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Power Mac G5s run Microsoft's XBox 360 Demos at E3

TMO Reports - Power Mac G5s run Microsoft's XBox 360 Demos at E3

by , 8:50 PM EDT, May 19th, 2005

LOS ANGELES -- As first reported by Anandtech, The Mac Observer has confirmed that Microsoft is running its Xbox 360 demos for the E3 Expo on Power Mac G5s from Apple Computer.

"It's an alpha kit, it has the Power PC processor. It's the closes thing to what's in the console. It's the best source," Mario Rodriguez, a Microsoft employee on hand at Microsoft's Xbox 360 booth at E3, told TMO.

The Xbox 360 has long been known to use a special version of the G5 processor, as has the fact that temporary Xbox development systems were modified Power Mac G5 units. The demonstration at E3, however, are the first time that Power Macs have been used to show Xbox 360 games to the public


E3 attendees playing playing Xbox 360 demos on a Mac

The Power Mac G5s that make it all possible

Photos by Chris Barylick
(Click the thumbnails for larger images)

There are additional pohotos at Anandtech.

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:Guest
Subject: What do do say to that, Pathetic RC?

Take a look and weep, RC. Your compadres at M$ know that x86 architeture sucks. This speaks volumes.

Close Name:jimothy Posts: 612 Joined: 04 Jun 2004
Subject: Remember that guy...

Remember that contractor who got fired for posting to his blog a picture of a pallet load of G5s that Microsoft had purchased? I think it's all coming together now.

How much do you want to bet that all those G5s were acquired for the XBox 360 project? How much do you also want to bet that Microsoft fired the guy because they feared this would leak word of the next XBox specs? Granted, I don't actually think it did give any hint about their next-gen game system; I mean, who ever thought, "You know what! I'll bet those are gonna be used by the XBox guys!" at the time. But it wouldn't surprise me if this is all connected in some way.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: How sweet it is!

Microsoft's logo-designed on a Mac, PC magazine-published on Macs, Bill Gate's next big thing-developed and deployed on Macs. The look on RC's pimply face...priceless.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Are you serious?

Who would have thought it? The entire console fanboy community immediately latched onto this.

Quote
jimothy wrote:
Remember that contractor who got fired for posting to his blog a picture of a pallet load of G5s that Microsoft had purchased? I think it's all coming together now.

How much do you want to bet that all those G5s were acquired for the XBox 360 project? How much do you also want to bet that Microsoft fired the guy because they feared this would leak word of the next XBox specs? Granted, I don't actually think it did give any hint about their next-gen game system; I mean, who ever thought, "You know what! I'll bet those are gonna be used by the XBox guys!" at the time. But it wouldn't surprise me if this is all connected in some way.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Old News

This is really old, old news. It was reported quite some time ago that they had seeded key developers with Macs.

Close Name:spxyu02 Posts: 1214 Joined: 04 Aug 2004
Subject: Re: Old News

Quote
Anonymous wrote:
This is really old, old news. It was reported quite some time ago that they had seeded key developers with Macs.


Thank you for adding such a meaningful contribution to this thread

My cuz works at MS. I have to see if he can nab me one of those G5s once they finally get their own hardware together ... wait, that won't be till .... ever?

Close Name:Guest
Subject: RC, where are you?

RC, we miss you...are ya still playing with your G5 at home?

Cheers, HUAHUAHUA

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

I guess the reall question is what do amc users get out of this?
I'm not sure we get anything?..


xbox360 running three cored (g4/5) for cheap money. Macs still running same hardware. same price etc.

I'm not interested on cheap point scoring I want to know what's in it for me! ME ME ME!

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

Spoken Like a true mac fan!

lol


Quote
Guest wrote:
I guess the reall (sic) question is what do amc (sic) users get out of this?
I'm not sure we get anything?..


xbox360 running three cored (g4/5) for cheap money. Macs still running same hardware. same price etc.

I'm not interested on cheap point scoring I want to know what's in it for me! ME ME ME!

Close Name:Guest
Subject: G5s playing XBox 360 games

How many G5 macs does it take to play an XBox 360 game? 2No. according to the photo!! I wouldn't get too excited that MS have bought a few macs:)

View Name:RealityCheck -   Troll Posts: 392 Joined: 06 May 2004
Subject: ROTFL - iLemmings Praising MS For Using Macs
Close Name:Biff Posts: 1479 Joined: 08 Apr 2004
Subject: ROTFL

Dude like I was totally gonna buy a Powermac, but I figured instead I'll just buy an XBox 360! Cause like it can connect to a media center PC (which I also must own) and can play pictures and movies and stuff and that pretty is the exact same thing as running a personal computer with OS X, so why would I need to buy a Mac?!?

Wait I've got it! I'll buy a PowerMac AND an XBox 360!

Lets see now... M$, Sony and Nintendo using power-based CPU's from IBM. Hm... lots of money from other industries coming back into IBM's CPU business. Yeah gee nothing to be excited about there. That could only serve to hurt Apple with such things as improved technology and increased manufacturing capabilities! Man, us dumb Mac-heads and our crazy being happy about good stuff!

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Symbolic in many ways

This shows how important Macs and the PowerPC architecture are to the cutting edge of computer technology. The G5 PowerMac is easy to cluster and easy to mod allowing MS to do just this very thing. The fact that they had to buy Apples to do this speaks volumes. And they're not proud of it.

I can't get over the powerful statement this makes to someone who feels that they can't ditch MS and Wintel. Why feel you need to hang onto XP when MS embraces Macs to develop their next big thing? Don't you think the MacOS must be a least as cool as the box it runs on? It may be a tipping point for many to see something like this. A great true story that I'm sure will be retold for the next 24 months.

Oh, and good luck getting a older Windows XP box (pre loooooooonghorn) to talk to the 360. Here's MS again forcing people to buy new hardware make things work as advertised.

View Name:RealityCheck -   Troll Posts: 392 Joined: 06 May 2004
Subject: NEWS FLASH - Apple iBook & PowerBook Fire Hazard
Close Name:Biff Posts: 1479 Joined: 08 Apr 2004
Subject:

Um... OK.

Close Name:DaiMac Posts: 952 Joined: 29 Jun 2001
Subject:

Because, y''know, its not like Dell or HP or anybody has ever had battery problems in their notebooks

http://www.llnl.gov/es_and_h/lessons/e-dell_battery_recall.html
http://www.macnewsworld.com/story/macdeveloper/35999.html

(from second link): "Forrester senior analyst Simon Yates told MacNewsWorld that Apple is not alone among PC makers in experiencing the pain of recalls, as other high-profile technology manufacturers have faced more widespread product coverage."

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Yeah RC...you've been right about everything else.

Every (and I mean EVERY) prognostication that you've spewed has been wrong. (I assume you know this...) Keep up the good work.

Love,
Mom

P.S. Get off that damn computer and clean your room before your Father gets home.

Close Name:Bookman Posts: 543 Joined: 22 Apr 2002
Subject: Re: ROTFL - iLemmings Praising MS For Using Macs

Quote
RealityCheck wrote:
Sorry Apple worshipers, but the production MS XBox 360 won't be using anything from Apple. It will be using 3 core 3.2 GHz IBM PowerPCs. The XBox 360 is Apple's Death Star, a stealth digital hub that will crush what's left of Apple's consumer business.


You really see things in black and white don't you.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Reality Check needs to check into reality!

It looks like you're the praising the PowerPC specs with your latest comment. The Mac fans here are just pointing out that Microsoft knows a freakin' awesome processor when they see one. The Xbox 360 will not blow Apple away because there is no level of competition between the two, but the Sony PS3 is going to blow the Xbox 360 right out of the water!

Close Name:Small White Car Posts: 1960 Joined: 02 Jul 2004
Subject:

Quote
Guest wrote:
It looks like you're the praising the PowerPC specs with your latest comment. The Mac fans here are just pointing out that Microsoft knows a freakin' awesome processor when they see one. The Xbox 360 will not blow Apple away because there is no level of competition between the two, but the Sony PS3 is going to blow the Xbox 360 right out of the water!


You don't have to argue him any more. You can tell when RC is beaten because he comes back and posts about something totally unrelated to the article.

A second post about battery fires from RC = "Oops, I really CAN'T say anything bad about this article!"

Close Name:ireid2k Posts: 125 Joined: 07 Apr 2003
Subject: Star Wars Lore. . . while we're at it

Lol I remeber it was the small guys that destroyed the Death Star. . . lol TWICE! hehe

Quote
RealityCheck wrote:
Sorry Apple worshipers, but the production MS XBox 360 won't be using anything from Apple. It will be using 3 core 3.2 GHz IBM PowerPCs. The XBox 360 is Apple's Death Star, a stealth digital hub that will crush what's left of Apple's consumer business.



btw the Death Star wasnt stealthy. . . whats your point?

Close Name:Guest
Subject: PPC?

I see a new breeding ground for porting any successfull XBOX game to Macs in the near future. I don't care for games, but i think that speaks a lot about what Apples future will look like.

Close Name:-hh Posts: 54 Joined: 04 Aug 2004
Subject: RC? Looks like a Win/Lose/Win to me!

Quote
RealityCheck wrote:
Sorry Apple worshipers, but the production MS XBox 360 won't be using anything from Apple. It will be using 3 core 3.2 GHz IBM PowerPCs. The XBox 360 is Apple's Death Star, a stealth digital hub that will crush what's left of Apple's consumer business.


Well, lets look at how it all will really happen:

I go buy an XBox 360 from Mr. Gates. Since Billy sells this hardware at a loss (because their business plan is to make their profit on the games), I cause Microsoft financial pain.

Next, I then turn around and for $100 buy a copy of Tiger from Apple. Ka-Ching! A modest profit for Apple.

Then, I have to figure out where to get a set of Apple hardware ROM's. Gosh, look at that business opportunity for Apple. Yeah, they'll probably charge around $300 for them, since that's close to what their usual profit would be on a Mac...so Apple still makes a profit.

Finally, what's in it for me? Well, let me add up my expenses:

$200 for the X-Box
$100 for Tiger
$300 for OEM ROM's.
----
$600 for a pretty good Macintosh...better than a mini

And in the big balance sheet, it works out as follows:

Apple "wins" because they make money (probably around $300)

Microsoft "loses" because I'm not buying XBox games, and the console cost them more than they sold it to me for (probably around $300)

I "win" because get a better Mac system than what $600 currently buys with a mini.

Ergo:

For Apple/MS/me, its Win/Lose/Win ... just right!


-hh

Close Name:Biff Posts: 1479 Joined: 08 Apr 2004
Subject:

-hh could you clarify something for me? Was that a joke or are you really that clueless about hardware? Just wondering.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: RC has a pink and stink

Apple will be just fine and with us for a long, long time.


God you're an idiot...

Quote
RealityCheck wrote:
Sorry Apple worshipers, but the production MS XBox 360 won't be using anything from Apple. It will be using 3 core 3.2 GHz IBM PowerPCs. The XBox 360 is Apple's Death Star, a stealth digital hub that will crush what's left of Apple's consumer business.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: ONE IN THE PINK ONE IN THE STINK

MMMM GOOOOOOOOOOD U MUTHA FUCKAS U ALL SUCK MY HUGE HAIRY COCK!

Close Name:Guest
Subject: poor, silly, deluded, ignorant, dim RC

YOU HAVE LOST!

NO ONE TAKES YOU SERIOUSLY!

YOU ARE FULL OF CRAP!

YOUR POSTS MAKE US LAUGH TILL WE PISS...THEN WE LAUGH SOME MORE AT YOU!!

.....really kid, just pack up and move outta mommies garage.

game over, you lost, loser!

Close Name:Guest
Subject: OH RCCCCCCCCCCCCC!!!??

"Sorry Apple worshipers, but the production MS XBox 360 won't be using anything from Apple. It will be using 3 core 3.2 GHz IBM PowerPCs. The XBox 360 is Apple's Death Star, a stealth digital hub that will crush what's left of Apple's consumer business."

...then you wake up on the sidewalk in a pool of cum...azzclown!

Close Name:Guest
Subject: death star was not very stealthy

Quote
RealityCheck wrote:
Sorry Apple worshipers, but the production MS XBox 360 won't be using anything from Apple. It will be using 3 core 3.2 GHz IBM PowerPCs. The XBox 360 is Apple's Death Star, a stealth digital hub that will crush what's left of Apple's consumer business.


the fact that there was this big ass thing that could destroy a planet with one big blast doesnt make it stealthy. powerful, but not necessarily stealthy.

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

Quote
RealityCheck wrote:
Sorry Apple worshipers, but the production MS XBox 360 won't be using anything from Apple. It will be using 3 core 3.2 GHz IBM PowerPCs. The XBox 360 is Apple's Death Star, a stealth digital hub that will crush what's left of Apple's consumer business.

1) Apple is getting richer and richer
2) those processors are apples future but those versions are only faster at gaming
3) why aren`t they using x86 Processors - seems that intel and AMD CPU`s are too slow
-so buy a Wintel machine -slow machine for slow users

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

"Sorry Apple worshipers, but the production MS XBox 360 won't be using anything from Apple. It will be using 3 core 3.2 GHz IBM PowerPCs. The XBox 360 is Apple's Death Star, a stealth digital hub that will crush what's left of Apple's consumer business."

Sorry, Reality Check, but you've been lying for a long time that Macs are underpowered. Isn't it ironic that Microsoft itself, the company that you worship, has proven you wrong about that by using them to demo software for their next-generation console? You lose.

Also, Sony and Sega's failings with the PS2 and Dreamcast as media-hubs prove that consumers aren't interested in the concecpt. Sorry.

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

Oh, and by the way, Reality Check, Apple's recalling about 128,000 batteries because they had six reports from people that they were overheating?

I think that's a bit better than Microsoft and its recall of about 14 MILLION Xbox power cords because they were extreme fire hazards, and the fact that they sat on the information for over a year.

A smallscale recall of just 128,000 batteries versus a widescale recall of 14,000,000 faulty power cords that Microsoft didn't notify consumers about for well over a year? Yeah. Apple clearly doesn't have any class.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: um excuse me

IBM and Apple made those processors together. So yes theyre made by IBM but they are the processors used in the Apple Computers.

Close Name:Intruder -   TMO Mac Specialist Posts: 3149 Joined: 07 Jul 2004
Subject: Re: death star was not very stealthy

Quote
Anonymous wrote:
Quote
RealityCheck wrote:
Sorry Apple worshipers, but the production MS XBox 360 won't be using anything from Apple. It will be using 3 core 3.2 GHz IBM PowerPCs. The XBox 360 is Apple's Death Star, a stealth digital hub that will crush what's left of Apple's consumer business.


the fact that there was this big ass thing that could destroy a planet with one big blast doesnt make it stealthy. powerful, but not necessarily stealthy.


LOL!

First of all, it should be Microsoft's Death Star, not Apple's (as in Microsoft owns it), or Microsoft's Death Star to Apple's Alderan. Second...ummmmm, the Death Star "blowed up real good." If I remember the movie correctly it only fired one shot before it was destroyed.

So I guess that RC is saying that the XBox 360 is only good for one shot!

Close Name:Guest
Subject: You MAC guys have fun playing games LOL!!

Yeah if you Mac guys really want to play games you better buy an Xbox 360 because there isn't crap for games on the Mac. You can have lots of fun playing 2 yr old PC games on your glorified MP3 players. While us Microsoft guys will have the best of both worlds Xbox 360 games and PC games.....

Close Name:Intruder -   TMO Mac Specialist Posts: 3149 Joined: 07 Jul 2004
Subject:

That's right. Macs are toys because they can't play all the greatest games.

Errr.....or something.

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

Quote
Intruder wrote:
That's right. Macs are toys because they can't play all the greatest games.

Errr.....or something.

We were talking about games weren't we? Actually if you wanna get some work done or listen to some mp3's then a MAc is definitely the way to go. If you wanna get some work done and play some cool games then buy a PC. I know theres no winning this discussion with "Mac guys" but let's face it the Mac's just don't get any support when it comes to games even if they are the superior hardware. If you look at consoles the more powerful isn't always the winner. The Sega Saturn was more powerful than the Playstation by leaps and bounds. Did it help? Nope.
Nuff said!

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