Does any of our more technical readers know how many of Apple’s iLife ‘05 suite would/could be ready for Universal Binaries in January?

- iTunes
- iMovie
- iPhoto
- iDVD
- GarageBand

What I’ve read so far is that most of the basic Mac OS X Tiger applications are already running on OS X for Intel

- Mail
- AddressBook
- iCal
- iSync
- Text Edit

Given the natural head start Apple had with the switch I am certain that all iLife applications will be available when the first Macintels become available. Also, it is unclear how extensive the U-Boat project “Marklar” of co-developing and maintaining a parallel Intel version of OS X has been: it may very well be be that it involved the porting of other of Apple’s applications - e.g., iLife - as a proof of concept. Finally, if Apple are clever, they combine the release of the first Macintels with the release of new versions of iLife and iWork. As these updates probably involve quite intensive amounts of additional programming and redesign/recoding anyway, the additional effort of ensuring Intel compatibility may be surprisingly negligible.

The rumor mills are churning away and predicting Intel Macs to be introduced at Macworld. If they throw in ‘virtualization’ (the ability to run multiple operating systems, such as Windows, Linux) on the Intel CPU, then Mac sales will get hot—for Intel Macs. I would think sales for everything else would slow down as customers wait for the cooler machines.

I am not sure about virtualization support. Apple people have been rather passive and emotionless when it came to the question of whether Windows will run on Intel Macs. Something along the line: “well, yeah, we probably won’t prevent it”.

I doubt that they will make processor-supported virtualization a major selling point (but I am open to surprises). Personally, for me, a nice port of VMWare would do already.

The real trick in the Intel chips might be ‘virtualization’ not just the ability of the machine to run Windows. There’s almost no doubt that Intel-based Macs will be capable of running Windows. How? Dual boot is one option and that capability has been around awhile. ‘Virtualization’ seems to allow both Mac OS and another OS to run simultaneously. Now, that’s waaaaaay cool. I read somewhere about ‘fast user switching’ being used as a ‘fast os switching’ option. The swinging cube of FUS goes from OS X to Windows (or Linux). That’s ultra cool.

If Apple introduces an iBook as a low-end, entry-level with that capability then what will they introduce in iMacs and PowerMacs and PowerBooks?

I was talking with Jack about the ‘virtualization’ thing. He does think it would be cool but I don’t know that Apple would be willing to launch virtualization right now, and not on a low end Mac. If they launch an Intel iBook that’s loaded to the gills with things like the ability to run multiple OS’s, how would that differentiate the iBook from PowerBooks?

Yeah, and it somehow violates Apple’s it-just-works-integrated-computing-appliance paradigm.

But again: I am open to pleasant surprises. From time to time I need Windows (no, not just to get down become humble again) so I am definitely looking forward to any technique that makes Windows-“emulation” faster, and if it’s just a port of VMWare.

I think virtualization is the nearest we can get to a universal platform. Its bound to be spectacularly processor-intensive, precluding lower-end systems immediately. Even in dual or quad processor systems that’s an architectural nightmare. Also, I think Mac laptops are differenciated by physical features; as in no pcmcia slot for iBooks.

VicStevens - 01 December 2005 05:40 PM

Also, I think Mac laptops are differenciated by physical features; as in no pcmcia slot for iBooks.

I think in the future they will be differentiated by the number of processor cores as well - Powerbooks are dual-core, iBooks are single-core.

mcdermd - 02 December 2005 02:50 PM

VicStevens - 01 December 2005 05:40 PM

Also, I think Mac laptops are differenciated by physical features; as in no pcmcia slot for iBooks.

I think in the future they will be differentiated by the number of processor cores as well - Powerbooks are dual-core, iBooks are single-core.

Yeah, and as we are being told by various highly reputable and educated sources, video iPods are hard-core.

Huahuahuahua… I apologize for my German sense of “humor”...

mcdermd - 02 December 2005 02:50 PM

I think in the future they will be differentiated by the number of processor cores as well - Powerbooks are dual-core, iBooks are single-core.

And it’s looking more likely that Apple will introduce those new iBooks and goodies sometime early in 2006. Along with the other 27 products the rumor mills are reporting on.

- new iPod shuffle
- new iPod wireless
- new Airport Express AV
- new iBooks
- new Mac mini with PVR
- new tablet Mac
- new PowerBooks with dual core
- new iLife ‘06 Suite
- new iWork ‘06 Suite
- new bigger flash memory in iPod nano
- FrontRow and Apple Remote for everyone
- new double-side DVD SuperDrives with BluRay

You get the idea. What’d I miss?

...and I read something today about a “PowerPod.” Wireless? Bigger screen? Built-in iChat AV? Tablet Pod?

Less than two weeks…

Bambi Hambi - 29 December 2005 02:04 AM

...and I read something today about a “PowerPod.” Wireless? Bigger screen? Built-in iChat AV? Tablet Pod?

Less than two weeks…

Yeah, I so can’t wait. This could be the biggest Keynote ever and I’m gonna be there. Not gloating…

Actually, I have a bad feeling that I am going to be seriously let down…

Alexis Kayhill - 21 November 2005 08:44 PM

Does any of our more technical readers know how many of Apple’s iLife ‘05 suite would/could be ready for Universal Binaries in January?

- iTunes
- iMovie
- iPhoto
- iDVD
- GarageBand

I believe the developers builds of 10.4 for Intel have a version of iTunes that is Universal binary, and I suspect there is one for iPhoto but do not knowÛthought I heard reference somewhere÷

Who knows re the others; though I would suspect iMovie and iDVD would be a priority, considering how performance sensitive they are. Regardless, with Rosetta now supporting AltiVec translation I suspect Apple will have a bit more wiggle room. We can only hope Rosetta won’t be as finicky as the 68k emulation was. If history is any indicator, it’s possible that emulated code will still be present for many users 5 years from now. I don’t believe there was ever a version of the classic OS that was entirely PPC native.

Regarding the iPod and cell phones, I think that will be a tougher nut to crack for Apple. How do they get around the battery concerns and maintain a small form factor? Also, a large part of the brand image of the iPod is the click wheel, and that would need to make an appearance in some form or another without compromising the number pad. Though my RAZR already has the click wheel, just no touch sensitivity. It’s small, but that button layout would work. May make the interface less frustrating as well.

Personally, at this point I think I’d prefer a device I can seal up somewhere (buttoned pocket, well sealed belt clip, arm band, whatever) and have a wireless headset and wireless interface of some kind (bracelet with a number pad, play/pause, track forward/back, maybe a display for interface/input feedback), which would make a larger device with a larger battery and video display more palatable. I don’t think the truely integrated device will take off unless the interfaces (input and output) are truely unobtrusive, yet tailored to purpose. For instance, if you didn’t want the phone functionality, you could have a wireless lanyard remote with display and a larger battery and wired headphones attached. If Apple made a wireless interface hardware standard, then accessory manufacturers could make all manner of wearable options, car/motorcycle stereo manufacturers could integrate iPod/phone control and/or output into the vehicle, and similarly for home audioÛand eventually videoÛequipment. Although you could also dock the iPod to your AV/TV equipment and use your wireless remote to control it as well, I suppose. I don’t think that’s a great functionality yet as the iPod is really not TiVo-level storage, though.

I had to laugh. Most of the Mac news sites were duped today by a news report from mail server in Germany which announced a Steve Jobs, Bono announcement in San Francisco March 1st.

The announcement was bogus. and it took a few hours for the sites to catch the mistake and pull their stories. Sometimes we jump the gun in haste to get the “latest news” out the door. Of course, we can’t say that of the Office of the Vice President.