[CheeseHead]

{quote}The Glass Display on the new MacBook Pro is a DEAL BREAKER for me. I'm a creative professional who relies on a aging PowerBook. I was ready to buy a new MacBook Pro today, but the glossy display means no sale. What is Apple thinking? {quote}

We heard the same argument from the creative professionals when Apple ditched the tubes and went with LCD screens. Apple is not alone in this and it's the direction of the display industry. Display manufactures will still offer a matte option for awhile, but the writing is on the wall. Apple probably should have warned people that the last generation Macbook pros would be the end of the matte displays. You can say the Macbook and iMac are consumer macs, but we all know they are widely used for their form factor and value. The real problem here is that you don't hear many complaints, if any, from the people that have the glossy screens.

[fitz]

Disclaimer: I'm not a graphics professional, so my opinions are only those of your typical laptop user.

I have had a MBP with a matte screen for over a year and, while I have no problems with the screen, I have often wished I would have purchased the glossy screen since whenever I use my wife's MacBook, I can't help but notice how nice her screen is. I haven't really noticed any problems with glare, even in sunny Texas. As I wrote this post, I called my mother-in-law and sold her my MBP and placed an order for the new MBP (yes, the online store is back up). I went with the 2.8GHz processor and the 320GB/7200 RPM drive. Came standard with 4GB RAM. Should be plenty fast for my purposes.

As someone mentioned in an earlier post, it looks like Apple (an others) are moving to the glossy screens. Witness the new 24" LED Cinema Display. You guessed it - glossy.
Message was edited by: fitz

[icerabbit]

With that being said, it would have been nice to have an eSata port on the MacBook Pro, wouldn't it.

Anyway, maybe it is the prosumers still holding onto FireWire with some slightly older gear?

[sporks]

You drop $30k for photography equipment but won't drop $2k for the MacBook Pro? Uh-huh. Whiner alert.

[xwni]

AARGH, no new macbook pro for me. what a disaster. I'm very disappointed.

I'm due to upgrade from an older powerbook g4, but can't get the new models on account of some unforgivable mis-steps.

* No Matte screen option ( i know, there's still the 17", but that's just too damn big)
* No 'proper' firewire port, and only one of them to boot
* No TV-Out - i need to use component video and/or s/video.
* freakish-weird trackpad with no 'button'

I guess i'm now in the market for the last of the outgoing 15" model, either that or i'll get a non-apple laptop and need to run it as a hackintosh. ah well.

XW

[rockinphotog]

sporks said:

You drop $30k for photography equipment but won't drop $2k for the MacBook Pro? Uh-huh. Whiner alert.

Yeah buddy, I think you're replying to the wrong person. I was just mentioning that I have to buy FW400-800 cables. Who said anything about not buying the MBP?

[mpento]

Bottom line apple is not getting my money. Which do you think would get my money, a good product or a good TV ad? Rotten apple. MP3 players are the worst thing that ever happened to this company!

[icerabbit]

Don't worry. No offense taken.

The display industry has moved to mass production of cheaper panels with less colors, narrower viewing angles and glossy screens; which the majority of consumers have accepted - both in notebooks and standalone displays - mainly because of falling prices and the fact that they were upgrading to a bigger flat panel for less money than they bought their small flat panel. For casual use, one or two hours a day, email and web browsing in the evening in a dimmed room, a bit of gloss isn't going to stand in your way.

I believe to have noticed a return of anti-glare in flat panel TVs and GPS units (even the casings). Maybe for computer monitors the same will happen. What was once new (no glare) will become new again in the future.

So, I understand that I am a part of a minority and Apple may find it economically better for them to have one display type for all.

That doesn't mean that I can't disagree with Apple's decision to take the matte option away.

[wallybee43]

I'm disappointed that the 17inch model was not included in the upgrades. I currently have a older 17 and do video production and I was looking to upgrade with this revision. However the minor improvements will keep me away until Apple upgrades this model as well. The three things I wanted were Blu-Ray burner even if build to suit option, improved battery life, (say 8 hours would have been nice) and improved processor speed say 3 gig or more. Glossy would not be my choice but if that is all they offer I would make do. Adjust the angle or try some indirect lighting. I use indirect lighting now just for the good of the eyes.

[spiderbat]

Forcing all customers to use glossy screens is definitely a bad move for Apple, more so in the area of professional computers. I find the display of my PB G4 much more readable than that of the MacBooks and iMacs I experimented with. Maybe glossy displays have a higher pizzaz factor but the only advantage I see in them is the ability to see if someone is assailing you from behind.

[Scenario]

Posting this here because Apple removed it from their User Discussion forum:
It appears Apple still has not addressed the problem of severe pitting on the case where you normally rest your hands. I'm on my 3rd aluminum PowerBook/MacBook and have had to replace the top of the case twice ($200+) because it has pitted and eroded to the point where it becomes dangerously thin, not to mention ugly. Potential converts see this defect and ask, "what the hell?" AppleCare actually had the audacity to tell me my sweat must be more acidic than normal. I will not be buying another MacBook until this problem is fixed. And no, slapping a plastic shield on my case is not a solution.

[rockinphotog]

Scenario said:

Posting this here because Apple removed it from their User Discussion forum:

It appears Apple still has not addressed the problem of severe pitting on the case where you normally rest your hands. I'm on my 3rd aluminum PowerBook/MacBook and have had to replace the top of the case twice ($200+) because it has pitted and eroded to the point where it becomes dangerously thin, not to mention ugly. Potential converts see this defect and ask, "what the hell?" AppleCare actually had the audacity to tell me my sweat must be more acidic than normal. I will not be buying another MacBook until this problem is fixed. And no, slapping a plastic shield on my case is not a solution.

A plastic shield "seems" like a solution... Don't blame Apple because you are overly acidic and your sweat eats through aluminum. ;)

remind me not to have you hold a can of soda for me. ;)

[mjkphoto]

sporks said:

Apple is thinking that according to their market research, you are in such a minority that it's not profitable to support you with a completely different panel manufacturing line. Sorry if that offends your ego (well, not really; I don't have a lot of patience for whiners).

It is not a matter of ego. It is a matter of preference. While editing photos or creating page layout, I prefer not to be distracted by glare or reflections. As for your other comment, it doesn't merit a response.

[montgomery_burns]

Can someone explain Apple's constant obsession with making proprietary display connectors: Mini VGA, Mini DVI, Micro DVI, and now Mini DisplayPort? Couldn't they have used the standard DisplayPort connector?