Notes of interest from Apple's MacBook event

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Comments

  • Reply 61 of 96
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DOSbox-gamer View Post


    A big thing for me in the plastic 'Books was, access to the RAM was incredibly easy -- so much so that Apple let owners do it without voiding their AppleCare warranty. I haven't seen the videos yet, so... does anyone know (is the RAM still user accessible)? Thanks.



    I read a breakdown from MR and the guy said you take the battery out and remove 4 screws and there's the RAM. That's obviously not as easy but I'd still consider that user-replaceable.
  • Reply 62 of 96
    djintxdjintx Posts: 454member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TBaggins View Post


    I feel your pain.



    It was a bad decision on Apple's part, no matter what the Apple Apologista Squad? has to say about it.



    ...



    Greetings all, ok so long-time reader, first time poster or whatever the kids are saying these days...blah blah blah...



    In response to you TBaggins...I agree, and the hardest part is, I haven't even heard Apple say anything about the lack of firewire. If they would just come out and say "Hey guys/gals, we had to nix the firewire because of <reasons>, sorry, but here is the alternative, we have invented <new tech method> for target disk mode and migration assistant." That is all I would need. Some people have mentioned for users to learn about networking, and I could set up ethernet to do filesharing if I had to, but it's not fast, easy, or mac-like. And what about switchers, are they going to set this up? Most of them won't. And will my mom who wants to replace her Dual USB iBook from 2001 be able to do this? Hell no, it will be up to me to do it for her.



    So mainly, I can live with no firewire (if I'm forced at gunpoint) but Apple should at least take a stance on the issue to let us know what the plan is.



    In the mean time...I know some of you here either work for Apple, or used to, or have friends there, so what do you think the possibility is for Apple to realize this situation ,and if they cannot provide something equally as good as, or better than firewire (for target disk mode/migration assistant) that they might bring firewire back on the next rev?



    Any chances?
  • Reply 63 of 96
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    I understand the discontent with the lack of FW on the new MBs, but I don't Apple will add them back. I curious to see how this affect will 3rd-party vendors who have been making FW based components now that the most popular Mac will not have FW, and the 15" will only have FW800 (FW400 with an adaptor).



    With USB3.0 coming out in a year or so, using the same port and being backwards compatible with all previous USB standards and cables, keeping FW400 is making less sense. But it would have been nice to add a FW800, which will use the same port as future FW3200.



    That's what I had meant was that they'd put in a backward compatible FW800/3200. However, since that time I've gone and looked at setup and I don't know if there is enough physical space for another port with how they've put the HD in there...



    How wide is a USB? Is it even remotely possible to align them vertically as to allow for more ports?
  • Reply 64 of 96
    I haven't tried this yet but if I've got my old guy hooked up to TimeMachine can't I just plug it into the new computer and tell it to put all my non-system files in place?
  • Reply 65 of 96
    slewisslewis Posts: 2,081member
    Null.
  • Reply 66 of 96
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iedsri View Post


    We now know that Apple has indeed removed both FW400 and FW800 from the MacBook --without replacing it with an alternative.



    I've read through all the relevant recent threads, and not one person has yet answered my question:



    WHAT IS THE NEW PROCEDURE FOR TRANSFERRING FILES FROM THE MACBOOK TO ANOTHER COMPUTER??



    Until now, the only really efficient, quick and reliable way to do that was by connecting a FireWire cable and restarting while holding down the T key. USB doesn't work like that. So . . .



    How -- specifically -- are we supposed to transfer files from/to the new MacBook?



    Thanks.



    Apple promises that they'll help you transfer your files right there in the store. I'd visit your Apple Store & ask, they'd have to have documentation somewhere of how this procedure is changing.
  • Reply 67 of 96
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hezekiahb View Post


    Apple promises that they'll help you transfer your files right there in the store. I'd visit your Apple Store & ask, they'd have to have documentation somewhere of how this procedure is changing.



    There's also the plugging an ethernet cord into both ends - you just have to set up a network and drag and drop. However, as I asked earlier, is it possible to have Time Machine update your new MB with all the files from your old computer?
  • Reply 68 of 96
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Lictor View Post


    Yep, exactly, I'm such a switcher, and I must say that since I have started looking more closely at Apple, the grass is less green than it looked from afar. And I keep remembering the 1984 Mac launch event (yes, I'm getting old and I started early) and I keep wondering who exactly is Big Brother in that story...



    Current PC to Mac switchers are not fanboys, we're more pragmatic. For myself, I'm rather platform agnostic. As a job, I'm a developer, and I mostly use Java and Ruby. So, whether I use Windows, Linux or MacOSX doesn't make much of a difference in my daily use. For my hobbies, I play (and there, sorry to say it, but the PC still rules) and do photography. For the latter, Capture NX, Lightroom or Photoshop run in both worlds. And the all glossy screen trend from Apple is not exactly attractive.

    So, at the opposite of early switchers or Mac fanboys, we don't exactly hate Microsoft. Vista is a decent OS - far from perfect, but decent. As a developer, I must say that Microsoft is getting better and better in that field, C#/.NET is a very good platform (no wonder since it's an emanation of Borland).



    So, why "switch" (well, not a real switch, keeping the Vista desktop PC and HTPC, just getting MacOSX on the laptop)? Well, like I guess a growing number of users, because of the iPhone. This device is the best public relation SJ could have to enter the PC world. And as a developer, tackling this new platform is indeed very tempting (and part of the reason for the MB/MBP).

    Another reason is that the MB and MBP feel attractive. On the desktop, the iMac really doesn't attract me, and the Mac Pro would if I had won the lottery. But for having played with the previous MB and MBP, the user experience is very pleasant, much more pleasant that what I had with similar XP or Vista based laptops.



    However, while trying to attract such a population of users, it is also very easy to produce bad PR. Since I have taken an interrest, what have I seen?

    - The NDA on the iPhone blocking every book, courses and forums. From a developer point of view, this is insane, Microsoft would never have pulled a stunt like that!

    - The ToU of the SDK is very strict, to the point of banning navigation softwares, launchers, runtimes... So, no Tomtom, no Java and no Flash, even though it's perfectly possible to have them working very well on the platform.

    - The iPhone SDK is very closed. It's impossible to access the iTune library, impossible to communicate with the agenda...

    - The AppStore approval process seems completely random

    - The matte option disappearing from the Pro laptop, even though Apple is a brand that almost all photographers and graphists admire



    This is generating very bad communication to the newcommers. This is building the image of a company that is both paranoid and deaf and that will work against it's community rather than with it.

    It's a cliché to paint Steve Balmer as the devil, but I'm beginning to wonder if he's not better than Steve Jobs.

    Sure, Balmer is a vulgar and loud idiot. But at least he is rather harmless and even funny (from afar) sometimes. If I want to discuss alpha SDK on the Internet, I can. If I want to use the Windows Mobile platform for about anything licit, I can. And for free.

    On the other hand, Steve Jobs is a visionnary, who did extraordinary things in his life, but who has gone on a demented ego-trip and goes blind and deaf at times. There is nothing wrong than a visionary who has lost his vision, you are left with an empty bundle of ego and paranoia and superiority complex...



    I'm a PC/OSX user too, and sometimes I wonder what Apple is doing - they remind me of the big brother from their "1984" ad sometimes, removing ports and whatnot, glossy screens only, don't really have an affordable mid-tower, becoming more consumer-centric, but can most consumers afford to drop $1300 on a laptop anymore, especially when most PC laptops are under $1000, and most of which have more RAM, bigger HDs. Other times, I think they are ignoring their pro users too, as at a place like dpreview, a lot of photogs are complaining about the glossy screens on the new MBPs.



    Yes, I know style is important, and Apple has the OSX card, but I'm happy with Vista, and I can tweak Ubuntu to work similarly to OSX, with a dock and expose, and it has the *nix underpinnings.



    It just frustrates me, that while OSX is my favorite OS ATM, I just really can't afford much more than $1200 at this point, which would only get me a low-end iMac with a crummy TN panel (and I already have a decent LCD), or it would allow me to build a very nice Intel quad-core, with like 8 GB of RAM...



    And I love how Microsoft treats students; they have a program called Dreamspark, where I was able to download Visual Studio 2005/2008, Windows Server 2003/2008, and SQL Server Dev Edition 2005/2008 for free. Several thousands of dollars worth of MS products, but they want to give students a taste of setting up and build servers and using VS to write apps.



    Apple has Xcode and a measly $20-200 of computers, and like 10% off SW.
  • Reply 69 of 96
    robb01robb01 Posts: 148member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bigmc6000 View Post


    I read a breakdown from MR and the guy said you take the battery out and remove 4 screws and there's the RAM. That's obviously not as easy but I'd still consider that user-replaceable.



    Yea, it really shouldn't be too hard to replace



    ____________________

  • Reply 70 of 96
    In case anyone is interested, Amazon is have a firesale on last gen MBPs. After rebate they are $1444 w/ no tax and free shipping...



    http://www.amazon.com/Apple-MB133LL-...4082550&sr=8-1
  • Reply 71 of 96
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ktappe View Post


    This assumes both Macs are bootable. Many a time I've used Target Disk Mode to repair/rescue a Mac whose HD was on the fritz. If the OS is fried, sometimes other data can be accessed. Or DiskWarrior can revive it. That's something no WiFi or Ethernet connection can provide.



    I agree. I've found target disk mode to be very useful for troubleshooting/support purposes. In addition to accessing a non-booting drive, sometimes I'll want to work on system files while the system is not running. It's an important tool and one of the things that makes Macs easier to support than PCs, in my experience.
  • Reply 72 of 96
    In the video, the trackpad when clicked seems to actually move - can anyone confirm this, or is a button click simply a tap like the iPhone or the traditional tap-click option on the existing trackpads? (I'm hoping it actually moves...)
  • Reply 73 of 96
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member
    It is all about mass marketing now. They need to keep selling more Mac beyond loyalist buyers to make profit and keep sales growth and that's fine. As they said, MB is the best selling Mac (and that's with the glossy display by the way). I am sure that they've made the decision to stick with glossy based on sales figures and not emotions. Even on the PC side, I have seen many on our university campus using HPs and other laptops with glossy displays.
  • Reply 74 of 96
    frank777frank777 Posts: 5,839member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    "How do you tell someone, that you care about, deeply, I told you so. Gently? With a rose? In a funny way? Like it's a hilarious joke? Or do you just let it go. Because saying it would just make it worse. [...] Probably the funny way."



    That was beautiful.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    With USB3.0 coming out in a year or so, using the same port and being backwards compatible with all previous USB standards and cables, keeping FW400 is making less sense. But it would have been nice to add a FW800, which will use the same port as future FW3200.



    I really doubt anybody would have been upset if they had just gone to 800 or 3200.

    Leaving Firewire off entirely is beyond stupid.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by troberts View Post


    USB 3.0 supports full-duplex transfers so will it be able to do target disk mode? Even if it can't, USB 3.0 will be faster than FireWire400 and since Apple redesigned the MacBook it makes perfect sense to not include a FireWire port.



    No, perfect sense would have been to keep Firewire onboard until USB3 is available, and then discontinue it.

    Leaving your customers in a lurch for a whole year is something only Apple would do.
  • Reply 75 of 96
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by S10 View Post


    a mr pc with firewire...or get a real set-up and get a macbook pro...



    I was flirting with sarcasm here - Mr. PC ( with firewire -ha !?) isn't the answer!- The reason I went with Mac in the first place was its superior handling of audio and firewire devices made sense for handling live recordings. Now I have to upgrade to a MacBook Pro (beyond my limited budget) or upgrade to USB devices. Either way its going to cost me more money.
  • Reply 76 of 96
    well, just bought the last iteration suped up 15" MBP from Amazon - $5 less than Apple but no tax, paid $20 for shipping and Amazon gives you a $150 Amazon gift card (aka Christmas presents).



    Happy day for me!!
  • Reply 77 of 96
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Johnny Mozzarella View Post


    I'm hoping we will see a 15" MacBook with FireWire in January.



    Or a 13" MacBook Pro with all the MBP features including f/w.



    QUES: Why a glass touchpad?



    Can anyone give me one single reason why it should be glass instead of any other substance? Glass is heavier. And don't give me the "it allowed them to precisely tune the friction coefficient" because that could be done with metals.



    ANS: There is going to be a display touchpad.



    THAT is the kind of market-leaping innovation apple's known for. It's got the technology, the reputation, and the ability to make it make our computers work better for us, in ways we can't even imagine now. So my inclination is to wait for MWSF to see if they introduce it then.



    (in fairness, i waited through two, maybe three MWSFs for an iPhone announcement, before it finally came. So the display-touchpad may be quite a ways in the future.)
  • Reply 78 of 96
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Chasing Mosby View Post


    I was flirting with sarcasm here - Mr. PC ( with firewire -ha !?) isn't the answer!- The reason I went with Mac in the first place was its superior handling of audio and firewire devices made sense for handling live recordings. Now I have to upgrade to a MacBook Pro (beyond my limited budget) or upgrade to USB devices. Either way its going to cost me more money.



    They still sell the white MacBook that include Firewire and it is $999 with faster processor than the base aluminum model.



    I was hoping for that they offer a 500GB HDD for the MBP but since I will need an external HDD with the capacity they offer I might as well get the 250GB 7200.
  • Reply 79 of 96
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NasserAE View Post


    They still sell the white MacBook that include Firewire and it is $999 with faster processor than the base aluminum model.



    I was hoping for that they offer a 500GB HDD for the MBP but since I will need an external HDD with the capacity they offer I might as well get the 250GB 7200.



    Just buy it from TigerDirect and install it yourself.



    http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...866&CatId=2676
  • Reply 80 of 96
    cmf2cmf2 Posts: 1,427member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bigmc6000 View Post


    There's also the plugging an ethernet cord into both ends - you just have to set up a network and drag and drop. However, as I asked earlier, is it possible to have Time Machine update your new MB with all the files from your old computer?



    Yes you can use time machine, I did just that after I installed a new harddrive.
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