I think it's a pretty major design flaw not to be able to plug in two USB devices together or if you do they are so jammed one could break or screw up the USB port.
OK, so I have an old Logitech mouse which works just fine but I use both ports often. So if I have to succumb to buying a wireless mouse it obviously needs to be Bluetooth so who has a BT mouse and which do you recommend (I'll send the bill to Apple)?

It is a pretty major design flaw to have devices with huge USB connectors that require USB connectors that are so far apart. Why do they need to be so big?

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If your USB plugs are so abnormally large, you could get little 3" USB extensions (often included with flash drives).

The other design options would probably be stacked ports that are just as close together (and wouldn't fit on the the thin MBP's), or a big ugly case to accomodate more spacing.

I too think that this is a major design flaw. USB devices are everywhere yet a pro item such as the MBP only has two USB ports?

Another fine job for a Dremel.

Shave the edges of the plastic shell around the USB plug and it'll fit right in. No problem.

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IronMac
I too think that this is a major design flaw. USB devices are everywhere yet a pro item such as the MBP only has two USB ports?

It is called a USB hub. If you need more than 2 devices at once you obviously aren't mobile with it.

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So I use two USB devices together on occasion... So what about the BT mouse?

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DP
So what about the BT mouse?

Is your bluetooth card broken? I thought all MBP's shipped with bluetooth built-in. If it is broken, there are small, portable USB hubs so you can have your two USB devices + a USB bluetooth adapter.

The real design flaw is the removal of the ExpressCard slot. With it, users could have their choice to add-on 4 USB ports, or 2 FW800 ports, or 2 eSATA ports, etc.

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IronMac
I too think that this is a major design flaw. USB devices are everywhere yet a pro item such as the MBP only has two USB ports?

It is called a USB hub. If you need more than 2 devices at once you obviously aren't mobile with it.

So what? The vast majority of us are not going to be using our MBPs on the go all the time.

As for the comment that it's a design flaw for a USB device to take up so much room at the port, I also use a 3G USB stick modem when I am on the go. As far as I know there are no slim 3G modems, if you know of any, let's have at it. In order to use that Vodafone 3G USB modem along with a USB mouse that I toss in my bag, I need to include a Belkin USB hub. If my MBP had THREE USB ports then I could do without the Belkin.

So, it looks like I am mobile with the MBP but its design forces me to bring along a hub.

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IronMac
I too think that this is a major design flaw. USB devices are everywhere yet a pro item such as the MBP only has two USB ports?

It is called a USB hub. If you need more than 2 devices at once you obviously aren't mobile with it.

So what? The vast majority of us are not going to be using our MBPs on the go all the time.

As for the comment that it's a design flaw for a USB device to take up so much room at the port, I also use a 3G USB stick modem when I am on the go. As far as I know there are no slim 3G modems, if you know of any, let's have at it. In order to use that Vodafone 3G USB modem along with a USB mouse that I toss in my bag, I need to include a Belkin USB hub. If my MBP had THREE USB ports then I could do without the Belkin.

So, it looks like I am mobile with the MBP but its design forces me to bring along a hub.

How the heck do you use a mouse while you are mobile? Walk around holding it and use it on your leg? Sounds to me like you sit down at a desk, pull out a mouse, and plug it in. You don't fit the definition of "mobile" that would preclude you from being able to use a slim hub that weights a few ounces and takes up less space than the mouse. You could also just get a BT mouse and be done with it.

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Amazing! You think that everyone has to use their MBPs while it's in their lap? In order to be "mobile"? Talk about being incredibly narrow-minded.

Why don't you get your head out of the vat of kool-aid and realize that when a company's products forces its users to work in a certain way that that is a problem.

BTW, do you even have an MBP? Do you know how hot it gets when it's in your lap? Try that when you're outside in your shorts and the temp is in the 90s.

Oh, I'm sorry, maybe shorts doesn't fit your definition of "mobile" attire either.

Explain to me how it isn't complete reasonable to expect a user sitting at a desk to use a hub if they need a bunch of devices?

There is only 1 Firewire and ethernet port... why don't you call Apple out on that? How dare they expect you to chain FW devices together or get an ethernet hub! The nerve! There should be 3 of every port on a laptop!

I wouldn't expect Apple to cater to one person or one small group of people that have a odd need that can be fixed with a $5 device and not hamper their workflow at all. Just leave the hub attached to your mouse. It isn't even more work that way to plug it in.

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I agree with the original poster on all points. This is a stupid design by Apple for their MBP machines.

The best BT mouse I've used is the magic mouse from Apple.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/2010 11:26PM by sekker.

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IronMac
BTW, do you even have an MBP? Do you know how hot it gets when it's in your lap? Try that when you're outside in your shorts and the temp is in the 90s.

Never had that problem. I have 2 MacBook Pro's right now and 1 ModBook. It is 85 out here by the Firepit in the back yard and the only thing hot is my feet from the fire.

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Or how about this scenario? I'm in my car, I'm using the USB modem and I need to access files on my USB-powered HD? No can do in that ultimate "mobile" situation, eh?

Oh, I'm sorry, my bad for not splurging on a FW800-drive.

(FYI, that last was hypothetical because I do have an FW800-powered drive from OWC.)

I bought two mouses (mice?).

None of them are used, and are gathering dust in my table draw.

I thought that with such a huge trackpad, Apple is kinda doing away with mouse. And, I never ever did miss my mouse in what, say, 3 years now?

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IronMac
Or how about this scenario? I'm in my car, I'm using the USB modem and I need to access files on my USB-powered HD? No can do in that ultimate "mobile" situation, eh?

Oh, I'm sorry, my bad for not splurging on a FW800-drive.

(FYI, that last was hypothetical because I do have an FW800-powered drive from OWC.)

Why can't you use the hub in the car?

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C(-)ris

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IronMac
BTW, do you even have an MBP? Do you know how hot it gets when it's in your lap? Try that when you're outside in your shorts and the temp is in the 90s.

Never had that problem. I have 2 MacBook Pro's right now and 1 ModBook. It is 85 out here by the Firepit in the back yard and the only thing hot is my feet from the fire.

Then I salute one of the few lizard-skinned denizens on this board!

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IronMac
BTW, do you even have an MBP? Do you know how hot it gets when it's in your lap? Try that when you're outside in your shorts and the temp is in the 90s.

Never had that problem. I have 2 MacBook Pro's right now and 1 ModBook. It is 85 out here by the Firepit in the back yard and the only thing hot is my feet from the fire.

Then I salute one of the few lizard-skinned denizens on this board!

You should probably get your MBP looked at. They don't get that hot.

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C(-)ris

You should probably get your MBP looked at. They don't get that hot.

Please do a Google search on this issue...key words "Macbook pro too hot laps". There are tons of postings on that issue. I don't know about my i7 but I have yet to use it outside in the 90s. The 2008 C2D was pretty hot.

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IronMac
...I also use a 3G USB stick modem when I am on the go. As far as I know there are no slim 3G modems, if you know of any, let's have at it. In order to use that Vodafone 3G USB modem along with a USB mouse that I toss in my bag, I need to include a Belkin USB hub. If my MBP had THREE USB ports then I could do without the Belkin.

Err... you don't need a USB hub, just a 3" (or longer) USB extension, which 3G modem manufacturers used to include, but I guess they got cheap and stopped doing that. The added benefit (some say) with the extension, is that you will also get better reception since it moves the antenna farther from the computer case.

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IronMac
...I also use a 3G USB stick modem when I am on the go. As far as I know there are no slim 3G modems, if you know of any, let's have at it. In order to use that Vodafone 3G USB modem along with a USB mouse that I toss in my bag, I need to include a Belkin USB hub. If my MBP had THREE USB ports then I could do without the Belkin.

Err... you don't need a USB hub, just a 3" (or longer) USB extension, which 3G modem manufacturers used to include, but I guess they got cheap and stopped doing that. The added benefit (some say) with the extension, is that you will also get better reception since it moves the antenna farther from the computer case.

In the end, when you're on the go the less stuff you have the better. Why should I carry around either the hub or the extension? As I said before, three ports would solve the issue.

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IronMac


In the end, when you're on the go the less stuff you have the better. Why should I carry around either the hub or the extension? As I said before, three ports would solve the issue.

I will agree with the less stuff is better. I carry all the tools required to work on any currently in warranty Apple product ever made. It is actually a shorter list of tools than you would think, and I've spent some time slimming them down or making a tool that works better and takes up less space.

I guess I just don't see the argument that Apple should cater to you at the expense of others. Should Apple spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in manufacturing costs and add an extra USB port just so you can save $5 and 2 ounces?

I could use 3 Firewire ports and 2 ethernet ports on my MacBook Pro, but most people don't need them. Same logic as the expresscard slot, 95% of MBP purchasers never used it. So it was removed and an SD slot was added, which more than half of the people who bought that model used. It is all just cost/benefit analysis on a large scale. You ( and I) are not part of the target market/majority of MBP purchasers.

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C(-)ris
I guess I just don't see the argument that Apple should cater to you at the expense of others. Should Apple spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in manufacturing costs and add an extra USB port just so you can save $5 and 2 ounces?

That much? Guess it must be the infamous "Apple Tax" because I have a Celeron laptop here from two years ago with three USB ports.

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C(-)ris
So it was removed and an SD slot was added, which more than half of the people who bought that model used. It is all just cost/benefit analysis on a large scale. You ( and I) are not part of the target market/majority of MBP purchasers.

Oddly enough, I have used the SD card slot several times already. Its inclusion has allowed me to get rid of the USB SD card reader.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/2010 11:55PM by IronMac.

I find it ironic that an sd card slot is probably more important for the MacBook crowd of college kids.

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C(-)ris
I guess I just don't see the argument that Apple should cater to you at the expense of others.

I don't think that's the argument being made.

This is the old "pro" Macs should have "pro" features argument.

Pro laptops should cater to the uses that on-the-go professionals have for them. Sacrificing the expansion slot for an SD card slot caters to low-end users, not to professionals.

Apple has stripped most of the professional stuff out of their Pro laptops -- high-quality no-gloss screens, fax-modems, one of the FireWire ports, extra battery-slot, user-replaceable batteries, PCMCIA and now ExpressCard.

The SD card slot adds no value at all for most pro users. It belongs in the low-end MacBook.

A $4 USB SD card reader is an inconsequential expense and adds less than an ounce to a travel bag. The slot is a wasted resource.

Pro users need flexible expansion options. While it's not as good as an ExpressCard slot, it certainly would be more along the lines of a "professional" laptop if that USB slot were used for another USB port instead of the SD card slot.

>How the heck do you use a mouse while you are mobile? Walk around holding it and use it on your leg?
I have had students sitting in the hallway waiting for class using a wireless mouse with their laptop. They just use it on the little bit of open space next to the keyboard.

>The SD card slot adds no value at all for most pro users.
Well, after reading through the controversy I started I could use the SD slot-after all it's just another storage device. I have a few extra cards lying around so I could use them instead of a flash drive.

USB ports density arrangement are problematic on other laptops and even towers too.