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The New MacBook Pro: Unfixable, Unhackable, Untenable

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

#241

Post by RandallBrown »

ctdonath wrote: post #219

Seems nobody is addressing the supply-chain issues. If Apple, say, makes the MBP-R battery replaceable: they then have to design for user-replaceability (both battery and case), provide replacement batteries as a separate SKU part, provide covers as a replacement part, include new cases & connectors etc. in the supply chain, devote manufacturing lines to building & packaging user-handleable batteries, ship them as se…

MBP batteries haven't been "user replaceable" in a few years. The difference now is that the cells are glued in instead of screwed in, so even adventurous people can't give it a try very easily.

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

#242

Post by Udo »

georgespencer wrote: post #239
[deleted] wrote: post #229

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[deleted]

> Wow, this is really not true at all. Actually it is! The failure rate for a MacBook Pro was way under 2/10 when I was there during the lifespan of the product. Apple calculates the lifespan of a product in different terms to the warranty. The warranties differ by country (EMEA & US have different warranties thanks to EU and individual state laws). You're right that these machines can and will go for five years. My…

I deleted my post because honestly I think Apple and its future belongs to users like yourself, and that it will work out fine for everyone in the end. Just know that I have been buying a respectable number of Apple machines over the years, including three Mac Pros - which probably just confirms that I really am a member of an audience that Apple actively tries to get rid of.

So yeah, I can afford a MacBook Pro. I'm just choosing not to, anymore.

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

#243

Post by supar »

I've been recently travelling with several friends for a long trip. It was very fun to see how you cannot use any recent macbook or an ipad as a "portable" computer anymore, as you cannot swap the battey with a fresh one. Sitting on a power source while waiting for the thing to recharge is also very fun when you know you could be able to just pre-charge another one.

Very sad in my opinion, as the swappable battery is essentially what makes an "appliance" portable. Recent mp3/music players, phones and pads have basically the same issue. You can't simply continue to use the device while the second battery is recharging.

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

#245

Post by EternalFury »

jsz0 wrote: post #164
generalk wrote: post #57

I'm on the fence. On the one hand, the new MBP is a fantastic machine and if I pay the premium for the 16GB of RAM, I'm probably going to be set for years. That said, I'm currently running the original Late 2008 Unibody Macbook Pro. It's survived for four years because I've been able to, over time, upgrade the RAM, replace the spinning disk with an SSD, and replace the aging battery. SSDs weren't available when I pur…

Upgrade-by-replacement. In 2 years you'll still be able to sell this machine for about 70% of its original price. From there you can buy the latest & greatest model at basically a 70% discount. Factor in the price of the parts you would have upgraded and I bet it's a wash or pretty close to it.

In 2 years, the non-replaceable battery pack will be dead.

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

#247

Post by reaganing »

georgespencer wrote: post #240
reaganing wrote: post #231

Earlier quoted context omitted.

$200 to go from 8GB to 16GB was among the most reasonable of notebook vendors I saw in my research last night. Lenovo, for example, wanted $1,060 to go from 4GB to 16GB in the ThinkPad X230. Regardless, I don't think anyone looking at such an expensive notebook to begin with would have a problem paying $200 for more RAM if they think they might need it some day if it means a thinner notebook.

> Lenovo, for example, wanted $1,060 to go from 4GB to 16GB in the ThinkPad X230. At a guess I'd say that's because they're using matched 8GB sticks, whereas Apple is using 4x 4GB. (Just a guess.)

Yeah, Lenovo's using 8GBx2, but even so, it's a very heavy markup. Newegg wants about $125 for such sticks[1]. It'd be about $85 for 4GBx4[2] if that is in fact what Apple's using

I also just navigated the labyrinth that is HP.com and looked at pricing on the 15" Envy (15t-3000 series specifically). The base model comes with 6GB and it costs $315 to go to 16GB (8GBx2)[3].

So, Apple's pricing really doesn't seem bad at all.

[1]: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226... [2]: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226... [3]: No direct link possible apparently.

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

#248

Post by 2muchcoffeeman »

Someone wrote: post #225
latch wrote: post #142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This isn't how it works. Apple has exclusive deals in place with many of its suppliers. Many of the parts Apple buy are either not available for anyone else, or not available at the same price. One way Apple has done this is to provide some of the initial capital needed for new plants/technologies. For example, if retooling a plant for new LCD production costs $1 billion, Apple might front 1/2 the money in exchange f…

On the other hand, there is nothing that prevents the likes of HP, Acer, Dell and Samsung to do the same. All of them could have the economics of scale Apple enjoys, but they choose to have a more diverse product line instead. Your argument would carry more weight if Apple had a much larger chunk of the market than all others.

I don't buy it. The traditional cycle, if Apple had a new technology first, is Apple releases it, wait a year and everybody else can do it just as well and probably cheaper. You can get Android handsets whose specs are better than the iPhone 4 in every way except the screen.

If a manufacturer could out do the iPhone 4, iPad or MBP screen, they would have. Especially since they are traditionally spec driven.

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

#249

Post by nsomething »

I dislike propriety SDD connectors mainly. Full disk encryption and backup are even more musts.

I enjoyed migrating foolishly unbacked up data from a laptop with a dead [Insert failed component that's not the drive] by popping the 2.5" drive into an external enclosure. Now I have to give my drive to somebody else? Or use iCloud.

Tough sell to me

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