Handoff Isn't Reason Enough To Upgrade ...

[CyBeRino]

If you think Apple will keep it's laptops the thickness of an Ethernet port your fooling yourself. Get the dated MBP

I'd love to but with the exception of the simplest 13", they've stopped selling them.

or jump to a Windows computer with all the ports of your dreams.

Frankly I'd sooner jump off a building.

 

[Altemose]

Yea, I'm one of those in the "I don't have Bluetooth ('BT') 4.0 / BT LE" boat. I have a 2011 15" MBP that set me back $2,549 to buy. But perhaps what irritates me the most, is not even 3 years later I have to spend $2,599 for virtually the exact same laptop ... solely for a stupid BT upgrade.

CPU: I have The 2820QM (2.3Ghz Sandy Bridge CPU) in my 2011 MBP. The equivalent 2.3Ghz Haswell offering from Apple in the 2014 rMPB is the 4770TE. Real world performance improvement on this "new" CPU is a measly 10% at best:

http://www.cpu-world.com/Compare/69...-2820QM_(BGA)_vs_Intel_Core_i7_i7-4770TE.html

RAM: I have 16GB, and it finally comes standard with the 15" rMBP, so no real world improvement here.

Hard Drive: I have a 480GB OCZ SSD. It cost me $250 to buy aftermarket (still spent less in total than the 2014 rMPB, included in figure above). Finally the 2014 rMBP has a 512GB SSD as standard. I don't count this extra 32Gb as an actual improvement in the grand scheme of the comparison, if anything following the "~10% improvement" trend.

GPU: The new rMBP certainly takes the lead in this arena with the 750M, hands down. One caveat is the rMBP has more pixels to drive so relative performance isn't greatly improved as a result:

http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-HD-6750M-vs-GeForce-GT-750M

Other items: Battery life - The rMBP is rated at 8 hours versus the 2011 MBP being rated at 7 hours. Yes, the rMBP is thinner, and has retina, but I lose a CD drive, Firewire, Ethernet and upgradability.

Apple REALLY isn't making a compelling case for users to want to upgrade a machine that costs a few thousand dollars only a few years later. Thankfully we may be lucky and be able to upgrade just the Wireless and Bluetooth card?

I understand Handoff isn't the ONLY feature in Yosemite, but I think it's safe to say that UI changes aside, it's virtually the everyday major change to OS X. I would gladly give Apple my money for a new laptop, if there was reason to upgrade, aside from a $15 Bluetooth card

My father paid $1900 for a computer in 1995. He wants it to run Windows 8.1 because it was planned obsolescence clearly.

I don't think third party Bluetooth cards are supported for Handoff at this point. That may change though...

 

[aristobrat]

But having a machine that can, without external hardware, only connect to wireless networks is just a non-starter. I need real networking. And I'm not the only one.

Maybe I'm the only one, but it's been my experience that as a systems analyst, when I need Ethernet for my laptop, it's never guaranteed that there's going to be an unused Ethernet cable just laying around.

So... in my pack, I carry a 6ft Ethernet cable. Having to put a Thunderbolt Ethernet adapter next to it when I got a rMBP wasn't a big deal for me.

 

[Dwalls90]

My father paid $1900 for a computer in 1995. He wants it to run Windows 8.1 because it was planned obsolescence clearly.

I don't think third party Bluetooth cards are supported for Handoff at this point. That may change though...

19 years versus 3 years, not quite the same deal.

And a PC from today would smack your dad's. The equivalent MBP from today, wouldn't even demonstrate any sort of performance margin over mine. This is the issue I have.

The bluetooth card would be the same one found in the 2012 MBP's, so it would work, actually.

 

[Altemose]

19 years versus 3 years, not quite the same deal.

And a PC from today would smack your dad's. The equivalent MBP from today, wouldn't even demonstrate any sort of performance margin over mine. This is the issue I have.

The bluetooth card would be the same one found in the 2012 MBP's, so it would work, actually.

I said that statement sarcastically I feel as though this is one Apple couldn't have planned. Bluetooth 4.0 was first adopted by the industry on June 30, 2010. That being said there were a series of addendum's to the standard from that point on. If you can get the parts and they are totally compatible, you could swap in the Bluetooth board from the 2012 model and put it in. I am not sure if they are cross compatible though and that is a decent bit of work just to use Handoff.

 

[CGJay]

What's odd is I have 2011 Macbook air and it supposedly works with continuity

weird where it just begins you know? you'd think if anything a pro would be equipped before the air.

IIRC the Macbook Air and Mac mini were the first two computers to get Bluetooth 4.0.

 

[Dwalls90]

I said that statement sarcastically I feel as though this is one Apple couldn't have planned. Bluetooth 4.0 was first adopted by the industry on June 30, 2010. That being said there were a series of addendum's to the standard from that point on. If you can get the parts and they are totally compatible, you could swap in the Bluetooth board from the 2012 model and put it in. I am not sure if they are cross compatible though and that is a decent bit of work just to use Handoff.

Yea, that's my plan, to use a 2012 board.

I guess what mainly was irresponsible, is that they refreshed the MBP TWICE in 2011, and yet they failed to but the BT 4.0 in both times. This is while the 2011 Air received it?

They should still give us the option to allow us to use regular BT at the expense of battery usage.

 

[Altemose]

Yea, that's my plan, to use a 2012 board.

I guess what mainly was irresponsible, is that they refreshed the MBP TWICE in 2011, and yet they failed to but the BT 4.0 in both times. This is while the 2011 Air received it?

They should still give us the option to allow us to use regular BT at the expense of battery usage.

Let us know how it works out. I have a 2012 model, but am kind of curious about this...

 

[Ledgem]

Let us know how it works out. I have a 2012 model, but am kind of curious about this...

I can't find the thread and post now, but there was someone with a 2011 MacBook Pro (early or mid, I can't recall) who claimed to have repaired their motherboard with a Bluetooth module from a 2012 MacBook Pro. They showed a screenshot of the System Profiler indicating that Continuity was supported. I was under the impression that the wireless modules were not removable from the motherboard, but I didn't scrutinize my 2011's motherboard that heavily when I did my upgrades. Regardless, if true, it means that for around $20 (according to the poster) you should be able to upgrade your system for that functionality.

I wouldn't go for it just yet, though. It's still unclear exactly what parts of Continuity and Handoff go through Wi-Fi and what goes through Bluetooth. There are mixed reports of people having certain features work even without a Bluetooth 4.0-capable card; no doubt, some of the confusion stems from the fact that we're dealing with the beta, and some of the features have problems simply due to bugs that have yet to be fixed.

Edit: Found the post.

 

[Altemose]

I can't find the thread and post now, but there was someone with a 2011 MacBook Pro (early or mid, I can't recall) who claimed to have repaired their motherboard with a Bluetooth module from a 2012 MacBook Pro. They showed a screenshot of the System Profiler indicating that Continuity was supported. I was under the impression that the wireless modules were not removable from the motherboard, but I didn't scrutinize my 2011's motherboard that heavily when I did my upgrades. Regardless, if true, it means that for around $20 (according to the poster) you should be able to upgrade your system for that functionality.

I wouldn't go for it just yet, though. It's still unclear exactly what parts of Continuity and Handoff go through Wi-Fi and what goes through Bluetooth. There are mixed reports of people having certain features work even without a Bluetooth 4.0-capable card; no doubt, some of the confusion stems from the fact that we're dealing with the beta, and some of the features have problems simply due to bugs that have yet to be fixed.

Edit: Found the post.

If that is the case then that is really good for owners of Macs without Bluetooth 4.0. Though I would wait at least until the public beta program gets Yosemite to really start dropping money into it. It would really be a let down if Apple at the last second changed the support for Handoff altogether.

----------

I'd love to but with the exception of the simplest 13", they've stopped selling them.



Frankly I'd sooner jump off a building.

Since you need an adapter for basic VGA or DVI output, I don't see how it would be any different. I have used rMBPs on networking jobs and I have not found the adapter annoying at all. In fact I prefer the Thunderbolt adapter as it is flexible and still gets the job done well.

 

[Ledgem]

If that is the case then that is really good for owners of Macs without Bluetooth 4.0. Though I would wait at least until the public beta program gets Yosemite to really start dropping money into it. It would really be a let down if Apple at the last second changed the support for Handoff altogether.

I agree, it would be really nice if it works. It's not a terribly huge expense, but I'll be waiting until even after. Aside from the fact that we're still not totally clear what hardware is required for what features (and that Apple may still be changing it), I'm also wary of Apple potentially throwing in an artificial limitation. That is to say, for all we know Apple could have the software check for the computer model and disable Handoff if the model originally shipped with a Bluetooth module that doesn't support the 4.0 low energy profile, instead of querying the Bluetooth module itself. If that were to happen then the "upgrade" would be a waste of money and time.

 

[Altemose]

I agree, it would be really nice if it works. It's not a terribly huge expense, but I'll be waiting until even after. Aside from the fact that we're still not totally clear what hardware is required for what features (and that Apple may still be changing it), I'm also wary of Apple potentially throwing in an artificial limitation. That is to say, for all we know Apple could have the software check for the computer model and disable Handoff if the model originally shipped with a Bluetooth module that doesn't support the 4.0 low energy profile, instead of querying the Bluetooth module itself. If that were to happen then the "upgrade" would be a waste of money and time.

I would wait until the final copy of Yosemite.

 

[Crystal Shadow]

I am going to point out the obvious here.
Yosemite is a FREE upgrade.
No one is going to force you to do it. Your mac will continue to work just fine, with or without Yosemite, losing no features at all.

 

[flux73]

And I'll point out the second obvious thing here. If you care that much about Handoff, you can sell your current machine and at least have PART of the money you need for a new one. It may cost a few hundred bucks, but did you really expect that 3 year old hardware should be able to to everything that current hardware can do for free?

 

[Ledgem]

I am going to point out the obvious here.
Yosemite is a FREE upgrade.
No one is going to force you to do it. Your mac will continue to work just fine, with or without Yosemite, losing no features at all.

For those who are getting frustrated at the 2011 MacBook Pro owners who are complaining about this, I'd like to point out why the frustration exists. It isn't simply that the feature might be unsupported, but that Apple was including Bluetooth 4.0 in devices that shipped around the same time as the mid-2011 MacBook Pro did.

For example, the mid-2011 Mac Mini and the mid-2011 MacBook Air, both introduced in July 2011, included Bluetooth 4.0. Why didn't the MacBook Pro - Apple's flagship laptop, which cost more than the Mini or Air combined, introduced in October 2011 - also include Bluetooth 4.0? Sure, nobody expects their system to be 100% modern after three years, but it is puzzling to spend a lot of money only to find out that cheaper computers introduced months before your system was released will support a feature that your system will not.

It remains to be seen how Continuity and Handoff will work, and how useful they'll really be. It's a wonderful idea, though, and it's understandable that many people are excited about it. It doesn't matter that it's a free upgrade, it has the potential to greatly enhance the functionality of all of our devices. It's understandable that people who will be left out will be disappointed. Given the reason I listed above, I think it's understandable that the disappointment will be mixed with frustration and a bit of railing against Apple.

 

[shanson27]

Good news
Apple still finalizing support for Continuity features on older Macs, Bluetooth LE adapters a possibility

 

[cheekyjeremy]

I have a late 2013 Macbook Air, an iPhone 5S and an iPad Air, and I can't get the continuity handoff thing to work at all. I'm on the latest beta's of Yosemite and iOS8 and for some reason I can't get it to do any of these things. Im did go to settings / General on the MacBook Air and select "Allow handoff between this mac and your iCloud devices, but makes zero difference.

Bluetooth is on, but any time I try to pair the iPhone, iPad and the Air, it just says network is unavailable.

Any suggestions welcome

 

[abcdefg12345]

in my case theres no need to buy new mac all i have to do is a little hardware upgrade

you see the wifi/bluetooth card is upgradable on the 13 inch early 2011 macbook pro that i have so all i have to do i put in a mid 2012 wifi/bluetooth card and everything should work

and spending ~$100 is better than spending ~$1500 on a new mac and playing with the hardware is more fun and you feel like you have accomplished something if you can get it to work

and heres a simple guide on how to do it from ifixit
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Unibody+Early+2011+AirPort-Bluetooth+Board+Replacement/5131

 

[satcomer]

I have a late 2013 Macbook Air, an iPhone 5S and an iPad Air, and I can't get the continuity handoff thing to work at all. I'm on the latest beta's of Yosemite and iOS8 and for some reason I can't get it to do any of these things. Im did go to settings / General on the MacBook Air and select "Allow handoff between this mac and your iCloud devices, but makes zero difference.

Bluetooth is on, but any time I try to pair the iPhone, iPad and the Air, it just says network is unavailable.

Any suggestions welcome

Is your iPhone on the iOS beta? Did you do a Fresh Install or via the upgrade path?

 

[TheColtr]

If they make a retina macbook pro with firewire and ethernet (or at the very least with ethernet) I will buy that shi​​t so fast it'll knock their socks off.

Doesn't thunderbolt have FireWire built into it?

 

[3282868]

The only comment I have is regarding the nasty replies to the OP. I expect some members to feel high and mighty, posting sarcastic, derivative remarks. Yet only a small handful of users took the time to politely address and even suggest work arounds that may be possible.

We're all Apple users and fans, that's why we're here, and we should be helping others (we were all newbies once), yet the amount of Apple apologists is staggering. The OP has a point, the technology was already available and used in lesser priced Mac's. Why didn't Apple include it in their top-line MacBook Pro's? Doubt it was limited availability.

Something to think about; if you can't move on without posting snide remarks, ask yourself why and who it benefits. Life is too short.

 

[danielceleste]

Let's assume for argument's sake that Apple is merciless and draws a line saying "you need x hardware to support Handoff," and your hardware misses the boat.

Someone will develop a way to make it work, especially if have a Bluetooth LE adapter. Someone will make something that you can quickly throw on to your Mac to make it all work. Does that idea sound too far fetched?

 

[Ledgem]

Someone will develop a way to make it work, especially if have a Bluetooth LE adapter. Someone will make something that you can quickly throw on to your Mac to make it all work. Does that idea sound too far fetched?

Not at all, but remember that one of the appeals of owning an Apple product is that everything "just works." Modifying system files, dealing with potentially glitchy solutions, and wondering if the next system update will break your operation are things that many of us left Windows over.

We don't know what issues people will face with an adapter, and even if the problems I described above do occur, it's a better deal than spending hundreds to thousands on a new computer simply for Bluetooth. I will restate again that it's small consolation to those of us with the mid-2011 MacBook Pros, given that computers released just a few months earlier than ours already had the Bluetooth 4.0-capable chipsets.

 

[ssls6]

I have a mid-2012 Mac Pro that's unsupported. That's just life.

 

[Dwalls90]

Good news
Apple still finalizing support for Continuity features on older Macs, Bluetooth LE adapters a possibility

Where are you getting this from?

For those who are getting frustrated at the 2011 MacBook Pro owners who are complaining about this, I'd like to point out why the frustration exists. It isn't simply that the feature might be unsupported, but that Apple was including Bluetooth 4.0 in devices that shipped around the same time as the mid-2011 MacBook Pro did.

For example, the mid-2011 Mac Mini and the mid-2011 MacBook Air, both introduced in July 2011, included Bluetooth 4.0. Why didn't the MacBook Pro - Apple's flagship laptop, which cost more than the Mini or Air combined, introduced in October 2011 - also include Bluetooth 4.0? Sure, nobody expects their system to be 100% modern after three years, but it is puzzling to spend a lot of money only to find out that cheaper computers introduced months before your system was released will support a feature that your system will not.

It remains to be seen how Continuity and Handoff will work, and how useful they'll really be. It's a wonderful idea, though, and it's understandable that many people are excited about it. It doesn't matter that it's a free upgrade, it has the potential to greatly enhance the functionality of all of our devices. It's understandable that people who will be left out will be disappointed. Given the reason I listed above, I think it's understandable that the disappointment will be mixed with frustration and a bit of railing against Apple.

Exactly.

It's not that I think Apple is intentionally excluding certain Macs for no reason, but that they poorly mapped out their hardware allocations for newer technology.

The only comment I have is regarding the nasty replies to the OP. I expect some members to feel high and mighty, posting sarcastic, derivative remarks. Yet only a small handful of users took the time to politely address and even suggest work arounds that may be possible.

We're all Apple users and fans, that's why we're here, and we should be helping others (we were all newbies once), yet the amount of Apple apologists is staggering. The OP has a point, the technology was already available and used in lesser priced Mac's. Why didn't Apple include it in their top-line MacBook Pro's? Doubt it was limited availability.

Something to think about; if you can't move on without posting snide remarks, ask yourself why and who it benefits. Life is too short.

It's nice someone sees thing from my angle!

Let's assume for argument's sake that Apple is merciless and draws a line saying "you need x hardware to support Handoff," and your hardware misses the boat.

Someone will develop a way to make it work, especially if have a Bluetooth LE adapter. Someone will make something that you can quickly throw on to your Mac to make it all work. Does that idea sound too far fetched?

They really can't though, without killing battery they'll really need BT 4.0/LE.