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MicroSD Rant

As it happens, I'm trying to burn an image with Etcher to a Micro SD card for a Raspberry Pi.

I have two cheap (Micro) SD adaptors which no longer work so I've been looking at this for my 2017 rMPB -

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00KX4TORI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1

I would use it with one of these, which work ok with other things -

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B074P2VPB6/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Has anyone used this multi card reader ?​

Thanks
 
Robnsn2015 said:
Now that I've gotten a chance to play with MicroSD on a Windows laptop, I can't help but wonder: WTF was Apple thinking by not putting a MicroSD slot in the newer MacBook Pro? The cards are so tiny that I think it is unacceptable that they omitted it.

Is it just me?
Click to expand...
Probably the same reason they don't put MicroSD on iPhones: anything that prevents you from having to buy a larger hard drive from them means they make less money from you. Integrating an SD or MicroSD card slot makes it too easy to quickly and cheaply expand your storage.

Also, Apple has decided that we're supposed to be doing everything wirelessly now anyway.
[doublepost=1526231529][/doublepost]
Papanate said:
I have a OWC dock and a HyperDrive adapter both of which
have a SDHC full size slot. The HyperDrive has a Mini SDHC
as well. I do not want Apple to go backwards -

51vRMQYieLL._SX425_.jpg
luFUOhFT5aD._UX959_TTW__.jpg
Click to expand...
That thing is basically one gigantic, horrible dongle. Nobody wants to walk around with that on the side of their MacBook, and the fact that it's needed is a pretty clear illustration of the shortcomings of Apple's usable port offerings.
 
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Queen6 said:
I'll stick with ports that make sense in 2018, not waste time with adapters, dongles and whatever other nonsense just attain basic connectivity. Most professional's want scalability, usability not a bag full of dongles that may work or not work as designed...

Q-6
Click to expand...

Having to waste $200+ on adapters for my wife and I was annoying. But we went all 3rd party on Amazon.com and got a ton of them.

Re OP - I never ever used my MicroSD card reader on my Macs. My guess is the majority of users were the same. Since I stopped taking photos with my DSLR I haven't had to use removable media to transfer data to my Macs for years now.
 
Here's the USB-C MicroSD reader I use with my 2017 rMBP:

Lexar C1 microSD Reader

31PKsb7FRDL.jpg


https://amzn.to/2k4PrMr

Amazon UK ships worldwide and they remove 20% off the price (VAT) when shipped outside the EU.

Total cost: under $20 including shipping
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
My lowly 2009 MBP's SD card slot has a neat flush-fitting aluminium carrier complete with a large capacity card. It gets used day-in-day-out as my mobile Time Machine drive. Nothing sticking out of the side or to lose.

To me it makes a lot of sense to have a good backup with me, as well as the usual on & off site storage. The SD card does get occasional use for bulk files but it earns its keep with TM duties.

As an aside, a few years ago the SSD in this MBP died on my whilst waiting at an airport. I managed to purchase a new one as the flight was boarding along with some loose screwdriver bits. The restore was complete before the meal service made it down the aisle. Replaceable components... ahh...
 
[doublepost=1526231529][/doublepost]
That thing is basically one gigantic, horrible dongle. Nobody wants to walk around with that on the side of their MacBook, and the fact that it's needed is a pretty clear illustration of the shortcomings of Apple's usable port offerings.[/QUOTE]

Regardless - it stays in the Studio. The HyperDrive goes with me on the road.
That guy saves my cookies.
 
Papanate said:
[doublepost=1526231529][/doublepost]
That thing is basically one gigantic, horrible dongle. Nobody wants to walk around with that on the side of their MacBook, and the fact that it's needed is a pretty clear illustration of the shortcomings of Apple's usable port offerings.
Click to expand...
[/QUOTE]

Yes it is. I went for it because it is from a respected brand. I've had cheaper adaptors that just aren't reliable.
 
Robnsn2015 said:
Now that I've gotten a chance to play with MicroSD on a Windows laptop, I can't help but wonder: WTF was Apple thinking by not putting a MicroSD slot in the newer MacBook Pro? The cards are so tiny that I think it is unacceptable that they omitted it.

Is it just me?
Click to expand...

Few people use them. I have a variety of MicroSD cards and i've used the slot on my macbook perhaps 2-3 times in 3 years.

That space would be better put towards more battery.
 
I understand USB C to replace TB 2, USB A, even HDMI and power, but it’s just not in any way a replacement for SD cards and never will be...
 
Falhófnir said:
I understand USB C to replace TB 2, USB A, even HDMI and power, but it’s just not in any way a replacement for SD cards and never will be...
Click to expand...

Why?

SD cards are crap.

They're very slow, much slower than thunderbolt or USB-C. or high speed WIFI.

Yes, there's a niche for using them. Key word being niche.

Niche ports don't belong built into a modern portable machine. General purpose ports do, which can handle all of the niche uses via adapters. If Apple or anyone else put every port that every niche use case user wants on the machine it would have tens of ports on it that barely anyone uses and half the battery life or worse.

My personal pet hate port is RS232 (i still deal with a lot of serial devices and USB adapters for THAT are often cheap imitation garbage that doesn't work, finding a good one is really hard), but I understand why it's not there any more and have moved on. I bought an airconsole.
 
throAU said:
Why?

SD cards are crap.

They're very slow, much slower than thunderbolt or USB-C. or high speed WIFI.

Yes, there's a niche for using them. Key word being niche.

Niche ports don't belong built into a modern portable machine. General purpose ports do, which can handle all of the niche uses via adapters. If Apple or anyone else put every port that every niche use case user wants on the machine it would have tens of ports on it that barely anyone uses and half the battery life or worse.

My personal pet hate port is RS232 (i still deal with a lot of serial devices and USB adapters for THAT are often cheap imitation garbage that doesn't work, finding a good one is really hard), but I understand why it's not there any more and have moved on. I bought an airconsole.
Click to expand...
Photographers use SD cards. Not sure how that can be replaced by USB c or thunderbolt?
 
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Apple fanboy said:
Photographers use SD cards. Not sure how that can be replaced by USB c or thunderbolt?
Click to expand...

Like i said, niche use.

Use an adapter or wifi - you can get wifi cards for your camera. A friend photography nerd had one 8 years ago. Photos went direct from the camera to his macbook pro where folder actions auto re-sampled them, etc.

8 years ago.
 
throAU said:
Like i said, niche use.

Use an adapter or wifi - you can get wifi cards for your camera. A friend photography nerd had one 8 years ago. Photos went direct from the camera to his macbook pro where folder actions auto re-sampled them, etc.

8 years ago.
Click to expand...
You've on viously never used one! Transferring 100's of RAW files via a wifi code is not the way to go!
That would take forever.
 
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Reactions: Falhófnir
throAU said:
I have SD cards in my GoPros. And the SD card slot, that yes i have used with them, in my MBP 13. if you have wifi that doesn't suck, it isn't a problem.
Click to expand...
Pretty sure go pros shoot smaller files than my D750.
But the lack of an SD card slot has nothing to do with space, and is just a piece of propaganda.
Apple don't think you need a pro camera. They think the iPhone is better.
 
Apple fanboy said:
Pretty sure go pros shoot smaller files than my D750.
But the lack of an SD card slot has nothing to do with space, and is just a piece of propaganda.
Apple don't think you need a pro camera. They think the iPhone is better.
Click to expand...

I'm dealing with multiple gigabyte video files. So larger than your raw images...

Again, its nothing to do with not having the option. Its to do with including general purpose ports instead of specific niche ports, that can be used for say, a 10 gigabit ethernet connection, a video card, a dock, a NAS, etc. or mix and match any of the above. Or a higher-speed SD card reader than you can get today, in the future - as thunderbolt is essentially PCIe on a cable, you can connect pretty much anything up to it.

For every person like yourself who wishes for an SD card reader, there would be plenty of people wishing the SD card slot was a 10 gig ethernet port, another display output or whatever.

USB replaced all the old legacy crap ports like rs232, parallel, e-sata, midi, joystick port, etc.

Thunderbolt will do the same thing eventually for the higher bandwidth stuff.

It's taken longer than hoped, but even the PC market is slowly getting on-board with it now.


edit:
Put it this way. With a modern macbook pro you can have 4 SD card readers if you want.... and none of them will be running into bandwidth contention.
 
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I usually find these kind of threads stupid and silly: the "Apple removed my headphone jack blah blah whine" kind of stuff.

But I know people who work in Image Design who use expensive cameras to build magazine covers or other marketing materials.

If I remember the reasoning behind removing the SD slot, it was because it was too thick for the case design.

But, as you rightfully asserted, MicroSD is used in almost every Android phone on the planet as well as Drones, point and shoots, and other small gaming systems (Playstation Vita, Switch, etc).

And MicroSD slots are far thinner than the current MBP(2016 or later). So, I agree with why???? That would be a great addition.
 
I thought I loved having an SD card slot in a previous MacBook, but realized at some point years ago I wasn't using it anymore. It is a nice way to add storage, but selective sync on Dropbox makes that a non-issue for me now. I suspect there are many users who have made a similar transition away from this older tech.
 
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