However, bizarrely, the menu bars on the Apple Powerbook in the picture look like Windows. Are we speculating too far? Are we going to see Intel Apples soon, and might they run Windows as well as OSX? Is this a teaser, or simply a badly-put-together promo slide?

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2006/01/06/intel_agnostic/

[JayReding]

Don't read too much into that - it's probably some poor graphic designer who has to show both Apple and Windows in some way...

[bazzler]

These multi-million $$$ companies wouldnt make an error like that. They spend weeks getting these keynotes right. Its a classic Jobs tease IMHO to stir up more interest in the upcoming stevenote (as if further stirring was required to reach feverpitch... What does this mean.... dont know actually, but i would like it to mean OSX on intel will run windows software in an analogous manner you will run ppc software via rosetta (ie in the OSX environment, probably by virtualisation tech.) But thats only speculation. It could be as simple as reminding people of macworld , in a sort of subtle way.

[wecallitfall]

now, where did i put those tea leaves....

[JayReding]

Originally Posted by bazzler These multi-million $$$ companies wouldnt make an error like that. They spend weeks getting these keynotes right. Its a classic Jobs tease IMHO to stir up more interest in the upcoming stevenote (as if further stirring was required to reach feverpitch... What does this mean.... dont know actually, but i would like it to mean OSX on intel will run windows software in an analogous manner you will run ppc software via rosetta (ie in the OSX environment, probably by virtualisation tech.) But thats only speculation. It could be as simple as reminding people of macworld , in a sort of subtle way.

Believe me, they can and they do - how many times have Microsoft ads prominently featured pictures of PowerBooks and iBooks (only to be hastily retouched later)?

This ain't got that swing, and it don't mean a thing...

[FFL]

*yawn*

[Luca]

I saw an MS flash video promoting tablet PCs in which every single non-tablet was a Mac. There was a PowerBook 1400, a PowerBook 3400, and a beige G3 desktop with an Apple monitor.

[morningstarrising]

Yeah, kinda funny..intel had a whole bunch of computers they could of shown(as the did any other time they came out this CES..go look at the other keynotes from Yahoo and MS, ect) yet in there own they pick the Powerbook....

[jimbo123]

Let the war commence against MS!!

[PB PM]

Originally Posted by morningstarrising Yeah, kinda funny..intel had a whole bunch of computers they could of shown(as the did any other time they came out this CES..go look at the other keynotes from Yahoo and MS, ect) yet in there own they pick the Powerbook....

Most likely because the Powerbook is cooler than the junk PCs they use in their offices.

[Franz Josef]

Originally Posted by morningstarrising Yeah, kinda funny....they could of shown(as the did any other time they came out this CES..go look at the other keynotes from Yahoo and MS, ect) yet in there own they pick.......

Jeez, any chance we can read posts before we post?

[shell]

The people who actually make ads use Macs, so when they need a shot of a computer they turn to their most familiar platform. It's just like you see lots of Macs on TV, far more than in the real world; when the folks over at `Alias' need a computer prop they probably grab the first thing they can find, which more likely than not has a glowing white piece of fruit inlaid in the surface. There's nothing more to it than that, your average engineer at Intel or M$ or whathaveyou still no doubt uses a PC.

[BlueRabbit]

This happens all the time. Whatever company/division of Intel makes the images for the slides is more likely to use Macs, plus they look a whole lot better anyways. In fact, from the looks of it, that Powerbook is very similar to the middle image on Apple's Powerbook PR page, except with a different screen image in there.

[bassplayinMacFiend]

Originally Posted by shell The people who actually make ads use Macs, so when they need a shot of a computer they turn to their most familiar platform. It's just like you see lots of Macs on TV, far more than in the real world; when the folks over at `Alias' need a computer prop they probably grab the first thing they can find, which more likely than not has a glowing white piece of fruit inlaid in the surface. There's nothing more to it than that, your average engineer at Intel or M$ or whathaveyou still no doubt uses a PC.

Actually, on TV shows like Alias, CSI or whatever, companies pay to get their product displayed prominently during the show. It's called product placement. Same thing happens in the movies. You think it's a coincidence that in the middle of a movie a can of Coca Cola or whatever gets a significant portion of screenspace and is in focus so you can clearly read the label?

[ZachPruckowski]

Originally Posted by jimbo123 Let the war commence against MS!!

Correction: Let the war against Dell and Gateway commence. That's who Apple is fighting right now with this move. Apples will be able to run Windows, and I bet a lot of new converts will go for that. Personally, I'd go X11+Wine once I have an Intel Mac, but the point remains that the move to Intel chips doesn't hurt MS much in the short term. I feel like the best way to fight MS is to match them product for product, so that Leopard has a fully functional Office-equal (a supped-up iWork), since we have WMP and IE beat hands down (although I still like FireFox over Safari). That way, we'll wean the Windows-converts off it slowly.

[faust]

Originally Posted by ZachPruckowski Correction: Let the war against Dell and Gateway commence. That's who Apple is fighting right now with this move. Apples will be able to run Windows, and I bet a lot of new converts will go for that. Personally, I'd go X11+Wine once I have an Intel Mac, but the point remains that the move to Intel chips doesn't hurt MS much in the short term. I feel like the best way to fight MS is to match them product for product, so that Leopard has a fully functional Office-equal (a supped-up iWork), since we have WMP and IE beat hands down (although I still like FireFox over Safari). That way, we'll wean the Windows-converts off it slowly.

If Apple comes out with a system that can run both Tiger and Windows XP I'm totally there.

I plan on ordering a PowerMac next week for home, but a Portable One Windows XP Pro laptop for school and work. My order could easily switch to two Macs if the right machine was out there.

I wish MWSF would just get here already, I'm tired of waiting to order my machines!

[shell]

Originally Posted by bassplayinMacFiend Actually, on TV shows like Alias, CSI or whatever, companies pay to get their product displayed prominently during the show. It's called product placement. Same thing happens in the movies. You think it's a coincidence that in the middle of a movie a can of Coca Cola or whatever gets a significant portion of screenspace and is in focus so you can clearly read the label?

Have you ever seen an ad that features a computer, like something that is obviously a PowerBook, but the Apple logo has been digitally removed? I've noticed several such ads, I don't believe that's a case of product placement, or else the logo would remain.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by Franz Josef Jeez, any chance we can read posts before we post?

Proof-reading is old-skool, dawg.

[admactanium]

Originally Posted by shell The people who actually make ads use Macs, so when they need a shot of a computer they turn to their most familiar platform. It's just like you see lots of Macs on TV, far more than in the real world; when the folks over at `Alias' need a computer prop they probably grab the first thing they can find, which more likely than not has a glowing white piece of fruit inlaid in the surface. There's nothing more to it than that, your average engineer at Intel or M$ or whathaveyou still no doubt uses a PC.

it's more than that. i'm an ad art director myself. while, of course, we are generally pretty fond of macs, the issue is that there is very little stock photography out there with non-apple computers. macs are in about 80% of all stock photography. and when you're shooting original photos for your work, unless your company is somehow directly related to microsoft or a windows hardware manufacturer, all the computers on set are apples as well. the photographers and agency creatives all use macs. heck, i've done a LOT of advertising for microsoft themselves and i still had my powerbook on set and the photographers all had powerbooks too.

[rasmits]

Am I wrong in saying that if Apple were to support native, in OS X support for Windows programs, they'd need to hack the Windows API?

Am I also wrong in saying that the Windows API changes often and new ones are added, making it nearly impossible for Apple to accomplish such a task? (The same problem that OS/2 encountered)

[ZachPruckowski]

Originally Posted by rasmits Am I wrong in saying that if Apple were to support native, in OS X support for Windows programs, they'd need to hack the Windows API? Am I also wrong in saying that the Windows API changes often and new ones are added, making it nearly impossible for Apple to accomplish such a task? (The same problem that OS/2 encountered)

You're partially right. It'd be a pain for Apple to do, but the users have two options:

1) Get a copy of Windows XP, install it on your Intel-based machine, use VT, dual-boot or just straight up boot to Windows every once in a while for games, etc.
2) X11 + Wine. As I understand it, X11 basically lets you use Linux on a Mac (something about the BSD kernel in OS X). Wine is a Linux program that lets you use Windows programs in Linux on an Intel processor. Apparently it's good but not perfect.

Also, how much has the Windows API changed, exactly? I mean XP is like 4-5 years old or something. And the two service packs couldn't have changed it that much. Apple wouldn't be doing the work on Wine, it's handled by the Open Source community. There are also other alternatives, like Cedega, that do similar things.

[World Leader Pretend]

I just hope OS X will run faster on the new Intel Macs, this will make me happy

I don't want any foul Windows on my sleek new Powerbook

[rasmits]

Originally Posted by ZachPruckowski You're partially right. It'd be a pain for Apple to do, but the users have two options:

I know about that, but I'm talking about in OS X, like having a Windows program run in a window like any other program, or, much like how Classic works now.

People were mentioning earlier that Rosetta would handle it.

[Enki]

Originally Posted by shell Have you ever seen an ad that features a computer, like something that is obviously a PowerBook, but the Apple logo has been digitally removed? I've noticed several such ads, I don't believe that's a case of product placement, or else the logo would remain.

Actually it is in a twisted sort of way. The ad company may have contacted the "doctored" item producer to pay for the item to not be doctored, but the producer didn't pony up $$ so the logo gets doctored out in spite. Or potentially the ad producer has some other contract with a competitor of the doctored product, but not a contract to use it in this ad, and so they doctor the logo to not offend their contract partner. Or some variation therof. It might also be a case where the ad producer does not want to ask permission to use a product with a recognizable logo for fear the hip logo companies lawyers may send a letter for attempted cross advertising and want some $$ for the offense, so out goes the logo.

Doctoring the hardware images takes time and $$ so it is really only done if there is some financial reason to do it.

[shell]

Even if it was possible to run Windows programs in OS X, I don't think it would be a good idea. I would be afraid of killing or at least stiffling native development.

[Bryson]

I frequently see (on British TV) Powerbooks with great big silver square stickers over the Apple logo on the back.

You also see Powerbooks or iBooks in print ads with the Apple logo photoshopped out. 10 seconds work to remove it with the clone stamp.

And you very, very frequently see Powerbooks in print ads with Windows screenshots. It's nothing to get excited about. Basically, the P'book is a good-looking (and kind of "neutral"-looking) machine, so people use the imagery.

[admactanium]

Originally Posted by Enki Actually it is in a twisted sort of way. The ad company may have contacted the "doctored" item producer to pay for the item to not be doctored, but the producer didn't pony up $$ so the logo gets doctored out in spite. Or potentially the ad producer has some other contract with a competitor of the doctored product, but not a contract to use it in this ad, and so they doctor the logo to not offend their contract partner. Or some variation therof. It might also be a case where the ad producer does not want to ask permission to use a product with a recognizable logo for fear the hip logo companies lawyers may send a letter for attempted cross advertising and want some $$ for the offense, so out goes the logo. Doctoring the hardware images takes time and $$ so it is really only done if there is some financial reason to do it.

it's VERY easy to take logos out of photos. very very easy. usually it's just taken out just to be safe. if it's video/film they'll usually just stick some gaffer's tape over it or try to come up with a generic non-trademarked "nameplate" to tape over the trademarked logo. it's just not worth the chance of someone getting pissy about it. logo's don't get taken out of advertising photography "out of spite." an apple logo on a powerbook takes all of about 15 minutes to eliminate.

[initialsBB]

weren't there rumors of a Safari port to Windows ?

what if it's just a jab : if OS X can run on X86, who's to know Microsoft haven't ported Windows to PPC ? Jobs did after all run his keynotes off of X86 machines without us knowing it...

[bassplayinMacFiend]

Originally Posted by shell Have you ever seen an ad that features a computer, like something that is obviously a PowerBook, but the Apple logo has been digitally removed? I've noticed several such ads, I don't believe that's a case of product placement, or else the logo would remain.

I've seen commercials with PowerBooks in them. Some have removed the logo and some haven't. In these cases I'm with you in that they aren't product placements. In my previous post I was referring to Apple products being shown in a TV program.

[Brad]

Originally Posted by initialsBB who's to know Microsoft haven't ported Windows to PPC ?

Microsoft has ported Windows to PowerPC. It's called Windows NT 3.51.

Originally Posted by JayReding Believe me, they can and they do - how many times have Microsoft ads prominently featured pictures of PowerBooks and iBooks (only to be hastily retouched later)? This ain't got that swing, and it don't mean a thing...

Quoted for further emphasis.