PowerBook G5, 7447A and iBooks

[MacRumors]

Rumor site newcomer Croquer.free.fr (French) claims that PowerBook G5s are undergoing testing and are expected in 8-12 weeks.

As well, they claim that the recently introduced PowerPC 7447A (Motorola) will be used in an upcoming iBook G4 revision.

The new site, however, has not yet had any accurate predictions. They also (incorrectly) claimed that a 2.6GHz PowerMac, G5 iMac, and Aluminum screens would show up on Jan 24, 2004 for Apple's 20th anniversary.

 

[the_mole1314]

Nice, if true. But I doubt it. I would like 1.5ghz G4 iBooks. That would kick-ass.

 

[trog]

Yeah, would be nice, unfortunately it sounds like this should be a "page 3" rumor.

 

[Stella]

ROTFL

 

[d00d]

Let's see... this site hasn't had any accurate rumors, is hosted on a free host... I'm not holding my breath.

 

[eric67]

free host because

Originally posted by d00d
Let's see... this site hasn't had any accurate rumors, is hosted on a free host... I'm not holding my breath.

this is simply to remain anonymous I guess, otherwise they could get quickly letters and email from Apple.
This web site does not exist since a long time. so give them a bit a credit, and flame them if there are wrong, but so far what is announced is only reports of on-going development.
By the way, for those who do not understand French, they were reporting PPC970 @ 90nm before any report of PPC970fx.
So to my point their reports are fairly OK... macrumors.com was also reporting update for Apple aniversary and nothing came, so...easy to criticize, but before one should clean in front of its door...

 

[arn]

The news story has been deleted.... because I've received more information that the info from site is inaccurate.

eric: you are incorrect.... IBM themselves announced the plans for the 90nm PowerPC in 2003 well before this site existed.

Sept 2003: https://www.macrumors.com/pages/2003/09/20030929111948.shtml
Nov 2003: https://www.macrumors.com/pages/2003/11/20031113110834.shtml

arn

 

[QCassidy352]

well, that's that, then. Arn rarely posts information from his own sources... but when he does, it's never wrong.

 

[d00d]

Re: free host because

Originally posted by eric67
this is simply to remain anonymous I guess, otherwise they could get quickly letters and email from Apple.

And that's why ThinkSecret, Macrumors, Macosrumors, and AppleInsider all use free hosts? Hmmmm.

This web site does not exist since a long time. so give them a bit a credit, and flame them if there are wrong, but so far what is announced is only reports of on-going development.

They have been wrong before, as noted by the news story. I didn't flame them for being wrong. I criticized the credibility of the rumor.

Maybe you're getting so uppity because you run the site?

 

[eric67]

Re: Re: free host because

Originally posted by d00d

Maybe you're getting so uppity because you run the site?

no my friend, I am not running the site, neither I know who is doing it, I was just getting excited with those news, that I wanted to share.
I have never meant that they are perfect neither macrumors nor Arn , I do apreciate the work and the quality of macrumors otherwise I must a dummy idiot to keep posting on this forums since months...
I think we should give them some time, we will see in the future...

 

[a17inchFuture]

If it is true, and the new g5 pbs came out at the wwdc on june 28th, would they be available to buy online that day, or does it usually take longer? Thanks.

 

[johnnyjibbs]

I wouldn't have thought iBooks would leap ahead of the current PowerBooks in the next revision, whether the new PowerBooks were G5 or not. That would kill resale/refurb sales on current PowerBooks, while making a more powerful machine (i.e. the would-be new iBook 1.5GHz) available for far less money (e.g. compared with current 1GHz PB 12" or even the 15/17" PowerBooks). Sure, prices go down and performance goes up in time, we all accept that, but not at that rate. And iBook 800MHz/1GHz to 1.5GHz in one rev? Not even the G5 is looking to get the same kind of leap.

 

[ThomasJefferson]

This is all horsehockey.

 

[Florida Gator]

Think a 12" G5 powerbook be released at the begining or will it be awhile after the (assumed) 15 and 17?

 

[cb911]

wow. that one's a bit crazy. 1.5GHz G4 iBooks? that'd mean the PowerBooks would have to be around 1.8-2GHz.

i wonder how many people will go and get a G5 PowerBook as soon as they're released? i know that no mattter how much i want one i'll be waiting probably at least one revision. (well, my bank account might have something to do with that. )

 

[maxvamp]

Sad part is..

If that site is anything like MacOSRumors, I would not be surprised that this came directly from a post I made on another forum here, a few days ago.

I personally think ( without any inside knowledge of any sort )that Apple will make faster G4 iBooks, and faster G5 PowerBooks.

This is my opinion only, based only on watching the trends of what Apple has done.

One other note, On whatching the MHz trends, I suspect that Apple will be cool again soon, as the PC world is slowly shifting from the 'Need more MHz' to 'need 64Bits' metality.

I am personally seeing this through the actions Intel is taking in response to the AMD64 ( love mine, hate Windows ).

Max.

 

[nesbitt_a]

I would expect apple to release the g5 powerbooks starting with the 17, 15, and then the 12. Cooling these things is the problem - so I'd guess they'd start big, and refine...


-- Andrew.

 

[Bunzi2k4]

that would be stupid, if the ibooks get to 1.5, and the powerbook 12" doesn't get an upgrade, the consumer line will be a little... better than the pro line. I think for the powerbooks it will be an "all or nothing"

 

[h_harker]

So let me get this straight...(im new)... G5 powerbooks; will they replace the G4 model when it comes to its next revision date or not? And when is that all important update coming- if we all group together and give it our BEST guess now?!

I seem to think that all powerbook posts get a lot of interest on this site (thats why i have started to check it every hour or so) are people out there like me also holding off buying there new laptop until we get SOME sort of clarification on the powerbook future? Im just holding off and holding off, surely you would be crazy to buy one now- i realise that they sell all remaining models THEN introduce the new stock, but is this not being delayed by people like me waiting and waiting and WAITING? I got to the very last stage of purchasing the other day, and then got cold feet, just couldnt do it with a g5 around the corner...possibly...

Ok i realise i need to introduce a new sort of topic into the discussion because these are all age old questions, so how about this...what will be the aesthetics of the all new G5 powerbook? Are we looking at something that has exactly the same look as the G5 powermacs/ new LCD screens, or are we going to see a new radical look to the apple range. If so, what?- a brushed metallic finish perhaps- in black?

Thanks for reading my first post.

Henry

 

[jsw]

So let me get this straight...(im new)... G5 powerbooks; will they replace the G4 model when it comes to its next revision date or not? And when is that all important update coming- if we all group together and give it our BEST guess now?!

I seem to think that all powerbook posts get a lot of interest on this site (thats why i have started to check it every hour or so) are people out there like me also holding off buying there new laptop until we get SOME sort of clarification on the powerbook future? Im just holding off and holding off, surely you would be crazy to buy one now- i realise that they sell all remaining models THEN introduce the new stock, but is this not being delayed by people like me waiting and waiting and WAITING? I got to the very last stage of purchasing the other day, and then got cold feet, just couldnt do it with a g5 around the corner...possibly...

Ok i realise i need to introduce a new sort of topic into the discussion because these are all age old questions, so how about this...what will be the aesthetics of the all new G5 powerbook? Are we looking at something that has exactly the same look as the G5 powermacs/ new LCD screens, or are we going to see a new radical look to the apple range. If so, what?- a brushed metallic finish perhaps- in black?

Thanks for reading my first post.

Henry

Welcome, Henry. I've only been around here 2-3 days myself.

As far as for when G5 powerbooks will come out... I think it's wishful thinking that they'll be out in June. Yes, I'm among those wishfully thinking, but, realistically (look at the problems they've had with the Xserve G5's) I'm thinking it'll be end of 2004, if we're lucky. Of course Apple would love to be selling G5 powerbooks now. But there's a lot of stuff to solve first. If the current PBs solve your needs, buy one. If not, wait. Odds are that faster ones will be out soon. But...probably not faster G5's, probably not in the next six months, based on all I've read. I hope I'm being pessimistic, but my guess is Xmas 2004 at the earliest.

As far as looks: I'm guessing Aluminum will stay, probably with large air intakes (again, see Xserves). I'm also guessing low speeds (sub 2.0 GHz) for power and heat reasons - otherwise, there might be a radical design change to accomodate heat issues.

I've heard a lot about liquid cooling options, which would alleviate some of the air intake issues - but...you gotta dump that heat somewhere, so there's going to be a fan or four in there, and those fans will be pulling air in through something.

I think it might look a bit like the 17" does now, but thicker. Of course, that's pure speculation.

 

[jsw]

Regardless of when the new PowerBooks arrive, I hope they achieve at least some level of parity with the PC laptops at the time. My year-old work laptop (yeah, boo, hiss, Windows) has a 1900x1200 screen, great video, a fast CPU, a reasonably fast disk, etc.

Why, oh why cannot Apple do better? Why aren't the 17" screens higher-res? Why aren't the drives faster? Why isn't the video better?

I love Apple. I love their designs, I love their OS. I am, however, getting very tired of Apple not using fast and/or state-of-the-art components in their laptops. Yes, they have some cool things in there. But I'd give up a slot-loading DVD if it gained me a real screen and video.

I'm not asking for the impossible, just for Apple to use currently-available parts to make their laptops better.

 

[vixapphire]

Regardless of when the new PowerBooks arrive, I hope they achieve at least some level of parity with the PC laptops at the time.

Why, oh why cannot Apple do better? Why aren't the 17" screens higher-res? Why aren't the drives faster? Why isn't the video better?

I'm not asking for the impossible, just for Apple to use currently-available parts to make their laptops better.

hear, hear. i'm blown away by my wife's dell with the 15" non-wide screen. it's about 1.5 years or so old and the screen resolution is like "reality". awesome. my ibook looks good, but nowhere close to that.

i too was about to pull the trigger on a refurb'd 1.25 powerbook, but then i thought, "that's crazy - within a few weeks there's likely going to be an upgrade, and even if not, there's a g5 p'book out there in the next several months". i'd be bummed in a hurry if i'd paid full coin for the current model only to see it smoked, much less obliterated (g5) in a few months. all arguments about "buying what you need now" etc. aside, i'm strictly focusing on dollars and cents here.

so instead, i bought a refurb'd 867 tibook for super cheap that i can use until the 2d or 3d revision of the g5 powerbook is chugging along. now, that's the kind of sugar papa likes...

oh yeah, and it boots into os9 too.

 

[Crikey]

The real story

I think Apple will release speed-bumped PowerBook models with the new Motorola G4 chips in the next two months or so. I don't think they will bump the iBook line at the same time; I think they'll bump the iBooks a few months later. What they may bump (or completely redesign) at the same time as the PowerBooks is the iMac. The eMac is an old design, but very low-end from Apple's perspective and they'll put their efforts into the iMac first.

I also expect speed-bumped G5 towers any time now.

No G5-powered PowerBooks until early 2005, I think.

Where do I get my insider knowledge? I make it up, just like everyone else here.


Crikey

 

[Zaty]

I think Apple will release speed-bumped PowerBook models with the new Motorola G4 chips in the next two months or so. I don't think they will bump the iBook line at the same time; I think they'll bump the iBooks a few months later. What they may bump (or completely redesign) at the same time as the PowerBooks is the iMac. The eMac is an old design, but very low-end from Apple's perspective and they'll put their efforts into the iMac first.

I also expect speed-bumped G5 towers any time now.

No G5-powered PowerBooks until early 2005, I think.

Where do I get my insider knowledge? I make it up, just like everyone else here.


Crikey

I agree, the reason why it seems unlikely to me that we'll see G5 PBs in 2004 is heat. I'm sure Apple could fabricate a 17" (and probably a 15", too) PowerBook with a PPC 970FX, but a 2-inch laptop with loud fans and 1 hour battery is so un-Apple-ish. (They're other manufactures that build such beasts. e.g. Dell.)

 

[dbauer]

Confused????

I'm a little confused, doesn't current P4 laptops (not centrino's) dissapate about 90 watts when running @ full speed? Then kick down to about 800 Mhz when not doing processor intensive tasks (thereby only using 20 watts or so)?
If so, then how come Apple can't put a 23 watt 2.0 G5 into a PowerBook? The new 90nm G5 even has the same step down feature that the P4's have so theoretically the 2.0 Ghz G5 could bump down to 1 Ghz or below to save battery life when doing non intensive functions. Maybe I'm wrong on the G5 wattage but I thought I read that figure somewhere on the net.

-db