Apple Previewing New Power Mac?

dunric writes "CNET.com reports that Apple Computer may be previewing a new Power Mac, complete with dual G5 processors and a more advanced memory configuration." The "previewing" isn't intentional, though -- the report is based on service and repair documents distributed last month and reported on AppleInsider.com. AppleInsider has taken down at least one image from their report, but have added an artist's rendering.

Comments

previewing

[name773]

why wouldn't apple want the previewing?
to me, it seems like good advertising... for free, and you know how companies like free adverts

Re:previewing

[iotaborg]

Simple, because it would mean everyone will know that Apple is going to refresh the PowerMac lines real soon. Then people will tend to want to wait for the next model rather than buy the current, which isn't really what Apple wants.

Re:previewing

[NoData]

Also, companies like to time new releases with liquidation of current stock. They know few people are gonna buy the old model once they hear about the new one coming out (as you point out), but the real bitch is that it leaves them with a surplus of old stock they can't move and then have to eat a loss discounting it. This is why sometimes new products are ready to go months before a company wants to officially announce them. When you have tiny margin and a small market share like Apple, this is a big problem. (Apple also has kinda crappy inventory control, which exacerbates this problem. They routinely come up in short-supply after a new product launch, or overstocked near the end of a product cycle).

Isn't this predictable

[agent dero]

With WWDC coming up, isn't it somewhat obvious that apple is preparing a new PowerMac? Most likely a new revision of most of there stuff.

I mean, they are coming out with 10.4 at the WWDC, why not new hardware to run it on?

Re:Only apple...

[torpor]

Not saying it isn't fast, but why all the fuss over pictures?

The design of Apple computers is one of the things, small and insignificant though it is, that differentiates Apple from its competition.

Like it or not, people do have an affinity for aesthetic design. Compare your average Dell to a G5, and you'll see the difference.

There are some that assume that any 'major change in industrial design' which Apple introduces to its product line will signify a shift in direction for the company. When the tiBooks came out, for example, it was clear that Apple was 'rejuvenating its purpose as a computer designer/manufacturer' ... to many Apple fans, this is a simple way of gauging Apples' intentions for the future... if they make major exterior design changes, it usually indicates a change in architecture.

Strange, perhaps, but I believe this has something to do with marketing, not technology. Many computer geeks forget that marketing is the only thing that truly counts in computers these days ...

Re:Only apple...

[Mononoke]

Only for an apple product would the fans care more about how pretty it looked, rather than how fast it ran. Not saying it isn't fast, but why all the fuss over pictures?

The pics are of the internal designs, many of which directly affect the operation of the computer.

Re:apple is overated

[Anonymous Coward]

That's funny, because I have a 2.8 GHz machine with 1 GB of DDR and a nice, big 120 ultra scsi that I paid 1.2K for the parts on, and run Windows XP on, and my 1.8 G5 (which I paid 2.5K for) blows it away on every program they have in common: Photoshop, Celestia, SETI@Home, Word (yes, Word on a Mac blows away Word on a Windows computer - me thinks Microsoft should look into going PowerPC), iTunes, VNC, any kind of number crunching. Meanwhile, OS X is twice as stable (i.e., crashes half as often); and that 2.8 GHz P4 is a replacement for a 2.6 GHz P4 processor that only lasted a year, as did the mother board; can't say that there's any proof yet that the 8 month old G5 is more reliable hardware, but my 2001 iBook is still running strong, and still gets 2h/battery charge (with WiFi running, processor on full speed, and screen up to full brightness). I'm guessing that you're comparing a tricked out p4 that actually cost a lot more than half a grand if you count all the real expenses (like the video card - a video card comparable to the 1.6 GHz G5's would be $150; add 512 MB of memory, a gigabit ethernet card, and a DVD-R and you're already over half a grand. Toss in Firewire 800 (oh, yeah, there isn't any interface at that speed on a wintel, is there?), dual FW 400 and Dual USB2, another 3 USBs and 5.1 audio . . . then keep in mind that the 1.6 GHz PowerPC is using a very different architecture and so can't be compared to a P4 by clock speed ... and I'd say you're talking out your ass, blizzy83. (Is that your Mom's date of birth, 1983?)

Re:Only apple...

[Lars T.]

Excuse me? Who puts graphics cards with blinkenlights an colorful fans on them into their computers? Mac users?