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Steve Jobs on Lack of Firewire in MacBooks

If you care about this, don't just complain, make sure you fight back and let your opinion be known. I have filed out the feedback form on the Apple site several times and each time I keep hitting back and resubmitting the same thing. I'd encourage everyone to do the same to make sure the get the idea loud and clear. Also sign the petition and send it to everyone who would care. This might not bring back firewire on the MacBook but it might at least make them think twice about removing it from any other computers.

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/MB1394/petition.html

http://www.apple.com/feedback/
 
corinhorn said:
Lately, it seems like the only way to get Apple to budge on anything is to give it bad press. Apple is so frickin' concerned about being green, Steve's suggestion that we go out and get USB devices and chuck our FireWire devices would be harmful to that "green" image wouldn't it?
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That's certainly a valid point (even though I won't be throwing out mine). BTW I love that FW obituary in your sig.
 
corinhorn said:
Lately, it seems like the only way to get Apple to budge on anything is to give it bad press. Apple is so frickin' concerned about being green, Steve's suggestion that we go out and get USB devices and chuck our FireWire devices would be harmful to that "green" image wouldn't it?
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Nice! Let's all keep hammering them until they bring back the FW.
 
corinhorn said:
Lately, it seems like the only way to get Apple to budge on anything is to give it bad press. Apple is so frickin' concerned about being green, Steve's suggestion that we go out and get USB devices and chuck our FireWire devices would be harmful to that "green" image wouldn't it?
Click to expand...

From the BetaNews article Mac users flaming over FireWire; Jobs shrugs

It's also frustrating for people who just don't see sense in tossing good gear. As commenter "scntfc" notes on Peter Kim's Create Digital Motion blog, "The presentation of the new Apple laptops earlier this week made special note of being environmentally friendly.... If Apple were truly concerned about their environmental impact, they would: a. provide solutions to keep legacy products useful, and b. when possible, provide viable upgrade paths for computers and peripherals (and their constituent components) that they've already sold."
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Rassybat said:
If FireWire is such a dying technology, then wouldt apple have left the FireWire on the lower "consumer" macbooks instead of the "professional" line of MacBooks ?

I think this was done soley for the sake of preventing the pro line from being canabolized.
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No need to think. It's a fact.
 
editguy said:
If that were true, where is the eSATA port? Or, HDMI?
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Umm, I think I forgot to say that:

They're trying to prep their notebooks for the common people.

I really don't think most people use eSATA and HDMI. Definitely there are those who do, but not all. Course, those ports will probably added on as it comes out too.
 
toontra said:
Same here.

If firewire is almost obsolete, as Jobs is implying, then why is it still in the MBP. No, the real reason is that Apple wants to force many ordinary users up to the MBP. Well I for one am not biting this time. **** you, Jobs.

BTW, I'm angry ;). I was waiting, willing and eager (nay, desperate) to give Apple some of my money and they've managed to talk me out of it!
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This.

I was ready to make this switch Apple would so dearly love us all to make. Now? With a couple of my devices becoming useless? Not so keen. :(
 
From the beta news article. This is what really gets me and it is so true.
"If Apple were truly concerned about their environmental impact, they would: a. provide solutions to keep legacy products useful, and b. when possible, provide viable upgrade paths for computers and peripherals (and their constituent components) that they've already sold."
Click to expand...
 
From a Gizmodo article.

The official Apple word from an employee in at least one thread though, regarding how no FireWire gimps out some camcorders with iMovie '08, is that "USB is the preferred interface for iMovie '08." You know, even though a ton of cameras use FireWire.

Apple might not let users talk about the loss of FireWire, but their message seems to be loud and clear: Deal with it.
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It's not that serious. 98% of consumers don't have extremely high-end HD camcorders the ONLY accept FireWire. It's a laptop, should be much simpler than a desktop. If you want more ports on a laptop, get an iMac. Or a Mini. Laptops are meant to be small/light and portable. Desktops are made to have everything.
 
SnowLeopard2008 said:
It's not that serious. 98% of consumers don't have extremely high-end HD camcorders the ONLY accept FireWire. It's a laptop, should be much simpler than a desktop. If you want more ports on a laptop, get an iMac. Or a Mini. Laptops are meant to be small/light and portable. Desktops are made to have everything.
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Once again, it's not just high-end cams that have firewire. There are millions of DV firewire cameras in the hands of consumers and pros.
 
localoid said:
Where do you people get this from? Firewire isn't dead. There's more devices available with Firewire now than there ever has been. And it sure to #$% isn't something just used for "camcorders". Steve "Out of Touch" Jobs and his blind followers may believe all of that but no person living in the real world of video or audio has this misconception. It is the !@#^#%@#^ standard that anyone with even 1/2 a clue uses because it @^#%^#%^@ works!
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Umm, I never said firewire was dead, it just isn't used as much as USB. Personally, I've used firewire once, only because my camcorder needed it. I guess the pros need it for rapid transfer speeds, but commoners (I guess that's what I am now =P) really don't care for more speed. If you're a pro, then obviously speed is important. Since speed is important, you might want to upgrade to macbook pro. If you're not a pro, I really don't see why a slight speed decrease (using an adapter) is causing you to rave to death.

If Apple drops the firewire, I'll just go use an adapter for it, I really don't care if I transfer my documents or movies an extra 10 minutes longer.
 
SnowLeopard2008 said:
It's not that serious. 98% of consumers don't have extremely high-end HD camcorders the ONLY accept FireWire. It's a laptop, should be much simpler than a desktop. If you want more ports on a laptop, get an iMac. Or a Mini. Laptops are meant to be small/light and portable. Desktops are made to have everything.
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:confused:WHAT? I hate when people pull stats out of thin air 98%, were do you get that? Who said that only "extremely high end HD" cams have firewire? Who said that video equipment is the only thing to use firwire?

EDIT: who would lug an iMac or a Mini w/monitor with them?? stupid idea, stupid.
 
From the New MacBooks & MacBook Pros - Apple omitted musicians??? article at MacMusic:

Apple simply decided to remove the firewire interface from the MacBooks leaving this option to the MacBook Pros family only (with a single firewire 800 connector). WOW, isn't that incredible coming from the company that first introduced the firewire IEEE 1394 protocol in personal computers?

In short, that means that any nomad musician will from now on have to spend at least $1999 to connect a firewire interface and/or hard drive to an Apple laptop... Isn't that cool? Ooops, my mistake... There is an option from the Apple website. The 13-inch White MacBook is still alive with it's cheap GMA X3100 graphic card. I don't now what's "new" there but it is presented as so... Well at least it has a firewire 400 connector and costs "only" $999. For that price, I'm sure the "black" model with the 2.4 GHz intel Core Duo processor would have generated a little more interest to our community... Yes the "black" MacBook does look better in the studio or on stage!
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...And, in addition to all the DV cameras (I have one, too) that require FW, it is the expensive AUDIO interface that I have that will now be useless if Apple ends-up dropping FW all together.

The MB is everything I need if it had the FW port. $700 is a lot for a firewire port (i.e. the MBP).

-D
 
SnowLeopard2008 said:
It's not that serious. 98% of consumers don't have extremely high-end HD camcorders the ONLY accept FireWire. It's a laptop, should be much simpler than a desktop. If you want more ports on a laptop, get an iMac. Or a Mini. Laptops are meant to be small/light and portable. Desktops are made to have everything.
Click to expand...

And those 98% of consumers could use a regular adapter from usb to firewire... I mean, if they aren't pros, I don't think a speed decrease of a few minutes will really cause them to turn away from Apple computers forever and return to Vista.

It's like trading a great brand new working computer that has a 5 min. worse time in transferring my new movie for a horrible takes 10 min. for everything else computer that breaks constantly.... how is that reasonable...

If you're a pro, this argument is faulty, but if you're a pro, who transfers tons of GRAPHICS and need that extra time, I think you would be willing to drop $400 dollars for a better GRAPHICS CARD anyway... (in the macbook pro computer) versus paying for a cheap Vista PC that uses the time you gained in transferring booting up... (and opening the app...and starting the transfer...and shutting down...)
 
SnowLeopard2008 said:
It's not that serious. 98% of consumers don't have extremely high-end HD camcorders the ONLY accept FireWire. It's a laptop, should be much simpler than a desktop. If you want more ports on a laptop, get an iMac. Or a Mini. Laptops are meant to be small/light and portable. Desktops are made to have everything.
Click to expand...

Sorry but that's dumbest thing I've read on this long thread.
 
FJ218700 said:
Yes, for consumers (and I am defining this as those who don't require their Mac to contribute to their annual income) I think 1% is probably a fair estimate.

Look, I too use firewire for all my peripherals and an in no way pleased about its removal from the new macBooks. Just saying dude, it's an entry-level consumer notebook. How many computer manufacturers offer firewire on their entry-level notebooks?
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How many "entry-level" notebooks start at these prices? Core2Duo 15" (!!!) HP and Dell laptops are $700-$800. Macbook is 13". I know the screen is better and OSX is much better, etc, but entry price point is close to double.

Ray
 
maplestar said:
Fine my wording was wrong, but you can buy a firewire/usb HUB and transfer through there...
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You clearly don't have ANY idea of what you're talking about do you? There is no hub you can hook into a USB port and then use with Firewire peripherals.

http://cgi.ebay.com/USB-Cable-To-IE...ssPageNameZRSS:B:SRCH:US:101#ebayphotohosting
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Try again. That's for USB to USB.

This topic about the "magic" adapter (that's non-existent) has been covered in this thread several times.
 
editguy said:
Once again, it's not just high-end cams that have firewire. There are millions of DV firewire cameras in the hands of consumers and pros.
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Clearly Steve Jobs doesn't want our money. Simple solution: don't give it to him. Poor sales will send a much louder message than a petition or even bad reviews in the mainstream press.

Unfortunately I believe that for every one of us who cares about FireWire, there are two switchers who don't even know what it is. If Steve can sell them a new MacBook he doesn't need us.

At the same time most Windows people are used to having a dozen brands of everything to choose from. They change their purchase habits as often as they change their shirts. Should Apple cease to be "cool" that great mass of switchers could dry up leaving Steve with only those he has chosen to annoy.

I really like whatever site took Steve to task for how irresponsible this move is from an environmental standpoint. Apple is including manufacture, shipping and use into their carbon calculations, but they've forgotten to include the horrendous cost of replacing perfectly functional FireWire devices with USB models. A greener Apple they are not!
 
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