Intel to Launch 'Thunderbolt' on Thursday? MacBook Pros to Follow?

[CrAkD]

Why would anyone need this is a laptop? Seriously, what is the use-case for this? When I'm on the road I would really appreciate a built in 3G modem or a second battery e.g. instead of the (useless) optical drive.

As for the mini display port: I never figured out what the benefits should be. Every meeting room I went so far, has a projector with a VGA input. As a user, I have to always carry an (overpriced) adapter. What for?

I think, Apple doesn't understand the difference between a laptop and a desktop.

seriously? All these years people ask for all these ridiculous things in apple products and apple always says its impractical why would you need that. now they pioneer something and do it first and of course apple users are so trained by now first thing they say is "why would I need this?" lol.

 

[arn]

fixed times. it's 10 am pacific / 1pm eastern.

arn

 

[ten-oak-druid]

What happens if USB switches to firewire connectors?

It ain't gonna happen. This is the connector. End of story.

On your authority? LMAO!

 

[greytmom]

Watch the lightpeak video on YouTube. This is awesome technology. Someone has to be first... personally, I am glad it's Apple.

And I am one of those who uses MBP as my primary computer. Haven't had a desktop in about 8 years.

 

[cmaier]

On your authority? LMAO!

Intel owns the spec, and this is the connector they chose. USB folks said no to using their connector, Apple said yes. What's the mystery here?

 

[randomrazr]

so will the macbook pros be avaialble tomorrow at BEST BUY? or just on the apple website??

I want one NOWWWWW ive been macless for weeks lol

 

[jtp098]

I wonder who holds the patent for the name thunderbolt.. I just saw a commercial for a htc thunderbolt phone.... Wont this become a huge issue... We cant have two products named the thunderbolt




http://www.gottabemobile.com/2011/02/23/htc-thunderbolt-details-review-hands-on-video-roundup/

 

[Icaras]

I think you don't understand that MANY people use their laptops as their primary computer.

Why wouldn't anyone want this?

Why some people wouldn't want to move forward in technology is beyond me.

 

[sarge]

Everyone will use copper for awhile yet. It's about the price and fiber optics won't be in consumer goods quite yet.

I just bought a Toslink Audio Optical cable for $6.

 

[Icaras]

I wonder who holds the patent for the name thunderbolt.. I just saw a commercial for a htc thunderbolt phone.... Wont this become a huge issue... We cant have two products named the thunderbolt




http://www.gottabemobile.com/2011/02/23/htc-thunderbolt-details-review-hands-on-video-roundup/

Wasn't there also a movie called "Thunderbolt" with a dog starring John Travolta? Oh no wait, that was "Bolt".

 

[CrAkD]

I wonder who holds the patent for the name thunderbolt.. I just saw a commercial for a htc thunderbolt phone.... Wont this become a huge issue... We cant have two products named the thunderbolt




http://www.gottabemobile.com/2011/02/23/htc-thunderbolt-details-review-hands-on-video-roundup/

a phone and a data transfer technology are different. they can have the same name.

 

[Mattsasa]

Why some people wouldn't want to move forward in technology is beyond me.

I know me to... where is my powerbook G5?

 

[Axemantitan]

Everyone will use copper for awhile yet. It's about the price and fiber optics won't be in consumer goods quite yet.

I don't understand why. Fiber optics have been around for decades. I remember a lot of buzz about them in the 1980's, and we still haven't got around to using them!

Dead in the water. The whole point was for it to replace EVERY connector. That and screw having to pay $40 for a dongle that splits the hybrid port so I can have an individual miniDP/Thunderbolt connection.

Hear, hear! I remember hearing the same thing. I was glad that it was going to use the same connector as USB and now, at the 11th hour, we hear this!

 

[coleridge78]

Intel owns the spec, and this is the connector they chose. USB folks said no to using their connector, Apple said yes. What's the mystery here?

Theoretically it could use multiple connectors (and there are meaningful use cases for such), but yeah. It isn't going to happen. Too confusing for something that you want to sell to the general public.

 

[Bjohnson33]

I don't really know why I need this kind of speed on a laptop or and iPad.

Oh well, it is good that apple is trying to be a leader.

More speed is never a bad thing... better to have too much than too little!

 

[ChrisTX]

So i have to wait until tomorrow afternoon?!

not tonight?

Again like someone else asked above you and was responded to. Just go ahead and order a current MacBook Pro since you cannot wait a couple of hours.

 

[Jamesta]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPod; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8B117 Safari/6531.22.7)

Screw Thunderbolt. I'm waiting for Thunderstorm.

Totally with you on that one.

 

[geerlingguy]

I'm not too sure about using the Mini DisplayPort - I hope that's the 'mini' standard for Thunderbolt - it's just not a very good fit, and it seems like it comes out too easily.

 

[FFTT]

I'll be interested to know if this new connector and the upcoming peripherals
will be safe to connect while up and running or if they will be like FireWire
where you can fry the port connecting hot.

 

[karsten]

Ya know, I'd LOVE it if MiniDisplay became a universal plug. It's so small and sturdy, whereas USB is bulky and they're one of the most commonly broken parts on the motherboards at the school I work for.

only problem i've found with mdp is that it pulls out too easily. usb snaps in much better

 

[Gen]

I'm still excited for tomorrow - even though it's certain the optical drive is staying. Maybe we'll still see a glimpse of what's to come in 2012, like a small ssd drive for just the OS? Hopeful I still am.

 

[yanksrock100]

That thunderbolt logo is.......awesomeness^2

 

[addicted44]

Everyone will use copper for awhile yet. It's about the price and fiber optics won't be in consumer goods quite yet.

Absolutely right.

The good thing about ThunderBolt, however, is that it will make the upgrade path to fiber really easy.

 

[Icaras]

I'm not too sure about using the Mini DisplayPort - I hope that's the 'mini' standard for Thunderbolt - it's just not a very good fit, and it seems like it comes out too easily.

only problem i've found with mdp is that it pulls out too easily. usb snaps in much better

Really? I actually have the opposite experience with MDP. I have to yank it out with much more force than USB cables. My MDP connectors always feel very secure to me.

 

[TigerWoodsIV]

Screw Thunderbolt. I'm waiting for Thunderstorm.

Lol. Hopefully this name gets changed whenever they manage to adopt fiber optics instead of copper, but yay can't wait to see the new MBPs...Thunderbolt plus Sandy Bridge, fantastic update Apple. Glad I can keep my money for yet another year.

And at least the MDP is smaller and easier to figure out than USB. Whenever that becomes a standard I'll be so much happier not having to try to remember how to plug in my USB cords. It's kinda hard to remember what way to plug stuff in on the back of my Cinema Display when I'm effectively blind (the way my desk is I'd have to move the monitor quite a bit to see the back).