Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited by Dan Knight
- 2006.03.09
This Week's Macintel News
Just how fast is the Intel-based Mac mini? Macs Only tells all -
and for those who don't find dual 1.83 GHz performance fast enough,
Xtreme Systems explains how to drop in a 2.16 GHz CPU. Macworld
dissects the new mini, and there are rumors that Apple could go AMD
in two years.
Intel has announced a lot of new/forthcoming CPUs. All this and
more in this week's news roundup.
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.
The Macintel Transition
Intel News
The Macintel Transition
Core Solo Mac mini Upgraded with 2.16 GHz Core
Duo
xtremesystems.org Fugger says:
"I picked up an Apple Mini
Mac for $599 and Fry's Electronics today. It was the low end
unit with plans to swap out some of the guts for a mega upgrade
that would be an unavailable configuration from Apple.
"For those with access to Yonah chips or prefer to purchase from
an online retailer but did not have a platform to run it on, this
is very cool interim machine to check out.
"The motherboard is an Intel Napa. It uses SODIMM and supports
up to 2 GB of DDR2 ram. It also run in dual channel mode as
long as you keep DIMM's matched.
"You have no ability to manually adjust memory timing but it
will uphold SPD information like a champ.
"I did some research into breaking the Apple spirit and getting
windows operational and I know it will be possible based on depth
of Apple protection."
- Link: Apple
Core Solo to Core Duo Upgrade
How Fast Is 1.66 GHz Mac mini Core Duo?
Macs Only's Bill Fox says:
"We hoped Apple would release a Mac mini that could replace our
workhorse Mac, an aging and highly upgraded Power Mac G4 Cube. The original Mac mini
didn't make the grade as it proved to be just the rough equivalent
to our Cube according to our speed tests. When Apple released the
new Mac mini Core Duo last week, we thought that Apple had answered
our wish even though we had hoped for 1.83 GHz rather than 1.66 GHz
and for a graphics system closer to the iMac Core Duo's. We ordered
one on Wednesday and it arrived on Friday.
"We ordered the $799 1.66 GHz Core Duo model completely stock,
including the 512 MB of RAM despite a nagging feeling that it just
might need more. We felt it might need more RAM because it will be
running Microsoft Office 2004, Adobe Photoshop Elements and iVisit
in Rosetta, the Power PC emulation software, and Rosetta runs best
with lots of RAM. In addition, the Mac mini Core Duo's graphics
system 'takes' 64 MB of the 512 MB system RAM. But we first wanted
to see how well the Mac mini Core Duo would perform with the base
level 512 MB of RAM."
- Link: New
1.66 GHz Mac mini Core Duo - How Fast Is It?
Inside the Intel Mac mini
Macworld's Jason Snell reports:
"Our first Intel-based Mac minis have arrived, straight from the
Apple Store, and what was the first thing the cold, cruel alien
intellects at Macworld did with one of these innocents? That's
right. We got out our putty knife, popped it open, and spilled its
guts out faster than you could say 'CSI!'
"So before we get started, be sure you've read our clever list
of things you need to know about this new machine. You might even
want to read my first take on the new Mac mini (hint: I'm excited
about its use in a home theater set-up), or hear me yammer on about
it in our latest podcast.
"All set? Okay, without further ado, here's an extremely quick
tour around the patient's insides."
- Link:
Opening Up the Intel Mac mini
Half of Apple Line Runs Intel
WebProNews' David A. Utter reports:
"Amid all the excitement over Apple CEO Steve Jobs' announcement
of a new Mac mini and the iPod Hi-Fi, many missed one bit of news
about Apple's transition to Intel processors....
"Lost in the hype and subsequent disappointment expressed by
those covering the event was a statement from an Apple executive
included in a press release. He noted how quickly Apple has shifted
half of its product line away from the PowerPC platform:
"'With the new Mac mini, Apple has now moved 50 percent of its
entire product line to Intel within 60 days-a record transition,'
said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide
Product Marketing...."
- Link:
Apple: 50 Percent of Line Runs Intel
Apple to Go AMD in 2 Years?
SvenOnTech says:
"Apple was in talks with AMD nearly two years ago, just before
the Intel talks began. The reason for leaving AMD for Santa Clara's
famed company was the issue of power consumption on notebook
computers. AMD's was, and is, a drain on power while Intel wasn't.
Yet in every other facet, AMD excels over Intel. When AMD releases
its lower power hungry notebook chip, guess what? Apple will go
Intel."
- Link: Apple
to Go AMD in Two Years?
Intel News
Under Pressure from AMD, Intel Touts New
Chips
Reuters' Scott Hillis reports:
"Intel Corp. on Tuesday touted a new line of more efficient
microprocessors, seeking to bring some sparkle back to a product
stable that has come under assault from rival Advanced Micro
Devices Inc.
"Acknowledging that the world's top chipmaker is 'under
tremendous competitive pressure,' Chief Technology Officer Justin
Rattner said the company was reversing a trend of making chips that
guzzle more electricity.
"Rattner was speaking at the start of Intel's twice-annual
developers' forum in San Francisco, an important venue for the
technology bellwether to showcase new products."
- Link: Under
Pressure from Rival, Intel Touts New Chips
Intel Announces 3 New Dual-core Processors
IDG News Service Ben Ames
"Announcing it had found a way to strike a new balance between
power and performance, Intel Corp. on Tuesday said it would release
three new dual-core processors in coming months.
"They include Merom for mobile platforms, Conroe for desktops
and Woodcrest for servers, said Justin Ratner, Intel's chief
technology officer. He spoke at the Santa Clara, Calif. company's
Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco.
"All three share a design called Intel Core Microarchitecture,
which combines the energy efficiency of the company's Pentium M and
Core Duo processors with the high performance of its Pentium 4 and
Xeon products."
- Link: Intel
Announces Three New Dual-core Processors
Intel's New 'Core' Could Gore AMD
The Register's Ashlee Vance reports:
"IDF Intel today worked hard to convince anyone who would listen
that AMD's performance advantage has come to an end. A new
processor architecture stretching across its mobile, desktop and
server lines will deliver better overall performance and better
performance per watt than AMD's rival products. And this
performance edge is coming 'sooner than you think.'
"Intel has been on the defensive since 2004 due to a series of
chip cancellations, delays and failures to advance its processor
technology at the same rate as AMD. The chip giant, however, would
never admit to such failings in public, insisting instead that all
was fine.
"This week's Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco cracked
Intel's vow of silence as officials conceded that past products
didn't not address power consumption issues as well as they should
have. In addition, Intel confessed to falling behind AMD's Opteron
on numerous benchmarks. (Intel has never discussed its miscues with
64-bit extensions and dual-core server processor delivery, but two
out of four ain't bad.)
"Intel plans to eradicate any failings with its new 'Core'
microarchitecture. This chip design builds on the devices created
by Intel's mobile processor team in Israel. Intel will extend the
performance per watt advantages seen in its mobile chips (Pentium
M) to the desktop and server markets where AMD currently holds a
clear lead."
- Link: Intel's
New 'Core' Could Gore AMD
Intel's Gelsinger Talks Virtualization,
Quad-Core
eWeek's Jeffrey Burt reports:
"As Intel prepares to roll out the next generations of
processors based on its new Core Architecture, officials are
commenting on what the company is doing to enhance such areas as
hardware-level virtualization and quad-core chips.
"Speaking here at the Intel Developer Forum on March 7, Pat
Gelsinger, senior vice president and general manager of Intel's
Digital Enterprise Group, demonstrated both server and desktop
systems running early versions of the company's quad-core
processors, which are due next year."
- Link: Intel's
Gelsinger Talks Shop on Virtualization, Quad-Core
Power, Performance at the Core of Future Intel
Chips
eWeek's John G. Spooner reports:
"SAN FRANCISCO-Attention to power consumption has formed the
core of a new generation of Intel chips coming out later this
year.
"Justin Rattner, Intel's chief financial officer, kicked off the
company's spring Developer Forum here March 7 by taking the wraps
off some of the features behind the chip maker's Core
Microarchitecture. Core Microarchitecture, otherwise known as Next
Generation Microarchitecture, is a redesign of the circuitry that
underpins Intel's entire chip line. It not only delivers
double-digit performance gains across desktops, notebooks and
servers, but it will also help deliver double-digit cuts in power
consumption, Rattner said. Intel first discussed it last
August."
- Link: Power,
Performance at the Core of Future Intel Chips
Intel Invests $300 Million to Build
First Semiconductor Assembly and Test Facility in Vietnam
PR: Intel Corporation has announced it will invest $300
million (US) to build a semiconductor assembly and test facility in
Ho Chi Minh City. This represents the first such investment by the
semiconductor industry in Vietnam and supports Intel's strategy to
invest to support overall demand. Construction of this facility
will begin immediately.
"We applaud the progress the country has made in building up
their technology infrastructure and the support of education
programs to advance the capabilities of the local workforce," said
Intel Chairman Craig Barrett. "Intel looks forward to working with
the government and public sector in Vietnam to grow their
technology capabilities and competitiveness."
The latest addition to the global network of assembly and test
facilities will supplement Intel's existing activities in Southeast
Asia. As part of Intel's digital ASEAN (d-ASEAN) program, the
company continues to work on the development of a stronger digital
workforce, integrating technology into education and government, as
well as making technology more accessible for business and
consumers.
This new facility is part of Intel's worldwide expansion of
production capacity. By the end of 2006, the company plans to
invest over $6 billion worldwide for capital additions. When
completed, the Vietnam facility will be the seventh assembly site
of Intel's global network and is projected to eventually employ
about 1200 people. Other sites include Penang and Kulim, Malaysia;
Cavite, Philippines; Chengdu and Shanghai, China; and San Jose,
Costa Rica.
- Link: Intel
