Breaking up with Apple....

I was pretty underwhelmed by the new macbooks. I have a late 2013 model that is still adequate and likely will have to be for the indefinite future. I have enjoyed macs primarily since they typically just do what I want them to do without a lot of additional fuss. However, even considering the last update to the Mac Pro (several years ago) Apple just seems like it's a consumer electronics/digital media company much moreso than a computer maker for creative professionals. To get the newer model with the specs I want would run over $4k, and I can have a more powerful desktop PC for considerably less. I like Logic and Final Cut, but I also run Pro Tools which runs fine on Windows. My next purchase (for audio applications) will likely be a winpc unless Apple surprisingly updates the Mac Pros and doesn't make them prohibitively expensive. I have very little hope that would happen.

This blog entry sums up the "updates" pretty well:

http://cdm.link/2016/10/apples-computer-vision-looks-backward-others-look-forward/
 
Windows 10 has a few very neat things that aren't talked about a lot.

My favorite is Storage Spaces. It's such an awesome and simple solution I almost cried of happiness when they first introduced it in Windows 8 and I unexpectedly found it and realized this was something I've been trying to get for ages and couldn't, with NAS devices, RAID controllers and so on. Imagine a RAID but where you can mix and match them any way you want, use various sizes, capacities, SSDs, huge drives, thumb drives, they all can expand to one storage device and everything will be redistributed, mirrored automatically in background. You can just unplug one while everything is running, take it with you somewhere, use with another computer, add/remove files, come back plug it in - boom - everything is in sync after a short while. One of them fails? No worries, plug something else in or use just one until you get something for mirroring.

Then there's File History - sort of like Apple's Time Machine, incremental background backup over the network. It may not be all that new to Apple users, but it doesn't require any hardware and works invisibly and excellently. I had a computer where the system drive failed. Got another computer, pressed a button, an hour later I had a copy of the failed PC.

Then everything syncs now between devices. And the great thing about how Microsoft does it this time - it's a truly open ecosystem in that you can add an iPad or a Mac or an Android phone. Yes, some of the functions are Windows only by definition (like syncing desktop settings), but you can still share a lot. I have 1TB space on OneDrive, and that's where our band stores Ableton projects and other common data, using iPads, Macs, Androids and Windows. There are native apps for all platforms.

Then you don't need to buy a device to project something on your TV, if the latter is fairly modern. It just works, pretty much zero config. And I'm not talking about that clunky old UPnP/DLNA stuff, no.

It's somewhat unfortunate that they really failed to push Windows Phone because that adds to the ecosystem tremendously. That's also a great OS now, too bad it has no good hardware and everybody considers it dead, so very few apps are being developed for it.

With regard to stability - I have an Asus laptop that has been running for about 7 years now, and shows no signs of slowing down. It didn't work out of the box this way - I had to spend hours removing all the crap Asus put there. For whatever reason OEMs feel obliged to screw up everything they have access to. But Surface devices? These don't require any fiddling with.

So yeah, if you haven't used Windows lately, you may have a lot of misconceptions about it.
 
iaresee said:
Oh man. Apple's got to do something seriously impressive tomorrow because this Surface Pro video has me salivating over what it'd be like to be able to use that display as a DAW interface.



10 years with Apple, maybe we're about to break up? I've been holding out all year hoping they'd refresh the iMac or MacMini lineup or bring back a modular MacPro that isn't $8k for "nicely appointed". I'm not a laptop user at home. I don't want to pay for the form factor. I want a big old powerful thing that sits on my desk and lasts another 8 years like the iMac I'm typing this on did...

C'mon Apple...whatcha gonna do to earn my love and money?
Click to expand...

I use the trash can and a couple of 23" Cinema displays and a 42" LCD screen combined with a lot of out board gear, the only thing more I could ask for is more RAM. The touch display would be nice, but for me my displays are out of reach a good 24" away or more.
 
hochha said:
I use the trash can and a couple of 23" Cinema displays and a 42" LCD screen combined with a lot of out board gear, the only thing more I could ask for is more RAM. The touch display would be nice, but for me my displays are out of reach a good 24" away or more.
Click to expand...
Oh I'd love a trash can Pro. But not at the price they charge for it. :)
 
My MacBook Pro ran out of upgrade capability last year after 8 years, stopping me at Logic 9. So I bit the bullet and got on eBay and found a guy who was supercharging Mac Minis, got 2 SSDs, maxed out RAM, inputs, software, etc., for a little north of $2K. Monitor, keyboard extra. I use an iPad with Logic Remote, got my Axe running USB into the Mini, speakers out from the Mini via the headphone jack, life is good. I'm sticking with Apple, my $.02.
With guitars and equipment, I want to be the weakest link in the chain, which I undoubtably am.
 
I am typing this from my Sony Vaio, which is one the last ones they made and its now running Windows 10. I am also a Mac User. I have a MacBook Pro about 2 years old now.

I was wondering who really needs touch enabled soft keys at the top of the keyboard and a smaller keyboard and even larger touch screen on a Macbook pro laptop. A lot of the time I have mine docked and using a separate mouse, monitor and keyboard.

But that Surface Desktop looks awesome.

Probably a couple of years before I replace my computer stuff. But Apple's recent phone with no headphone socket, no ability to add storage meant the phone I needed to replace wasn't Apple. I bought a Blackberry Passport Silver Edition at a knockout price and its a great phone, does what I need it to do and I can add 128GB of storage via a Micro SD and use a normal set of headphones with the thing.
 
I've been a long time Apple supporter. The stuff is durable and relatively seamless in integration. I've got a 2005 Macbook Pro, a '17 Macbook Pro from 2011 that is still my main computer. (Apple: PLEASE BRING BACK THE 17. Trick it out and it's a premium.) The last product I bought was the Apple Watch (which I love....of course they would come out with the one they should have produced in the 1st place a year or so ago...waterproof, more standalone during exercise...sigh.)

I waited like most people for this new Macbook Pro. I get excited at these events because they do a great job of buildup. The stoopid amount of time in between refresh' had me convinced that this would be a monster. I've been looking to upgrade my old '17 for the last year as it just doesn't keep up the way it used to with app advancements, but didn't want to buy something that would be refreshed 2 months later.

After the keynote? Underwhelmed. I can't imagine using that touch bar for anything but the most mundane of tasks...and they spent SO much time talking about it like it was a game-changer. I could go on, but I'm sure it's all been said.

Bottom line:
-I feel no need to plop down $2500 for this. I'm sure it's a nice box, but I think I'd rather make due with my old one than get something that I feel is just 'treading water'.
-Recent flubs on Apple's part have me questioning the company in general. Borked upgrades that brick devices, spotty behavior in the music apps (although I'll concede that the new Apple Music is a substantial improvement over the last iteration.)

It just smells to me like Apple is trying to do too many things. Cars (software and hardware), Watches, Headphones, iPhones, TV, iPad are all things outside their core...which is computers, and what *used* to be, the BEST computers. Now everyone is challenging their space, doing it better and cheaper. The CEO perhaps stopped listening to wild eyed innovators who say 'what if we do something just flat out nuts?' and listened instead to the guys who say: 'what if we miss our target dividend?'

I'm still an Apple guy. My twins turn 11 in a few days, and I'm upgrading their iPods to iPad mini's. But honestly now I'm looking for one of the older MacBook pro's for me...I see no need for this upgrade at this price when I can get 95% there with a 2 year old computer at half the price (and a LOT less fookin' dongles...nuff said.)

I hope they pay attention and start kicking ass in the design department, but as long as the money keeps rolling in, I doubt they'll see a need to do so.

R
 
electronpirate said:
I've been a long time Apple supporter. The stuff is durable and relatively seamless in integration. I've got a 2005 Macbook Pro, a '17 Macbook Pro from 2011 that is still my main computer. (Apple: PLEASE BRING BACK THE 17. Trick it out and it's a premium.) The last product I bought was the Apple Watch (which I love....of course they would come out with the one they should have produced in the 1st place a year or so ago...waterproof, more standalone during exercise...sigh.)

I waited like most people for this new Macbook Pro. I get excited at these events because they do a great job of buildup. The stoopid amount of time in between refresh' had me convinced that this would be a monster. I've been looking to upgrade my old '17 for the last year as it just doesn't keep up the way it used to with app advancements, but didn't want to buy something that would be refreshed 2 months later.

After the keynote? Underwhelmed. I can't imagine using that touch bar for anything but the most mundane of tasks...and they spent SO much time talking about it like it was a game-changer. I could go on, but I'm sure it's all been said.

Bottom line:
-I feel no need to plop down $2500 for this. I'm sure it's a nice box, but I think I'd rather make due with my old one than get something that I feel is just 'treading water'.
-Recent flubs on Apple's part have me questioning the company in general. Borked upgrades that brick devices, spotty behavior in the music apps (although I'll concede that the new Apple Music is a substantial improvement over the last iteration.)

It just smells to me like Apple is trying to do too many things. Cars (software and hardware), Watches, Headphones, iPhones, TV, iPad are all things outside their core...which is computers, and what *used* to be, the BEST computers. Now everyone is challenging their space, doing it better and cheaper. The CEO perhaps stopped listening to wild eyed innovators who say 'what if we do something just flat out nuts?' and listened instead to the guys who say: 'what if we miss our target dividend?'

I'm still an Apple guy. My twins turn 11 in a few days, and I'm upgrading their iPods to iPad mini's. But honestly now I'm looking for one of the older MacBook pro's for me...I see no need for this upgrade at this price when I can get 95% there with a 2 year old computer at half the price (and a LOT less fookin' dongles...nuff said.)

I hope they pay attention and start kicking ass in the design department, but as long as the money keeps rolling in, I doubt they'll see a need to do so.

R
Click to expand...
Believe me, you're not alone....recent decisions the company has made me glad I invested in the last true Pro laptop they apparently will ever make. Apple guy since
85........
 
I've been thinking for some time to dump Apple ecosystem (Mac user since 2002) but the only problem is that.... everything works so well.... 2009 iMac, last year McBook Pro, iPhones in family and iPad abused by my son on several occasions. Macs age so well in my experience...
 
fourtet said:
I've been thinking for some time to dump Apple ecosystem (Mac user since 2002) but the only problem is that.... everything works so well.... 2009 iMac, last year McBook Pro, iPhones in family and iPad abused by my son on several occasions. Macs age so well in my experience...
Click to expand...

I agree. Everything works so well that I don't consider actually moving to another platform. I just wish they could generate a bit more of the wonder and excitement that we used to get in days of yore.

And clearly, (like the US Election polls), the reviews and experts missed the mark on whether this would sell. Outsold competitors after 5 days on the shelf:

http://fortune.com/2016/11/09/apple-macbook-pro-sales/
 
electronpirate said:
I agree. Everything works so well that I don't consider actually moving to another platform. I just wish they could generate a bit more of the wonder and excitement that we used to get in days of yore.

And clearly, (like the US Election polls), the reviews and experts missed the mark on whether this would sell. Outsold competitors after 5 days on the shelf:

http://fortune.com/2016/11/09/apple-macbook-pro-sales/
Click to expand...

Not the only surprising news these days.... Media need to polish their act better
 
The whole state of laptops is so refined nowadays so few things could be revolutionary, mostly CPU/GPU power and energy/battery features.
 
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