“Apple Inc. unveiled new additions to its line of laptop computers Tuesday, including a model targeted to the lower-priced, sub-$1,000 market that could be a popular draw for consumers in a slowing economy,” Dan Gallagher and John Letzing report for MarketWatch.
“At an event at the company’s Cupertino, Calif., headquarters, Apple said it will cut the price of its cheapest MacBook model to $999 from $1,099, while introducing two new MacBook models that will sell for $1,299 and $1,599,” Gallagher and Letzing report. “New MacBook Pro models will sell for $1,999 and $2,499, according to Apple.”
Gallagher and Letzing report, “The new models feature ‘unibody’ designs, crafted from a single block of aluminum, which the company is touting as thinner and more durable.”
“Gene Munster, an analyst who covers Apple for Piper Jaffray, [said that] the latest releases could prove to be a catalyst for Apple’s stock, which along with the rest of the tech sector has taken a beating over the past few weeks due to the ongoing credit crisis,” Gallagher and Letzing report.
Full article here.
Can’t see how this downdate will help apple’s stock
…and it’s got Firewire.
Apple’s sub-$1000 MacBook could prove popular in slowing economy
Only In America its now more expensive in the UK
total BS Apple.
Firewire removal charge? $300
Glossy screen = no sale for me.
I’m designer by trade and need a non glossy screen for my work.
I seriously cant see anyone in the creative professions buying these.
Big mistake Apple.
Today’s display of “upgraded” laptops is exactly the kind of offering to be expected by Apple and any other PC manufacturer over the next few months, due to the global economic slowdown. I expected nothing dramatic from them today, due to that fact, and I was right in that respect. Those who have expected the iTablet are not considering the fact that people these days cannot afford such a luxury, as I’m sure Apple would price it at that high of a level. The next few months will not be about innovation, but about minor upgrades, as was today’s event.
However, what did take me off-guard is the fact that Apple wasn’t smart enough to cut prices more on their lower-end products during this economic downturn. That was a missed opportunity, I strongly believe.
Wana bet how much time until Sony, Dell and HP tries to copy it?
For those that don’t want a glossy screen:
http://shinza.com/product_info.php?products_id=50
You’re welcome.
The white MacBook with Firewire at a price below $1000 will be a hot seller. – I guess, this was actually the hot news of the day.
Screw the stock. Apple has billions in the bank and make great products that will sell hand over fist. As long as they continue to profitably do so, everything else is just bullshit.
New Apple MacBook Lacks Firewire — Cuts Off Millions Of Potential Buyers
Apple’s new MacBooks are of no use to the millions – or tens of millions – of potential buyers who own DV video cameras that use FireWire to transfer video from the camera to the computer for editing. The MacBooks are equipped with USB2, but no firewire.
I just got off the phone with the people at 1-800-MY APPLE who confirmed that there is no way they are aware of to use any firewire-based video camera with the new MacBooks.
Apple advised that buyers would have to use a video camera that uses USB to transfer video to the computer – and that excludes about 99% of all video cameras out there.
I was advised to check the Apple online store for such video cameras, but found only Canon firewire-based models for sale!
Even the new Sony, Canon etc High Definition cameras (both DV tape and flash memory based) use Firewire only to transfer video to the computer.
Unless there is something I’m missing, it means that my daughter will not be purchasing a new MacBook, nor will anyone she knows because they are all into making videos.
What do I do for a living? Marketing – and I’m filming and editing videos almost every day. All ten video cameras at my work are firewire based – right from my old reliable Sony PD150 to our new little Canon HV30 HiDef cameras (We bought three)
How big a deal is this?
Once again, unless I’m missing something, there is no way that anyone who owns a firewire video camera will purchase a MacBook.
How could Apple have made a mistake like this? Tell me I’m missing something here, please!
While the cheaper (old) MacBook could prove popular on price alone, it’s hard to escape the reality which is it’s just the “old” MacBook and the “new” product line is actually the same price.
No one buying one (unless they are dumb), will be under any illusion that they are not buying a product with a limited life-span and one certain to be discontinued soon. It’s got “placeholder product” written all over it.
I think that perception will strongly affect University and education sales. No one wants last year’s cool product, the kids want the *latest* cool laptop.
That “old” MacBook will just be shovelled out to newbies and grandmas that want to have an Apple laptop and have no conception of the product line over and above the raw price.
In other words … dummies.
USB –> Firewire adapters.
Looks like I’ll be going for a refurbed MacBook.
This was not the time to increase the price of MacBooks regardless whether the performance is significantly better.
In reality how many users of MBs need faster performance. For those who simply email, surf the web and maybe using word then there is no need for more speed. These machines scream already. I would have been more impressed with a minor update and a drop in price.
Re USB > Firewire Adaptors…
1/ Apple didn’t know if they would work.
2/ Would they allow control of the camera for capture from Final Cut Express/Pro etc?
Looking for answers. Perhaps things will become clear in a day or two as everyone in the video camera industry and videographers talk.
USB to firewire adaptors…
Found this online indicating no MAC compatibility. Once again this is only one product…
begin quote
*****************
“What does this kit do?
This kit connects your DV camcorder to the USB port on your Laptop or Desktop PC.
Do I need a FireWire port in my computer?
No, you don’t. All you need is a USB port (standard on all new computers). So, there’s no need to add a card or open your computer to install anything. It’s all easy and plug and play.
Will I need to buy software too?
No, you won’t need any additional software. Our kit comes with a software package called ImageMixer that will help you download your videos to your computer.
It sounds great, but is it Mac compatible?
Unfortunately our cable is not Mac compatible. However, it is compatible only with Windows XP. This product is not Windows Vista compatible as of yet. We are currently trying to find a work-around for this.”
************”
end quote
An anti-glare screen is a built-to-order option, people!
You can stop with the anti-glossy bitching now.
@Petey:
The MacBook line already had a glossy screen? What else were you expecting?
Do I need a FireWire port in my computer?
No, you don’t. All you need is a USB port (standard on all new computers). —Old Guy with a Beard
You don’t need firewire as long as you don’t mind plugging all your USB devices into an AC outlet (or using both of your USB ports to get sufficient power). USB 2.0 portable hard drives are notorious for not operating properly when connected to a single USB port on laptop computers.
Lots of professional anti-Apple bloggers here today. They all bitch about FireWire but I’d bet Joe-consumer, outside of Apple Joe’s, have never heard of FireWire. All they know is USB, and not even the 1.0 or 2.0. Consumers don’t care about FW over USB. MBP owners, the professional users, won’t cringe a bit.
n anti-glare screen is a built-to-order option, people!
You can stop with the anti-glossy bitching now. —Cubert
Not true. The 17-inch MacBook Pro is the only model that offers a non-glare screen option. Everybody else is out of luck.
So… the Canadian price listed on the white MacBook is exactly the same as it was before the $100 price drop.
What gives?
I’d bet Joe-consumer, outside of Apple Joe’s, have never heard of FireWire —MikeR
Joe Consumer may have never heard of firewire, but millions of clueless consumers DO own video camcorders, 99.9% of which connect to the firewire port on their computers.
@Nutcracker:
Have you seen feedback from users of this product? The fact that it exists doesn’t say anything about how easy it is to apply or how well it works.
Removing Firewire and target disk mode is a very IT-unfriendly move. It will alienate the very class of user/supporter that Apple needs desperately to seduce if they want increased acceptance in the enterprise.
I should add that IT thrives on connectivity. The more useful connectors a box has, the cooler a toy it has the potential to be.
Losing connectors is the equivalent of going to buy an new car and discovering they’ve put a governor on the engine to conserve gas, and you can now go no faster than 60 MPH.
It sucks. Disgruntled and unhappy with this decision.
I’m not sure why people hate glossy screens so much. I use my glossy screen MBP outside in my backyard in sunny california and can still see the screen well. The brightness of the new screens far outweigh the apparent glare factor.
Agree with all the naysayers – we have several hundred MacBooks now in our school, two dozen newer iMacs, MacPro, and dozens of firewire-based miniDV cameras – we have standardized on Firewire in the absence of any reason to believe otherwise. We’ve invested in Firewire drives, and we’re moving toward a one-to-one laptop program in 2-3 years– that’s another 1,300 laptops. This really throws me for a loop. The new iMacs come with just Firewire 800 ports, and that’s just fine, because 9-pin to 6-pin cables work fine connecting to Firewire 400. But **NO** Firewire!??! Firewire Target-Disk mode is something that no PC can touch– It makes troubleshooting quick and easy (having trouble with a MacBook? Boot it in TDM, hook up to another MacBook with Firewire, boot the 2nd Mac with option key, choose first Mac’s HD, test for same problem. Shutdown and reverse the order if necessary. 99% of problems isolated to hardware or software in 3 minutes.)
And let’s nevermind that the price of the new MacBooks actually went UP for very little performance improvement. I think I am going to be sick.
I’m feeling sick.
AAPL was punished appropriately for the lack of FireWire on the MacBook, glossy-only displays, and no Blu-Ray, even as an BTO option.
Hogged-out aluminum blocks was the big announcement! You have to be a real fanboy to get excited about the case…
The $999 old-style MacBook is just a clearance sale.
Nvidia across the whole product line was the real news. This has to mean that the next release of OS X will go “whole hog” with general-purpose computing on the GPU. This will give Apple a huge advantage over Windows 7.
Intel has to be in the dumps – losing the chipset business to Nvidia for the hottest notebooks on the market.
I am the one who started the firewire talk and I assure you I am a big Apple fan. I’ve run OSx for six years with not one virus, not one trojan, not one bit of data lost and not one moment lost to problems with the operating system.
My firm operates ten Macs – everything from the first “half moon” flatscreen iMac to a first gen G5 iMac all in one. We’ve been waiting for the new laptops because our newest is a 12 inch PowerBook G4.
This “no firewire” issue means that we have to spend close to $3k on a laptop that will edit video. We’re committed to Macs, but it Apple was looking to attract people who are now editing video on Windows-based systems they blew it big time.
@Old Guy With A Beard:
Why $3k? The new MacBook Pros start at $2k, and have a Firewire 800… add some RAM and a bigger HD from NewEgg, and you’re still way lower than $3k…
@Old Guy with a beard…
Here’s a link http://www.nextag.com/Tripp-Lite-USB-2-68519599/prices-html
Any of these would work. The lowest price is $3 and change.
I’ve used these cables and others like them to go from DV to a G4 Sawtooth computer whose firewire ports are dead, but the usb still works. This solution works in Final Cut and iMovie HD.
Good solution, but doesn’t help with Target Disk Mode.
agreed fw is just a better solution. I thought TDM was a software configuration, won’t it work with Jim TIV’s solution above??
I have followed apple sessions year in year out and this one seems the most off the mark. they should have managed expectations a bit once the < 1000 got into the wild, especially given the economy we are looking at over the next 12 – 18 mths. whoever said it is just a clearance sale on the old macbooks is right.
I think I saw a device called the MBP, which has FW. It’s $2000, and cheaper when the refurbs are available. If you’re a student, you can get a discount. You could also buy any of the models that are being phased out. I’m sure there’s stock around.
Removing Firewire and target disk mode is a very IT-unfriendly move. —oh no my shorts
Totally agree. No firewire is unforgiveable and unbelievably stupid—maybe the stupidest thing Apple has ever done now that I really start thinking about it. Portable firewire hard drives: out the window. Video camcorders: ditto. Target disk mode: forget about it. I would love to replace my 12″ aluminum powerbook with a new MacBook, but the loss of target disk mode is a deal breaker, even if I didn’t mind replacing my trusty 250 GB portable firewire drive.
So I took a quick poll of 6 people I know who have the current MacBook and asked if they would miss the Firewire port, all said no, they never use it, 3 said “What is Firewire?” That’s why Apple dropped it.
“… all said no, they never use it, 3 said “What is Firewire?” That’s why Apple dropped it”
You’d get similar results if you asked about the microphone jack and the lock slot. With a plethora of USB-microphones available, they should have sacrificed the mic port if anything. There is no substitute for a firewire port and TDM.
OK, $999 is under &1;,000.
But, when you buy the APPLE Care, which is a MUST, because little APPLE products break down like champagne flutes next to an elephant, you get to a total way more expensive than $1,000…
MDN… YOU GUYS are starting to become FANethic (FAN + Pathetic)
@Jim – TIV:
So there’s a USB 2.0 to firewire cable. The question is: how well does it replace the firewire port? Can you use this cable to boot the new MacBook in target disk mode? No. Can you reliably power bus-powered firewire drives? Probably not, since the adapter cable does not increase the amount of power supplied by the USB port.
So now I’ve lost target disk mode andprobably must carry around a power adapter for my new portable USB drive. Oh, and I’ve also given up all possibility of connecting my video camera unless a USB 2.0 to mini-firewire cable is available.
I read that on Intel Macs target disk mode is available via USB; is that correct?
This was a joke. $999 is retarded. This will not help. Nice new Macbooks but $999 is hardly a deal maker…..Week attempt IMHO….
I can’t understand why someone running a business requiring a firewire port for video editing is not considering a MBP or a MP. You can afford to buy three HD video cameras but you edit your movies on a 12″ PowerMac G4? Spend a little extra and buy a MBP or even an iMac.
No, that is not correct. It is still FireWire only. And since Target Disk Mode is a function of Apple hardware that bridges the FireWire port to the internal hard drive, I highly doubt if any sort of USB to FW adapter will work with TDM.
TDM is very useful for system troubleshooting, since it will work even on a computer that has had its system corrupted.
Bad bad move, Apple. Unless they’ve come up with a comparable replacement that they haven’t made apparent yet.
I think I saw a device called the MBP, which has FW. —KenC
You’re missing the point. Many professional users have been waiting years for an Intel-powered replacement for their aging 12-inch aluminum powerbooks. For many, the small form factor is the most desired feature.The new MacBook would have filled the bill except for the missing firewire port. Close, but definitely no cigar.
Maybe I’m dense, but what advantage does Target Disk Mode has over booting from an external HD (which all Intel Macs can do from USB)? Instead of running around with a MacBook, all you need is a small HD. Or maybe even a bootable USB stick.
Also, take a look at the new MacBooks: The hard drive is easily accessible, so the only thing you need to get the data off is a SATA to USB adapter, or an external enclosure.
FireWire Target Disk Mode is useful for machines where the HD is not easily removeable.
For the current line-up, it has outlived its usefulness.
read that on Intel Macs target disk mode is available via USB; is that correct? —currentinterest
Definitely not.
Maybe I’m dense, but what advantage does Target Disk Mode has over booting from an external HD —elgarak
Well, first of all, you cannot boot from an external USB hard drive. So Apple’s omission of a firewire port is actually a double whammy for many pro users. That’s just for starters. There are many advantages to being able to transfer files directly from one Mac to another rather than using an external hard drive as an intermediary.
Well, first of all, you cannot boot from an external USB hard drive.
Really, I tried a search and there are articles saying that Intel Macs can boot from external USB hard drives.
I agree with your other point though.
I was also terribly desapointed when the Beige G3 300mhz came out with no Serial and the next G4 Dual without integrated SCSI… Times are changin’ !
For all intents and purposes, the omission of FireWire 400 from the new MacBooks probably won’t make much of a difference to most laptop customers (who don’t own movie cameras or even do their computer maintenance and troubleshooting). And that USB-to-FireWire cable is a significant find. It mitigates SOME of the problems created by dropping Firewire (assuming it works reliably).
However, this change does amount to a Pro tax, since advanced users and digital cinematographers and movie editors do require Firewire (and Target Disk Mode is awesome for troubleshooting). These customers will be forced to move up to the entry-level MacBook Pro at $1,999.
With the radical new video capabilities of those machines, who wouldn’t be tempted to do this anyway? Given the new macBook Pro models, I’d think long and hard before trying to do video editing on a MacBook.
I love the look of these new machines, but I love my Matte Finish too much.
“probably won’t make much of a difference to most laptop customers (who don’t own movie cameras or even do their computer maintenance and troubleshooting).”
I see your point, but don’t forget the education segment Apple is targeting. Schools use MacBooks to enable kids to do video projects, and a MacBook is plenty good enough for this level of editing. In fact, it works great. What I’ve read about that adapter is that it is not at all reliable. We’re looking at buying 1,400 laptops within two years, and with the firewire gone and the price a good chunk higher, the MacBooks going to lose their lead in the mindshare category.
What really gets me is that Apple has promoted Firewire for 10 years, and it’s really started caught on. Every Mac in the past 10 years but a low-budget iMac G3 has had a Firewire port or two. When Apple pulls a feature, it’s usually because there is something better to replace it. USB 2.0 is NOT better, nor even as good.
No matter how you cut it, this sucks for many of us.
Magic word: idea, as in “I had no idea Apple would drop Firewire.”
@hSNetwork
I know you may feel betrayed right now but this is the way I see it. Firewire was a niche product. Although it initially was faster than USB 2.0 that distinction is dependent not on the respective media themselves but on the hard drive interface in the local machines. Early iterations had Firewire with a slight edge over USB 2.0 in sustained data rates, but that has since disappeared with newer machines and equipment that are directly connected. Firewire still has the edge when daisy-chaining equipment.
As much as firewire has a migration path to 800Mb/sec and then 1200 Mb/sec, USB 3.0 is around the corner and promises theoretical max rates of 4.8Gb/sec. expected arrival time next year or the year after. Like USB2.0,USB3.0 will be backward compatible. When creating a stylishly thin notebook port spaces are critical to your sight lines. Fewer ports therefore are better. So if you are Apple do you hold on to legacy equipment that you invented with higher overall cost and limited benefit, or do you you adopt a cheaper more ubiquitous standard that is about to leap frog the best efforts of your own invented standard by 3 times the performance of your third generation product which is still a 1/2 a decade away from being reality?
Intel created USB and as such has the resources to get it out there faster and grow the interface capabilities. I haven’t even mentioned Gbit Ethernet which all of these laptops have. and wireless broad band is about to another 5 fold improvement in speed and reliability. Whit this information I think you ‘ll find that Apple made the right decision eliminating Firewire in all portable devices. I have a bunch of Firewire drives that I no longer use. I’ll probably upgrade the drives with increased capacity for archival storage.
As for your cameras, look for those that have built in mini hard drives or flash drives so that you can edit the video still in the camera. Any high end camera should have had both interfaces otherwise it wasn’t worth the price you paid. Either that or there is probably a retrofit kit that allows for USB 2.0 installation. Failing that conversion devices can only get better in the future.