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Umm Macbook Pro... Same old design?
- Thread starter MacTruck
- Start date
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Jericho2550 said:I disagree with anything removable, because that has got flimsy written all over it, I don't wanna hear the MacBook creaking when I pick it up, I'd like it to be just as solid as the current PowerBook, but that's just me
I agree with a lot of that. Apples's KISS concept is something I have realised is key to the power of apple hardware. Docks, multi trackpad buttons, and items for fringe users isnt going to help Apple sell.
I will miss the S-video - but only for a week until I get used to using the all digital options now available to me. As for high speed drive connectors - FW800 isn't the end all be all, its successor shall appear sooner than later.
Maybe SAN systems are the new thing? That would be sweet.
A two button trackpad?
From the above post someone wants "- A TWO BUTTON TOUCHPAD PLEASE!"
Why? If you need two buttons get a mouse. I don't know about anyone else, but I am infact faster with my 1 button trackpad, and pressing cntl when I need to right click. My hands are alot more relaxed and faster when I can press down anywhere on the bar, and not getting a menu to come up, cause I accidentally pressed the right button of the trackpad. Two buttons slows you down, in my opinion, cntl is the way to go for right clicking without a mouse.
If that didn't make any sense, I'm sorry. >.>
From the above post someone wants "- A TWO BUTTON TOUCHPAD PLEASE!"
Why? If you need two buttons get a mouse. I don't know about anyone else, but I am infact faster with my 1 button trackpad, and pressing cntl when I need to right click. My hands are alot more relaxed and faster when I can press down anywhere on the bar, and not getting a menu to come up, cause I accidentally pressed the right button of the trackpad. Two buttons slows you down, in my opinion, cntl is the way to go for right clicking without a mouse.
If that didn't make any sense, I'm sorry. >.>
Jericho2550 said:I disagree with anything removable, because that has got flimsy written all over it, I don't wanna hear the MacBook creaking when I pick it up, I'd like it to be just as solid as the current PowerBook, but that's just me
A removable hard drive does not make for a flimsy system. It one of the few things I really enjoy about Dell laptops. All of them have the ability to remove the hard drive without disassembling the system. As such upgrading your hard drive doesn't void the warrantee on a Dell.
While I was sad that they didn't resign the system the PowerBook* is still one of the best looking laptops on the market. It could have looked better though with a change in color and material. . .Think carbon fiber composite finished in black.
Also I'm still a tad pissed that Apple still refuses to put a freaking docking port on their systems. Its critically stupid IMHO. It would be so insanely simple to put a slot on the bottom of the PowerBook* and sell a nice little docking station. As it stand when I get my PowerBook* I'm going to have to plug in the power, dink around with the DVI adapter, hook up the Ethernet connection, and plug in the USB hub that connects my mouse/keyboard/scanner/iPod/ and 6 in 1 reader to my PowerBook*. Sorry but someone at Apple is being critically stupid.
xPismo said:
Docks are NOT fringe user devices. I would like to take you on a tour of the office I support. Everyone uses a dock , even though they are allowed to decline it, I use a dock at home for my ThinPad because instead of taking 3 minutes to connect everything and another 3 minutes to disconnect everything (while making sure the cables don't fall behind the desk.) I simply spend 10 seconds dropping it into the dock and hitting the power button.
cnakeitaro said:
Yes because I don't know about you but when I'm on a plane I have so much space for an external mouse that I also bring along an external keyboard as well.
Seriously. I will never back down from the notion that its stupid that you need to use two buttons to access a contextual menu. While we are at it why don't we remove all buttons on the mouse and add a new key to the keyboard that is left and right?
Honestly if it wasn't for 3rd party apps that can treat taps on the touchpad as right clicks I would never consider an Apple laptop.
MacTruck said:
i do think they should have redesigned it. I had my finger on buy, then decided, its not worth it. Besides speed, i wouldn't notice anything different than my year old powerbook. I have decided that unless i absolutly need a new laptop, i am not buying one until a new design.
I used to own a wallstreet powerbook G3. It had removable bay drives/batteries. I think the pismo did to. I *loved* this feature. I owned both a second drive and battery for the bay. I also liked the black rubberized coating that had on the case...felt good.
I can live with the one button trackpad, but two would be nice. I think the fixation with one button, and size and weight for that matter. are just to keep apple totally differentiated from the rest of the laptop manufacturers. I think they just want to make sure that their laptops look and feel nothing like anyone elses. So they're willing to sacrifice some functionality for aesthetic separation from the crowd.
Presently I use a thinkpad t41p. I like it fine...the modular bay works well and isn't creaky at all. I don't use the docking port, but it's sleekly done on the bottom of the unit. Memory and hard drive replacements are easy to do. But...it's boring looking and runs windows. I despise having to constantly think about viruses and spyware and having programs write to the OS/registry so when something goes wrong I can't freakin fix it. (case in point, my hp all in one printer developed an error if I used the scanner...couldnt reintall the driver, it crapped out part way through the install. Uninstalled, reinstalled, it stil woudlnt' finish the install. Cleaned all residue from the registry...it still won't reinstall completely. Cue scene where hapless end user throws up hands and exclaims that at least she can still print! Due to cryptic windows file names, I have no way to tell what files may be left behind after unistalls and thus can't differentiate this printer's dlls etc from any other hp printer dll)
Another grouse I have now about pc laptops is too much danged screen resolution. I'm seeing 17 inch screens with over 1900x1600 (it's so high I don't know the specific number)! OUCH! I'll have to type my documents at a font that's way too big to print right or I won't be ablet to read it. I don't get the fixation of uber high screen res. So for me, apple's moderate increase in resolution is much more welcome than a PCs "cram every pixel in the univers" onto a screen mentality.
So I guess I have to agree and disagree at the same time. Apple's usability factor is a major draw and for me overcomes their fixation with asthetics. But I like mactruck, do like the option of adding an extra battery or hard drive in a modular bay.
My dilemma, two tablet pcs are going to be released this year..the M400 by toshiba and an asus. Both are core duos (actually not needed for something I'm going to use in my lap...and possibly too hot but no doubt fast), and the tablet OS rocks. The usability of windows is much better in that version of the OS (at least for office stuff)
I can live with the one button trackpad, but two would be nice. I think the fixation with one button, and size and weight for that matter. are just to keep apple totally differentiated from the rest of the laptop manufacturers. I think they just want to make sure that their laptops look and feel nothing like anyone elses. So they're willing to sacrifice some functionality for aesthetic separation from the crowd.
Presently I use a thinkpad t41p. I like it fine...the modular bay works well and isn't creaky at all. I don't use the docking port, but it's sleekly done on the bottom of the unit. Memory and hard drive replacements are easy to do. But...it's boring looking and runs windows. I despise having to constantly think about viruses and spyware and having programs write to the OS/registry so when something goes wrong I can't freakin fix it. (case in point, my hp all in one printer developed an error if I used the scanner...couldnt reintall the driver, it crapped out part way through the install. Uninstalled, reinstalled, it stil woudlnt' finish the install. Cleaned all residue from the registry...it still won't reinstall completely. Cue scene where hapless end user throws up hands and exclaims that at least she can still print! Due to cryptic windows file names, I have no way to tell what files may be left behind after unistalls and thus can't differentiate this printer's dlls etc from any other hp printer dll)
Another grouse I have now about pc laptops is too much danged screen resolution. I'm seeing 17 inch screens with over 1900x1600 (it's so high I don't know the specific number)! OUCH! I'll have to type my documents at a font that's way too big to print right or I won't be ablet to read it. I don't get the fixation of uber high screen res. So for me, apple's moderate increase in resolution is much more welcome than a PCs "cram every pixel in the univers" onto a screen mentality.
So I guess I have to agree and disagree at the same time. Apple's usability factor is a major draw and for me overcomes their fixation with asthetics. But I like mactruck, do like the option of adding an extra battery or hard drive in a modular bay.
My dilemma, two tablet pcs are going to be released this year..the M400 by toshiba and an asus. Both are core duos (actually not needed for something I'm going to use in my lap...and possibly too hot but no doubt fast), and the tablet OS rocks. The usability of windows is much better in that version of the OS (at least for office stuff)
Removable hard drive?
I wouldn't be so quick to jump to conclusions about the MacBook case.
You'll notice from Apple's own web site that the battery is "stacked with the hard drive." If you go further and dig through the press kit, a helpful image from which is on the Rob Galbraith photo web site's article on the MacBook, you'll see a reasonable image of the underside of the computer which shows effectively a very large two part door covering the area of the battery and RAM. One part is for what looks to be a very wide but thin battery, and the other door is presumably for a RAM slot but much wider than would be needed for that alone. If that huge opening of battery and RAM access is indeed "stacked with the hard drive", it can mean only one thing -- a hard drive that is easily user-installable. Not just ten-minute easy like the TiBook was, but two-minute easy.
I will tell you that will be the first thing I look for when I lay my hands on one.
More generally, I think this case will show quite a number of improvements; probably better heat-sinking, still more rigidity and so on, in addition to the improvement in battery, memory and hard drive access that I suspect has taken place.
I don't hold out much hope for the optical drive though -- that's probably still going to be a trial for users to switch.
I think the similarity in appearance is quite deliberate on Apple's part in order to play down the scale of the change and make it seem less intimidating to users. They're going to have to come up with a new case design though to replace the 12 inch laptops, if for no other reason than the switch to wide-format displays.
I wouldn't be so quick to jump to conclusions about the MacBook case.
You'll notice from Apple's own web site that the battery is "stacked with the hard drive." If you go further and dig through the press kit, a helpful image from which is on the Rob Galbraith photo web site's article on the MacBook, you'll see a reasonable image of the underside of the computer which shows effectively a very large two part door covering the area of the battery and RAM. One part is for what looks to be a very wide but thin battery, and the other door is presumably for a RAM slot but much wider than would be needed for that alone. If that huge opening of battery and RAM access is indeed "stacked with the hard drive", it can mean only one thing -- a hard drive that is easily user-installable. Not just ten-minute easy like the TiBook was, but two-minute easy.
I will tell you that will be the first thing I look for when I lay my hands on one.
More generally, I think this case will show quite a number of improvements; probably better heat-sinking, still more rigidity and so on, in addition to the improvement in battery, memory and hard drive access that I suspect has taken place.
I don't hold out much hope for the optical drive though -- that's probably still going to be a trial for users to switch.
I think the similarity in appearance is quite deliberate on Apple's part in order to play down the scale of the change and make it seem less intimidating to users. They're going to have to come up with a new case design though to replace the 12 inch laptops, if for no other reason than the switch to wide-format displays.