Lenovo, LG and HP Introduce MacBook Lookalikes at CES 2016

[windywalks]

I'm calling it right now...once Apple gets rid of the headphone jack in the iPhone 7, in the next year or so, hardly any smartphones will have them.

Let's hope for good wireless alternatives that don't disconnect all the time and don't sound like a carwash.

If this actually happens USB-C cables won't seem like such a big deal, compared to an industry standard that has been around since the dawn of audio devices. The adapter will probably be around, say, 30 bucks

 

[Chatter]

Ah, but what's the replacement? "copycat"ting a proprietary interface completely controlled by Apple won't fly. So do the copycats make other proprietary interfaces so we can have huge fragmentation away from one standard? Can't wait for needing multiple adapters to unhook headphones from an iDevice to then plug into some piece of home audio equipment not made by Apple, and then maybe yet another adapter to jack into a friends mobile music device when they want to share a listening experience together. Horray!!! The Future

I think they may all go with bluetooth headphones IF they go this jackless route?

 

[Xprmntr]

Attack of the clones

 

[Soccertess]

Lenovo has no shame!

 

[Tiger8]

FYI, LG Gram is a much older laptop than MacBook, it started as 13 inch, then 14 inch, and 15 inch was promised months ago. Here is the 14 inch:

http://www.lg.com/us/desktops-laptops/lg-gram-14Z950-A.AA4GU1-ultra-slim-laptop

It made it's debut in the US a couple of months ago, but worldwide been around for a while

 

[burgman]

I'll just put this out there. These are all higher resolution than the MacBook Air.

So? Windows 10 scaling is not great .

 

[KPOM]

It's nice to see USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 being adopted by more and more manufacturers. The HP EliteBook Folio looks nice. Yes, it's a MacBook clone, but so what? Many of us have Windows PCs at work, so at least we're benefiting indirectly from Apple's design philosophy.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I think they may all go with bluetooth headphones IF they go this jackless route?

It appears there is a long-term industry standard headphone jack visible in 2 of those 3 pictures. I don't think Apple is pushing bluetooth audio either; instead, per rumors, Apple apparently wants to jettison a long-term industry standard that "just works" with everything and adopt a proprietary standard that only Apple controls. Apparently, this is in the name of "higher quality audio" playback (not lucrative licensing deals and high-profit accessory sales) but the consumer cost of that is "another adapter" unless every single possible use of those headphones will be with Apple iDevices.

 

[melendezest]

Wait so there are Windows laptops that are thinner than the retina MacBook but with more ports? If that's the case I think it puts to bed the notion that the retina MacBook only has one port because of Apple's obsession with thinness.



But it's so easy to use the thinness argument. Everything someone doesn't like is because Apple's obsession with thinness. I'll bet any money the rMBP gets a redesign with Skylake and all the ports will be there.

I agree, it's not because of Apple's obsession with thinness.

The question is then, why NOT put more ports in? It's not like they increase the device's usefulness or anything, right?

This shows that it CAN be done, and Apple CHOSE not to do it.

We can speculate all day as to why.

I might consider an RMB as a secondary/travel machine if I had the money to blow and it had more than one dumbass port.

But alas, it's one more device where Apple misses the opportunity to have (and keep) me as a customer.

Their competitors are trying to give us what Apple should have.

That is what is so frustrating.

 

[antonis]

Oh look, Tim, these ones also have ports !

 

[gaximus]

Ah, but what's the replacement? "copycat"ting a proprietary interface completely controlled by Apple won't fly. So do the copycats make other proprietary interfaces so we can have huge fragmentation away from one standard? Can't wait for needing multiple adapters to unhook headphones from an iDevice to then plug into some piece of home audio equipment not made by Apple, and then maybe yet another adapter to jack into a friends mobile music device when they want to share a listening experience together. Horray!!! The Future

Higher fidelity Bluetooth standard is needed.

 

[KPOM]

So? Windows 10 scaling is not great .

That's putting it mildly. To be fair, it's Windows applications that are really bad. Quicken (even 2016) is one of the worst. Even with scaling, a lot of the buttons have print so tiny they are hardly readable.

Oh look, Tim, these ones also have ports !

Apple made a design decision with the MacBook. They chose to put only one port in it. They could have added a chipset to add a second port. However, they are trying to push the envelope a bit. It's conceivable that Apple will add a second port now that Skylake M supports multiple USB-C ports and Thunderbolt 3 natively. My guess is that they will stick with one port, though, but may make it Thunderbolt 3.

 

[gaximus]

I agree, it's not because of Apple's obsession with thinness.

The question is then, why NOT put more ports in? It's not like they increase the device's usefulness or anything, right?

This shows that it CAN be done, and Apple CHOSE not to do it.

We can speculate all day as to why.

I might consider an RMB as a secondary/travel machine if I had the money to blow and it had more than one dumbass port.

But alas, it's one more device where Apple misses the opportunity to have (and keep) me as a customer.

Their competitors are trying to give us what Apple should have.

That is what is so frustrating.

This doesn't show that it "CAN" be done. They're might be trade-offs like battery life.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Higher fidelity Bluetooth standard is needed.

But first we can all buy headphones that terminate with a lightning connector... and lightning adapters so we can use those phones with everything else (including Macs)...

and then maybe we can embrace lightning 2, and do it all again.

and then, wireless lightning 3 (a variation of bluetooth 7 that is proprietary to Apple).

I'm only half joking.

 

[alexandero]

Please, Apple, give us a 15" notebook for (significantly) less than $2000.

 

[iisdan]

Seriously... come on, hire people who can think for themselves. This is embarrassing.
[doublepost=1452025227,1452025187][/doublepost]

Please, Apple, give us a 15" notebook for less than $2000.

http://www.apple.com/shop/buy-mac/macbook-pro?product=MJLQ2LL/A&step=config#

It's $1999

 

[gadgetgrapevine.com]

Please, Apple, give us a 15" notebook for less than $2000.

The 15" MacBook Pro with Retina Display, 2.2GHz Processor, 256 GB Storage costs $1999. It's only a dollar under $2000 but still matches your request.

 

[a.gomez]

just like the ipad Pro is a Surface pro - and the chicklet keyboard and wedge design came for the SONY X505. Not sure why people care - they look nice, good to see Windows 10 getting nice options.

 

[Andrei90]

Where are the linux options? Windows 10 doesn't cut it for me.

I don't know how people use windows 10. I mean, I don't have anything to hide, and there's like 1% chance the gov tracking me down but cmon, windows 10 goes beyond boundaries to monitor everything you do, its' just not right.

 

[first535353]

Ah, but what's the replacement? "copycat"ting a proprietary interface completely controlled by Apple won't fly. So do the copycats make other proprietary interfaces so we can have huge fragmentation away from one standard? Can't wait for needing multiple adapters to unhook headphones from an iDevice to then plug into some piece of home audio equipment not made by Apple, and then maybe yet another adapter to jack into a friends mobile music device when they want to share a listening experience together. Horray!!! The Future

Maybe with updated USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 I/O we will see audio across these interfaces? Apple already has lightning headphones.

 

[melendezest]

This doesn't show that it "CAN" be done. They're might be trade-offs like battery life.

This is a typical apologist response.

Battery life is going to suffer regardless if you have more than one thing plugged in to the device.

Apple does sell an adapter that gives you what should have been built-in functionality.

If an extra port or two is sucking battery life when not in use then they have a fundamental problem.

The point is, there is clearly no (given) reason for Apple to force people to use a stupid-ass dongle when they need to charge and plug something in.

And the fact remains: they charge you for the dongle. You do the math.

 

[sza]

Apple comes up with a new model and everyone else copies it and then goes on later how Apple doesn't innovate anymore. If that's true, then why does everyone copy Apple designs in such a rabid manner?

Not really. What Apple has been doing these years is called evolution not revolution. Though everyone else copies from Apple, they also improve the design and product. Don't forget Apple just copied Surface Pro's accessories.

 

[samcraig]

Apple comes up with a new model and everyone else copies it and then goes on later how Apple doesn't innovate anymore. If that's true, then why does everyone copy Apple designs in such a rabid manner?

They should be hiding right now...

if you can't beat 'em, copy 'em.

Oh geez. Laptops are getting thinner with better specs. This isn't new. It's not really copying. It's called evolution.

 

[flux73]

I'll just put this out there. These are all higher resolution than the MacBook Air.

Okay...um, the article is comparing these to the Macbook. Not Air.

 

[Rogifan]

OK, how much do you want to bet that the next rMB will have a single USB-C port?

I bet it will. Considering Apple already went through that with the MBA but still decided to give the rMB only one port makes me think so. If you want more ports you get the rMBP. And it will probably be light enough that current MBA owners will chose it.