One small step for Mac. A giant leap for its bottom line...
Thursday 09 August 2012
Related articles
Apple Macs? The preserve of macchiato-swigging designers and web developers, right? PCs? The preserve of science labs and offices. Or so we thought. But pictures of the Nasa scientists controlling the Mars landing of Curiosity rover showed them all hovering behind Macs. What gives?
Things have changed, explains Adam Banks, editor-in-chief of MacUser magazine, says. "Macs and PCs used to be different," he says. "You could do some things better on one and some on the other. Today, the technical differences are negligible; a Mac is just a really neatly designed PC with an Apple logo on it."
The Apple-focused blog TUAW.com also wondered the same thing as us and discovered that Macs had crept into the Jet Propulsion Lab (where the project is based) when scientists had started bringing their own computers in after the 2006 launch of the Macbook Pro, which was much more powerful than its predecessors and ran on processors reliable enough to make the computations necessary for a project as complicated as the Curiosity rover.
"The phenomenon of 'bring your own device' has been huge for Apple," Banks says. "And it's no surprise to see it in action at Nasa. The computers for the Apollo programme were screwed to the floor, but nowadays there's all sorts of kit floating around. In a geeky environment like JPL, of course people are going to want to use their own laptops for work, not some crap that their boss bought in on the cheap."
And they'll still do a fine job if you're just playing Farmville in Caffè Nero, too.
-
In pictures: Saturn images from Cassini probe as it prepares to turn lens towards Earth
-
Serena Williams apologises after comment that rape victim 'shouldn't have put herself in that position'
-
FBI finds possible human remains at former home of late gangster James Burke - the man who inspired Goodfellas
-
'Theres something quite unpleasant going on': Nigel Farage confronted for second time on visit to Scotland
-
World news in pictures
- 1 Bankers could face jail after report urges the Government to introduce new criminal offence for reckless management
- 2 Breaking the Silence: In the reality of occupation, there are no Palestinian civilians – only potential terrorists
- 3 Richard Nieuwenhuizen death: Six teenagers and 50-year-old father convicted of manslaughter in shocking case of referee killed over a game of football
- 4 Exclusive: Newcastle's star talent-spotter on brink as Joe Kinnear sparks walkout
- 5 Vast methane 'plumes' seen in Arctic ocean as sea ice retreats
How will you make today delicious?
Tell us how you plan to make today delicious and you could win a £50 M&S gift card.
Win a Nook® Simple Touch eReader
Find out how Nook® is supporting the Evening Standard's Get Reading campaign - and your chance to win one.
Free reading festival for families
Follow The Standard's campaign to get London's children reading - and experience this unique event at Trafalgar Square on 13 July.
Enter the latest Independent competitions
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.
Business videos from commercial thought leaders
Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.
Independent Dating
iJobs General
C++ Python Developer -Bank -London-Up to £600/day!
£550 - £600 per day: Orgtel: C++ Python Developer - Banking - London - Up to £...
Are you a dynamic Primary teacher looking for work in Bromley?
£5520 - £31200 per annum: Randstad Education London: If you are then please ap...
EYFS/KS1 Teacher Maternity Contract - September Start - Bromley
MPS + OLA: Randstad Education London: Randstad Education are working with a Cl...
Head of English
£42000 - £46000 per annum + depending on experience: Randstad Education London...
Day In a Page
Babies behind bars
Sonic youth: The high-pitched sound alarm
The art of living in small spaces
'Teaching bright children isn't rocket science'
Can technology lure us back to the high street?










Comments