Will new Intel developments affect Apple, future Macs?
Posted by Dennis Sellers 
Aug 3, 2005 at 3:59am
There have been new developments in the Intel world regarding memory and that may or may not affect Apple in the months ahead. The affect of the developments on future Mac and Apple products depends on which Intel processors Apple uses and what other Intel technologies our favorite computer maker decides to use (if any).
Crucial Technology announced the immediate availability of Crucial Ballistix high-performance memory modules, including 1GHz PC2-8000, the fastest Ballistix module to date. Crucial is also releasing PC2-6400 (DDR2-800) and PC2-5300 (DDR2-667) low-latency memory, designed specifically for computer gamers and power users “seeking maximum system performance and stability at a competitive price-point.” The new DDR2 PC2-6400 and PC2-5300 modules are optimized to provide performance in motherboards based on both the Intel 925XE and 955X Express chipsets.
Also, Transitive Corp., a provider of software that enables transportability of applications across multiple processor and operating system pairs, has announced that its QuickTransit software will support all of the Intel Itanium 2 processor-based computing platforms from Silicon Graphics. And it could, theoretically, support other Itanium systems, as well.
The QuickTransit hardware virtualization technology allows software applications that have been compiled for one processor/operating system to run on another without any source code or binary changes and at speeds comparable to native ports, according to the folks at Transitive.
What’s more, Intel and Connexion by Boeing, a business unit of The Boeing Company have announced an agreement to enhance and promote high-speed, in-flight wireless Internet service. As part of the agreement, the companies have successfully completed compatibility testing with common Intel Centrino mobile technology-based laptop configurations, making Connexion by Boeing the first in-flight Internet service to be verified through Intel’s Wireless Verification Program.
Connexion by Boeing is a high-speed wireless Internet, data and entertainment connectivity service for commercial airlines and their passengers, as well as for operators of private and government executive jets. Through the Wireless Verification Program, Intel works with wireless service providers to identify and minimize issues related to quality of service, site coverage and down-time that may negatively impact the end-user experience. To date, the program has verified 103 service providers that operate more than 70,000 hotspots worldwide.
Connexion by Boeing and Intel will also work with customer airlines to increase awareness, trial and adoption of in-flight Internet access through co-branding, promotions and educational efforts targeted at both business and leisure travelers. Connexion by Boeing service is available today on 70 planes and more than 100 daily routes worldwide on Lufthansa Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines, Japan Airlines, ANA, Singapore Airlines and China Airlines. In addition, Austrian Airlines, Korean Air, El Al, Asiana and Etihad will soon begin offering the high-speed service on their long-range aircraft.
Could the Connexion connection play into Apple’s laptop plans? Who knows, but many folks speculate that one of Apple’s main reasons for moving to Intel processors was the variety of processors that would be available for iBooks and PowerBooks.
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Contributor
Dennis Sellers
Dennis has been a newspaper editor/reporter (seven years) and teacher (seven years). He has over 4,000 magazine, newspaper and online articles to his credit. He has also covered the Mac and tech industries for over a decade for such online publications as MacCentral, MacMinute and now MacsimumNews.
