# Apple Bits And Bytes



## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Instead of starting a new thread for every Apple annoucement or update, I thought this thread might help keep users abreast of tech news from Apple without clogging the forum with multiple subjects. Kind of like the Miscellaneous Links thread in Everything Else.

Here is a start:



> *Apple reportedly announcing iPad Pro with USB-C, MacBook Air successor, and new Mac Mini next week*
> 
> Apple plans to announce updated iPad Pros with USB-C ports, a 13-inch laptop meant to replace the MacBook Air, and long-awaited updates to the Mac Mini during its event Tuesday morning, according to Bloomberg. Just about all of this has been rumored before, but Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman is usually the definitive name when it comes to nailing exactly what we’ll see on event day, and with a few days to go, we now have those answers.


https://www.theverge.com/circuitbre...rs-macbook-air-update-ipad-pro-usb-c-mac-mini


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Just had time to check out the new Mini, yikes what a price jump!

I bought a brand new Mini in 2015. Of course due to no updates it was one built in 2012. It cost me $699 plus 
Applecare. To relace it with a comparable Mini now, the price is $999 plus Applecare, but that only gives me a 128 GB drive. My current model is 500 GB.

A whopping 42% increase. Highway robbery.


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

This does not bode well, speaking as a frequent user of the excellent material at iFixit...

*Apple confirms its T2 security chip blocks some third-party repairs of new Macs*

...the newest MacBook Pro and last year’s iMac Pro, come equipped with Apple’s security-focused T2 chip. The T2 chip, which acts as a co-processor, is the secret to many of Apple’s newest and most advanced features. However, its introduction into more computers and the likelihood that it becomes commonplace in every Mac going forward has renewed concerns that Apple is trying to further lock down its devices from third-party repair services.

The T2 is “a guillotine that [Apple is] holding over” product owners, iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens told The Verge over email. That’s because it’s the key to locking down Mac products by only allowing select replacement parts into the machine when they’ve come from an authorized source — a process that the T2 chip now checks for during post-repair reboot. “It’s very possible the goal is to exert more control over who can perform repairs by limiting access to parts,...” 
(The Verge)​


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

*Apple makes risky decision to wait until at least 2020 to release a 5G iPhone*

In the past, it hasn't been a problem for Apple to wait after its competition releases new phones for the latest networks, but 5G is different

https://vancouversun.com/technology...Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1543862988


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## wonderings (Jun 10, 2003)

SINC said:


> *Apple makes risky decision to wait until at least 2020 to release a 5G iPhone*
> 
> In the past, it hasn't been a problem for Apple to wait after its competition releases new phones for the latest networks, but 5G is different
> 
> https://vancouversun.com/technology...Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1543862988


But when Apple finally does catch up it will be the best thing ever and quite possibly the best phone they have ever made.

Apple knows how to make money, they will milk the current chips as long as they can, gigabyte LTE sounds great is better. This will help boost their sales for the next model design as it will be a must have feature. Grows tiring to have Apple purposely lag behind with no real reason as to why. A perfect example is the wireless charging on the current phones. They went with the slower older tech rather then the fast wireless charging that has been out a while already. Again will help make the next model the best phone they have ever made.


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

With news of the giant hit to Apple stocks today, I think Peter Cook is revealing himself to be the non-visionary technocrat that he always was. No new products, no exciting updates, just looking for more ways to milk the slowly declining interest in iPhones. Gill Amelio reborn.


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## TiltAgain (Jun 27, 2016)

Macfury said:


> With news of the giant hit to Apple stocks today, I think *Peter Cook* is revealing himself to be the non-visionary technocrat that he always was. No new products, no exciting updates, just looking for more ways to milk the slowly declining interest in iPhones. Gill Amelio reborn.


Well, considering he died in 1995, and at max could only play a CEO, it is not surprising 

Cheers


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Seems to me that until Apple stops the outright greed and reprices iPhones in the $700 area, they will continue to lose business. My iPhone 8 Plus cost me damn near $1,200 and that is obscene. I will be using it for quite a few years without any upgrade to get my money's worth.


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## JAMG (Apr 1, 2003)

For the last many years Apple has used upgrades to iOS and the OS to break compatibility between tech forcing users into more upgrades just to maintain communications. My iPhone 6s is a much better devise than my old 4s but it can't talk to my iTunes on my old iMac and now I can no longer use Image Capture to download photos or video. I have no need for a new iMac...


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

JAMG said:


> For the last many years Apple has used upgrades to iOS and the OS to break compatibility between tech forcing users into more upgrades just to maintain communications. My iPhone 6s is a much better devise than my old 4s but it can't talk to my iTunes on my old iMac and now I can no longer use Image Capture to download photos or video. I have no need for a new iMac...




Unfortunately, just too true, and even more unfortunate that they killed off their expression too many years ago — _*It just works.*_

Anyone remember those days and when Macs were also fun to use and one could even personalize them and some applications.

It seems their famous 1984 commercial has unfortunately gone full circle. 




- Patrick
======


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## wonderings (Jun 10, 2003)

Interesting article on CNN about Apple and its current state
https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/07/tech/apple-tim-cook/index.html

I do agree, Tim Cook is no visionary and that is finally catching up with Apple.

I can only speak for myself but I used to be excited for every keynote, now I only remember one is happening if I check out CNET and get reminded of it. They need someone new and fresh with actual ideas to make Apple a relevant company, not just riding the coat tales of Jobs legacy. Bigger emoji's and the like will not help.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Thanks for posting that wonderings, it is very true and people are finally tiring of Apple's overpriced products that they will one day have to make affordable or die.


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## wonderings (Jun 10, 2003)

SINC said:


> Thanks for posting that wonderings, it is very true and people are finally tiring of Apple's overpriced products that they will one day have to make affordable or die.


While Apple was always a premium brand they always have affordable machines. All Apple is doing with everything they come out with now is trying to push you into services. If you want any hard drive space beyond 128 you pay tooth and nail for it or have to go external which is very un Apple from an aesthetic point of view. 

I am far more interested in what others are doing these days then with Apple. Just this morning I was reading on CNET about a gaming laptop that had a screen come apart from the keyboard. While the product in its current state is ugly, it is one of those ideas that had me thinking "wow so simple, how did no one do this before?"


https://www.cnet.com/news/asus-rog-mothership-reimagines-the-power-laptop-at-ces-2019/

I can only imagine how great that would look with Apples design sense. Reminds me of a Nintendo Switch (which I own and love). Great for portable gaming, great for plugging into the tv, great for taking on a plane and setting up on the table, just well thought out and functional.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

*WSJ: First peek at Apple’s fall lineup*

https://247wallst.com/technology-3/...medium=website&utm_content=link&ICID=ref_fark


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## wonderings (Jun 10, 2003)

SINC said:


> *WSJ: First peek at Apple’s fall lineup*
> 
> https://247wallst.com/technology-3/...medium=website&utm_content=link&ICID=ref_fark


I am really surprised the XR is doing so poorly. Specs are great, screen actually looks good and is much more affordable compared to the XS and has a better battery then the XS Max. 

So really the XS has a better screen, camera and the gigabyte LTE. Again the screen looks great to me on my XR. I have looked at my friends XS and while colours are certainly better and blacks cannot be beat on OLED, it is such a small screen that I really don't care, also not watching any serious media on my phone that I can actually appreciate the cinema quality.

LTE is fast as it is, have not felt any hangups with it yet so not sure what huge benefit there is there. My streaming audio streams immediately, same for youtube videos and web pages. I guess faster is always better but it seems like we have gotten to a point where the technology is not making any huge noticeable improvement for daily regular use.


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## polywog (Aug 9, 2007)

wonderings said:


> I am really surprised the XR is doing so poorly. Specs are great, screen actually looks good and is much more affordable compared to the XS and has a better battery then the XS Max.


Just got one yesterday while I could still get a decent trade value for my 8 plus. Great device so far. While you could tell the difference between the XS and XR side by side, it wasn't so big a difference to be worth the premium. And without my glasses they looked the same =)

Problem is, while there are people willing to pay a ridiculous premium for devices, Apple will keep pricing that way. Sadly by then the old guard will likely have moved on. I really feel since Jobs, they have inched their way closer and closer to being only a vanity product. That is, devices of yore looked great, too, but they were also functional, solid and long lived. New devices are just expensive disposable commodities.


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## wonderings (Jun 10, 2003)

polywog said:


> Just got one yesterday while I could still get a decent trade value for my 8 plus. Great device so far. While you could tell the difference between the XS and XR side by side, it wasn't so big a difference to be worth the premium. And without my glasses they looked the same =)
> 
> Problem is, while there are people willing to pay a ridiculous premium for devices, Apple will keep pricing that way. Sadly by then the old guard will likely have moved on. I really feel since Jobs, they have inched their way closer and closer to being only a vanity product. That is, devices of yore looked great, too, but they were also functional, solid and long lived. New devices are just expensive disposable commodities.


I agree completely. Being saying this for a while now since Cook took over. There was a balance of form and function, now they are going full force towards form while ignoring function. So many examples of this in their products.

I have to say I am happy that sales are down despite profits being up. Apple needs a serious kick in the ass to change direction and become the company I once loved. They have actually become annoying, every even they have they praise themselves way to much, a little humility is a good thing.

Next phone might not even be an iPhone. Never thought I would look at anything else but I have started to move away from the Apple eco system. Music I stream from Amazon, have not touched iTunes on any computer or phone in ages, so much so that I will probably be canceling my iTunes match, despite it being incredibly cheap to host all my songs, I never use it. I am much more willing then I ever have been to look for other options away from Apple.


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

> I agree completely. Being saying this for a while now since Cook took over. There was a balance of form and function, now they are going full force towards form while ignoring function. So many examples of this in their products.



It seems it's not just Tim Cooks influence that's changing things at Apple, but the change in the design department with Jony Ive's head in the thinness cloud and the iOS and macOS software departments trying different directions without a decent leader and then, of course, all their bean counters.

It's sure NOT the Apple of yore that I knew!!! 

And in my senior pension years, I have no need for ridiculously over-priced new Apple "Smart" iPhone thanks.





- Patrick
======


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## polywog (Aug 9, 2007)

wonderings said:


> I have to say I am happy that sales are down despite profits being up. Apple needs a serious kick in the ass to change direction and become the company I once loved. They have actually become annoying, every even they have they praise themselves way to much, a little humility is a good thing.


There is the glimmer of hope. Most of their services require their hardware/software. When they've alienated enough customers from buying their hardware the profits in services dries up pretty quickly, then things get shaken up and hopefully someone else rights the course.

Not to mention a lot of the new customers who jump on the bandwagon to have the latest shiny thing, will just as quickly run towards the next shiny thing. They can't count on the once loyal customers sticking through it.

I'm actually at the point where I'm picking whatever platform I hate the least which is so different from a decade ago. Apple is winning on convenience alone.


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

> I'm actually at the point where I'm picking whatever platform I hate the least which is so different from a decade ago. Apple is winning on convenience alone.



Then there are people like my senior cousin, a really basic computer user, who was convinced by her nephew that she needed to upgrade from her 2008 MacBook that was basically stuck in Snow Leopard 10.6.8.

So they bought a brand new MacBook Air, the younger nephew got her data migrated, and she got madder and madder the more she used it and she couldn't do half the things she used to do.

I ended up migrating her data to my old 2007 15" MacBook Pro and running El Capitan with all the stuff she uses, modified for her use, and she just loves it.

She returned the MacBook Air for a full refund. 

I'm sure there are lots of others just like her which does not help Apple's sales and profits at all.




- Patrick
======


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## wonderings (Jun 10, 2003)

pm-r said:


> It seems it's not just Tim Cooks influence that's changing things at Apple, but the change in the design department with Jony Ive's head in the thinness cloud and the iOS and macOS software departments trying different directions without a decent leader and then, of course, all their bean counters.
> 
> It's sure NOT the Apple of yore that I knew!!!
> 
> ...


I think Steve Jobs kept them all in line. Ives just sounds like an SNL sketch. Seems way to absurd to be serious. That is part of what made Jobs great I think, he focused and directed talented people who needed direction and leadership. Left to their own devices you have what we have now.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

*Apple says Qualcomm refused to sell it chips for the latest iPhones*

https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/14/18182441/apple-qualcomm-modem-iphone-xs-max-ftc-trial


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## wonderings (Jun 10, 2003)

Looks like notchless phones are here and will probably soon be the norm. How long before Apple goes this route and declares it the best and most innovating thing they have ever done?

https://flic.kr/p/2cQpm5i


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## polywog (Aug 9, 2007)

wonderings said:


> Looks like notchless phones are here and will probably soon be the norm. How long before Apple goes this route and declares it the best and most innovating thing they have ever done?
> 
> https://flic.kr/p/2cQpm5i




To be fair, Apple has very rarely been innovative. They had a knack for taking something that was already there, and polishing it to a shine. In honesty, I'd be curious to see what drawbacks there are with current notchless phones, and how Apple might improve on it.


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## wonderings (Jun 10, 2003)

polywog said:


> To be fair, Apple has very rarely been innovative. They had a knack for taking something that was already there, and polishing it to a shine. In honesty, I'd be curious to see what drawbacks there are with current notchless phones, and how Apple might improve on it.


In the past they have for sure, now they just seem to always be following. 

Wireless charging is a great example. They did nothing to improve it on the iPhone and in fact released an older slower version then what is out on many Android phones. No fast charging for Apple as it needs to be saved for another release to add to the feature list. Apple was generally the innovator and things just made sense when they did it, I do not feel they are that company anymore.


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## polywog (Aug 9, 2007)

wonderings said:


> In the past they have for sure, now they just seem to always be following.
> 
> Wireless charging is a great example. They did nothing to improve it on the iPhone and in fact released an older slower version then what is out on many Android phones. No fast charging for Apple as it needs to be saved for another release to add to the feature list. Apple was generally the innovator and things just made sense when they did it, I do not feel they are that company anymore.


I'm curious what you feel they were innovative? I can't think of an example of something Apple has done, that hadn't been done before (even if it were vastly inferior.)

Fast charging has been here a couple of years at least. But apple nickels and dimes; you have to buy a different charging brick and cable to do so.


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## wonderings (Jun 10, 2003)

polywog said:


> I'm curious what you feel they were innovative? I can't think of an example of something Apple has done, that hadn't been done before (even if it were vastly inferior.)
> 
> Fast charging has been here a couple of years at least. But apple nickels and dimes; you have to buy a different charging brick and cable to do so.


That is what Apple did, they innovated. They took something that was out and made it better. There were smart phones before the iPhone, there were tablets before the iPad, there were music players before the iPod. These are obviously the big ones, but they literally created the demand for products in these markets by innovating smart phones and tablets so that people actually wanted to use them. The magsafe charger is another great product from apple that they have tossed aside (unfortunately).


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

*Tim Cook: Apple swapped out 11 million iPhone batteries*

https://247wallst.com/technology-3/...medium=website&utm_content=link&ICID=ref_fark


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## polywog (Aug 9, 2007)

wonderings said:


> That is what Apple did, they innovated. They took something that was out and made it better. There were smart phones before the iPhone, there were tablets before the iPad, there were music players before the iPod. These are obviously the big ones, but they literally created the demand for products in these markets by innovating smart phones and tablets so that people actually wanted to use them. The magsafe charger is another great product from apple that they have tossed aside (unfortunately).


Gotcha, I think we define innovative differently. I think of it more as "introducing something new" than a new method for example. 

Agreed on magsafe, though I can understand the decision.


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

> The magsafe charger is another great product from apple that they have tossed aside (unfortunately).


I would say that was Apple's genuine original innovation, but pretty feeble reasons presented as to why they dropped it. 




> Agreed on magsafe, though I can understand the decision.


Did you actually find a sensible reason that actually made sense somewhere for Apple's reason to drop it???





- Patrick
======


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## wonderings (Jun 10, 2003)

pm-r said:


> I would say that was Apple's genuine original innovation, but pretty feeble reasons presented as to why they dropped it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Seems ridiculous with everything they do and make that they cannot make a slimmer charger.


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

wonderings said:


> Seems ridiculous with everything they do and make that they cannot make a slimmer charger.


Their talent pool is not what it was I'm afraid...


Typical example:
_*Apple could make MagSafe a reality on USB-C MacBooks if it really wanted*_
https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/apple-usb-type-c-magsafe-adapter-patent/

Or maybe:
_*Why did Apple remove the MagSafe connector with no better replacement?*_
https://www.quora.com/Why-did-Apple-remove-the-MagSafe-connector-with-no-better-replacement






- Patrick
======


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## polywog (Aug 9, 2007)

pm-r said:


> Did you actually find a sensible reason that actually made sense somewhere for Apple's reason to drop it???


USB-C can bear data and charge. Now keep in mind I hate their drive to make everything paper thin at the expense of, well, everything else. But, with their goal in mind, moving to USB-C makes sense. The can (did) eliminate several ports, plus the magsafe overhead.

With the mobile devices going in that direction, even better; we may finally have just one charging solution for any portable device. Other vendors going in that direction as well, it may mean compatibility with those, too.

The only reason I personally LIKE mind you is Apple is using an industry standard. We've been burned in the past with custom connectors, so it's a comforting decision.


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## wonderings (Jun 10, 2003)

polywog said:


> USB-C can bear data and charge. Now keep in mind I hate their drive to make everything paper thin at the expense of, well, everything else. But, with their goal in mind, moving to USB-C makes sense. The can (did) eliminate several ports, plus the magsafe overhead.
> 
> With the mobile devices going in that direction, even better; we may finally have just one charging solution for any portable device. Other vendors going in that direction as well, it may mean compatibility with those, too.
> 
> The only reason I personally LIKE mind you is Apple is using an industry standard. We've been burned in the past with custom connectors, so it's a comforting decision.



I am not a fan of proprietary cables, but in terms of the mag safe that is one I can live with. The USB - C power feels like a huge step backwards. I have a current, or last model 13" MacBook Pro without the touch bar. It just feels like a big regression to have to plug in the power with USB - C. Less ports and way more money for a product that feels like I am getting less out of an Apple product then I have before.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

polywog said:


> USB-C can bear data and charge. Now keep in mind I hate their drive to make everything paper thin at the expense of, well, everything else. But, with their goal in mind, moving to USB-C makes sense. The can (did) eliminate several ports, plus the magsafe overhead.
> 
> With the mobile devices going in that direction, even better; we may finally have just one charging solution for any portable device. Other vendors going in that direction as well, it may mean compatibility with those, too.
> 
> The only reason I personally LIKE mind you is Apple is using an industry standard. We've been burned in the past with custom connectors, so it's a comforting decision.


Now if they could only get rid of that big two-pound brick white block they insist on using on every laptop charger cable.


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

> The only reason I personally LIKE mind you is _*Apple is using an industry standard*_. We've been burned in the past with custom connectors, so it's a comforting decision.



And that is a welcome relief to see, but I haven't really looked for comparisons of the force to get the plug to disconnect but I assume, and hope, it must be close to what the disconnect force was with using the Magsafe connector.

But doesn't Griffin or someone now make an adapter that works similar to the MagSafe connector?? I guess that makes sure and adds another thing to lug around.



- Patrick
======


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

SINC said:


> Now if they could only get rid of that big two-pound brick white block they insist on using on every laptop charger cable.



Hmmmm... ??? I guess that makes me wonder what you have in mind that they could do to replace it??

There's actually a fair bit of clever electrical engineering inside that PowerBrick, and especially to help keep everything safe.

I guess one could buy a cheap small Asian made PowerBrick but lacks all the safety features but at least it would be smaller. 



- Patrick
======


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

*With Samsung Poach, Apple Is Finally Taking Batteries Seriously*

An iPhone battery you can replace yourself coming?

https://www.tomsguide.com/us/apple-battery-life-samsung-hire,news-29223.html


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

> An iPhone battery you can replace yourself coming?



Now, wouldn't that be a surprise, but I wouldn't hold your breath or put any betting money on the thought the way Apple seems to operate these recent days and years!!!



- Patrick
======


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

I grabbed this shot from a Micromat.com email promotion I thought others would find interesting as well, and I'm sure some members even owned or may still own such machines.

I can't believe I sold my SC, complete with extra RAM and large hard drive complete with custom Apple carry case for $25.00!!! 

The prices seem to be on par compared to some of today's top models.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

I had an SE at work I used for years. It allowed us to connect to a Micro-Tek typesetting system and do ads in WYSIWYG. That was huge way back in the mid 80s.


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## 18m2 (Nov 24, 2013)

My wife accuses me of hanging to stuff and she's correct.

Attached is a photo of my Mac SE with a Hypercharger 68020 daughter board accelerator installed along with a 40Mb (or maybe K) HD.

It still works. The Image Writer printer would work if I installed a new ribbon. The old one has dried out and no longer will make an impression. I bought it from Advantage Computers in Burnaby and I think I paid something around $6k for all of it.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Interesting prediction.





+
YouTube Video









ERROR: If you can see this, then YouTube is down or you don't have Flash installed.


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

I'm in a bit of a quandry. I have a couple of friends who have recently asked for a recommendation on a refurbished Apple laptop.

The 2016 models had that suicide keyboard (one spec of dust, and the keyboard is useless, the cost of which is prohibitive to repair).

The 2016-2018 models, we've just learned, have fragile display cables that are wearing out unusually quickly.

It's now 2019. It feels odd recommending folks that they look at three- or four-year-old refurbished laptops just to get reliable hardware.

What's a Mac guru to do, when advising those who are in search of enlightenment? :-( XX)


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## eMacMan (Nov 27, 2006)

CubaMark said:


> I'm in a bit of a quandry. I have a couple of friends who have recently asked for a recommendation on a refurbished Apple laptop.
> 
> The 2016 models had that suicide keyboard (one spec of dust, and the keyboard is useless, the cost of which is prohibitive to repair).
> 
> ...


I recently replaced my door stopped MacPro 1,1, with a MP 4,1. Nice thng was that I just popped in my old HD and was instantly up and running on Snow Leopard. 

Runs ElCap as well but I seldom boot into it, unless I am trying to watch commercial videos. That is usually reserved for the 2011 MBP, with its 24 inch 16:9 monitor. I use a more expensive 21 inch 4:3 monitor on the Cheese grater.


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

The issue is future-proofing the purchase. El Cap is now too old for a fair number of apps - it's three OS generations old. I dread telling someone to go old, and then have to deal with "why won't it run App (x)?".


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

SINC said:


> Interesting prediction.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Quite!! And some very valid points.

Time will tell...


- Patrick
======


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

CubaMark said:


> The issue is future-proofing the purchase. El Cap is now too old for a fair number of apps - it's three OS generations old. I dread telling someone to go old, and then have to deal with "why won't it run App (x)?".




I'd say it depends on what they want to do and run.

Even Mavericks 10.9.5 on my 2011 iMac suits most of my usage and El Cap'n should have several years of life left, and heck, even my old Snow Leopard and its Rosetta still gets used occasionally. 

Personally I don't like and a lot of things don't work the way I want with the latest Mac OS versions and if the user was in the same boat they would be stuck going backwards with one of the latest Mac models.

Anyway, those are all moot points as *Apple's refurbished* store usually only sells fairly recent models.




- Patrick
======


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## wonderings (Jun 10, 2003)

CubaMark said:


> I'm in a bit of a quandry. I have a couple of friends who have recently asked for a recommendation on a refurbished Apple laptop.
> 
> The 2016 models had that suicide keyboard (one spec of dust, and the keyboard is useless, the cost of which is prohibitive to repair).
> 
> ...


Been the same for me with friends, as well as personally. Apple had a much broader range of products that had a broader price range, basically there was something for everyone. They have moved away from that and decided to go full force into being a premium product with a premium price tag. If you want a laptop with a 500 gig hard drive you are spending $2000+. No option to upgrade later if you opt for a smaller drive for cheaper price. Almost every move Apple makes these days is purely with their own profits in mind. Now I am not against making profits, a company has to do that, but they were able to make billions while still having options for consumers. All the high minded talk is like Bruce Springsteen being a regular Joe who sells out broadway shows for $2000 which no ordinary Joe can afford.

That being said I looked at refurb and used and given friends options based on that.


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## eMacMan (Nov 27, 2006)

Not one that has any effect on me at all, but for those of you whom are FaceTime users here it is:

https://www.macrumors.com/2019/01/28/apple-disables-group-facetime-due-to-bug/



> Apple appears to have disabled Group FaceTime on its server side as a temporary workaround for a major bug discovered today that allowed anyone who places a FaceTime call to listen to audio from the recipient without them answering the call. The bug even extended to video in some circumstances.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

eMacMan said:


> Not one that has any effect on me at all, but for those of you whom are FaceTime users here it is:
> 
> https://www.macrumors.com/2019/01/28/apple-disables-group-facetime-due-to-bug/


Nor me, I detest video chat of any kind. Phone is normal and OK, but watching someone is nothing I want to do, nor need. Ever.


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## BReligion (Jun 21, 2006)

SINC said:


> Nor me, I detest video chat of any kind. Phone is normal and OK, but watching someone is nothing I want to do, nor need. Ever.


Video chat can be useful under certain circumstances... 

When my parents vacationed abroad for years ago (a month at a time) we did fairly regular video chat's (Skype at the time). They were able see and talk to my son (who was 3 at the time).. they both loved it except quite a bit of the time we chatted with my Fathers nose through forehead as he couldn't ever seem to get that laptop angle quite right to start the call 

Also when I was sick in the hospital in 2014 (inpatient for a month) I would use Facetime every night to talk to my son during his bedtime routine. 

Yeah just a phone call could have been done for the above, but the imagery was a nice addition.

And facetime can be useful occasionally with the wife while I am the grocery store... For those times she has sent me to get something and doesn't believe me when she was describing the wrong thing..... As long as it's not busy in there, turn that camera around and have her make the choice before I inevitably make the wrong one and have to go back lol

Never tried the group chat.. 

BReligion


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## sch (Dec 8, 2009)

SINC said:


> Nor me, I detest video chat of any kind. Phone is normal and OK, but watching someone is nothing I want to do, nor need. Ever.


I used to think the same way. However, while we were in Europe our daughter had twins and my wife was very happy to get to see them right away. Also, since our daughter lives in another province we can use Facetime to chat with the 2 year old so she can remember who we are since we can't go there every week. So, Facetime does come in handy for some of us.

Sonny


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

SINC said:


> Nor me, I detest video chat of any kind. Phone is normal and OK, but watching someone is nothing I want to do, nor need. Ever.



Hmmm...??? Not even long distance grandparents-grandkids video calls??? 



- Patrick
======


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## wonderings (Jun 10, 2003)

I think the only good thing about video chat is when small kids are involved. My parents FaceTime my sister who lives in the states and has a 2 year old and another on the way. Nice for them to see. Other then that I see no value to it. Group FaceTime seemed as needed as bigger emojis were needed.


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## polywog (Aug 9, 2007)

SINC said:


> Nor me, I detest video chat of any kind. Phone is normal and OK, but watching someone is nothing I want to do, nor need. Ever.


FaceTime is used for a lot of things, even if you don't use the app. Answering voice calls on your Mac or iPad for one, or placing them. Walkie Talkie for another. FaceTime audio is pretty great, far better quality, though maybe VoLTE trumps it.


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

A few months ago, my late-2014 Retina MBP gave up the ghost. Specifically, various keys don't register, and near the end of my patience with it, the keyboard began typing randomly by itself (I think: I never thought to open a word processor and see if War & Peace came out of it....)

It being a work laptop, it has to go back to the university. Fortunately, a colleague I work with had just purchased a newer MacBook Air, and he graciously passed his old one (also one of the university's machines) on to me. 

Upon receipt, I wiped the 256gb SSD and decided to test out Mojave. This is a mid-2013 (non-Retina) MBA with only 4 gb of RAM. I wasn't expecting much.

Much to my surprise, Mojave is swimming along wonderfully. If I push it with 30+ Safari tabs, yeah, it'll choke. But reasonable workload with 3 or 4 apps running simultaneously (e.g., Mail, Safari, Word, Excel)? Doesn't sweat it in the least. And I can't think of any software incompatibilities that have caused issues either.

If you have a mid-2012 MBP or higher, consider giving Mojave a chance.


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## wonderings (Jun 10, 2003)

CubaMark said:


> A few months ago, my late-2014 Retina MBP gave up the ghost. Specifically, various keys don't register, and near the end of my patience with it, the keyboard began typing randomly by itself (I think: I never thought to open a word processor and see if War & Peace came out of it....)
> 
> It being a work laptop, it has to go back to the university. Fortunately, a colleague I work with had just purchased a newer MacBook Air, and he graciously passed his old one (also one of the university's machines) on to me.
> 
> ...


A big key here is probably the flash/ssd drive. I helped a friend install an SSD in an unibody MacBook pro, cannot remember the year that model was out but it is a while ago. Gave the old computer fresh legs that lasted many years after it would have been useless with a traditional hard drive.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

*FBI charges second Apple employee with stealing autonomous car secrets*

https://venturebeat.com/2019/01/30/...mployee-with-stealing-autonomous-car-secrets/


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## wonderings (Jun 10, 2003)

SINC said:


> *FBI charges second Apple employee with stealing autonomous car secrets*
> 
> https://venturebeat.com/2019/01/30/...mployee-with-stealing-autonomous-car-secrets/


I think I always just assumed that they all did this. Corporate secrets being guarded but hard to keep someone from quitting and going to a country where the law is not so hard of this sort of crime.

I thought I read somewhere else that Apple put on hold their autonomous R&D. I really do not trust Apple and their hardware anymore to want to drive in one of their cars (if they ever released one). They would cost a fortune as well I would assume, but in the higher end Tesla range because of their amazing world changing features that are behind everyone else by a year.


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