Mavericks killed my Wi-Fi?

Cross posted from the Projapps Propaganda

It has been more than two weeks since I upgraded from Mountain Lion to Mavericks on my old MacBook Pro. It is also more than two weeks since the upgrade broke my Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi actually worked for a while before it went dead. A subsequent reboot resulted in the indicator showing "Wi-Fi: No hardware installed".

I have tried all the advices and solutions I could google. I tried anything from resetting the SMC/NVRAM/PRAM to doing a clean reinstall of the operating systems. Downgrading to Mountain Lion or using a USB network adapter did not help too. These had me thinking whether Mavericks had killed my Wi-Fi or my Wi-Fi is no longer supported with any device driver. Maybe it's the VirtualBox update I did but highly unlikely since I reinstalled...

Hence in comes the TL-WR702N by TP-LINK, a 150Mbps wireless N portable router. My friend happened to have one on hand so we gave its client mode a try. The client mode allows the router to be connected to another device via Ethernet core and acts as an adapter to send/receive the wireless signal from a wireless network.

It worked! Therefore I went out to get myself one for S$34. It is supposed to be a stopgap fix but with no solution in sight, apart from buying a new MacBook, I think I may have to carry the router around with me for good.

Mac OS X Snow Leopard!

I just installed it. I can feel that it's more responsive. I like it.

I have gotten myself a MacBook!

I have yet to familiarize myself with the user interface as well as explore its functions. So far I am rather comfortable using it though I still keep trying to type certain keystrokes that are either no longer there or have been mapped differently.

The biggest technology news of this decade is...

undoubtably the one on Apple switching from being IBM-based to Intel-based. Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO, announced on Monday (Tuesday, SGT) that Apple are transitioning from PowerPC to Intel processors. Jobs' vision for the switch is that an Apple-Intel tie-up will allow Apple to break into the mainstream market with better and cheaper Macs. The Mac OS X will run on a next generation of Intel processors (not sure at this point in time whether this new class of processors is exclusive for Apply or that Mac OS X will run exclusively on them) and Intel has promised to supply Apple with a greater volume of processors.

The main reason for Apple's switch has been IBM's failure to cater to Apple's demand for more processors. IBM is unable to deliver more of its PowerPC to Apple, which is important for Apple to price their computers more competitively and create a greater presence in the market. Another important reason is that Intel's processors are far ahead of IBM's when it comes to delivering performance without consuming a lot of power, "a quality that is very important to Apple's future products," said Steve Jobs. [link]

So one may feel compulsed to ask "What the h*** is IBM thinking?" Is it worthwhile for IBM to lose the apple in hand over the chasing of oranges (Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo game consoles)? Besides, who knows Apple may or may not venture into the console market, with the Mac-mini already looking like one. IMHO, an Apple-Sony/Microsoft/Nintendo tie-up is not entirely impossible. Now Intel will just get bigger and bigger. Poor AMD...

Well, the users seem to have mixed feelings about the switch, with most adopting a wait-and-see stance before they are willing to comment. To me, the switch will cause developers and fans a sense of disillusion now but in the long run, this is good news for the average user who simply wants a cheaper and more widely-used system that runs out-of-the-box and is user-friendly (read idiot-proof). So should I wait or go get myself a Mac-mini anytime soon?