Specs are important, it is just that you have to focus on the right specs. This is perhaps Apples greatest failing with the Mac Book, they don't seem to realize that ports (a spec) are important to many. So are things like processor performance which in this case is totally unknown.
On the other hand, the MBA was a laughing stock at first (and I did not buy until V4, which is amazing).
Could very well go this way too, it all depends on the charger. If it contains a standard USB port on which you can plug external peripherals, you're more than good to go.
More pixels, but only with a screen that is bigger... lol
What's next? Apple to respond with "well our 15 has way more pixels than your 13 which beats our 12... And then there's the 27 5k..." And on. Lol
Dell reallyinsulting people's intelligence there
Bunch of junk trying to find a reaso to claim superiority.
Funny thing is NONE of these comes close as a total package.
You can have thin, poorly built, u sturdy slow, poor batteryife, horrid OS, and only a higher resolution with a bigger screen... But you'd have to buy multiple products.lol.
that ports (a spec) are important to many. So are things like processor performance which in this case is totally unknown.
Which is why they still offer the macbook pro and for now macbook air
Many people (i.e. the students i see with macs) use their machines for paper writing, youtube, facebook, and iTunes. this new macbook is really all they need and, excepting maybe thumb drives, I never see anything plugged in ever (besides [obnoxious beats] headphones). No need for 2 thunderbolt ports and 3.3 ghz quad i7 to watch cat videos and use Pages in a starbucks.
of course, its expensive for students, but that'll change in the next year or two.
I've been thinking about the single USB-C port and charging vs other needs.
It isn't just about charging. Do people really believe around here that there are no other uses for USB ports?
The new MacBook is not meant to be sat at all day working. So most likely you don't NEED to plug it in while working most of the time. Which allows you to plug in other things.
Even if that was true, you still only have one USB port - that is a big problem for many.
And the charger is a small USB charge (with USB-C port instead) rated at 29W which can also be used to charge your iPhone or iPad. You don't need to plug your iPhone in to the MacBook to charge while working. You use the MacBook charger to charge your phone while working.
Who cares? I mean really each iPhone comes with its own charger. It isn't a question of charging hut usability in the field or even at a desk.
For the typical uses cases for this device, the single port is not as great a problem as we may think it to be in actual use.
Absolutely wrong. The use case here is portability and with that comes a variety of uses. One of theses uses involves connection to a variety of communications ports. One USB port isn't going to cut it especially with the high use cases of flash drives.
The single port was a big turn off for me during the keynote, but the more I think about it and learn about it, for what it is designed for, it should be enough. If it is not enough, then you probably are not the use case for which it is envisioned.
Dudes, I can see why they're making fun of it. They have beautiful more-powerful computers that offer stuff that Apple decided (and worked hard to do it, too) to leave out out of that particular Mac. Very sad about Windows 8 but then you play with the hand you're dealt, I guess.
Bottom line is this ... it isn't the only laptop they offer.
True but it isn't really the most flexible of laptops either.
I for one LOVE it for a certain kind of use -- one cord to hook it into a fully functional dock with all of my stuff connected at work, and a different dock for home. It's perfect and a long time coming -- I'm a former Duo user and I kept mine alive until it was beyond life support.
This is perhaps my biggest disappointment with this machine beyond the single USB port problem. Why didn't Apple use a little sense and break out the ports at the charger? A couple of USB ports, a video port and maybe even a lan connection would have made plugging into the charger and your USB -C port so much more useful. You would get access to the extra ports where people most need them.
However, if you do a lot of "pro" activities in the field, then this is absolutely NOT the laptop for you. Thank goodness, Apple still offers a wide selection of laptops for everyone else's needs.
The problem is this could very well be the replacement for the MBA lineup. If so that would be a very sad reality. I'm hoping not actually and that this model represents another line in Apples lineup that will be around for some time.
It isn't just about charging. Do people really believe around here that there are no other uses for USB ports?
Even if that was true, you still only have one USB port - that is a big problem for many.
Who cares? I mean really each iPhone comes with its own charger. It isn't a question of charging hut usability in the field or even at a desk.
Absolutely wrong. The use case here is portability and with that comes a variety of uses. One of theses uses involves connection to a variety of communications ports. One USB port isn't going to cut it especially with the high use cases of flash drives.
Thanks for drinking the cool-aid.
Didn't drink the Kool-aid. I analyzed the intended market and decided that the intended market had a great product in the MacBook. It may not fit you, but you aren't then the intended market.
I look at people all the time with MacBook Air / MBP / Wintel at airports, in coffee shops, libraries, etc. Almost none of them have anything plugged in the USB port. A few people might have a flash drive or a wireless mouse dongle or something, but that is one port. If you need more ports simultaneously (and the charging iPhone is one of the criticisms I've read) then the MacBook is probably not for you or you can get a simple USB hub.
What's sad is that Asus, Lenovo, and Dell are trying to scam consumers into thinking that all laptops are created equal. Let's put the new Macbook next to any of these machines and see show well a finely crafted aluminum, hi-res, no-fan Macbook with high-bandwidth SSD's and OS X, along with the best customer-service in the industry compares to these (predominantly) chinese crap, built out of plastic - as they like to say - "polycarbonate", with a joke of a warranty and sketchy reliability.
Your argument is no better than theirs, for one some of those laptops are high quality. Second until we see the Mac Book in the wild we don't know how it will perform. Due to the Core M and Apples configuration I'm expecting to see a very wide range of reactions to the machines performance.
And for those clowns that preach "but..but.. I can buy THREE shitty laptops for the price of ONE Macbook??!!", I say... go right ahead since that's how you value your downtime.
It all depends upon your goals and needs. From my perspective the real issue with those laptops isn't the hardware per say but rather the operating system.
My companion just bought a new laptop (Toshiba). The trackpad is an improvement over the crap on her prior one (Dell Vostro), but it's really pretty bad too. The gestures suck (try changing between scrolling and pointing by lifting only one finger). Its optical drive tray is plastic and flimsy (picking up the machine makes the drive door flex and snap against the rest of the body, which is also plastic). There are four USB ports but the thing is so flimsy that more ports don't seem to make a positive impression, and the USB charge power on the charge port is flaky. The screen/lid is way too flimsy, though looks way better than her old Dell. The left arrow key on the keyboard has a mechanical problem sticking and a Toshiba repair center "found nothing wrong" (the phone support was abysmal).
While she was shopping for a laptop, I saw that "yoga" laptop. It is beyond flimsy and awkward (why the hell would you put a touch screen on a flexing/wobbling display? Why would you hold a tablet by a keyboard acting as the back?).
Every non-Mac I looked at was pretty garbagey. It was a distressing experience to shop for a PC laptop. I think she chose a leasser of various evils, based on not wanting to spend more than $1200, but it still is trashy and still is stuck with the BS of Windows. If Microsoft Access ran (and was supported!!) on Mac OS X, I'd have pushed her to buy a MacBook Pro. The PC experience is abysmal and I'm the one doing her tech support. I hate PCs anymore. Apple is bloating OS X lately, but it's still far more robust a user experience and far less cluttered. I can't believe Microsoft actually intentionally keeps making the settings in Windows worse every version. WTF is wrong with them?? Does no one at Microsoft's Windows division have even the slightest clue?? It's like they're trapped in their own psychotic disconnect from reality. Hopefully Apple doesn't get its own head crammed that far up its own butt...
I have a previous version of a Dell XPS 13" bought end 2012, preinstalled with Ubuntu and it is an amazing machine. When I bought it I had the power of a Macbook Pro for the price of a Macbook Air. It is superfast: a cold boot to login screen in 5 seconds.
I had much more issues with Yosemite on my Mac mini than I ever experienced with Ubuntu on my Dell
I stopped using LINUX on my main machine in early 2008 when I bought my MBP. Back then I got frustrated by the constant need to update/reinstall LINUX. This was mostly due to the rapid advancement LINUX was making which of course was good except when you really don't want to play around with your main machine.
Now that being said I've kept track of LINUX and use it on other machines. This weeks announcements from Apple has me doing something I've havent done since 2008, that is I'm considering buying a LINUX machine. That is a laptop known to run LINUX well instead of another Mac. I haven't made the decision yet because even with the mess that is Yosemite there is a lot of good in Mac OS. However I see no reason to support Apple if they have gone stupid with their hardware designs. Very frustrating really because a retina MBA would have been a fantastic answer to my needs.
I LOVE my MacBook Air. After the Lenovo scandal I won't ever even consider their products. But if I ever find a need to get a PC ultrabook, the Asus really is quite attractive. It's good to know there is an option.
But, if it runs Windows instead of Mac OS, it doesn't matter what it costs, how thin it is or how heavy it is. I don't even consider buying a Windows virus box any more. It's a thing of the past for me.
Comments
Specs are important, it is just that you have to focus on the right specs. This is perhaps Apples greatest failing with the Mac Book, they don't seem to realize that ports (a spec) are important to many. So are things like processor performance which in this case is totally unknown.
On the other hand, the MBA was a laughing stock at first (and I did not buy until V4, which is amazing).
Could very well go this way too, it all depends on the charger. If it contains a standard USB port on which you can plug external peripherals, you're more than good to go.
Yes and people should have problems with that. Sadly it is a detour on the way to the intelligent systems that we need in the future.
Which you can deal with by installing LINUX, BSD or some other operating system.
Which you can deal with by installing LINUX, BSD or some other operating system.
There is no support for LINUX from Dell and the other lessors.
More pixels, but only with a screen that is bigger... lol
What's next? Apple to respond with "well our 15 has way more pixels than your 13 which beats our 12... And then there's the 27 5k..." And on. Lol
Dell reallyinsulting people's intelligence there
Bunch of junk trying to find a reaso to claim superiority.
Funny thing is NONE of these comes close as a total package.
You can have thin, poorly built, u sturdy slow, poor batteryife, horrid OS, and only a higher resolution with a bigger screen... But you'd have to buy multiple products.lol.
None of these jokes comes close.
that ports (a spec) are important to many. So are things like processor performance which in this case is totally unknown.
Which is why they still offer the macbook pro and for now macbook air
Many people (i.e. the students i see with macs) use their machines for paper writing, youtube, facebook, and iTunes. this new macbook is really all they need and, excepting maybe thumb drives, I never see anything plugged in ever (besides [obnoxious beats] headphones). No need for 2 thunderbolt ports and 3.3 ghz quad i7 to watch cat videos and use Pages in a starbucks.
of course, its expensive for students, but that'll change in the next year or two.
Maybe even better than all of the best parts of competing products combined.
Then google comes along with chrome and it's the dark ages all over again.ol
The problem is this could very well be the replacement for the MBA lineup. If so that would be a very sad reality. I'm hoping not actually and that this model represents another line in Apples lineup that will be around for some time.
It isn't just about charging. Do people really believe around here that there are no other uses for USB ports?
Even if that was true, you still only have one USB port - that is a big problem for many.
Who cares? I mean really each iPhone comes with its own charger. It isn't a question of charging hut usability in the field or even at a desk.
Absolutely wrong. The use case here is portability and with that comes a variety of uses. One of theses uses involves connection to a variety of communications ports. One USB port isn't going to cut it especially with the high use cases of flash drives.
Thanks for drinking the cool-aid.
Didn't drink the Kool-aid. I analyzed the intended market and decided that the intended market had a great product in the MacBook. It may not fit you, but you aren't then the intended market.
I look at people all the time with MacBook Air / MBP / Wintel at airports, in coffee shops, libraries, etc. Almost none of them have anything plugged in the USB port. A few people might have a flash drive or a wireless mouse dongle or something, but that is one port. If you need more ports simultaneously (and the charging iPhone is one of the criticisms I've read) then the MacBook is probably not for you or you can get a simple USB hub.
Those new MacBooks will be running out the door faster than a Nissan GTR on steroids.
I can't wait to get mine.
It all depends upon your goals and needs. From my perspective the real issue with those laptops isn't the hardware per say but rather the operating system.
Even if it wasn't heavier, it would still be what it looks like, a piece of shite.
While she was shopping for a laptop, I saw that "yoga" laptop. It is beyond flimsy and awkward (why the hell would you put a touch screen on a flexing/wobbling display? Why would you hold a tablet by a keyboard acting as the back?).
Every non-Mac I looked at was pretty garbagey. It was a distressing experience to shop for a PC laptop. I think she chose a leasser of various evils, based on not wanting to spend more than $1200, but it still is trashy and still is stuck with the BS of Windows. If Microsoft Access ran (and was supported!!) on Mac OS X, I'd have pushed her to buy a MacBook Pro. The PC experience is abysmal and I'm the one doing her tech support. I hate PCs anymore. Apple is bloating OS X lately, but it's still far more robust a user experience and far less cluttered. I can't believe Microsoft actually intentionally keeps making the settings in Windows worse every version. WTF is wrong with them?? Does no one at Microsoft's Windows division have even the slightest clue?? It's like they're trapped in their own psychotic disconnect from reality. Hopefully Apple doesn't get its own head crammed that far up its own butt...
I stopped using LINUX on my main machine in early 2008 when I bought my MBP. Back then I got frustrated by the constant need to update/reinstall LINUX. This was mostly due to the rapid advancement LINUX was making which of course was good except when you really don't want to play around with your main machine.
Now that being said I've kept track of LINUX and use it on other machines. This weeks announcements from Apple has me doing something I've havent done since 2008, that is I'm considering buying a LINUX machine. That is a laptop known to run LINUX well instead of another Mac. I haven't made the decision yet because even with the mess that is Yosemite there is a lot of good in Mac OS. However I see no reason to support Apple if they have gone stupid with their hardware designs. Very frustrating really because a retina MBA would have been a fantastic answer to my needs.
Which means what exactly?