> Gorgeous and mostly user-friendly products, but slightly too caught up in their own cleverness instead of the actual needs of real users.
This is so true. Hence the dongle epidemic.
This is so true. Hence the dongle epidemic.
No SD card reader means the new MBP just couldn’t do this without dongles, full stop. That’s a step backwards.
Sure, internal card readers were nice. But they’re gone from Apple now. Really not sure why people keep talking about this.
an extremely and misguided guarantee - any usb 3.1 reader is likely to be similar/same
And then there's CFast - speeds in the 400MB/s range.
I'd imagine the card reader and USB are the same speed, unless they screwed up the implementation of the reader
It often used to be the case that internal SD card readers are USB2, even when the device has an USB3 port.
Second, this is a step forward. Previously, people who didn't need to carry around SD card readers had to, in the form of bulkier laptops with smaller batteries. Now, only folks who need readers have to carry them around. That's a win.
Ultrabooks exist for a reason, and my personal opinion is that it’s a bummer that the “pro“ offering is less capable and more annoying to use for media editing than it used to be.
Apple didn't handle the recall for the 2011 MBP problems very well.
This was incredibly problematic for me, considering Apple's fantastic reputation for customer support. After that experience, I basically went back to Windows, and the transition was surprisingly smooth.
Pretty much 'a small thingie' that has to be attached to a computer for the latter to carry some specific task. Hence, a card reader fits the dongle definition and it should be part of any laptop...
There used be dongles that served copyright protection.
Which card reader? SD? Micro SD? SD and Micro SD? Any of the half-dozen other standards that some cameras still use?
Folks who want an SD card reader or HDMI should carry around SD card readers and HDMI cables. People who don't want those things shouldn't have to carry them around.
I modernized all my accessories years ago. USB-C is all I or, I would argue, nearly anyone needs. I'm truly sorry that your job requires you to carry a little extra gear, but it's not my job, so don't burden me with it. (If you disagree, then explain why the MBP shouldn't have compact flash, micro SD, etc.)
Some might say your narrow definition of dongle was an attempt at being pedantic.
>> I think the real point is being overlooked here.
The real point being overlooked isn't the dongle issue, or being minimalist. It's a product line diversity issue.
You have to be aware that a lot of people who won't switch away from Mac are doing it because of love of the OS, and not necessarily the love of the hardware itself.
Apple has basically decided to make all of their laptop lines ultrabooks (as is their right).
If you look at all the other companies who make laptops, they have non-ultrabook lines for people who need ports, etc. Apple has chosen not to cater to those people, and those people, whose requirements used to be satisfied by previous iterations of Macbooks, are now complaining.
The amount of metal removed from the case is heavier than the connector and PCB traces.
Don't carry around the cables if you don't want to, but your argument is ridiculous.
Noun: A thing I have to carry around to use my new device that I didn't have to carry to use my old device.
So you go out and buy a dongle. Or you just connect the Camera with a cable and you don't have to fiddle with the tiny SD card.
I personally never use SD cards, or any other flash cards. I never use the ethernet jack on a laptop. I very rarely use thumbdrives or other USB devices. I also don't use serial out, or PCMCIA, or compact discs, all of which still conceivably are necessary for some users.
On the other hand, I always need an adapter for video out, because it's either VGA or HDMI or even DVI.
So I go out and buy a dongle. I'm glad that the ports on my laptop is not the superset of all things anyone might need on there.
Apple has basically decided to make all their laptop lines ultrabooks (which is their prerogative). And because a lot Mac users are more loyal to the OS than the hardware itself, they're stuck with what Apple is offering.
As a consultant who goes to different clients, I prefer to have built-in ports as opposed to having dongles I can forget, lose or leave behind. Also, a lot of cables will wear out, and they will stop working when you need them the most (I've ruined quite a few video dongles).
This is why the old unibody MBPs were so great. Yes, they were a little chunkier, but that tradeoff was well worth it for the convenience.
Okay, but if a dongle breaks, you just buy another dongle. If a video port breaks, that's a much more expensive replacement - though I suppose you can get a USB video dongle these days.
On a side note, I wish that wireless video was more of a thing, given the security issues with physical connectors.
Sure. But what if you're onsite somewhere and can't get one nearby? This is a huge problem if you're somewhere where you are required to use a wire for networking (these places do exist).
> What if the spare breaks as well?
The universe hates you, you're doomed.
That's why I no longer have a Mac and have a Windows laptop instead.
I said "That's why I no longer have a Mac and have a Windows laptop instead." It's not an argument. It's simply a statement of fact that explains a choice I've made for myself.
I literally switched from a user serviceable Mac laptop with plenty of ports (15" 2011 MBP) to user serviceable PC laptops with plenty of ports, with one of the primary reasons being that the newer Macbook models didn't satisfy my desire to have a full suite of ports that includes ethernet.
As for broken ports/connectors, I've had zero port failures in almost 3 decades of laptop ownership, and I don't consider myself to be very gentle plugging/unplugging my peripherals.
At the moment, I have 2 laptops with USB-C and 3 without. I personally don't see a huge difference in robustness between the USB-C and USB-A ports. Even when I buy a USB-C laptop, I still make sure that it still has at least one USB-A port so I can have dongle-free interoperability with my peripherals.
I've seen unfolding Ethernet ports that still let the laptop be crazy thin
I personally have better things to spend money on, so I generally don't get rid of my devices until they stop working. Apple's made it a PITA to do that, so I've stopped buying their products. Problem solved.
Here's a selection of connectors that you can supply with Thunderbolt3 or plain USB dongles, most of which I actually own:
- Serial-Port
- Parallel-Port
- PS/2 Port
- USB A/B/C/Mini/Micro Port
- Firewire 400/800
- HDMI (and Mini HDMI)
- DVI
- VGA
- DisplayPort and Mini Displayport
- 10/100/1000 Mbit/s Ethernet
- SD/MiniSD/MicroSD Card
- CF Card
- Memory Stick
- SATA/mSATA
- IDE
- 3,5mm and 6.35mm audio jacks
Not everyone needs all of these ports, all of the time. They need some of these ports, some of the time - but everyone's requirements are different. You probably wouldn't argue that a Macbook should have Firewire Ports, but those are some of the most expensive devices you'd have, if you have them.
Should the Macbooks have more ports? Absolutely, but they should be Thunderbolt 3 ports.
My wife has had similar experiences with the HDMI adapter.
This was of course never a problem during the years in which Apple provided a sensible choice of ports, built right into the machine.
I'll also "let you in on a secret": Apple don't make a USB-C SD card reader.
I'm starting to believe you like it that way.
USB-C-all-the-things is great if you live in the valley environment of shiny new every thing; not so much if you have to deal with all the stuff that all ready exists.
Also, have you considered the amount of e-waste produced by this change-over?
That is, in fact, stupid.
It's a negative to the design, but the worst possible case is you go read or watch something where you won't need your mouse for 10 minutes.
My wife works in a small, elementary school and I help with the computers from time to time. One day, their network was misbehaving and I needed to change some settings on their iMac "server". I quickly discovered that the mouse had lost it's charge over the 2 months that they didn't use it and I had to plug it in and wait for it to get a small charge. Well, first I had to find a USB <--> Lightning cable.
Anyway, the worst possible case is not that you go read something for a while; sometimes your network is down and you have to wait 10 minutes before you can fix it. Just because some designer thought it would be ugly to put a "tail" on a mouse.
More seriously if it went from misbehaving to calling you in to getting to the computer and adjusting it, it doesn't sound like the four minutes of charge time was anything but negligible. Finding a cable sounds like a bigger issue, and that could happen to any wireless mouse. (and wireless is definitely not a dumb design decision, there are clear usability advantages to wireless mice)
All these worse case assume you can actually walk into an Apple Store in the first place. They are jam packed and a complete mess.
( I haven't seen the new layout and workflow of Post Angela Ahrendts Apple Store yet, so many be they are better now. )
(1) "No way with the cables included in the box" is not the same as "no way." There's a USB-C to Lightning cable in the bag right next to me. That lets me plug a top of the line Apple laptop into a top of the line Apple phone. With no dongle, even.
(2) In practice, there are zero times over the last two years that I've had to plug a phone into a laptop. I can't honestly remember why I bought this cable; I think I wanted to see whether USB tethering to the phone was better than using the mobile hotspot feature (spoiler: kind of a wash). I am sure there are people reading this, possibly including you, raising their fists to the sky and screaming BUT IT IS THE PRINCIPLE OF THE MATTER, and, sure, okay, I guess. But is it?
One can make that argument that Apple should include both cables in the boxes, or a USB-A to USB-C dongle, or something. But in practice, just how many people need the USB-C cable for their phone, even if they have a USB-C laptop? The vast majority of people are probably only using Lightning cables to charge their phone from a charger, in which case it doesn't matter, or to plug into their car, which means they need USB-A anyway. (People may also be using Lightning-to-not-USB dongles, like headphone ports and HDMI output, but that's irrelevant to this.)
Here's my reason:
https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Headset-H390-Noise-Cancellin...
I can't find any replacements. Anyone on my team that tries whatever bluetooth whatever, they always sound distant or scratchy just plain lagged. On the other hand they keep asking me to tell them what I use because I always sound crystal clear with no background noise. I send them that link and immediately dismiss it because it's cheap, uses a stupid USB connector and their laptop doesn't support the plug without dongles. (I use a 2014 MBP)
Yet they keep complimenting me, like literally every call on how good I sound to them. I don't care if they found a $200 lightning plug version with large ear cups - they don't sound like I do.
I'm sorry if you thought I was making some blanket statement that all workflows are absolutely wonderful under all circumstances on laptops that have moved to USB-C, but I also don't think that would be a remotely fair reading of what I wrote.
You don't need a dongle.
Not everyone has a recent MacBook. Makes sense to stick with USB-A for now, I guess, for maximum compatibility.
> Where is the Apple USB-C iPhone or iPad charger?
Here https://www.apple.com/us-hed/shop/product/MR2A2LL/A/30w-usb-...
USB-A is probably cheaper and more universal as a wall-charging, or car charging standard right now.
Top 3 dedicated ports for me would be:
- USB-A
- HDMI
- ethernet
The humorous post that made me smile, then made me sad: https://blog.pinboard.in/2016/10/benjamin_button_reviews_the...
Apple's own products often need additional dongle purchases to work with each other using the standard cables they ship with. This is not just a question of people choosing them, a new cable or a dongle is forced if you want to charge your Apple phone from most Apple laptops.
I'd argue that when Apple feel the market for USB-C is mature enough that they can ship a USB-C cable in an iPhone box, this is probably the canary in the coal mine that indicates the dongle epidemic is over.
Older readers will remember that in the PowerPC era, the Powerbooks and iBooks often shipped with a handful of video dongles as standard - in the box no less! (my S-Video one got a lot of use way back when). If Apple had just shipped a single reliable USB-A -> C adapter with every MacBook and stomached the tiny cost, this could have appeased a great many people rightly annoyed by this badly managed port transition.