[Ti] Powerbook MacIntel... could be, could be... what do you think?

[Chris Olson]

On Nov 20, 2005, at 12:34 PM, Matt Kibildis wrote:

> One of the burning points that I brought up in my earlier posts was  
> about the fact that there have been no g5 powerbooks.

More below on this topic.

> This is precisely what I don't understand about your argument,  
> Chris.  You seem to say that IBM has PowerPC processors that are  
> faster, smaller, cooler, than anything else - like some kind of  
> wonder processors straight from the divine, but no one has seen  
> these used in practical applications.

They're used in all sorts of practical applications.  More than  
likely your car's ECU (Engine Control Unit) has a PowerPC processor  
in it.  Your cable set top box probably has a PowerPC processor in  
it.  Xerox laser and solid ink printers have PowerPC processors.  The  
Mars Rover is powered by PowerPC processors.  The list goes on and  
on.  PowerPC is the most common embedded cpu in the world, alongside  
ARM.

The G5 has a power density problem (if you can call it a problem).   
Total power dissipation of 85 watts on 100 mm^2 vs 125 watts on 200  
mm^2 introduces two different engineering problems.  It's easier to  
cool the cpu if it has 200 mm^2 surface area than it is if it has  
only 100 mm^2.  The G5 is a very tiny cpu compared to its x86-64  
competition, and even though it dissipates less total power than the  
competition it's harder to cool because of its small size.

Apple's PowerBook design is as much about style as it is function.   
It's not that the single core G5 couldn't be put in a PowerBook -  
it's the fact that it would have approx the same physical  
characteristics of a G3 Wallstreet or Lombard after they got the heat  
sink and required ventilation in there.  PowerBook buyers wouldn't go  
for that.

This has all changed since IBM intro'd the new dual core low-power  
chips.  However, the applecart (pun intended) got upset by Microsoft  
with the Xbox 360, and the PlayStation with the Cell processor.   
Suddenly IBM has customers that are larger than Apple.  Apple used to  
be the largest distributor of desktop/portable/server (not embedded)  
PowerPC chips - that title is now going to Microsoft.  Add to that  
IBM has partnered with Sony and Toshiba on the Cell processor.  The  
entire PowerPC market, pricing structure, and supply chain suddenly  
changed.  So Apple jumped ship.

You won't see a G5 PowerBook, now that's it's technically possible,  
because Apple has already committed to another change and it takes  
several months to bring a new product to market.  It'd be serious egg- 
on-face to build a dual core G4 or G5 PowerPC PowerBook now, then  
expect people to accept a downgrade in several months when the  
(planned) release of Intel-powered portables gets here.  And Apple  
can't offer both because it's a supply and demand thing.  The more  
you buy from one supplier, the cheaper they are.
-- 
Chris

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