The Powerbook Zone

Your #1 Powerbook Source

Consumer Portable

You've heard of "C1," the codename for Apple's iMac. Now prepare for "P1," Apple's portable answer to the iMac, the "Consumer Portable." The missing piece of Apple's four pronged systems portfolio, the P1 will likely be introduced in late-summer of 1999, maybe at a "Apple Media Event," where Jobs invites the media to the Flint Auditorium in California and introduces the computer, or more likely at the MACWORD Expo New York, running July 21st through 23rd,, which Steve Jobs is keynoting

Contrary to most rumors, P1 should run a full Mac OS, which will have been updated to Mac OS 8.6 by the time of introduction. The exact specifications of the portable are widely speculated. However, the P1 is not to be confused with the "MacMate" or "WebMate," which from all indications right now are other Apple handheld developments, possibly with 3COM/Palm.

Most sources agree that the Consumer Portable will be much smaller than the Wallstreet/PDQ/Lombard desktop-replacment class laptop systems. It should have a very revolutionary design, much like iMac, with translucent casing. A flip screen, turning the P1 into a tablet, complete with stylus and touchpad technology is possible. Exact specifications as to processor, hard drive, CD/DVD,are beginning to become more clear at this time. Even details such as the size of the screen and advanced wireless technology, which not too long ago seemed a lock for inclusion, are not widely agreed upon. The most variable information is the price, but most estimates put the final cost between $999 and $1599

Since P1's introduction is at least a month and a half off at the extreme earliest, this page will certainly be a work-in-progress. It has mainly been created as a repository for all P1 related information discussed on the main news page.

Processor: 300 Mhz in prototypes right now, probably 333 MHz by final release, since 300 MHz chips will be increasingly hard to find in quantity when P1 ships. 66 MHz bus, 512k of cache probable.
RAM 64 MB standard, up to 128, possibly 256.
HD 4 to 6 GB
Expansion Bay/Media Bay Rumored to be one full media bay, occupied with a 20x CDROM or DVD (DVD will probably be BTO), and a seperate solution for batteries. There's little hope for a floppy, though since P1 will have USB, an external floppy could be used.
Connectivity 2 USB ports, 10/100 ethernet port, Very small form-factor 56k modem, the same as used on Lombard. FireWire and IrDA unsure, and no ADB, serial, or SCSI.
Video 10-13 inch screen, ATI Rage Mobility Chip in prototypes, with Rage 128-based graphics a possibility.
Battery Next-generation Lithium-ion batteries. Target life is one school day, or 8 hours, for the large expected education sales. Mac OS 8.6 adds great battery life improvements.
Form Factor Expected to be compact, but not amazingly so. Colors, handle widely speculated.
Other Various "Stuff" Flip screen/tablet mode, wireless Internet, and touchscreen/handwriting recognition are widely speculated, considered to be a stretch to be included. NetBootable with its "New World" ROM like iMac and Yosemite. Will run Mac OS 8.6

Links:




Last modified 5/29/99 13:58 CDT












Written/Edited/Published by Doug B. Landry
Logo by Jon Iverson
Apple, Mac, Macintosh, Mac OS,The Apple Store, and Powerbook are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.
©1998 Doug B. Landry. All rights reserved. All or part may not be reproduced or distributed without written permission.
PB Zone Departments
Home

Specs

Where to Buy

Links

Contact

Credits

Bags

Archives

Ads



Enter Stock Symbol
Other Powerbook Sites

O'Grady's PowerPage
Powerbook Central
The PowerBook Source