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.
Yes some of the most fun threads on FR.
Apple/Microsoft/Android/Linux partisans.
Other fun ones are WalMart/Target/Amazon/Costco
And of course Catholic/Protestant/Evangelical
I have a dirtbag Amazon generic $10 mouse with my Dell laptop, basically because I use it mostly in my lap and I got tired of the cable.
Somewhat to my amazement the two AAA cells last 4 months or longer and I forget to turn the thing off at least half the days.
HAHAHAHA! You nailed ‘em all.
I confess I also enjoy the righteous indignation of animal lovers in some threads on related subjects.
According to the author you are living in past and should just get with it.
According to him Apple is now designing for what they think you should have rather then what you actually need and that is a good thing.
If this is Apple's new policy then I would sell my Apple stock. It rarely ends well for companies who stick to those kind of policies.
Michael is that you?
Ain't that the truth. I use the optical drive and Handbrake far too often to load our dvd collection on the kids/wife's iPads and iPhones, so a usb port is mandatory. And those rare times when only target disk mode and DiscWarrior will fix it, what then, with no firewire or thunderbolt port?
Meanwhile, in the three and a half years since Cook took over, Apple stock has more then doubled in price.
I think the Apple watch may bomb. People under 30 have, for the most part, never worn a watch. They’ve always had the time there on the phone.
Watches are for fashion statements and for old people.
Personally I haven’t worn a watch in about six years. No point and they are a bit of a hassle.
I see fitness buffs using them because, for many, that’s already part of their workout routine.
A huge market? I just don’t see that working.
Trying to text on a watch? Seems awkward. I can see the Apple watch bombing.
But we shall see...
The MacBook though looks great. I think it’ll sell big and when the 15 inch version comes out it’ll be upgrade time for many people.
There will be a an SD card to USB-C adapter on the market within weeks, just as there was an SD card to Lightning adapter.
What about all those Apple Puts you claimed?
Nice jab at Thinkpads, but some designs are timeless. Does one expect a Porsche to traditionally have cupholders?
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.
In the metered data world, physical ports still are ports. Having unmetered data means you have a legacy plan or very deep pockets, both of which are the exception. That, and the data goes somewhere with physical network ports - where maintenance of said gear requires more than one port to be used at once.
If Apple were to pair up flat-rate wireless(read: 4G/LTE) data for their devices, that might make it a more plausible choice.
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.
None of which are meaningfully different from each other.
I don't think Lenovo's shaking in their boots. Even a second-tier manufacturer like Asus isn't afraid to compete by offering a similarly constructed machine - with physical ports.
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
Citation from a source that Apple didn't commission? No offense, but that seems to be a number pulled out of thin air.
To preempt the usual "not target market" argument, mind that Apple's maintenance hostile design features have made it to other manufacturers.
As for myself, I'm typing this on a 7-port Thinkpad X220 Tablet. Nearby is an equally un-Apple-like monstrosity in the form of a Thinkpad W520 portable workstation. While not technically 2015, they and their port-laden successors are definitely not 1990's machines. That, and they're quite easily maintainable with a conventional screw set, publicly available maintenance documents, and widely-available parts (even from Lenovo themselves).
Clearly, "Real Americans" don't know that Tim Cook is gay.
Posted from my MacBook Pro (2009 model. Built like tank and still running strong).
At the Shareholder meeting, Tim Cook was speaking specifically to the NCPPR representative, with their one share of stock, who was trying to get Tim Cook to make a statement disavowing the STOCK HOLDER's VOTE of 97-3 ratio just earlier that day REJECTING the NCPPR's proposal to ONLY spend company funds on projects and only join organizations that would have a positive impact on the company's bottom line.
Tim Cook, properly refused to reject the Stockholders' decision, after providing a list of things that Apple does like provide Braille support in iOS and OS X, Educational support to schools, scholarships, and ecological concerns, stated, looking DIRECTLY AT THE PERSON MAKING THE DEMAND, that if he did not like those things, he could take his investment elsewhere. IT was not directed to all Apple investors except in the NCPPR's propaganda piece. . . which was the sole source for that claim.
Others attending that question and answer session describe what happened just as I described above.
And even more directly to the Anti-gun efforts. . .
And I actually do own some Apple stock and Apple products. Their last Ipod Classic was really good.
But if their policy is as presented by the author of this article then they are riding for a fall.
Currently I am in "wait and see" mode.
13" Mid-2010 model here.
Apple’s standard mouse that ships with the iMac is a Bluetooth mouse, DennisW. There are many aftermarket bluetooth meeses.
We've already gone there. Sometimes autocorrect makes for some strange changes. One wonders why it didn't like "streaming." It just tried to change it again. LOL!
Grumpy Old Man: I'm oooooold! And I'm not happy! And I don't like things now compared to the way they used to be. All this progress -- phooey! In my day, we didn't have these cash machines that would give you money when you needed it. There was only one bank in each state -- it was open only one hour a year. And you'd get in line, seventeen miles long, and the line became an angry mob of people -- fornicators and thieves, mutant children and circus freaks -- and you waited for years and by the time you got to the teller, you were senile and arthritic and you couldn't remember your own name. You were born, got in line, and ya died! And that's the way it was and we liked it!
Life was simpler then. There wasn't all this concern about hy-giene! It my days, we didn't have Kleenex. When you turned seventeen, you were given the family handkerchief. ... It hadn't been washed in generations and it stood on its own ... filled with diseases and swarmin' with flies. ... If you tried to blow your nose, you'd get an infection and your head would swell up and turn green and children would burst into tears at the sight o' ya! And that's the way it was and we liked it!
Life was a carnival! We entertained ourselves! We didn't need moooovin' pitchurrrres. In my day, there was only one show in town -- it was called "Stare at the sun!" ... That's right! You'd sit in the middle of an open field and stare up at the sun till your eyeballs burst into flames! And you thought, "Oh, no! Maybe I shouldn't've stared directly into the burning sun with my eyes wide open." But it was too late! Your head was on fire and people were roastin' chickens over it. ... And that's the way it was and we liked it!
Progress?! Flobble-de-flee! In my day, when we were angry and frustrated, we just said, "Flobble-de-flee!" 'cause we were idiots and we didn't know what else to say! Just a bunch o' illiterate Cro-Magnons, blowin' on crusty handkerchiefs, waitin' in lines for our head to burst into flame and that's the way it was and we liked it!
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