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12" Macbook - Disappointment and Hope

DFZD said:
Well the disappointment with the just announced Macbook Air Retina is obvious. People who are Pro users are upset over how it lacks ports and raw power. Well I think that's not what it's meant to do.
Anyway I think this is a very good direction Apple is moving towards. Remember how Macbook Air was the testing ground for Apple
s ''thinnovation"'??
I believe the same is going to happen with the new Macbooks. And apple has shown that by adding the force touch pad to the 2015 Retina macbooks.
My only true disappointment with the new Air is that the USB-C Multi adapter doesn't come bundled. It would've really made the device much more acceptable to a lot of users.

Thoughts?
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I think the bold is the source of the matter. With them going to calling this unit "MacBook", I think it is duly unfair to compare this to the MBA, when in actuality, it should be compared to the original Macbook. when taking it at that value, this is a huge improvement, especially seeing that they dropped the Macbook from their lineup shortly after the MBA came out. Now that they are bringing this back in, and when looking on Apple's website, they have it slotted UNDER the MBA, not in line or between the MBA and the MBP.

So it's really unfair to compare this to the MBA, as that is where everyone will be disappointed. Compare it to its proper previous model, and you'll see quite an improvement (with the exception of ports).

Do you think Macbook Pro's should borrow some hardware features from the new airs? I personally would love to have the edge to edge keyboard.
Click to expand...

The next MBPs and MBAs will definitely borrow features from this release. In fact, everyone should be disappointed if they DIDN'T take from this. In any instance, they've shown that they can get Retina down to an ultralight form factor (read: not MBP), and smaller, so you could count on the next MBA having Retina (13" for sure; not sure yet on 11" ). Fanless? not sure. Ports? up in the air (pun intended) 8GB? 512GB SSD? you can already get that with BTO. Colours? definitely. Keyboard? absolutely.

So there's a lot to look forward to with the next MBA release.

BL.
 
NathanA said:
I haven't watched the video yet, so maybe they address this, but the thing that is the most puzzling to me with the way they did the ports was the elimination of MagSafe. After introducing us to this feature, is Apple really expecting people to go back to a power cable design that risks injury to the laptop or its power jack (which now is a single port that serves multiple purposes) if somebody trips over the cable? Or do they think this isn't a problem anymore with how people traditionally use or setup their laptops these days?

Other than that, I really like the look of it.

-- Nathan
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I agree. The MagSafe is one of the best features of Apple's laptops and I've found it very useful (especially around toddlers and children). The lack of MagSafe now will be interesting if I choose to buy this laptop, as I was expecting to as a replacement for my two year old MBA.
 
nksk said:
I'm not disappointed at all. The weight and thickness are exactly what I wanted.

  • The CPU is a compromise, but not a huge one. A Core M at 1,3 GHz is fast enough. People are acting like it's downright slow. It isn't. This product wouldn't be possible with a U-series processor, and I'm overjoyed all the ARM-talk will finally die.
  • It could have more ports, but I can easily live with that.
  • The battery life is excellent. I bet many disappointed people are accidentally comparing it to the 13" model rather than the more similarly sized 11" model.

Ideally, I'd like a 13" screen with even more pixels, but this is great as is.
Click to expand...

Wait until you try it out. That processor is the slowest thing even for day to day use stuff. Lenovos have had that processor for months now and everybody is complaining about how even scrolling through facebook lags.
 
shahin90 said:
Wait until you try it out. That processor is the slowest thing even for day to day use stuff. Lenovos have had that processor for months now and everybody is complaining about how even scrolling through facebook lags.
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True. However, the processing power of a chip isn't the bottom line. It's how you use it. Look at the specs of the iPhone 6 compared to all the Samsung phones, the iPhone specs look horrible. However, it runs smooth and fast.

Processing power is only as good as the software that utilizes it. I can't see Apple launching a product that's slow. I expect this laptop to run as smooth and fast as their current MBA line. And, even if it were .005 seconds slower no human will really notice.
 
pasadena said:
In a few weeks, we'll see the first USB-C accessories. In a few months, a lot of them. In a few years, USB-C will be the main technology. It's past time we moved beyond the classic USB. It's unfortunate it takes one company to have the balls to do it alone.
Click to expand...

Except this is a standard that has just been ratified and Apple is not even the first company to use it.

http://www.maximumpc.com/msi_announces_first_usb_31_type-c_motherboard_all--one_pcs_and_more_2015

USB type C is the future and that has nothing to do with Apple beyond inspiration that the Lightning cable may have given.
 
NathanA said:
I haven't watched the video yet, so maybe they address this, but the thing that is the most puzzling to me with the way they did the ports was the elimination of MagSafe. After introducing us to this feature, is Apple really expecting people to go back to a power cable design that risks injury to the laptop or its power jack (which now is a single port that serves multiple purposes) if somebody trips over the cable? Or do they think this isn't a problem anymore with how people traditionally use or setup their laptops these days?

Other than that, I really like the look of it.

-- Nathan
Click to expand...

I don't think that people constantly tripping over their power cables was ever a serious problem. Just Apple marketing finding a way to sell a new feature that solved a problem that most people never had.
 
It's an x86 Chromebook Pixel. Paying for form over function. This should appeal to the people who use Macs primarily for web browsing.

I'm disappointed the Air still has the horrible TN screen. It's the only issue I have with an otherwise brilliant laptop.
 
Nothing was mentioned about the footprint compared to the MBA 11". Is the new 12" much bigger ?
The fastest one comes at 1599 USD, is the rMBP13" than not a better deal ?
 
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There was a time when we needed our laptops to be plugged in while we were using them, and occasionally the magsafe feature would save an unfortunate accident... but Apple is betting that with 9-10 hours of battery life, you don't need to work with it plugged in.

We don't have a magsafe lightning connectors for our iPads and no one is complaining about that.
 
The form factor, weight and display look great (will have to wait and see how the keyboard and trackpad feel). However, the lack of at least a regular USB port is a problem. In the real world, people still often use USB thumb drives to exchange files (no Apple, not everybody has a Mac and is ready to use Airdrop). If you forget to bring the dongle, you're screwed with this Macbook. You can't even connect an iPhone without using a dongle anymore. :confused:
 
theusualsuspect said:
We don't have a magsafe lightning connectors for our iPads and no one is complaining about that.
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I don't think that's true.

Usage is different. charging you leave it somewhere and let it do its thing.

laptop sits where you use it so you keep it plugged in often and when go mobile,d disconnect.

same with fragility. if you drop a phone with a case on a carpet, might be alright. a fragile screen with a big drop and thinner, maybe not..
 
theusualsuspect said:
There was a time when we needed our laptops to be plugged in while we were using them, and occasionally the magsafe feature would save an unfortunate accident... but Apple is betting that with 9-10 hours of battery life, you don't need to work with it plugged in.

We don't have a magsafe lightning connectors for our iPads and no one is complaining about that.
Click to expand...

Personally, I prefer to work with my laptop plugged in as often as possible in order to slow battery wear through use of recharge cycles. A tablet is more pick-up-and-go. People tend to only plug them in when they need charging.
 
Hankster said:
True. However, the processing power of a chip isn't the bottom line. It's how you use it. Look at the specs of the iPhone 6 compared to all the Samsung phones, the iPhone specs look horrible. However, it runs smooth and fast.
...
Click to expand...

I understand your sentiment but this is a bad example. The iPhone's processor is WAY faster than any competing Android's.
 
Really not sure why Apple needs 4 different notebook lines?

Macbook Air, Macbook Pro, Macbook Retina, Macbook Pro Retina

And soon Macbook Air retina? Apple is the new Dell, and look what happened to dell.
 
DFZD said:
Really not sure why Apple needs 4 different notebook lines?

Macbook Air, Macbook Pro, Macbook Retina, Macbook Pro Retina
Click to expand...
It won't stay that way. The "classic" MacBook Pro is all but dead, with only a low-end 13" model still being offered and which is NOT getting refreshed...the 13" non-Retina that they are offering now is the exact same model that they were offering in June of 2012. The plan all along was to phase out the old generation and eventually replace it with the new Retina ones.

They're clearly doing the same thing now with the MacBook Air and this new MacBook. Originally, the Air was an expensive compromise machine that was ultra-portable and ultra-expensive but ultra-non-performant. Gradually, though, they brought the price down until the Air was able to basically replace the regular MacBook as their everyday, everyman portable machine, at which point they discontinued the regular MacBook. This 12" machine is a glimpse at the future of what all regular MacBooks will be like, just as the MacBook Pro Retina was a glimpse at what all future MacBook Pros will be like. A year or two from now, the classic, non-Retina Airs will be dropped from the line-up, and there will only be two portable lines, both with Retina: MacBook and MacBook Pro.

-- Nathan
 
NathanA said:
Originally, the Air was an expensive compromise machine that was ultra-portable and ultra-expensive but ultra-non-performant.
Click to expand...

I think that "ultra-non-performant" is a slight exaggeration. Certainly in 2011, once you could get an i7 and a SSD in a MacBook Air, the performance was very good, the portability stellar, and the price still under 2k, which was reasonable in my opinion.

NathanA said:
A year or two from now, the classic, non-Retina Airs will be dropped from the line-up, and there will only be two portable lines, both with Retina: MacBook and MacBook Pro.
Click to expand...

Unless they'll manage to bring the Pro to the portability of the current Air - and it doesn't look like it - I think this is a depressing outlook. As things stand right now, the Air is effectively obsolete because of its low resolution display (which has been crappy and outdated for years), and Apple simply has no portable machine with a modern display and reasonable performance on offer.

I am very annoyed by this. I was hoping to upgrade this year, Yosemite finally made my old Air too slow to enjoy using it, and now I have nothing to upgrade to.
 
Personally I was disappointed. It feels more like a concept model along the line of "look what we can do", not something that should be sold. I think an Air with a Retina screen would have been received better.

I think many that buy one that move to it from an Air will be disappointed with the lack of processing power, and the single port thing might get tiresome over time, that adapter takes away from that super light feeling & is pretty horrible. As much as Apple & everyone else are pushing for a cable free world, it's just not a realistic reality at the moment for many.
 
New 13 inch rMBP???

symphara said:
I think that "ultra-non-performant" is a slight exaggeration. Certainly in 2011, once you could get an i7 and a SSD in a MacBook Air, the performance was very good, the portability stellar, and the price still under 2k, which was reasonable in my opinion.



Unless they'll manage to bring the Pro to the portability of the current Air - and it doesn't look like it - I think this is a depressing outlook. As things stand right now, the Air is effectively obsolete because of its low resolution display (which has been crappy and outdated for years), and Apple simply has no portable machine with a modern display and reasonable performance on offer.

I am very annoyed by this. I was hoping to upgrade this year, Yosemite finally made my old Air too slow to enjoy using it, and now I have nothing to upgrade to.
Click to expand...

Upgrade to a thin light laptop with the power you need and the screen you want the rMBP is your answer...
 
joeblow7777 said:
Personally, I prefer to work with my laptop plugged in as often as possible in order to slow battery wear through use of recharge cycles. A tablet is more pick-up-and-go. People tend to only plug them in when they need charging.
Click to expand...

Leaving it plugged in is not good for the battery. The best state for the battery is for it to be somewhere in the 20-90% range. If you stay within that range, number of cycles is almost immaterial. Deep discharge is worse for the battery than keeping it charged, however.

Note this is how cars like the Prius manage tens of thousands or more cycles on their battery. They only allow the battery to use the mid range. It never discharges, and never fully charges.
 
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