Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited by Dan Knight
- 2005.08.18
This Week's Mac-on-Intel News
Low End
Mac has standardized on Macintel as our official informal label
for the forthcoming OS X on Intel Macintosh computers,
although you'll probably find just as many people calling them
"Mactels". Whatever we call them, Apple's decision to switch to
Intel CPUs means we live in very interesting times.
PowerBook, iBook, and other portable computing news is covered
in The 'Book Review. General
Apple and Mac desktop news is covered in The Mac News Review. iPod news is covered
in The iNews Review.
OS X for Intel Unlocked
News, Analysis, and Opinion
Tech Developments
OS X for Intel Unlocked
This week's big story - OS X for Intel has been
hacked to run on standard Wintel PCs. For Low End Mac's take on
this development, see Why OSx86 Is
Good for Apple. Also, according to
Slashdot, Apple has served a legal notice to MacBidouille, a
French website that published information on the hack.
OS X for Intel Cracked, Running on PC
Hardware
buildyourownmac.com's pualo says:
"The TPM requirement in Rosetta has been cracked, and all of the
other problems worked around. Several people have now reported that
they are running OS X successfully under both VMware and real
PC hardware.
"Performance is reportedly good, with the machines running
stably. HardMac has a couple of good reports, including videos of
the system in use...."
Pirated Version of OS X for PCs Available
IDG News Service's Tom Krazit reports:
"Instructions on how to install Apple Computer's Mac OS X
operating system on any PC with a chip from Intel or Advanced Micro
Devices were posted to the Internet this week, and they could be
found on several Web sites today.
"Apple announced in June that Mac OS X will run on Intel's x86
architecture chips starting in 2006. The Cupertino, California,
company has been working on a version of Mac OS X for Intel's
chips since 2000, even though Macs currently use PowerPC chips from
IBM and Freescale Semiconductor. Apple Chief executive Officer
Steve Jobs told developers that a switch was necessary to take
advantage of the low-power chips Intel is expected to release in
the future.
"At the time, Apple executives insisted that Mac OS X would only
run on x86 chips used in Apple-developed hardware. Intel PCs
distributed to Apple developers with the x86 version of Mac
OS X used a security chip to prevent developers from copying
Mac OS to other Intel PCs, according to several reports this week
from Mac enthusiast sites."
Hackers Unlock PC Version of Mac OS X
Web Pro News' David Utter reports:
"Several sources dedicated to all things Macintosh have cited
reports of the Mac OS X being modified to work on any
Intel-based PC.
"It's a good thing iTunes and iPod have been propelling
Cupertino-based computing legend Apple to record profitability. Mac
hardware sales may take a slight hit in the future when Apple
completes its transition to using Intel processors in its PCs.:
Hacks Allow OS X on PCs
Wired's Mark Baard reports:
"Imagine if your next Mac cost you only $300, and ran faster
than any G4 or G5 you've ever used.
"That future may already be unfolding: Hackers have found a way
to bypass a chip designed to prevent the Mac OS from running on
non-Apple PCs, which are often cheaper than Macs."
OS X for Intel Hacked, Runs on Any PC
TechWeb News reports:
"Mac enthusiast sites reported Friday that Apple Computer's
operating system for Intel-based computers, which is currently in
the hands of developers, has both been leaked to the Internet and
cracked so that it will run on non-Apple hardware.
"In early June, Apple's chief executive Steve Jobs announced
that starting in 2006, the company's Macintoshes will be equipped
with Intel microprocessors rather than the current PowerPC chips
produced by IBM.
"Although Apple has been vague about whether other operating
systems - such as Microsoft's Windows - will run on the new
hardware (it has, however, said it will not sell or support other
OSes), it was adamant about preventing its own Mac OS X from
running on non-Apple computers.
"That may be more difficult than Apple thought."
Mac OS X 10.4.1 x86 on VMware 5 and Native
xplodenet.com's xplOde says:
"This is the most simple guide to installing Mac OS x86, it
looks longer because its very simple if you can browse the Internet
and check e-mail you can do this! I made this guide so that more
people are able to do this without asking 100 questions during the
process by following other guides. This will work on ANY x86 CPU
with SSe2 or SSe3 and here is a screenshot (on VMware) and a Video
(from native install) on AMD Athlon 64 3200+ oc'd to 3800+, Asus
A8N Sli Deluxe, 1 GB ocz RAM. The Instructions in green are
for Native installation on your computer and blue for VMware
installation. So for native installation follow everything except
blue and for VMware follow everything except green, just to make
things clear. The reason VMware is required for native installation
because it is the only way we can move the content from PearPC
Installation HD Image to the actual physical Hard Disk. Warning: If
you choose to install it native on your computer, there are less
chances of it working since every computer is different and this OS
is intended for one specific OS so I recommend installing it on
VMware first. After VMware Installation you can install Darwin on
Physical HD using VMware and just proceed to Step #9 5th command in
white color."
Just Ignore the Hackers
Gene Steinberg, the Mac Night Owl, writes:
"The news is spreading like wildfire. Hackers have found a way
to make the developer's version of Mac OS X for Intel run on
vanilla PC boxes. The stories claim that this proves that Apple
won't be able to lock the genie in the bottle. The implication here
is that Apple might as well own up to the reality of the situation
and simply release Mac OS X as an operating system upgrade for
all x86 computers."
News, Analysis, and Opinion
Trusted Computing: Don't Worry
Gene Steinberg, the Mac Night Owl, writes:
"Before we go any further, I want to make it perfectly clear
that I am quite disinterested in those unofficial reports about
alleged 'Trusted Computing' hardware on the test Macintels
developers have leased from Apple. A host of paranoid speculation
has arisen out of such reports, that Apple is going to impose
onerous digital rights management requirements that will allow them
to know what software you're running, what music you're playing and
any other conspiracy theory you can devise."
A Clue to What Apple Is Waiting For?
Gene Steinberg, the Mac Night Owl, writes:
"The predictions so far as to what chips will find their way
into the first Macs with Intel Inside have been based on what's
known about current and future products. But that information
appears poised for a huge change, and it's a change that may
provide a significant clue as to one of the main reasons Apple is
making the switch."
Tech Developments
Chipsets Today and Tomorrow
Extreme Tech takes an in-depth look at what has transpired and
what is to come from such major manufacturers as AMD, Intel, Via,
Nvidia, ATI and others.
Intel to Detail New Chips at
Conference
CNET News.com's Michael Kanellos reports:
"Intel plans to provide details on a new generation of multicore
processors at its semiannual developer conference in two weeks -
and in the process highlight how its chip families are coming back
together.
"The new chips will start to emerge in the second half of 2006
and sport, among other attributes, greater energy efficiency and
better manageability, according to sources familiar with the
company's plans. The chips are code-named Merom (for notebooks),
Conroe (for desktops) and Woodcrest (for servers)."
Intel's Dual-Core Yonah Roadmap
Laptop Logic reports:
"Intel's dual-core Pentium M successor 'Yonah' will ship at 1.67
GHz, 1.84 GHz, and 2.17 GHz when it debuts early next year in
2006...."
Intel Cuts P4 Prices
eWeek reports:
"Intel Corp. over the weekend cut prices on its 64-bit line of
desktop processors.
"The Santa Clara, Calif., chip maker reduced the cost of its
five single-core Pentium 4 6xx chips from 20.15 percent to 33.72
percent."
More Mac News
PowerBook, iBook, and other portable computing news is covered
in The 'Book Review. General
Apple and Mac desktop news is covered in The Mac News Review. iPod news is covered
in The iNews Review.
