I hadn’t been keeping too close an eye on this, because we’ve got higher priorities right now than buying new computers. But there have been rumors lately about some sort of deal between Apple and Intel. The speculations mainly fell into two camps: 1) Apple would release a new Pentium-based Macintosh computer, or 2) Intel would begin producing a new PowerPC compatible CPU.
Steve Jobs just dropped the bomb: Apple to Use Intel Microprocessors Beginning in 2006
Basically, it seems, Apple has been disappointed with IBM’s inability to deliver a G5 processor that could break the 3GHz barrier or with heat characteristics that would be usable for laptops. They’ve been developing an Intel-based Macintosh, along with the cross-platform tools needed to manage the transition, secretly over the past five years.
There are some more details from the keynote available over on Engadget and The Mac Observer. Of note: Jobs displayed the slides for his keynote using a Macintosh powered by a 3.6GHz Pentium 4. He showed demos of Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Office, and Mathematica running on the new platform. Existing PowerPC binaries will be able to run on the new system thanks to a new real-time emulation layer called Rosetta. The Wolfram Research folks were able to get Mathematica, which has millions of lines of source code, modified and re-compiled for the new platform in just a couple of days.
via: kottke. Also, as Dave Winer points out (and tons of people are sure to overlook), this does not mean that you’ll be able to run future versions of OS-X on your Dell computer. Apple has always been able to ensure a certain level of stability in their systems because the hardware was locked down. This is unlikely to change anytime soon. But the possibility of a version of Windows that runs on the new Apple hardware is a different story.
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10 Comments
Interesting development, I would not call it surprising. I have never really been a fanboy and would love to get a powerbook someday, but like you new hardware is not in the horizon for me.
Now that Macs will be sold by more than one company, maybe, just maybe they’ll be able to compete substantially with windows. Microsfot maybe, just maybe, will have to release an awesome product. Yes! Competition!
Now I can have a Mac OS without paying too much for the hardware. The os is too beautiful not to have. It’s just the price of the hardware it comes with that stops some people from having it. Dual boot pc’s anyone?
Interesting turn of events…1st MS reveals it’s new X-box 360, which in reality was a Mac G5 w/dual processors, because the new X-box is slated to be based on the powerpc. Has the desktop computing world flip flopped?
Well, MAC OS has a beautiful GUI, but nevertheless I prefer windows with a few not-that-hard GUI customizations with programs such as Windowblinds or StyleXP.
Okay, remember folks, the new x86 version of OSX is not going to run on generic PC hardware. You can bet your bottom dollar that Apple will keep the same sort of lock on the hardware that they traditionally have. All that’s really changing in the Mac is the CPU (well, and some supporting hardware to go with it, but still).
The new version of OSX will not on a $300 PC from Wal Mart. Nor will it run on a $3000 PC from Dell. It will only run on an Apple Macintosh. I’d be willing to bet that this will be the case, at least for now. Five years from now? Who knows.
Now, on the other hand, the switch to Pentium may just make it possible that Microsoft could release a version of Windows that runs on the new Apple hardware. And even if that doesn’t happen, it certainly means that Windows emulators will run much faster than they did on PPC chips, since they’ll be able to run native machine code, with just some shims in place to handle the hardware differences, and to intercept operating system API calls.
The next couple of years are going to be very interesting.
We’re all forgetting things like Ubuntu Linux are way past both windows and osx – AND runs on pretty much any hardware you can throw at it.
Dougal, must you spoil things by being correct?
-Thanks for the clarification, anyway
As I was searching through my Mac sites, I came across a page with detailed instructions on how to get your intel PC to boot up to OS 10. Yes, I guess you can get OS 10 to run on a DELL. I haven’t tried it myself though. With a bit more research, I found people that had custom built PCs that worked by using the same specs as the new Intel machines.
In the meantime, all you PC using Mac enthusiasts can at least make your PCs look and feel just like OS X (minus all the cool iApps and unix stability). Check out http://features.engadget.com/entry/8828351836181248/ for instructions.
And I found that other link I was looking for: http://osx86.theplaceforitall.com/howto/
It shows how to make yer own PCMac.
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move? Are they happy? Will Apple set itself up as a direct competitor to Microsoft? From the rumors I’ve heard over the years, Apple’s hardware line is too profitable for them not to have. If that is true, it would answer my earlier question about OS X on your Dell machine . This comes at a time when I’m considering my career options. I’ve thought about getting into Mac development, and the prospect still interests me, but suddenly buying a G5 doesn’t. I want to wait for a new, Intel one. G6? Who knows what they
for OS X, runs on Intel), which suggests that this could be a plan to get more people to switch over to MacOS: how does ‘get all the benefits of a Mac, keep your current computer’ sound? See Also ArsTechnica: Apple switching to Intel x86 CPU line Geek Ramblings: Intel Macintosh rumors true! ——–
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June 6th, 2005
Just a couple of links on the Apple/Intel story … via Dougal via cnet
Filed under: Blatherings by Geren |
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Intel Macintosh rumors true!
[Source: geek ramblings] quoted: I hadn’t been keeping too close an eye on this, because we’ve got higher priorities right now than buying new computers. But there have been rumors lately about some sort of deal between Apple and Intel. The speculat…
Apple Pentiumbook?
Yes, it has been confirmed that Apple’s much-rumoured switch from PowerPC to Intel will begin in June of next year. What seems likely is that lower-spec systems such as the Mac Mini (and possibly the iBook) will get Celerons and Pentium Ms respe…
[...] Geek Ramblings: Intel Macintosh rumors true! [...]
Apple and Intel — But wait, there’s more…
Just a couple of links on the Apple/Intel story …
via Dougal
via cnet
via Jancology
Apple to ditch IBM, switch to Intel chips
Apple Computer plans to announce Monday that it’s scrapping its partnership with IBM and switc…