PowerPage: New PowerBooks this week

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Last of the G4s



Apple will be releasing new PowerBook G4s this week. All have faster processors, and the top models also have the new video chip option with up to 128MB VRAM (could it be the Mobility Radeon 9700?). Hard drives will be faster and larger. The Aluminum form factor will remain the same.



Interessssting.



Are these guys into the rumor game that much? Can't recall ever hearing a story break from there.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 91
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    Well, I had a good six month run as top-of-the-hill 15".







    IF it's even true...



    I suppose it's about time. Although, it's odd that PowerBooks are being updated after only 6-7 months and the G5 is...well, let's just say it's been a while.
  • Reply 2 of 91
    sjaysjay Posts: 4member
    This is great news. I sure hope it's true.
  • Reply 3 of 91
    neoneo Posts: 271member
    Hopefully you guys are gonna wait for the revision B before getting yourself one. I'm getting a used PowerBook G4 for myself.8)



    -Neø
  • Reply 4 of 91
    I am interested to see if/how the technical problems with the displays in the current generation (like the uneven illumination issues in the 15") will be addressed here.



    I need a notebook and was on the verge of buying a windows compatible one last week...so this is good
  • Reply 5 of 91
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Neø Hopefully you guys are gonna wait for the revision B before getting yourself one.

    -Neø




    This IS "revision B".



    Actually, I think it would be revision C for the 12" and 17", right? And revision B for the 15".
  • Reply 6 of 91
    Quote:

    Originally posted by pscates

    This IS "revision B".



    Actually, I think it would be revision C for the 12" and 17", right? And revision B for the 15".




    But since the 15" is really just a scaled down 17, I think it is fair to consider them all rev C. There just was never a rev a 15" this cycle.
  • Reply 7 of 91
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    I consider each distinct product its own thing, hence upcoming Rev. B 15", and Rev. C 12" and 17".



    Not saying I'm right, that's just how I personally keep it all straight in my head.



    In any case, all their crap should be ironed out by now. No excuse for any further white spots, latch oddities, wildly varying gaps, lighted keyboard weirdness, etc.



    They can call it Rev. RV14ZH as long as there isn't a replay of last autumn's "MY POWERBOOK HAS WHITE SPOTS AND I CAN'T CLOSE THE LID!!!" fuss.



  • Reply 8 of 91
    escherescher Posts: 1,811member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by murbot

    Are these guys into the rumor game that much? Can't recall ever hearing a story break from there.



    Well, murbot, O'Grady's PowerPage posted pre-release pictures of the Wallstreet PowerBook weeks before Apple announced it in May 1998. These days, there are less rumors and O'Grady's record is no longer immaculate.



    However, MacGeneration is reporting that some French Mac resellers have dropped 12-inch PB prices by 300 euro. This wouldn't be unheard of, and MacGeneration reporting on it isn't surprising. What made me think twice is that MacMinute re-reported this. MacMinute has always been spot-on with the few rumors they have posted, usually the day before a major announcement. So, IMO, MacMinute's quote of the MacGeneration story suggests that they know about an imminent PowerBook update. MacMinute is hinting at it for the benefit of their regular readers, without an explicit statement that would draw Apple's ire.



    Hope springs eternal. I'm optimistic...



    Escher
  • Reply 9 of 91
    Am I reading O'Grady's story wrong, or is there a big fat contradiction in it?



    Headline: "New PowerBooks This Week: Last of the G4s"



    But then the second paragraph: "There will be one more update to the Aluminum PowerBook G4 after this one before the PowerBook G5 is announced."



    That second para seems to say that there will be TWO more G4 PowerBooks before the G5. He also says that new displays will be coming to the G5 and "possibly the last revision to the Aluminum."



    I take this to read TWO more G4 PowerBooks before we see a G5.
  • Reply 10 of 91
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    That's the way I read it.



    PowerBook G4 now, another PowerBook G4 down the road with new displays? Then sometime in 2006 (ha!) a PowerBook G5, using the displays implemented in the final PowerBook G4 model?



    Hell, I don't know...people should write stuff better when they have a website.
  • Reply 11 of 91
    machemmachem Posts: 319member
    To me, "last of the G4s" implies more of definite end to the G4 PB, rather than saying "one more revision". In other words, it fits both "one more" or "there will be three more revisions, here they are". Specific that the end is in sight, but fitting more than one specific description.



    It is my recollection that the PP is fairly good on rumor targetting, but they don't do it that often (not like they used to).
  • Reply 12 of 91
    Ok..



    Quote:

    Originally posted by pscates

    Hell, I don't know...people should write stuff better when they have a website.



    Anyway. That's spot-on, it seems. There's no way 970fx chips could be put into a PowerBook form factor quite yet. Here's hoping I'm wrong, but all this speculation is just that-- speculation, including my own. Who was it said the 15" is just a scaled-down 17"? I mean, come on, are you a laptop engineer, or what? Please.



    G4s are not so bad in laptop format, for semi-mobile pros. Yeah, of course a G5 would be nice, but it's bit early in the game.

    $US.02
  • Reply 13 of 91
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member




    Who are you talking to, and are you bitching or agreeing?



    "Ok...". "Anyway...". Can't decipher your tone...
  • Reply 14 of 91
    sjaysjay Posts: 4member
    Just a side question: How much was the Powerbook G4 when it was first released?
  • Reply 15 of 91
    Quote:

    Originally posted by pscates





    Who are you talking to, and are you bitching or agreeing?



    "Ok...". "Anyway...". Can't decipher your tone...




    You; was a joke on the irony of your writing.



    ...people should write better when they have a website.

    ...perhaps people should write better on their web sites.

    ...better writing would be appreciated on self-run web sites.



    Bitching, I guess. Wasn't trying to flame. Sorry.



  • Reply 16 of 91
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    Whatever. The irony escapes me



    My head hurts...maybe I'm not reading something right.
  • Reply 17 of 91
    G4 Titanium was $2600 for 400MHz, $3500 for 500MHz on release.

    G4 Aluminium was $1800 for a 12", $3300 for a 17", and $2600 for a 15".

    These figures are from Mactracker.



    Whats the deal with the PBG5?

    I assume the 970FX could be used at a lower clock speed to reduce heat (If it runs at 2.0GHz, in an Xserve enclosure, surely 1-1.5GHz is possible - At least as far as heat is concerned).

    Apple has released PBs with next gen chips but lower clock speeds before (G3 Pismo went to 500MHz, faster than the base G4 Titanium 400MHz).

    So, is it an issue of system bus? The current 17" G4 is only 167MHz, whereas the G5 uses a 800, 900 or 1000MHz bus. Is the PB logic board too slow to handle a 970FX?
  • Reply 18 of 91
    scottibscottib Posts: 381member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by SJay

    Just a side question: How much was the Powerbook G4 when it was first released?



    In January, 2001, when the first Titanium PowerBook G4s were introduced, they were $2599 for a 400MHz/128/10GB and $3499 for the 500/256/20GB model.



    http://www.apple-history.com



    ETA: Beaten to the punch... .
  • Reply 19 of 91
    sjaysjay Posts: 4member
    thanks for that info.
  • Reply 20 of 91
    messiahtoshmessiahtosh Posts: 1,754member
    It's about time, I am psyched...wish it were a G5 but hey, you cant get everything you ask for.
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