There are such things as USB to FireWire adapters so I don't know what the fuss is about. Apple might even include one. Here's one model on the market that hooks up to FireWire camcorders:
Rolo, Do you happen to have the brand name and or model name of this adapter? Does anyone have any experience with this adapter? I am really looking for something like this... to use with our school's video podcast studio. We can't afford a Mac Pro right now.. and I'm looking for a method to attach a 3rd firewire camera.. and don't want to saturate that bus. Thanks in advance for any help!
I will also ignore your rudeness and simply point out (again) your weak and irrational arguments. I've owned the MB for more than 24 months and have had the MBP at the same time too, so I base my perceptions of their relative sizes on actual use. That picture posted a page back is pretty damning evidence that those who perceive the MB to be much smaller are simply deceived and aren't basing their perceptions on measurable reality. You can perceive anything that you want, but the FACT remains that the dimensions are not too wide apart, and this is in "two-dimensional space," as shown by the picture.
Also, show me a DJ table, which can easily hold a MB but NOT a MBP. Otherwise, your arguments are irrational and lack any evidence other than your subjective perception.
Finally, just because your musicians use the MB, it is not proof that all or even most musicians use it over the MBP.
first of all: I don't think I was rude, I never attacked anybody personally, and whenever I was being subjective, I made sure I said that it was "in my opinion".
10% size difference is huge.. it's like the difference between walking 100 miles or 110 miles.
a typical DJ table has a mixer, two record players and two CD players on it, plus a whole bunch of cables, plugs, DI's and converters.
DJ's tend to put the laptop on top of the CD players, and a macBook fits, a macBook pro doesn't.
this isn't just speculation: I work with this almost every day of the week.
also because I work in one of the biggest live clubs here, the musicians (not "my musicians" as you call them) that I meet there could be taken as a good representation of musicians in general because of the sheer variety and numbers of them. and I almost never see a MBP. ever.
and because you don't seem to work with any of the above, but use your own opinion of how others must perceive something as subjective as usable size, based upon your own user experience. I must conclude that you are the one using "subjective perception", while I have tried to reason from an objective observational point of view. (and yes: I did try to be rude here)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maxime
Will people stop crying about the firewire thing.
Jesus Christ!
There are more important things in the world.
You guys are talking like Apple just kidnapped your 5 years old daughter.
there aren't a lot of different important things in the world if your whole life is based upon the use of a laptop with firewire (like with musicians or video editors). taking away FW would feel like they took your limbs away, because suddenly you are left with nothing if you can't use the audio card, external HD or camera anymore. then the laptop is just a gaming console or an internet browser.
Quote:
Originally Posted by John F.
What's with all the apologists here? If I'm buying a $1000 MacBook, I want it to have FireWire. So FireWire is on its way out, you say, [...] What kind of crap talk is that? There is a huge crowd of people who have invested in FireWire peripherals. This is not a small "professional" crowd. [...] There is a huge crowd of people who have bought DV and HDV cameras that work only over FireWire (on the Mac, anyway). These cameras may only be one year old. [...] So these people with a HDV and DV camcorders, or home enthusiast musicians using these apps are screwed when they want to buy an entry level Mac notebook? They should just buy an iMac or an even more expensive MacBook Pro, you say? Because what's a couple more hundreds of dollars for these people anyway, right?
Having said all of this, I do think that Apple could be introducing a combo Ethernet/FireWire port (S800T).
now this shared ethernet/firewire port would be the best news I heard today!!!!
and it seems to be plausible as well..
Quote:
Originally Posted by matt_s
You're missing the point. The difference in height between 15" and 13" is significant on the aircraft seat back tray. It's not only the height of the LCD but the space that the base absorbs.
The difference is simple to explain: if the person if front of you lowers their seat, and you have a MBP, your work comes to a halt.
and with this I rest my case.
I just think it's rude (from apple and some users here) to suggest to buy a 10% bigger, 80% more expensive machine for the use of a simple firewire port that was never in the way of anything anyway. most (semi-pro) musicians or independent filmmakers just really can't spare the money.
Apple would be freakin' INSANE to drop FireWire from the MacBook!
FireWire Needed for:
External Hard Drive
Digital Video Camera
Target Disk Mode
4G iPod (no I'm not kidding!)
No FireWire = No Sale
If Apple is targeting the sub-$1000 PC market adding FW when no iDevice can sync to it any longer and most can't even charge by it, would make sense. If you want FW400, then get the better MB; if you want FW800, then get a MBP.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FuturePastNow
Mini-DisplayPort. Awesome. The "Pro" will come with adapters for DVI and VGA, $20 each for the regular Macbook.
I'd wager that is Mini-DVI. And I've seen no IEEE evidence of a Mini-DP, which is already pretty small as it is.
In the sense that Apple has built their own proprietary video adaptors in the past, outside of the IEEE, then you're right. But the logistics, engineering and rationale for Apple to make a Mini-DP connector that is about the same overall size as DP and looks exactly like a Mini-DVI port makes no sense, IMO.
Precisely. Unless the 15" MacBook Pro is going to start at $1299, the cost of having a portable system for on the road editing just increased significantly since the 13" MacBook will no longer be an option. What makes this even more frustrating is that the Macbook will finally have dedicated graphics, which would have significantly improved Final Cut Studio performance.
Exactly. I was looking to get a macbook with firewire even though I had no intention of editing with it. I don't work with tapes anymore, but the hard drive and CF card units I'm using to shoot footage to are firewire based. I wanted one just for portable computing and field offloading, a dedicated gpu wasn't high on my list, I just needed firewire for my portable hds and for the camera's hds.
Apple just screwed me hard. I really didn't want to think about picking up an older model.
The mystery hole, next to [what I presume is] the infra-red port, looks as though it would be about the perfect size for an infra-red remote to slip in there...
This is kinda like saying that the new MacBook might disappoint the small group of users that want to use it to slice bread with or are going to be disappointed that it won't come in brown.
The MacBook is an entry level laptop with the biggest rumour for it this year centring around the possibility that the price point might start below a thousand dollars. Anyone who thinks the designers should base some of their design choices around the tiny group that want to use it as a portable video editing platform are just stupid.
Sure it will edit video and sure you can use iMovie on it for your home movies, but it's never going to be a pro video editing tool and it's stupid to think that it is. I work in an all mac environment where huge amounts of movie making goes on and the majority of the cameras are USB nowadays or use DVD's to record onto. The majority of movie making is done on iMacs.
and
Quote:
Originally Posted by sierradragon
Hopefully Apple will (finally) again make a small sized Macbook Pro available. Then folks with high-end needs perhaps just need to stop wanting to use lowest-end boxes.
I love how you think the ability to use a firewire hard drive or a firewire camcorder (all of the tape based models) is a high end need. The 14 year old kid with a canon hv20 has to buy an pro machine now?
Some people will defend anything, there are a shitload of uses for firewire and users using it. Not everyone who is using firewire is trying to "ask for a pro machine for nothing."
I love how you think the ability to use a firewire hard drive or a firewire camcorder (all of the tape based models) is a high end need. The 14 year old kid with a canon hv20 has to buy an pro machine now?
Some people will defend anything, there are a shitload of uses for firewire and users using it. Not everyone who is using firewire is trying to "ask for a pro machine for nothing."
You guys are sounding ridiculous.
I think it's a bit alarmist to say that a 14 year old with a Canon HV20 has to buy a pro machine now when no one here has confirmed that Apple will stop including FireWire connectivity on all MacBooks. Can people wait until tomorrow before making broad declarations?
The mystery hole, next to [what I presume is] the infra-red port, looks as though it would be about the perfect size for an infra-red remote to slip in there...
Unlikely to be an infra-red port as its around the side of the machine?? It is possible that the 'taped over port' might be an IR remote storage hole though, maybe the round hole is a release button to pop the remote out (floppy drive button style )
Exactly. I was looking to get a macbook with firewire even though I had no intention of editing with it. I don't work with tapes anymore, but the hard drive and CF card units I'm using to shoot footage to are firewire based. I wanted one just for portable computing and field offloading, a dedicated gpu wasn't high on my list, I just needed firewire for my portable hds and for the camera's hds.
Apple just screwed me hard. I really didn't want to think about picking up an older model.
What is with all this preemptive "the sky is falling" niggling? First of all, these are nothing but unsubstantiated rumours. However, some rumours obviously do come true and some rumours some more legitimate than others.
If you believe the rumours that Apple is dropping FW400 because some questionable photos of a 15" MacBook with a Mini-DVI port and no FW400.
You then may want to consider the other rumours that Apple will also be releasing a sub-$1000 MacBook to attract a larger user base as their current US consumer base is over 70%). Now consider that those buying an a sub-$1000 PC notebook have probably never seen, much less used, either a 6-pin FW400 cable unless they had an old iPod when Apple shipped both cables when they first started supporting iTunes on Windows. Apple has to cut costs somewhere to make lower costing Macs feasible so not why get rid of ports that won't be used by the frugal shoppers?
It's quite possible that Apple will forego FW400 on its entire MacBook line, but USB2.0 is supported by a graet deal more hardware and there are various workarounds if that is the case. But at this point, it makes no sense to assume that the "leaked" pictures represent the mid-to high-end MacBooks that we are accustomed to.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ajprice
Unlikely to be an infra-red port as its around the side of the machine?? It is possible that the 'taped over port' might be an IR remote storage hole though, maybe the round hole is a release button to pop the remote out (floppy drive button style )
I do like the idea of putting the remote in an unused EC/PCMCIA slot, like other vendors do, but making a seperate bay for it seems like a waste of valuable space. Plus, the size is completely off. Not just for the current Apple remote size, but for any remote that would fit well in your hand.
I agree that an IR port needs to be on the front and needs to be much smaller. The current MBA has a very thin, oblong IR receiver.
PS: I have no suggestion as to what that taped area code be.
You then may want to consider the other rumours that Apple will also be releasing a sub-$1000 MacBook to attract a larger user base as their current US consumer base is over 70%). Now consider that those buying an a sub-$1000 PC notebook have probably never seen, much less used, either a 6-pin FW400 cable unless they had an old iPod when Apple shipped both cables when they first started supporting iTunes on Windows. Apple has to cut costs somewhere to make lower costing Macs feasible so not why get rid of ports that won't be used by the frugal shoppers?
This is a good point. Most Windows users and potential switchers. Which is over 90% of the computer market does not use FireWire. I would believe a healthy percentage of the Windows market has never used FireWire.
What's with all the apologists here? If I'm buying a $1000 MacBook, I want it to have FireWire. So FireWire is on its way out, you say, most peripherals have USB anyway, and only professionals need it and they will choose a "Pro" MacBook over the normal MacBook. What kind of crap talk is that? There is a huge crowd of people who have invested in FireWire peripherals. This is not a small "professional" crowd. While Apple is focussing on new-to-Mac users now, the longtime Mac users who want to buy a new computer is still big. And Apple needs the loyal base. Apple is just screwing them over. There is a huge crowd of people who have bought DV and HDV cameras that work only over FireWire (on the Mac, anyway). These cameras may only be one year old. Heck, you can still buy consumer HDV camera's from Sony and Canon, and these need FireWire. So Apple just screws them over. Heck, Apple even sells Final Cut Express for these people who use HDV, and also sells Logic Express. These are targeted at normal consumers who want to do a bit more. So these people with a HDV and DV camcorders, or home enthusiast musicians using these apps are screwed when they want to buy an entry level Mac notebook? They should just buy an iMac or an even more expensive MacBook Pro, you say? Because what's a couple more hundreds of dollars for these people anyway, right?
Exactly.
I'd planned on buying one of the new Macbooks (already use an iMac at home), and looked forward to using Final Cut Express on the go. But, without Firewire connections, that would seriously give me pause, since video editing is one of my primary uses for the Mac.
It's just plain dumb to presume that average consumers will never use Firewire, since Apple explicitly markets Final Cut Express (which does not do USB video capture) as a consumer application. I'm just cutting together baby videos to share with friends and family, but I like the extra utility that FCE provides. It would have been nice to transfer some of my FCE projects to a Macbook, and not keep everything tethered to our iMac.
Canon and Sony still sell Mini-DV camcorders, none of which can transfer the video thru a USB link to a Mac. And a Sony DVD camcorder that I used last year also could not transfer the video using the USB link. The video transfer utility included with those camcorders only use Windows. (The slot-loading SuperDrive is also incompatible with the mini DVD discs that most DVD camcorders use, but that's a topic for another time)
And even if I'm willing to shell out another ~$300 or so for a new camcorder, the fact of the matter is that DVD, hard drive, and flash camcorders use a much lower datarate than Mini-DV. Any kind of editing will further degrade an already heavily compressed video signal. Same goes for HDV compared to the AVCHD format (used with DVD, hard drive, and flash-based HD camcorders), which has more limited editing tools available and is much more hardware intensive.
This is a good point. Most Windows users and potential switchers. Which is over 90% of the computer market does not use FireWire. I would believe a healthy percentage of the Windows market has never used FireWire.
That is hardly a reason not to include it in a MacBook. There are more than a handful of Apple users that rely on Firewire, without respect to Windoze users.
That is hardly a reason not to include it in a MacBook. There are more than a handful of Apple users that rely on Firewire, without respect to Windoze users.
I think people are over stating the case. There are few to no peripherals today that you buy brand new that are FireWire only. In fact its becoming more common to see cheaper peripherals that are USB only. The reason for this is because the vast majority of the computer market does not use FireWire.
And Solpism stated. If you want Apple to lower the price somethings will need to be sacrificed.
I think people are over stating the case. There are few to no peripherals today that you buy brand new that are FireWire only. In fact its becoming more common to see cheaper peripherals that are USB only. The reason for this is because the vast majority of the computer market does not use FireWire.
And Solpism stated. If you want Apple to lower the price somethings will need to be sacrificed.
Fact, most pro photographers use Macs. Fact, most of them use CF cards, in spite of the interface that the camera itself has. Fact, very damn few of those people don't use CF card readers to transfer their images to their Macs. Fact, external backup drives, cloned or incremental, transfer info faster with a Firewire interface than with a USB interface. The same goes for external optical drives.
What I see here is a bunch of folks that are perfectly willing to forego Firewire because THEY don't use it, and anyone that does be damned. You guys rave on about an eSATA port that doesn't even exist on the iMac or MacPro models yet, much less a laptop model. Don't hold your breath waiting for an eSATA port on the next MacBook, or MacBook Pro.
I didn't ask Apple to lower the price, just give me a machine that serves my needs without paying the premium for a MacBook Pro.
I think people are over stating the case. There are few to no peripherals today that you buy brand new that are FireWire only. In fact its becoming more common to see cheaper peripherals that are USB only. The reason for this is because the vast majority of the computer market does not use FireWire.
And Solpism stated. If you want Apple to lower the price somethings will need to be sacrificed.
But, in some of Apple's key markets -- e.g., audio and video applications -- the preponderance of Firewire devices is much higher. It doesn't impact me because I use already use my Mini-DV camcorder with an iMac running Final Cut Express. But, it certainly affects my decision to purchase a Macbook to replace my aging Dell laptop. Previously, that decision would have been a no-brainer. But, without the Firewire port, that leaves me with the option of putting off the purchase until I can afford a Macbook Pro or just putting off the purchase indefinitely.
Fact, most pro photographers use Macs. Fact, most of them use CF cards, in spite of the interface that the camera itself has. Fact, very damn few of those people don't use CF card readers to transfer their images to their Macs. Fact, external backup drives, cloned or incremental, transfer info faster with a Firewire interface than with a USB interface. The same goes for external optical drives.
What I see here is a bunch of folks that are perfectly willing to forego Firewire because THEY don't use it, and anyone that does be damned. You guys rave on about an eSATA port that doesn't even exist on the iMac or MacPro models yet, much less a laptop model. Don't hold your breath waiting for an eSATA port on the next MacBook, or MacBook Pro.
I didn't ask Apple to lower the price, just give me a machine that serves my needs without paying the premium for a MacBook Pro.
Not to mention, Apple can leverage in-house development to make sure FW800/3200 has an optimized serial bus for the OS. Apple would love to see in-roads into the Military defense complex where FW is used in equipment across all branches of the Military. Apple would prefer to have it's Operating System and servers working as much in the military as possible.
If Apple were smart they could offer a DoD only series of products that use their operating system with top secret military solutions. We could get some smart marketing out with Windows and in with OS X. This is just hypothetical to be sure, but something that would be an option, after Apple extends itself enough into the consumer space to warrant this option.
Comments
There are such things as USB to FireWire adapters so I don't know what the fuss is about. Apple might even include one. Here's one model on the market that hooks up to FireWire camcorders:
Rolo, Do you happen to have the brand name and or model name of this adapter? Does anyone have any experience with this adapter? I am really looking for something like this... to use with our school's video podcast studio. We can't afford a Mac Pro right now.. and I'm looking for a method to attach a 3rd firewire camera.. and don't want to saturate that bus. Thanks in advance for any help!
I will also ignore your rudeness and simply point out (again) your weak and irrational arguments. I've owned the MB for more than 24 months and have had the MBP at the same time too, so I base my perceptions of their relative sizes on actual use. That picture posted a page back is pretty damning evidence that those who perceive the MB to be much smaller are simply deceived and aren't basing their perceptions on measurable reality. You can perceive anything that you want, but the FACT remains that the dimensions are not too wide apart, and this is in "two-dimensional space," as shown by the picture.
Also, show me a DJ table, which can easily hold a MB but NOT a MBP. Otherwise, your arguments are irrational and lack any evidence other than your subjective perception.
Finally, just because your musicians use the MB, it is not proof that all or even most musicians use it over the MBP.
first of all: I don't think I was rude, I never attacked anybody personally, and whenever I was being subjective, I made sure I said that it was "in my opinion".
10% size difference is huge.. it's like the difference between walking 100 miles or 110 miles.
a typical DJ table has a mixer, two record players and two CD players on it, plus a whole bunch of cables, plugs, DI's and converters.
DJ's tend to put the laptop on top of the CD players, and a macBook fits, a macBook pro doesn't.
this isn't just speculation: I work with this almost every day of the week.
also because I work in one of the biggest live clubs here, the musicians (not "my musicians" as you call them) that I meet there could be taken as a good representation of musicians in general because of the sheer variety and numbers of them. and I almost never see a MBP. ever.
and because you don't seem to work with any of the above, but use your own opinion of how others must perceive something as subjective as usable size, based upon your own user experience. I must conclude that you are the one using "subjective perception", while I have tried to reason from an objective observational point of view. (and yes: I did try to be rude here)
Will people stop crying about the firewire thing.
Jesus Christ!
There are more important things in the world.
You guys are talking like Apple just kidnapped your 5 years old daughter.
there aren't a lot of different important things in the world if your whole life is based upon the use of a laptop with firewire (like with musicians or video editors). taking away FW would feel like they took your limbs away, because suddenly you are left with nothing if you can't use the audio card, external HD or camera anymore. then the laptop is just a gaming console or an internet browser.
What's with all the apologists here? If I'm buying a $1000 MacBook, I want it to have FireWire. So FireWire is on its way out, you say, [...] What kind of crap talk is that? There is a huge crowd of people who have invested in FireWire peripherals. This is not a small "professional" crowd. [...] There is a huge crowd of people who have bought DV and HDV cameras that work only over FireWire (on the Mac, anyway). These cameras may only be one year old. [...] So these people with a HDV and DV camcorders, or home enthusiast musicians using these apps are screwed when they want to buy an entry level Mac notebook? They should just buy an iMac or an even more expensive MacBook Pro, you say? Because what's a couple more hundreds of dollars for these people anyway, right?
Having said all of this, I do think that Apple could be introducing a combo Ethernet/FireWire port (S800T).
now this shared ethernet/firewire port would be the best news I heard today!!!!
and it seems to be plausible as well..
You're missing the point. The difference in height between 15" and 13" is significant on the aircraft seat back tray. It's not only the height of the LCD but the space that the base absorbs.
The difference is simple to explain: if the person if front of you lowers their seat, and you have a MBP, your work comes to a halt.
and with this I rest my case.
I just think it's rude (from apple and some users here) to suggest to buy a 10% bigger, 80% more expensive machine for the use of a simple firewire port that was never in the way of anything anyway. most (semi-pro) musicians or independent filmmakers just really can't spare the money.
Apple would be freakin' INSANE to drop FireWire from the MacBook!
FireWire Needed for:
External Hard Drive
Digital Video Camera
Target Disk Mode
4G iPod (no I'm not kidding!)
No FireWire = No Sale
No FireWire? Are you f***in' kidding me???
Apple would be freakin' INSANE to drop FireWire from the MacBook!
FireWire Needed for:
External Hard Drive
Digital Video Camera
Target Disk Mode
4G iPod (no I'm not kidding!)
No FireWire = No Sale
If Apple is targeting the sub-$1000 PC market adding FW when no iDevice can sync to it any longer and most can't even charge by it, would make sense. If you want FW400, then get the better MB; if you want FW800, then get a MBP.
Mini-DisplayPort. Awesome. The "Pro" will come with adapters for DVI and VGA, $20 each for the regular Macbook.
I'd wager that is Mini-DVI. And I've seen no IEEE evidence of a Mini-DP, which is already pretty small as it is.
I'd wager that is Mini-DVI. And I've seen no IEEE evidence of a Mini-DP, which is already pretty small as it is.
Like that would stop Apple.
Like that would stop Apple.
In the sense that Apple has built their own proprietary video adaptors in the past, outside of the IEEE, then you're right. But the logistics, engineering and rationale for Apple to make a Mini-DP connector that is about the same overall size as DP and looks exactly like a Mini-DVI port makes no sense, IMO.
Precisely. Unless the 15" MacBook Pro is going to start at $1299, the cost of having a portable system for on the road editing just increased significantly since the 13" MacBook will no longer be an option. What makes this even more frustrating is that the Macbook will finally have dedicated graphics, which would have significantly improved Final Cut Studio performance.
Exactly. I was looking to get a macbook with firewire even though I had no intention of editing with it. I don't work with tapes anymore, but the hard drive and CF card units I'm using to shoot footage to are firewire based. I wanted one just for portable computing and field offloading, a dedicated gpu wasn't high on my list, I just needed firewire for my portable hds and for the camera's hds.
Apple just screwed me hard. I really didn't want to think about picking up an older model.
This is kinda like saying that the new MacBook might disappoint the small group of users that want to use it to slice bread with or are going to be disappointed that it won't come in brown.
The MacBook is an entry level laptop with the biggest rumour for it this year centring around the possibility that the price point might start below a thousand dollars. Anyone who thinks the designers should base some of their design choices around the tiny group that want to use it as a portable video editing platform are just stupid.
Sure it will edit video and sure you can use iMovie on it for your home movies, but it's never going to be a pro video editing tool and it's stupid to think that it is. I work in an all mac environment where huge amounts of movie making goes on and the majority of the cameras are USB nowadays or use DVD's to record onto. The majority of movie making is done on iMacs.
and
Hopefully Apple will (finally) again make a small sized Macbook Pro available. Then folks with high-end needs perhaps just need to stop wanting to use lowest-end boxes.
I love how you think the ability to use a firewire hard drive or a firewire camcorder (all of the tape based models) is a high end need. The 14 year old kid with a canon hv20 has to buy an pro machine now?
Some people will defend anything, there are a shitload of uses for firewire and users using it. Not everyone who is using firewire is trying to "ask for a pro machine for nothing."
You guys are sounding ridiculous.
and
I love how you think the ability to use a firewire hard drive or a firewire camcorder (all of the tape based models) is a high end need. The 14 year old kid with a canon hv20 has to buy an pro machine now?
Some people will defend anything, there are a shitload of uses for firewire and users using it. Not everyone who is using firewire is trying to "ask for a pro machine for nothing."
You guys are sounding ridiculous.
I think it's a bit alarmist to say that a 14 year old with a Canon HV20 has to buy a pro machine now when no one here has confirmed that Apple will stop including FireWire connectivity on all MacBooks. Can people wait until tomorrow before making broad declarations?
The mystery hole, next to [what I presume is] the infra-red port, looks as though it would be about the perfect size for an infra-red remote to slip in there...
Unlikely to be an infra-red port as its around the side of the machine?? It is possible that the 'taped over port' might be an IR remote storage hole though, maybe the round hole is a release button to pop the remote out (floppy drive button style
Exactly. I was looking to get a macbook with firewire even though I had no intention of editing with it. I don't work with tapes anymore, but the hard drive and CF card units I'm using to shoot footage to are firewire based. I wanted one just for portable computing and field offloading, a dedicated gpu wasn't high on my list, I just needed firewire for my portable hds and for the camera's hds.
Apple just screwed me hard. I really didn't want to think about picking up an older model.
What is with all this preemptive "the sky is falling" niggling? First of all, these are nothing but unsubstantiated rumours. However, some rumours obviously do come true and some rumours some more legitimate than others.
If you believe the rumours that Apple is dropping FW400 because some questionable photos of a 15" MacBook with a Mini-DVI port and no FW400.
You then may want to consider the other rumours that Apple will also be releasing a sub-$1000 MacBook to attract a larger user base as their current US consumer base is over 70%). Now consider that those buying an a sub-$1000 PC notebook have probably never seen, much less used, either a 6-pin FW400 cable unless they had an old iPod when Apple shipped both cables when they first started supporting iTunes on Windows. Apple has to cut costs somewhere to make lower costing Macs feasible so not why get rid of ports that won't be used by the frugal shoppers?
It's quite possible that Apple will forego FW400 on its entire MacBook line, but USB2.0 is supported by a graet deal more hardware and there are various workarounds if that is the case. But at this point, it makes no sense to assume that the "leaked" pictures represent the mid-to high-end MacBooks that we are accustomed to.
Unlikely to be an infra-red port as its around the side of the machine?? It is possible that the 'taped over port' might be an IR remote storage hole though, maybe the round hole is a release button to pop the remote out (floppy drive button style
I do like the idea of putting the remote in an unused EC/PCMCIA slot, like other vendors do, but making a seperate bay for it seems like a waste of valuable space. Plus, the size is completely off. Not just for the current Apple remote size, but for any remote that would fit well in your hand.
I agree that an IR port needs to be on the front and needs to be much smaller. The current MBA has a very thin, oblong IR receiver.
PS: I have no suggestion as to what that taped area code be.
You then may want to consider the other rumours that Apple will also be releasing a sub-$1000 MacBook to attract a larger user base as their current US consumer base is over 70%). Now consider that those buying an a sub-$1000 PC notebook have probably never seen, much less used, either a 6-pin FW400 cable unless they had an old iPod when Apple shipped both cables when they first started supporting iTunes on Windows. Apple has to cut costs somewhere to make lower costing Macs feasible so not why get rid of ports that won't be used by the frugal shoppers?
This is a good point. Most Windows users and potential switchers. Which is over 90% of the computer market does not use FireWire. I would believe a healthy percentage of the Windows market has never used FireWire.
What's with all the apologists here? If I'm buying a $1000 MacBook, I want it to have FireWire. So FireWire is on its way out, you say, most peripherals have USB anyway, and only professionals need it and they will choose a "Pro" MacBook over the normal MacBook. What kind of crap talk is that? There is a huge crowd of people who have invested in FireWire peripherals. This is not a small "professional" crowd. While Apple is focussing on new-to-Mac users now, the longtime Mac users who want to buy a new computer is still big. And Apple needs the loyal base. Apple is just screwing them over. There is a huge crowd of people who have bought DV and HDV cameras that work only over FireWire (on the Mac, anyway). These cameras may only be one year old. Heck, you can still buy consumer HDV camera's from Sony and Canon, and these need FireWire. So Apple just screws them over. Heck, Apple even sells Final Cut Express for these people who use HDV, and also sells Logic Express. These are targeted at normal consumers who want to do a bit more. So these people with a HDV and DV camcorders, or home enthusiast musicians using these apps are screwed when they want to buy an entry level Mac notebook? They should just buy an iMac or an even more expensive MacBook Pro, you say? Because what's a couple more hundreds of dollars for these people anyway, right?
Exactly.
I'd planned on buying one of the new Macbooks (already use an iMac at home), and looked forward to using Final Cut Express on the go. But, without Firewire connections, that would seriously give me pause, since video editing is one of my primary uses for the Mac.
It's just plain dumb to presume that average consumers will never use Firewire, since Apple explicitly markets Final Cut Express (which does not do USB video capture) as a consumer application. I'm just cutting together baby videos to share with friends and family, but I like the extra utility that FCE provides. It would have been nice to transfer some of my FCE projects to a Macbook, and not keep everything tethered to our iMac.
Canon and Sony still sell Mini-DV camcorders, none of which can transfer the video thru a USB link to a Mac. And a Sony DVD camcorder that I used last year also could not transfer the video using the USB link. The video transfer utility included with those camcorders only use Windows. (The slot-loading SuperDrive is also incompatible with the mini DVD discs that most DVD camcorders use, but that's a topic for another time)
And even if I'm willing to shell out another ~$300 or so for a new camcorder, the fact of the matter is that DVD, hard drive, and flash camcorders use a much lower datarate than Mini-DV. Any kind of editing will further degrade an already heavily compressed video signal. Same goes for HDV compared to the AVCHD format (used with DVD, hard drive, and flash-based HD camcorders), which has more limited editing tools available and is much more hardware intensive.
This is a good point. Most Windows users and potential switchers. Which is over 90% of the computer market does not use FireWire. I would believe a healthy percentage of the Windows market has never used FireWire.
That is hardly a reason not to include it in a MacBook. There are more than a handful of Apple users that rely on Firewire, without respect to Windoze users.
That is hardly a reason not to include it in a MacBook. There are more than a handful of Apple users that rely on Firewire, without respect to Windoze users.
I think people are over stating the case. There are few to no peripherals today that you buy brand new that are FireWire only. In fact its becoming more common to see cheaper peripherals that are USB only. The reason for this is because the vast majority of the computer market does not use FireWire.
And Solpism stated. If you want Apple to lower the price somethings will need to be sacrificed.
I think people are over stating the case. There are few to no peripherals today that you buy brand new that are FireWire only. In fact its becoming more common to see cheaper peripherals that are USB only. The reason for this is because the vast majority of the computer market does not use FireWire.
And Solpism stated. If you want Apple to lower the price somethings will need to be sacrificed.
Fact, most pro photographers use Macs. Fact, most of them use CF cards, in spite of the interface that the camera itself has. Fact, very damn few of those people don't use CF card readers to transfer their images to their Macs. Fact, external backup drives, cloned or incremental, transfer info faster with a Firewire interface than with a USB interface. The same goes for external optical drives.
What I see here is a bunch of folks that are perfectly willing to forego Firewire because THEY don't use it, and anyone that does be damned. You guys rave on about an eSATA port that doesn't even exist on the iMac or MacPro models yet, much less a laptop model. Don't hold your breath waiting for an eSATA port on the next MacBook, or MacBook Pro.
I didn't ask Apple to lower the price, just give me a machine that serves my needs without paying the premium for a MacBook Pro.
I think people are over stating the case. There are few to no peripherals today that you buy brand new that are FireWire only. In fact its becoming more common to see cheaper peripherals that are USB only. The reason for this is because the vast majority of the computer market does not use FireWire.
And Solpism stated. If you want Apple to lower the price somethings will need to be sacrificed.
But, in some of Apple's key markets -- e.g., audio and video applications -- the preponderance of Firewire devices is much higher. It doesn't impact me because I use already use my Mini-DV camcorder with an iMac running Final Cut Express. But, it certainly affects my decision to purchase a Macbook to replace my aging Dell laptop. Previously, that decision would have been a no-brainer. But, without the Firewire port, that leaves me with the option of putting off the purchase until I can afford a Macbook Pro or just putting off the purchase indefinitely.
Fact, most pro photographers use Macs. Fact, most of them use CF cards, in spite of the interface that the camera itself has. Fact, very damn few of those people don't use CF card readers to transfer their images to their Macs. Fact, external backup drives, cloned or incremental, transfer info faster with a Firewire interface than with a USB interface. The same goes for external optical drives.
What I see here is a bunch of folks that are perfectly willing to forego Firewire because THEY don't use it, and anyone that does be damned. You guys rave on about an eSATA port that doesn't even exist on the iMac or MacPro models yet, much less a laptop model. Don't hold your breath waiting for an eSATA port on the next MacBook, or MacBook Pro.
I didn't ask Apple to lower the price, just give me a machine that serves my needs without paying the premium for a MacBook Pro.
Not to mention, Apple can leverage in-house development to make sure FW800/3200 has an optimized serial bus for the OS. Apple would love to see in-roads into the Military defense complex where FW is used in equipment across all branches of the Military. Apple would prefer to have it's Operating System and servers working as much in the military as possible.
If Apple were smart they could offer a DoD only series of products that use their operating system with top secret military solutions. We could get some smart marketing out with Windows and in with OS X. This is just hypothetical to be sure, but something that would be an option, after Apple extends itself enough into the consumer space to warrant this option.