where we will be in a year...

krassykrassy
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
i think it's a nice question to ask right now. with the MWSF just behind us with so many cool news and the 970 in front of us as a solution to all the G4-problems (slow bus shared by two processors, DDR, etc) and the ongoing development in the Rendezvous-area i think that 2003 will be a very good year for innovations...



the current G4 is outperformed by a P4 as a single chip - the dual G4 are performing very good but not better than a single P4. i think intel has to bring the P4 to speeds that doubles the actual performance if they want to look good when it comes to dual 970-based machines.



i can see it now... a dual-970-based-mac with rendezvous-connections to all other equipment and with 64bit-OS X allows use with little to no configuration and outperforms intel-singles by far. keynote, safari, iTunes, iMovie or even FinalCutExpress, LogicAudio, Surround Sound, iDVD, iPhoto .. wow - i don't think there can be something equal to this in the wintel world...



and i can see an iMac replacement by a variant of the 17"powerbook... small, flat, powerful, external keyboard and mouse. no other modifications need to be made... this is the way to go...



i have my hopes up - but all with good reasons - most of this stuff is here ToDaY .. at least all will be good

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    bartobarto Posts: 2,246member
    There is still a <a href="http://forums.appleinsider.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=002805"; target="_blank">thread</a> for this on the front page of FH.



    Barto
  • Reply 2 of 8
    neutrino23neutrino23 Posts: 1,562member
    This is a really good question. The last couple years OS X has been undergoing rapid changes. By next year it will be really solid. Not that development will end but it will be mostly looking at adding new features, not filling in missing pieces. OS X will be a marvel.



    The applications and technologies will be improved as well: Rendezvous, iTunes, iMovie, iDVD, iPhoto, Safari, Keynote, AppleScript, Quicktime and more.



    Finally, OS 9 will be retired. Classic will remain for those few who need it.



    The hardware to run it will also be changed a lot.



    -FW800 will be on all machines.

    -Gigabit Ethernet on most machines

    -802.11g on all machines

    -Flat panels on all machines

    -Perhaps the iBook will still keep the G3. A 1GHz+ G3 iBook with a good graphics chip selling for $699 or less would be great for school kids.

    -Bluetooth on all machines

    -Serial ATA on high end machines

    -200MHz+ FSB on all machines

    -100GB+ HD on most machines



    I think the iMac will remain in some form. The 17 inch Al Book is nice but it doesn't have the flexibility of the iMac. It is really nice to be able to position the screen and keyboard as you want to. Plus, it will still be much cheaper to build a desktop rather than a laptop although the prices will be converging.



    The PowerMacs will finally be really Powerful. Howevre it happens, it seems clear that by this time next year they will achieve near parity with the P4 in terms of raw power. It will be interesting to see how this affects the Xserve.



    In a sense, we will have "arrived". New solid OS, great apps, blazingly fast hardware, decent prices, and probably a stable set of interfaces: FW800, Gigabit Ethernet, USB, 802.11g, Bluetooth, Serial ATA. For several years anyway, that should cover all the bases.
  • Reply 3 of 8
    kraig911kraig911 Posts: 912member
    I think you give the P4 way too much credit, I do a lot of DV editing on PC and Mac and my G4 400 at work kills any PC editing system under 5,000. I don't know why but I'm just saying rendering time, and outputing out of final cut pro kills any PC with avid express. I use both on a day by day basis. Photoshop is considerably faster on a mac, as well as networking, file copying. If all you credit PC's to be faster at really just games, or 3d modeling, but that is soon to change.
  • Reply 4 of 8
    rick1138rick1138 Posts: 938member
    Exactly, the speed problems have to do with 3d video cards and code that is not well optimized.
  • Reply 5 of 8
    krassykrassy Posts: 595member
    it'll become more interesting if you look to the options in the wintel world. with the 970 it is quite clear where we are going when it's coming to 64bit. but with itanium and x86-64bit from athlon it's not clear where windows will go ... this could be a good plus-point for the mac platform over the next two years or more. customers doesn't have to choose between Pentium 4/5(32bit) or 64bit athlon with probably worse windows support or even the itanium... - and NO iTunes Inc.
  • Reply 6 of 8
    paulpaul Posts: 5,278member
    one year from now this should be apple's lineup:



    PowerMac

    Dual 970s across the line (quads?) 1.2-1.8(2?)

    512 RAM minimum REAL 400DDR up to 4 Gig

    80 Gig 7200RPM Minimum up to 200 Gig (4HD bays)

    4x SuperDrive-8x Superdrive (2 5.25 bays)

    4USB2, 2FW800, 2FW400, Bluetooth, AirPort Extreme, S-ATA, 10/100/1000 Ethernet, AGP 8x

    Starting at $1799



    new machine

    Dual G4 1.25

    256 DDR333 RAM (2Gig Max)

    60 Gig 5400 (4 Bays)

    24xCDRW COMBO (1 bay)

    2USB2, 2FW800, ApE(option), ATA-133, 10/100/1000, AGP8x

    $1299



    iMac

    1GHz G4-1.25

    256 DDR 266-512

    60Gig-120

    24xCombo-4xSuper

    4USB, 1FW800, 1FW400, Bt, ApE(option), ATA-66, 10/100/1000, AGP 4x

    15w,17w,17w,19w

    999,1299,1699,1999



    eMac

    1Ghz G4

    256 133

    40Gig

    DVD, Combo, Super

    2USB,2FW400,Bt,ApE(option),10/100/1000

    17"

    699, 899, 1099 $49 stand

    edu-$100 stand included



    NO CRT iMAC



    Displays

    17w,17s,20w,23w



    iPod

    5-$199

    10-$299

    20-$399(case&remote)

    40-$599(case&remote&mic)&Bt for non mp3 data

    case-$40

    Remote-$40

    Mic-$40



    PowerBook



    17

    1.25 G4

    512 (333)

    80

    2xSuper

    yadda yadda yadda

    better battery

    $3499



    15

    1-1.25

    256-512 (266-333)

    40-60

    Combo-2xSuper

    yadda yadda yadda keyboard only 17

    2299-2999



    12

    1

    256 soldered (266)

    40

    Combo

    yadda yadda yadda

    $1699



    yadda yadda yadda=2FW800 (1 on 12"), 2USB2, Bt, ApE, PC Card (even 12")



    iBook

    12

    1GHz G3

    256 Soldered

    30-40

    DVD-Combo

    1FW800

    2USB

    Bt

    ApE

    $999-$1199



    14

    1GHz G3

    256 Soldered + 256

    30-40

    DVD-Combo

    1FW800

    2USB

    Bt

    ApE

    $1399-$1599



    ApE

    $79 Card

    $199 Base (same as today)+scanners

    $299 Better Base (same as today + USB2=put Scanners, Printers, and STORAGE for use on the network)



    S/W

    iLife

    ProLife(DVD Express, FCE, Audio Express, Photoshop Alt)

    Office alt(keynote+new apps)

    10.3.3
  • Reply 7 of 8
    ast3r3xast3r3x Posts: 5,012member
    flying hover cars with color schmes and designs stolen from apple, and we will be ruled by damn apes!
  • Reply 8 of 8
    lemon bon bonlemon bon bon Posts: 2,383member
    "Photoshop Alt"



    Hmm.



    Anything's possible.



    I wouldn't underestimate Apple.



    Software wise, they're getting bolder...



    Lemon Bon Bon
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