First look: Hands-on with Apple's all new 12" MacBook with Retina display

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  • Reply 41 of 101
    solipsismysolipsismy Posts: 5,099member
    USB Type-C is finally offers a design and performance that is worthy of Apple adopting. I can see all future Macs and iDevices getting this interface. Yes, I can see Lightning being obsoleced.
  • Reply 42 of 101
    sennensennen Posts: 1,470member

    I daresay this will be my wife's next computer, instead of the 11" MBA. I'll keep waiting for a Retina 17" MBP with tonz of portz. /s

  • Reply 43 of 101
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,356member
    rogifan wrote: »
    I'm amazed at how many are upset about the price. Um a lot of engineering went into this product. Doesn't that have to be paid for? It's not like Apple took the existing MBA design and just added a retina display.

    People forget that the lighter and slimmer something is, the more expensive it is. Add a Retina display that's hopefully ips or equivalent, and the price jumps. That really hot very large trackpad seems to cost more too, which is likely why it's not on the Macbook Air as well right now.

    Strange though, that there was no word on the 15" Macbook Pro.
  • Reply 44 of 101
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,628moderator

    Did anyone predict this prior to my July/August 2014 posts or do I have the honors of having predicted the return of the long-discontinued MacBook (with a 12" Retina display)?



    http://forums.appleinsider.com/t/181778/intels-core-m-chip-announcement-suggests-broadwell-based-macbook-pros-wont-arrive-until-2015#post_2577149



    My comment from August 11, 2014:



    Actually, I think we see the return of the long-gone MacBook (neither Air nor Pro). That's what I think the 12" Retina model will be, slotted in between the existing line-up.







    And an earlier mention by me here, in July 2014:



    http://forums.appleinsider.com/t/181577/apple-incs-double-digit-u-s-mac-growth-contradicts-idc-gartner-reports-of-a-mac-sales-slump#post_2569800

  • Reply 45 of 101
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,356member
    apple ][ wrote: »
    I'm not a big fan of gold looking things or the bling bling culture in general, but damn, this new Macbook looks really nice, especially the gold one. I bet that it even looks nicer in person than in pictures/video.

    The new keyboard and trackpad seems real interesting. Apple has always had the best trackpad in the world, and now they have taken a further lead with the new force touch trackpad. 

    It's pretty obvious to see that Apple is going to sell plenty of these new MacBooks. The price is decent too.

    And people who chime in and whine about the processor are totally missing the point! This Macbook is obviously not meant for heavy duty tasks! There are other models available for those who want or need more power.

    I almost got my 6+ in gold. The reason why I didn't isn't because it looks too blingy to me, because we know it's not, is just that I don't want others to think I feel blingy . Yeah, I know that's not the best reason. But if I got the 6, I likely would have gotten it in the gold. It really is understated, and looks really good. It's just a bit much for bigger items. But then, there are plenty of gold color cars on the roads.

    Really blingy phones are sold by Vertu, if people really want that.
  • Reply 46 of 101
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,356member
    solipsismy wrote: »
    USB Type-C is finally offers a design and performance that is worthy of Apple adopting. I can see all future Macs and iDevices getting this adapter. Yes, I can see Lightning being obsoleced.

    That would be almost too cool. But the Lightning connector is still kind of new. I read, though I don't remember where, that Apple may go to usb 3 for the iPad Pro in the Lightning connector.
  • Reply 47 of 101
    solipsismysolipsismy Posts: 5,099member
    melgross wrote: »
    That would be almost too cool. But the Lightning connector is still kind of new.

    There is precedence of Apple moving to a standard over a proprietary method when it becomes available, but I wonder how much the iPod Certification Program (or whatever its called) and their Lightning cable sales helps their bottom line.
  • Reply 48 of 101
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,356member
    Did anyone predict this prior to my July/August 2014 posts or do I have the honors of having predicted the return of the long-discontinued MacBook (with a 12" Retina display)?

    http://forums.appleinsider.com/t/181778/intels-core-m-chip-announcement-suggests-broadwell-based-macbook-pros-wont-arrive-until-2015#post_2577149

    My comment from August 11, 2014:

    Actually, I think we see the return of the long-gone MacBook (neither Air nor Pro). That's what I think the 12" Retina model will be, slotted in between the existing line-up.



    And an earlier mention by me here, in July 2014:

    http://forums.appleinsider.com/t/181577/apple-incs-double-digit-u-s-mac-growth-contradicts-idc-gartner-reports-of-a-mac-sales-slump#post_2569800

    Ok, pretty good prestidigatation. I always wanted to use that word.
  • Reply 49 of 101
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,356member
    solipsismy wrote: »
    There is precedence of Apple moving to a standard over a proprietary method when it becomes available, but I wonder how much the iPod Certification Program (or whatever its called) and their Lightning cable sales helps their bottom line.

    That's hard to say, but Apple is so large, how much would it matter? Apple is run by good business people, they make profits on almost everything. At least that's true for hardware.
  • Reply 50 of 101
    mac'em xmac'em x Posts: 106member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post



    Ok, pretty good prestidigatation. I always wanted to use that word.

     

    And so you did – although it's "prestidigitation", and I think the word you actually want is "prognostication".

     

    (Then again, my usual form of communication is sub-Neanderthal grunting. Never mind me. : ) 

  • Reply 51 of 101
    ingenious wrote: »
    Exactly.

    My first thought during the unveil was that this was Apple's answer to the Surface. And for those of you who will poo-poo this comparison, think about it for a minute.

    New MacBook fills the niche between iPad Air and MacBook (Air, Pro). It's extremely lightweight, runs "full" applications, has limited physical connectivity but wide-ranging wireless options.

    I think this will be a hit.

    This is lighter than Surface Pro 3 with Touch Keyboard. No kickstand required.

    ...And no table top required to operate it... i.e. a real laptop.
  • Reply 52 of 101
    melgross wrote: »
    rogifan wrote: »
    I'm amazed at how many are upset about the price. Um a lot of engineering went into this product. Doesn't that have to be paid for? It's not like Apple took the existing MBA design and just added a retina display.

    People forget that the lighter and slimmer something is, the more expensive it is. Add a Retina display that's hopefully ips or equivalent, and the price jumps. That really hot very large trackpad seems to cost more too, which is likely why it's not on the Macbook Air as well right now.

    It seems to me to not fit into the usual Apple line up ... it's kind of a fifth-wheel in a way. It's like it still needs something to cause it to stand out. Or maybe the MBA should have been the product to have been slimmed down and lightened, and skip the retina display... I guess I'm not sure how Apple wants to position this laptop...unless it's to be positioned against the MS Surface... as if it's any threat to Apple...?
  • Reply 53 of 101
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,356member
    mac'em x wrote: »
    And so you did – although it's "prestidigitation", and I think the word you actually want is "prognostication".

    (Then again, my usual form of communication is sub-Neanderthal grunting. Never mind me. : ) 

    No, I meant to use that word. Getting an Apple prediction correct is magic.

    Hmm, that spelling is from spellcheck.
  • Reply 54 of 101
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Macky the Macky View Post





    It seems to me to not fit into the usual Apple line up ... it's kind of a fifth-wheel in a way. It's like it still needs something to cause it to stand out. Or maybe the MBA should have been the product to have been slimmed down and lightened, and skip the retina display... I guess I'm not sure how Apple wants to position this laptop...unless it's to be positioned against the MS Surface... as if it's any threat to Apple...?

     

    I think it's positioned as the evolution of the Air.  The Air is next off the cliff.  All retina all the way.

  • Reply 55 of 101
    jlanddjlandd Posts: 873member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by photoeditor View Post



    A nice looking computer but fatally compromised by the single USB-C port. There should be two of them, and a MagSafe; three of them if there's any voltage reason for not having MagSafe on this model.

     

    WWwwweelllll, I do get the point that this is something for people who don't need three ports, or for those times when it wouldn't be appropriate to have peripherals with you.  

     

    But I'll tell you what will resemble a bad move.  Not getting the adapters out until long after the excitement has died down.  And not because that would render them not useful until then, but it just doesn't work to hype all the things you can do with a new port while no one can do them for want of an unavailable six inch $80 cable.  Apple, please get these into stores by end of March.

  • Reply 56 of 101
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,356member
    It seems to me to not fit into the usual Apple line up ... it's kind of a fifth-wheel in a way. It's like it still needs something to cause it to stand out. Or maybe the MBA should have been the product to have been slimmed down and lightened, and skip the retina display... I guess I'm not sure how Apple wants to position this laptop...unless it's to be positioned against the MS Surface... as if it's any threat to Apple...?

    It's a good question, really. I wonder if this is in part in response to shrinking iPad sales. Supposedly, the iPad Pro is for that, but assuming that will come out, this could be another angle to attack that from.

    Otherwise, I would say that's it's a way to get into the Apple ecosystem, but it's really too expensive to be a feeder product, that's the $899 Macbook Air. But for school work and executives, it could be a perfect machine.
  • Reply 57 of 101
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Based on Instagram comments that gold MacBook is a hit. Dell might have released the best Windows notebook but it cant hold a candle to the new MacBook in eliciting desire. And good on Apple marketing for using the gold model in press shots because that's the one everyone is drooling over.
  • Reply 58 of 101
    solipsismysolipsismy Posts: 5,099member
    It seems to me to not fit into the usual Apple line up ... it's kind of a fifth-wheel in a way. It's like it still needs something to cause it to stand out. Or maybe the MBA should have been the product to have been slimmed down and lightened, and skip the retina display... I guess I'm not sure how Apple wants to position this laptop...unless it's to be positioned against the MS Surface... as if it's any threat to Apple...?

    I think it's positioned right where Apple planned it, and I don't think it has any barring on the MS Surface (or what any other competitor is doing). Despite their low unit sales compared to the iPhone and iPad Macs are so far ahead of the completion in terms of design. I think Apple know their Mac sales will continue to grow steadily.

    So why the 12" MB below the MBPs and above the MBAs in price? I wonder if it's because the coat for this machine is still too high to replace the MBAs so it had to be a seperste classification.

    Now consider, what if Apple is planning entry-level budget "PCs". Well, they already removed Thunderbolt (which was the number one reason I was told it's impossible to have an Apple "PC" running ARM despite statements that entry-level notebooks aren't likely hooking up expensive TB peripherals).

    They get to see how this works with a faess, Intel-based device, and then leverage their 12" design and the Air designation for an ARM-based MBA down the road when the costs of other components in the MB help drop its price, and the 12" MBA being further reduced by a couple hundred dollars so that even more people start adopting the Mac platform as the Mac App Store supports the fat binaries needed.

    (I'm just using my imagination, but that's how I'd play it if I were going to introduce an ARM-based "PC")
  • Reply 59 of 101
    9secondko9secondko Posts: 929member
    So we are back to having a regular Macbook line and a Pro ine.

    The Air has been put in a strange spot of not needing to exist. At all.

    The new MB is basically the new Air, other than the sub 1k entry point.

    So this has me excited.

    Not necessarily just for this new MacBook, which i will likely purchase for my sister.

    But I am anticipating great things for the Pro line.

    A 12 inch laptop is pretty dang small regardless of resolution, but it is grreat for travel.

    Personally, I use my iPad for that kind of thing. But there are some things it can do that an iPad cannot.

    That's great.

    But I have been waiting on my purchase of a MBPr 15" for a new design with new tech.

    This one has iterated for over two years.

    My hopes are kind crazy, but I think they are realistic right now.

    Just two things in addition to the obvious new CPU/GPU/MOBO.

    1) 32 GB RAM
    2) 17" retina display. Or 18" I don't care.

    Now that there is a 27 inch retina display (a ridiculously amazong screen as well), there is no reason a 17-18" version should not exist.

    More room for the RAM (and associated heat dissipation) as well as more battery.

    I'm digging the Space Gray and Gold colors. Never thought gold would ever be a good color choice, but they've picked the perfect tone.

    Still, I'm a sucker for the silver finish.

    I can only hope that this happens sometime this Summer after the Apple Watch gets a chance to gain traction.

    I expect the watch will do well, even though it has the ? designator in the name instead of the more "surefire" "i" designator.

    I'll be an early adopter just like I was with the iPhone (and never regretted it on bit). The ? Watch is obviously th best Smartwatch anyone could have imagined by far. And it will inspire competitors who, if the iPhone and iPad (as well as Mac lines) will only inspire Apple to better them yet again.

    Great times!
  • Reply 60 of 101
    dunksdunks Posts: 1,254member
    They absolutely nailed this product. Apple are really pushing the design envelope hard with this one. Who'd have thought even ten years ago that the 3.5 mm auxiliary audio port would be considered a constraint on computer chassis design?

    If I had a time machine I'd love to sneak back to 2008 and secretly substitute this with the original MacBook Air in Steve's on-stage manila envelope. I think even he'd fall off the stage.
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