For all those that keep asking, soon you may be able to run Unity on your PC…
This device enables you to install and boot Leopard on certain PC hardware without any hacks. The most important part is that you can update Leopard using Software Update without fear of kernel panics or other issues.
EFI-X is seen as filling the desktop gap in Apple’s product line-up; now people can use mainstream quad-core processors and swap in powerful graphics cards without having to purchase server-grade Mac Pros. One can price a system that beats the Mac Pro in most benchmarks for less than $1000 (see Gizmodo review).
At issue is whether Apple’s EULA is legally enforceable (they say you can only install OS X on Apple-branded computers). Also, some wonder if EFI-X reverse engineered Apple firmware. It should be noted that EFI is an open standard, and if EFI-X makers wrote the code from scratch, there probably isn’t much Apple can do about it. Especially since they’re not in the USA.
Reactions are across the spectrum.
Some Apple die-hards are furious that the unwashed are able to use their less expensive but powerful gaming PCs to run OS X. They’re already declaring it “illegal”. At the other end is the Hackintosh underground who are also angry that a device such as EFI-X is being commercialized when free alternatives exist (such as Boot 132). Besides, hackers never like it when things “just work” like EFI-X. Others are thrilled that affordable, upgradeable, OS X power is now possible without having to shell out over $2000 for it.
I should mention that unlike the Psystar debacle, EFI-X makers are only selling a USB device which can be used for booting Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. They’re not selling PCs with hacked versions of Leopard installed that break on update. EFI-X accommodates retail installs of those operating systems.
Philosophically, I say it’s taking advantage of Apple’s pricing structure in an “unfair” way.
Apple subsidizes their software costs partially with higher margins on hardware sales. It helps them innovate and take risks that others then play catch up with (all-in-one desktops, iPod, iPhone.)
Apple will have to roll with all these punches, of course, but I REALLY LIKE what Apple is accomplishing. Don’t really want to be part of beating them into another Dell or Microsoft or whatever.
On the other hand, I’m pretty sick of the empty product space between an iMac and a Mac Pro. Best case scenario (from my perspective) is Apple finding a way to fill that space and manage to remain the trailblazing company it has always tried to be. After all, these workarounds are arising out of market demand. If Apple doesn’t find a way to supply it, someone else will. (See music CDs.)
From an abstract position I think exploiting a business model is fair. Let’s say a company practically gives away tennis rackets, but makes money renting expensive tennis courts. Is it wrong to buy cheap tennis rackets and use them to play racquetball (where courts are plentiful and inexpensive)?
In my opinion, twisting laws into protecting very specific business models is bad (ie the DMCA and its myriad of applications).
Curious to see how prevalent EFI-X becomes in the wild, and if Apple takes any steps against it…
IMHO EFI-X is just a EFI emulator wrapped in a nice (and expensive) pendrive. The drawback is you are still tied with a specific hardware configuration to install a hackingtosh and this gadget can become incompatible in a near future.
You guys haven’t read the product review or the site. EFI-X supports 16 nVidia and 2 ATI graphics cards, a large range of Intel processors, 14 motherboard variants, and multiple sound cards out of the box. There are no kexts for the user to install, much less write.
I wonder if any gaming laptops out there would meet the hardware requirements, like this one.
There’s at least as big a gap between Macbook and MPB as there is between iMac and MacPro, IMO. I’m planning on a new slab around Christmas, but I could use that extra 1500 for Unity iPhone!
Um, even though this EFI-X device supports multiple types of hardware, to run OS X you’ll still be restricted to the same devices Apple supports.
CPUs and MBs are not so much of a problem as the Video, Network and Audio devices are.
The EFI only provides a very basic driver for these devices and (typically) only during boot, once the OS is loaded it’s drivers are loaded and take over.
Others are thrilled that affordable, upgradeable, OS X power is now possible without having to shell out over $2000 for it.