Intel Chips:

Apple’s New Core

By The Vann’s Editorial Team

So you may have seen or heard about the commercial announcing Apple’s move to the Intel chip in its computers. It states that for years, the Intel chip has been trapped inside "dull little boxes, dutifully performing dull little tasks, when it could have been doing so much more." The commercial goes on to say that the Intel chip will be set free, and get to live life inside a Mac. After this dig on PC computers, it ends with, "Imagine the possibilities."

It may be easier to image the possibilities after we look at some of the realities of this major change in the makeup of Mac computers.

Why the change?

Apple has been powered by IBM’s PowerPC chips for years, and it appears they’re doing okay, right? Some in the industry think that IBM’s reluctance to expand the number and range of PowerPC chips may have had something to do with it -- that supply issues raised more serious issues for Apple. At any rate, after years of partnering with IBM, it seems the company, when looking into the future, decided that Intel was on a path that would make more sense for the direction Apple wants to take. Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO, said, "Our goal is to provide our customers with the best personal computers in the world, and looking ahead Intel has the strongest processor roadmap by far. It’s been ten years since our transition to the PowerPC, and we think Intel’s technology will help us create the best personal computers for the next ten years." So there you have it, straight from the horse’s mouth.

Why the Intel chip?

It just so happens that Apple is making the leap to Intel processors at the same time Intel is making a leap in mircoprocessor architecture with its Core Duo Processor. It actually consists of two processors built into a single chip. Built using Intel’s 65-nanometer process, the Intel Core Duo features transistors so small, a hundred could fit inside a single human cell. What this means is that electrons have less distance to travel, resulting in higher levels of performance, while actually using fewer watts. This is good news for notebook computer users, who will enjoy longer battery life while still gaining processing power.

With two execution cores, the Intel Core Duo processor is optimized for multi-threaded applications, so you can run graphics-intensive programs and still download music or run other programs in the background. The chip offers virtually twice the computing power of a single processor in the same space, enhancing performance for all your tasks, whether you’re enhancing photos or rendering video special effects.

Apple claims its new Core Duo Macs operate up to four times faster than PowerPC-based models, which is significant. It’s hard to believe that it can do so while consuming less energy. That’s due to the way the two cores work together, sharing resources and conserving power when their functions aren’t required. Because of this efficient high performance, these super-powerful new Macs can retain the thin elegance that’s associated with Apple products.

Browse, watch, and record television programs, even on multiple channels at the same time (both analog and over-the-air digital). Many new Media Center PCs include built-in television tuners as well as connections to hook into your TV and audio components. Your computer’s hard drive acts as a DVR (Digital Video Recorder), letting you pause live television and record and catalog favorite shows. There’s even a program guide like you’d expect with cable television.

The Transition

Apple announced early on to developers that is was changing processors, and introduced the Developer Transition Kit, which allowed them to prepare versions of their applications that will run on both PowerPC and Intel-based Macs. This was a key move for a company that has long been known for products that are uncomplicated and easy to use.

Apple has created a Universal symbol for its Mac applications, letting you know that they’re made to run on both Intel- and PowerPC-based Mac computers. You can install them as usual, and they’ll automatically run at peak performance for your Mac’s architecture. What about applications you already own? Well, thanks to new Rosetta software built into Mac OS X, you can rest assured that most of your existing applications will work on your new Intel-based Mac. You can upgrade most applications to the Universal version for minimum cost. And Universal applications from third-party manufacturers are popping up already, and there’s sure to be a steady stream coming to market in the months to come.

Imagining the Possibilities

With an Intel Core Duo Macintosh computer, you’ll enjoy super-charged computing for most everything you do. Up to four times faster, as a matter of fact. And you’ll do it while consuming less power. That means if you purchase a new Intel-based PowerBook, you’ll enjoy longer battery life, even while powering through all of your tasks. All with the elegant design and operating simplicity that has always been key to Apple’s success. Imagine that.