[Evan_11]

Just a hunch.

Actually MacConnection has a memory rebate on their G5 models that ends on Feb. 29th. I assume that Apple lets the resellers in on when new models are to be introduced.

[Eug]

I hope you're right. I predicted Jan. 27. Obviously I was completely wrong.

[The Placid Casual]

I wouldn't assume anything with Apple!

Apple doesn't even tell their own staff when things are going to be announced, let alone 3rd parties and other companies!

I've a hunch that MacConnection is playing a game of chance... and knows nothing concrete.

Although I would expect the machines to arrive in that kind of time frame...

[Eug]

Actually, on second thought, I hope you're wrong. Next week would be better. March 2 is three weeks from now.

[Evan_11]

I would think Apple would let its resellers in on product releases. It's only proper business practice. They probably don't give concrete details on brand new items but product updates should be no big deal. Thankfully for me March is perfect for the update granted they can get delivery by April.

[Eriamjh]

No EOL sightings. I believe it when I see it. Every other update rumor has passed like a bad burrito.

[Truepop]

Originally posted by Evan_11:
I would think Apple would let its resellers in on product releases. It's only proper business practice. They probably don't give concrete details on brand new items but product updates should be no big deal. Thankfully for me March is perfect for the update granted they can get delivery by April.

I don't know. I have started to question that because smalldog has been getting refrub'd and new Power Macs in still. true they only have 4 or 5 in stock and compared with ibooks with are b/o on the G4 and they have 400+ of the G3 models...

If they do wait until the 2nd, it better be 3GHz because why in the world would they wait 9 months to get to 2.6GHz and then wait three more months to get to 3GHz? I am starting to doubt the prophecy. maybe Apple or IBM is going to pull a Moto on us. You're big stuff now, but you got to keep with the updates.

I am hoping for the 17th. I need a new computer and I don't care for this waiting game but I am not going to buy a new one now, I would just buy a used one.

Apple, why won't you take my money now? you don't even have to ship it right away.

[djohnson]

Well another Tuesday and nothing new... How about next Tuesday instead

[Evan_11]

Nah, I don't think we'll see 3ghz anouncements until late summer/fall and an early winter delivery. If Apple can get a 2.6 dual out by April I'll be happy. I'd even be happier if they could a couple more drive bays in there too.

[djohnson]

If the 970fx power ratings hold to be true, then I could see a case redesign on the next level of GX. I dont think Apple will go through all of that work and design a case just to have it used once. Then again, maybe that is what we are really waiting for?

[-Q-]

I doubt it will be a case re-design. I'm sure they've sunk a lot of money into this current iteration and are going to stick with it for a while (look how long they stuck with the basic powermac design going from the B&W G3 to the last G4 model). I'm sure some things will get tweaked based on learnings from production, but I'd suspect the majority of the machine will stay the same.

I also think MacConnection is just running a Feb. promo and that Feb 27th is just a natural date on which to end it. But we are overdue for an upgrade here. Although any delay that allows me to continuing saying 'yes, I do have the fastest mac available' is fine by me.

[Eug]

IMO, the current case design can easily take CPUs with max power draws up to around 100 Watts. With the low power specs of the 970FX, I suspect the current case is going to be with us for several more iterations of the Power Mac line.

At most may be a change to allow one additional hard drive in the case.

[Commodus]

It could be next week: Smalldog says that refurb G5s are due "Feb 17" and the most they have in stock for any model is 2 (stock dual 2 GHz G5s). They've been backordered for days on the dual 1.8 GHz model.

[Eug]

Originally posted by Truepop:
Apple, why won't you take my money now? you don't even have to ship it right away.

That may perhaps be the issue.

Right now if you order a dual G5 2.0 Power Mac off the Apple website, it ships the next day. It would be bad karma if suddenly they went from next day shipping to 6-8 weeks. I would hope they'd wait until they could ship soon (ie. 1-2 weeks) before announcing just a speed bump.

I just hope that doesn't mean waiting until April before seeing an update.

[Beewee]

I refuse to buy a new G5 until the revision. I made that mistake with my quicksilver and I won't make it with this purchase...I just wish it would happen soon I can't take much more waiting!

[Demonhood]

the waiting is getting to me too.
it's amazing that you i can wait patiently for years for the G5 to arrive, then lose my patience with only a few short weeks remaining.

[Turias]

Originally posted by Demonhood:
the waiting is getting to me too.
it's amazing that you i can wait patiently for years for the G5 to arrive, then lose my patience with only a few short weeks remaining.

I'm also going absolutely bonkers. I tried telling myself that they won't come out for another couple months, but it didn't work. I always ended up going back to the rumor sites. I've even checked the apple store on occasion to see if it is down for updates!

[-Q-]

Originally posted by Demonhood:
the waiting is getting to me too.
it's amazing that you i can wait patiently for years for the G5 to arrive, then lose my patience with only a few short weeks remaining.

I couldn't wait. My poor Beige G3 just couldn't handle the work I was asking it to do. And I have to say, I don't regret it for an instant. But I do hope the revisions come soon so y'all can experience the joy of the G5.

[djohnson]

My beige G3 is still kicking! I think I will wait until the end of the year and get a mega system. How about a dual 3.5Ghz G6 w/ dual cores!!!!!!

[Beewee]

Originally posted by -Q-:
I couldn't wait. My poor Beige G3 just couldn't handle the work I was asking it to do. And I have to say, I don't regret it for an instant. But I do hope the revisions come soon so y'all can experience the joy of the G5.

What set-up did you get?
I'm looking into a dual 1.8GHz. Its perfect, huge space, nice amount of RAM, and the speeds to cut those pesky "Render Times" in half...OR BETTER! But I would never forgive myself if I bought it now and a week or even a few months later I could get something better for the same price. And so...I wait.

[bwilliams4]

[[[[[[[Actually MacConnection has a memory rebate on their G5 models that ends on Feb. 29th. I assume that Apple lets the resellers in on when new models are to be introduced.]]]]]]

Nope: I work for Mac Connection (PC Connection) and I can tell you with 100% certainty that they do NOT tell us (or other resellers) when new models are going to be introduced.

[TiDual]

Originally posted by Beewee:
I refuse to buy a new G5 until the revision. I made that mistake with my quicksilver and I won't make it with this purchase...I just wish it would happen soon I can't take much more waiting!

But the 2x2 G5 is *not* comparable to the Quicksilver .... the current G5s are fantastic in all respects (and deficiencies, like the case expandability are going to change with rev.B). To be honest, even it 2x2.6's come out, I won't feel behind, since current performance levels are awesome (this isn't like with G4s where we desperately craved every little boost we could get).

Besides, if you wait til March (for what will probably be 2.4GHz at best ... and not shipping til April), are you really gonna wanna buy then? After all, then the 3GHz machines will be just around the corner (and they might really be worth waiting for

[Eriamjh]

Hmmm. A case redesign would explain the delay. Since the power output of the G5s is going down, not up, smaller heat sinks, and less fans might make for more room inside the case. How about a third or fourth hard drive location and a second CD-ROM bay?

The basic case might not change on the outside, but the entire inside can be reworked. I guess we have no choice but to wait anyway.

[Eug]

I think it would be unlikely for Apple to hold up an update just for the case (unless it was for bug fixes). The current case design works fine and is already a proven seller. If there were making any case changes then it's more likely it would simply just come in the next revision rather than delaying the current one.

And anyways, I don't think there will be many significant case changes in the near future. It's not as if they were designing the case by the seat of the pants since Jan. 2003.

[Big Mac]

At WWDC SJ declared we would be at 3GHz in a year. Reading this thread, I realize that the product line visibility I've been clamoring for, for so very long, is a double edged sword. If SJ had said nothing, we would only be expecting a speed bump of some sort. Now we're trying to guess whether we'll have an intermediate jump or if we'll leap a whole GHz ahead in one revision. Thank you, Steve

[Beewee]

Originally posted by TiDual:
But the 2x2 G5 is *not* comparable to the Quicksilver .... the current G5s are fantastic in all respects (and deficiencies, like the case expandability are going to change with rev.B). To be honest, even it 2x2.6's come out, I won't feel behind, since current performance levels are awesome (this isn't like with G4s where we desperately craved every little boost we could get).

Besides, if you wait til March (for what will probably be 2.4GHz at best ... and not shipping til April), are you really gonna wanna buy then? After all, then the 3GHz machines will be just around the corner (and they might really be worth waiting for

Don't tempt me!! Is rev.B the revision that we are all waiting for now, or is it the summer one?

[BZ]

The only problem with this logic is that Apple will still release them in 6-8 month increments... So...

March - G5 Rev B (2.5+ tops)
Sept - G5 Rev C (3.0 tops)

I don't think they are going to release Feb/June and from everything I have ready, including the nice new posting today, IBM only has 2.5s available now, so I think Apple is going to go to 2.5 in a few weeks (maybe with 10.3.3), shipping now.

BZ

Originally posted by TiDual:
But the 2x2 G5 is *not* comparable to the Quicksilver .... the current G5s are fantastic in all respects (and deficiencies, like the case expandability are going to change with rev.B). To be honest, even it 2x2.6's come out, I won't feel behind, since current performance levels are awesome (this isn't like with G4s where we desperately craved every little boost we could get).

Besides, if you wait til March (for what will probably be 2.4GHz at best ... and not shipping til April), are you really gonna wanna buy then? After all, then the 3GHz machines will be just around the corner (and they might really be worth waiting for

[The Ancient One]

If Apple doesn't bump the G5s real soon now, you can bet the next models will include 3+ GHz systems. It's all about Steve. He loves to make the big announcements and there is no way in hell he is going to fail to live up to his promise of last year. It's all about face.

[Eriamjh]

Originally posted by The Ancient One:
If Apple doesn't bump the G5s real soon now, you can bet the next models will include 3+ GHz systems. It's all about Steve. He loves to make the big announcements and there is no way in hell he is going to fail to live up to his promise of last year. It's all about face.

Has anyone figured out if that 3GHz is from the day he announced the new G5s or the day they finally shipped dual 2GHz machines (two months later)?

(I know the answer... of course not!)

[elvis2000]

Originally posted by Evan_11:
I would think Apple would let its resellers in on product releases. It's only proper business practice.

I don't think even the APPLE STORES know. The store here in Cleveland opened just days ahead of the iBook G4 introduction. They had G3 iBooks out on display and everything, and just days later had to pull the display units and mark down their full inventory of suddenly out of date iBooks.

[ryju]

And that's after I get my wisdom teeth out, very lame.

[gururafiki]

Originally posted by The Ancient One:
If Apple doesn't bump the G5s real soon now, you can bet the next models will include 3+ GHz systems. It's all about Steve. He loves to make the big announcements and there is no way in hell he is going to fail to live up to his promise of last year. It's all about face.

Exactly what I am thinking (or, at least hoping). Along with everyone else, I am becoming impatient and I want to see new machines now. Maybe the release of a new tower will coincide with the shipment of the xserve, which for some reason is still set at 6-8 weeks (which was what the apple store's website said when they announced it).

[Truepop]

well he could have mean one year or next year (don't remember the quote) mean just sometime in 2004.

[-Q-]

Originally posted by Beewee:
What set-up did you get?

The 2x2. It'll last me longer. And it is a fine machine.

[-Q-]

Originally posted by Eriamjh:
Hmmm. A case redesign would explain the delay. Since the power output of the G5s is going down, not up, smaller heat sinks, and less fans might make for more room inside the case. How about a third or fourth hard drive location and a second CD-ROM bay?

The basic case might not change on the outside, but the entire inside can be reworked. I guess we have no choice but to wait anyway.

I don't think they'll be changing the case at all (and you'd have to if you added another media drive). The delay could be getting enough quantities of processors to effectively sell. Or it could be they're working on a new iMac and want to introduce the two together. Or it could be Steve is just feeling testy about his disagreement with Eisner and doesn't feel like introducing them.

Whatever the reason, I'm sure they'll be here soon enough.

[Eug]

Originally posted by Eriamjh:
Hmmm. A case redesign would explain the delay. Since the power output of the G5s is going down, not up, smaller heat sinks, and less fans might make for more room inside the case.

While the power of the G5 2.0 has gone down dramatically, the power of the G5 2.5 is probably in a similar ballpark to the G5 1.8 130 nm. See this thread.

[3.1416]

Originally posted by Truepop:
If they do wait until the 2nd, it better be 3GHz because why in the world would they wait 9 months to get to 2.6GHz and then wait three more months to get to 3GHz?

Well, it's not at all certain that the following update will be either in three months, or "only" to 3 GHz. I wouldn't be surprised if the March(?) speedbump was up to 2.6, and the next update was to 3.2 or faster.

[Eug]

Originally posted by 3.1416:
Well, it's not at all certain that the following update will be either in three months, or "only" to 3 GHz. I wouldn't be surprised if the March(?) speedbump was up to 2.6, and the next update was to 3.2 or faster.

That's very optimistic.

BTW, there is suggestion that the first update will be at 2.5 GHz.

[3.1416]

Originally posted by Eug:
That's very optimistic.

Really? I actually don't expect the third revision to show up until September at the earliest; Steve has plenty of wiggle room on his "next year" statement. All I was saying was that 3.0 won't necessarily be the max speed.

BTW, there is suggestion that the first update will be at 2.5 GHz.

That's reasonable. My unfounded speculation is that Apple intended to do a speedbump at Macworld to 2.0, 2.3, and 2.5/2.6, but IBM wan't able to deliver enough 90nm chips to meet demand for the towers. (Thus the numerous 2.3 Xserve images).

[BrunoBruin]

I think next week may bring some announcements. IBM is going to be talking about the 90nm chip at the IEEE conference and I can't imagine them spilling the beans about speeds before Apple has announced a product. Steve would not care for that one bit, and I am certain IBM and Apple are working to coordinate announcements.

Then again, I suppose IBM could talk about 2GHz parts, which everyone knows to be available (Xserve), compare heat/power/etc. to the 130nm parts, and just keep their yaps shut about higher speeds until Apple releases new towers.

Just so long as they ship SOMETHING before June so I can buy it before the end of the fiscal year.

[gururafiki]

Originally posted by BrunoBruin:
I think next week may bring some announcements. IBM is going to be talking about the 90nm chip at the IEEE conference and I can't imagine them spilling the beans about speeds before Apple has announced a product. Steve would not care for that one bit, and I am certain IBM and Apple are working to coordinate announcements.

Then again, I suppose IBM could talk about 2GHz parts, which everyone knows to be available (Xserve), compare heat/power/etc. to the 130nm parts, and just keep their yaps shut about higher speeds until Apple releases new towers.

Just so long as they ship SOMETHING before June so I can buy it before the end of the fiscal year.

I just read about the IEEE conference, and I agree with you. Apple has to update soon and IBM may possibly announce 2.5ghz clock speed at this conference. Although, I am not going to hold my breath...

[Cadaver]

Steve Jobs said 3GHz by "summer." Summer doesn't end until late September... so plenty of time to ramp up clock speeds.

If Steve Jobs said it, then it was promised to him by IBM. And IBM doesn't produce vaporware like Motorola. As Mac users, we're not used to expecting much because of Motorola's empty promises. IBM needs the PPC970 line themselves, so they're not going to bullsh*t Apple with false claims. If 3GHz is promised, 3GHz it will be.
Expect 2.5ish GHz next month, then the 3GHz machines announced in Sept (perhaps not actually available in quantity until Oct).

[masugu]

Originally posted by Cadaver:
Steve Jobs said 3GHz by "summer." Summer doesn't end until late September... so plenty of time to ramp up clock speeds.

If Steve Jobs said it, then it was promised to him by IBM. And IBM doesn't produce vaporware like Motorola. As Mac users, we're not used to expecting much because of Motorola's empty promises. IBM needs the PPC970 line themselves, so they're not going to bullsh*t Apple with false claims. If 3GHz is promised, 3GHz it will be.
Expect 2.5ish GHz next month, then the 3GHz machines announced in Sept (perhaps not actually available in quantity until Oct).

Yeah...always need to tack on the extra post-announcement lead time for most of Apple's products. Man, the Pentium 4 will be around 4GHz by summer. Wonder how long the 2.5GHz PPC970s will take to hit the street?

[Lateralus]

Originally posted by masugu:
Man, the Pentium 4 will be around 4GHz by summer.

No it won't. It was never scheduled for a summer release, it was scheduled for a fall release. And Intel is having so many problems with the new manufacturing process that the 4GHz part has been pushed back by about 9 months, into 2005.

[masugu]

Originally posted by PowerMacMan:
No it won't. It was never scheduled for a summer release, it was scheduled for a fall release. And Intel is having so many problems with the new manufacturing process that the 4GHz part has been pushed back by about 9 months, into 2005.

Well...they are over 3GHz now. But you can bet that the chips will be shipping faster post launch than Apples...but I hope I am wrong. <sigh> I would pref a 3.0 dualie...but I suppose I will take a 2.5.

[Eug]

The 2004 Prescott roadmap has the 4 GHz coming in Q4, which seems possible.

Call me an optimist, but I expect the 970FX 2.5 to appear very soon.

[masugu]

Originally posted by Eug:
The 2004 Prescott roadmap has the 4 GHz coming in Q4, which seems possible.

Call me an optimist, but I expect the 970FX 2.5 to appear very soon.

How soon Eug? Better asked...how soon before Apple ships one???

[Lateralus]

Originally posted by Eug:
The 2004 Prescott roadmap has the 4 GHz coming in Q4, which seems possible.

That road map is already out of date. They have since pushed back the release dates of all the 90nm chips, including the 3.4 which should be out now.

[Eug]

Originally posted by masugu:
How soon Eug? Better asked...how soon before Apple ships one???

Sooner rather than later I would hope.

I'd guess Q1 2004 (calendar year) most likely, but hopefully as early as February.

Originally posted by PowerMacMan:
That road map is already out of date. They have since pushed back the release dates of all the 90nm chips, including the 3.4 which should be out now.

That road map was from a few weeks ago. It lists the LGA-775 3.4 for Q2, which is April-June. The Socket 478 3.4 is listed for Q1, but Q1 doesn't end for another 6 weeks.

In any case, I would not be surprised if Prescott 4 GHz gets pushed back until Q1 2005. However, I would also not be surprised if Intel does indeed ship 4 GHz CPUs in 2004.

[ourisman]

According to Mac OS Rumors...

"We may have to wait until Summer, but Dual Optical G5s are coming. There's no clear word on whether this will be part of the forthcoming PowerMac update or if we will have to wait for the promised summer/autumn (3GHz) revision, but one of the most long-awaited G5 features is said to be addressed in Apple's plans for more evolved PowerMacs.

"Either way, by the end of the year, PowerMacs will once again be available with two internal optical drives (Superdrive/Combo or Dual Superdrive) preinstalled as an option, and standard models will have the empty second removable drive bay available for future upgrades."