Yonah to Launch in January, New Macs to Follow?, Widescreen iBook Rumors, and More

This Week's Macintel News

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 desktops news is covered in The Mac News Review. iPod news is covered in The iPod News Review.

Macintel Launch Reports

• Apple May Speed Macintel Deployment
• Apple Readies 13" Widescreen Intel iBook
• Jobs May Unveil Intel Macs Early

News, Analysis, and Opinion

• Yonah Launch Date Confirmed
• Macintel Transition Special Report
• Apple May Expand Mac Product Range with Intel
• Apple Starting to Shine for Intel
• OmniGraffle Ready for Upcoming Intel-based Macs

Other Intel News

• Intel, AMD Tout Chip Performance Gains
• Indium/Antimony Compound Boosts Chip Performance
• Intel, AMD Working Toward the Power of Four

Macintel Launch Reports

Apple May Speed Macintel Deployment

Donna Fuscaldo of Dow Jones Newswires reports:

"Apple Computer Inc. could unveil a Macintosh computer running on Intel Corp. (INTC) chips as early as the first quarter of 2006, according to American Technology Research.

"Shaw Wu, an analyst at American Technology, said in a research report issued Dec. 9 that one of Apple's computers, based on Intel's architecture, could be available in the first quarter, ahead of expectations."

Link: Apple May Speed Up Intel Deployment

Apple Readies 13" Widescreen Intel iBook

The Register's Tony Smith reports:

"Another day, another Intel-based Mac launch progress rumour. The latest points to a widescreen iBook, to surface 'early next year'.

"So suggest sources cited by Apple-watching website Think Secret. Their take on the situation: Apple will deliver a widescreen iBook with a 13.3in, 1280 x 720 display."

Link: Apple Readies '13.3in Widescreen Intel iBook'

Jobs May Unveil Intel Macs Early

Bloomberg News's Connie Guglielmo and Ian King report:

"Apple Computer Inc. may introduce Macintosh personal computers with Intel Corp. (INTC) chips in January, six months earlier than planned.

"Seven analysts, including Citigroup Inc.'s Richard Gardner, expect Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs to unveil the systems at Macworld Expo next month, instead of waiting until June.

"They cited unidentified industry sources and declined to say whether they received the information from Apple or Intel employees."

Link: Apple, Jobs May Unveil Intel Macs Early

News, Analysis, and Opinion

Yonah Launch Date Confirmed

CoolTechZone.com's Varun Dubey reports:

"We recently got in touch with a few Intel Corp. partners and learned that the much anticipated processor from Intel, codenamed Yonah, is expected to debut early next year on January 6th. [Editor's note: That's just one week before Macworld Expo begins.]

"The launch venue is expected to be India....

"Intel's Yonah is a dual-core chip based on the 65nm fabrication process. Yonah will also mark the first launch with Intel's new strategy in place - performance per watt."

Link: Intel Yonah Launch Date Confirmed - Report

Macintel Transition Special Report

MacFixIt says:

"As Apple's move to Intel processors draws near, developers large and small are rallying their efforts in an attempt to deliver Universal Binary (able to execute on both PowerPC and Intel processors) applications before, or as the first x86-based Macs are brought to market.

"We spoke with a number of small to mid-sized developers who have already made the transition, already offering their applications in Universal Binary form. Most indicated an easier-than-expected re-compilation, though some problems cropped up along the way.

"Many applications a simple re-compile Applications written in Cocoa without Carbon hooks, legacy code from the 68K to PowerPC transition and a lack of PowerPC-specific optimization routines generally determine very facile transition requirements."

Link: Mac OS X Intel Transition Special Report

Apple May Expand Mac Product Range with Intel

Macworld UK's Jonny Evans says:

"Apple may well ship Intel-powered PowerBooks, iBooks, Mac minis and Xserves before upgrading its other products, an analyst believes.

"American Technology Research analyst Shaw Wu believes the power management features built-in to Intel processors should help Apple deliver better products, particularly notebooks. He also suggests Apple may leverage the new architecture to manufacture a range of new products for new markets."

Link: Apple May Expand Product Range Post-Intel

Apple Starting to Shine for Intel

Forbes' Chris Kraeuter reports:

"Intel didn't have much to add to the great holiday-demand debate on late Thursday, as it predicted only a seasonal sales uptick and stated the quarter has proceeded pretty much as expected thus far. But there is a bright spot: excitement about Apple Computer joining the company's customer ranks is growing.

"A rejuvenated Apple, buoyed by the success of its iPod music player, is expected to start building computer systems using Intel's microprocessors sometime next year. Speculation is that actual machines will be previewed in early January. Both companies will headline events kicking off the year....

"The possible emergence of a hot new market segment next year - such as Intel-powered Apple computers with mass-market appeal - would provide a much-needed growth outlet. Apple sales during its fiscal year ended in September rose 68%, and the company's shares have been red hot, more than doubling during 2005 to $74.

"On Thursday, Andy Bryant, Intel's chief financial officer, declined to say whether the company is shipping its chips to Apple already, but he did predict a benefit next year. 'We do believe the Apple business, whatever level we get, will help us grow in our market-share segment goals,' he said, adding later that he expects to see 'noticeable revenue in 2006 from [Apple].'"

Link: Apple Starting to Shine for Intel

OmniGraffle Ready for Upcoming Intel-based Macs

Architosh Staff report:

"The Omni Group, developers of the award-winning OmniGraffle and OmniGraffle Professional drawing and technical diagramming applications, yesterday announced the latest release of those products to version 4.1. This latest update readies the applications for compatibility with future Apple Macintosh computers based on Intel processors.

"Apple has not officially announced the availability of any Intel-based Mac computers, but the company stated last spring that by June of 2006, Apple would be introducing its first Intel-based Macs. However, there has been wide-spread speculation that the company is far ahead of schedule, leaving many analysts to predict that Steve Jobs may introduce Intel-based portable computers at Macworld Expo in early January."

Link: First Technical Drawing Program Readied for Upcoming Intel-based Macs

Other Intel News

Intel, AMD Tout Chip Performance Gains

eWeek's John G. Spooner reports:

"Advanced Micro Devices Inc. and IBM are intentionally introducing strain into their chip-making partnership.

"The two companies on Tuesday detailed some of their work in developing new chip manufacturing techniques that will boost transistor performance, yet help limit power consumption, in chips with circuits knitted together at the 65-nanometer level and below."

Link: Intel, AMD Tout Chip Performance Gains

Indium/Antimony Compound Boosts Chip Performance

eWeek's John G. Spooner reports:

"Intel Corp. is trying out new material in an effort to boost chip performance in the next decade.

"Researchers at the Santa Clara, Calif., chip maker have made strides in replacing silicon - which for decades has been the backbone of chip manufacturing - with a compound semiconductor made from a blend of the elements Indium and Antimony."

Link: Intel Research Shows Compound Boosts Chip Performance

Intel, AMD Working Toward the Power of Four

eWeek's John G. Spooner reports:

"The race is on to produce four-core processors for PCs.

"Intel Corp., which is readying a bevy of dual-core chips for release in systems in the next month, is already plotting a move to quad cores, which some reports have said could come as soon as early 2007.

"Thus the two main PC processor manufacturers, Intel and its rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc., appear to be working toward the same goal of doubling the number of cores their processors can offer customers during 2007."

Link: Intel, AMD Believe in the Power of Four

More Mac News

PowerBook, iBook, and other portable computing news is covered in The 'Book Review. General Apple and Mac desktops news is covered in The Mac News Review. iPod news is covered in The iPod News Review.