Whisperings of 970 in the 15" AlBook

bandalaybandalay
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
From Macwhispers





Information we received in January from two key Apple suppliers convinced us that the 15.4-inch PowerBook had gone into production at that time, but had then been held up due to similar manufacturing problems as beset the first run of 17-inch units. Since that time, we have been told that only "a very few" pre-production units of the 15-incher were actually produced, prior to the production being stopped entirely. We have heard that as few as "a few hundred" of these units were actually produced.



Next, in February, a new source told us that his company had been awarded the production contract for the new mid-size PowerBook, and that actual production would begin in "late March." This same source has more recently told us that the new 'Book had been "substantially re-engineered between January and March," and "will be based on the IBM 970 processor."
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 82
    discstickersdiscstickers Posts: 314member
    I could see this happening. The G3 appeared in the PowerMacs and the PowerBooks at the same time.
  • Reply 2 of 82
    bandalaybandalay Posts: 116member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by discstickers

    I could see this happening. The G3 appeared in the PowerMacs and the PowerBooks at the same time.



    It's an interesting rumour - I just find it odd that the idea was posed in forums here a week ago, and then here on ThinkSecret and then suddenly appears self-fulfilling just as the meme is gaining momentum...



    Macwhispers sure has been a primary feed of late for a lot of discussion...
  • Reply 3 of 82
    mac os x addictmac os x addict Posts: 322member
    When Jobs talked about 2003 being the year of the Laptop I immediately thought that they would be releasing the 970 in the PB first. Why call it the year of the laptop then? I think that he will probably announce a 970 PB and then a 970 PM. At the same time, yes. Probably at WWDC we will hear about the 970 being the next processor and that it will be in the PB and PM. Jobs will probably want to play this right and have both their professional computers jump in performance at the same time and have a clear distinction between the professional and consumer lines. The consumer lines will probably follow suit six months to eight months after that and they will be using 1st rev 970 while the PM and PB will be using the 2nd rev. I don't know about the iBook, but that would be sweet if they threw in a 970 in there in the near future, but it will probably have a G4 in it first before it goes to the 970.
  • Reply 4 of 82
    costiquecostique Posts: 1,084member
    The only reason, as I see it, to put PPC970 into PowerBooks now (that is, before PowerMacs) is that IBM has a large number of 'slow' PPC970s like 1-1.2GHz for whatever reason. Doubtful, but still possible.
  • Reply 5 of 82
    cyclecycle Posts: 187member
    hey...pay some respect to jindrich...he started this



    http://forums.appleinsider.com/showt...0&pagenumber=2



    and i posted the macwhispers story before this thread started...so plz anyone lock?
  • Reply 6 of 82
    bandalaybandalay Posts: 116member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by cycle

    hey...pay some respect to jindrich...he started this



    http://forums.appleinsider.com/showt...0&pagenumber=2



    and i posted the macwhispers story before this thread started...so plz anyone lock?



    His thread is referenced two posts above yours - and you posted your link a full minute after this one (), so I really I had no idea...I guess I was more concerned about Macwhispers appearing with info that matched the suppositions of a few in this forum (and others), and feel that it's an interesting phenom, given the number of posts fueled by their reports...
  • Reply 7 of 82
    cyclecycle Posts: 187member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bandalay

    His thread is referenced two posts above yours - and you posted your link a full minute after this one (), so I really I had no idea...I guess I was more concerned about Macwhispers appearing with info that matched the suppositions of a few in this forum (and others), and feel that it's an interesting phenom, given the number of posts fueled by their reports...



    LALALA!!!



    i cant hear you...



    LALALA!!!





  • Reply 8 of 82
    netromacnetromac Posts: 863member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by costique

    The only reason, as I see it, to put PPC970 into PowerBooks now (that is, before PowerMacs) is that IBM has a large number of 'slow' PPC970s like 1-1.2GHz for whatever reason. Doubtful, but still possible.



    Exactly. They'll probably not have problems getting the chips they want as IBM is likely to have a lot of chips in that category. But Apple still has to develop these machines and do they have the capacity now to do that. You would think that they would use all available resources getting the new p-macs ready for WWDC or whatever. It's possible, but will it happen? I don't know.
  • Reply 9 of 82
    marcusmarcus Posts: 227member
    I don't know why, and I have no evidence either way, but I really think there is something to this...



    The current product situation with the Ti 15" makes no real sense... There is no reason why we may not see it in a PB first.



    I would love to see the headlines about Apple having a 64 bit Laptop before anyone even had a desktop up and running...



    I can but dream...



    Peace,



    Marcus
  • Reply 10 of 82
    amorphamorph Posts: 7,112member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by NETROMac

    Exactly. They'll probably not have problems getting the chips they want as IBM is likely to have a lot of chips in that category. But Apple still has to develop these machines and do they have the capacity now to do that. You would think that they would use all available resources getting the new p-macs ready for WWDC or whatever. It's possible, but will it happen? I don't know.



    First, you can only use so many resources to get something done. Too many engineers can spoil the motherboard. I'd be very surprised if Apple didn't have enough hardware engineers to keep several projects at a time going full speed.



    Second, work on a PowerMac is not mutually exclusive with work on a PowerBook. The two will use a lot of the same logic, and run into a lot of the same issues. The 'book is already set up to handle a hot CPU (the 7455 at 1GHz isn't exactly lukewarm) so that's not really an issue.



    Lastly, remember, Apple has had a lot of time to work on these things. For all we know they intended to retire El Capitan last summer, and they ended up shoehorning a bunch of new stuff into what became the MDD models when the next-gen CPU from Moto didn't pan out. I'm not saying this did happen, but it's plausible.
  • Reply 11 of 82
    frykefryke Posts: 217member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Amorph

    The 'book is already set up to handle a hot CPU (the 7455 at 1GHz isn't exactly lukewarm) so that's not really an issue.



    Ehm... But still cooler than a 970. Only because the PowerBooks get hot doesn't mean they're using the hottest processors available.
  • Reply 12 of 82
    jaredjared Posts: 639member
    Maybe I am biased, maybe I am just tired of all the rumors and no real talk, maybe I have just been an Apple enthusiast for far to long but I say: Bullsht
  • Reply 13 of 82
    bandalaybandalay Posts: 116member
    Moving the IBM chips in the PowerBook line would be a natural step to reforming the line (in this "year of the laptop"), especially if Apple decides to add an inexpensive tablet below the iBook. iBooks would get the current G4s and keep things busy with Moto, the PBooks would eventually all move to IBM and the tablet would either utilize the remaining G3s or move to a new supplier altogether just as the iPod did - instant CPU diversity!
  • Reply 14 of 82
    wellversedwellversed Posts: 1member
    http://www.macosrumors.com



    they claim the opposite..



    "Also, on the (very popular among readers) subject of new 15-inch Powerbooks: the 15.4-inch Aluminum Powerbook G4 is waiting in Apple's warehouses, held back only by the fact that there are still thousands of existing 15.2-inch Titanium models in retailers' stores. Because of this fact, we still don't see an update to the 15-inch Powerbook for 2-3 weeks hence. Expect immediate posting of any updates on this subject in the days ahead!"
  • Reply 15 of 82
    bodhibodhi Posts: 1,424member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by wellversed

    http://www.macosrumors.com



    they claim the opposite..



    "Also, on the (very popular among readers) subject of new 15-inch Powerbooks: the 15.4-inch Aluminum Powerbook G4 is waiting in Apple's warehouses, held back only by the fact that there are still thousands of existing 15.2-inch Titanium models in retailers' stores. Because of this fact, we still don't see an update to the 15-inch Powerbook for 2-3 weeks hence. Expect immediate posting of any updates on this subject in the days ahead!"



    They have not been right in a very long time.
  • Reply 16 of 82
    hegorhegor Posts: 160member
    Am I the only one who finds this stupid?



    Why put a cpu in the PB that would make the towers look crippled in comparison



    I could see a simultaneous release but not the PB first.
  • Reply 17 of 82
    jccbinjccbin Posts: 476member
    "The year of the notebook," said Steve Jobs.



    PowerBooks offer more profit per unit sold than ANY other Apple hardware.



    Put the 970 in it and the profits would soar.
  • Reply 18 of 82
    hegorhegor Posts: 160member
    Yeah PB sales would soar, and then Apple Store and CompUSA would be sitting on quite an inventory of designer door stops formerly known as Power Macintosh.
  • Reply 19 of 82
    kidredkidred Posts: 2,402member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by hegor

    Am I the only one who finds this stupid?



    Why put a cpu in the PB that would make the towers look crippled in comparison



    I could see a simultaneous release but not the PB first.



    Huh?



    Quote:

    Originally posted by discstickers

    I could see this happening. The G3 appeared in the PowerMacs and the PowerBooks at the same time.



  • Reply 20 of 82
    fred_ljfred_lj Posts: 607member
    Steve said he wants to see notebook sales match or outpace tower sales; this would do it. The question posed is how many users out there actually do with towers what the units themselves are capable of? How many consumers actually take the initiative to put in more HDs, more cards, etc.? The PowerBook is a complete solution. And I know that people are going to argue against me on this --- but seriously, besides hardcore gamers, server operators, and professional outfits that have the capital to beef up towers, not many other people have the need to "bulk up" their computer because by the time they get around to thinking about doing it, they figure buying a new computer's easier.



    Then again, the idea of gigawire and a separate box to house expansion slots/drives is appealing (but admittedly ungraceful).
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