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View Full Version : Macbook 2009: The new connectors



nick9191
Oct 24, 2008, 02:32 PM
Mini USB to USB: Want to connect your USB devices to your notebook, no problem, just buy our connector.

Mini MagSafe to MagSafe: Each Macbook ships with a fully charged battery, but should you intend to use your computer for more than 5 hours in its entire lifetime then you can buy our connector which lets you connect your MagSafe charger.

Mini Ethernet to Ethernet: You get the idea

etc. etc. etc.

I really hope the EU bury all this. It should be law that notebook manufacturers provide a way to get video out without purchasing a stupid connector.


jav6454
Oct 24, 2008, 02:34 PM
Lol, the EU would certainly stop it, but here, corporate America would say "business is business, buy it"
duffyanneal
Oct 24, 2008, 02:40 PM
Where were you when Apple started doing this about 10 years ago? :D
kellte2
Oct 24, 2008, 03:44 PM
See also: every cell phone company under the sun.
dr. shdw
Oct 24, 2008, 04:00 PM
etc. etc. etc.

Don't buy Apple products then. Geez.

Plus, physically smaller connectors gives Apple more room to work with. DVI took up a huge amount of space on the logic board compared to the miniDP connector. They would of had to extend the logic board further out to accommodate it. I'm all for smaller connectors on a laptop. Go buy a Dell if you want your big connectors.
NewMacbookPlz
Oct 25, 2008, 02:35 AM
See also: every cell phone company under the sun.

IIRC, a bunch of the manufacturers came together (Nokia, SonyE, Motorola, Samsung) and decided to migrate all their models to MicroUSB sometime in the near future for charging ports.
Knolly
Oct 25, 2008, 03:35 AM
To be honest I really see them doing something about Ethernet... Look at the Macbook. The port is as large as the computer is thick.

My preferable thing would be if they took a page from Voodoo (Who have probably patented this...) and have the Ethernet port be in the power brick and then have it go to the computer with the power cord, or have the power brick create a short range Wifi connection.
chilipie
Oct 25, 2008, 03:41 AM
I hate having to buy adaptors too, but the majority of people just don't need them. When I bought my MacBook Pro there was a DVI-VGA adaptor included, which has admittedly come in very useful, but I wouldn't have objected to paying the £15 to buy one. I suppose the main problem is the rarity of screens using DisplayPort at the moment, but hopefully that will improve with time.
Knolly
Oct 25, 2008, 03:43 AM
@ chilipie
The issue isn't really rarity of displays using DisplayPort... Apple is using the Mini DisplayPort connector, which I don't THINK is proprietary, but NO ONE has used it yet. Ironically, if you had a display that used DisplayPort you can't use it with the new laptops because there is no DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort connector.

I personally never used the DVI to VGA connector that came with my MBP, and on the flip side, I would not have objected at all to paying $20 less for my computer if it didn't come with that.
iSpoody 1243
Oct 25, 2008, 05:18 AM
awesome, mini usb and mini ethernet i want it already
chilipie
Oct 25, 2008, 05:22 AM
@ chilipie
The issue isn't really rarity of displays using DisplayPort... Apple is using the Mini DisplayPort connector, which I don't THINK is proprietary, but NO ONE has used it yet. Ironically, if you had a display that used DisplayPort you can't use it with the new laptops because there is no DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort connector.

Ah, true, I'd forgotten they were using Mini DisplayPort and not the full size one. Just to confirm, it's not a proprietary connection, just an uncommon one :)
Jig
Oct 25, 2008, 05:37 AM
Ah, true, I'd forgotten they were using Mini DisplayPort and not the full size one. Just to confirm, it's not a proprietary connection, just an uncommon one :)

Well, it has a name that suggests it isn't proprietary, suggesting Apple are embarrassed by this, but as far as I can make out, it is. It isnt' listed as a VESA standard (unlike DisplayPort, DVI etc).
chilipie
Oct 25, 2008, 05:45 AM
Well, it has a name that suggests it isn't proprietary, suggesting Apple are embarrassed by this, but as far as I can make out, it is. It isnt' listed as a VESA standard (unlike DisplayPort, DVI etc).

Added to that, Wikipedia says that "While the DisplayPort signal is an open industry standard, it is currently unclear whether the connector used by Apple is part of the standard or proprietary. Even if it is an open standard, Apple as of yet seems to be the only vendor for adapter cables." Looks like I'm wrong, sorry! :o