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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

#81
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.

> I haven’t tried one

Tried several and they're no good.

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

#82

The article's criticism of the 12-inch MacBook are preposterous. The 2 lb Macbook is the best laptop I've ever owned, by far. Maybe I'm too sensitive about weight, but I feel an incredible difference between 3 lb and 2 lb laptops, especially if its sitting on your lap for extended periods of time. The keyboard and charger have never once been a hindrance to my workflow, as the article makes it out be. I really wish A…

Like everyone else, I love the MacBook 12. Give me one with a M-series, at the same (or less) weight, with Touch ID and the new keyboard. Like others, I don’t need more than 1 port. Not discounting anyone else’s need for it, but after living with it for a few years I really don’t need additional ports.

The thing is that while you might be reasonable about this, there seems to be a completely baffling number of people whose argument seems to be "I don't need it, therefore they shouldn't include it". It's like.....no one is forcing you to use these extra ports? But it's very nice to have them and some people will need them. If it doesn't increase the weight or thickness of the device(and it definitely doesn't to add another USB-C to the 12" MacBook) then I don't understand why some people literally treat it like some betrayal of what the device is.

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

#84
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…

I love this and have considered doing it myself. However, what worries me is whether using a single power adapter will shorten the life of devices which require different levels of wattage. Sure you can use the same USB-C cable, but the benefit is largely diminished if you have to carry a bunch of different power adapters for each device's unique wattage.

Or am I worrying about this unnecessarily?

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

#86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unless you have other things routed besides power through the bus.

24-pin ones that accommodate even Thunderbolt are available

It is somewhat anecdotal, but I had one of those and it blew out 2 usb-c docks. The first one went kaput about a month after I started using the magnetic adapter and I chocked it up to bad luck. The replacement fried about a week later and I put 2+2 to together and removed the adapter and haven't had any trouble over the last ~1 year.

All I can say is that I am glad it was the dock that fried not any of the laptops that use it...

That all said, it was pretty glorious when it worked -- a single magnetic cable that did dual 4k monitors, charging, videoconf setup, network, license dongles, etc

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

#87
My guess is that the leads in the new MagSafe correspond to USB-C power rails, and if you plugged in a charger into the machine's USB-C port, it would charge just the same.

I mean, if I were Apple, I wouldn't settle for anything less.

Dongles are expensive and cumbersome. If Apple is adding back legacy ports, good on them.

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

#88
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…

I love this and have considered doing it myself. However, what worries me is whether using a single power adapter will shorten the life of devices which require different levels of wattage. Sure you can use the same USB-C cable, but the benefit is largely diminished if you have to carry a bunch of different power adapters for each device's unique wattage. Or am I worrying about this unnecessarily?

Just carry around a first-party Apple charger that matches the highest draw among your devices. Using a higher-rated charger won’t hurt anything.

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

#89
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.

>The new keyboards are utter crap! They are still crap

Hold on, are you claiming that the new scissor switch keyboards have similar reliability issues to the older butterfly keyboards?

If not, then this is really just a matter of taste. You can't please everyone with keyboards. People do genuinely have different preferences regarding feel and key travel. It honestly seems hyperbolic to describe a keyboard that most people find completely functional as "utter crap".

I personally love the feel of the older butterfly keyboards. I also think that Apple fixed the reliability issues with them in their last generation. At least, I've not had a single keyboard issue with my 2019 MacBook Pro or MacBook Air.

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

#90
I'm excited about everything mentioned in the rumors, except for the "flat edge design similar to the iPhone 12". One of my favorite parts of the MacBook design is how easy it is to pick up off of a flat surface with one hand. The tapers help me slide my fingers underneath the computer to hold on. I feel like if there is a flat edge, it'll be hard to grip on the side unless you're using 2 hands.
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