MacBook and MacBook Pro Port Speculation

[joemama]

Has anyone thought that Apple is removing the firewire port from the MB on purpose to increase MBP sales?

I mean, so many people here are stating they won't buy a MB is there is no firewire. Well, guess you'll have to buy a MBP. Apple wants that.

Current MBs are so powerful, many people (me included) only bought the MBP for the backlite keyboard.

What if the MB becomes the low-low end laptops and MBP stay the high end, but introduce a $1,400 model.

Would people complain then?

 

[dwd3885]

No Firewire? I use FW every day, is Apple going to buy me all new hard drives, audio interfaces and video cameras to connect to the new machine? I don't think so. I hope profits drop significantly if there is any truth in these pics and no firewire on any of the machines come tuesday.

that's how technology works. am i gonna get my money back on all the serial devices i've used in the past?

 

[aleksandra.]

I said it in the other thread. I'll say it here again... Regarding the "mysterious port" that seems to have spawned so much non-news.

Look CAREFULLY. See the vertical slits? It's a vent. The only reason it's covered is not to "hide" something from us (why would one port be hidden in a leaked photo that was unauthorized to begin with, while all other ports are visible?)... but rather I think it's covered so that during assembly, dust and other particles do not enter into the vent.

Not a bad idea, but those vertical lines are on the tape beyond the edges of the hole as well. Meaning, it's the structure of the tape rather than any slits... although it's perfectly possible those are there as well.

First port is hdmi not magsafe. Small port is mini firewire like on Dell and Sonys. The tape is covering the induction charging part of the case which is thinner, the tape has been removed from the macbook but on the internal shot you can see the induction panel.

What happened to the signs next to the ports?

 

[aleksandra.]

Has anyone thought that Apple is removing the firewire port from the MB on purpose to increase MBP sales?

Aren't most of the posts in this thread about it?

 

[myca]

I am going to have to agree with the MacBook losing FireWire and getting USB 3.0 connectivity. I think Apple has the hardware in place so when the specifications for USB 3.0 are released it will be just a matter of applying an update to get support for USB 3.0 devices. In the meantime, Apple will sell a USB-to-FireWire400 adapter that will let people continue to use their FireWire400 devices with the new MacBook.

The MacBook Pro will ditch FireWire400 altogether and get FireWire1600 standard with maybe an option for FireWire3200. I know FireWire800/1600/3200 will share the same physical connectors, but I do not know what is required (separate chips?) inside the computer to support each specification which is why I put FireWire3200 as an option.

USB to Firewire, you are joking?

What's the point in that, it would severely impair the firewire device being used.

USB is fine for certain things, but for video and audio it sucks, plain and simple, Firewire is a much more elegant system, it was designed with video in mind, and for pro audio you have two routes, PCIe of Firewire, USB 2.0 just doesn't work as efficiently or as well.

Hell if someone buys an expensive FW audio interface they won't want to plug it into some dodgy adaptor that will more than likely cause it to crap out on them.

 

[Timichango]

Regarding Apple ditching FW on the MB, while it's a possibility, I'm not convinced. They went to great lengths to hype the Apogee duet FW recording interface (itself a $500 piece of hardware) in conjunction with Logic (a $500 piece of software), and I just can't see them alienating every user in the market for a macbook, or forcing existing users to upgrade across lines in order to retain support for the hardware/software apple already sold them.

There's got to be some implementation of FW on the standard MB, even if it is hacky (ie. FW over ethernet or some other kludge).

 

[08380728]

It does on ATI desktop PC cards. All Apple need to do is copy that system.

that would be pointless. DisplayPort is the native internal display connection, it carries video, audio, aux (for usb and other signals) it is a bi-directional and supports daisy chaining and HDCP stuff. It allows thinner display panels even with an external DisplayPort connector so there is no need to hack on a convertor for a port like DVI or HDMI.
DisplayPort has the additional advantage of being able to interface with adapters to HDMI, DVI, VGA devices.

 

[jds3266]

extra port

I'm sorry to state the obvious but its a HDMI port. We've all been waiting for a blue ray drive to be built into the laptop line and it seems that Apple has finally listened. The evidence for this is clear:
1. Nvidia supplying high end graphics cards for the new laptops
2. All the 'rumors' and industry information about HD monitors
3. Apple's early adoption of the Blue-Ray
4. Competition has had HD capabilities for around a year, Apple can't wait any longer if it wants to remain the undisputed leader of graphics.

Now I'm expecting some criticism to this (especially #4) but I don't see how it can be anything else. That and I spun my tea leaves around in my empty mug this morning and I was sure that the image was the abbreviation HDMI... Freaky I know.

 

[08380728]

I'm sorry to state the obvious but its a HDMI port. We've all been waiting for a blue ray drive to be built into the laptop line and it seems that Apple has finally listened. The evidence for this is clear:
1. Nvidia supplying high end graphics cards for the new laptops
2. All the 'rumors' and industry information about HD monitors
3. Apple's early adoption of the Blue-Ray
4. Competition has had HD capabilities for around a year, Apple can't wait any longer if it wants to remain the undisputed leader of graphics.

Now I'm expecting some criticism to this (especially #4) but I don't see how it can be anything else. That and I spun my tea leaves around in my empty mug this morning and I was sure that the image was the abbreviation HDMI... Freaky I know.

no critique but it would make more sense to add DisplayPort not HDMI which has a limited use.

 

[myca]

that's how technology works. am i gonna get my money back on all the serial devices i've used in the past?

That's a mute point, serial was superseded by better technology, and at the moment for certain tasks there isn't anything that can better firewire.

So if Apple are dropping FW on the low end systems, it's not because of some technological break through, they're just being shylocks and trying to squeeze more money out of their loyal customers. Which for the sake of maybe a couple of dollars worth of components (if that) I think is more than unfair.

 

[corygreenwell]

Fingerprint reader = gimmick.

Not if you work at a lawfirm with secure data...

 

[aleksandra.]

I'm sorry to state the obvious but its a HDMI port. We've all been waiting for a blue ray drive to be built into the laptop line and it seems that Apple has finally listened. The evidence for this is clear:
1. Nvidia supplying high end graphics cards for the new laptops
2. All the 'rumors' and industry information about HD monitors
3. Apple's early adoption of the Blue-Ray
4. Competition has had HD capabilities for around a year, Apple can't wait any longer if it wants to remain the undisputed leader of graphics.

Now I'm expecting some criticism to this (especially #4) but I don't see how it can be anything else. That and I spun my tea leaves around in my empty mug this morning and I was sure that the image was the abbreviation HDMI... Freaky I know.

One reason why any of your points - regardless of them being less or more valid - wouldn't fit DisplayPort just as well?

 

[ikm19]

If speculating on MacBook Pro having Blu-Ray drives could the extra port be HDMI? HDMI is equal or better then the DVI. Since they are using NVIDIA motherboard and chipsets why not be HDMI since that option is on ALL new motherboards from NVIDIA. That would be nice to have 1080p with 6-8 channel of uncompressed audio through one port! Apple-TV is currently the only Apple product with HDMI. I say HDMI!

I agree with you.. i think its HDMI..

 

[08380728]

Not if you work at a lawfirm with secure data...

id love to work at that law firm ;-) because they obviously are pretty ignorant about these security devices. It could take 5 mins to bypass those fingerprint scanners.

 

[pfml07]

I'm sorry to state the obvious but its a HDMI port. We've all been waiting for a blue ray drive to be built into the laptop line and it seems that Apple has finally listened. The evidence for this is clear:
1. Nvidia supplying high end graphics cards for the new laptops
2. All the 'rumors' and industry information about HD monitors
3. Apple's early adoption of the Blue-Ray
4. Competition has had HD capabilities for around a year, Apple can't wait any longer if it wants to remain the undisputed leader of graphics.

Now I'm expecting some criticism to this (especially #4) but I don't see how it can be anything else. That and I spun my tea leaves around in my empty mug this morning and I was sure that the image was the abbreviation HDMI... Freaky I know.

your number 4 is more than just a line of words, it is the most stupid statement of all time.

what a load of rubbish

 

[aleksandra.]

Not if you work at a lawfirm with secure data...

Once someone has your laptop there're more than enough ways to get the data, don't worry.

 

[TheSpaz]

We are all such geeks!

 

[MowingDevil]

Well I'm confused by this post, using the express port means you've got a MBP, if you've got a MBP then you have firewire, it's the possible lack of firewire on MBs that everyone is worried about

Let me clear it up for you. As a pro musician I need 2 firewire ports for my portable recording setup. I have a portable 7200 HD that is FW800 and I have the Apple/Apogee Duet audio interface which is FW400. If Apple goes to just one FW port I'm kinda screwed and would like to know what the scoop is on the express port for expanding to a FW400 port...as a worse case scenerio. I don't see how daisy chaining these could work as I'd be capturing audio and recording/playing back to/from the external drive through the computer. Even w/o trying it out that solution scares the bejeezaz outta me.

 

[fastbite]

Not if you work at a lawfirm with secure data...

So they drop firewire that tons of people need and they add something just for a bunch of Lawyers?

 

[kd_rome]

I think it's an HDMI port, that's why there has been a big rumor about the switch to Nvidia, maybe we are gonna see new HD Cinema Displays too ...

 

[08380728]

So they drop firewire that tons of people need and they add something just for a bunch of Lawyers?

haha good point!! laywers-who make too much money but buy cheapo MacBooks....hrm yeah rite

 

[myca]

Let me clear it up for you. As a pro musician I need 2 firewire ports for my portable recording setup. I have a portable 7200 HD that is FW800 and I have the Apple/Apogee Duet audio interface which is FW400. If Apple goes to just one FW port I'm kinda screwed and would like to know what the scoop is on the express port for expanding to a FW400 port...as a worse case scenerio. I don't see how daisy chaining these could work as I'd be capturing audio and recording/playing back to/from the external drive through the computer. Even w/o trying it out that solution scares the bejeezaz outta me.

FYI, the MBP may have two ports, but it's still one FW bus, so when you plug in your HD and Audio interface the bus will run at FW400, due to the audio interface being FW 400, so it should (at least on paper) work the same if you daisy chained or used a hub, but we all know that what is supposed to work on paper doesn't always work in reality.

Having a second FW bus via an express port solution would give you more bandwith.

 

[Kaupa]

lez hope the first slot will be firewire and magsafe is on the backside as it is dvi!

 

[Timichango]

I still have this sinking feeling that we might see some sort of break-out box containing additional expansion/connections.

Or maybe they've simply found a way to bring ethernet in over the magsafe connector, and moved the ethernet port to the power adapter That'd be awesome - I almost never used a tethered network connection without plugging in for power, so could care less about a dedicated network port on the machine itself.

This would make the big square hole in the MB casing a....

FIREWIRE PORT!

 

[champ01]

Out of all my friends, most have PCs, and out of the ones that have macs all but 1 are musicians! Musicians (pro, semi-pro, and amateur) seem to have a high ratio of Mac usage. A lot of those musicians have firewire audio interfaces. Also a lot of them use firewire HDDs too, as you can easily run out of USB ports anyway if you have a MIDI keyboard, a multi-output MIDI interface and a few other USB devices (ipod, camera, iphone, etc.).

I just blew £600ish (about $1k) on a decent pro firewire interface. This is based on the thinking that Firewire is the future for audio interfaces since I can use the same expensive interface on multiple machines (unlike PCIe where you install it in one and that's where it stays) and it doesn't have some of the interrupt issues that some USB interfaces have (most pluggable more-expensive pro-end interfaces tend to come as FW, not USB these days).

I personally am gonna get the highest spec macbook pro as it's basically a desktop replacement for me, but for many others I know they want 1 decent FW audio interface they can use with their desktop, then plug in their lower range laptop for live use. None of them will be pleased if they suddenly need a higher spec machine when replacing their macbook, and have to worry about taking a far more expensive machine on the road with them. Or buying a 2nd expensive non-FW audio interface.

Therefore I think it remains to be seen whether Apple, after years of encouraging firewire, still has them planned and we're all getting overzealous here, or if they'll be stupid/naive and screw up a lot of poor musicians on their next laptop upgrade.

There may be clever "elegant" ways of still having all the ports. Personally I don't see lots of dongles, adapters, and breakout cables as being remotely elegant though...

you are right
being a music producer myself I don't see me not having firewire

macbook & apogee duet is a killer on the market its the best buy you can get if you are a musician
firewire works absolutely great so why would apple destroy somethings thats good
so firewire will stay and we can keep making music