Bored by Apple’s Deal with Intel
Today, during my weekly appearance on CNN, I was asked about Steve Jobs’s announcement at the World Wide Developers Conference that henceforth Apple’s computers would use Intel’s chips (and not the PowerPC chip manufactured by IBM and Motorola that powered Macs for years). I did my best - I am a trouper, a pro, a cable news warrior - but I was only mildly interested in the whole subject. The only people who really care are those for whom the Macintosh, as an alternative to the Wintel duopoly, is a kind of religion. Here are three reasons to raise one’s eyebrows - but no more than a millimeter, mind you.
1. I am astonished that Apple has managed to keep a secret like this for 6 years. But Jobs says that the MacOS has been compatible with Intel’s architecture for at least that long: “MacOSX has been leading a secret life.”
2. There is nothing now to prevent Apple from licensing MacOSX to PC manufacturers. We could see low-cost Mac clones. I would be astonished if Jobs were to do it, however. How do I know? Oh, easy. Apple is not a software company at heart. Steve is interested in innovation, and the innovation he enjoys occurs when software and hardware are integrated. Finally, Apple tried Mac clones in the mid-90s, but Steve killed the idea when he returned to the company because people weren’t buying more Macs - they were buying less of his expensive Macs.
3. Macintosh users will now be able to run Windows and its applications without emulation and all its attendant slowness and breakages.
See, I told you: only mildly interesting. I don’t know what the big deal is. But some people, like Forbes.com’s Arik Hasseldahl care a lot. He thinks it’s going to kill the Mac. No, it really won’t.
Technorati tag: Apple computer
Keep Reading
Most Popular
Large language models can do jaw-dropping things. But nobody knows exactly why.
And that's a problem. Figuring it out is one of the biggest scientific puzzles of our time and a crucial step towards controlling more powerful future models.
The problem with plug-in hybrids? Their drivers.
Plug-in hybrids are often sold as a transition to EVs, but new data from Europe shows we’re still underestimating the emissions they produce.
Google DeepMind’s new generative model makes Super Mario–like games from scratch
Genie learns how to control games by watching hours and hours of video. It could help train next-gen robots too.
How scientists traced a mysterious covid case back to six toilets
When wastewater surveillance turns into a hunt for a single infected individual, the ethics get tricky.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.