Intel says Core i5-based MacBook Pro promo was a mistake
After a worldwide promotional e-mail seemingly revealed a forthcoming Intel Core i5-equipped MacBook Pro, the chip maker has modified the contest and apologized.
A newly revised e-mail sent to members of the Intel Retail Edge Program has changed the contest to offer a new HP Envy laptop, equipped with the new Core i5 processor.
"In our previous communications about the January prize draw, we got the processor right, but not the computer," the new e-mail states. "When you pass this month's trainings, you'll be automatically eligible for 2 chances to win 1 of 2 HP ENVY laptops with the accelerated response of an Intel Core i5 processor."
"We apologize for any confusion," it continues. "Visit the Intel Retail Edge Program website for more great tools, sales tips, technology information, and incredible prizes!"
On Wednesday, the chip maker caused a stir when its Retail Edge Program offered two chances to win a MacBook Pro equipped with an Intel Core i5 processor. Currently, the MacBook Pro line employes the Core 2 Duo processors.
The Retail Edge Program allows retail employees who sell Intel products to access technical knowledge and sales tips, which gives them the opportunity to earn "chips" which can be exchanged for products. The program also offers occasional contests and giveaways.
Intel's mobile Core i5 processor is considered to be a likely candidate for a coming MacBook Pro refresh. The new processors improve on the previous line of Core 2 Duo chips, which can be found in the new MacBook, MacBook Pro and iMac. Apple uses the mobile variants of Intel's desktop chips for those systems.
At CES last week, Intel formally introduced its new line of processors, which include the Core i3, i5 and i7. The first 32 nanometer processors have the major northbridge memory controller components built in.
The new Core i5 processors were benchmarked earlier this month and found to have better performance than their Core 2 Duo predecessors, without a negative impact on battery life. Based on the Arrandale architecture, the new chips use a 32nm Westmere Core and a 45nm chipset, allowing improved speed, better graphics, lower power consumption, and smaller motherboards.
A newly revised e-mail sent to members of the Intel Retail Edge Program has changed the contest to offer a new HP Envy laptop, equipped with the new Core i5 processor.
"In our previous communications about the January prize draw, we got the processor right, but not the computer," the new e-mail states. "When you pass this month's trainings, you'll be automatically eligible for 2 chances to win 1 of 2 HP ENVY laptops with the accelerated response of an Intel Core i5 processor."
"We apologize for any confusion," it continues. "Visit the Intel Retail Edge Program website for more great tools, sales tips, technology information, and incredible prizes!"
On Wednesday, the chip maker caused a stir when its Retail Edge Program offered two chances to win a MacBook Pro equipped with an Intel Core i5 processor. Currently, the MacBook Pro line employes the Core 2 Duo processors.
The Retail Edge Program allows retail employees who sell Intel products to access technical knowledge and sales tips, which gives them the opportunity to earn "chips" which can be exchanged for products. The program also offers occasional contests and giveaways.
Intel's mobile Core i5 processor is considered to be a likely candidate for a coming MacBook Pro refresh. The new processors improve on the previous line of Core 2 Duo chips, which can be found in the new MacBook, MacBook Pro and iMac. Apple uses the mobile variants of Intel's desktop chips for those systems.
At CES last week, Intel formally introduced its new line of processors, which include the Core i3, i5 and i7. The first 32 nanometer processors have the major northbridge memory controller components built in.
The new Core i5 processors were benchmarked earlier this month and found to have better performance than their Core 2 Duo predecessors, without a negative impact on battery life. Based on the Arrandale architecture, the new chips use a 32nm Westmere Core and a 45nm chipset, allowing improved speed, better graphics, lower power consumption, and smaller motherboards.
Comments
Intel says Core i5-based MacBook Pro promo was a mistake
A mistake it was released that is...
So don't go buying any new Mac right now until the refresh!
Force Apple to dump the old ones at a discount.
(edited out by mactripper)
Yeesh. We know the i5 (looks like 'g5' made it after all, PPC Mac huggers?) is coming.
Just a matter of when. Around the same time of the slate I should imagine. It's funny to be this far into Jan' and no Apple announcements, eh? I miss Macworld.
Still, we now have APPLEWorld. At a time Apple chooses.
I like their autonomy. It makes it even more exciting in someways. You KNOW if they call an event they ARE ready.
Lemon Bon Bon.
Of course it's just a mistake. They probably got scared that Apple would pull the same stunt they did on ATI when they announced early that they would be used in the new Macs. Either that, or they showed marketing the Envy and they confused it with the MacBook Pro (unlikely).
Remember it's intel not ATI. Where Apple will go if they ditch intel?
Although it seems to have been Intel's mistake, Apple needs to move on this right away and get new models out there.
Remember it's intel not ATI. Where Apple will go if they ditch intel?
To ARM or AMD? What a silly question. It seems more likely, though, that Intel will want Apple to stay onboard, because that means the most desirable computers in the world will be equipped with their chips and not a competitor's.
Remember it's intel not ATI. Where Apple will go if they ditch intel?
did they not buy their own processor company.
I'll bet that sales of existing MacBook Pros dry up very quickly.
Although it seems to have been Intel's mistake, Apple needs to move on this right away and get new models out there.
Apple doesn't need to move on anything all because some other company blurted out bad info.
also, Apple is pretty good at slowing down or even halting production of a product about to be cut out of the line up. Mainly because they need to assemble the new stuff. That is the beauty of their system. They don't say until they have something at least ready to make, if not to ship. So they won't be worried about those old MBPs or even MBs. The channel will be drying up due to lack of shipments. Something we haven't heard rumors about yet. And typically those notes turn up as early as a month before. Certainly if there's an announcement in two weeks of new laptops being shipped we'd have heard it by now.
Remember it's intel not ATI. Where Apple will go if they ditch intel?
Apple may just skip Arrandale. It's a definite possibility that would not be above Apple.
Apple may just skip Arrandale. It's a definite possibility that would not be above Apple.
I hope not and I don?t think so. We?re overdue for a MBP update and CPU release time and specs all fit nicely.
did they not buy their own processor company.
Apple doesn't need to move on anything all because some other company blurted out bad info.
also, Apple is pretty good at slowing down or even halting production of a product about to be cut out of the line up. Mainly because they need to assemble the new stuff. That is the beauty of their system. They don't say until they have something at least ready to make, if not to ship. So they won't be worried about those old MBPs or even MBs. The channel will be drying up due to lack of shipments. Something we haven't heard rumors about yet. And typically those notes turn up as early as a month before. Certainly if there's an announcement in two weeks of new laptops being shipped we'd have heard it by now.
Apples mac sales are apparently way up right now so they could in theory push back the date when they stop shipping laptops. I wouldn't write off a laptop announcement just because we haven't heard of shortages yet. Ideally, the only shortage would be on the day of the announcement
I'd still expect Core i5 MBPs though because they will look quite bad next to the Envy without them.
To ARM or AMD? What a silly question. It seems more likely, though, that Intel will want Apple to stay onboard, because that means the most desirable computers in the world will be equipped with their chips and not a competitor's.
did they not buy their own processor company.
What you guys don't understand is that Apple is stuck with Intel ever since they committed to x86. Intel owns x86, AMD is licensing it (with the help of some court battles). ARM and PA Semi don't even have access to it. This means Apple is stuck with Intel, even if they go with AMD, since AMD also depends on Intel's instruction set. Apple has no choice but to stick with this decision because there's no way they can change directions so dramatically right now with a new OS written for a new instruction set and ask all their developers to re-deploy their code once again for a new instruction set.
I wonder if Apple went to them and said,"Yeah, about the MacBooks for your sales promo? Not gonna happen. Pick a new machine."
- Jasen.
What you guys don't understand is that Apple is stuck with Intel ever since they committed to x86. Intel owns x86, AMD is licensing it (with the help of some court battles). ARM and PA Semi don't even have access to it. This means Apple is stuck with Intel, even if they go with AMD, since AMD also depends on Intel's instruction set. Apple has no choice but to stick with this decision because there's no way they can change directions so dramatically right now with a new OS written for a new instruction set and ask all their developers to re-deploy their code once again for a new instruction set.
AMD owns x86 just as much as Intel. all the 64 bit instructions on Intel CPU's were originally created by AMD
What you guys don't understand is that Apple is stuck with Intel ever since they committed to x86. Intel owns x86, AMD is licensing it (with the help of some court battles). ARM and PA Semi don't even have access to it. This means Apple is stuck with Intel, even if they go with AMD, since AMD also depends on Intel's instruction set. Apple has no choice but to stick with this decision because there's no way they can change directions so dramatically right now with a new OS written for a new instruction set and ask all their developers to re-deploy their code once again for a new instruction set.
I think your comments are wrong about x86
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86-64
A 'mistake'
Yeesh. We know the i5 (looks like 'g5' made it after all, PPC Mac huggers?) is coming.
Just a matter of when. Around the same time of the slate I should imagine. It's funny to be this far into Jan' and no Apple announcements, eh? I miss Macworld.
Still, we now have APPLEWorld. At a time Apple chooses.
I like their autonomy. It makes it even more exciting in someways. You KNOW if they call an event they ARE ready.
Lemon Bon Bon.
cool beans
hey L B B YOU THINK apple will keep the 2 gpu chip set up on the new MBP with the new intel chips??
AMD owns x86 just as much as Intel. all the 64 bit instructions on Intel CPU's were originally created by AMD
I think your comments are wrong about x86
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86-64
x86-64 is just an extension of x86. It was created by AMD but Intel is able to use it because of the cross-licensing agreement between Intel and AMD. Intel still controls core aspects of x86 with their patents, but AMD can use them too because of the cross-licensing deal. I don't see how this contradicts my statement. If the cross-licensing deal is terminated (which might happen, AMD is a bit unstable right now) x86 goes back to Intel. Of course it would be damaging to Intel as well since it loses some key AMD technologies.