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MacBook Pro gets Retina Display; MacBook Air updated with Ivy Bridge

arstechnica.com

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Re: MacBook Pro gets Retina Display; MacBook Air updated with Ivy Bridge

#381

Post by saturdaysaint »

robomartin wrote: post #350

I am platform agnostic. That said, the one thing that continues to concern me with Apple is the continuation of their closed philosophy. The Mac App Store being the latest incarnation of their quest for total control. I, frankly, don't know what to make of it. An Apple ecosystem would have no competitors. Like it or not, Microsoft enabled an incredible level of global competition that, ultimately, has been responsibl…

Like it or not, Microsoft enabled an incredible level of global competition that, ultimately, has been responsible for bringing us the Internet as we know it

That's pretty rich. Networking was a fundamental feature of many operating systems that predate Microsoft's existence . The first web browser was developed not on Windows, but the precursor to OSX (NextSTEP) and MS played catch up in basic browser features around the web's early years. The vast majority of servers are Linux based.

It's silly to attribute the rise of commodity PC hardware to them as well - it's only their lawsuits that prevented Linux from seeing widespread distribution, which would have enabled just as much innovation.

Re: MacBook Pro gets Retina Display; MacBook Air updated with Ivy Bridge

#382

Post by jjcm »

untog wrote: post #14

Once you go Air, you never go back. And this year's Air announcement (like last year's) is pretty 'meh', so I'll be keeping with my old faithful 2010 Air for the time being. The retina displays are fantastic, but as a web dev I'm already dreading the merry havoc it's going to wreak with images on web pages. On a wider note, I feel myself... drifting away from all of this. In previous years I would have been all over…

Agreed. The air was one of my best computer purchases I've made. It's far faster than I expected something in that form factor, and it generally handles everything I throw at it. That said, the display in these new pros is very tempting. I do a lot of design and video work, so having more is definitely better in this case. We'll see if that display gets trickled down into the other lines during the next revision.

Re: MacBook Pro gets Retina Display; MacBook Air updated with Ivy Bridge

#383

Post by mrbill »

I have multiple machines. I'm a UNIX/Linux sysadmin "by trade" since 1995 and use whatever machine / OS combination fits the task at hand best.

At work I have a Core2Duo Mac Mini that runs Windows 7 in a VM for my "work stuff" on a second monitor. At home I have the current Core i5 Mac Mini for my main system, with an AMD Bulldozer-based Windows box for games and things that require Windows. Sure, I prefer *nix, but I'll admin and use whatever gets the bills paid.

When it comes to laptops, I have a 2010 Macbook Air 11", a 2010 Macbook Pro 13", a Thinkpad T61 with Ubuntu, a Lenovo G470 with Win7, and a Thinkpad X120e running Windows 7.

A couple of hours ago, I sold the MBAir and MBPro to friends and ordered the new Core i5 11.6" Air with 128G SSD and 8G RAM. It's not often that I will buy the "current" machine without waiting for a refurb to be available.

Re: MacBook Pro gets Retina Display; MacBook Air updated with Ivy Bridge

#384

Post by decklin »

lparry wrote: post #369
gmurphy wrote: post #332

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except there's a 200ms delay on the Capslock key to prevent accidental activations. Because this is built into the hardware, it means that even if you remap, if you press the second key really quickly after the first, the character ends up getting inserted into your document. It's ridiculously annoying.

Source? My capslock is a control key and I use it heavily so I feel like I'd notice a 200ms delay, which makes me doubt it's done in hardware

OS X turns off the delay if you map that key to something else. The only workaround I've found in Linux is to force the LED on with setleds so that the hardware thinks it doesn't need to enable the delay.

Re: MacBook Pro gets Retina Display; MacBook Air updated with Ivy Bridge

#385

Post by newman314 »

ageektrapped wrote: post #24
natural219 wrote: post #8

I have been a Windows user my whole life. As a hacker who has recently moved to San Francisco, I've continuously battled Apple fanboys and Linux fanatics alike on why I love Windows and absolutely do not understand why people want to switch platforms. Then I watched this keynote. I'm buying a Macbook Pro.

Speaking as a Windows user who uses a Mac for dev on iOS: you will be frustrated by Mac OS, at least initially. I've been using Mac OS daily for over a year and I still find Windows superior in many ways. This is my opinion, of course. Not trying to change minds or trolling. That retina display is dead sexy though.

I've been using a Mac for a while but have yet to find a way to remap Command-Q to something else. I've accidentally exited more than my share of apps instead of closing a window. IMO those are just too close together. I would rather have a Cmd-Shift-Q or something similar.

Re: MacBook Pro gets Retina Display; MacBook Air updated with Ivy Bridge

#386

Post by SiVal »

WiseWeasel wrote: post #294
SiVal wrote: post #214

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If things keep going the way they're going, Apple fanboyism will become less and less of a problem among hackers. Apple appears to be in a gradual transition process from MacOS computers to iOS "Don't worry, just watch the pretty pictures, and we'll tell you which PAY button to press" devices. Windows, not wanting to be left behind selling computers instead of devices (Yuck! Computers! That's SO 20th century), is mak…

I think you're underestimating how much of an obstacle a traditional filesystem is to most people. The cloud integration and appification that seems so restricting to you is sweet, sweet relief for a great deal of people. By catering to them, Apple doesn't take anything away from you; though they do eventually entrap you as well with all that shiny and convenience, which I can understand being resentful about. It's a…

No, they're not right about it.

I completely agree with you that making the computing experience simpler, more like poking buttons on a high-end blender, is what most consumers need. Satisfying what most consumers need is most likely what the companies need. The companies have as much right to want what's best for themselves as I do. They're not doing anything wrong, IMO.

That does not automatically make their design decisions a reflection of their superior knowledge of what's good for me, even "kinda".

Linux-like customization on top of Apple-quality hardware/driver foundations in form factors like the iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro, and MacPro, would be what would be good for me, but I'm not saying anybody owes it to me.

I am thinking, though, that as the two major personal computer platforms become more closed, it gradually opens a market for some savvy company to go in the opposite direction: targeting those who want more customization, not less, without sacrificing hardware quality.

If that ever does happen, that will be what's good for me.

Re: MacBook Pro gets Retina Display; MacBook Air updated with Ivy Bridge

#387

Post by AncientPC »

stewbrew wrote: post #244

When I got my Thinkpad W500 with a 1920x1280 display four years ago people complained over the Internet about those tiny pixels you can hardly see. It didn't have a funny name though and was just a display.

I have a Dell Inspiron 6000 from 2005. It has a WUXGA display (1920x1200) on a 15" screen.

Sadly, screen resolutions have been decreasing and moving towards 16:9 ratio. It's nice to see Apple emphasize the screen again and push competition.

Re: MacBook Pro gets Retina Display; MacBook Air updated with Ivy Bridge

#388

Post by soccerdave »

sliverstorm wrote: post #296
fjorder wrote: post #226

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One further note on hardware quality: Perceived hardware quality is something Apple is fantastic at. Their laptops look and feel great. They feel like they'll last decades. This is misleading since they're actually built to be disposable. e.g. If you spill coffee on your Macbook Air, it's dead. You can't fix it because you can't remove the battery in a timely fashion and don't have the tools to open it. Apple won't f…

Agreed on the "perceived" quality. Based on my experiences, I'd bet money that if you compared a 3-year-old Thinkpad to a 3-year-old Mac, the Thinkpad would be in far better shape.

I'll have to disagree with you as I own both a 3 year old Thinkpad and a 2 year old Macbook Pro. The keyboard of my Thinkpad has been giving me problems for over a year, and I haven't had any problems with the keyboard on my Macbook.

Re: MacBook Pro gets Retina Display; MacBook Air updated with Ivy Bridge

#389

Post by nkohari »

drivebyacct2 wrote: post #351
robomartin wrote: post #334

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't believe in down-voting without an explanation. Here's mine: These Mac vx. PC arguments now beyond ridiculous. To those of us for whom computers are tools and not just a way to get on Facebook the metric should not be emotion or fan-boy-ism but rather applicability, efficiency, utility, cost and other factors. I have a roughly equal number of PC's and Macs. I use both. I enjoy both. I get angry at both. There…

I use Windows on a very, very, very regular basis. My comment has been taken completely out of context. Were we not talking about people who had Macs being mocked for not being geeky enough? I merely offered an anecdote about my peers that ironically tout that line because it's funny. Ironic that I'm now at -15 for pointing out that in my situation, the opposite was true. Seriously, which part of my comment has every…

It wasn't the content of your comment, it was the tone. If you sound like a prick, people will downvote you regardless of whether you have a clear point. (Which, incidentally, you didn't.)

Re: MacBook Pro gets Retina Display; MacBook Air updated with Ivy Bridge

#390

Post by aiscott »

sliverstorm wrote: post #296
fjorder wrote: post #226

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One further note on hardware quality: Perceived hardware quality is something Apple is fantastic at. Their laptops look and feel great. They feel like they'll last decades. This is misleading since they're actually built to be disposable. e.g. If you spill coffee on your Macbook Air, it's dead. You can't fix it because you can't remove the battery in a timely fashion and don't have the tools to open it. Apple won't f…

Agreed on the "perceived" quality. Based on my experiences, I'd bet money that if you compared a 3-year-old Thinkpad to a 3-year-old Mac, the Thinkpad would be in far better shape.

I realize this is anecdotal, but my 2009 macbook pro 13 is in great shape. Screen, battery, and keyboard are all great. I've watched the new macbook pros come out for 3 years now, and I have felt no serious desire to upgrade.

The only thing the newer macbooks would beat mine on would be games, and I just don't play very many. When I do its usually casual like Plants vs Zombies or whatever.

It's lasted longer and fared better than any other laptop I've owned (14" vostro, 13" inch vaio, 17" HP). It has simply been the best laptop I've every owned.

I have done upgrades, the best of which being an SSD. Without that, I'm sure I'd be feeling the pain of old hardware. I pulled the optical drive out and moved my mechanical drive to that bay for extra storage.

The casing has a few very minor nicks, and I did take it in to the apple store to get new rubber "feet" a few months back (under warranty).

I love my macbook pro. Someday I'll upgrade again, if the logic board gives out or something. Probably to a new macbook pro. Perhaps not though, the other manufacturers are catching up with their ultrabooks.

This laptop has been the first computer I've owned where I haven't felt like I was "fighting" with it to get work done.

The "retina" display is the first thing they've done that has me actually wanting to buy new hardware.

I've never used a Thinkpad, though, so I can't say whether it would have fared better or not.

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