Sold my macbook - adapter reason

[boltjames]

Exactly: Apple will likely catch up with the rMBP this year for those wanting the rMB`s design & style. All the "bleating" is simply laughable. It `s very simple if the rMB does not meet your needs, then there is a myriad of other options. If you want an rMB with more performance, more ports, it`s coming soon in the guise of the 2016 rMBP.

rMBP is what it is, an Ultraportable at the "bleeding edge" this is Apple`s vision, had they wanted to add more ports, they would have, if they want to produce a more powerful notebook, they would have. Apple chose not too, as both a design & statement of functionality.

Q-6

Why this is so hard for so many to understand continues to amuse me.

The RMB is designed for a specific niche who puts the utmost premium on portability. Apple makes so many notebooks with so many sizes and weights and speeds and storage and legacy port support it's laughable how anyone can complain about the RMB.

If you have a family of 6 to transport you don't scream at Porsche because the 911 only has 2 seats and 2 doors. You shut your mouth and buy your Honda minivan and enjoy its utility.

BJ

 

[aristobrat]

We've discussed on here previously about an executive forgetting their USB dongle and going to make that presentation but can't hook up to the overhead projector. Moving common ports to a dongle like this forsaking the commonality of said ports is just the wrong strategy for a laptop.

Execs forgetting dongles when doing the presentations is something that happens where I work.

None of the thinner laptops the execs here use (MacBook Airs/Pros, Dell XPS 13s, and Lenovo ThinkPad X1s) have had VGA ports (what most of our projectors use) or ethernet ports for years now. Absolutely has not stopped the execs from going out of their way to request these type of laptops, though. They say they want something light to bring along with them when they're traveling around (either on the campus here, or actual "travel" travel). The execs here have all pretty much earned that rank from being fairly smart. If this "dongle issue" were truly an issue, I don't think they'd keep using these notebooks that don't have them. They have a good way of making sure that things that piss them off (or even inconvenience them) don't last long.

Anyhow, our IT department had a sets of loaner dongles just for when they forget theirs. USB-C dongles for the rMB (and other new notebooks adopting USB-C) aren't causing any problems here. #execlife

 

[boltjames]

Apple plans to fix the lack of ports in the mid-2016 update. The reaction people have had to this single port nonsense should be the final nail in the coffin for any future Apple laptop trying to be so silly.

You mean like your refurbished Mac Mini that is a computer that- get this- doesn't come with a screen or a keyboard or a mouse? A computer that doesn't have a DVI port and requires an expensive HDMI-to-DVI adapter?

How all your arguments against the RMB parallel against your refurbished Mac Mini, it never gets old.

BJ

 

[lite426]

I finally couldn't take it anymore and sold my MacBook. I LOVED this laptop. But the adapter being needed for EVERYTHING drove me nuts. External hard drive...random charging of my phone, etc. I just couldn't take anymore searching for the adapter and having the lunky thing hanging off the site.

This laptop was perfect except for this. UGH! Dang you apple for always doing this to us!

People in this thread criticised you for buying the product in the first place, but I think a lot of the time you just don't know how reliant you are on ports, or how much of a hassle the adapters will be, until it gets round to it and you've tried it that way for a while. So I don't blame you, now you've sold it so no problem.

 

[boltjames]

People in this thread criticised you for buying the product in the first place, but I think a lot of the time you just don't know how reliant you are on ports, or how much of a hassle the adapters will be, until it gets round to it and you've tried it that way for a while. So I don't blame you, now you've sold it so no problem.

Great point, you would think that port people would notice that the RMB doesn't have any of the ports they need and, you know, not buy one.

I once took my family of 6 to Disney World and at the hotel I went to the dock and saw and rented one of those 2-person speedboats and when the 6 of us got there later that day and the boat only had 2 seats I screamed at the rental guy because the boat was so small, FU Disney World, what a clown show they're running over there, I'm never going back.

BJ

 

[dogslobber]

Great point, you would think that port people would notice that the RMB doesn't have any of the ports they need and, you know, not buy one.

We did, and we didn't.
[doublepost=1454018793][/doublepost]

How all your arguments against the RMB parallel against your refurbished Mac Mini, it never gets old.

A Mac Mini is a desktop computer whereas a MacBook is a laptop. There's a subtle difference between my Mac Mini and iMacs, compared to my MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Still, keep going...

 

[boltjames]

A Mac Mini is a desktop computer whereas a MacBook is a laptop. There's a subtle difference between my Mac Mini and iMacs, compared to my MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Still, keep going...

To the ignorant, a Mac Mini is an overpriced desktop computer that's missing some very important things like a screen, a keyboard, a mouse, and requires some expensive adapters.

To the ignorant, a Retina MacBook is an overpriced notebook computer that's missing some very important things like a powerful processor, an HD webcam, legacy ports, and requires some expensive adapters.

You're not going to win this one, might as well back down now. The Mac Mini is more weird as a desktop computer than the Retina MacBook is weird as a notebook. You can't embrace the Mac Mini and criticize the RMB as a result. Everything you hate about the RMB apparently are things you can live with with your Mac Mini. Nothing buy hypocrisy here. Let it go.

BJ

 

[dogslobber]

To the ignorant, a Mac Mini is an overpriced desktop computer that's missing some very important things like a screen, a keyboard, a mouse, and requires some expensive adapters.

To the ignorant, a Retina MacBook is an overpriced notebook computer that's missing some very important things like a powerful processor, an HD webcam, legacy ports, and requires some expensive adapters.

You're not going to win this one, might as well back down now. The Mac Mini is more weird as a desktop computer than the Retina MacBook is weird as a notebook. You can't embrace the Mac Mini and criticize the RMB as a result. Everything you hate about the RMB apparently are things you can live with with your Mac Mini. Nothing buy hypocrisy here. Let it go.

Let what go? I don't follow your fixation on the Mac Mini as the source of your punchline. The Mini is a versatile computer with a small footprint that can be hooked up to an external display, e.g. a HDTV, via a native HDMI connector. No expensive dongle needed. Maybe you're thinking of those expensive Monster cables to hook it up? You can get cheaper cables for 5 bucks if you google for them. The Mini is a simply excellent media player for your TV.

 

[burgman]

We did, and we didn't.
[doublepost=1454018793][/doublepost]

A Mac Mini is a desktop computer whereas a MacBook is a laptop. There's a subtle difference between my Mac Mini and iMacs, compared to my MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Still, keep going...

Is that an editorial we or the royal we? Interesting insight into your process. Why do some posters spend so much time on a product forum they don't own and don't like at all? Sad life alert

 

[Acronyc]

The Mac Mini is more weird as a desktop computer than the Retina MacBook is weird as a notebook. You can't embrace the Mac Mini and criticize the RMB as a result. Everything you hate about the RMB apparently are things you can live with with your Mac Mini. Nothing buy hypocrisy here. Let it go.

Just to interject a personal opinion/observation in defense of the Mac mini, I think it is awesome and not at all weird as a desktop. Its a small form factor desktop that has a lot more power and ports than the rMB (HDMI, gigabit ethernet, two Thunderbolt, four USB, SD slot, audio in, and headphone), and is very versatile depending on what you want to use it for.

You can stack a bunch of them as servers that don't take much space; easily use it as a media center PC that nicely fits in with the rest of your equipment that, again, doesn't take much space; or use it as a desktop that saves you space and you can easily take with you when you move.

I have both an rMB and two minis (2012 and 2014) and am very pleased with their functionality. The 2012 mini I use at work alongside a Windows box, the 2014 mini stays at home as a media center/family desktop, and the rMB goes with me everywhere.

I believe they are both niche products, but they are very different, meant for equally different uses, and shouldn't really be compared.

 

[Gav2k]

One port is most certainly not an issue if your set up for it and the device suits your needs

 

[lite426]

Is that an editorial we or the royal we? Interesting insight into your process. Why do some posters spend so much time on a product forum they don't own and don't like at all? Sad life alert

Sad? Are you serious? The whole point of this is it's a discussion forum for different opinions. This forum isn't "MacBook Owners Only" club. Why you spend time here I don't know. Dogslobber is entitled to their view. What's really sad is people like you getting all defensive about what is, let's be honest, a few bits of metal.

 

[t.portis]

Execs forgetting dongles when doing the presentations is something that happens where I work.

None of the thinner laptops the execs here use (MacBook Airs/Pros, Dell XPS 13s, and Lenovo ThinkPad X1s) have had VGA ports (what most of our projectors use) or ethernet ports for years now. Absolutely has not stopped the execs from going out of their way to request these type of laptops, though. They say they want something light to bring along with them when they're traveling around (either on the campus here, or actual "travel" travel). The execs here have all pretty much earned that rank from being fairly smart. If this "dongle issue" were truly an issue, I don't think they'd keep using these notebooks that don't have them. They have a good way of making sure that things that piss them off (or even inconvenience them) don't last long.

Anyhow, our IT department had a sets of loaner dongles just for when they forget theirs. USB-C dongles for the rMB (and other new notebooks adopting USB-C) aren't causing any problems here. #execlife

[doublepost=1454074316][/doublepost]I'm one of those campus executive-types who needs an adapter to present anywhere. However, I carry one in my bag and keep one in my office and car. I also export my Keynote to a PowerPoint file and have it saved on Dropbox. At one time or another over the years, I have ended up using the Dropbox file. I teach presentation skills to faculty and staff, and tell them to always be prepared for the equipment not to work at all.

 

[boltjames]

Just to interject a personal opinion/observation in defense of the Mac mini, I think it is awesome and not at all weird as a desktop.

I have both an rMB and two minis (2012 and 2014) and am very pleased with their functionality. The 2012 mini I use at work alongside a Windows box, the 2014 mini stays at home as a media center/family desktop, and the rMB goes with me everywhere.

I believe they are both niche products, but they are very different, meant for equally different uses, and shouldn't really be compared.

Just to be clear, I'm not anti-Mac Mini. Quite the opposite. I embrace the fact that in 2016 a good tech company had better have a host of niche products to attract the different consumer segments, my beloved RMB wouldn't exist if Apple had a "narrow-and-deep" merchandising philosophy. In fact, if you look at the computer industry and the automotive industry, most strong companies are over-assorting themselves.

Millennials, you see, they like to be different. My BMW 4-Series, for example, didn't exist 5 years ago. BMW used to make a 3 Series in a sedan, convertible, coupe, and station wagon. Today, that 3-Series has turned into a 3 Series, a 4 Series, a 2 Series, SUV's, SAV's, they must have 15 versions of what used to be 4 cars. Their business is through the roof as a result. Audi, Mercedes, they're all doing the same. Tons of derivative models that you could say "who the hell would drive that?" yet without them their sales would be abysmal.

I only point out the parallels of the "weirdness" of the Mini vs. the "weirdness" of the Retina MacBook because one of our prevalent anti-RMB posters owns a Mini and is quite hypocritical in this instance. For all the reasons he embraces his Mini he should understand why we embrace our RMB's.

BJ

 

[aristobrat]

I only point out the parallels of the "weirdness" of the Mini vs. the "weirdness" of the Retina MacBook because one of our prevalent anti-RMB posters owns a Mini and is quite hypocritical in this instance. For all the reasons he embraces his Mini he should understand why we embrace our RMB's.

Love this point. Don't love that it appears to be lost on that person, though. Can't win 'em all, I guess.

 

[joy_ng]

I carry my adaptor, along with my charging block and phone cord in my purse...

..maybe you needed a purse.

 

[MarvinHC]

If you have a family of 6 to transport you don't scream at Porsche because the 911 only has 2 seats and 2 doors. You shut your mouth and buy your Honda minivan and enjoy its utility.

BJ

A better comparison would be a Porsche with only 1 seat. And in order to take a passenger you need a 'seat dongle' that you have to transport on the roof since it doesn't fit inside the car.....

 

[boltjames]

A better comparison would be a Porsche with only 1 seat. And in order to take a passenger you need a 'seat dongle' that you have to transport on the roof since it doesn't fit inside the car.....

That's a terrible comparison as Porsche makes a car that can comfortably fit an entire family had the 911 buyer merely did the research and looked at the Cayenne.

Point being, no Apple notebook consumer could possibly buy a Retina MacBook and discover it didn't have enough ports as an afterthought. The MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are right on the selling floor next to it. They are the SUV of the Apple line, the RMB is the two-seater sportscar. Looking at the sexy 911 and blaming it for not having 5 passenger seating is stupid. It's a sportscar, it's not a utility vehicle.

BJ

 

[tomjleeds]

A better comparison would be a Porsche with only 1 seat. And in order to take a passenger you need a 'seat dongle' that you have to transport on the roof since it doesn't fit inside the car.....

You mean something like a BAC Mono[URL="http://?"]?[/url]

 

[Acronyc]

Just to be clear, I'm not anti-Mac Mini. Quite the opposite. I embrace the fact that in 2016 a good tech company had better have a host of niche products to attract the different consumer segments, my beloved RMB wouldn't exist if Apple had a "narrow-and-deep" merchandising philosophy. In fact, if you look at the computer industry and the automotive industry, most strong companies are over-assorting themselves.

Millennials, you see, they like to be different. My BMW 4-Series, for example, didn't exist 5 years ago. BMW used to make a 3 Series in a sedan, convertible, coupe, and station wagon. Today, that 3-Series has turned into a 3 Series, a 4 Series, a 2 Series, SUV's, SAV's, they must have 15 versions of what used to be 4 cars. Their business is through the roof as a result. Audi, Mercedes, they're all doing the same. Tons of derivative models that you could say "who the hell would drive that?" yet without them their sales would be abysmal.

I only point out the parallels of the "weirdness" of the Mini vs. the "weirdness" of the Retina MacBook because one of our prevalent anti-RMB posters owns a Mini and is quite hypocritical in this instance. For all the reasons he embraces his Mini he should understand why we embrace our RMB's.

BJ

Understood, and a well stated point about the parallels. I also like that Apple makes these niche products and wholeheartedly embrace them. They have both worked fantastic for my needs.

 

[lite426]

That's a terrible comparison as Porsche makes a car that can comfortably fit an entire family had the 911 buyer merely did the research and looked at the Cayenne.

Point being, no Apple notebook consumer could possibly buy a Retina MacBook and discover it didn't have enough ports as an afterthought. The MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are right on the selling floor next to it. They are the SUV of the Apple line, the RMB is the two-seater sportscar. Looking at the sexy 911 and blaming it for not having 5 passenger seating is stupid. It's a sportscar, it's not a utility vehicle.

BJ

I wouldn't call the MacBook a sportscar, it's the slowest of the lot! I'd say the 15 inch with dGPU is the sportscar. Maybe the better equivalent would be those really compact cars designed to park in tight spaces and low on fuel consumption, I forget what they're called?

 

[thingstoponder]

I finally couldn't take it anymore and sold my MacBook. I LOVED this laptop. But the adapter being needed for EVERYTHING drove me nuts. External hard drive...random charging of my phone, etc. I just couldn't take anymore searching for the adapter and having the lunky thing hanging off the site.

This laptop was perfect except for this. UGH! Dang you apple for always doing this to us!

You make it sounds like Apple could have given you the same great laptop but with a bunch of ports. There's no room for other ports other than the headphone jack.

 

[jfriedman8]

If they add a second USB C port on the next iteration, doesnt that make most of this irrelevant then?

 

[lite426]

You make it sounds like Apple could have given you the same great laptop but with a bunch of ports. There's no room for other ports other than the headphone jack.

Maybe what he means to suggest is: "so MAKE room". Maybe he wants the lightness of the MacBook Air with the improved retina display from the MacBook. So it would be a little bit thicker but it'd have room for just one more USB-C port. JUST one more, nobody here appears to care about the loss of the SD card slots and could probably live without full size USB slots etc. Because they could just leave one of those really small adapters plugged in and forget about it, instead of taking it out everytime to charge. And I don't think that's unreasonable to have expected Apple could have made that laptop as well as this, but business is business and there'd be too much product overlap.

 

[boltjames]

I wouldn't call the MacBook a sportscar, it's the slowest of the lot! I'd say the 15 inch with dGPU is the sportscar. Maybe the better equivalent would be those really compact cars designed to park in tight spaces and low on fuel consumption, I forget what they're called?

Sportscar: Form factor means everything, sexy design prioritized over utility.

RMB: Form factor means everything, sexy design prioritized over utility.

Minivan: Designed to handle it all, tremendously configurable, large size, large capacity.

Air/Pro: Designed to handle it all, tremendously configurable, large size, large capacity.

BJ