06-04-2005, 02:00 PM
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Oracle
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 911
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Newsflash! Apple Switching to Intel Processors!
"Apple Computer plans to announce Monday that it's scrapping its partnership with IBM and switching its computers to Intel's microprocessors, CNET News.com has learned. Apple has used IBM's PowerPC processors since 1994, but will begin a phased transition to Intel's chips, sources familiar with the situation said. Apple plans to move lower-end computers such as the Mac Mini to Intel chips in mid-2006 and higher-end models such as the Power Mac in mid-2007, sources said."
No, this isn't April fools, though it might seem like a good material for leg pulling. This is major news, if true. 8O Rumors of Apple switching to Intel's x86 architecture have circulated for the past several years, but like any rumor there was little credible evidence to back it up. Frankly I've always believed this rumor was hogwash. Back in the late nineties Motorola (who supplies Apple with its G4 processor) embarrassingly fell behind PC chip makers who were already past 1GHZ while the G4 line was still clunking along at mere Megahertz. However, Apple's fortunes have improved somewhat since they made the switch to IBM's G5 PowerPC processors which offer good performance. Even Microsoft's XBOX 360 is powered by such a chip.
The move to x86 opens a whole field of questions. The biggest one being; does this mean that Macs will now be able to dual boot between OSX and *gasp* Windows? Will PCs now be able to run *gasp* OSX? The answer to these questions will come Monday at the annual WWDC (World Wide Developers Conference). One thing is for certain...my purchase plans have been turned upside down. I was planning on moving to either a 20" G5 iMac or a Dual processor PowerMac G5+20" Cinema. Needless to say those plans are now very much on hold until I know more about what the hell is going on in Cupertino. If the move is indeed coming in 2006 I may stick with the Mac Mini and wait.
Now I know how Austrians felt in 1938, awaiting the Anchlus. 8O
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