Slimmer 13-Inch and 15-Inch MacBook Pros Reportedly in Production

[Hammie]

Everything I use my mid-2010 17" MBP for can be installed via download... I would not mind using an external ODD. I already use an external HDD for my photographs...

As a matter of fact, the ONLY thing I have ever used the ODD for was to rip DVDs and CDs for iTunes. I am doing that at a desk anyways, so an external ODD would be no big deal for me.

I'm sure others would use the internal ODD more than I do, but I truly think that number is diminishing quickly, especially with things like the Mac App Store, Amazon Download, and most companies allowing you to instantly download and install their products.

I still keep all my original downloaded install files in a single folder which is on my NAS running RAID.

Just my two cents...

 

[jmgregory1]

*Old man rant about Final Cut, versatility, low cost of tapes, playback on decks and other DV camcorders, using the camcorder as a cheap deck*

Ha, what some of these "tech savvy" kids just don't realize - you have to have lived through these transitions to understand. One of those "when I was a kid" things I remember to this day - I had one of the electronics kits from Tandy/Radio Shack that allowed you to make all kinds of different things. Back then, I had thought about making a music storage device that had no moving parts, but just couldn't figure out in my head how to get the recorded sound to play back in time and not just all at once.

And that Canon DV camcorder I had was a replacement for the Sony 8mm, hoping that I could re-record all the 8mm tapes of my first child I had recorded. I think I copied one or two of the 40+ tapes I had before being so frustrated by the fact that they recorded no faster than what the playback was. And that the DV tapes often had flaws, making the recording worthless (and expensive).

And how I went from vinyl to tape to cd all within the course of 7 years back in the 80's.

 

[KnightWRX]

Going back to my point for those who prefer to contribute intelligently, what I was meaning is that I am sure, in the first six months, a couple of occasions will arise when I wish I still had an integrated optical drive - i.e. "Oh, I'll stick it on a CD for you," or "I'll put in on disk for the car," but none of those situations are dealbreakers for me.

I was also sure of that back in October 2010. I have still not had to plop down the 35$.

 

[D.T.]

Eloquently put. The few professional tasks requiring an ODD are typically not performed on the fly, away from a desk. And an external ODD can be kept by a desk, or in a bag, if necessary.

Whether there are uses for ODDs is not the debate; there are, and many people utilize them. The real debate is to whom Apple is marketing, and the trend seems to be to mobile professionals. The MBA is perfectly suited for office types on the go, and the MacBook Pro should meet the needs of more demanding power users.

Ultimately, the ODD is a hindrance to mobility. It is one (more than one, really) additional moving part with the potential to break. It is one more part demanding power from the battery. It takes up about 15"^3 internal space which could be eliminated or re-purposed for a larger battery, improved storage, or additional I/O controllers.

If Apple kills the ODD in its mobile line, it is not because it is declaring optical media dead. It is because it is declaring optical media less relevant to the majority of its mobile users than whatever replaces it.

This is a terrific post, and pretty much my line of thought. Particularly in the value of the space (and power consumption) recovered from losing the ODD.

I had a situation where I was onsite, couldn’t use the local network or writable storage, so needed an optical, but I knew way in advance, and since I was already lugging a notebook bag, I could’ve easily packed in an external drive.

I originally cited the ODD in my “pros” column when I was considering a MBP, and while I have used it a few times, it’s 98% of the time been at my desk (with my other peripherals, and then only to make picture DVDs for Grandma or occasionally rip a movie for the iPad )

I’ll put it this way, after having the drive: I’d take my current MBP thinner/lighter and/or better battery life vs. the ODD (assuming no loss of 8GB+ RAM option and the current ports).

 

[wolfpackfan]

It's not an ultrabook, but I think it's time to let go. CD's and DVD's are getting less relevant every day.

I agree. I can't remember the last time I used a CD or DVD. Why tote that extra weight around when you can just plug in an external drive when you need one.

 

[Viking23]

It appears to me that a lot of Macbook pro users also have a desktop, either at home or at work. One solution might be to share out the ODD on the desktop and access over the home or office network. I have used this method in the past and it always worked well for me.

However, I would like to see an ethernet port on any new machines. The number of times I have been in hotels where the wireless network is not up to much, but they have a network point in the rooms, at a cost. I don't think that we are totally in a position to do away with the ethernet connection yet.

 

[KnightWRX]

It appears to me that a lot of Macbook pro users also have a desktop, either at home or at work. One solution might be to share out the ODD on the desktop and access over the home or office network. I have used this method in the past and it always worked well for me.

However, I would like to see an ethernet port on any new machines. The number of times I have been in hotels where the wireless network is not up to much, but they have a network point in the rooms, at a cost. I don't think that we are totally in a position to do away with the ethernet connection yet.

The USB Ethernet adapter works fine for those cases. There's no wireless at my workplace, I just bring along the USB Ethernet adapter and use that.

 

[zgwortz]

...It's NOT, BTW, the same as when they pulled floppy drives - because they had a sufficient replacement for them in the optical drives. (USB sticks are *not* a sufficient replacement for optical drives, sorry.)...

The internet is a sufficient replacement?

I have never used my optical drive, or a usb stick. All my data is stored online where i can fetch it at any time. All of my software is bought online and downloaded. It is just so much more efficient.

I understand the optical drive is still useful and I am sure there will be the odd time where I wish I had it to burn a dvd/cd while on the go but the majority of the time it will be just a waste of space.

No, the Internet is NOT a sufficient replacement. Contrary to popular belief, the internet is not accessible everywhere. About half my internet access on the road is solely because I have a tethering plan turned on for my iPhone, and there are *many* areas where even that doesn't work (not counting things like plane flights and the like), and even when it does work, I have limits on how much data I can download - which would, maybe, cover the use of about 5 CDs worth of data a month, or a bit over a single full DVD.

I do think there's room in the market for Air-like products without an Optical Drive, and Pro-like products *with* an Optical drive. But removing the optical drive in the Pro line right now is Just Wrong.

 

[linux2mac]

Going back to my point for those who prefer to contribute intelligently, what I was meaning is that I am sure, in the first six months, a couple of occasions will arise when I wish I still had an integrated optical drive - i.e. "Oh, I'll stick it on a CD for you," or "I'll put in on disk for the car," but none of those situations are dealbreakers for me.

Absolutely. None are deal breakers for me either. I will be eagerly awaiting the release of the new slim MBP's!

 

[mcman77]

I will be buying the new iPad along with the new TV shortly along with the Zaggfolio and other accessories.

I will probably go for the 15" MBP as a desktop replacement when updated.

However, I will have plenty of time to decide whether the iPad/MBP combo will suit me. If I need a smaller portable with OSX I will probably opt for an additional 11"/13" MBA.

I'm not too sure about what combo to save up for either. Its hard for me to justify a MBP 15" though, since with the same money you can get a iMac and a iPhone or ipad+ some left over

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

And so it begins...the destruction of free choice 3rd party software. Between Lion prepping controls to wipe out the user's ability to install anything not installed by the App Store and the loss of media drives, the inevitable is clearly on the horizon.

And despite Steve Jobs LIES about Blu-Ray being a "bag of hurt", it is now obvious that the Mac will NEVER support them regardless of how cheap or easy it is to do so. Instead, you get iTunes Vision...low bandwidth 1080p that doesn't come close to Blu-Ray while PC users laugh their arses off with their TRUE HIGH-END capable home theaters based on Windows PCs. Macs are once again (or rather still) 2nd class citizens in the real world of home theater (and gaming for that matter). I guess Apple will never wake up to the fact that some people want professional computers and some people want high-end game rigs and they cater to neither, but rather to the mediocre "I just like to surf and do e-mail" person who might as well just get an iPad and be done with it. It's a sad day for the true Apple fan who isn't pleased by the dumbing down of a once great computer system.

 

[Cubytus]

One could see it clearly long ago. Mac OS X was never really concerned about optical media reading or creation. No OS X version since Tiger integrated an easy way to burn movies from MKVs, AVIs, OGM, or even from VIDEO_TS folder.
One had to go to 4 different places to: 1- burn images, 2- burn music, 3- edit a movie, 4- burn data discs. Or else, buy third-party software to do so.
Many third-party burning software miserably and inexplicably fail. Or are never updated.

On the other hand, I use the ODD pretty regularly: for the sake of PC compatibility, bootable CDs and DVDs are still the best way and most compatible way to troubleshoot a PC, install a Linux distribution, hand over data to people, quickly install loads of software. That are commonly done on a table, but not necessarily on a desk.

As a form of protests, I will still hand over data on optical media.

 

[zgwortz]

Eloquently put. The few professional tasks requiring an ODD are typically not performed on the fly, away from a desk. And an external ODD can be kept by a desk, or in a bag, if necessary.

Whether there are uses for ODDs is not the debate; there are, and many people utilize them. The real debate is to whom Apple is marketing, and the trend seems to be to mobile professionals. The MBA is perfectly suited for office types on the go, and the MacBook Pro should meet the needs of more demanding power users.

Ultimately, the ODD is a hindrance to mobility. It is one (more than one, really) additional moving part with the potential to break. It is one more part demanding power from the battery. It takes up about 15"^3 internal space which could be eliminated or re-purposed for a larger battery, improved storage, or additional I/O controllers.

If Apple kills the ODD in its mobile line, it is not because it is declaring optical media dead. It is because it is declaring optical media less relevant to the majority of its mobile users than whatever replaces it.

I disagree with that logic. By that logic, since *most* professionals don't need high resolution screens, external video connectors, Thunderbolt ports, or higher end graphics chips in their day to day use, then the Macbook Pro ought to be minimalized to what's commonly used by the vast majority of professionals, and they shouldn't do anything to cater to anyone who needs anything more than that. Foolish and shortsighted.

It is quite clear from this thread alone that there are plenty of professionals who use the ODD for daily tasks, many on the road. There are probably just as many who use it for less frequent tasks where having an external drive might be a hinderance, such as watching a DVD on your laptop during a plane trip. There are plenty of NON professionals who use MBPs, like college students, who use it regularly for a wide variety of other tasks. Most software is *still* distributed on optical disk, and the vast majority of MBP users probably use their optical disk at *least* once a month if not more often.

Those naysayers want more battery space, or an extra disk drive, and are therefore happy to tell EVERYONE who needs an ODD for ANY purpose that we can go buy a bulky external ODD and lug it around in our bags. Which is, as noted above, the vast majority of MBP users. Apple will be shooting themselves in the foot if they remove it from the MBP without at least providing it as an option.

Apple is *already* marketing laptops aimed at the mobile professional market who don't need an ODD -- it's called the Macbook Air. Taking the ODD out of the Macbook Pro simply blurs the lines between the two product categories, and makes the MBP less compelling. What they *ought* to be doing isn't removing the ODD, but putting something *better* in, like a Blu-ray drive. IMHO.

 

[xxBURT0Nxx]

The USB Ethernet adapter works fine for those cases. There's no wireless at my workplace, I just bring along the USB Ethernet adapter and use that.

might be alright for home/work/hotel internet, but people who use it for file transfer are not going to be happy about using the adapter.

And with only two usb ports, having to use one for a *slow* ethernet adapter is kind of a joke. Just leave the freaking ethernet port.

and why are people acting like getting rid of the ODD is going to save battery life??? It's not like it sits there and spins when it's not in use.

^^ and saying that "It is quite clear from this thread alone that there are plenty of professionals who use the ODD for daily tasks, many on the road" really means nothing. This forum represents MAYBE 1% of mac users. This thread represents even LESS, and therefore the people in this thread claiming they NEED and ODD represents such a miniscule percentage of mac owners that trying to say, SEE WE NEED THEM, really means nothing.

 

[KnightWRX]

might be alright for home/work/hotel internet, but people who use it for file transfer are not going to be happy about using the adapter.

We're talking about an unreleased product with probably USB 3. A USB3 gigabit adapter would be perfect.

 

[Cubytus]

I disagree with that logic. By that logic, since *most* professionals don't need high resolution screens, external video connectors, Thunderbolt ports, or higher end graphics chips in their day to day use, then the Macbook Pro ought to be minimalized to what's commonly used by the vast majority of professionals, and they shouldn't do anything to cater to anyone who needs anything more than that. Foolish and shortsighted.

With "positive" additions, such as more powerful GPUs and higher-resolution display, it may has to do with commodity. When it's readily available, doesn't cost more than previous technology, why not include it?

"Negative" evolution is a bit more tricky to justify, unless it has to do with obviously obsolete hardware, such as diskettes already were, back in 1998.

Except shaving weight, what will the new "MBP" provide ?

Most software is *still* distributed on optical disk, and the vast majority of MBP users probably use their optical disk at *least* once a month if not more often.

That's true, to an extent. Many major software also have a downloadable format, in addition to their hard copy. For the rest of us, one can assume that Apple inferred ODD sold through the last 2 years across its lines. Considering the Air success in that timeframe, it may indicate, at first sight, that ODD aren't a necessity for many people now... Of course forgetting happily that most people don't change computers every two years, but some fortunate folks do add a computer to their collection.

Those naysayers want more battery space, or an extra disk drive, and are therefore happy to tell EVERYONE who needs an ODD for ANY purpose that we can go buy a bulky external ODD and lug it around in our bags. Which is, as noted above, the vast majority of MBP users. Apple will be shooting themselves in the foot if they remove it from the MBP without at least providing it as an option.

Depends on the size of your bag.

If, like me, you like the lean version, anything that must be appended for the computer to work on the road is basically a design fault. But most american bags are heeeeuuuge (like people lol) plus, they go by car, not foot or public transit, hence lugging yet another peripheral doesn't seem daunting.

Taking the ODD out of the Macbook Pro simply blurs the lines between the two product categories, and makes the MBP less compelling. What they *ought* to be doing isn't removing the ODD, but putting something *better* in, like a Blu-ray drive. IMHO.

We're speculating about something that isn't out yet.

Will they double battery life? Add storage? Shave quarters of inches around the screen? I have a hard time figuring out what else than these could be put in the saved space.

might be alright for home/work/hotel internet, but people who use it for file transfer are not going to be happy about using the adapter.

And with only two usb ports, having to use one for a *slow* ethernet adapter is kind of a joke. Just leave the freaking ethernet port.

Even with USB 3, it will still be heavily dependant upon host CPU power, that would better be spent on other tasks. And indeed, only two USB ports, some of us considered it insufficient.

 

[AidenShaw]

Even with USB 3, it will still be heavily dependant upon host CPU power, that would better be spent on other tasks.

You are aware that USB 3.0 is more CPU-efficient than earlier USB versions, right?

The "USB is a CPU hog" mantra is so last-century....

Not to mention the fact that most systems have multiple cores that are simply idle most of the time, so some extra CPU cycles spent handling USB traffic are just noise.

If you're transcoding (with a multi-core aware codec) a multi-GB video file reading from one USB 3.0 drive and writing to a different USB 3.0 drive - you might be able to measure the effects of the CPU load. If you're doing it from/to the same USB 3.0 drive, delays due to head movements will be far, far greater than any CPU load effects. (And with normal multi-buffering, much of the extra CPU load will be hidden in the head movement delays.)

 

[xxBURT0Nxx]

We're talking about an unreleased product with probably USB 3. A USB3 gigabit adapter would be perfect.

Even IF we get usb 3, doesn't help the fact that there are only 2 usb ports.

 

[Dark Goob]

Yeah. * In their cars , auido/video systems, *XBox/PS3 , etc. * *Most people own a CD/DVD player. Many people own multiple ones. * They don't need a laptop to play them. * Sony Disman's (or any portable CD player) are not major sellers anymore.*

What people don't need is people like you, who think they know better than everyone else, telling them what they need or should want.

Seriously, get off your damn high horse!

* *However, it is highly dubious that there is a study that shows most laptop users *play *CD/DVDs 15 minutes per day. * Just as it is highly dubious that there is a study that shows most *TV *users play CD/DVDs with a player inside their TV. * * TV+DVD combos exist but they are not the dominate format, nor particularly desirable for most people to buy either.*

The studies just show that people use DVDs a lot. Macs are computers that people buy to do video editing, photo editing, etc. Whenever I send a home movie to my grandma or provide the video from a wedding I shot to a friend, or send a video slideshow made with iDVD to my parents, I burn it onto DVD. When I do a photo shoot in the field for a client I often burn them a DVD or two right on the spot, so that they don't have to try to download 4 gigs or 8 gigs off of my server (and I don't have to waste many hours uploading those gigs, either).

*DVD is cheap and practical for all these purposes. It is a necessity to me, and it is virtually a necessity therefore. I already jam my MacBook Pro into a camera bag's laptop slot, and often times there is literally no space for even a thin external DVD burner, which would likely get crushed unless it was made of titanium or steel.

*All the el-cheapo external DVD burners that I've seen are total pieces of plastic, and I would not trust them to survive on the road or in the field. I buy Apple laptops because they are the most solidly built, by far.*

*LOL. *If you want the most outdated version of some products drivers you take the CD-ROM that was pressed 6-16 months ago.*

* *Do the patches and security updates for that software also solely come on CD's ? *

* *Software installation is one of the poorest excuses for permanently inserting a DVD reader in a laptop. *It is something that doesn't happen that often. *An external drive at home (where going to keep the device's CD-ROM anyway) works just fine. * No one is saying remove DVD/CD drives from the market entirely. *They are saying you don't have to carry one around with you everywhere you go. *They are not used everywhere and all the time by a large number of people.*

My GF's dad has no internet. We were visiting him from out of town. I wanted to print a photo using a Kodak scanner/printer thing he just bought, and I was able to use that device's install CD to put the drivers onto my Mac. I doubt they were the latest version, but it worked fine. I was able to print two photos of his daughters and nephew for him.*

I am certain that if the DVD drive was not built-in, then I would never have brought one with me on that trip, since I had no reason to expect that I'd need one while visiting her dad for 3 days. But boy did it come in handy!

*You are equally delusional if you think it is the the opposite ratio. * It is not 100-to-1 but laptop DVD/CD-ROMs are not the bulk of those format's active daily drive usage at all. *

You don't know that for a fact. You are just speculating. For all you know, it is from laptops. My GF works at the central library in Portland. They have a large collection of materials on CD and DVD. She tells me that patrons often bring in laptops to use these discs, some of which are not allowed to be checked out. And that is just one example.

* You don't loose it by it not being permanently enclosed inside the device. *There are external devices.*

Removing a necessary feature and not even keeping the option to get it is not minimalism. It's impoverishment and crippling.

*
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/MRSSBD4X/

* *If you need it and it has value for you, just buy one. * For a fixed place of business (an immobile computer) *there is no significant difference. *You can "subvert" Apple's jihad against Blu-ray at the same time by buying one. * *If all you do is wave your arms in the air about Apple not selling you a Blu-ray drive and don't buy them ...... *Apple is winning that debate.*

I have bought a Blu-Ray. It's in the lower bay of my Mac Pro, where it's been for two years now.

* * There real issue being swept under the rug is that the assumption that the "lowest common denominator" storage format is the CD-ROM is being rendered obsolete with the removal of the ODD. * *Well that already happened years ago with the MBA. *That horse left the barn a while back.*

MBA was never something that anyone thought defined the "lowest common denominator." Rather, it was a stripped-down, sub-minimal machine that sacrifices many capabilities in order to be as small and light as possible, meanwhile costing a lot more than 'tops of normal weight. So yeah, you're wrong.

* *Nor it is some high tech nerd thing to use USB Flash drives for "Sneaker Net" storage. *

Who said it was? But it really ticks me off when people hand me a nasty, linty USB stick from their pocket and expect me to put it into the USB ports that I depend on for my livelihood. I usually have to unplug something to accomodate their stick, and just pray that I'm not accidentally unplugging my hard drive.

Realize that if you screw up your DVD drive from overusing it, then you will only have to replace a relatively inexpensive part -- but if you screw up your USB ports, then you will have to replace your entire logic board at great expense.

* " .... The first design decision the Tulis made was to give the Aakash a full-sized USB port. “Most tablets out there have mini- or micro-USB ports, or even proprietary ports like the iPad,” says Tuli. “But the way that Indians carry around and manage data is the USB stick. ... A USB stick is how urban Indians carry their lives around.” *...."*
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2012/01/08/the-inside-story-of-indias-50-computer-tablet/*

* *This whole notion that USB drives aren't on the huge upswing with non-nerds for "sneaker net" file distribution is a joke.*

* *They don't clearly dominate CD-ROMs in terms of being super cheap but far more "computer like" *devices have some sort of USB connectivity in the world than ODDs. *ODDs are not the singular lowest common denominator anymore.

Once again, you are purely speculating. But the facts are against you... Go to any public library and you will likely find an extensive collection of music CDs and some movies on DVD. You will also find many books that come with a supplementary DVD inside.*

Yes, I get it, that I could bring some craptastic external DVD drive around with me, but I already lived through that kind of nonsense with my old PowerBook 100 and its external floppy drives, or my PowerBook Duo 280 and its external floppy drives. I tried with my WallStreet G3 to do the whole two hard drives thing for awhile, and eschew the CD drive, but it was a nightmare since I just hate having extra pieces of crap to haul around with me.*

I am totally fine with it if Apple wants to just offer the internal DVD only as a BTO option with the 15" MBP, or whatever -- as long as it's still available for those of us who (a) live in the real world; (b) hate dongles and attachments eating up our valuable USB ports, taking up space in our bags, and getting broken, etc.; and (c) find them to be incredibly useful.

I am truly happy for you if you have found a life free of discs entirely. But don't try to enforce your way of life on me, please.*

I like optical discs. They are very useful. I have a huge collection of them.*I want my 15" MBP to have a DVD drive. Even better would be it to have a Blu-Ray drive.*

A 16GB USB stick costs $13 on Amazon, while it's $32 for a stack of 10 50-year-archival BD-R 25GB 6x discs on eBay.*A 6x BD-R writes at 27 megabytes (216 megabits) per second. The fastest drives read the blue-ray discs at double that speed!

Meanwhile the fastest USB stick I could easily Google up was the Corsair *Flash Voyager GTR, which writes at just under 30MB/sec, and costs more at least $55 for a 32GB version. It only reads at 34MB/sec, much slower than 54MB/sec Blu-Ray 12x read speeds.*

I can safely conclude that compared to USB sticks, Blu-Ray is a faster, much cheaper way to store data. It is incidentally also much more archival and has a much lower carbon footprint to manufacture when compared to hard drives, for instance. A Blu-Ray disc is much easier to archive data on because you can write what is on the disc, on the disc itself; you can store the disc in a plastic case with its own label and insertable book that can say what is on the disc, etc.

I am very leery of cloud services where the user must agree to all sorts of legal terms and the user does not actually own anything or have the rights to anything. Apple could suddenly one day simply stop offering the iCloud service, and indeed you would simply lose all your data that is stored in it.

In fact I am willing to bet all my Apple shares that in 50 years from now, my Blu-Ray archive is still viable and readable, but iCloud is long gone and nobody even remembers what it was.

 

[KnightWRX]

Even IF we get usb 3, doesn't help the fact that there are only 2 usb ports.

That's not an issue. I've been living fine with 2 USB ports for quite a while.

 

[Santabean2000]

@Dark Goob

Seriously? Seriously??

Wow. Someone is a little too emotionally attached to his (not so) SuperDrive.

Sorry man, but it's time to amputate that gangrenous ODD. Really. You'll feel much better without it. Promise.

I can hear Tim sharpening the saw now!

 

[xxBURT0Nxx]

That's not an issue. I've been living fine with 2 USB ports for quite a while.

not an issue for you...

don't speak for others.

 

[KnightWRX]

not an issue for you...

don't speak for others.

What issue do you see arising ? I'm speaking from first hand experience, not from idle speculation for "end of the world" scenarios and forum whining.

 

[BeamWalker]

I guess that very much depends on how you use your Macbook. When it's your only device and you use it as a desktop replacement, 2 USB Ports might be an issue. If you have it as a second machine for couch or occasional use or of course mobile use I at least didn't run into USB Port issues just yet. And if you don't use a couple of external Harddrives at once that really need bandwith you can always use a USB Hub.

I just hope lets say Apple integrates USB 3 they won't ditch the Firewire Port. I have not only FW 800 harddrives but audio equipment as well. Upgrading all of those would be a much greater hassle then just staying with my current Macbook Pro.

 

[xxBURT0Nxx]

What issue do you see arising ? I'm speaking from first hand experience, not from idle speculation for "end of the world" scenarios and forum whining.

There are two usb ports on my mbp right now. If I had to use one of them to plug in an ethernet adapter I would be left with one. Now I am forced to use a hub if I want to plug in both my iPad and iPhone. If I want to charge my iPhone and plug in my digital cam. If I want to transfer between two external drives. If I am syncing my iPhone and need to print something off the internet, now I have to unplug something or use a hub. 2 usb ports is simply not enough if I have to use one for a dongle, because my second is pretty much always taken by my iPhone or iPad, which would leave me with no usb ports.

Plenty of real world situations.

Thanks, but you are not the only person in the world who uses a mac every day. Just because you only need 1 usb port (after your first is taken by the adapter) doesn't mean everyone else does.

Only way I would be ok with apple removing the ethernet port would be IF....

they add a 3rd usb port in it's place, and they make at least ONE of the usb ports usb3.