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Macintosh Moving to Intel Processors [Updated]
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bosrs1 said:
but now instead of my two new computers and display costing 3200, its going to be 4000
My point exactly. The Mac sales will take a nose dive. Who are going to fork up with 3k for a system that is obsolete? or worse who is going to pay that money one year from now? I doubt we will see any upgrades in the G5 now...Mitthrawnuruodo said:This is what worries me, most of all... all other discussions on x86 architecture and which CPUs the "Mactels" will be running (my guess, until I hear otherwise is the Pentium-D) aside... Two years waiting for new hardware is a very long time and might push a lot of potential buyers (me included) up on the fence (not to say over the fence)...
The time has come
1. Apple has been constrained by processor supply from BOTH Motorola and IBM (ironically). This will allow them to source from a supplier accustomed to HUGE volumes and surge sales.
2. OSX is processor agnostic. So whether the path is x86 from Intel or AMD, or the roadmap is some radical new future processor, they are set to offer a "user experience" that the user need not relearn.
3. Wintel users can switch with substantially more confidence to Mactel or Appletel. Irrational but real.
4. Some significant fraction of Wintel builders and users are really Intel zealots, not Microsoft zealots. Those people will switch sooner.
5. I see Apple blade servers "coming soon".
Rocketman
1. Apple has been constrained by processor supply from BOTH Motorola and IBM (ironically). This will allow them to source from a supplier accustomed to HUGE volumes and surge sales.
2. OSX is processor agnostic. So whether the path is x86 from Intel or AMD, or the roadmap is some radical new future processor, they are set to offer a "user experience" that the user need not relearn.
3. Wintel users can switch with substantially more confidence to Mactel or Appletel. Irrational but real.
4. Some significant fraction of Wintel builders and users are really Intel zealots, not Microsoft zealots. Those people will switch sooner.
5. I see Apple blade servers "coming soon".
Rocketman
daveL said:
Steve is only saying that in hopes that someone will still buy what they have for sale. He does not want to release the next sales figures with only 500 Macs sold.
You will see sub $1000 iMacs and iBooks now...and Dual G5's going for less then $1500. Better to move them at a huge loss then throw them in a landfill.
Yes, very true
I see this as a double-edged sword, really. On one hand, I am rather furious that an iMac G5 I bought no more than 8 months ago now has a processor that will be quickly phased out, I love my G5 processor and I firmly believe it is still the most superior desktop (although obviously not notebook) processor. I am a college student, so I cannot readily afford a brand new Mac again (I already spent 1500 dollars last year) and trying to sell an iMac G5 on eBay would be quite hard when the hardware is obsolete in 2 years. Better hope my Google stock does well...
On the other hand, I also think that this could be a turning point in Apple's history. Either Apple switches to x86 and developers leave it starving with no programs until Apple gives up, or we just may see a direct competition with Windows, drastically increasing market share. I hope the latter to be the case, as I would really like to see the potential Mac OS X has vs. Windows XP on the same system . Finally a fair match with no strings attached, I think Apple has the potential to convert many users, even though they may lose some until the transition. Not only that, but perhaps this will also help drive the costs of the Mac hardware down, using mass-produced Intel processors can only be a plus when it comes to cost.
So, for the present on my iMac G5, this announcement sucks to my wallet, as I will probably have to dish out $$ again for a new system. However, to the future, I only see good things coming from this. My only question is, now, will we have to use a two-button mouse now that we're on the same arch. as Windows? LOL, jk. See ya on the flip side!
I see this as a double-edged sword, really. On one hand, I am rather furious that an iMac G5 I bought no more than 8 months ago now has a processor that will be quickly phased out, I love my G5 processor and I firmly believe it is still the most superior desktop (although obviously not notebook) processor. I am a college student, so I cannot readily afford a brand new Mac again (I already spent 1500 dollars last year) and trying to sell an iMac G5 on eBay would be quite hard when the hardware is obsolete in 2 years. Better hope my Google stock does well...
On the other hand, I also think that this could be a turning point in Apple's history. Either Apple switches to x86 and developers leave it starving with no programs until Apple gives up, or we just may see a direct competition with Windows, drastically increasing market share. I hope the latter to be the case, as I would really like to see the potential Mac OS X has vs. Windows XP on the same system . Finally a fair match with no strings attached, I think Apple has the potential to convert many users, even though they may lose some until the transition. Not only that, but perhaps this will also help drive the costs of the Mac hardware down, using mass-produced Intel processors can only be a plus when it comes to cost.
So, for the present on my iMac G5, this announcement sucks to my wallet, as I will probably have to dish out $$ again for a new system. However, to the future, I only see good things coming from this. My only question is, now, will we have to use a two-button mouse now that we're on the same arch. as Windows? LOL, jk. See ya on the flip side!
Apple have basically just lost part of their differentiation in this announcement and I really think this is commercial suicide by Steve Jobs.
Who the hell is going to buy an overpriced Powermac PC in a year or so when you can have a Dell at a fraction of the price and STILL run Mac OSX.
They are ditching custom hardware at a time when Pro users and indeed the world like 'different'. With the way things are looking, they will just be another alienware!!!
Sorry Apple, you've got too caught up with IPOD and the whole media provider route
Sad Day.
Who the hell is going to buy an overpriced Powermac PC in a year or so when you can have a Dell at a fraction of the price and STILL run Mac OSX.
They are ditching custom hardware at a time when Pro users and indeed the world like 'different'. With the way things are looking, they will just be another alienware!!!
Sorry Apple, you've got too caught up with IPOD and the whole media provider route
Sad Day.
Hummm....
I'm still partially shocked by Steve's switch. I can see both the pros and cons to the whole architecture move, IBM hasn't produced as promised and Intel has infinitely more R&D funding behind it.
What I wonder about though is where this leaves us PPC users... Plenty has been stated about Rosetta translating PPC apps to x86 on-the-fly; but what about the reverse? Once new MacTel apps begin appearing will they be translated for PPC computers on-the-fly as well? Or will this become another case of forced obsolecence? The latter would be foolish unless Apple wants to kill it's computer sales for the next year and a half.
Additionally, will this move really bring down prices or simply increase Apple's margins? Great for stockholders, bad for consumers.
I don't have any worry that OS X will still be Mac-only, Steve is still a control freak. Which is why I also doubt we'll ever see "Intel Inside" stickers on a Mac (except maybe CompUSA display models...)
I think the only way Apple's bottom-line and share prices will weather this change is if Steve loosens his lips a tad and keeps the world informed. Apple's trademark secrecy can only hurt right now- especially if they want to hold on to the Mac-faithful.
I'm still partially shocked by Steve's switch. I can see both the pros and cons to the whole architecture move, IBM hasn't produced as promised and Intel has infinitely more R&D funding behind it.
What I wonder about though is where this leaves us PPC users... Plenty has been stated about Rosetta translating PPC apps to x86 on-the-fly; but what about the reverse? Once new MacTel apps begin appearing will they be translated for PPC computers on-the-fly as well? Or will this become another case of forced obsolecence? The latter would be foolish unless Apple wants to kill it's computer sales for the next year and a half.
Additionally, will this move really bring down prices or simply increase Apple's margins? Great for stockholders, bad for consumers.
I don't have any worry that OS X will still be Mac-only, Steve is still a control freak. Which is why I also doubt we'll ever see "Intel Inside" stickers on a Mac (except maybe CompUSA display models...)
I think the only way Apple's bottom-line and share prices will weather this change is if Steve loosens his lips a tad and keeps the world informed. Apple's trademark secrecy can only hurt right now- especially if they want to hold on to the Mac-faithful.
There is so much overreacting in this thread!
I really think it is too early to know how this is going to play out. We are just going to have to wait. While I understand everyone's concerns, I think this is not as big of deal as everyone is making it. I really can't beleive that Apple ruined itself, this could just as easily be a great thing. Just wait it out.
I really think it is too early to know how this is going to play out. We are just going to have to wait. While I understand everyone's concerns, I think this is not as big of deal as everyone is making it. I really can't beleive that Apple ruined itself, this could just as easily be a great thing. Just wait it out.
So what are they going to call the processors?
Apple Power Mac G6 with dual Intel such and such processors running at blah de blah GHz?
I'm just sad at this.
Apple Power Mac G6 with dual Intel such and such processors running at blah de blah GHz?
I'm just sad at this.
Switching to Intel.....
Apple is strong. And the Mac is strong. So this is a great time to start building for the future, to make us even stronger. We know transitions: Weve been through two of them, and theyve kept our platform at the forefront, said Jobs.
My opinion is this: the last two transitions are defensive transitions. I would personally rephrase Jobs saying "we know transitions" to WE KNOW MAKING MISTAKES. ;-) This is potentially a more offensive transition.
About Microsoft and Adobe pledging commitment to the new transition: It's all about $ and marketing. It's no secret that Apple and other companies promised us the world and ended up not delivering, abandoning users and forcing the end users to take what they got at that point of time. I personally don't like the path it is leading to. Steve Jobs, you are breaking my heart..... You are going down the path that I can not follow..... ;-) Now Darth Apptel is going to bring peace and justice to it's new empire. The world will be a better place now..... ;-)
I still love the Mac platform. To me, it's the software that sets Apple apart. Perhaps Apple should sell the hardware biz to Intel and focus on developing the killer OS and the apps that makes the Mac shine. Also, perhaps a change of name is in place......
Apple is strong. And the Mac is strong. So this is a great time to start building for the future, to make us even stronger. We know transitions: Weve been through two of them, and theyve kept our platform at the forefront, said Jobs.
My opinion is this: the last two transitions are defensive transitions. I would personally rephrase Jobs saying "we know transitions" to WE KNOW MAKING MISTAKES. ;-) This is potentially a more offensive transition.
About Microsoft and Adobe pledging commitment to the new transition: It's all about $ and marketing. It's no secret that Apple and other companies promised us the world and ended up not delivering, abandoning users and forcing the end users to take what they got at that point of time. I personally don't like the path it is leading to. Steve Jobs, you are breaking my heart..... You are going down the path that I can not follow..... ;-) Now Darth Apptel is going to bring peace and justice to it's new empire. The world will be a better place now..... ;-)
I still love the Mac platform. To me, it's the software that sets Apple apart. Perhaps Apple should sell the hardware biz to Intel and focus on developing the killer OS and the apps that makes the Mac shine. Also, perhaps a change of name is in place......
I feel bad for my father, he spent about 4$k US half a year ago on his swich to OSX and a Powermac. the most, by an enourmous margin, that he's ever spent on a single PC purchase.
Guess who's going to get the blame for his investment turning into poo...
Guess who's going to get the blame for his investment turning into poo...
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