Take a bite of tastier Apple
Macintosh products transformed with Intel chip seed
Vina Cera
Issue date: 4/6/06 Last update: 4/7/06 at 10:50 PM PST
Section: Features
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Peel away the slick, outer skin of the latest Apples, and at their core you'll find the same chip that runs Windows machines. Which is not to say that the new Intel Macs will run both systems.
But hackers are gnawing away at this challenge even as I write, and I wouldn't be surprised to see some below-board solutions infiltrating Craigslist soon-and wishfully in good time, some above-board compatibility.
So, in yet another innovative transformation, Apple has propelled itself away from its flagship G5 lines into a new era of Intel processor-based Macs. In no more than two months, the company has transferred 50 percent of its products (iMacs, MacBook Pro {laptop}, and most recently, Minis) to the new chips. These latest products are, as usual, beautifully designed, speedier and not too hard on the budget.
There are some caveats to look out for at this stage. Many of the stand-by peripherals and applications do not run natively on the Intel processor, including at first, Mac software like Final Cut Pro. To counter this situation, Apple has included an emulation software called "Rosetta" that seamlessly runs Mac G3-5 OS X native programs. These don't necessarily run faster though, and some are even a little slower. Most software providers are scrambling to come up with "Universal" versions that will run natively on both chips.
To date, many have already arrived. Though noticeably, we're still waiting on biggies like Adobe PhotoShop and Microsoft Office. These will come soon, though probably with a slightly inflated tag. Diehard OS 9 fans will bitterly complain of being totally cut off. We'll also hear griping from those using dial up modems (omitted on the new machines).
But remember the original fuss when the G3s first came out WITHOUT floppy drives? To these grievances I say, get with the times-we're in a wireless world, folks.
Now, let's move on to the juicy goodies.
The new laptops (MacBooks), which look a lot on the outside like the 15-in. PowerBook G4s they succeed, are transformed on the inside. They're much speedier.
But hackers are gnawing away at this challenge even as I write, and I wouldn't be surprised to see some below-board solutions infiltrating Craigslist soon-and wishfully in good time, some above-board compatibility.
So, in yet another innovative transformation, Apple has propelled itself away from its flagship G5 lines into a new era of Intel processor-based Macs. In no more than two months, the company has transferred 50 percent of its products (iMacs, MacBook Pro {laptop}, and most recently, Minis) to the new chips. These latest products are, as usual, beautifully designed, speedier and not too hard on the budget.
There are some caveats to look out for at this stage. Many of the stand-by peripherals and applications do not run natively on the Intel processor, including at first, Mac software like Final Cut Pro. To counter this situation, Apple has included an emulation software called "Rosetta" that seamlessly runs Mac G3-5 OS X native programs. These don't necessarily run faster though, and some are even a little slower. Most software providers are scrambling to come up with "Universal" versions that will run natively on both chips.
To date, many have already arrived. Though noticeably, we're still waiting on biggies like Adobe PhotoShop and Microsoft Office. These will come soon, though probably with a slightly inflated tag. Diehard OS 9 fans will bitterly complain of being totally cut off. We'll also hear griping from those using dial up modems (omitted on the new machines).
But remember the original fuss when the G3s first came out WITHOUT floppy drives? To these grievances I say, get with the times-we're in a wireless world, folks.
Now, let's move on to the juicy goodies.
The new laptops (MacBooks), which look a lot on the outside like the 15-in. PowerBook G4s they succeed, are transformed on the inside. They're much speedier.
