That's not sweetening the deal. Literally everything a Mac can do a PC can do. Remember that.
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Apple Ceases Development of 'AirPort' Wireless Routers as Engineers Reassigned to Other Products
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That's not sweetening the deal. Literally everything a Mac can do a PC can do. Remember that.
I was sad to see these products go, too -- but realistically, I'm not that surprised either.
The Airport has a long history of being a great router, even if it always had a premium price-tag. I know a number of Windows users who purchased them for the high reviews and long term reliability they're known to have.
But increasingly, the Airport Extremes don't really "just work" in some situations. The fact that you can't control them at all via a standard web browser is more of a negative than a positive these days. I mean, yeah - there are nice things about having the "Airport Utility" to manage them with. But it means no easy way to configure one if you're a Linux user, for whom Apple never wrote a version of the utility. And I've also noticed some confusion that comes about when people start trying to set these up via an iOS device. (iOS devices, obviously, are not going to be connected to a wired Ethernet network -- so it's possible to make changes that lock you out of the Airport, preventing you from fixing the mistake. Apple's answer to this is to just hold down reset on the Airport and return it to factory defaults and start over again - but that's not the most friendly solution. You may have already had a lot of info keyed in that has to be redone, or the device might be hard to physically access if you hid it in a ceiling or up in an attic or what-not.) And not only that, but I find their "range extender" functionality needs some more work too. I use a set of 3 Airport Extremes in my own house, with 2 set up as wireless extenders (one out in my garage, for example, where no wired Ethernet cable is run). It's not a bad setup, except the extenders don't seem to automatically inherit all of the settings I can key in to the main unit. If I want to enforce rules about hours of the day a certain device can get online, for example? It appears I have to re-enter the MAC address of the device and its restrictions 3 times, on all 3 units. Otherwise, they might be denied access to whichever AE has the rule in it, but can get online via one of the others that didn't have the same rule. That quickly gets impractical if you're configuring a number of devices!
There also SO many advanced features you can't control on an Airport Extreme, due to limitations in the utility. I get that Apple wants to keep them uncomplicated to set up, but why no special "Advanced Settings" menu for experts to tinker? Just hide that stuff from everyone else who doesn't care.....
The Airport has a long history of being a great router, even if it always had a premium price-tag. I know a number of Windows users who purchased them for the high reviews and long term reliability they're known to have.
But increasingly, the Airport Extremes don't really "just work" in some situations. The fact that you can't control them at all via a standard web browser is more of a negative than a positive these days. I mean, yeah - there are nice things about having the "Airport Utility" to manage them with. But it means no easy way to configure one if you're a Linux user, for whom Apple never wrote a version of the utility. And I've also noticed some confusion that comes about when people start trying to set these up via an iOS device. (iOS devices, obviously, are not going to be connected to a wired Ethernet network -- so it's possible to make changes that lock you out of the Airport, preventing you from fixing the mistake. Apple's answer to this is to just hold down reset on the Airport and return it to factory defaults and start over again - but that's not the most friendly solution. You may have already had a lot of info keyed in that has to be redone, or the device might be hard to physically access if you hid it in a ceiling or up in an attic or what-not.) And not only that, but I find their "range extender" functionality needs some more work too. I use a set of 3 Airport Extremes in my own house, with 2 set up as wireless extenders (one out in my garage, for example, where no wired Ethernet cable is run). It's not a bad setup, except the extenders don't seem to automatically inherit all of the settings I can key in to the main unit. If I want to enforce rules about hours of the day a certain device can get online, for example? It appears I have to re-enter the MAC address of the device and its restrictions 3 times, on all 3 units. Otherwise, they might be denied access to whichever AE has the rule in it, but can get online via one of the others that didn't have the same rule. That quickly gets impractical if you're configuring a number of devices!
There also SO many advanced features you can't control on an Airport Extreme, due to limitations in the utility. I get that Apple wants to keep them uncomplicated to set up, but why no special "Advanced Settings" menu for experts to tinker? Just hide that stuff from everyone else who doesn't care.....
I never bought Apple's overpriced routers anyways, but this move suggests to me that Apple now view Macs as a distraction. Cook has even said that he doesn't understand why anyone would buy a computer.
I've used Macs since 1988 and I've never been so worried about their future.
I've used Macs since 1988 and I've never been so worried about their future.
Speak for yourself. Both the BT Home Hub and Sky Hub are cheap and nasty things that look like the fake plastic electronic gadgets they have in IKEA, to make the room displays look like they are lived in. - Admittedly it can be a bit of a hassle replacing the supplied ISP router (especially if you're with Sky) with your Apple Airport/Time Capsule instead, but once this is done it's a far better set up than using the one supplied by your broadband supplier. The Airport Extreme and Time Capsules are fully configurable to your liking (unlike the locked down ISP router) - and they have a lot more Apple friendly features like guest networking, remote management, and support the bonjour sleep proxy etc. You can even give different network devices timed access via Mac address - which is great for controlling the kids internet access on their iDevices after hours.
I have a nicely designed Airport network at home with a Time Capsule and a couple of Airport Express units. It's part and parcel of belonging to the Apple eco-system that Apple is systematically destroying. If there is no Apple eco-system any longer, there are less reasons to stick around with Apple.
I don't care how little revenue these devices bring in for Apple, but if they lose half their customer base through destroying the eco-system they've created, they will bring in no revenue and therefore there will be no Apple.
Stupid, stupid, decision Apple!
I wish Apple would spin off the computer division as Apple Computer Inc., and let them run autonomously. Maybe then we would get new routers, new desktop machines, new external displays, and upgradeable RAM and HDDs. Wouldn't that be crazy?
Neat device (no pun intended), but US Amazon does not seem to have it. I'll keep checking.There are loads of third party alternatives around which support AirPlay. You could even buy a RasberryPi, install Linux on it and use it as an AirPlay Server.
Below is a device which supports AirPlay:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Neet®-Wireless-Receiver-wireless-streaming/dp/B00O0U37HO
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But the Airport line adds value to the Mac line. It's about providing an entire computing package to Apple customers that "just works".
This is one of Apple's stupidiest decisions of late. Simply put: the less products they have, the easier it is for me to get out of their ecosystem. Damn it, I loved how easy to set up Airport Extreme was. I have one over 4 years and I only have good things to say about it...
Perhaps one of the Chinese companies thats so adept at creating quite good knockoffs of the iPhone can step in and start making nearly identical replicas of them. Or will the fact that they would not be undercutting Apple take too much of the fun out of it.
I don't understand I use AirPlay everyday and I don't own any of those products. I've only ever air played to Apple TVs
"It just works" hasnt been applicable for quite some time. There have been a variety of issues with their software and hardware.
On the one hand, everybody freaks out when Apple loses it's focus and spreads its product line too thin.
Then when they streamline by eliminating fringe products, we freak out also.
Airport started when WiFi was brand new. Apple developed reference designs that set the bar for quality, to make sure WiFi was a good, usable experience. It was important to sell their core products.
Nowadays, good routers are a dime a dozen, and some (like Eero) are REALLY good. Better than Airport. Even the one that comes with my internet service is fine - it's what I use at home without issue.
Apple doesn't need to set a standard for quality for WiFi any more. There are lots of good options, almost all of which work perfectly with iOS and macOS. Apple doesn't need to be in this industry any more.
I'm happy to see they are staying focused. I get that people liked these routers - they were good. But your laptop/phone/tablet will work with an Eero just as well as with an Airport Extreme. To swear off Apple because of a router... is just dumb.
Then when they streamline by eliminating fringe products, we freak out also.
Airport started when WiFi was brand new. Apple developed reference designs that set the bar for quality, to make sure WiFi was a good, usable experience. It was important to sell their core products.
Nowadays, good routers are a dime a dozen, and some (like Eero) are REALLY good. Better than Airport. Even the one that comes with my internet service is fine - it's what I use at home without issue.
Apple doesn't need to set a standard for quality for WiFi any more. There are lots of good options, almost all of which work perfectly with iOS and macOS. Apple doesn't need to be in this industry any more.
I'm happy to see they are staying focused. I get that people liked these routers - they were good. But your laptop/phone/tablet will work with an Eero just as well as with an Airport Extreme. To swear off Apple because of a router... is just dumb.
Been waiting for a ac-wifi Airport Express for a long time but guess that won't happen now..
I have never used an easier and more stable router than my now 10 year old Airport Express,
but they are a bit overpriced in todays market and still slower than the routers you get for free from your ISP..
It was probably a much better business back in the day when ISPs did not give you free wifi-routers.
Airplay has also become bit redundant with networking and streaming services built into most amps and active speakers these days.
R.I.P to yet another thing from the "it just works"-era of Apple..
I have never used an easier and more stable router than my now 10 year old Airport Express,
but they are a bit overpriced in todays market and still slower than the routers you get for free from your ISP..
It was probably a much better business back in the day when ISPs did not give you free wifi-routers.
Airplay has also become bit redundant with networking and streaming services built into most amps and active speakers these days.
R.I.P to yet another thing from the "it just works"-era of Apple..
Good for Apple. They exist to make a profit and always have. They have bills and employees to pay. If something isnt doing well, time to can it and put the money to improve other things.
Great.
Step 1: Solder 2TB directly onto macbook pro's motherboard. Worried about space requirements in a few years? Better pull out your big wallet NOW, cause you can totally forget about upgrading gradually, from third party suppliers, like you used to do. SOLDERED > So like if anything breaks on that precious pcb, then yes, all you your data is bust. You are doomed unless you could count on that now even more critical awesome Time Machine / Time Capsule backup. OK, makes sense, somehow. So, we'll just need more, bigger and better, super reliable Time Capsules, right? For sure Apple will ship a newer better, more expensive TC, right?
Step 2: Wrong! Fase out Time Capsule. It's not bringing in enough revenue and it's not iCloud, scrap it. It's too much of a one off revenue wise AND we aren't in control enough. Hmm, how could we possibly fix both issues at the same time? Hmmm.
Step 3: How about: Integrate more iCloud stuff into the OS. Oh and, make sure this fancy OS tries to store as much user data as possible into the cloud. Preferably make it try to store MORE than the currently paid for iCloud storage size. Actually, enforce it, make it essential. Maybe plan on subtly blaming users for NOT paying enough monthly on their large icloud backups when their 2TB Time Bombed laptops start to break down when the spouses run over the newest greatest NonMagNonSafe power unibody launcher cords.
Step 4: Oh and make sure there is no going back. Make downsizing iCloud / Apple Music hurt. Foto's: owned Music: owned. Next Up? Backup: Owned. Yeah, you can do anything. Grab em by...
Yep, sounds like a Perfect Plan tm. You now what, scrap the iconic shiny logo, yeah, let's do that.
Could somebody please step in and please incorporate the following into the masterplan: A truckload of dongles, Apple care that does not care about your data, iPhone 7 / lightning / USB versus USB-C , lightning earpods
And please include a story on soldered 16Gb of ram too. Like that is going to be awesome in a few years.
Greetings from Europe, that place where a thinner than ever piece af aluminium now cost 5000 euro.
Typed in 2016 on an excellent early 2011, 17inch, 16GB, 1TB SSD, Quad core i7, MacBook Pro with a logo that just keeps on shining. If I could step in at 3600euro knowing I had a 5 year path into the future, I would. Now I'm looking hackintosh.
Step 1: Solder 2TB directly onto macbook pro's motherboard. Worried about space requirements in a few years? Better pull out your big wallet NOW, cause you can totally forget about upgrading gradually, from third party suppliers, like you used to do. SOLDERED > So like if anything breaks on that precious pcb, then yes, all you your data is bust. You are doomed unless you could count on that now even more critical awesome Time Machine / Time Capsule backup. OK, makes sense, somehow. So, we'll just need more, bigger and better, super reliable Time Capsules, right? For sure Apple will ship a newer better, more expensive TC, right?
Step 2: Wrong! Fase out Time Capsule. It's not bringing in enough revenue and it's not iCloud, scrap it. It's too much of a one off revenue wise AND we aren't in control enough. Hmm, how could we possibly fix both issues at the same time? Hmmm.
Step 3: How about: Integrate more iCloud stuff into the OS. Oh and, make sure this fancy OS tries to store as much user data as possible into the cloud. Preferably make it try to store MORE than the currently paid for iCloud storage size. Actually, enforce it, make it essential. Maybe plan on subtly blaming users for NOT paying enough monthly on their large icloud backups when their 2TB Time Bombed laptops start to break down when the spouses run over the newest greatest NonMagNonSafe power unibody launcher cords.
Step 4: Oh and make sure there is no going back. Make downsizing iCloud / Apple Music hurt. Foto's: owned Music: owned. Next Up? Backup: Owned. Yeah, you can do anything. Grab em by...
Yep, sounds like a Perfect Plan tm. You now what, scrap the iconic shiny logo, yeah, let's do that.
Could somebody please step in and please incorporate the following into the masterplan: A truckload of dongles, Apple care that does not care about your data, iPhone 7 / lightning / USB versus USB-C , lightning earpods
And please include a story on soldered 16Gb of ram too. Like that is going to be awesome in a few years.
Greetings from Europe, that place where a thinner than ever piece af aluminium now cost 5000 euro.
Typed in 2016 on an excellent early 2011, 17inch, 16GB, 1TB SSD, Quad core i7, MacBook Pro with a logo that just keeps on shining. If I could step in at 3600euro knowing I had a 5 year path into the future, I would. Now I'm looking hackintosh.
Bad move. It's their ecosystem that sells the other devices.
...and to think just today I was researching buying one this Black Friday.
I've heard the data speeds on this thing is brilliant. Well, no point spending $190 on this then.
I've heard the data speeds on this thing is brilliant. Well, no point spending $190 on this then.
Yep, they they treat Macs with distain no question about that.
Of the three events they have held this year how much stage time has the Mac/MacOS got? 30 minutes? 40 at best if you put together the Sierra stuff from WWDC and the MacBook Pro presentation from last month.
Funniest part about the whole thing all of the iMessage add ons and effects they made a big fuss about at WWDC dont even work on the Mac. My girlfriend sent me something the other day, could even see it on a Mac
Considering all of the negative reactions that a lot of their recent announcements have generated, even product updates, then if this was true it would have been better to announce this as a merger of AppleTV/Airport departments. They didn't. I think Apple is well aware that it is upsetting a lot of customers with the constant flow of product discontinuations, product flaws not being fully covered, and very late product releases. If they could have truthfully announced this as an engineering merger, I think they would have. If they are merging them and are just being secretive then it is very bad marketing.
Yeah.... I never purchased a Time Capsule and just don't think that product EVER provided much real value. I understand it served a purpose; making it a "no brainer" to set up a separate backup device that was always present for your computers on your network.
But what happened when people trusted it to safely keep their data backups and then the drive inside it failed? It didn't have any kind of built in redundancy like ANY decent NAS on the market would have. And it had the limitation that because it also served the job of being your wi-fi router, you couldn't just grab it and take it with you someplace, to do a restore to a new system elsewhere. (If you took it with you, you disabled your entire wireless network until you put it back again.) Especially with highly mobile users today, it's not at all unrealistic for someone to decide they'd want to restore their data to a replacement computer while they're in the office at work, or on the road someplace, or ??
I really think most people just backed up to external USB hard drives for this reason, while more advanced users set up some kind of NAS on their network. Still others used a cloud-based backup service like CrashPlan.
But what happened when people trusted it to safely keep their data backups and then the drive inside it failed? It didn't have any kind of built in redundancy like ANY decent NAS on the market would have. And it had the limitation that because it also served the job of being your wi-fi router, you couldn't just grab it and take it with you someplace, to do a restore to a new system elsewhere. (If you took it with you, you disabled your entire wireless network until you put it back again.) Especially with highly mobile users today, it's not at all unrealistic for someone to decide they'd want to restore their data to a replacement computer while they're in the office at work, or on the road someplace, or ??
I really think most people just backed up to external USB hard drives for this reason, while more advanced users set up some kind of NAS on their network. Still others used a cloud-based backup service like CrashPlan.
Finding the right people for the right job that fit in the same environment with similar values is not easy.
For just WiFi(no Time Machine backups etc) all routers will work with Macs the same. You do get what you pay for though, i.e a $20 router won't work well with a Mac or a Windows machine either.
Any of the higher end ASUS routers are excellent and have built in functionality to work with Time Machine if you connect a Hard drive.
I personally use this one: https://www.amazon.ca/Asus-RT-AC68U-Wireless-Dual-Band-Gigabit/dp/B00FB45SI4
but if you don't care for super high speeds any of their other ones will work as well:
https://www.amazon.ca/ASUS-RT-AC66U...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=WY6SXCZR85NHXRA8A34E
https://www.amazon.ca/ASUS-RT-N66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-N900-Gigabit/dp/B006QB1RPY
/ref=pd_cp_147_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=WY6SXCZR85NHXRA8A34E
Some of he Netgear ones have them as well
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