Apple Archive

In the latest update to the technical documentation available from ADC, Apple has published this note: "Features added to Cocoa in Mac OS X versions later than 10.4 will not be added to the Cocoa-Java programming interface. Therefore, you should develop Cocoa applications using Objective-C to take advantage of existing and upcoming Cocoa features".

"On the whole, I bought the story too, although I know that it won't all go smoothly. Anyone who owns or is considering buying a Mac has to have questions; these are what I think the answers are."

Apple has refreshed it's line of iPods today. All iPods now boast a color screen similar to the iPod Photo. Also, iTunes 4.9 has been released with support for podcasting. Mac users can use Software Update, Windows users can download it here. And the new iTunes release is riddled with references to the iTunes phone, says AppleInsider.

Disgusted by security issues and poor performance, Winn Schwartau makes the switch from Windows to the Mac and details the bumps in the road along the way in his Mad as Hell series.

The technology behind the G4 and G5's AltiVec (AKA Velocity Engine) has much to do with the performance advantage that Apple hardware had over its x86 PC competition in certain tests. Apple, along with Motorola and IBM co-developed the PowerPC processor, and each entity has some rights to it.But what about Altivec/Velocity Engine? Does this three-way ownership extend to this this technology as well? Norman Shutler submitted the following editorial to osOpinion/osViews, which theorizes that Apple may bring its Altivec/Velocity Engine along for the ride for the company's move to Intel processors and thus retain that same speed advantage for apps that utilized the technology.

Apple's Intel-based Mac development kits have started trickling into developer's hands, Think Secret has learned. Elsewhere, CodeWeavers CrossOver to support Intel-based Macs.

For the first time since the introduction of the "top sellers" section at Apple's online store, there is not a Macintosh among the 20 top selling items. Just before the x86 transition announcement there was an iMac in that list (while there were 3-4 Macs listed consistently each week a few months ago), but after the announcement, the Macs have dissappeared from the top selling list. The only Macintosh-related products in the list now are iLife and OSX Tiger. The rest are all iTunes/iPod products. The lower desire for PPC systems after the x86 announcement was predicted by some analysts. Update: Either OSNews' Mac advocates just went out and bought a bunch of computers to skew the results, or the "Top Sellers" data is very dependent on the time of day. Because as of 2:00pm EST, Macs are well represented in the list, at #1,3,4,5,6,7,9 (but this is the Amazon list, not Apple's store).

According to Fortune Dell has signalled interest in including and selling MacOS X in their computer systems. They also put an eye on AMD, and it seems that Apple never talked to AMD about their x86 switch. Read the whole article here.

From the time at which Steve Jobs announced that Apple will be using Intel processors rather than PowerPC ones, every analyst, armchair CEO, and every anonymous forum poster with a two bit opinion suddenly became an 'expert' on the proper way to execute Apple's plan. "jwdsail" submitted the following editorial to osOpinion/osViews, which offers an equally if not more accurate way to predict Apple's future plans... by consulting his Magic 8-Ball.

Apple won't stand in the way of people who want to run Windows on its forthcoming Intel-processor Macs. But whether or not users will be able to run Windows directly on the machines is still a mystery. Analysts fear short-term hit to Apple in wake of Intel deal: See sales of PowerPCs suffering if buyers wait until 2006 for Macs with new chips

Was it Palol Rossetti that one said, "People in glass house shouldn't throw stones?” Push away the Intel this, the Pentium-M that, or perhaps the ability to use the Dual Core Pentium 4, Apple has a much bigger challenge ahead of them. For years, they have been throwing down the MHz myth and now? They are sleeping with the "enemy" according to PowerPC zealots.

In late-night sessions this week, Apple developers have been getting their first look at how much work they have ahead to convert their programs to run on Intel-based Macs. Also game developers react to Intel switch. Update: More developer opinions here.

With the announcement that Apple is switching to Intel, the computing world has been thrown a curve ball. Speculation will run rampant for the next year. We obviously won't know what's going to happen until it happens, but I see a bright future coming out of this. I see Apple with more headroom for the future to create better, faster designs. I see much more opportunity for the hacker community to work with this also.

Dear Apple, I am among the many switchers you successfully brought to your platform. And now I plan to switch back. Simply put, after reading this press release, I no more think the Mac has any future as an interesting hardware or software platform. I further believe that you have made such a bafflingly shortsighted decision that I worry about the sanity of your management staff, enough to dread more of these moves. I also disbelieve most of the claims that have been made today as purely hilarious.