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Thinner 15-Inch MacBook Pro Coming with Retina Display and USB 3.0?
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Funny isn't it - every time someone tells me 'we won't be using x' I think back to when I was told vinyl was dead and cds were the future.
Oddly, I - and a considerable number of music fans I know - still buy vinyl.
Anyway, what we're suggesting here is that I'll need to carry an external ethernet port and an external optical drive reader.
How unwieldy. And how very un-apple.
I have a little notebook (horror of horrors - an HP!) that I use from time to time, but I find myself digging out my optical drive for that quite often, and let me tell you, it's a pain in the backside having the external optical drive sitting anywhere unless you're on a table or flat surface. And it's a pain having to remember it too.
Don't forget, no matter how much people want to believe mp3 is the sole revenue stream for music now - cds (albeit ones bought from amazon etc rather than high street stores) are still being bought in massive quantities.
The Air is meant to be the pared down machine - not the Pro.
One is for lightness, one for versatility and grunt.
I, for one, will seriously reconsider my platform (and I'm on 3 macs at home right now) if my next laptop purchase would have to have 2 external devices connected for the same functionality as I have now.
But you are largely the minority now and have been for two decades. That isn't to say Apple and PC manufacturers won't be accommodating you in some fashion, but take a look at Ultrabooks, and you'll see that most of them lack optical drives, too. Samsung even has a 15" Ultrabook. We already know Samsung's strategy is to make every possible device for every possible customer, while Apple prefers to make fewer devices.
Actually, that's very Apple. They are guessing that most people aren't going to use Ethernet or optical drives much, if at all, in the very near future (if they are even using it today). For instance, I purchased the Ethernet adapter and SuperDrive with my original MacBook Air. I almost never use them now. Apple is pushing the Thunderbolt Display as a "docking station." That's a single cable that provides a direct link to just about every port one might need at a desktop, and it is complete Apple.
Remember, Mac isn't big in the enterprise, hasn't been for years, and I don't think Tim Cook sees it ever being very big. iPad and iPhone have much more potential in the enterprise, so that's where they are concentrating their efforts That said, Mac shops are also more likely to purchase the ATD rather than a third party dock or external monitor.
Again, I think you are quickly becoming the exception, rather than the rule.
There may be one line in the future (which is very Apple). If there is still an Air/Pro distinction, it may be in features such as the Retina Display and quad-core processors. However, the Ivy Bridge GPU and certain Haswell's GPU ought to be capable of handling a 2732x1566 display (thought games would need to drop back down to 1366x768), and Haswell's CPU might be scalable to allow them to put a quad-core in the 13" version, if not the 11". We may see the 13" Pro be supplanted by the Air first.
And I wouldn't be using a Mac right now if they didn't sell a MacBook Air. I won't consider a Pro (even 13") as long as it weighs as much as it does today and is as thick as it is today.
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Me, too, but I was always expecting them to adopt USB 3.0 once Ivy Bridge added native support for it. USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt should provide fast connectivity for just about anyone. USB 3.0 will be for everyday devices, and Thunderbolt will be for specialized devices such as the Apple Thunderbolt Display, and more expensive video applications.
Yes, I want 5ghz at home because most people are not on it (it provides a clearer signal, no overcrowding). Now I am stuck changing my channel biweekly. It doesn't make sense to have laptops and desktops that can support 5ghz but the iPhone doesn't.
I can't remember the last time I used an optical drive. All my software is stored on my file server or I get it from the Mac App Store.
Which makes me wonder, I should check if my ODD still works. haha
I much rather not have an ODD in a laptop. It'll save battery life and also provide a lot more space for something else, hopefully a bigger battery.
As for Ethernet going away. That's fine as long as we get the faster WiFi and Thunderbolt -> Ethernet adapter. I only use Ethernet at home or at work (faster), so it wouldn't bother me.
Which makes me wonder, I should check if my ODD still works. haha
I much rather not have an ODD in a laptop. It'll save battery life and also provide a lot more space for something else, hopefully a bigger battery.
As for Ethernet going away. That's fine as long as we get the faster WiFi and Thunderbolt -> Ethernet adapter. I only use Ethernet at home or at work (faster), so it wouldn't bother me.
It is currently 100Mbit ethernet, but the introduction of USB3 would almost certainly see that change.
USB is a resource hog. A thunderbolt adapter would be better but still not ideal. A basic feature like gigabit ethernet shouldn't require an adapter. All Macs apart from the MBA currently have gigabit ethernet ports.
ZOMG!! I just don't want to ever have to pay ANY money for something called a "DONGLE" reminds me of a limp..... lettuce leaf!!
Thousands of dollars spent on a machine and they can't provide the basic tools needed for both kinds of internet connectivity?? (if this rumour is in any way valid).
DOOONNNGLLEEEE!
yep, still puts me to mind of dueling.*****es.. with glow in the dark condoms making lightsabre noises.
DONGLE!!!!
Docking Station
My guess if this is true is that you'll see the return of the docking station (either Apple or 3rd party). Only this time, the docking station will be over thunderbolt and will include an ethernet port, firewire, additional thunderbolt ports, and perhaps an optical drive.
My guess if this is true is that you'll see the return of the docking station (either Apple or 3rd party). Only this time, the docking station will be over thunderbolt and will include an ethernet port, firewire, additional thunderbolt ports, and perhaps an optical drive.
But there is no 15" Air, my current MacBookPro8,2 has the power and thunderbolt on the same side, without this, i don't think the thunderbolt cable on the new 15" MacBookPro9,1 will be able to reach from one side to the other.
He wrote confirmed. clearly that should be enough.
New iPhone, October 28th (confirmed)
Errrrr... Exactly what ancient version of Mac OS X are you using? This was working as of OS X 10.6 (perhaps a point update if not present in the 10.6.0 version). Even discussed here on Macrumors over a year ago:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1119673/
Apple is about to go to 10.8 and I doubt it is going to disappear from the FInder or DIsk Utility. The one problem reported in the above thread is that burning from the finder doesn't handle non ISO names.
Apple doesn't heavily advertise the feature because most folks will read "Blu-Ray" and leap to the assumptions movies will play. However, as pure data driving as long as the ODD presents the proper info & drivers to the OS it can use basic "block device writing" capabilities. [ A lobotomized drive might not work, but most reasonable ones will. ]
The reason behind the 3rd party programs for blu-ray is for writing non pure data disks. Apple isn't going to do that because gets into similar licensing slippery slope as playback which they choose to ignore ( for their own reasons ).
USB 2.0 is a resource hog. USB 3.0 SuperSpeed no where near as much. The background USB 2.0 overhead is going to be around since there are built-in devices with it.
There will be lower overhead, but higher acquisition cost.
It is possible that someone (maybe Apple) will create a side-car unit that plugs directly into a TB slot with its own built in TB connector and be entirely bus powered. Attaches to the side of the Mac Pro like a barnacle. It could have both a 1Gb Ethernet , Firewire ports. [ or perhaps 1GbE , FW800 , VGA/HDMI whichever is the projector connector common on newer projectors . ]
It would be something small that had to be carried just like some folks now carry VGA connectors to couple to old style projectors when doing roadshows.
The big problem with Ethernet is that it hasn't "moved on" at the mainstream level. If 10GbE became more mainstream perhaps it wouldn't get considered to be dropped. As long as it "stands still" and let wireless catch and pass it up there is a threat to be dropped.
The newer 40 and 100 GbE are out so perhaps the vendors will now try to push 10GbE down in price now. Intel is trying a bit but not over aggressively. Mac Pro might get it but not at price range that laptops will get it.
I'm pretty sure they aren't going to leave the 1680x1050 crowd hanging. It would be more likely that they'll axe the 1440x900 resolution altogether and have a default 1680x1050 or 1920x1200 pixel doubling. A person that wants 1440x900 pixel doubled could always just select it from the resolution menu.
This will be another sad day for Apple's notebook competitors. But I am sure HP will copy this too.
How odd. I've been managing to read, rip and write blu ray discs just fine with OSX using an external LG BR writer for ages now. Mac Pro users can do the same with internal BR drives. Direct playback is a bit more tricky, but also possible.
By the way, default Windows 8 configuration will not play DVDs or BRs.
But even the new Gigabit WiFi in the real world will be considerably slower than gigabit ethernet particularly over long distances. WiFi may be catching up but it's still a long way behind.
The other issue is getting 10GbE that works with Cat6 cabling and that to take advantage of 10GbE for large file transfers you'd need SSDs or multiple HDDs in your machine (of course there are a variety of users of GbE in the professional market).
It looks like SJ was right when he said "Blu-ray is a bag of hurt."
How Streaming Is Killing the DVD
http://mashable.com/2012/04/20/streaming-video-dvd-infographic/
The licensing costs are a big part of that bag.
Optical media is not quite dead yet, even though digital sales are catching up. Let’s take a look at the 2011 figures
Physical revenues are falling worldwide, but 10 > 5. However, the figures must look even more skewed towards streaming in countries like the US.
WiFI doesn't work all that well over long distances at slower speeds either. [ Expensive and home-brew highly directional antennas aside. ]
If deploying multiple "hotspots" ( the cannonical way to get large area coverage) then can simple connect the hotspots with a high speed backbone (either bonded 1GbE or 10GbE ). It is just another way of moving the Ethernet connector off the side of the laptop and to another box.
Wired Ethernet isn't going to disappear. Just the ratio of the number of boxes physically connected by a wired interface. That will actually increase the demand that hotspots have better than 1GbE connectivity since they are traffic aggregaters .
Distnace isn't the problem. Capacity is more likely the bigger problem. If push all of the high bandwidth consuming boxes/laptops onto the raido waves they are all going to a shared resource whereas the wired interface was not necessarily shared as much. Wired switches can let multiple boxes talk to each other without interfering. Radio they do. The congestion potential is much, much higher.
Cat6 is a problem at 10GbE and higher. It is going to be tough to get FCC Class B rating on that. It is OK for data center or data office work, but it isn't really oriented for "Home" ( Class B) use. Fiber needs to come down for commonplace long cable runs with flexibility and very low RF.
Colossal strawman, the point isn't that MP3s are the sole revenue stream for music, it's that there's no point for Apple to invest significant resources into catering to music bought on CD (and you can get an external optical drive anyway).
I cannot imagine what kind of niche use case would not be addressed with a desktop Mac coupled with this rumoured MBP. I also cannot imagine what kind of niche use case is hampered by not having ethernet and optical drive on-board. Even if such an edge case exists, I can't fathom why you think Apple should literally throw away money trying to satisfy it.
Maybe it's because you aren't really thinking your position through and can't distinguish between 'something you want' and 'something Apple has good reason to do'.
The lack of a dedicated Ethernet port KILLS the machine, IMO. I don't want any freaking DONGLES on my notebooks! WTF said all notebooks have to be freaking paper thin? It wasn't bad enough they removed the optical drive (so now you can carry around an external drive in your bag too), but get all the freaking adapters and dongles out because Apple doesn't work with anything standard anymore. You'll need dongles for video, dongles for Firewire, dongles for Thunderbolt, dongles for Ethernet and a dongle for your brain for supporting Apple's products when they keep making them worse every year. I loved the features of my 2008 MBP (expansion port, removable battery, matte screen, separate FW400 and 800 ports, industry standard full size DVI video output connector, Gigabit Ethernet and a real button for the trackpad (would have preferred two, though). ALL of that is GONE. They've turned the Mackboo PRO into the Macbook AIR and that SUCKS. For god's sake, leave the MBP as a full featured notebook and make the cheesy, tiny, thin GARBAGE for the Macbook AIR model. Why even have an Air model if you're just going to force all its limitations on EVERYONE anyway???? To put it like the kids today. FAIL
You're a real angry dude. I don't know what you're grouching about, since actual professionals who make money at what they do are able to satisfy their needs in an optimal way with Apple's current and rumoured product offerings.
EDIT: The MBA is absolutely insane in meeting the demands of what a portable computer should do; I fail to see why someone who thinks it's 'cheesy tiny thin garbage' should be taken seriously, or why Apple has an interest in filling their most advanced products with marginal hardware that will be completely niche, if it even matters at all, in five years' time.