We're all aware that Steve Jobs is hardware-agnostic-- heck, he still publicly uses an Intel-based laptop running OpenStep, despite the fact that most CEO's of multi-billion-dollar companies that are going through a massive public perception crisis would probably at least USE THE COMPANY'S PRODUCT. But we digress.

Anyway, at a recent chipmaker hoedown, Intel finally unveiled Merced, the first-generation IA-64 processor that they are working on with Hewlett-Packard. This is the chip that's supposed to kick the PowerPC's butt, as well as the chips of just about every other major computer manufacturer on the planet. However, it's reportedly being positioned for servers and high-end workstations, while the variations of the current Pentiums will continue to be used in standard PC's and laptops through 2003.

What's this mean for Apple? Well, Steve's reportedly made it very clear that Rhapsody will run on IA-64. That's not too surprising, since it already runs on Pentiums. And Rhapsody is going to start out as a high-end workstation/server OS, so it sounds like a good match. But what's that mean for the PowerPC? Aye, there's the rub. There are rumors flying that the PowerPC alliance will disband and cease further development on desktop chips.

Personally, while we'd love Rhapsody to run on as many platforms as possible, we at AtAT aren't too jump-up-and-down happy about the possibility of Apple transitioning to Intel hardware as its platform of choice. Intel's lock on the hardware side of things is probably at least as dangerous to innovation as Microsoft's iron grip on the software industry. We're a little nervous about what a lack of competition can do.

The fabled Jobs Reality Distortion Field is in full force. MacWEEK reports that Steve addressed the whole company yesterday via a worldwide teleconference, which is apparently a standard practice following the posting of Apple's end-of-quarter results.

Despite the fairly dismal financial picture that materialized last Wednesday (Apple not only did worse than industry analysts expected, but they even did worse than every single one of over 800 AtAT viewers who entered our "Beat the Analysts" contest predicted), somehow Steve managed to paint a positive picture that left the Apple employees in an upbeat mood. That feat is even more impressive when you consider that some sites such as thessaSOURCE are predicting further layoffs (rumored to concentrate in the Newton, sales, and imaging groups) following this painful quarter.

AtAT has only one thought about a man who is so completely capable of bending the thoughts of otherwise rational, straight-thinking individuals: We're glad he's on our side...

...Or is he? Read on...

Despite massive attempts at suppressing the truth, it appears to be bubbling slowly to the surface. MacCentral has leapt into the act, collecting forensic evidence like cyberQuincy and posting what they know about what they are calling "the MacInsider fiasco." Contradicting earlier reports which stated that the MacInsider folks called it quits to pursue other ventures, MacCentral paints a story of international intrigue and corporate espionage. Or something.

MacCentral's sources claim that instead of simply forcing MacInsider's shutdown (as they have reportedly done to other web sites in the past), Apple has, let's say, persuaded MacInsider to cease and desist "voluntarily" by applying pressure "of an unknown source." The details are deliciously vague, but there are musings of external legal pressures.

Legal muscle! The fiends... are there no depths to which they won't sink? The shutdown message at MacInsider seems to support the claim that they would like to reopen the site, but can't until Apple removes this external pressure; they are asking for readers to email them "comprehensive reports" of why the site was a "valuable resource for Apple Evangelism and the Macintosh community," presumably in an attempt to curry Apple's favor. Meanwhile, MacCentral goes on to say that the story that busted Apple's hump was MacInsider's recent in-depth (And uncomplimentary) coverage of Apple-Asia. This, of course, only supports our own paranoid theory of the presence of an Apple-funded Ninja Hit Squad, disabling "rowdy" Mac web sites in whatever devious method is most convenient. Only, is this pack of goons on Apple-Asia's payroll, or do they report directly to Godfather Steve himself?

We go to bed every night, knowing that somewhere out there is a lawyer with our name on it...