Will the Apple 1-port strategy sink or swim

apple recently released a notebook computer which has only one (that's O-N-E) port. Just one. Really, one port. And a headphone jack (damn!)

Naturally this is controversial.

Naturally, this being Apple, the arguments will get heated.

Now, I don't use a notebook much. When I do at home, as my Windows 10 test bed, I need several ports. 1 USB each for the keyboard and the mouse, the video out port for the external monitor. That's it. On the road I just need one for the mouse.

But I also have the AC-in plug for power. The new Apple with the one port charges through it.

Of course, there will be adapters for this new USB-C port, which will let you hook up more stuff, but that's an added expense, however modest it may be.

IMO Apple fumbled badly.

thoughts?

Not really sure what a notebook is.

Not really sure what is considered a "port".

Assuming a notebook is like a laptop and a port is any ol' hole... you don't need a monitor cable because it's attached. Don't need keyboard or mouse, either, because they're integrated. Flash drive? There's your one. Umm...

Of course, I can see why people would like more. More is always better. And you don't want to have to choose between your preference of a mouse and need of a flash drive. So you have to have more holes. Which will be available to you via an adapter for an affordable $20.

It's Apple. That's what they do. The entire corporation is built of nickels and dimes =p

Quote: Nareed

IMO Apple fumbled badly.

I don't think so. The decision to go to one port for everything from power to data transfer means that the motherboard of the computer is only about twice the size of the motherboard on the iphone. Power consumption is also very low. I think that is what people want.

I still have 13 ports on my computer, and it is pretty small.

I don't know which product(s) in particular you are talking about, but a bluetooth keyboard and mouse, and a wifi printer are a few examples of connections to devices which no longer require physical ports.

Still kinda stuck with an external monitor and external storage devices, though.

Quote: Dalex64

I don't know which product(s) in particular you are talking about, but a bluetooth keyboard and mouse, and a wifi printer are a few examples of connections to devices which no longer require physical ports.

Still kinda stuck with an external monitor and external storage devices, though.

The monitor is internal, and storage can often be reached wireless. But you need power, so why not combine that into USB-C so you have some options.


But it is unusual for a device to force you into a single way to connect to other devices. I have six USB ports that I can plug in mouse, keyboard, thumb drives, USB phone, printer, etc. You can buy a wireless device for everyone of these, but I don't bother.

Stereo equipment still has composite and component jacks (usually), even though they are seldom used today although most of them share the audio jacks, and use one of the component video jackw for the compositve video as well.



In particular Apple abandoned their Mag-Safe connection port, which they promoted endlessly. This port was used for recharging, and it had the advantage that if you walked into it, the plug just popped off instead of dragging the computer to the ground.

Quote: Pacomartin

I don't think so. The decision to go to one port for everything from power to data transfer means that the motherboard of the computer is only about twice the size of the motherboard on the iphone.

Size is not everything. The trend for thinner phones means shorter battery life, not to mention iphones that bend.

Quote: Dalex64

I don't know which product(s) in particular you are talking about, but a bluetooth keyboard and mouse, and a wifi printer are a few examples of connections to devices which no longer require physical ports.

Sure, but let's take some concrete examples. I have a perfectly good printer I use very seldom and mostly to print plain text. It's very old. I won't replace it with a wireless printer given how little I use it. In the past I've found Bluetooth mice to be unreliable, and bluetooth in general to be iffy. For example, using a bluetooth speaker with my Nexus 7 works very well. With the iphone, not so much. It cuts out if I get between the speaker and the phone.

Quote:

Still kinda stuck with an external monitor and external storage devices, though.

Again, true. More so since you'll now need converters and external multiport devices to connect external devices.

I wonder how a LAN connection gets made here. I know WiFi is all the rage these days, but fact is LAN gives better speeds and connections.

I think Apple's trying to force a vision on their users. They'll likely succeed, as the Apple faithful tend to swallow anything Apple amkes (see where this thread is posted). But I fear other companies will imitate Apple in this respect too.

Quote: Nareed

I wonder how a LAN connection gets made here. I know WiFi is all the rage these days, but fact is LAN gives better speeds and connections.

There does exist cheap adapters for ethernet RJ45 plugs to USB plugs, but USB is much slower, so nobody does it.

The answer for the 12" Mac is Adapters Adapters and more expensive adapters.

USB-C to USB ($19),
USB-C to HDMI ($79), and
USB to VGA ( $79).
DisplayPort, gigabit Ethernet, SD card adapters, and other connector standards should arrive soon, both from Apple and from third parties.

Existing drives (thumb drives and larger drives are below:
http://www.sandisk.com/products/usb/dualdrive-type-c/
http://gizmodo.com/lacie-just-jumped-on-the-usb-type-c-bandwagon-1690507532

I imagine new devices will come on the market every week. Of course if you want to use more than one of these things at once, you must make all but one wireless.

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But as to your basic point, who wants to throw out everything for some tiny perceived advantage? An old printer for the once a month project is fine. Instead of screwing around all the time with wireless access points, it's easier to just put in a cheap ethernet cable. A cement wall can be a real problem for wi-fi, but a cable works just fine. I don't really need to use my keyboard from the other side of the room.

Quote: Pacomartin

The answer for the 12" Mac is Adapters Adapters and more expensive adapters.

My point exactly.

Quote:

But as to your basic point, who wants to throw out everything for some tiny perceived advantage?

Right.

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An old printer for the once a month project is fine.

Printers can last a very long time if you don't use them much. Mine is on its third PC. I don't think I'm cheap, but I dislike unnecessary expenses. And on a desktop setup you really only mess with the cables rarely. I can see he attraction of all-wireless peripherals if you use a laptop and move around much. I just don't use my laptop all that often.

Quote: Nareed

Printers can last a very long time if you don't use them much.

Apple is looking to create a huge market in accessories built around this single port. Accessories always have a higher profit margin than the original device. One of the tricks of selling things is to always de-emphasize usage.

Take a look at this statement which I copied from a website:
A single 18 watt CFL used in place of a 75 watt incandescent will save about 570 kWh over its lifetime. At 8 cents per kWh, that equates to a $45 savings.

Clearly the implication is that $45 in energy savings more than makes up for the cost of the bulb. Let me rephrase with usage in mind.

A single 18 watt CFL used in place of a 75 watt incandescent at 8 cents per kWh will save $1 for every 219.3 hours of use. Over 10,000 hours of use, which is the expected lifetime, that will add up to over $45.

A person reading the first sentence feels like he should run out and replace every bulb in the house even if they all work. A person reading the second sentence might replace 10% of their bulbs that get very heavy use.

While lightbulbs may only cost a few hundred dollars, I have seen people spend millions by not even thinking about usage.