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Apple and AMD Rumors

come on people do you really think that an anouncement like this, the great one himself wouldn't want to do himself at his own keynote?

i think amd and apple do have an anouncement to make but nothing as big as the move to x86. maybe a small project togeather like the ericsson and apple one.

or how about this..."waahay darwin now also run on amd"
 
Originally posted by Mr Jobs
come on people do you really think that an anouncement like this, the great one himself wouldn't want to do himself at his own keynote?

i think amd and apple do have an anouncement to make but nothing as big as the move to x86. maybe a small project togeather like the ericsson and apple one.
Click to expand...

I am not sure I think that this announcement will be about Apple moving to X86... but it is possible that it is, because with the launch of the GeForce FX and 3ghz P4 this morning Apple might feel pressured on time.
 
Climbing out on a limb...

If Apple was going to announce something as dramatic and earth-shattering as moving to x86, would Steve do it at Comdex or on their home turf, just six weeks off? In fact do these rumors even mention Uncle Steve being present at Comdex?

Untwisting my knickers...
 
I think the point everyone's missing is:

Apple would never adopt a publicly-know existing chip. All this talk of putting Athlons or P4 in Macs is rubbish.

Rarely have Apple announched a machine that had a range of capabilities, all of which we knew about.

If AMD and Apple are to work together it will be on a new architecture with back-system compatibility or a new chip with X only compatibility to compliment the announcement that the new machines in 2003 will only X-boot.

Thoughts?
 
If anything, it'll be the chipset.

My bet is that if AMD and Apple are going to do anything, it will be a chip-set, not a processor. Apple has already decided on the DDR ram, and again others have already stated the Hypertransport stuff.

AMD and Producing PPC Chips:

I doubt it. AMD is a bigger Processor (non embeded) producer than Moto, however they are still not big enough to support that many lines of CPUs.

They might be able to put PPC emulation on there x86-64 chip (Hammer), as they've alway emulated the CISC/x86 anyway. (Little known fact: AMD produces RISC chips with a front end CISC emulater/translater). That's still a long-shot, as it would still require 2 seperate runs/lines of processors.

Of cource this still doesn't stop me from hoping Apple will just adopt the x86-64 as is. I know it's a long-shot, but I am a Cubs fan after all. I am used to dissappointment:D
 
It's all in the hype...

Of course, in Hype 101 you always use an exaggerated term to raise false expectations. Apple migrating to x86 chips would be probably be at least "shattering", but if that were to happen the advance hype word would be the more extreme "world-changing." Since Dell's move to AMD would only be "a shocker", a hype-watcher would expect the use of the word "shattering" in connection with that action. The first lesson of Hypeology: Excess begets success!
 
I dont GET you PEOPLE!!

Why all this b*tching and moaning about Apple switching to a "PC" processor? Are you all idiots? It isnt the HARDWARE that necessarily makes Apple superior to Windows machines--its the SOFTWARE! Its the Windows SOFTWARE that crashes.

Why dont you people who claim to be Apple supporters actually SUPPORT Apple when they *might* be deciding to switch processors? DOnt you think they have researched ways to make this transition smoothly?

I mean c'mon, hardly any of us here at Macrumors have the slightest clue how computers work compared to the technicians who get paid the big bucks to figure this stuff out on their own!

Point is, if Apple decides to put AMD chips in their computers, they will do it correctly and with the least amount of headache possible for the consumer. They arent stupid.

The real reason we should be upset isnt because Apple is supposedly switching, but that it has taken them THIS long to figure out how much SLOWER their G4 processors are compared to the super-fast and efficient AMD chip.

Furthermore, the people who are complaining about the switch right now are probably the same people who complain about the speeds of their boxes all the other 50 weeks of the year.

I give congrats to Apple if they are making such a bold move.
 
Re: AMD Manufacturing

Originally posted by Frobozz
A couple of people mentioned AMD manufacturing PowerPC chips for Apple. That sounds like a tantalizing and extrememly possible scenario. AMD has always been close to Apple, dspite staying out of the lime light. I think if AMD is not producing controller chips for the 970 based motherboards, then perhaps they are going to crank out G5/970 or G4/7455, etc. chips?
Click to expand...

Uh, why would AMD be manufacturing IBM chips when IBM is opening a new plant and they have the best manufacturing processes in the world?

Maybe other components of the motherboard, but AMD won't be manufacturing the CPUs. That's IBM's territory.

Plus, Apple will NOT announce a new technology unless it's included in a box that's shipping or unless it's something far far in the future. Such news would kill sales for current hardware.

Please people, get a grip.
 
Re: AMD Manufacturing

Originally posted by Frobozz
AMD has always been close to Apple, dspite staying out of the lime light.
Click to expand...

I just have to ask. What exactly is this based on? Aside from hypertransport which is fairly recent, what else have they been "close" in? Feel free to correct me but nothing to my knowledge unless you want to talk about rumors of clandestine meetings.
 
Originally posted by Abercrombieboy


If this happens get ready to throw every PPC box in the trash in 6 months to a year, software development for the PPC will head the same way OS9 development has. Everyone that owns a Mac will have to update and my guess is they will loose a high % like myself who will have been totally betrayed by the move making me throw out good equipment.

Also the shift would have to be product wide, you can't just put an x86 in a PowerMac and leave a G4/G3 in the consumer products, you then have two platforms and two different software requirements, hell you have two Macs that are not even compatable with each other!!!!! You would have to replace the G4's with an Athlon or Pentium, and the iBooks and Ti Books with PIV mobiles, and Celeron mobiles...this will be a huge mess and we don't even know how these chips will perform on OSX. What if the same chip runs OSX slower then it does XP? That could really happen you know, then Apple has some serious issues, because they will then be benchmarked right up with XP because the system will be exactly the same except for the OS. Dumb Dumb Dumb Steve Jobs, you brought Apple back from Dead with the G3 and the iMac, but you are going to kill it just turning it into another Wintel box maker.....duh!
Click to expand...

Easy there trigger, no need to have a heart attack. ;)

I'm on "pins and needles" 'cause I want this rumor to be done with. I really don't care what the answer is I just want something to kill, or prove, all these x86 rumors.

So take a few deep breaths and wait until the announcement is made before viens in yer head start exploding. :)


LEthal
 
x86...

While I for one think that the benefits to moving to x86 are more than the negatives, I do think that a "generic" box that is capable of running Window$ and OSX would be a mistake.

I also find it interesting that for a couple of years now APPLE has been waging the "MGHTZ MYTH" (they are right for the most part), but what I now think is curious is that about a year ago AMD adopted the same stance as APPLE in the MGHTZ war.

Whethor or not the announcement of APPLE switching to AMD's Hammer comes tomorrow or not I do think that this move is inevitable and will take place sonner rather than later.

But thats just me! If I had a dollar for everytime I have been wrong.......:rolleyes:
 
Re: I dont GET you PEOPLE!!

Originally posted by agreenster
Why all this b*tching and moaning about Apple switching to a "PC" processor? Are you all idiots? It isnt the HARDWARE that necessarily makes Apple superior to Windows machines--its the SOFTWARE! Its the Windows SOFTWARE that crashes.
Click to expand...

Part of the reason IMO that Windows crashes is because of the multitude of hardware platforms it supports. How many different motherboard chipsets does WIndows XP support? Lots. Apple has enough problems getting OS X to be 100% stable on their own motherboards. Now add to that a couple hundred different chipsets and Houston, we have a problem.
 
Re: Re: I dont GET you PEOPLE!!

Originally posted by rugby


Part of the reason IMO that Windows crashes is because of the multitude of hardware platforms it supports. How many different motherboard chipsets does WIndows XP support? Lots. Apple has enough problems getting OS X to be 100% stable on their own motherboards. Now add to that a couple hundred different chipsets and Houston, we have a problem.
Click to expand...

Typically in the Windows world it's more up to the hardware manufacturers to build for support of Windows rather than MS build support for the hardware. Windows is never optimized for any x86 platform. This is one area where Apple could gain an edge if they moved to an x86 platform. They're better about putting the infrastructure in place for the developers to take advantage of things. In this case it would be things like SSE and 3DNow. Mac OS X apps could quite possibly run faster than Windows apps in some situations on the same hardware.

As for your note on crashing you're right that many times it is a hardware issue but typically it's more due to the hardware manufacturer cutting corners. Anything ranging from poor quality memory to buggy bios revisions to bad capacitors on the motherboard(Gateway knows all about this last one).
 
I was just browsing around Comdex's website, and there is a description of sorts of Ruiz's Keynote. It says things like there need to be "... innovations that have the potential to drastically improve the computing experience" and "Expect the unexpected"... I still don't think Apple wil be moving to X86, but those quotes do sound like they COULD be Apple.
 
Re: Re: AMD Manufacturing

Originally posted by dongmin


Uh, why would AMD be manufacturing IBM chips when IBM is opening a new plant and they have the best manufacturing processes in the world?

Maybe other components of the motherboard, but AMD won't be manufacturing the CPUs. That's IBM's territory.

Plus, Apple will NOT announce a new technology unless it's included in a box that's shipping or unless it's something far far in the future. Such news would kill sales for current hardware.

Please people, get a grip.
Click to expand...

There has been news that AMD got stung by overinvesting in Fabrication capacity which is being underused in the present slump. This might indicate that they are doing some production for outside companies, like maybe Motorola... who knows?
 
Originally posted by Gus
The whole "machines no longer booting into OS 9" thing would make a whole lot more sense if this happened.

Gus
Click to expand...
That's a good assumption I haven't thought of. I've heard that Apple will release a dual boot AMD and an IBM box, but I guess we will wait and see.
 
Originally posted by LethalWolfe


Easy there trigger, no need to have a heart attack. ;)

I'm on "pins and needles" 'cause I want this rumor to be done with. I really don't care what the answer is I just want something to kill, or prove, all these x86 rumors.

So take a few deep breaths and wait until the announcement is made before viens in yer head start exploding. :)


LEthal
Click to expand...



AMEN!!!
attachment.php
 
AMD vs Microsoft

If AMD started working with Apple on MacOS X x86, Microsoft would suddenly stop XP running on IA64. This would kill AMD faster than Apple could save it, unless Apple bought AMD which would use the whole $5bn.

Make no mistake, Microsoft sees MacOS X as a threat. It only made profit on Windows and Office last quarter so won't stand anything eroding that, and an AMD/Apple CPU partnership might.

So I think there more important reasons why this won't happen. It's not like MS was particular scared by it's run in with the law.
 
Originally posted by Backtothemac
Ok, all gather around quietly, listen carefully. It won't happen. Never, no way. nada!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

"There was a lot of talk around the media people about Apple's presence so far at Comdex this year. In the Comdex press briefing we were told that Hector Ruiz would make a "shattering" anouncement about a new licensee. As much as Dell would be a shocker to the public, the shattering news would be Apple moving to the x86 platform.

This could be an additional explaination of why AMD has delayed the Hammer release. (so that Apple could ready their OS for the x86) Readers have commented about OS X support from companies such as Adobe and Macromedia. Yet just this week, Macromedia announced their support for the newest Apple OS"

I guess we will know 9AM Tomorrow morning when DR. Ruiz makes his speech.....huh?
 
Just remember one thing. Microsoft even supported multiple CPu's with x86 support and Alpha support that they only just recent canned (well with NT 4 anyway)...so it is possible for them to focus on a server product that might be based on an AMD cpu...and maybe a OSX version of server to support it.

Guess we will see tomorrow exactly what is going on. I am guessing this will more of a supportive chipset rather than main CPU....but nowadays...you never know. However I would be totally surprised if they were able to pull something major off without even a hint previously...even though reports have surfaced regarding an X86 version of OSX existing....
 
I dont think so

Here is the description of Ruiz's keynote on the Comdex website:

"Let's Get Real
It's time to put the Virtual-Pie-In-The-Sky visions aside. It's time to end the fascination with technology for technology's sake alone. It's time for demonstrating innovation that people can use, to talk in real-world terms about tangible benefits that technology is bringing to customers today. Paradoxically, more technology deployment has led to less innovation. In our rush to find the next big thing, it is easy to overlook the innovations that are driving demand right now. The road to recovery requires the entire IT industry to re-examine our value proposition, to make technology advances secondary to true innovations that have the potential to drastically improve the computing experience. Expect the unexpected as AMD CEO Hector Ruiz takes attendees through an insightful trip that outlines the real-world innovations that are expanding what is possible. From the back office to the home office and beyond, the road to recovery has already been paved. Are you ready?"

I dont think this has anything to do with apple, and as stated earlier, apple is supposed to be there for iPod related demos. I expect them to demonstrate the Move2Mac sofware, the iPod for windows, and talk about new IBM processors coming down the line. They would never announce an AMD switch at Comdex, with macworld being a few weeks away.
 
Sorry to post twice.....

...but I found this on Comdex.com....its a preview of his speech tomorrow

"Let's Get Real
It's time to put the Virtual-Pie-In-The-Sky visions aside. It's time to end the fascination with technology for technology's sake alone. It's time for demonstrating innovation that people can use, to talk in real-world terms about tangible benefits that technology is bringing to customers today. Paradoxically, more technology deployment has led to less innovation. In our rush to find the next big thing, it is easy to overlook the innovations that are driving demand right now. The road to recovery requires the entire IT industry to re-examine our value proposition, to make technology advances secondary to true innovations that have the potential to drastically improve the computing experience. Expect the unexpected as AMD CEO Hector Ruiz takes attendees through an insightful trip that outlines the real-world innovations that re expanding what is possible. From the back office to the home office and beyond, the road to recovery has already been paved. Are you ready?"

I wonder if Steve helped him write it? It sure sounds like Apple jargon.....

(boldface added for effect)
 
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