who's forced to do anything? there are more options in the macbook line than ever; if you need more ports, get a macbook pro.
for some, a laptop like this will be a no-brainer. for others, there are other choices.
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USB-C in 12-Inch MacBook Adds Limitations but Opens Up Possibilities
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who's forced to do anything? there are more options in the macbook line than ever; if you need more ports, get a macbook pro.
for some, a laptop like this will be a no-brainer. for others, there are other choices.
The MacBook Pro line won't last forever. They're obviously heading toward a universal single MacBook line.
I'm honestly not that worked up about this having only one port on it. It's an ultra-ultralight that is intended to be used disconnected all day, and Apple will already sell you an outboard connector with a video port, a USB Type-A port, and another USB-C port on it, so you can plug in a hub, external disk, whatever, plus a screen, plus more USB-C stuff or the power adapter. Okay, it requires a dongle. Tragedy--most of the things I hook to my port-covered MBP already require dongles, and the type-A port gives you connectivity for whatever in addition to more type-C stuff.
It will be interesting to see if Apple goes type-C on phones and iPads; it looks a little fatter than the tiny Lightning port, so might not work, but it's at least possible.
My beef with the thing is that it's not Magsafe. The auto-disconnecting power connector is the single best invention in the history of the laptop. I cannot even count the number of times my 3 MBPs have been saved from either getting yanked off a table or couch, or having the port snapped off due to clumsy handling, accidents, wife-not-paying-attention, etc. Anything that's not that is simply a no-go--it's too dangerous, and would unquestionably get broken eventually in my house.
Now, I use my MBP on the couch plugged in a lot of the time, so that edge use case may explain why this will work. Like an iPad, it's only intended to be used when not wired, and has enough power to do so for a full day of use. It will only be "tethered" when charging at night.
And admittedly, if you're going to use it plugged in and sitting on a table most of the time, it's kind of silly to get an ultralight like this--you might as well get something a bit thicker and faster.
Point being, while it seems like a step backward, I'm not the target audience. Just because it doesn't necessarily work for me doesn't inherently make it a bad idea. (Which is the mistake a tremendous number of tech users seem to make--"because it's not what I, personally, want, it's stupid." I don't call forklifts stupid just because I don't personally need one at home, nor do I consider ultra-mini cars stupid just because they don't suit my family's needs. I'm just not the target market. I don't use an iPad, either, but I think they're fantastic computers, and some relatives use them happily as a primary computer.)
It will be interesting to see if Apple goes type-C on phones and iPads; it looks a little fatter than the tiny Lightning port, so might not work, but it's at least possible.
My beef with the thing is that it's not Magsafe. The auto-disconnecting power connector is the single best invention in the history of the laptop. I cannot even count the number of times my 3 MBPs have been saved from either getting yanked off a table or couch, or having the port snapped off due to clumsy handling, accidents, wife-not-paying-attention, etc. Anything that's not that is simply a no-go--it's too dangerous, and would unquestionably get broken eventually in my house.
Now, I use my MBP on the couch plugged in a lot of the time, so that edge use case may explain why this will work. Like an iPad, it's only intended to be used when not wired, and has enough power to do so for a full day of use. It will only be "tethered" when charging at night.
And admittedly, if you're going to use it plugged in and sitting on a table most of the time, it's kind of silly to get an ultralight like this--you might as well get something a bit thicker and faster.
Point being, while it seems like a step backward, I'm not the target audience. Just because it doesn't necessarily work for me doesn't inherently make it a bad idea. (Which is the mistake a tremendous number of tech users seem to make--"because it's not what I, personally, want, it's stupid." I don't call forklifts stupid just because I don't personally need one at home, nor do I consider ultra-mini cars stupid just because they don't suit my family's needs. I'm just not the target market. I don't use an iPad, either, but I think they're fantastic computers, and some relatives use them happily as a primary computer.)
I was wondering about that. Perhaps the days of Lighting are already numbered. And what is the future of Thunderbolt?
But I'm not convinced that Apple's adoption of USB-C will make it main stream. It didn't work with Firewire and Thunderbolt either.
Agreed. But I think they should have kept a regular USB port for compatibility. USB devices like thumb drives are not like floppy drives at the end of their lifecycle. They will be around for years. Not being able to exchange files offline with non-Apple users without some dongle would be a serious problem for me.It would be nice to be able to just have one type of cable around the house!
Having only one USB-C port is counter-intuitive, users are essentially forced to buy a USB-C adapter to connect some of the most commonly used interfaces to the notebook all in the name of satisfying Apple's unfounded obsession with shaving an extra fraction of a millimetre.
The worst thing is it costs an eye-watering $79/£65 to get back the basic connectivities that we need. The least Apple could have done is include an adapter with the Macbook. I don't want to carry an extra item around where portability is an important factor.
Bring MagSafe back and my ports.
The worst thing is it costs an eye-watering $79/£65 to get back the basic connectivities that we need. The least Apple could have done is include an adapter with the Macbook. I don't want to carry an extra item around where portability is an important factor.
Bring MagSafe back and my ports.
I love the fact that Apple kicked Blunderbolt to the curb but only one port that does everything, again? At least it is an open standard but one port and dongle-itis gets old.
The same can be said for the poor Mac Pro and SATA ports.
The same can be said for the poor Mac Pro and SATA ports.
As far as I'm concerned, the new MacBook is to Macs what the iPad is to iOS.
The situation is almost identical to when the first MacBook Air was released. Here was a notebook that was thinner, lighter and less reliant on wired connectivity than the standard MacBook, yet was more expensive. But in time, the Air replaced the MB and became almost as cheap, too.
So it seems like Apple will go full circle, and will drop the prices of the new MacBook once it becomes a sought-after product, replacing the Air once and for all. I fear this could be a while, however, as the Air is certainly no slouch for the price.
The situation is almost identical to when the first MacBook Air was released. Here was a notebook that was thinner, lighter and less reliant on wired connectivity than the standard MacBook, yet was more expensive. But in time, the Air replaced the MB and became almost as cheap, too.
So it seems like Apple will go full circle, and will drop the prices of the new MacBook once it becomes a sought-after product, replacing the Air once and for all. I fear this could be a while, however, as the Air is certainly no slouch for the price.
Having only one USB-C port is counter-intuitive, users are essentially forced to buy a USB-C adapter to connect some of the most commonly used interfaces to the notebook all in the name of satisfying Apple's unfounded obsession with shaving an extra fraction of a millimetre.
The worst thing is it costs an eye-watering $79/£65 to get back the basic connectivities that we need. The least Apple could have done is include an adapter with the Macbook. I don't want to carry an extra item around where portability is an important factor.
Bring MagSafe back and my ports.
i'm sure apple will read this, and get right on developing something specifically for your needs.
meanwhile, there's a $19 usb adapter, if that's all you need. and usb c drives are coming...i don't care about the ports. i care more about the power and the size. give me a 14 incher with 16gb of ram and a better processor and i'm in. i don't connect that many usb devices to my computer so i'm cool.
Thunderbolt is expensive to use. Just check the cable price. This is just as cheap as USB.
Apple is growing increasingly ports-phobic and depth-phobic. I support the adoption of newer standards and simplifying things, but to carry around dongles is inconvenient and can be easily misplaced at conferences/vacations/whatever. Apple can't control the rest of the electronics eco-system and thus can not control the type of plugs every one uses.
All in all, keep the Macbook Pros the way they are now, for at least a while.
All in all, keep the Macbook Pros the way they are now, for at least a while.
Maybe there's an issue where people could potentially plug two charges in and fry some circuitry?
This machine strikes me as an ultra-portable devices for people on the road giving presentations. The fact that the adapter only mirrors suggests they're not aiming it at multi-screen power users?
so for $1674 I get a ultralight notebook that runs full OSX, 512GB, VGA dongle included.
I wonder if this can send 720p or 1080p via a HDMI dongle to a TV and if this HDMI dongle also transfers sound. My current 2010 MBP has trouble sending 1080p to a TV and it needs a non-compliant HDMI cable to also transmit the sound.
All in all an interesting option to an iPad that I currently use as travel computer.
I hope the speakers on that thing are good.
I wonder if this can send 720p or 1080p via a HDMI dongle to a TV and if this HDMI dongle also transfers sound. My current 2010 MBP has trouble sending 1080p to a TV and it needs a non-compliant HDMI cable to also transmit the sound.
All in all an interesting option to an iPad that I currently use as travel computer.
I hope the speakers on that thing are good.
Do we know for sure that MagSafe isn't incorporated at the plug end of the charger? Would protect the MacBook.
Very interesting approach to streamlining ports, wonder if we will see the same thing on the iPad Pro
Very probably
All the jokes aside, MagSafe is a superior charging port. And you DO have to charge the laptop.
And to offer a dongle that only a single USB-C port is a major oversight. They could have put two, so you could charge and use the new USB-C devices that are coming out (which will inevitably drain power faster than anything else, e.g., disk drives with motors)
Not to mention, losing control over peripherals is a win for the consumer, but a loss for Apple, and in the history of Apple, that has actually been a loss for the consumer (it moves towards an open Microsoft ecosystem vs closed Mac ecosystem).
It's not that this laptop is dumb. It is a step towards the future. But a lot of steps are taken toward the future every day, and they fail, while others win. People take those steps and trip and fall right onto their fat ugly faces.
Making the "floppy disk" argument is a far reach from a 12" laptop with a single USB port and an insufficient dongle, when a 13" one is available with lots of ports and better everything.
Also: the use case of "reporters"... reporters are notorious for using USB drives; SD cards from cameras too... Wireless world? Yes. But that doesn't address the need to plug in to external displays, external hard drives, TVs/Projectors (HDMI), etc.
Who is this really aimed at? Nobody! It's a flop. If they start messing with the other MacBooks like this, I am going to a Hackintosh. This is total garbage.
It's finally time to start thinking about firing Tim Cook (or as they say... asking him to step down).
And to offer a dongle that only a single USB-C port is a major oversight. They could have put two, so you could charge and use the new USB-C devices that are coming out (which will inevitably drain power faster than anything else, e.g., disk drives with motors)
Not to mention, losing control over peripherals is a win for the consumer, but a loss for Apple, and in the history of Apple, that has actually been a loss for the consumer (it moves towards an open Microsoft ecosystem vs closed Mac ecosystem).
It's not that this laptop is dumb. It is a step towards the future. But a lot of steps are taken toward the future every day, and they fail, while others win. People take those steps and trip and fall right onto their fat ugly faces.
Making the "floppy disk" argument is a far reach from a 12" laptop with a single USB port and an insufficient dongle, when a 13" one is available with lots of ports and better everything.
Also: the use case of "reporters"... reporters are notorious for using USB drives; SD cards from cameras too... Wireless world? Yes. But that doesn't address the need to plug in to external displays, external hard drives, TVs/Projectors (HDMI), etc.
Who is this really aimed at? Nobody! It's a flop. If they start messing with the other MacBooks like this, I am going to a Hackintosh. This is total garbage.
It's finally time to start thinking about firing Tim Cook (or as they say... asking him to step down).
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I imagine some company will make a battery slice that attaches to it and also acts as a hub for extra ports. Bonus points if that only makes it the same dimensions as the Macbook Air and no bigger.