Introducing Apple’s Beautiful New $3000 Disposable Computer

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Tom Owad's picture
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Introducing Apple’s Beautiful New $3000 Disposable Computer

Are the trade-offs in Apple new MacBook Pro worth it?

Introducing Apple’s Beautiful New $3000 Disposable Computer

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Re: Introducing Apple’s Beautiful New $3000 Disposable Computer

It surely is tempting, and beats squinting at pixels.... *drools*

My main machine is a 13" 2.4 GHZ C2D MacBook Pro, and I do believe that if Apple should release an 11" MacBook Air with the retina display, I will jump at it and maybe sell my current MacBook to a friend.

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Re: Introducing Apple’s Beautiful New $3000 Disposable Computer

When you think about it most people would never open their laptop to put memory or a hard drive in. It sorta makes sense from Apple's standpoint to make them this way. Easier to support since you know exactly what you have to deal with.

It did bother me that my Macbook air couldn't be updated, so I ordered the biggest of everything I could knowing I couldn't upgrade later thinking about it as the pitfalls of owning a laptop. My iMac I did the opposite I ordered the smallest amount of memory and storage with the fastest processor and just ordered more ram and a hard drive from Macmall.

Cheers,
Corey

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Re: Introducing Apple’s Beautiful New $3000 Disposable Computer

Tom and All,

Damn! Makes me want to run out of the house right now and buy one. NOT!

And what happens when you do not spend the money for the extended warranty? You now have a $3,700.00 paperweight for your desk. Smile

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Re: Introducing Apple’s Beautiful New $3000 Disposable Computer

When it comes to modular components, the missing one that bugs me the most is the battery. However I do understand that Apple is attempting to control/shorten the useful working life of their machines in order to promote their sales cycle. That doesn't mean that I have to like it. Additionally I have a TiPowerbook500 that still runs great with it's original battery, I think because I've mostly kept it plugged in and fully charged for most of it's existence. Any way for me, the battery issue is a (somewhat mild but real) one strike against the new MacBook Pro.

I love the concept of the Thunderbolt expansion interface, but not the execution. It's copper, not the promised optical communication line with it's inherent advantages. This is now the main hardware expansion interface, and there are currently an extremely limited array of accessories to go with it, and tacking them on adds back the clunkyness factor (which is not brilliant). I think this was realized and so the concession to have USB 3 onboard was made. When they do bring the optical version online, will it be backward compatible with this slower version? Strike two.

I'm trying to let go of my desire-for-backward-compatibility bias. I agree that better faster technology should be embraced, and the clunkier older stuff let go of so it's resources (weight, power consumption, access time, cost) are better allocated for superior function. I think a solid state portable is a good idea (heck my Platinum Apple //e has run on a solid state CF card drive for seven years, so I'm glad that Apple finally caught up Wink ). But this machine isn't there yet for the two, modern forward thinking ideas I posted above.

At this point in time, if you had to buy a new Mac, this would be the machine to get, with maxed out CPU, RAM, and FLASH memory. (Oh yeah, YOUR money being no object to me. Ha, ha.)

Mutant Pie

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Re: Introducing Apple’s Beautiful New $3000 Disposable Computer

When it comes to modular components, the missing one that bugs me the most is the battery. However I do understand that Apple is attempting to control/shorten the useful working life of their machines in order to promote their sales cycle.

This is exactly what it's all about. How much more space would it take to hold the battery in place with a couple screws or brackets, instead of glue?

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Re: Introducing Apple’s Beautiful New $3000 Disposable Computer

Is it really glue? Shame on you Apple.

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Re: Introducing Apple’s Beautiful New $3000 Disposable Computer

When it comes to modular components, the missing one that bugs me the most is the battery. However I do understand that Apple is attempting to control/shorten the useful working life of their machines in order to promote their sales cycle.

This is exactly what it's all about. How much more space would it take to hold the battery in place with a couple screws or brackets, instead of glue?

In addition to the Hotcha! features that we love about this machine, the shortened life span is consistent with the Job's ethos of "the next great thing." This has always contributed to the perception of Apple products being "superior" and "worth the premium price." I also think that all of this is consistent with marketing to the richer classes that have emerged in great quantities in China, Apples huge new marketplace. One of the problems Apple has with this is it's execution, when they neglect a line, like the MacPro.

The other problem is too good a piece of technology that may or may not get mass market support, but-it-isn't-here-yet, like Thunderbolt. It's been out for what seems like a year, and the options are pathetically limited. Which points out another quandary, Apple doesn't want to produce backward supporting adapters for TB, but they don't seem to be supporting the third party hardware development to coincide with a products release/debut. Even internally they don't do to well at this. For example, where's the external Retina Display for use with Thunderbolt? Should have been released with this machine. At least the first big TB display has some decent built-in ports (but USB 2.0, for that kind of dough?).

Mutant Pie

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Re: Introducing Apple’s Beautiful New $3000 Disposable Computer

When it comes to modular components, the missing one that bugs me the most is the battery. However I do understand that Apple is attempting to control/shorten the useful working life of their machines in order to promote their sales cycle.

This is exactly what it's all about. How much more space would it take to hold the battery in place with a couple screws or brackets, instead of glue?

In addition to the features that we love about this machine, the shortened life span is consistent with the Job's ethos of "the next great thing." This has always contributed to the perception of Apple products being "superior" and "worth the premium price." I also think that all of this is consistent with marketing to the richer classes that have emerged in great quantities in China, Apples huge new marketplace. One of the problems Apple has with this is it's execution, when they neglect a line, like the MacPro.

The other problem is too good a piece of technology that may or may not get mass market support, but-it-isn't-here-yet, like Thunderbolt. It's been out for what seems like a year, and the options are pathetically limited. Which points out another quandary, Apple doesn't want to produce backward supporting adapters for TB, but they don't seem to be supporting the third party hardware development to coincide with a products release/debut. Even internally they don't do to well at this. For example, where's the external Retina Display for use with Thunderbolt? Should have been released with this machine. At least the first big TB display has some decent built-in ports (but USB 2.0, for that kind of dough?).

Mutant Pie

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