What's The Future For The 9262???

Shouldn't be a problem, I mean, can you still run current software on Pentium 1's? This different architecture is like the difference between AMD and Intel platforms, it is software independant. After all, i7 means 'intel architecture version 7', so if the software works on v1-6, why would you need different coding for v7?

 

I would agree with Theriko - the new system architecture really should be transparent to most applications, so almost everything that runs on current systems should run on the new systems. The main reason for that is that to 99.99% of applications, the underlying hardware simply does not exist; instead, applications interact with an abstraction of the hardware that is provided via the plumbing that undergirds the OS and via the kernel - what MS calls the hardware abstraction layer, or HAL - so the only changes that would, in general, have to be made would be to the bottom part of the HAL where it actually interacts with the physical hardware; the topside of the HAL could, and probably will, remain largely the same. The only other area where changes will have to be made will be to device drivers but, there again, almost no application ever interacts directly with a device driver, but only indirectly through the mediation of the OS and the kernel.

Finally, for those one or two apps that cannot deal with the new architecture, mostly those one or two remaining 16-bit dinosaurs that someone just cannot bear to part with, the simplest solution is to just virtual-machine them, so that you have a VM that can play nice with the new architecture creating a pseudo-environment that the old 16-bit stuff thinks really is an ancient 16-bit operating environment.

 

So with that comment, it sounds like you don't think the improvement will be and extreme WOW! advancement? Am I correct?
Would it be wise for me to wait and see if they add the i7 to the D901C?
The processor I'm looking at now is the 3.0GHzs choice, if I was to get a i7 core (This is if they add these to the D901C) it would be the "Core i7 940".
With both the SSD and Windows 7, I can add these myself but the reason I'm concerned with the i7 is I am looking to buy a high end laptop that will stay high end for at least 5 years.
So this all leading up to would waiting a half year or so to see if these will be added, would that be a good choice or would the advancement not be worth the time?

 

I wouldn't quite put it that way - I do think that the new i7 architecture will yield some significant performance improvements, I just think that it'll take some time for those improvements to fully show up; the i7 won't be hitting on all cylinders at 100% straight out of the box (certainly there will be driver issues, I would imagine).

I think the ultimate issue is whether or not you need a high-end laptop now or not. If not, then I would suggest waiting a while to see if any more details of the i7 come out - after all, right now most of this is largely speculation based on a few out-of-context tidbits dropped by Intel just to whet the appetite (but not, of course, so much so that Intel's sales in the interim suffer from the Osbourne Effect).

After all, the D901C, in its present configuration, won't be disappearing any time soon, so you're not being put to the either/or choice of a D901C now or never.

On the other hand, if you have a real need for the system now, to the point where your income and/or productivity are suffering for lack of it, then it would be foolhardy to continue to wait around "just in case" the i7s put the D901C to shame straight out of the box.

The bottom line is, as the old adage goes: buy what you need when you need it, and not a moment sooner or later (it goes something like that, I'm sure I've liberally paraphrased it ).

The other thing to keep in mind is that, regardless of how well the i7s do, the D901C as it currently exists will continue to be a top-of-the-line system for several years to come - perhaps not at the absolute zenith, as it is now - but certainly within the top 5% to 10% or so. To put it another way, folks who own a D901C are not suddenly going to feel like they're trying to drive a Model-T in the LeMans the moment the first RTM i7 notebook hits the streets.

 

I can only imagine how many people will come roaring on forums, screaming that the sky is falling an how dare Intel change their perfect little world.

Until later next year, I really wont be using it for much except some papers. So I do have a PS3, Iv been meaning to put ubuntu on I could use till I decide to get the D901C.
You do make a good point it is worth simply waiting to see what news arise with the release of the i7.

I realize that technology advances rapidly, and that waiting for it to slow is useless. Though it seems to me that the i7 is something worth the wait. There's still the chance they may never add the i7 to the D901C, but I'm not in to big of a rush. So I'll probably just stick around listen to the news for the new design. Then hopefully wait to see if sager adds the i7, and when they plan to release it if so.

 

Therefore, you do not have a clear need to buy a 9262 before the i7 launch.

With just a little sleuthing, it it quite clear that the i7 is on schedule to launch later this calendar year with some marquee Intel systems builders launch partners. The design samples have been out there for some time and the inventory runs appear to be on shedule. However, no one is predicting any volume until early next year.

From what I saw at IDF, it will should be an immediate "wow" for our business of complex systems integration. As for gaming, I doubt the "wow" factor will be immediate. But when the new desktop systems hit, someone will benchmark them so I would bet that before Jan 1 gamers will have benchmarks on the i7.

Phil Schaadt

 

I think Phil's summed it up perfectly, and has added some good (albeit circumstantial) evidence that tends to confirm that we probably won't see a desktop i7 in a notebook until later next year, and that it's not likely to be a blow-out system straight out of the box.

Since you won't be needing the system for much more than papers until next year, I would agree wholeheartedly with Phil that you have the luxury of time on your side right now, and should just stick around and see what happens when the i7 systems begin getting released to retail - I think it's called the catbird seat!

Consider yourself lucky. While I don't absolutely need a new system, there are a lot of personal things I would like to be able to do with my notebook that I can't do because the VAIO I have is so old - for example, it doesn't even have the graphics power necessary to play many of the $9.99 games you can find on the remainder racks at Target or Walmart. Since I don't absolutely need a new system, I've been holding off on just jumping in, but I'm getting tired of how high the stack of things I would like to do but can't is getting, so I'll probably not wait until the i7s come out.

 

Ok, well patience is something that you can never (I think) have to much of.
Even not as a blow-out system, between everything the i7 does it looks like something I would want to wait for. I wanted to make sure it wasn't just going to be some more advanced technology, like the type you see every day come out in which if you waited for a slow down...you just never would ever buy anything.

I will then start attempting to back-up and install Linux on the PS3 sometime this year I guess.
The catbird seat is a very nice position.

Wow, I'm sorry about that, right now I'm typing this on a desktop which was bought before I knew much about computers. Ever sense then lets just say Iv been regretting it a lot. It isn't as slow as what your talking about with your notebook. (Does any one know why they call the "notebook" the smaller of portable computers, and the "laptop the bigger one? It seems they should be flipped around, and instead you would use the small ones on your lap, and the big ones on a notebook or flat surface...)