[Voxapps]

The rather cryptic notes on the sites that provided real-time keynote coverage say that Apple will offer a Developer Transition Kit for $999 that includes a 3.6GHz Intel processor. Is it in a Mac? Which model?

[Noel]

I believe I read that it's in a PowerMac.

[quantum7]

I would think it would be the same type that Jobs ran his keynote on - Intel P4 3.6 GHz.

[Voxapps]

Well, if developers will soon receive PowerMacs with P-IV 3.6s in them, I guess we'll know soon enough how well OS X runs on Intel architecture.

[intlplby]

next thing you know you will have magazines and websites with "G5 Apples VS P4 Apples" articles

[bassplayinMacFiend]

So is this the P-P-P-P-P-PowerMac?

[rasmits]

Now that it doesn't have the G5, they could at least shrink it down to half it's original size, and remove 1/4 of the fans.

[ASZ993]

Originally Posted by rasmits Now that it doesn't have the G5, they could at least shrink it down to half it's original size, and remove 1/4 of the fans.

Warning: That 3.6Ghz P4 runs awful hot! Maybe with the liquid cooling systems in the G5, that chip could be running awfully cold!

[morningstarrising]

Now wonder they gave it that body...I thoughtTHIS was it

[NosferaDrew]

We'll see how hot it runs.

I ordered one this afternoon.

I've got a dual G5 2.5, three dual 3.1 Xeons (overclocked) and a 2.4 AMD gaming rig running 24/7 doing F@H, so I've got a bunch of machines to compare the heat to.

[CobaltFire]

Grats, let us know what all it has in there. I hope you will be posting detailed pics when you get it. I, for one, want to know what we are looking at, and any kind of sneak peak would be welcome. Not that I think that a 3.6GHz will actually be what we get, mind you. Also, I am curious to know if we are going to need anything special to run OS X or not. Maybe, when you get it, you could try to get an OS X image to run on one fo your other machines for us? Would be interesting, to say the least.

[InactionMan]

We here at AppleNova politely demand the most in depth unpacking and dissection of this machine when it arrives at your doorstep. And benchmarks, lots and lots of glorious benchmarks.

[NosferaDrew]

Well, I didn't read the EULA carefully, but I'm sure there are a few restrictions!
Be happy to provide al I can though.

[rasmits]

At least they didn't pull a Microsoft (when they shipped xbox developers PowerMacs) and ship out some eMachines or something.

[InactionMan]

Originally Posted by NosferaDrew Well, I didn't read the EULA carefully, but I'm sure there are a few restrictions! Be happy to provide al I can though.

Splendid! Of course our thirst for the unknown does not outweigh the might of an EULA or NDA signed with Apple.

[Dave_D]

Here is some crude benchmarks on the intel based Mac courtesy of mrbarret.com.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Dave_D Here is some crude benchmarks on the intel based Mac courtesy of mrbarret.com.

Not bad, xBench is only 4x faster on the Dual G5 than it is on the P4. Of course, that's using Rosetta, so who knows what a native xBench would score.

[staph]

Originally Posted by Dave Not bad, xBench is only 4x faster on the Dual G5 than it is on the P4. Of course, that's using Rosetta, so who knows what a native xBench would score.

I'm impressed too — that's really a pretty impressive piece of emulation! Certainly good enough for day to day use of smaller apps, anyway. Not sure I'd want to run Photoshop with it, but hey.

[Gargoyle]

Just a quickie. Most of the news sites have added a followup to their articles (or an edit tagged on the end) after Phil Schiller made a few comments later on Yesterday.

In response to the ability to run Windows on the new intel based macs...

... That doesn't preclude someone from running it on a Mac. They probably will, We won't do anything to preclude that.

However, Schiller said the company does not plan to let people run Mac OS X on other computer makers' hardware.

We will not allow running Mac OS X on anything other than an Apple Mac.

So, don't go running off to ebay just yet - and don't expect prices to fall too drastically. Apple will benefit from the economies of scale that intel have to offer on the chips, but you will still be buying a machine of Apple build quality - not some beige plastic crap from PC World!

[Barto]

Heh, so these computers will be magically Windows compatible, but Mac OS X will not be generally Intel compatible.

We will not allow running Mac OS X on anything other than an Apple Mac.

AHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHhahahhahaa good one.

[BenRoethig]

Despite Apple's intentions, someone will find a way.

[morningstarrising]

They always will..it's what makes the computer world so different from any other.

But damn, Apple will have at least a year or two before they break through both Apple's OSX DRM and Intel's Pentium D DRM.

Then I'm sure these new Macs will have some piece of internal hardware that will let OSX run only in these computers.

[BenRoethig]

I'm talking running OSX on a Dell.

[morningstarrising]

Yeah, but they will have to get throught THAT stuff first before they will even get to running it on a DELL.

Edit:Intresting enought, I wouldn't be surprize if someone makes an illegal semi-running OS X out through this Developter kit.

[Baron Munchausen]

Originally Posted by morningstarrising Yeah, but they will have to get throught THAT stuff first before they will even get to running it on a DELL. Edit:Intresting enought, I wouldn't be surprize if someone makes an illegal semi-running OS X out through this Developter kit.

I would have thought there would need to be alot of chipset similarities to allow the OS to run, right? If the board is to be a 'stock' clone PC board (please NO! Cannot stand BIOS cr@p), Apple is about to become a case designer!

p.s. Who will be the first cooker to clock their PentiMac?

[scratt]

I think that is the key... This will be an Intel on a Mac motherboard.
A whole world away from an actual PeeCee.

So a port to a standard PeeCee would be a rather mammoth task. IMHO.

EDIT: If you think about it... If it was that easy then Marklar would have been in the wild a while ago. I don't think Apple have been running OS X at Infinite Loop on a Dell!!

[Barto]

This will be an Intel on an Intel motherboard. According to the development docs, x86 Macs will not have OpenFirmware - which means either PC BIOS or EFI. Phil Schiller confirmed they will be Windows compatible.

Either way, the only possible challenge to getting it running on non-Macs is if Mac OS X checks some hidden register in the CPU or BIOS - which of course could be bypassed. Or just wait for the Taiwanese motherboard makers to release "OS X Compatible" motherboards.

Shit, if you've paid for it, why shouldn't you be able to run something on whatever the hell you want? Apple will of course reap what they sow with this decision.

[scratt]

Originally Posted by Barto This will be an Intel on an Intel motherboard. According to the development docs, x86 Macs will not have OpenFirmware - which means either PC BIOS or EFI. Phil Schiller confirmed they will be Windows compatible.

Maybe I am missing something?
How does the fact that it does not have Open Firmware confirm that it is a PC BIOS or EFI?

And if they are in fact PeeCees why didn't Apple just bite the bullet and say "Here you go guys Tiger for PeeCee"???

"Everyone in hardware can go home now... Thanks for all the help.."

Because if this will run on a PC then Apple Hardware is dead for the simple reason that the uninformed will buy the cheaper boxes..

[oldmacfan]

When the OEM's finally start shipping Mac variants, I would think that Apple would required them to provide OS support to their customers. That should more than level the playing field. Want to build your own, you are on your own.

[HOM]

I just want to know if Classic runs under Rosstta or if my dozens of legacy apps are going to go by the wayside.