Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited by Dan Knight
- 2006.04.20
This Week's Macintel News
Lots of Boot Camp coverage this week, but first some news on the
Intel front. Intel will be cutting prices on Core Duo processors on
May 28, so we may see Macintel price reductions shortly thereafter.
Also, Intel has begun shipping slower single-core CPUs in Japan.
These 1.4-1.7 GHz CPUs could show up in iBook replacements.
All is not well on the Boot Camp front. There are reports of
serious crashes and Macs turned permanently into Windows PCs -
shudder. There are also several step-by-step tutorials on how to
avoid the problem.
As for Windows viruses and other malware, unless Windows somehow
mounts the Mac partition, it should be virtually impossible for a
Mac running Win XP via Boot Camp to see any damage to the Mac side.
Whew!
There are also more developments with Parallels Workstation,
which we believe is a vastly superior alternative to Boot Camp,
since it doesn't require restarting one operating system to use the
other.
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.
Macintel News
Boot Camp News
Parallels Workstation News
Intel News
Macintel News
Core Duo Price Drop May 28, So Wait Until June
to Buy Macintel
So advises the Inquirer:
"If the thought of buying a Core Duo Apple machine that can boot
Windows XP is making you itchy to go buy one, hold your horses.
"The price of Intel Core Duo chips is set to plummet on the 28th
of May, and there's faster chips coming along anyroadmap. Those
include the 2.33 GHz T2700, but this is only the start of better
things from Chipzilla later this year."
The article details price cuts.
- Link: Wait
Until June Before You Buy Your Macinteltosh?
Single-Core 1.4-1.7 GHz 'Yonah' Celeron
Ships in Japan
The Register's Tony Smith reports:
"Intel's as-yet-unannounced Celeron M 4xx series - the first
budget-priced processors derived from the chip maker's 'Yonah' core
- have gone on sale in Japan, according to local news sources.
"As Reg Hardware exclusively revealed in January, Intel is
preparing a trio of single-core Yonah-based Celeron Ms: the 410,
420 and 430, clocked at 1.46, 1.60 and 1.73 GHz, respectively. All
three are fabbed at 65nm, contain 1 MB of L2 cache and support
a 533 MHz frontside bus clock frequency."
Editor's note: These CPUs could appear in iBook replacements and
perhaps in lower-cost Mac minis as well. dk
- Link: 'Yonah'
Celeron M 420, 430 Ship in Japan
Another Macintel Consequence: Shorter Product
Cycles
ZD Net blogger Paul Murphy says:
"There are millions of iMacs still in use - my mother in law,
for example, has one we helped her get in, I think, 98 or 99 and
uses it every day for email, recipes, internet access, and some
Bridge games she's fond of.
...older gear continues to work, the long
product life cycle discourages early product replacement, and most
Mac users have only one computer.
"Her iMac is part of an important underground Macintosh
phenomenon: Apple may only get a bit more than 3% of new sales
dollars, but it has something in the range of 12% to 15% of total
users. There are three closely related reasons for this: older gear
continues to work, the long product life cycle discourages early
product replacement, and most Mac users have only one computer.
"In the PC world new generations come along about every six
months to a year. As a result the typical home user accumulates
several machines while corporate evergreen policies usually aim to
refresh the desktop every 18 months for power users and every 24 to
30 months for people perceived to have more limited needs.
"In contrast the PPC Macs now being phased out in favor of the
Mactel line have had a marketing life ranging from five years for
the PowerBooks and G5s to two years for the mini.
"One of the effects of Mactel is that this traditional longer
product cycle for the Mac will be going away: a decision to use PC
chipsets and architectures is also a decision to adopt the PC
lifecycle.
"As a result that long term Mac user phenomenon will be wiped
out, shrinking the aftermarket for Mac upgrades and software in the
short term, and bringing Apple's usage share down to its market
share in the longer term."
Editor's note: My daughter is still happily running OS X on a
pair of G3 iMacs - 450 MHz and an
original Bondi Blue 233 MHz unit.
My wife's workhorse is a 233 MHz
PowerBook running OS 9.2.2, and I'm typing this on a 700 MHz G3 iBook, today also running OS
9.2.2, which is lightning-fast on this machine. cw
Other editor's note: I'm very happily running OS X on a 2002
dual 1 GHz Power Mac G4 as I type
this into Claris Home Page using Classic mode. My other workhorse
is a 2004 1.25 GHz eMac, and
when in the field, my 2001 PowerBook
G4/400 is still an adequate performer under Tiger, although
it's about due for replacement with something faster.
The Low End Mac philosophy remains finding enough Mac for your
needs and sticking with it until you have a compelling reason to
buy a newer one - and then comparing new to refurbished and used to
make the smartest buying decision. dk
- Link: Another Mactel
Consequence
Gartner: XP Won't Expose Macs to Viruses
ZD Net Australia's Munir Kotadia reports:
"Any talk of Apple's Boot Camp software exposing the company's
operating system to security risks is just hype and should be
ignored, according to analyst firm Gartner.
"In an advisory published on Gartner's website last week,
research VP Michael Silver said administrators should ignore any
suggestions that Apple's move to Intel processors will expose the
system to security vulnerabilities.
"Silver said in the advisory: 'All users should ignore any hype
about the possibility of exposing the Mac OS to more viruses or
worms. The Mac software will be located on another partition within
a different file system; thus, running Windows on a Mac will not
expose the Mac software to more malware.'"
- Link: XP
Won't Expose Macs to Viruses, Says Gartner
Apple's Original Boot Camp Installation
Instructions
HUMOR ALERT
The Lite Side's Jeff Adkins says:
"Was it just me, or did anyone else catch those little jabs at
Windows on the Boot Camp installation page? 'If your computer
becomes infected, well, what did you expect?' and so on.
"Well, we know that the folks over at Apple actually wanted to
say a lot more than that, so we rooted around in the trash at the
Jack-in-the-Box closest to Apple HQ in Cupertino until we
found...."
- Link: Apple's Original Boot Camp
Installation Instructions
Boot Camp News
Boot Camp Users Report Serious Crashes
A News.com report says:
"Over on the Apple.com discussion boards, a number of people are
reporting that Boot Camp - Apple's new beta software that allows
Intel-based Mac owners to install Windows XP - is causing some
serious problems.
"To be precise, the common crisis is that after partitioning
their hard drives and installing Windows XP - which seems to work
fine - these people find they can no longer boot back into
OS X."
- Link:
Boot Camp Users Reporting Serious Crashes
Boot Camp 'Has Permanently Turned Their Macs
into PCs'
Techworld.com's Matthew Broersma reports:
"Some Mac users are reporting problems with Apple's Boot Camp,
the software that lets Intel-based Macs run Windows. Ironically,
some users have said been stuck with Windows, with their hardware
left unable to reboot the Mac OS.
"In a discussion thread on Apple's technical support Web site,
more than a dozen users reported that Boot Camp successfully
partitioned their hard drive and allowed them to install a working
version of Windows, but then would no longer allow them to switch
back."
- Link: Users
Find Flaw in Boot Camp - Some Users Report that Apple's Software
Has Permanently Turned Their Macs into PCs
Boot Camp Is a Smart Gimmick
CNET News.com's Charles Cooper says:
"Some folks would have liked nothing better than to marry the
Macintosh off to the PC world right from the start.
"In 1985
Dayna Communications came out with something it called the
MacCharlie
(right). This contraption was an expansion box that fit around the
Mac so you could run PC and Mac software. The PR at the time
trumpeted how users could now enjoy the best of both worlds. But it
was an expensive gimmick that caused the system to run like
molasses. Even worse, it cost more than a thousand dollars.
"Third-party vendors came up with software emulators that marked
a considerable step up in terms of performance. Still, it was akin
to eating chocolate mousse with gauze lining your mouth: The taste
just wasn't right. Under John Sculley, Apple Computer launched a
project to port the Mac operating system to the Intel 486 board.
But the plug got pulled after Michael Spindler took over as CEO in
1993....
"Doubtless many people still refuse to buy the Mac because of a
reluctance to give up certain prized applications that run only on
Windows. So it was this week that Apple took matters into its own
hands with the introduction of Boot Camp, a Windows utility that
lets users of Intel-powered Macs run Windows. The download, which
is free and, so far, glitch-free, ignited a veritable media scrum.
For good reason. On the surface, it's a can't-lose
proposition....
"Boot Camp was a stroke of genius. Period.
"Apple's not endorsing Windows. It's endorsing the idea of
Windows running on a machine that it sells.
"But dare I say this aloud? Boot Camp is a gimmick. A smart
gimmick but a gimmick nonetheless."
- Link: Dare
I Say This Aloud? Boot Camp Is a Gimmick
Bunk Camp: Apple Gets It Wrong
CNET.com.au's Asher Moses says:
"Today's commentary piece by Charles Cooper, an editor for
CNET.com.au sister site CNET News.com, sparked some interesting
debate down here in the CNET bunker. Cooper believes that the
ultimate result of Apple's new Boot Camp software will see a raft
of current Windows XP users making the jump to Mac OS X. He
argues that since Windows users now have the opportunity to sample
Apple's fruits without giving up their trusty Windows applications,
many will be tempted to jump ship altogether.
"I think he's missed the boat on this one, and here's why.
Cooper assumes that the existence of Boot Camp alone will be enough
to entice significant numbers of Windows XP-based PC users to shell
out a few grand for a new Mac - now that's wishful thinking! In my
opinion, not many will even bother.
"Dual booting Windows XP and Mac OS X through Boot Camp is
superfluous, as you're forced to reboot each time you switch
between operating systems, and the Windows XP partition can't read
any of the files you've saved under your Mac OS X partition.
So what's the point of it, when I could just stick with my current
Windows XP-based PC and not worry about Mac OS X altogether?
Does OS X really offer any applications that would entice me
to purchase a new Mac and put up with the tedium of Boot Camp? I
doubt it."
- Link:
Bunk Camp: Apple Gets It Wrong
Combatants Meet in Boot Camp
The Charlotte Observer's Mike Drummond reports:
"Depending on how Apple users install Windows, the Mac operating
system may be able to see and use some files from the Windows side
without having to shut down and reboot. This could open the door
for potential mischief.
"Now that new Apple computers can run the rival Windows
operating system, users will be able to run a wider variety of
software - primarily games - from one machine.
"With 'Boot Camp,' software allowing Apple users to switch from
the Macintosh operating system to Windows, consumers no longer will
be locked into an either/or proposition. They can have the Mac OS,
widely regarded as technologically superior, and Windows, which has
far more software titles.
"Once one of the most celebrated rivalries in techdom, the
relationship between Microsoft and Apple has been peaceful for
about a decade. Despite its warfare imagery, Boot Camp is another
bridge. But unlike previous acts of détente, including
Microsoft's 1997 investment in Apple, last week's move has more
potential security risks."
- Link: PC Combatants
Meet in Boot Camp
OS X Essentially Safe from Windows Viruses
The Globe and Mail's Jack Kapica says:
"You can take the PowerPC chip out of the Mac, but you can't
take the fear out of Mac owners.
"The news last week that Apple's Boot Camp software would allow
users to run Windows on its new Intel-based Macs kicked in a
predictable fear that Windows would open Mac users to the wonderful
world of viruses so familiar to Windows owners.
"But it just ain't so. Talk about viruses on Macs is just hype -
or perhaps it comes from the rooted belief, right or wrong, that
Macs are immune to viruses.
"With Boot Camp, Mac software will be located on another
partition on the hard disk within a different file system, so
running Windows on a Mac will not expose the Mac or data on the Mac
side to any malware.
"Case closed? Not really."
- Link:
Apple's Dormant Debate
Windows Vista Boots on Intel Mac
vnunet.com's Robert Jaques reports:
"A member of the OSx86 Project has managed to get a pre-release
version of Windows Vista to boot on an Intel-based Mac.
"'A few weeks ago we launched our tongue-in-cheek contest to
dual-boot Windows Vista on an Intel Mac, but little did we know
that Apple was planning on dropping the Boot Camp news a few days
later,' said contributor 'Mashugly' from the OSx86 Project.
"'Nevertheless, Vista has proved a challenge even with Boot Camp
so we were fairly excited when 'AirmanPika' let us know about his
success with installing and booting Vista.'"
- Link:
Windows Vista Boots on Intel Mac
Settling in with Boot Camp
O'Reilly.net's Kevin Hemenway reports:
"I've been fiddling with Boot Camp on a MacBook Pro 2 GHz since
its release, and I'm ready to settle in: I can just expect games to
work with all their gee-whizardry enabled and the highest
widescreen resolution. Half-Life 2, Dungeon Siege II, Tomb Raider:
Legend, and Oblivion: all working wonderfully. The one question
remains: which of the zillion MMORPGs whose doors are now opened do
I want to explore? (Yes, I play World of Warcraft, and yes, I do so
only under OS X).
"I've given up on the wireless connection for anything but
casual online browsing or downloads (such as small patches) -
various folks have suggested Windows XP's wireless capabilities are
'flaky', and I've no real desire to fix it when I can wire into my
router easily enough. Last night, I started a free trial of
R.O.S.E. Online (which is at least entertaining enough to want me
to play for a second day), and I'm debating City of Villains and
this week's Auto Assault (though, fie!, do I wish there were
demos).
"My final notes on the Boot Camp experience...."
- Link:
Settling in with Boot Camp
Boot Camp Will Start Exodus to
Windows
USA Today columnist Andrew Kantor says:
"The big technology news this past week was Apple's beta release
of Boot Camp - software that allows Windows XP to be installed on
three Macintosh computers. (The ones built with Intel chips,
instead of PowerPCs.) The idea is that people who prefer the Mac
but need to use software that's only available for Windows (and
there's plenty) could have the best of both worlds.
"Today, according to Information Week, the Mac's desktop share
is less than 5%. But Boot Camp, say some people, will overcome that
hurdle and help propel the Mac into the mainstream. Businesses will
buy Macs for their employees, confident they'll be able to run all
the needed applications.
"Gamers, who have pretty much shunned the Mac because the gaming
picks are slim (to say the least), will be able to run those games
on their Mac hardware. In fact, from what I've read, those games
will run pretty darn well, too.
"Could this be the thing that gets Windows users to try the Mac
and, eventually, convert? Wall Street apparently thought so, and
Apple's stock took a jump after the announcement.
"You know what? Boot Camp isn't going to propel the Mac into the
mainstream. If anything, it will get Mac users to switch to
Windows. Sure, it'll be terrific for Mac fans not wanting to give
up their machine of choice but find more and more they need to use
Windows. But Boot Camp doesn't offer any kind of compelling
argument for PC users to buy Mac hardware."
- Link:
Boot Camp Will Start Exodus to Windows
Boot Camp Offers Few Incentives for
Macintosh Users to Use Windows
Mat Boyle says:
"Your Macintosh is now a certified honest-to-god Windows PC. The
Mac Anti-Christ, Windows, can be used on any Mac running an Intel
chip with Apple's new Boot Camp software. I asked myself who would
do such an awful thing to the Mac? It must be Microsoft trying to
sell more copies of Windows XP before they release there new
operating system, Vista, in the fall. Sadly, Bill Gates is not
behind this. Steve Jobs and his apple cronies came up with this
software themselves.
"Running Windows is possible on the Mac is by the new program
Boot Camp. Unlike Microsoft's Virtual PC that runs as a program
inside of OS X, Boot Camp runs before either operating system is
loaded. When the computer is turned on the user will have the
option of running Windows or OS X. Essentially, the new Intel-based
Macs can support Windows on it's own, Boot Camp simply takes care
of most of the leg work involved in the process allowing easy
access for the general consumer. There is no direct swapping
between operating systems. The only way to switch between the two
is to restart the computer. The two operating systems are keep
apart from one another. Each sits on there own hard drive or
partition. So in the likely chance that windows gets a virus all
your Mac files will be safe while your windows files get
ravished.
"To me there is little need for this program, if you bought a
Mac, why would you go back to Windows? OS X is the faster and the
safer choice between the two operating systems. I could see a use
for this in the past when Macs were not very windows compatible.
Since OS X came out Macs are very compatible with windows. As I
write this I'm swapping photos with my friend on a Windows PC,
compatibility not being an issue. In my opinion, a Mac can do
everything faster than a Windows equivalent PC could do."
- Link:
Boot Camp Offers Few Incentives for Macintosh Users to Use
Windows
A Windows Expert's Step-by-step
Instructions for Installing XP on a Mac
Computerworld's Scot Finnie says:
"The Boot Camp installation process is straightforward, but
there are some details, factors and decision points you should be
fully aware of before you take the plunge. Assuming that your Mac
and copy of Windows XP meet the system requirements, that you steer
clear of a couple of gotchas, and that you read these tips, you'll
wind up with a Mac that has two well-adjusted and useful
personalities....
"It may take longer to read about the installation process than
to complete most of its steps. The most time-consuming part is the
lengthy time required by Windows XP's installation routine. On my
2-GHz Core Duo MacBook Pro
with 1 GB RAM and a 5,400-rpm, 120 GB hard drive, Windows XP
Pro's installation took more than 90 minutes - nearly twice as long
as the average time needed for a Windows XP clean installation.
(Some other testers have reported 45-minute XP installation times,
though.) The good news is that's not at all a harbinger of XP's
performance on your Mac. When all is said and done, Windows XP runs
very quickly on Intel-based Macs."
- Link:
Boot Camp: A Windows Expert's Step-by-step Instructions for
Installing XP on a Mac
A Step-by-step Guide to a Pitfall-Free
Installation of Windows XP on a Mac
PR: "When Steve Jobs jumped on stage at Macworld San
Francisco 2006 and announced the new Intel-based Macs, the question
wasn't if, but when someone would figure out a hack to get Windows
XP running on these new 'Mactels.'
"Enter Boot Camp, a new system utility that helps you partition
and install Windows XP on your Intel Mac. Boot Camp does all the
heavy lifting for you. You won't need to open the Terminal and hack
on system files or wave a chicken bone over your iMac to get XP
running. This free program makes it easy for anyone to turn their
Mac into a dual-boot Windows/OS X machine.
"Running Boot Camp guides you step-by-step through the entire
installation process, including upgrading your Mac's Firmware,
creating the Macintosh Drivers CD to make XP work properly with
your Mac's hardware, and using the Boot Camp Assistant to partition
your hard drive and install Windows XP. You'll also learn how to
avoid common pitfalls (such as previously partitioned drives and
wrong disk permissions). And finally, you'll find out which Mac
functions don't work in XP and which XP features backfire on a Mac.
With this invaluable guide at your side, you'll finish configuring
your dual-boot Mac in as little as two hours, avoiding numerous
hazards and annoyances along the way."
PDF Price: US$7.99, C$9.99, £5.95
- Link: Running Boot Camp: A
Step-by-step Guide to a Pitfall-Free Installation of Windows XP on
a Mac
eWeek Labs Go to Boot Camp
eWeek's Jason Brooks says:
"On April 5, Apple strengthened the case for Mac Intel users
switching from OS X to Microsoft's Windows XP, at least some of the
time, with the release of an initial beta of Boot Camp. During
eWeek Labs' tests, the beta software guided us smoothly through the
process of turning an Intel-powered Mac mini into a dual-boot
Windows XP Service Pack 2/OS X 10.4.6 box.
"Even with the limitations of dual booting-and there are
limitations-Boot Camp offers Apple hardware buyers more choices,
and we always welcome more choices. Boot Camp principally
represents a bid by Apple to sell more hardware, but we also
welcome this gesture of openness. If, to boot (no pun intended),
Apple became amenable to allowing OS X to run on non-Apple
hardware, the strategy could go a long way toward improving the
company's case for itself in enterprise IT."
- Link: Snapshot:
eWeek Labs Go to Boot Camp
Parallels Workstation
Parallels Bridges Windows to Mac
The Washington Times' Mark Kellner reports:
"Apple Computer's announcement of Boot Camp, a way to run
Microsoft Corp.'s Windows XP on Apple's Intel-based Macintosh
computers, raises the question: Why run Windows on a Mac?
"The answer is simple: Some programs exist solely on the Windows
platform. Mac users who want access to those applications need
help.
"But there is more than one way to put Windows onto an
Intel-based Mac, it turns out. 'Virtualization software' - such as
the still-in-Beta version 2.1 of Parallels
Workstation, a program
from Herndon, Va.-based Parallels (www.parallels.com) - also can do
the job."
- Link:
Parallels Bridges Windows to Mac
Boot Camp, Parallels Workstation Bridge
Gap Between Windows, Macintosh OS
AP's Robert Weston reports:
"Parallels Workstation's most obvious advantage is its ability
to run both operating systems simultaneously. Most people probably
would rather not restart their computer just because they need to
access an application. The Windows OS runs inside a Mac window and
users can easily and quickly switch back and forth between
operating systems.
"For years, my desk has been cluttered by two computers - one
Macintosh and one PC. It's been an arrangement of necessity, as I
prefer the Mac but sometimes need a Windows machine for work.
"So it was with great interest that I read about Apple
Computer's launch last week of a program allowing newer Intel-based
Macs to boot Microsoft's Windows operating system. A day later,
another company unveiled software that runs Windows in Mac
OS X at nearly full speed.
"In both cases, software emulation isn't required, because the
new Macs share the same hardware brains as Windows PCs Unlike
Microsoft's Virtual PC program that lets some Windows programs run
on my old PowerPC-based Mac, there's no significant performance
hit.
"The major difference between Apple's Boot Camp and Parallels
Software International's Parallels Workstation is that the latter
allows the user to seamlessly switch back and forth between the
systems without restarting. Boot Camp requires a decision at
startup - if you want to run the other OS after that, you need to
reboot."
- Link:
Boot Camp, Parallels Workstation Bridge Gap Between Windows,
Macintosh Operating Systems
Parallels Workstation 2.1b4 for Mac OS
X
PR: Parallels Workstation is not simply a
"dual-boot" solution; rather, it empowers users the ability to use
Windows, Linux and any other operating system at the same time as
Mac OS X, enabling users to enjoy the comfort of their Mac
OS X desktop while still being able to use critical
applications from other OSes.
New in this version:
- Introduced full screen mode
- Introduced dual-monitor support
- Improved real CD/DVD support
- Improved, easier to use interface.
- Better sound support, including a fix for Windows 2000 guest
OS
- Networking kernel panics resolved
- Bridged networking issues fixed
- WiFi networking issues fixed
- Fixed some of the issues encountered when entering "Sleep" mode
when a VM is running
- Many other minor bug fixes
Key Features in Workstation 2.1 for Mac OS X Beta3
- Broad OS Support: Use any version of Windows (3.1, 3.11,
95, 98, Me, 2000, NT, XP, 2003), any Linux distribution, FreeBSD,
Solaris, OS/2, eComStation, or MS-DOS in secure virtual machines
running alongside Mac OS X.
- Great Performance: Driven by full support for dual-core
processors and Intel Virtualization Technology (included in almost
every new Intel-powered Mac), virtual machines created using
Parallels Workstation 2.1 Beta offer near-native performance and
rock-solid stability.
- Unmatched Ease of Use: Download the program and install
it with a single click. Build a virtual machine in seconds using
helpful wizards. Configure virtual machines using a simple
web-inspired interface.
- Works on Any Intel-powered Mac: Any Intel Powered
Macintosh running OS X 10.4.4 or higher is compatible with
Parallels Workstation 2.1.
$39.99 demoware
Participate in this important Beta program! Get your copy of
Parallels Workstation 2.1 Beta3 for Mac OS X now.
