So, today Apple announced new MacBooks, MacBook Pros, and a new 24“ cinema display. I have a MacBook Pro that I bought in June of 2007 so I’m not really in the market for a new one, but one of the things that kind of surprised me about the new MacBook Pros is the lack of a speed bump. I’m typing this on a 2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo, and the default configuration for a new MacBook Pro? 2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo. If you get the first level of upgrade, you go to a whopping 2.53 GHz. Yes, all the new gizmos on it are cool (I admit I’d like the multitouch trackpad), but I don’t see much of a gain in terms of performance—certainly not enough to justify blowing more than two grand on one of these.
The new MacBooks are very cool indeed, but I can’t really even consider one because of the lack of FireWire 800. I live on a FireWire 800 drive that I sync between home, work, and laptop. FW400 is even too slow to make this convenient, and USB simply will not cut it. However, if I weren’t already wedded to this system that’s a nice package for $1300.
The new monitor is actually more interesting. I spend enough time at my computers that I think it’s worth the money to buy really good monitors. Right now my desktop configuration is a 23” Cinema display along with a 20“ Cinema display. The 23” monitor (which I use as the main) is fantastic but it lacks an iSight camera, which I’ve always wanted to have on it. I would also like the lower LED power and the idea of having a MagSafe on it to charge the laptop is a stroke of brilliance, no doubt about it. (However, I don’t see how to make this work smoothly with the USB and display connection coming from a MacPro under my desk. Hmm.) And adding an extra USB port is also very nice. What I want to know is what happened to the FireWire? The last generation of Cinema displays have two FireWire 400 ports on them, which was terrific. Where’s the FireWire? Irritating. Nonetheless, I’ll certainly consider ordering one of these.
Apple’s clearly moving away from FireWire… no ports on the new display, nor any (400 or 800) on the new MacBook.
The only real use I have for FireWire is target disk mode. But I must admit: the times that I’ve needed target disk mode, there’s been no other reasonable substitute. It’s unconscionable to have excluded FW without offering some TDM alternative… that, coupled with the price point, makes the idea of getting one far, far less attractive to me.
Wow, I hadn’t even thought of target disk mode–that’s huge. Indeed, a fatal flaw, because when you need TDM, you REALLY need TDM. Well, good thing I’m not in the market for a new laptop this year anyway.