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The New MacBook Pro: Unfixable, Unhackable, Untenable

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Re: The New MacBook Pro: Unfixable, Unhackable, Untenable

#41

Post by moystard »

moystard wrote: post #24
archgrove wrote: post #7

The argument doesn't really hold up, as we're only given two choices: Upgradable, or amazing screen. If there was a third, "Upgradable and amazing screen" with the applicable price/weight tradeoffs, then the "we can choose" view would be more tenable. Regardless, the lack of upgradability isn't something that bugs me. My last two Apple laptops were "upgradable", but all I ever did was throw some RAM in there. The sub…

That's not the only point mentioned in this article. You are forgetting about two aspects: - Environment: Gluing glass and aluminum most probably forbid recycling both of them, that's just a waste. - Cost of repairing: While with previous models, any of us could replace some part of his laptops easily (to repair as well as to upgrade), that won't be possible anymore. That means that it will cost tons of money to cust…

Mea culpa for the recycling part then. I think the upgrade point is still huge:

The MBP 2009 that I mention in my previous post has been upgraded twice (RAM and HD). That has allowed me to keep it for three years and in my opinion has justified spending that amount of money in a laptop (2000 euros at that time). I don't know if I would put the same amount if I knew I could not upgrade it.

Re: The New MacBook Pro: Unfixable, Unhackable, Untenable

#42

Post by meterplech »

I think this is proves Apple is going to continue holding design and user experience above all else even with Steve Jobs no longer at the helm. In reality you operate under a very fixed amount of constraints, and easier upgradeability would make the laptop bulkier in a way that is against Apple's design principles. They made a tough design decision given engineering constraints - just like they did when they removed the disc drive from the Air. I bet consumers respond in turn.

Re: The New MacBook Pro: Unfixable, Unhackable, Untenable

#43

Post by MartinodF »

minimax wrote: post #21
Tloewald wrote: post #13

If theydriver hey made the battery and drive readily upgradable by technicians I think the article would be moot. They didn't so it isn't. Today's laptops tend to sell with the maximum addressable ram in them (apple only charges $200 for the 16GB option). I had a PowerBook 1400 - the most modular and upgradable apple laptop ever, with the CPU on a daughtercard. When I upgraded the CPU the laptop was still pretty usel…

> apple only charges $200 for the 16GB option Only $200? That's twice what it would cost to buy from Newegg.

And they're charging 200$ for an 8GB upgrade, not the whole 16GB!

Re: The New MacBook Pro: Unfixable, Unhackable, Untenable

#44

Post by rmckayfleming »

forgottenpaswrd wrote: post #16

I bought an Asus netbook some years ago. The battery(easy to put or remove) died pretty soon, so I went to see the replacement new battery cost more that what I paid for the netbook. As it has a special shape is it very difficult to replace with a generic battery, and it is on purpose. I see all the manufacturers doing the same if they can. As a geek I could make it to work but 90% of the people can't.

It's the same with power bricks. My sister had her netbook brick go and the price for a new one was nearly a third the price of a new netbook.

Re: The New MacBook Pro: Unfixable, Unhackable, Untenable

#45

Post by georgespencer »

dododo wrote: post #40
georgespencer wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Upgradability was a defect of technology not being good enough for long periods The other thing to consider is that the same applies to repairing technology. Why are we putting resource into catering for the tiny minority of a given product which experience mechanical failures which we can fix? 90% of BlackBerry users will never change the battery on their device. 100% of BlackBerries have a stupid door on the back…

that doesn't sound like such a great innovation from an environmental point of view. nor a sustainable use of resources. is it easy to re-use parts from these failed devices?

For a while now Apple has operated a recycling programme which allows users to take their unwanted devices into their store and recycle them (usually incentivised with a discount a replacement device).

(I don't buy the anecdotal "Nobody can recycle aluminium with glass pressed into it" line from the article.)

Re: The New MacBook Pro: Unfixable, Unhackable, Untenable

#46

Post by ward »

theorique wrote: post #18

What's the life cycle on laptops? I tend to upgrade every 18 months or so. I'm sure many other professionals and power users upgrade even more frequently. At this rate, as the article states, we've voted with our actions.

I've had my Acer Aspire 5670 since 2007 now, still serves me nicely.

Re: The New MacBook Pro: Unfixable, Unhackable, Untenable

#47

Post by konstruktor »

minimax wrote: post #21
Tloewald wrote: post #13

If theydriver hey made the battery and drive readily upgradable by technicians I think the article would be moot. They didn't so it isn't. Today's laptops tend to sell with the maximum addressable ram in them (apple only charges $200 for the 16GB option). I had a PowerBook 1400 - the most modular and upgradable apple laptop ever, with the CPU on a daughtercard. When I upgraded the CPU the laptop was still pretty usel…

> apple only charges $200 for the 16GB option Only $200? That's twice what it would cost to buy from Newegg.

Actually it's 200 for 8GB, which makes it more expensive in comparison.

Re: The New MacBook Pro: Unfixable, Unhackable, Untenable

#48

Post by marknutter »

Spooky23 wrote: post #32
marknutter wrote: post #11

For years Apple has wanted to get closer and closer to the "appliance" model for their products. They are targeting consumers who's gut instinct when it comes to fixing their computers is to call a "geek". These consumers just want the damn things to work and would rather not worry about upgrading it over time. This is of course very unattractive to the hacker crowd, but they make up a much smaller percentage of the…

No, they are targeting consumers who call their "bank". The service life of modern computers is more than 3 years. So instead of buying a 16GB memory upgrade for $29 in 2015 to rejuvenate your laptop, you're looking at buying another $2,000 device. (Assuming that Apple doesn't decide that you only need an iPad 8)

The average person doesn't need 16GB of memory, and by the time they do, they need a new computer anyways.

Re: The New MacBook Pro: Unfixable, Unhackable, Untenable

#49

Post by martingordon »

raverbashing wrote: post #31
archgrove wrote: post #7

The argument doesn't really hold up, as we're only given two choices: Upgradable, or amazing screen. If there was a third, "Upgradable and amazing screen" with the applicable price/weight tradeoffs, then the "we can choose" view would be more tenable. Regardless, the lack of upgradability isn't something that bugs me. My last two Apple laptops were "upgradable", but all I ever did was throw some RAM in there. The sub…

Yeah, but really, the thing is, the growth curve is bending down Processors have barely became faster in the last couple of years. Even a 5 year computer (with some upgrades) is good for doing what 99% of the people do today (internet) So chances are upgrades today are moot. Unless you're hitting the limits constantly like video editing, compiling software, etc

> Processors have barely became faster in the last couple of years.

Funny you should mention that. I will be picking up one of the new MacBook Airs and when mulling over the 1.8 vs 2.0 GHz processors, I realized that my last three notebooks (including the new Air) have each had successively lower clock speeds while posting faster Geekbench scores.

2008 - Aluminum MacBook 2.4 GHz - 3374

2010 - MacBook Air 2.13 GHz - 3475

2012 - MacBook Air 1.8 GHz - 6398

Re: The New MacBook Pro: Unfixable, Unhackable, Untenable

#50

Post by maxerickson »

moystard wrote: post #24
archgrove wrote: post #7

The argument doesn't really hold up, as we're only given two choices: Upgradable, or amazing screen. If there was a third, "Upgradable and amazing screen" with the applicable price/weight tradeoffs, then the "we can choose" view would be more tenable. Regardless, the lack of upgradability isn't something that bugs me. My last two Apple laptops were "upgradable", but all I ever did was throw some RAM in there. The sub…

That's not the only point mentioned in this article. You are forgetting about two aspects: - Environment: Gluing glass and aluminum most probably forbid recycling both of them, that's just a waste. - Cost of repairing: While with previous models, any of us could replace some part of his laptops easily (to repair as well as to upgrade), that won't be possible anymore. That means that it will cost tons of money to cust…

Increasingly disposable electronics aren't any great positive for the environment, but they are hardly high up on the list of negatives.
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