Is Apple's cord situation is completely out of control?

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dafman

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#205132 31-Oct-2016 12:33

As nice as the new Macbook Pros look, I did think Apple's port selection was a little strange given their direction with phones. Summed up excellently with this article ...

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/apple-macbook-pro-iphone-7-lightning-usb-2016-10

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#1661416 31-Oct-2016 14:07

https://twitter.com/shanselman/status/791822154505527296

And this is just plain ridiculous..

jonb

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#1661424 31-Oct-2016 14:13

And another one..

https://twitter.com/shanselman/status/791821093216583680

So the new #MacBookPro has a headphone jack. iPhone 7 has no headphone jack. MacBookPro has USB-C. iPhone 7 has Lighting to old USB.

migrif

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#1661428 31-Oct-2016 14:21

I came across this adapter last night, seems like it would do all I need.
"4K HDMI, pass-through charging, Ethernet, three USB Type-A ports, and SD and Micro SD Card"

Note: Not thunderbolt 3, so It'll be interesting to see how quickly it would be maxed out with USB + Ethernet + HDMI running at once.

http://www.satechi.net/index.php/satechi-type-c-hub-with-pass-through-for-charging-ethernet-port-4k-hdmi-output-sd-micro-card-reader-3-usb-3-0-ports-silver-601

Satechi Aluminum Multi-Port Adapter

Batman

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#1661429 31-Oct-2016 14:25

Haha Apple products are getting astronomically expensive so I don't have to worry too much ... There are alternatives!

Geektastic

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#1661484 31-Oct-2016 15:32

That is a bit mad.

After shifting to Surface Pro, I can't see myself going back to a MBP anyway so it probably won't bother me until I have to change my 5k iMac and find that the ports on the current version have all been replaced with Apple's yet to be released Hailstorm plug....and only use a new Black Cloud version of iCloud, powered by Hurricane chargers and Tidal Wave memory chips....

At which point I shall buy a Surface Studio...

DarthKermit

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#1661492 31-Oct-2016 15:41

tdgeek

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#1661566 31-Oct-2016 16:56

I recall the days when I looked at laptops to see they had all the ports I could ever need. This bold move saves me time, I just need a big dongle bag!

On a serious note, laptops do everything. So, we need all of the required ports. Saves a teeny bit of space. Saves a cost. Adds inconvenience to the user. The next issue will be the sensibly priced third party adapters that don't work. Or they work, but not two things at once. Now, they could bring out a budget device, say 12 inches, that utilises USB-C and save cost, pass on the saving. Maybe 12" screen to reduce cost.......

Cynical me thinks they are heading down the printer cartridge route. Adding a VERY high margin accessory market.

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mattwnz

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#1661605 31-Oct-2016 18:00

You would think an sd slot on a laptop is a must for any MacBook Pro owner. These ports on the MacBook do have multiple uses, unlike older laptops that had dedicated ports. But that doesn't make them compatible without conversion cables . But they really need a docking station with legacy ports, like dell and other manufacturers make for their laptops.

Geektastic

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#1661747 31-Oct-2016 21:42

I'm going to crowd fund The Dongle Bag - only $99!

tdgeek

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#1661750 31-Oct-2016 21:51

Geektastic:

I'm going to crowd fund The Dongle Bag - only $99!

As your advisor, I suggest a different name!

PhantomNVD

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#1662879 2-Nov-2016 18:07

tdgeek:
Geektastic:

I'm going to crowd fund The Dongle Bag - only $99!

As your advisor, I suggest a different name!

How about ~~iDongle~~ too similar.... iDangle?

jarledb

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#1662885 2-Nov-2016 18:29

Not bothered by the USB-3/Thunderbolt 3 ports of the new MacBook Pros, what makes me hold on to my 2012 MacBook Air is lack of the newest Intel chipsets and more RAM. But none of that is Apples fault, not that it helps any.

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danza

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#1664507 6-Nov-2016 10:49

USB-C / thunderbolt 3 is a big mess of incompatibilities and semi-compatibilities

oh no no you want to plug this one into the LEFT side, the RIGHT side is slower for some reason

no you can't use this thunderbolt 3 -> thunderbolt 2 adapter to drive your mini-displayport monitor, you need a usb-c -> displayport adapter, there's a big difference

no you can't use a thunderbolt monitor with this macbook, it's just usb-c not thunderbolt, and no it's not slower than it should be, it only supports usb 3.1 gen 1, not usb 3.1 gen 2

no you can't use this usb-c cable to move files from one macbook to another, the usb-c cable that comes with your macbook doesn't support target disk mode

no you can't use your brand new usb-c external drive along with your usb-c -> hdmi dongle, the usb-c port on that dongle is only for power, not data

no you can't use this thunderbolt 3 hub with your new mbp, it uses version 1 of this texas instruments chipset and apple only decided to support version 2

no y... wait, what are you doing with that hammer...

edit: "Tim wants to share his love of dongles with the world"

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#1664512 6-Nov-2016 11:15

This is an opportunity for the competition to do something to improve the alternatives' position. whether they will succeed ...

sir1963

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#1664605 6-Nov-2016 16:27

jonb:

And another one..

https://twitter.com/shanselman/status/791821093216583680

So the new #MacBookPro has a headphone jack. iPhone 7 has no headphone jack. MacBookPro has USB-C. iPhone 7 has Lighting to old USB.

Simple when one starts thinking.

iPhone.

The development for the iPhone is probably 3 or more years.

USB-C was finalised in August 2014. Apples design would have been well over 1/2 way by this stage.

AFTER the USB-C gets finalised, the silicon for chipsets gets finalised and tested.

AFTER the chips get finalised they get put into hardware designs to prove the software/hardware.

THEN there is the issue of power, are these first chipsets low enough power for the iPhone, typically low power chips come later.

Apple has to design and build prototypes for testing hardware and software.

Apple has included a lot of other new tech which requires hardware and software testing, a late addition would not be welcome.

Then they need to cram all of that tech into the housing, thats not easy.

There is the EMC testing for FCC certs, testing against a large number of telcos and Wifi systems

All the mean time they have having to develop mass production techniques, this often means building adapting robots

There is the ramping up of production right along the whole design, from Chips to cardboard boxes.

MacBook Pro

Intel produces reference designs, so there is a cheat sheet

The laptops have a LOT more space, the industrial design is easier and with no Telco its easier to get certification.

The headphone socket is there because so much Pro Audio gear end users have is still Analog Audio.

USB-C is the future, I am sure next years iPhone will have it, and USB devices will be quickly shifting over, especially devices with high data throughput needs.

The touch bar is interesting, and can have so much potential to change a lot of work flows.

So has Apple gone too far, no, this is no different from

the original iMac

iPhone changing from 30 pin to Lightning

Adobe Flash

Change from Motorola 68K to PPC to Intel

Use of ARM processors in its Mobile platforms

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