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New MacBook Pro with USB-C dongle hell (or not ?) |
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#1 |
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Join Date: Aug 2005
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New MacBook Pro with USB-C dongle hell (or not ?)
I have just taken delivery of one of the new MacBook Pros with 4xUSB-C ports and nothing else. There has been a lot of criticism in the media that this will generate "dongle hell". Just realised that USB-C actually makes life a lot easier for me as regards plugging things in. I work from home and when my laptop is in the study I plug in USB devices, ethernet, HDMI and power. I am forever moving my laptop down to the lounge and each time I do I have to plug and unplug all these cables again. Now I have an an adaptor which supports all the above (including power) and all I have to do now is plug in one (reversible) plug. Couldn't be easier.
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#2 |
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Join Date: Apr 2011
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Its the fact that you need an adapter thats annoying people, its a easy way for apple to milk a bit more cash out of you and if you leave your adapter at home while traveling to work you'll need another one at a rather nice profit to Culpertino.
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#3 |
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Quote:
Its the fact that you need an adapter thats annoying people, its a easy way for apple to milk a bit more cash out of you and if you leave your adapter at home while traveling to work you'll need another one at a rather nice profit to Culpertino.
So having spent the last decade being slated for having proprietary connectors and milking their customers, the moment they use an industry standard you make a comment like that. You can't have it both ways. |
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#4 |
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Join Date: Sep 2003
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My MacBook Plus has a Firewire connection to an EyeTV tuner, lightning connection to external monitor, USB hub for 8 x external drives and USB keyboard + mouse. Also occasional USB to camera, scanner, DVD recorder, iPod, iPad mini and memory sticks.
Call me prejudiced if you like but I can't imagine buying Apple's latest offering. |
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#5 |
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Quote:
My MacBook Plus has a Firewire connection to an EyeTV tuner, lightning connection to external monitor, USB hub for 8 x external drives and USB keyboard + mouse. Also occasional USB to camera, scanner, DVD recorder, iPod, iPad mini and memory sticks.
Call me prejudiced if you like but I can't imagine buying Apple's latest offering. |
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#6 |
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I think also my point is that putting aside Apple, the arrival of USB-C across the industry is to be welcomed. For the first time it's possible to drive all the external devices via a single cable.
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#7 |
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Quote:
But there's my point. A suitably selected external hub will do all that for you with only a single connector to plug in.
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#8 |
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Join Date: Jun 2007
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Quote:
I have just taken delivery of one of the new MacBook Pros with 4xUSB-C ports and nothing else. There has been a lot of criticism in the media that this will generate "dongle hell". Just realised that USB-C actually makes life a lot easier for me as regards plugging things in. I work from home and when my laptop is in the study I plug in USB devices, ethernet, HDMI and power. I am forever moving my laptop down to the lounge and each time I do I have to plug and unplug all these cables again. Now I have an an adaptor which supports all the above (including power) and all I have to do now is plug in one (reversible) plug. Couldn't be easier.
It is your money after all. However creating a thread that invites opinion only for you to then berate an opinion given is a bit weak. |
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#9 |
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Join Date: Aug 2005
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Quote:
Glad you're happy with the purchase.
It is your money after all. However creating a thread that invites opinion only for you to then berate an opinion given is a bit weak. |
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#10 |
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I think it's pretty much certain now that USB Type-C will become the next dominant connectivity standard with USB 3.1 and Thunderbolt 3. It'll just take a few years for things to migrate over. It's going to gather pace though. Quote:
My MacBook Plus has a Firewire connection to an EyeTV tuner, lightning connection to external monitor, USB hub for 8 x external drives and USB keyboard + mouse. Also occasional USB to camera, scanner, DVD recorder, iPod, iPad mini and memory sticks.
Call me prejudiced if you like but I can't imagine buying Apple's latest offering. 2. You run 8 external HDD's through 1 USB 2.0 hub?? |
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#11 |
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But an "opinion" that Apple have gone with an industry standard to make money is completely irrational.
![]() Just a sidenote ... The few Apple users I know will only buy peripherals from Apple. |
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#12 |
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Quote:
I think also my point is that putting aside Apple, the arrival of USB-C across the industry is to be welcomed. For the first time it's possible to drive all the external devices via a single cable.
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#13 |
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Quote:
I think it's pretty much certain now that USB Type-C will become the next dominant connectivity standard with USB 3.1 and Thunderbolt 3. It'll just take a few years for things to migrate over. It's going to gather pace though.
1. The new MacBook Pro is clearly not for people who want to stick to using decade-old peripherals. Quote:
2. You run 8 external HDD's through 1 USB 2.0 hub??
Quote:
Microsoft Surface Pro, Surface Book and Surface 3 have been able to do that for a while with their Surface Dock. [/url]
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#14 |
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Join Date: Apr 2011
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That comment absolutely displays your prejudice against Apple. Do you not know that USB-C is an industry standard, and therefore you can buy any number of adaptors from any number of 3rd parties. Apple will not make significant money (in proportion to other revenue) from dongles.
So having spent the last decade being slated for having proprietary connectors and milking their customers, the moment they use an industry standard you make a comment like that. You can't have it both ways. Its not going to be a great money maker but a nice regular bit as people start buying the new machines and start to realise they still need to connect to legacy kit. Yep the stuffs cheap only 10-50 quid but it soon mounts up if you've got to furnish an office with them. |
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#15 |
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Quote:
No Firewire. No monitor connection. ![]() |
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#16 |
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Quote:
That comment absolutely displays your prejudice against Apple. Do you not know that USB-C is an industry standard, and therefore you can buy any number of adaptors from any number of 3rd parties. Apple will not make significant money (in proportion to other revenue) from dongles.
So having spent the last decade being slated for having proprietary connectors and milking their customers, the moment they use an industry standard you make a comment like that. You can't have it both ways. USB-C is not yet an industry standard since the vast majority of things as of yet do not have USB connectors. In fact, you are hard pressed to find a decent USB-C external hard drive. In a few years it will be completely standard. I have a MBP 2015 and it has every connector i need. I would never consider a new MBP since they ditched everything and i refuse to buy dongle after dongle to use what i need which is HDMI, card reader, displayport and legacy USB. That's nearly or over £100 worth of dongles right there! |
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#17 |
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Quote:
But there's my point. A suitably selected external hub will do all that for you with only a single connector to plug in.
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#18 |
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: moon
Posts: 12,983
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Quote:
I have just taken delivery of one of the new MacBook Pros with 4xUSB-C ports and nothing else. There has been a lot of criticism in the media that this will generate "dongle hell". Just realised that USB-C actually makes life a lot easier for me as regards plugging things in. I work from home and when my laptop is in the study I plug in USB devices, ethernet, HDMI and power. I am forever moving my laptop down to the lounge and each time I do I have to plug and unplug all these cables again. Now I have an an adaptor which supports all the above (including power) and all I have to do now is plug in one (reversible) plug. Couldn't be easier.
It's dongle hell because people have a lot of existing accessories for which they'll need to use adapters now where they didn't before (e.g. SD cards). The comment applies especially when you are on the go. |
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#19 |
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Join Date: Jul 2004
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I remember when apple ditched floppy drives and dvd/cd caddies and vga and and and.
Heard it all before. |
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#20 |
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: South Wales/Gran Canaria
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Quote:
It's nothing to do with prejudice against apple. Apple will also make a fortune on these dongles, sorry adapters.
USB-C is not yet an industry standard since the vast majority of things as of yet do not have USB connectors. In fact, you are hard pressed to find a decent USB-C external hard drive. In a few years it will be completely standard. I have a MBP 2015 and it has every connector i need. I would never consider a new MBP since they ditched everything and i refuse to buy dongle after dongle to use what i need which is HDMI, card reader, displayport and legacy USB. That's nearly or over £100 worth of dongles right there! https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&...l_4agd63yrl2_e But Apple...do their thing and sadly the followers just pay up. I was given a mac book pro air laptop by my son (network engineer and the company switched ot MS Pro, sold the Apple's for nowt to the engineers) and I don't much like it. Its well made, runs nice but for me the shortage of software puts me off it so I stick with my W10 PC's and Pro 4. I'm by no means knocking Apple products, they are well made, work well and if you can stand the software limitations then all is good. My Pro Air is in the same drawer as my Hudl2's. |
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#21 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: South Wales/Gran Canaria
Posts: 8,294
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Quote:
It's nothing to do with prejudice against apple. Apple will also make a fortune on these dongles, sorry adapters.
USB-C is not yet an industry standard since the vast majority of things as of yet do not have USB connectors. In fact, you are hard pressed to find a decent USB-C external hard drive. In a few years it will be completely standard. I have a MBP 2015 and it has every connector i need. I would never consider a new MBP since they ditched everything and i refuse to buy dongle after dongle to use what i need which is HDMI, card reader, displayport and legacy USB. That's nearly or over £100 worth of dongles right there! https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&...l_4agd63yrl2_e But Apple...do their thing and sadly the followers just pay up. I was given a mac book pro air laptop by my son (network engineer and the company switched ot MS Pro, sold the Apple's for nowt to the engineers) and I don't much like it. Its well made, runs nice but for me the shortage of software puts me off it so I stick with my W10 PC's and Pro 4. I'm by no means knocking Apple products, they are well made, work well and if you can stand the software limitations then all is good. My Pro Air is in the same drawer as my Hudl2's. |
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#22 |
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: moon
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Quote:
It
My Pro Air is in the same drawer as my Hudl2's. You either have a Macbook Air or a Macbook Pro. |
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#23 |
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,741
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I have no idea which iteration it was but a little while ago one of my users presented me with a Macbook (Air?) that consisted of just the one mini USB C connection that was being used for the power and nothing else. Of course they didn't have the adaptor either.
If that wasn't bad enough it also had one of the worst keyboards I have ever come across on a laptop. Was half tempted to tell them to send it back and buy a real computer but then I remembered that it had been purchased primarily for Apple Configurator which sadly isn't available for Windows. |
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#24 |
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Join Date: Aug 2005
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Quote:
You're doing it again
![]() Just a sidenote ... The few Apple users I know will only buy peripherals from Apple. |
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#25 |
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Quote:
Microsoft Surface Pro, Surface Book and Surface 3 have been able to do that for a while with their Surface Dock.
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