EXCLUSIVE: PowerBook 2004/2005 Roadmap and iSight 2 Update
01 October 2004 08:00
EST
Jason D. O'Grady
We have been getting many questions about when the next crop of PowerBooks will arrive, including the fabled PowerBook G5. The PowerPage has long maintained that we will see one more round of PowerBook G4 bumps before the announcement of the PBG5. The good news is that the PowerPage has secured a copy of Apple's PowerBook Roadmap for the next 12 months.
The road map looks like this: (subject to change)
The full release of Mac OS 10.4 ("Tiger") will take place in January. This was supposed to be September. Apple is trying to time the Tiger release with the PowerBook G5 introduction. It is unclear if one will happen without the other.
One thing's for sure though, there will be NO PowerBook G5 deliveries until February or mid-February 2005 at the earliest. If the PBG5 gets introduced in January it won't ship until at least 30-45 days later.
As for the upgrade to the current line of PowerBook G4s, there are already 1.8 and 2.0GHz models in the same shell walking around Apple's Cupertino campus. One model has 256MB of video RAM. Chip suppliers are getting pretty good yields on the faster G4 processor, so Apple may take it to market, but given the manufacturing costs, this could push the PowerBook G5 announcement to the end of the first quarter 2005 instead of January. It appears that bus speeds on the video side are increased as well.
There is a new fan system for the faster PowerBook G4s. The current model (Rev. B) Aluminum PowerBook G4s have been having problems with fan noise (because it wears out prematurely), so engineering has spec'd a different supplier who provides a higher MTBF, and the unit is physically larger and quieter.
It is unknown if this machine will be produced, but since inventory is low on the 15 and 17-inch PowerBooks most in Cupertino think the speed-bump will happen. Some claim the production line is already ramping up with the new 1.8 and 2.0GHz models (Rev C).
The PowerBook G5 will be cooled with a combination of active and passive cooling. Core temps are currently running pretty high, causing some lockups during testing, in the new, smaller, and lighter enclosure. The fans, are also new, high volume, slow turning units. The keyboards get hot, so they are trying a new type of insulating tape (used on the Space Shuttle electronic components) covering the underside of the keyboard, and protecting the fingers from the burn.
In other news, the new iSight 2 camera hardware is ready, however the software is not yet fully de-bugged. They may hold off on the new camera until Tiger, because there is an adequate supply to last well into the next quarter. As we previously reported, the iSight 2 will take full advantage of Apple's new H.264/AVC video codec, and other features to be found in Tiger.
Happy Friday from the PowerPage.
Recent Entries
Reader Comments
There are a total of
17
comment(s) on this story.
RE: EXCLUSIVE: PowerBook 2004/2005 Roadmap and iSight 2 Upda
Friday, October 01, 2004
Jeremy
Apple said iChat would integrate H.264. I don't think it matters what iSight you have. It's how the video is encoded.
|
RE: EXCLUSIVE: PowerBook 2004/2005 Roadmap and iSight 2 Update
Friday, October 01, 2004
MACALEX
It's kind strange to tell people about PB G4 1.8Ghz-2Ghz, when Freescale released Dual-Core PowerPC G4 MPC8641D at 1.5Ghz and higher.
|
Freescale didn't release dual-core chips
Friday, October 01, 2004
William Hoyt
Freescale has announced the dual-core chips, they won't be released until 1st half of next year.
|
RE: EXCLUSIVE: PowerBook 2004/2005 Roadmap and iSight 2 Update
Friday, October 01, 2004
atavistic
If true, I could be very happy with a Rev C 2G 15incher. My ibook 466SE is getting very long in the tooth. I think the G5 is awesome (Just got an iMac for the wife), but I think the heat and battery issues on the first model will be nightmarish, Space Shuttel technology notwithstanding.
|
RE: EXCLUSIVE: PowerBook 2004/2005 Roadmap and iSight 2 Update
Friday, October 01, 2004
Macdude
Looks like I will definitely be avoiding Rev A of the G5 PowerBook. Sounds like a complex machine with lot of new ideas that will need to be proved in real world field testing. I don't want to be one of the guinea pigs again like I was when I had to get the infamous "white spot" LCD problem fixed on my Rev A Aluminum.
|
RE: EXCLUSIVE: PowerBook 2004/2005 Roadmap and iSight 2 Update
Friday, October 01, 2004
Olly
I don't think we'll see the G5 powerbook till the tiger 64bit system has been de-bugged. I don't see them launching a whole load of new 64 bit applications and only having really tested a G5 water cooled chip. They will bring a few more G4 chips, maybe a dual?
|
RE: EXCLUSIVE: PowerBook 2004/2005 Roadmap and iSight 2 Update
Friday, October 01, 2004
dan
i notice that Linksys today announced the introduction of a wireless webcam. I wonder if Apples iSight revision will incorporate any of these new features?
The thought of having to use heat resistors of the Space shuttle is just ridiculus. What next, a powerbook that explodes like a space shuttle?
|
RE: EXCLUSIVE: PowerBook 2004/2005 Roadmap and iSight 2 Update
Friday, October 01, 2004
electricmonk
Actually any new update would be Rev. D.
Rev. A was the introduction of 12/17 in Jan. 2003
Rev. A 15 and Rev. B 12/17 in September 2003
Silent Rev. B 15 to fix whitespots/
Rev. C 12/15/17 in April 2004.
Therefore they are currently Rev. C, and a new update would take them to Rev. D.
|
RE: EXCLUSIVE: PowerBook 2004/2005 Roadmap and iSight 2 Update
Friday, October 01, 2004
melgross
Did anyone notice how confusing and contradictory this story is?
Usually his stuff is pretty clear.
What I don't understand is where the info about Tiger coming out a year from this January came from. At first I thought he was saying that it was coming out this January, which no believes to be true. But he is saying that it was going to come out next September, but was pushed back to next January. That's a year and three months from now. How does this jibe with the first half of '05? It's been expected that it might come out at the the Dev. Conf. at the end of June, at the latest. By "full release" is he saying that Apple will release a beta first?
I also don't understand about the iSight 2. The camera is ready now, but it's going to take them a year and three months to de-bug the rather small bit of software for it? That makes no sense. Or that they will hold off until Tiger because they have enough inventory until the end of the "next quarter? That ends this December! What about all of next year?
Or is he really trying to tell us, after all, that Tiger was supposed to have come out this September past, but will come out this January? That makes sense for his iSight timeline, but makes no sense for anything else. There has been talk of Apple releasing the H.264/AVC codec before Tiger anyway.
This sounds less like an APPLE roadmap that a bunch of guesses. A roadmap is much less disjointed than this is. It doesn't contain if, maybe, but, could. It simply lays out the path in a simple and rather non detailed way.
I'm sorry, but this has too much of the www.macosrumors.com about it.
|
RE: EXCLUSIVE: PowerBook 2004/2005 Roadmap and iSight 2 Update
Friday, October 01, 2004
cowerd
The issue is actually your reading comprehension. Tiger release is very clear. He thinks January, pushed back from THIS September. Thats pretty obvious fom the state of the alpha given to developers at WWDC. The January speculation is just that.
|
RE: EXCLUSIVE: PowerBook 2004/2005 Roadmap and iSight 2 Update
Friday, October 01, 2004
pkradd
Tiger WAS NEVER going to be released this September. It was always on the docket for the first part of next year. Tiger was previewed a few months ago at WWDC as stated anpve. Apple announced it would be ready next year. The article IS confusing. Written in haste and not proof-read? (it's a Friday so we'll forgive....,. and forget).
|
Doesnt read like a roadmap
Friday, October 01, 2004
hasapi
More like a rather poorly written speculative blog. Which is it a 1.8G G4 sometime soon or a PB G5 at MWSF?, and Tiger out in September 04? - where did he get that from?, Its always been '05!
|
RE: EXCLUSIVE: PowerBook 2004/2005 Roadmap and iSight 2 Update
Friday, October 01, 2004
B.Jones
Hahahahah
Okay, guys. Yeah. PowerPage doing its usual whiz-bang reporting job. I can vouch: you're dead wrong.
Morons.
|
RE: EXCLUSIVE: PowerBook 2004/2005 Roadmap and iSight 2 Update
Friday, October 01, 2004
yah
The part about releasing an upgraded version of G4 then G5 in such short time frame is not entirely impossible since Apple did the very same thing with the last rev of TiPB years ago. When Apple first announced Al PB back in January in MW EXPO, they made a revision of the TiPB two month earlier in October. I was one of the suckers that bought the brand new TiPB thinking that Apple wouldn't release a new PB in less than 2 month after a new revision...
|
RE: EXCLUSIVE: PowerBook 2004/2005 Roadmap and iSight 2 Update
Friday, October 01, 2004
DaMacGuy
Considering the reliable reports (IBM memos) of 90nm G5 being unreliable outside of a tight power spec, if we saw a PowerBook G5 based on the 90nm then it won't feature variable power capabilities (run slower on battery to conserve battery life). Or it'll ship with a battery the same size of the PowerBook.
The 65nm chip is what Apple is waiting on, and that won't be shipping in reliable quantities until at least late 2nd quarter (assuming they can get the bugs worked out).
I think a dual-core G4 is more likely. A DC 1.5Ghz G4 will perform a bit better than a 2Ghz, but being a dual-core it'll draw more publicity than a 2Ghz G4. The dual-core is not as good as a true dual processor due to the bottleneck between the dual-core processor and the motherboard. But it's power requirements are lower and the performance is much better than a single core processor.
And don't forget the new 100GB Serial ATA drive recently announced. I think we'll see that in the new PowerBook G4.
|
RE: EXCLUSIVE: PowerBook 2004/2005 Roadmap and iSight 2 Update
Saturday, October 02, 2004
Fritz Ole Wolter
The real question WHEN the new 'Books will be released has not been answered by this 'roadmap'.
|
RE: EXCLUSIVE: PowerBook 2004/2005 Roadmap and iSight 2 Update
Saturday, October 02, 2004
Charles
Sorry, Jason, but your so-called "12 month roadmap" brings to mind the famous Wendy's ad: Where's the beef?
Given Apple's own consistent comments about the problems they face with a G5 P'book, your "one thing's for sure" assertion that we won't see them until Feb. '05 at the earliest is hardly news. In fact, the only thing that seems certain in your reporting is that Apple has yet to resolve one of the most problematic issues with a G5 P'book: heat. If keyboards on current prototypes are getting so hot as to scorch fingers, they've clearly got a long way to go. It would seem that the only certainty here is that you know they're working on them, but you don't really know when they will be announced. I have no problem with that, except when you try to present it as some sort of exclusive scoop.
As for the 1.8 and 2 Ghz G4 P'books, I must ask the same question: is this news? Given current speeds, isn't this the logical next stop--the real question is, when are these speedbumped models scheduled for release on the "roadmap?" This is the type of beefy answer that I'm sure many readers were hoping to get from your "exclusive" access to this info, but we've been left to stare at an empty bun.
|
Add Your Comments
Please keep your comments relevant to this blog entry: inappropriate comments may be removed. We will never
display your email address. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted--no need to use <p> or
<br> tags.
|
|
|
|
