Steve Jobs Responds to Fire Storm over FireWire
Steve Jobs Responds to Fire Storm over FireWire
by , 12:20 PM EDT, October 17th, 2008
On Tuesday, Apple released new aluminum MacBooks without a FireWire port of any kind, some customers have been greatly annoyed, and they let Apple know about it on Apple forums. Steve Jobs has responded to one customer via e-mail, according to AppleInsider.
In his first response to an Apple customer, Mr. Jobs said, "Actually, all of the new HD camcorders of the past few years use USB 2."
Not completely satisfied with the response, the customer, "David," inquired about the fact that modern HD camcorders with USB2 are just too expensive. David wondered why customers shouldn't be able to edit SD movies with an older, less expensive SD camcorder. Mr. Jobs' reply was:
"The new HD camcorders start around $500."
Apple customers shouldn't be too surprised by this Apple move. FireWire 400 is long in the tooth and has remained in the Apple technology portfolio for a long time. With Wireless technologies taking over and USB 3 on the horizon, Apple likely felt that it was time to move on. That's Apple mantra: move on, leave the past behind.
When Apple dropped the 1.44 MB floppy from the original iMac, it took the PC industry another 5 years to do the same. However, Apple just isn't the kind of company to tie itself to the past for the sake of compatibility for long periods of time. In the end, experience has proven that we all move on with Apple and, later, wonder what the fuss was about.
Observer Comments
The new MacBook will be a great machine for switchers and a bit of a PITA for folks with a need for firewire connections. Having seen pics of the logicboard, it looks like inclusion of FW400/800 would not be simple, given the size constraints. A hack might be remotely possible at the cost of the WIFI module, but who'd want that? The price of a new machine just went up, (By the price of new drive enclosures, etc.) which has happened before, but there's no real way to use firewire peripherals with the new MacBook yet. (ADB, serial and 1.44 floppies all are still usable with adapters.)
I am an independent filmmaker. I have a beautiful panasonic DVX video camera that cost much more than the $500 of a new HD.
Am I supposed to stop using my DVX simply because Apple doesn't want to put FireWire on the new laptops? I can tell you that I cannot just throw out my equipment because of this new development and use a $500 consumer grade piece of equipment and I shouldn't be expected to.
I purchased my PowerBook G4 because of the programs I run and the versitility of FireWire and so have many other indie filmmakers. The dual processors came out a matter of months after I got my Mac G4, but I knew my equipment would still do what I wanted and eventually I would upgrade.
Maybe I should just stick with what I have because I use FireWIre with EVERY project I do.
Look, all they have to do to fix this is to make the new computers with the FW port. People will understand a miscalculation and all the ruffled feathers will be smoothed. C'mon Apple, there is NO WAY you thought people would be happy with this development.....
Tue Oct 21, 2008 5:10 pm Subject: Re: I am an independent filmmaker
QuoteAnonymous wrote:
Am I supposed to stop using my DVX simply because Apple doesn't want to put FireWire on the new laptops? I can tell you that I cannot just throw out my equipment because of this new development and use a $500 consumer grade piece of equipment and I shouldn't be expected to.
...
Look, all they have to do to fix this is to make the new computers with the FW port. People will understand a miscalculation and all the ruffled feathers will be smoothed. C'mon Apple, there is NO WAY you thought people would be happy with this development.....
Perhaps you haven't been paying attention. The MacBook Pro has a FireWire 800 port. If you're doing pro-level video editing, you'd probably want to use a MacBook Pro, if for no other reasons than the larger screen and better graphics.
quote]
QuoteThe MacBook White with Firewire is still being sold by Apple.Guest wrote:
What do you mean "no pro doing audio, video or photography should be using a Macbook". I run a large music school and many of our 1300 students use macbooks. They go on to play and produce hit records using this same gear. What do you know about being a pro. I just played 4 sold out nights at the Hong Kong coliseum (12,000 per night) using a Macbook to run the loops and backing tracks. What kind of 'pro" work do you do. Apple, bring back firewire or make a 13" macbook pro.
BB
Comments are currently closed. Please email the author instead.
Recent Headlines - Updated November 22nd
- Fri, 7:07 PM
- Games - Soccer Sim Championship Manager 2010 Released for Mac
- 6:47 PM
- Games - EA Publishes Original Monopoly for iPhone
- 6:15 PM
- News - Original Apple I on Ebay for $50K, w/Letter from Steve Jobs
- 6:11 PM
- Games - New iPhone Games: Secret of the Lost Cavern Ep 1, New DJ Nights, More
- 5:47 PM
- Games - Star Trek D-A-C Game Headed to the Mac Next Month
- 4:57 PM
- Product News - TidBITS Releases “Take Control of Syncing Data in Snow Leopard”
- 4:26 PM
- John Martellaro's Blog - Particle Debris (week ending 11/20) Stationery Pads Go Poof
- 2:59 PM
- Free on iTunes - Musée du Louvre, Art Lite, SketchBook Mobile X and More.
- 1:50 PM
- Deal Brothers - Acer P215H bmid 21.5” Widescreen LCD Monitor: $139.99
- 11:24 AM
- TMO Appearances - Jeff Gamet Shares More Holiday Gift Ideas on MacJury
- 10:43 AM
- Product News - Cocktail 4.5 for Leopard Adds QuickLook Cache Clearing
- 10:06 AM
- News - Hack Enables Mac OS X 10.6.2 on Netbooks
The Mac Observer Reader Specials
- TypeStyler For Mac OS X is Now Shipping! Download The Free Fully Functional 60 Day Tryout at www.typestyler.com
OWC: Plug & Play Hardware RAID up to 8.0TB. High Performance, Data Redundant Solutions. FireWire 800, FireWire 400, USB2, or eSATA. Hot Swappable Bays, Data Rates over 200MB/s. Click here
If you're using a Mac, then you've gotta check out Full Tilt Poker for Mac. This Full Tilt Poker bonus code does the unthinkable, it actually rewards!For the latest Apple products use Ciao, a price comparison website, to find laptops like MacBook Air. Then find the best prices on MP3 players and use our comparison tool to evaluate mobile phones like the Apple iPhone.
Laptop Hardware Provided by TechRestore - Overnight Mac & iPod Repairs.
