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There is a suggestion on the Ars Technica discussion board that the new 970MP Machines will have the option for an x86 daughter board.
 
Xbox is not related to the G5

Hiroshige said:
Since Microsoft has announced its new XBox with 3.2 Ghz, and that should improve economies of scale for the G5, it looks like the future is secure with the G5 and then the G6 derived from the Power5.

IBM isn't even making the chips for the Xbox 360 - TSMC is!

The Xbox CPU comes from IBM's embedded PPC IP. The G5 is a cost-reduced POWER4 chip (which is why it's not compliant with the PowerPC Bible - the "Book E").

Microsoft is making its own PPC chips from a different branch of the PPC family - this has nothing to do with "scale" for the PPC970.
 
iMeowbot said:
Why is it assumed that this would be about desktop CPUs?

because that's what the original article was talking about.

See page 10 of the thread
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/128198/

Assuming that plan goes forward, consumers would need to get new versions of their application programs for Intel-based Macs. Software companies would have to convert those products, though that procedure should be relatively simple for companies familiar with OS X, former Apple engineers say. The industry executive said Mr. Jobs could announce the new strategy as early as June 6 at its world-wide developers conference in San Francisco, a place the company typically informs software and hardware partners of future directions.
 
the guy who wrote it dose not know anything, frankly he's an idiot. it's just his interpretation of some news he may have got.
 
I doubt very much whether Apple will switch to x86. It would be hell for every Mac user.
I would think that it's more likely that Intel is going to produce PowerPC processors that would be in Apple computers. Apple could be choosing Intel because their processors are at least a gigahertz faster than IBM's current top offering.

Or this could all be fake, so that the roumor sites make some more money. ;)
 
chicagdan said:
There are a whole lot of bad assumptions being made on this story.

First, you have to assume that Intel is the source of the leak. Apple doesn't leak stuff like this and Intel has more to gain from the rumor. MS is putting out an X Box on PPC, Sony is in love with the Cell processor, AMD is eating its lunch from a performance standpoint, Intel needs some good news.

Second, you all assume that this is Apple panicking, I think this story is about Intel panicking. This is a company in trouble, it's customer base is shrinking and they need astronomical sales for as far as they eye can see to justify their stock price. Apple, I have no doubt, came to the table at Intel's request.

Third, just because Apple is talking to Intel doesn't mean that it also isn't talking to AMD and to Sony/Toshiba/IBM about the Cell. Apple learned its lesson from Motorola, you can't trust one supplier when it comes to processors, you have to keep your options open.

Fourth, who the hell knows what kind of end product they're talking about? It could be a dual boot Windows/OSX machine intended for the corporate world for all we know.

Fifth, who knows what processor they are talking about? Intel won't be making PPC chips (there's a little something called intellectual property and I seriously doubt that IBM and Motorola would license the technology cheaply) but there could be a third processor in the works that isn't PPC or x86. I imagine that Intel understands that the life of the x86 processor line isn't infinite ... and perhaps they see Apple as a way to commercialize a new chip without having to build in Windows backward compatibility.

Sixth, Steve Jobs has really done a job on all of you. What difference would it make if Apple switched to Intel? It doesn't mean OS-X is now a free-for-all OS ... you can control the configurations on an Intel box just as easily as you control them on PPC.
I'm with you, wholeheartedly on 1-5, but the 6th point I just cannot backup (see earlier in the thread).
 
I'm exhausted - read this whole thread.

A few comments:

(1) If true, VPC would run like lightning. Those of us who are godless heathens who emulate Windows would see a fantastic boost in speed. I don't use VPC, but only because I have a Windows laptop.

(2) I feel sorry for anyone who is actually emotionally invested in this issue. First, because it is only a rumor. Second, because it is just a chip, even if true. Third, because we don't even know which chip it would be.

(3) Perhaps we could just, oh, I don't know... wait and see if anything is actually announced and then maybe, oh, see if it's any good?
 
ITANIUM

Well, one word: "Itanium", SGI is running them, it would sure as hell light their ass on fire!
 
The whole RISC is better than CISC argument doesn't hold water anymore. While it's true RISC is better on paper, it hardly works like that in real life. I think going to x86 architecture ensures Apple can compete on a hardware level. It's tough enough having a small marketshare, when you're also trying to compete against the x86 juggernaut. SGI, Alpha, DEC, and many more fell to the onslaught that is the PC. Is Apple next?
 
This would be GOOD!

The PowerBooks have a 1.6ghz processor but the Bus sucks. Intel's new dual core mobiles rock really. I wonder if this also means that someone using a Dell could then run OS X....It would kill Microsoft's monopoly and could make Apple a huge company in terms of a great market share.

This could have been Steve Jobs plan all along. He is like Gates and meglomaniac so this would be something he'd do to propel the Mac forward.

The 3rd party app issue would be economical for the software companies with a huge new installed base. Remember Adobe saying their apps run better on Windows!...A x86 compatible Tiger would find its way to Dell and others. Real choice in the market....Love the idea.

Look they are focusing on music/iPod/video store/high end production apps (Final Cut etc...) and have TOTALLY neglicted the PowerBook and especially the PowerMAC lines....This would give the software and media side a huge boost.
 
Again can anybody explain to me the benefits with a change of platform?
I can only see that:

a) They would totally screw their current consumers. All current applications would be useless. Backward compability would be very limited, if at all. Current hardware would more or less be outdated immediately. Imagine just bought a new PM 2.7Ghz... :eek:

b) Given the prices of Mac hardwares, I seriously doubt they would be able continue the hardware production and thus leave Apple as a OS and iPod manufactor.

so where are the benefits with this transition? Do the really match the possible loss in consumer confidence?
 
Found this thread very amusing. What a pathetic bunch of fanboys most of you lot are.

Both AMD and Intel would be a better option for Mac’s than the current IBM chips, and at the end of the day that’s all they are, CPU’s.

I fail to see why a Mac is any less of a Mac just because it’s running on x86 hardware.
The lines between PPC and x68 have been blurring more and more for years now.

Also all you Powerbook owners who have been moaning for god knows how long about being deprived or a G5 on your notebooks should be welcoming a Pentium M or A64 solution to replace your aging G4’s

As for Cell, it’s a very difficult platform to code for, so all I could see happening on that front is only the big development houses being able / having the budget to produce fast well optimised code. All the smaller software houses would either have to pull out or release software that performed poorly.
 
Sun Baked said:
But the biggie that Apple needs updated quick are the HT Tunnels (PCI, PCI-X, and PCI-express), ethernet PNYs, USB PNYs, and possibly a third video GPU vendor (which would suck coming from Intel.)

Alright guys, after reading 300 posts of junk and speculation and utter chaos, this guy finally got part of it right. If I remember correctly Intel owns the rights to PCIe. Apple doesn't have PCIe in it's machines yet. Either way, all of the new video cards are going towards PCIe. I read somewhere the other day that Nvidia's next generation video cards won't be AGP, only PCIe. This means that if Apple wants to try and stay up there with video cards and everything, they need PCIe. Now, both video card companies, ATI and Nvidia, are making a type of SLI compatible card. (ATI is developing theirs right now). To use SLI, you need PCIe. It was also mentioned in a previous rumor, Apple had hired/was going to hire, whatever, game guys. And what do you use SLI and PCIe for right now? Oh, that's right, gaming. OH, and Apple was also talking to ATI at some point in time about something, which I can't remember right now. (Sorry) So, apparently, Apple wants to bring gaming home, and Intel has the keys. Case solved. End of story. :eek:
 
Thanks

AidenShaw said:
IBM isn't even making the chips for the Xbox 360 - TSMC is!

The Xbox CPU comes from IBM's embedded PPC IP. The G5 is a cost-reduced POWER4 chip (which is why it's not compliant with the PowerPC Bible - the "Book E").

Microsoft is making its own PPC chips from a different branch of the PPC family - this has nothing to do with "scale" for the PPC970.

Wow. I had not even known about the TSMC contract. Apparently many journalists do not know about it either.
I went back and looked at your posts from earlier in this thread and now I understand more.
 
Church said:
Alright guys, after reading 300 posts of junk and speculation and utter chaos, this guy finally got part of it right. If I remember correctly Intel owns the rights to PCIe. Apple doesn't have PCIe in it's machines yet. Either way, all of the new video cards are going towards PCIe. I read somewhere the other day that Nvidia's next generation video cards won't be AGP, only PCIe. This means that if Apple wants to try and stay up there with video cards and everything, they need PCIe. Now, both video card companies, ATI and Nvidia, are making a type of SLI compatible card. (ATI is developing theirs right now). To use SLI, you need PCIe. It was also mentioned in a previous rumor, Apple had hired/was going to hire, whatever, game guys. And what do you use SLI and PCIe for right now? Oh, that's right, gaming. OH, and Apple was also talking to ATI at some point in time about something, which I can't remember right now. (Sorry) So, apparently, Apple wants to bring gaming home, and Intel has the keys. Case solved. End of story. :eek:

You solved it.
 
AidenShaw said:
IBM isn't even making the chips for the Xbox 360 - TSMC is!

The Xbox CPU comes from IBM's embedded PPC IP. The G5 is a cost-reduced POWER4 chip (which is why it's not compliant with the PowerPC Bible - the "Book E").

Microsoft is making its own PPC chips from a different branch of the PPC family - this has nothing to do with "scale" for the PPC970.

Hah! :confused:

Sorry, could you try to explain to non-geeks.

Not trying to be sarcastic just interested in what exactly your trying to say.
 
Church said:
Alright guys, after reading 300 posts of junk and speculation and utter chaos, this guy finally got part of it right. If I remember correctly Intel owns the rights to PCIe. Apple doesn't have PCIe in it's machines yet. Either way, all of the new video cards are going towards PCIe. I read somewhere the other day that Nvidia's next generation video cards won't be AGP, only PCIe. This means that if Apple wants to try and stay up there with video cards and everything, they need PCIe. Now, both video card companies, ATI and Nvidia, are making a type of SLI compatible card. (ATI is developing theirs right now). To use SLI, you need PCIe. It was also mentioned in a previous rumor, Apple had hired/was going to hire, whatever, game guys. And what do you use SLI and PCIe for right now? Oh, that's right, gaming. OH, and Apple was also talking to ATI at some point in time about something, which I can't remember right now. (Sorry) So, apparently, Apple wants to bring gaming home, and Intel has the keys. Case solved. End of story. :eek:
Nice post dude :cool:
 
Lacero said:
The whole RISC is better than CISC argument doesn't hold water anymore. While it's true RISC is better on paper, it hardly works like that in real life. I think going to x86 architecture ensures Apple can compete on a hardware level. It's tough enough having a small marketshare, when you're also trying to compete against the x86 juggernaut. SGI, Alpha, DEC, and many more fell to the onslaught that is the PC. Is Apple next?

First of all, the x86 architecture is starting to show its age, and RISC is starting to take the lead.

Second, the x86 architecture is old and drags a long list of legacy crap.

Third, even if x86 was better today, it wouldn't mean it'd stay the best tomorrow.

RISC was (and still is) a forward-looking architecture and CISC was created because RISC wasn't fast enough in the beginning.

And fourth, just for the sake of it, Apple already switched from the 68K to the PPC and from OS 9 to OS X. In less than a decade (I think). Switching yet another time would really, REALLY piss off a lot of developpers, maybe enough to get dropped support from a few of them (when you have 5% of the market you don't want to piss off developpers, IMHO).
 
milatchi said:
:eek:
MAC ON INTEL! :eek:

OMG, OMFG, IANAL, LOL, ROFL, DVDA, BBQ!!!

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Well, I'm glad I got that outta my system. :D

Are you feeling better now? I certainly hope so.

On the face of the story, it's very scary.
 
bbyrdhouse said:
Hah! :confused:

Sorry, could you try to explain to non-geeks.

Not trying to be sarcastic just interested in what exactly your trying to say.

If you search this thread for his other posts and read them and do just a bit of searching the net for info, you could figure out what he is saying.
 
This whole rumor is moronic.

I heard from Steve Jobs' mouth LAST NIGHT that 'Apple makes the best hardware out there, and we have no reason to switch our strategy.'

So Apple takes a bunch of meetings with Intel...Intel sells a lot of different type of chips, and now the "press" spreads rumors that we have to deal with.

Why oh why will this rumor not die? You don't think Apple didn't do a long term deal with IBM so they could get the best possible price?

Moronic.
 
Hiroshige said:
Wow. I had not even known about the TSMC contract. Apparently many journalists do not know about it either.
I went back and looked at your posts from earlier in this thread and now I understand more.

whoever manufactures the thing is irrelenvant, 3rd party companies in asia will manufacture other companies' designs.
 
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