Apple has most likely abandoned Firewire.

[mikev1]

In the article Field Tethered Shooting Using Medium Format M.R. hopes that some sort of Mac Tablet is coming that supports firewire.  However, I've read a few articles suggesting that firewire will most likely not appear on any future apple products.

Here is one.


http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2008/10/apple-quietly-k/

Sorry Michael.

Maybe there is a firewire to usb dongle that you can use.

[michael]

I disagree. Every indication is that Firewire will continue as USB is still highly problematic for many applications. Even if it is dropped, an Expresscard slot on Apple's Pro product line will allow for Firewire.

Michael

[ddk]

I doubt that they have either but incase they have can't one use FW400 to FW800 cables for FW400 peripherals?

[michael]

FW 800 is a superset of FW 400. All one needs as a plug adaptor or cable.

Michael

[BJL]

... I've read a few articles suggesting that firewire will most likely not appear on any future apple products.

Here is one.

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2008/10/apple-quietly-k/

Read more carefully: that article is explicitly about Apple moving from FireWire 400 to FireWire 800, not dropping FireWire. Even the new low end Mac Minis have FireWire 800. And with the right cables, existing FireWire 400 devices are completely usable with FireWire 800 ports.

(Most computers have "dropped USB", if by that you mean moving from the original slow USB to the newer faster USB 2!)


Added: Apple has dropped Firewire from its consumer line of laptops, ceding this market to the now "good enough for most purposes" USB 2. Sort of like most DSLR's now using the "good enough for most" APS-C and 4/3 formats instead of the formerly dominant 35mm format.

[jjj]

Added: Apple has dropped Firewire from its consumer line of laptops, ceding this market to the now "good enough for most purposes" USB 2. Sort of like most DSLR's now using the "good enough for most" APS-C and 4/3 formats instead of the formerly dominant 35mm format.

Not sure why 17" is seen as professional and smaller laptops consumer. I just bought the 17" macbook pro as it was the only mac that had a non-mirrorred screen/firewire and it's way too big and unwieldy for travelling [which is when a laptop is most handy] and is not particularly comfortable to use either. The sharp edges on your forearms are particularly annoying. Am now beginning to think I should have bought a PC laptop and hackintoshed it instead.

[Wayne Fox]

Not sure why 17" is seen as professional and smaller laptops consumer.

It isn't size that distinguishes it.  In fact, there is a MacBook "Pro" model available in both 15" and 17" configuration.  the 15" version is actually getting a little long in the tooth (I just sold mine and moved back to a 17").  Other than the screen/size, I believe there are only a few differences between the 2 sizes. The 17" sports 3 USB ports vs 2 on the 15", the  15" can only access 4gigs of RAM vs, the 17" which can access 8 gigs of ram, and the 17" has a larger "permanent" battery where the 15" still allows yo to carry a spare battery.  The dual video cards and CPU options are the same for both sizes.


Personally I prefer the gloss screen on a portable, I feel it is viewable in many more situations and lighting conditions including brightly lit places, and I don't do any final editing on it anyway.  The antiglare screen option was introduced on the 17", which was introduced many months after the original 15" version.  For those that prefer the antiglare screen, hopefully they will add that option when they refresh the 15" model.

[BJL]

Added: Apple has dropped Firewire from its consumer line of laptops ...

I have to recant; or rather Apple has had to backtrack: the new laptop line-up has Firewire in all models: FW800 in the MacBook Pro models, FW400 in the MacBook. So all Macs have FW again.

Also, there are SD slots on the new 13" and 15" MBPro models, of interest to some digital camera users I suppose.

[GregW]

I have to recant; or rather Apple has had to backtrack: the new laptop line-up has Firewire in all models: FW800 in the MacBook Pro models, FW400 in the MacBook. So all Macs have FW again.

Also, there are SD slots on the new 13" and 15" MBPro models, of interest to some digital camera users I suppose.

Did FW400 ever disappear form the 'White' Macbook? I can't remember.

[jjj]

It isn't size that distinguishes it.  In fact, there is a MacBook "Pro" model available in both 15" and 17" configuration.  the 15" version is actually getting a little long in the tooth (I just sold mine and moved back to a 17").  Other than the screen/size, I believe there are only a few differences between the 2 sizes. The 17" sports 3 USB ports vs 2 on the 15", the  15" can only access 4gigs of RAM vs, the 17" which can access 8 gigs of ram, and the 17" has a larger "permanent" battery where the 15" still allows yo to carry a spare battery.  The dual video cards and CPU options are the same for both sizes.


Personally I prefer the gloss screen on a portable, I feel it is viewable in many more situations and lighting conditions including brightly lit places, and I don't do any final editing on it anyway.  The antiglare screen option was introduced on the 17", which was introduced many months after the original 15" version.  For those that prefer the antiglare screen, hopefully they will add that option when they refresh the 15" model.

As I have no interest in adjusting my lipstick whilst using a laptop, only the antiglare 17" is usable for well anything, let alone working on images. So as far as many people, not just myself are concerned it's the only Pro model. Highly glossy screens are awful to use as they reflect so much of the surroundings. So the antiglare screen does make a difference. I bought one after seeing how much better it was compared to the glare version - the name says it all really. I wouldn't even consider the others as being usuable and if I get a smaller laptop, it'll be a PC with a non-glossy screen. My old laptop had a far less glossy screen and I was always having to move it to funny angles or sit awkwardly to avoid reflections, I have friends who moan about the mirrored finish on the iMac screen and having to turn all the lights out and close curtains to avoid reflections. God knows why you think it's more versatile, particularly as the brighter the light the worse the reflections in the mirror.

[smthopr]

I have to recant; or rather Apple has had to backtrack: the new laptop line-up has Firewire in all models: FW800 in the MacBook Pro models, FW400 in the MacBook. So all Macs have FW again.

Also, there are SD slots on the new 13" and 15" MBPro models, of interest to some digital camera users I suppose.

But now one needs to get the 17" model to have a card-bus slot...

[gerk]

But now one needs to get the 17" model to have a card-bus slot...

Yep, that's troubling

[BJL]

Did FW400 ever disappear form the 'White' Macbook? I can't remember.

No, but FW was absent from the newer metal bodied MacBook (non-Pro) models, which seemed intended to replace the white MacBook. So part of the backtracking is keeping the white MacBook, as the entry level model.

[rogan]

Another reason they are dropping fw400 is that fw1600 and fw3200 are about to launch and both use the same plug as fw800