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IPhone Maker Apple Also Has Big Plans For Item Called Mac
Yahoo News ^ | Tue Jun 10, 6:22 PM ET | Patrick Seitz

Posted on 06/12/2008 1:36:26 AM PDT by Swordmaker

With the intense media focus this week on Apple's new and improved iPhone, another important product announcement -- a planned upgrade of the company's Mac OS X computer operating system, dubbed Snow Leopard -- got short shrift.

Apple (NasdaqGS:AAPL - News) gets the bulk of its sales, 59% in the quarter ended March 29, from its Macintosh computer business. Mac sales have been outpacing the overall PC market for some time, benefiting from a halo effect from Apple's popular iPod portable media players and iTunes online store, as well as the iPhone.

Apple has been relentlessly hammering rival Microsoft's (NasdaqGS:MSFT - News) Windows Vista operating system to great effect in ads since Vista debuted in January 2007.

Critics, and Apple, say Vista is bloated and slow. Some corporate and enterprise buyers have been reluctant to upgrade from Windows XP because of performance issues and the rich hardware requirements needed to run Vista.

In response to the criticism, Microsoft executives have been publicly discussing Vista's successor, Windows 7, due out in 2010. And considering that many Windows buyers wait until Microsoft issues its first set of bug fixes to get a new operating system, Apple could have a two- or three-year runway to aggressively push its Macs before Windows 7 PC sales gain steam, says Morningstar analyst Rick Hanna.

"They're turning up the heat on Microsoft," Hanna said. Apple sees an opportunity to take market share away from makers of Windows-based PCs, such as Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HPQ - News) and Dell (NasdaqGS:DELL - News), he says.

Apple previewed the Snow Leopard operating system Monday at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco.

The new OS was a footnote on a day dominated by the iPhone 3G, a low-priced smart phone with fast wireless data access.

Snow Leopard will build on the success of Mac OS X Leopard, which Apple released in October. The new OS is scheduled to ship "in about a year," the company said.

Apple typically releases a new version of its operating system every 18 to 24 months. By contrast, Microsoft took more than five years to release Windows Vista after coming out with Windows XP.

Snow Leopard will target computer performance, a perceived weak spot for Vista. Apple says Snow Leopard will be optimized for multicore processors -- the new wave of computer chips -- and tap into the vast computing power of graphic processing units.

Snow Leopard will use a new technology code-named Grand Central to make it easier for developers to create programs that take full advantage of the power of the Intel (NasdaqGS:INTC - News) multicore processors that run the machines.

Apple also wants to lead in 64-bit technology with Snow Leopard by raising the software limit on system memory up to a theoretical 16 terabytes of random access memory, or RAM.

The hype around the iPhone 3G, set for release on July 11, also should help Mac sales, says Ezra Gottheil, an analyst with Technology Business Research.

"It will be successful and will have a more extensive halo effect (than the iPod) because it has a lot more computing in it," Gottheil said.

The iPhone has the same underlying operating system as the Mac and shares applications such as the Safari Web browser, he says.

Mac sales are hot also because of Apple's retail stores, Gottheil says. Apple stores are known for helpful staff and a relaxed environment for testing out new products, he says.

Apple had 7.1% of the U.S. PC market in the first quarter, up from 4.9% a year earlier, says market researcher IDC. Its worldwide share rose to 3.3% from 2.5%.

Its growth rate has been trouncing the competition. Apple's personal computer unit shipments were up 51.2% in the U.S. and 51.9% worldwide in the first quarter. The industry growth rates were 4.6% in the U.S. and 14.9% worldwide compared with the year-ago quarter, IDC says.

Even more interesting is that Apple's Mac sales are accelerating, Gottheil says. The year-over-year growth rates for Mac unit sales the last four quarters were 33%, 34%, 44% and 51%.

Apple has seen an "explosion" of Mac sales since it made the transition to Intel processors from PowerPC processors supplied by IBM (NYSE:IBM - News) and Freescale Semiconductor. Apple announced the transition in June 2005 and completed it in August 2006.

Apple shares rose 2.2% Tuesday to close at 185.64.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet
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1 posted on 06/12/2008 1:36:26 AM PDT by Swordmaker
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To: 1234; 50mm; 6SJ7; Abundy; Action-America; acoulterfan; aristotleman; af_vet_rr; Aggie Mama; ...
"Even more interesting is that Apple's Mac sales are accelerating, Gottheil says. The year-over-year growth rates for Mac unit sales the last four quarters were 33%, 34%, 44% and 51%." — Yahoo News


Mac Sales Accelerating Ping!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

2 posted on 06/12/2008 1:39:04 AM PDT by Swordmaker (Remember, the proper pronunciation of IE is "AAAAIIIIIEEEEEEE!)
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To: Swordmaker

Interesting that Apple’s laptop units are leading its sales charge, yet both MacBook lines have only seen chipset updates since their branding change from iBook/PowerBook.

I hope the release of Centrino 2 causes Apple to hold a special event for the purpose of unveiling brand-new MacBook and MacBook Pro designs. They desperately need updating, especially the MacBook.


3 posted on 06/12/2008 1:49:26 AM PDT by Terpfen (Romney's loss in Florida is STILL a catastrophe. Hello, McCandidate!)
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To: Swordmaker

I was grumpy as heck at how long it’s taken for the iPhone to show up in Japan, but now it looks like it was all for the best! The new one will be faster, better and cheaper!

I’ll be able to ditch my POS Motorola at the same time I return to the Mac fold by getting rid of this POS Dell.

PC? never again!


4 posted on 06/12/2008 2:13:30 AM PDT by Ronin (Is there some rule that says that when an evil man gets sick, we must pretend he was saint?)
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To: Swordmaker
Snow Leopard will target computer performance, a perceived weak spot for Vista. Apple says Snow Leopard will be optimized for multicore processors -- the new wave of computer chips -- and tap into the vast computing power of graphic processing units.
Sure sounds like a good way to clear the path for speech processing.

And also, a side note, Folding. No doubt Steve will also exploit this capability to produce some eye candy for sales purposes.


5 posted on 06/12/2008 4:11:18 AM PDT by conservatism_IS_compassion (The conceit of journalistic objectivity is profoundly subversive of democratic principle.)
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To: Swordmaker

My first computer was the Mac SE. I switched to the PC because of the software availability issue for Macs. Has this situation changed? If so, I may well switch back.


6 posted on 06/12/2008 4:25:20 AM PDT by Reaganesque
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To: Reaganesque

There is quite a bit more software available now. There is also the ability to run Windows either natively (BootCamp) or through an emulator (Parallels or Fusion) and all the Windows programs you want. Add to that the iLife suite built in which covers photos, video and music (which is what the vast majority of consumers use their computers for) and the simplicity of the Mac OS and there is almost no reason not to switch. I finally switched when the new Mac Pro’s came out in January and have been incredibly happy. Mac’s are just so easy and simple to use. It just works.


7 posted on 06/12/2008 4:36:57 AM PDT by Wyatt's Torch (I can explain it to you. I can't understand it for you.)
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To: Wyatt's Torch

Thanks! I’ve always known that the Mac OS was/is vastly more stable than Windows and that the Mac is simply better tech than the PC. But, business requirements necessitated the switch. I’ll have to look into switching back.


8 posted on 06/12/2008 5:06:42 AM PDT by Reaganesque
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To: Reaganesque
My first computer was the Mac SE. I switched to the PC because of the software availability issue for Macs. Has this situation changed? If so, I may well switch back

I'm a novice in computers that had an Apple II GS and did the same PC switch because of software issues. Last year I got sick of reboots, lost data and the time spent doing "fixes". I went to a MacBook Pro and have been very very happy. It takes some time to figure out the little steps that make things easy but it's very intuitive after awhile. They've got all kinds of input devices that can make the transition easy and there's a guy on this board named Swordmaker that can answer most of your questions.

Now with the new Macs you can run windows programs and mac programs in the same box. That's when I bought stock in the company as well as bought the machine.

The darn thing just works. I plug a camera, ipod, printer, external hard drive, video camera, phone jack.... and the machine just works without all the extra bullsh#t that windows makes you jump through.

their support online and calling is great as well.

my two cents.... sorry if it was long.

9 posted on 06/12/2008 6:05:54 AM PDT by Dick Vomer (liberals suck....... but it depends on what your definition of the word "suck" is.,)
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To: Dick Vomer

I appreciate your two cents. :-)


10 posted on 06/12/2008 6:28:19 AM PDT by Reaganesque
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To: Swordmaker

Someone please explain Microsoft’s naming convention...

Windows 1.01
Windows 2.03
Windows 2.11
Windows 3.0
Windows 3.1
Windows NT 3.5
Windows 95
Windows 98
Windows 98 SE
Windows 2000
Windows Me
Windows XP
Windows Server 2003
Windows XP Professional (x64)
Windows Vista
Windows Home Server
Windows Server 2008
Windows 7


11 posted on 06/12/2008 12:15:45 PM PDT by TheBattman (LORD God, please give us a Christian Patriot with a backbone for President in 08, Amen.)
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To: TheBattman

This is the best I can do regarding their naming conventions. The names they assign are assinine.

Windows 1.01
Windows 2.03
Windows 2.11
Windows 3.0
Windows 3.1
Windows NT 3.5
Windows 95 - 4.0
Windows 98 - 4.1
Windows 98 SE - 4.11
Windows 2000 - 5.0
Windows Me - 4.2
Windows XP - 5.1
Windows Server 2003 - 5.1
Windows XP Professional (x64) - 5.1
Windows Vista - 6.0
Windows Home Server - 6.0
Windows Server 2008 - 6.0
Windows 7


12 posted on 06/12/2008 12:33:52 PM PDT by Centurion2000 (Beware the fury of the man that cannot find hope or justice.)
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To: TheBattman

They started with versions, switched to years, then to names, but servers stayed with years. Windows 7 is only the working title, might be different on launch. Either that or they’re going full cycle.


13 posted on 06/12/2008 12:40:51 PM PDT by antiRepublicrat
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To: Reaganesque

You can get a copy of Windows XP, a program called Parallels and run everything you can on a PC on a Mac.


14 posted on 06/12/2008 4:20:08 PM PDT by rwilson99 (Barrack Obama... more in common with Archie Bunker than Tiger Woods)
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To: Swordmaker; All

Howdy, SM

I just got a brand new Mac since my beloved 7 1/2 year-old Mac finally turned toes up and died from a severely impacted hard drive. Hey, I’m just a home computer user without enough knowledge to know how to take its temperature. It was HEROIC to have lasted so long.

My new Mac is OSX 10.5.3, Intel Core 2 Duo, whatever that means.

Naturally, as with all computers, there’s no real manual, so my question is: Do I have Boot Camp? It does not show up on Spotlight. And if I don’t have it, would my new computer like it??

KItkat


15 posted on 06/12/2008 4:23:58 PM PDT by kitkat (Over the Hill(ary))
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To: kitkat; Swordmaker
> My new Mac is OSX 10.5.3, Intel Core 2 Duo, whatever that means.

"Core 2" means a 64-bit CPU. "Core" without the "2" means a 32-bit CPU. More bits = faster.

"Duo" means two such cores (dual CPUs). "Solo" would mean one core. More cores = faster.

So you've got the best combo for speed.

16 posted on 06/12/2008 5:05:30 PM PDT by dayglored (Listen, strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government!)
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To: Reaganesque
“Has this situation changed?”

My two cents. If you don't mind.

I love my Mac. I have had dozens. Mac OS X is amazing. More powerful and easier than ever. Great job. The hardware in my opinion is also very, very good and not more expensive unless you want to shop the bottom of the barrel in PC land.

The issues: There is a growing tendency for enterprise and web developers to use the MSFT software development tools. Unless they are disciplined, and careful, it is extremely easy to write Web based apps that REQUIRE one or more Windows components.

Second, The new version of MS-Office for Mac does not support Macros. And old versions of Mac MS-Office do not support the current Windows MS-Office file structures. The result is that more so than ever it is entirely possible to get Powerpoint, Excel and Word docs you cannot access on a Mac.

I was very, very heavily involved in financial markets and up until last year I did use Windows at all. This has change and getting worse. I have lots of problems and now spend about 30% of my time forced to use Windows (I have Windows running on my Mac in VMware AND Parallels it is OK but not perfect)

Funny thing is I bought some land and began growing palm trees as a more or less a hobby. I bought some Case equipment and they have a great website - requires Windows - eeoowwww.

17 posted on 06/12/2008 6:21:15 PM PDT by Sunnyflorida (Drill in the Gulf of Mexico/Anwar & we can join OPEC!!! || Write in Thomas Sowell for President.)
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To: dayglored

Thanks, dayglored. At least now I know something about my new computer.

I want a copy of Street Atlas but I need Boot Camp to get it. Doubt that’s possible because I suspect you need two processors and I only have one.


18 posted on 06/12/2008 6:30:56 PM PDT by kitkat (Over the Hill(ary))
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To: kitkat
> Thanks, dayglored. At least now I know something about my new computer.

No prob'.

Something else: you mentioned "OSX 10.5.3". Here's how that works:

Mac OS started in 1984 with version 1 and went all the way through version Mac OS 9.2 (as I recall), based on that older operating model.

Then Apple made a huge change, completely rewrote Mac OS, and used Unix (arguably the most robust, stable, and long-lived (38 years!) commercial operating system), as the basis for the new release of Mac OS.

Apple used "X" for the name, hence "Mac OS X". The official versioning is "10.major.minor" because they're not going to go to "11" any time soon. So the "major" releases are 10.1, 10.2, and so on, instead of 10, 11, 12, etc.

Moreover, they named each major release after one of the Big Cats: Panther, Tiger, Leopard, etc. Major releases tend to cost money; minor releases are free updates.

Okay. So you have Mac OS X 10.5.3 -- that means you have the latest minor release (.3) of Leopard (10.5).

> I want a copy of Street Atlas but I need Boot Camp to get it. Doubt that’s possible because I suspect you need two processors and I only have one.

Not exactly.

I presume "Street Atlas" is a Windows-only program, so you need Boot Camp to be able to run Windows on your Mac.

"Boot Camp" is a way to have two separate operating systems on your computer's hard drive, typically Mac OS X and Windows XP. They occupy entirely separate regions on your hard drive. Using Boot Camp, you can start and run either one, but you can only run one at a time -- you have to restart (reboot) your computer to switch from one to the other.

While one operating system is running, the other is not active at all. However, while Mac OS X is running, it is able to access the part of the hard drive that has Windows on it. So you can access the Windows files from OS X (with some limitations depending on the way Windows was installed (the disk format, NTFS or FAT32)).

While Windows is running, it can't access the Mac OS X part of the hard drive (Windows isn't as smart about other disk formats).

You can run Boot Camp on a Mac with any "Intel" CPU, from a Core Solo to a Core 2 Duo like yours. So you shouldn't have a problem there.

I DO strongly recommend that you engage the assistance of a friend or family member who is reasonably computer savvy, before you embark on Boot Camp. It's not hard, and you can surely do it, but it will be comforting and save time if you have someone you can ask questions of.

Or you can just post on FR, and weed out the Apple fanboi raves, and the Windows-drone trollisms. ;-)

19 posted on 06/12/2008 7:12:58 PM PDT by dayglored (Listen, strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government!)
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To: dayglored

HOLY TOLDEO, Dayglored, I am thrilled with your response. I am now almost computer semi-literate as a result of that information.

Now that I know it can be done, I’ll contact the president of the local Mac Users Group.

THANK you for taking the time to help.


20 posted on 06/12/2008 7:33:27 PM PDT by kitkat (Over the Hill(ary))
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