SCSI is still faster than FireWire! However USB 1.1 was a good move. SCSI was a pain, it required restarting to use devices and complicated chains etc. Apple helped the industry by introducing USB and I would not complain if Apple replaced FireWire with a faster alternative, I just want an alternative if they do get rid of it.
However, I feel the consensus here is that PowerPage is, as usual, wrong!
If the iBooks are getting a widescreen then the depth of the computer will shrink so a port might have to be removed and if that happens then here are some configurations:
1 - 0 modem, 1 FireWire, 2 USB
2 - 1 modem, 0 FireWire, 2 USB
3 - 1 modem, 1 FireWire, 1 USB
If all ports can be kept then here are a few more options
I can see the modem being dropped, especially now that Apple has their little modem dongle thing. Above and beyond that, I only see the Firewire 400 port changing to a Firewire 800 port.
Is far pedestrian uses go, firewire is only clearly advantageous when capturing from a tape device such as DVcam.
And those are going away now anyway in favor of random access storage in DVs such as flash and hard drives.
For all other purposes, USB2 is just as good as far as an average user is concerned.
And yes, we can argue which is better and, yes, there is a technological advantage to firewire... but, USB2 is much more prevalent and familiar for an average joe.
Should Apple keep firewire on ibooks? Yes, at least as an option. But if Apple doesn't I can see why it is a reasonable option.
If a FireWire 800-400 adapter is included in the box, I don't mind the switch. Although I doubt most consumers (ie iBook users) will use the 800 mode.
I also agree about dropping the modem port. In this day and age, modem usage is few and far between and I'd rather have a FW port than a modem port any day.
A modem only really makes sense on laptops these days. If you're staying in a grand hotel it will of course have broadband access - most likely wireless. But if you stay at a smaller place with no broadband that modem port will look very tempting. I'm not sure modems should be removed from laptops quite yet. I haven't used my modem on my PowerBook ever - I've had it since January but I will probably will have use for it soon.
I used my modem last spring when our power went out due to a thunderstorm. It's handy to check radar and warnings when there's no power and you're too dumb to buy a weather radio.
The 1394 Trade Association is comprised of more than 170 member companies. Membership is currently (8/00) still in a rapid growth phase, with approximately one company a week joining the 1394 TA. The membership consists of a number of companies of every size in almost every sector of the electronics industry. Some of the best known names in the 1394 TA membership are Sony, Intel, Microsoft, JVC, Matsushita, Compaq, NEC, Philips, Samsung, among other well respected electronics institutions.
And so must iPods. And iMacs must have a floppy drive.
This news makes absolutely perfect sense, come to think of it. We all like FireWire because it's better and because Apple used to be all about better rather than sensible; we could all get behind our favourite corporate behemoth because we liked 'better'.
Apple, however, don't give a toss what you and I think about them: they are a very big computer / digital lifestyle company who are concerned with selling computers and digital lifestyle doodads to Mr and Mrs Punter. It's weird how attached I am to FireWire and how disappointed I was when Apple dropped FireWire for iPods, but, erm, they're a huge corporate behemoth and I bought a new iPod anyway.
This news makes absolutely perfect sense, come to think of it.
I say again, all the DV camcorders ever sold use Firewire. It's the standard. iMovie and iDVD, two-fifths of the iLife suite included with every new Mac, would become useless without Firewire onboard. And as david_oc said, thus so would a Superdrive. I highly doubt Apple decided that the era of being creative is over, and from now on we should only use Macs to buy music and television episodes from the iTunes Music Store, especially since Apple practically invented cheap & simple video editing.
That would have to be the worst thing Apple could do! I have a 12 inch iBook, and the reason I did not get a PowerBook was because I did not have the money for it and I have friends that have PowerBook's and the metal case seems to scratch easily compare to the iBook's white plastic case which does not seem to scratch that easily at all.
I really like the design of iBooks but to take away firewire would completely ruin the iBook's. Granted I would love to have a super drive in my iBook(which I will probabely install myself) and a large hard drive(which I will be upgrading soon also myself) but other than those two things, I absolutely LOVE my iBook.
Also the only peripherals I use on my iBook are all Firewire. Right now I have an external 120 gig hard drive that I hookup through firewire and then I have a Sony DVD-Burner that I hook-up through the external 120 to the iBook, and I am about to get another external hard drive because I have so much music and video's and images that I use.
I really hope this rumor is false and that Apple will not get ride of the firewire on the iBooks, because personally I like the iBook series alot more than the PowerBook most because I love the white case and the plastic, I really do not like the how easily the the metal case scratches.
The 1394 Trade Association is comprised of more than 170 member companies. Membership is currently (8/00) still in a rapid growth phase, with approximately one company a week joining the 1394 TA. The membership consists of a number of companies of every size in almost every sector of the electronics industry. Some of the best known names in the 1394 TA membership are Sony, Intel, Microsoft, JVC, Matsushita, Compaq, NEC, Philips, Samsung, among other well respected electronics institutions."
Other laptop/notebook makers have numerous models with IEEE 1394 built-in. Lenovo even has several models around $1200 that include 1394. Why would Apple drop it?
Changing to 800 makes some sense, but people will be cursing Apple when they need to hook up and can't find a 400 to 800 adapter.
I just came across this article over at Macsimum News if anyone is interested. I could not put in the original link, because it was too long and the forum software was screwing it up. I had to use Shrinkster.
Is there anyone here that for even one minute believes this rumor? The floppy is dead, the zip disk isn't too far behind, but firwire still has plenty of life left to it.
Is there anyone here that for even one minute believes this rumor? The floppy is dead, the zip disk isn't too far behind, but firwire still has plenty of life left to it.
It looks like the G-SATA drive is faster than the same drive with a firewire 800 connection.
If they kept the FW400, and replaced the FW800 with an eSATA connection, would it inconvienience a lot of people? Obviously anyone with a FW800 raid drive, but are there other applications as well?
Comments
Originally posted by DHagan4755
Whatever happened to Gigawire?
Or
Firewire 1600?
Vaporware, apparently.
Oh well, eSATA is what, 3000 MBps?
However, I feel the consensus here is that PowerPage is, as usual, wrong!
1 - 0 modem, 1 FireWire, 2 USB
2 - 1 modem, 0 FireWire, 2 USB
3 - 1 modem, 1 FireWire, 1 USB
If all ports can be kept then here are a few more options
4 - 0 FireWire, 3 USB (standard/low-end)
5 - 1 FireWire, 2 USB (BTO/high-end)
And those are going away now anyway in favor of random access storage in DVs such as flash and hard drives.
For all other purposes, USB2 is just as good as far as an average user is concerned.
And yes, we can argue which is better and, yes, there is a technological advantage to firewire... but, USB2 is much more prevalent and familiar for an average joe.
Should Apple keep firewire on ibooks? Yes, at least as an option. But if Apple doesn't I can see why it is a reasonable option.
I also agree about dropping the modem port. In this day and age, modem usage is few and far between and I'd rather have a FW port than a modem port any day.
;^p
Originally posted by MacCrazy
I would not see it as a good move but remember Intel is behind USB.
AND a member of the 1394 Trade Association.
Originally posted by JLL
AND a member of the 1394 Trade Association.
Intel is NOT a 1394 Trade Association member.
http://www.1394ta.org/About/Members/#i
Originally posted by Benton
Intel is NOT a 1394 Trade Association member.
http://www.1394ta.org/About/Members/#i
I'm not sure why it's not in the member list, but Intel is a member
http://www.1394ta.org/About/
Members of the 1394 Trade Association
The 1394 Trade Association is comprised of more than 170 member companies. Membership is currently (8/00) still in a rapid growth phase, with approximately one company a week joining the 1394 TA. The membership consists of a number of companies of every size in almost every sector of the electronics industry. Some of the best known names in the 1394 TA membership are Sony, Intel, Microsoft, JVC, Matsushita, Compaq, NEC, Philips, Samsung, among other well respected electronics institutions.
Originally posted by Rolo
Macs
must
have
Fire
Wire.
And so must iPods. And iMacs must have a floppy drive.
This news makes absolutely perfect sense, come to think of it. We all like FireWire because it's better and because Apple used to be all about better rather than sensible; we could all get behind our favourite corporate behemoth because we liked 'better'.
Apple, however, don't give a toss what you and I think about them: they are a very big computer / digital lifestyle company who are concerned with selling computers and digital lifestyle doodads to Mr and Mrs Punter. It's weird how attached I am to FireWire and how disappointed I was when Apple dropped FireWire for iPods, but, erm, they're a huge corporate behemoth and I bought a new iPod anyway.
Originally posted by Hassan i Sabbah
This news makes absolutely perfect sense, come to think of it.
I say again, all the DV camcorders ever sold use Firewire. It's the standard. iMovie and iDVD, two-fifths of the iLife suite included with every new Mac, would become useless without Firewire onboard. And as david_oc said, thus so would a Superdrive. I highly doubt Apple decided that the era of being creative is over, and from now on we should only use Macs to buy music and television episodes from the iTunes Music Store, especially since Apple practically invented cheap & simple video editing.
I really like the design of iBooks but to take away firewire would completely ruin the iBook's. Granted I would love to have a super drive in my iBook(which I will probabely install myself) and a large hard drive(which I will be upgrading soon also myself) but other than those two things, I absolutely LOVE my iBook.
Also the only peripherals I use on my iBook are all Firewire. Right now I have an external 120 gig hard drive that I hookup through firewire and then I have a Sony DVD-Burner that I hook-up through the external 120 to the iBook, and I am about to get another external hard drive because I have so much music and video's and images that I use.
I really hope this rumor is false and that Apple will not get ride of the firewire on the iBooks, because personally I like the iBook series alot more than the PowerBook most because I love the white case and the plastic, I really do not like the how easily the the metal case scratches.
Originally posted by Benton
Intel is NOT a 1394 Trade Association member.
http://www.1394ta.org/About/Members/#i
"Members of the 1394 Trade Association
The 1394 Trade Association is comprised of more than 170 member companies. Membership is currently (8/00) still in a rapid growth phase, with approximately one company a week joining the 1394 TA. The membership consists of a number of companies of every size in almost every sector of the electronics industry. Some of the best known names in the 1394 TA membership are Sony, Intel, Microsoft, JVC, Matsushita, Compaq, NEC, Philips, Samsung, among other well respected electronics institutions."
Other laptop/notebook makers have numerous models with IEEE 1394 built-in. Lenovo even has several models around $1200 that include 1394. Why would Apple drop it?
Changing to 800 makes some sense, but people will be cursing Apple when they need to hook up and can't find a 400 to 800 adapter.
FireWire popularity grows this year, FW 800 set to flourish in 2006
Originally posted by Carson O'Genic
Is there anyone here that for even one minute believes this rumor? The floppy is dead, the zip disk isn't too far behind, but firwire still has plenty of life left to it.
http://www.g-technology.com/Products/G-SATA.cfm
It looks like the G-SATA drive is faster than the same drive with a firewire 800 connection.
If they kept the FW400, and replaced the FW800 with an eSATA connection, would it inconvienience a lot of people? Obviously anyone with a FW800 raid drive, but are there other applications as well?