Where is the powerbook sept. 2003?

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
I have decided to buy a new powerbook in 2003 and that I will go to US to buy it cheap. But what can I expect in a little over a year from now?



Post your realistic (ha) guess so I have something to dream about
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 21
    jasonppjasonpp Posts: 308member
    I think you may see one of two things:



    1. Evolution.



    Higher resolution screen, more memmry, faster graphics, longer battery life and a faster processor, for around the same $$ (number value only)



    2. Revolution.



    Radically different form factor possibly using super high resolution wireless retinal scanner and phone sized powerbook, although this may still be another year away. By 2007 for sure absolutly.
  • Reply 2 of 21
    willoughbywilloughby Posts: 1,457member
    I think by 9/2003 you'll see:



    Slot loading Superdrive

    Bluetooth built-in

    1.2ghz G4s

    Airport across the line

    40,60 and 80 gig HDs

    same resolution screen

    512megs standard ram and that DDR hack thats in the xserve.



    If we're lucky we'd see 64 meg video cards but I really doubt it.
  • Reply 3 of 21
    [quote]Originally posted by Willoughby:

    <strong>I think by 9/2003 you'll see:



    Slot loading Superdrive

    Bluetooth built-in

    1.2ghz G4s

    Airport across the line

    40,60 and 80 gig HDs

    same resolution screen

    512megs standard ram and that DDR hack thats in the xserve.



    If we're lucky we'd see 64 meg video cards but I really doubt it.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Wow, you're saying that in 15 months the PowerBook will only have a 50% spped increase and a larger HDD?!?



    - Superdrive, no question.

    - Bluetooth, it's only natural

    - 1.6GHz G4, or an equivallent to that speed.

    - Airport, I doubt across the line. Apple loves to sell that seperate and make more money.

    - They're already offering 60GB HDDs, so I'm going to predict much larger ones. 120 and 160.

    - The screen might stay the same, just because it's a t a good resolution now.

    - The top of the line will have atleast a gig of RAM (the new mobo will support 2 gigs, atleast. DDR for sure.

    - The video card will be atleast at 64MB, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were 128MB.



    Thats my prediction. I guess we can only wait and see.
  • Reply 4 of 21
    the g5the g5 Posts: 42member
    thanks for the guesses, that's about the time i'll need a powerbook for gradschool <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" />
  • Reply 5 of 21
    emaneman Posts: 7,204member
    [quote]Originally posted by pi radians:

    <strong>



    Wow, you're saying that in 15 months the PowerBook will only have a 50% spped increase and a larger HDD?!?

    </strong><hr></blockquote>



    How can you expect much more? Look at the Powerbooks for a year ago and now. 500MHz then, 800MHz now. Not a huge increase.
  • Reply 6 of 21
    willoughbywilloughby Posts: 1,457member
    [quote]Originally posted by EmAn:

    <strong>



    How can you expect much more? Look at the Powerbooks for a year ago and now. 500MHz then, 800MHz now. Not a huge increase.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    EmAn is right and thats what I based my predictions on. It came out in January 2001 at 500mhz. Here we are a year and 5 months later and we've gone 300mhz higher. 1 year and 3 months from now we're not going to have 1.6ghz G4s in the Powerbook. I'm also 100% certain we will not have 128meg video cards or 160 gig HDs!!!! :eek:
  • Reply 7 of 21
    I'd say...



    1.2-1.4GHz G4 w/ 1MB L3

    1+GB DDR

    up to 80 or 100GB drives

    Slot-Loading Superdrive

    Built-In Bluetooth

    Better Airport reception

    Same or slightly better screen resolution

    64MB Graphics (would love to see something like the ATI Fire GL 7800)
  • Reply 8 of 21
    [quote]Originally posted by Willoughby:

    <strong>EmAn is right and thats what I based my predictions on. It came out in January 2001 at 500mhz. Here we are a year and 5 months later and we've gone 300mhz higher. 1 year and 3 months from now we're not going to have 1.6ghz G4s in the Powerbook. I'm also 100% certain we will not have 128meg video cards or 160 gig HDs!!!! :eek: </strong><hr></blockquote>



    Yes, but the new G4 is MUCH better. That's why I said "or equivallent". It might be rated slower than 1.6, but it will be about twice as fast as whats out now. Understand?



    Also, last year those Powerbooks had 8MB of vram. Now its at 32MB. I don't think 128 in more than a year is outrageous. PC laptops are already shipping with Radeon 7000's with 64MB.



    While I understand your desire to be conservative (this is Apple after all) I think that a lot can happen in 15 months. A lot will happen.
  • Reply 9 of 21
    willoughbywilloughby Posts: 1,457member
    [quote]Originally posted by pi radians:

    <strong>



    While I understand your desire to be conservative (this is Apple after all) I think that a lot can happen in 15 months. A lot will happen.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    I sure hope so. I didn't realize they started out with 8 meg cards, sheesh. I guess we'll see how far we jump with the new towers this summer. If they're more than a marginal increase than hopefully we'll see a bigger jump in the Powerbooks as well.
  • Reply 10 of 21
    look at what the mid-range towers will have by this MWNY, and you'll probably see it in the high-end laptops by this time next year...(minus the graphics card)
  • Reply 11 of 21
    vr6vr6 Posts: 77member
    biggest change will be dual processors on the portables combined with new battery technology. This will allow the iBook to go G4 and remain single processor creating a big distinction between the two lines.
  • Reply 12 of 21
    [quote]Originally posted by vr6:

    <strong>biggest change will be dual processors on the portables combined with new battery technology. This will allow the iBook to go G4 and remain single processor creating a big distinction between the two lines.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Dual processor PowerBooks? That would make Apple the industry leader in portable computing, and of course portable egg fryers



    hey pi radian, there are two of you in a circle
  • Reply 13 of 21
    addisonaddison Posts: 1,185member
    I don't see Apple overcomming the heat problem until new processors are our (Not G5 either). Yes larger drives are a possibility but until a better fab is available PB upgrades will lag.



    Hey, but who cares, Jaguar is going to resolve most speed issues for portable users anyway.
  • Reply 14 of 21
    cubedudecubedude Posts: 1,556member
    How about:



    Top-of-the-line

    1.2Ghz

    140GB

    64mb graphics

    512mb

    Airport Card

    ADC Port

    Bluetooth

    Superdrive

    Higher res
  • Reply 15 of 21
    cubedudecubedude Posts: 1,556member
    edit: dbl post



    [ 06-25-2002: Message edited by: CubeDude ]</p>
  • Reply 16 of 21
    toasttoast Posts: 25member
    I doubt Dual processors, i dont think the G4 architecture is heat efficient enough.



    But i deifnetly agree with better battery life. I hear. Interestingly i hear Sir Frank Sinclairs company is pioneering some kool new battery tech.
  • Reply 17 of 21
    tigerwoods99tigerwoods99 Posts: 2,633member
    But while you're saying there was only a 300 MHz speed increase in a year and a few months time, that's a 60% increase from 500 MHz to 800 MHz. Then factor in the new version of the G4 that's being used, faster bus, and L3 cache, and you probably get more like double the performance, and that's just processor.
  • Reply 18 of 21
    new battery will probably be no more than 50% more efficient until fuel-cell arrives, at which time laptops can run for like 10 hours on a single charge...I'm not too optimistic with new battery design, considering the Apple laptops have always been slightly behind the industry on that...and remember the laptops that caught on fire? o_O

    140GB portable HD is very highly unlikely as well. It's been a while since the 160GB full sized hd was introduced, and it seems like HD technology has hit a small bump in the road, especially with IBM out of the game...(the article recently regarding big blue out of the retail game 'n all) Pixie Dust anyone? ^_^;
  • Reply 19 of 21
    blizaineblizaine Posts: 239member
    [quote]Originally posted by evangellydonut:

    [QB]new battery will probably be no more than 50% more efficient until fuel-cell arrives, at which time laptops can run for like 10 hours on a single charge...QB]<hr></blockquote>



    Isn?t fuel-cell going to be more aimed at transportation, since it uses Hydrogen and it?s bi-product is water? I suppose if you did it right, you could used the water your fuel-cell emits and cool your 4Ghz Processor.
  • Reply 20 of 21
    vr6.1vr6.1 Posts: 9member
    [quote]Originally posted by evangellydonut:

    <strong>new battery will probably be no more than 50% more efficient until fuel-cell arrives, at which time laptops can run for like 10 hours on a single charge...I'm not too optimistic with new battery design, considering the Apple laptops have always been slightly behind the industry on that..^_^;</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Okay, I was just kidding about the dual processors, but I take issue to your comment above on several points:

    1. If we do see fuel cells in computers, they're likely to deliver battery times measured in days, not hours

    2. Apple has always been ahead on battery technology, and battery life because they had the best power management features.
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