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I own a Core i7 Mac Mini, in the two years I've owned it, it's slowed down significantly since updating to Yosemite and subsequent upgrades. I can't imagine too many Mac users using Linux.
I don't have a problem with all Macs just the ones that are ridiculously overpriced and underpowered. I don't even have a problem with all Apple users, just the ones who constantly keep praising Apple no matter what they do or what crap they bring out.
If you go to Microsoft forums or Android forums people will berate these companies if they do something wrong, with a lot of Apple lovers they just gloss it over.
In my opinion it's why Apple is so expensive and brings out such mediocre products lately, they don't have to try to hard to please the followers.
Just imagine what Apple could do if people were up in arms over some some of the latest missteps.
I won't even bring up how many times a day Safari crashes on my iPad Air.
Oh, have you seen what happens on here when someone complains about their Mac or iPad because it's playing up, the fanboys berate them and tell them they're just a hater.

Oh there are a few of us here who are just as happy to call Apple out as we are to sing it's praises. :)

I would agree with you, that Apple make some really questionable decisions sometimes. The obsession with thinness at the expense of things that are kind of useful (you know, like batteries and USB ports among other things) frustrates me, as it does many Apple users. But I disagree with your assumption that Apple is getting complacent because its fans are blindly satisfied with mediocrity. You're focusing on a fairly small but vocal group on these forums who will, as you say, praise Apple no matter what. If you know anything about the Apple corporate culture (the one Steve Jobs instilled), it's absolutely obsessive about design. I believe they really are seriously motivated to produce the best products they can. I just think the priorities are skewed. Whereas most users would gladly suffer an extra millimetre thickness on their iPhone for better battery life, Apple's designers are too excited about how thin and light they were able to make it to give us that.

Something's gone wrong with Apple's software too. I've been using Apple products for over 20 years, and I don't remember things ever being so prone to annoying little bugs at every turn. I remember problems—sometimes serious problems, like the old Mac OS crashing (and crashing hard!) and battling with conflicting extensions, etc. But I don't remember the sheer volume of buggy annoyances that seem to hound iOS, OS X and iCloud. Things are no doubt a lot more complex now, with iCloud integration, the online stores, etc… But Apple used to be proud to advertise that their products 'just worked'. That slogan would seem a bit embarrassing these days.
 
Oh there are a few of us here who are just as happy to call Apple out as we are to sing it's praises. :)

I would agree with you, that Apple make some really questionable decisions sometimes. The obsession with thinness at the expense of things that are kind of useful (you know, like batteries and USB ports among other things) frustrates me, as it does many Apple users. But I disagree with your assumption that Apple is getting complacent because its fans are blindly satisfied with mediocrity. You're focusing on a fairly small but vocal group on these forums who will, as you say, praise Apple no matter what. If you know anything about the Apple corporate culture (the one Steve Jobs instilled), it's absolutely obsessive about design. I believe they really are seriously motivated to produce the best products they can. I just think the priorities are skewed. Whereas most users would gladly suffer an extra millimetre thickness on their iPhone for better battery life, Apple's designers are too excited about how thin and light they were able to make it to give us that.

Something's gone wrong with Apple's software too. I've been using Apple products for over 20 years, and I don't remember things ever being so prone to annoying little bugs at every turn. I remember problems—sometimes serious problems, like the old Mac OS crashing (and crashing hard!) and battling with conflicting extensions, etc. But I don't remember the sheer volume of buggy annoyances that seem to hound iOS, OS X and iCloud. Things are no doubt a lot more complex now, with iCloud integration, the online stores, etc… But Apple used to be proud to advertise that their products 'just worked'. That slogan would seem a bit embarrassing these days.
Thank you, it's good to see that there are a few people that can see the problems with their obsession with design over real problems like speed and bugs, ports etc, not to mention price.
For the most part that's why I comment on this forum to hopefully make people understand that everything Apple does is not always in our favour, I'm not even sure there's anything they do in our favour.
I was hoping to buy more Apple products in the future, but the future is looking bleak for me, because I'm not a fashionista.
One thing I will say is that I'm very impressed the way Microsoft is forging ahead, I have bought a couple of their tablets lately, and I'm very impressed to say the least, also Windows 10 looks set to be a great OS, although I loved Windows 8.1 as well.
 
It was a well-intended insider joke, dear friends. Macworld 2009, the Megahertz Myth?

It seems the community has become a bit more hostile, which I guess is inevitable with the growth and polarisation of user groups, which brings with it the need to defend one's truth.

Times change, the community changes, it's all good. Sorry to have upset you if I did, and enjoy your day and the wonders of technology!
Learn to use smilies. People are actually as dumb as you were sarcastically portraying. It's a relief to know you are not a derp.
 
I would agree with you, that Apple make some really questionable decisions sometimes. The obsession with thinness at the expense of things that are kind of useful (you know, like batteries and USB ports among other things) frustrates me, as it does many Apple users.

You touched a raw nerve :D
I like thin products of course but why sacrifice the Magsafe to reduce the size in this Mac? I could live with only two ports, one for charging and the other to connect peripherals and I'm really disappointed they went for the single port for everything.
And battery life is good but not phenomenal, so it may be ok to have the single port if the laptop would last for 12hours, but during the day you'd need to plug in something in the USB port, then plug it in the afternoon because you're running out of battery.

Of course I'd love to have a fanless Mac and performances are quite good for that kind of machine, but they really need to work on the battery life.
And I wouldn't say no to a 14'' model so thin, so light and fanless.
Is really hard to work for a full day on a 12'' display, even if it's a retina one
 
Thank you, it's good to see that there are a few people that can see the problems with their obsession with design over real problems like speed and bugs, ports etc, not to mention price.

'Design' also encompasses how something works. I didn't mean to imply that a design-centric approach is bad. But yes, I think we both agree that Apple often plays dangerously close to that 'form over function' line.

For the most part that's why I comment on this forum to hopefully make people understand that everything Apple does is not always in our favour, I'm not even sure there's anything they do in our favour.

Ooh, that last bit's a bit harsh don't you think?! We have Apple to thank for bringing some truly wonderful ideas to market over the years, and for pushing the whole industry towards more user-friendly hardware and software.

In terms of price, remember that Apple had a lot to do with the fall in software prices if you followed the progress of the App Store. Apple also led by example here, steadily dropping the price of OS X, to where it's now free. Yes, their hardware has huge markups (that's where they make their billions), but the software is incredibly good value (in my opinion). It's a very clever strategy, that benefits Apple more than the rest of the industry that's for sure! But since you're talking about what's in 'our favour', I think it's only fair to point out that consumers have benefited from cheaper software.

I was hoping to buy more Apple products in the future, but the future is looking bleak for me, because I'm not a fashionista.

I certainly won't be buying an Apple Watch anytime soon. I don't see a compelling reason to get it at all, and I can do without another device to charge every night. And the whole exclusive gold watch thing, as others have remarked, seems oddly out of place with Steve's original vision for Apple, of creating 'the computer for the rest of us'. I mean, it's fine that Apple has created a new revenue stream and given the filthy rich another way to part with their money—I'm just not sure it's in the best interests of the Apple brand as a whole.

One thing I will say is that I'm very impressed the way Microsoft is forging ahead, I have bought a couple of their tablets lately, and I'm very impressed to say the least, also Windows 10 looks set to be a great OS, although I loved Windows 8.1 as well.

I've been impressed with the design aesthetics coming out of Microsoft ever since Windows Phone 7. At the time, Apple was up to its neck in kitsch and skeumorphism. I never, ever thought I'd say it, but Microsoft was leading the way in design here.

However, I have to say, I've been less impressed when actually having to use anything Microsoft. I've always hated Word, with a passion. I haven't had to use Windows for many years now, but I have played around with it recently (albeit briefly), and I still find it much less usable than OS X. So Apple still have a clear lead here IMO.

I also happen to think Apple's strategy, of seeing PCs and tablets as different device categories, is the better one. I don't think Microsoft went that way because it made sense for the user. I think it made good business sense for Microsoft, because they had the dominant marketshare in PC operating systems, and wanted to leverage that to become dominant in mobile operating systems. It worked for them in the browser wars, until people finally woke up and realised that Internet Explorer really sucked and there were better alternatives. But I digress! (Sorry, as a part-time web developer for many years, I still have nightmares about CSS rendering in IE!)

You touched a raw nerve :D
I like thin products of course but why sacrifice the Magsafe to reduce the size in this Mac? I could live with only two ports, one for charging and the other to connect peripherals and I'm really disappointed they went for the single port for everything.

Couldn't agree more. Ridiculous decision.

Apologists keep telling us that Apple makes other laptops, for those of us who want to plug in peripherals. Fair enough, but Apple, in its own marketing, is calling this 'the future of the notebook'. That's what scares me the most!

And battery life is good but not phenomenal, so it may be ok to have the single port if the laptop would last for 12hours, but during the day you'd need to plug in something in the USB port, then plug it in the afternoon because you're running out of battery.

Yes, they went to extraordinary lengths to squeeze more battery into a thin, tapered enclosure. Fine. But why so thin? Why not add a millimetre or two back on and take it from good battery life to great battery life? That's the kind of thing most customers would cheer for.
 
Yes, they went to extraordinary lengths to squeeze more battery into a thin, tapered enclosure. Fine. But why so thin? Why not add a millimetre or two back on and take it from good battery life to great battery life? That's the kind of thing most customers would cheer for.

That's the same thing we always ask about iPhone 6. Why putting a protruding camera instead of making a thicker iPhone with more room for battery?
They are obsessed by the thickness and weight of their product and obviously they have to compromise on battery life
 
Does anyone know where the option to build 1.3ghz is on the website?

First you select the color, then the storage and when you check out with the green button it takes you to the page where you can select the CPU, AC and accessories
 
Not even close.

That said, the poster now claims he was joking.

Ah, OK - hadn't gotten that far.

I am due to replace an MBP from 2008. Until recently I planned on replacing it with a 15" rMBP. But back on 08 it was a main machine (for web design work, with some relatively light Illustrator / Photoshop / Indesign use as its most intensive work). Now I have an iMac, the laptop would be more for taking out to clients, and less grunt work, and used in the house more by my wife for general email / internet etc.

So having seen the new Macbook I'm seriously considering it - so am trying to figure out who is mostly right out of the two camps:

- anyone who buys a MB over a 13" rMBP or MBA is an idiot.
- anyone who thinks the above without realising that the MB almost certainly will be fast enough for its intended usage, plus has added portability and - let's face it, so sue me - it looks amazing, is an idiot.
 
So having seen the new Macbook I'm seriously considering it - so am trying to figure out who is mostly right out of the two camps:

- anyone who buys a MB over a 13" rMBP or MBA is an idiot.
- anyone who thinks the above without realising that the MB almost certainly will be fast enough for its intended usage, plus has added portability and - let's face it, so sue me - it looks amazing, is an idiot.

Look no further than the MBA.

In many ways, its first version was similar to this first MacBook. It had one USB port, only accessible via a door. It had a 480p camera. In its standard configuration, it even came with a hard drive; the SSD was at a premium. It started at $1799; with the SSD and a better CPU, it cost a whopping $3098.

Two and a half years down the road, you get a different picture: an 11-inch variant, a second USB port, no more door, a beefier, longer-lasting battery, SSD comes standard. (It took almost another two years until the camera became 720p, oddly enough.) This model? $1299.

The key takeaway is that, if you do buy this model, you'll be an early adopter. Future revisions will carry a lower price tag and fewer WTF aspects.
 
Look no further than the MBA.

In many ways, its first version was similar to this first MacBook. It had one USB port, only accessible via a door. It had a 480p camera. In its standard configuration, it even came with a hard drive; the SSD was at a premium. It started at $1799; with the SSD and a better CPU, it cost a whopping $3098.

Two and a half years down the road, you get a different picture: an 11-inch variant, a second USB port, no more door, a beefier, longer-lasting battery, SSD comes standard. (It took almost another two years until the camera became 720p, oddly enough.) This model? $1299.

The key takeaway is that, if you do buy this model, you'll be an early adopter. Future revisions will carry a lower price tag and fewer WTF aspects.

I would rule out the MBA because of the screen.

I definitely agree that in a couple of years the MB will mature and fall in price like the MBA did, but our current machine is coming up to eight years old, and really struggles these days. So its got to the point where it needs to be replaced really. I'm definitely not one of those people who looks at replacing a machine every year or two.

As you say - the main thing that really bumped up the price of the Air at the time was the high cost of SSD / Flash storage.
 
- anyone who buys a MB over a 13" rMBP or MBA is an idiot.
- anyone who thinks the above without realising that the MB almost certainly will be fast enough for its intended usage, plus has added portability and - let's face it, so sue me - it looks amazing, is an idiot.

Whatever happened to finding out what works best for you as an individual? I don't get why people feel the need to tell others what kind of computer they should (and even more perplexingly, shouldn't) buy.

In other words, anyone who subscribes to one of those two camps is an idiot. :D
 
Whatever happened to finding out what works best for you as an individual? I don't get why people feel the need to tell others what kind of computer they should (and even more perplexingly, shouldn't) buy.

In other words, anyone who subscribes to one of those two camps is an idiot. :D

I'd completely agree, but without sucking it to see its difficult to know for sure.

If I was to say I was probably going to get a MB because I was pretty sure it would work best for me as an individual because its not to going to be my main machine, so the things I value most are: portability, retina display and looks. Far more than power and performance.

Some people might say I would be surprised at how much it might struggle with even light Adobe type work, so would be best advised to go for the 13" rMBP. Others might say that its all relative, and whilst the MB may not be the most powerful machine, so long as you're not doing video editing, or a lot of intensive image processing, it should be fine.
 
Lol god awful weak cpu and huge compromise on usability and function by eliminating essential ports.
the only target market for this product is people who like some fashion accessory device just to update their facebook,type a letter and search google.yet they can do all that already on ipad with fraction of the asking price.
such a backward,underpowered and limited machine.

That doesn't sound like it describes me, yet I'm seriously thinking about getting the new Macbook.

For me it sounds pretty much perfect - portability and weight to match the MBA and a screen to match the MBP retinas (albeit a little smaller).

I'll certainly admit that I think it looks great and that's part of the appeal. But for me the ports aren't essential at all. My main machine will be my iMac, and the Macbook would be secondary to that to take to meetings with clients, and do a bit of lighter work on, up to a bit of web design or light Illustrator / Photoshop / InDesign use. Which I'm sure it should be able to manage.

If its as powerful as it needs to be to do all that, then there seems greater utility to me to go for the portability / design over increased power which I won't really notice, or additional ports that I won't need. (At most an USB - USB-C adapter for the occasional use of a thumb drive would pretty much be all I'd need).

I just don't understand this idea that some people decide what they would need / want in a computer, and dismiss anyone else with a different set of needs as simply as some shallow idiot only interested in being fashionable, and somehow at the expense of performance and connectivity.

If anyone is kidding themselves its the people with this bizarre egocentric tunnel vision view of their own world that they wish to transfer on to others.

----------

Who IS the target of this laptop? People who want a rMBP that's 1" smaller diagonally than what Apple currently offers or a MBA but 1" larger and retina? Seems like almost everyone should just buy a 13" rMBP or 11" or 13" MBA instead of the MacBook.

The rMBP is getting on for twice as heavy as the MB. So there is that.
 
The first post you quoted doesn't even qualify as bad fiction. I owned and used the heck out of one for two weeks. I ultimately returned it, but not for reasons having anything to do with power or performance - or ports, by the way. The rMB will do 99% of tasks that 95% of users need to do. The remainder knows who they are and isn't reading threads like this. ;)
 
The first post you quoted doesn't even qualify as bad fiction. I owned and used the heck out of one for two weeks. I ultimately returned it, but not for reasons having anything to do with power or performance - or ports, by the way. The rMB will do 99% of tasks that 95% of users need to do. The remainder knows who they are and isn't reading threads like this. ;)

Out of interest, why did you return it? If the return policy gives you 14 days to try it out, that's what I'll likely do. If it doesn't look like its going to cut it, I'll just swap it for a 13" rMBP. If nothing else, I've probably realised I don't need a 15" any more.
 
Out of interest, why did you return it? If the return policy gives you 14 days to try it out, that's what I'll likely do. If it doesn't look like its going to cut it, I'll just swap it for a 13" rMBP. If nothing else, I've probably realised I don't need a 15" any more.

A few things. I thought I'd like the keyboard, or at least get used to it, but I didn't, and didn't think I was going to. Another issue was that I often need two documents or spreadsheets open side by side and the difference between 12" and 13.3" is just enough to make a practical difference, at least to me. Finally, and in no way related to the rMB, the real world implications of running two laptops became a lot clearer when I started doing it (as opposed to thinking about doing it) - that one's really on me totally, not the rMB. I loved the size, it had all the power I need for daily professional work, retina is mandatory for me (have had and gotten rid of three MBAs) and in real life the ports "issue" was going to be easy to deal with.
 
It isn't crap. It isn't great but crap it is not.

For me the MBA screen is a far bigger deal breaker than all things people are saying are deal breakers for the new MB.

----------

Computers have since forever been valued on performance. The reason you bought a new computer was to get better performance because even a 2-3 year old one was choking just doing the basic tasks. Since a couple of years this is not the case. A three year old computer with SSD and enough RAM will still perform very well on basic tasks.

This is a huge point as far as I can tell. I have pretty much decided to go for the 1.2/512 to replace a late 08 15" MBP. (Which was a main computer then, but this would now be a secondary machine).

The old one has deteriorated over the years - a combination of age, the hard drive performing less well, and maybe running Mavericks on 4GB RAM.

I would assume that a computer now, with more RAM + SSD would generally retain performance for longer. So even if the MB is comparable to a machine from 3 years ago, the difference in performance for non power intensive tasks from then till now would be a lot less than was the case between 2008-2012 say.
 
A few things. I thought I'd like the keyboard, or at least get used to it, but I didn't, and didn't think I was going to. Another issue was that I often need two documents or spreadsheets open side by side and the difference between 12" and 13.3" is just enough to make a practical difference, at least to me. Finally, and in no way related to the rMB, the real world implications of running two laptops became a lot clearer when I started doing it (as opposed to thinking about doing it) - that one's really on me totally, not the rMB. I loved the size, it had all the power I need for daily professional work, retina is mandatory for me (have had and gotten rid of three MBAs) and in real life the ports "issue" was going to be easy to deal with.

The keyboard will be interesting - from some typing in a store it was quite weird, but seemed to be pretty accurate (although I'm not a particularly quick typist). My wife may well hate it though - and as she'll use it quite a lot it may yet be a deal breaker that means changing it.

For a long time I thought real estate would be really important, but now I think its less so as it wouldn't be my main work machine.

Hoping to pick one up today if they have any in stock in our local store, so we'll see.
 
The keyboard will be interesting - from some typing in a store it was quite weird, but seemed to be pretty accurate (although I'm not a particularly quick typist). My wife may well hate it though - and as she'll use it quite a lot it may yet be a deal breaker that means changing it.

For a long time I thought real estate would be really important, but now I think its less so as it wouldn't be my main work machine.

Hoping to pick one up today if they have any in stock in our local store, so we'll see.

The store tables are usually a terrible height for typing... ;)

There is a 14 day return period - use it and find out whether it works for the two of you. I realized that I didn't like it and wasn't going to like it. Honestly, I'm not wild about the current rMBP keyboard. I vastly prefer the Apple wireless BT keyboard. Subtle differences...YMMV.
 
Well, I picked one up, and absolutely love it so far. Haven't done anything too taxing with it yet, but it really is a joy to use.

Ran some Geekbench benchmarks if anyone is interested - the numbers it spat out for the 1.2GHz were:

32 bit
Single core - 2436
Multi core - 4836

64 bit
Single core - 2634
Multi core - 5404
 
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