dropping the modem

stevegongrui · February 22, 2004 2:10AM

How many people actually still use a phone line modem?

And when do you guys think Apple will get rid of it or have an option to not include it?

I ask because I have not used the modem in my ibook once and:

1. I paid money for something I don't use

2. It takes up space and weight in my laptop, something I want to be as light and as small as possible.

Do a lot of people actually still use the modem? I don't know anyone who still does

johnq · February 22, 2004 2:23AM

I stopped using my iBook's modem around 2001, when I got cable access.

It's 2004...yeah, for me I'd love the space to be used some other way...but they are small and I'm hard pressed to think of what would take it's place or if it would be at all noticeable.

They aren't as big as you might think they are.

Good to have I guess, though. Never know. But maybe a PC card slot would be more versatile (speaking for the iBook, since PB's already got them too.)

I don't think they are quite ready to be Steve'd yet. Maybe 2006?

eugene · February 22, 2004 2:30AM

1) The modem hardware plus the jack adds maybe 2 ounces to the weight of a laptop.

2) It adds an even smaller fraction to the total price.

3) People use modems to send and receive faxes

4) It's optional on the BTO Power Mac G5s

ebby · February 22, 2004 2:38AM

I use my modem when my cable is out or I am on vacation. I don't have one in my G5 but I do use my laptops.

lain · February 22, 2004 2:41AM

I ordered my G5 without a modem, but I got it when the system was delivered. Free modem.

mac_ken_cheez · February 22, 2004 3:47AM

Don't forget about the new Faxing possibilities... Ooohhh...

Like id rather drop a PDF file in the Email, but one of these days I'll send a fax

chris cuilla · February 22, 2004 9:31AM

And keep in mind that people often travel...so in the laptops it still makes sense.

Another thing...it could be almost more expensive to NOT include it for the simple fact that it is probably just built-in to some chipset they are buying/building already into the motherboard. So more of a waste to take it out.

escher · February 22, 2004 9:37AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ebby

I use my modem when my cable is out or I am on vacation.

That's my situation. I very rarely use my iBook's internal modem. On the rare occasion when my DSL line is down or I can't find a Wi-Fi hotspot while I'm on the road, the modem is a god-send. And I do send an occasional fax with it as well (about 3 times a year to confirm trades with my broker).

Bottom line, I will continue to get modems, both for portable and desktop systems. See Eugene's post above for why it makes sense to include modems even without an actual need.

Escher

a_greer · February 22, 2004 9:48AM

in cities we have dsl, but as hard as this is to beleive, the phonelines in the sticks, (even thow they are updated at the same time) cannot support dsl, and half the countryside around here can only get like 30 channels on catv, if they can get it at all - powerline isp's come quickly, save the rual folk from dialup

p.s. 1.5 yrs and no dsl outage, verizon service here is like a rock

macusers · February 22, 2004 10:24AM

I ordered my G5 without the modem.. saved $30

asen · February 22, 2004 2:37PM

I sadly need the modem. Apart from when I was at University 3 times, I've never lived in a town or city. Right now the nearest DSL-enabled exchange is around 15 km from me, so it is a non-starter.

But I do use Airport Extreme when I can. This weekend I was in Stockholm - and I was getting speeds of 3 Mbps in town and 1 Mbps at the airport.

keilwerthreborn · February 22, 2004 2:54PM

The vast majority of internet users still use dial-up. A product that didn't have one standard wouldn't sell half as well.

macusers · February 22, 2004 3:23PM

Yes, but I think it should be an option if it will save you some cash.

jeremiah rich · February 22, 2004 3:39PM

I would like personally if the space was used for something else but with a condition: That apple made a bluetooth modem. Think about that for a sec.... A simple device that plugs right into the phone jack powered by it. There you would have wireless internet (but of course you would need to be somewhat close to it). You could have a tiny little "brick" if you will you simply plug into the phoneline. For some users of course it would be nice to have it internal... Like people that use it frequently, they would not want to lug it around. I dunno. Just an idea I had.

murbot · February 22, 2004 4:18PM

Good luck selling a modem-less iBook when you decide to upgrade.

sailfish · February 22, 2004 8:26PM

There's been a lot of 56K dial-up compression software going around by dial-up ISP's, getting our speeds up to 5x faster.

I think eventually when computers get faster, that we will see a reemergence of 56K dial-up as normal.

It's absolutely insane to pay up to, or even more than $50 a month for internet access.

I can easily afford it, and $100 a night dinners as well.

But it's just a complete waste of money.

luca · February 22, 2004 8:42PM

Where I live, you have three options for internet service.

1. Dialup on bad telephone lines that never get above 28.8kbps

2. IDSL (144kbps) for $140 per month

3. T1, which is custom-installed for the customer, for $900 per month.

My dad's company pays for the $140/month IDSL. Because it's technically DSL, the service providers can pretend they lived up to their promise of providing DSL within a certain period of time. I remember, years ago (must have been 1998 or 1999), they claimed they'd have DSL within a year. A year later, it was six months. Ever six months after that, they claimed they'd have it within six months, until finally a few months ago they set up this IDSL crap and called it a day. I don't expect cable or ADSL access out here for another three to five years.

And while everyone out here has to put up with that crap, my friends in the city are complaining that their parents won't buy DSL. One of them is part of a VERY rich family, they have every gadget under the sun, nice cars, a huge house, satellite TV with more channels than you can imagine... and AOL dialup access.

ebby · February 22, 2004 8:49PM

Have you looked into satalite? I think it gets 128K download and your 28.8 modem upload. Not much cheaper at around $80 (if I remember correctly).

luca · February 22, 2004 8:54PM

My dad, who has done lots of research into internet services, has considered it. However, I doubt we'd be able to get a good signal very often. Our house is in the woods, so we wouldn't have a good enough line of sight most of the time.

Generally our connection gets about 128kbps (16 Kbytes/s) both up and down. It's pretty bad but a lot better than dialup, mainly for the convenience. Everyone can be using the internet at the same time, without the need for an extra phone line. That alone is worth a bit of a premium over standard dialup, but $140/month is still a ripoff.

messiahtosh · February 22, 2004 8:56PM

Yeah being in the wood sucks in terms of things like this. I remember at my old house we couldnt get sattelite tv because of the trees blocking the line of sight.

P.S. I love my new sig.

cosmonut · February 23, 2004 11:34AM

A modem is no big deal on a laptop, and I'd rather have it than not...even though I hardly ever use it.

I also have used it during DSL outages, and I have it set up so that if I go over to a friend's house that has no DSL or networking I can just plug into the phone jack and dial in. Most people don't realize that with your DSL service at home you get a complementary dial-up service for those times when DSL is out or you travel elsewhere.

I haven't faxed from it yet, but I like that the option is there. I'd be more upset if Apple nixed them.

dropping the modem

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