“Apple Computer is taking a courageous and risky step in moving from IBM to Intel chips, but the gamble will pay huge dividends to users of its Macintosh computers after Apple gets through what’s almost sure to be a scary transition. A surge of innovation could come out of Apple as the company gets access to the much wider range of chips made by Intel, and possibly even Intel-compatible chips from rivals such as Advanced Micro Devices (AMD),” Mike Langberg writes for Knight Ridder. “Perhaps there will be Apple-branded set-top TV boxes, or ultra-low-cost Macs, or iPods that play movies, or Mac mobile phones. Perhaps the most exciting outcome is something no one has thought about yet.”
“Until now, the hardware and software engineers on Infinite Loop, the private street in Cupertino surrounding Apple’s circular headquarters, have been straitjacketed by the limited processor lineup from IBM and its former partner Freescale Semiconductor,” Langberg writes. “Most obviously, Apple hasn’t been able to introduce a notebook computer that runs IBM’s latest and greatest G5 processor. The G5 generates too much heat for a notebook design, and IBM couldn’t or wouldn’t deliver a cooler version of the chip.”
Langberg writes, “Intel, in contrast, offers a range of chips that can power everything from handheld devices to supercomputers. The Santa Clara-based technology giant will spend a staggering $5.2 billion this year on research and development — orders of magnitude more than could be justified by Apple’s orders alone.”
Full article here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Video of Mac OS X 10.4.1 for Intel running on Dell laptop posted online – June 13, 2005
Report: Apple Mac OS X 10.4.1 for Intel hits piracy sites – June 11, 2005
Is Apple setting up the ultimate “Switcher” campaign by preparing to let Mac OS X speak for itself? – June 10, 2005
Intel-based Macs running both Mac OS X and Windows will be good for Apple – June 10, 2005
Twin Mac website debuts, dedicated to dual booting Intel-based Macs running Mac OS X and Windows – June 10, 2005
Cringley: Apple and Intel to merge; Steve Jobs finally beats Bill Gates – June 09, 2005
Fortune: Apple’s switch to Intel processors to accelerate Windows users switching to Mac OS X – June 09, 2005
Will developers stop writing Mac applications if Apple ‘Macintel’ computers can run Windows? – June 08, 2005
Why buy a Dell when Apple ‘Macintel’ computers will run both Mac OS X and Windows? – June 08, 2005
“What’s almost sure to be a scary transition”
You’ll see: 1,400,000 Macs in the third quarter, ending in june
Bring it on. I can’t wait to see what this new partnership will bring to us Mac users. 68k to ppc was cool. This is better.
My 2 cents.
I’m looking forward to the coming changes. In part, it’s Apple’s ability to make the difficult appear easy that makes this company and its offerings so cool.
So, a la Mr. Bush: Bring it on!
I dont get this–Now it turns out the boys on infinite loop have been
straight jacketed? So IPOD and TIGER are the result of wearing straight jackets? Some one tie me up please! You want to know what a straight
jacket is—if anything its the INTEL chip that 99 per cent of INTEL users
have in their computer. Those guys out on the Loop had a true 64 bit
chip to work with—its the guys outta of the loop in the straight jackets.
It will be a relief to have the CPU issue taken off of the table. This will let us get past the issues of hardware performance and the “MHz myth” and focus on the key computing issues that define the Mac and make it more appealing to a small, but growing minority of users.
Intel is probably not the last stop in the Mac development roadmap. Just as Apple switched from Motorola to the AIM PPC and then to the IBM portion of AIM with the G5, the switch to Intel may be followed by MacOS X on multiple processor families such as AMD. No doubt Apple will continue to compile MacOS X for alternate CPU architectures just in case the CPU becomes an issues again in the future.
Yer a tool Lisa.
Forthcoming Macintel desktops will be 64 bit.
Right now, no laptops have 64 bit processinging. So the forthcoming Merom chip going into the Ti’s and ibooks will be on par with the current offerings along with lower power consumption and a bit of a speed boost.
64 bit, as of now, is overrated. Calm down people.
You are probably already “straitjacketed” because you are such a blabbering moron.
I think that most Mac Users in the know will buy a computer if they need a computer right now. The transition may be a reason for some switchers to think they should wait though, so we may see Apple not gaining market share as quickly.
My personal take on it is that I am gonna order a G5 tomorrow and hopefully it will arrive by the weekend. It was a no brainer, G5s rock!
Laptops are a bit more of a gray area though. I lust after a new Powerbook buy my wallet doesn’t after all the cash I am gonna blow on the desktop. I think the switch to Intel had a lot to do with laptops and so we will see some kicking advances in that area. If I was not getting the desktop I would be thinking seriously about getting a G4 Powerbook but would be much more torn.
The factors which come into play in my particular situation are:
1. I need a new computer because my 667 Tibook can’t do all the things I want to do.
2. The Desktop has a lot of power and will stay current a good long time
3. I have been wanting and waiting for a G5 for 2 years now and don’t want to skip that chapter in Apple’s ongoing history
4. I think Intel laptops will represent some serious advances, one big area I am hopeful for is increased run time on the battery
5. The laptop is better suited for work since I travel quite a bit and my company uses some proprietary windows only software and I think they will be dual bootable or at the very least be able to somehow run windows programs much faster than PPC chips could
6. The current G4 Powerbooks are super sexy but really only represent incremental inprovements over my Tibook
7. There is a chance (albeit a slim one) that I might be able to talk my company into footing the bill for an Intel Mac laptop, they would never go for a desktop or a PPC laptop.
Luckily, all of the above combine to make my path clear. G5 Powermac, here I come!
I forgot to add
8. The PowerMac will have the disadvantage of tying me to one location for heavy computing tasks but has the concurrent advantage of having a lot more power to bring to bear on those tasks.
I’m with Lisa. (figuratively speaking, that is) Intel has no viable 64-bit offering right now. All they have other than Itanium (which doesn’t count cause that beast is huge, hot, and expensive) are 64-bit “extensions” to their 32-bit line-up. They are supposed to have some real 64-bit processors out by Jan 2007, so that may be the time when MacIntels go 64-bit. But then again, there is always AMD, who has a darn good 64-bit product today. So, while it seems that Macs may have to pause for their 64-bit machines, I think by mid 2007 we may have em. And according to Stevie, at that time it should be in the passing lane with IBMs G5s in your rear view mirror.
“Perhaps there will be Apple-branded set-top TV boxes, or ultra-low-cost Macs, or iPods that play movies, or Mac mobile phones. Perhaps the most exciting outcome is something no one has thought about yet.”
Gee, I wonder if the guy was actually whacking it when he wrote this. What a child. Can we talk about reality, please?
Amen gui gui boi!
While the CPU switch will bring impressive results, I’m very much interested in all the other pieces that will become available to Apple because of that switch.
Better IO – PCI Express, Memory
Better Video Cards @ lower price
Better Price:Performance ratio
Better physical design possibilities
… and of course access to Windows software.
… oh and better supply channel support
Intel is a manufacturing and marketing juggernaut!
While the CPU switch will bring impressive results, I’m very much interested in all the other pieces that will become available to Apple because of that switch.
Better IO – PCI Express, Memory
Better Video Cards @ lower price
Better Price:Performance ratio
Better physical design possibilities
… and of course access to Windows software.
… oh and better supply channel support
Intel is a manufacturing and marketing juggernaut!
While the CPU switch will bring impressive results, I’m very much interested in all the other pieces that will become available to Apple because of that switch.
Better IO – PCI Express, Memory
Better Video Cards @ lower price
Better Price:Performance ratio
Better physical design possibilities
… and of course access to Windows software.
… oh and better supply channel support
Intel is a manufacturing and marketing juggernaut!
I think its amazing that same people who a week ago touted 64 bit computing are now saying its over rated—And the same people who said that processor speed was over rated are now ignoring every characteristic but processor speed. The facts are that the Powerpc chip is arguably as fast as what is powering INTEL inside computers right now–if not faster– plus the IBM chip is 64 bit. I read above were some dope says there are no 64 bit chips in laptops now—aside from the fact that the moron is wrong –AMD uses 64 bit chips in laptops–any lack of 64 bit chips in notebooks today is all more proof that Jobs didnt need to switch because the Apple lap tops are already competitive because Apple lap tops like any INTEL powered lap tops dont have 64 bit chips now. So Apple didnt need to switch to remain competitive. Rather Apple coild have gone to a dual G4 chip lap top until a CELL powered lap top could be produced in 2 years–I would rather have either in 2 years than Intel inside–Apple could have lined mac mini’s into mac mini max–Apple could have still used INTEL chips to power gadgets.
gui gui boi:
Your idiot opinion is beyond overrated. Addressing 4+ Gigs of RAM is NOT overrated. It is a clear advantage.
You would be the epitome of a “tool.”
Lisa seems to be one of few clear thinkers around here…