Another big build up and Steve (Jobs) announces 3 brand new iProducts.\u00a0 What are these I hear, well they are…..<\/p>\n
A new MacBook, MacBook Pro and a 24″ Cinema display.\u00a0 I’m not going to bother linking images, cos you’ll see one eventually.<\/p>\n
The MacBooks both are carved out of a solid slab of aluminium (using some funky new process), anyway they look really smart however, several issues affect these new iProducts.<\/p>\n
Glossy Screens<\/strong><\/p>\n For years graphic pro’s have been able to purchase the old MBP with matte of glossy screens.\u00a0 I’d guess the majority of them chose the matte.\u00a0 Matte is easier to calibrate and doesn’t reflect as bad.\u00a0 Apple’s response to screen reflection is to increase the brightness.\u00a0 Think they’ve dropped a bollock on that one.\u00a0\u00a0 I have a few customers still using their old white 24″ iMacs as they don’t want to go glossy.\u00a0 Now Apple state all screens will be glossy.\u00a0 So that potentially wipes out iMac sales for graphic\/image work.<\/p>\n For these users where next?\u00a0 Get a MacMini and a decent screen, or a MacPro and a decent screen?\u00a0 or ditch Apple and get a PC setup and crossgrade the Adode products to PC.\u00a0 The latter would be a cheaper option.<\/p>\n No Firewire<\/strong><\/p>\n Probably not a big point for some, but for many firewire enables users to fully use iMovie with their DV camcorder, or it used to.\u00a0 Apple for some unknown reason have decided to remove all firewire support from the MacBook (Alu).\u00a0 I use this for my firewire drives, just as well I’ve not bothered to update.<\/p>\n Pricing<\/strong><\/p>\n Now this is where Apple have lost the plot.\u00a0 With the current downturn you’d expect common sense pricing.\u00a0 Though I do concede the new funky aluminium case will be expensive to produce, however as Apple really make a lot of cash on hardware I felt they could’ve not taken the piss.<\/p>\n A few prices to compare:<\/p>\n Macbook (white)<\/p>\n 2.1ghz Combo \u00a3699 – now has a superdrive but costs \u00a320 more<\/p>\n MacBook (Alu – comparision with previous plastic MB in terms of speed)<\/p>\n 2.4ghz SD \u00a3799 – Alu version 2.4ghz \u00a31,149 (o.k. it has better GPU, HDD and a backlit keyboard!)<\/p>\n To save you a little cash they do a cheap version..<\/p>\n 2.0ghz SD (Alu) \u00a3949 – smaller HDD and no keyboard back light, also as with it faster brother no FW.<\/p>\n Now they are still producing the old faster plastic MB with FW for \u00a3229 less than bottom spec Alu model.<\/p>\n In the US the base plastic MB dropped by $100, the UK went up by \u00a320.<\/p>\n The moronic pricing continues with the MBP and MBA.<\/p>\n Jobs went on to say that the ‘pro’ features in the new Alu MB are a cost saving of $700 over the base MBP price.\u00a0 I think he was trying to say ‘look, you’re getting a pro, but paying less’<\/p>\n Nice try Steve, but we are not getting a MacBook Pro.\u00a0 In fact we’re getting a less than pro.\u00a0 A MacBook with a glossy screen and no FW.\u00a0 That’s not pro.<\/p>\n Also released (available Nov) was a speed and gpu bump for the MBA – frankly no one gives a shit about this featureless ‘but very light’ laptop.\u00a0\u00a0 Also announced is a new cinema display, woo woo woo.\u00a0 But hold on, this is newApple (putting spin and gloss on to hide the cracks).\u00a0 The new 24″ Cinema display is glossy and is designed to compliment the new MacBooks (all 3).\u00a0 It has a unique cable that has a USB, Magsafe and Mini Display Port connector.\u00a0 Seems they don’t want old tech connecting to this new funky LED display (running at a laughable 14ms and 1000\/1 contrast ratio).\u00a0 Have Apple reinvented the ADC again?\u00a0 Seems so, I guess an adapter to convert DVI to MDP (I assume that’s the correct abreivation) will be available at a bargain \u00a350 or so.<\/p>\n Eventually you’ll have to buy an adaptor whatever you get, unless you buy newApple to newApple kit.\u00a0 Of course if they ever decide to update the MacMini then it’ll have MDP on board as Steve said ‘it’ll be on all new Apple products’ (or words similar).\u00a0 So as I do want an Apple glossy display I’ll need and MDP to DVI\/HDMI converter, again costing \u00a350.<\/p>\n So kind of at a loss with the current updates.\u00a0 I know from the Q&A session with Steve Jobs, Jony Ives and someother bloke that a Netbook isn’t in Apples plans.\u00a0 So maybe my next purchase will be an Acer Aspire netbook (with Linux).<\/p>\n I really love using my Mac, seems Apple are doing their best to move many over to a PC with this update.\u00a0 I really can’t see any reason to update my MB for a good while yet.<\/p>\n Apple need to look at price, you can get PC laptops for half the price, but with better technology (bar the OS in my opinion).\u00a0 No doubt some fanboy wankers will get upset with this post, but I care not.\u00a0 I’m a very happy Apple user, I love their products.\u00a0 I feel this update is more about style, maybe that is Apples new direction.<\/p>\n Style – Like Bang and Olufson – Stylish, overpriced and weird looking.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Another big build up and Steve (Jobs) announces 3 brand new iProducts.\u00a0 What are these I hear, well they are….. A new MacBook, MacBook Pro and a 24″ Cinema display.\u00a0 I’m not going to bother linking images, cos you’ll see one eventually. The MacBooks both are carved out of a solid slab of aluminium (using … <\/p>\n