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GregUofMN

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 15, 2003
183
0
After only a couple years of religiously using a Powerbook for my day-to-day tasks, I decided to write Apple a letter about how happy I was to be a user and also offered them a suggestion about the upcoming MacBook Pro. It wasn't a large suggestion, but nonetheless, here is my letter. Let me know what you think...

To whom this may concern;

It has always amazed me how Apple's design staff pulls off the most unthinkable hardware and software, but somehow it manages to be exactly what I've always been missing. I anticipate every new release with the fervor of a hyperactive kid on Christmas morning. Thus, I am excited for the upcoming release of the new MacBook Pro.

I think that the MagSafe plug, new minicam and remote control are great features that will further push the idea that Apple creates the best computer experience for it's users. I am completely aware that the MacBook Pro is currently is still somewhat in the very final stages of development. (At least, that is what I've been told concerning the battery life of the new notebook.) That's why I'm writing you this question now.

I love how the remote for the new iMac magnetically attaches to the side of the display, which is appropriate for a desktop computer, but this would be obviously impossible when transporting a notebook computer around. I think that it would be fantastic if the device could slide into the side of the MacBook Pro similar to how the card slot on the left side of the notebook and pop out when you wanted to use it.

I know that extra space inside of any laptop is virtually non-existent and I don't know if anything like this is feasible this late in the game with MacBook Pro's ready to ship in February, but maybe on future releases this is something that could be explored.

Please forward this on to those individuals who may be responsible for product design because after all, Apple prides itself on tentatively listening to customer feedback. Thank you very much for working so hard on these products only to make my life easier.

Sincerely,
Greg Kraus
 

FocusAndEarnIt

macrumors 601
May 29, 2005
4,628
1,112
Nice letter, yeah, now that it's brought up to me, I don't know how that remote control thing is ganna work. :confused:
 

Lacero

macrumors 604
Jan 20, 2005
6,637
3
GregUofMN said:
I think that it would be fantastic if the (remote) could slide into the side of the MacBook Pro similar to how the card slot on the left side of the notebook and pop out when you wanted to use it.
I'm not sure I like that feature. I'd treat the remote as I would treat an external mouse or mouse pad, separately.

I like the letter stating the improvements like MagSafe — didn't see that one coming, but it's ingenious. I love that feature.
Here's to the Crazy Ones
 

TheMonarch

macrumors 65816
May 6, 2005
1,467
1
Bay Area
You know I'd be a cool idea if they released a hollow PCI express card or adapter in which you could fit the remote into...

Tha'd be innovative :cool:


Patent pending©
 

GregUofMN

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 15, 2003
183
0
Lacero said:
I'm not sure I like that feature. I'd treat the remote as I would treat an external mouse or mouse pad, separately.

Obviously you would have to treat it like an external mouse, mouse pad, powercord, headphones, powercord extender, Kensington lock, etc or anything else that you have to use a periferial object to the actual laptop itself. This is only a suggestion to help integrate an external component... when internally, I guess.
 

-Escher-

macrumors member
Dec 28, 2005
76
0
blaskillet4 said:
You know I'd be a cool idea if they released a hollow PCI express card or adapter in which you could fit the remote into...

Tha'd be innovative :cool:


Patent pending©

I'm sorry but this idea has been around for a while! My HP dv4000 has a RC that fits into the PCMCIA slot! It's VERY neat and handy since you'll not be using it very often and you'll end up either loosing or leaving it in a safe place far away from your laptop! Besides, my HP's RC is VERY nice, thin and has lots of features! It cost 15$ and I'm pretty sure I'll be very disapointed with the MBP's one....
 

TheMonarch

macrumors 65816
May 6, 2005
1,467
1
Bay Area
-Escher- said:
I'm sorry but this idea has been around for a while! My HP dv4000 has a RC that fits into the PCMCIA slot! It's VERY neat and handy since you'll not be using it very often and you'll end up either loosing or leaving it in a safe place far away from your laptop! Besides, my HP's RC is VERY nice, thin and has lots of features! It cost 15$ and I'm pretty sure I'll be very disapointed with the MBP's one....


Blast! I thought I had something going there. :D

Oh well, lets hope they do the same on these 'Books.
 

GregUofMN

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 15, 2003
183
0
blaskillet4 said:
Blast! I thought I had something going there. :D


Uhh... how original of YOU to come up with that idea... I wonder if you got the idea from MY letter...

"I think that it would be fantastic if the device could slide into the side of the MacBook Pro similar to how the card slot on the left side of the notebook works and pops out when you wanted to use it."
 

-Escher-

macrumors member
Dec 28, 2005
76
0
GregUofMN said:
Uhh... how original of YOU to come up with that idea... I wonder if you got the idea from MY letter...

"I think that it would be fantastic if the device could slide into the side of the MacBook Pro similar to how the card slot on the left side of the notebook works and pops out when you wanted to use it."

Well...I've been posting about it here since keynote...I just don't know why they can't make a RC that fits into this Express/34 slot! They don't need to actually build a specific place for it! And for a 4 buttons RC...Should be a peace of cake!!!! If HP can came up with a 20$ RC full of features and thin as a CC why not Apple???



OH BTW...My HP4000 has 4 (FOUR) USB ports!!!!!!!!!! C'amon apple!!! I'm buying a MBP just to let you guys know...Nothing is perfect....

Take a look!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/product_detail.do?product_code=PT746AA#ABA

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/product_detail.do?product_code=EL623AA
 

GregUofMN

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 15, 2003
183
0
Does Apple ever write back? I still have yet to receive any kind of response, even a generic one.

Hmmm... maybe they're working on it? :rolleyes:
 

law guy

macrumors 6502a
Jan 17, 2003
999
-1
Western Massachusetts
A few nits - change the semi-colon to a colon after the salutation. You have a contracted "it's" (only for it is) where it should be "its" as the possessive. Staying away from contractions is also a good rule of thumb. Your last post seems to indicate that you've already sent, but these are a few small comments just in case you have yet to send it. Why not address it to a VP of a design group. I think that Jonathan Ives title is "Vice President of Industrial Design" You could also overnight fedex it to give it a little help along in getting a few seconds of attention. ;)
 

Wes Jordan

macrumors regular
Jan 4, 2006
143
0
blaskillet4 said:
You know I'd be a cool idea if they released a hollow PCI express card or adapter in which you could fit the remote into...

Tha'd be innovative :cool:


Patent pending©

Already done. The HP dv1000 uses a remote that pops out of the PCI slot. Ingenious and a great feature I might add. I love using it on my dad's laptop. If I didn't get an MB Pro it is what I would get.
 

T-Stex

macrumors 6502
Jan 15, 2006
470
1
Pennsylvania
About 15 years ago, my parents had a t.v. that had a slot for the remote. I don't know who made it, but they deserve the credit, not HP. :p
 

Chip NoVaMac

macrumors G3
Dec 25, 2003
8,888
31
Northern Virginia
Thanks for pointing out the MagSafe plug. Never looked at the MacBook Pro site yet, so your mention is the first that I read on the topic. Definitly a big advantage for the MacBook Pro.
 

Bern

macrumors 68000
Nov 10, 2004
1,854
1
Australia
Very nice well written letter.

But rather than have a slot for the remote control, what I would like to see is a feature a Fujitsu tablet pc has. With it you can pop out the cd drive entirely and put in it's place a spare battery. When the existing battery runs out the computer automatically ticks over to the spare one. It's a great idea if you're out and about. Put that in your letter :)
 

T-Stex

macrumors 6502
Jan 15, 2006
470
1
Pennsylvania
Kinda like that t.v. thing...

There are (or used to be) that battery feature in a couple of *sigh* Dell laptops. Kinda keeps up the trend of finding the same innovations in less spectacular products...
 

GregUofMN

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 15, 2003
183
0
Bern said:
Very nice well written letter.

But rather than have a slot for the remote control, what I would like to see is a feature a Fujitsu tablet pc has. With it you can pop out the cd drive entirely and put in it's place a spare battery. When the existing battery runs out the computer automatically ticks over to the spare one. It's a great idea if you're out and about.

Thanks. However, instead of a replaceable battery slot, how about a battery that last more than 2-4 hours!!!! :rolleyes:

Yes, I own a 15"AlBook and I feel your pain. I'm running at 98% and I only have 2 hours and 22 minutes of battery life left---nope--scratch that--it just shot down to 1 hour and 38 minutes. Wow. I've never put it in "TIME" mode, just percentage. I never really realized just how bad that battery life was. I take back what I said before, that replaceable battery would be lifesaver if I couldn't find an outlet.

By the way, as I finish writing this (without taking a break) I'm already down to 1:27. That's just bad. Hope the new MacBook's improve on that!
 

oingoboingo

macrumors 6502a
Jul 31, 2003
988
0
Sydney, Australia
Bern said:
They did? :eek:

Well Apple should bring it back. I get around 4.5 hours on my 12" Powerbook battery but I still carry around a spare just in case.

Some areas of laptop design have gone forward. Others have gone backwards. I think the flexibility of being able to remove the optical drive and substitute an extra battery pack is ingenious, and is something which should be re-implemented into new Apple laptops.
 

Anonymous Freak

macrumors 603
Dec 12, 2002
5,604
1,388
Cascadia
blaskillet4 said:
You know I'd be a cool idea if they released a hollow PCI express card or adapter in which you could fit the remote into...

Tha'd be innovative :cool:


I compared the size of the Apple Remote to the size of an ExpressCard/34 slot in a store. If they made the remote just a tiny bit smaller, it could be stored in the ExpressCard slot... (It's too 'tall' by about 1/4 of its height, and too 'thick' by about 1/2. But width is perfect. So if they made it 1/2 the thickness, it would fit in the slot, but stick out by a little.)
 

ortuno2k

macrumors 6502a
Nov 4, 2005
645
0
Hollywood, FL
Hey that's a nice letter.
Something else I would have added?

"Please make the remote control work with Keynote as well."

I don't know if this can be done now, since I don't own one of the newer iMacs with the remote, but if it could happen, I think it'd be sweet!

And storing the remote in the available slot would be nice. Hey, HP and Compaq do it; why can't Apple? :)
 

NeuronBasher

macrumors regular
Jan 17, 2006
188
0
I'm almost positive that it was mentioned in the Stevenote that the remote works in Keynote as well as Front Row.
 

Diatribe

macrumors 601
Jan 8, 2004
4,258
46
Back in the motherland
ortuno2k said:
Hey that's a nice letter.
Something else I would have added?

"Please make the remote control work with Keynote as well."

I don't know if this can be done now, since I don't own one of the newer iMacs with the remote, but if it could happen, I think it'd be sweet!

And storing the remote in the available slot would be nice. Hey, HP and Compaq do it; why can't Apple? :)

Because the remote is too thick.
 

gauchogolfer

macrumors 603
Jan 28, 2005
5,551
5
American Riviera
I remember that too...

NeuronBasher said:
I'm almost positive that it was mentioned in the Stevenote that the remote works in Keynote as well as Front Row.

I have iWork '06, but no Apple remote. However, I can't find any mention of the remote working with Keynote in the user guide documentation....suspicious.
 
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