Intel seems ready to support Apple transition to x86. Intel compiler lab Director Kevin Smith has announced at the IDF 2005, that a Mac version of intel compiler and performance libraries will be released to Mac developers (primarily optimized for both digital media and scientific computing tasks).
This compiler version is optimized to reduce as much as possible the effect due to the lost of the PPC-specific Altivec. Optimization of x86-specific instruction sets SSE could replace performance gains seen with the Velocity engine even though altivec remains theoretically more powerful.
The new compiler will be fully integrated into Xcode to avoid any Mac developer to worry about it.
According to iSuppli, Apple would consider acquiring 40% of Samsung's Flash Chips in order to release a 4GB flash-memory-based iPod mini.
If this info turns true, Apple might have obtained exceptional price conditions from Samsung since a 4GB flash memory is about double that of a 4GB microdrive. But on the other side, a flash memory-based iPod mini will have a dramatically increased battery life span, and will also be less sensitive to vibration or shocks.
The
Video Electronic Standard Association (VESA) has finalized last week the new DisplayPort standard.
DisplayPort is a new interface proposal, which has been designed to simplify display interfaces in computer and consumer electronics systems and is aimed to replace DVI as well as VGA in a near future.
The DisplayPort standard features a high-bandwidth, low-latency, unidirectional connection supporting isochronous stream transport allowing direct support for large display such as 30" Apple display; making current DVI-DDL port obsolete. In addition, DisplayPort allows high quality audio to be available to the display device over the same cable as the video signal.
Guillaume told us:
I'm a regular reader of MacBidouille and I am currently in Boston... So what?
I found here a very original marketing idea from Apple: try a pair of jeans at GAP and get a code number for a free song on the iTMS.
I was too curious, I can't resist... Let's go!
After the try, a nice salesperson gave me the precious piece of paper with the code number and here it is:
I found the idea very cool... and I almost bought the jeans ;-)
Nice example of cross-marketing that does not cost so much to the two companies.
Google finally launched its own instant messenging service,
Google Talk
Google Talk allows text and audio communications.
The only problem is that service is only yet available on Windows.
It is thus possible to use iChat, but for text only, thanks to the Jabber protocol.
Please note that you'll need a GMail account to get access to the service.
[Update]bad_duck, a member of our team, told us that audio conversations are working with iChat,
in contradiction with what Google claims.
[Update2]After further investigation, bad_duck informed us that it is not yet the Blue Sky he announced.
In fact, it does work like this only if you are using 2 iChat clients: there is a sort of recognition in the software that allows then audio (and even video) - status are also regnonised but not file transfer or avatars. Between iChat and the Google Talk client, the chat is text-only.
It is not then the announced alternative to Skype to make audio conversations between MAC and PC :(
Another issue is that the jabber server from Google is not connected to other services so you'll have to choose if you want to use Jabber in iChat for Google or the other services, such as MSN or Yahoo.
