For all the complaints about Apple proprieteary cables, the two times I needed a replacement mag-safe power supplies in remote locations (Ko Lanta, Thailand, and Maui), it just took about two minutes to find the place that should have them and call them to confirm they were in-stock. This was within 8-10 months of their release.
If a Dell power supply failed on me, it would have taken significantly longer to track down, even if competing vendors supply something that works. They go through too many different standards (reformed now though) to get that same functionality.
As for mag-safe communications... Endpoints have to be more tolerant of a disconnect and reconnect. I imagine the HDCP re-negotiation would be an annoyance, but data corruption to a USB drive or network would be much more problematic.
More proprietary cables... Can anyone tell me how the proprietary iPod/iPhone cable benefits consumers more than a standard USB cable would?
By using proprietary cables, Apple can control who is able to supply the cables for its devices. They can ensure that the user experience will be optimal, and that Apple's machines will work as expected. It doesn't really matter if the user has all-Apple hardware, if the cables are defective, things will go badly. And that is the last thing that Apple wants to allow when people use its stuff.
Also, Apple's cables are at an excellent margin, fueling lots of great R&D, which translates directly into great products like the iPad.
This is the height they will aim for in all their machines:
*snip MBA pix*
The only ports stopping them are FW800 and ethernet and of course the optical drive. They could just get rid of ethernet for now and then move FW back and taper it from a larger height for now until we definitely get faster ports to replace FW but the proposed cable seems like a decent solution for everything except using the devices while out and about.
Yes but the MBA doesn't get more than what, 5 hours of battery life right now? I know the body of the 15 and 17" MBPs will be physically larger, but the 13" MBP would be the same chassis size as an MBA. I think the MBPs will stay a bit fatter (altho they could get a smidge smaller) and Apple will fill all that extra space with battery. If their entire laptop line looked like the Air, why have separate lines? I think when Apple said that the Air was the way of the future for their laptops, they meant no optical, SSD only and yes probably a bit slimmer, not that every system would look identical. The MBP is more likely to want FW and Ethernet than the MBA, so it's more likely to stay there
I highly doubt this would eliminate onboard connections. As someone said in a previous post, this would be a dock connection to a piece of hardware that stays stationary. The box would be a USB, FireWire, Ethernet, Mini DisplayPort, Audio Optical/Analog In and Out ports and power built into 1 unit and only requires 1 connection wire to connect to the MacBook. As of now, it's a spaghetti configuration compared to the usual docking stations in the PC world.
Oh, And they can charge 200+ for this unit. Anything Sony and Lenovo offers as a docking station are around the $200 price point. Just saying before people complain this will cost too much for a docking unit.
While this may be true, it's not the configuration I want.
I want a hybrid of the 27" iMac and the 27" LED Display. A display with all the ports of the iMac minus the motherboard, and a single power cable documented in this article (instead of the current breakout cable from the LED Display with power, MDP, and USB). The display could keep room for the 5 1/4" SATA disk as a destination for Time Machine and even the optical drive slot like the iMac currently has.
In this manner, I set down my laptop, connect it with this connector to the display, and suddenly all the ports on my "display with port expander" come live. Additionally, Time Machine sees the optional disk drive embedded in the monitor and starts backing up to it automatically. Finally, I have an optical drive where I need it (i.e. where my optical discs are), not carrying it around day in and day out when I never use it.
Yes Apple, when this combo comes out, the credit cards come out, however many are necessary.
While this may be true, it's not the configuration I want.
I want a hybrid of the 27" iMac and the 27" LED Display. A display with all the ports of the iMac minus the motherboard, and a single power cable documented in this article (instead of the current breakout cable from the LED Display with power, MDP, and USB). The display could keep room for the 5 1/4" SATA disk as a destination for Time Machine and even the optical drive slot like the iMac currently has.
In this manner, I set down my laptop, connect it with this connector to the display, and suddenly all the ports on my "display with port expander" come live. Additionally, Time Machine sees the optional disk drive embedded in the monitor and starts backing up to it automatically. Finally, I have an optical drive where I need it (i.e. where my optical discs are), not carrying it around day in and day out when I never use it.
Yes Apple, when this combo comes out, the credit cards come out, however many are necessary.
While this may be true, it's not the configuration I want.
I want a hybrid of the 27" iMac and the 27" LED Display. A display with all the ports of the iMac minus the motherboard, and a single power cable documented in this article (instead of the current breakout cable from the LED Display with power, MDP, and USB). The display could keep room for the 5 1/4" SATA disk as a destination for Time Machine and even the optical drive slot like the iMac currently has.
In this manner, I set down my laptop, connect it with this connector to the display, and suddenly all the ports on my "display with port expander" come live. Additionally, Time Machine sees the optional disk drive embedded in the monitor and starts backing up to it automatically. Finally, I have an optical drive where I need it (i.e. where my optical discs are), not carrying it around day in and day out when I never use it.
Yes Apple, when this combo comes out, the credit cards come out, however many are necessary.
The 10 watt power support in Thunderbolt is no where near enough to power a 27" display, not even an LED display.
Comments
If a Dell power supply failed on me, it would have taken significantly longer to track down, even if competing vendors supply something that works. They go through too many different standards (reformed now though) to get that same functionality.
As for mag-safe communications... Endpoints have to be more tolerant of a disconnect and reconnect. I imagine the HDCP re-negotiation would be an annoyance, but data corruption to a USB drive or network would be much more problematic.
More proprietary cables... Can anyone tell me how the proprietary iPod/iPhone cable benefits consumers more than a standard USB cable would?
By using proprietary cables, Apple can control who is able to supply the cables for its devices. They can ensure that the user experience will be optimal, and that Apple's machines will work as expected. It doesn't really matter if the user has all-Apple hardware, if the cables are defective, things will go badly. And that is the last thing that Apple wants to allow when people use its stuff.
Also, Apple's cables are at an excellent margin, fueling lots of great R&D, which translates directly into great products like the iPad.
Most business-oriented laptops call this concept a docking station.
LOL my thoughts exactly. I guess the upshot of this is it won't be a particular computer model specific (other than Apple).
Because of the height:
This is the height they will aim for in all their machines:
*snip MBA pix*
The only ports stopping them are FW800 and ethernet and of course the optical drive. They could just get rid of ethernet for now and then move FW back and taper it from a larger height for now until we definitely get faster ports to replace FW but the proposed cable seems like a decent solution for everything except using the devices while out and about.
Yes but the MBA doesn't get more than what, 5 hours of battery life right now? I know the body of the 15 and 17" MBPs will be physically larger, but the 13" MBP would be the same chassis size as an MBA. I think the MBPs will stay a bit fatter (altho they could get a smidge smaller) and Apple will fill all that extra space with battery. If their entire laptop line looked like the Air, why have separate lines? I think when Apple said that the Air was the way of the future for their laptops, they meant no optical, SSD only and yes probably a bit slimmer, not that every system would look identical. The MBP is more likely to want FW and Ethernet than the MBA, so it's more likely to stay there
I highly doubt this would eliminate onboard connections. As someone said in a previous post, this would be a dock connection to a piece of hardware that stays stationary. The box would be a USB, FireWire, Ethernet, Mini DisplayPort, Audio Optical/Analog In and Out ports and power built into 1 unit and only requires 1 connection wire to connect to the MacBook. As of now, it's a spaghetti configuration compared to the usual docking stations in the PC world.
Oh, And they can charge 200+ for this unit. Anything Sony and Lenovo offers as a docking station are around the $200 price point. Just saying before people complain this will cost too much for a docking unit.
While this may be true, it's not the configuration I want.
I want a hybrid of the 27" iMac and the 27" LED Display. A display with all the ports of the iMac minus the motherboard, and a single power cable documented in this article (instead of the current breakout cable from the LED Display with power, MDP, and USB). The display could keep room for the 5 1/4" SATA disk as a destination for Time Machine and even the optical drive slot like the iMac currently has.
In this manner, I set down my laptop, connect it with this connector to the display, and suddenly all the ports on my "display with port expander" come live. Additionally, Time Machine sees the optional disk drive embedded in the monitor and starts backing up to it automatically. Finally, I have an optical drive where I need it (i.e. where my optical discs are), not carrying it around day in and day out when I never use it.
Yes Apple, when this combo comes out, the credit cards come out, however many are necessary.
While this may be true, it's not the configuration I want.
I want a hybrid of the 27" iMac and the 27" LED Display. A display with all the ports of the iMac minus the motherboard, and a single power cable documented in this article (instead of the current breakout cable from the LED Display with power, MDP, and USB). The display could keep room for the 5 1/4" SATA disk as a destination for Time Machine and even the optical drive slot like the iMac currently has.
In this manner, I set down my laptop, connect it with this connector to the display, and suddenly all the ports on my "display with port expander" come live. Additionally, Time Machine sees the optional disk drive embedded in the monitor and starts backing up to it automatically. Finally, I have an optical drive where I need it (i.e. where my optical discs are), not carrying it around day in and day out when I never use it.
Yes Apple, when this combo comes out, the credit cards come out, however many are necessary.
I like this idea.
I like this idea.
Minus the 40GB backup disk.
While this may be true, it's not the configuration I want.
I want a hybrid of the 27" iMac and the 27" LED Display. A display with all the ports of the iMac minus the motherboard, and a single power cable documented in this article (instead of the current breakout cable from the LED Display with power, MDP, and USB). The display could keep room for the 5 1/4" SATA disk as a destination for Time Machine and even the optical drive slot like the iMac currently has.
In this manner, I set down my laptop, connect it with this connector to the display, and suddenly all the ports on my "display with port expander" come live. Additionally, Time Machine sees the optional disk drive embedded in the monitor and starts backing up to it automatically. Finally, I have an optical drive where I need it (i.e. where my optical discs are), not carrying it around day in and day out when I never use it.
Yes Apple, when this combo comes out, the credit cards come out, however many are necessary.
The 10 watt power support in Thunderbolt is no where near enough to power a 27" display, not even an LED display.
Or do I just not understand the problem?