In what can be their biggest strategic maneuver since switching to Intel CPUs, Apple Computer has just announced it will allow users of their Macintosh computers using Intel chips run Windows XP software.

The software is called “Bootcamp” and is availble for download now as a trial. Bootcamp will also be available in Mac OS 10.5 “Leopard” (I’m waiting for “Puma” myself…).

Those of us who have been keeping an eye on Mactels this announcement is not a big surprise as videos of Windows XP running on these computers have been available for some time already.

I honestly like using the Mac OS for general daily usage (i.e. anything but gaming) and this move by Apple just makes it all the more tempting to buy a Mac.
“CUPERTINO, California—April 5, 2006—Apple® today introduced Boot Camp, public beta software that enables Intel-based Macs to run Windows XP. Available as a download beginning today, Boot Camp allows users with a Microsoft Windows XP installation disc to install Windows XP on an Intel-based Mac®, and once installation is complete, users can restart their computer to run either Mac OS® X or Windows XP. Boot Camp will be a feature in ‘Leopard,’ Apple’s next major release of Mac OS X, that will be previewed at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference in August.”

See the press release here.