Intel Transition, MacBook Name, and Windows on Mac?

[gnasher729]

It seems Schiller has stated clear that these new Mac Intel computers will be able to run Windows just fine. Isn't this a great added-value to the Mac?

He hasn't stated that at all. He has stated that Apple hasn't done anything actively to prevent Windows from running. If Windows needs feature X in a machine to run, and MacOS X doesn't need it, then nobody has told the Apple engineers to remove feature X so that Windows won't run. Nobody has told them to add it either. And nobody has told them to test it, so the feature might be there, but not working or not working reliably, or it might not be there because nobody thought of adding it.

Microsoft is free to buy a dozen iMacs and to test if Windows XP or Longhorn install and work on it, and if it doesn't work, they can modify XP or Longhorn to make it work so they can sell Windows to Macintosh owners, and Apple won't do anything to prevent it. But Apple won't help them either.

 

[Booga]

I'm reallly REALLY needing to buy a PowerMac G5 and I'm wondering if I should just get a high end iMac, since it feels the next OS wont be supported on old macs, or am I just being paranoid.

You're just being paranoid. All the major apps will be Universal for years. I would imagine that not only would 10.5 be available for PowerPC, but 10.6 as well... it would be very profitable for Apple to do, so it's kind of a no-brainer.

 

[Dasmo]

I think MacBook is more than likely a transition name. It's not as catchy as PowerBook, and PowerBook was used before PowerPC was even used by Apple.

At the moment they have two laptop options for pro users and it's easier for someone to buy the one they want if they remember the name of it. Can't see them sticking with such a ***** name. mac-top would've been ok though.

 

[aussie_geek]

With regards to Phil's comment about windows - I am all for it!! Hopefully we can have the best of both worlds. Mac for productivity. Windows for games. How much better can it get??

aussie_geek

 

[illegalprelude]

Duh! Since PowerBook was change to MacBook, logic dictates that PowerMac will be replaced by MacMac . If not that, how about "Big Mac"?

lmao. BigMac would be awesome. dear lord

 

[vollspacken]

take away "power" because they're not PPC

again: "Power" in Powerbook has nothing to do with PowerPC

 

[bobthedino]

Will XP or Vista run on an Intel Mac? - Yes M$ just has to add a few more drivers.

Note that as far as I know Windows XP does not support EFI (which is the Intel Mac's OpenFirmware replacement) and so probably can't be installed, whereas Vista will support EFI.

 

[nms]

again: "Power" in Powerbook has nothing to do with PowerPC

no, i UNDERSTAND that, but to emphasise the change, the difference, and avoid confusion...

 

[vollspacken]

avoid confusion...

just name it this way:

iBook
Powerbook Core Duo

iMac
Powermac Core Duo

I don't know what would be confusing about that. this is the way it has been for years and it did not confuse me (or anyone I know) in the past...

vSpacken

 

[Jimbob42]

Typo's

Hi All,

First of all, really looking forward to the next few weeks. Will be very interesting to hear user reports of dual boot capabilities etc.

Second, what is up with the typo's on Apple's site?

On the Mac Book pages:

(Wireless tab)

Travel, unfettered

Hndreds of hotels around the world have made Wi-Fi compliant 802.11b wireless local area networks (WLANs) available in their guest rooms.

and...

(design tab)

The new power adapter with MagSafe connector is just that: a magnetic connection instead of a physical one. So, tripping over a power cord won’t send MacBook Pro flying off a table or desk; the cord simply breaks cleanly away, without damage to either the lough or the system. As an added nicety, this means less wear on the connectors.

Surely the PR and marketing people would be proofing this!

This kind of spelling mistake / typo is not something I would expect from a multinational company announcing a brand new product!

Thoughts?

James

 

[howard]

who gives a crap about the name??

whats amazing is that now I can have a mac, boot up into windows and play all the games I want, then boot up into os x for the rest of my computer life. this is amazing!!

 

[cal6n]

Mine's going to be called "Hobbes", once it gets here!

 

[gekko513]

extremely sensible attitude and one that will surely bring a lot of people who would otherwise be doubtful over from the darkside

How would partitioning and disk formatting work though?

The Windows multi boot tool is not happy booting anything other than Windows versions as far as I know. You have to install Linux after Windows and use one of the Linux boot loaders (grub/lilo) to multi boot Linux and Windows.

I'm not sure if Mac OS X has any suitable boot loaders as of yet, but I'm sure someone will figure out a solution.

 

[NickFalk]

Seems MacBook must replace both the iBook and PowerBook over time.

iBook -> MacBook
PowerBook -> MacBook Pro

arn

I rather think it will be three different brands now:
iBook
MacBook Express
MacBook Pro

Or even:
iMac portable
MacBook Express
MacBook Pro

Heck, even the packaging of the new MacBook Pro (har to get used to!) mimicks the packaging of the Pro applications.

 

[Hattig]

You won't be able to install Windows XP on these new 32-bit Macs.

Apple Used EFI

The only version of Windows that can run from EFI is Windows 64-bit.

But Yonah is 32-bit.

So no way to boot Windows.

It'd probably be quite hard to find an EFI bootable version of Linux. Does Grub or Lilo support it even?

Vista will probably support EFI however, so you may be able to install a version of Windows later this year.

Edit: Oh, it might have already been pointed out. Sorry.

 

[Warbrain]

MacBook Pro is such a terrible name. I can't stand it. It seems to half-assed for Apple. I expect a name change at some point when all the computer lines go Intel. At least I pray for a name change since MacBook Pro is just awful.

It doesn't sounds as good as 'PowerBook' or 'iBook' does. It's strange. And I don't think it will ever be normal to call it 'MacBook Pro'.

Should've kept the 'Power' prefix. It would've sounded better, but I know Steve is trying to make the transition as idiot-proof as possible. I've been through the first transition and this transition has overshadowed it in terms of how it's been managed.

And to the one post I read about how the OS won't be supported on PPC after yesterday: Mac OS X will be coded and supported on PPC Apple computers for at least another 5 years. Apple knows that they can't leave us all behind if they want us to buy a new Apple computer when our PPC-based computers finally die.

 

[gekko513]

I like the name MacBook (Pro). I don't see what't so terrible about it.

 

[Jesus]

They should have had a blast from the past and called the MacBook the PowerBook Duo, in reference to the 'Core Duo' processor.

I hope that Apple see sense and calls the next PowerMac a PowerMac, as the Powermac is the best possible name for the high end IMHO.

 

[michael666]

I like the name MacBook (Pro). I don't see what't so terrible about it.

Me too. I like its simplicity: it states that the product is a mac and that it is a notebook. Nothing else. No marketing buzz like power, performa, quadra, uber etc.

 

[Vanilla]

I must admit I'm hoping that behind the scenes Microsoft are talking to Apple with a view to creating a much improved "VirtualPC" product to take advantage of the new MacPro architecture, that would enable one to have a windows environment either fully bootable or in a window on your desktop.

Being able to access and run with reasonable speed such software as Microsoft Project (which I absolutely have to use) and say Lotus Notes or Outlook to link to my corporate Blackberry all from the same cool machine would be brilliant.

Vanilla

 

[SiliconAddict]

*shrugs* I'm going to be experimenting with loading XP onto my PowerBook* for several business reasons and one personal one....Civilization IV. I fully expect that in short order there will be tools like that will help you setup Windows on the system for dual booting.

 

[joemama]

Seems MacBook must replace both the iBook and PowerBook over time.

iBook -> MacBook
PowerBook -> MacBook Pro

arn

Arn is right - people who are buying these new MacBooks are really buying the new "iBooks". In June we will see a 17" MacBook Pro. Maybe Apple will release a 12" low-end MacBook as well.

 

[SiliconAddict]

I like the name MacBook (Pro). I don't see what't so terrible about it.

I personally don't have any problem with it. What I do have problems with is a name change for the sake of "because" The PowerBook name was a good name. A recognizable name. Now they threw that out the window because they changed CPU's? Kinda seems like a stupid reason to me. *shrugs*

 

[Arcus]

That is exactlywhat I was thinking.

But what are they going to call the Power Mac?

It will be called the MacMac

 

[irrªtiºnal]

... But what are they going to call the Power Mac?

MacMac, XMac, SuperMac, Mac WorkStation, ProMac, MacStudio, Mac-minator, RoboMac... i don;t know!