No, because we will be upgrading both anyway. So if this is where Apple is going, now is the time to make the move.
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Steve Jobs on Lack of Firewire in MacBooks
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No, because we will be upgrading both anyway. So if this is where Apple is going, now is the time to make the move.
OK, Steve. Let's talk about video production on Macs. Can we use USB drives for capturing and editing video? Not recommened. You don't even list them among the four hard drive types explained in the FCP user manual. So whereas before, the Macbooks and iBooks could be used as entry level media production computers with FCP, not so anymore. Sure, you can load your fun little AVCHD footage into iMovie and store it on the internal drive--that drive that's running at 5400 RPM and contains all the system files and applications. No one is going to ever recommend doing video production with USB drives, even if cameras connect that way. Sure, you can get your media copied from camcorder to editing system. But then what? Silly.
Maybe Apple is targeting people don't have much issue with the cost. These are the people who will spend and keep the company going, even in a recession. Keep in mind that you can keep going with your old computers, or buy last weeks models for a discount (amazon has great deals right now on MBPs from two days ago), or buy used.
Hence the perceived fit with an intended consumer level notebook? Apple's logic behind cutting iMovie back to focus less on HD content and more on short video (like those taken with digital cameras) should be clear now.
To be honest, some of the loudest complaints are from professionals looking to use a consumer grade laptop to do professional work.
It seems that Apple is missing a market for small laptops with full pro features (not just looks). Since the 12" powerbook, this has fallen off the radar. I actually know people who would prefer to use those dinosaurs than ever buy a MacBook!
like this?
Gosh, a low end Dell with...Firewire?
The thing is....
If Apple, themselves are seen to be dropping Firewire on their (I believe) best selling laptop range, then what message does that send out to the rest of the industry?
no, i'm not watching it on ah HDTV. i don't know what your financial situation is, but not everyone can afford to upgrade to an expensive HDTV, an expensive HD camcorder and an expensive MBP. i have four things that work for me right now. 1) my dv camcorder, 2) my macbook - that is getting old and we were prob going to upgrade around the time rev b of this new macbook would have come out, 3) my tv that isn't HD, 4) my 3 firewire external hard drives.
and as you say, if apple is positioning itself for youtube, casual home users and college kids (all consumer market, not pro market), why are they forcing everyone with current technology to upgrade.
at least when they killed the disc drive on the imac, they offered a solution - buying the external disc drive. same with macbook air - the external superdrive. where's the solution here. it's just, no, forget it. either pay $400 more or F off.
I don't believe Firewire is prosumer. Most anyone with a video camera from the past 5 years needs firewire. They are not prosumers. They are the target audience for ILife/IMovie.
It's like Apple forgot who their target demographic has been for years.
I'm so glad Jobs seems to expect all of us consumers to buy cameras made in the last two years, and HD ones at that! Except, he seems to have missed out that the more casual users use MacBooks (like myself), HD camera owners are more likely to be using a more capable machine, like the Pro. He lost a sale of a MacBook to me, but thankfully I have my older Firewire MacBook which works just fine.
Apple kind of abandoned home-made HD it seems. The current iMovie does not really support HD, whereas the previous version does (although badly). So if you're really serious about HD video and want to stay in Apple land, you need Final Cut. There are cheap HD camcorders out there (Sanyo, they have USB) that are great tripod cameras, but any DV camera beat them in terms of picture quality when you're recording something with motion.
I'm still looking for a working camcorder that does 720p30 (better yet 720p60) and the video isn't pixel blur when you move it around. My little canon powershot (ixus) does motion JPEG compression and it looks awesome, only bad thing is there's no autofocus at all and I can only record up to 7 minutes...
Good Grief! Why not drop Ethernet, too? Or the QWERTY layout, or a Magsafe connector? Ot the 3.5 mm audio connectors?
This is one of the dumbest posts I have seen in a long time
I also have an MB Air and live without Ethernet. My house, most hotels I stay at are wireless, what's the problem? They could also drop a headphone jack because I also have BT headphones (but prefer my old Bose QC2s).
Yes, size. We don't want to lug the bigger laptops on location. And Apple hasn't produced a amll form "Pro" book since the 12" Powerbook. Which was a perfect field production laptop.
I'd like to see you tell the shareholders (as Apple's stock has tanked from 180 to ~100 -- yes, I know certainly not because of this issue) that even though they could have made more money, they're point is moot.
The irony is Apple making fun of Vista...
This keynote was so lame...
First... explaining how the new computers are made... like trying to focus the attention into "that" wich I just care less.
Second... saying that Vista can be the worst technological mistake ever... Well, karma is karma and this new line of Mac Books will come after Vista as the worst technological crap.
I mean, the only worst thing Apple has created was the "hokey ball" shape mouse.
I am looking for the last generation Mac Book that was discontinued. I bet they are getting very expensive over eBay because we will have to wait at least 4 more revisions from Apple to get something comparable efficient.
This keynote was so lame...
First... explaining how the new computers are made... like trying to focus the attention into "that" wich I just care less.
Second... saying that Vista can be the worst technological mistake ever... Well, karma is karma and this new line of Mac Books will come after Vista as the worst technological crap.
I mean, the only worst thing Apple has created was the "hokey ball" shape mouse.
I am looking for the last generation Mac Book that was discontinued. I bet they are getting very expensive over eBay because we will have to wait at least 4 more revisions from Apple to get something comparable efficient.
I'm not a Pro, but a reasonably clued up amateur who uses this stuff as a hobby, but does stuff from time to time that aspires to be a bit better than that. And as I DON'T make a (good) living from my gear, it hurts me in the pocket even more.
And I'm willing to bet there are plenty others out there like me, too.
If i WERE a pro, I'd probably be typing this on a 17' MBP which I had retired after 18 months or so, 'cause i would probably replace my Macs in that sort of time scale.
But I'm not. At the moment, i simply can't afford an MBP whereas an MB would just about be affordable, ( with a little belt tightening for a few months)
So Apple have lost one sale from me, straight away.
Way to go Steve/Jonathan et al.
(Whoever Al is!)
Yes. 15" isn't really that portable. Especially when you have a bag full of firewire equipment, having a small laptop is crucial.
The act of removing FireWire conflicts with "It just works." Apple and Steve Jobs can justify euthanizing FireWire anyway they want, but trying to appease the outrage by giving consumers lame ass and sub par alternatives is an insult to Apple's consumer base. It seems like Apple is more focused on getting new customers rather than keeping their current customers. It hacks me off!
Me Too.
The reason I have to do this is because the USB ports on both my PB g4 and my MacBook Pro (intel) only put out 500 mA of power. You need 1000 to run these external portable hard drives.
So Steve, did you beef up the bus power on the new macbooks?
In fact, I think it would have been smarter to get rid of the optical disc: they see very little use these days and inexpensive add-ons exist. Especially on a laptop, it makes sense to get rid of non-essential features if they can be added when required: this saves cost, weight, size and power consumption.
The lack of FireWire OTOH is more difficult to compensate. All my FW disks also have USB connections but with USB you can't daisy chain, which means that you rapidly need hubs. And yes, I still have a nice 3CCD min DV cam which requires a FW cable for movie download.