Apple launches faster Power Mac G5; no Powerbook G5 'anytime soon'

Macworld - Apple Computer Inc. today announced three new dual-processor Power Mac G5 configurations, with the fastest model topping out at 2.5 GHz and using a new liquid cooling system. The new high-end systems miss the 3 GHz mark that Apple CEO Steve Jobs said the company would achieve at last year's Worldwide Developers Conference, but Tom Boger, Apple's director of Power Mac product marketing, said it came down to a technology challenge that was bigger than expected.

Boger also said today that users shouldn't expect to see a PowerBook G5 before the end of the year because of the challenges of putting the G5 in a small enclosure.

Anyone that has seen the heatsink from a Power Mac G5 knows that it wouldn't fit in a portable computer. This is the challenge that faces Apple as it tries to move its product line to the new fast processor technology.

"I think it's important to realize that the technical challenges are not trivial putting that G5 in a PowerBook or anything else and not to expect a G5 anytime soon in a PowerBook -- certainly not before the end of the year," said Boger.

While Boger didn't give a time frame for an iMac G5, he did say the company faced similar challenges getting a G5 to work with their consumer desktop.

"It's the same story -- the challenges are obvious when you look at the G5 and the size of the heatsinks and the enclosure; that would be a heck of a challenge as well."

When Apple's CEO took the stage at last year's Worldwide Developer's Conference, he wowed the attendees with the new Power Mac G5 dual 2-GHz design and technology. Jobs further excited the crowd when he said that Apple would release a 3-GHz model within a year. Now, with two weeks to go before that deadline, Boger said Apple won't meet the 3-GHz promise.

"It's actually quite simple," said Boger. "When we made that prediction, we just didn't realize the challenges moving to 90-nanometer would present. It turned out to be a much bigger challenge than anyone expected."

"All-in-all, no, we are not getting to 3 GHz anytime soon, but what we are announcing today is a very significant upgrade in performance, and its something that are customers will be very happy with."

All systems share some common traits: an 8x speed DVD-R/CD-RW "SuperDrive," a single FireWire 800 port, two FireWire 400 ports (one in back, and one in front), three USB 2.0 ports (two in back, and