So instead of 11,13, 15, Apple will roll out 12,14,16....
Even the odds.
Very interesting .....
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Apple's 12-Inch Retina MacBook Air Shown in Artist's Renditions
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So instead of 11,13, 15, Apple will roll out 12,14,16....
Even the odds.
Very interesting .....
You make a good point about retina. If this new MBA gets a retina screen how is it much different from the 13" rMBP? What's the point of having a rMBA and rMBP that are almost the same?
Most people's take on this is daft. They don't seem to get through their heads that portability and cost are really important for a lot of people.
If you want something bigger with more ports, then go buy a bigger laptop, there are plenty of options.
This machine is for people who want portability and affordability. People who realise that iPads are a joke for getting the sort of work done that you can do on a desktop, but don't want to lug around stuff.
It's funny that there are lots of people who use their phone as their main machine, but you don't hear them whining about the lack of ports, because they really don't need them.
If you want something bigger with more ports, then go buy a bigger laptop, there are plenty of options.
This machine is for people who want portability and affordability. People who realise that iPads are a joke for getting the sort of work done that you can do on a desktop, but don't want to lug around stuff.
It's funny that there are lots of people who use their phone as their main machine, but you don't hear them whining about the lack of ports, because they really don't need them.
I think this is quite right. The irritation is that for me, and I guess many others, the MBA is fine as my primary computer, with an external display. If the new MBAs are less capable, to differentiate them from the MBP range, I am stuck with needing to get a MPB, and it is far less portable. (I have a 13" MPB from work, and it is a heavy brick compared with my 11" MBA). For me, my 11" MBA is the perfect compromise of size and performance. It looks like I will be forced to go to something less perfect in one direction or the other, and that's a shame.
I fear the differentiation is only going to get greater. Apple's not stupid. Why do you think they've haven't come out with a retina MBA?
They have always been about making you choose a product based on your current needs. And should your needs change, upgrade and buy something else.
I owned 2 Duo with Dock (230 & 280) and my fav Apple laptop of all time in term of form factor. It just worked well for ma as a road warrior!
After slugging around Apple portable, 100 & 140 PB, this was as light as a feather.
I could make the 12" work with a dock and monitor no problem.
I hope you are right on this one. History tends to repeat itself. A few years ago, at some point we had giant HP laptops.
Thanks for pointing this out. I didn't notice the Power button before.
Placing it there would be a huge mistake!
Yeah, like there's a lot of ports on the Pro models either.
Look at my 2008 MBP and the current ones and it's just ridiculous. I very rarely need any kind of hub or adapter on my 2008. I can plug in my audio FW400 devices, my FW800 hard drives, Ethernet connection when I'm docked and don't even need an adapter to use the DVI connection on my 28" monitor. With a USB3 card plugged into my expansion port (WTF is that on new Macs???), I even get two more USB(3!) ports without a hub for a total of four all on a computer that is PLENTY thin and not very heavy (unless you can't lift a whopping 5 pounds in which case I suggest a gym membership). I can even change out the battery if it gets low and not have to look for an outlet. You can't do that on any Mac anymore.
IMO, Mac design has gone down hill considerably. Retina was cute, but it's already behind the resolutions of other notebook makers and no longer amazing. Most computers now include touch screens too (because of Windows8) which Apple has no option for, even for use in Windows. They want you to buy adapters for everything, which you have to lug around, defeating the whole point of that extra portability. The screens are glossy as all heck, showing me not a Retina screen, but my own freaking reflection! (unlike the nice matte screen my 2008 model has and NO, making the interface all bright BLINDING WHITE doesn't solve that Yosemite!) I guess it's the reason I have not bought another Macbook since then as they started to go downhill shortly after 2008 with unibody designs that wouldn't let you change the battery, followed by wiping out the 17" model, etc.
I think Tim Cook sees little future for the Mac (the 'truck' idea Jobs pushed at desktops) and everything is an iPad/iPhone/watch. Sadly, I think this idea is mistaken. Mobile has its uses, but power should always be an option.
Let's see what Apple is thinking. Smart ways could be:
- providing additional ports built in the magsafe adapter;
- providing a mini-dock for free;
But it will probably be:
- not including the mini-dock, which will cost around $99;
- not including ports in the magsafe, but there will be a "magdock" available for just $149;
This is the biggest load of bollocks ever.
It is something someone in their basement has thought would be the 12" retina MBA.
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This x 1000.
What I am saying is that when I get my next Mac laptop, it is a shame it looks like I will either have to get something heavier and bulkier than my current machine (MBP), or lighter but less capable (the new MBA). The current design of the MBA is bang on for me, at least. I don't quite follow what you are saying above.
Hah!!
Just you wait - Apple will remove the screen next and you'll have to buy that separately!
Just you wait - Apple will remove the screen next and you'll have to buy that separately!
Just one fatal flaw:
Magsafe has been replaced by the USB Type C connector.
1) In effect, the MBA will lose the capability to protect itself in the event someone trips over the wires.
2) If the power brick is designed to be the "HUB" for other ancillaries to be connected to, the advantages of long battery life will be lost as the owner will need to bring the power brick everywhere he go in order to connect to more than one device. But that said, this HUB idea will be superb for someone who docks at home or in the office with a larger monitor.
Even if the move to Type C happens, i hope Apple includes at least 2 connectors onboard. Btw, I don't think losing the SDcard slot is a good idea too.
Magsafe has been replaced by the USB Type C connector.
1) In effect, the MBA will lose the capability to protect itself in the event someone trips over the wires.
2) If the power brick is designed to be the "HUB" for other ancillaries to be connected to, the advantages of long battery life will be lost as the owner will need to bring the power brick everywhere he go in order to connect to more than one device. But that said, this HUB idea will be superb for someone who docks at home or in the office with a larger monitor.
Even if the move to Type C happens, i hope Apple includes at least 2 connectors onboard. Btw, I don't think losing the SDcard slot is a good idea too.
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If this design becomes true then dell xps 13 will be better in every way atleast its a complete laptop
As much as I'm looking forward to USB Type C, it would be a great shame if Apple did away with MagSafe. MagSafe has saved my MacBook from accidents countless times - it's truly smart tech.
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In the 4 years or so that I've owned MacBooks with SD card slots, I think I've used it maybe twice ever.
SD made sense a few years ago. But with everything being able to sync wirelessly now, it's becoming completely unnecessary for most users.
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In the 4 years or so that I've owned MacBooks with SD card slots, I think I've used it maybe twice ever.
SD made sense a few years ago. But with everything being able to sync wirelessly now, it's becoming completely unnecessary for most users.
I can appreciate that you don't find much value in SD card slots, but how are you concluding that it is "becoming completely unnecessary for most users"?
For those who live exclusively with Apple devices, I can see how SD card use has dropped to virtually non-existent... but that perhaps has more to do with Apple's removal or refusal to include it in many of their mobile devices.
"You can't use what you don't have, you can't miss what you don't use."
That is of course Apple's modus operandi. They make a significant profit from their pricing structure of their mobile devices that are essentially only differentiated by storage capacity. Add support for a microSD card, and that will be a serious hit to their bottom line.
Personally, I would gladly pay a $100 premium for an iPad that included a microSD card slot over a comparable model without one.
After a few years of exclusive use of an iPhone and iPad, I had almost forgotten the usefulness of removable storage for mobile devices. Now that my primary phone is an Android device, and I've outgrown my iPad 4 and rely on a mix of iPad, Gtab Pro, and Windows Tab, the value of removable storage is once again evident for my use cases.
Apple has already come out with the retina MBA - - it's called the retina MacBook Pro.
The rMBP only weighs a half pound more than the same size MBA, and the reason for the extra weight is it needs a bigger battery to feed the higher res screen.
This is the whole reason that Apple is miniaturizing the MBA this year - - to provide some real differentiation between their two portable lines.
Really?
You'll be unhappy with a 12" MBA with the same form factor as the current 11" MBA, except weighing half as much and being half as thick?
That is a shame.
2 of my DSLRs use SD cards (the other compact flash). That slot is used more than the USB ports on my MBP. They had better not do away with it.
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Apple has not said either way that they are doing this.
Yes, yes, yes.If I have my way, I would go even further and have a wireless battery charging system and this laptop will have only one port: the headphones jack.
Imagine the marketing campaign: "A brand new 12" laptop from Apple, with no string attached."
This would be completely consistent with Apple's penchant for cutting the fat and streamlining design. A passive charging pad instead of MagSafe would provide the same level of mishap protection (my late black lab's tail took out my beloved G3 Pismo years ago!) without necessitating MagSafe port space on the chassis.
FWIW, I have always loved expandability on a laptop. I have plugged nearly every port of my old MBP, including the ExpressCard slot, when using it as the center of a demo recording studio. For the "PRO" line, I would advocate MORE expandability, not less. But for the "Air" product line, the Jony Ive instinct to go thinner and simpler makes sense to me.
One should also keep in mind that flash storage is only going to increase in size and decrease in price over time. I think mission-critical docs will still remain on the user's device, where they can be accessed instantly without WiFi, and cloud-based storage will be used for archiving, back-up, and sharing projects. WiFi connection speeds won't prevent the average user from remaining productive.
"No strings attached." It already sounds like an Apple catch-phrase. 18 months after its release, the rest of the ultraportable PC world follow that ethic.
My worry about these rumours is
Do we still have a MacBook Air 11" ?
It's the only portable with 16:9 like all the desktops and not much bigger than an iPad 4 (curse you iPad Air). You don't need an iPad while the 11" Air is around. So much more capability for slightly more size/weight and in a lot of cases, not much more $.
AND if the 11" Air goes away, I sure don't want to have to buy this year's 30% slower model as refurb, just to get the last 11" Air.
This rumour has disaster written all over it for me, even before all the ports disappeared. That's just dumb. 2 USB ports is minimum for a computer that does any work.
It's the only portable with 16:9 like all the desktops and not much bigger than an iPad 4 (curse you iPad Air). You don't need an iPad while the 11" Air is around. So much more capability for slightly more size/weight and in a lot of cases, not much more $.
AND if the 11" Air goes away, I sure don't want to have to buy this year's 30% slower model as refurb, just to get the last 11" Air.
This rumour has disaster written all over it for me, even before all the ports disappeared. That's just dumb. 2 USB ports is minimum for a computer that does any work.
Biggest use for SD slot on my MBA is for expanding the 256GB internal storage.
Given the release of 3rd party SDcards that seats flushed on Macs, you don't wanna miss that do you?
The new MacBook Air is going to be great for those of us who want the most ultraportable Mac that Apple can devise.
However, for the inveterate port-seekers out there, perhaps a Henge Dock can fill the void...
If apple want to remove sd card slot and usb ports then they should increase base storage to 256gb+