CES 2016: Satechi Type-C USB Hub Updated With Pass-Through Charging for Retina MacBook

[KPOM]

a LOT of people (like myself) actually doesn't need a lot of ports to begin with.. Yes two (or dedicated power) would have been nice to have, but I read somewhere that the chipset had something to do with the single USB-C? All laptops released now are a newer chipset

Yes. That's the case. Broadwell-M supports one USB 3.1 port natively. Skylake-M supports 2 USB 3.1 or Thunderbolt 3.

 

[whidbeyben]

So how do you explain this HP PC? http://www.cnet.com/products/hp-elitebook-folio-g1/
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I see TWO USB-C ports on the HP. You can charge and use an external drive simultaneously! There's never enough storage space on these Flash based notebooks for serious or even hobbiest photographers and videographers.

 

[KPOM]

See my post above. Skylake-M supports two ports natively. Broadwell-M did not. Anyway. It still is dongle city for USB-A components.
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null

Anyway you moved the goalposts. I was replying to a post that said that many notebooks have USB-A and SD card slots. That HP has neither.

 

[entropys]

To be fair, you can still go buy a Macbook Air or Pro that does have these ports, it's not like the only laptop they're offering is the Macbook. I think it's always been pretty clear that the Macbook wasn't going to be for everybody.

Well yes. But the MBA hasn't been upgraded, presumably to try and get you to pay more for a lighter machine that is unfortunately underpowered and has reduced utility.

rMB is not a device for schools kids, for they need ports, lightness and low(ish) price. When it appears Apple is making decisions like failing to have the MBA keep up with competing products so you can upsell to the RMB, we might have a problem.

 

[hh83917]

I thought www.hypershop.com already offering it, I don't see how thats a new product for MB

 

[Kajje]

With the addition of the pass-through this is a good product, well designed and for a fair price. If I would have a Macbook I'd be a buyer for sure.

 

[SvenSvenson]

And this is exactly why Apple should have left these ports on the machine. Instead they insist on simplifying it so much, forcing us to purchase things like this, thus increasing Apple's profit margins. Thanks Apple! ...greedy sons a...

How does a peripheral developed and sold by a third-party, increase Apple's profit?

 

[bingeciren]

Sensible product, sensible price, makes the rMB a lot more useful. If I owned a rMB, I would buy this product without a doubt.

 

[PatrickNSF]

Does anyone know if this product is different from the one offered by Juiced Systems? They appear to be identical. From what I understand from the reviews, the Juiced Systems version runs hot.

http://www.amazon.com/Juiced-System...qid=1452168244&sr=8-2&keywords=juiced+systems

 

[GeneralChang]

Well yes. But the MBA hasn't been upgraded, presumably to try and get you to pay more for a lighter machine that is unfortunately underpowered and has reduced utility.

rMB is not a device for schools kids, for they need ports, lightness and low(ish) price. When it appears Apple is making decisions like failing to have the MBA keep up with competing products so you can upsell to the RMB, we might have a problem.

Or they might have just been waiting for Skylake chips appropriate to the MBA before they upgraded it. Or they're working on another mid-tier laptop to replace the MBA. Or they're planning on dropping the bottom end prices of the rMBP and getting rid of the Air moniker all together. There are many possibilities that, to my eye, make more sense than Apple trying to force everyone to use a one-port laptop.

Yes, Apple does occasionally make a choice like that with the intention of changing the status quo, such as the introduction of a non-extensible all-in-one computer. But it's not like they stopped selling extensible towers when they introduced the iMac. The two co-existed for more than a decade, assuming you don't consider the nMP as "extensible."

Also... not a device for school kids? Are you talking like, primary or elementary school kids? Because yeah. Anything more pricey than a $200 Chromebook is probably not a great device for them. And if you're talking university students, I'm pretty sure the rMB was never targeted at them. Go into any campus store that sells Apple. The emphasis is all on the 11 inch MBA, the 13 inch rMBP, and iPads. Most of what college students need to do these days can be done on an iPad anyway.

 

[dilbert99]

If you need those parts included in the machine there is always the MacBook Air and Pro models. Personally, I welcome the simplified model because it cuts down on the weight of my luggage while traveling. There are also other workarounds such as Airdrop and emailing files.

It's all in how you use your computer. While you seemingly don't like the changes found in the MacBook away from things that you think should be built in, I'm glad they have provided the option for me to not have it.

Having extra ports cuts down on the weight from not having to carry dongles...
An extra USB-C port would not increase the weight

 

[lyngo]

Having extra ports cuts down on the weight from not having to carry dongles...
An extra USB-C port would not increase the weight

If you need the dongles then maybe you should consider either a MacBook Air or a MacBook Pro with the extra ports.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

And this is exactly why Apple should have left these ports on the machine. Instead they insist on simplifying it so much, forcing us to purchase things like this, thus increasing Apple's profit margins. Thanks Apple! ...greedy sons a...

Not just that, but now Apple is forcing the users to carry more gadgets.
In the end, simplifying became burdensome.

 

[GeneralChang]

Not just that, but now Apple is forcing the users to carry more gadgets.
In the end, simplifying became burdensome.

Unless you're part of the Macbook's target audience, in which case you don't need the dongles.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not in that audience either. I'd buy a MBA. But just because I'm not a member of the target demographic doesn't mean I erroneously assume that there is no target demographic, and that Apple must be stupid for releasing a device that appeals to literally nobody.

Because assuming that would be narrow-minded and ridiculous. I am not the only consumer on earth.

 

[bonehead]

So I agree there is a price to pay, but that is taking it to the absolute extreme. Camera functionality is literally ingrained into an iOS device - not being able to post a photo to instagram/facebook/snapchat would destroy the device for a large majority of users.

On a laptop though, I am fine with the lack of ports (Though it should have two USB-C, because the form factor permits one on both sides.) I have a rMBP right now and I love it. Easily the best laptop I have ever owned. But I will be honest, and I think more people need to look at this themselves - 95% of the time I am not using any ports other than the charging port. And even still, I pretty much only charge overnight. I shoot video as a hobby, so I use the SD Card port...but maybe once a week at most. I use a full size USB port at that same time to hook up an external hard drive. I use the HDMI port maybe once a year when I have no other method to get some content on my TV. I use the thunderbolt ports...almost never (Well I have hooked it up to a second display, but that display is hooked up to my iMac right now.)

My point is do we still need ports? Yes. But do we need to carry around these things all the time? I don't think so. I need a bag to carry my camera, my SSD and my laptop itself, I don't see why having this adapter in that bag as well is a bad idea.

I'll be happy when everything goes USB-C but I will want multiple ports on whatever version of the rMBP they will be selling. I regularly use the power, USB, Thunderbolt and HDMI ports (and the 3.5mm headphone jack!) at work and home so one cable type will be welcome.

 

[rtdunham]

Explain to me how buying 3rd party adapters increases Apple's profit margins...

That was my reaction at first, too. But then I realized (or suspected) the poster's legitimate point is that by eliminating that hardware from the device, Apple increases its profits on each MB it sells. Clearly, it costs less to manufacture a MB without those ports than with them.

 

[dannys1]

That was my reaction at first, too. But then I realized (or suspected) the poster's legitimate point is that by eliminating that hardware from the device, Apple increases its profits on each MB it sells. Clearly, it costs less to manufacture a MB without those ports than with them.

I see - i'm not sure thats really the case, I think it costs a lot more to manufacturer battery shapes that don't even exist that it does to stick a generic USB 3 controller in there which costs pennies.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

Unless you're part of the Macbook's target audience, in which case you don't need the dongles.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not in that audience either. I'd buy a MBA. But just because I'm not a member of the target demographic doesn't mean I erroneously assume that there is no target demographic, and that Apple must be stupid for releasing a device that appeals to literally nobody.

Because assuming that would be narrow-minded and ridiculous. I am not the only consumer on earth.

Could be, but do you really believe this 'audience' really will not need any dongles?
Do you know of any users who will never need to plug-in a USB Flash Drive, or External Hard Drive, or connect to an external monitor or TV, or connect to a portable printer that it's not latest generation?

And finally, there's a rumor that Apple may reduce the number of ports on its other portables. I really hope this is not true.

There's more to choose from, but the choices are becoming more and more narrow. Now you must choose between a MacBook Air or a MacBook Pro. Before, the MacBook was the least expensive portable choice.
If you want the new Force Touch Trackpad, your only choice is to get a MacBook (unless you want to carry a separate trackpad), or wait for new MacBook Air and/or Pro releases that will include it.

in the past, the MacBook Pro was the portable with the most features and functionality. Starting with the number of external ports to the higher-end GPU. Now, unless you pay the big bucks, you will be stuck with the Intel Iris Garbage.

Providing many choices may seem like a good thing for some consumers, but in reality, most consumers get frustrated when they have to decide between several options, becoming a deal-breaker.
And when some of these consumers compare the MacBook with the new portable 'clones' (which have more connectivity ports), they will think: "It's compatible with what I already have", and decide to get that instead.

 

[GeneralChang]

Could be, but do you really believe this 'audience' really will not need any dongles?
Do you know of any users who will never need to plug-in a USB Flash Drive, or External Hard Drive, or connect to an external monitor or TV, or connect to a portable printer that it's not latest generation?

And finally, there's a rumor that Apple may reduce the number of ports on its other portables. I really hope this is not true.

There's more to choose from, but the choices are becoming more and more narrow. Now you must choose between a MacBook Air or a MacBook Pro. Before, the MacBook was the least expensive portable choice.
If you want the new Force Touch Trackpad, your only choice is to get a MacBook (unless you want to carry a separate trackpad), or wait for new MacBook Air and/or Pro releases that will include it.

in the past, the MacBook Pro was the portable with the most features and functionality. Starting with the number of external ports to the higher-end GPU. Now, unless you pay the big bucks, you will be stuck with the Intel Iris Garbage.

Providing many choices may seem like a good thing for some consumers, but in reality, most consumers get frustrated when they have to decide between several options, becoming a deal-breaker.
And when some of these consumers compare the MacBook with the new portable 'clones' (which have more connectivity ports), they will think: "It's compatible with what I already have", and decide to get that instead.

I actually know a few people who never plug their laptop into anything other than power. They've got a desktop for the processor heavy work plugged into several monitors, and all their data is transferred wirelessly via various iterations of the cloud. So... yes. I do know of several of those users.

As to the choices you're talking about... yeah, the macbook used to be the cheapest. Now that's the MBA. So... okay? Yes? True? As for the force-touch trackpad, MBP's have those. That was an update at the end of last year. And to your point with the integrated graphics, I'm gonna go with "a) since the introduction of integrated graphics it's been the case that only the more expensive 15 inch MBPs had a discrete video card, so why is it only a problem now" and "b) Iris is more than sufficient for the vast majority of work people will do on those laptops." Everything besides gaming and heavy video work will be just fine, and anyone looking at a 13 inch MBP is probably more concerned with the fact that the processor hasn't been upgraded to Skylake yet.

And anyone looking at the new Macbook "clones" is going to find USB C ports, so still not compatible. The rest are clones of the MBA line, which, you know, have more standard ports. I'm still not seeing what you're so worked up about here.

 

[Flunkyturtle]

Mine arrived this morning - Has Anyone tried to use this in conjunction with Appl's dongle to get HDMI working?