I'm sure this is their strategy. For most college kids, video means cameraphone, memory card camcorders, and youtube/vimeo.
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Steve Jobs on Lack of Firewire in MacBooks
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I'm sure this is their strategy. For most college kids, video means cameraphone, memory card camcorders, and youtube/vimeo.
This is the side of Apple that drives me bonkers. What was the point of generating all this controversy? What would it have cost to throw a FireWire port on the new machine? A couple of bucks?
Same with the desktop machines. Only 3 USB ports on the massive 24" iMac? Seriously??? No card readers built into any of the machines?
For a company that's supposedly about minimalism, Apple has no problem forcing you to cover your desktop with hubs, cables, and adapters.
Same with the desktop machines. Only 3 USB ports on the massive 24" iMac? Seriously??? No card readers built into any of the machines?
For a company that's supposedly about minimalism, Apple has no problem forcing you to cover your desktop with hubs, cables, and adapters.
What a bunch of whiners.
Standards change and Apple has decided to move beyond Firewire. If it is a problem, don't buy the machine. No one is forcing you to do so.
Standards change and Apple has decided to move beyond Firewire. If it is a problem, don't buy the machine. No one is forcing you to do so.
Wrong! Many Pros want the smaller form factor of the MB that Apple refuses to give us in a MBP.
Whaddaya mean? Apple did "think different." Apple thinked so different that Apple now differs with the opinion of (at last count) several hundred really pissed off Macrumor Forums users.
I want to insert an MBA into SJ.
Because I have a 1st gen White Macbook already, but it is getting a little long in the tooth, (CoreDuo, etc.) and I was going to jump at the Ali replacement as soon as it came out...
But i have several external HD disks, a Focusrite Audio interface, an Alesis mixer, a Canon DV recorder, and a card reader for my Nikon...
All FW.
Sooooo...this is essentially replace the lot, OR get a Pro.
So your option is not really an option at all. Why replace my MB with a slightly newer model, which still has essentially the same hardware, 3 years on?
Would you do that under the same circumstances?
I doubt it.
Awww. Someone doesn't get it. It's kinda cute in a sad way.
It's not about the millions who buy something. It's about the millions more who didn't....
They really should. I'd shut up and buy a Macbook if Apple came out with this.
I don't mind things being removed (modem from Macbooks, DVD drive from Macbook Air) as long as there's a solution for people. Buying an external modem or DVD drive IS a solution for the few who need those things.
I'm FINE with that.
What's so maddening about this is that Apple didn't provide anything like that. If there was an ethernet to firewire adapter that actually worked, I'd be perfectly fine with this choice. It's the "throw out your cameras" answer that's more upsetting than the actual loss of firewire.
Thanks, that´s really good, won´t change things tho.
Anyway. Didn´t they say sth about "compatibility" during the keynote?
I see, because Windows is too dumb to recognize FW correctly the drop it. Example: Do IP over FW network, Windows say it is 100MBit and uses only 100MBit.
Besides afaik FW is still recognized as "SCSI" BUS.
If USB2.0 would perform nice it would be OK, but ever used Time Machine with an USB Dirive? Thats a bag of hurt!
Anyway, big fail but they think you want to buy the MBP anyway, tho this has only one FW connector now, not two. Well, I bought the older MBP now because local retailer throwed it out cheaper - about the usual refurbished price but was a new one.
This may be a crazy-A$$ idea, and if so, don't hesitate to shoot it down
Would it be possible to import video this way:
1) Connect your MB via USB to a hard drive that has both a USB and a FW port.
2) Connect your video camera to the HD via FW.
3) Mount everything.
4) Suck in the video over this ragtag net using iMovie.
Not elegant, but possible?
No, because the computer lacks the firewire chipset and FCP won't recognize the camera.
It's not just about video - what about audio?
Lack of FW means if I want to use the MacBook for audio (i.e. Logic Pro), I have to use a USB audio interface. And the better interfaces are all FW. Even the Apple/Apogee Duet is FW. And there's a reason... FW performs better for streaming multiple channels of audio in and out of the computer than USB 2. So if you wanna do pro audio you gotta get a MBP. But many I think would prefer the portability of the MB but it's simply not an option for most now.
Lack of FW means if I want to use the MacBook for audio (i.e. Logic Pro), I have to use a USB audio interface. And the better interfaces are all FW. Even the Apple/Apogee Duet is FW. And there's a reason... FW performs better for streaming multiple channels of audio in and out of the computer than USB 2. So if you wanna do pro audio you gotta get a MBP. But many I think would prefer the portability of the MB but it's simply not an option for most now.
Next up, the new Apple MacCam and MacCam Pro with USB 2.0! Prices starting at $399.
I can't believe you guys want to edit video on a 13 inch screen! What a nightmare. I totally agree with Unity's post. It not like some one was making you buy the consuer level macbook. And most of you probably don't even own it yet. SO DON'T BUY IT! Jobs is not making your equipment obselete. Only you are if you choose to buy a computer that doesn't match the rest of you setup.
While I understand the need to distinguish prosumer from consumer models (Cameras have been doing it for years, crippling their consumer models just to force people to upgrade)...the lack of a firewire port isn't exactly a fair crippling as firewire has been available for so long on consumer levels.
We're not talking about getting rid of serial port here which just caused major compatibility issues. Firewire is still used by a huge portion of Mac's base. The same base that built Mac into what it is today (Video/Graphics people). When people think of PC they think games, for Mac they think Video/Graphics Software. Now they just got rid of the video part. And with just glossy screens they are getting rid of the graphics part.
Apple needs to be careful in the months ahead.
I'm with you
I think you hit the nail on the head. People dropping big bucks on high end video equipment that is FW only are not likely to be using the low end consumer products, and the consumers buying more moderate equipment will find that it has USB 2.0, and sure a few people with older camcorders are cut out of the newest product, however, most tech products have a similar life cycle, so it won't be all that long before the consumer eventually buys a new camcorder, and would have anyway without the introduction of the current Macbook sans FW, and in the mean time a USB/FW adaptor is about $5 (http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812101155) for the transition period.
I believe at best Apple is a bit ahead of the curve on removing the FW from the consumer laptop, especially when you consider the form factor of the consumer laptop - it and the MBA are the most portable of the mac laptop line, forcing those who must have FW into a slightly less portable machine.
This reminds me of the uproar with the rumours about SnowLeopard dropping support for the PowerPC. The intel switch occurred at various dates over 2006, and Snow Leopard will be released in 2009 (if we're lucky), so the people with 3 year old computers are complaining about being "left behind" and yet what they have will be perfectly functional using Leopard.
Apple differentiated itself from M$ in many ways, one of which is not catering to multiple different legacy systems, so that the performance and technology can move ahead faster. Every benefit has some cost, and this is one of them.
I think you hit the nail on the head. People dropping big bucks on high end video equipment that is FW only are not likely to be using the low end consumer products, and the consumers buying more moderate equipment will find that it has USB 2.0, and sure a few people with older camcorders are cut out of the newest product, however, most tech products have a similar life cycle, so it won't be all that long before the consumer eventually buys a new camcorder, and would have anyway without the introduction of the current Macbook sans FW, and in the mean time a USB/FW adaptor is about $5 (http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812101155) for the transition period.
I believe at best Apple is a bit ahead of the curve on removing the FW from the consumer laptop, especially when you consider the form factor of the consumer laptop - it and the MBA are the most portable of the mac laptop line, forcing those who must have FW into a slightly less portable machine.
This reminds me of the uproar with the rumours about SnowLeopard dropping support for the PowerPC. The intel switch occurred at various dates over 2006, and Snow Leopard will be released in 2009 (if we're lucky), so the people with 3 year old computers are complaining about being "left behind" and yet what they have will be perfectly functional using Leopard.
Apple differentiated itself from M$ in many ways, one of which is not catering to multiple different legacy systems, so that the performance and technology can move ahead faster. Every benefit has some cost, and this is one of them.