[X-Newbies] Re: 2 Firewire or not 2 Firewire, that is the MacBook question.

[Charles Martin]

> From: "Brian Durant" <globetrotterdk at gmail.com>
>
> What do people make of the move by Apple not to include Firewire on
> Gen 2 MacBooks?

It's an unfortunate but understandable reaction to market forces.

The market has spoken, and the market has said that Firewire is not  
popular with consumers. Even new video cameras now rely on USB2 and/or  
flash cards to move video (even high-def) around. Even though FW is in  
every important respect better, consumers (particularly PC switchers)  
don't use it.

Now you know how Betamax owners felt! :)

> I am looking for a new laptop and could either opt for
> the new Gen 2 or a 2.4 GHz, black, MacBook4,1. I am planning to use it
> as an all around laptop. I like the new unibody, trackpad and graphics
> cards in Gen 2, but I like the inclusion of Firewire in the older
> model.
>
> What would you do?

In my case (I own a BlackBook presently), my next computer will be a  
MacBook Pro (exactly what Apple was hoping I'd do). If you NEED  
firewire, then you are probably using it for something on a  
professional level (as I am), and should be using a MacBook Pro (as I  
should be).

People with Firewire hard drives will usually find that those cases  
also have USB2 ports, which work nearly as well; hubs and other USB  
peripherals are cheaper and more easily available than their FW  
equivalents; and for most uses, the difference in speed isn't a huge  
issue.

Research shows consumers are moving to HD video cameras (the last  
really solid reason a non-pro "needs" Firewire 400), and that HD video  
cameras use USB2, so again this is simply an issue of modernisation.

If you have a SD videocamera that uses FW and don't want to "move up,"  
that's fine -- your FW-equipped present computer will continue to  
handle this, probably for years on end.

I have REALLY enjoyed my BlackBook (best laptop I've ever owned by a  
long way), but I'm branching out into more complicated/creative  
projects (just what Apple wants us to do!) and consequently I can  
foresee the need to "move up."

Besides, as great as FW400 is, FW800 is *twice as great*, so I'm not  
losing much in the transition (though I am paying more) and I'm  
gaining other things like a vastly better graphics system*, larger  
screen, backlit keys etc.

*I was just this evening showing a high-def iMovie project from my  
BlackBook (with spanned screens) onto a projector, and my baby was  
really struggling to play that smoothly. Would have been no problem  
for a MacBook Pro. Sigh.

Cheers
Chas

My 80s music podcast!
http://www.crustyoldwave.com

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http://radiochas.blogspot.com