MacShrine

Following on from a previous article, we’ve found some more information which does indeed suggest these chips are 64-bit. Intel Sossaman was the codename for a low-voltage Xeon (Dual core 64-bit Intel server chip) and it was expected to be shipped under the Xeon brand, but it got cancelled. Now reports suggest that the cancelled Sossaman was later brought back and is now shipping as the Yonah chip, aka the chips in your MacBook and Intel iMac. This is one of the reasons why Windows won’t run on the Mactel models, you need to use the 64-bit version. So the real questions is, why are 64-bit chips being used with 32-bit operating systems? Is there a flaw?

While the iron is still hot with the Intel Core Duo, Intel is at it again. According to C-Net, Intel has announced a Quad Core Processor codenamed Clovertown. Slated to hit US stores early next year, Intel is intending for these to be used in new server systems. Designed for a dual processor configuration, computers using this technology will be essentially eight processor systems. Intel claims that these rigs will have increased speed, decreased power consumption, and improved efficiency from dual core systems. Will we be seeing Quad PowerMacs and Xserves then?

It appears that the Intel Core Duo chip already inside thousands of new Intel Macs may indeed be 64 bit. An article at Hexus claims that the Intel chips may are 64 bit. The huge question remains, why would Intel hide such a feature? Speculation has it that Windows has not been booted on new Intel Macs for this reason.

Note: This story has not been fully acredited and may be untrue.

At least 34 errors have been found in Intel’s new Core Duo chips, used by Apple in the new iMac and MacBook Pro. Apparently this is quite normal so nothing to worry about, the old Pentium 4 has 65 known errors and Intel have no plans for correcting them either.

With the news yesterday that Apple is shipping it’s first round of Intel Macs, some fans were happy to finally be able to dual-boot into Windows or Mac OS X. But it seems that won’t be possible. With the switch to Intel processors, Apple has moved from Open Firmware to EFI, which is an updated BIOS specification developed by Intel.

Intel initially deployed EFI as part of its Itanium architecture. As such, Microsoft only included support for the BIOS replacement in its IA64 and later x64 operating systems. While Microsoft plans to add EFI support in 32-bit versions of Windows Vista, a final release isn’t due until the end of the year.

But there also goes the massive opportunity of users locked into using Windows but wanting to use Apple hardware. Unlucky.

Mac fans have gone wild about the latest ad from Apple showing their move to Intel, but the ad seems to have had the opposite effect with Intel. The voiceover during the ad proclaims: “Intel chips have been trapped inside PCs - dull little boxes, dutifully performing dull little tasks. Now the Intel processor will finally be set free.” Of course, that’s not exactly the way Intel would put it. “Never would we characterize our customers that way,” Intel Vice President Deborah Conrad said in an interview with Cnet. But Intel do hope that “this innovation engine kind of picks up ” and they’d be happy for the world to be rid of beige. Also, Paul Otellini dressed in the bunny suit, it was Steve’s idea

AppleInsider claims that according to “reliable sources”, Apple has contracted out the motherboard design for the next-generation PowerMac to Intel. According to the site, Apple has its current resources spread so far across the planned Intel iMacs, PowerBooks, iBooks and Mac minis that outsourcing the PowerMac motherboard design may help them keep a targeted ship date of the 3rd quarter of 2006 for the next-generation PowerMac. The design is expected to take place within the Intel Apple-Group which was quietly formed in November. Outsourcing PowerMac motherboard design to Intel may have some interesting consequences regarding control and exclusivity of the design. As well, it exposes the PowerMac designs outside of Apple, which could be a source of future leaks. Of course, the PowerMac case design will remain under Apple’s control.