New Apple Computers!!! (1 Viewer)

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned this yet.

Today, Apple announced a new iMac and notebook computer using the new Intel Duo chips. They look pretty sweet -- especially for Mac lovers who have been wanting to upgrade from the G4 but also want a notebook. Hopefully they'll have the servers available soon as I have a project I'd really like those for.

I'm feeling a little underwhelmed by the announcements, though I do realize transitioning to Intel chips is not a simple thing and demanded more of their time. I was hoping for something along the lines of a media hub or some improvement to to the iTunes/AirPort Express interface.

That was a pretty significant Keynote! Intel in Macs a lot sooner then most would have thought, especially in the 15" laptop. And it's thinner then the current 17" Powerbook.

I'm interested in learning more about Rosetta and the Universal application thing. I wonder if I can run my old software on one of these.

Rosetta is a PPC to x86 translater (more or less emulation) to run PPC native apps on a MacTel system. Rosetta runs seamlessly (unlike the "Classic" enviornment) and most applications are said to run under Rosetta without much of a decrease in performance/speed.

The Universal binaries mean that software developers will be producing both x86 and PPC builds of their applications to support all current PPC & x86 Apple machines.

I also was a little underwhelmed by today's announcements, but that's mainly because most people expected an Intel Mac Mini designed to be an HTPC/media hub (with DVR, etc). There was also talk of a large (40-50") Apple-branded plasma screen with a built-in media-centric Mac. Apple is expected to push more into the consumer/HT/media side of things, but today there was little evidence of this. No new iPod Shuffle either, which was also widely predicted.

I don't think ANYONE was predicting Intel-based iMacs at this point. Anyone that bought one of these recently has got to be a little miffed, now that they can get the same machine at the same price, but with approximately double the performance (although we'll have to wait for hands-on tests to see if they measure up to Apple's claims).

The new MacBook Pros look nice, but seem like a transitional machine. I personally would wait to see what they come out with in 6 months before jumping on one of these.

The thing I am most interested to hear about from early adopters is if they are able to set these new boxes up in a dual-boot configuration running both Mac OS X and Windows XP. If this is easily accomplished, a (later model) MacBook Pro will almost definitely be my next laptop.

More accurately, they produce a single build that can run in either place. So it's not like having to choose between the letterbox and pan&scan version when you buy. It's not even like choosing which side of the disc to play. There's only one, and it automatically works.

As a consumer, the way this affects you most directly as the owner of an Intel Mac is that if there are two different programs that do the same thing, if one is a Universal Binary and the other is not, the Universal will probably run faster, since there is no translation (via Rosetta). Or if you're looking to upgrade, you wait for the Universal version.

Out here in Apple's backyard many of us just took it as a given that they would show off a new Intel based iMac this week.

I can't really see how those who recently purchased a Mac could be upset. It's not as if we didn't know this day would come; besides it’s not as if they still don’t have a very good computer running a great OS.

There are two sets of single-architecture binaries -- they are just packaged together inside a single Finder-level application. Conceptually this is not much different from the "fat binaries" of the 680x0-to-PowerPC transition.

I think it has been said that Apple would make sure Windows could not be used on its computers, but I may be wrong.

Almost overlooked because of the Intel chips...one thing I really love about the MacBook Pro is the magnetic AC adapter. I'm embarrased to admit that I've knocked my laptop off the desk or table and onto the floor 3-4 times over the years by snagging the power cord. This feature alone is a godsend.

i love that magnetic ac adapter too. i wish all connections were like this. someone should have thought of that years ago. great idea.

CJ

I'm bummed there was no firmware upgrade for the iPod Nano to play video. :frowning:

As a PC user, I hope the new Intel Macs can run Windows. A dual-boot system would be a strong draw to me.

Your wish is granted Sahib.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10789855/page/2/



I bought a dual 1.83 Macbook Pro using educational discount today, this will be my first mac ever.

Sam

Oh, and I intend to triple boot with XP, OSX and probably Ubuntu.

Wow, this is big if indeed XP will install to the new macs, which is sounds like it will. Any word from MS on support for the new Mac hardware? Those of you that get one of these machines, let us know how it works. I might be upgrading my laptop sooner than I thought

Brian

Let us know how that goes! I'm interested in the iMac if I could also install XP Home.

For many years, I have LOVED my mac computers. Until they came out with OSX! I hate OSX! It did away with the user friendliness that macs have always been known for. It made them harder to troubleshoot. It's harder finding stuff on the computer too, without messing with Sherlock.

I also hated hearing that they were gonna start using Intel chips! I think that is a big mistake, for Apple. I think it's gonna cause macs to start experiencing pc problems (hardware & software compatability, stability, etc.). They have lost me as a huge mac fan. I bought a custom built pc, about a year and a half ago, and haven't touched the iMac since.

I also cussed out the editor at MacAddict magazine, in an email, about them not writing articles or putting software on their discs anymore, for pre OSX. Their excuse was, "Everyone is buying OSX". I told him that he was a liar! I know several people that's not using OSX, and I'm sure they're not the only ones.

For years people have been saying that macs won't last much longer. But they hung in there. Now this Intel chip thing, could be the deciding factor, of just how long they WILL last.
Good luck, Apple! :frowning:

I'll have to respectfully disagree. I don't think you will see the same hardware issues because Apple has complete control over all the other components in the computer. Many of the hardware problems with PCs involve the absurd number of components used in different computers.

I think the biggest reasons that the switch to Intel was smart is because it would probably have been another 2 years before they could have fit the G5 into an acceptable laptop (meaning small to appeal to Apple fans). That timeframe is simply unacceptable and would put them 3 years behind PCs in the laptop market.

If Windows XP can be installed on the new Apple computers then I think this could very well be the start of a HUGE upswing for Apple as opposed to its downfall.

I also don't buy the idea that lots of Mac fans are going to run to PCs just because Apple is using Intel chips. That really wouldn't make sense unless they're just trying to stick it to Apple

But if you put Windows on a mac, it's no longer a mac!
It's some kind of a hybrid.....................

well, if you ever find that the windows xp installation has been throughly corrupted by constant onslaughts from script kiddies, you can always fall back on the robust MacOSX component. Who knows, you might even start to like it. I do hope that Apple is taking sensible precautions to isolate the virus-bait from OSX, though,