Apple Becomes Windows PC Platform, Launches Boot Camp
5th Apr 2006, 18:38 GMT
It doesn't get much more clever. You've flogged consumers an expensive Intel PC, with OS X, and then let them pay for the privilege of running Windows XP on it. Welcome to 21st century Apple, and say hello to their latest software offering called Boot Camp. Apple has no desire or plan to sell or support Windows, but many customers have expressed their interest to run Windows on Apples superior hardware now that we use Intel processors, said Philip Schiller, Apples senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. We think Boot Camp makes the Mac even more appealing to Windows users considering making the switch. Despite the sickening smugness, Schiller is right. Apple's boxes amazingly seem to run Windows rather fast, making it a very attractive choice for end users. The software makes Microsoft, and frankly, its OEM PC partners, look decidedly dated - as their product page attests. " Macs use an ultra-modern industry standard technology called EFI to handle booting. Sadly, Windows XP, and even the upcoming Vista, are stuck in the 1980s with old-fashioned BIOS. But with Boot Camp, the Mac can operate smoothly in both centuries." Boot Camp will simplify what has hitherto been a rather difficult and risky process of installing Windows, by creating a partition and creating a driver disk to make sure everything works. Previous efforts had been community driven, and involved raising a significant prize fund eventually won by two coders. But it's not just about making life easier for these users. It's about making the switch decision a lot easier. With Vista delayed, the much hyped Apple re-birth as more than just an iPod maker seems clear and solid. Boot Camp will be fully available in the next version of OS X, code named 'Leopard', but a beta is available online now. It requires 10GB of free space on your hard drive, and a copy of Windows XP with SP2. Note that Apple makes it very clear it does not support users who install Windows XP on their Intel Macs. Just encourages it, and enjoys it. View: Download Boot Camp Beta View: FAQ Read full story...
Apple Becomes Windows PC Platform, Launches Boot Camp related news:
- Windows On A Mac With Boot Camp — Laughing Squid
- Update: Apple 'Boot Camp' Software Boots Windows On Macs (PC Magazine) — Yahoo! News: Apple/Macintosh News
- Apple to PC Manufacturers and Windows: It's on! — The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)
- Apple "Boot Camp" Software Boots Windows On Macs (PC Magazine) — Yahoo! News: Software News
- Update: Apple 'Boot Camp' Software Boots Windows On Macs — PC Magazine's New Product Update
- Apple endorses Windows XP booting with "Boot Camp" — ZDNet Blogs
- Your Intel Mac Will Never Be the Same After Boot Camp — Lockergnome's OS X Fanatics
- Macs Run Windows, Sky Doesn't Fall — MacNewsWorld
- What the Boot Camp Windows install doesn't support — The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)
- Apple launches Boot Camp — I.T. Vibe
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