So long Woodcrest, hello Covertown! Rumored since October, Apple finally got around to loosing an octo-core Mac Pro -- that's 8-cores of Intel processing power spread across 2 of Intel's latest Clovertown quad-core chips. Arriving just in time for Adobe's Intel optimized Creative Suite 3.0. Quad-core models are still available with processor speeds maxing out at 3GHz. Prices start at $2,499 for 2.66GHz quad-core action or tack on an additional $1,498 for a total of 8-cores running at 3GHz. Shipping now -- hoozah!

Alright, we're going to clear this up right here: "quad processors" is different than dual dual-core processors. Despite the best efforts of Steve Jobs and his Reality Distortion Field. But with that said, we're not complaining. Dual dual-core chips sure is plenty of juice to be getting on with, and Apple's Xserve line sure manages a lot of power for its 1U rackmount design. The configurations mirror that of the Mac Pro, ranging up to dual 64-bit dual-core 3GHz Xeon "Woodcrest" chips. Apple added in redundant power with the space savings from losing those steamy G5 processors, and also made room for 2.24TB of storage. Configurations start at $2,999, range beyond the amount of cash we'll see in our lifetime, and should be available in October.

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.

Looks like Intel's going to have an announcement in San Francisco to make come June 26th, according to TG Daily; their assumption, is that Intel's going to take the wraps off their Xeon 5100, the server-class CPU based on the Woodcrest core (and supposedly the chip that'll be dropped into future Xserves, among other boxen). It seems unfortunate that these higher class chips might sooner make it to the end-user finish line before Intel's hotly anticipated Conroe-based Core 2 Duo siblings (which is what the Mac Pros and just about every other desktop should expect to receive when it officially hits this summer or fall), but in the mean time if these new Xeons are announced before the consumer line, rumor has it we can expect them to range in speeds of 1.5GHz to 3GHz with prices between $210 and $850.