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17" MBP Matte, almost there. But still missing:

NT1440 said:
How in the hell is a slot loading drive in the FRONT more functional?
Click to expand...

I actually like the slot loading drive in the front but dont mind it on the side.

I like it on the front because I like to keep my mbp to the left side of the 24" LED ACD but the slot loading drive gets blocked by the display.

Having it in the front will always have it open no matter where you put your mbp.
 
Slot location DOES matter.

jjahshik32 said:
I actually like the slot loading drive in the front but dont mind it on the side.

I like it on the front because I like to keep my mbp to the left side of the 24" LED ACD but the slot loading drive gets blocked by the display.

Having it in the front will always have it open no matter where you put your mbp.
Click to expand...

Exactly!

When you "dock", it matters!
 
jjahshik32 said:
I dont see why you couldnt use 1 hand for the top row, I can do it just as fast.
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I doubt that you could do it just as fast for hours at a time, over days, weeks, months, years. Otherwise, get ready to meet your new friends arthritis and carpal tunnel. I'm not talking about using the 10-key for just playing around, but if working with numbers is what you do for a living.

Keep in mind that if you use the main keypad, 2 of the single-stroke keys become double-stroke keys: * and +. 3 of the single stroke keys aren't even in the top row: / . and (return/enter).
 
The slot loading drive was moved because having it under the palmrest caused it to buckle.

Would you rather have to move your laptop away from your screen to insert a DVD, or would you rather be paying hundreds in repair fees?

When its on your lap you have to move the damn thing off to insert a DVD, far more functional than slotting it in at the side.
 
Yeah, I threw money at the problem.

nick9191 said:
The slot loading drive was moved because having it under the palmrest caused it to buckle.

Would you rather have to move your laptop away from your screen to insert a DVD, or would you rather be paying hundreds in repair fees?

When its on your lap you have to move the damn thing off to insert a DVD, far more functional than slotting it in at the side.
Click to expand...

Good points! I seldom use my MBP on my lap, often do on desk with external monitor.

My solution: I have an HP Photosmart printer with a built-in DVD(RW). I don't have to worry about where my slot is.

More money can solve almost any problem, except perhaps spiritual ones.
 
RexTraverse said:
I doubt that you could do it just as fast for hours at a time, over days, weeks, months, years. Otherwise, get ready to meet your new friends arthritis and carpal tunnel. I'm not talking about using the 10-key for just playing around, but if working with numbers is what you do for a living.

Keep in mind that if you use the main keypad, 2 of the single-stroke keys become double-stroke keys: * and +. 3 of the single stroke keys aren't even in the top row: / . and (return/enter).
Click to expand...

Then just hook up an aluminum wired keyboard if you really in desperate need of the number pad.
 
nick9191 said:
The slot loading drive was moved because having it under the palmrest caused it to buckle.

Would you rather have to move your laptop away from your screen to insert a DVD, or would you rather be paying hundreds in repair fees?

When its on your lap you have to move the damn thing off to insert a DVD, far more functional than slotting it in at the side.
Click to expand...

Well the new unibody mbp is so sturdy the buckling problem wont arise anymore. I think they should still have kept it at the front.
 
jjahshik32 said:
Then just hook up an aluminum wired keyboard if you really in desperate need of the number pad.
Click to expand...

Well, that's what I do. I use the wired aluminum keyboard at home and either the Logitech USB Wireless 10-key or a last-gen Apple BT Keyboard (which has a 10-key) for the road.

All I was responding to was your accusation that I'm somehow lazy for using a 10-key.
 
kastenbrust said:
2) Numeric keypads are for windows users who need 2 sets of numbers incase they forget where one set is
Click to expand...

This is the type of mentality most Apple users have that almost makes me ashamed to tell people I use a Mac.

On topic though, maybe you don't understand the many uses for a numeric keypad. I guess having one "just works" :)apple:) for you, two might be way too complicated.
 
There are plenty of external numberpads available, and Apple's wired keyboard and the old bluetooth keyboard both have numberpads. Moving the main keyboard off center for a by the large unnecessary numberpad would require moving the trackpad too, and uglying up the whole bit. It wouldn't fit the Macbook mantra.

Moving the ports to one side was an excellent decision. It makes it much easier to keep your desk clean. The optical drive on the side works better for the run of angled desk lifts that have become popular as of late, like the Elevator, and the one Apple has put a MBP15 on in all of its stores.
 
sparkie7 said:
1. Silver keys as a BTO option

2. Why no full keyboard with numeric keypad with All that left and right hand side space. the Speaker grills can be re-located

3. Ports still on the left hand side. Should be distributed left and right

4. Optical drive should be at the front

If all the above were done would = the Perfect 17 MBP (IMHO) :D

Really I still can't believe Apple has not brought to market 2. above. What a waste of good useable space :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

1. i second the silver on silver is so last yr, as well

2. look at it. even if you took out both speaker grills, there still wouldn't be enough space for a numeric keypad. maybe on a 22" mbp it could work...

3. this is where form triumphs function.

4. again. form triumphing function. why does everyone prefer to say the word "over." just replace it with the word "triumph" like function triumphs form or form triumphs function... one doesn't go over the other but triumphs it.... the world and the mbp makes more sense with this phrasing...
 
RexTraverse said:
Well, that's what I do. I use the wired aluminum keyboard at home and either the Logitech USB Wireless 10-key or a last-gen Apple BT Keyboard (which has a 10-key) for the road.

All I was responding to was your accusation that I'm somehow lazy for using a 10-key.
Click to expand...

Well my point from the beginning is that removing of the numerical pad for most people is not a big deal because for the people that do need the pad there are alternative ways like the external keyboards.

I use mostly my external aluminum keyboard anyways as well at home.
 
Currently, the colours in the design of the 'matte edition' 17" make it a Frankenstein laptop.
 
kastenbrust said:
2) Numeric keypads are for windows users who need 2 sets of numbers incase they forget where one set is
.
Click to expand...

Ugh, I do agree that a keypad will make the 17 MBP look ugly but this answer is just rude and condescending.
 
I used to wonder about the numeric keypad too. But think about it- what happens to the standard keyboard when you put a numeric keypad in? It has to shift to the left.

And then what?

You have to move your typing position off centre, with your hand and space bar on the left?

It's very natural and ergonomic to have your hands directly in front of where you're looking while computing. A separate keyboard gets away with it because you can freely move it. But on a laptop the keyboard is attached to the screen - you don't want to sit on the left and look to the right while you work.
 
mrkgoo said:
It's very natural and ergonomic to have your hands directly in front of where you're looking while computing. A separate keyboard gets away with it because you can freely move it. But on a laptop the keyboard is attached to the screen - you don't want to sit on the left and look to the right while you work.
Click to expand...

This is exactly right. For the vast majority of typing done on these machines on the whole, it makes infinitely more sense to have a dedicated keyboard with letters centered on the machine. For the small minority of people who do enough data input to make a numeric keypad worthwhile, there are cheap USB ones on the market.

--mAc
 
Well, I absolutely need a numeric keypad for my assignments and all, and for anyone who has an iPod Touch or iPhone (3G or not), NumberKey is pretty awesome:

http://gizmodo.com/5091764/numberkey-transforms-iphone-into-sweet-wireless-numberpad

I use it and it's so responsive, and it's very easy to use as well.

$1.99 for the iPhone/iPod Touch app, and free for the Mac version of it to support the iPhone app version.

It's worth taking a look at :D

p.s. they also have two different theme: classic MBP keyboard and the new Unibody MBP keyboard styles :)
 
On the numbers pad issue - can someone help a new switcher as to the reason behind the lack of a dedicated 'delete' key on the Mac keyboard?

I don't understand why I have to press Fn+Back Space, to delete?

M
 
I agree with the pop-out idea.

Like on the Lenovos or whatever, have a little screen pop out with programmable keys that can be defaulted to a keypad.

That would be amazing.
 
szark said:
He's talking about forward delete, not backwards delete. And the answer is simply a lack of space.
Click to expand...

Yup - thank you szark for your help in clarifying the confusion. Personally, I just find it so awkward to have to press the Fn key together with the backspace, in order to get the 'delete' action. Same applies to 'home' & 'end', 'page down' & 'page up', only it is Fn and the arrows keys.

I am not sure if this is leftover from my recently left behind 'PC' days :eek:.

M
 
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