Once Movies in the cloud is enabled, smaller disks will become a lot more practical.
Indeed. I have seven terabytes in my Mac Pro right now (two for backups, so we can exclude that; leaving 5). A little over a terabyte of that is my iTunes media (ALAC music + a slowly-growing collection of 1080p rips), while my personal stuff is probably just under half a terabyte (there's some raw shot 1080p video source in there, which skews the numbers up). You can see how local media affects disk usage!
'Course I'm in the camp that feels more comfortable having EVERYTHING local. Cloud syncing of calendars, contacts, e-mail, and eventually preferences and a few documents? Sure! But I'd prefer everything I own on a computer I own. That way if someone tries to tell me I don't own the stuff I've paid for (or that my files not only aren't, but never were), I can just laugh in their face and open it right on my machine. That's really my only remaining concern with The Cloud as a concept.
Ha, you and the other 6 people who put CDs into your MacBook Pro to listen to music will have a field day on eBay.
I'm a big fan of lossless audio, but here's the thing...1. 16 bit CD audio is far from lossless, so don't kid yourself, and 2. There are ways of managing that digitally without the totally unnecessary physical media.
So when I hear someone say, "I need my CD drive because I like high quality music", I LMAO, because you obviously don't know what you're talking about, nor do you have the inclination to figure it out.
actually, cd's can produce a better sound on hi-fi stereo systems than playing lossless music right off ripped files. I've tried playing flac, ape files with programs like amarra on my imac and on my pc while using USB DACs like bladelius' DAC converter (i have tried a LOT of different ways). nothing provides distinct and clear layering of sounds like a cd burned with my plextor drive. yet i still have terabytes of lossless music stored in hard drives for future cd burning. notice how i refuse to use my headphone jack for audio output. but this refers to burning cds with a custom built desktop pc.
laptops can't provide a stable consistent enough power to its cd burner and thus are not able to produce a good sounding cd. this is also the reason why the correct way to output music from a desktop computer is through USB because it actually provides enough power. but my point is, if burned correctly, CDs can provide a purer sound on stereo systems than lossless.
but the thing is, laptops playing right off a cd is not even close to the same audio ripped off the same cd with a lossless codec. so optical drives on laptops ARE in fact pretty much useless now. and i totally support apple removing it for more storage space on top of an SSD on a macbook pro. as much as dvd/cd drives are still needed, i just don't think its needed on portable computing anymore.
Most of the 100+ CDs that I have are not music. They are software. Although the majority may be older versions and or windows software. I have always meant to encode them all into ISO files an with my 12TB array I finally can. Then again I have little use for at least half of it as it is not compatible with either intel based macs or 10.7
To people who think SSDs are still too small/expensive, yes they are. But think about how many of your files are truly yours (something you created) and how many are just media files (Hollywood movies etc).
The overwhelming majority of the files on my work MPB were created by me, or my team.
Putting then onto any cloud would get me fired / possibly sued. So they stay local.
If Apple phases out the 13" MBP, I'll either buy the late 2011 MBP 13" or not get a Mac at all. I am not worried about the Optical Drive away, it's the MBA-like form that worries me.
I need more storage than what SSDs can provide right now at the 13"'s price-point. Furthermore, I also want to have more than 4GB of Memory at reasonable pricing (something you can't get on the MBAs, as far as I know).
Finally, I'd really rather have the CPU or GPU of a MBP, rather than the ultra-low voltage versions of the MBA.
Ha, you and the other 6 people who put CDs into your MacBook Pro to listen to music will have a field day on eBay.
I'm a big fan of lossless audio, but here's the thing...1. 16 bit CD audio is far from lossless, so don't kid yourself, and 2. There are ways of managing that digitally without the totally unnecessary physical media.
So when I hear someone say, "I need my CD drive because I like high quality music", I LMAO, because you obviously don't know what you're talking about, nor do you have the inclination to figure it out.
YOU obviously haven't a clue what you're talking about simply because cd is the only medium by which we can access high quality music. Are you telling me that you have access to all of the music companies master recordings? You must plug straight into the mixing desk for your music. Maybe you just book the artist to come round to your house and play in your lounge? Yes I need a cd drive to rip my musicand as far as I can tell it is still the most prolific medium for high quality music content. and i'll be damned if I'm going to buy more peripheral devices to do so.
If Apple phases out the 13" MBP, I'll either buy the late 2011 MBP 13" or not get a Mac at all. I am not worried about the Optical Drive away, it's the MBA-like form that worries me.
How can you say this when you know nothing about what it will be like?
@ Generic Apple can't make it slim without making it slower and more expensive! Comments
What? How do you arm chair engineers have any clue what Apple is not capable of doing? Have you tried making your own 15" MacBook AirPro at home and it just didn't work out??
Know-it-alls, please STFU.
No one is saying that. What they're saying is that IF the next MBP can't do what their current one can, especially with regard the graphics card (not for gaming but for Aperture, Photoshop, etc.) there's nothing in the plus column that will make it worth upgrading to, as it won't be an upgrade except in ways that are secondary to them.
A twice as powerful CPU but with shared graphics or lesser graphics card because a better one than what I've already got won't fit? IF that's the first run except for the most expensive 17" model I'll pass. If I'm limited in amount of ram? Can't use it.
IIRC, current MBAs all max out at 4 gig of ram, which is soldered to the motherboard, one of several reasons MBAs haven't taken over from MBPs yet.
actually, cd's can produce a better sound on hi-fi stereo systems than playing lossless music right off ripped files. I've tried playing flac, ape files with programs like amarra on my imac and on my pc while using USB DACs like bladelius' DAC converter (i have tried a LOT of different ways). nothing provides distinct and clear layering of sounds like a cd burned with my plextor drive. yet i still have terabytes of lossless music stored in hard drives for future cd burning. notice how i refuse to use my headphone jack for audio output. but this refers to burning cds with a custom built desktop pc.
laptops can't provide a stable consistent enough power to its cd burner and thus are not able to produce a good sounding cd. this is also the reason why the correct way to output music from a desktop computer is through USB because it actually provides enough power. but my point is, if burned correctly, CDs can provide a purer sound on stereo systems than lossless.
but the thing is, laptops playing right off a cd is not even close to the same audio ripped off the same cd with a lossless codec. so optical drives on laptops ARE in fact pretty much useless now. and i totally support apple removing it for more storage space on top of an SSD on a macbook pro. as much as dvd/cd drives are still needed, i just don't think its needed on portable computing anymore.
actually, cd's can produce a better sound on hi-fi stereo systems than playing lossless music right off ripped files. I've tried playing flac, ape files with programs like amarra on my imac and on my pc while using USB DACs like bladelius' DAC converter (i have tried a LOT of different ways). nothing provides distinct and clear layering of sounds like a cd burned with my plextor drive. yet i still have terabytes of lossless music stored in hard drives for future cd burning. notice how i refuse to use my headphone jack for audio output. but this refers to burning cds with a custom built desktop pc.
laptops can't provide a stable consistent enough power to its cd burner and thus are not able to produce a good sounding cd. this is also the reason why the correct way to output music from a desktop computer is through USB because it actually provides enough power. but my point is, if burned correctly, CDs can provide a purer sound on stereo systems than lossless.
but the thing is, laptops playing right off a cd is not even close to the same audio ripped off the same cd with a lossless codec. so optical drives on laptops ARE in fact pretty much useless now. and i totally support apple removing it for more storage space on top of an SSD on a macbook pro. as much as dvd/cd drives are still needed, i just don't think its needed on portable computing anymore.
You are taking the piss? right?
I have not read such a complete and utter load of twoddle in my life.
@ Generic Apple can't make it slim without making it slower and more expensive! Comments
I don't think anybody is saying that. What is being expressed is the fear of loosing what makes the MBP the MBP. If you can't grasp that don't comment.
Quote:
What? How do you arm chair engineers have any clue what Apple is not capable of doing?
Engineering is engineering, it is not something exclusive to Apple. Do you honestly believe that there are no engineers in this world outside of Apple?
Quote:
Have you tried making your own 15" MacBook AirPro at home and it just didn't work out??
Nope. On the other hand I've probably built more things at home than half the members of this forum. Now the thing is I've been using computers for years now, literally since the advent of the microprocessor, so I have a damn good idea about what is important to me.
To that end I've rejected all versions of the AIRs for personal use due to real limitations that I can not accept. Build those limitations into a MBP and the machine will not be acceptable.
Note that I'm not saying Apple will do that, just that it would be objectionable if they did.
Quote:
Know-it-alls, please STFU.
It is better to post with some knowledge than no knowledge whatsoever. It is even worst to post demonstrating no comprehension with respect to this thread.
They might not be able to do that if they have the same power consumption as it would reduce the battery size significantly.
Remember with the optical drive gone you have 18"^3 of space for the battery where before you had none. You also get to rearrange the components with more freedom.
If you make it about 1" total like it currently is (note that only the MBAs currently get the milled top plate which adds thinness) you should be able to put a 35W/45W CPU and dGPU at the back of the 15" and 17" machine with plenty of room for a battery. Note that by going with the thicker back edge than the MBA you end up with a lot more internal space. I have only done rudimentary calculations of the space and components but it looks very doable to me.
Quote:
USB 3 to replace FW800 and ethernet (4 ports on 15", 2 on 13").
Thunderbolt x 2 on 15", one on 13".
If TB replaces any data port it's FW. Since Apple hasn't moved to FW1600 or FW3200 I have to wonder if the FW port will eventually be removed in favour of a second TB port or another USB port.
I don't think that will happen with the next revision but I can see it being silently swapped out in a future revision with the new case design. i do expect USB3.0 will arrive with Ivy Bridge.
Quote:
They have to go with 256GB entry SSD on the 15". Removing the optical saves them $100 and with SSD being around $1/GB, they can get 256GB in the entry model. This means no need for an HDD and they can easily have a BTO option for 512GB for $300.
I'm thinking that the cost per GB is still too much and that having the SSD blade and a space for a 2.5" drive might be needed. If it is, then that's a lot of storage at a lost cost without losing the fast boot and app loading. If it's not, well that's another 6.5"^3 of internal capacity for batteries or whatever.
Quote:
I think high-resolution displays would add too much cost during the transition so same resolution as we have now.
I question this with the iPad 3 as well but there seem to be so much anecdotal evidence from so many sources that it usually turns out to be true.
I'd also like to see IPS finally come into the MBPs. People have been complaining about this for as long as IPS has been out but it's only recently that it's even become a viable option for a notebook.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hmm
You're asking for too much in such a slim power envelope if they do in fact go thinner with it. I'm not convinced they'll displace the current mbp. If they did that, you'd most likely see a performance drop rather than flat performance with the current model due to the need to migrate to a ulv cpu comparable to the current 13" air. Given the design similarities, I'm not even sure where estimated performance gains are coming from in Ivy Bridge chips.
I'm thinking at least one model size of the current MBP line might be rebranded the new MacBook.
OMG..did you really say that? With YOUR signature?
His sig is not stating what the iPhone will be like it's a deduction based on known information. For instance, it's not likely to have the A5 chip unless changes 2 years of a pattern, it's not likely to run iOS 5 unless Apple changes 5 years of a patten, it definitely won't be the 5th generation iPhone, nor will it be the 5th generation base case design unless they come out with two distinct designs this year.
THANK YOU APPLE! I have been begging our reps at work for an HP laptop like this, lose the optical drive on the enterprise PCs, make them thinner and lighter! now with this I can just tell our reps "copy that macbook pro, and do it NOW!!!!!"
I cant wait to see this thing in the flesh, and maybe finally replace my 5 year old MB that untill now has worked like a champ
His sig is not stating what the iPhone will be like it's a deduction based on known information. For instance, it's not likely to have the A5 chip unless changes 2 years of a pattern, it's not likely to run iOS 5 unless Apple changes 5 years of a patten, it definitely won't be the 5th generation iPhone, nor will it be the 5th generation base case design unless they come out with two distinct designs this year.
My point was no one can say exactly what it will be named...not you...not me... not TS. But if he says that someone can't give an exact absolute about an Apple product...then neither can he or anyone else.......we are all just giving opinions.
How can you say this when you know nothing about what it will be like?
I can say this because if I read the rumor right, the MBA will totally replace the 13" MBP. If I know how the MBA looks like, its specs limitations, and the power it does (or doesn't) provide, it doesn't take much effort to understand if it'd or would not be fit for me.
In my case, severe space storage limitations, memory unupgradeability and ultra-low voltage CPUs are a downgrade from the late-2011 MBP, meaning that'd probably be the one I'd get if the 13" ends up being phased out in 2012.
I use the dongle once in a blue moon. Usually at hotels, and rarely at customer sites that have security policies in place that forbid wireless. I haven't found it to be an annoyance.
The new version of the MacBook Pro must have Ethernet built in. Carrying around dongles sucks. I have the mini display port to VGA dongle & that's enough dongle-toting. Adapters are ridiculous. Thankfully more & more companies are using the mini display port connection so hopefully projector makers and TV makers will start putting it on the TVs eliminating the need for that dongle.
Comments
Once Movies in the cloud is enabled, smaller disks will become a lot more practical.
Indeed. I have seven terabytes in my Mac Pro right now (two for backups, so we can exclude that; leaving 5). A little over a terabyte of that is my iTunes media (ALAC music + a slowly-growing collection of 1080p rips), while my personal stuff is probably just under half a terabyte (there's some raw shot 1080p video source in there, which skews the numbers up). You can see how local media affects disk usage!
'Course I'm in the camp that feels more comfortable having EVERYTHING local. Cloud syncing of calendars, contacts, e-mail, and eventually preferences and a few documents? Sure! But I'd prefer everything I own on a computer I own. That way if someone tries to tell me I don't own the stuff I've paid for (or that my files not only aren't, but never were), I can just laugh in their face and open it right on my machine. That's really my only remaining concern with The Cloud as a concept.
Ha, you and the other 6 people who put CDs into your MacBook Pro to listen to music will have a field day on eBay.
I'm a big fan of lossless audio, but here's the thing...1. 16 bit CD audio is far from lossless, so don't kid yourself, and 2. There are ways of managing that digitally without the totally unnecessary physical media.
So when I hear someone say, "I need my CD drive because I like high quality music", I LMAO, because you obviously don't know what you're talking about, nor do you have the inclination to figure it out.
actually, cd's can produce a better sound on hi-fi stereo systems than playing lossless music right off ripped files. I've tried playing flac, ape files with programs like amarra on my imac and on my pc while using USB DACs like bladelius' DAC converter (i have tried a LOT of different ways). nothing provides distinct and clear layering of sounds like a cd burned with my plextor drive. yet i still have terabytes of lossless music stored in hard drives for future cd burning. notice how i refuse to use my headphone jack for audio output. but this refers to burning cds with a custom built desktop pc.
laptops can't provide a stable consistent enough power to its cd burner and thus are not able to produce a good sounding cd. this is also the reason why the correct way to output music from a desktop computer is through USB because it actually provides enough power. but my point is, if burned correctly, CDs can provide a purer sound on stereo systems than lossless.
but the thing is, laptops playing right off a cd is not even close to the same audio ripped off the same cd with a lossless codec. so optical drives on laptops ARE in fact pretty much useless now. and i totally support apple removing it for more storage space on top of an SSD on a macbook pro. as much as dvd/cd drives are still needed, i just don't think its needed on portable computing anymore.
To people who think SSDs are still too small/expensive, yes they are. But think about how many of your files are truly yours (something you created) and how many are just media files (Hollywood movies etc).
The overwhelming majority of the files on my work MPB were created by me, or my team.
Putting then onto any cloud would get me fired / possibly sued. So they stay local.
I need more storage than what SSDs can provide right now at the 13"'s price-point. Furthermore, I also want to have more than 4GB of Memory at reasonable pricing (something you can't get on the MBAs, as far as I know).
Finally, I'd really rather have the CPU or GPU of a MBP, rather than the ultra-low voltage versions of the MBA.
Ha, you and the other 6 people who put CDs into your MacBook Pro to listen to music will have a field day on eBay.
I'm a big fan of lossless audio, but here's the thing...1. 16 bit CD audio is far from lossless, so don't kid yourself, and 2. There are ways of managing that digitally without the totally unnecessary physical media.
So when I hear someone say, "I need my CD drive because I like high quality music", I LMAO, because you obviously don't know what you're talking about, nor do you have the inclination to figure it out.
YOU obviously haven't a clue what you're talking about simply because cd is the only medium by which we can access high quality music. Are you telling me that you have access to all of the music companies master recordings? You must plug straight into the mixing desk for your music. Maybe you just book the artist to come round to your house and play in your lounge? Yes I need a cd drive to rip my musicand as far as I can tell it is still the most prolific medium for high quality music content. and i'll be damned if I'm going to buy more peripheral devices to do so.
If Apple phases out the 13" MBP, I'll either buy the late 2011 MBP 13" or not get a Mac at all. I am not worried about the Optical Drive away, it's the MBA-like form that worries me.
How can you say this when you know nothing about what it will be like?
@ Generic Apple can't make it slim without making it slower and more expensive! Comments
What? How do you arm chair engineers have any clue what Apple is not capable of doing? Have you tried making your own 15" MacBook AirPro at home and it just didn't work out??
Know-it-alls, please STFU.
No one is saying that. What they're saying is that IF the next MBP can't do what their current one can, especially with regard the graphics card (not for gaming but for Aperture, Photoshop, etc.) there's nothing in the plus column that will make it worth upgrading to, as it won't be an upgrade except in ways that are secondary to them.
A twice as powerful CPU but with shared graphics or lesser graphics card because a better one than what I've already got won't fit? IF that's the first run except for the most expensive 17" model I'll pass. If I'm limited in amount of ram? Can't use it.
IIRC, current MBAs all max out at 4 gig of ram, which is soldered to the motherboard, one of several reasons MBAs haven't taken over from MBPs yet.
actually, cd's can produce a better sound on hi-fi stereo systems than playing lossless music right off ripped files. I've tried playing flac, ape files with programs like amarra on my imac and on my pc while using USB DACs like bladelius' DAC converter (i have tried a LOT of different ways). nothing provides distinct and clear layering of sounds like a cd burned with my plextor drive. yet i still have terabytes of lossless music stored in hard drives for future cd burning. notice how i refuse to use my headphone jack for audio output. but this refers to burning cds with a custom built desktop pc.
laptops can't provide a stable consistent enough power to its cd burner and thus are not able to produce a good sounding cd. this is also the reason why the correct way to output music from a desktop computer is through USB because it actually provides enough power. but my point is, if burned correctly, CDs can provide a purer sound on stereo systems than lossless.
but the thing is, laptops playing right off a cd is not even close to the same audio ripped off the same cd with a lossless codec. so optical drives on laptops ARE in fact pretty much useless now. and i totally support apple removing it for more storage space on top of an SSD on a macbook pro. as much as dvd/cd drives are still needed, i just don't think its needed on portable computing anymore.
OMG, we have a live one!
actually, cd's can produce a better sound on hi-fi stereo systems than playing lossless music right off ripped files. I've tried playing flac, ape files with programs like amarra on my imac and on my pc while using USB DACs like bladelius' DAC converter (i have tried a LOT of different ways). nothing provides distinct and clear layering of sounds like a cd burned with my plextor drive. yet i still have terabytes of lossless music stored in hard drives for future cd burning. notice how i refuse to use my headphone jack for audio output. but this refers to burning cds with a custom built desktop pc.
laptops can't provide a stable consistent enough power to its cd burner and thus are not able to produce a good sounding cd. this is also the reason why the correct way to output music from a desktop computer is through USB because it actually provides enough power. but my point is, if burned correctly, CDs can provide a purer sound on stereo systems than lossless.
but the thing is, laptops playing right off a cd is not even close to the same audio ripped off the same cd with a lossless codec. so optical drives on laptops ARE in fact pretty much useless now. and i totally support apple removing it for more storage space on top of an SSD on a macbook pro. as much as dvd/cd drives are still needed, i just don't think its needed on portable computing anymore.
You are taking the piss? right?
I have not read such a complete and utter load of twoddle in my life.
You are taking the piss? right?
I have not read such a complete and utter load of twoddle in my life.
His comment makes no sense. He's switching up talking about codecs and the physical media as if they are the same thing.
@ Generic Apple can't make it slim without making it slower and more expensive! Comments
I don't think anybody is saying that. What is being expressed is the fear of loosing what makes the MBP the MBP. If you can't grasp that don't comment.
What? How do you arm chair engineers have any clue what Apple is not capable of doing?
Engineering is engineering, it is not something exclusive to Apple. Do you honestly believe that there are no engineers in this world outside of Apple?
Have you tried making your own 15" MacBook AirPro at home and it just didn't work out??
Nope. On the other hand I've probably built more things at home than half the members of this forum. Now the thing is I've been using computers for years now, literally since the advent of the microprocessor, so I have a damn good idea about what is important to me.
To that end I've rejected all versions of the AIRs for personal use due to real limitations that I can not accept. Build those limitations into a MBP and the machine will not be acceptable.
Note that I'm not saying Apple will do that, just that it would be objectionable if they did.
Know-it-alls, please STFU.
It is better to post with some knowledge than no knowledge whatsoever. It is even worst to post demonstrating no comprehension with respect to this thread.
They might not be able to do that if they have the same power consumption as it would reduce the battery size significantly.
Remember with the optical drive gone you have 18"^3 of space for the battery where before you had none. You also get to rearrange the components with more freedom.
If you make it about 1" total like it currently is (note that only the MBAs currently get the milled top plate which adds thinness) you should be able to put a 35W/45W CPU and dGPU at the back of the 15" and 17" machine with plenty of room for a battery. Note that by going with the thicker back edge than the MBA you end up with a lot more internal space. I have only done rudimentary calculations of the space and components but it looks very doable to me.
USB 3 to replace FW800 and ethernet (4 ports on 15", 2 on 13").
Thunderbolt x 2 on 15", one on 13".
If TB replaces any data port it's FW. Since Apple hasn't moved to FW1600 or FW3200 I have to wonder if the FW port will eventually be removed in favour of a second TB port or another USB port.
I don't think that will happen with the next revision but I can see it being silently swapped out in a future revision with the new case design. i do expect USB3.0 will arrive with Ivy Bridge.
They have to go with 256GB entry SSD on the 15". Removing the optical saves them $100 and with SSD being around $1/GB, they can get 256GB in the entry model. This means no need for an HDD and they can easily have a BTO option for 512GB for $300.
I'm thinking that the cost per GB is still too much and that having the SSD blade and a space for a 2.5" drive might be needed. If it is, then that's a lot of storage at a lost cost without losing the fast boot and app loading. If it's not, well that's another 6.5"^3 of internal capacity for batteries or whatever.
I think high-resolution displays would add too much cost during the transition so same resolution as we have now.
I question this with the iPad 3 as well but there seem to be so much anecdotal evidence from so many sources that it usually turns out to be true.
I'd also like to see IPS finally come into the MBPs. People have been complaining about this for as long as IPS has been out but it's only recently that it's even become a viable option for a notebook.
You're asking for too much in such a slim power envelope if they do in fact go thinner with it. I'm not convinced they'll displace the current mbp. If they did that, you'd most likely see a performance drop rather than flat performance with the current model due to the need to migrate to a ulv cpu comparable to the current 13" air. Given the design similarities, I'm not even sure where estimated performance gains are coming from in Ivy Bridge chips.
I'm thinking at least one model size of the current MBP line might be rebranded the new MacBook.
How can you say this when you know nothing about what it will be like?
OMG..did you really say that? With YOUR signature?
OMG..did you really say that? With YOUR signature?
His sig is not stating what the iPhone will be like it's a deduction based on known information. For instance, it's not likely to have the A5 chip unless changes 2 years of a pattern, it's not likely to run iOS 5 unless Apple changes 5 years of a patten, it definitely won't be the 5th generation iPhone, nor will it be the 5th generation base case design unless they come out with two distinct designs this year.
I cant wait to see this thing in the flesh, and maybe finally replace my 5 year old MB that untill now has worked like a champ
His sig is not stating what the iPhone will be like it's a deduction based on known information. For instance, it's not likely to have the A5 chip unless changes 2 years of a pattern, it's not likely to run iOS 5 unless Apple changes 5 years of a patten, it definitely won't be the 5th generation iPhone, nor will it be the 5th generation base case design unless they come out with two distinct designs this year.
My point was no one can say exactly what it will be named...not you...not me... not TS. But if he says that someone can't give an exact absolute about an Apple product...then neither can he or anyone else.......we are all just giving opinions.
How can you say this when you know nothing about what it will be like?
I can say this because if I read the rumor right, the MBA will totally replace the 13" MBP. If I know how the MBA looks like, its specs limitations, and the power it does (or doesn't) provide, it doesn't take much effort to understand if it'd or would not be fit for me.
In my case, severe space storage limitations, memory unupgradeability and ultra-low voltage CPUs are a downgrade from the late-2011 MBP, meaning that'd probably be the one I'd get if the 13" ends up being phased out in 2012.
The USB dongle works perfectly well.
I use the dongle once in a blue moon. Usually at hotels, and rarely at customer sites that have security policies in place that forbid wireless. I haven't found it to be an annoyance.