USB-C in 12-Inch MacBook Adds Limitations but Opens Up Possibilities

[SqB]

This computer was made strictly to cater to those of us who live in the Apple/iCloud ecosystem. Take pics with iPhones, stream music, store docs on iCloud. If you are already fretting about dongles and docs, it's not for you. Look elsewhere.

Also, for the folks who are not getting this, you can charge and use those silly dongles at the same time. That's why there is another "C" port on them. They can daisy chain.

I like the idea of mag safe also, but after replacing 4 of them at $70 a pop, I'm kind of tired of them. I'd much rather have a charging cable, like a USB/Lightning cable I can replace without throwing away a whole adapter. Besides, does anyone know the breakaway force needed on the USB C port? It may be similar to or even less than mag safe.

Finally, if you think USB flash drives are not already near extinction, you need you get out of your cubicle a little more.

 

[toke lahti]

Guess it's time I upgraded to the new Airport Extreme anyway.

Naah, I'll wait for new airport express. I heard it will launch at the same time than apple's new display...

 

[drsmithy]

Finally, if you think USB flash drives are not already near extinction, you need you get out of your cubicle a little more.

That's some weapons-grade irony, right there.

USB flash drives and wifi-only ultraportables have reinvented sneakernet. It's quicker to copy big (GB+) files onto a flash drive and back off again, than transfer the same file over wifi.

Even more true if you have a good flash drive capable of 100MB/sec.

I am still struggling to see why most people in the market for an ultraportable would choose the new Macbook over a more functional $hundreds cheaper MBA. Not to say there isn't a niche who will, but I still remain confident it's a niche.

 

[till213]

... We MUST have a power cord,...

You do realise that batteries have a life cycle of about 1000 complete charges, right?

So it is a Good Thing(tm) to have a laptop hooked up with a power cable when you are not travelling (even though even then there are always slight discharges and charge cycles).

 

[downpour]

Sorry, couldn't resist....

 

[till213]

remember first gen. macbook air?
one USB port, headphones and DP in that POS collapsible cover?

Image

users hated it enough for apple to get this fixed in the 2nd gen. - as it is today.

this new macbook needs at least 2 USB-C ports! wait for 2nd. gen.

Apple is simply testing whether people like USB-C or not, by just providing ONE connector. If people like it, then they'll add another one - otherwise they just dump it and have just wasted one connector.

 

[SuperCachetes]

This is the biggest load of crap I've heard.

It may also be the biggest load of sarcasm you've heard - though it looks like you might've missed that part.

2) Why couldn't Apple make a MagSafe version of the USB-C connector?

Another thing I haven't heard anyone mention yet is that at some point the damn device is too light to benefit from a magnetic connector. I don't know if 2 lbs is the threshold or not, but if the force of the magnet is more than the force required to pull the laptop off the table, it's a moot point. Trip over the cable, and your featherweight laptop might go flying anyway!

 

[Tech198]

You do realise that batteries have a life cycle of about 1000 complete charges, right?

only if you insist on keep charging then up yes. i leave mine plugged in all the time.

Sorry, couldn't resist....

kewl... turn your mac into a Swiss army knife full of gadgets..

 

[kazmac]

It would have been nice of Apple to actually include that $79 adapter with this new Macbook.

At any rate, I'll definitely look at the Macbook come late April, but that extra cost is typical and disappointing.

And thanks to Macrumors for posting the article. Interesting.

 

[riverfreak]

Wow! I've learned so much from this thread!

I was going to line up to get one of these. Unfortunately, I'm not the target market. I'm not a student. I'm not an iPad user (any longer since the 6+ was released). I'm not a casual newb who just wants "the gold one".

I don't use CreativeSuite, push pixels, edit videos, use external hard drives or monitors or have a need for SD cards. I can hardly be classified as a power user for most of the hard core intellects here.

I also don't spend most of my day surfing the web and watching YouTube, which, I've been told by many on this thread is what the MacBook is for.

I spend most of my day in IDEs and at the command line or dealing with ineffectual email. I write prose in pages or word or latex. I push things out to github. I work with big data on remote servers. I do travel with two 11" airs, for both backup and project separation and accountability reasons.

I feel really fortunate that the vitriolic masses have let it be known that the MacBook with it's measly one port -- one! -- will be wholly unsuited for me, for them, and for everyone else in the world.

Thanks for saving me some money, MacRumors community!*





* I'm still getting one.

 

[toke lahti]

I'm a road warrior and I see the hypocrisy in this laptop design. Accolades for being 2 pounds, but what's really needed is 5 additional pounds and the extra mass to have most essentials at hand for what normally would have been included in a normal laptop.

Remember those ads apple used which had Dell with tons of cable and it was compared to sleekiness of iMac with just few cables?
Now it's the opposite, after apple realized that it could charge one dollar port 50 bucks when it's made external. Now almost every feature a Mac has, has an external box and external power brick and cords to everywhere...

 

[anek007]

Actually, now that I think about it, maybe the Core M processor that they have in the new MacBook doesn't handle 720p video well. Maybe that's the real reason why they went with 480p. Or, perhaps they were concerned that 720p would heat up the internals too much for a fanless machine. Didn't the original MacBook Air have serious overheating issues?

Please stop defending Apple. Apple is playing their customers for a fool. The iSight camera from the macbook air is 1.3mp. I wouldn't be surprise if it's the same camera as on the iPhone and iPad. The new MacBooks video card is pushing 2304x1440 to the screen.

 

[nt5672]

Apple is simply testing whether people like USB-C or not, by just providing ONE connector. If people like it, then they'll add another one - otherwise they just dump it and have just wasted one connector.

And it is not going to matter what people say here. It will only matter how people vote with their pocketbook.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

Don't Macbooks (and every other notebook PC) run SLOWER when running off battery? Apple wants you to run "all day" off the battery, but to maximize battery, the MB takes a dump in performance. That's why when I'm working at a desk, I leave my portables plugged in while using them. They run faster, and stay topped off.

As I have a Surface Pro 3, I know what it's like to live with one USB port (but at least it has a dedicated charge port and mDP), and it's painful at times. I had to buy a USB hub just to have the flexibility of connecting wireless KB/Mice, flash drives, external hard drives, etc.

People think everything is in the cloud or on WiFi. It isn't. So yes, people will have a rats nest of adapters and cables hooked to this thing from time to time. I can't think of many times when just one of something is superior to multiples.

 

[Porco]

I think the USB-C port is a great thing, but I think only putting one of them on the new Macbook is a little stingy.

That said, I think it's a machine not aimed at me, and can see how it would be just fine for many users.

 

[age234]

Stop changing the ports every time!

What happened to Thunderbolt? Wasn't that supposed to be the greatest thing ever?

What happened to MagSafe? (I can confirm that is the greatest thing ever, when it comes to power connectors.)

I find it incredible that you cannot plug an iPhone directly into this computer.

 

[I4u]

I think this is stupid, already carrying enough wires..

 

[kodos]

I think Apple will be successful with this pivoting towards overt fashion (and thinness) instead of core innovation and breakthroughs.

I think this laptop and the new watch, Beats, etc. are signs of where this company is going and wants to go. And it isn't the Apple we were used to.

Its different.

Not to my tastes, perhaps. But the world is larger than the folks like me who were charmed into Apple's innovation, gung-ho attitude, and rebellious spirit.

These current offerings seem so banal in comparison to the ethic that the company used to espouse.

I do miss the old Apple. The new one will be insanely successful, though perhaps not insanely brilliant.

After a couple of product cycles, I think I can see the limits of Jony Ives' design talent and vision.

 

[numlock]

Stop changing the ports every time!

What happened to Thunderbolt? Wasn't that supposed to be the greatest thing ever?

What happened to MagSafe? (I can confirm that is the greatest thing ever, when it comes to power connectors.)

I find it incredible that you cannot plug an iPhone directly into this computer.

in a sense i agree with you but we wouldnt them to ignore progress though.

will the next iphones and ipads come with an adapter or two cables?

i think is rough deal for many users.

 

[chabig]

Its not on the Air though, its a MacBook. The Air is a different model range and the thinness can't be to do with it. I just managed to Photoshop another port on easily there is space.

[url=http://i.imgur.com/6yVhIeh.jpg]Image[/url]

That looks nice, except a second port can't fit there. Remember that all of the MacBooks so far have had space to the left and right of the keyboards. This machine, with its edge to edge keyboard only has space at the top, above the keyboard, between the keyboard and back of the case.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

in a sense i agree with you but we wouldnt them to ignore progress though.

will the next iphones and ipads come with an adapter or two cables?

i think is rough deal for many users.

Is the only path to progress the one where you are force-fed one port and made to "make do" with it, whether you like it or not? If this MacBook is any indication, does this mean Apple plans to discontinue TB support (which really never took off like USB)? With USB-C supporting 10Gbps like TB, it could be...

 

[togglemedia]

Without comment...

 

[numlock]

Is the only path to progress the one where you are force-fed one port and made to "make do" with it, whether you like it or not? If this MacBook is any indication, does this mean Apple plans to discontinue TB support (which really never took off like USB)? With USB-C supporting 10Gbps like TB, it could be...

im defnitely not saying that and if you check my other posts you will see that.

like everything its about balance and for me apple quite often is way too extreme. im writing this on a 27" imac that dosent have an optical drive but i gained nothing from that omission.

people can manage and adjust but that will be twisted into "apple was right"

 

[bingeciren]

Progress?

Let’s take the existing maxed out 11” Air and improve it a-la Jony style.

-Replace the 11.6 inch with 12 inch retina display.
-Replace the 2.2 GHz Dual-Core intel I7 with 1.3 GHz Dual-Core Intel Core M processor.
-Since the existing fan hardly comes on and mostly inaudible, eliminate the fan.
-Get rid of 2 USB3 and 1 Thunderbolt port replace it with a single USB-C port.
-Replace the existing keyboard keys with shorter travel keys.
-Get rid of the mechanical switch and replace it with a buzzing feedback on the trackpad.
-Keep all dimensions practically the same.
-Preserve the existing battery life.
-Drop the weight by a "whopping" 16 grams (0.35 pounds).
-Render it impossible to connect to a Thunderbolt Cinema Display or any other Thunderbolt device.
-Make carrying a dongle necessary to connect to nearly every existing USB-A peripheral and charge extra for the dongle.
-Price it so that the Maxed out 11” Air is $1,649 and the new maxed out Macbook is 1,599. (without the dongle!)
-Make it look gorgeous and colourful and present it with a hoopla at the Keynote for people to applaud and cheer for it and call this a progress.

Excuse me but for the weight and size I am not seeing any benefit, if portability is the main issue here. Yet I lost the connection to my existing Cinema Display, lost the Magsafe adapter, lost serious CPU power, gained a dongle to carry around and all for a measly 16 grams in weight, Gold colour and retina display?

Somehow I’m not convinced. I’ll wait for the next generation.

 

[Dgail]

Printing (again!)

I have the 2011 MacBook pro that still has a DVD/CD drive and until just recently use a USB port for the printer. I purchased 2 Xerox color printers (one for my home and another for my work apartment) and when I updated the OS software, had to reinstall the drivers. Took a while including calling tech support from the retailer who instructed me to load the Maverick drivers. They then worked.

During the conversation with tech support, we discussed that for what ever reason, the printer manufacurer was not updating the drivers to keep up with Mac OS. I had previously replaced an older printer by the same manufacturer which did not have wireless printing capability at all. Needless to say, will be returning these 2 printers to the retailer due to probably not being able to provide current drivers on them.

If I were to update my Mac with the new "Macbook", I would have 2 door stops!
I did purchase a Brother AirPrint compatible printer and am able to wireless print from my Mac as well as my IOS devices (albeit with mixed results).

I still live in a world where I need paper copies of certain documents. Oh well...
Will likely wait until further refinements are done as this model seems to be the one I would like to upgrade to.

Probably not much I would guess.

AirPrint has been part of most major consumer printers for a few years now and most business have IP based printing solutions that work on the mac just fine. Remember that AirPrint was primarily designed as a way to provide network printing (a feature that already existed in various forms for Macs) wirelessly for iOS devices.

Of Course it does add one layer of complexity on the standard user's household printing problem. If this is truly the only computer in the house(dorm?) I would recommend an inexpensive printer with AirPrint support. Setting up an IP printer is a bit hands on and usually involves unnecessary hassle.

Sharing a printer from a Mac desktop (if one is available) is the most obvious non-AirPrint solution.