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The Laptop Supply Chain
Carl Bialik from the WSJ writes "When a U.S. consumer orders a laptop from HP or other big sellers, how does the machine get made? Often via a complex supply chain in Taiwan and China, shaped by rocky cross-Strait relations, according to the Wall Street Journal: 'Outsourcing to low-cost, high-quality Taiwanese manufacturers has helped make Dell and H-P the world's top two PC companies in terms of sales...But the relationship between U.S. computer firms and their third-party manufacturers can be tricky. In the struggle to retain an element of control over their suppliers, H-P, Dell and others play contract manufacturers against each other to keep prices falling and ensure no supplier gains too much leverage.'"
Care factor? FB!
I have an idea for a new Slashdot section. Instead of doing interviews, we should pit two self-proclaimed tech pundits against each other in a FUD deathmatch. For week #1, I suggest Dvorak vs. Cringely (not Cringley, Taco). The rules: they each post their own hilarious Nostradamus-like predictions about the future of tech. The winner is the one who gets the most slashdotters posting "what the fuck?" in the comments that follow. Also acceptable are "Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot.", or "The goggles, they do nothing!", with other variations (such as clever Soviet Russia jokes) subject to approval by the editors.
Apple merging with Intel is a brilliant first move by Cringely. What say you, Slashdotters? Begin!
I, for one, welcome our new repost script overlords.
Well, go read tfa and find out.
Don't worry, we'll wait til you get back.
"If I was right about Apple switching to Intel, maybe some of my other crack-induced hallucinations are true too!"
Apple is actually switching to Intel to smooth the way for a merger with Sun. Sun is going to abandon SPARC technology in favor of Intel technology. Sun is going to stop building low end workstations and ship Intel based Apple computers.
Man, I think you got the wrong thread, or else you're the one who's smoking crack.
My new gas boiler is working out amazingly cheap to run. I am spending just four pounds a week on gas. And that includes cooking! {perhaps atypically for a Slashdot reader, I have no microwave -- and don't intend to get one either.} Although it has twice the kiloWattage of the one in the flat where I used to live once, it is actually costing less to run. I can only put this down to the fact that my new boiler has no pilot. Who would have thought that such a small flame could ever be responsible for using so much gas? It takes about an extra 10" for the hot water to get hot compared to my old gravity-fed electric immersion heater. But given that it's now coming out at mains pressure, I'm more than prepared to overlook that.
Well, I sure would hate to be the one who has to break it to the Blue Man Group to start thinking different or leave.
Apple is actually switching to Intel to smooth the way for a merger with Sun. Sun is going to abandon SPARC technology in favor of Intel technology. Sun is going to stop building low end workstations and ship Intel based Apple computers.
In the unlikely event that all of this happens could you send me your autograph signed on a postcard?
Question 1: What happened to the PowerPC's supposed performance advantage over Intel?
Gap is breaking, and there are many other advantages of Intel/x86.
Question 2: What happened to Apple's 64-bit operating system?
Just because Intel's 64 bit is expensive now, doesn't mean it will be in a year.
Question 3: Where the heck is AMD?
Who knows if it will be supported, but AMD doesn't have the supply of chips to deal with Apple. Plus, Intel has better brand recognition and probably more muscle in negotiating a contract.
Question 4: Why announce this chip swap a year before it will even begin for customers?
For developers... ?
Question 5: Is this all really about Digital Rights Management?
Probably not./p
Disclaimer: Personally, I have no idea on how much faith to put in this particular prediction, either. I just keep my money in the S&P 500 and don't loose any sleep over the specifics./p
Still there. Notice Steve didn't say much about current performance. Sure, a lot of it had to do with marketing hype, and some of it had to do with Altivec. The PowerPC PowerMac marketing will not go away until there is a replacement Intel machine. Check Apple's website if you doubt that.
Folks who've bothered to pay attention know that the move to Intel is all about low-power ( i.e. laptop ) chips; that's why Steve talked about processing power per watt.
Question 2: What happened to Apple's 64-bit operating system?
Well, it's only 64-bit on the PowerMac G5, and I'm willing to believe that when the PowerMac line is updated to Intel processors, there will be some 64-bit machine in that lineup. That, or there will remain G5s or who knows? Maybe an AMD chip? The fact is, though, few people really care about 64-bit on the desktop. Sadly.
Question 3: Where the heck is AMD?
Sssh! ( see answer to previous question ). Ixnay on the DAM-ay !
Question 4: Why announce this chip swap a year before it will even begin for customers?
That's the dumbest question yet. Who was the announcement made to? DEVELOPERS. Who needs to be doing stuff and using their development boxes so programs are available to run on the new machines when they're available? Why would Cringely ask such a stupid question ? Steve doesn't want a product launch without apps to match. Sure, Apple will lose some sales in the mean time- but mostly on the low end, and not many. If you want OS X, getting a Macintosh is still the only way to do it. Kids going back to school this fall will still buy Powerbooks and iBooks, because the only other choice is Windows. Science geeks and other power users hot for 64-bit and Altivec are may snap up dual-core PowerMacs that are likely to be introduced before the Intel switch in that lineup. Legacy users addicted to Classic are going to snap up PowerPC machines even while Intel machines are available. They'll take a hit, but they've got the cash, and they'll still make some sales. It's not Osborne Computer by any stretch.
Besides, Intel machines are available. Just to developers. And they have to return them. But the fact remains, if you're totally hot to get yourself a developer kit, plunk down $500 bucks for a Premier ADC membership, order the $999 "kit", and you're good to go- MacIntel yours to use for the next year and a half or so.
Question 5: Is this all really about Digital Rights Management?
Cringely actually gets this one right. It's obvious, when you think about it, though. Apple plans on supporting current G5 machines for a good, long time. Let's say another 4 years at a _bare_ minimum. I'm certain it'll be much longer, but let's say 4 years. Will those G5s get no DRM while the Macintels get DRM? Next question.
Oh, wait, it's all about "Why is Apple _really_ switching to Intel?" isn't it? Why not believe Steve Jobs? It's about processing power per watt, it's about the current state of Apple's laptop lineup. Let's not play stupid. Apple's moving to Intel because people are buying more laptops than desktops and IBM is not making powerful laptop PowerPC-based chips. Nothing more, nothing less.
Apple, looking to compete with Microsoft?!? Please. They'll go to great lengths to avoid doing so where they can. Microsoft for the most part chooses to compete with Apple ( say, on music downloads and portable players ), not the other way around. From where I sit, it looks like Apple is doing their best to provide Microsoft with even more chances to sell copies of their OS and application stack on Apple hardware, without having their OS compete with Microsoft in the same way.
What's the incentive for Intel and Apple to join together? They both have more, better options as partners, and they're going to stay that way./p
US responds: I see your puny reed button and raise you a red button that brings your entire country to below sea level.
The US has far more bombs than China. MAD works. China might be evil, but they are smart enough to blink before it gets that far. (So is the US, which is why a China/US war won't go nuclear) Now if it was North Korea we were at war with, things are different, they are insane enough to not blink, even if it destroys the country. (though it would be hard to protect South Korea. The US can do a lot of damage to China without affecting other countries)
Then too, SDI might work well enough to stop the attack in the first place. Depends on the time of the attack. (As in not today, but they are working on it, while China doesn't have the best technology to counter it yet)
I don't see a US/China war. China will continue to claim Taiwan, but they well know that doing more will be dangerous.