Losing MagSafe gains options

[shareef777]

True. But are we talking business or are we talking attachment to a company and what it once stood for?

For business, Of course there is no way I am buying this new piece of **** at close to $3500 in my country, not considering additional dongles I will need. At best, I will go for rMB which is better value and has a specific use in my life, or the last gen MBPs with are available for about $1000 less via Amazon sellers where I can use it more as a do-it-all.

But the point here was about attachment to a company and how they are just dialling down on everything that made them great - one being care and concern for their customers.

Oh, and there was no need for you to be that way in your comment with the 'need'. You might be living inside NASA with all the latest techno-wizardry, I am in India, a backward, poor, destitute, third world country that still limps on the suddenly-outdated-just-because-Apple-removed-them, looked down upon, USB-A and HDMI and SD cards. Hell, we even dry our clothes in the free sun rather than use paid resources like dryers and electricity. So, we 'need' those ports and would love to have them in-built rather than buy a separate dongle. Apple provided the best of the best - all those ports and quality. Now, they are offering just the quality of their chassis, the experience is NOT there, if I have to use dongles.

Razer is not available here. I am sure it would sell like hot cakes if it was. I for one would have bought it. Removing the optical drive did not hurt because there were ways that did not really hurt the experience much. I had unlimited internet, so all that went was a night to download super heavy stuff. But this, MagSafe, and ports, is pushing it into a laughable territory.

The fact that a not-so-large-as-Apple company, Belkin, invested and produced a MagSafe USB-C connector proves that first of all, there is still a market and need from consumer standpoint for such a product, and second, that Apple could have done it too, but they chose not to.

I don't mean to be disrespectful, and I apologize if you took it the wrong way, but the more people that stop buying Apple products, the quicker they will change. At the same time you complain and moan about lack of MagSafe and USB-C adapters and then go on and say you're going to get a rMB. Seems that you're just fighting with yourself and Apple's the one winning.

 

[Floris]

In that case you definitely need a magnetic charger like the Belkin one.

But speaking at a "rude" person's perspective, If I'm in a cafe, walking, and I have something on my mind so I'm not really looking down at foot level, and all of a sudden I trip over a cord and a laptop comes falling off the table, I don't feel I should be responsible for it because the cord should be in a location where it's not easy to trip over and the only thing I did wrong was not look down at foot level.

Fair enough, maybe i am just more mindful where i walk. Possibly because im with such bad eyes that i already have to

 

[macintoshmac]

I don't mean to be disrespectful, and I apologize if you took it the wrong way, but the more people that stop buying Apple products, the quicker they will change. At the same time you complain and moan about lack of MagSafe and USB-C adapters and then go on and say you're going to get a rMB. Seems that you're just fighting with yourself and Apple's the one winning.

No, I had my sights on the rMB for my travel purpose alone. A purpose that entails Office suite, VLC, email, browsing. With an m5 512GB machine, I will still need one dongle that gets me a USB-A functionality, but that is only when I am travelling, and only in my hotel rooms. For an hour maximum. This machine also works very well for me as a daily commute to work, because I only use Office apps and email and browsing lately. So, for the most basic of my needs, an rMB was always great. MagSafe removal does not make a difference to me in this environment, at all.

But, as it is, today I have a late 2011 15" MBP as well, upgraded to 16GB 1666MHz and 256GB Plextor M5 Pro Sata 6 SSD. So, this machine takes care of ALL the heavy duty stuff and would serve as backup to my rMB. But, since we know this is a 2011 machine with those notorious AMD graphics, this can die on me any day, and if it were to, these new machines from Apple will only clutter my desk due to dongles attached to them for various requirements. And here, MagSafe and ports matter to me.

 

[maflynn]

While I understand why Apple did it, that doesn't remove the issue on why Magsafe was first implemented, i.e., tripping over the cord and damaging the Mac.

 

[craig1410]

...these new machines from Apple will only clutter my desk due to dongles attached to them for various requirements.

If you think it through, I don't think you'll need as many dongles as you think. And I can't help wondering how you can't cope with the loss of magsafe and yet you are happy to plug in USB-A cables and/or HDMI. Surely these are far more likely to stay attached then a USB-C cable if tripped over?

I am a professional user and always used to carry various things with me in my bag. Three TB2 dongles for gigabit ethernet, VGA and DVI respectively. Also an ethernet cable, a crossover ethernet cable (remember those?) and a USB-A flash drive for obvious reasons. Plus the usual charger, pens, notebooks etc.

The display dongles were in case I had to do a presentation on a projector in a board room and the ethernet dongles were because some customers I visited still felt that ethernet was more secure than having secure WiFi. I also used the ethernet cable at home any time I was doing large data transfers.

However, I can't honestly remember the last time I used any of these dongles because most places I go to support Airplay via AppleTV for presenting and 802.11ac networking is plenty fast. Besides, we can't have nasty ethernet or display cables without some sort of magsafe on them in case someone throws a dog at me and it gets snagged in the cable
Most places I go to now happily permit WiFi connection too now that WEP has died a death and WPA2 is more widespread. As for flash drives, well I think the only time I use that now is to upgrade the firmware on my car's ICE system or my old plasma TV. Everything else is done via some sort of wireless 'dropbox' -style service or even google docs, email, iMessage or Airdrop. Even pens and notebooks I no longer need as I have my iPad and Pencil and use it for all note-taking. Who wants bits of paper when you can have text-searchable handwriting?

I realise different people will have different experiences than me but I very much doubt that my situation is unique either. I for one am looking forward to carrying a virtually empty bag from now on. All I really need is my new MBP (arriving late Nov) my iPad Pro and Pencil. I probably don't even need a a charger with me!

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication as a wise man once said...

 

[Ericplan]

Didn't see mentioning the new adaptor also has a usb-c connector. So tripping over the wire has two possible break outs, not one as before.

 

[craig1410]

While I understand why Apple did it, that doesn't remove the issue on why Magsafe was first implemented, i.e., tripping over the cord and damaging the Mac.

It does if charging becomes something we do once a day, after work along with our iPads, iPhones and Apple Watches. How do we manage to charge those without (generally) tripping over them?

 

[leman]

They gave value previously. Now, I am reasonably sure they are relying on us tripping over and breaking things so that additional revenue can be generated for them via repair cost to us.

Yes! Macrumors has finally reached a new level

 

[maflynn]

It does if charging becomes something we do once a day, after work along with our iPads, iPhones and Apple Watches. How do we manage to charge those without (generally) tripping over them?

I've had a number of instances where the magsafe truely did save my laptop, and I don't know too many people who use the iPads while plugged in

 

[no_more]

Actually I don't understand that hysteria about Magsafe. In my opinion that's the worst cable which could appear on the market. Why?
You can check here: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/fraying-magsafe-2-connector.1619550/
Or even there http://www.apple.com/shop/product/M...r-adapter-for-macbook-and-13-inch-macbook-pro
The cord there is pretty bad quality and you need to spend your 80 Eur on full power adapter every year while Dell or whatever Chinese adapters could live 3 or more years without any problems.

 

[bbates123]

Something I haven't seen mentioned in this thread (unless I missed it)...the Magsafe gave a quick visual indication as to whether or not the MacBook was fully charged. I really do miss that. The Griffin doesn't offer that feature either.

 

[fischersd]

They easily could have implemented this in the cable guys. Just have a USB-C connector on the end, but part of the end, you have male/female magsafe connectors, so it could still do a release and save the MacBook from a tumble.

Hell...if it's implemented right at the USB-C port, you also could have kept the green/amber LED to tell you the charging status.

But...I guess that's too simple of a solution for them. Oh...right...the end of the cable would have appeared a little chunky - so Jony would have vetoed it.

 

[bruinsrme]

I'm more concerned with tripping over the power cord and dragging my mac off to the ground with it. Done it a bunch of times and always thankful magsafe saved the day. I guess now they'll have a higher rate of screen cracks from accidents ;(

This was one of the reasons I switched to an MBP over a dell.
I had a number of service calls because the power connector stopped functioning.

The more I look at my options the dell xps with the 3 to 4 year of accidental coverage seems to be a more viable option.
Then again there's the griffin adapter

 

[macintoshmac]

If you think it through, I don't think you'll need as many dongles as you think. And I can't help wondering how you can't cope with the loss of magsafe and yet you are happy to plug in USB-A cables and/or HDMI.

I am not happy to plug in dongles for USB-A and/ or HDMI at all. In fact, I said that removing MagSafe is okay for me only in the rMB, not in the MBP. For the cost of the MBP, the lack of connectivity options right out of the box are not forgivable (for me). In India, the basic MBP 13 inch without TB is the price of the top end rMB. The price of the base 15 inch MBP with TB is Rs. 205,000, meaning $3060. Top end is $3600. At that price, it is indeed a shame if I need to buy dongles. All possible dongles should be at least shipped in the box. But, best thing would be to still incorporate them in the chassis.

Also, I manage to charge my iPhone and iPad without tripping over them because I do not simultaneously use them while charging, and then, I do not charge from far away, as can be the case in an office environment with a laptop. Now, just because they have a battery life of 9 hours does not make carrying the charger moot, I actually do not like to deplete the battery much beyond a point daily because I do not want to reach home with a 20-30 percent battery to realise that there is no electricity for hours and I cannot work. So, I like to keep my laptop batteries in the 80-90 percent range and I am happy to bring a charger along anytime. Hence, the lack of MagSafe straight from Apple hurts.

The fact that Belkin provides a solution, like I said, means that there is ample need for it. Apple has just chosen to abandon it from their stables, is all.

And hey, this is me talking in my present context, in India. Let me give you an example with Anker 20100 PowerCore+ USBC battery. It is $60 for America. At that price, I do not mind it at all. But, it becomes $120 in India. So is the case with all accessories such as external hard drives. Not this dramatic, but assume roughly 30%-40%. Seagate Backup Plus Slim 2TB is $80 on Amazon.com. In India, the MRP is Rs. 12,000 meaning $175 roughly but it is available for around $100-120. So, it is not very prudent financially for a consumer in India to replace perfectly working accessories just because Apple now does not like port-ability.

So, in countries like mine, the cost ripples through very, very hard.

 

[cerberusss]

All possible dongles should be at least shipped in the box.

That is a nice wish, but I've ordered my 4th MacBook now and can't remember a time when they included anything else but the charger

 

[Jaekae]

With usb-c beeing so small i think most of the time the cable just pops out of computer before it falls to the ground from a table.

And to me its alot better with this usb-c charging. That new LG display can be connected and charge computer with only one cable now. And also act as a hub for external storage etc. So one cable to connect to have a good home setup and still have an awesome portable computer

 

[cerberusss]

There really is a big silver lining here imho.

Totally agree, and there's another advantage: alternative chargers from quality brands. And this is really nice, because to get a USB-C charge cable, an AC cord and an 85W power adapter for the 2016 rMBP, you'd lose $19+$19+$79 = $117 while the MagSafe 2 adapter costs $79.

There weren't any other brands that were allowed to produce MagSafe power adapters, except for shoddy and dangerous fake chargers from unknown manufacturers.

However I fully expect well-known manufacturers to jump in and provide alternatives. For the rMB, there already is the Innergie PowerGear USB-C 45W: http://www.myinnergie.com/us/product/99
It's a brand by Delta power supplies. If you've worked in a lab, then you'll know that name.

And besides those, Anker also has a USB-C charger that delivers something like 29W:
https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Premium-Charger-PowerPort-Delivery/dp/B01D8C6ULO/

However I haven't found anything yet in the 60-90W range so here's hoping companies like Belkin and Anker step in.

 

[macintoshmac]

That is a nice wish, but I've ordered my 4th MacBook now and can't remember a time when they included anything else but the charger

True, they do not, but then, historically, it was not really needed until this 2016 release.

 

[cerberusss]

True, they do not, but then, historically, it was not really needed until this 2016 release.

Well... do you really think so? I don't think it's that bad, actually. Assuming you work at a desk, just replace two cables: the USB cable to your USB hub, and the cable to your monitor (whether that's mini-DP or HDMI, there's a USB-C version).

 

[Capt T]

No, I had my sights on the rMB for my travel purpose alone. A purpose that entails Office suite, VLC, email, browsing. With an m5 512GB machine, I will still need one dongle that gets me a USB-A functionality, but that is only when I am travelling, and only in my hotel rooms. For an hour maximum. This machine also works very well for me as a daily commute to work, because I only use Office apps and email and browsing lately. So, for the most basic of my needs, an rMB was always great. MagSafe removal does not make a difference to me in this environment, at all.

But, as it is, today I have a late 2011 15" MBP as well, upgraded to 16GB 1666MHz and 256GB Plextor M5 Pro Sata 6 SSD. So, this machine takes care of ALL the heavy duty stuff and would serve as backup to my rMB. But, since we know this is a 2011 machine with those notorious AMD graphics, this can die on me any day, and if it were to, these new machines from Apple will only clutter my desk due to dongles attached to them for various requirements. And here, MagSafe and ports matter to me.

You realize that at this point your 2011 is 2 generations old. Let alone 5 years old which is old in tech years. Love that it is still working for you. But even when I bought my 2012 machine they dropped/changed ports. Apple is forward thinking, and supplying legacy ports is not very pro thing. I carry adaptors just in case but rarely use them anymore. Will do the same for the new one. Cost of doing business. Nice thing is with all the other USB-c computers out for the last year, plenty of third party options.

As to the MagSafe discussion in this thread...if you use it in a public space, you should not have a cable where it could be a trip hazard...person with the trip hazard is the one at fault not the one tripping. If you live in a house where you are worried about kids or pets tripping on your wires...well ether make it kid and pet safe or purchase a cable/ power supply that gives you peace of mind.
[doublepost=1477842697][/doublepost]

True, they do not, but then, historically, it was not really needed until this 2016 release.

Not true. Every generational release (not minor updates) there have been ports removed, new ports added, DVDs drives removed, and dongles needed for legacy gear. As I said I bought new dongles in 2012 with that MacBook Pro release. It was an outrage to people then too. Then new gear with the new connectors came out a few months later, and it was no big deal. And no dongles were not included then either.

I would much rather adapt to legacy gear, and have fast better ports than adapt from my legacy computer ports to new faster better gear I won't be able to fully use the features. Because shortly I won't need to adapt to the old gear as it will be replaced by something better.

Remember those preordering these machines are early adopters. We should know by now that historically with Apple and other tech companies, the early adoption means a few work around so to use legacy gear, until the new gear shows up. The advantage here is some other computers have been out for about a year with the USB-c tech so there are already new tech options.

You can already buy replacement cables for some of the gear out there. For example I just bought a few $5 replacement USB c cables for my USB 3.0 external drives..simple, and won't need a dongle for those.

 

[shareef777]

No, I had my sights on the rMB for my travel purpose alone. A purpose that entails Office suite, VLC, email, browsing. With an m5 512GB machine, I will still need one dongle that gets me a USB-A functionality, but that is only when I am travelling, and only in my hotel rooms. For an hour maximum. This machine also works very well for me as a daily commute to work, because I only use Office apps and email and browsing lately. So, for the most basic of my needs, an rMB was always great. MagSafe removal does not make a difference to me in this environment, at all.

But, as it is, today I have a late 2011 15" MBP as well, upgraded to 16GB 1666MHz and 256GB Plextor M5 Pro Sata 6 SSD. So, this machine takes care of ALL the heavy duty stuff and would serve as backup to my rMB. But, since we know this is a 2011 machine with those notorious AMD graphics, this can die on me any day, and if it were to, these new machines from Apple will only clutter my desk due to dongles attached to them for various requirements. And here, MagSafe and ports matter to me.

But again, there are solutions out there. The only complaint we can make is that we have to spend money to get things we want/need to make the new MBP work like our previous one. The fact that these newer models were priced so much higher then the previous should tell you that going to the latest/greatest is a costly proposition. If you don't want to take the plunge, they kept the older models available (which they didn't even bother to cut the price on, another greedy move by Apple).

 

[cerberusss]

I thought of another adventage of losing MagSafe.

You can easily buy a DC/DC converter. Suppose you're someplace that uses DC instead of the regular AC, like a boat, a mobile home or certain airplanes. Now there's a myriad of options to efficiently charge your laptop.

Previously, places like http://www.mikegyver.com would offer adapters and batteries where you'd pay for an extra MagSafe charger which they would then cut up and use the MagSafe part. That's no longer necessary.

Come to think of it, small solar panels also give you DC power. It's going to be much easier now to charge the new 2016 rMBP with solar energy.

 

[steve62388]

I thought of another adventage of losing MagSafe.

You can easily buy a DC/DC converter. Suppose you're someplace that uses DC instead of the regular AC, like a boat, a mobile home or certain airplanes. Now there's a myriad of options to efficiently charge your laptop.

Previously, places like http://www.mikegyver.com would offer adapters and batteries where you'd pay for an extra MagSafe charger which they would then cut up and use the MagSafe part. That's no longer necessary.

Come to think of it, small solar panels also give you DC power. It's going to be much easier now to charge the new 2016 rMBP with solar energy.

This is the same advantage that has already been pointed out earlier in the thread, a wider range of third party chargers.

Forget about trying to charge your batter via portable solar power, it would take a week.

 

[BenTrovato]

Many advantages of usb C.. biggest with a monitor is obviously one cable and not needing another one to provide power. Biggest problem is that we're not all there yet. Honestly the amount of plastic and other materials used in dongles during these transition period pollutes our planet like crazy. We should have done better.

 

[zone23]

There's clearly a market for Fisher Price laptops for those who can't help but kick their laptops off tables.

Sounds to me like people are clumsy and need Apple to protect them from ripping the cords out. What do they do with their phones or iPads? Lighting cable not a problem but USB-C is? I too like magsafe but things change.