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Apple Discontinues White MacBook

Sucks.

Too bad, the white MacBook was my first & only Mac. Basically all I use it now for though is a means to get media onto my crippled iPad & iPhone & occasional documents. Paying $999 for a 64GB 11" replacement isn't my idea of an intelligent decision on my part. Hopefully the Air prices will become reasonable sometime in the future to justify their purchase! 🙂
 
I got this laptop when I was only 11 years old. And I really don't want any comments on me being spoiled or anything like that. I love my MacBook and I have, and I'm honestly disappointed to see this removed from the product list. So maybe the MBA is the same price as the MB, and it's sleek and thin and silver and all, but with only 64GB of memory? If you want memory equivalent or greater than what the lowest-end MB had, you would have to pay $1,599. I know that they are trying to "phase out" certain products but this is the original MB and for some reason it doesn't make sense? And I use my optical drive a lot, I know many are sick of it but I watch DVD's on my laptop and use it to import CD's. :apple:
 
Kinda sad, but I dont know how anyone would choose the polymer body over the unibody aluminum...when they occupied such a close retail slot.
 
Apple just didn't want to drop the price of the macbook, they just want to keep apple products at a 1000. Bad move I don't want a macbook air i want a macbook
 
Thesand212 said:
Apple just didn't want to drop the price of the macbook, they just want to keep apple products at a 1000. Bad move I don't want a macbook air i want a macbook
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Buy a refurb then and stop crying. Anyone who knows Apple saw this coming from about 9 months ago.
 
toddybody said:
Kinda sad, but I dont know how anyone would choose the polymer body over the unibody aluminum...when they occupied such a close retail slot.
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Academic, State, and Federal generally buy the cheapest model available that they can get away with. Purchasing Offices don't look ahead, they look at lowest cost now.

My job wound up paying more for my current white Macbook, than the base Macbook Pro I requested just for the hard drive and ram that needed to be upgraded for my needs.

It's an inefficient and flawed purchasing system, but it is not getting fixed anywhere in the near future.
 
KnightWRX said:
Buy a refurb then and stop crying. Anyone who knows Apple saw this coming from about 9 months ago.
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That's not a bad idea for me, actually. If the white macbook now featured in the Apple Store refurb section still had a firewire port (any kind), I'd have been all over it just for the wireless, once I found out that my 13" MacBook Pro has an ethernet fixation (which I'd like to think that Lion will resolve, since none of the tons of other voodoo has worked to make it stop dropping WiFi).

Anyway a firewire port is just a desirable feature but no longer a necessity in my household. I do need a general-purpose machine with reliable wireless and an optical drive for leisure purposes. White macbook refurb might be a perfect solution.
 
Disappointed

I'm really upset because I was waiting for an update and then was hoping to get it but now Apple decides to just discontinue it. I guess now i have to wait an even longer time to get the money to buy a MBP(even though I really dont want it) and i would probably want to wait until the next update. Thanks APPLE! I think apple is starting to make some bad decisions. For example the iPod nano (even though my dad loves his). People used to at least like the way the nano was but now they say its small and now also this! Great! Also like other people were saying I dont want the same price MBA because of the same reasons but also because its so thin I think I'm going to crack it in half! So these are just my opinions and comments thanks! 🙂 :apple:😡
 
Kas9987 said:
I'm really upset because I was waiting for an update and then was hoping to get it but now Apple decides to just discontinue it. I guess now i have to wait an even longer time to get the money to buy a MBP(even though I really dont want it) and i would probably want to wait until the next update. Thanks APPLE! I think apple is starting to make some bad decisions. For example the iPod nano (even though my dad loves his). People used to at least like the way the nano was but now they say its small and now also this! Great! Also like other people were saying I dont want the same price MBA because of the same reasons but also because its so thin I think I'm going to crack it in half! So these are just my opinions and comments thanks! 🙂 :apple:😡
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I agree 110% with this! I think that Apple is starting to not make great choices. Maybe for their company, but not for the consumer. They have changed the iPod Nano & shuffle so much that they're barely recognizable. The shuffle was supposed to be your little workout, low-profile iPod and they take it and change it. And I really don't want to pay $999 for a MBA with only 64GB of memory. If you want a MBA that's close to the 250GB MB it's going to cost you $1,599. :apple:
 
Kas9987 said:
I'm really upset because I was waiting for an update and then was hoping to get it but now Apple decides to just discontinue it. I guess now i have to wait an even longer time to get the money to buy a MBP(even though I really dont want it) and i would probably want to wait until the next update. Thanks APPLE! I think apple is starting to make some bad decisions. For example the iPod nano (even though my dad loves his). People used to at least like the way the nano was but now they say its small and now also this! Great! Also like other people were saying I dont want the same price MBA because of the same reasons but also because its so thin I think I'm going to crack it in half! So these are just my opinions and comments thanks! 🙂 :apple:😡
Click to expand...

just buy a refurb white macbook for 849 tbh. If you really want the white macbook that bad.
 
well this is crap. The 11in Macbook air is not a replacement for the macbook.

The 13macbook pro is the closest thing and if Apple dropped that down to 999 then it would be fine but forcing the 11in air which is somewhere between netbook and laptop makes it not very useful.
11in computer is netbook in terms of uses to me because it is just way to small.
 
I'm surprised anyone cares. The white MacBook has always had terrible build quality, reliability, and value.
 
ChicagoSwift13 said:
They have changed the iPod Nano & shuffle so much that they're barely recognizable. The shuffle was supposed to be your little workout, low-profile iPod and they take it and change it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, now the Nano is your little workout, low-profile iPod, except it's about 100 times better at the role than the Shuffle ever was. Let's face it, there was nothing Nano about the Nano in prior form and the Shuffle absolutely sucked as a workout iPod. I don't want all my songs on shuffle, I want to make playlists and randomize just some parts of my albums. I also want FM radio and with the screen, it's much easier to navigate.

Now, I have a Nano to workout with. Before I just used my iPhone and never dreamed of buying a shuffle. They made the Nano work. What a great little iPod it is.

ChicagoSwift13 said:
And I really don't want to pay $999 for a MBA with only 64GB of memory. If you want a MBA that's close to the 250GB MB it's going to cost you $1,599. :apple:
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First, it's not memory, it's hard drive space. Second, you don't want big hard drive space in a laptop. No one really does. You don't want to drag all your files with you all the time, where they risk getting stolen/lost/damaged. The more you carry around your laptop, the more risk there is. You want to store your files at home on an external device, be it a networked NAS or an external drive.

Once you've achieved this split, and have your archived stuff archived and your current stuff only on your laptop, you'll see that the MBA's storage goes a long way. And also, your data is going to be that much more secure.

I've had my home NAS since even before I even owned a Mac. I never store anything on my laptop. Before the NAS, I simply burned my data to archival grade DVDs. Now it's mirrored on a RAID-1 array.
 
KnightWRX said:
Second, you don't want big hard drive space in a laptop. No one really does. You don't want to drag all your files with you all the time, where they risk getting stolen/lost/damaged. The more you carry around your laptop, the more risk there is. You want to store your files at home on an external device, be it a networked NAS or an external drive.
Click to expand...

That's a pretty bold statement. Why assume that whatever works for you applies for everyone else? Having to always rely on external storage makes a primarily portable computer less so. I have a 500GB drive in my Macbook that's full of data. None of it is at any risk because I have mulitple backups.
 
Jolly Jimmy said:
That's a pretty bold statement. Why assume that whatever works for you applies for everyone else? Having to always rely on external storage makes a primarily portable computer less so. I have a 500GB drive in my Macbook that's full of data. None of it is at any risk because I have mulitple backups.
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So you work on that whole 500 GB of data everytime you're out and about ? I mostly have 2 or 3 datasets I work on at a time. Everything else is stored on the network, safely at my house.

Not to mention with households moving to more than 1 computer (heck, even individuals), having all your data on a laptop makes less and less sense in the bigger picture.

If you really need that much internal storage on your cheap 999$ portable computer, then it seems Apple has decided that you're not one of their customers anymore, you're not worth catering to. Seems to me whatever works for me has just become "whatever works for what Apple deems profitable". 😉
 
I guess I have the second to last model, if you count the latest one with that oh-so-slight improvement.

I'm pretty disappointed. If I want to upgrade (which I am planning on), I'll have to save about 200 more dollars if I want a Mac with a realistic amount of space. 64GB and 11.6 inch of display space for one grand? Yeah, I don't think so. I download a lot of TV Shows so 64GB would be gone in a heartbeat.
 
Everyone is focusing on the lack of features of the Macbook Air vs the plastic Macbook, but I don't think it is a fair comparison.

Apple currently has 2 lines of portable computers, the Macbook Pro which is a "full featured" computer, and the Macbook Air which is your "light, travel computer."

I carried a Macbook 2,1 for work for a couple of years, even at only 13" and a few pounds I found it a pain to carry and use. I since have switched to being an iPad only traveler.

That being said, I just purchased an iMac, as I wanted a good computer to use at home, where weight and size was not an issue.

It's more of a right computer for the job. If you are a road warrior, stay in hotels 1/2 of your life, etc the Macbook Air is probably the computer you want. If the macbook never leaves the desk, or just goes out for day trips, want to work at starbucks, etc. then the Macbook pro is probably good for your purpose.

One annoying thing about the plastic Macbook was the topcase cracks, I had it happen 4 or 5 times in the 3 years of applecare. Lots of people also had problems, it was very common in my opinion. The repairs had to get expensive for apple in the long run.
 
Richdmoore said:
Everyone is focusing on the lack of features of the Macbook Air vs the plastic Macbook, but I don't think it is a fair comparison.

Apple currently has 2 lines of portable computers, the Macbook Pro which is a "full featured" computer, and the Macbook Air which is your "light, travel computer."

I carried a Macbook 2,1 for work for a couple of years, even at only 13" and a few pounds I found it a pain to carry and use. I since have switched to being an iPad only traveler.

That being said, I just purchased an iMac, as I wanted a good computer to use at home, where weight and size was not an issue.

It's more of a right computer for the job. If you are a road warrior, stay in hotels 1/2 of your life, etc the Macbook Air is probably the computer you want. If the macbook never leaves the desk, or just goes out for day trips, want to work at starbucks, etc. then the Macbook pro is probably good for your purpose.

One annoying thing about the plastic Macbook was the topcase cracks, I had it happen 4 or 5 times in the 3 years of applecare. Lots of people also had problems, it was very common in my opinion. The repairs had to get expensive for apple in the long run.
Click to expand...

I have to admit, the plastic top on mine has visible dirt scratches. No cracks, though. The trackpad isn't too good, either.

I suppose that the Pro would be the best option. Although $1200 is a lot, at least for me.
 
Jolly Jimmy said:
It's just a matter of convenience not to have to carry around yet another external drive. It makes perfect sense.
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My point is precisely that, you don't carry around the external drives. You keep them safe at home. The more you carry around stuff, the more it is at risk.

Ideally, those external drives are one big array, and that array is shared over AFP or SMB on the network in your house so all your connected computers have access to it remotely without having to fiddle with wires. Even better : that big array is powered by a device that can also stream the data to your computers, so you don't need to copy it in the case of music/movies.

Richdmoore said:
Apple currently has 2 lines of portable computers, the Macbook Pro which is a "full featured" computer, and the Macbook Air which is your "light, travel computer."
Click to expand...

To me, the MacBook Air is as much a full featured computer as the MacBook unibody it replaced ever was. I'm not alone in this, just visit the MacBook Air forum once in a while.
 
Huh?

Des Zac said:
Yes, but if you haven't noticed the iPad isn't a laptop... or even a computer at that. :apple:
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In what way is the iPad not a computer? Just in case you need reminding what a computer is:

com·put·er [Noun]
An electronic device for storing and processing data, typically in binary form, according to instructions given to it in a variable program.

That sounds like an iPad to me...

OT, this seems like a good move to me. Apple is trying to cater to higher-end users. There is nothing "entry-level" about a $900+ computer, so why have it at all. Why not just force people to choose a higher-priced option. Apple makes more money and the consumer gets a better computer (MBP). Plus, Apple won't have to keep as much stock on hand. Since they won't have to worry as much about which laptop people will pick, now there are only two models.

I wouldn't be surprised if they dropped the 13" MBP as well. Seems to be the logical next step.
 
KnightWRX said:
My point is precisely that, you don't carry around the external drives. You keep them safe at home. The more you carry around stuff, the more it is at risk.
Click to expand...

First you suggest that no one needs large internal storage and that they should keep all their data on external drives. Now you're saying they can't access the data away from home, because the drives would be "at risk"? This makes no sense for so many reasons.
 
Jolly Jimmy said:
First you suggest that no one needs large internal storage and that they should keep all their data on external drives. Now you're saying they can't access the data away from home, because the drives would be "at risk"? This makes no sense for so many reasons.
Click to expand...

Why do you feel you need all your data with you all the time ? Why would I carry around my 900 GB anime collection ?
 
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