Apple Computer is taking a courageous and risky step in moving from IBM to Intel chips, but the gamble will pay huge dividends to users of its Macintosh computers after Apple gets through what's almost sure to be a scary transition.
A surge of innovation could come out of Apple as the company gets access to the much wider range of chips made by Intel, and possibly even Intel-compatible chips from rivals such as Advanced Micro Devices (AMD).
Perhaps there will be Apple-branded set-top TV boxes, or ultra-low-cost Macs, or iPods that play movies, or Mac mobile phones. Perhaps the most exciting outcome is something no one has thought about yet.
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