The new MacBook • Hacker News Board

Re: The new MacBook

#361

Post by Retric » Mon, Mar 09, 2015, 8:00 PM UTC

dntrkv wrote: post #163

jkot wrote: 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

If you're looking purely at specs, Windows laptops always were the better deal. But only when you use those alternatives do you realize how much further ahead Apple is.

Actually, the dell seems to be stuck with a tiny HDD even on the 1300$ model. 128GB in 2015 on a 1,000+$ laptop is ridiculous you can get phones with that much disk space. Sure, they bump it on the $1,600$ model, but by then not having ~512 seems silly.

PS: You can get a 512GB desktop SSD drive for under 180$ so cost wise it's a non issue. And 30$ micro SD cards are at 64GB so 512GB would not be a space issue.

Re: The new MacBook

#362

Post by copperx » Mon, Mar 09, 2015, 8:00 PM UTC

bentcorner wrote: post #159

dchuk wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The combo of thinner/lighter/no fan is pretty awesome in my opinion. These aren't for peopled doing hardcore computing, they're for people doing hardcore commuting really.

Personally I've tried laptop computing on public transportation, and I just can't do it with people sitting so close to me potentially looking over my shoulder. A phone I don't feel so claustrophobic, but anything tablet sized and up just makes me feel awkward.

Have you scheduled that appointment with your psychiatrist yet?

Re: The new MacBook

#363

Post by exelius » Mon, Mar 09, 2015, 8:00 PM UTC

jader201 wrote: post #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…

This is one product at a specific price point. Hardware wise, this thing is a cell phone with a really nice screen, a full size keyboard and a gigantic battery. Could they have made the battery a little bit bigger? Probably, but I'm sure they have detailed metrics on how often people charge their laptops. Apple doesn't strike me as the type of company to make arbitrary design decisions. Hate them all you want, but they don't do things without research.

And Apple laptops already give really good battery life: my 2014 retina MBP gets 6+ hours on a full charge -- and that's while running VMWare Fusion with 2-3 VMs. I have yet to see a Windows laptop give anywhere close to that battery life under that type of load without a bulbous battery pack protruding from the back.

Re: The new MacBook

#364

Post by jkarneges » Mon, Mar 09, 2015, 8:00 PM UTC

TazeTSchnitzel wrote: post #246

makeitsuckless wrote: post #205

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

You could run Linux on your MacBook? Though it won't work as seamlessly with the hardware as OS X can.

I run Ubuntu in VMware full screen on a MacBook Air. I don't use the host Mac OS for anything important. It's a freak of nature.

Re: The new MacBook

#365

Post by chx » Mon, Mar 09, 2015, 8:00 PM UTC

headShrinker wrote: post #36

jkot wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am not too happy about that. HP already has USB charger for laptop, and it had bunch of problems, including fire hazard. That was just ARM chromebook, not sure how it will on 'full' mac. EDIT: there are physical limitations how electric current is transferred. USB contacts do not have good shape and will probably deteriorate more quickly.

In the old days, HP had a high standard of quality. More recently, almost coinciding with the introduction of inkjet printers, HP quality standards have slipped to a new dismal low. I'm not surprised to hear of fires.

My first inkjet was one of DeskJet 500 series in the early nineties. And HP had inkjets since 1984 apparently. That's "more recently" for you? You are right about HP standards slipping but coincidencing with inkjet printers they are not :)

Re: The new MacBook

#366

Post by egypturnash » Mon, Mar 09, 2015, 8:01 PM UTC

larrys wrote: post #202

bane wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

Some of us like to own as few things as possible.

Plugging my 2013 Air into my desk when I come home isn't a big hassle - I plug in the speaker cable, the power cable, the video cable, and the USB hub. It takes me ten seconds[1] to do unless one of the cables falls; they're normally sitting right where I put the Mac. It sits on a lower shelf and runs closed; there's a Bluetooth keyboard and a Wacom tablet on my desk. (I'm an artist.)

It'd be nice to have the single connector I guess. Once I got an adapter[2] and plugged everything into that I'd save all of, I dunno, five seconds?

I'm also not driving three displays. I have never liked multiple displays. They don't work well with a Wacom tablet, and I go crazy from constantly seeing slight color differences; when I'm at a cafe, I use the laptop screen; when I'm at home, I use the external monitor.

Now you have one person's explanation of why she schleps around a single laptop that she also uses for her desktop.

1: Literally; I just timed it. 6.6s to leisurely unplug it, 10.3s to casually reconnect it.

2: http://store.apple.com/us/product/MJ1K2AM/A/usb-c-digital-av...

Re: The new MacBook

#367

Post by lsaferite » Mon, Mar 09, 2015, 8:01 PM UTC

Someone1234 wrote: post #340

Finbarr wrote: post #308

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seems like there are some new $79 adapters to split out the USB-C port into power, usb and av[1]/vga[2]. [1] http://store.apple.com/us/product/MJ1K2AM/A/usb-c-digital-av... [2] http://store.apple.com/us/product/MJ1L2AM/A/usb-c-vga-multip...

Thanks for posting that. I think when the rumour was spreading about USB-C/loss of Magsafe everyone was asking if Apple was going to do something like that, or even if it was feasible to both charge AND provide back out USB/Mini-Displayport ports. I hope IFixIt guys takes those things apart, I bet they have their own little OS and processor just like we've seen in previous Apple "adapters."

The VGA one has to have something special for sure. The Type-C connector doesn't do analog video at all.

Re: The new MacBook

#368

Post by integraton » Mon, Mar 09, 2015, 8:01 PM UTC

rakoo wrote: post #149

mrb wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"But 1 port is sad, because now you have to choose between a lot of things (charging, using hdmi, whatever)" No, USB Type-C allows multiple concurrent uses, such as: charging and using HDMI at the same time. See http://www.anandtech.com/show/8518/hands-on-with-usb-type-c-... : "This opens up the possibility for a dock scenario where a single cable to the monitor can charge a laptop and also mirror the laptop's displa…

Yes, but how do you plug your new USB key and your charger at the same time ? The only solution is to bring a hub with you everywhere.

Not every device needs to fill every use case. Apple apparently has reason to believe that use cases that require simultaneously using the port for multiple purposes are rare enough among potential users of the MacBook that they don't need to support those use cases. If this particular product doesn't provide all of the features you need, there are other products available from Apple and other manufacturers with additional features.

Re: The new MacBook

#369

Post by pfisch » Mon, Mar 09, 2015, 8:02 PM UTC

dntrkv wrote: post #298

pionar wrote: post #260

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not really farther at all. Examples? Dell, HP, and Lenovo all have notebooks out there that are as good as any Apple notebook.

Until you pick them up, use them, have them break, and try to get support. I used to be the guy pointing out how there are Windows laptops that are just as good as Macs. It wasn't until about 2 years ago that I just completely gave up on the Windows market and just converted fully to Apple's ecosystem. Couldn't be happier. The Windows market is in a constant state of "almost as good as Apple."

I have a macbook and an xps. I like the xps better for several reasons.

It is difficult if not impossible to output a macbook to a tv over hdmi and also send audio. Also the dongle that does hdmi conversion breaks all the time. Our office has gone through like 4-5 of them.

It is/was very difficult to disable your laptop display when plugged into a monitor in MacOS(I doubt they have fixed this issue). Also the macbook is crazily overpriced.

Re: The new MacBook

#370

Post by Someone1234 » Mon, Mar 09, 2015, 8:02 PM UTC

mmastrac wrote: post #47

bane wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

To be fair, it's at least a single standard dongle hell. And now with USB-C you can have thunderbolt-style docks that give you a near-universal docking experience (ie: DVI/HDMI/dozens of USB ports/DVD drive/power) with a single cable when you're at your desk.

I agree, that is the theory. However we might be at least a year from such hubs being affordable.

I guess what I am saying is, I wouldn't want to be queued outside the Apple store for one of these. The supporting accessories aren't there yet (yes, even with Apple's two hubs/adapters).

However when they do the refresh on this line, one or two years from now, the supporting hubs, wires, and so on will be available and it will be a very fun experience.