I wonder if any of those USB ports are actually Thunderbolt 3 ports.
Apple tends to keep all ports that are the same shape having the same function. So if one is I'd say they all are.
Maybe the round port isn't a headphone port but a new magsafe Lightening-bolt port to be revealed at the event. ie Thunderbolt 3 but direct to optical for data transmission. We all know Intel are keen to get dollars for their CMOS laser tech and Thunderbolt was a stop gap measure till they had it ready for mass production.
I hope so, because having identical ports with different functions is a failure in basic usability, which is something Apple has always (back to the original Mac) been a leader on.
(There was a brief period where the two serial ports on a Mac had slightly different functions, but they fixed that.)
Also, 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports? Could be quite useful.
Of course, I'll believe it when I see it. Don't want to get my hopes up too high, lest I fall into the same trap as all those people going on about the iPhone leaks.
Come on apple make a proper Laptop for power users. Not Thin With an Ethernet port - I refuse to do banking over WiFi With an SD Card slot At least 32Gb of Ram At least 2TB of storage - As a mobile user I need to take things with me. In many places I am not allowed to connect to the Internet even via my phone. So using any cloud services is impossible. Running VM's from USB3/Thunderbolt is possible but I want everything inside my device. 3G/4G/5G Capability And with Magsafe.
If it had a 17in Retina screen then I'd be first in the queue to buy it.
The Homer Car laptop? Which side has the cup holder (extra big)
I frequently use the top bar blindly, knowing that the Esc key is at the upper left (a very useful key!), followed by the brightness, volume and playback keys. I fear that usability will be degraded by requiring one to look at the touch bar to know where to press. Let's hope that Apple has some common sense in their design of this.
I agree with you. I used the Esc, brightness, vol up/down and power off (rarely). for people who use more than terminal and a browser, I think it might be useful to create their own macros or specific apps (like Photoshop) can be hooked up. the only thing I suspect is that it's not as comfortable as a real key (well, don't forget that this is one of the things who never actually changed since the first laptop invented).
I'm open, never had to adapt to a change like this, lets see, we might find it useful and comfortable
What's the purpose behind removing the function keys and replacing them with an OLED bar instead?
Is it because instead of F1,F2,F3 etc. being shown, now the computer will be able to have symbols and full color icons instead for each key, that can change and adapt to the software being used?
The purpose is to generate sales by keeping the Mac fresh and innovative in the minds of the buyers out there.
As for how it would be used who knows. One smart move would be to move the dock there.
I would use the whole bar as a forward-delete key.
Come on apple make a proper Laptop for power users. Not Thin With an Ethernet port - I refuse to do banking over WiFi With an SD Card slot At least 32Gb of Ram At least 2TB of storage - As a mobile user I need to take things with me. In many places I am not allowed to connect to the Internet even via my phone. So using any cloud services is impossible. Running VM's from USB3/Thunderbolt is possible but I want everything inside my device. 3G/4G/5G Capability And with Magsafe.
If it had a 17in Retina screen then I'd be first in the queue to buy it.
The Homer Car laptop? Which side has the cup holder (extra big)
Do you want that with the inlaid unicorn horn, or hippogriff feathers?
I know the article says it's not much thinner than the current MBP, but it looks a lot thinner to me from the photo. Am I misjudging it?
Keep in mind that the bottom plate won't be flush, it'll curve outward. So it's possible the edge is thinner but the overall machine thickness isn't that much different.
Ah. The same trick they pulled with the iMac.
'Look how thin it is!' said Phil, turning it ever-so-slightly to one side.
Apple tends to keep all ports that are the same shape having the same function. So if one is I'd say they all are.
Maybe the round port isn't a headphone port but a new magsafe Lightening-bolt port to be revealed at the event. ie Thunderbolt 3 but direct to optical for data transmission. We all know Intel are keen to get dollars for their CMOS laser tech and Thunderbolt was a stop gap measure till they had it ready for mass production.
I hope so, because having identical ports with different functions is a failure in basic usability, which is something Apple has always (back to the original Mac) been a leader on.
(There was a brief period where the two serial ports on a Mac had slightly different functions, but they fixed that.)
Also, 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports? Could be quite useful.
Of course, I'll believe it when I see it. Don't want to get my hopes up too high, lest I fall into the same trap as all those people going on about the iPhone leaks.
Lightening and USB-C could use the same size case hole given how close they are. Apple could use them to distinguish between with and without thunderbolt. So it could be 2 USB-c with thunderbolt and 2 Lightening (with usb3 support). I guess it depends what controllers are available, would be so much better if they can get 4 thunderbolt controller.
Come on apple make a proper Laptop for power users. Not Thin With an Ethernet port - I refuse to do banking over WiFi With an SD Card slot At least 32Gb of Ram At least 2TB of storage - As a mobile user I need to take things with me. In many places I am not allowed to connect to the Internet even via my phone. So using any cloud services is impossible. Running VM's from USB3/Thunderbolt is possible but I want everything inside my device. 3G/4G/5G Capability And with Magsafe.
If it had a 17in Retina screen then I'd be first in the queue to buy it.
Folks! Welcome to laptop design from the late nineties.
This is the typical 'throw everything in the box' device that Apple has avoided since Jobs returned.
You say you can't connect to the Internet, even by phone, and yet you still want 3G/4G/5G.
I frequently use the top bar blindly, knowing that the Esc key is at the upper left (a very useful key!), followed by the brightness, volume and playback keys. I fear that usability will be degraded by requiring one to look at the touch bar to know where to press. Let's hope that Apple has some common sense in their design of this.
Same concern here. Removing physical controls on a workstation computer is not smart.
All good points, tho, Apple moving away from propriety standards is a new direction that arguably started as recently as with the new MacBook. Imagine Apple all of sudden letting iPhone 7 owners charge their phones with a Samsung charger. Steve would be rolling in his grave.
Well in 2017 it will be the case in the EU. All new smartphones launched in 2017 must have a universal charger (which will probably be USB-C based). I don't know how apple will cope with this requirement
Actually there are considerable benefits if Apple is open to third party support hardware. Look at it this way, there are many USB power sources out there that may potentially charge this machine. You could for instance have a cheap cigarette lighter, charger for use in a truck, boat or car. ...
I'm a fairly advanced user and hardly ever use the function keys. ... I suppose it depends upon how engraved muscle memory is but I don't see a problem.
All good points, tho, Apple moving away from propriety standards is a new direction that arguably started as recently as with the new MacBook. Imagine Apple all of sudden letting iPhone 7 owners charge their phones with a Samsung charger. Steve would be rolling in his grave.
Apple keeps taking things away for the sake of thinness. No DVD Drive, no SD card reader, no ethernet port and no mag safe power connector. Everything is for the least expensive manufacturing cost. The customers have no flexibility in future upgrades of RAM Hard Drive or battery. I am sure the price will still be a premium despite the lack of equipment Apple used to offer. If this is the future of the Macbook Pro then I will not be getting a new MBP ever. No real innovation here just elimination of ports and devices we used to get.
You forgot: No 5.25" floppy drive, then no floppy drive at all, no PC card slot, no full-size DVI, no VGA, no serial port, and no CRT displays. There was whining, but five years down the line, nobody questioned Apple's judgement.
Look at it this way, there are many USB power sources out there that may potentially charge this machine.
Assuming Apple allows that. For instance, I believe a new HP laptop that uses the technology won't charge off anything but an official HP charger. I could easily see Apple doing the same thing.
I am really disappointed, but not surprised, there aren't any standard USB 3.0 ports and no ethernet jack. Apple doesn't seem to care that people don't want to rebuy peripherals or carry around a bunch of dongles. I am sure they will still sell though…Apple seems to have really locked up the more money than brains market.
-kp
Unfortunately I can see Apple doing the same thing and honestly I would be very irritated if they did so. USB-C supposedly supports similar validation technology as we have see in Lightening connectors. So yep I can see Apple screwing this up. The ability to suck juice from any USB power point would be huge though.
The use of Dongles is a mixed bag. I really don't understand the dropping of the Ehternet port however we can't stay with really outmoded ports like RS232 forever. It makes about as much sense as staying with 6502 processors. If there are 4 fully TB/USBC compliant ports then things are looking up for the MBP.
Comments
I hope so, because having identical ports with different functions is a failure in basic usability, which is something Apple has always (back to the original Mac) been a leader on.
(There was a brief period where the two serial ports on a Mac had slightly different functions, but they fixed that.)
Also, 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports? Could be quite useful.
Of course, I'll believe it when I see it. Don't want to get my hopes up too high, lest I fall into the same trap as all those people going on about the iPhone leaks.
I'm open, never had to adapt to a change like this, lets see, we might find it useful and comfortable
Do you want that with the inlaid unicorn horn, or hippogriff feathers?
'Look how thin it is!' said Phil, turning it ever-so-slightly to one side.
This is the typical 'throw everything in the box' device that Apple has avoided since Jobs returned.
You say you can't connect to the Internet, even by phone, and yet you still want 3G/4G/5G.
Are you in prison or something?
It even has that strip of display instead of just keys.
http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MD820AM/A/lightning-to-micro-usb-adapter