New Powerbooks????

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in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
any one have ideas of what the next version of powerbooks could include. some were hinting at superdrives but i think that its kinda soon...new 64 mb grapichs card...any others???? thanks
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  • Reply 1 of 36
    glurxglurx Posts: 1,031member
    I hope ruggedness is on Apple's agenda. Either that or a G4 iBook.
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  • Reply 2 of 36
    Updated specs:

    *Processor to 800MHz/ 1GHz models

    *HD to 40GB and 60GB

    *GFX CARD to 64MB

    *DDR?



    New features:

    *Bluetooth (built-in)



    Shiptime:

    *Don't expect one soon. Damn current model is at 7-10 days.
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  • Reply 3 of 36
    losing my AI cherry here.



    posting from my parents' windows 95 crap dell.



    I am also doing the wait and see for a powerbook - have been checking these posts for the last few weeks to see what you all think is going to happen. I'm going to hold out until seybold, and then i'll have to get one no matter what (moving and will no longer have access to G4 i work from now - and I want a laptop so i'm not tied down to doing graphic design work in my apartment with no a/c).
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  • Reply 4 of 36
    gwhylowgwhylow Posts: 22member
    [quote]Originally posted by ShawnPatrickJoyce:

    <strong>Updated specs:

    *Processor to 800MHz/ 1GHz models

    *HD to 40GB and 60GB

    *GFX CARD to 64MB

    *DDR?



    New features:

    *Bluetooth (built-in)



    Shiptime:

    *Don't expect one soon. Damn current model is at 7-10 days.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Well, I bought a powermac 533 mhz dual over a year ago..maybe longer. anyway, i used to upgrade my computer within a years time. however, the upgrades have not been on par with that of the pc and not offered the advantages i wanted in an upgrade. I hope something happens soon. i too am looking to buy a new powerbook g4 and have been waiting for the display upgrade that we finally received. now, i just need some of the other updates and i will be ready to buy. i have been saving my money for a long time because apple has not offered what i expect as a consumer. so now i have enough to buy a powermac and a powerbook.....if they are updated with some more modern specs. i have not made the complete switch to OSX yet either. still upgrading the software to work with osx...adobe and macromedia and office for osx. i pray apple will come through on this one. tired of waiting...and waiting..and waiting. also, i am worried about the processors to be used in future hardware and what problems it will cause with support to any new machine i buy. if anyone has some news on powerbooks...please post soon..i am tired of waiting.
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  • Reply 5 of 36
    macgirlmacgirl Posts: 10member
    and when do you think this will happen...I soo soo need a new computer, my B&W G3 hates me
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  • Reply 6 of 36
    blackcatblackcat Posts: 697member
    Powerbooks are due for an update in September. If we get 1.4Ghz DDR PowerMacs next week I think Apple will need to sweeten the Powerbook a bit as it will look a bit underpowered.



    I suppose there is a slim chance that the MPC7460 (the low power MPC7470) will be released next week too, in which case we might see DDR 'Books at 1Ghz+. More likely is a move to 800Mhz & 1Ghz and Bluetooth, plus a Superdrive on the Ultimate model.
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  • Reply 7 of 36
    [quote]Originally posted by macgirl:

    <strong>and when do you think this will happen...I soo soo need a new computer, my B&W G3 hates me </strong><hr></blockquote>



    My prediction is that we're not gonna see DDR, advanced graphix, superdrive, or any other next-gen hardware until at least MWSF. None of these technologies are quite far enough along at Apple to be included in a portable, if history is any guide. Speed/HD bumps are likely before then, probably in Sept./Oct. (?)



    -S
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  • Reply 8 of 36
    To see where the Powerbook is going, check out where the iMac is going. They usually have roughly the same specs (except for hard drives).



    So, I'm guessing GeForce 4 MX and stuck at 800 MHz in the next revision. Also, the next revision will probably be in the late fall, if history is any judge.



    ting5
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  • Reply 9 of 36
    wordgibwordgib Posts: 23member
    As far as new powerbooks coming out later this month, I've been reading that when jaguar is shipped on macs later this month, they will no longer allow booting into os9, and you'll have to rely on classic to run older applications.



    I use photoshop 6, illustrator 10 and quark 5 back and forth extensively, and I wonder if classic will work fast enough to be worthwhile? Upgrading is not really a solution presently because osX adoption in the professional advertising/design industry is way behind.
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  • Reply 10 of 36
    eugeneeugene Posts: 8,254member
    [quote]Originally posted by ShawnPatrickJoyce:

    <strong>Shiptime:

    *Don't expect one soon. Damn current model is at 7-10 days.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Actually it's 1-2 days. In other words, don't count on PowerBook updates soon and don't wait. My sister just bought the 800 MHz model for college since she leaves in late August.
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  • Reply 11 of 36
    [quote]My prediction is that we're not gonna see DDR, advanced graphix, superdrive, or any other next-gen hardware until at least MWSF. None of these technologies are quite far enough along at Apple to be included in a portable, if history is any guide. Speed/HD bumps are likely before then, probably in Sept./Oct. (?)<hr></blockquote>



    I agree with SpiffyGuyC. The next PowerBook revision will probably be speed/feature bumps only, and then a more substantial revision next year. The last time I was able to find the info on Moto's site, the low-power 7455 topped out at 800MHz; if I could find it again, I'd be willing to guess if the line will go 800/1000.
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  • Reply 12 of 36
    amorphamorph Posts: 7,112member
    September is optimistic. I would say late October/November at the earliest, judging by Apple's update schedule so far.



    I'm expecting a big update. We've had several bumps and refinements sofar. It's been a long time since the last big update (i.e., new motherboard).
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  • Reply 13 of 36
    blackcatblackcat Posts: 697member
    [quote]Originally posted by BrunoBruin:

    <strong>



    I agree with SpiffyGuyC. The next PowerBook revision will probably be speed/feature bumps only, and then a more substantial revision next year. The last time I was able to find the info on Moto's site, the low-power 7455 topped out at 800MHz; if I could find it again, I'd be willing to guess if the line will go 800/1000.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    It's upto 1000 now, with 933 below so we might see 800/933 or 800/1000 depending on how the battery lasts.



    I'm still suspicious of the lack of Powerbook images on the Hardware page.
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  • Reply 14 of 36
    flounderflounder Posts: 2,674member
    [quote]Originally posted by Yet Another Registration:

    <strong>To see where the Powerbook is going, check out where the iMac is going. They usually have roughly the same specs (except for hard drives).



    So, I'm guessing GeForce 4 MX and stuck at 800 MHz in the next revision. Also, the next revision will probably be in the late fall, if history is any judge.



    ting5</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Ah, but the imac line was more added on too than updated. I think we'll be seeing a speed bump in early november for the xmas buying season.
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  • Reply 15 of 36
    Come on folks get real - there wont be a super drive in a powerbook for some time - Macnn.com only just reported panasonic or someone like that in development of a superdrive - it will be a speed bump if that - I highly doubt it though - I'd say bluetooth added and a revolutionary idea but here goes - a new colour choice of black! <img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[No]" />
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  • Reply 16 of 36
    [quote]I'm still suspicious of the lack of Powerbook images on the Hardware page.<hr></blockquote>



    I don't know if that's a very accurate method of prediction. By that logic, we'll see new PowerBooks before we get new towers.



    A black PowerBook would be cool but Apple seems to have moved to white and silver/grey. Look at the front of the new LA store, it looks like a gigantic Titanium PowerBook!



    Edit: forgot to add that in the reports of the upcoming SuperDrive for laptops, it did not specify whether or not it was a tray or slot-loader. Aren't we likely to see a tray-loader first? At this point there are NO slot-loading SuperDrives, even for desktops.



    [ 08-05-2002: Message edited by: BrunoBruin ]</p>
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  • Reply 17 of 36
    blackcatblackcat Posts: 697member
    [quote]Originally posted by BrunoBruin:

    <strong>



    I don't know if that's a very accurate method of prediction. By that logic, we'll see new PowerBooks before we get new towers.



    </strong><hr></blockquote>



    I know

    But it's as good a clue as anything else we have.

    I wondered if Apple was trying to de-emphasise the look of it because...



    [quote]<strong>

    forgot to add that in the reports of the upcoming SuperDrive for laptops, it did not specify whether or not it was a tray or slot-loader. Aren't we likely to see a tray-loader first? At this point there are NO slot-loading SuperDrives, even for desktops.

    </strong><hr></blockquote>



    ...of this. They need to change the enclosure so they are taking the focus away from it.
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  • Reply 18 of 36
    amorphamorph Posts: 7,112member
    Apple could do worse than modify the Ti's case just enough to allow for a tray loader.



    As far as black goes, Apple would have to paint the metal black (which would look horrible once the machine had accumulated some wear and tear) or use a metal other than titanium for the case. You can anodize titanium to any color you want, as long as it isn't black. It does look like Apple is heading in the direction of silvers and whites now.



    Updates to the TiBook will come slowly, because it's such an engineering challenge to stuff a powerful machine into that tiny space and make it work. But I think the next update will be a big one.
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  • Reply 19 of 36
    Assuming faster PowerMacs are released next week, I hope that Apple offers somewhat a rebate on the current PowerBook.
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  • Reply 20 of 36
    [quote]Assuming faster PowerMacs are released next week, I hope that Apple offers somewhat a rebate on the current PowerBook. <hr></blockquote>



    I agree, they could certainly drop the price a bit. Go back to $2,999 on the top. And for that, PLEASE, one 512MB stick rather than two 256s! <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />



    I personally don't think Apple will reengineer the PowerBook case just to put a tray-loading drive in there. They seem far more interested in the "one-inch-thick" marketing angle, and I can't imagine them making the next generation thicker. I'd LIKE to think it's because they have research that shows the market for SuperDrive-equipped PowerBooks is too small to justify the expense of redesigning the case, but my faith in Apple's marketing research was shaken when they priced the Cube at $1,799.
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