asciipr0n

Those who know me will note that, at best, I am reluctantly impressed by what Apple has to offer. The operating system and hardware work together, for the most part, seamlessly. As a fan of Linux and open-software in general, I tend to eschew the closed paradigm that Apple depends upon to keep their platform humming along harmoniously. Nonetheless, I am often forced to concede that there are things that Apple does right with it’s laptops.

The new MacBooks that debuted this week, I have to admit, are tempting me. The new unibody aluminum design is damn slick and feels very solid and substantial in my hands. The new multi-touchpad feels very natural to the touch. Even the internals have been simplified. I think Jony Ive was right when he said “it’s more beautiful on the inside than the outside”.

That said, there is a design choice that I find highly questionable: Apple’s decision to create a proprietary display connector for a standardized display interface. While DisplayPort is a license- and royalty-free industry standard which has a standardized connector, Apple chose to design its own connector and called it Mini-DisplayPort. Not the display interface standard, mind you, just the connector.

Earlier this year, I bought my first of two Dell WFP2408 LCD monitors, which were one of the first displays to feature the newly standardized DisplayPort interfaces alongside the more common DVI connectors. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to use the DisplayPort connectors because Apple does not conform to the connector standard nor do they currently offer a Mini-DisplayPort to DisplayPort adapter. I can, however, elect to purchase a $30 Mini-DisplayPort to single-link DVI adapter. If I had a 30-inch LCD, I could choose the rediculously priced $100 Mini-DisplayPort to dual-link DVI adapter that’s about as large as the power adapter and also takes up a USB port. Conveniently enough, however, Apple has just started selling a new 24″ LCD monitor featuring their own Mini-DisplayPort connector.

After spending a fairly good premium on an Apple laptop, I don’t think it’s quite fair to force a customer to buy a $30-100 adapter for Apple’s non-standard DisplayPort connector. At the least, I feel Apple should include a Mini-DisplayPort to DisplayPort adapter with their laptops. Each time I feel tempted to enter the beautiful, walled gardens of Apple, it’s these little catches that make me think twice.

Update Oct. 17. 2008:

Looks like I’m not the only one griping about this.

Update Jan. 30. 2009:

I  bought a MacBook on Jan 6.