Intel Apple Mac insides exposed

SOME DETAILS of possible forthcoming Intel-powered Macintoshes have wibbled webwards.

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The systems run Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, says ThinkSecret.com, but there are some tweaks, like the ability to turn hyperthreading on and off. No doubt the Mac OS will need a bit of fiddling with to exploit Intels much-hyped Clever Technology.

That page points to here:

The Apple Development Platform ADP2,1, as the systems are officially designated, features 3.6GHz Pentium 4 processors with 2MB of L2 cache operating on an 800MHz bus with 1GB of RAM.

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Along with running Mac OS X, Windows XP installs without hitch on the Intel-based Mac, just as it would on any other PC, and booted without issue when installed on an NTFS-formatted parbreastion. The only misbehavior sources encountered involved the video card. Initially, Windows refused to budge from an 800x600 setting on a 23-inch Cinema Display. Some prodding managed to get the screen to 1600x1200, but sources were unable to get Windows to take advantage of the entire screen.

OK. Windross has problems and ends up crappy. Surprise, surprise. At least linux should run without a hitch.

The question is the cost of hardware. This is definitely going to be 'misDesigned for Apple' hardware. That probably means more expensive than necessary (another surprise there). Will it be worth it? Will it simply be an ordinary beige (or black) box with a higher price attached? Is there going to be anything special about this to justify the almost certain premium price?

My money is on a slicker case and maybe a more solid *feel* to the whole thing, but not much to justify the additional cost. Unless someone thinks running OS X is worth the price that will probably be on it. That would pretty much rule out buying one just for running linux.

-- Linux: because it's my damn computer!