Apple updates PowerBooks, Power Macs, intros Aperture

Macworld ^ | 10/19/2005 | Peter Cohen and Jim Dalrymple

[Panerai]

Apple vice president of worldwide product market David Moody spoke to invited guests at a special press event on Wednesday in New York City.

Today’s event is all about bringing innovations to creative pros, Moody told the assembled. “We have several announcements spanning hardware and software,” he said.

New PowerBooks

First on the list are refreshed PowerBook models. Moody announced two new systems — 15-inch and 17-inch PowerBooks. The 15-inch model now features a screen with 1440 x 900 resolution, the same as the previous generation 17-inch model. The 17-inch model now features a 1680 x 1050 pixel display — the same resolution as Apple’s 20-inch Cinema Display

The new PowerBooks sport 22 percent greater battery life, standard DVD-RW “SuperDrives” and built-in support for Apple’s gargantuan 30-inch Cinema HD Display, according to Moody. Prices start at $1,499 for the 12-inch model, $1,999 for the 15-inch model and $2,499 for the 17-inch model. All systems are shipping today.

New Power Macs

Apple has also updated its Power Mac G5 system, which Moody calls the “system of choice for creative professionals that need power.”

The new systems feature dual-core PowerPC processors and a new system architecture that can support up to 16GB of 533MHz DDR2 RAM. They can also hold up to 1 terabyte (TB) of internal Serial ATA (SATA) storage, and are the first Power Macs to feature PCI Express (PCIe) expansion slots. DDR2 RAM and PCIe are both featured on Apple’s recently refreshed iMac G5 system.

[stan_25]

Thanks for the heads up. I am always interested in new Mac products, being that I have used Macs since I have been using computers

[BIRDS]

I can't wait 'till Steve Jobs shows up on stage in a miniature little box on a string: the newest MAC...MEEEEE 2.0 MINI !!

[Yossarian]

Yossarian's off-the-cuff analysis:

1. Powerbook updates: weak. Increased battery life is nice, but a lot of the latest digital media editing apps need more horsepower than a 1.7 GHz G4 (with its anemic front side bus) can produce.
2. PowerMacs: The Quad G5 isn't too shabby - it's expensive, but nice. The 2.0 and 2.3 single chip dual core probably just save power compared to what they replace. (Well, PCI-express and DDR2 may give them a 10% boost....)

   I have FPU intensive and parallelized code, so I want to test it out on the Quad. LinuxPPC is faster than MacOS for pure computation, so when LinuxPPC can be installed on this beast, it will be a slam dunk for us FPU junkies.

3. Aperture: Well, I'm looking for a better version of iPhoto, and this could be it. BUT, at $499, I'll wait to see what Aperture features filter down to the next version of iPhoto.

[Yossarian]

Swordmaker & CC ping....

[Mr. Blonde]

I'm not incredibly knowledgable about computers, but isn't it likely that your power concerns for the Powerbook will be answered with the switch to Intel?

[Swordmaker]

New Powerbook (Whow! Look at the display resolutions!)... New PowerMacs (Dual Core! Capable of holding 1 terabyte of internal storage!)... Software upgrades!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

[CheneyChick]

Well, Macworld SF is just around the corner.... (9-13 JAN 2006)

[jalisco555]

My Rev. A 17 inch Powerbook is really starting to show it's age. Now that I've practically filled the hard drive and upgraded the applications it's gotten pretty slow, and the battery life is a scandal. I've been thinking of upgrading next year but I may wait until the Intel models come out.

Still the best computer I've ever owned, though.

[Terpfen]

I wonder why Apple didn't put 1680x1050 in the 15-inch, and 1920x1080 in the 17-inch. If Dell can do it, Apple can too.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I'm not incredibly knowledgable about computers, but isn't it likely that your power concerns for the Powerbook will be answered with the switch to Intel?

There are NO CHIPS on the planet that run Hotter than Intel chips, ....AMD64 chips are eating Intel's lunch, they deliver more compute power , use less real power, amps, and run cooler.

[antiRepublicrat]

There are NO CHIPS on the planet that run Hotter than Intel chips,

Intel's roadmap has dual-core Pentium-M based chips with a new architecture soon. These will run fast and very cool, and are most likely what Apple was looking at in the switch to Intel.

Even right now my benchmarking software shows my work computer, a current-generation Pentium M 1.6, performing the same as a P4 2.2. That sounds like around the same clock speed to performance ratio AMD has over the P4, and the Pentium M runs even cooler. So expect to be amazed when the next generation that's going into the MacTels hits.

And all this coming from some who loves AMD and has considered Intel worthless up until the Pentium M (and then only good for laptops).

[Terpfen]

Powerbook updates: weak. Increased battery life is nice, but a lot of the latest digital media editing apps need more horsepower than a 1.7 GHz G4 (with its anemic front side bus) can produce.

People don't buy PowerBooks for intensive media editing. That's what the PowerMac is for.

[SlowBoat407]

I'm going to cut my natural gas bill this Winter by running my 17" Powerbook G4 for all media applications.

[avg_freeper]

I wonder if any more-money-than-brains gamer will choose the QUADRO FX 4500 graphics card option.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I was referring to the top performing P4 Prescott chips....

[ThinkDifferent]

Powerbook updates: weak. Increased battery life is nice, but a lot of the latest digital media editing apps need more horsepower than a 1.7 GHz G4

Right, and that's a major primary reasons for the Intel switch. I'll hopefully be picking up a dual-core Yonah PB next year, after which I may never have to buy another desktop.