Date: Fri, 15 Mar 2002 20:18:05 +0100

Subject: Re: G3/500-600 MHz SPEED CPU UPGRADE for PowerBook 2400c

From: Sidney Ho <skyho@compuserve.com>

To: "(Duo/2400 List)" <DuoList@lists.themacintoshguy.com>

For the fans and fanatics of Apple's versatile Powerbook 2400c, there has been an interesting new development with potential positive implications for the 2400 market. Sonnet Technologies has just announced a new 466 mhz speed upgrade for the Apple PowerBook 1400. The press release stated, in part:

IRVINE, California, March 15, 2002. Sonnet Technologies, the worldwide market share leader in processor upgrade cards for Apple Macintosh computers, announces the Crescendo/PB G3 466-1M, Sonnet's fastest upgrade yet for the PowerBook 1400, and the latest addition to its product line of Crescendo processor upgrade cards. This upgrade offers a powerful 466MHz PowerPC G3 processor with 1MB Level 2 backside cache, which produces an impressive 11x increase in performance over a 117 MHz stock machine that used a 603e processor. The Crescendo/PB is compatible with the PowerBook's existing hardware, software, RAM and peripherals. It transparently integrates with your system software, and performs flawlessly with Mac OS 7.5.3, through OS 9.1.

Granted the 1400 market is inestimably larger than the 2400 market, but it just may be possible to convince Sonnet to do a theoretically matching 14 x bus multiplier on the 2400 (w/ 40 mhz bus) if they are reaching 466 mhz (w/ 33.3 mhz bus) on the 1400. But unlikely on the cheap, which is why there was always such a great price differential between 2400 CPU upgrades and other cards.

Here's roughly what's on my mind (first iteration):

This bus multiplier breakthrough could mean a CPU speed running at 520-600 mhz on a 2400 if they could push the bus multiplier 14-15 x. No use waiting for another subnotebook from Apple, but there's always hope.

The main obstacles to Sonnet's possible involvement would be a small 2400 upgrade market, product warranty and installation issues. The residual potential 2400 market is presumably too small and troublesome to support, service and guarantee a CPU upgrade, even via 3rd party vendors. However, the percentage of 2400 owners likely to consider an upgrade is much higher than the 1400 population. If Sonnet were to resort to distributors / installers as an intermediate tier, there would be too little volume and margin, even to cover basic R&D. Since Sonnet has ex-Newer personnel and presumably all of the prior Newer technical information on the original 240 mhz G3s for the 2400, plus the 366-400 mhz beta cards (that found their way unofficially into the 2400 community after Newer's demise) , it is not inconceivable that they could make a special "unsupported" run of turbocharged 2400/G3-520-600/1mb backside CPUs by custom order.

Such an effort would have to be privately supported and be at least a run of, say, 150-200 cards, plus a 10% overrun for possible DOAs or early failures. If the CPU survives 30 days, it's likely to survive full term.

Therefore I'd like to know among the residual 2400 fanatics, who you are, how many you might want, and how much you would be willing to spend to upgrade to 520-560-600 mhz (email or copy me offlist too). I'm presuming improved manufacturing, smaller micron size of circuits etc. will result in lower power consumption so battery life should be relatively unaffected. Let's assume an "unsupported" bare bones non-DOA 30 day warranty, a run of 200 cards, and a direct offer price of $500-550-600.

Who would be willing to buy upgrades and back up a firm order, hypothetically, with a 30% deposit if the project is a GO? At which price would "fanatics" still be willing to buy?

As I am periodically in Irvine, CA, I would be willing to drop in on Sonnet to discuss the matter, BUT ONLY IF there is firm and serious interest established beforehand. It is not the case to make an unresearched hypothetical proposal to Sonnet and the commercial risk must be eliminated a priori. I do not want to publicly spearhead this research, but perhaps Ralph Mawyer can set up a more anonymous polling page on the Mac/2400 website and he/others can also pulse the Japanese community. I'm willing to take the project forward with Sonnet (or possibly undertake this independently if they are "unofficially" willing to help), BUT ONLY IF there is very serious and substantive interest.

Let me and the Duolist know your thoughts. This is probably the last chance ever to prolong the life of 2400s. Even the upgrade market itself is slowly dying out. Of course I'll abandon this effort tomorrow if Apple was to announce another genuine subnotebook. Meanwhile, let's collectively give it a shot!

Sidney Ho