Follow Slashdot blog updates by subscribing to our blog RSS feed

 



Forgot your password?
typodupeerror
×
Technology (Apple) Technology

Apple Website Points to PowerBook G5 387

lewsmind writes "The Register has a scoop on the new PowerBook G5. According to this article at the Apple website has hidden clues that suggest the coming of the PB G5 very soon. ."
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.

Apple Website Points to PowerBook G5

Comments Filter:
  • Already gone... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by nuclear305 ( 674185 ) * on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:19PM (#11494460)
    According to TFA, Apple replaced the 'g5' with 'g4' in these so-called clues/hints.
  • by Treker ( 192846 ) * on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:19PM (#11494461)
    Apple has posted job ads [monster.com] in classifieds and on Monster Jobs [monster.com] for a "Senior Thermal Enginee r" and "Thermal Engineers". This is much more promising as far as the possibili ty of a PowerBook G5 than the article above. Oh, they've also posted ads on the ir own job site (jobs.apple.com [apple.com]) for a Senior Thermal Design/Engineer...
  • by jaiyen ( 821972 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:20PM (#11494476)
    I won't believe it until Apple sues The Register ;)
    • Re:Dodgy rumours (Score:5, Insightful)

      by illumin8 ( 148082 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:52PM (#11494902) Journal
      [Cue the sound of a million geeks with too much disposable income whipping out their credit cards all at once. Kaching!]

      So we should expect new PowerBook G5s to be released when, next Tuesday?

      [Fast forward to next Tuesday and cue the sound of a million geeks dissapointed as yet another Tuesday rolls by and no PowerBook G5s]

      I learned not to believe the PowerBook G5 rumors in May of 2002 when everyone was convinced that Apple would simultaneously release PowerMac G5s and PowerBook G5s at WWDC. I realized then that more than half of the time the mac rumors sites are simply blowing smoke up your ass to drive up traffic to their websites.

      Every time they resurrect that infamous "G5 PowerBooks next Tuesday" rumor hundreds of geeks start having wet dreams, just to get their hopes dashed when it never comes true.

      I bought a 1.25 ghz. G4 PowerBook over a year ago and haven't looked back since... It's still fast enough for me today, so I don't think I would buy a G5 PowerBook if it were released today.

      Moral of the story: Buy a G4 PowerBook now and forget about all the rumors.
      • by jthayden ( 811997 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @03:10PM (#11495118)
        Buy a G4 PowerBook now and forget about all the rumors.


        Go ahead, but from what I hear, you'll regret it next Tuesday.

      • PowerBooks are not currently fast enough for CPU-bound tasks that they're supposed to be able to do*. The only question in my mind is whether Apple decided to fasttrack G5s into the PowerBook line or if they decided it would be better to do the non-trivial redesign required for the new chips** from Freescale (aka Motorola).

        I'm on the fence.

        On the one side, using the new Freescale chips would require a lot of design work that will go out the window when G5s become low power enough to go in laptops. That mi
  • by tbase ( 666607 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:20PM (#11494488)
    Update: Within an hour of posting the story, and the screenshot we took as evidence, Apple altered the HTML to replace g5 with g4. Don't hang around, do they?

    Considering this has been on every tech and gadget site all morning, I think it's pretty conceited of them to think their story is what prompted Apple to make the "correction".
  • Where's the Beef? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by fname ( 199759 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:21PM (#11494494) Journal
    I mean, c'mon! A web bug was found on a page at Apple that has PowerBookG5 in the filename? Please explain to me, using small words so I can understand, how this points to the PowerBook G5 being released "very soon."
  • I'd like to see how Apple is going sue The Register on this one.
    • Re:Wait and see (Score:3, Informative)

      by Slack3r78 ( 596506 )
      Given The Register didn't ask anyone to break and NDA and the source of their information is rather clearly posted on the page, I don't think they have anything to worry about.

      Remember, the Think Secret case is primarilly about compelling Think Secret to reveal the source of their information so that Apple can enforce their NDA with that person.
  • by goldspider ( 445116 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:22PM (#11494515) Homepage
    So The Register gives Apple free advertising, and Slashdot gives The Register free advertising.

    I'll be looking for the Slashdot links on Apple's website... you know, to complete the circle.
  • by minus_273 ( 174041 ) <`aaaaa' `at' `SPAM.yahoo.com'> on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:25PM (#11494564) Journal
    if you want to see what the PB g5 looks like now, go directly to the marketing site [atdmt.com]. I think the details should be self explanatory
  • by no_opinion ( 148098 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:26PM (#11494570)
    A 1x1 jpeg for the new iWarmer - a special USB powered heatsink for the G5 laptop that doubles as a drink warmer.

    • USB powered??? Drink warmer???

      The heatsink for a G5 laptop could power your XBox and double as a grill. Rather than resting your hands below the keyboard you can grill up steak and eggs.

      --
      Join the Pyramid - Free Flat Screens [freeflatscreens.com]
  • I think this probably DOES indicate something, because why change it so quickly if it's burried in the HTML and working just fine?
    • Re:An Indicator (Score:3, Insightful)

      by remahl ( 698283 )
      Because the possible mis-spelling was picked up by several major technology news-sites as an indication that the PowerBook G5 is just around the corner. Apple reiterated the statement that the PBG5 is still way off at MacWorld (the quarterly report). It is obviously not in their interest that the public is expecting a PBG5 any day now, since the PBG4 sales will suffer. With the damage already done, the best they could do was to remove the error/hint from their page.
  • Of Course (Score:5, Funny)

    by captnitro ( 160231 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:27PM (#11494586)
    No, no, you've all got it wrong. They're definitely going to have Powerbooks out earlier than expected, probably as soon as next week! And the new versions will feature a magical box that turns dirt into pictures of Jennifer Love Hewitt's tits that print money -- STANDARD!!

    How do I know? Well, I just bought a Powerbook.
  • by Ayaress ( 662020 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:28PM (#11494597) Journal
    It's on the server that hosts advertisements, it's a 1x1 invisible placeholder. Apple most likely did not name it that, the ad people (Avenue A, atdmt.com) did.

    Once, about three years ago, I noticed one of these images on my ISP's web page with a file name something like XXXLESBIANPORNROMGAYWAREZMP3NAPSTERDOWNLOADZ.gif. I didn't assume that SBC was going to get into the internet porn or fileswapping business, I assumed that an ad agency used a few key words for one reason or another.
    • It's on the server that hosts advertisements, it's a 1x1 invisible placeholder. Apple most likely did not name it that, the ad people (Avenue A, atdmt.com) did.

      Actually, I believe Apple named it, but it was probably a typo. Avenue A's site is set up to send out a 1x1 GIF image to any request. Unless you believe the Apple G6 Powerbook [atdmt.com] is coming out soon also...

      Think about it. They announced a lot of other products two weeks ago. They traditionally announce products at that time. Would it make sense for

  • Media magnet (Score:2, Interesting)

    by mushupork ( 819735 )
    I am impressed by the amount of attention little ol' Apple can generate with mainstream and tech media alike. Perhaps we are at the dawn of a time when Apple begins to retake their market share, perhaps (gasp) getting back nto the double-digits in the next few years?

    People are sick and tired of Windoze methinks.
    • Re:Media magnet (Score:5, Interesting)

      by chrome ( 3506 ) <chrome AT stupendous DOT net> on Thursday January 27, 2005 @03:04PM (#11495043) Homepage Journal
      The fact of the matter is that no matter how much people on /. bag apple for suing leakers etc, for less than The Most Powerful 64-bit etc ... everyone knows that deep down Apple's stuff is just better than Microsofts'.

      Apple have embraced Open Source software throughout their product - every mac comes with apache installed for instance, UNIX, 64 bit computing ... all the things that /.ers hold near and dear.

      While everyone loves to bash Apple, especially considering their past, most people realise that the products they are putting out are pretty damn good.

      I waited til 10.1 came out before I bought my first PB 15", and havn't looked back since. I can do pretty much anything I could do with a intel box running linux, plus much more - and it has a GUI that is well thought out and works well. You really need to try it.

      A mate here at work was pleasantly surprised when I showed him how ANY application that makes use of the Aqua text entry boxes gets spell checking as you type as a standard feature. I think he realised there is a nice side to having an OS that is designed relatively cleaning from the bottom up.

      Most of the geeks I know who never owned a mac before, are now considering a Mac Mini, because its cheap and can be used in a lot of ways - plus its like, not windows. I would hazard a guess that this is Apples evil plan, and before long all those geeks will be queuing up for iBooks and PowerBooks.

      And in turn, the masses will follow. Because in the land of computing, the masses always follow the geeks.
  • by Bingo Foo ( 179380 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:30PM (#11494629)
    Look what else is on its way any time now. [google.com]

    It's on a web page, so you know it's true.

  • ... and Steve "forgot" to mention this at that show a couple of weeks back? C'mon, that little gif means dick.

    I am bitter because 4 days ago I bought a nice new shiny Powerbook. G4. Gah.
    • I am about to buy a new Powerbook G4. I am afraid the rumors are true, folks. Apple takes its hardware release date cues directly from my purchasing decisions. The Powerbook G5 is imminent .. as is the requisite slashing of all Powerbook G4 prices across the board. They're just waiting for my signal.
  • A dual-core G4 would be cooler and clock-for-clock faster than the G5. Apple would be nuts to put a case-melting G5 in a PB before they take advantage of the new dual-core G4...
  • by sulli ( 195030 ) * on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:36PM (#11494716) Journal
    There will clearly be a Powerbook G5. Just as there were a PowerBook G3 and G4. What is the big news here?

    A G5 Mac Mini, or a Powerbook shuffle, now that would be news. Or a Newton OS Mac PDA phone iPod Airport Express thingy with no broadcast flag and dual processors. But aren't exactly banner headlines.

    • by sulli ( 195030 ) *
      upgraded processors aren't exactly banner headlines.

      Damn slashdot lameness-adding-filter.

  • by leoxx ( 992 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:36PM (#11494719) Homepage Journal
    I want a dual POWER5 IBM OpenPower 710 [ibm.com]! Not as portable as a PowerBook, but damn is that one sweet box.
  • JEESH! This was HOURS ago. Engadget had it and with in minutes the link had been changed. The Engadget users theorized that this was a COPY/PASTE error. Ie, when they were working on redesigning the pages, the copied the iMac_G5 link and edited it to say Powerbook_g5 and realized they messed up once someone looked at the referer logs to see where everyone was coming from and then read Engadget and whups! Let's Change it! :D Anyway, this is just a 1x1 Marketing tracker image and it does not mean the Po
  • I dont get it... (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Kenja ( 541830 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:42PM (#11494789)
    at the same clock speed, what does the G5 offer over the G4? Unless Apple plans on going 100% 64bit OS in the next year (leaving all the current customers in the brink) I dont realy see the point.
    • If you live in Minnesota, you *need* a G5 laptop.

      My G4 has been doing an admirable job of keeping me warm, but I am always looking for something hotter - preferably something I could make iCocoa with while burning my legs.

      Mmmm. Second degree burns and marshmallows.....

  • Hoax (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Bruha ( 412869 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:42PM (#11494791) Homepage Journal
    Sorry guys but I never saw the code however if you fool around with that link you can change it and get a 1x1 gif image no matter what.

    http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g4_powerboo k
    http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g5_powerbo ok
    http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_37337_pow erbo ok

    All render a image.

    I call shenigans
  • by adiposity ( 684943 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:42PM (#11494792)
    1). Putting in http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g7_powerbook also yields a 1x1 image. Thus, that it exists on atdmt's site means nothing.

    2). The correct title for this should be http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g4_powerbook, because it is currently on the g4 page (and there is no g4 tracking link, which means it was probably a typo).

    3). It has been now changed to be g4, which is appropriate for the content of the page.

    If apple had a g5 in the works, why would they put this link in a g4 page? It doesn't help them track anything about g5s. This register article is speculative and probably wrong.

    -Dan
    • 1.) Putting in http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g7_powerbook also yields a 1x1 image. Thus, that it exists on atdmt's site means nothing.

      This just means Apple's thinking ahead, as usual. I'm sure Steve is well aware of how close his researchers are to portable cold fusion power. Now hold on a minute, while I answer this subpoena...

  • It would have been my fourth one! But I will wait until the G5. I'll also wait until after the bugs have been ironed out.

    I have a 1st gen 17" and its a bit whiney.
  • by lullabud ( 679893 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:47PM (#11494852)
    I saw that Register article about the G5 powerbook and thought "Wow! What if they are planning one??" I checked out Apple's page and the article was right, they fixed the "typo" and now it says G4... But what if there was actually a .gif file on their server that was keeping track of G5 hits...
    That says that there IS a G5 powerbook hit-tracking file on the server!! G5 powerbooks are on the way!! Woohoo!!! After I regained consciousness and began to float back down from cloud 9 I thought "Wow! Apple is so awesome and so secret I bet they could even be working on a teleportation device and nobody would know!!"
    Sure enough, if getting a 1x1 .gif is proof, they ARE working on a teleportation device!! This is FANTASTIC!! I can't wait for Macworld 2006!!
  • Big deal... I mean, to paraphrase Dave Barry, did they convene a focus group to find out what number comes after 4?

    What I want to know is, in these days when a CPU chip puts out more heat than a vacuum tube used to... how are they going to prevent it from toasting ones' manhood, in the case of male customers?

    Is there a way to make an extremely thin, flat, rectangular Dewar flask?

    Will the thing be packed full of chemical gel that is an insulator with a big latent heat of fusion, and you'll pop in in the f
  • [Let me first say I cannot believe this 1x1px Gif is getting the press it has all over the Internet]

    WIth talk of Mac mini's, iPod Shuffles, and G5 PowerBooks, I cannot get any pulse on Imac G5 upgrades.

    My laptop went out on me last week and I want to replace it with an iMac G5 (yeah, I know it isn't a laptop) but don't want to be one of those people who buys the computer and then two weeks later news of significant improvements emerge.

    Any buying advice on iMac G5 timing? While you're at it, thoughts on t
    • by KoopaTroopa ( 549540 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @03:00PM (#11494998) Homepage
      Others have mentioned it before, and I'm inclined to agree with them. Since you're already paying money for the LCD component of the iMac, investing that much plus $400 more into a 20" LCD that you cannot keep and use with another computer (easily -- Mac surgeons need not jump in) may not be wise.

      Of course they are adorable, and I'd love to have one of either screen size.

      • [why] LCD that you cannot keep and use with another computer

        Excellent point!

        I am troubled with this too, but I also find myself askinging, if this iMac G5 will be relevant and useful 5, 6, 8 years from now, would I really be happy investing in a monitor that will last me that long, plus the life span of another computer? In other words, if conservatively, a Mac is relevant for five years, and I want to get two lifespans out of a monitor, I will be selecting a monitor for the next ten years. And in that t
      • Since you're already paying money for the LCD component of the iMac, investing that much plus $400 more into a 20" LCD that you cannot keep and use with another computer may not be wise.

        That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. If you don't like the idea of not being able to reuse the monitor then you shouldn't buy an iMac. Once you're on the path of buying an iMac, you should get the monitor that will make you happy. Why save $400 and put up with a dinky monitor for several years?
        • Well, I reason that way because IMHO the monitor difference is a luxury and not an essential component to at least my enjoyment of an iMac. A 17" screen is plenty big enough for me. Since it's certainly not "dinky" then I do not see how it is unreasonable not to regard a significant upgrade to it (both in size and price) as a luxury and thus something I might want to be able to keep, since it's not an integral part of the enjoyment I get from the base unit.

          I do see your general point, as the original poste
  • PPC 970FX (Score:3, Interesting)

    by jtshaw ( 398319 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @02:52PM (#11494919) Homepage
    The PPC-970FX is a 46% power improvement on the original PPC-970 design and it still is a thermal nightmare for tight spaces. Not to mention still uses too much power for a laptop.

    When IBM delivers a new PPC 970 version I'd start getting excited about a PowerBook G5.
  • by Animats ( 122034 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @03:01PM (#11495009) Homepage
    There's also a rumor that General Motors will be coming out with new models later this year.
  • by ducomputergeek ( 595742 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @03:22PM (#11495255)
    We are in the video production business. We sent crews out with 1.0 Ghz G4 PB's with 2GB of ram we purchase about 2 years ago and they seem to handle the job still quite well. Oftentimes on smaller jobs, the project is almost completed by the time they are back in the office from flying.

    Once back in the office we have several dual 1.25 Ghz G4 towers and a couple dual 2Ghz powermac g5's for final rendering. These machines were each between 6k and 12k.

    One the road, battery life means more than horsepower and the powerbook strikes a reasonable balance over the G3 iBooks that were available when we purchased the PB's. From what I've read, the G5 chip (unless apple will pull the classic: different chip, same name game) sucks down juice like mad.

  • by duffbeer703 ( 177751 ) * on Thursday January 27, 2005 @03:49PM (#11495567)
    Written in mold on the inside of an english muffin.

    Surely this is a sign.
  • by bobdotorg ( 598873 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @04:30PM (#11495991)
    I'm teaching probability this quarter, and am also in the market for a new PowerBook (my Wallstreet sucks at OSX, and I can no longer check my email with Eudora for OS9 - SSL in 6.1 not compatible with NWU's email server).

    Please indulge me in my pompous professerism for a moment:

    Conditional probability of two events is written as P(A|B).
    This is spoke as "The probability of A given B." B is what you know, A is something you're interested in.

    So define A as "a new powerbook introduced in the next 30 days".

    In this case, B is what we know - if we define B as this web-bug gif, well, that that doesn't tell us much about P(A), though it might allow you to update your beliefs about the quality of journalism at the Register.

    So what sort of B would tell us something about P(A)?

    Look to past events that occured before previous Apple product introductions:
    - scant supply of current models in the supply chain
    - 'end of life' designation in retailers' stocking computers
    - ThinkSecret or other site posting pics, or 'reliable' rumors
    - Press conference scheduled
    - I'm sure that there are many other pieces of relevant info, a web-bug not being very high on the ranking list.

    So here I am - waiting for a dual core G4 PB. I will not buy one of the current models, as they are somewhat long in the tooth, getting only speed bumps for over a year.

    I see no indication of scant supply.
    I see no indication that current models are EOL'd on retailers' stocking systems.
    I see no 'reliable' rumors, and I would expect some if there was a plant in Asia making new PB's to build up inventory before introduction.

    Given the above evidence, I conclude that it is highly unlikely that a PB will be introduced during the next 30 days.

    Dammit. I do hope my conclusion is wrong.

    And I fear that P(A|B) = 1 if we define the event B: "I buy a current PowerBook".
    • I see no indication of scant supply.
      I see no indication that current models are EOL'd on retailers' stocking systems.


      Like this from mac rumors [macrumors.com]

      PowerBook shortages are being reported by resellers worldwide, with Apple's own online store putting shipping dates now at 7 - 10 days out. Delays like these usually signify a product change is about to occur, and the G4 PowerBook is expected to have a minor speed bump revision according to Think Secret. G5 PowerBooks have been in the rumor news recently, but aren't expected to show for some time to come.

      Or perhaps this [macrumors.com]

      Macbidouille posts that FNAC (largest multimedia shop in France) has declared the Powerbooks "End of Life". FNAC is also present in other European countries such as Spain.
      There will be no new shipments of the old revisions once the stock is sold.


  • It's a typo (Score:3, Informative)

    by pressman ( 182919 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @05:31PM (#11496802) Homepage
    I have a friend who works for Avenue A and he informed me that it is simply a typo.
  • by SPF22 ( 842817 ) on Thursday January 27, 2005 @06:31PM (#11497587)
    Search google using ---> site:www.apple.com "powerbook g5" --. You can see that there have been other powerbook G5 typos on their sites. Make sure you translate the pages. But either way, they are old pages and clearly someone accidently typed 5 instead of 4. Where were you on that one Register?

Everybody needs a little love sometime; stop hacking and fall in love!

Working...