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Apple's MacBook revival plan: Bring back old features

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Re: Apple's MacBook revival plan: Bring back old features

#21
post #14

My controversial hot take-- I have never needed an SD card, and have gone all-in on USB-C. I will be very disappointed if they add back in USB-A/HDMI/SD ports, or remove USB-C charging in favor of proprietary charge port. Sounds like unnecessary feature bloat. Please just do MagSage + USB-C, so I can maintain my one-cable-for-everything, making traveling lighter and simpler. Here's my counter argument to all those th…

Do you take photos or videos with a camera other than an iDevice? I do, and I have to use a dongle every time to transfer data. Those wifi SD cards are a joke.

I agree that they should not remove USB-C charging. People by now have powerbanks, or USB-C ports in their car that would stop working. However, my daily driver still is the 87W charger that came with the MBP, for the simple reason that it’s the fastest option to charge. I‘d be glad if they switched that to MagSafe - just yesterday, one of my kids almost pulled the MBP from a table while I was looking away.

Re: Apple's MacBook revival plan: Bring back old features

#23
post #6

I am really happy that my macbook uses usb c. I'm sad to hear that it is going away. Today, my Mac interoperates with all my other devices, I can keep one charger running to the edge of the couch. It's not the end of the world to flip back to the magsafe, but it's definitely not ideal for me (and I suspect others.)

I like the premise of a single universal port but over the years it turned out to be kind of bullshit because there is no single "USB Type C" - there's 2.0, 3.0, 3.1, USB4, Thunderbolt and god knows what else. There are all sorts of weird incompatible peripherals and even cables that at best will not work and at worst will fry your device. I like USB-C (whatever variety it is that allows for docks with display connectivity) as a docking port, but it failed to solve the connectivity problem otherwise - it's the same mess of weird ports underneath, but now without the ability to quickly guess with a good degree of confidence if a device will work with your computer or not based on the port shape.

I think I'd much rather have both USB-C and standard USB-A/HDMI/SD card ports.

Re: Apple's MacBook revival plan: Bring back old features

#24
post #17

The keyboard! I have an M1 mac, I typing this from a 2012 macbook air. The new keyboards are utter crap! They are still crap. If I could have the M1 in an x220 shell, with the mac trackpad, I would be good.

Have you tried the 2019 16” MacBook Pro keyboard?

Re: Apple's MacBook revival plan: Bring back old features

#25
post #3
post #2

Apple's previous MacBook plan was stupid stupid. I just can't bring myself to view 'several different ports' as a stroke of genius.

To save someone the time: 'it can't be stupid if it sold units'

It can still stupid be if a different obvious one could have sold more or made more profit.

For example, almost everyone thought the butterfly keys were a terrible idea. They sold a ton of devices with that, but then they switched back anyway.

Re: Apple's MacBook revival plan: Bring back old features

#26
I'd love if it had an excellent webcam. I imagined the M1 would have a better webcam than the 2015 Retina MBP but instead the newest built-in webcams are significantly worse in quality.

I'd imagine including a camera system from an iPhone would make a huge difference for Apple's users given the popularity of remote meetings these days.

Re: Apple's MacBook revival plan: Bring back old features

#27
post #6

I am really happy that my macbook uses usb c. I'm sad to hear that it is going away. Today, my Mac interoperates with all my other devices, I can keep one charger running to the edge of the couch. It's not the end of the world to flip back to the magsafe, but it's definitely not ideal for me (and I suspect others.)

I like the premise of a single universal port but over the years it turned out to be kind of bullshit because there is no single "USB Type C" - there's 2.0, 3.0, 3.1, USB4, Thunderbolt and god knows what else. There are all sorts of weird incompatible peripherals and even cables that at best will not work and at worst will fry your device. I like USB-C (whatever variety it is that allows for docks with display connec…

It’s working for me. I like being able to plug my laptop, tablet, and switch into the same charger.

Re: Apple's MacBook revival plan: Bring back old features

#28
For what it's worth, I have a fully specced out out 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro with 64gb of RAM and the 5600m upgrade, and I can frankly say that these rumored MacBooks are actually exciting compared to what I have.

What I feel strongly that Apple should do:

- Allow for USB-C AND MagSafe charging (MagSafe 2 would be ideal but I won't be upset if it's something else)

- Ensure that the 4 USB-C ports are all equally capable of bandwidth and don't suffer from any drawbacks in that regard.

- Great thermals / fan noise and still handle demanding workflows

- No Touchbar. I love the idea, but it should be in addition to the Fn keys, on top of it, or in some other way.

Re: Apple's MacBook revival plan: Bring back old features

#29
post #17

The keyboard! I have an M1 mac, I typing this from a 2012 macbook air. The new keyboards are utter crap! They are still crap. If I could have the M1 in an x220 shell, with the mac trackpad, I would be good.

Have you tried the 2019 16” MacBook Pro keyboard?

Ok, I just switched back to the M1 from the 2012 MBA. Keyboard is just too shallow and key travel is just too short. It is improved over the butterfly but it still isn't as good as the 2012.

The machine you mention is my work machine, but it has been docked and I haven't really broken in the keyboard.

The previous work machine which I typed in probably 20k words a day was a butterfly keyboard mac. I hate that machine with a passion, I want to buy it back from my employer and bisect it with a plasma torch.

Re: Apple's MacBook revival plan: Bring back old features

#30
post #14

My controversial hot take-- I have never needed an SD card, and have gone all-in on USB-C. I will be very disappointed if they add back in USB-A/HDMI/SD ports, or remove USB-C charging in favor of proprietary charge port. Sounds like unnecessary feature bloat. Please just do MagSage + USB-C, so I can maintain my one-cable-for-everything, making traveling lighter and simpler. Here's my counter argument to all those th…

Amazon has a bunch of magnetic USB-C adapters that are designed for MBP’s, that add the MagSafe functionality into existing USB-C ports.

I haven’t tried one, but they look like an adequate middle ground.

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