Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Really switching to Intel!!??

Lets say Apple uses Intel CPUs.

This means that future macs will have Palladium.

I will NEWER use a computer that uses Palladium. Jobs/Gates shall not be in controll of my harddrive!

The Intel 840D has Palladium. Longhorn will use it to lock down the filesystem.
 
B-52 Macer said:
I would rather have a G5 Mac than an x86 Mac so I would still buy a PowerMac the day before they went Intel.


Who are you to demand such a thing, do you think Apple would make it dual boot just because you demanded it to be so? You must have some great powers!
Click to expand...

If you would buy a PPC Mac on the day the platform was retired, then
a) you have way too much money and reason plays no part in your buying decisions
b) you are completely obsessed, again past all reason

As for my demands, well, I'm the f***ing customer. I get to demand stuff or they dont get my money. They only have a monopoly on OSX, not computing. I run both windows and OSX, windows is a necessity, OSX is a luxury.
 
If X86:
Lets hope Apple ditches BIOS and uses its own Bootprom.

Using its own bootprom would give the 2 great advantages:
1) Its better (not limited like 640K and all that crap)
2) Apple could sell OSX to its own branded machines.
 
I wonder if any of this is related to Apple's recently slow hardware refreshes?

It's been 9 months and only recently was the Powerbook G4 bumped up a mere ~200Mhz. Same with the iBooks too. The G5's I won't comment about because supposedly that is to do with IBM.
 
shompa said:
Lets say Apple uses Intel CPUs.

This means that future macs will have Palladium.

I will NEWER use a computer that uses Palladium. Jobs/Gates shall not be in controll of my harddrive!

The Intel 840D has Palladium. Longhorn will use it to lock down the filesystem.
Click to expand...
God I hope not. That word sends shivers down my spine. If Macs have Palladium in the future I'll move to Linux. Jobs/Gates having control, I'd say It's more like the government having control.
It's going to be a very tuff crowd when steve delivers his keynote on Monday if this story is true. :eek:
 
I really doubt Intel is going to be the chip-supplier of Apple. Such an architecture switch is just too much all at once. If they were to switch to Intel chips, they better utilize an emulator or the transfer will be hell. Steve Jobs will have to eat his words if they switch Intel. He had so much support for it, it'd be terrible to ditch it now.

IBM definitely needs to get back on the ball though. We're waiting forever with G5 updates and speed-bumps. Maybe these rumors are merely a bargaining chip so that IBM gets their game back together. I have to question if IBM has the production facilities to provide chips for MS, Nintendo, Sony, nVidia, and Apple and probably a few more companies. Maybe there's been frustration in Apple to create these rumors because it sure has been frustrating on the consumer end, too.

So, we don't have much as far as rumors go for WWDC. Everything will be revealed Monday, I guess...
 
An objective view…

've had a think about this overnight and there is a scenario that would make sense to everyone and disadvantage nobody, except some people who might live in Washington State.

Anyone reviewing Apple's situation objectively would be amazed that the company has managed to survive this long: declining market share, an extended period of what could only have been called uninspiring leadership (take a bow, all the CEOs between Jobs I and Jobs II), confused marketing, need I continue…

Even now, Apple - with it's 4.5% of global PC market share - relies disproportionately on the health of the US market: something like 55% of Apple's quarterly sales are made in a country that has around 3% of the world's population, which means that the other 97% accounts for the other 45%.

In reality, even this interpretation is false: Apple is - and will probably always be - a "First World" or developed world company (BTW, I apologize to anyone to whom those terms are insensitive; I'm not a fan of First World myself, but it's commonly understood so there you go): it's products simply do not make economic sense to the vast majority of the markets in the developing world nor are they necessarily easy to find as the local Apple representation is either a distributor or a direct Apple office that simply isn't scaled up to fight the Wintel hegemony.

Before I break, here are some figures according to the CIA World Factbook…

People's Republic of China: Population: 1.30 billion 71% aged 15-64
India: Population: 1.08 billion, 63% aged 15-64
Indonesia: 0.24 billion, 65.7%
Brazil: 0.18 billion, 67.9%

With the exception of Brazil, all of these countries - with a combined population of 2.8 billion have wealth distribution as good as or better than the United States. The problem is that the wealth simply could never afford pure Apple technology, except possibly the mini.

SFW, I hear you ask…

What if Apple decided to accede to the overtures of a select group of PC manufacturers who are…

a) well established, for whatever reason, in these developing markets with mature distribution channels and brand presence.
b) Sick and tired of waiting for MSFT to ship yet another revision of a discredited operating system.
c) Even more sick and tired of maintaining outsized customer support functions to keep alive the machines of customers running the current version of MSFT's discredited operating system.

All that would be needed would be a reference Intel motherboard design (which would inevitably require a Firewire port - ring any bells?) and a list of approved components (disc drives, optical, and video card) and an Intel version of Mac OS X with reduced localisation features, probably limited to International English and the local language which would reduce global cannibalization of Apple's existing markets, and some strict licensing terms ("try and import one of these systems into the USA, the EU or Australasia and we'll use your ass as an umbrella stand - and the umbrella will be open").

Make that deal with Lenovo, Sony and HP (leave those pesky Dell critters out, just because Michael needs a lesson in humility and Kevin Rollins is a jerk) and let's see whether Apple could ever be a real global player.

Existing developers should also be happy: after all, they get to sell product to billions of people who have never heard of them. And, even more importantly, Apple gets to encourage a new developer community in China and India - neither of which are laggards in having an educated workforce.

The hardware partners free themselves of the yoke of having their fortunes tied to a software company who couldn't find their ass with both hands and a map.

Businesses in the developing world get access to a secure operating system with a reasonable applications portfolio, whilst private individuals get access to a contemporary operating system today (as opposed to waiting to the middle of 2007) and they don't even have to buy a dual-core system to run it.

This is a solution that would make a lot of sense of all of the rumours, without any unreasonable downsides…at least, that's my opinion.
 
040 to PPC to ?

The transition to PPC chips was actually went well. I remember all the doomsayers, and none of it turned out to be true. Sure, there were some speed issues until the developers re-compiled to the new standards, but everything worked well as I recall.
Apple is in a tight spot here. I can't imagine them requiring developers to recompile the thousands of apps immediately. The HAVE to have some kind of translator. But can we suffer a speed issue again? Mac are ALREADY slow enough. What would they gain from Intel's 86? Heartache. Their dual core is not really a dual core. AMD seems to be a better match IF they were going over. It seems to me that Intel must have a PPC chip for Apple that they will announce alongside Jobs at the WWDC. It would be in Intel's favor to do this. Apple is surging, Intel likes dough, they have PPC knowhow, IBM is too flakey and seems to be lagging on the PPC... makes sense to my pea-brain.
Prediction: Intel and Apple announce partnership to develop a dual-core PPC chip.
 
My View.... Two Years Ago and Today!!!

Two years ago I posted the message below:

Peeps,

One of my very few posts here. but I figured maybe if we look for what problem a tablet would solve we could be close. Imagine this. A small 5X7 tablet that includes WiFi, Bluetooth and a decent sized Hard Disk. You would pair this tablet with all your computers and cell phones. On it's hard disk would be all your docs and folders. You can use it a standalone device remote control screen, or Home Directory for your paired computers. So picture this. You walk into your office, put this tablet on a charger somewhere and use it as an external disk thorugh WiFi. You're on a train, your powerbook is in your briefcase, but this tablet let's you access it without bringing it out. You're at home watching TV, want to check your mail, this tablet let's you check it through your iMac in the den. In a few words this tablet would hold all your data, act as an extrernal hard disk for your desktop, laptop, digital camera and iTunes. It would also act as a simple browser, MP3 player etc in standalone mode as well as provide remote access for your computing resources at home or the office.. Guess this would be taking this tablet paradigm one step further... Just my 2c worth..

Now imagine the difficulties to implement this??

1. Battery Life
2. Bandwidth Required

This is where I believe Intel could come in. This device could be based on a low power Intel processor and use WiMax. That same core could then be reused to implement a living room type of device without the screen.. Still makes a whole new paradigm shift and a whole new opportunity for software developers to develop nifty apps for this NEW PLATFORM!!!!

./Sherif
 
Tablet

i personaly think that what will happen is that apple will release a new
product around the tablet, with a intel chip, i carnt see anything else,
it will be a airtunes remote ( users allready getting no remote error)
it will be a place to watch all the new itunes content e.g videos,
apple wont just swich to a whole new cpu after investing so much
cash in the G5 to just screw os x over they would use like rumored a
scaled down version of osx that will run on a new device, that makes sence
not to change the whole line, think about it how many tablets that have been sold contain anything but a intel chip? i realy cannot see apple changing
so much when there is so much round the corrner and lets be frank
6 months ago every one could not get enough of the G5.

just my thoughts :rolleyes:
 
HasanDaddy said:
lol -

first Motorola, then IBM... now Intel!

I can't wait until Jobs becomes pissed off at Intel

Who will Apple turn to for processors then? Mattel?
Click to expand...

Texas Instruments?
 
Intel do have the best engineers in the world working for them, they could make PPC brilliant if they wanted to develop that technology along side the aging X86 architecture, So if this is true that is what I hope for.
 
ah

And what about this theory?

Apple offers NOW on monday a low cost osX with iLife for the pentium platform, low cost because ilife will initially be the only software running on it. When 3P development for the x86 osX platform catches on in 2006 apple moves the mini to intel and in 2007 the G5 towers maybe with a PPC/x86 compatible model. Some years back there was such a PPC/x86 project, yes?
 
G5 computers will be extinct dinosaurs this time in 2007.

mannybianco said:
As for my demands, well, I'm the f***ing customer. I get to demand stuff or they dont get my money. They only have a monopoly on OSX, not computing. I run both windows and OSX, windows is a necessity, OSX is a luxury.
Click to expand...

Yes to that, mannybiance! I would put off any new hardware buying until we find out if OSX will run on our (AMD64, 1.6ghz FSB)
:)
 
I hate Wintel

This absolutely can't happen. IBM are the largest chip makers and the best, they have been doing it for years. Also they are the highest patent releasers for the past 5 years, they must be up to something. Hopefully this never materialises.
 
this is a pile of bollocks. bad bollocks at that. i dig PPC :( all my apps are PPC. and now they're moving, just as i buy a mac, to Intel.

if its not PPC, then thats it. im sticking with stability; Windows. they dont swap CPU's, thier future OS's will run fine with W32 and the new 64 bit CPUs no probs.

:( this is indeed a grim day, or rather Monday will.
 
This is good news. Finally who is faster Macs/Intel/OSX vs WinIntel. I am sure Apple has done their homework first. If it happens, you will see a lot of benefits in the keynote.

Also I am hoping developers don't work at the machine code level. It might just be a recompile. Perhaps a major Virtual PC rewrite if it is even needed anymore. Also it may start a war or fight with Microsoft and it could be fun to watch. The free press in the news will also be good.

Eye of the Tiger, Apple!
 
Intel chips are crap; they run hot and suck up immense amounts of heat. But, on the one hand it makes sense for the switch because of all the supply problems Apple has had over the years. And because the cerebrally challenged general public equates MHZ with power. A more likely scenerio would be for Apple to keep building their high end computers on IBM chips and move their low end (eMac, mini) to Intel and license their OS to Wintel box builders. One things for sure, Intel chips will never be seen in Powerbooks unless Apple decides to scrap the thin one inch design in favor of the 2 to 2 1/2 box designs of Toshiba, Dell and HP with dual exhausts on the rear to disspate heat.
 
I hope apple doesn't switch to x86. As far as i see it either apple will fail and die even though i doubt this because the transition to PPC went so smoothly (or so im told...was too young to be into mac then!). Or they will be in direct competition with MS on the x86 platform. Not that thats a bad thing cos i dont think MS would win the battle but i do think that if apple had a version of OSX to run on x86 whats to stop people walking into an apple store and buying a copy then sticking it on there former Wintel at home. I no apple could do something to mean that OSX would only run on Mac hardware but im sure some1 would find a soft/firmware hack or something to get around that. then you have the problem of people being able to run OSX on anything...If that happened then apple hardware wouldn't sell as well because of the options from the hundreds (exaggeration but you get the point) of other x86 PC makers out there. That would turn Apple into MS.

Personally i like apple being a smaller company...they have to produce cool things to stay alive and mean that theres a very supportive, helpful, and welcoming atmosphere among the mac community which is something you dont get on the windows side of things.

Just my ramblings on the matter. (plus its cool to start a thread that has 500+ replies and a place on the page 1 rumors :D )
 
stockscalper said:
Intel chips are crap; they run hot and suck up immense amounts of heat. But, on the one hand it makes sense for the switch because of all the supply problems Apple has had over the years. And because the cerebrally challenged general public equates MHZ with power. A more likely scenerio would be for Apple to keep building their high end computers on IBM chips and move their low end (eMac, mini) to Intel and license their OS to Wintel box builders. One things for sure, Intel chips will never be seen in Powerbooks unless Apple decides to scrap the thin one inch design in favor of the 2 to 2 1/2 box designs of Toshiba, Dell and HP with dual exhausts on the rear to disspate heat.
Click to expand...

Ever heard about Dothan, Yonah etc? If not, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentium_M.
 
raggedjimmi said:
this is a pile of bollocks. bad bollocks at that. i dig PPC :( all my apps are PPC. and now they're moving, just as i buy a mac, to Intel.

if its not PPC, then thats it. im sticking with stability; Windows. they dont swap CPU's, thier future OS's will run fine with W32 and the new 64 bit CPUs no probs.

:( this is indeed a grim day, or rather Monday will.
Click to expand...

This is why i think an intel powermac should also be able to boot into windows. How could that possibly harm Apple - youd have already bought the hardware and the OS from them. In the market for a workstation-level desktop? Cant decide between OSX and windows? Get both, on the same machine, with Apples industrial design. Nobody else could offer that. And with equiavlent OSX software, people would surely migrate their main work over, where possible.

Obviously you wouldnt be able to upgrade it/dick about the hardware in the same way you could for a current PC. Thats not necessarily a bad thing, nor priority for most people.

More I think about it, the more I like this idea...
 
Intel to buy Freescale?

Well, that's my theory anyway.

If Intel doesn't want to be left behind in the PPC race (now being used by the three game consoles), they need PPC. And since Apple/IBM/Motorola-Freescale own PPC, and IBM probably doesn't want Intel to use it, then the answer is simple: buy Freescale.

Intel can then make PowerPC processors WITH their battery-saving-Centrino technology. And they can also make CPUs for the next generation of consoles (Revolution2, Xbox720, PS4, etc) on top of being the new chip maker for Apple.

-----

Edit: it seems I may have found something... When looking up "Freescale" on Yahoo finance, here's what showed up:

http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=FSL&d=t
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=FSL-B&d=t

Yep, that's right: TWO "Freescale semiconductor". The other one is even named "-B" and seems to be less than one week old!

Something's happening, and I think my "Intel buying Freescale" may already have happened! :eek:

Which should mean good news, i.e. Intel will make PPC CPUs for Apple!

-----

Edit2:
- FSL-B doesn't even show up in Dashboard (Quote.com doesn't have it?)
- Both Intel and FSL show about the same upward spike at the end of April...
- IBM shows a downward spike at the end of April...

So... time to buy Intel and/or Freescale shares? :D

-----

Edit3: Intel could be doing a hybrid PPC (G5-class)/x86 CPU (Pentium-M class), allowing Windows emulators to run a hell of a lot faster!
 
If your going to go x86/x64 and really want the best then you think different and go with AMD. They make the best processors in their class fullstop, The Intel offerings run hotter then the latest G5's are supposed to do. The only reason as others have stated for going Intel is if they will be making custom chips for Apple, their large market share and vast resources would probably make them the most competitive cost wise in such a scenario.

What most people see to have missed though is any migration to a differnet platform would either require emulation of exisiting software or new software altogether. This may be exceptable for individual users but for businesses and scientific institiutions this costs seriously big bucks or has performance penalties. Scientific institutions didn't buy the G5 for OS X they bought it for it's cost/performance. For all those who knock the G5, up until the release of dual core CPU's it's RISC architecture was the one to have for certain professions, it is a fast chip. OS X is good but Windows isn't as bad as everyone makes out, not for workstations anyway. The old fall back is that you will get viruses and spyware most businesses run behind hardware firewalls and sensitive machines aren't even connected to the internet. The incentive to stick with apple if they go x86 if you are a business user is a lot less, why not by a Dell or better yet build one yourself and run linux.

Even a customised x86 job which would allow apple to control the use of OS X would mean that apple would try to keep their higher price points and for what; an identical machine to ones you could by from a PC maker except this one runs OS X. I honestly feel that moving chip makers is fine but only if you make the same kind of chips, people talk about porting the OS but that is only a small part of it. You then have to migrate your entire user base and all the software that goes with it. PPC/RISC is a great architecture, clock for clock it is superior to x86 with the right code we've seen that.

Maybe apple needs to start thinking differently, give there customers more for their money and perhaps actually talk to them and get some feedback. People who game or use a mac for office may rejoice at this news business needs reassurance. There are technologies out there (don't argue with the next bit it is just an example not me saying they can use this or that) that are faster if they choose to use them, we have the much fabled Cell, IBM's own POWER 5 design or maybe pay Cray a call that would be interesting :D

I could understand apple jumping ship during the days of the G4 Powermac but the G5 has real promise. I could only see apple jumping ship either as a way to make IBM do something or because IBM can't do anything about the situation. Although the chips in the latest consoles are not G5's they do show that IBM can make such chips so aren't behind technologically. The POWER 5 has used multiple cores for a long time, IBM can and in many ways for high end CPU design still are leaders. I think this is more likely a threat on apple's part or just general rumour mill stirrings based on a promise made stupidly a few years back.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back