New PowerMac G5s and PowerBook HD at NAB?

[MacRumors]

One detailed tipster claims that new PowerMacs will be announced at the upcoming National Association of Broadcasters conference which takes place between April 16-21 in Las Vegas, NV.

The ambitious report claims that the new machines will include the rumored 970MP starting at 2GHz, alongside 2.5GHz and 3.0GHz models. The first Blu-ray drives (Apple adopts Blu-Ray) are expected to make their debut in the top-end model.

Under the hood support for Hypertransport 2.0, PCI-Express, and a new Audio IC is reported. Memory support will be boosted to 32GB of RAM in the high end models with availability of 4GB DDR modules.

While G5 PowerBooks are not expected, a higher resolution "PowerBook HD" is expected to be debuted at NAB as well. The new model is expected to simply boost the resoluation of the current 17" PowerBook and offer the ATI Mobility Radeon 9800.

Steve Jobs has made comments at MacWorld SF that 2005 will be the year of High Definition.

 

[nbaker756]

sweet

this would be so awesome if it turns out to be true! i will order the day both come out!

 

[Steven1621]

what would that put the res to on the PB's?

edit: nevermind. i reread the post. how would that make it HD though?

 

[buryyourbrideau]

yay!!!

 

[dolphin842]

Hmm.... seems that either this 'tipster' is really an insider, or is just running down a wishlist of desired features for the next update.

4 GB ram modules are available now? Color me impressed...

 

[KrysBaz]

And just when I's convinced myself that I didn't really need to upgrade!

Maybe the MDD G4 dual 1ghz and rev A 12" PB due need to be upgraded, perhaps I'll have to win big on the Grand National of Saturday.


Probably about as much chance of that happing but it would be nice.

 

[aafuss1]

One detailed tipster claims that new PowerMacs will be announced at the upcoming National Association of Broadcasters conference which takes place between April 16-21 in Las Vegas, NV.

The ambitious report claims that the new machines will include the rumored 970MP starting at 2GHz, alongside 2.5GHz and 3.0GHz models. The first Blu-ray drives (Apple adopts Blu-Ray) are expected to make their debut in the top-end model.

Under the hood support for Hypertransport 2.0, PCI-Express, and a new Audio IC is reported. Memory support will be boosted to 32GB of RAM in the high end models with availability of 4GB DDR modules.

While G5 PowerBooks are not expected, a higher resolution "PowerBook HD" is expected to be debuted at NAB as well. The new model is expected to simply boost the resoluation of the current 17" PowerBook and offer the ATI Mobility Radeon 9800.

Steve Jobs has made comments at MacWorld SF that 2005 will be the year of High Definition.

If the PMG5's get PCI Express–it'd probably require a new chipset (let's say the U4 and K4 IC's). Sounds good to me–seeing as Apple recently adopted Blu-Ray. Thus, unlike the recorders currently available in Japan, Apple will have a much more affordable solution.

Also, would the single processor model move to 2.0GHz too?

Audo IC–there's a new one–it should support something similar to Intel HD Audio (found on many new PC's) or improved sound quality.

 

[iGary]

Well it's been a good bit of time since updates, it would be nice to see some real whoppers soon...Getting tired of looking at iPod on the front page.

 

[mrkite]

Sounds a little too good to be true to me...

 

[Bear]

I'll take one of the dual core dual proc 3.0GHz with the Blu-Ray drive.

And yes, I'll really order one of those if they're announced. Otherwise I'll be ordering the whatever the biggest baddest PowerMac that is announced.

 

[patseguin]

I've been confused about this before. Don't the PM G5's already have PCI Express? My x800 card is PCI Express, unless I am missing something.

Oh, and if the dual core 3GHz rumor is true, the G5 in my sig may end up on eBay.

 

[leenoble]

Small text

I've no idea what kind of resolution would make a PowerBook into a PowerBook HD, but surely if you stuck too many pixels in per square inch all the GUI elements and text would be too small.

I didn't think the vector based UI was due to debut until 10.5.

 

[ziwi]

I will believe it when I see it. PCI-X is what the current PM's have not PCI-Express - different. It would be nice, but it may just be a wish list - only a few weeks to see if this is real...

 

[runninmac]

Sounds nice escpcaly(sp) with the blu-ray (are they even shiping blu-ray yet?) but i wonder how accurate the person is but that would be sweet. I love having Dentist appts during school so i can see this site.

 

[arn]

ya... grain of salt, page 2, etc...

 

[decash]

4GB sticks

...4 GB ram modules are available now? Color me impressed...

Yes, as are 2GB sticks. Crucial's take of the 4GB comes as its DDR PC2100 DIMM, 184 pin. But at USD $2999 a pop, it aint cheap!

 

[iriejedi]

Great! :-(

I'll take one of the dual core dual proc 3.0GHz with the Blu-Ray drive.

And yes, I'll really order one of those if they're announced. Otherwise I'll be ordering the whatever the biggest baddest PowerMac that is announced.

That is just great! Now my 2.5 is obsolete.

 

[ClimbingTheLog]

I've no idea what kind of resolution would make a PowerBook into a PowerBook HD, but surely if you stuck too many pixels in per square inch all the GUI elements and text would be too small.

I didn't think the vector based UI was due to debut until 10.5.

Yes, this is very important for Apple's OS lead. Anybody know if Longhorn has this?

There may be some people at NAB who are willing to put up with tiny text for a full 1920x1080 HD frame on a powerbook though. Powerbook HD is a good moniker - you don't want this (yet) if you're not doing HD.

I'm still expecting the iPod DV too - no mention of it?

 

[dongmin]

I've no idea what kind of resolution would make a PowerBook into a PowerBook HD, but surely if you stuck too many pixels in per square inch all the GUI elements and text would be too small.

I didn't think the vector based UI was due to debut until 10.5.

720p - 1280 x 720
1080i - 1920 x 1080
Existing PB 17"- 1440x900

Right now, The PBs are roughly at 100ppi. Going to 1920 would mean a 33% increase in horizontal pixels (but only 20% vertically), so something like 133ppi, which seems high, but not so bad by PC standards.

 

[patseguin]

What is a "vector based UI"? I haven't heard this term before in regards to Mac OS X.

 

[tdewey]

Sounds a little too good to be true to me...

Agreed. New Powermacs I can believe but: blu-ray? HD PB? 970MP?

I'd be happy to be proved wrong of course ;-)

 

[chicagdan]

Come on, this story is ridiculous. No way Apple would have updated the PB line so recently if changes like this were just around the corner.

 

[Bear]

That is just great! Now my 2.5 is obsolete.

Not yet and it won't be obsolete. At worst it'll be outdated.

Obsolete will be when you can't get new software that runs on it.

 

[Bear]

Come on, this story is ridiculous. No way Apple would have updated the PB line so recently if changes like this were just around the corner.

Actually, they've been known to make additions to a line out of cycle. I suspect it would be an additional PowerBook model and not replacing any of the current ones. (If it actually happens of course.)

 

[ClimbingTheLog]

What is a "vector based UI"? I haven't heard this term before in regards to Mac OS X.

Resolution-independent is another term I've heard more frequently but it's a result/implementation thing - same difference.

Roughly, instead of the menubar being 32 pixels high, it's 5% of the screen height.

So on a 1024x768 display it's still 32 pixels high.

However, if you have a display that's 10240x7680 (notice the extra 0's) on a 21" display you don't wind up with a menubar that's 2 millimeters high, you wind up with a menubar that's still a centimeter high on your display but has laser-printer quality fonts.

[note: rough approximations on the math]