I just can't believe that it's directional. With the 5 pin configuration that it has, you have to ensure it's connected with the right orientation in mind. Why wouldn't they have done five circular bands of narrowing diameter to fit inside one another? This would have allowed for orientation to not be a problem...
Like someone said earlier, put the magnetic connector on the power supply end. If someone trips on the cable, it will pull out of the power supply instead of crashing your computer onto the floor. At the computer, the USB-C remains non-directional. Problem solved.
I'm a bit nervous about relying on a company I've never heard of providing this. It's the slimmest, nicest looking one I have seen yet. But I worry about the potential of destroying my MacBook with this or burning my house down.
Amazon sells a;
Griffin BreakSafe Magnetic USB-C Breakaway Power Cable.
This MagSafe replacement does not handle data. If it could do both power and data then that's a great product.
I don't really want a data cable to be able to break away. This can result in corruption of data during transfers and un-ejected hard drives. I'm going to go with a power only cable makes sense. I would use this at home where my kids have unplugged my laptop numerous times. It's not necessary for me in the office where I have one cable driving my monitor, power, hard drives and multiple other peripherals.
I just can't believe that it's directional. With the 5 pin configuration that it has, you have to ensure it's connected with the right orientation in mind. Why wouldn't they have done five circular bands of narrowing diameter to fit inside one another? This would have allowed for orientation to not be a problem...
Like someone said earlier, put the magnetic connector on the power supply end. If someone trips on the cable, it will pull out of the power supply instead of crashing your computer onto the floor. At the computer, the USB-C remains non-directional. Problem solved.
You'd still run the risk of someone tripping or tugging on the cable and pulling the macbook off of whatever surface it's on, defeating the purpose of this.
I just can't believe that it's directional. With the 5 pin configuration that it has, you have to ensure it's connected with the right orientation in mind. Why wouldn't they have done five circular bands of narrowing diameter to fit inside one another? This would have allowed for orientation to not be a problem...
Like someone said earlier, put the magnetic connector on the power supply end. If someone trips on the cable, it will pull out of the power supply instead of crashing your computer onto the floor. At the computer, the USB-C remains non-directional. Problem solved.
You'd still run the risk of someone tripping or tugging on the cable and pulling the macbook off of whatever surface it's on, defeating the purpose of this.
How exactly would that happen? How many times has MagSafe become disconnected from a Mac resulted in the PSU being ripped from the wall socket and the pins broken or bent? I've never had that happen because when the magnetic connection is removed there isn't someone grabbing onto the cable with both hands trying to destroy whatever it's connected to.
So we toss MagSafe on the heap of Apple gimmicks - like the iBook handle (remember the toilet seat?) and the iMac with the full swivel screen (sunflower). Probably the touch bar will go the same route.
These are touted as such great innovations...but not so great tin hat they're gone in an iteration or two.
A lot of this is fashion design, let's be honest.
Data? come on... THIS IS THE SHIT, you have 4 ports so...if you want you magSafe this looks excellent compared to Kensington? or was it Griffin? can't remember because it wasn't that good!
I'm a bit nervous about relying on a company I've never heard of providing this. It's the slimmest, nicest looking one I have seen yet. But I worry about the potential of destroying my MacBook with this or burning my house down.
Amazon sells a;
Griffin BreakSafe Magnetic USB-C Breakaway Power Cable.
The knob on the end is huge and the reviews are terrible though...
IMO, Apple should never have gotten rid of MagSafe.
IMO, It's about time they got rid of the archaic power-only connection and started adopting the wonderful USB-C. I don't want the future of technology to be a different port interface for every… single… fucking… connection. USB-C is an amazing step in the right direction.
The reason I don't agree with this is with this new paradigm is that there must be bus bandwidth to accommodate every USB-C port and all that it can do.
Is there a reason why it would only work with 15" Touch Bar Pros?
No. It is the only one so far that supplies full charging power to it, though. Should work on the 13-inch MBP with and without Touch Bar, and MacBook too.
We're going to have one for testing next week. I'll let you know how it goes.
It is definitely a step backwards to have gotten rid of Magsafe, at least in my opinion.
My mid-2012 Macbook pro Retina was the first Mac (and so far, only) I ever owned. I remember thinking that the Magsafe Feature/Design was incredibly (being a college student and all at the time) useful.
Now, years later, I don't understand why the feature was removed. I would have to purchase a separate product from another company to achieve the same functionality. Which is not elegant or Apple-like. Well, dongles is Apple's new thing it seems.
Surely the "Apple can do no wrong" crowd won't like this post.
I agree MagSafe is brilliant.
I'll be upgrading to a 2015 MBP real soon because you lose to much with the new ones .
Some windoze laptops allow charging using both USB-c and a power cable. Maybe Apple was all innovated out after doing their TouchBar.
The fact that Apple continues to sell the MacBook Air shows a lot of people still Appreciate features like MagSafe.
If Apple decided to add back MagSafe next year the "Apple can do no wrong" crowd would change their quickly.
I like the addition of the USB-C connections but I also like the Mag-safe connection. So that is why I bought the Belkin mag safe connector when I got my new MBP with touch bar. It is great that you can switch to the other side. Having another connector that is lower profile is great and I will certainly try it out.
What would be great is to get another USB-C power brick that is lower cost and be used on multiple devices. Just need to be powerful enough to charge the MBP (even at a slow rate).
IMO, Apple should never have gotten rid of MagSafe.
Apple replaces proprietary charging ports and cables for industry standard (for Mac).
Internet complains.
Apple adopts proprietary charging port and cable instead of industry standard (for iOS).
Internet complains.
Conclusion: Apple is in a quantum superposition of disappointment states.
That's the best explanation I've heard of it so far. Well done.
MagSafe was great, but the USB-C/Thunderbolt connection is much more versatile. I much prefer to be able to plug power in on any available port. It also opens up the market for third-party charging solutions. You can just use any power adaptor or USB external battery with a USB-C cable (of course, how effective this is depends on the capacity and output of the adaptor or battery). Previous attempts to do external batteries involved mod kits for the official Apple adaptors, since they didn't licence MagSafe.
The thing I don't get is people saying that no MagSafe is a deal breaker. Especially if this means they're going to go buy a Windows laptop which won't have MagSafe either.
As someone who owns the 2016 15 inch Macbook Pro, I don't miss it. USB C connections both on the laptop and power supply make the cord pull out pretty easy if you trip over it. I haven't had a problem and love being able to charge from any port on any side. It was a good trade off/trade up.
Apple had a fantastic invention in the magsafe connector. I tried to suggest to them in 2011 that they make ALL of their connectors magsafe like (usb, charging, headphone, EVERYTHING)
but of course they won't listen to outsiders. I even offered to sign away all rights to anything Apple related for the rest of my life for FREE (though I preferred a hamburger lunch per year).
Incidentally, they don't listen to employees either if they are the peasants in AHA. Sigh; tried that too.
Many other ideas available too if they weren't so arrogant---better cable plugs to reduce tangling (NO ONE does it, and it is so simple and zero additional cost).
Make a laptop lapable rather than burning our personal parts off from the laptop heat?
Make ports MUCH easier to plug into; also essentially zero cost to implement.
Since they can't seem to get the ports off of the back of Macs (beauty over function), how to make them easily locatable when you can't see them. 3 ideas ranging from simple to implement at ~zero cost, but not ideal. And two others, one of which would work with "last years" machines
Investment cast the case; it is stupid to mill them all; but they FINALLY thought of that on their own.
Polish (br grinding as now) with zero dust---don't blow up any more factories. The solution in China a few years ago was bigger fans; how prosaic.
Anyone who assembles laptops with the number of screws that they do needs a consultant.
Present laptop cases are slick and asking to be dropped; DO SOMETHING
I tried to suggest to them in 2011 that they make ALL of their connectors magsafe like (usb, charging, headphone, EVERYTHING)
but of course they won't listen to outsiders.
Oh, I'm sure they listened and they're probably still laughing about it. A weak magnetic connection for headphones so they pop up when exercising so you're constantly losing the audio connection. What a brilliant idea¡
This MagSafe replacement does not handle data. If it could do both power and data then that's a great product.
Just wondering isn't the fact that the power is through the magnet that it would not work with data? Also curious why someone need data on a break away cord, as generally You don't charge your device sending data, and don't need a breakaway for connecting accessorie? The one exclusion I can think is the monitors with charging capability.
Some of you are fixed on the ports. Magsafe was about the connector not the port. I don't think anyone suggested that having a dedicated power port was desirable over the multi-function USB-C ports. They were disappointed that the dedicated cable from the power brick did not have a breakaway connector. That right, even though it is a USB-C cable, when it is connected to the brick it is dedicated to power only. I'm all for the new ports, I just want a cable from the brick that breaks away.
All Apple needs to do here is make a cable with some sort of Magsafe connector. Sell it as an optional accessory. Throngs would rejoice.
And no, putting the breakaway part on the power brick end would not work unless the force moment was right at the brick. Most of the time the force moment is closer to the computer. If your foot snags the cable and it pops off at the brick, it can still pull the computer to the floor. My 2010 MBP sits next to me on the sofa all night. The power cable hangs over the sofa edge and is connected at all times. I get up and down to take care of the dog, get food, drink, pee - whatever all night long. I'm old and sometimes my foot drags the power cable. Magsafe saves me all the time. I plan to get a new 2017 MBP Touchbar very soon and am not looking forward to a lack of Magsafe. This new product looks promising. Oh, and those complaining that this connector is directional - so is my Magsafe. It only attaches one way, with the cable trailing off the backside of the the MBP. Okay, yes you CAN connect it the other way, but it covers the ports when you do that.
Comments
Griffin BreakSafe Magnetic USB-C Breakaway Power Cable.
A dedicated power port means just that.
I'll be upgrading to a 2015 MBP real soon because you lose to much with the new ones .
Some windoze laptops allow charging using both USB-c and a power cable. Maybe Apple was all innovated out after doing their TouchBar.
The fact that Apple continues to sell the MacBook Air shows a lot of people still
Appreciate features like MagSafe.
If Apple decided to add back MagSafe next year the "Apple can do no wrong" crowd would change their quickly.
What would be great is to get another USB-C power brick that is lower cost and be used on multiple devices. Just need to be powerful enough to charge the MBP (even at a slow rate).
That's the best explanation I've heard of it so far. Well done.
MagSafe was great, but the USB-C/Thunderbolt connection is much more versatile. I much prefer to be able to plug power in on any available port. It also opens up the market for third-party charging solutions. You can just use any power adaptor or USB external battery with a USB-C cable (of course, how effective this is depends on the capacity and output of the adaptor or battery). Previous attempts to do external batteries involved mod kits for the official Apple adaptors, since they didn't licence MagSafe.
The thing I don't get is people saying that no MagSafe is a deal breaker. Especially if this means they're going to go buy a Windows laptop which won't have MagSafe either.
but of course they won't listen to outsiders. I even offered to sign away all rights to anything Apple related for the rest of my life for FREE (though I preferred a hamburger lunch per year).
Incidentally, they don't listen to employees either if they are the peasants in AHA. Sigh; tried that too.
Many other ideas available too if they weren't so arrogant---better cable plugs to reduce tangling (NO ONE does it, and it is so simple and zero additional cost).
Make a laptop lapable rather than burning our personal parts off from the laptop heat?
Make ports MUCH easier to plug into; also essentially zero cost to implement.
Since they can't seem to get the ports off of the back of Macs (beauty over function), how to make them easily locatable when you can't see them.
3 ideas ranging from simple to implement at ~zero cost, but not ideal. And two others, one of which would work with "last years" machines
Investment cast the case; it is stupid to mill them all; but they FINALLY thought of that on their own.
Polish (br grinding as now) with zero dust---don't blow up any more factories. The solution in China a few years ago was bigger fans; how prosaic.
Anyone who assembles laptops with the number of screws that they do needs a consultant.
Present laptop cases are slick and asking to be dropped; DO SOMETHING
Also curious why someone need data on a break away cord, as generally You don't charge your device sending data, and don't need a breakaway for connecting accessorie? The one exclusion I can think is the monitors with charging capability.
All Apple needs to do here is make a cable with some sort of Magsafe connector. Sell it as an optional accessory. Throngs would rejoice.
And no, putting the breakaway part on the power brick end would not work unless the force moment was right at the brick. Most of the time the force moment is closer to the computer. If your foot snags the cable and it pops off at the brick, it can still pull the computer to the floor. My 2010 MBP sits next to me on the sofa all night. The power cable hangs over the sofa edge and is connected at all times. I get up and down to take care of the dog, get food, drink, pee - whatever all night long. I'm old and sometimes my foot drags the power cable. Magsafe saves me all the time. I plan to get a new 2017 MBP Touchbar very soon and am not looking forward to a lack of Magsafe. This new product looks promising. Oh, and those complaining that this connector is directional - so is my Magsafe. It only attaches one way, with the cable trailing off the backside of the the MBP. Okay, yes you CAN connect it the other way, but it covers the ports when you do that.