I am in need of a new laptop badly. If they announce a new PB with pen input, I'll buy one immediately. If not, I'll be buying a bottom-o-da-line iBook.
I'm on my second 15" TiBook right now. The case design is pure crap. I lost count on the number of things that went wrong with the case design on the first one I owned. This one (800mhz, combo drive) has components inside the case that are broken, which Apple will not fix because they swear they're user created problems, and cannot be material related problems. In my case, the hinge metal snapped 1" up the interior back of the top of the case. It's nasty, and if I'm not careful when I open it, the entire top warps something wicked.
If it has pen input, I'll buy the top of the line. Otherwise I'll be holding out on the big buy until the G5. The iBook does everything I actually *need* right now, and I have a desktop for the other stuff.
ThinkSecret implies that there could be a new Apple wireless Bluetooth KB and mouse soon. Maybe at the same time as the updated PB announcements? Speaking about the new PBs, if the 7457 does have a 200 MHz bus, maybe it could use DDR400 memory. Latest macbidouille.com update shows this photo of such an SO-DIMM:
I am in need of a new laptop badly. If they announce a new PB with pen input, I'll buy one immediately. If not, I'll be buying a bottom-o-da-line iBook.
Chilton makes a good point. Why don't the new '03 AlBooks recognize pen input on their trackpads, since Jag already has Inkwell. Could enabling this on AlBooks be a surprise feature in Panther? (I would soil myself I would be so happy)
Chilton that sounds rough about that TiBook. They always looked flimsy to me. NOTHING touches the 12" now. It is sturdier than the white iBook, for real. It's been through near car accidents with me. And dropped twice (not my fault either of these!)
Would it be cool to bring password protection via signature to OS X? I know I know it's as easy to break as OS 9 Voice Password was but it's cool. OK I'm just rambling and I'm tired. But bottom line: this thread will look funny in September! I think they'll wait until the back to school time in August or Sept to update the PowerBooks and iBooks.
Speaking about the new PBs, if the 7457 does have a 200 MHz bus, maybe it could use DDR400 memory.
But the memory bus still wont be double pumped. So we are still in the same situation as the G4 towers. The processor would only talk with the memory at 200MHz, but the other stuff (DMA access and what not) would get the benefit of the DDR.
A few questions. What does the following mean:
Quote:
The MPC7457 processor's 32-bit superscalar core contains:
Extrapolating from Motorola's own figures, the 7457 should consume 30W as 1.4GHz and around 33W at 1.6GHz, based on a 1.6V core voltage.
What does a 970 consume at 1.4GHz? Isn't it less than 30W? I thought the big thing about the 7457 was it would consume less. Is this still ideal for a Pbook?
This document says that IBM is working on "64-bit Multi-Gigahertz Embedded PowerPC's". These chips will have, guess what, SIMD acceleration. It seems absolutely perfect for powerbooks. It doesn't tell though when this will happen.
In regards to the chart, the hard data's origin is listed directly on the chart. The rest is extrapolation based on known temperature characteristics of SOI. Whether the EETimes numbers are right will need independent verification ( but I supose that if people feel that the independently verified numbers do not support their point then THOSE sources will have to be verified ) but that will not happen until the actual G5 ships.
Regarding the veracity of the IBM numbers: those numbers are from 9 months ago and not on shipping product. They most likely are based on estimates from simulation.
If EETimes mentions the number more times does it make the "data" any more hard?
I'd like better numbers but choose to believe the latest not the oldest. Must be the engineer in me... Believe whatever you want - still doesn't change the fact that the PB G5 isn't coming out soon!
I'd love it too but it's not - I don't base my predictions on wish fulfillment!
How often does Apple introduce a new PowerBook? Not any portable. Not any product, but PowerBook specifically?
Once a year.
We've had ours this year, and the 15" was sod out...
(I can say that here, can't I?)
When will the next PowerBook announcement be?
When was the last one? January? There you go.
PowerBook G5? January 2005 maybe. Don't hold your breath.
They didn't upgrade the 15" because they're too close to finalizing upgrades for the 12" and 17". Doesn't mean any of them are in production yet. They're not.
I'd say by October they may start manufacturing the more common parts, and production ramping up late December for a January release, if they plan ahead. Else, they may not ship until February or March. But they'll be announced in January.
So what can we expect? 15" won't be touched until the 12" and 17" are updated as well, bringing the 15" to current standards, but with a 15.2" screen, usb 2, I seriously doubt it will have FW 800, because it would need two fw ports. As for stylus imput, they would have to redesign it drastically for that, and Apple isn't stupid enough to have you writing with a stylus on the lcd screen itself. People aren't gentle enough with the portable keyboards as it is.
We might see a change of processors though, over to the new Motorola chips, for the PowerBook G4 and the iMac, but not for the Emac or iBook. I seriously doubt any of the consumer products will have a G5 until Apple is ready to move the entire product line to G5, sometime about 2005-6.
Comments
I'm on my second 15" TiBook right now. The case design is pure crap. I lost count on the number of things that went wrong with the case design on the first one I owned. This one (800mhz, combo drive) has components inside the case that are broken, which Apple will not fix because they swear they're user created problems, and cannot be material related problems. In my case, the hinge metal snapped 1" up the interior back of the top of the case. It's nasty, and if I'm not careful when I open it, the entire top warps something wicked.
If it has pen input, I'll buy the top of the line. Otherwise I'll be holding out on the big buy until the G5. The iBook does everything I actually *need* right now, and I have a desktop for the other stuff.
-Chilton
Originally posted by ethar
Still says 7 - 10 when I check...
OK but change something and it's 5-7 days. I changed the memory to 512MB *one chip* and it became 5-7 days. Guess it doesn't mean anything.
Originally posted by gar
show us, please
I can no longer find it. The article stated that low-power versions were due 1Q of 2004.
Originally posted by Chilton
I am in need of a new laptop badly. If they announce a new PB with pen input, I'll buy one immediately. If not, I'll be buying a bottom-o-da-line iBook.
Looks like you're getting the iBook.
Chilton that sounds rough about that TiBook. They always looked flimsy to me. NOTHING touches the 12" now. It is sturdier than the white iBook, for real. It's been through near car accidents with me. And dropped twice (not my fault either of these!)
Would it be cool to bring password protection via signature to OS X? I know I know it's as easy to break as OS 9 Voice Password was but it's cool. OK I'm just rambling and I'm tired. But bottom line: this thread will look funny in September! I think they'll wait until the back to school time in August or Sept to update the PowerBooks and iBooks.
Originally posted by LiquidR
Is it tomorrow yet?? I don't know, it always seems to be today.
Hey, just hope to god nobody locks the thread or else Apple will never ship the damn things.
Sorry, just releasing a little pent-up frustration.... ahhhh... ok, I feel better now...
Now, release that dang 15" AL Powerbook already Apple!!!!
Originally posted by Aquatic
Would it be cool to bring password protection via signature to OS X?
THAT would be cool... the only problem would be that could use it to practice your signature... which could lead to some serious problems...
but don't count on there being "hidden" tablet functionality in your mini... infact I'm willing to bet a good chunk of dough that it isnt...
would be a KILLER addition tho...
Originally posted by Rolo
Speaking about the new PBs, if the 7457 does have a 200 MHz bus, maybe it could use DDR400 memory.
But the memory bus still wont be double pumped. So we are still in the same situation as the G4 towers. The processor would only talk with the memory at 200MHz, but the other stuff (DMA access and what not) would get the benefit of the DDR.
A few questions. What does the following mean:
The MPC7457 processor's 32-bit superscalar core contains:
High-bandwidth 133 MHz 64-bit MPX Bus/60x Bus
Is this not the FSB they are talking about? I got that from http://e-www.motorola.com/webapp/sps...p?code=MPC7457 at about the middle of the page under PRODUCT FEATURES.
Also from http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/39/31031.html:
Extrapolating from Motorola's own figures, the 7457 should consume 30W as 1.4GHz and around 33W at 1.6GHz, based on a 1.6V core voltage.
What does a 970 consume at 1.4GHz? Isn't it less than 30W? I thought the big thing about the 7457 was it would consume less. Is this still ideal for a Pbook?
Originally posted by gar
show us, please
This document says that IBM is working on "64-bit Multi-Gigahertz Embedded PowerPC's". These chips will have, guess what, SIMD acceleration. It seems absolutely perfect for powerbooks. It doesn't tell though when this will happen.
Originally posted by Paul
THAT would be cool... the only problem would be that could use it to practice your signature... which could lead to some serious problems...
[Klinger voice] Sherman...T...Potter...[/Klinger voice]
Originally posted by chazmox
Take a look at this chart. It extrapolates where the 1 GHz 970 would be based on the EETimes numbers...
As this shows, best case at 1GHz would be around 30W and the power consumption could be more.
can i ask where did these numbers for the graph come from?
i've had a look at the eetimes article:
http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20030623S0092
and it only has one mention of 97W per processor. i don't see any hard data or impression of independent testing.
in contrast i've seen 3 weblinks from ibm and others with consistent data for [email protected] and 19W at 1GHz:
www-3.ibm.com/chips/techlib/techlib.nsf/techdocs/A2CE393ABF2CE99787256D21006AE8A2/$file/PPC970_MPF_Review.pdf
www-3.ibm.com/chips/techlib/techlib.nsf/techdocs/A1387A29AC1C2AE087256C5200611780/$file/PPC970_MPF2002.pdf
http://arstechnica.com/cpu/02q2/ppc970/ppc970-1.html
My question is - is there another eeTimes page with hard data that contradicts IBM's own numbers for the G5? or any other pages?
output of the dual 2GHz with a single, and that the rest of those figures are simply extrapolated from that first misstake.
I check it everyday, thinking "okay, maybe it'll come true TODAY...". It never does.
Stick a piece of dynamite in it and light the fuse.
Originally posted by pscates
Stick a piece of dynamite in it and light the fuse.
I think we all thought the same since post #1. Agreed. Just another thread to ramble on in.
In regards to the chart, the hard data's origin is listed directly on the chart. The rest is extrapolation based on known temperature characteristics of SOI. Whether the EETimes numbers are right will need independent verification ( but I supose that if people feel that the independently verified numbers do not support their point then THOSE sources will have to be verified ) but that will not happen until the actual G5 ships.
Regarding the veracity of the IBM numbers: those numbers are from 9 months ago and not on shipping product. They most likely are based on estimates from simulation.
If EETimes mentions the number more times does it make the "data" any more hard?
I'd like better numbers but choose to believe the latest not the oldest. Must be the engineer in me... Believe whatever you want - still doesn't change the fact that the PB G5 isn't coming out soon!
I'd love it too but it's not - I don't base my predictions on wish fulfillment!
Once a year.
We've had ours this year, and the 15" was sod out...
(I can say that here, can't I?)
When will the next PowerBook announcement be?
When was the last one? January? There you go.
PowerBook G5? January 2005 maybe. Don't hold your breath.
They didn't upgrade the 15" because they're too close to finalizing upgrades for the 12" and 17". Doesn't mean any of them are in production yet. They're not.
I'd say by October they may start manufacturing the more common parts, and production ramping up late December for a January release, if they plan ahead. Else, they may not ship until February or March. But they'll be announced in January.
So what can we expect? 15" won't be touched until the 12" and 17" are updated as well, bringing the 15" to current standards, but with a 15.2" screen, usb 2, I seriously doubt it will have FW 800, because it would need two fw ports. As for stylus imput, they would have to redesign it drastically for that, and Apple isn't stupid enough to have you writing with a stylus on the lcd screen itself. People aren't gentle enough with the portable keyboards as it is.
We might see a change of processors though, over to the new Motorola chips, for the PowerBook G4 and the iMac, but not for the Emac or iBook. I seriously doubt any of the consumer products will have a G5 until Apple is ready to move the entire product line to G5, sometime about 2005-6.
So hold your horses, but don't hold your breath.
Jaedreth