[tokyojoe]

With Apple now based on a Unix core it is technically possible for the to port to Intel, but it doesn`t mean they will. This is simply an analyst`s prediction.

[tokyojoe]

I doubt Apple will do this because it would kill their hardware sales. The translucent plastic is pretty but at the end of the day I don`t want to pay 2 grand for it. I doubt many others would either. The last time Apple opened up the platform to clone makers they got their ass kicked by cheaper manufacturers. The same thing would happen again. I`d love to see them port OS X to another CPU platform but I can`t see Apple becoming a software only company.

[cstaylor]

This is complete bullshit. I was at Apple just last week (got a couple of acquaintances working there) to buy Apple Remote Desktop at the Company Store (half-price for Apple employees... yippee!) and the guys in the kernel group have a museum of old NeXT boxes... nothing gets thrown away over there.

The whole reason for these rumors is that Motorola can't produce the bus speeds that companies like AMD and Intel, and that using Apple could improve profit margins on the Mac by using COTS processors like the Athlon/Athlon MP instead of the PowerPC.

Of course, if Apple did build a machine around the Athlon (more likely the AMD Hammer), you can bet that there will be something in the machine preventing the OS from running on standard Intel hardware.... most likely OpenFirmware.

[cstaylor]

I know it was a spoof... but there are other, more credible rumor sites that are semi-serious about the Intel connection.