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TXCherokee

macrumors 6502
Aug 24, 2012
338
180
This is a radical prediction. I am sorry if I offend someone. Those squares look quite a bit like pixels. Write the code, change the world sounds like they are talking about software. I know this is pushing it, but I think, they may be talking about computers. :D


The odds are good that any hardware they announce will be a new development platform. I think the odds of a new Apple TV that runs apps (APPle TV?) has better odds. An iWatch would require apps in one way or another, so it has a decent chance. The odds of a new laptop or Mac Mini are low.

Seeing this gave me an idea. What if the new Apple TV and the lower priced iMac are meant to replace the mac mini. Don't laugh...yet, read on.

Current mac mini owners usually fall into on of two categories:
1. Those who use it as an inexpensive desktop. Rumors of a lower priced iMac would make sense for this group.
2. Those who use it for a media center. An upgraded Apple TV with 3rd-party apps would make sense for this group.

I'm not making any predictions. Just food for thought.
 

4God

macrumors 68020
Apr 5, 2005
2,132
267
My Mac
Hell, the A7 is already slightly ahead of the Intel Core 2 Duo powering this Dell I'm typing on.....better geekbench scores for the A7.

And nothing on the iPhone or iPad uses the A7 to its full potential. That's why I've been telling people not to fret if Apple doesn't release a NEW 4" iPhone....the 5S will be a powerhouse for quite some time.

I'm sure the A8 is going to be a beast. And will likely power SOMETHING in the Macbook lineup.....(my guess is the Airs move to ARM, the Pros stay Intel).

Agreed, and possibly a Mac Mini.
 

Gamer9430

macrumors 68020
Apr 22, 2014
2,247
1,401
USA
Actually I do agree with you, the cool emoticon wasn't the best to choose.
OS X on arm for low power users might be enough but not for people who do more than just surf the web and use Facebook.
I could see a Macbook Air running OS X (10) on ARM.

Where did I put the cool emoticon?

Exactly, the MacBook Air would be perfect for ARM because it is a NetBook essentially. A professional sound recording company wouldn't be using a MacBook Air to edit songs and stuff, they would use the MacBook Pro (if no desktop) because of the processing power. Someone who wants a computer to, like you said, check emails, surf the web, or check FaceBook, the Air would be perfect
 

Ralf The Dog

macrumors regular
May 1, 2008
192
0
I honestly don't see this as a good idea. ARM is meant to power mobile devices, not full blown desktop OSes. That's why Microsoft made Windows RT because Windows 8 couldn't run on ARM. If Apple did that, it would be iOS with a few more OS X features.

Btw... does anyone say the X in OS X as "X" or 10? I usually just say "X", not sure if anyone else does that...:confused:

If done correctly, ARM performance could be many times that of X86. Most of an X86 chip is dedicated to converting X86 code to microcode, then doing branch predictions, speculative execution and such. A VLIW implementation of ARM with very short pipelines could execute at a much faster clock speed than x86, have far more register space and do far more operations per cycle than X86 could dream of. Think of mid range GPU performance only running general code.
 

jrswizzle

macrumors 603
Aug 23, 2012
6,107
129
McKinney, TX
Actually I do agree with you, the cool emoticon wasn't the best to choose.
OS X on arm for low power users might be enough but not for people who do more than just surf the web and use Facebook.
I could see a Macbook Air running OS X (10) on ARM.

So that's all anyone ever did on a laptop pre 2008? Surf the web and use facebook? Because that's where the A7 is in terms of "desktop class" processors.....

We get it.....all you "PROS" out there need your octa core xenon bullcrap.....but there's PLENTY of work that can be done on the A7. Just like PLENTY of work was (and still is) done on an Intel Core 2 Duo. Those two chips have similar benchmarks - the A7 actually is a bit better.

If the A8 continues the trend of double performance, we're looking at an ARM chip with benchmarks equivalent to an Intel i3-2100....released in 2011. No reason why a finely tuned ARM chip couldn't power an everyday laptop.
 

Redbeard25

macrumors regular
Oct 4, 2003
155
17
I found the code:

"Write the code, change the world" is an anagram for

"Dichloroethane tech grew wet, d!"

SOLVENT-BASED PROGRAMMING. You heard it here first at MacRumors!
 

Gamer9430

macrumors 68020
Apr 22, 2014
2,247
1,401
USA
If done correctly, ARM performance could be many times that of X86. Most of an X86 chip is dedicated to converting X86 code to microcode, then doing branch predictions, speculative execution and such. A VLIW implementation of ARM with very short pipelines could execute at a much faster clock speed than x86, have far more register space and do far more operations per cycle than X86 could dream of. Think of mid range GPU performance only running general code.

I'm a geek and all, yet I have no clue what you just said. lol
 

RedTomato

macrumors 601
Mar 4, 2005
4,155
442
.. London ..
Hmm. A macbook form factor with an A8 chip in it. It could run practically forever on one charge.

Here's a wild theory: Custom motherboard with latest Intel CPU, plus Apple A8 in it, plus iphone telephony chips.

- Low power use - uses the A8 chips / graphics chips. Battery lasts forever.
- High power - seamless handover to the Intel chip, more power but less battery.
- Always available access to internet via wifi or 3G or 4G. (with optional settings to reduce data use when on mobile internet)

It's no harder than in the old days of having 2 graphics chips in laptops - both integrated and discrete. IIRC only Apple was able to switch between them on the fly - many windows laptops had problems doing that and needed a reboot or a log-out.
 

Nunyabinez

macrumors 68000
Apr 27, 2010
1,758
2,230
Provo, UT
Write the code. Change the world... of warcraft.

8192-wow-southpark_v1.jpg
 

4God

macrumors 68020
Apr 5, 2005
2,132
267
My Mac
:rolleyes: Not a chance. ARM CPUs are geared for low power consumption
not heavy use. LOL An ARM based Mac Pro! Boy, would that be slow...

No, not Mac Pro...come on. :rolleyes: At least not any time soon. Think Macbook Air or Mac Mini. Or even the rumored low cost iMac.
 

jrswizzle

macrumors 603
Aug 23, 2012
6,107
129
McKinney, TX
I honestly don't see this as a good idea. ARM is meant to power mobile devices, not full blown desktop OSes. That's why Microsoft made Windows RT because Windows 8 couldn't run on ARM. If Apple did that, it would be iOS with a few more OS X features.

Btw... does anyone say the X in OS X as "X" or 10? I usually just say "X", not sure if anyone else does that...:confused:

Off the shelf ARM =/= Apple A#.....

Apple takes the ots specs and completely reworks them. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong....but that's what the acquisition of Imagination Tech was all about. Apple designs their own SoCs.....those other chips out there based on stock ARM arch are not the same as what Apple puts into its devices.
 

BruiserB

macrumors 68000
Aug 9, 2008
1,729
702
So, just showing the profile of the top of the Apple logo looks a lot like a heart to me.....Health? Other than that, I can't read anything obvious into it this year.

EDIT: Or this just came to me....Heart-BEAT(S)? (by dre)

And notice the colors above the "heart" go from blue to red as blood does as it is pumped past the lungs! OK...I'm stretching, but that's what I see.
 

Gamer9430

macrumors 68020
Apr 22, 2014
2,247
1,401
USA
Off the shelf ARM =/= Apple A#.....

Apple takes the ots specs and completely reworks them. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong....but that's what the acquisition of Imagination Tech was all about. Apple designs their own SoCs.....those other chips out there based on stock ARM arch are not the same as what Apple puts into its devices.

Originally, Apple had Samsung or Motorola make their A# chips. By A6, Apple was making them by themselves.
 
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