The new MagSafe

[DenisK]

Just starting to use my new MBA... discovered the new power plug, not compatible with any of the power bricks of my previous portable macs... WTF??? Greed? I was perfectly happy with the little tube as opposed to this new I dont know what. Greed has no limits.

[CarbonDudeoxide]

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD...fe-2-converter

[Mrbobb]

AND it only tears off when it's pulled up or down, but not sideways.

[mohsy90]

Yea IMO it was a pointless new design by Apple. The original magsafe fit just fine on previous gen MBAs so I dont understand the need to make it thinner. From the looks of it, it was purely business. They are banking of these $10 adaptors that everyone is now forced to buy to use with apple displays and old chargers.

I also hate how they brought back the T connector. The L connector was definitely less intrusive.

[aseems]

From what i have read,

The only things that stop apple from making devices thinner are the ports (that is the reason they gave for the new lightening port on the iPhone 5)

In addition, it is said, that the L shaped connector was more prone to breakage at the joint than the T Shape

The T shape is also reversible - i.e. it doesn't block the ports - ever - the L shape does

hope this helps

[BillyBobBongo]

Originally Posted by mohsy90

I also hate how they brought back the T connector. The L connector was definitely less intrusive.

I find that it doesn't snap on so well either. The old one jumped out of my hand and in to place. The new one seems requires you to get really close, and in to the sweet spot, before it clicks in.

[Brian Y]

Originally Posted by mohsy90

Yea IMO it was a pointless new design by Apple. The original magsafe fit just fine on previous gen MBAs so I dont understand the need to make it thinner. From the looks of it, it was purely business. They are banking of these $10 adaptors that everyone is now forced to buy to use with apple displays and old chargers.

I also hate how they brought back the T connector. The L connector was definitely less intrusive.

Yeah, because a company with billions in the bank need to sell you a $10 adapter to keep afloat.

[mohsy90]

Originally Posted by bma

Yeah, because a company with billions in the bank need to sell you a $10 adapter to keep afloat.

They don't need to and I'm sure its all part of the innovation process to make everything thinner but it definitely wasnt necessary. The adaptor was actually a favor on Apples part. They could have just forced everyone to buy new magsafe 2 adaptors and prevent the continued use of old gen adaptors and knockoffs.

[Agent-P]

I preferred the L shaped adapter because I run my charger from behind my desk. Now the cable bends awkwardly at the T unless I give plenty of slack. I tried the adapter with my old Magsafe, but I returned it because it stuck out way too much and I would accidentally unplug it by hitting it with my magic mouse (I'm left handed).

[Mrbobb]

Originally Posted by aseems

The T shape is also reversible - i.e. it doesn't block the ports - ever - the L shape does

Now you are aware the L Magsafe is ALSO reversible right?

[MTD's Mac]

The MagSafe 2 was necessary for the form factor of the Retina MacBook Pro, not the Air. Apple carried the new design over to the Air to jump start the process of replacing old tech with new tech, just as they updated the iPad and iPods to Lightning ports shortly after introducing the new port on iPhone 5, where it was really needed.

When you buy a new MBA or MBP that has MagSafe 2, it comes with a MagSafe 2 charger. The only place I can see the adapted being necessary is if you use a Cinema or Thunderbolt Display. (And if, like me, you have that much $ tied up in a great display, you won't mind spending $10 on one of the cheapest adapters Apple has ever sold!)

[GrandPhrase]

Originally Posted by BillyBobBongo

I find that it doesn't snap on so well either. The old one jumped out of my hand and in to place. The new one seems requires you to get really close, and in to the sweet spot, before it clicks in.

I don't have one, but I played with them at the Apple store.. Yeah.. but I think the reason why they don't snap on as well is not mostly because of the shape, but because of the actual size and thinness of the magnets. (Need more precision to fit it in a smaller spot)

----------

Originally Posted by Mrbobb

Now you are aware the L Magsafe is ALSO reversible right?

I think he knew as he said "The T shape is also reversible", but I think he meant that when you actually place the L Magsafe in the direction where the wire goes towards the user, the wire "blocks" the ports. I know you could just push it out of the way when you insert the cables into the ports, but I guess understandibly it might get annoying for some (wire jumps back)

Personally got no complaints on my parts.

But yeah.. just my thoughts

[Mrbobb]

Originally Posted by GrandPhrase

but I think he meant that when you actually place the L Magsafe in the direction where the wire goes towards the user, the wire "blocks" the ports. I know you could just push it out of the way when you insert the cables into the ports, but I guess understandibly it might get annoying (wire jumps back)

Do don't be so lazy, turn that thing around and have the cable to go out back, which is the "natural" way anyways, but hey I understand, can't make 100% of the people happy.

[GrandPhrase]

Originally Posted by Mrbobb

Do don't be so lazy, turn that thing around and have the cable to go out back, which is the "natural" way anyways, but hey I understand, can't make 100% of the people happy.

"Do don't be so lazy"? Were you referring to me (sounds like "dude"), or was that a typo? (Hate when misunderstandings happen) Cuz' I got no complaints about this. Lol

But if you were referring to general people, then yeah by all means I agree with you.

[marc11]

Originally Posted by bma

Yeah, because a company with billions in the bank need to sell you a $10 adapter to keep afloat.

I wish people would stop saying this silly line. No matter how rich a company is, they still need and want to make more, period. Be it dollars or pennies at a time. Just because apple is rich doesn't mean they stopped finding any way to make more money. ExxonMobil is rich yet they still discover and sell oil.....

[Steevie]

My first mac and it seems that the magsafe pops off rather easily? When pulled directly it stays firm but if i move it up or down even a bit it pops off. is this normal?

[cedwhatev]

Yeah, the new MagSafe is brutal, I hate it. I was quite content with the old one, but like everything else, we must adjust.

[brentsg]

Originally Posted by marc11

I wish people would stop saying this silly line. No matter how rich a company is, they still need and want to make more, period. Be it dollars or pennies at a time. Just because apple is rich doesn't mean they stopped finding any way to make more money. ExxonMobil is rich yet they still discover and sell oil.....

And clearly selling a $10 adapter to go with $2000 computers is the best way to achieve this.

[noteple]

Make an adapter and their getting rich off of technical progression.
Don't make an adapter and their obsoleting all our investments.
Change nothing an they are not innovative and stuck in the past.

[marc11]

Originally Posted by brentsg

And clearly selling a $10 adapter to go with $2000 computers is the best way to achieve this.

No but clearly you are missing the point. It is no wonder people cannot manage money these days. Do you think Apple does ANYTHING for no reason and no end profit in mind? So you run a business, you have x dollars in the bank so you stop making products for a profit? Even if Apple makes a penny of each one, and they make a lot more than that, it is still a penny more profit. If they make a dollar of of each and sell one million, thats $1 million dollars. Small compared to the overall amount of sales and profit, but it is still 1 friggen million dollars for doing nothing more than changing a design.

That is the point. I laugh at people that think profit no matter how small suddenly become unimportant because a company has money in the bank.

[TorsteinO]

The "L" connector actually have a major problem: One of the main ideas behind the magsafe-connector is that it SHOULD pop out easily if the cord is pulled - so the macbook/air/pro wont get pulled down from a table or similar if someone trips over the cord. Thus the "safe" in magsafe.

With a "T" connector this works wonderfully, but with the "L"-connector it doesn't work as well by far (just try it if you have access to both kinds)

[brentsg]

Originally Posted by marc11

No but clearly you are missing the point.

I'm not missing any point. I simply think you're 100% wrong. Apple is working to perfect the design and that prompts the shrinking and simplification of connectors.

The iTunes store is still a relatively small percentage of Apple's revenue. Can you imagine how small their connector revenue is?

[KPOM]

Originally Posted by mohsy90

I also hate how they brought back the T connector. The L connector was definitely less intrusive.

The T-shape was the original design, partly because it disconnected more easily (the whole point of MagSAFE). The L connector was a stopgap because the first T designs frayed too easily, resulting in a class-action lawsuit.

[marc11]

Originally Posted by brentsg

I'm not missing any point. I simply think you're 100% wrong. Apple is working to perfect the design and that prompts the shrinking and simplification of connectors.

The iTunes store is still a relatively small percentage of Apple's revenue. Can you imagine how small their connector revenue is?

the itunes store is a hook to the ecosystem, it drives hardware sales, in that sense, it does not need to make a huge profit, but it still does MAKE A PROFIT.

Any profit is good profit and any profit is better than making no profit? The amount of profit, no matter how small still has a positive impact on the books. Companies are not in the business of giving stuff away for free.

While the design change may have been done for design or utilitiy reasons mainly, the fact they they are profiting from the sale of the adapters was part of the decision. If you think they decided to just make and sell the adapter as a last moment decision at cost, and that they didn't discuss the revenue stream and profit of the adapter during the design change, then you have no idea how businesses work. They disucss the financial impact of EVERYTHING and EVERYTHING is done with profit in mind.

Same can be said for the new iPad and iPhone connector. People think Apple just changed it for design, but look at the iPad 4, the old connector space is just empty space. Then look at how Apple is tightly controlling the devices and cables made for the new connects...ie LICENSING it to companies who want to use it...that means PROFIT. Small profit at first, but small, incremental and regular profit streams all created under the guise of design improvements.