I loved the TiBook, all the ports were on the back. It was awesome. 
Apple, if your listening. I really miss the TiBook.
Apple, if your listening. I really miss the TiBook.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Are the designers left handed or what?
- Thread starter sparkie7
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I'm a leftie too, but I'm not too thrilled about the placement of the ports... there's barely any distance between them so you can't insert stuff like flash memory keys without blocking one or two ports. Also, I find it easier to insert USB cables on good ol' plastic PCs even when the ports are on the back because you don't have to fear damaging the plastic, you just fumble around a little until you hit the port. On the MBP you have to lean over and look when you insert cables, if you try to do it blindly and miss by a fraction of an inch there's that unpleasant scraping sound of metal against metal.
Whats with all the ports on the left hand-side on all the uMBP's.. Looking at the cable length on my wired mouse it would not go all the way around from the left handed USB ports to the right hand side as I'm right handed like the majority of the entire worlds population.
So whats that mean? I either have to buy an USB extension cable or get a wireless mouse?!?
Also, I prefer to have my MBP on the left with my Larger display on the right. This makes it more limiting cable wise in order to achieve this.
I feel much better venting this. I think I've been in Britain too long. The whinging pom syndrome has finally rubbed off
IMO, the ports should be on the left side. And the reason is actually the opposite of why you suggest; the ports are put on the left side for the convenience of right-handed users.
If all the ports were on the right side, you would have wires and USB dongles [sic] sticking out there. Incidentally, that's where you would be using your mouse--and it would be quite inconvenient with all those things in your way.
To give you a clear example: I have a Dell Studio XPS 16. The Power cord plugs into the right-hand side, maybe 2 inches from the back edge of the case. Because it is not an L-shaped plug, the cord sticks out to just where I would normally be moving my mouse.
I've used it for over a month and I still find it annoying. I tried shifting my mouse area down so it is not in the way, but it is just not comfortable for me.
It's quite surprising you don't like the left-handed placement. IMO, using your left hand to plug things in is not an inconvenience at all. You should be dextrous enough to plug something in even with your non-dominant hand.
I also love how Apple put the USB sockets back towards the posterior end, and not in front like the stupid company Dell is. I use a USB mouse, and have a little stick that is just in the most precarious position imaginable right now. I do not want to break the thing, as it belongs to an MX revolution, which is quite expensive.
Apple put a lot of thought into the ports imo, and believe it or not the port placement was one of the major reasons why I chose the MBP; along with the battery life, screen, package,etc.
Trust me when I say that the ports are placed in excellent positions on the MBP. You wouldn't want it on the right-hand side, unless of course you are left-handed.
We also die more often from items that are for "right handed" people.
Maybe 
does love the left handed people.... More things should be made for left handed people... like cameras id love a DSLR that was left-handed.
Dell keeps moving them around from model to model, it's dictated by the layout of the logic board rather than any ergonomic rationale. On my last Dell laptop, Precision M65, there were two USB ports towards the posterior end on the right hand side (vertically arranged) and two on the back. Your average Dell laptop is crammed with ports (4x USB, VGA and/or DVI, SmartCard, ExpressCard, PC Card, 4-pin firewire, even 9-pin serial and modem on the odd occassion) in seemingly random places on both sides and/or the back.
On the other hand they offer docking stations with port replication for many of their laptops. I have zero cables sticking out of my Precision M65, it all goes through a single giant port at the base.
I would be beyond annoyed if the ports were on the right side. Like other people said, I have my mouse on the right, usually on about an inch or two from my mbp and on the left side I usually have my charger, my ipod, and sometimes my mouse cord thing. it would be crazy cluttered and unusable if everything I described was on the right. it works gorgeously the way it is
The ports are all on the left side so they don't get in the way of the mouse. It's 2009! Get a wireless mouse.
I wish I had raised myself to use my mouse left handed, but I've never actually met anyone who uses their mouse left handed, even the lefties I know (including myself).
I wish I had raised myself to use my mouse left handed, but I've never actually met anyone who uses their mouse left handed, even the lefties I know (including myself).
what if you don't like wireless rodents? should just have left things the way they were as the pre-uMBPs. Ports on BOTH sides.
So am I the only one in the whole world with a wired rodent? if I buy a uMBP it looks like I'll have to buy a USB extension cable.
You guys do know that wireless technology cooks your brain..
So am I the only one in the whole world with a wired rodent? if I buy a uMBP it looks like I'll have to buy a USB extension cable.
You guys do know that wireless technology cooks your brain..
You guys do know that wireless technology cooks your brain..
Then why would you buy a laptop? Especially a laptop packed with so many radios...
I set my..
Bluetooth to OFF
Only use wireless Airport if I don't have my (faster and more consistent) ethernet cables
My wireless mouse I bought 4 yrs ago is hibernating in my drawer b/c it eats up too much batteries and its wireless
I bought my MBP b/c off its portability and small form factor.
Bluetooth to OFF
Only use wireless Airport if I don't have my (faster and more consistent) ethernet cables
My wireless mouse I bought 4 yrs ago is hibernating in my drawer b/c it eats up too much batteries and its wireless
I bought my MBP b/c off its portability and small form factor.
I know an ultra-leftie who uses it left handed, and to top it off it's a trackball and not a mouse.
I shift the mouse between my left and my right hand. At the desk it's always on the right, but if I'm on the couch, the bed, a train or whatever I often use it on the left, depending on position, available space etc. It's fine either way.
Mouse - left or right
Guitar/bass - right handed
Drums - hybrid; I don't mirror the drum kit, but I also don't cross my arms like 'normal' drummers do
Pen/pencil/brush - always left
Scissors - left or right is fine
Knife - left when preparing food, right when eating it
iPhone typing - left 90% of the time
Taking a whiz - always left
Good point. To match the iMac having the cd drive on the right though the rest of the ports have to be on the left. And if i got to choose, i would choose to keep all the ports where they are because it's easier for me. I mean they could sell 2 versions but then it'd get complicated and they'd have to re-jig everything that's on the inside. Putting all the ports on one side does make it a lot cleaner and makes sense. My old laptop (no matter how much i loved it) had ports all over the place and at funny angles.
I know an ultra-leftie who uses it left handed, and to top it off it's a trackball and not a mouse.
I shift the mouse between my left and my right hand. At the desk it's always on the right, but if I'm on the couch, the bed, a train or whatever I often use it on the left, depending on position, available space etc. It's fine either way.
Mouse - left or right
Guitar/bass - right handed
Drums - hybrid; I don't mirror the drum kit, but I also don't cross my arms like 'normal' drummers do
Pen/pencil/brush - always left
Scissors - left or right is fine
Knife - left when preparing food, right when eating it
iPhone typing - left 90% of the time
Taking a whiz - always left
I*** do everything left handed, (except mouse) but I just realized I whiz with my right hand!
Mouse - left or right
Guitar/bass - right handed
Drums - hybrid; I don't mirror the drum kit, but I also don't cross my arms like 'normal' drummers do
Pen/pencil/brush - always left
Scissors - left or right is fine
Knife - left when preparing food, right when eating it
iPhone typing - left 90% of the time
Taking a whiz - always left
That's enough bragging from you for one day. The only thing I do lefty is batting in baseball.
OP: It's Apple. They sometimes choose form over function. It's the price of having a gorgeous notebook. And wireless is the future!
Left handed people are picked on because we are smarter, more attractive, and tend to make more money!
I'm left handed, but I never really thought about it. I just assumed that the Optical Drive standard was on the right. So naturally all ports are on the left.
I've discussed this whole issue with an Apple Store rep, the reasoning is astoundingly simple.
There's a slot loading SuperDrive on the right side of the MBP so the ports had to go one the left side of the MBP. There is simply not enough space for ports and the electronics needed on the right side of the MBP.
Hope this helps.
There's a slot loading SuperDrive on the right side of the MBP so the ports had to go one the left side of the MBP. There is simply not enough space for ports and the electronics needed on the right side of the MBP.
Hope this helps.
what if you don't like wireless rodents? should just have left things the way they were as the pre-uMBPs. Ports on BOTH sides.
So am I the only one in the whole world with a wired rodent? if I buy a uMBP it looks like I'll have to buy a USB extension cable.
You guys do know that wireless technology cooks your brain..
is your cord really that short? I have a wired notebook mouse because I don't like wireless mice either (don't know why). get a new mouse, my cord is at least 3 feet and the cords on all the mice I've ever owned are definitely long enough to go from the left to the right side...
forgot about that haha...I trashed my mighty mouse after it just quit scrolling. mighty mice suck.
Im left handed by nature (i have cp in right side(if i ever break my left arm im so screwed)) i do everything left handed (except put) i wish everything was more left handed "friendly"... Its kinda like right hands are windows left hands are mac maybe???
maybe???