Mellel Word Processor – Universal Binary
March 15, 2006 by admin · Leave a Comment
The developers at RedleX have sent out word that Mellel word processor will soon be a Universal Binary.
As always you can check the list at guide.apple.com/universal for a full listing of Universal Binaries – as of today, the list is over 1100 applications. Of course iWork ‘06 from Apple is already a Universal Binary, and Nisus Writer Express is as well.
Rumors are (and they are probably fairly accurate) that Apple will have Intel machines across their full desktop and notebook lineup by August of 2006.
New Intel-based Mac mini’s Are Available.
February 28, 2006 by admin · Leave a Comment
As you have probably heard by now, Apple has released Intel Core Solo and Core Duo-based Mac minis, now making half of their product line Intel-based. Specifications:
* Includes Apple Remote and Front Row
* Reported to be 2.5 – 5.5 times faster than previous Mac minis
* 1.5GHz Core Solo or 1.66GHz Core Duo CPUs
* 667MHz Front Side Bus
* 512MB (Upgradeable to 2GB)
* Same form factor as previous Mac mini
* One FireWire 400, Four USB 2.0 ports
* Gigabit Ethernet, Built-in Airport Extreme wireless, Bluetooth 2.0
* 60GB or 80GB Serial ATA harddrive
* CDRW/DVD or DVD Writer
* iLife ‘06
It starts at $100 more than the PowerPC G4 based Mac mini (it now starts at $599), but if you’ve been holding off for this, it’s here. By all accounts, most current Mac genealogy software runs just fine under Core Duo iMacs and MacBook Pros – I’m unsure how well a Core Solo CPU would handle Rosetta.
If you don’t want to make the transition to Intel just yet, I’m sure that some PowerPC G4 Mac minis will be available through the Apple Store’s Special Deals - Apple Certified (As an example, they have 12-inch PowerPC G4 iBooks for $699).
The big event will be April 1st – Apple’s 30th Birthday.
Macworld looks at MacBook Pro, Migration Strategies
February 23, 2006 by admin · Leave a Comment
Macworld has a “First Look” at the new MacBook Pros, that some maybe interested in looking, if you are interested in the first of Apple’s Intel-based notebook offerings.
They have some good benchmarks in relation to apps on PowerPC vs Intel, including Photoshop. Considering that a lot of non-multimedia software that genealogists use don’t necessarily rely on a speedy processor, they had good news as well, to quote Jason Snell from the article, Several of my bread-and-butter applications, most notably Eudora and Microsoft Office, aren’t currently available in versions that run natively on Intel processors. But I honestly haven’t perceived any slowness in those applications.
Apple Lists Universal Binaries, MacBook Pro Upgraded
February 14, 2006 by admin · Leave a Comment
If you are curious about which Mac OS X applications have already made the transition to Universal Binaries, Apple has put together a list of Universal Applications. At this time, MacFamilyTree is the only genealogy application listed as a Universal Application, although most reports are that current Mac OS X genealogy applications will run just fine under Rosetta.
We have a short page dedicated to explaining just what a Universal Binary is as well as how older Mac OS X applications will run under “Rosetta”.
On a related noted, the MacBook Pro is shipping with a faster Core Duo CPU – 1.83GHz and 2.0GHz, along with BTO options of upto 2.16GHz.
Classic Environment on an Intel-Based Mac
February 7, 2006 by admin · Leave a Comment
HardMac.com has information about software that may possibly run MacOS 7, 8, or 9, under an Intel-based Mac. Originally the software was being developed to run under Linux or PowerPC based Macs, however it has been ported to Intel Macs. Note that the developers don’t have access to an Intel Mac just yet, however this looks promising.
The project is called SheepShaver, and it’s Open Source. On a PowerPC Mac, it runs the applications at native speeds, otherwise it emulates some of the hardware. It runs MacOS 7.5.2 thru MacOS 9.0.4.
Give this project a few months, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see something come out of it that works. This would be important to those Mac-based genealogists who are using older software that runs under a Classic environment, and who want to upgrade to a new iMac or MacBook Pro, while still using the older software.
