New machine and what I do not like about apple
26/12/08 16:43 Filed in: Sysadmin
I bought a new laptop, an apple Macbook pro 2.4 early
2008 edition, so the previous generation macbook pro.
So why this one? The thing is, I did not want to spend too much money and I got a bit annoyed with some of the limitations of the old macbook, mostly the casing which started falling apart and the lack of a good gpu.
I am quite happy with my macbook pro, it has two disadvantages compared with the macbook: it is big and harddisc replacement is a hassle. I actually wanted to get the new macbook instead but then it turned out that it has no firewire which is extremely annoying, I have a lot of firewire hardware, like firewire harddisc, DV camera and audio interface. So my only choice was to get a pro even if that meant getting a bigger machine. Choosing the previous gen had some advantages, it was cheaper, it has firewire 800 and 400, has dvi and dvi->vga adapter. The disadvantages compared to the new macbook pro: it feels bigger (it’s mostly thicker), harddisc replacement is hard, and it has a less powerfull cpu and gpu, which I do not care so much about.
All in all I am very happy with the machine, especially since I got it quite cheap and I do not have to buy any adapters. It also feels a lot more solid than a macbook and it feels faster, thanks to gpu but also because the harddisc is a bit faster.
However, I do have a major gripe: I did not want a bigger machine and am very annoyed with apple getting rid of firewire on the macbook. So, here is my list of things I do not like about apple:
- DRM on itunes, including HDCP on displayport on the new macbook (pros).
(Not such a big problem, just avoid DRM content on your mac)
- itunes ripping defaults to AAC, mp3 encoder is frauenhofer, not lame.
(Easily solvable: set rip to mp3, there is also a lame itunes plugin)
- Inability to copy mp3’s back from ipod or iphone to itunes
(Annoying, there are tools for that though)
- Closed application env for iphone
(Annoying, but you can jailbreak)
- Removing features on the new hardware
(This can not be helped except by buying the more expensive line...)
- mail.app performance on imap is not great
(Workable though)
- combo drives on the low end macs
(You have to buy the more expensive ones)
- No real entry level mac
(See above)
- No small laptop
(So I got an eee pc for that purpose)
- Ipone limitations: no sending or receiving of contacts via bluetooth, sms or email, no sync of todo or notes, only online maps
(This is annoying, but hopefully solved in the future)
- final cut studio only works on macs with gpu’s
(FCP can actually be used on a macbook, but motion can not)
- DVD driver not regionfree
(For some drives there are fixes)
Looking back at this list, I realise it is not that bad. I think the fact that they remove features and that they are a media company besides a hardware company annoys me the most, but not enough to stop me from getting their stuff. I mean, what else?
So why this one? The thing is, I did not want to spend too much money and I got a bit annoyed with some of the limitations of the old macbook, mostly the casing which started falling apart and the lack of a good gpu.
I am quite happy with my macbook pro, it has two disadvantages compared with the macbook: it is big and harddisc replacement is a hassle. I actually wanted to get the new macbook instead but then it turned out that it has no firewire which is extremely annoying, I have a lot of firewire hardware, like firewire harddisc, DV camera and audio interface. So my only choice was to get a pro even if that meant getting a bigger machine. Choosing the previous gen had some advantages, it was cheaper, it has firewire 800 and 400, has dvi and dvi->vga adapter. The disadvantages compared to the new macbook pro: it feels bigger (it’s mostly thicker), harddisc replacement is hard, and it has a less powerfull cpu and gpu, which I do not care so much about.
All in all I am very happy with the machine, especially since I got it quite cheap and I do not have to buy any adapters. It also feels a lot more solid than a macbook and it feels faster, thanks to gpu but also because the harddisc is a bit faster.
However, I do have a major gripe: I did not want a bigger machine and am very annoyed with apple getting rid of firewire on the macbook. So, here is my list of things I do not like about apple:
- DRM on itunes, including HDCP on displayport on the new macbook (pros).
(Not such a big problem, just avoid DRM content on your mac)
- itunes ripping defaults to AAC, mp3 encoder is frauenhofer, not lame.
(Easily solvable: set rip to mp3, there is also a lame itunes plugin)
- Inability to copy mp3’s back from ipod or iphone to itunes
(Annoying, there are tools for that though)
- Closed application env for iphone
(Annoying, but you can jailbreak)
- Removing features on the new hardware
(This can not be helped except by buying the more expensive line...)
- mail.app performance on imap is not great
(Workable though)
- combo drives on the low end macs
(You have to buy the more expensive ones)
- No real entry level mac
(See above)
- No small laptop
(So I got an eee pc for that purpose)
- Ipone limitations: no sending or receiving of contacts via bluetooth, sms or email, no sync of todo or notes, only online maps
(This is annoying, but hopefully solved in the future)
- final cut studio only works on macs with gpu’s
(FCP can actually be used on a macbook, but motion can not)
- DVD driver not regionfree
(For some drives there are fixes)
Looking back at this list, I realise it is not that bad. I think the fact that they remove features and that they are a media company besides a hardware company annoys me the most, but not enough to stop me from getting their stuff. I mean, what else?
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