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

Rip magsafe.

I feel like apple missed the point of their own innovation... magSAFE.

They have just created their lightest laptop ever... but when I will undoubtably trip over my USB - Type C cable the whole thing will come crashing down on the floor.

They forgot Think Different :apple:
 
MagSafe

I like the idea of using USB-C in general, but the computer definitely should have two USB-C ports. My laptop spends a lot of time charging and driving a separate display. Now what will I do? Drive the display with Bluetooth?

Anyway, I am very surprised that Apple is moving away from the MagSafe adapter, which has saved me hundreds of dollars on multiply occasions by preventing a trip over my cord from pulling my laptop to the ground. This was the whole purpose of MagSafe...
 
Well this is my first post as I am new to the Mac world, however this laptop has really sparked some interest in me.

Here is my perspective on the new laptop and "horrible" single port.

I would consider myself tech savvy and one who enjoys some fun on the computer. I don't edit HD videos every day and don't try to play Call of Duty on my laptop but definitely do more than the most basic user.

However, now that everyone is complaining (including myself) is complaining about the single port, I started thinking......I don't ever recall frequently using any port on my laptop. Besides the USB port for an occasional flash drive and using it for a Bluetooth mouse, I bet I would hardly even notice missing all the ports.

I originally thought that this new MB would be pretty much worthless in terms of usability because of ports but I see many people who would jump all over this. All of the college and high school girls/guys who just want something expensive to watch Netflix on will be all over this machine. That's just my opinion.

Don't forget that 90% of the users on here are knowledgeable users who do more than load the internet and plagiarize for essays.
 
totten76 said:
All of the college and high school girls/guys who just want something expensive to watch Netflix on will be all over this machine.

Don't forget that 90% of the users on here are knowledgeable users who do more than load the internet and plagiarize for essays.
Click to expand...

"ALL..." and "90%..." are curious numbers that appear to have no "source" attached to them. :)

Your comment does lead one to wonder whether Apple is targeting "college students exclusively" with this stripped down "netbook." But even in that case, where such students may want to watch Netflix or even YouTube, if that 480p camera is any indication, they'll need to watch those videos in extreme low-rez, which on a high-rez screen is rather unusual, don't you think? Seriously, if a higher resolution camera would have overheated the fanless design, how then could one watch YouTube or Netflix for any period of time that doesn't cause a meltdown?

Apple's fanless design had better improve in Gen#3, otherwise the MacBook line will be fanless, humanly speaking.
 
JDW said:
"ALL..." and "90%..." are curious numbers that appear to have no "source" attached to them. :)

Your comment does lead one to wonder whether Apple is targeting "college students exclusively" with this stripped down "netbook." But even in that case, where such students may want to watch Netflix or even YouTube, if that 480p camera is any indication, they'll need to watch those videos in extreme low-rez, which on a high-rez screen is rather unusual, don't you think? Seriously, if a higher resolution camera would have overheated the fanless design, how then could one watch YouTube or Netflix for any period of time that doesn't cause a meltdown?

Apple's fanless design had better improve in Gen#3, otherwise the MacBook line will be fanless, humanly speaking.
Click to expand...



How often do you use the camera on your laptop?

If you're referring to the same college students that you are talking about in your post, they would be Facetiming on their phones, if they aren't too busy snapchatting instead.....but on a serious note, the "young" generation don't frequent their laptop webcams. However I would agree that 480p is just not acceptable for what Apple stands for....
 
totten76 said:
How often do you use the camera on your laptop?
Click to expand...

No matter what I say, some here will try to stereotype me into that "90% of MacRumors readers are abnormally tech-savvy" group. Nevertheless...

I don't use the camera on my laptop because I don't have Mac laptop of recent year that has a camera. I have the following:

1) Late 2009 iMac
2) iPad 3
3) iPod touch, 3rd Gen (which my 12 year old daughter uses)

My daughter hates the camera on the iPod because, like the new MacBook, the camera is low-rez and stinks in low light.

I don't often use the camera on my iMac because it too is not an HD cam.

I hate using the front facing camera on my iPad3 because it is low-rez. So instead I use the back camera which is high-rez. When I video conference with my parents, I switch between the two cameras on my iPad and ask them if they notice a difference. On their 27" iMac (model year 2012), they both always tell me there is a huge difference and they prefer that I use the back camera on my iPad. Consider well that my parents are in their 70's.

Surely I am not alone in thinking so ill of the camera on a 2015 computer. And even you yourself agree with me. I cannot therefore imagine that college students would OK a 480p cam on a new 2015 notebook simply because "Hey, dude! I've got an HD cam on my iPhone and use only that."

Lastly, I am no strange whatsoever to leaving Apple FEEDBACK. I leave them general comments and bug reports too, and I would encourage all of you Ninety Percenters to do the same! :)

https://www.apple.com/feedback/macbook.html
 
Ya I see your point and understand the back/front camera dilemma. Like I said, the 480p is dumb but not a real deal killer in the Macbook :/
 
Will you be able to daisy chain these ? or technically not the the same as standard USB connector ?

eg USB-C >> USB-C adapter from Apple >> use usb port for another adapter from Apple.

Alternatively, usb-c adapter with 4 port usb,
 
Hadams1 said:
I feel like apple missed the point of their own innovation... magSAFE.

They have just created their lightest laptop ever... but when I will undoubtably trip over my USB - Type C cable the whole thing will come crashing down on the floor.

They forgot Think Different :apple:
Click to expand...

$$$$$$

They need to make money off repairs so why should Apple invest time and money into it. And right now Apple is on this "thin is in" mission. Looks first brains second.
 
Hadams1 said:
I feel like apple missed the point of their own innovation... magSAFE.

They have just created their lightest laptop ever... but when I will undoubtably trip over my USB - Type C cable the whole thing will come crashing down on the floor.

They forgot Think Different :apple:
Click to expand...

Because no one could ever trip over Firewire, Thunderbolt, Ethernet or existing USB cables until now?

I've been using Lenovo, HP and before that IBM and Compaq notebooks since about 1993 and I've never had one damaged due to people tripping over cables. I don't ever recall seeing one damaged that way, and being in the telecommunications field we sometimes had the added danger of long USB serial cables.

Notebooks lost to theft from homes and cars were more common.
 
alex0002 said:
Because no one could ever trip over Firewire, Thunderbolt, Ethernet or existing USB cables until now?

I've been using Lenovo, HP and before that IBM and Compaq notebooks since about 1993 and I've never had one damaged due to people tripping over cables. I don't ever recall seeing one damaged that way, and being in the telecommunications field we sometimes had the added danger of long USB serial cables.

Notebooks lost to theft from homes and cars were more common.
Click to expand...

Much lower chances. Which cable do you see most often across the floor of a room?
 
NT1440 said:
Thats EXACTLY my point.

The first adopters get the technology up to full manufacturing scale, that is their purpose in the market.
Click to expand...

So some of us are waiting for the MacBook 's' to be released next year. Maybe not a good analogy, but like some have said previously, it's usually better to wait for the 2nd gen or 2nd revision of any significantly redesigned Apple product. A second USB Type-C port, performance comparable to the current MBAs, 720p Facetime camera, price reduction, etc. Unless you really desire an underpowered, under-ported gold MBr to show off at the local coffee bar.
 
Good idea but the consumer pays the cost

Great idea to universalize the connections needed.
However, this off sets the cost onto the consumer to buy needed adapters. Even if everything was usb-c the issue is the lack of usb-c ports on the Macbook.
now Apple has decreased the cost to have Less ports on the Macbook thus getting more revenues for selling adapters.
I smell greed.
I think a good show of faith that Apple should do to help people get on board with this change to the new USB-C is offer an adapter in the box for the new MB.
So again, its the lack of ports that is the issue
 
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dampfnudel said:
So some of us are waiting for the MacBook 's' to be released next year. Maybe not a good analogy, but like some have said previously, it's usually better to wait for the 2nd gen or 2nd revision of any significantly redesigned Apple product. A second USB Type-C port, performance comparable to the current MBAs, 720p Facetime camera, price reduction, etc. Unless you really desire an underpowered, under-ported gold MBr to show off at the local coffee bar.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but by then they'll likely be on to USB-D.

"The great thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from."
 
I just wanted an upgraded 12" MBA with a Retina display and maybe a touch larger battery....would that have been too hard?
 
I think that it possible for Apple to put another USB C connection on the other side of Macbook, where the headphone connection is and then move the headphone connection below where the current USB C connection is. They added more connections to the original 2008 MBA in 2010, after including just one USB connection to the first MBA.
 
Heisenberg888 said:
I think that it possible for Apple to put another USB C connection on the other side of Macbook, where the headphone connection is and then move the headphone connection below where the current USB C connection is. They added more connections to the original 2008 MBA in 2010, after including just one USB connection to the first MBA.
Click to expand...

They can't do that with the current design, and Apple doesn't usually change their designs very quickly. I think they will stick with this for a long time. In a few months/years, the peripheral market will fully support USB-C and we'll see that the single port isn't a problem.
 
chabig said:
They can't do that with the current design, and Apple doesn't usually change their designs very quickly. I think they will stick with this for a long time. In a few months/years, the peripheral market will fully support USB-C and we'll see that the single port isn't a problem.
Click to expand...

Yep, hence why I said it would be 2017 at the earliest if they did. Purely based on what they did on the original MBA - remember that machine came with a headphone jack, one USB 2.0 connection and mini display hidden under a little door design on the left hand side and magsafe on the other side - youtube it. Come 2010, they did redesign the MBA to what it looks like today with 2 USB 2.0 ports, mini display (now thunderbolt) port, magsafe, etc.

Again it's conjecture. Apple can add and redesign/tweak their designs if they wish, i.e. move/add buttons. At most I can see them add another USB C port to this machine, hence why I would never get the first iteration of the machine. See how it goes, especially with the cost of new peripherals and cables to include.
 
chabig said:
They can't do that with the current design, and Apple doesn't usually change their designs very quickly. I think they will stick with this for a long time. In a few months/years, the peripheral market will fully support USB-C and we'll see that the single port isn't a problem.
Click to expand...

Until someone does a teardown and we see how much space is under the keyboard it's impossible to say for sure whether or not additional ports are feasible.

The inevitable proliferation of USB-C won't help the problem that there's only one of them.
 
drsmithy said:
Until someone does a teardown and we see how much space is under the keyboard it's impossible to say for sure whether or not additional ports are feasible.
Click to expand...

I promise you there is no (zero) space under the keyboard. Every space is filled with battery. That's why Apple made a big deal about describing their terraced batteries.
 
chabig said:
I promise you there is no (zero) space under the keyboard. Every space is filled with battery. That's why Apple made a big deal about describing their terraced batteries.
Click to expand...

So there may be enough space there, it's just that using it might have traded off a tiny amount of battery ?

The question is not whether or not there is currently empty space there, but whether or not putting a port there is impossible because of how much space the keyboard requires.
 
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