“The nifty clips of video games supporting Microsoft’s new Xbox 360 console are running on Apple machines, Microsoft confirmed on Friday,” Richard Shim reports for CNET News. “‘We purchased a number of Apple G5’s because very specific hardware components of the G5 allow developers to emulate some of the technology behind future Xbox products and services,’ an official Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement. ‘This is an interim development tool that will be replaced with a more powerful and comprehensive solution later.’
“The new console from Microsoft is based on a similar IBM PowerPC architecture used in Apple computers–the Xbox 360 uses three 3.2GHz symmetrical cores, according to the company. Apple has been using PowerPC chips since 1994 and Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs has said the company is happy with IBM’s PowerPC family of chips,” Shim reports. “Microsoft recently switched processors from an Intel chip used in the first Xbox console to a custom Xbox processor based on Big Blue’s Power technology in its new Xbox 360.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Isn’t that “super?”
Related MacDailyNews articles:
RUMOR: Sony and Apple working together on PlayStation 3 – May 13, 2005
Microsoft Xbox 360 ‘inspired’ by many of Apple Computer’s ideas – May 13, 2005
Microsoft holds ‘Thought Thieves’ short film competition focusing on intellectual property theft – May 12, 2005
Bill Gates jokes about Mac OS X ‘Tiger’ and calls Apple ‘the super-small market share guy’ – May 03, 2005
Microsoft launches Windows XP campaign with ad made on Apple Mac – April 19, 2005
nuff said
Look at where it came from
The most expensive speakers around, Billy must own a set.
http://www.genesisloudspeakers.com/
thought thieves who?.
That pretty much sums it all up. Microshaft is using Apple’s CURRENT technology to emulate their FUTURE technology.
NEXT UP: Micro$oft’s preview of Longhorn runs on Tiger.
‘This is an interim development tool that will be replaced with a more powerful and comprehensive solution later.’ The more powerful and comprehensive solution they are talking about is the Applehigh end workstation class machine which wil use IBM Power 5 chips.
Don’t you just love it?
Where would Microsoft be without Apple
HAHAHAHAHA!!!
We don’t call Apple “R&D South” for nothing!
Excuse me, I’ve gotta go – I’m in a super rush – I’m laughing all the way to the bank on the backs of my pigeon… err, fool… umm, loyal customers.
Sign up for your Microsoft Windows Anti-Virus Subscription today!
Put that in your “Macs suck at gaming” pipe and smoke it!!!
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Longhorn!! That’s a good one!!
At least we now know what the X in Xbox is standing for.
Good for Microsoft! If they want to use Mac servers then I applaud them.
Microsoft guns for Sony, Apple with Xbox: http://www.financialexpress.com/latest_full_story.php?content_id=90767
Did Apple come out with a gaming console that I don’t know about? How is M$ gunning for Apple with the Xbox? Does it double as an iPod?
(In my best Peter Griffin voice) What the hell!!??
er, that should have said Mac’s for developers.
So how many G5 Mac systems will Microsoft sell when the first developer ships the Xbox enabler for G5 Macs? Who’ll need “Mac” games when any Mac can play Xbox games?
Hum, Super? I am not sure, the console looks like crap, and it looks like they are already overwhelmed by REVOLUTION, the NINTENDO console that will kick everyboady’s a$$…
Interesting. I wonder what the possibility of an Xbox version of Virtual Game Station is? Actually, I think MS even owns the IP with their purchase of all the emulation products from Connectix.
you can run those XBOX 360 games on your G5 if you are running the proprietary compiled for PowerPC special top secret Windows NT kernal SDK. Oh wait, you’re running OS X. dang.
Bastards.
Marcie88,
Here’s the really expensive speakers.
http://www.audioreview.com/speakers/main-speaker/Wilson Audio/PRD_120809_1594crx.aspx
Bet he owns these just to say he does, even if he may not appreciate them.
There is a very good chance we could see some kick ass Xbox 360 emulators coming out this year. Aww that would rock.
Thanks Rhomboid
I hear those monsters at CES in Vegas and although they cost more than the Genesis , I thought the Gens sounded more natural. Bill probably get them for free anyway
Basically Microsoft uses the dual 2.5 or 2.7 GHz PowerMacs running a new PPC version of Windows NT and a next-generation ATI graphics card that no-one can buy yet. There is propably a special version of Direct X on these development machines too.
I hope that when Open GL 2 and the new ATI graphics cards run on the next generation of G5 Macs we will have equally capable graphics capabilities.
An obvious question – how much is a new X Box really costing Microsoft to make? (sure, they’ll retail it for say $400)
Thus, they sell it for HUNDREDS, not, THOUSANDS, and this has 3 PowerPC CPU’s… so why are Apple dual G5’s 10 times the price????????????????????????
We are being scammed as Apple purchasers, regardless of the style and design aspect of their machines.
I vaguely recall the orginal mac having a 4 times cost (of $500) markup, then Sculley added another $500 to pay for the marketing so it became $2500. Since Apple doesn’t actually market G5’s, they could cut this out of current markup calcs… so I wonder what the real cost of dual G5 2.7Ghz really is.
ps I seem to also remember the BeBox having a good price/performance ratio too. Apple always overcharge. Scumbags.
anon, get the facts, the cpu’s are way different. it’s all good dude.