Well, OK Tuesday afternoon then. What happened? Apple was in fact early with their Intel Processor migration. Why? They had to start somewhere and Yonah was ready. This is a relatively expensive dual core processor, especially compared with the cost of the G4. I do not think the iBook and the mini were right for the timing of this particular processor. Sounds like it is screaming fast and power stingy to boot. Perfect for the pro laptop.
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Well, OK Tuesday afternoon then. What happened? Apple was in fact early with their Intel Processor migration. Why? They had to start somewhere and Yonah was ready. This is a relatively expensive dual core processor, especially compared with the cost of the G4. I do not think the iBook and the mini were right for the timing of this particular processor. Sounds like it is screaming fast and power stingy to boot. Perfect for the pro laptop. By the way, I think a new name was needed but, MacBook Pro Intel Core Duo does not roll off the tongue with ease. Some changes to note are the lack of a modem port, new smaller Express Card slot, new power adapter plug and no Firewire 800 port. Any of these could pose problems for some users. As for the iMac, I bet the current enclosure has far more cooling capacity than the new processor needs, considering the case was designed for a G5. The performance gap to the iBook and mini is now formidable and the G5 desktop machines are in limbo.
I think the mini will get ViiV and a cheaper processor and will have some serious, if not Sirius, home entertainment aspirations. This is probably where Apple fits best with Intel’s needs. Certainly other laptop makers will use Yonah for their high end machines, but Sony and Microsoft have gone with IBM for their game consoles, leaving ViiV media PC’s to get Intel into the living room. The mini will become an entertainment console and not just a PC. Mark my words.
The iBook also needs something inexpensive and perhaps even more stingy than an Intel dual core for super long battery life in schools. The servers had heat issues with the G5 in their current form factor, so energy efficiency is a good thing. It is the Pro towers which were designed as wind tunnels that make me wonder about a complete redesign or the remote possibility of sticking with future chips in the IBM roadmap.
It is interesting to see that the iMac G5 and 15″ PowerBook G4 continue to be listed at the store at the same price as the new Intel machines. A tough sell for sure. And what about the 17″ powerBook? The new machines could hurt sales of PowerPC machines much more than the Intel announcement did back in the summer. No longer just a concept, these machines are here and they sound great.