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'Intel Based Mac' Rumor Roundup...

What about the transition...

Well, I don't know, will this transition be smooth or it will be like some giant turnaround?? Everything will change all of sudden when mac intel computers starts to be delivered or things will be almost "invisible" for those who had older macs (PPC chips).

The IBM mac's, as they are today, will run the new OS X, Leopard, for example, or people will need to update their systems??

Have anybody considered that this move from Steve Jobs and Apple were made to force people with older macs to buy new ones?? This makes sens or I am not thinking right??

Thanks.

P.S. nevermind my errors... I'm not a native speaker of english...
 
This change has as much to do with Intel wanting to be rid of its leech, MS, as it does with apple wanting a chip fabber who gives a rat's ass. Intel and Apple are, strangely enough, now in the business of doing the same thing. Building the best personal computers in the world.
 
deputy_doofy said:
I agree.
Click to expand...

So do I. I think this kicks ass. Finally we might actually get reasonable chips in the powerbooks. e600s have been rumored forever - the reality of it is that they are not for sale in computers I can buy, so I don't want to hear about it. Intel has great mobile chips - way better than the G4s we are stuck with. This also opens it up for Apple to use whatever x86 chips they like without having to stress out that their supplier will not longer be interested in them anymore - because lets face it, Apple sales don't exactly drive the consumer processor market.

I look forward to having dual core dual Intels in a powermac and Intel mobiles in my next powerbook... and I just bought both a new powerbook and a powermac. I look at it as being exactly the right time - When I'm ready to upgrade the dust will have settled on this and there will be great offerings out there. I'm also tired about arguing with Windows users about the hardware available to us - now the argument will be all about the OS, which is the only reason I switched to Macs anyway. I could care less about the ideology behind PPC.

Certainly my computers will not be worth much, but guess what - computers are a pretty bad place to 'invest' your money. The ibook I just sold lost 75% of its value in less than 2 years - I consider that par for the course.
 
MacTruck said:
GREAT, now my new powerbook is WORTHLESS. Thanks Steve, Apple, IBM. -(throws powerbook out window)
Click to expand...
You're ignoring the information about Rosetta... all apps will function on both platforms. Intel Macs will be able to run PPC Software... and PPC Macs will be able to run Intel Software. Current Macs are not going to be worthless in a year's time.
 
Doesn't anybody understand this? It will be 2 yrs before we see a new powerbook that is compatible with all software. I am sorry but 2 yrs is a LIFETIME in computer years. I can barely sweat out 6 months. And before anybody says it, no my top of the line mac is not fast enough. Safari is slow, get beachball all the time especially on ebay. Video compression takes forever. Even making thumbnails in Graphic Converter takes more time than I like and I have this powerbook maxed out. Now I have to wait 2 yrs before something faster comes out? Oh boy, might have to go back to my thinkpad. Oh yeah, IBM isn't making those anymore either. Whats up with IBM these days?
 
I'm going to buy myself a 12 inch powerbook in a few days. I have a certain fear that is creeping into my heart about a certain DRM technology that is going to be in intel chips in a year or two. I'm not saying that I'm a totally illegal person, or maybe I am, but I don't want the computer hardware making it harder for me to do whateva the hell I want to do. You never know what's going to happen in the DRM world next 2 years. And what the hey, you can always save up for a new one and the current powerbooks will last a while, in five years you'll still be able to use the internet etc. and less intensive stuff on it.
 
This hurts!

I hope apple stays unique, and keeps a closed architecture through this, while controlling it's own chipset, and hardware. There are many types of X86 motherboards that run P4 chips, some run them faster then others. I hope the apple hardware is the fastest going forward!

Steve and the people working inside apple from NeXT appear to have gotten their way in some respects. Steve's company (NeXT) had software that ran on X86, and since much of OS X is from the NeXT Step OS, it is quite possible that the transition will be smooth, because the core of the system may have had some hidden X86 attributes to begin with.

I am sold on Unix, and also love OS X. If Apple keeps true to strong R&D, and keeps the OS strong, we should all be fine. One thing that may remain true, there may never be a virus concern on my current G5. I bet anyone that is working on a virus for apple computers, is now waiting for the intel version :( .

Here is to hoping that Apple runs JUST the X86 processors and not the entire architecture. I sincerely hope they keep their own hardware, firmware, and ROMs. I damn well better hear the friendly apple startup chime on the first x86 Macintosh.!!

Remember, Apple NEVER made the 68k, 60X, G3, G4 or G5 chips. Intel and Motorola did, and all of the systems were built around those architectures.

IBM has servers that run on the 970 Processor (G5), but from what I gather they only share the processor with the G5 Macintosh systems, and there is no way to install OS X on those systems because differences in firmware. I really hope that holds true with the new Intel Macintosh systems v.s the equal X86 PC systems. It is going to take a shift in thinking in all of us to adopt this new phase, but I think and HOPE apple will take care of us!

840
Still uses his Quadra, and B&W G3
 
Hey Fellow folders!

Now this will mean that we will have equal performance with the Intel versions of Folding@Home, unless the Macintosh X86 hardware is faster and better :) .
 
Deimo said:
You're ignoring the information about Rosetta... all apps will function on both platforms. Intel Macs will be able to run PPC Software... and PPC Macs will be able to run Intel Software. Current Macs are not going to be worthless in a year's time.
Click to expand...

Even still, my G5 just went up in value, maybe not to the rest of the world, but to me.

I will embrace the new era of the Macintosh, but like my Quadra, I plan on having one of the faster of the last IBM Processors. Steve says there is more coming for the PowerPC architecture, so whatever that is, if it is faster then 2.7 I will be in the market for it. I wish MDD G4's went down in price (not for those that want to sell them or keep them) but just so I can justify buying one for my collection.

840quadra
a stupid apple hardware collector :( :)
 
840quadra said:
I will embrace the new era of the Macintosh, but like my Quadra, I plan on having one of the faster of the last IBM Processors. Steve says there is more coming for the PowerPC architecture, so whatever that is, if it is faster then 2.7 I will be in the market for it. I wish MDD G4's went down in price (not for those that want to sell them or keep them) but just so I can justify buying one for my collection.
:( :)
Click to expand...

Amen ! I think we are all looking for the best of both worlds and nervous about giving up advantages brought by unique chip architecture and other hallmarks of Apple product's strong performance.
 
Brent Turbo said:
Apple will have to significantly lower prices on systems because they can't hide behind the stigma of the G5 chip. Only the most die-hard Mac fan would pay $2999 for a 3.6GHz Intel-tosh with 512MB of ram and a so-so video card, when they could get a tricked out 3.6GHz PC for about half that. We're gonna be comparing Apples to apples if it's Intel's chips being used, and it's going to be extremely hard to explain to 90% of the users out there why a computer with identical specs costs so frickin' much more.
BWhaler said:
And this is one of many reasons why the rumor as reported is not true.
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Click to expand...

Um, so back to my question then. How is Apple going to either A) close the price gap, or B) convince the masses that an identically configured Mac system should cost more. Before, Apple could hide behind proprietary technology to justify their prices. Now what?
 
MacTruck said:
GREAT, now my new powerbook is WORTHLESS. Thanks Steve, Apple, IBM. -(throws powerbook out window)
Click to expand...
What?!

Did it quit working?

Did you drop it?

Mine is doing great and will continue to do so for a long time.

Sushi
 
Amazing things are going to happen here.

-Malcolm Betruger

Here's the thing. We all KNOW that X will be faster, MUCH faster than windows on equivalent hardware. I just don't know. I have to believe in the Jobsian vision of the computer world. I think that things are going to occur that will make us glad that we lived during this era.
 
Brent Turbo said:
Um, so back to my question then. How is Apple going to either A) close the price gap, or B) convince the masses that an identically configured Mac system should cost more. Before, Apple could hide behind proprietary technology to justify their prices. Now what?
Click to expand...

Vastly superior equipment, higher quality standards. I'm betting a cool grand that a similarly configured Apple box will cost less than an Alienware box, and yet, will smoke its nuts.
 
SPUY767 said:
Here's the thing. We all KNOW that X will be faster, MUCH faster than windows on equivalent hardware.
Click to expand...

I'm curious where you're getting that info from. Could you post a link? I've always read/heard that OS X is, historically, the most CPU and bus hungry OS ever to exist.

EDIT - perhaps Longhorn will be harder on the bus with its supposed graphics enhancements, but my single 2.0GHz XP box at home is significantly snappier than my dual 2.5 G5 at work in OS tasks.
 
Ugh... I personally will be one of the first to purchase the powerbook P5. I think its [expletive deleted] fantastic. I'm thrilled. :D

There's no way Apple will put a sticker on it.

EDIT:
----------------

The one.. truly sad thing to come out of all of this, as I'm sure someone has already mentioned... is what this announcement really means.

We will never, and I mean NEVER, get a powerbook G5.

:(
 
How much does it really matter?

'Been trying to think this through.

I buy Macs for 2 reasons: The OS and the durability of Apple's hardware.

I've had a Classic, Duo 230, PB 540, 6100 AV, Cube, Quicksilver G4, and Pismo- all built like tanks. They ran and ran and ran and ran (I've still got the Classic and Pismo, and I'm pretty sure the other machines would run if I still owned them).

The only anomaly was my 4-times-back-to-Apple Rev A Cube, which they eventually replaced with my Quicksilver G4.... That made me sad =(

I loved that little machine, but it was not ready for prime time.

How much of the hardware equation, for me, resides in the brand of chip I get? I didn't think it mattered much at all.

Unfortunately, since I'm planning on buying a new Mac this month, I've got a new gremlin running through my head; the next-year's-vs-this-year's chip monster.

I know, tech is tech. It changes. Buy a Powerbook today, and it'll be bumped up in a month. Such are the dangers of consumerism and forced obsolescence. You deal and move on.

-Steve(n)
 
MacTruck said:
Just remember that Adobe almost abandoned apple in the move to OSX and Quark waited years to make an OSX compatible version.
Click to expand...
Thank you, Cassandra.
 
cr2sh said:
The one.. truly sad thing to come out of all of this, as I'm sure someone has already mentioned... is what this announcement really means.

We will never, and I mean NEVER, get a powerbook G5.

:(
Click to expand...

We should know what it means nest year.

The positive side is that we have probably seen our last PowerBook G5 thread.
 
MacTruck said:
Can someone give me the cliff notes version of this thread? :)
Click to expand...
God no....

I must admit, I almost wanted a moderated thread for some of the recent Intel related stuff - moderated just to let new ideas through and avoid repetition (which there is ALOT of).

My impression of the various Intel threads is comments on
1) Will OSX run on Dells and HPs etc?
2) Will Intel Macs run Windows?
3) Will Intel Macs allow programs to be ported easily?
4) I thought Intel was old a decrepit, was that wrong?
5) PowerPC made the Mac special, will Intel Mac have common Intel problems? How about speed?
6) When will the i/Power-Mac/Book move to Intel?
7) Why not AMD?

To which answers have been
1) No. But people are bound to try and succeed. Apple might even encourage people behind the scenes.
2) Yes if MS supports the hardware.
3) No. Though Wine and Winelib may help.
4) Intel is continually evolving. The Pentium 4 line was a mistake so Intel have taken a sidestep to the Pentium-M which is more efficient. Plus Intel are removing all the old requirements of hardware (like BIOS) and breaking (where possible) from the past.
5) Intel based Macs will work as well as today's Macs. Viruses for Windows won't affect Macs, crashes will happen about the same as today (OSX quality, NOT Windows quality). Speed is a little unknown in comparison to XP.
6) No-one knows. Some people thought Steve said Mac Mini and low-end first, but that's just a rumour. It seems likely though - since the G5 is 64bit and still a good chip, it can wait for a good 64bit Intel chip based on the Pentium-M architecture (late 2006), while the G4s can move across to the newest dual-core Pentium-M early 2006.
7) AMD will be entirely possible. It seems they have a great solution now but not as good a roadmap as Intel. Also Apple wants discounts by being "exclusive" to Intel. Maybe it'll happen in the future if AMD chips show better performance.

Hope that helps. That's my opinion of what's been asked and said.
 
Cell chip

Hi all,
I'm curious about the possibility of using the new Cell chip in a mac, I am no engineer but Apple may be making a mistake swapping to Intell, I have cash set aside for a G5 PB but its a waiting game!
 
SHANGRI said:
Hi all,
I'm curious about the possibility of using the new Cell chip in a mac, I am no engineer but Apple may be making a mistake swapping to Intell, I have cash set aside for a G5 PB but its a waiting game!
Click to expand...

Here are a couple articles for you to read up on. This one discusses the Xenon (XBox 360) and the Cell (PS3), and this one gives you a good overview of the Cell itself.

In short, I don't think Apple is making a mistake whatsoever. (And for what it's worth, I am an Engineer... :p ;))
 
I will buy a G5 in 2 weeks but I wonder if Apple will renew them soon

Plastic Avatar said:
'Been trying to think this through.

I buy Macs for 2 reasons: The OS and the durability of Apple's hardware.

I've had a Classic, Duo 230, PB 540, 6100 AV, Cube, Quicksilver G4, and Pismo- all built like tanks. They ran and ran and ran and ran (I've still got the Classic and Pismo, and I'm pretty sure the other machines would run if I still owned them).

The only anomaly was my 4-times-back-to-Apple Rev A Cube, which they eventually replaced with my Quicksilver G4.... That made me sad =(

I loved that little machine, but it was not ready for prime time.

How much of the hardware equation, for me, resides in the brand of chip I get? I didn't think it mattered much at all.

Unfortunately, since I'm planning on buying a new Mac this month, I've got a new gremlin running through my head; the next-year's-vs-this-year's chip monster.

I know, tech is tech. It changes. Buy a Powerbook today, and it'll be bumped up in a month. Such are the dangers of consumerism and forced obsolescence. You deal and move on.

-Steve(n)
Click to expand...



Maybe Apple will come up with new IBM MP chips soon, does anybody have any idea when they will come or when apple might release new G5 powermacs? We all know that there will be some before the intel.
 
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