Leaked MacBook Case Photos Hit the Web

Terry Olaes

Terry Olaes

I Used to be the [H] News Guy
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AppleInsider has some analysis on the recently-leaked MacBook case photos and noticed something interesting: there is no full DVI or Firewire 400 port. Follow the jump for other observations and to see all the photos.

Instead, the high-end notebook now has a mini-DVI connector for video output and just one FireWire 800 connector -- a partial regression back to the original 15-inch MacBook Pro, which had a solitary FireWire 400 port before it received FireWire 800 several months later. A covered-up section at the front-left corner has yet to be explained.
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I'm sorta confused here...... does having only these ports limit it somehow? I mean, couldn't you achieve the same functionality, but perhaps need adapters to do so? Really, this wouldn't bother me, since I'm smart enough to go to monoprice.com and get adapters and cables. I realize the average consumer isn't this smart, but does the design change REALLY make a difference?
 
DudeItsMe said:
I'm sorta confused here...... does having only these ports limit it somehow? I mean, couldn't you achieve the same functionality, but perhaps need adapters to do so? Really, this wouldn't bother me, since I'm smart enough to go to monoprice.com and get adapters and cables. I realize the average consumer isn't this smart, but does the design change REALLY make a difference?
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You forget how many people screamed when the MacBook Air only had one USB port?

Same idea. Running devices through a hub adds unnecessary clutter and any system that has less than 3 USB ports is just asking to be mocked.
 
Sub $1000 macbook? No longer fugly white? Might be interested :) :p!

I'd care less about the 1394 and I wouldn't plug a laptop to a monitor anyways...
 
You know what I hate? The link linking to the Hard Enthusiast story and not the actual story.
 
I can only guess it might come with a FW800 to FW400 adapter. If not then you can buy one. Either way, if these pictures are true then it is interesting that they are ditching FW400 for FW800. I thought that it hadn't really caught on that much.
 
DudeItsMe said:
I'm sorta confused here...... does having only these ports limit it somehow? I mean, couldn't you achieve the same functionality, but perhaps need adapters to do so? Really, this wouldn't bother me, since I'm smart enough to go to monoprice.com and get adapters and cables. I realize the average consumer isn't this smart, but does the design change REALLY make a difference?
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You must have forgot this was a laptop and having to carry around adapters with you is the complete and utter opposite of being mobile. This also means you must spend more money after the fact (even if Monoprice is cheap, though takes forever and a day to ship) is just out right annoying on systems that are generally priced at a premium already. But whatever, you've CLEARLY though this one all the way through oh great smart one.
 
Yeah Skyring, that was what I absolutely hated about the Macbook Air. Yeah it's almost paper thin. Yeah it weighs almost nothing. Everyone I saw with one though carried around a 4 port apple hub and a external USB DVD Drive which definitely no longer fit inside a manila envelope. By the time you got the Macbook Air to be useful for day to day things it was no longer all that portable.
 
Skrying said:
You must have forgot this was a laptop and having to carry around adapters with you is the complete and utter opposite of being mobile.
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While I question dumping a FW400 port for FW800, that tiny little adapter is hardly adding anything like serious size or weight to a laptop bag...
 
This seems like a serious step backwards - What was wrong with the DVI connector? Why abandon FW400? Hopefully these shots will be wrong, if they aren't I might consider an older MBP.
 
450 said:
This seems like a serious step backwards - What was wrong with the DVI connector? Why abandon FW400? Hopefully these shots will be wrong, if they aren't I might consider an older MBP.
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The mini-DVI connector hasn't changed. And yeah, the whole FW400 thing has me scratching my head. I question dropping it entirely given how ubiquitous FW400 devices are and how little traction FW800 has made so far. It might be the fastest thing out there but you'll still need to use this thing with most devices:

21QBW2PJDGL._SL500_AA150_.jpg


It won't be the first time Apple has ruthlessly cut out a port or a better up-and-coming technology (ie - ps/2, serial, and parallel ports for USB ten years ago, dumping OS 9 for OS X, PPC for Intel, etc) and it sucks in the short term, but compared to those other examples this is relatively painless given that the solution is a tiny $12 adapter.
 
I know MiniDVI hasn't changed but I'd just prefer having a full-size DVI port like they have now on the MacBook Pro's (or was it used to?). I sometimes forget my adapters and such so I'd rather have it on the computer itself. If I'm paying $1500-2000 for a computer I want it able to handle anything, I don't want to have to get adapters and dongles to get everything to work.

But who cares about functionality! It won't look as sleek in the coffee shop... :rolleyes:
 
Battery life. I don't care what ports the freaking thing has. I want 5 hours of battery charge at minimal usage.
 
450 said:
I know MiniDVI hasn't changed but I'd just prefer having a full-size DVI port like they have now on the MacBook Pro's (or was it used to?). I sometimes forget my adapters and such so I'd rather have it on the computer itself. If I'm paying $1500-2000 for a computer I want it able to handle anything, I don't want to have to get adapters and dongles to get everything to work.

But who cares about functionality! It won't look as sleek in the coffee shop... :rolleyes:
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The article is wrong, there haven't been full size DVI ports in the Macbook Pros for a while. They wouldn't fit considering how thin the case is now. A miniscule adapter in the pocket of my laptop bag is IMO a fair tradeoff for the reduced size and weight of the actual notebook itself, but that's just me. The difference between the size and weight of the old G4 Powerbook and the Macbook Pro is significant, and reducing the size of the DVI and power adapter ports were two contributing factors to getting the case thickness down.

Its a rare case when I use mini-DVI anyways. If I had to use one at an office or something I'd just keep it there with the monitor. When I'm out on the road, meh, once in a blue moon I'll have to plug in, and again, fits in a tiny pocket, no big deal.

Again, its just me. I look at the port configuration of some other laptops and I just shake my head (and don't get me started on the ginormous AC and in-flight power adapters some have, ugh). I thought portability was one of the design goals of a notebook computer, but some engineers thing otherwise.
 
Skrying said:
You must have forgot this was a laptop and having to carry around adapters with you is the complete and utter opposite of being mobile. This also means you must spend more money after the fact (even if Monoprice is cheap, though takes forever and a day to ship) is just out right annoying on systems that are generally priced at a premium already. But whatever, you've CLEARLY though this one all the way through oh great smart one.
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Let's not get our panties in a bunch here.....

For the time and money issue, you might be out $20 and a week MAX buying from monoprice.... so I'm not really sure why that's a big deal. And I wasn't suggesting someone should carry around a giant bag of cables everywhere they go, more if someone needs a different port for a certain device, buy a cable to use with that device.

I hadn't thought about the 2 x USB thing though (probably since the article didn't focus on that), but that definitely isn't enough for me on a computer.
 
Skrying said:
You must have forgot this was a laptop and having to carry around adapters with you is the complete and utter opposite of being mobile.
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what laptop bag doesn t have a pocket for a charger ? USB hubs don t take up that much space, really... I wouldn t say accessories negate mobility.

Skrying said:
This also means you must spend more money after the fact (even if Monoprice is cheap, though takes forever and a day to ship)
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People who buy Macs aren t motivated by price, their demographic buying decisions are based on perceived quality.

I also want to add that in my experience, Monoprice has had my order delivered exactly 3 days after I placed it, and being that we are on opposite coasts, this is as good as Newegg's California facility.

thnx for playing.
 
burnin8r said:
I also want to add that in my experience, Monoprice has had my order delivered exactly 3 days after I placed it, and being that we are on opposite coasts, this is as good as Newegg's California facility.
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Monoprice being slow with their shipments is news to me. I get my orders in the same amount of time I do from Newegg, which is one day. Granted, they are both within 50 miles of me, but they get their orders mailed out ASAP.
 
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