Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited by Dan Knight
- 2006.07.20
This Week's Macintel News
Although Apple continues to develop Boot Camp, they're now selling
Parallels Desktop for Mac at Apple retail stores. Pretty much everyone
who has tried Parallels Desktop seems to prefer it to Boot Camp, since
it lets you run OS X and Windows concurrently.
Intel's new Core 2 processors are getting a lot of press and
impressive benchmark numbers. It's being called the fastest desktop
CPU. And Intel will be rolling our more Core 2 models in coming
months.
Eric Bangeman at ars technica has examined Intel's offerings and
explains why he believes "Woodcrest" (a.k.a. Core 2 Xeon) will power the
pro Macs that will replace the Power Mac line.
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.
Parallels Software Now Available in
Apple Stores
Ars Technica's Clint Ecker reports:
"Parallels' wildly popular and well-reviewed Desktop for Mac
virtualization software for OS X had made
the leap from online distribution into the real world. In a phone
conversation this morning, a company representative stated that
Parallels' desktop software has been made available in at least some
Apple retail stores as early as this past Saturday, July 15th. The
representative also noted that sales were going extremely well with the
SoHo Apple store in NYC selling out of the boxed product on the same
day it hit the shelves. The software will also be available in other
retail electronics stores such as CompUSA, Staples,
Office Depot by
mid-August."
- Link: Parallels
Software Now Available in Apple Stores
Apple Boot Camp 1.0.2 Beta
Released
Apple Boot Camp allows users with a Microsoft Windows
XP installation disc to install Windows XP on an Intel-based Mac
More and more people are buying and loving Macs. To
make this choice simply irresistible, Apple will include technology in
the next major release of Mac OS X, Leopard, that lets you install
and run the Windows XP operating system on your Mac. Called Boot Camp
(for now), you can download a public beta today.
Boot Camp lets you install Windows XP without moving
your Mac data, though you will need to bring your own copy to the
table, as Apple Computer does not sell or support Microsoft Windows.(1)
Boot Camp will burn a CD of all the required drivers for Windows so you
don't have to scrounge around the Internet looking for them.
Once you've completed Boot Camp, simply hold down the
option key at startup to choose between Mac OS X and Windows. (That's
the "alt" key for you longtime Windows users.) After starting up, your
Mac runs Windows completely natively. Simply restart to come back to
Mac.
What you'll need
- Mac OS X Tiger v10.4.6
- The latest Firmware update (check Support Downloads)
- 10 GB free hard disk space
- An Intel-based Mac
- A blank recordable CD
- A printer for the instructions (You'll want to print them before
installing Windows, really.)
- A bona fide installation disc for Microsoft Windows XP, Service
Pack 2, Home or Professional (No multi-disc, upgrade or Media Center
versions.)
Boot Camp lets you install Windows XP without moving
your Mac data, though you will need to bring your own copy to the
table, as Apple Computer does not sell or support Microsoft Windows.(1)
Boot Camp will burn a CD of all the required drivers for Windows so you
don't have to scrounge around the Internet looking for them.
Boot Camp Public Beta provides a straightforward
means of letting your Mac run Windows. Here's how it works:
Space maker. Meet the most elegant hard drive utility
ever.
- First, you need to make sure your Intel-based Mac has the latest
version of Mac OS X and the latest firmware update. These provide
technologies that make Boot Camp possible. It's also wise to print out
the Installation & Setup Guide.
- The Boot Camp burns a CD with the drivers Windows needs to
recognize Mac-specific hardware. It is very important to do this before
starting the Windows installation.
- The software also helps you set aside hard drive space for the
Windows installation, without moving any of your Mac files around. Just
drag the intuitive slider to choose the size that's right for you. Boot
Camp also helps you remove the Windows partition, should you so
desire.
- Next, insert your Windows installation disc, restart and follow the
Windows installation process. The only tricky part is selecting the C:
drive manually. Be sure to get this right, or you could erase your Mac
files accidentally. Remember, Apple Computer does not sell or support
Microsoft Windows.
- After the installation process is complete and your Mac has booted
Windows, you'll need the Macintosh Drivers CD you burned previously.
When you insert the CD, it will automatically install the drivers.
Follow the instructions in the Installation & Setup Guide for
helpful hints.
- Don't forget to follow best practices for updating and protecting
your Windows system (see "Word to the wise" to right).
- 1. You'll need Windows XP Home Edition or Professional, Service
Pack 2 installation disc.
Included Amenities
For your convenience, Boot Camp burns a CD with all
the Mac-specific drivers for Windows:
- Graphics
- Networking
- Audio
- AirPort wireless
- Bluetooth
- The Eject key (on Apple keyboards)
- Brightness control for built-in displays
This CD also installs a Startup Disk control panel
for Windows. To find it, look for Startup Disk in the Performance and
Maintenance section of the Windows XP Control Panel.
System requirements: Mac OS X 10.4.6 or later,
Intel-based Mac, blank recordable CD, purchased copy of Microsoft
Windows XP, Service Pack 2, Home or Professional (No multi-disc,
upgrade or Media Center versions.)
System support: Intel
Free
- Link: Boot
Camp
Woodcrest Likely to Power 'Pro'
Macs
Ars Technica's Eric Bangeman reports:
"With some knowledge about Intel's CPU lineup and an
understanding of how Apple has positioned its pro desktop line for the
past three years, it's time to make some predictions about what we
might see when Steve Jobs lifts the curtain on the G5's successor
machines when the time comes in August.
"Lately, the biggest debate has been over the choice
of CPU. Early on, most bets were on Conroe. It has almost everything
Apple would want in a desktop CPU: it's fast, has a low TDP compared to
the G5, it has 4 MB of L2 cache. The Bad Axe 975 motherboard even
supports FireWire 400. However . . . it doesn't do
multiprocessor.
"The question then follows: in the age of dual-core
CPUs, does a multi-CPU box still make sense? Apple thinks so - look at
the Quad G5. Two CPUs, four cores.
That's a lot of horsepower for applications such as HD video editing,
compositing, rendering, animation, audio editing, and other
processor-intensive tasks.
"Apple is prone to sudden and unexpected changes of
course, but I don't expect one to happen here. Apple will keep a 'God
Box' at the top of its Pro Mac lineup, and I'm all but certain that it
will be another Quad: a four-core, dual-chip machine. In order for that
to happen, that means Woodcrest at the top of the line. That's right,
the next desktop Mac you buy may have a Xeon inside; if it has two of
them, it won't cost much more than the current Quad G5."
- Link: Woodcrest,
Conroe, and the 'Pro' Macs
Core 2 Duo 'Set New High Marks for
Desktop Performance'
Digit's Eric Dahl reports:
"Exclusive tests by Digit's US-based sister magazine
PC World (no relation to the computer retail chain) show that
PCs equipped with Intel's new Core 2 Duo processors, formerly code-named
Conroe, set new high marks for desktop performance - they're the
fastest we've seen by far.
"With this chip line, due to be formally launch on
July 27, Intel decisively reclaims the power desktop crown from
competitor AMD.
"In the WorldBench 5 test suite, Intel's Core 2 Duo
reference system outscored a matching system equipped with AMD's
high-end Athlon 64 FX-62 chip by 17 per cent. They also tested shipping
PCs based on several chips in the Core 2 Duo family, including a
water-cooled, overclocked ABS machine that posted a mark of 181 on our
WorldBench 5 test - the highest WorldBench score we've ever seen."
- Link: First Tests:
Intel's New Core 2 Duo Processors
Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme 'Fastest
Desktop Processor'
The Register's Lars-Göran Nilsson reports:
"It's been a month and ten days since Reg Hardware
previewed Intel's Core 2 Duo processor, but now we have the official,
shipping, ready-to-slap-in-your-PC product. So is it really as good as
the early numbers indicated? Read on, read on....
"To test its new baby, Intel sent out one of its own
D975XBX motherboard with a beta BIOS that adds support for the Core 2
Duo processors. We also received a Core 2 Duo E6700, clocked at 2.66
GHz, and a 2.93 GHz Core 2 Extreme X6800. There was also an ATI Radeon
X1900 XTX and an X1900 CrossFire Edition graphics card in the goodie
box to try and keep the test rig similar to the one Intel provided for
us for the controlled preview t'other month. For comparison, we used
our own 3.6 GHz Pentium D 960. Crucial supplied 2 GB of its latest
Ballistix DDR 2 memory, although the Intel motherboard didn't allow it
to be clocked higher than 800 MHz even though it can reach speeds of
1 GHz. Finally, a Western Digital Raptor X hard drive completed
the system sitting on the Reg Hardware test bench."
- Link: Intel
'Conroe' Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme
Core 2 'Substantially Faster'
ExtremeTech's Loyd Case reports:
"It's been a long time coming.
"Over the past year, the hype machine has been
beating the drum for Intel's new processor architecture. Dubbed
Core, the new architecture is a radical shift for a company that
was once the chief proponent of ramping up CPU frequency. Core 2, the
first desktop product, promises to be faster than the Pentium D series
and even faster than the Athlon 64 FX-62. However, those last tests
weren't completely kosher, as the 'FX-62' was really an overclocked
FX-60 running on DDR400, rather than the DDR2-based FX-62, and they
were done under Intel's supervision.
"Even so, it's been clear from all the leaks,
sanctioned testing, and industry scuttlebutt that Core 2 is fast. But
does it really perform in a wider array of applications than has been
previously leaked or revealed? We'll answer that question shortly."
- Link: The Core 2:
Intel Goes for the Jugular
Core 2 Duo to Star in Long Hello
eWeek's John G. Spooner reports:
"Intel is planning a lengthy introduction for its
Core 2 Duo processors.
"The chip giant is expected to officially roll out
its Core 2 Duo for desktop PCs, otherwise known as 'Conroe,' on July 27
at an event at its headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif.
"At the same event, it will offer more detail on the
arrival of 'Merom,' its Core 2 Duo notebook chip, currently due in
August, sources familiar with the plan said.
"The event, expected to be attended by top executives
from Intel as well as representatives from major PC manufacturers, will
cap off a tumultuous period for the chip maker, which is now counting
on the two new chips to help revitalize its image as provider of
performance chips-while at the same time conducting an internal review
in an effort to become more nimble-and turn around its recent market
share losses to rival Advanced Micro Devices."
- Link: Intel Core 2 Duo
to Star in Long Hello
Intel to Fork 'Conroe'
The Register's Tony Smith reports:
"Intel looks set to fork its 'Conroe' Core 2 Duo
desktop processor line-up in much the same way it's going to split its
'Merom' Core 2 Duo mobile family in two. Recently leaked roadmaps show a
Core 2 Duo E4300 turning up in Q1 2007.
"The Merom split separates out mobile Core 2 Duos with
2 MB of L2 from those with 4 MB of cache. The latter all have
T7xxx model numbers, while the 2 MB versions make up the T5xxx
series. Seven Meroms are expected to be launched on 23 July...."
- Link:
Intel to Fork 'Conroe'
Intel 'Merom' Due July 23?
The Register's Tony Smith reports:
"Intel's pricing plan for 'Merom', its
next-generation architecture mobile Core 2 Duo processor, has leaked out
ahead of the chip family's debut - now apparently scheduled for 23
July."
- Link: Intel
'Merom' Due 23 July?
