Upon the release of Apple's update to Snow Leopard, Mac OS X 10.6.2, a noticeable lack of support for Intel's Atom processor was uncovered. The Atom processor is a primary component of many netbooks, famous (or infamous, depending on your point-of-view) for being the starting point of a Hackintosh.

This problem, if you will, has been recently solved due to a new hack on the 10.6.2 update. As MacWorld notes, this is no easy hack. Users will need to combine somewhat advanced knowledge of the Terminal, the guts to replace Mac OS X's kernel with a downloaded file, and some basic Russian language skills (the source of the hack).

Conjecturing about the intent of breaking support for the Atom chip (which Apple does not use in any of its machines) began when developer's copies of the 10.6.2 update began circulating. Though the theories are many, my personal guess is that the move could serve as a bit of a warning shot to Hackintoshers. Inherently, I don't think Apple has an issue with them. After all, they are major brand supporters, no? However, should Apple dive into the ultra-portable space with a tablet offering, the Cupertino Mac-makers may be planning on making life difficult for the netbook Hackintosh owners in the hopes they will ditch their tiny Dell's and suit up with the spiffy iSlate (or iTablet, or iGiantiPod touch).

To read more about this hack (and other workarounds), check out MacRumors or AppleInsider.

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