Is the MacBook Similar to the iPhone? (Missing Key Features)?

[Vandam500]

I currently have an iPhone 3G and I love it to death even though it is missing regular features such as Video Recording, MMS, Voice and Speed Dial, Copy Paste,etc. In my home we have 2 computers and 1 laptop, all are PC's. I was wondering on getting the new 13" Macbook and just wanted to know if it was like the iPhone, in the sense that its missing common features or does it really have everything you need?

BTW: I'm currently a college student majoring in Computer Engineering if that helps

 

[DeusInvictus7]

I was wondering on getting the new 13" Macbook and just wanted to know if it was like the iPhone, in the sense that its missing common features or does it really have everything you need?

Well, what do you NEED? I mean, ever since I've had my iPhone, so, 1.5 years, I don't think I've ever REALLY needed the features you stated. Sure, they would have been nice to have just in case, but I never needed to really use them.

Now for the MacBook, the only thing I could really see someone NEEDING is firewire...but other than that...and a matte screen for some

But really, it's up to you to decide if what the MacBook has is what you want/need. That's what it comes down to.

 

[svndmvn]

Apple's stuff has always been about the software, ease of use, etc.
It usually comes down to what you need. If you're talking about the white macbooks, even though they have FireWire, they are kind of outdated and are suspect to leave the Apple line. If you're talking about the new Aluminum Macbooks, of course, they lack a matte option, and firewire, compared to better Apple current or old portables. Compared to other portables they are quite good in my opinion. Most of the others are glossy, don't have a backlit keyboard(which you have if you choose the pricier 2.4GHz), and don't have firewire.
All of this if you're looking for a more portable solution, the 13.3" that is. What many mistake doing is comparing the macbook to other cheap portables that are usually clunkier, of course cheaper, but bigger as well, 14" or 15", they probably get warmer, they usually have a dedicated graphics card which macbooks don't, a blu-ray drive, that Apple still doesn't have in all its line-up, e-sata, display ports, express cards, sd-readers, firewire sometimes.
Do you care for Mac OS X? Do you like the Macbook's aesthetics? Try and compare the 1199$ Aluminum macbook to other 13.3" that also have a 1066MHz FSB, DDR3 expandable to 6GB, quite a good graphics card, an iSight/mic,good speakers, a Core2Duo of current generation. I believe there are few out there, and you just can't go wrong with a Macbook.

 

[Vandam500]

Thanks a lot for your quick and useful replies

 

[dejo]

Define: common features.

 

[GimmeSlack12]

The iPhone and a Mac (aka MacBook) are not exactly something to direct compare. Mac OS X is a robust complete OS. The iPhone OS is a fairly new UI that revolves around a touchscreen. You should be comparing Windows and OS X rather than the iPhone and MacBook.

But to answer your question, the iPhone is a small facet of what a MacBook can do. And any feature you would want from a PC (software) is available on OS X (and in the rare case its not then just install Windows!).

 

[Nitrousoxide]

The iPhone and a Mac (aka MacBook) are not exactly something to direct compare. Mac OS X is a robust complete OS. The iPhone OS is a fairly new UI that revolves around a touchscreen. You should be comparing Windows and OS X rather than the iPhone and MacBook.

But to answer your question, the iPhone is a small facet of what a MacBook can do. And any feature you would want from a PC (software) is available on OS X (and in the rare case its not then just install Windows!).

Except for really basic stuff that people use on a daily basis... like cutting and pasting files, deleting specific files from your trash/recycling bin and deleting files (not just hiding) off of an external harddrive or memory stick.

 

[mrkgoo]

The iPhone and a Mac (aka MacBook) are not exactly something to direct compare. Mac OS X is a robust complete OS. The iPhone OS is a fairly new UI that revolves around a touchscreen. You should be comparing Windows and OS X rather than the iPhone and MacBook.

But to answer your question, the iPhone is a small facet of what a MacBook can do. And any feature you would want from a PC (software) is available on OS X (and in the rare case its not then just install Windows!).

Well, it doesn't have a firewire port. Or a standard video out (for now, but adaptors are available).

Truth be told, it probably has MORE common features than most computers. But yes, comparing the iPhone is not the same thing. the iPhone is a very proprietary device, while the MacBook is just, well, another computer.

 

[GimmeSlack12]

Except for really basic stuff that people use on a daily basis... like cutting and pasting files, deleting specific files from your trash/recycling bin and deleting files (not just hiding) off of an external harddrive or memory stick.

From a lifetime Mac user these sorts of things don't occur to me (cut/paste files). Not really sure what you mean about deleting files from an external drive, how is that different between OS X and Windows? I think "really basic" stuff is an extremely subjective term. I would imagine the OP's focus of his question is related to if OS X is 'missing' anything rather than there just being an alternative way of doing something. Regardless I think we're all splitting hairs at this point.

Well, it doesn't have a firewire port. Or a standard video out (for now, but adaptors are available).

Specifically why I wrote "PC (software)" because all computers have slightly different hardware configurations.

 

[Tallest Skil]

Define: common features.

Define MISSING... OS X is a real, full-blown, fully-featured OS. I can't think of anything you can't do in OS X that you can't do in Windows.

(shut up, resolution independence crowd. It's coming. Shut up SLI/CrossFire crowd. All ONE of you.)

 

[Nitrousoxide]

From a lifetime Mac user these sorts of things don't occur to me (cut/paste files). Not really sure what you mean about deleting files from an external drive, how is that different between OS X and Windows? I think "really basic" stuff is an extremely subjective term. I would imagine the OP's focus of his question is related to if OS X is 'missing' anything rather than there just being an alternative way of doing something. Regardless I think we're all splitting hairs at this point.



Specifically why I wrote "PC (software)" because all computers have slightly different hardware configurations.

I cut and paste files all the time on my windows machine. It's so much more convenient than dragging your stuff around.

Macs just hide files that you highlight and press "delete" when they are on an external drive. You can get into the odd situation where you apparently have nothing on the drive, but it's full.

And I wish Mac users would stop calling machines running Windows "PC's" as if their own Macs weren't also Personal Computers.

 

[Nitrousoxide]

Define MISSING... OS X is a real, full-blown, fully-featured OS. I can't think of anything you can't do in OS X that you can't do in Windows.

(shut up, resolution independence crowd. It's coming. Shut up SLI/CrossFire crowd. All ONE of you.)

Put three files into your trash. Now try to delete only one without touching the other two.

It's impossible for you to do.

 

[GimmeSlack12]

I cut and paste files all the time on my windows machine. It's so much more convenient than dragging your stuff around.

Good for you.

Macs just hide files that you highlight and press "delete" when they are on an external drive. You can get into the odd situation where you apparently have nothing on the drive, but it's full.

Empty the trash. Then the space is released. An odd situation yes, one that I've never actually heard of. I believe you, but can't imagine it's a common occurrence.

And I wish Mac users would stop calling machines running Windows "PC's" as if their own Macs weren't also Personal Computers.

Yes, and I wish for a Tree that grows money but we all know that that will simply never happen.

Put three files into your trash. Now try to delete only one without touching the other two.
It's impossible for you to do.

My solution: put the one file you want into the trash and empty it. Seriously.
(I'll stop harping on you now Nitrous...)

 

[thejadedmonkey]

Shut up SLI/CrossFire crowd. All ONE of you.

That's because there's only TWO people who play games

The Macbook won't let you watch blu-ray movies, doesn't have an eSATA port, firewire port, and you can almost count of Apple to release horrible Windows drivers for it. Also, Applecare can be a pain sometimes.

Otherwise it has a nice form factor, and a good OS. Don't rule out a Dell just because it doesn't have DDR3 Ram...

 

[Teej guy]

Define MISSING... OS X is a real, full-blown, fully-featured OS. I can't think of anything you can't do in OS X that you can't do in Windows.

(shut up, resolution independence crowd. It's coming. Shut up SLI/CrossFire crowd. All ONE of you.)

The recycle bin is better than OS X's trash for a start...also, I find the file manager in Windows to be better/more powerful than managing files with Finder. Hopefully the one in Snow Leopard re-written in Cocoa will be more robust.

Other than that, I much prefer working in OS X to Windows. Especially with hot corners for expose etc.

 

[stars_fan]

You can use googles app (free) for speed dial.
Everything else you mentioned is avaliable by jailbreaking.

 

[lscangus]

That's because there's only TWO people who play games

The Macbook won't let you watch blu-ray movies, doesn't have an eSATA port, firewire port, and you can almost count of Apple to release horrible Windows drivers for it. Also, Applecare can be a pain sometimes.

Otherwise it has a nice form factor, and a good OS. Don't rule out a Dell just because it doesn't have DDR3 Ram...

I doubt majority of consumer user have firewire gears. If you need one, then you should get a pro.

Speaking of firewire, why do you need two firewire ports? most of the firewire equipment can be chained.

 

[Crash1234]

Put three files into your trash. Now try to delete only one without touching the other two.

It's impossible for you to do.

What? lol Now, if you need files that are in the trash, then why are they in the trash in the first place. This issue would be easily solved by NOT putting files that you need in the trash. That way, when you go to empty it, you won't be deleting anything you need.

 

[Tallest Skil]

Put three files into your trash. Now try to delete only one without touching the other two.

It's impossible for you to do.

What? lol Now, if you need files that are in the trash, then why are they in the trash in the first place. This issue would be easily solved by NOT putting files that you need in the trash. That way, when you go to empty it, you won't be deleting anything you need.

Your point is pretty much moot because if you're putting files in the Trash that you need, you don't really seem to understand what Trash is.

 

[Runt888]

Ignoring all the Mac vs PC, OS X vs Windows squabbles, it really depends on software. Look at the software you use, and see if it's only available for Windows. The Windows ecosystem has a ton of software (although a lot of it is complete garbage). The Mac tends to have less software available, but in general the quality seems to be better.

The other nice thing about the Mac, is you can put Windows on it. I use Windows on Boot Camp and VMWare Fusion everyday, it runs just as well as any PC (with a few minor annoyances).

 

[plinden]

You can cut and paste files in OS X ... if it's in the same volume just drag and drop. If it's in another volume, just hold the command key while dragging. That's not recommended for large files though. If something goes wrong, like the volume you're dragging to losing power and unmounting, you might lose the file you're moving.

As for the windows "cut and paste" being more convenient than OS X dragging, try using OS X's spring loaded folders with drag ... hold the dragged file over a folder for a second and the folder will open. It's so much more convenient, it's something I miss when working with Windows or Linux ... I keep wondering why a folder doesn't open when I drag a file to it.

The most efficient (user-wise) is Terminal's mv command. That's actually what I use most the time. Unless you install cygwin you can't do that in Windows (and no, the DOS shell is not comparable to Terminal)

 

[GimmeSlack12]

I find the file manager in Windows to be better/more powerful than managing files with Finder. Hopefully the one in Snow Leopard re-written in Cocoa will be more robust.

Can you expand on what "more robust" means? You know I hear plenty of people wanting the Finder to be better but rarely do I hear suggestions. I honestly don't quite see what is wrong with it exactly other than it not having a particular file hierarchy breakdown on the side. What do people want with the Finder? Putting it in Cocoa won't change its functionality, it's just rewriting its code.

 

[elgrecomac]

Copy and Paste in iphone

2009 basic computer (yes, the iphone is a computer) functionality includes copy/paste. It should be there. Apple stops 3rd parties from providing it. A doesn't go by where I could use it. To me, it is the only glaring hole in the iphone...and it is a software fix that Apple can do when they decide to do it.


-----------
MPB 17", Fusion 2.0.1, 30" Cinema display, iphone 3G 16Gb.

 

[Tallest Skil]

2009 basic computer (yes, the iphone is a computer) functionality includes copy/paste. It should be there. Apple stops 3rd parties from providing it. A doesn't go by where I could use it. To me, it is the only glaring hole in the iphone...and it is a software fix that Apple can do when they decide to do it.


-----------
MPB 17", 30" Cinema display, iphone 3G 16Gb.

A signature goes in its own sector, you know.

And I suppose you complain on PSP, DS, Wii, Xbox, PS3, and regular cell phone forums that there is no copy-paste, too, eh?

Because regular cell phones, sold this year, that aren't smartphones, are also computers.

So the iPod shuffle should have copy/paste, too?

 

[GimmeSlack12]

So the iPod shuffle should have copy/paste, too?

Dude don't get me started on that. Apple has lost BIG money from me because of their oversight on such a simple feature on the Shuffle.

But seriously folks...
Let's pretend that copy/paste isn't an issue and not argue about it, because there is nothing we can do about it at the moment. Besides, it is way off topic.