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Apple announces Mac Pro - shipping today
"The fastest, most configurable Mac ever" indeed. Today at WWDC 2006 (check out our coverage and the chatcast) Apple introduced the Mac Pro, and it might as well come with a pair of hot pads with all-new features like this: Two 2.66GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon "Woodcrest" processors 4MB shared L2 cache per processor 1.33GHz dual independent frontside buses 1GB memory (667MHz DDR2 fully-buffered DIMM ECC) NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT graphics with 256MB memory 250GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s 7200-rpm hard drive1 16x double-layer SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) And the fun doesn't stop there. You can stuff up to 16GB of RAM in these beasts now, along with 2TB of storage. With over 1,000,000 available BTO configurations, we wouldn't be surprised if customers have a hard time simply deciding on which Mac Pro they want to throw down their credit cards for.Also notable: gone are the two or three configuration options from the PowerMac Mac Pro's page in the store. It simply offers the base configuration, which now starts at $2499, and beckons you to click 'configure'. Just try not getting lost in options on your way to the checkout.
Intel Xeon to power new Mac Pros?
Most of you didn't bite on the last Mac Pro rumor from Think Secret. New Power Mac case design, sure, but the idea of them sporting Intel's Core 2 Duo (aka, Conroe) procs just didn't fly what with Intel's more flexible 64-bit Xeon (Woodcrest) chip already loosed. No sweat, enter AppleInsider whose sources claim that Intel's dual-core Xeon series processors will power those new Mac Pro desktops (and Xserves, too) which would finally give Mr. Jobs access to that elusive 3.0GHz marker, the current top-o-the-line Xeon clock speed. See, Xeon chips feature the Land Grid Array (LGA) 771 socket which allows for the multiple processor configs we've come to expect from Apple's professional desktops. According to AI, we can expect a dual-processor Xeon Mac Pro at the top-end when launched. Of course, both rumor sites could be right -- a single, high-end Core 2 Duo offered in the entry level Mac Pro with a quad-core Xeon config topping things off. Either way, they agree it's all going down at Apple's WWDC, so we'll know soon enough.
Rumor Mill: Mac Pro in new enclosure at WWDC
ThinkSecret is saying that Apple will announce the Mac Pro and a newly designed enclosure at its World Wide Developers Conference next month. The Mac Pro is the rumored name of the Intel machines that will replace the PowerMac G5's. According to the rumor site, the new Mac Pro's will come in configurations similar to the PowerMac G5, including single and dual processor systems. I suspect the new machines will be sporting the newly released Core 2 Duo Intel processors, however, what I am having a hard time visualizing is what Apple will do to the enclosure. With the MacBook and MacBook Pro, Apple has continued to distinguish their pro machines by their shiny aluminum exteriors. Will Apple stay with the monolithic cheese graters, or will they go with something more subdued and refined? Only time will tell.
Apple's Mac Pro: redesigned Power Mac with Core 2 Duo dropping August 7?
The Apple rumor-mill is all but certain that new Power Mac G5 replacements will be unveiled during Steve Jobs' WWDC keynote on August 7th. Now, Think Secret has "confirmed" that unlike the other Mactel's released to date, Apple's new top-of-the-line desktops, likely dubbed the Mac Pro, will sport a "substantially different" enclosure from their ancestry. The new boxes are also said to sport Intel's Core 2 Duo (Conroe) chips in configurations similar to the most recent Power Mac G5s; a single, dual-core proc in the low-to-mid range systems with top-end systems going 2 x dual-core for some hot, quad-core action. No word on clock speeds, unfortunately. TS' sources also claim that the MacBook Pro will also see a redesign when the mobile version of those Core 2 Duo (Merom) chips are released around August. And, uh, no we don't have any pics of the new designs -- a statement sure to incite graphic designers everywhere into a development frenzy of purported spy-shots. Of course, if you've got the real deal, well, you know where to find us.
Liquid cooled Power Macs are leaking
Imagine waking up one morning to find that a glowing green goo was dripping from the cheese-grater bottom of your shiny Power Mac. Horrible even to imagine, I know. Unfortunately, this has become a reality for some owners of recent liquid cooled Power Macs. According to reports, the leaks stem from malfunctioning Delphi radiators that shipped in early versions of the systems. If you have an early 2.5 GHz liquid cooled machine, it might be worth sliding off the side panel to check for leaks. Naturally, if you do come across a bit of Macintosh incontinence, stop using the machine right away, and schedule an appointment at the nearest genius bar. As is always the case with product failures and Apple, there is discussion about weather whether the issue will be covered by some sort of extended repair program for machines out of warranty. For now at least, it seems Apple is choosing to fix most machines that come in with the problem.
600 PowerMacs used for 007 Ultimate DVD Collection
Eureka! After all this MacBook/Intel Mac news lately, we finally come across some news about the good ol' faithful PowerMac, or to be more specific: 600 of them. Taking a cue from Microsoft Vista naming conventions, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is releasing a James Bond Ultimate Edition DVD Collection, in which every 007 film has been remastered and digitally enhanced for that oh-so 21st century gleam. The remastering was done by DTS Digital Images using 600 PowerMac G5s, or what I like to refer to as "more PowerMacs than you or I will ever see in a lifetime".Mike Inchalik, DTS Digital Images vice president of strategy and marketing, stressed the renowned reliability of PowerMacs as a key factor in this undertaking. The company had to process 42 miles of film and scanned each frame at a resolution of 4,000 x 3,000 pixels in preparation of higher-resolution releases in the future. Ultimately, over 700 terabytes of storage were required for the project as each single frame of film is a whopping 45 megabytes. Apple, if you're listening, I think you're gonna have to boost your MacBook Pro hard drive capacities for movie editors. Just a hunch.Check out the full details on this project's undertaking, as well as some hints at future portable (iPod) video technologies, at Macworld UK.[thanks Yak!]
Rig of the Day: The black Blue and White G3
While perusing our Flickr pool this morning, we decided, "It's time for a mod post." Behold the Blue and White G3 that's been painted black. It looks pretty good, Geoff."Power Mac G3 Black Mod" posted by GeoffMyers. If you'd like to see your own rig featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool. We select one image to highlight each day, and crown a Rig of the Week on Sundays.
Rig of the Day: You've got mail
Flickr user digitaldust saw this mailbox one day and snapped a quick shot (no, it's not his). Though we don't agree with the photo's title, we still think it's pretty cool. We can hear the conversations that this thing spawns now:"Honey, will you check the mail on the Mac?""Which one...livingroom or front yard?""The only good use for a Mac" posted by digitaldust. If you'd like to see your own rig featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool. We select one image to highlight each day, and crown a Rig of the Week on Sundays.
Rig of the Day: One more TV rig
Ok, just one more TV rig, we promise.* Flickr user beenester asks, "Is it overkill to use a 1.8GHz Powermac G5 as a TV computer?" We say, "Heck, no!" "Overkill?" posted by beenester.If you'd like to see your own rig featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool. We select one image to highlight each day, and crown a Rig of the Week on Sundays.*Probably. Most likely.
The Power Mac stands as the last PPC Mac
Oh, the poor Power Mac G5. Apple's "Big Kahuna" now looks downright elderly, being the only Mac that isn't sporting a rockin' Intel chip. I'm guessing that Apple's pro level machine won't make its Intel debut until January's Macworld Expo, but it's fun to speculate on what could be in store for that machine.Perhaps an all-new case design? Will the name "Power Mac" be replaced? Maybe an as-of-yet unreleased Intel processor(s) will power the beast. The mind boggles.Have at it, TUAWers. Configure the successor to the Power Mac G5.
More integrated graphics from Apple
Apple released the MacBook, its new consumer laptop, today. The full tech specs -- which are over at Apple's site -- mention that the MacBook features an Intel GMA950: in other words, an integrated graphics chip identical to the Mac mini. Previously we've summarized the disadvantages of integrated graphics and we've moaned about the poor graphics performance of Apple's line-up in an attempt to force someone at Apple to listen, but it was all in vain. Apple's supposed "gaming solution" (Windows) is hardly a solution now that Apple's consumer line-up (MacBook, Mac mini) doesn't have a dedicated graphics card, the prosumer line-up (MacBook Pro, iMac) features a low- to mid-range mobile chip and the remaining top-of-the-range machine (PowerMac) is stuck with PowerPC processors, crappy default GPUs (GeForce 6600s, yuck!) and a largely unobtainable price.If Apple one days wakes up and realizes that there are a load of potential gaming switchers sitting on the fence it would either: tell, no, force Intel to make some integrated chips that aren't "virtually unplayable for anybody that cares about gaming" or provide the option of dedicated graphics cards for gamers, even if it costs us more.
Rig of the Day: Many Macs
Check out this well-appointed desk. Flickr user dsiercks shows off a pair of Powerbooks, two iMacs (one with iSight, one without), one Powermac G5 (with an iSight of its own) and twin displays. We'd say you can get some work done with that set up."workstation" posted by dsiercks. If you'd like to see your own rig featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool. We'll select an image every day to highlight.
Rig of the Day: The Phosphoimager
Ok, we admit it. This photo was chosen partly for the nice (and still active) 8600 in the shot, and partly to put up a post that contains the word "phosphoimager." According to rnafan, the photographer, a phosphoimager is "...a piece of equipment that scans radioactivity." I like that it sounds as cool as Calvin's Transmogrifier."Power Macintosh 8600:300" posted by rnafan.For the month of April, the theme for our Rig of the Day will be "Vintage Macs" in honor of Apple's anniversary. If you'd like to see your own rig featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool. Let's see your vintage Macs (Apples and Newtons, too)! We'll select an image every day to highlight.
Video of a MacBook Pro stomping a PowerMac G5 compiling Java
What's a big news day without a little bit of a hardware smack down? Call me crazy, but I just found this Gear Live site through diggdot.us, and these guys posted a video podcast in a variety of formats of a MacBook Pro with a (comparatively) measly 1 GB RAM making mince meat out of a Dual 2.0 GHz PowerMac G5 with 4 GB RAM in a Java compile test.While it isn't a comprehensive rundown of a variety of tasks and apps these two systems can run, it's still pretty impressive to see how well this next generation hardware can perform.
Windows on a Mac: This isn't the first time
Before we all get completely flabbergasted by Apple's efforts to allow users to run Windows on their Macs, let's respect our elders, shall we? This isn't the first time Apple has supplied Mac owners with an official solution for running Windows. The DOS Compatibility Card was released for the Powermac 6100 series way back in 1995. It actually shipped with an installable version of Windows (3.1) and MS-DOS 6.22. They featured a i80486 processor that cooked along at an astounding 33MHz.We are standing on the shoulders of DOS compatibility cards.Thanks to Jotefa for the great image.
Apples grow on trees
The Cult of Mac is pointing to the above photo from Badtech.org. Who knew iMacs and Powermacs would come from the same tree? There's no explanation for the photo, so it's pretty much a mystery. If you're familiar with this display, let us know!
Rig of the Day: Maxed out
For the month of March, we've added a theme to the Rig of the Day posts: "Maxed out." From now until the 31st, we want to see pictures of your over-the-top, maxed out set up. Just upload it to our group Flickr pool, and we'll select an image every day to highlight. Next month, we'll choose a new theme.Today's entry is from robbiee, entitled "My Desk/Studio/Home." Check out the G4 Power Mac, 20" Cinema Display, turntables, stacks of vinyl, studio rack and more. That is one serious home studio.
Rig of the Day: Serious video editing
Could you put together a sweet holiday DVD for grandma and grandpa with this set up, or what? Flickr user and TUAW reader trancepriest shows off his Power Mac G5, two huge Cinema Displays, iSight, video editing keyboard, a couple of cameras and other cool looking stuff that I can't even identify."hi8-to-dvd closeup" posted by trancepriest.If you'd like to see your own rig featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool. We'll select an image every day to highlight.
Apple products in the Engadget awards
Engadget has compiled their list of tech awards for 2005, as selected by the readers and Engadget editors. Categories ranged from "Gadget of the Year" to "Disappointment of the Year." Apple received six readers' choice awards (but no editors' picks, oddly enough). So, here's how Apple fared, as selected by Engadget readers: Gadget of the Year: Apple iPod 5G (Editors' pick: Xbox 360) Desktop of the Year: Apple Power Mac G5 Quad (Editors' pick: Sony RC series) Laptop of the Year: Apple Powerbook 15" (Editors' pick: IBM Thinkpad Z) Media PC of the Year: Apple iMac G5 with FrontRow (Editors' pick: Niveus Media K2) Portable Audio Device of the Year: iPod nano (Editors' pick: iRiver U10) Portable Video Device of the Year: Apple iPod 5G (Editors' pick: Cowon A2) While not really an Apple product, Disappointment of the Year went to the Motorola ROKR E1. I whole-heartedly agree.
Apple trademarks "Mac Pro" in New Zealand
Listen hither, ye name-bashing heathens: Apple made a gutsy move kicking creativity in the crotch by axing the "PowerBook" moniker on the pro laptop line and changing it to "MacBook Pro," but Steve made his intentions very clear during the Macworld keynote by blatantly stating, "We're done with 'power'" (figuratively, of course).That move led many of the Mac Elite to embark on spiritual journeys to the depths of Silicon Valley, contemplating the unanswerable questions of the future: Will Apple rename the iBook to "MacBook"? What's going on with the PowerMac, will it just be named..."Mac"? Maybe "Mac Pro"?The skilled Macology researchers at AppleInsider dug into the matter and uncovered a series of ancient (3 months old) texts that, if interpreted properly, may answer some of those very questions. According to the document, Apple filed for the trademark "Mac Pro" in New Zealand last November, following its recent trend of applying for trademarks in foreign nations -- presumably to prevent snoops (I'm lookin' at you, AI!) from uncovering and interpreting them.Does this mean the PowerMac may soon follow in the PowerBook's footsteps, destined to eternal enslavement in the World of The Has-Beens? This document certainly seems to lend credence -- but, like Nostradamus's predictions of the future, we'll just have to wait and see.
