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The Slow Death of Intel

Posted on May 16, 2019 by admin Posted in Business, Hardware Leave a comment

What it is: Intel processors since 2011 have a security flaw.

Intel sells the most processors for computers and data centers so they should have all the money they need to keep developing products that keep them far ahead of the competition. However, the reality is that Intel is slowly failing despite their massive marketshare and revenue.

First, Intel’s smaller rival, AMD, has been creating processors that are faster and cheaper than Intel’s processors. How a smaller rival with less resources can do that is unthinkable, yet it’s happening and has happened in the past when AMD processors surpassed Intel’s processors.

Second, while AMD and other manufacturers are moving to smaller processors (7mm), Intel is still transitioning from 14mm to 10mm processors. Despite their massive resources, Intel is essentially a generation behind their smaller rivals.

Third, Intel processors since 2011 have a security flaw that allows hackers to potentially access data on a computer. While security flaws can appear in any product, it looks particularly bad for Intel since they’re the leader and their products are used throughout the computing industry.

Fourth, Intel couldn’t create 5G modem chips that could compete against Qualcomm’s 5G modem chips, leading Intel to stop development altogether.

Fifth, Intel totally missed the mobile market when ARM processors took over the smartphone and tablet market. Now that ARM processors are getting faster, they’re exceeding Intel processors. It’s only a matter of time before Intel processors have no speed, energy, or cost advantage over ARM processors. When that happens, the world will shift to ARM processors and leave Intel processors behind.

For any company to experience so many failed opportunities, despite their massive revenue and resources, is unbelievable, yet it’s happening. Intel is slowly shooting themselves in the foot. They won’t go away overnight, but they’re losing in practically every market with a dismal future awaiting them. Intel is dying a slow death and they have no plans to reverse their fate.

The lesson to learn from Intel is that when you’re on top of the world, that’s the time to be the hungriest and most desperate as if you’re a startup. The minute you get complacent, that’s the beginning of the end.

Intel will one day become a quaint trivial answer along with Osborne Computers, CP/M-80, and Commodore 64. It was fun knowing Intel while they thrived. Unless a miracle occurs, Intel is on the slow path to a permanent decline.

Choosing a Browser

Posted on May 8, 2019 by admin Posted in Software Leave a comment

What it is: Microsoft will soon offer its Edge browser for the Macintosh.

Every computer needs a browser. If you have a Macintosh, Apple gives you the Safari browser by default. One reason to use Safari is because it’s optimized for Apple’s own websites. One reason to avoid Safari is that hackers know the flaws of Safari so they can use those flaws to infiltrate into your Macintosh with malware.

For most people, one browser is good enough, but you may want a second browser installed on your Macintosh just in case. Malware commonly targets a computer’s browser so if malware kills Safari, then you won’t be able to access the Internet to get help. That’s one reason to always have a second browser available.

Another reason to have another browser is because some websites won’t load correctly in one browser but work just fine in another browser. By having two browsers installed, you increase your chance of viewing a website correctly and getting help in case one of your browsers crashes or gets destroyed by malware.

Safari is the most obvious browser to use on a Macintosh, but there will soon be several contenders: Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Microsoft Edge.

Of these options, Chrome is considered the fastest although browsers regularly improve so Chrome might be the fastest today, but there’s no guarantee it will be the fastest tomorrow.

Firefox is a popular browser that once dominated the browser market until Chrome took over when Firefox lagged behind in updates. Firefox used to promote themselves as the most secure but it’s likely Firefox isn’t markedly better than Chrome.

Opera is an oddball browser that often pioneers features that later show up in other browsers such as tabs. Because Opera isn’t as popular as Chrome or Firefox, that makes it less susceptible to malware. For this reason alone, you might want to consider Opera as a second browser.

Microsoft’s Edge browser is the newcomer. It’s not officially available so it’s hard to judge its features. However, Edge will need to be dramatically faster or more secure to steal away marketshare from Chrome or Firefox.

Given a choice of a second browser, Chrome is the most popular choice, Firefox is second, and Opera is third. Microsoft’s Edge will likely fight it out with Opera to become a viable choice.

As a general rule, don’t rely on the default browser (Safari). Download and install a second browser just in case. For compatibility, choose Chrome. For security, chose Firefox or Opera. If you’re a Windows user, you might want to use Microsoft’s Edge browser just for the familiarity with the Edge browser, if you use it on your Windows PC.

Browsers are all different yet similar, so choose the two you like best and stick with them. You can’t go wrong with any of them.

To learn more about Microsoft’s Edge browser, click here.

The Coming Intel-Free Macintosh

Posted on May 1, 2019 by admin Posted in Business, Hardware Leave a comment

What it is: The Macintosh is getting constrained by Intel’s limitations, which will likely motivate Apple to abandon Intel.

Intel does not have a bright future. At one time, nearly every computer in the world had to rely on Intel processors although a few used cheaper AMD processors. Still, Intel dominated the computer market, but that domination appears coming to an end.

Despite Intel’s market share and dominance, they’re having trouble keeping up with progress. While other processor manufacturers are looking at 7mm processors, Intel is still producing 14mm processors and can’t even make 10mm processors that other companies have been able to do for years.

With Intel unable to keep up with competitors, it’s likely Apple will choose to abandon Intel processors soon. Intel already abandoned their 5G modem development and Intel previously abandoned their low-energy processors called Atom. With Intel unable to develop future processors, it’s likely Apple will simply move on to ARM processors instead.

The huge difference between Intel and ARM processors is that ARM processors are more energy-efficient, which lets them run far longer on battery power for mobile devices. Another growing difference is that ARM processors are nearly equal in power to Intel processors. When ARM processors exceed Intel processors in power, there will be little reason to stick with Intel processors, especially if Intel can’t improve them fast enough.

Apple will likely keep the Macintosh running Intel processors and simply create a new product category to run ARM processors. Apple is already transitioning iOS to handle a mouse and file support, which means it’s far more likely an ARM-based laptop will more closely resemble a souped up iPad than a Macintosh.

By giving this new product a distinctive name, Apple can avoid people confusing an Intel-based Macintosh with an ARM-based Macintosh. Apple is already creating a software framework to make it easy for iOS developers to create macOS apps, so it’s likely Apple will simply merge the iPad into a laptop computer rather than try to merge a desktop operating system (like Windows) into a mobile device (like the Microsoft Surface tablet).

The Macintosh is an aging product in its current form, so it’s likely that Apple will simply let it fade away while newer products take its place. The coming ARM-based laptop should be here soon, but it likely won’t be called a Macintosh even if it acts like a Macintosh. Whatever it’s name, it will be the future of laptop computers.

iOS 13 Getting Mouse Support?

Posted on April 26, 2019 by admin Posted in Hardware, User Interface Leave a comment

What it is: iOS 13 is rumored to offer mouse support to help turn the iPad into a full-fledged laptop computer.

The iOS operating system originally began life as a tablet operating system. Then Apple realized they could use this to create a phone operating system. After Apple introduced the iPhone, it was easy to release the iPad running the same iOS software.

As the iPhone and iPad have evolved, their shared iOS is starting to cause problems. The iPad has gotten bigger and more capable to the point where it can replace a laptop computer for some people. Yet the iPad is still tied down to iOS.

While this shared operating system makes it easy for apps to run on both devices and it makes it easy for developers to create apps, the operating system isn’t optimized for either the iPhone or iPad.

What will likely happen is that Apple will split iOS into an iPhone and an iPad operating system that will continue sharing the same foundation. This will allow Apple to optimize iOS for each device.

That’s why iOS 13 is rumored to offer mouse support. While some people believe this would allow people to use an iPad like a laptop, it could also mean that Apple is planning to release a laptop computer based on iOS.

Apple will eventually shift away from Intel processors and move to their own A-series ARM-based processors. Now that ARM-based processors are getting faster than Intel processors while consuming less power, it’s only a matter of time before ARM processors surpass Intel processors in speed and power. When that happens, why would anyone want to handicap themselves with a slower, energy-consuming processor from Intel when they could use a faster, energy-efficient processor from ARM?

So the rumored mouse support for iOS might not be just for the iPad but for the rumored Macintosh computer that will switch to ARM processors.

If Apple releases a computer that uses ARM processors, it only makes sense to run iOS instead of macOS. The future is ARM processors (not Intel) and the future is iOS (not macOS).

The ARM-based Macintosh may not come out this year or next, but it’s coming within the next five years. When that happens, Intel-based computers will look antiquated, slow, and obsolete next to ARM-based devices running modern operating system like iOS.

So if mouse support does arrive for iOS 13, it may not be just for the iPad. It may be for a future laptop that Apple has yet to release.

Why Apple is Rarely First

Posted on April 22, 2019 by admin Posted in Business, Hardware, User Interface Leave a comment

What it is: Samsung and other companies like to brag about how they’re first in innovations, but what good are those innovations if they don’t work?

Samsung and other companies like to boast about how they innovate. While innovation is fine, it means little if it doesn’t work. One example of this occurred with the Samsung Note 7 phones that caught on fire because of battery defects. Now Samsung released a $1980 smartphone that folds in half called the Samsung Fold.

The big innovation is that the Samsung Fold is the first foldable phone on the market. The problem is that its screen has numerous flaws that reviewers have quickly discovered after a few days of use.

The main problem is that the fold fails to work seamlessly. Instead, the fold causes a crease in the screen with obvious lines dividing the screen in half. In some units, half of the screen fails but in others, the whole screen still displays images but with a distinct line down the middle.

So the big problem is why does Samsung and other companies have to push innovation so rapidly whether it works or not? The reason is because they’re rushing to claim they’re first rather than claim they’re the best.

It’s easy to be first. It’s much harder to be the best. Foldable phones are the future, but until the screen displays can handle the daily stress of being folded in half multiple times a day over several years, foldable screens are not feasible.

That’s the reason why Apple waits before jumping into a market whether it’s the MP3 portable player market or the foldable smartphone market. It makes no sense to be first if the product doesn’t work.

After Samsung’s Note 7 phones blew up and now Samsung’s Fold phones have serious screen defects, it’s easy to see why waiting is usually the best strategy.

When people buy a $1980 phone, they expect it to work. When people buy a $150 phone, they also expect it to work. Working is the basic criteria of any product, yet Samsung fails to understand this time and time again.

Foldable phones may become commonplace soon, but not until manufacturers can master the foldable screen. Until then, foldable smartphones remain an interesting but elusive idea just like tablets remained an interesting and elusive idea until Apple came late to the market with the iPad.

The Slow Demise of Intel

Posted on April 17, 2019 by admin Posted in Business, Hardware Leave a comment

What it is: After Apple and Qualcomm settled out of court, Intel plans to abandon their 5G modem plans.

At one time, almost every computer used an Intel chip. Then the world switched from desktop/laptop PCs to mobile devices. First came the netbook, which led the way to the tablet. Intel tried to capture the mobile market with a mobile processor called the Atom.

Unfortunately for Intel, the Atom processor was weak and still consumed more power than similar ARM-based processors. Given a choice between choosing a weaker processor that consumed more power (Intel’s Atom processor) or a more powerful processor that consumed less power (ARM-based processors), it was easy for other companies to choose ARM processors and ignore Intel’s Atom processor.

After missing out on the mobile market, Intel next stumbled with their flagship processors for PCs, opening the way for their chief rival, AMD, to steal market share from Intel by offering less expensive processors that offer more power than Intel processors. If Intel can’t even protect their main market, what chances will the company have at branching out into different markets.

The answer is simple. None.

With Apple and Qualcomm calling a truce to their dispute, Apple has agreed to use Qualcomm’s 5G modem chips in future iPhone and iPad devices, effectively shutting out Intel from the modem market.

Of course that’s not a big problem since Intel’s 5G modem chips were markedly inferior to Qualcomm’s 5G modem chips. Given a choice between a weak 5G modem chip (Intel) or a more powerful 5G modem chip (Qualcomm), why would anyone want to use Intel 5G modem chips?

That’s why Intel announced that they’re shutting down their 5G modem development. By abandoning the 5G market (that they couldn’t compete in) and losing the mobile market to ARM processors (that Intel couldn’t compete in), Intel has their main processor market that they’re slowly unable to compete in against AMD.

If a company like Intel can’t compete in any market, what are their chances of thriving in the future? How about close to zero?

Intel still has a huge share of the PC market, but the PC market has been shrinking steadily. Intel holding the lion’s share of the PC market is like Borders Books holding the lion’s share of the retail book market. It doesn’t matter if the market is shrinking.

Intel is slowly slipping and shows little indication that they’re going to reverse course and prove superior to their rivals in any market. With Intel faltering, it only makes sense that Apple will eventually shift away from Intel processors and rely on their own A-series, ARM-based processors that are more power efficient and becoming more powerful with each succeeding generation.

Within the next year or two, Apple’s A-series processors will be markedly superior and faster than any of Intel’s processors. When that occurs, why would Apple stick with Intel processors?

Intel is a lumbering giant that’s slowly collapsing. It may take another decade to do so, but the coming collapse is coming. Then Intel can join the ranks of other former leaders like Digital Research (CP/M-80), Sun Microsystems, and WordPerfect Corporation.