Ok was puzzled there for a moment ...'click-less trackpad' ? I had to stop and think for a moment, what is a clickable track pad? I never use the click-ability on my MBP's track pad and had forgotten I ever did, I'm sure few ever do since double tap ... but wait ... I do use it without thinking when I click and drag DUH! So ... how would you click and drag? Or is there already an alternative with gestures I missed?
There's a three finger drag option in System Preferences which works for some things, like windows and file icons. Doesn't work for selected text though.
There's a three finger drag option in System Preferences which works for some things, like windows and file icons. Doesn't work for selected text though.
Ok thanks. So OS X would have to have a minor update to add a new and simple feature ... that is of course unless the fear of many comes to pass and OS X merges with iOS and the new Mac has a touch screen! I was going to add a laugh there but perhaps not ...
I suspect you are over simplifying. Yes of course less materials cost less but ... the shipping?
Firstly I don't think Apple folks sit down and think, 'how can we make more money ... Oh I know let's make products lighter ... we'll save on shipping!'. I suspect there are far more important and scientific reasons such as the heat and energy savings in scaling as just one example.
Secondly, as an Amazon Prime member, I have seen for myself that shipping costs are far lower than I ever imagined when a massive company ships in huge volumes.
Ok, so it costs less to ship in greater volume AND it costs less because lighter materials. Win/win in my book. The MacBook Pro may not get rid of the ports just yet because a lot of professionals need and want them. Once gigabit wireless is built into almost everything then I think they may get rid of them. Of course I don't work for them so this is just a hunch but it seems like the logical progression to make.
Any new MacBook Air design is likely going to be aimed at similar price targets to its predecessors.
Likely is proof of nothing.
I cannot fathom why type-C USB is designed the way it is. It makes a ton more sense to have the receptacles on the internal surface of the port over an added internal piece to accommodate them which takes additional space. By virtue of this design they are making the port bigger than they would otherwise and they are complicating the physical design.
And I wish Apple was more aggressive about killing old models so they could focus more on pushing the prices of their best products down. There's no way they should be still shipping a non-Retina MPB at this stage. And if the renders on 9to5 are accurate they should reduce the bezels more by sticking a 13" Retina display in this tiny computer while concurrently killing both existing 11 and 13" Airs upon its release. Shipping this machine with just one port and a 128 GB SSD for $999. Thus forcing the choice of $999 for really really thin and light but with one port or $1,299 for a rMBP will all its ports.
Everything you wrote makes sense; not allowing for Apple to once again "surprise" the market. Apple could rachet the iPad's pricing down $100 making room for the new MBA to be at $899 and dropping the 11" MBA that's at this price point currently. But since Apple seems to be more aggressive about not leaving any breathing room at the bottom for competitors to live, I wouldn't be surprised with anything Apple may do when slipping the MBA into their lineup. Life is gonna get real interesting real soon!
There's a three finger drag option in System Preferences which works for some things, like windows and file icons. Doesn't work for selected text though.
Ok thanks. So OS X would have to have a minor update to add a new and simple feature ... that is of course unless the fear of many comes to pass and OS X merges with iOS and the new Mac has a touch screen! I was going to add a laugh there but perhaps not ...
Go ahead and laugh...it ain't gonna happen in this version of the universe.
Ok, so it costs less to ship in greater volume AND it costs less because lighter materials. Win/win in my book. The MacBook Pro may not get rid of the ports just yet because a lot of professionals need and want them. Once gigabit wireless is built into almost everything then I think they may get rid of them. Of course I don't work for them so this is just a hunch but it seems like the logical progression to make.
I concur, it is all a win win. I just hope they retain a Thunderbolt port.
Go ahead and laugh...it ain't gonna happen in this version of the universe.
Phew!
Although I never want to go on record saying never. Never totally, but more and more features will cross-over, that I am sure of. I love OS X and personally don't like any mobile OS all that much (I use an iPad for Netflix and Mail, I can't stand using Safari thanks to the bloody ads I can't block unless I run Adblock's browser) and I certainly never want to lose the power of my beloved OS X! That said I see massive potential for all iOS devices, just not for me, I am speaking purely personally. I'd far rather have a light MB with me that could make phone calls and link to my car's system like an iPhone can for the same reasons!
Removing ports and adding Retina will greater differentiate the MBA from the MBP line.
Probably something Apple wanted to do as the two have almost become indistinguishable.
The MBA would again be truly the 'ultra notebook' in the lineup.
However, the greater challenge might be how to stem the tide of people jumping onto cheap $300 Chromebooks.
Jumping on a cheap Chromebook is like jumping on a cheap hooker... you won't linger long. Besides, it's been proven that the sales of Chromebooks were way over stated.
"the fact that Mac sales didn't set any records between 2011 and 2014..." - uh, I thought it did! I distinctly remember Tim Cook touting it at one of the quarterly meetings.
Also the author says that running on battery automatically causes Macs to enter a lower performance, battery saving mode. I dont think it's as simple as that.
Finally, I can't believe MagSafe wouldn't fit on the thicker side of an MBA. Put the usb-c connector on one side and MagSafe on the other!
Everything you wrote makes sense; not allowing for Apple to once again "surprise" the market. Apple could rachet the iPad's pricing down $100 making room for the new MBA to be at $899 and dropping the 11" MBA that's at this price point currently. But since Apple seems to be more aggressive about not leaving any breathing room at the bottom for competitors to live, I wouldn't be surprised with anything Apple may do when slipping the MBA into their lineup. Life is gonna get real interesting real soon!
Dell just announced a new 13" XPS with near borderless 1080p display for $799.
Apple was pretty aggressive with the 5K iMac pricing so maybe they'll do the same with MBAs. Most, if not all of the Windows OEMs are shipping Ultrabooks with hi res displays so the current MBAs seem out of place.
I'm saying that *like me* a lot of Apple users will have very new (my iPhone 6 + is not even a month old) devices that require USB.
I may of course be totally wrong about this, but I can't see tremendous amounts of people preferring a marginal amount of mobility gain over flexibility. There is of course the option of carrying some kind of adapter, but you'd lose the mobility gain and add clunkiness.
When do you connect your iPhone to your Macbook Air? For charging, syncing, backups, file transfers?
As you pointed out, I'm sure there will be USB 3 to 3.1 adapters that will facilitate this. But I think that's secondary to the fact that Apple appears increasingly reliant on the cloud as the primary solution for syncing and backing up devices, and on WiFi/Bluetooth as the primary solution for local file transfers.
The Macbook Air is the ultimate portable computer, targeted at users who place a high priority on mobility, not those who routinely have half a dozen devices wired to their notebook.
Remember that Apple is always planning several steps ahead of the rest of the industry. Elimination of USB 3 ports on a Macbook Air is trivial compared to Apple's omission of other ports and components over the years from parallel ports to floppies to optical drives.
Unlike Firewire and Thunderbolt, USB 3.1 will be both backwards compatible and sufficiently cost effective to encourage wide adoption. In the not too distant future, iPhones may ship with Lightning to USB 3.1 cables and you may need an adapter to plug one into your "older" USB 3 equipped computer.
Personally, I would miss the MagSafe power adapter. But if a new Macbook Air can last all day on a single charge, it's not too big a sacrifice for an increasingly portable computer. Personally, I expect Apple to do away with wires across the board and move their entire product line to wireless charging in the next few years, and by that point the MagSafe connector will seem like a quaint innovation from the past.
Apple was pretty aggressive with the 5K iMac pricing so maybe they'll do the same with MBAs. Most, if not all of the Windows OEMs are shipping Ultrabooks with hi res displays so the current MBAs seem out of place.
Magsafe is excellent, if they loose that it's a major step back
USB 3.1 (type C) would not provide the safety that magsafe does
The whole 12" concepts being shown are a major step back and I suspect not many people would like them
Replacing the USB 3.0 with USB 3.1 (type C) would be acceptable, even dropping the SD card slot is OK (as you can always connect a card reader via USB)
I'd prefer Magsafe 1x Thunderbolt 2 2x USB 3.1 (type C) ports
Thinness is not everything, they should keep the thickness and increase battery time
Magsafe is an excellent solution for a laptop that is usually operated while plugged into a charger (like my ancient MBP). I'm ready to dump the cord until I'm ready for bed. You really gotta think beyond the past: do you really see yourself running around with a damn charger cable dangling off your ultra light MBA???
Maybe you missed this statement from the AI story: "With AirPrint, AirPlay, AirDrop, Bluetooth, iCloud and other wireless networking features, wired ports are becoming less and less necessary, particularly as 802.11ac WiFi wireless speeds begin to compete with USB cables."
Unless you really need the ports and power of the iMac, getting along with fewer cables can be done easily for most laptop users who want mobility even within your work space.
Magsafe is an excellent solution for a laptop that is usually operated while plugged into a charger (like my ancient MBP). I'm ready to dump the cord until I'm ready for bed. You really gotta think beyond the past: do you really see yourself running around with a damn charger cable dangling off your ultra light MBA???
Magsafe is the best solution for charging the laptop while you're using it
Often I run out of battery when I am doing important stuff, so at that point it's back in with the power cable
USB 3.1 (Type C) connector although reversible could be problematic if the cable is pulled at an angle (of course no one can test these things easily as most USB 3.1 type C devices are still being prototyped
While the rumors so far don't make this product sound too appealing to me, I can see the sense in Apple pursuing this route. I'm sure they can and will make improvements to the 13" rMBP that'll make it very close to the current 13" Air in thickness and weight. To really differentiate the Air from the rMBP they'll need something thinner, lighter and smaller, while still being a laptop that's distinct from an iPad. Professionals probably won't use the new Air as a primary machine if their work is processor and peripheral heavy, but Apple is likely thinking of the masses, not the professional niche in this case. This may end up being the polycarbonate, white Macbook replacement that the 11" and 13" Airs never quite were.
Memory Stick is a Sony design for a memory card, I don't think it was USB. :rolleyes:
I see this the way Jason Snell over at Six Colors does, a way to correct feature creep and provide an Air that matches up with the original design (which I have and use). It's very limited, even compared to a MBP I own which is two years older (but which spanks that Air in performance all day) but the portability is outstanding.
I think they'll keep the current MBA around though, perhaps as a MacBook instead.
Comments
Ok was puzzled there for a moment ...'click-less trackpad' ? I had to stop and think for a moment, what is a clickable track pad? I never use the click-ability on my MBP's track pad and had forgotten I ever did, I'm sure few ever do since double tap ... but wait ... I do use it without thinking when I click and drag DUH! So ... how would you click and drag? Or is there already an alternative with gestures I missed?
There's a three finger drag option in System Preferences which works for some things, like windows and file icons. Doesn't work for selected text though.
Ok thanks. So OS X would have to have a minor update to add a new and simple feature ... that is of course unless the fear of many comes to pass and OS X merges with iOS and the new Mac has a touch screen! I was going to add a laugh there but perhaps not ...
Ok, so it costs less to ship in greater volume AND it costs less because lighter materials. Win/win in my book. The MacBook Pro may not get rid of the ports just yet because a lot of professionals need and want them. Once gigabit wireless is built into almost everything then I think they may get rid of them. Of course I don't work for them so this is just a hunch but it seems like the logical progression to make.
Everything you wrote makes sense; not allowing for Apple to once again "surprise" the market. Apple could rachet the iPad's pricing down $100 making room for the new MBA to be at $899 and dropping the 11" MBA that's at this price point currently. But since Apple seems to be more aggressive about not leaving any breathing room at the bottom for competitors to live, I wouldn't be surprised with anything Apple may do when slipping the MBA into their lineup. Life is gonna get real interesting real soon!
Go ahead and laugh...it ain't gonna happen in this version of the universe.
Removing ports and adding Retina will greater differentiate the MBA from the MBP line.
Probably something Apple wanted to do as the two have almost become indistinguishable.
The MBA would again be truly the 'ultra notebook' in the lineup.
However, the greater challenge might be how to stem the tide of people jumping onto cheap $300 Chromebooks.
I concur, it is all a win win. I just hope they retain a Thunderbolt port.
Phew!
Although I never want to go on record saying never. Never totally, but more and more features will cross-over, that I am sure of. I love OS X and personally don't like any mobile OS all that much (I use an iPad for Netflix and Mail, I can't stand using Safari thanks to the bloody ads I can't block unless I run Adblock's browser) and I certainly never want to lose the power of my beloved OS X! That said I see massive potential for all iOS devices, just not for me, I am speaking purely personally. I'd far rather have a light MB with me that could make phone calls and link to my car's system like an iPhone can for the same reasons!
I'd be embarrassed to suggest a location.
Jumping on a cheap Chromebook is like jumping on a cheap hooker... you won't linger long. Besides, it's been proven that the sales of Chromebooks were way over stated.
Also the author says that running on battery automatically causes Macs to enter a lower performance, battery saving mode. I dont think it's as simple as that.
Finally, I can't believe MagSafe wouldn't fit on the thicker side of an MBA. Put the usb-c connector on one side and MagSafe on the other!
LOL
Dell just announced a new 13" XPS with near borderless 1080p display for $799.
http://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/productdetails/xps-13-9343-laptop
Apple was pretty aggressive with the 5K iMac pricing so maybe they'll do the same with MBAs. Most, if not all of the Windows OEMs are shipping Ultrabooks with hi res displays so the current MBAs seem out of place.
I'm saying that *like me* a lot of Apple users will have very new (my iPhone 6 + is not even a month old) devices that require USB.
I may of course be totally wrong about this, but I can't see tremendous amounts of people preferring a marginal amount of mobility gain over flexibility. There is of course the option of carrying some kind of adapter, but you'd lose the mobility gain and add clunkiness.
When do you connect your iPhone to your Macbook Air? For charging, syncing, backups, file transfers?
As you pointed out, I'm sure there will be USB 3 to 3.1 adapters that will facilitate this. But I think that's secondary to the fact that Apple appears increasingly reliant on the cloud as the primary solution for syncing and backing up devices, and on WiFi/Bluetooth as the primary solution for local file transfers.
The Macbook Air is the ultimate portable computer, targeted at users who place a high priority on mobility, not those who routinely have half a dozen devices wired to their notebook.
Remember that Apple is always planning several steps ahead of the rest of the industry. Elimination of USB 3 ports on a Macbook Air is trivial compared to Apple's omission of other ports and components over the years from parallel ports to floppies to optical drives.
Unlike Firewire and Thunderbolt, USB 3.1 will be both backwards compatible and sufficiently cost effective to encourage wide adoption. In the not too distant future, iPhones may ship with Lightning to USB 3.1 cables and you may need an adapter to plug one into your "older" USB 3 equipped computer.
Personally, I would miss the MagSafe power adapter. But if a new Macbook Air can last all day on a single charge, it's not too big a sacrifice for an increasingly portable computer. Personally, I expect Apple to do away with wires across the board and move their entire product line to wireless charging in the next few years, and by that point the MagSafe connector will seem like a quaint innovation from the past.
1080p seems so lame these days doesn't it?
Magsafe is an excellent solution for a laptop that is usually operated while plugged into a charger (like my ancient MBP). I'm ready to dump the cord until I'm ready for bed. You really gotta think beyond the past: do you really see yourself running around with a damn charger cable dangling off your ultra light MBA???
Maybe you missed this statement from the AI story: "With AirPrint, AirPlay, AirDrop, Bluetooth, iCloud and other wireless networking features, wired ports are becoming less and less necessary, particularly as 802.11ac WiFi wireless speeds begin to compete with USB cables."
Unless you really need the ports and power of the iMac, getting along with fewer cables can be done easily for most laptop users who want mobility even within your work space.
Magsafe is an excellent solution for a laptop that is usually operated while plugged into a charger (like my ancient MBP). I'm ready to dump the cord until I'm ready for bed. You really gotta think beyond the past: do you really see yourself running around with a damn charger cable dangling off your ultra light MBA???
Magsafe is the best solution for charging the laptop while you're using it
Often I run out of battery when I am doing important stuff, so at that point it's back in with the power cable
USB 3.1 (Type C) connector although reversible could be problematic if the cable is pulled at an angle (of course no one can test these things easily as most USB 3.1 type C devices are still being prototyped
Memory Stick is a Sony design for a memory card, I don't think it was USB. :rolleyes:
I see this the way Jason Snell over at Six Colors does, a way to correct feature creep and provide an Air that matches up with the original design (which I have and use). It's very limited, even compared to a MBP I own which is two years older (but which spanks that Air in performance all day) but the portability is outstanding.
I think they'll keep the current MBA around though, perhaps as a MacBook instead.
I wonder if the clickless trackpad would utilize the force touch technology on ?Watch?
? Probably just tap-to-click?...but using Force Touch on all their track pads and touch screens
going forward would be a nicely consolidated step up.