Those of you looking for better laptop performance on the Mac, don't expect it to come in the form of a PowerBook G5. AppleInsider reports in its conference call notes that Apple's CFO calls it "the mother of all thermal challenges." That statement has plenty of precedent, as Apple has cautioned impatient Mac laptop fans that G5 PowerBooks are unlikely before, as noted by Macworld UK.
So, while Apple is very competitive with its desktop G5 products, does this mean the Mac will still continue to lag somewhat in digital audio laptop performance? Not necessarily: relief could come in the form of a faster G4, or dual-core G4 support. In fact, while we haven't heard much from G4 development of late, future desktop Macs could be G4-powered, too, like the new Mini. Chip distinctions continue to blur on the PC (Pentium 4? Pentium M?), especially as Moore's Law runs up against the principles of heat and energy consumption; now the Mac is experiencing similar confusion.
In other words, we've got another Macworld where we know nothing new about Apple's pro hardware plans. As usual, we'll simply have to wait. Stay tuned: same Mac time, same Mac channel.