It's still PIA, there will still be new adapters etc... it's not as simple as supporting the standard.
I still vote for USB 3.0, less speed but full, ready backwards compatibility with current peripherals.
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Apple to Introduce Light Peak (High Speed Connection Technology) Soon?
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It's still PIA, there will still be new adapters etc... it's not as simple as supporting the standard.
I still vote for USB 3.0, less speed but full, ready backwards compatibility with current peripherals.
Firewire uses a controller chip to handle the data transfer, whereas USB uses the CPU to handle the data transfer. This is why Firewire is so much faster than USB. USB caught on because it was cheaper to implement. Does Light Peak use the CPU or a dedicated control chip to handle the data transfer?
Transition Will Be Painful For Many
The problem is that Apple has a track record of "suddenly" dropping support for older technology with no transition period. Unless they keep at least one USB and one FW port for backwards compatibility, it will cause a lot of grief until 3rd party suppliers jump in and supply converters so you don't have to go out and buy all new peripherals. This especially true for professionals in the arts who have a LOT of money invested in USB and FW peripherals.
I hope Apple allows for a several year "grace period".
The problem is that Apple has a track record of "suddenly" dropping support for older technology with no transition period. Unless they keep at least one USB and one FW port for backwards compatibility, it will cause a lot of grief until 3rd party suppliers jump in and supply converters so you don't have to go out and buy all new peripherals. This especially true for professionals in the arts who have a LOT of money invested in USB and FW peripherals.
I hope Apple allows for a several year "grace period".
USB cables have the logo on the "up" side (or "front" side, if the USB ports are vertical). I imagine LP will do the same.
Good question, glad you asked.
Speed & Convenience.
When you plug in your external hard drive, whether it be via FireWire (RIP) or USB, you get:
- Plug & Play (No configuration)
- Powers device (No wall socket)
- Solid connection (Faster than WiFi)
Wired peripherals takes all those worries away. It takes 1 second to pop in a thumb drive and maybe 3 more seconds to mount on your desktop. It doesn't need password protection because your obviously the user who plugged it in.
The convenience factor is why people are so pissed about lack of ports on new Mac notebooks. It's safe to say most Mac users have an iPhone or iPod as well as a thumbs drive and a printer. Most people don't like unplugging one device for another. Whether you're printing a bunch of papers, copying files to or from your hard drive or syncing your iPhone- YOU HAVE TO WAIT. The textbook solution of "just buy a USB hub" isn't really so convenient considering that it's one more device you'll have to pack and you'll have even more wires to ground your "revolutionary notebook" that runs around boasting how light and wireless it is.
Then you have power users like myself who use 10-20 peripherals. I have:
- 2 printers
- A fax
- 3 ipods
- An iphone
- A *cough* blackberry *cough*
- An ipad
- A 5 target DVD duplicator
- USB condenser mic
- M-Audio Keystation
- Axiom 25
- A USB cc swiper
- I have certain hard drives that I use for graphic design and ones that I use for music production.
- I'm almost always coping or backing up data between hard drives with my dual hdd dock
- And I have a little usb fan that I like to set on my desk.
- (All this and much much more!)
Granted, serious professionals should be using a Mac Pro or a maxed out quad G5, but most of us have a Mac notebook as an "portable" addition/extension to our workstation. Sure, we're in the minority, but we spend the most $$$$$ on Apple products, not to mention we're the original Mac supporters that carried Apple through the dark ages.
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I agree, even a young Steve Jobs use to quote Henry Ford, "If I asked my customers what they want, they simply would have said a faster horse."
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I think apple will incorporate LightPeak into the Magsafe power adapter. so I dont think they will brand it per say. I think they will impliment the technology. but not accentuate on it.
I partially don't agree with you because:
Blu-Ray: is just a marketing format for movies.
USB 3.0: people is expecting LP to emerge, no point of implementing it.
HDMI: Apple has already the DisplayPort, adding HDMI is just one port more on a MacBook, in a way pointless.
C2D: is not a problem that affect only Apple, technology has been stuck for a while because of Intel/nVidia dispute.
Moreover, technology for a few years didn't progress THAT much. We all have the latest BlueTooth and WiFi in every Mac, unibody aluminium case, multigesture trackpads, blade style flash storage.
I don't think that Apple is leaving technology behind. Not always there is a leap such as "we are going to be the first to use USB" and now that there is a new leap to do with LP people still complain that they want an "irrelevant" USB 3.0.
1 - 12 are all in use. It also doesn't help with people using BT Home Hubs as they seem to change channel every time they are rebooted!
the funniest thing in this thread, apart from the bloke moaning about breaking wires, is the ones moaning about USB sucking cos you can put it in the wrong way round... most other cables are like that too!
yea i have the same problem, those bloody BT home hubs are annoying! i pick up about 12 near me
no, most other cables are not like that.
When connectors ARE symmetric, usually it doesn't matter which way they are plugged in.
There's PS/2, DVI, some others that i just can't be bothered to go check as it's late here. also HDMI is easy to mix up if you're not fully paying attention.
100 posts in this thread, and no one has brought up the patent that was the headline just a few days ago.
I think that patent is a replacement for this:
MagSafe can be insert right side up or upside down.
The connector there has:
TX RX
RX TX
Guess if you put them upside down what you get?
TX RX
RX TX
IS THE SAME!AMAZING!
That sucks. Have you tried 5 GHz - that's a great idea that I didn't think to mention.
A couple of years ago my husband and I did a major remodel, and one of the things we did was to run structured cabling with Cat6 outlets in the bedrooms, offices, multiple places in the kitchen, laundry and entertainment room all leading to the GbE switch in the wiring closet. We also have WiFi, but it's always been substandard. It's handy for guests or a quick web check, but if you need to connect to the Home Server for a backup or download we keep retractable RJ45 cables near the jacks. (It's a 2000 sq ft single story wood frame house - not a monster nor difficult construction.)
We had some friendly debates with an Apple-loving friend who had a couple of airport and other WiFi access points, with computers in three rooms of his house plus the kitchen and a Mini-Mac as an HTPC. He laughed at us for running Cat6 instead of depending on WiFi. We said "WiFi sucks", he said it "works fine".
I smiled (but didn't say anything) when I got a call from him this fall:
(under my breath) Snicker, snicker.
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MagSafe can be insert right side up or upside down.
The connector there has:
TX RX
RX TX
Guess if you put them upside down what you get?
TX RX
RX TX
IS THE SAME!
you totally missed my point....
no, most other cables are not like that.
When connectors ARE symmetric, usually it doesn't matter which way they are plugged in.
I do not really see a big difference. It's not like one can insert USB 2.0 plug the wrong way. You try, if it does not fit you flip the plug. If one want to know the right way up front - look at the plug. For horizontal ports (all ports in laptops where it matters the most), make sure that the USB symbol is on top (or that the plastic inside th plug is on the bottom). Is this any different from, say, FW? I do not think so.
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I wasn't arguing against you, I though I read someone else saying that this design wasn't good because upside down it wouldn't work. I might have misread but I was supporting your statement at most.
I wasn't arguing against you, I though I read someone else saying that this design wasn't good because upside down it wouldn't work. I might have misread but I was supporting your statement at most.