WThe Apple–Intel architecture, or Mactel, is an unofficial name used for Apple Macintosh personal computers developed and manufactured by Apple Inc. that use Intel x86 processors, rather than the PowerPC and Motorola 68000 ("68k") series processors used in their predecessors. With the change in architecture, a change in firmware became necessary; Apple selected the Intel-designed Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) as its comparable component to the Open Firmware used on its PowerPC architectures, and as the firmware-based replacement for the PC BIOS from Intel. With the change in processor architecture to x86, Macs gained the ability to boot into x86-native operating systems, while Intel VT-x brought near-native virtualization with Mac OS X as the host OS.
WDual format is a technique used to allow two completely different systems software to reside on the same disk.
WStarting 2020, the CPUs in Apple's Macintosh line of computers began a transition from Intel's x86-64 to Apple-designed chips that use the ARM64 architecture. CEO Tim Cook announced the two-year transition plan in his WWDC keynote address on June 22, 2020. This is the third time Apple has switched the Macintosh to a new instruction set architecture. Launched with Motorola 68000 series chips, the Mac switched to PowerPC chips in 1994 and to Intel x86 chips in 2005.
WThe Mac transition to Intel processors was the process of changing the central processing unit (CPU) of Apple Inc.'s line of Mac computers, as well as its server offerings at the time, from PowerPC to Intel x86 processors.
WThe Macintosh is a family of personal computers designed, manufactured, and sold by Apple Inc. since January 1984.
WA Macquarium is an aquarium made to sit within the shell of an Apple Macintosh computer. The term was coined by computer writer Andy Ihnatko as a joke but Macquariums have since been built both by Ihnatko himself and by others.
WThe Option key is a modifier key present on Apple keyboards. It is located between the Control key and Command key on a typical Mac keyboard. There are two Option keys on modern Mac desktop and notebook keyboards, one on each side of the space bar.
WTarget Disk Mode is a boot mode unique to Macintosh computers.