“A Hawaiian company specializing in streaming video claims to have developed a $50 software emulator that allows a Windows PC to run Apple Computer’s Mac OS X. Maui X-Stream on Tuesday announced CherryOS, a virtual PC that mimics the hardware of a G4 Mac,” Leander Kahney reports for Wired News.
“The company said it is already working on a stand-alone version that cuts out Windows XP. A stand-alone version of CherryOS would allow OS X to run on a cheap commodity PC without the added expense of Microsoft’s operating system — provided the emulator works and Apple’s lawyers ever allow it to see the light of day,” Kahney reports.
“Available as a 7-MB download, the CherryOS software emulates a G4 processor and includes the chip’s multimedia-boosting Velocity Engine, formerly known as AltiVec. It also features support for USB, FireWire and ethernet. It automatically detects hardware and network connections, the company said,” Kahney reports. “According to [the developer], CherryOS performs at about 80 percent of the speed of the PC host’s hardware.”
Full article here.
“You benefit from the lower cost and faster speed of the PC, and still keep the use of your Macintosh applications.”
My G5 runs circles around any PC I’ve used and the ones I own. But if this can spur OS sales for Apple, then cool.
Great! Now I can trade my iMac in for a Dell
As long as Apple can handle the Mac sales, it will not support this kind of emulator.
They can rewrite Mac OS X for x86 themselves, if there is a demand.
None of you skeptics doubt that this will be a really great product that will perform as advertised, do ya? We’ll see.
Uh, its… hard… to… read… article… through… vapor… in… air….
Check out the thread about this on Slashdot. It appears that this is some home grown scam, possibly based on the Sourceforge Pear PC emulator. Even if it were true, installing OS X on anything other than an Apple branded computer violates Apple’s Terms of Use. And no, the white stickers don’t count. : )
From the Panther EULA:
2. Permitted License Uses and Restrictions.
A. This License allows you to install and use one copy of the Apple Software on a single Apple-labeled computer at a time.
King_Alvarez
I hope that is sacasm to the Nth degree and I am just missing it?
Slashdot, and OSnews both covered this.
no body can actually get to the product.
Also claims that the emulator will give you 80% of the processor seem odd.
Virtual PC, Pear PC exsit.
Isn’t this what Apple should have done years ago?
If Microshaft can make billion$ on a pi$$-poor O$, think how much Apple could have made by now, and how much a better place the world would be…
Everyone’s skeptical now, but if these guys actually make an emulator that will run a legit copy of OSX on a PC (@ around 90% speed), then Apple’s computer business model will change overnight.
Yes the Apple lawyers are circling the wagons right now, but here’s the rub: according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation if Maui X-Stream produces a G5 environment emulator which will allow one to run a legit copy of OSX, then they are not breaking any copyright laws. Think about this….it’s the same situation that the maker of virtual PC was doing before MS bought them
Either Apple will have to substantially reduce their hardware costs or just become a software company and sell OSX to PC users. Even the most diehard PC user respects OSX, but most don’t want to part with their PC hardware – this may change everything……
It will not boost OS sales by much. If a 1,000 PC users get the emulator, I bet that less then 5% would actually buy OS X.
PC people do not care about the cost of software, they have a tendency to steal it if it is not at BestBuy or Circuit City. I bet CherryOS will be highly pirated too. Bout the same number of people who steal the Mac OS will pilfer the CherryOS too.
Keep in mind that this is a broad generalization, but EVERY PC user I know… WITHOUT exception has stolen software, and Kazaa loaded among others to help get the software to their computer.
I know… it is sad that I have “friends” that use PCs. A couple of them tell me that they are going to repent for their computing sins and get a Mac next time…. but we’ll see.
The Dude abides.
If Cherry can run OS X at 90% the same speed (or better) as OS X on a G4 (1.25 GHz with 1.67 MHz bus) this could be the demise of Microsoft’s Windows and Apple’s Macintosh computers.
I hope that people who want a beautiful and functional computer will also demand that Apple continue to design and produce Macs.
meat of moose.. er.. which is it… MS and Apple both go out of business, eh?
You know more about this shit than I do.. surely you realized apple makes money from these emu progs
It’s a scam – you heard it here for the 3 millionth time.
If anything, it shows a genuine interest for the product and a definate market that needs filled.
Even more it shows people really want Mac OS X… with or without the hardware.
Windows is an inferior OS, plain and simple.
Instead of fighting them, Apple should start selling full-licensed version of OSX for $1000, which will run on PearPC, CherryPC or IBM Power workstations (may be $2000 version for IBM workstations). The price of full-licensed version should cover loss of at least one PowerMac sale. The upgrade version will need to check if it is being installed on Genuine Apple or Apple emulater with license.
Total scam. $50.00? That’s the bait.
oldmacfan,
Yes, it was indeed sarcasm. The experience of using Mac OS X is slightly diminished if used on a less than adequate computer. The design from Apple coupled with superior software creates an unmatched user experience. Anything less than the complete package leaves the user unsatisfied.
Like putting iPod software inside of a Dell DJ, it would definitely be an improvement to the Dell DJ, but why settle for less when you can have it all?
Why do you all really care about this babble. Do you use a PC, if so, then why are you here, dreaming of being a Mac user? If you don�t then you already use a great OS. Stop with all this talk about market share, and blah, blah.
Steve Jobs doesn�t want to be the richest man in the world, say again, Steve Jobs doesn�t want to be the richest man in the world…there is a difference to the thinking of Apple to Microsoft. Apple = Quality. Microsoft = Quantity. Read the Q&A interview over at business week.
mike:
I think that you miss the point regarding how emulation can certainly reduce the potential for Apple to sell more Macintosh computers even if sales of OS X increase.
If a person can emulate Apple�s OS on a PC where would Apple find the demand for Macintosh computers? People with PC’s would most likely spend $50 for software versus $800 plus for a Mac to run OS X.
Apple would still produce the software for the operating system, which means that sales for OS X would increase, but Mac sales would not likely increase in proportion to OS sales.
You see, without a need for current PC owners to buy a Macintosh computer there is no great advantage for Apple to continue to manufacture and design Macs. Bummer. I still like the looks and functionality of my Mac, and there are no PC�s that I would want on my desk, period.
even if it’s vaporwarre, I like the free press OS X is getting. For once, it’s nice to see OS X getting some attetion in these iPod dominated days…
If it’s true, I think it would help Apples bottom line. I highly doubt that many Mac-heads would go and buy a PC after owning a true Mac, and I bet that many PC heads would try OS X out, and perhaps some of them would then buy a Mac upon their next purchase. I think this would far outweigh the deserters of Apple hardware.
Bill Gates and Steve Balmer of Microsoft and Michael Dell of Dell Computer have combined forces.
The Group of Three (aka the Unholy Alliance) has bought Maui X-Stream and all rights to CherryOS for an undisclosed amount of cash.
Arben Kryeziu is now reported to be the second richest man in the world.
Orders for CherryOS will no longer be honored or accepted.
Calls to CherryOS indicate telephone service has been disconnected.
The online service has also been discontinued.
Life returns to normal.
Time to get back to work.
Mac users are easy. Everyone wants to run Mac OSX on Intel. Why? Cheap!
Get this one. A new OS that runs everything.
http://www.mac360.com/index.php/mac360/more/exclusive_new_os_runs_windows_linux_mac_os_x/
Hahahahaha.
Lots of fever. No virus.
Marty, I hear that this new Pickle OS run on potato chips, too. They�re a lot cheaper than those silicon thingamabobs plus they�re edible. Stack potato chips two together and you have a dual-processor! You can even get a bi-lingual version that runs on tortilla chips. For nature lovers there�s the cow chip. Reports of a chocolate chip are unfounded; they melt in your motherboard. Rumors have surfaced that sugar-coated chocolate chips are less heat sensitive.
Hey, Marty, please submit a review to MDN before the weekend!
I think you guys need more cowbell…