Comments on: Five things still missing from Apple MacBooks

We're down with the new SD card slots and lower prices, but there are still a few items on our MacBook wish list.

[mikevsworld]

I would like the feature of it not obliterating the checkbook.

[brettcamp]

why does everything have to be touch screen?????? im more of a buttons person. the whole "touch" thing is getting old....FAST.

[SteveW928]

I agree with you here. I think there is a place for this technology.... like the iPhone... where it needs to be small with maximum screen... and less buttons is better. For a laptop? It just doesn't make sense unless we're getting rid of the keyboard and trackpad. I don't want to put fingerprints all over my screen.... and for anything other than artists with a virtual pen, the keyboard and trackpad is a MUCH more efficient input method. It seems this feature is going more after novelty than actual function.

[NewEnglander]

Well, THREE of those things are STILL missing from my shiny NEW HP laptop (DV6 Pavilion).

But did you mention that deficient in most laptops?

I just loves this 'everything AND the kitchen sink' mentality with tech. Please. I want a laptop or a PC that is priced right, now one that has every feature known to mankind and that costs hundreds more than I would ever want to pay for it.

[chiragmehta]

As much as I love CNET, I get the feeling that John C. Dvorak was right when he recently said, "CNET is just a bunch of apple fanboys".

These features already exist, just go buy HP or something....

[NewEnglander]

As I stated above, HP does not have those, at least on laptops. I have a glossy screen. It is not a touch-screen. I do not have a BlueRay DVD (and why would I want one on a LAPTOP??!! It does have HDMI. What would I use that for? It is not why I bought this model of laptop. Mobile Broadband? No, not really. Not with WIFI at high speed everywhere I go. AT&T or Sprint charges for mobile broadband. I already pay Verizon Wireless. AND I don't like matte screens as much as I like glossy. I do understand that item is personal preference. I could, however, buy a matte screen cover if I desired to have one. It's NOT a MUST HAVE on a MacBook or any laptop.

My desktop is an iMac. I have none of the things that Ackerman says 'we want'. I'm 101% productive in any given day.

So, no Ackerman, WE DO NOT want all those things that YOU want.

[deecee]

To NewEnglander:
Your preference is a glossy screen, fine, but would you think someone out there would have a different opinion and perfer matte?
You don't need a BlueRay drive, that's cool, again, how about give the customers some options to those who might want them? WHy would you need a DVD drive on your laptop? Or any optical drive on your laptop, you can be perfectly "productive" without them too.
You don't know how to use a HDMI interface, that must be useless, then.
Again, since you're satisfied with WIFI hotspot, no one in th world would want internet connection via their cellular provider, surely everywhere there's cell coverage, there's WIFI coverage. I wonder how sheltered and niave one has to bel to make a statement like that.
Given the statement make by NewEnglander, I am not surprised that he/she users a iMac, and drinks the Apple Coolaid. Because he/she is a perfect Apple customer, wants whatever comes in the box with the computer and is too limited in imagination to understand anything beyond what's in the box.

[Dan_Ackerman]

Wow, NewEnglander -- you REALLY like to THROW in some ALL caps for ADDED effect, don't YOU? ;)

[justinf79]

Dvorak has always been a Apple hater for as long as I can remember(10+ years). I wouldn't listen much to what he has to say...

[deecee]

How about missing a replaceable battery on the 13 inch model. A built in obsolecence is hardly a good way to win customers.

[NewEnglander]

I *do* know how to use HDMI. My TV and media equipment use it. My laptop does not need it.

I *do* need a DVD drive so I can install software. Duh.

The rest is fluff. Period. If I'm an Apple Fanboy, why would I buy an HP laptop. Duh.

[ivandrago]

The HDMI works out well for me. The combined audio/video connection is great for presentations. Windows usually detects the native resolution of the HDTV, and I'm ready to rock and roll where ever I go. There is not a good reason to not give Apple users the choice.

[tipoo_]

4 gigs of RAM standard should be one, IMO. this is 2009, after all.

[JFerrari427]

I agree with tipoo, granted RAM isn't expensive anymore, I recently upgraded my alum macbook to 4 gigs ddr3 from newegg for $65. 4 gigs of RAM should be standard, 250gb HD should also be entry-level standard as well. Otherwise I think the MacBook is a decent competitor at its entry level new price range ($999 starting price would also be great for the aluminum mac). Finally apple is gradually taking steps to becoming more affordable for the average consumer.

[softwarewillalwaysbebuggy]

This list is pretty much irrelevant. Here's the main thing all Macs are missing: market share.

[Peter4redstar]

I see why apple is so conservative with its products. Now don't get me wrong I like it just as much as the next mac and pc user when we aks for a new thing that we feel is missing from our computing needs. But you just can't ask for any thing with out thinking about the list all together.

Blue-ray: Way would you ask for a blueray player when the biggest screen size mac makes is 17". You can't even see all that detail, and I am sure no one wants to take there blueray collection with them where ever they go.

Matte Screen+Touch Screen : I know there are a lot of people that want the matte screen. But any one who has a matte screen knows how hard it is to deal with finger prints, so why would you ask for a touch screen. You would need to clean your screen all the time like every hour of use, thats just too much cleaning for me. The iPhone and iTouch do not have a matte screen for a reason. Even if the Macbooks had a glossy touch screen you would still need to clean it all the time, unless you like watching your HD blue-ray on your screen filled with your finger prints.

HDIM: This is just a option, there are so may ways to huck your computer to you TV and most new TV's have a PC huck up that works fine. For you to add one more would just make some one spend more time at bestbuy lost in the best way to huck there computer to the TV. Not to mention another hole your putting on to a small laptop, the macbooks is running out of space for more huck ups.

Mobile Broadband: This would be nice but I see the same thing happening with the drop calls the iphone has. Just one more thing to upset you becuase it dose not work every where you are, not to mention the bill.

[ssjimsing59]

I like the glossy true-life screen I have on my Dell 1525. I have a TV tuner and that's why I like the glossy screen. I like Apple products but have no use for them. I'm a PC and like freeware and open-source software.
http://jamesmsingleton.com

[tvlibby]

I'm sorry, but critiquing technology has gotten to a point where it's ridiculous. Looking at the advances that Apple has made to cater to what people want should be enough. However, no matter how many updates that Apple (or any company) makes to their products, people will find something wrong with it. We started with a computer, added the bells and whistles, and now people are getting upset over the fact that it won't pick their nose or it doesn't come in purple. When such additions to technology are becoming normal and seen as a typical feature to a device, we can complain if the product is not living up to our expectations. Until then, calm down people. It's a computer.

[XwafflemanX]

I would have loved a biometric fingerprint scanner or face detection via iSight from my unibody Macbook Pro; to log into accounts or open my files.

[justinf79]

I would just like to see a matte screen option for the most part. Can't stand the mirror like reflections, and the fact that the glossy screens subdue the colors and make them look dull in comparison to a matte screen. No matte screen? No sale. Just my opinion though. :/

i want to comment on the software instead, cut & paste in Finder (that's been a bummer) and sort bookmarks automatically or manually in safari.... so basic functons...

[DickeySingh]

I personally don't care about the matte screen, having used both on 17 inch laptops for years.

Here is what I would like to see (10 instead of 5):
1) GPS (AGPS like the iphone. Tons of applications would/could benefit from it
2) multi-touch touch screen. pinching, rotating pictures would be useful.
No one cares about tablet PCs. bring the best of tablet PCs to the laptop
3) I think this would be a killer enhancement: apple app store compatible iphone emulator simplified for the consumer, possibly built in into itunes. There are tons of app store apps that would be great to use on the iphone and laptop. Obviously if you buy it on the laptop or iphone you own it and are allowed to use it on either device
4) wireless HDMI (WHDMI or WHDI what ever they call it)
http://gizmodo.com/339838/belkin-flywire-wireless-video-cable-does-1080p-across-nothin
5) make DVD / bluray optional please. I rarely use my dvd drive make it external on the 17 inch laptop too?
6) 800 firewire / eSata / 400 firewire / USB / express card 34
7) wireless USB
8) support for connecting to two 30 inch monitors (and video card to handle it)
9) camera swivel to show what's behind the screen AND camera on off switch - off state is indicated by red LED
10) print screen button

[Bob Pittenger]

Dude, if you don't like 'em, don't buy 'em.
nuf said.

[gdmilabo]

I think you're asking too much from Apple with the above requests. They aren't even standard items in a regular PC laptop or desktop. Knowing Apple they will not start providing such things that aren't really 'earth moving' or novel and to add, these options might even change for the better in the near future.

[mattacrazy]

I dont mind no glossy screen,
but blu-ray wold be nice howeveer not essential.
BUT WHY NO HDMI??!!! Come on Apple!

[Renegade Knight]

What I miss the most are the Page Up, Page Down, Home, End, and Backspace Keys. (not that macs have Backspace keys but I do like the dedicated one button function).