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Lack of ports on the new MacBook? No problem for those living in 2015
T-GAAP ^ | Mar 12, 2015 | by Mark Reschke

Posted on 03/13/2015 1:00:55 AM PDT by Swordmaker

New_macbookTech journalists who lined up at Apple's special event to get their hands on Apple Watch walked away stunned by Apple's all-new MacBook. It is widely being hailed – or harped on – as Apple's new one-port wonder. The fact it has only one physical data port is apparently quite jarring to many tech journalists. Those stunned by Apple's move may also drive a Honda Prelude, think sushi is all the rage, and are still trading Pokemon cards. The verdict is in: This is not a computer for those still living in the '90s.

Giving benefit of the doubt, perhaps the media is simply not doing their job. Rather than talk to what one physical port represents; which is that a single USB port is fine for 95% of everyone's workflow, because we live in a wireless world. Instead, they've taken the easy road, simply mirroring thoughts they think the masses might make. It's a safe, lazy position, one that identifies with the reader in stead of talking to the bold realities of where technology is today.

It wasn't until recently that a majority of consumers realized they could actually live, and no longer needed, an optical drive. Consumers are often slow to catch on. But for tech journalists to blast away at the most amazing laptop to hit the market since the original MacBook Air, it was quite revealing. Their one-port worry commentators are showing everyone just how stuck they are in the past. The new MacBook was their wake up call, but apparently many slept right through it.

Ports are no longer physical things, they are mostly wireless technologies. 4G LTE, WiFi, Bluetooth, deploying Airdrop, Handoff, iCloud and Airplay are all ports and types of communications that flow within them. A port and it's data is not about the physical, it's about every type of connection technology available, and Apple's new MacBook comes equipped with state-of-the-art port aplomb.

Evidently journalists, which roughly 95%+ of them use MacBook laptops, still communicate with USB thumb drives, hunt down the nearest Ethernet port, or look to deliver their latest column to their editor via a burned CD. For those still connecting with these methods, this is why Apple still has the legacy 13" MacBook with optical drive in the lineup. For those living in 2015, there is the all-new MacBook. Many of Apple's customers live and work in the now, so why did they leave the legacy MacBook Pro and MacBook Air in the lineup?

Apple CEO Tim Cook is a wicked smart guy. He's not merely a supply chain genius and operational guru, he understands how to maximize sales in a way his predecessor Steve Jobs just wasn't all that interested in. Jobs would have likely killed the MacBook Air, replacing it with only the new MacBook. Consumers would eventually catch onto the port thing and buy it, and most importantly the lineup would have stayed simplified.

Cook is more in touch with that fact that people are slow to catch onto new ideas, and he's left the multi-port MacBook Air's in place, providing a variety of price points and choice. As a result, Apple now plays the consumer bell curve to maximum effect. Early adopters will swarm the new MacBook, taking full advantage of the latest tech. The early majority will start to buy into the new MacBook in a year or so, and the laggards will get onboard this nearly launched MacBook once another all-new leap forward MacBook hits the shelves. Apple has more choices of laptops to choose from than at any point in its history, which will give rival PC makers fits while Apple maximizes MacBook sales.

The new MacBook may have only one physical port, but would it be too much in asking journalists to take the effort in mentioning that 95% (or more) of all our communications, file transfers and entertainment consumption are done via other ports, the wireless type, without need of physical connections? Is that too much to ask or expect? Evidently so. May they continue to enjoy their USB thumb drives and optical ports, because Apple – and more people than they think – are ready to move forward with the new MacBook. After all, it is 2015.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet
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To: Sherman Logan

I agree that the market will decide - I just find the cheerleading nature of the article distasteful.

While I personally would not care for a single physical port computer, I’m sure there are others that won’t mind, or even prefer it.


121 posted on 03/13/2015 4:26:17 PM PDT by MortMan (All those in favor of gun control raise both hands!)
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To: rockrr

I’m glad at least one person got the fact that I was commenting more on the writer’s enthusiasm than the technical capabilities of the computer. Maybe I’m OK with this English thing, after all! LOL

Have a great day.


122 posted on 03/13/2015 4:27:45 PM PDT by MortMan (All those in favor of gun control raise both hands!)
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To: MortMan

The Apple threads are funny that way. I don’t fit the archetypes - not an Apple fanboi or a “hater” - I just like keeping up on technology. In this case I just thought the writer wasn’t doing anyone any favors by being a smug A-hole ;’)


123 posted on 03/13/2015 6:45:58 PM PDT by rockrr (Everything is different now...)
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To: dennisw
BTW no USB-C devices yet on Amazon ..or USB 3.1. Not there yet as far as I can tell.

I've seen a few. I believe Samsung sells a combination USB stick that has the older USB connection on one end, and the USB-C connection on the other end. In this manner you can "sneaker-net" files between machines.

124 posted on 03/13/2015 6:52:15 PM PDT by roadcat
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To: dennisw
You might want to plug in a USB powered external hard drive PLUS plug in a USB powered battery charger to charge some batteries

All valid concerns, we'll have to wait until the real deal is in people's hands. Are you speaking of charging another device's batteries via the Macbook port? Personally, I don't do that except for a pair of external mini-speakers I use with my old Macbook (I like to crank up the sound for videos and the speakers have rechargeable batteries). I also use external USB hard drives for storing large movie files as well as for backups. But usually have the external AC adapter connected to the Macbook most of the time.

125 posted on 03/13/2015 7:02:57 PM PDT by roadcat
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To: dennisw; roadcat

I mistakenly said Samsung, no, SanDisk is one of the first to market with its Dual USB Drive with Type C connector. 32GB, price unknown until it is on the market in second quarter.

http://www.techradar.com/us/news/computing/apple/accessories-you-might-need-for-the-new-macbook-1287818


126 posted on 03/13/2015 7:07:23 PM PDT by roadcat
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To: MortMan

I agree. Apple fanboys are really annoying, even when they’re right.

Apple has had an astonishing run, but it seems likely to me that sooner or later they’ll bobble a big one.

I suspecxted that with Jobs gone they’d lose their edge, but it looks like they’ve still got it. For now. It’ll be interesting to see if this watch thing goes over. It might turnout like Glass, a system that works but that doesn’t really have much of a demand.


127 posted on 03/13/2015 8:09:28 PM PDT by Sherman Logan
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To: Talisker

Apple is gay


128 posted on 03/13/2015 10:41:08 PM PDT by Rome2000 (SMASH THE CPUSA)
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To: Rome2000
Apple is gay

I'm really not interested in your fetish. Take it somewhere else.

129 posted on 03/13/2015 10:58:24 PM PDT by Talisker (ne who commands, must obey.)
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To: roadcat

I like SanDisk and have quite a few of their thumb drives. I consider them high quality


130 posted on 03/14/2015 6:57:53 AM PDT by dennisw (The first principle is to find out who you are then you can achieve anything -- Buddhist monk)
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To: Bubba Ho-Tep

So you cut and pasted Corbin Bernson from a 1990 Saturday Night Live. It was watchable back then and got me laughing.


131 posted on 03/14/2015 7:00:28 AM PDT by dennisw (The first principle is to find out who you are then you can achieve anything -- Buddhist monk)
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To: Rome2000; PJ-Comix

Apple is gayer than an Ungaro spring frock.


132 posted on 03/14/2015 7:03:14 AM PDT by dennisw (The first principle is to find out who you are then you can achieve anything -- Buddhist monk)
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To: dennisw

Uh, that’s Dana Carvey.


133 posted on 03/14/2015 8:53:55 AM PDT by Bubba Ho-Tep
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To: dinodino

Agree. How can you make a living as a journalist (or editor) and not know that plural’s don’t get apostrophe’s.


134 posted on 03/14/2015 9:28:09 AM PDT by generally
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To: Sherman Logan
One Correction: Apple, under Steve Jobs, has an excellent record of figuring out....

Apple, without Steve Jobs, not so much.....

The jury is still out on Tim Cook. So far, it doesn't bode well.

135 posted on 03/14/2015 9:32:25 AM PDT by Solson (Grand Old Party 1854 - 2010 RIP)
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To: Solson

I agree Cook doesn’t yet have the track record Jobs did. But my understanding is that the iPhone 6 has been a roaring success.


136 posted on 03/14/2015 11:07:50 AM PDT by Sherman Logan
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To: Rome2000
You seem to have an odd fixation on homosexuality.

It is said that many closet homosexuals who are repressed and embarrassed about what they are lash out in hate towards others they believe are homosexuals in an effort to draw attention away from themselves.

Normal people couldn't care less about another adult's sexual preferences so long as they are not "in their face" about it. What they do with other consenting adults is their own business. I don't see Tim Cook marching in any homosexual parades with a bare chest waving sex toys around. In fact, I don't think he's even spoken about the subject except maybe if it came up in an interview question.

They say hate is like drinking poison and expecting the object of your hate to die. Actually, hate is a very self-destructive emotion. The only person you hurt with hate is yourself. So good luck with that. I hope you find some peace in your life.

Getting back to the subject at hand, I have several ports on my MacBook Pro. I never had a situation where I needed more than one of them, and that was usually to plug in my iPod - the same iPod I've had since 2006. Everything else in my home is wireless. So the one USB port in the new MacBook makes sense to me.

137 posted on 03/14/2015 11:43:23 AM PDT by SamAdams76
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To: TigerClaws

>>They just need a home server!

Quite a few people I know have a NAS on the home network for large mass storage and for backing up their home machines. Synology is the preferred brand. I have a 4-drive unit. It has been great.


138 posted on 03/14/2015 11:54:12 AM PDT by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: SamAdams76

I’m not on this thread to discuss Apple products other than to say this

Tim Cook is a fag.

That’s all I need to know.

I won’t buy his products.

Faggots are destroying America.

Conservatives shouldn’t support fags.

This “closet homosexual” BS is exactly what the leftists say when the right wing calls attention to what the faggots are up to.

I hate homosexuals and communists and what they have done to this country.

Go ahead and imply I’m an communist now too.

Hitler hated a lot of people, so did Che Guevara and Joe Stalin.

They hurt lots more people than themselves.

Hate is good. Hate works.

Sam Adams hated the British.


139 posted on 03/14/2015 12:59:24 PM PDT by Rome2000 (SMASH THE CPUSA)
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