This may work for some people, but not everybody is capable of such a set up and it doesn't fit all needs.
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MacBook and MacBook Pro Port Speculation
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I'm not going to slog through 10 pages, but I'm glad my Time Machine backup volume has FW & USB.
That way, if Apple kills off FireWire on the new MacBooks, I just don't sell my current MacBook and use FireWire for other things. Of course, I may just use a straight USB drive, sell my current MacBook, and happily use one of the new aluminum MacBooks.
Oh, and BTW, most audio interfaces to Macs these days are USB. Coincidence? I think not.
BJ
That way, if Apple kills off FireWire on the new MacBooks, I just don't sell my current MacBook and use FireWire for other things. Of course, I may just use a straight USB drive, sell my current MacBook, and happily use one of the new aluminum MacBooks.
Oh, and BTW, most audio interfaces to Macs these days are USB. Coincidence? I think not.
BJ
Yeah Firewire is a tad more expensive to physically implement. Buuuut from what I understand the real reason Firewire is "more expensive" is due to the per-port license fee that manufacturers pay to Apple when FW ports are used (anyone care to confirm/deny this? I am too tired to go on a fact-verification search right now).
I bet Apple could get away with removing FW from MacBooks. Using the audio interface example: There are *plenty* of USB2 audio interfaces that work for light audio work (podcasts, garage band, etc etc...). However, I don't know of any audio professionals who run higher level audio apps with Firewire interfaces on MacBooks. Usually they use MacBook Pros.
We'll see.
PS: I have no need for HDMI. I do need eSATA.
So if Apple does indeed introduce these at lower price points across the board, what will happen with the educational discounts? Right now Apple gives $100 off the MB and $200 off the MBP... will this continue to be the case if the MB starts at say $900 and MBP at $1799? $1599 for a pro is pretty tempting...
You're on drugs. Most of the better audio interfaces sold by M-Audio, MOTU, Apogee, Mackie, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera are FW. Most of them do have a few USB interfaces, but the emphasis is on FW because...
It. Works. Better.
Succky audio interfaces maybe, any decent audio interface runs on firewire (or PCIe). There has always been a problem with audio interfaces over USB, problems which FW doesn't have.
Oh and BTW which audio interfaces are you talking about, if it's the terrible M Audio ones then I'd say that you don't know what you're talking about
I thought that Apple made Firewire an open standard, therefore there's no licence fee involved. I may be wrong?
i am thinking it is legit also and look at the price i would say $200 is a aggressive price cut.
usually only cheap 2 channel devices that can only do up to 16bit/48k. they're usually quite problematic as well.
Anyone who says its obsolete, or that USB Audio Interfaces use USB now, obviously have no idea what they are talking about. How many people use Pro Tools and have Digidesign interface?
And how about the audio interface that was designed for mac, that they actually sell in the apple store, the apogee duet. It runs off of firewire 400. Its a pretty new piece of hardware! I need two usb ports for this, i run off an external hard drive for audio recording with the firewire 800 port. As well i record with the apogee duet which uses firewire 400.
Almost every musician I know, and all media users, use firewire ports.
And how about the audio interface that was designed for mac, that they actually sell in the apple store, the apogee duet. It runs off of firewire 400. Its a pretty new piece of hardware! I need two usb ports for this, i run off an external hard drive for audio recording with the firewire 800 port. As well i record with the apogee duet which uses firewire 400.
Almost every musician I know, and all media users, use firewire ports.
I have to say, I quite like the idea of a SIM card slot as for the mysterious tape covered hole in the left front, that came up on the other thread. Especially considering Apple's involvement in such business in recent time
Jojo
What a waste of space for those of us NOT using AT&T because we actually like coverage where we live.
Keep the phone parts to the phone PLEASE. I'm not paying for things i'll never use....
Although I agree, most Digi (LE System) interfaces are USB, but they don't work too well, especially with Core Audio, and they seem to be spending their sweet time with fixing the issue, but I think that's the digidesign way, buggers
Because Apple used to charge FW use? So most PCs used USB, it became popular and now it'd be really hard to turn the trend.
There is no way Apple would stop supporting hex screws. On my old iBook G4 there are hex screws in the display. Do they expect me to buy a whole new set of screwdrivers? Are you listening, Apple? No hex screws = no sale!!
Totally agree. I've tried USB so many times over the years only to find it hasn't changed - for audio interfaces USB means crap. I have a few friends using Macbooks (not Pros) for portability and I'm pretty sure having no firewire would rule out Macbooks as an option for portable music production.
Couldn't agree more. My friend has a Dell and he is always bragging about how is Dell M234jf9d XPSdarf has a frickin cell phone internet receiver or whatever the hell it is. I asked him how much he uses it. "Never." So what's the point of having it then?
I use my FW400 port on my Macbook every day.
It'll be sad to see it go...
I wonder if it's to differentiate between the MBP and MB lines, especially if the MB is getting it's own discrete GPU??
I haven't read all the responses, but like I've been saying in much older posts, I think Apple got rid of the Ethernet port. I don't really use it on my MacBook, and you can get the Ethernet to USB adaptor they have for the MBA anyways.
I know people who use the FW port all the time for Audio boxes, external drives and DVD burners, etc.