Apple to Introduce New Macs at October 27 Event

[GeneralChang]

Actually, the SD card was invented in 1999, and the 3.5" floppy was invented in 1984 - with the common HD floppy (the 1.44MB one) introduced in 1986. That places the invention of the SD card much closer to the introduction of the 3.5" HD floppy drive than today.

Just FYI

So my 17 year old brother is basically as mature as my 30 year old sister, is what you're saying? Because I can assure you that's not the case. But don't tell him I said that.

 

[just.in.time]

You just described the problem perfectly. Different people get different mileage out of the ports in their laptop. Some ports get used more, some are used less, and some ports don't even get used at all. There isn't this one array of ports which will make everyone happy.

You find the HDMI port indispensable. On the flip side might be a user who has never plugged in his laptop into an external display and will never find a reason to. This port becomes dead weight for him, and it's not I can reprovision it as another port of my choice.

Just as the ports you admittedly don't care about might be ports other people find indispensable.

In this context, why not replace the HDMI port with an extra USB C port? With an adaptor, it becomes the equivalent of a HDMI port for people who need it, and it's still an extra port for people who don't, to use as they deem fit.

I completely understand what you are saying, and agree with it. HDMI being an important port to me is definitely specific to my usage style. Someone else may find a different port/SD card slot indispensable for their usage style.

I don't think anyone should have to deal with an adapter. After going from a 2009 13" MBP to my Early 2013 MBPr I was able to go adapter-less for the first time since my Pismo. It was great Maybe a better solution would be something like Magsafe, 3x USB-C on the left side, and HDMI, 1x USB-A, headphonejack, and SD slot down the right side.

I feel like a setup such as above would allow people to transition their accessories/allow hardware manufactures to make the jump to USB-C without adapters. It wouldn't have to be that way forever, just for 3 or so years and then the next redesign could completely wash its hands of the legacy ports once TVs, Projectors, USB Thumb Drives, teleconference headsets, external drives, Wacom tablets, etc had caught up to USB-C.

I know they won't do it that way, but it would be nice.

 

[Jcxa]

I Propose renaming the MacBook Pro to the MacDongle Pro. What say You?

Seriously, there is plenty of room for 4 USB C, USB A, SD, HMDI, Mag Safe, & Ear phones. But that does not matter, the new macs are already built and in the box at some warehouse waiting for the release. We will have to wait and see what Apple has wrought and deal with it.

 

[SamuraiArtGuy]

Well technically, "professional" means that a degree is mandatory, so all doctors and lawyers, most engineers, some teachers and scientists, few programmers are "professionals". And by the same token, very few "artsy" types are by definition.

So noted. I am a Graphic and Web Designer, so nominally a Creative Pro as we generally consider it. I do have a degree in Graphic Design and Illustration that I worked my ass off for. However, that was back in the Drafting table, and technical pen days. But that degree is not required, nor is professional certification, or membership in any National Organization to attempt to make a living as a Designer. But given the current state of digital tools, anyone with Adobe Photoshop, even MS Word can hang out their shingle as a Designer. Currently the State of West Virginia Dept. of Taxation does not consider Graphic Design a Profession.

But I do conduct myself as a professional, and somewhat resent Apple's dismissive approach toward our sort.

 

[Gamewave]

Will there be a headphone jack? Or will there be a female lightning connector for EarPods?

 

[rom3o]

That's a bummer. I'm hoping for another few years out of mine.

Upgraded my Late 2008 13" MacBook (2.4 GHz) with 8 GB RAM and a SSD over the years and the thing still works fine. The (second) battery doesn't hold out very long and it tends to get quite hot and lound, but for an eight year old computer it's every-day performance is more than sufficient.

 

[DVD9]

When the hell do computers stop getting thin?

After Apple releases a 17"rMBP.

 

[peterh988]

Can I just say...

I completely understand what you are saying, and agree with it. HDMI being an important port to me is definitely specific to my usage style. Someone else may find a different port/SD card slot indispensable for their usage style.

Yep, I'd much rather they dropped the SD card slot and put in a FW and FW800 port instead, as I use a firewire card reader for my CF cards, and a FW800 external drive. Guess I'll find a way around it though, and accept that I may be a minority case.

 

[Dave00]

No SD slot? For those of us that regularly use our Macbooks to process photos, this is a major bummer. It'd make much more sense to have different kinds of ports than multiple ports of the same variety. Yes, I know you can get an adaptor for SD, but that's another piece of equipment you need to carry around. Boo.

 

[NY Guitarist]

With Apple's recent history of increasingly locking down of hardware I'm keeping my expectations as low as possible.

 

[SamuraiArtGuy]

Well looks more likely, the big question is, will Apple update the Mac Pro and Mac Mini lines. Everyone is expecting Skylake for the MBP, but its been eons since Apple paid any attention to the Mac Pro

I am not holding my breath on the Mac Pro. I'd be impressed if the iMac and Mac Mini gets even a little love. If the Mac Pro gets more than a cursory update, I'd be gobsmacked.

 

[maflynn]

I am not holding my breath on the Mac Pro. I'd be impressed if the iMac and Mac Mini gets even a little love. If the Mac Pro gets more than a cursory update, I'd be gobsmacked.

At the very least Apple should communicate that they're discontinuing it, if they don't upgrade it.

 

[DVD9]

That would be great! My 17" is nearly 6 years old and I'd love a new 17". A Retina 17" would be a dream machine and set Apple apart from the rest if built properly. However, I think a 17" is a long way off - if ever.

My plan is to get a 15" (eventually, maybe sooner) and a Thunderbolt 3 dock and use the 2004 30" Apple Cinema HD Display (hopefully) as the main display. Or get a new large 4K/5K display depending on how the ACHD is working.

It would be simpler though to get a Retina 17"....then I wouldn't have to consider replacing the bluetooth card in there to use some of the new features....

With the new thinner and lighter design I'm ready to enter my credit card info for an 18" rMBP.

My 15" has always seemed small and over the past four years it has seemed to get smaller and smaller.

 

[JohnGrey]

At the very least Apple should communicate that they're discontinuing it, if they don't upgrade it.

Two things Apple doesn't do offhand: make halo products and make public statements that will affect staggered sales of legacy or unpopular hardware. Everyone here that's sane knows that Apple has told professional content creators to sit on it and spin with the Mac Pro, a single-CPU single-SSD proprietary design with zero upgradability that doesn't involve a forest of vestigial peripherals that would be at home in a carny freakshow and huge design flaws with regard to customisation and heat management.

Apple is mass market now and until their bubble pops (and it shall). Excellence that isn't spelt 'thin', 'smaller' or 'gold' doesn't exist in their world now.

 

[RobinInOR]

A stray thought - the re/code article said an event 'at or near the Apple Cupertino campus'. Wouldn't it be neat if their new spaceship auditorium was finished enough to have the event there? I know, not likely, but I'd love to see the place.

 

[DVD9]

17" ain't gonna happen. I want one too. Just ain't gonna happen.

WHY?

I have never seen an answer to this question. Laptops are ridiculously light now yet a 17"is off the table for discussion. An 18"should be on the way. I prefer to work on a laptop and an 18"would be perfect.

 

[jv2]

4k display? Better be

 

[badlydrawnboy]

USB-C is a port-for-everything. It makes sense. Yes, most of us may need to buy an adapater for some stuff, but the entire industry is moving to USB-C. There will be a bit of pain with change, but that's always the way.

Moving when? I've bought several new peripherals in the past few months, from a Jabba speakerphone to an external hard drive to an external mic, and not one of them has USB-C.

 

[Cybbe]

Moving when? I've bought several new peripherals in the past few months, from a Jabba speakerphone to an external hard drive to an external mic, and not one of them has USB-C.

Fair point, but for most of these you can just get a new cable. Inconvenient, but not the end of the world.

 

[pbasmadj]

Haha damn, you must be pretty emotionally invested in your "predictions", to state that it's embarrassing for people to want the USB port. Get over yourself man. You're the only one in this whole thread who comes off as a prideful, pretentious person who is intolerable to other people's desires and opinion.

Suck those tears back in and loosen up on the conceit, princess.

Done debating with you, you are just wrong.

 

[Jack Burton]

Despite my frustrations with Apple as of late, I'm really, really looking for any excuse to jump back into Apple land.

Come on, don't let me down!

 

[Mac 128]

Moving when? I've bought several new peripherals in the past few months, from a Jabba speakerphone to an external hard drive to an external mic, and not one of them has USB-C.

That's because there's no demand for them.

Watch what happens when all of Apples new MacBooks have USB-C on them, and the rest of the PC industry follows ...

 

[kerr]

How many USB-C flash drives and portable drives are on the market?

Yeah, I thought so

 

[Steve121178]

How many USB-C flash drives and portable drives are on the market?

Yeah, I thought so

They are available if you need them. I was looking at them only yesterday as I was having to buy some encrypted USB drives for a business purpose and noticed WD, Kingston, SanDisk etc had a selection available.

 

[Mac 128]

How many USB-C flash drives and portable drives are on the market?

Yeah, I thought so

How many USB-A products were on the market when Apple released the iMac with only USB ports?

Yeah, I thought so ;-)