Apple has updated its PowerBook and PowerMac lines, and has also released a new programme called 'Aperture' that is designed to compete with PhotoShop.
The new PowerBooks have a few minor upgrade bumps. There's no longer 2 different 15" models - just one, with a 1.67GHz G4 chip, backlit keyboard and Superdrive. The big difference - a better screen resolution. Whereas the 15" has traditionally had a 1280x854 widescreen resolution, the new version has a 1440x960, which is powered by a 128MB Radeon 9700 mobile chip. The 17" is similarly upgraded, with a resolution hike to 1680x1050, which is (finally) approaching the resolution used by PC makers in their 17" notebooks.
The PowerMac gets a bigger overhaul, with brand new dual core processors and Apple's first PCI Express architecture. There are now 2GHz and 2.3GHz dual processor systems, and also a 'quad' system which has two dual-core 2.5GHz processors. The systems have Nvidia GeForce 6600 graphics. The dual-core chips are PowerPC.
There are some 'real-world' photos of the new PowerMac here.
Still no more news on when and how Intel will be integrated. It is thought that buyers 'in the know' are holding off until next year for the Intel chips to hit - especially with regards to the PowerBook. The lack of a new processor update to these models is disappointing, and with the only new feature being a better screen, there seems little reason to upgrade.
Apple has introduced a new photo editing programme called Aperture. It's designed for professional photographers, and is designed to work around the RAW photo format preferred by high-end digital SLR users. It features deep metadata support for cataloguing, can import images directly from a digital camera, and preserves the original as a 'digital negative'.
However, it seems to be more of an image processing than image creation or editing programme. It doesn't support PhotoShop layers, only flattened images.
Details of all the new products are available over at Apple.com. Why not give us your thoughts on Aperture, or the new PowerPC lines, over in the News Forum?
The new PowerBooks have a few minor upgrade bumps. There's no longer 2 different 15" models - just one, with a 1.67GHz G4 chip, backlit keyboard and Superdrive. The big difference - a better screen resolution. Whereas the 15" has traditionally had a 1280x854 widescreen resolution, the new version has a 1440x960, which is powered by a 128MB Radeon 9700 mobile chip. The 17" is similarly upgraded, with a resolution hike to 1680x1050, which is (finally) approaching the resolution used by PC makers in their 17" notebooks.
The PowerMac gets a bigger overhaul, with brand new dual core processors and Apple's first PCI Express architecture. There are now 2GHz and 2.3GHz dual processor systems, and also a 'quad' system which has two dual-core 2.5GHz processors. The systems have Nvidia GeForce 6600 graphics. The dual-core chips are PowerPC.
There are some 'real-world' photos of the new PowerMac here.
Still no more news on when and how Intel will be integrated. It is thought that buyers 'in the know' are holding off until next year for the Intel chips to hit - especially with regards to the PowerBook. The lack of a new processor update to these models is disappointing, and with the only new feature being a better screen, there seems little reason to upgrade.
Apple has introduced a new photo editing programme called Aperture. It's designed for professional photographers, and is designed to work around the RAW photo format preferred by high-end digital SLR users. It features deep metadata support for cataloguing, can import images directly from a digital camera, and preserves the original as a 'digital negative'.
However, it seems to be more of an image processing than image creation or editing programme. It doesn't support PhotoShop layers, only flattened images.
Details of all the new products are available over at Apple.com. Why not give us your thoughts on Aperture, or the new PowerPC lines, over in the News Forum?
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