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Thinner 15-Inch MacBook Pro Coming with Retina Display and USB 3.0?

KylePowers said:
I love how everyone was all for dropping the disc drive, which was ubiquitous in any laptop offering over the last 2 decades... but the second Apple tries to move forward and drop ethernet/FireWire all hell breaks loose :p

Ethernet was developed almost 40 years ago... I think it's time we move on people. I understand it's hard letting go and accepting change, but there are plenty of ways to cope.

Perhaps it'll include 802.11ac (doubt it though). Perhaps we'll see Thunderbolt to ethernet adapters. Perhaps we'll see USB 3.0 to ethernet adapters. Perhaps the rumor is wrong and there's a smaller ethernet port with an adapter. Who knows?

As for FireWire, well... I'm pretty sure USB 3.0 is here to overtake that. But I think there are also future revisions for FireWire in the works to compete with USB 3.0, though it doesn't sound like that Apple's direction anymore.

But indeed, sucks for everyone that requires the use of these two ports either by their field or company.
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The problem is the disconnect. Apples (used to be?) are supposed to be machines that work really well for people in publishing/photo editing, video editing and music production. Other than needing computers for regular and standard (i.e. MS Office) business needs I would like to use the same platform for photo editing and music production. And some video here and there.

There are times when wireless craps out or you need a fast connection. I don't care how old the Ethernet standard is. It's the standard under every desk I've been at over the last 20 years - and it won't go away anytime soon. Same with FireWire. Serious audio and video hardware still requires it. Why would I want to rely on the availability of adapters to the "Thunderbolt" standard that Apple tries to force upon people (without much hardware support in the open market place).

I know that there was a time where every photo studio, publisher and recording studio relied on Macs because PCs weren't built for their needs. This has changed. If Apple wants to go all out trustfund-hippie and consumer Starbucks crowd now it would be sad. Their machines are nice, especially the laptops since there are so few good alternatives in the PC market these days. But I still don't really feel the love, freedom and flexibility that I was hoping for. Curious to see what really happens.
 
needfx said:
c'mon already, been waiting for the line refresh so as to know what to expect from the 17".
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I hope the keep the optical drive and fire-wire along with Thunderbolt in the 17". We need at least one full-featured portable option. At 17", it doesn't have to be so dammed thin.
 
asr said:
If a USB 3.0 to Ethernet adapter becomes available (which is likely), it won't be so bad. However, it means I have to carry yet another adapter with me. Having to carry extra stuff to shave a few ounces of aluminum does not help me. To "hook up" in a standard work place, I might need to carry a Mini DisplayPort to VGA adapter, a USB to Ethernet adapter, a MagSafe adapter, and a Thunderbolt to FireWire adapter.

The "pro" market typically wants more [practical] options, not fewer.
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By likely I think you mean 100% as I don't think there are any technological limitations to a USB 3.0 adapter. It will probably cost $30 and once plugged in you can forget about it at your work. I suspect very few people take there computer on the road and plug into new workstations. Anything that improves portability and which can be fixed for a $30 dongle seems like a win to me and I suspect for most people.
 
GenesisST said:
"Pro" users are not defined by screen size, but processor usage:
- Software developer (for compiling, running VMs, simulator, several IDEs)
- Graphic designer (Photoshop and RAM)
- Audio engineer (probably similar to graphic)
- etc.

If you need eleventy Excel windows, that is not pro use, in my technology-elistist mind...
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I agree with the first part, but get your head out of your ass. We use word too. :p But seriously, the business world uses much more than just excel, and use our fair share of processing.
 
You are all missing the point.......

Apple want pro users to buy a cimena display, which handily comes with an ethernet adapter built in ;)

Just another way to cross-sell products ;)
 
Beliblis said:
Hold your horses :) This is a rumor after all. I can't see Apple abandoning FireWire quite yet. Not on the Macbook Pro – after all, it's way too important for quite a huge number of pros:
Music, Photography, Video.

I know, there's thunderbolt. But there's not many devices so far which support thunderbolt (for example digital cameras & audio devices).

If anything, they'll include a FW / TB converter. But is it possible to convert ALL the FW functionality to TB?
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Yes, it is. There is an adaptor available right now. It's $999 though and comes with a free 27" monitor.
 
bdavis89 said:
Any true "pro" uses a 17 inch screen anyways. I'm an auditor, and we're constantly moving our computers and external monitors, and we have 17 inch hp computers. We need the real estate. Nobody who is working on a laptop should be using anything less than 17 inches. Maybe Apple has realized this and is removing things like the Ethernet from the 13 & 15 inch models.
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I know it's a little unfair that you are getting seriously burned here for just stating your perspective... But, most "design pro's", myself included, use 15" MacBook Pro's that are connected to Apple Thunderbolt displays. It's logical to have the real estate at your desk, but the portability of a 15" MacBook Pro.

I would like to think I'm a true "pro" as you put it, but would not consider owning a 17" MacBook Pro, ever. Each to their own.... :rolleyes: Have a nice day
 
bdavis89 said:
I was speaking from my experience. If yours is different, so be it. No reason to be a dick.
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Your the one who comes rolling in here proclaiming that everyone who is a "true" pro should be using a 17". You got called out by multiple users and now your mad.

Everyone speaks from experience, and in my experience I realised different people have different needs.
 
theSeb said:
What loss? Not having to buy overpriced external drives / enclosures with FW800 will be great.
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Ethernet port, for one. I can also well imagine the loss of a second drive bay given that port arrangement and the lack of an ODD. And while I personally don't use Firewire, plenty of others do.

Until Thunderbolt is a serious market standard (it's not even close yet), these are major issues to consider. Apple is not a large enough player on its own to force or encourage the adoption of that standard; the peripherals manufacturers have to do it in their own way. Meanwhile, USB 3.0 has been around for years now and devices that fully utilize it are STILL relatively rare. I wasn't able to turn up a single USB 3.0 NIC with a quick search. Don't tell me that a USB dongle (ugh) is an acceptable substitute to an ethernet port with twice the bandwidth.

But most importantly, the engineer in me is wondering what could have been done with the space freed up by removing the ODD in the existing chassis. A substantially larger battery comes to mind. Instead, Apple would rather spread everything else around and slim down the chassis--for what purpose? We lose the ethernet port, drive bay and Firewire and gain nothing in the process. I appreciate good design (which is why I buy Apple laptops in the first place), but not at the complete expense of functional value.
 
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TallManNY said:
By likely I think you mean 100% as I don't think there are any technological limitations to a USB 3.0 adapter. It will probably cost $30 and once plugged in you can forget about it at your work. I suspect very few people take there computer on the road and plug into new workstations. Anything that improves portability and which can be fixed for a $30 dongle seems like a win to me and I suspect for most people.
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Exactly.

If they kept the ethernet, then people would be bitching that 'OMG THEY DIDN'T MAKE THE MBPRO SLIM ENOUGH..WHY DID THEY KEEP THE ETHERNET ADAPTER?!?!?!
 
salmoally said:
Your the one who comes rolling in here proclaiming that everyone who is a "true" pro should be using a 17". You got called out by multiple users and now your mad.

Everyone speaks from experience, and in my experience I realised different people have different needs.
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I'm a PRO user....I don't use a 17"...so I support your post. 17" is just too bulky. Get a 15" and a monitor for home use. 15" is fine for on the go at the job site (and most sites have a monitor for you to plug in)

:)
 
Freeks said:
No Firewire????

All PRO audiointerfaces use FW connection. There is no way that i would take USB audio interface to stage.

Grr! I was waiting next MPB line to update, but now i need to buy current model just to have FW.

I also have 10+ FW hard drives that would become obsolete with this.
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Obsolete? One adapter and daisy-chain the FW drives.
 
Ethernet Deal Breaker

Boo... I can accept the lack of optical media, but the lack of an ethernet port is a deal breaker for me. Going to stick with my two year old model.
 
Carlson-online said:
You are all missing the point.......

Apple want pro users to buy a cimena display, which handily comes with an ethernet adapter built in ;)

Just another way to cross-sell products ;)
Click to expand...

Right. And it opens up the entire computer electronics market for the new and improved devices. Get ready to part with your money ... or just keep on using what you have now.
 
charlieegan3 said:
But not thunderbolt?
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I am not following. Thunderbolt can be used to create an adaptor to Gigabit Ethernet (and beyond Ethernet) , but it's not networking tech. The ATD does this already and I think Belkin announced a stand-alone adaptor that is meant to ship in August this year.

----------
kyjaotkb said:
Would be nice if they included a complimentary USB3 to Firewire + ethernet dongle accessory as standard...
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It would be nice, but there are profits to be had. :)
 
theSeb said:
Yes, it is. There is an adaptor available right now. It's $999 though and comes with a free 27" monitor.
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The drawback with that idea is that I really like the 30" monitor I already have. There is a real opportunity for someone to make a simple Thunderbolt port replicator. Offer it with some combination of Thunderbolt, Firewire, eSATA, USB 3.0, DVI-DL, Mini DisplayPort, and Ethernet connectors.
 
beowulf70 said:
I know it's a little unfair that you are getting seriously burned here for just stating your perspective... But, most "design pro's", myself included, use 15" MacBook Pro's that are connected to Apple Thunderbolt displays. It's logical to have the real estate at your desk, but the portability of a 15" MacBook Pro.

I would like to think I'm a true "pro" as you put it, but would not consider owning a 17" MacBook Pro, ever. Each to their own.... :rolleyes: Have a nice day
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Thank you! That makes complete sense. I say "true pro" sarcastically, in the same way people are crying about Apple diminishing their supposedly "pro" line. In your case, I too would not get a 17 inch laptop.

salmoally said:
Your the one who comes rolling in here proclaiming that everyone who is a "true" pro should be using a 17". You got called out by multiple users and now your mad.

Everyone speaks from experience, and in my experience I realised different people have different needs.
Click to expand...

I wasn't considering that the only real professionals are designers. My apologies.
 
mdgm said:
The Apple USB to ethernet adapter only does 100 Mbps which is terrible considering how long gigabit ethernet has been around.
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I'd point out USB2 only has 480Mbps of throughput. Gigabit Ethernet is 1000Mbps. There's no point in a GigaBit dongle. Now with USB3 it might be close enough to justify a new dongle, but it's still not FASTER to account for overhead in drivers.
 
akhbhaat said:
Ethernet port, for one. I can also well imagine the loss of a second drive bay given that port arrangement and the lack of an ODD. And while I personally don't use Firewire, plenty of others do.

Until Thunderbolt is a serious market standard (it's not even close yet), these are major issues to consider. Apple is not a large enough player on its own to force or encourage the adoption of that standard; the peripherals manufacturers have to do it in their own way. Meanwhile, USB 3.0 has been around for years now and devices that fully utilize it are STILL relatively rare. I wasn't able to turn up a single USB 3.0 NIC with a quick search. Don't tell me that a USB dongle (ugh) is an acceptable substitute to an ethernet port with twice the bandwidth.

But most importantly, the engineer in me is wondering what could have been done with the space freed up by removing the ODD in the existing chassis. A substantially larger battery comes to mind. Instead, Apple would rather spread everything else around and slim down the chassis--for what purpose? We lose the ethernet port, drive bay and Firewire and gain nothing in the process. I appreciate good design (which is why I buy Apple laptops in the first place), but not at the complete expense of functional value.
Click to expand...

I have 4 firewire external hard drives, but I also made sure to buy devices that had eSATA or USB 3 ports as well, because it made sense to protect myself from something like this. Apple does not hold onto what it considers to be legacy. They simply move on. We have seen this time and time again. Complaining about it on forums isn't going to help. Then again, remember this is just a rumour. Nothing is certain quite yet.

I miss the gigabit Ethernet port on my MBA and the USB 2 dongle is rubbish. It's slow and since it only uses 100 megabit Ethernet, the max you will get is about 11-12 mega bytes per second so it's slower than USB 2 max speeds. I am happy to use a better adaptor though, such as this:

http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/09/belkin-details-thunderbolt-express-dock/

We first caught a glimpse of Belkin's Thunderbolt Express Dock back at IDF. Here at CES, the company has offered more info on the high-speed peripheral -- including an expected Summer 2012 arrival window. The dock features all sorts of added connection potential: three USB 2.0, two Thunderbolt, one FireWire 800, one HDMI, an Ethernet and a 3.5mm audio jack. Lending a hand to your port-deprived MacBook Air or Ultrabook via Thunderbolt, the peripheral offers the expected bi-directional transfer rates up to 10Gbps while keeping with the Apple color scheme
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Now that Thunderbolt is appearing on the PC, you'll start to see more and more of these devices and the prices will come down.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5829/a-first-look-at-thunderbolt-on-windows-with-msis-z77agd80
 
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