Amiga.org
The "Not Quite Amiga but still computer related category" => Alternative Operating Systems => Topic started by: Pyromania on April 09, 2015, 08:56:49 PM
-
What does everyone think of the new MacBook? Is this the future of portable computing or design taken to the extreme. It only had one port for everything. Even a A1200 is more expandable.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-macbook-review-the-laptop-of-the-future-isnt-ready-for-the-present-1428595317
-
This is the future, but a single port is too minimal... Should have had at least 2!
-
I wonder how well this would run as a FS-UAE box? My 11" MacBook Air runs it well but I'm tired of the small screen. That doesn't mean I'll be grabbing one of these things.
-
This is quintessential Apple; Creating hardware that generates lots of buzz but not a lot of profits. They are pretty good at doing this and it shows that they understand how to play the long game.
Like with the first MacBook Air, I'll be waiting for Rev.2
-
Not a lot of profits? It's $1299, lots of profit in there.
-
I love my iMac, but I don't think I'm ready to remove all my ports and just have one... So I think I'll hold off on buying anything like that for awhile.
-
It's just a toy really...
I have half a dozen USB devices attached to my laptop most of the time...so a machine like this is completely useless, defective by design.
Also there's no way to recharge the battery or use an external monitor except via that one port. I don't understand the rationale behind having only one, it is to save a dollar or two on a $US1300 machine? Or it is supposed to somehow look better!?
-
It's just a toy really...
I have half a dozen USB devices attached to my laptop most of the time...so a machine like this is completely useless, defective by design.
I dont know... when I am travelling I only have my wireless mouse attached to my laptop. When I am in the office I have a docking station.
-
I'm suprised they didn't put some weird proprietry connector on there so you have to buy an adapter for $29.95 just so you can connect a mouse or memory stick. Perhaps that the next step.
-
If you want to use normal USB and/or power at the same time, maybe an extra screen, well then you need adaptors.
I am very sure, that those adaptors come in, at a lot more than $29.95.
Besides, being so thin, I guess durability is not something apple is to concerned about.
-
If it were up to Amiga fans to pick the ports
On the new Mac it would still have parallel and serial ports...
-
I agree adding a docking station is a good upgrade. A lot of people will only need one port, thanks to wifi.
-
What does everyone think of the new MacBook? Is this the future of portable computing or design taken to the extreme. It only had one port for everything. Even a A1200 is more expandable.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-macbook-review-the-laptop-of-the-future-isnt-ready-for-the-present-1428595317
Hey Bill,
Personally, I don't "get" the new Macbook at all. It's the same price, slower, less capable, and -- essentially -- just an iPad with a keyboard.
Not sure how I feel about the "USB C" port thing either, but it is in keeping with Apple's design (ala the mac mini and Mac Pro) to "minimize the connections into the box", even though that means you'll have a dozen cables and connectors running to external devices like hard drives and power bricks..
Given the option, I'd much rather buy a 2012 Macbook Pro which is at least expandable with RAM and hard drive/SSD changes.
Wayne
-
So Apple's new MacBook will only have one USB Type-C connector.. Genius so you can wear out your only connector faster and spend more money buying optional Apple adapters or booking your Apple in for repairs so Apple can save a buck or two on parts.
Here's what I predict to see from Apple in 2016
Apple removes screen from Macbook.
Typical Apple PR response: "People spend more time looking at their iphone/ipad/TV than looking at a computer screen so a dedicated screen is no longer necessary."
Apple removes keyboard from Macbook
Likely Apple PR response: "Most people talk faster than typing and the noise created during typing is inelegent" (had to take a jab at Jobs)
And in typical Apple philosophy "We remove features... Yet you pay the same or more"
-
And in typical Apple philosophy "We remove features... Yet you pay the same or more"
That is how you stay in business. Had Commodore followed this logic, they might still be in business.
-
That is how you stay in business. Had Commodore followed this logic, they might still be in business.
@ChuckT
Where's the "like" feature when you really want it? :)
-
If you have to worry about "wearing out" a hardware port, you're buying junk hardware. I've got an old beater Toshiba laptop that I use for work, mainly because it's so darned rugged, that on average - I probably plug 20 different USB devices into it a day, and 95% of the time I always plug them into port 1, the same port over and over.. I've had the laptop for 6-7 years and the USB port shows no sign of "wearing out", and it's the more fragile and prone to wear 2.0 design vs. USB C. You aren't going to wear a USB C connector out unless you're plugging something into in and swinging the device in the air by the cord, lol. It's a very rugged design, USB C.
Simple fact is, much like the removal of optical drives in the Mac laptops, a vast amount of research has been done regarding what ports are actually USED. Why have things if 4% of your customer base says "we use them occasionally" and the rest of your customers say they don't use them at all?
In the end, were I in the market for a new MacBook with the C connector, Apple offers any adapters I might ever need for USB C.
http://store.apple.com/us/mac/mac-accessories/cables
Me, I couldn't live without an Ethernet port built in, but the vast majority of people are just fine with wifi and bluetooth.
I'll wait til rev 2 of the USB C equipped MacBook - that M CPU is just too anemic for me.
Like it or not, this is another Apple trend that will absolutely stick. Within a year, I expect virtually all mid range to high end laptops to be no different port wise than this MacBook - eg, 1 or 2 USB C connectors, and other connectors dropped outright.
Don't underestimate the value to people that simply don't NEED, or stronger yet - WANT - 10 different ports in stuff like this - having to pack around one single cable and a small power brick is a great attraction for people who live and travel with and on their laptops. John and Susie Hipster sitting at a Starbucks writing The Great American Novel on their overpriced Apple laptops generally would be overjoyed that the removal of ports makes the machine lighter, cleaner, smaller, and more importantly - gives better battery life. The less expansion logic/ports you have, the more room for battery cells you have, and Apple did some really neat things with battery on these machines too.
All this being said - I bet there are a lot of cranky high end users (Mac Pro, etc) that invested heavily in Thunderbolt add ons that are feeling awfully looked over right now.
-
Gold one is already back order for two months.
-
Gold one is already back order for two months.
Heh, I figured people would be on that like stink on a monkey. I always found the gold apple products to be gaudy, personally.
-
So Apple's new MacBook will only have one USB Type-C connector.. Genius so you can wear out your only connector faster and spend more money buying optional Apple adapters or booking your Apple in for repairs so Apple can save a buck or two on parts.
Here's what I predict to see from Apple in 2016
Apple removes screen from Macbook.
Typical Apple PR response: "People spend more time looking at their iphone/ipad/TV than looking at a computer screen so a dedicated screen is no longer necessary."
Apple removes keyboard from Macbook
It's called Mac Mini.
-
John and Susie Hipster sitting at a Starbucks writing The Great American Novel on their overpriced Apple laptops generally would be overjoyed that the removal of ports makes the machine lighter, cleaner, smaller, and more importantly - gives better battery life. The less expansion logic/ports you have, the more room for battery cells you have, and Apple did some really neat things with battery on these machines too.
All this being said - I bet there are a lot of cranky high end users (Mac Pro, etc) that invested heavily in Thunderbolt add ons that are feeling awfully looked over right now.
So you really believe removing some ports gives them more room for a larger battery ? Saving 3 grams on weight is really going to make a difference... but making 40 USD on an adapter sure is...
-
http://www.theonion.com/video/apple-introduces-revolutionary-new-laptop-with-no,14299/
-
Stupid idea to have only 1 port, hello iPad with a keyboard but no touch screen. I would rather have an MB Air 13" (retina display would be nice) . . . 12 hrs battery life vs 9 on the macbook and more ports . . .
-
So you really believe removing some ports gives them more room for a larger battery ? Saving 3 grams on weight is really going to make a difference... but making 40 USD on an adapter sure is...
In fact, I do know that shaving a few ports off it saved weight, made it smaller and made room for more battery real estate. That's pretty common sense to me: remove x = free space for other things. That, combined with the all in one mobo with the ram and SSD onboard, the mainboard on the new Mac's, well, they have never had more free space for more battery cells. There's also a hell of a lot wrong with the new MacBook, even if a guy can live with 1 port, which I can't - even if I was an "Apple Guy". It's an overpriced Netbook, imo.
But, read the paperwork on it, look at how it's laid out, look at the new stacked battery technology and you will see for yourself how removing ports from the shell has allowed for a larger battery in a smaller package with the new stacked design. Some of that simply would not have been possible with ports strung all along the sidewall as in previous versions. Quite frankly, the battery layout tech is the most impressive thing about this new machine, to me. It's a repairmans worst nightmare, this new machine, but layout wise it's really impressive on the engineering end. We're talking free space, no wires to and from the logic boards from the ports, which would also extend a half inch inside the case, mounts included. Look at the rough schematics Apple has published for yourself.
If you need the ports that it doesn't have, it's a deal breaker, simply put. If you're the type of user to have 4 USB sticks plugged into your laptop at all times, this isn't the machine for you, with or without the expansion cables that Apple is (overcharging) selling. No one in their right mind in such a user case will pack around a USB C to 5 port USB Hub and have it laying across a table in a Starbucks with 4 USB sticks plugged into it. The Air is a far better choice for 99% of the market, but no doubt Apple will be selling more than they can make on these. I imagine I'll get a hands on with one of these new MacBook's this weekend, and I don't expect to be horribly impressed. I've got enough experience with the M chip to think otherwise.
It's simply not even an option if you're the type of guy that plugs things into their laptop on a regular basis - and even then, if you aren't, rev.1 versions of apple products are usually not great.
Reviews haven't been kind to the new MacBook thus far performance wise, and that's why I wouldn't touch one. Air's from 2 years ago get better benchmarks. Until that M chip puts out more grunt, I have no interest in it, which is the same thing I felt about the Asus Zenbook's, which also uses the Intel M chip. That M chip is just too weak to do anything other than the basics.
-
Less than three usb ports is a no go for me. At least two on one side and one at the rear or other side.
-
If people class that as the future then we're in trouble. Stick Apple on it and people seem to loose common sense and reasonable judgement.
I would stick with the Dell XPS 13. It's better reviewed, better spec, better battery life. More ports..... you can even get a better res on the Dell if you pay $300 USD more. Still cheaper than the Apple.
All for a reasonable price and a lot cheaper than the over priced Apple.
-
The problem with batteries, that are built in like that, is that they are very difficult to change once they die, which all batteries do sooner or later.
-
I guess only the Macbook line has taken this direction (for now). The Macbook Pro line still remains unchanged and offers more ports, should one need such a solution, so for now there are choices for someone looking to buy an Apple laptop, however who knows what Apple may decide to do once a Macbook Pro update comes along, and if this is in any way an indication of a new trend setting when it comes to their design decisions.
I don't see this solution with only one expansion port as too much of a hindrance for someone using this laptop on the go, and is a fairly average Joe type user, that would benefit mostly from the increased battery life that this unit supposedly offers.
For someone like myself, it would of course drive me nuts. I could never adopt something like the new Macbook as my primary unit. Heck, it even drives me nuts that there is no built in DVD burner anymore on any of the Macbooks/Macbook Pros. :), although this is not strictly an Apple based design direction, but overall any laptop maker decision that we see more and more nowadays.
Call me old school, but I prefer lots of ports on my unit, as for a tinkerer and a computer enthusiast in general, especially when it comes to retro stuff such as Amigas, there will always be a need to burn a CD, transfer something to an SD card, plug in a USB mouse/wireless mouse adapter in a USB port when you work long hours on your computer and are looking for an easier way to deal with clicking and moving the pointer (in my opinion), perform quick backups to an external USB key/hard drive, etc... and most importantly not having to compromise in any way to be able to accomplish all of the above, when ever needed.
-
I would stick with the Dell XPS 13. It's better reviewed, better spec, better battery life. More ports..... you can even get a better res on the Dell if you pay $300 USD more. Still cheaper than the Apple.
All for a reasonable price and a lot cheaper than the over priced Apple.
I'll second the XPS 13. Used a buddies for a few days at a contract job recently and I can honestly say it impressed me more than any laptop has in many, many years.
I'm a pretty rabid fan of the Acer Aspire S7 line, but the XPS blows it out of the water, and the design is absolutely gorgeous.
On another note - to give you Apple gripers something/someone else to harp on about, the Dell XPS 13 does not come with an Ethernet port.
:lol:
(I got by just fine using a $15 USB to Gigabit RJ45 dongle in the few days I tested the XPS, however)