News for Thursday, 10 May 2007

About a year ago, Parallels, the award-winning desktop virtualization software, was introduced and changed the way one would use Windows on a Mac. If the free BootCamp from Apple gives users access to the full 3D acceleration, Parallels allows all users to run Windows natively in Mac OS X. Embedding Windows in OS X as a standard Mac application brings a lot a flexibility when using application form both OS on an everyday basis.
Yesterday, Parallels announced a major agreement in USA:

For the first time ever, Parallels' exclusive US distributor Tech Data Corporation is making a selection of 13 pre-configured packages that include an Apple Mac Mini, iMac, MacBook, MacBook Pro or Mac Pro, pre-loaded with Parallels Desktop for Mac, with Windows XP Pro pre-installed in a Parallels virtual machine. No reseller or end-user configuration or software or OS installation is necessary; pre-configured machines are ready to run Windows XP in Parallels Desktop right out of the box.

We think this is a major step towards the adoption of Mac OS X as the default OS on Mac Intel. Indeed, many professionals purchase Mac Intel to get access to the better design and hardware integration when compared to PC, but mostly run Windows on it via BootCamp.
Last but not least, Parallels told us to stay tuned for really hot announcement in the next few days... for sure native embedded 3D support of windows would strengthen Parallels as the key virtualization solution on Mac, without mentioning that Apple might decide to install it by default on some hardware too...

While many manufacturers have already announced the availability of their new notebooks based on Santa Rosa with some models already available, Intel officially announced its availability yesterday. Of course, there was nothing new, and all features were already known and reported in our previous news about Santa Rosa, without mentioning the recent IDF in Beijing.
To summarize one more time the key features of Santa Rosa:
- The FSB increases from 667 to 800 MHz
- Core 2 Duo clockspeed on FSB 800MHz tops at 2.4GHz
- The graphic chipset GMA 950 introduced with Napa/Napa Refresh is replaced with the more powerful GM X3100
- Wi-Fi 802.11n integrated in Intel chipset.
- Intel Turbo memory, aka Robson technology, an optional flash memory unit to boost repetitive tasks and system booting.
- Improved power consumption management, not only for the CPU, but also for the GM X3100 when being only used with 2D application, or for the Ethernet port able to switch between 1000Mbps and 100Mbps to save couple of watts.
Santa Rosa is not a revolution, but rather the final evolution to a mature platform initiated with the introduction of Napa. For more radical changes, one will have to wait for the end of 2007.
Final notes to Cupertino: Apple is probably the last manufacturer not having announced its Santa Rosa-based notebook offer... we hope they will be announced and available at the WWDC at the latest.

If we can criticize Apple for not offering the last top notch graphic card with its hardware models, it allows us not to suffer from the never-ending battle between ATI/AMD and NVidia for the fastest graphic card, being used as a marketing flagship to improve sales on the mass market (entry level and mid-range graphic cards). While ATI/AMD unveiled the Radeon HD 2900 XT, and took back the leadership, Nvidia announced its new flagship, the Geforce 8800 Ultra last week. Following this announcement, ATI/AMD decided to postpone the introduction of Radeon HD 2900 XTX originally planned for September, and might replace it with the more powerful HD 2950 XTX.
This is probably the last effects of an ending era as graphic cards are now the most power consuming component in a desktop computer. It goes exactly in the opposite direction to the one followed by Intel and AMD for now months with the performance/watt scale. In additional, GPU cooling system are reaching their physical limits and GPU architecture and design will need to be revisited as Intel and AMD did it 2 years ago.
This could also explain why AMD acquired ATI and why NVidia is looking for a deeper partnership with Intel. One should not forget that couple of months ago, Intel announced its goal to offer true GPU targeting the mid-range hardware and not only graphic chipset dedicated to entry-level models (especially for notebook).

Owners of PMG5 aiming to install the most powerful graphic card available for this hardware, aka Radeon X800 XT, can simply not find it on the market, already last december supplies for this card were really low.
Yesterday a reader from XLR8yourmac reported his adventure while attempting to purchase one unit from the ATI website for more than 6 months... The RoHS directive might be responsible for such supply shortage as ATI might have problems to replace component not RoHS compliant. At the end, ATI might decide not to further manufacture Mac Edition of such old graphic card models (small volumes, small margins).