@Kronos

I think I'll keep my overweight plasticy Lenovo without USB3.0 for awhile.
And you can keep the touch bar as well.

In three years, IF USB-C is a big deal, everyone will use it, OR it will be another device like firewire that Apple adopts that doesn't gain traction.

Either way, I won't have to deal with the burn of paying Apple's price.

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Amiga! "Our appeal has become more selective"

@clebin

They seem to be clutching at straws these days. Most of the useful/practical things that separated them in the past have been assimilated elsewhere, and often done better.

Once that happened Apple products stand out as what they've actually always been. Standard, expensive computers with a mostly superficial gloss of paint designed to distract from the fact that this is what they are.

While not my kettle of fish (too restrictive for my tastes) I at least understood why people might go the Apple route. These days not so much. Expensive, confused product line that offers nothing over (and is in fact inferior to) cheaper hardware (that is less restrictive).

Apple of today feels like MS of a decade ago. Rested on its laurels thinking itself untouchable for too long, simply paying lip service to its customers, then waking up one day and realizing things have changed, but having no idea how to reestablish itself.

@fishy_fis

Quote:

Apple of today feels like MS of a decade ago. Rested on its laurels thinking itself untouchable for too long, simply paying lip service to its customers, then waking up one day and realizing things have changed, but having no idea how to reestablish itself.

In the meanwhile, Microsoft is releasing the Surface Studio. Funnily enough, a "product for the professional" that's the nearest-to-an-A2000-kind-of-computer I've seen for years. Add a joypad to this "personal big tablet" and you'll get an amazing gaming machine. Microsoft is the new Apple.

@paolone

Quote:

Microsoft is the new Apple.

Bought a Windows phone recently?

Heh, I still don't like either company.
I just use Windows because it the more commodity oriented platform, but frankly they are interchangeable.

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Amiga! "Our appeal has become more selective"

@paolone

Yeah, this new round of Apple products has been great advertising for MS.
Its uncanny how often people are brining up Surface Studio as a counter to their being underwhelmed by latest Apple products.
It's (Surface Studio) getting some great feedback.

@Beans

Quote:

Bought a Windows phone recently?

Perfectly good devices without the hype of Apple or confusion of all the Android 'flavours'. I preferred them badged with Nokia for historical reasons but not everyone wants a new App every 5 seconds they just want a good smart phone

_________________
"Art challenges technology. Technology inspires the art."
John Lasseter, Co-Founder of Pixar Animation Studios

@fishy_fis

Quote:

It's (Surface Studio) getting some great feedback.

The advert is amazing!

LINK

Apple used to be able to sell this sort of concept and deliver the product too! Those days are gone.

P.S. Creative people burn Blu-Rays. The Cloud doesn't work for everything. Apple is clueless and will become a mediocre phone manufacturer if it doesn't pull its finger out!! Sucker punched by Micro$oft!!! That must really hurt again! Maybe Apple and Nintendo should join forces and form a large cash bonfire for Guy Fawkes night With their current strategy they both might as well

_________________
"Art challenges technology. Technology inspires the art."
John Lasseter, Co-Founder of Pixar Animation Studios

re: touchbar

Didn't realize what it was until now. I've actually seen this before. A client from a few years ago had a Win7 laptop with this feature, although unlike the Apple implementation it had it in addition to function keys. Was basically a strip that you could customize to your liking, right down to the symbols/graphics that your programmed functions display.
If anything this Apple implementation comes across as a dated version. Personally I don't like the placement of it either. Its kind of awkward. Ironic that Apple should condemn touchscreens for laptops suggesting its kind of awkward and then add a touchbar in a place that is even more awkward.

Last edited by fishy_fis on 31-Oct-2016 at 01:49 AM.

@BigD

This new Nintendo machine looks like it'll mirror the (lack of) success that Wii U attained.
Firstly, it's freaking ugly in it docked mode. Secondly, its sort of a mishmash of confusion. Is portable mode touchscreen (horrible for gaming), or does one use those hideous controllers when used as a portable? The whole thing just seems too convoluted to me.

The only thing I liked about it is that (I think) it looks quite slick when in tablet mode. Not a fan of touchscreen controls, but it looks nice.

The whole thing comes across as a confused Nvidia Shield (even uses Tegra3).

@BigD

Nokia Windows phones, now there is a real loser.

Except for the new flammability issues, I think I'd stick with Samsung.
And lower end iPhones are almost affordable.
I may have to buy an iPhone SE for my niece (she likes to color coordinate and that is available with a rose gold case that matches her watch).

BUT, none of that addresses the new MacBook, which is a remarkably generic device with only its OS to differentiate it.

_________________
Amiga! "Our appeal has become more selective"

@fishy_fis

Quote:

Once that happened Apple products stand out as what they've actually always been. Standard, expensive computers with a mostly superficial gloss of paint designed to distract from the fact that this is what they are.

I really don't agree with this. In fact, it was more like the other way around.

Take the "Tibook" from 2002. There was no superficial gloss, just stonking great design inside and out. It was thin, light, wide-screen (which was rare), made of high quality materials like titanium and packed full of neat details that showed Apple actually cared about the quality of its gear.

In reply, Windows OEMs could only literally use a superficial gloss of silver paint on their cheap plastic laptops. And I include so-called premium brands in that.

Windows XP was kind of the same. Apple had launched OS X with a modern compositing graphics layer and beautiful theme called Aqua. All Microsoft could do in reply was slap a cheap-looking blue theme onto Windows 2000. Like the silver paint on the laptops, it was purely skin deep.

Now that other companies have caught up and sometimes surpassed Apple, it's easy to forget how different things were 15 years ago.

Quote:

Apple of today feels like MS of a decade ago. Rested on its laurels thinking itself untouchable for too long, simply paying lip service to its customers, then waking up one day and realizing things have changed, but having no idea how to reestablish itself.

Sadly, I do agree with you on this!

Last edited by clebin on 31-Oct-2016 at 11:07 PM.

@Thread

I went to the local Apple store today hoping to sneak a peek at the new Touch Bar enabled MacBook Pros. However, they only had the entry level model and although the dark grey finish looked great as did the huge track pad it really did seem underwhelming

Wading through the first two tables of pointless iPhone/iPad rubbish I approached a gentleman stood by the side of a fresh display model (there was no marketing material about the MacBook Pro refresh I just recognised it from my research) and I assume he was about to buy it. No Apple staff were close by and I assume they were busy finding a boxed 13" MacBook Pro to give him at the till or iTill or whatever

We struck up a conversation about the limited number of ports etc and he showed me the dongle that the Apple staff had 'up-sold' him to go with the laptop. It turned one of the machine's two USB-C ports into a standard USB port a VGA port and a HDMI port. It was finished in the standard garish Apple white which would look rubbish against the dark grey of the machine. Worse than that was the price tag....

... I shudder to reveal that is was a staggering.......

... £69.99 ...

...for a dongle which reimplements the features the previous 'Pro' had as standard! Scandalous!!! I passed the time of day with the punter made my excuses and slipped away. I have no intention of returning to see the proper 'Touch Bar' Pros. Apple are a sick, sick, joke of their former selves. The Mac platform is going down the pan and all they'll have left is a few hipster iAnything fanboys and their pots of money. The days when they actually sold good products without completely fleecing their fans are gone.

BASICALLY:
Quote:

You now pay an Apple tax just to put back in what they took out to charge you more for in light of the fact that the computers they now sell are lighter but with less features!

(BigD, 2016)

_________________
"Art challenges technology. Technology inspires the art."
John Lasseter, Co-Founder of Pixar Animation Studios

@clebin

Time blurs memories somewhat, and now with you jogging my memory I must concur. Once upon a time apple products, especially laptops were quite good.
My comment is only really accurate when regarding recent history.

@BigD

Well, I for once can imagine a macbook that would cost more with more usb-c ports, it's not that obvious.

_________________
Indigo 3D Lounge, my second home.
The Illusion of Choice | Am*ga

@pixie

Not sure what you mean? Of course the Touch Bar versions with extra USB-C ports cost more that is not the point. They've removed standard USB ports, Mini-Display port and the card reader and yet still sell the pretty much compulsory dongle for an additional £69.99 which is rude! So what if it's lighter and has a bigger track pad. It's also lost the MagSafe charger functionality by the way which is another lost feature and hence should be a price reduction. If anything, despite Brexit and the weaker Pound considering the reduction in features I wouldn't buy the entry level 13" model for more than £700 (as long as the dongle was included as a good will gesture).

_________________
"Art challenges technology. Technology inspires the art."
John Lasseter, Co-Founder of Pixar Animation Studios

@BigD

Quote:

...entry level 13" model for more than £700...

That pretty much sums it up right there (what's wrong with Apple), "entry level", "£700".
WTF? Seriously?

_________________
Amiga! "Our appeal has become more selective"

@Beans

It's supposed to be a Pro machine and it's made from premium material and it has a Skylake CPU with good discrete GPU. What I am asking for though is £550 off the asking price and a free dongle. They'd never do that.

Last edited by BigD on 02-Nov-2016 at 01:15 AM.

_________________
"Art challenges technology. Technology inspires the art."
John Lasseter, Co-Founder of Pixar Animation Studios

@BigD

The weaker pound simply means the gap between the US prices and the UK prices is smaller than it used to be.

@Rob

It doesn't stop Apple from vastly boosting UK prices compared to US prices on old machines. It's not like their pricing is becoming fairer, quite the opposite!

BBC Apple raises computer prices

Yeah, Apple are trying to sell the rubbish one that I saw today for £1,249.00 with a crumby 128GB PCIe-based SSD1! This is hardly a big enough Hard Drive for a 'Pro' machine!!!!

£2,349.00 is the price for a decent 15" version with discrete graphics!!!! I'm sure only the Mac Pro used to that insanely expensive!

Last edited by BigD on 02-Nov-2016 at 01:18 AM.
Last edited by BigD on 02-Nov-2016 at 01:15 AM.

_________________
"Art challenges technology. Technology inspires the art."
John Lasseter, Co-Founder of Pixar Animation Studios

@Thread

Here's another £30 additional expense to try and bring back MagSafe functionality


Bring back MagSafe functionality with the Griffin BreakSafe

So that's £70 for the dongle for standard USB functionality and another £30 to get a charging cable that resembles the old spec. SO WHY DOES THE UNDERSPECCED MESS OF A MACHINE COST MORE THAN THE OLD ONE???

ANSWER = GREED!!

Last edited by BigD on 02-Nov-2016 at 01:37 AM.

_________________
"Art challenges technology. Technology inspires the art."
John Lasseter, Co-Founder of Pixar Animation Studios