Why the next MacbookPro WILL have an Ethernet port

[RKpro]

Optical drive is dead, and almost certainly will be absent from next refresh. But Ethernet is still essential. I move Gigabytes of data over gigabit Ethernet at home and at work because it's more convenient then removable storage, and faster than usb 2.0.

USB to eithernet adapters suck, they're slow, and it's another thing to carry around.

Apple can design the Pro like the Air, thin at the front, and thicker towards the back, and have enough height for an Ethernet port.

No gigabit ethernet would be a deal breaker for many.

 

[Tensakun]

Uhh yeah it is. That's why we have Macbook Pros without Quadro cards, Docking ports, swappable batteries, 3g, and they even sport glass trackpads and screens. J Ives is a master of design and can do amazing things given .98 inch of space but there have been sacrifices in the name of design.

Sadly, I think there's something to your assessment. My concerns about the next "Pro" is that the purchaser will have fewer choices in replacing memory/HDD/SSD, no replaceable battery, no easy ability to do clean installs...

Would be a shame if product lines drifted into "consumer" and "consumer-plus-a-little."

 

[aCondor]

Who said that they will remove the ethernet port?

My thoughts exactly. Ethernet port will be onboard MBP's for a long time. Ethernet nowhere NEAR obsolete.

Remember how long floppy drives stayed on PCs?

 

[ct2k7]

My thoughts exactly. Ethernet port will be onboard MBP's for a long time. Ethernet nowhere NEAR obsolete.

Remember how long floppy drives stayed on PCs?

I use ethernet wherever I can, it saves battery.

 

[Prodo123]

well..what if Apple put 3 usb 3.0 ports into the 15" for instance, and gave you the option to buy a 10/100/1000 ethernet dongle? That wouldn't be such a bad tradeoff.

Have you even used a dongle before?

Uhh yeah it is. That's why we have Macbook Pros without Quadro cards, Docking ports, swappable batteries, 3g, and they even sport glass trackpads and screens. J Ives is a master of design and can do amazing things given .98 inch of space but there have been sacrifices in the name of design.

Not saying that they are bad rigs; I use an assortment of Apple technology in business everyday. But some businessey/techy features that you see on lenovo and dell are lacking.

I guess a quad-core processor and a decent GPU in a laptop is a LOT of sacrifice. Not to mention the MacBook Pro has one of the better screen resolutions & aspects for laptops (1680x1050 vs 1366x768).
I would rather have long-lasting batteries than swappable batteries. Saves space, time, money, etc.
Glass trackpads are smoother than plastic. Better user experience.
They DO have a plastic matte screen as a BTO option.

I mean they don't make that many sacrifices. The only real sacrifices I see are the lack of a full keyboard and numpad, lack of more ports, and the lack of 3G. None of them are huge dealbreakers, maybe except ports.

What Jony Ive has done is create an extremely functional work of art with little to no compromises as workstations with the 15/17".

And for the college/prosumer market, they have the 13" MBP & MBA.

 

[Trentolol]

Epic ice-breaker! LOL




What I really want to see (even though it's not quite the Apple way of doing things) is a special extension dock that offers you more connectivity and functionality while you're stationary. Perhaps this dock can be an extension from a single Light Peak port?

I know it's not gonna happen.

What I really want to know is when will Apple announce the next revision to the MBP line. I got my money ready to upgrade. I need that new design!!

What do you dislike about the silver unibodies?

 

[Prodo123]

What do you dislike about the silver unibodies?

Not enough & fail placement of USB ports






that's all I can think of

 

[ct2k7]

Not enough & fail placement of USB ports






that's all I can think of

That was an older design... for that time.