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The new MacBook

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Re: The new MacBook

#202
post #24
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm glad apple picked this up after so many others pushed it forward :) But 1 port is sad, because now you have to choose between a lot of things (charging, using hdmi, whatever)

It just means we're going to stay stuck in dongle hell. When I'm on the road the minimalism of a Mac is nice, but at my desk, hooked up to everything I really need for heavy work, my desktop is a cluster-f of cables and adapters and wires.

Other than cost (which is certainly a factor) I guess I've never understood why people schlep around a laptop and use the same laptop for their desktop by plugging in cables. I know people do this who could easily afford an additional more powerful desktop.

I use a MacPro driving 3 27' displays and also have a few portables as well. It's just a matter of synching info. I can't imagine having to deal with hooking up a portable.

Re: The new MacBook

#203
post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am a bit on the fence about them seemingly jettisoning the lighting connector? Why go with a plug that has a delicate prong in the center rather than a plug with the contacts around the perimeter? Does anyone know if there was any emphasis put on making USB-C less flimsy and delicate?

I'll add another question: Does USB-C have a spec for requesting additional wattage? Example: I have a USB-C Printer/Hard drive/or otherwise, and plug in my MacBook Air, will it charge my MacBook or will I need an intermediate like a specialty hub to charge? This seems egregious if every device needs to provide power for the potential of charging device in question...

To answer more specifically; yes— not only is every node in the bus network addressable for power needs and capabilities, even each of the two ends of a cable is a separately addressable node (mostly used to figure out which way a swappable cable is oriented, I think).

Re: The new MacBook

#204
post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Plenty of laptop manufacturers had laptops without optical drives before Apple, so I'm guessing you mean across the whole line?

I said first to ditch optical drives, not first to add them. The MBA was, at the time of its launch, controversial for its lack of a DVD drive. The 'air' referred to the fact it got all its software over the network - which was wireless, because it also lacked ethernet (also controversial).

Netbooks around well before the air were also lacking optical drives, so Im not sure how it was controversial.

Re: The new MacBook

#205
post #30

I am bit disappointed. Dell has similar sized laptop, with bigger display, smaller bezel and higher resolution. http://www.dell.com/us/p/xps-13-9343-laptop/pd

The intended audience is deciding between the various MacBooks, not between a Dell and a MacBook.

The intended audience doesn't consider the Dell anywhere near comparable.

Personally I would love to have a Linux laptop with the same design and build quality as the MacBooks, and I'm pretty sure plenty of fashion conscious folks would like something more exclusive now that Macs are everywhere.

The fact that the XPS 13 is the only machine that comes anywhere close is kinda sad.

Re: The new MacBook

#206
post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems Apple has settled on the same corporate colour scheme for everything except watch straps and budget iPhones - champagne, space gray, and white. From a design POV, I'd have loved to see this in more cheerful colours. I don't think it would have disappointed the target market, either.

Jobs always said stuff like computers were the bicycles of the mind right? Here's your gold bicycle.

Given the spec, maybe it's more of a gold scooter.

Re: The new MacBook

#207
post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same here. I always considered MagSafe as one of the coolest things about the MacBooks. Sad to see it go.

Number of times I tripped over the cord and the Magsafe connector saved my laptop: countless.

I still haven't tripped over my Magsafe cord, but I love being able to wave the cord in the general location of the port and see it snap into place.

Re: The new MacBook

#208
post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am a bit on the fence about them seemingly jettisoning the lighting connector? Why go with a plug that has a delicate prong in the center rather than a plug with the contacts around the perimeter? Does anyone know if there was any emphasis put on making USB-C less flimsy and delicate?

I'll add another question: Does USB-C have a spec for requesting additional wattage? Example: I have a USB-C Printer/Hard drive/or otherwise, and plug in my MacBook Air, will it charge my MacBook or will I need an intermediate like a specialty hub to charge? This seems egregious if every device needs to provide power for the potential of charging device in question...

It does, but it's not a requirement for all devices so you may or may not need a hub to provide power back to the laptop depending on the device.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB#USB_Power_Delivery

Re: The new MacBook

#209
post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am a bit on the fence about them seemingly jettisoning the lighting connector? Why go with a plug that has a delicate prong in the center rather than a plug with the contacts around the perimeter? Does anyone know if there was any emphasis put on making USB-C less flimsy and delicate?

I'll add another question: Does USB-C have a spec for requesting additional wattage? Example: I have a USB-C Printer/Hard drive/or otherwise, and plug in my MacBook Air, will it charge my MacBook or will I need an intermediate like a specialty hub to charge? This seems egregious if every device needs to provide power for the potential of charging device in question...

According to what I can find[1][2], USB 3 supports 100W and a standard C connector supports 5A.

[1] http://www.usb.org/press/USB_Type-C_Specification_Announceme...

[2] http://www.usb.org/press/presskit/USB-IF_IDF_Shenzhen_2014_P...

Re: The new MacBook

#210
Is the world really as obsessed with smallness as Apple thinks it is? From what I keep hearing (and this is anecdotal, of course), it seems that most people would prefer to (reasonably) maximize the battery life with the downside of adding a bit more heft. Of course, there's always a balance that has to be stricken, but it seems like Apple always pushes much more to the side of size over battery vs. what seems to be the desired balance (leaning more towards improved battery life).
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