HP Introduces PC with Built-In iPod Dock

[shamino]

I am still hoping for a future in which HP will run Mac OS X. BUT, I don't think they should run it on an Intel or AMD processer. I don't see why people are so stuck on the topic of PC manufactures running OS X on x86 hardware -- I think we should talk up the subject of letting HP manufacture "Apple Clones".

Clones? Been there. Done that. Almost lost the entire company with that nonsense.

As for porting OS X to x86, people keep talking about this, but most of them don't seem to have thought about it much. They think this would simply end up with shelves of dirt-cheap Macs coming from all the stores that currently sell PCs.

This won't ever happen.

The only way to get cheap hardware everywhere is to make Mac OS boot on existing PCs. Which means Apple is forced into driver/DLL-hell, just like all the PC users are. When you've got dozens of motherboards and thousands of peripheral cards installed in trillions of untested combinations, there is no way you're going to end up with a stable system. The quality of those systems would end up just as bad as what Windows users deal with right now.

If Apple (or someone else) makes x86 Macs that are not PC-compatible, then what's the point? If the hardware only works with MacOS, then the only thing you get is a large supply of x86 chips. And you get a lot of disgruntled customers who see "x86" and assume "PC compatible" and start complaining to everybody in the world when they find out that they were wrong.

Furthermore, such a system would not be able to run existing Mac apps. Emulating a PowerPC on an x86 chip is dog-slow, to the point of being practically useless. Look at PearPC for an example. Which means application vendors will have to port their Mac apps to the Mac/86 platform. Even if this doesn't require rewriting anything, you're asking them to build, distribute and support two distinct products where there used to be only one. This is not a trivial matter, and I think most vendors will refuse. It's hard enough to convince vendors to support the Mac when there is only one type of processor - you'll never convince the majority to support two different Macs.

Making Mac clones with PowerPC chips solves the software compatibility issue, but it doesn't help Apple in any way. The bottleneck in Mac production is the supply of PowerPC chips from IBM. If you create five new vendors all trying to buy from that supply of chips, you won't find any more machines in stores. But you will find less from Apple and possibly higher prices.

 

[840quadra]

I think this is a nice idea.

HP is a respected name in the Server world (were I make money supporting). I trust, and enjoy their build quality on the Server side, much more then Dell. Their PC market had never suited my needs, but their quality and apeal has gone up in recent years.

Will I be buying one?

Nope, just ordered a Dual G5 Powermac. I just wish It had a nifty little dock on top, side, or front.

I am now wondering how hard it would be to install a fip down door in my Quicksilver with a dock connector hidden behind, for a front mount Ipod Slot.

 

[840quadra]

Also, HP isn't stupid like Dell is, Carly new that if HP created its own MP3 player, it wouldn't hold a candel to what Apple has to offer. So if you can't beat them, join them. Also, HP took heat from Microsoft for not supporting a WMA software and player, not that Microsoft would pull all software contracts out of HP but lets just say they were a little pissed off(not that I care).

Microsoft has never "loved HP". Despite the fact that HP is one of the biggest vendors of Microsoft Windows Server hardware (with the purchase of Compaq). I think Microsoft was backed into a corner by this HP Decision, It appears that HP is trying to get the "little bit of love from everyone" market, like Apple has situated itself.

Then it could just be that Microsoft will never get over HP-UX. ?!?

 

[arribadia]

I hope this will be available for new macs that come out. HP beat apple to iPod integrated computers, come on steve.

I did hear rumors that macs are planned to do this, too.

I hope it doesn't happen for the PMs.. it is so ugly to have a dock on top of your workstation