Special Xeon in Mac Pro, MBP battery woes, iPod takes a bullet

[AppleInsider]

Apple has called in a favor from Intel for the latest Mac Pro, drawing on a cutting-edge Xeon. Meanwhile, increasing numbers of 17-inch MacBook Pro owners have complained about swelling batteries, and an iPod has played a special role in saving a soldier's life.

3GHz quad-core Xeon an exception to the rule

Intel on Thursday solved the mystery behind the 3GHz, quad-core Xeon found in Apple's new eight-core Mac Pro.

The processor had triggered confusion for those keeping a close eye on Intel's workstation offerings, as it fell outside of Intel's often well-defined roadmap and was nowhere to be seen on the chipmaker's Xeon product site. Discussions with the company itself, however, quickly revealed that Apple had repeated the tactic behind its Apple TV device and requested a special chip to accommodate its special needs -- in this case, the Xeon 5365. The Mac Pro maker successfully preempted Intel's official plans by persuading it to release a one-off processor at the high clock speed.

"We are indeed shipping a 3.0GHz Xeon version," Bill Kircos from Intel said. "For now, the product is in limited production and Apple has chosen to adopt it. We will introduce another 3.0GHz Xeon SKU later on as well."

Intel's line officially ends with the quad-core Xeon 5355, which had been released as part of the 5300 series in November but has remained locked at a 2.66GHz maximum speed until today. The Mac Pro is so far the only known professional workstation to have the 5365 model, making it potentially the fastest of its kind until larger quantities of the chip leave Intel's factories.

17-inch MacBook Pro batteries fail en masse

A more pressing crisis this week was the steady rise in claims that the lithium polymer batteries in 17-inch MacBook Pros were failing. Owners and technicians in separate instances have posted photos showing the battery packs to have bulged outwards, deforming the aluminum shell and making them all but unusable.

"It had bulged out from the insides," one repairman said of a battery that arrived at his desk. "At first, i didn't realise that it was a battery, until i turned it over and pressed the power-indicator button. The battery seemed to still work!"

A swollen 17-inch MacBook Pro battery.

Apple has yet to comment on the issue. However, the issue immediately draws parallels between itself and the battery recall for 15-inch MacBook Pros last year due to a similar inflation problem.

AppleInsider readers who experience the problem are advised to contact Apple and stop using the battery immediately; while no more serious incidents have been reported, bloating is sometimes the precursor to a dangerous fire.

iPod saves a life

In more optimistic news, one iPod was found to be far more useful to its owner than as a simple music jukebox.

US infantryman Kevin Garrad can now claim that the Apple device saved his life while on patrol. A series of photos posted to Flickr this week provided evidence that the soldier's fourth-generation iPod absorbed the impact of a 7.62mm round fired from an Iraqi rebel's AK-47, letting the bullet through but softening the blow just enough to stop the bullet from completely piercing the Kevlar armor underneath.

iPod takes one for the team.

Thankfully, Garrad was completely unhurt by the shot. The iPod was less fortunate and was rendered unusable; surprisingly, however, many of its parts remained intact despite the fatal blow.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[SpamSandwich]

This is not good news about the batteries...

[mayosolo]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

The iPod was less fortunate and was rendered unusable; surprisingly, however, many of its parts remained intact despite the fatal blow.

I think Apple owes that soldier a new iPod, if for no other reason than the publicity.

[ALM]

HP and Apple won't be able to decide who actually should replace it.

[nagromme]

17-inch batteries bulging "en masse?" Let's cross our fingers that 3 anecdotes or so don't multiply enough to justify that catchy soundbite

[ALM]

I keep thinking about it, many say that Apple should give him new iPod. Strange logic. Actually that guy supposed to be thankful for such a good gadget and should run buy new iPod that save lifes.

[Robin Hood]

Well spotted, that's a HP iPod! This is probably the first time I've seen one.

Anyhow, the argument is that Apple could use this guy to get free publicity for the iPod. Beats paying for advertising.

[theoldcoot]

Hopefully Apple has this pregnant battery woe fixed asap, since I was just about to buy one, but am holding off until they do and now it will probably be when Leopard comes out that I'll buy it.

I guess it was'nt a good time to switch.

[eAi]

Perhaps if the guy hadn't been listening to his iPod he'd have avoided getting shot in the first place...

I'm waiting till September/October to buy a laptop, I reckon we'll see some updates by then.

[iPoster]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

iPod saves a life

In more optimistic news, one iPod was found to be far more useful to its owner than as a simple music jukebox.

US infantryman Kevin Garrad can now claim that the Apple device saved his life while on patrol. A series of photos posted to Flickr this week provided evidence that the soldier's fourth-generation iPod absorbed the impact of a 7.62mm round fired from an Iraqi rebel's AK-47, letting the bullet through but softening the blow just enough to stop the bullet from completely piercing the Kevlar armor underneath.

iPod takes one for the team.

Thankfully, Garrad was completely unhurt by the shot. The iPod was less fortunate and was rendered unusable; surprisingly, however, many of its parts remained intact despite the fatal blow.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

Should of had the iPod in one of these cases!!

[maimezvous]

I'm generally not one to complain about the writing in the articles but this time I just couldn't hold back.

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

A more pressing crisis this week was the steady rise in claims that the lithium-ion batteries in 17-inch MacBook Pros were failing. Owners and technicians in separate instances have posted photos showing the battery packs to have bulged outwards, deforming the aluminum shell and making them all but unusable.

I don't believe that the mysterious processor was a "pressing crisis". In fact, I don't think it was a crisis at all. If anything I would call it great news.

Then there is this: "...and making them all BUT unusable." I believe that they were, in fact, rendered unusable. Not all but unusable. It's just illogical. It may be an expression, but it's a stupid one and in no way does it say anything remotely true.

Ok, I'm done.

[aiolos]

is the battery problem only for 17inch or 15in? and is that CD or C2D?

that's cool about the 3ghz xeon

[Cato988]

hahahahahaha bullet proof cases.

that would have been funny if he had it because someone sent it as a joke and it actually saved his ipod

(btw, that bullet BARELY hit the corner of that iPod, What a luck dude)

[JeffDM]

I figured that the Mac Pro chip had to be supplied by Intel like that. Xeons are multiplier locked, so it's not as if Apple can just overclock them on their own. I haven't seen a Xeon system where you can choose the multiplier, except for one from the Pentium 3 era, and even then, it wouldn't go higher than its max rated mulltiplier. With the newer chips, just drop the chip into the socket and it just works at the rated speed.

[>_>]

This exact same thing happened to me several months ago, on my 17" mbp 2.16Ghz CoreDuo. The tech at the apple store said he had never seen it before, and opened a new box and swapped my battery with the brand new one. Was very cool. =)

- Xidius

[AjayBot]

Why oh why does that poor iPod have a HP engraved in the back of it! Its like an oxymoron!

Nah just playing, My girlfriend has an HP and its good as long as she doesn't go online with it (Thats what her Mac is for , no viruses if you don't go online ) I've never seen an iPod with anything but a custom message engraved on it. I hope HP sold them at a discount for advertising their brand!

[theapplegenius]

Now we know what was behind the octo-mac delay. Apple *did* have something up it's sleeve.

[nvidia2008]

Originally Posted by eAi

Perhaps if the guy hadn't been listening to his iPod he'd have avoided getting shot in the first place...

ROFL... ...In other news, I need an iPod too for my GhostRecon: AdvancedWarfighter. Looks like it would make the game missions easier ...!!

[thebeat]

ROFL that is so bullshit in the US. An iPod takes a bullet, it just SO HAPPENS that he was placing the iPod somewhere hidden in his body. And out of ALL THE PLACES the bullet could of shot through, it just HAD to be the iPOD... and just like a movie, it saves his life... hahaha such bull shit, you guys are a bunch of liars, probably just shot it in there himself. USA faggots

[theapplegenius]

Originally Posted by thebeat

ROFL that is so bullshit in the US. An iPod takes a bullet, it just SO HAPPENS that he was placing the iPod somewhere hidden in his body. And out of ALL THE PLACES the bullet could of shot through, it just HAD to be the iPOD... and just like a movie, it saves his life... hahaha such bull shit, you guys are a bunch of liars, probably just shot it in there himself. USA faggots

Please, for the better good of the world, die in a fire.

Be a man, take one for the team.

[nvidia2008]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

....The Mac Pro is so far the only known professional workstation to have the 5365 model, making it potentially the fastest of its kind until larger quantities of the chip leave Intel's factories....

Could it be possible that Apple's Mac Pro 8 core is the fastest and most cost-effective x86/x86-64 -based workstation in the mainstream pro/prosumer market???

NAB April 15th announcement is going to rock. Mac Quad/Octo + FinalCutStudio 6 + ShakeRevised + Logic8(???unsure on this one) is going to DEMOLISH the lower-to-mid part of the AVID empire.

Woot




(posted twice because there's supposed to be 8 arms... if only four, why is he called Dr. "Octo"pus???

[nvidia2008]

Originally Posted by thebeat

ROFL that is so bullshit in the US. An iPod takes a bullet, it just SO HAPPENS that he was placing the iPod somewhere hidden in his body. And out of ALL THE PLACES the bullet could of shot through, it just HAD to be the iPOD... and just like a movie, it saves his life... hahaha such bull shit, you guys are a bunch of liars, probably just shot it in there himself. USA faggots

Whatever side you're fighting for, you try running around not getting shot in urban warzones. I don't think you'll last beyond an hour. ...Take an iPod, at least in your last moments you can scroll to a playlist titled "Songs to Die With". Now that's a movie moment.

[nvidia2008]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

...."It had bulged out from the insides," one repairman said of a battery that arrived at his desk. "At first, i didn't realise that it was a battery, until i turned it over and pressed the power-indicator button. The battery seemed to still work!"....

Mmm... "Hmmm... swollen potentially exploding battery.... Ah, WTF, I'll mess with it..."... ...Yes to be fair he didn't realise it was a battery until he pressed the button?

[Bergermeister]

Originally Posted by ALM

I keep thinking about it, many say that Apple should give him new iPod. Strange logic. Actually that guy supposed to be thankful for such a good gadget and should run buy new iPod that save lifes.

"Army issues soldiers iPod vests"
The new vests are made of a mesh of iPods, which have been shown by actual combat experience to stop bullets. To save costs, however, the soldiers are only issued one set of earphones per vest, so there is no extended play capability unless the soldier manually changes the earphones from pod to pod. On the other hand, as each vest is made up of 150 to 230 iPods depending on the size of the vest, the recipient could, in theory, store enough music to last 35 years, depending on model.

[nvidia2008]

Brilliant . Army gets to save costs as well, 200 iPod Videos 30gb is probably cheaper than a Kevlar vest.

[nvidia2008]

Originally Posted by Bergermeister

"Army issues soldiers iPod vests"
The new vests are made of a mesh of iPods, which have been shown by actual combat experience to stop bullets. To save costs, however, the soldiers are only issued one set of earphones per vest, so there is no extended play capability unless the soldier manually changes the earphones from pod to pod. On the other hand, as each vest is made up of 150 to 230 iPods depending on the size of the vest, the recipient could, in theory, store enough music to last 35 years, depending on model.

In other news, it was discovered that half of the iPods have been preloaded with top-of-the-charts Middle Eastern music, video and audio podcasts from Al Jazeera, plus "Top Ten Osama Cave-Speeches" audiobooks. "These would be very effective bribes in a situation where a coalition soldier might need to escape a tight situation, or would certainly be a very favourable bargaining chip in hostage situations*", a military spokesperson said.

*Release the coalition prisoners and we will bring more iPods for all of you...! Look - an entire crate just next to me, fresh from Shanghai -- and yes -- all preloaded with your favourite content....!

[nathan2301]

Originally Posted by nvidia2008

(posted twice because there's supposed to be 8 arms... if only four, why is he called Dr. "Octo"pus???

I count 8, must remember to count his own arms and legs. Unless you were being sarcastic, if so, I am dumb

[nvidia2008]

Originally Posted by nathan2301

I count 8, must remember to count his own arms and legs. Unless you were being sarcastic, if so, I am dumb

Actually, I wasn't being sarcastic. I thought there would be 8 mechanical arms. But yeah, it would be 8 if you count his arms and legs. Cool thanks

[melgross]

Originally Posted by nvidia2008

ROFL... ...In other news, I need an iPod too for my GhostRecon: AdvancedWarfighter. Looks like it would make the game missions easier ...!!

It is NOT a funny comment my friend. Another half inch, and he would have been dead.

[ecking]

The ipod was rendered unusable because it bears an HP badge.

[nvidia2008]

Originally Posted by melgross

...Another half inch, and he would have been dead...

Well, that's what happens when humans go to war. It's not usually funny when people die, but it was funny in a way when eAi said "Perhaps if the guy hadn't been listening to his iPod he'd have avoided getting shot in the first place..." -- funny because it was somewhat of an absurdist comment.

Believe me, GhostRecon is very educational. Urban warfare is no joke. For whoever is involved in it, including civilians.

THIS is also not so funny:
http://icasualties.org/oif/
http://www.iraqbodycount.org/

But we can't take suffering too seriously? Otherwise we'd all be sitting around moping?

[Trendannoyer]

id like to read (for laffs) microsofts response to the iPod stops bullets thing....

"Apple may be ahead in stopping bullets, but with the release of the watermellon Red Zune, we can catch up"

yeah... SURE

lucky lucky dude... but then the kevlar vest would have stopped it anyway

[TBaggins]

Originally Posted by thebeat

ROFL that is so bullshit in the US. An iPod takes a bullet, it just SO HAPPENS that he was placing the iPod somewhere hidden in his body. And out of ALL THE PLACES the bullet could of shot through, it just HAD to be the iPOD... and just like a movie, it saves his life... hahaha such bull shit, you guys are a bunch of liars, probably just shot it in there himself. USA faggots

Congrats. You're today's reason why cousins shouldn't marry. Nice job.




.

[Kendoka]

Regarding the "life saving iPod"...

Unfortunately, waging a war today is a lot of handling publicity - thus reports from the front tend to be very tailored (i.e. mostly lies). It is only natural to be sceptical when hearing a news like this - and that has nothing whatsoever to do with being pro-US or not.

*IF* the iPod saved the soldiers life this is good news (especially for him and his family/friends).

However as there are several other more "non-Hollywoodish" explanations - including the iPod being hit by an enemy bullet - but not being near a real person - and that someone deliberate put a bullet into it (for whatever reason, like: the soldier wanting some fame and a new iPod, the army needing a good story, the iPod becoming broken etc.).

In short:
-Stories that sound to be good to be true, seldom are...

[Banalltv]

What about Zunes? We all know they can stop chairs but can one of them stop a bullet?

[aegisdesign]

Originally Posted by nvidia2008

(posted twice because there's supposed to be 8 arms... if only four, why is he called Dr. "Octo"pus???

Because there's 4 robot arms, 2 real arms and 2 real legs = 8 limbs.

[aegisdesign]

Originally Posted by nvidia2008

Believe me, GhostRecon is very educational.

Back 25+ years ago I believe I might have said...

"Believe me, Blue Meanies from Outer Space is very educational" to justify why I'd spent 2 hours typing the thing in for my Vic 20 to my parents.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by AjayBot

Why oh why does that poor iPod have a HP engraved in the back of it! Its like an oxymoron!

I think it was necessary at the time because Apple didn't have good distribution at the time. That has chanced since then. I think the non-compete has expired such that they may sell their own HP branded player, but I haven't heard of one. It's kind of unfortunate that they quit the market, I think Compaq had the first portable music file player on the market.

[aplnub]

Originally Posted by thebeat

ROFL that is so bullshit in the US. An iPod takes a bullet, it just SO HAPPENS that he was placing the iPod somewhere hidden in his body. And out of ALL THE PLACES the bullet could of shot through, it just HAD to be the iPOD... and just like a movie, it saves his life... hahaha such bull shit, you guys are a bunch of liars, probably just shot it in there himself. USA faggots

The village called and they are missing their idiot! I'll have them pick you up.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by thebeat

ROFL that is so bullshit in the US. An iPod takes a bullet, it just SO HAPPENS that he was placing the iPod somewhere hidden in his body. And out of ALL THE PLACES the bullet could of shot through, it just HAD to be the iPOD... and just like a movie, it saves his life... hahaha such bull shit, you guys are a bunch of liars, probably just shot it in there himself. USA faggots

This is what I call a classic self-discrediting post. Start out sounding somewhat sensible then ending with a derogatory comment, in this case, anti-gay. Why not do a Micheal Richards while you are at it?