“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.
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