“Apple Computer is believed to be prepping one final update to its PowerPC-based PowerBook G4 product line that could be unveiled at the end of next month, AppleInsider has learned,” Kasper Jade and Katie Marsal report for AppleInsider. “Reliable sources say the PowerBook update is slated for an introduction during the third week of September at Apple Expo Paris, but has recently fallen into a rut that could force a delay or even cause the company to scrap the revision entirely.”
Jade and Marsal report that the new PowerBooks are expected to gain a 300MHz speed boost that would put the 17-inch model at or near 2GHz [currently, Apple PowerBooks top out at 1.67GHz] and that at least one of the two new models will also gain a higher resolution (1920 x 1200 pixels) WUXGA display.
[UPDATE: 8/12, 11:15am ET: AppleInsider has revised their original report without noting the revision to state, “At the high-end, the new PowerBooks are expected to gain a mere 30MHz speed boost that would put the 15-inch and 17-inch models at 1.7GHz.”]
AppleInsider also reports that Apple may be planning to abandon its 12-inch PowerBook offering.
More details in the full report here.
MacDailyNews Note: There has been no official announcement from either Apple Computer or Apple Expo that Apple CEO Steve Jobs will be the keynote speaker. No keynote speaker has yet been named.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Analyst: Apple CEO Jobs to make ‘significant announcement’ during September 20 Aple Expo keynote – August 09, 2005
Steve Jobs to keynote Apple Expo Paris 2005 on September 20 – August 04, 2005
dropping the 12″ line doesn’t make sense.
There is quite a market demand for those smaller PBs. Even if people end up buying the 15″, I think many PB owners are drawn by the allure of the 12″. I know my wife and her friends all think it’s the best PB made.
MDN: Property
seems almost pointless with the superior intel powerbooks just around the corner.
unless they are designed by vaio engineers…. hmmm maybe i will get one!
i JUST ordered one. http://www.apple.com/store/futureproducts.hmtl
> i JUST ordered one. http://www.apple.com/store/futureproducts.hmtl
Good one. How many things are wrogn with Emax’s link?
To little, to late.
The 12″ PowerBook is the best laptop in the world. Apple would be crazy to drop it. Three of my friends have bought one since I got one in summer 2004. It’s the best size to go anywhere with.
I plead with Apple to continue making the 12″ PowerBook!!
i totally agree with “me” ‘s wife and her friends. PB 12″ is the best PB. i could afford the 15 or 17 ” PB, but i bought the 12″. and i can’t wait for the next generation.
I hope Apple keeps them.
Add an NVidia 6800 Go video card and I’m there.
Don’t let MDN’s headline get you to worked up.
And they won’t dump the 12″, it’s the kewlest one!
Dropping the 12″ creates a nice product spread between the iBook and the PowerBook. Expect Powerbooks up to 20″ and really fast next year.
>MacDailyNews Note: There has been no official >announcement from either Apple Computer or Apple Expo >that Apple CEO Steve Jobs will be the keynote speaker. >No keynote speaker has yet been named.
Ummm…what about this:
http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1222
Z
MW:remember – brain in drive BEFORE mouth.
Put in a backlit keyboard and I will immediately be buying a 12″ PB!
Right now there is almost no reason to buy the 12″ PowerBook over the 12″ iBook. There are virtually identical computers (except that the iBook gets better battery life and better wireless reception). One is just much more affordable. Thats why they might drop the 12″ PowerBook. To keep it around they need to kick up its specks quite a bit to justify its price point.
Um, AI updated their article to correct the GHz error. It’s a 30 MHz increase, not 333. So the new PowerBooks are rumored to run at 1.7 GHz (compared to the current 1.67 GHz). Not a big deal, until you also compare the other differences.
Right now there is almost no reason to buy the 12″ PowerBook over the 12″ iBook.
Well, I suppose if I had a PPC iBook I could hack the open firmware to enable monitor spanning… But both of our 12″ PowerBooks connect to 20″ DVI displays at home. The 12″ screens are useable/functional on the road, but in the studio we need some graphics real estate to be productive.
If all you’re doing is IM/email/surfing then I suppose a 12″ or 14″ iBook would suffice…
Zillatron-
FYI- just because a rumor site says that Steve Jobs will be the keynote speaker does not make it true. It is a rumor. There has been no official announcement from Apple that Jobs will be the keynote speaker.
The AppleInsider articles clearly states: “At the high-end, the new PowerBooks are expected to gain a mere 30MHz speed boost that would put the 17-inch model at 1.7GHz.” I do not know where MDN got the 2 GHz figure they refer to in the title.
I hope Apple update the displays of the Powerbook line soon. Many PC laptops have higher resolution, brighter and shinier screens right now. It looks like Apple fell behind in this aspect.
Not only do I want a 12″ PowerBook but I also hope it gets the keyboard that lights up in the dark. It should also have a wide-screen display too.
September is not too far away. It looks like we will have a lot to discuss until the next keynote.
Apple would be remiss to eliminate the 12″ PowerBook. I had a chance to choose between a 17″ and a 12″ and I chose the lower-spec’d 12″ because as a portable, it is uber-portable.
There are many differences between the 12″ Powerbook and iBook.
+The PowerBook is smaller and easier to handle.
-The PowerBook gets warmer to the touch.
+The PowerBook has DVI-out and a better video card.
+The PowerBook is a slightly faster CPU.
+The Powerbook has a faster and larger hard drive.
+The Powerbook has a Superdrive option.
+The Powerbook has audio line-in.
+The Powerbook is lighter.
So THERE!
12″ PowerBook. Best. PowerBook. Ever.
It’ll break my heart if they drop this guy.
They are going to scrap the 12″ and everyone will become shorter as they must carry an extra pound. One more pound for 3″ of real estate. Even the 17″ is just another 1.3 pounds. Less then 7 lbs for a 17″ screen. I am a bad packer and always end up with an extra 4 or 5 lbs of something I never need.
If you need a 12″ buy the iBook, its a better deal and will perform equally
If it wasn’t for the 12″ PB, I probably wouldn’t use a mac for work. The 15″ and 17″ take up too much real estate to sit on a desk hooked-up to a monitor and a keyboard. Add to that the fact that they just don’t travel as well as a 12″ PB. The 12″ iBook is a little underpowered for business. Droping the 12″ PB would be a big mistake for Apple’s push toward encouraging business users to switch (like I did).
You’re not going to have much luck hacking the firmware to get the iBook to do monitor spanning on a DVI display, since the iBook physically only has analog out. For DVI you need the Powerbook.
So where are the 2GHz CPUs for this?…
I don’t think there are any.
AI made a mistake (now corrected). It’s a 30 MHz bump, not 300 MHz, so the new PB will top out at 1.7 GHz.
scoodog wrote:
The 12″ PowerBook is the best laptop in the world. Apple would be crazy to drop it. Three of my friends have bought one since I got one in summer 2004. It’s the best size to go anywhere with.
I plead with Apple to continue making the 12″ PowerBook!!
Anyone would be crazy to drop a 12″ powerbook, those things cost a fortune…