Who Else Changed Their Mind?

[Souli]

there is always the nex gen product that is faster and has more features than the old one. If you keep thinking like that then you won't ever buy a new product because the one after that one will be faster again
If you are able to wait another year for the new refresh then you didn't need a new computer in the first place. Unless you are like a month from a new refresh then this is maybe a argument but the first version of rMB is not even released and you start talking about the next gen.

 

[LadyX]

Who Else Changed Their Mind?

If Apple were to observe a decline in their sales for instance, they will undoubtedly adjust their prices to more reasonable ones.



So in the end, it's us consumers that support their greed. What's that old saying? "A fool and his money..." Yes

 

[ctyrider]

I see quite a few people in coffee shops and eateries with MacBooks. Many times I see people charging them too. What if you are charging but also need a free port too? Get out the dongle and your nice, pretty, slim rMB has an octopus growing out of it.

The chances of this happening in real life are about zero. I am one of those people using my laptop in coffee shops all the time, and I can't remember the last time I had to plug in my laptop.. Let alone using "other ports" at the same time.

So enough with the made up issues. You need more ports - keep using your rMBP, and let us be.

 

[newellj]

there is always the nex gen product that is faster and has more features than the old one. If you keep thinking like that then you won't ever buy a new product because the one after that one will be faster again
If you are able to wait another year for the new refresh then you didn't need a new computer in the first place. Unless you are like a month from a new refresh then this is maybe a argument but the first version of rMB is not even released and you start talking about the next gen.

I completely understand all of that. But history is worth considering - anyone who doesn't is either very lucky or likely to be surprised.

 

[Brian Y]

Here in the UK, we're used to being shafted, but it's not as bad as it used to be. In fact, there's hardly any difference (before tax) in the prices that Apple charge here.

The MacBook is £1049/£1299 depending on the model. Before tax, that's £874/£1082. Converting to USD at today's exchange rate, that's $1301/$1611.

The USA prices are $1299 and $1599. That means we're paying an extra $2-10 here - not exactly much given the higher cost of doing business over here. And the chances are, looking at the exchange rate graph, it may be cheaper (again, before tax) here than in the US pretty soon.

 

[driftless]

I think that upcoming MacBook is fairly priced. Every time that Apple introduces a new product there are some who complain that the product is too expensive. I suspect that most of the complainers either can't afford the new product or were not planning on purchasing it in the first place.

The various Mac series have a longer life and receive less frequent updates than do the iDevices. Most of the updates tend to be minor spec bumps once a design in place, retina and 5K screens being the recent exception. For me, AppleCare is the great equalizer. I keep my actively used Macs no longer than the period of AppleCare. If something goes wrong, it is covered by AppleCare. It takes the pain out of worrying about "what is next" or waiting for the "2nd gen". And, then once "what is next" or the "2nd gen" is out, waiting again to wait again so that there are "no bug".

Ultimately, whether you are a student, creative professional, business person, videographer, photographer, etc., Macs are meant to be used. The range in power and portability from the upcoming MB to the 12 core MP. One size does not fit all. For those of us looking for portability and a retina screen, the upcoming MB is a pretty darn cool option.

 

[Rigby]

As for the Dongles. It's not meant to be used with Dongles. If your Use Case requires multiple things to be plugged in...don't buy it. My use case requires me to fly from Boston to San Fran to present at a 1-2 hour sales meeting and then fly back.

Funny thing is, you can't do a Powerpoint presentation without a dongle.

 

[Theophil1971]

Funny thing is, you can't do a Powerpoint presentation without a dongle.

AirPlay. I do it all the time. Works great.

----------

...Apple's not selling water to thirsty refugees.

Yes. This.
Enough with all the silly, anti-corporate idealism already.
Most people buy things they don't absolutely need. Most people spend more money than they need to. Most companies market products to people who don't absolutley need them. It's not evil to sell non-essential stuff for profit. It's not evil to buy non-essential stuff. It's not evil to spend lots of money on a nice thing.
There is evil in is world, and you don't have to look too far to find it. Focus your angst in the right place!

 

[Rigby]

AirPlay. I do it all the time. Works great.

Well lucky you. I haven't had a single presentation venue yet that had an Apple TV. In 90% of the cases it's VGA, the rest HDMI. I wish there was a universally accepted wireless standard ...

 

[AlliFlowers]

I haven't changed my mind. I didn't like it when they announced it, and I still see more wrong with it than right. A computer without 1TB is useless.

 

[driftless]

I haven't changed my mind. I didn't like it when they announced it, and I still see more wrong with it than right. A computer without 1TB is useless.

That has to be one of the silliest reasons I have read yet why someone is not purchasing a MB in this day of Dropbox, iTunes, iCloud, etc.

 

[jclardy]

Cool. The weight of the 13.3 MacBook Pro retina and crappy non scaled resolution 1280x800 and the only 10 hours battery life turn me off to that model.

Well the max scaled resolution will be 1440x900, which isn't terrible, but I have my doubts that it will be able to perform with the Core-M.

I have the 2012 rMBP. What are your other specs?

I got the base i5, but 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD. The main difference is the HD6100 vs the HD4000. I run it at scaled 1680x1050 pretty much all the time, the 2012 struggled with that. SSD speed is also noticeably faster.

 

[Altis]

Pricing and performance aside, Im not entirely convinced that the form factor is worth the trade offs.

It's large enough that you still need to carry it in a bag most of the time, and that bag has to still fit the footprint nearly the same size as a rMBP. So it'll be a bit lighter, which is nice but it's not like you hold it while using it like you would an iPad.

I just don't see how it will suddenly be liberating and enable you to do anything differently. Your bag will be ever so slightly lighter, and I suppose it could be a very slightly smaller bag... That's about it.

Not worth the downsides, IMO.

 

[dexterbell]

That has to be one of the silliest reasons I have read yet why someone is not purchasing a MB in this day of Dropbox, iTunes, iCloud, etc.

You are making silly assumptions, just like Apple. Thats like saying no one needs an SD card slot anymore because everyone has wifi capable cameras. I have news for you, there are MANY people who don't want all their personal photos, music, movies etc...stored in the "cloud". There are even more people who still use cameras that capture photos and videos to SD cards, including photo/video professionals like myself. Cloud based devices and storage of their content have NOT become industry standard and probably never will. They certainly aren't the standard for the average user either. Just about every other laptop I can think of has an SD card slot, ports and offers a good amount of storage. Apple is heading down a path that is starting to alienate them from the average user and its not very smart IMO.

 

[macguy360]

Pricing and performance aside, Im not entirely convinced that the form factor is worth the trade offs.

It's large enough that you still need to carry it in a bag most of the time, and that bag has to still fit the footprint nearly the same size as a rMBP. So it'll be a bit lighter, which is nice but it's not like you hold it while using it like you would an iPad.

I just don't see how it will suddenly be liberating and enable you to do anything differently. Your bag will be ever so slightly lighter, and I suppose it could be a very slightly smaller bag... That's about it.

Not worth the downsides, IMO.

I agree with you. I am not a fan of the knife edge of the macbook air models. It makes it so that if I want to carry it in one hand vertically, I have to use the backside to comfortably carry it. With the 13" macbook, I just pick it up and carry it.

And the weight reductions of the 13" MacBooks makes them a reasonable choice. In fact, I feel like going down in weight to the 12" macbook is just reducing the amount of aluminum at this point, making me feel like I'm more likely to damage my laptop if it ever falls or when its in my backpack with books.

 

[squirrrl]

You are making silly assumptions, just like Apple. Thats like saying no one needs an SD card slot anymore because everyone has wifi capable cameras. I have news for you, there are MANY people who don't want all their personal photos, music, movies etc...stored in the "cloud". There are even more people who still use cameras that capture photos and videos to SD cards, including photo/video professionals like myself. Cloud based devices and storage of their content have NOT become industry standard and probably never will. They certainly aren't the standard for the average user either. Just about every other laptop I can think of has an SD card slot, ports and offers a good amount of storage. Apple is heading down a path that is starting to alienate them from the average user and its not very smart IMO.

That's cool dude... then don't buy this particular laptop (which I'm sure you won't). I don't need an SD card or USB slot or HDMI slot or DVI connection but I do need something lightweight to travel with preferably with OSX so I'm likely in for one.

If there was one product for every single person out there, we wouldn't have a hundred different models of laptops and tablets coming out every year.

Making generalizations like "a computer with less than 1TB is useless" is as stupid and someone saying "nobody needs ports anymore". Amazingly, different people doing different things have different uses for different devices. What a ***** concept.

I go on these forums to look for discussions on the new rMB and other computers to discuss things that perhaps I didn't think about or to see how others are using their devices. People that make these sweeping generalizations are just wasting space on these forums.

 

[clyde2801]

In my mind, that's probably the biggest risk, and I think it's a big risk. Think about the original MBA. Or more recently, think about the leap from the iPad to the iPad 2, which is probably closer to what will probably happen here. I am asking myself questions like: how much will this really improve my daily out-of-home routine, and assuming Gen 2 is enough of an upgrade to make me want to upgrade next year, what's my best guess at resale value and how do I feel about whatever amount the difference is?

I'm still not sure, though I lean toward buying one. Either way, I think the amount of re-thinking that Apple did with this machine is very positive.

Across the broad spectrum of buyers, your iPad as competition comment is probably true, but I have had to do real work on an iPad for a week (Sandy) and it's not even close for what I do for a living. Things like a desktop OS and a mouse make the difference between barely coping and highly productive for me. Nevertheless, there is clearly a lot of opinion the other way.

I uprooted your post because it's very logical, factual and well-presented. Thanks for advancing constructive discussion!

Thank you for keeping the discussion cordial. And I have to confess something dreadful: i bought the brydgeair gold keyboard to match my iPad Air 2. Trying to make it more like a mini nMB in order to fight off upgraditis.

There's no need for incivility when we're all just meeting to discuss our opinions on the nMB. Some people will need and or want it, others won't.

 

[macguy360]

Thank you for keeping the discussion cordial. And I have to confess something dreadful: i bought the brydgeair gold keyboard to match my iPad Air 2. Trying to make it more like a mini nMB in order to fight off upgraditis.

There's no need for incivility when we're all just meeting to discuss our opinions on the nMB. Some people will need and or want it, others won't.

It is funny how people come on here and defend their opinion like they were the ones who personally created whatever idevice it is they are currently interested in.

 

[newellj]

Thank you for keeping the discussion cordial. And I have to confess something dreadful: i bought the brydgeair gold keyboard to match my iPad Air 2. Trying to make it more like a mini nMB in order to fight off upgraditis.

There's no need for incivility when we're all just meeting to discuss our opinions on the nMB. Some people will need and or want it, others won't.

Gad, who programmed the spellchecker??? I can't believe it made "upvoted" into "uprooted" in my earlier post!!!!!!

Anyway, as I said, I'm still somewhat on the fence and thoughtful perspectives on the other side are very helpful. Going to edit that "uprooted" right now...

 

[dexterbell]

That's cool dude... then don't buy this particular laptop (which I'm sure you won't). I don't need an SD card or USB slot or HDMI slot or DVI connection but I do need something lightweight to travel with preferably with OSX so I'm likely in for one.

If there was one product for every single person out there, we wouldn't have a hundred different models of laptops and tablets coming out every year.

Making generalizations like "a computer with less than 1TB is useless" is as stupid and someone saying "nobody needs ports anymore". Amazingly, different people doing different things have different uses for different devices. What a ***** concept.

I go on these forums to look for discussions on the new rMB and other computers to discuss things that perhaps I didn't think about or to see how others are using their devices. People that make these sweeping generalizations are just wasting space on these forums.

Yes but probably 98% of laptops made costing more than $500 have at least 2 ports and almost every one has some type of media card reader slot. The fact that Apple intentionally left them out (to force people into spending another $70 on a dongle or to release an updated version in another 6 months with ports) leaves a bad taste in many people's mouths, especially with a $1300 retail price. This thing isn't worth more than $1k. I will be interested to see what sales are like though. This will probably be the first new Apple product to fail.

 

[squirrrl]

Yes but probably 98% of laptops made costing more than $500 have at least 2 ports and almost every one has some type of media card reader slot. The fact that Apple intentionally left them out (to force people into spending another $70 on a dongle or to release an updated version in another 6 months with ports) leaves a bad taste in many people's mouths, especially with a $1300 retail price. This thing isn't worth more than $1k. I will be interested to see what sales are like though. This will probably be the first new Apple product to fail.

You don't NEED to buy their dongle. USB-C is not proprietary so cheaper 3rd party adaptors will come out for those that need it. The only adaptor I'll probably buy is the USB-C to VGA because of the old projector at my work. But i'll wait for a 3rd party for that.

 

[newellj]

Yes but probably 98% of laptops made costing more than $500 have at least 2 ports and almost every one has some type of media card reader slot. The fact that Apple intentionally left them out (to force people into spending another $70 on a dongle or to release an updated version in another 6 months with ports) leaves a bad taste in many people's mouths, especially with a $1300 retail price. This thing isn't worth more than $1k. I will be interested to see what sales are like though. This will probably be the first new Apple product to fail.

You don't really believe that Apple is trying to force people to buy the dongle, do you? I'm serious, please say you're kidding.

I bet it won't fail, though who knows. The number I'd love to see, though, is returns, not sales. I'd be interested to see how the ratio of purchases to returns will compare to other Apple notebooks, although you'd have to compare information for initial introductions rather than mature products.

 

[dexterbell]

You don't really believe that Apple is trying to force people to buy the dongle, do you? I'm serious, please say you're kidding.

Why else would they not include ports or a card reader? There are thinner laptops that have them, so its not the size. Its high priced, so its not like its an entry level product. I don't NEED a 4 door vehicle but I have one, because there have been times its come in very handy. Why do you think Apple intentionally left out ports and media readers when every other laptop within $500 of its price point has them?

 

[Theophil1971]

Well lucky you. I haven't had a single presentation venue yet that had an Apple TV. In 90% of the cases it's VGA, the rest HDMI. I wish there was a universally accepted wireless standard ...

$69 from Apple. Buy one one bring it with you to any venue.

 

[Rigby]

$69 from Apple. Buy one one bring it with you to any venue.

That's obviously even worse than a dongle, and doesn't help if there is only a VGA cable or no free power outlet for the Apple TV ...