“On April 26, 2005, I mentioned in a blog posting on WinInfo Daily Update that ‘Apple is unhappy with the PowerPC production at IBM and will be switching to Intel-compatible chips this very year.’ That blurb touched off a new round of Thurrott bashing by Apple fanatics, but was later followed up by independent reports in The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, News.com, and now The New York Times, all of which corroborated what I had written and added details. Today, according to these reports, Apple CEO Steve Jobs will announce Apple’s transition to Intel chips at the World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco,” Paul Thurrott writes for Paul Thurrott’s WinInfo.
“My, my, my. Predictably, speculation about this transition has been all over the map. In the early days of the rumor, many suggested that Apple wouldn’t use Intel x86-based chips in Macintosh computers but would instead be using Intel XScale microprocessors for a new Tablet PC-like device. Or perhaps Apple has the cachet to commit Intel to manufacturing Power PC-compatible chips, others suggested. My sources have told me that Apple is actually switching to Intel chips for its Macs, however,” Thurrott writes. “None of that really matters. Like most technology enthusiasts, I’m fascinated by the details of this transition, assuming its happening. And I’ll follow Jobs’ WWDC keynote address today like thousands of others. What I’m more concerned with is the Mac community. Where’s the love, guys?”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: iPod success opens door to Mac OS X on Intel – March 04, 2004
MacDailyNews Note: On April 29, 2005, Thurrott wrote, “Apple Ships Its Longhorn on Schedule – At 6:00 pm tonight, Apple Stores around the country will begin selling Apple’s next generation version of Mac OS X, codenamed Tiger. In case you were off visiting remote areas of Burma for the last year and a half, Tiger offers many of the features that Microsoft promises in Longhorn, but it delivers them today. Sadly, Tiger doesn’t run on standard Intel hardware, but if the rumors we heard at WinHEC are true, it may soon: In addition to the Microsoft evangelist who told us that Apple was moving to Intel, we later heard that an Intel engineer was claiming that Intel-compatible versions of Tiger were now running in the company’s Santa Clara labs. True or bogus, what the heck: Rumors like this are just fun.”
Related MacDailyNews articles:
MacDailyNews to present live Steve Jobs’ WWDC Keynote coverage – June 06, 2005
Wall Street Journal, NY Times: Apple has informed industry partners of impending Intel shift – June 06, 2005
Apple’s shift to Intel really all about Hollywood, owning the living room, and Transitive – June 05, 2005
Why would Apple switch? PowerPC is smaller, more efficient, cheaper than comparable Intel chips – June 05, 2005
Intel Inside Apple Macs? – June 04, 2005
Intel in Macs?! How’s Apple CEO Steve Jobs going to spin that switch? – June 04, 2005
Apple to switch to Intel chips starting in 2006 – CNET [updated] – June 03, 2005
Apple and Microsoft battle for control of future living rooms – June 01, 2005
Anticipation, rumors build ahead of Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ June 6 WWDC keynote – May 27, 2005
Intel CEO Otellini: If you want security now, buy a Macintosh instead of a Wintel PC – May 25, 2005
Analyst: Apple-Intel rumor ‘hogwash’ (today marks 11th month that Jobs’ promised 3GHz G5 is late) – May 23, 2005
Apple bundles videos with select music albums via iTunes Music Store – May 10, 2005
Apple releases iTunes 4.8; now supports QuickTime video along with contact, calendar transfers – May 09, 2005
With Mac mini Apple CEO Jobs attacks the Achilles heel of Windows dominance: the living room – January 14, 2005
Apple Computer will own the living room, not Microsoft – January 10, 2005
Can Apple crack the living-room conundrum before Microsoft? – December 30, 2004
NY Times: Can Steve Jobs put Apple in the center of your living room? – March 23, 2004
Frankly, I never said to a PC owner “Look at that shit Intel inside you have”. I always said “Look at that shit Windows OS you have.”
A PC running Linux does not sux at all, stable, performing, fast: runs in circle around the very same PC running on Windows.
It’s the OS, stupid. But it is undeniable that a PC with AMD and Linux just creams a PC with Pentium and Linux: simply no comparison.
Intel x86 reached the end of the line.
Intel is working on new multi-core chips: they could make a 64-bit multicore just for Apple. What’s the problem? Apple would ensure full compatibility “been there, done that” (64k –> PowerPC)
Get ’em while they are hot!
http://www.cafepress.com/compapple
mike, as good as it sounds…a dual core 3Ghz G5 does not equal 6Ghz. do the current G5s run at 5.4Ghz? No, adding processors together does not add their speeds, even dual cores. the factor is somewhere between 1.3-1.7 (depending on the architecture) times the Ghz of the single processor. The difference comes in the fact that the processors don’t run independently…often times they’re working on the same threads (not the same process, though), and the time it takes to error check, exchange data, etc. bumps the performance down. two cores on the same chipset could never run independently unless you have two of everything else, which would not coincide w/ apple’s form factors.
besides, as we’ve all seen (but might have to eat our words on) Ghz is NOT everything.
that being said, let’s hope apple has enough leverage (the true measure of OS X, perhaps?) to make intel make PowerPC chips.
I love how Thurrott can’t be tell us HOW this is going to work.
And as Steve points out, Longhorn continues to bite him in the ass.
Paul, please shut up. It’s really for your own good.
What cost implications will this have on companies who have invested 1000s in Apple hardware??
“Don’t you realise the cost benefits of this? Apple doesn’t need to design its own motherboards, or custom chips, and more.”
Would those off-the-shelf Intel motherboards include, for example, a round motherboard to fit into the G4 iMac? Unless Apple completely drops its innovative design style, they would still have to design motherboards.
History Boy:
I leave that kind of conversation to puerile adolescents, for whom it is more appropriate.
I have to admit I am not a power user. I don’t use any of Apple’s professional apps but I do use all of their consumer oriented ones. I do use my laptop to go online, chat, read, use iTunes with my Airport Express, do some spreadsheets, use iPhoto a lot, make DVDs, CDs, etc. For almost all of my purposes my ancient B&W G3 400 does a pretty damned good job. My G4 667 does a great job. I have a techno-lust for Apple products yet not much of one for the amount of GHz muscle.
How will going to Intel be better? How will it be worse, for someone like me?
I’ve had many occupations in my 25 years in the workforce, none of them have been in computers, so I don’t profess to be a font of computing knowledge.
I do know one thing since I was introduced to computers in 1978 (when I managed to crash the whole University of NSW system), I’ve seen many OS’s, some bad and others worse; but the one that stands out as the sweetest has always been the Mac OS.
This OS has the user in mind, does things efficiently and as the years have gone by has led to the current situation where computing is just plain old fun.
I’ve read all the arguments about about computer chips and seeing it’s the sixtieth first anniversary of D-Day, it reminds me of a story that my American (GI) father said about WW2 tanks.
IBM’s Power PC chip is like the German Tiger, the most powerful (graphics) chip around but difficult to get out in large numbers. Just like the German Tiger tank.
Intel’s chips on the other hand are like the the American Sherman tank, not the best but the easiest to manufacture in large numbers.
Last year I needed a replacement for my underpowered eMac; I wanted an iMac, but because IBM couldn’t get the relevant G5 chip out in a timely manner and in quantity Apple had no replacement for the G4 iMac. I had to wait months and months for it’s G5 replacement. And Apple was savaged by the media.
I don’t know if the Intel switch is true but I won’t be losing sleep over it either. The only issue that would get me angry is if Apple dumped it’s OS in favour of that Microsoft joke that should be arrested for False Pretences.
MDN magic word: “bad” an apt description of the Windows OS.
Its the software. OS X vs. Windoze. The Register’s Tony Smith put it best: In five years we will wonder what the fuss was all about.
Magic Word: Plans. As in “I have NO plans to leave the Mac platform!”
Daring Fireball has an interesting theory…perhaps Intel is going to start producing PPC chips. The headlines would then need to read that Intel is moving to Mac!!!
I like it.
Im suprised they didnt go with AMD…Its Pathetic…
I think the announcement will be about Apple’s support for Intel’s version of WIMAX; not the core cpu.
Oh yeah, and HE was the FIRST to mention this. So we shall actually invite him up on the stage at the Keynote if he’s there. And I’ll hand him a boquet of flowers and let him press the start button on my Macintosh. And he’ll realize that it’s NOT the hardware that counts, it’s the Tiger inside!
Ya know, if you repeat a lie often enough, people begin to think it’s the truth. Don’t let Enderle ever claim he thought of this first. We all know he did not.
NOW HEAR THIS:
A MOVE TO INTEL DOES NOT EQUAL ASSIMILATION TO MICROSLOTH WINDOWS OR RADIO SHACK HARDWARE!
Get past your “join the herd” mentality.
Remember when Apple was in talks with UNIVERSAL / VIVENDI….
People thought that Apple was going to buy the music business and create a new company…instead ITUNES was born.
Maybe the talks with INTEL have the same likings as a new venture or a new product that will have an INTEL chip in it…
http://www.digitalproducer.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=32810-1
This should be good news to Mac users. The current Macs get soundly trounced by a PentiumD costing $1000 less.
Imagine if an optimized OSX were to run on such a beast.
http://www.digitalproducer.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=32810-1
This should be good news to Mac users. The current Macs get soundly trounced by a PentiumD costing $1000 less.
Imagine if an optimized OSX were to run on such a beast.
http://www.digitalproducer.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=32810-1
This should be good news to Mac users. The current Macs get soundly trounced by a PentiumD costing $1000 less.
Imagine if an optimized OSX were to run on such a beast.
What happens now with availability of IBM/Sony/Toshiba developed Cell processor?
Mac & PC Guy. I don’t get it. Try the link again.
Even a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day.
Ooops… wrong mistake. Here’s the link:
http://www.digitalproducer.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=32744
It leads to a short review of “Hard Core Dual Core: Dell Precision 380 Workstation”. The PentiumD shines brightly running Windows XP64.
Ooops… wrong mistake. Here’s the link:
http://www.digitalproducer.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=32744
It leads to a short review of “Hard Core Dual Core: Dell Precision 380 Workstation”. The PentiumD shines brightly running Windows XP64.
Ooops… wrong mistake. Here’s the link:
http://www.digitalproducer.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=32744
It leads to a short review of “Hard Core Dual Core: Dell Precision 380 Workstation”. The PentiumD shines brightly running Windows XP64.