I don't have much concern about Intel chips inside an Apple computer, I am more interested on Mac OS X on intel chip. What is the different? If Apple computer really put a Intel chip inside, they would make it so different that OS X still can't install on normal Intel base PC. Most likely on the other way, Microsoft Windows will run on Apple computer. If people are so interested with Windows, most likely they will not buy an Apple computer but other brand like Dell, HP, Acer for others. If OS X can be installed on Intel machine, that's targeted for another 95% (or more) of users which potential will switch to Apple machine.
One interesting fact is, Micorsoft XBox (so do PS2) is using PowerPC cpu, so any combination is possible these days. I have an Apple iBook using a IBM (PowerPC alliance) cpu, but the IBM note book is running a Intel cpu.
Local apple fan in Malaysia, since 10 (Mac) or 20 years (Apple II) ago, is switching to Wintel long before Apple does, main reason is pricing issue. Heard some of them switch back to apple because they buy iPod, so they switch to Apple for OS X is possible.
There are many possibility reasons why Apple switch to Intel, one of them is low power consumption technology, they just can't put a G5 cpu into a notebook now. IBM should have acquire or license some technology from some other company like ARM or Transmeta, but IBM might not be so interested as well, IBM never put a PowerPC cpu in a notebook, IBM already sold off its PC department (to Levono, old name Legend (China) ), they don't have a better reason to do it now.
PowerPC alliance have a hard time get together, they suppose to be a great alliance, Apple on personal computer and operating system, IBM on cpu chip design, Motorola on manufacturing. For some reason Motorola can't get license from Apple computer, and finally they withdraw from PC business plan (they should have try Linux at that time). I though they are going to put PowerPC cpu in their mobile phone (just joking at that time), but I didn't know that the CPU consume too much of power to put into the mobile phone, they should start researching and developing lower power consumption cpu since 1991.
We are not sure what Apple computer (or steve jobs) is going to say on monday (US time) announcement, personally I would like to have competition in the market, so normal user like us to have more choice and have cheaper product.
Apple product announcement twice a year, is a good way to keep people remember of apple computer.
link:-
Power PC Alliance on last legs, By Richard Morochove, 18 September 1997.
No comments:
Post a Comment