Next Macs?

X

Xiao

Registered
Hey, I was just wodering if anyone knows any rumours of the next models/upgrades/hardware Apple will be releasing or some sites that have release any data? Or are we just gunna have to wait until WWDC?
 
Hi Xiao, and welcome on board :)

There are always a lot of rumors about the new models and new updates ... but not even the people working on Apple know about them. :)

Do you have any particular model you are interested in? Thinking whether to buy a new Mac (wchich?) now? The Murphy's laws aren't always applicable (something like "as soon as you have bought a new Mac, a newer, faster, better model with smaller price will come out).
 
Hmmm, well I'm buying one for filmmaking, and the iMacs or PowerBooks will be the choice. I need something portable, but powerful. iMacs are easy to carry around, buy PowerBooks are...well laptops! Obviously...But I wanna know if anything is right around the corner, someone mentioned a typical six month rule in another thread...
 
Well, the 15,4" powerbook is probabble to get a newer look soon. iMacs are nice, then... powerbooks just got those 12" and 17" versions in MFSF. :)
 
someone mentioned a typical six month rule in another thread..
Click to expand...

Yup, the six months rule of thumb. The iBook line should get a revision soon, and so should the PowerBook 15".

Check out these introduction dates I gathered from everymac.com, of four different machines:

iMacs
February 22, 2001
July 18, 2001
January 7, 2002
July 17, 2002
February 4, 2003

iBooks
May 1, 2001
October 16, 2001
January 7, 2002
May 20, 2002
November 06, 2002

PowerBooks
January 9, 2001
October 16, 2001
April 29, 2002
November 06, 2002
January 07, 2003

PowerMacs
January 9, 2001
July 18, 2001
January 28, 2002
August 13, 2002
January 28, 2003
 
The iBook is the only Macintosh currently using the G3. I wouldn't be surprised if they did. But only when the Powermac and Xserve get the next gen processor (rumors now say IBM's PPC970)
 
Giaguara is correct the "g" nomenclature is done by apple... not the processor manufacturer. The G3 is technicaly the PPC 750. The G4 has been PPC 7400 series chips.
(PPC= Power PC if you were wondering)
 
In fact, the first "G3" systems were not made by Apple, but were actually Mac clones.... was that UMAX, or Power Computing who made the first "G3" Mac?
 
Originally posted by Xiao
Oh, ok, so the PPC970 will say "G5" on it? BUT will be made by...IBM?
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Yep, from what we know know it will be produced by IBM.

IBM and Motorolla currently produce the G3 and G4's in current use. IBM focusing on the G3 and Mot on the G4.

I'd imagine the new machines will be badged the G5... unless apple decides to revamp the image of the powermac line.


Adambyte... I wasn't around durring the early G3 days but if memory serves correctly the clones were first to market with the G3 although it was announced by Apple previous to that?
 
Actually, it's the processor makers that named the processors in generations. But Apple also used this term. Right now there's the problem that the PowerPC 970, according to IBM's listings, is a G3 or a G4 system (they don't talk about generations any longer). Basically, Motorola hogged the G4 term with their 74xx line of processors and defined that AltiVec was a part of the definition. Now that the 970 has AltiVec, that would make it a G4 processor (it's based on the Power4 processor, not IBM's G3 processors).

Apple probably won't name the PowerMacs 'G4' any more, as for _them_ it's a new generation. Still 'G5' would be the wrong term, processor wise. G5 is Motorola's 85xx line of processors, which are not used in desktop computers so far. (And not aimed at desktop computers, either.)
 
I actually think that the G5 was first initially started by Motorola, and that IBM bought the G5 assets off of them. I mean how could IBM come up with such a good processor so quickly? We all knew that the G5 was being developed a while ago and then the development suddenly....stopped. It's very interesting to note how much the PowerPC 970 and the PowerPC G5 have in common. Both 64 bit processors with 32 bit support, both are very fast and i dont know how the Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD ie Altivec) unit got on there. Too bad AIM are so secretic about this stuff. I find microporcessors really interesting! :D
 
the "Pent" of Pentium stands for 5 ("5"86...), will the G come to its 5'th sky now ?
 
IBM has had the Power4 processor for a while. They don't need Motorola's technology, to come up with a good process. They have had a better processor and R&D for years. Motorolas focus has been embeded chips and IBMs has been server and mainframe, now they are scaling down to the workstation market, where Apple pretty much is headed. So they meet on common ground. Motorola has no interest in this market it seems by their actions so they need to be cut out the equation, in my opinion. :D
 
Originally posted by whitesaint
I actually think that the G5 was first initially started by Motorola, and that IBM bought the G5 assets off of them. I mean how could IBM come up with such a good processor so quickly?
Click to expand...

Maybe because they've been in the processor business for a really long time? Maybe because the PPC970 is a derivative of another IBM chip? Maybe because they are a very big company with a hell of a lot of engineers and a hell of a lot of money?

It's very interesting to note how much the PowerPC 970 and the PowerPC G5 have in common.
Click to expand...

That could have something to do with the fact that IBM and Motorola developed the PowerPC together. Maybe...
 
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