p>
[ 04-12-2002: Message edited by: cowerd ]</p>
Ouch.
Lemon Bon Bon
<strong>Interestingly enough, the shipping wait on stock TiBooks at the Apple Store is now 10 days. So we find out the answers to our speculation sooner rather than later.</strong><hr></blockquote>
That actually is quite interesting. Any word on why? Or has the wait gone back down to normal times yet?
<strong>
That actually is quite interesting. Any word on why? Or has the wait gone back down to normal times yet?</strong><hr></blockquote>
I check on it occasionaly and have for a while. it seems to fluctuate between 7 and 10 every now and then.
Could be due to LCD shortages or the fact that Powerbooks just always take longer to get to you
Edit: Well, I just checked again, and it's back down to 5 days. So, I don't know what's happening at all.
[ 04-14-2002: Message edited by: agent302 ]</p>
Usually Apple's problem is not what it releases, but rather its slow development cycle. It does not matter if Apple releases something that is slightly ahead of the technological curve. PC makers have a more vigorous development and release cycle. Therefore, they quickly overtake Apple's new release and leave it in the dust. Apple allows itself to fall years behind the competition. Years behind is where Apple products spend most of their life cycle.
Now we are starting to see an even worse trend. Apple is releasing products that are behind current PC specs. Besides the small size and the adjustable arm, the new iMac brings nothing new to the table. The 1GigDp barely holds its own against the Athlon 1.4Gig. With these new and improved products, the best Apple can do is run a close second. It will only get worse from there.
As far as portables go, their newest one, the 14" iBook is late to the table as well. PC notebooks have been shipping at that size in the budget class for some time now. $1800 will get you top of the line processing power in the PC universe with a 14.1 or 15" screen and in some cases, higher resolution. And in almost all cases, better graphics card.
The days of Apple playing leapfrog with PC's may be over. Now it is a monumental task just for them to play catch up. Therefore, I do not expect to be impressed with whatever they put out in the portable space. I'm sure that it will be impressive compared to previous Apple products, though. Should that be all they're concerned about, or should they care about surpassing PC specs?
So -- a few questions that pop up often in my mind, what with the new developments (rumors) and all:
1) Slot-loading or tray-loading Superdrive (or none at all)?
2) Better graphics card? Which one?
3) Thicker?
4) What date in May? (May Day has a nice ring to it.)
5) Do any other notebook computers have DVD burners in them? Is this one way Apple may be able to "leapfrog" the "Dark Side"? (Okay, so I didn't try hard enough to ignore that last post.)
Regards,
PEte
That's what the PB should have next?
Go on then. Superdrive it.
Superdrive the lot. iBook as well.
...and while you're down there,...G4 the iBook as well...
Lemon Bon Bon
What I expect from the new PB is that it will start out strong but quickly fall behind and stay there for the remainder of its term.
Usually Apple's problem is not what it releases, but rather its slow development cycle. It does not matter if Apple releases something that is slightly ahead of the technological curve. PC makers have a more vigorous development and release cycle. Therefore, they quickly overtake Apple's new release and leave it in the dust. Apple allows itself to fall years behind the competition. Years behind is where Apple products spend most of their life cycle.
Now we are starting to see an even worse trend. Apple is releasing products that are behind current PC specs. Besides the small size and the adjustable arm, the new iMac brings nothing new to the table. The 1GigDp barely holds its own against the Athlon 1.4Gig. With these new and improved products, the best Apple can do is run a close second. It will only get worse from there.
As far as portables go, their newest one, the 14" iBook is late to the table as well. PC notebooks have been shipping at that size in the budget class for some time now. $1800 will get you top of the line processing power in the PC universe with a 14.1 or 15" screen and in some cases, higher resolution. And in almost all cases, better graphics card.
The days of Apple playing leapfrog with PC's may be over. Now it is a monumental task just for them to play catch up. Therefore, I do not expect to be impressed with whatever they put out in the portable space. I'm sure that it will be impressive compared to previous Apple products, though. Should that be all they're concerned about, or should they care about surpassing PC specs? <hr></blockquote>
Maybe I got to this particular thread a little late, but MacV I cannot help but say this is one of silliest rants I have seen on these boards. To talk about the new iMac bringing nothing new to the table is total rubbish.
There seems to be a sadly inadequate element in the Mac community who cannot recognize what is right in front of their eyes!
Of course I would love to have everything on everything at low cost and never have anything on my Macs "fall behind" anything anyone else has, but this is not a foot race. What do you use your computer for? What are your computers doing for you in your life , work, business, enjoyment?
Do we sit over our Beige (or increasingly Black) Boxes and run speed tests long after the JOLT cola runs out in the Computer Center caf? Not anymore.
I happen to hate the 14" iBook because it is no better than the G3 Pismo and BECAUSE it is bigger than the little iBook, but that has to do with ease of use, not specs. What I want is G4 across the line so I can really enjoy running OS X. My Cubes and the Cinemas do everything on the desk top, my iMac 800 is my communication and fun machine (digital hub if you must), while I use the G3 Firewire PB for galavanting around the world! Each machine has its function, and its strengths. ALL are better than anything my colleagues have at university from design to function.
The MS Office that runs in multiple languages (my needs include English, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean--though I occasionally do a smatterng of British and Australian as well--) are integrated into the OS9.2 and OSX system!
OOps , forgive the rant <img src="graemlins/embarrassed.gif" border="0" alt="[Embarrassed]" />
This was about PowerBooks I suppose. Me? How about better screen resolution on the PB and up to a G? Or , give me a G4 on the little iBook that won't melt through, and I will abandon my Japanse-language iBook and go with that around the world.
<strong>This is upsetting news (rumors) for me. I want to buy a PowerBook in early fall/ late summer, but I want it to last throughout my four years in college. If I buy in May, I have a laptop for the start of college but if i wait til October, I run the risk of Apple not even updating it then. I might even have to wait until MWSF 2003! I don;t think I could deal with buying a $3000 computer and then having it updated with a 25% increase in processor clock speed 5 months later (more importantly, only 1 month of actual use since college starts in september).</strong><hr></blockquote>
Computers get updated constantly, so don't sweat that. Really, do you expect any computer to still be current after 4 years?
Buy what you need. If I could get through college with an Apple //c (from 1986-89) you can probably scrape by with a TiBook. Obsolescence is determined by use: My mom bought Apple's bottom of the line notebook in 1992, and just retired it last summer. It still runs Word 5.1 as well as it did when she bought it, so she had no reason to replace it until it started getting a little flaky.
1) Will audio-in allow users the freedom of non-USB microphones so we can run Cubase, making the Powerbook an out-of-the-box recording studio? (It's been my dream for all too long now.)
2) What other uses will audio-in have? Will ripping my vinyl collection to MP3 be an option now?
*somebody say yes*
3) It's interesting that Apple would bump the Powerbook sans graphics improvements, new bells & whistles, etc. in the face of their Superdrive marketing blitz, new Bluetooth announcements and better available graphics chips.
4) What dates do you kids imagine the NEXT revision will fall into? (Bluetooth, graphics, audio-in, etc.)
5) I can't believe I'm about to skate through ANOTHER revision and wait for "the next best thing." I'm becoming the most patient bastard on the planet -- <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" /> <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" /> <img src="graemlins/embarrassed.gif" border="0" alt="[Embarrassed]" />
-- PEte
WTF can you do but wait?