Apple has posted the developer note (Framed HTML, PDF) for the new PowerBook G4 (DVI) which was announced yesterday. The new PowerBook was code named “Ivory” which is a logical progression from the PowerBook G4 (Gigabit Ethernet) which was code named “Onyx.”
Among the interesting points in the developer note are the new features, including:
- PowerPC G4 Microprocessor – “The PowerPC G4 microprocessor used in the Power Mac G4 computer has many powerful features, including a new pipelined system bus that is more efficient than the system bus on the PowerPC G3 microprocessors. The new bus design, called MaxBus, allows for much greater efficiency of bus utilization than was possible with the previous design.”
- Level 3 Cache – “The data storage for the L3 cache is 1 MB of DDR SRAM running at a clock speed ratio of 4:1. The tag storage for the L3 cache is built into the microprocessor.”
- Video Display Subsystem – “The video display subsystem contains the graphics controller IC along with 32 MB of DDR memory?16 MB internal and another 16 MB external to the IC. The graphics IC, an ATI Mobility Radeon 7500, contains 2D and 3D acceleration engines, front-end and back-end scalers, a CRT controller, and an AGP 4X bus interface with bus master capability.”
- DVI-I Connector – “The external monitor connector is a DVI-I connector. It carries both digital and analog video signals. Figure 3-8 (above) shows the contact configuration; Table 3-15 (page 54) and Table 3-16 list the signals and pin assignments.
Apple KBase article #88371 PowerBook G4 (DVI): Technical Specifications provides a good overview if you find the dev note too dense.
As always, developer notes make excellent bedtime reading for the technically inclined. What have you found of interest in the PowerBook DVI dev note?
