12 ms·

Stuff I expected, under "one more thing ..." (or earlier): The Mac Pro ships with enough bandwidth to drive three 4K desktop monitors, yet Apple's most recent

by cstross 13y ago

Stuff I expected, under "one more thing ..." (or earlier): The Mac Pro ships with enough bandwidth to drive three 4K desktop monitors, yet Apple's most recent monitor -- the 27" Thunderbolt Display -- dates to 2011 and has the same resolution as the current 15" Macbook Pro. Bluntly, this is disgraceful. Serious video folks are going to be buying Mac Pros and then paying ASUS three times as much for the monitors! Where's the Apple 4K Thunderbolt Display? A keyboard cover -- like the Logitech Ultra-thin Keyboard Cover, or Microsoft's Surface keyboards -- would be nice. (I suppose Apple are relying on the after-market, as witness the startlingly fast announcements by Belkin et al.) Finally, the "software is free" announcement ... yes, they're taking aim at Microsoft, but iWork 5 on OSX turns out to be a mixed blessing; there are regressions all over, especially in scripting (they've virtually dropped AppleScript from their office apps). What is this, an attempt to build market share for MS Office? (The mind boggles.) What other power user features have they planed away in the pursuit of a clean and consistent user interface across all platforms? (Which in practice seems to mean dumbing down the apps on the Pro platform -- OSX -- for compatibility with the mass market platform -- iOS.)

nwh 13y ago
> Where's the Apple 4K Thunderbolt Display? In their documentation they talk a lot about using 4K TVs. I imagine they're going to release a new display to match it.
- bennyg 13y ago
  Exactly my guess too. There's no way they make a Mac Pro that can make a 4k display look good without making one themselves. My guess is after Christmas though, maybe a Spring event of some sort.
  - pbhjpbhj 13y ago
    >without making one themselves // Why not "having Samsung make one for them" as it's been in recent years?
    - Samuel_Michon 13y ago
      Given that Samsung hasn’t shipped any 4k displays so far, I suspect Apple would rather go with a manufacturer that has experience building them and with whom they don’t have such a complicated relationship. I’m thinking of 4k panel makers like AUO, Innolux, Sharp, and LG.
- caycep 13y ago
  Now that the rMBP integrated graphics can finally handle the 27" reasonably well...they up the ante to 4k... Can the 13" rMBP IGP handle 4K? If so that would be awesome, that form factor is perfect every other way...
  - sliverstorm 13y ago
    Can the 13" rMBP IGP handle 4K? 4K is about 2x the pixels. So how comfortably does the IGP handle the onboard display?
    - Samuel_Michon 13y ago
      4K UHD is 85% more pixels than the 13" rMBP’s internal display. Driving 2 Thunderbolt Displays, which the 13" rMBP can do, involves 6% more pixels than one 4K display at full resolution.
      - deleted 13y ago
        [deleted]
  - Samuel_Michon 13y ago
    > Can the 13" rMBP IGP handle 4K? Yes, it can handle 4K ‘Ultra HD’ over HDMI 1.4, like the 15" rMBP. The new 13" rMBP can also drive 2 Thunderbolt Displays plus the notebook’s internal display (which has the same resolution as a Thunderbolt Display, 2560x1600 pixels.) http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs-retina/ http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs-retina/
maerF0x0 13y ago
I have been waiting for a new apple display since about Apr. Money in hand ready to go, just want a new one. I went away from the event, thinking the same as you about 4k monitors. Shrugged my shoulders and said, "Fine. I'll give my money to someone else" . I really appreciated the made in USA bits and the enviro bits though.
- Segmentation 13y ago
  I'm surprised anyone was expecting an Apple 4k announcement. The tech is not affordable yet. Apple is premium, but not that premium. They're not going to release a $3,400 monitor and hype about it at their event, when only 1% of people are going to be able to afford it. The monitor will be branded Retina, and their current Retina mobile displays aren't exclusive to the 1%, regular consumers can afford them.
  - bryanlarsen 13y ago
    Apple's 30 inch cinema display originally retailed for $3200. http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2004/06/28Apple-Unveils-30-Cinema-HD-Flat-Display.html http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2004/06/28Apple-Unveils-30-C...
    - pbreit 13y ago
      Key point: "hype about it at their event".
    - Samuel_Michon 13y ago
      That is true, so it isn’t unprecedented, but when Apple announced that display, it also lowered the prices of its other displays to $699 and $999, which it continued selling. I believe that if and when Apple releases a 4K display, it will not be its only offering. I expect it to be accompanied by a revamped (thinner) 27" display that supports Thunderbolt 2, USB 3, and MagSafe 2 – priced the same as the current Thunderbolt Display ($999).
    - rsynnott 13y ago
      It was a different market at the time, though. Consumer monitors didn't have the colour accuracy for photo and video professionals, and those people were accustomed to paying a _lot_ for their computers and monitors; the 30" display was going up against even more expensive things from the likes of Ilyama. Today, it's different. 4K displays haven't (yet) become entrenched in the professional space, and a lot of graphics professionals pay much less for their computers and monitors now. And besides that group, is there really a market for a >$3000 monitor at all? I'd be surprised.
mythz 13y ago
The lack of a new Thunderbolt (which I've been waiting for over a year) was the biggest disappointment for me, I'm not sure how much longer I'll have to wait but I definitely wont be getting their current obsolete models. If it doesn't come in December along-side the new Mac Pro's then I'll be shopping around for one. But the new iPad's do look amazing. I was destined to get a new iPad mini if it came with Retina display and now it does at the same resolution (and even A7 chip) as the 10" no less! But then now the iPad Air is much lighter and smaller (which were my main issues with it), so now I have buyers uncertainty and have to physically go into the Apple Store to see which one I prefer. I generally prefer going for the 'best experience' Apple has to offer, and if the 10" stayed the same size and weight the iPad mini would've been a no-brainer - now not so sure. The same with the MacBook Pro, I was going to get the new 15" MBP, but it looks like the 13" got the biggest upgrade and is the better value, and then if you're considering a 13" you'll also have to consider ultra portable 13" Air for max portability. Personally my "un-ease" with the new products is that it seems to be less clear which products have the best value (well other than the iPad2-filler). It's nicer when the products you want get the best upgrades re-enforcing your decision, not-so-nice when the alternative models get the value/feature bumps - increasing the fear you might get the wrong one!
tedunangst 13y ago
The Mac Pro still won't be out for two more months. They could launch a 4K display then. Nobody is going to buy a 4K monitor today for the Mac Pro they're getting in January.
- yannk 13y ago
  Yeah, that's what I'm hoping too. But then it's a bit weird to keep it a surprise. If true, they would announce both at the same time. So my best guess is that they are behind for their display revamp, or it's a product in its own right (TV) and will be announced later. Maybe they missed the holiday season.
  - tedunangst 13y ago
    I'd say the Mac Pro was teased unusually early. A product like a monitor doesn't call for that kind of buildup.
adwf 13y ago
Perhaps we're still seeing the aftereffects of suing their largest component supplier, who also happen to be one of the largest LCD panel manufacturers in the world?
- caycep 13y ago
  or it could be the different pieces of said component supplier suing each other. Always hard to figure out how the Chaebol works...
  - Samuel_Michon 13y ago
    For those who don’t know the term ‘chaebol’: They’re South Korean business conglomerates, controlled by a chairman who has power over all the operations. Often, the leaders of the divisions are blood relatives. The chaebol have enormous influence in South Korean politics. The largest chaebol are Samsung, Hyundai, and Lucky Goldstar (LG). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaebol http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaebol
  - adwf 13y ago
    Yes very true; I remember hearing once (I don't know how true this bit is), that Samsung Group alone make up around 20% of the South Korean economy... It may just be me, but I do detect a slight slowing down of Apple's supply chain in recent years though. I know that they've had a lot of trouble when trying to move away from Samsung, simply because Samsung were/are the only single supplier that is able to provide the sheer quantity of components that Apple need. Also, Apple always used to have a habit of having their big product announcements available for order and shipping on the day that they announced them, not 2 months down the line. When you add in potential omissions like the 4k monitors (or any kind of monitor refresh since 2011), you have to start thinking that perhaps they have a few troubles down the line. Whether it's suppliers being difficult, or just a factor of the sheer size that Apple has reached, I really don't know.
    - Samuel_Michon 13y ago
      > I remember hearing once that Samsung Group alone make up around 20% of the South Korean economy It was. Right now, South Korea GDP is 1687 trillion Won. Samsung’s revenue is 252 trillion Won. That makes Samsung’s share 15 percent. Hyundai adds another 12% and LG 11%. That’s 38% of the economy in hands of just three companies. Effectively, South Korea is an oligarchy[1]. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oligarchy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oligarchy
kunai 13y ago
iWork 5 is awful. The Inspector was by far the most innovative UI ever seen; brought in by SJ with NeXTStep, and they killed it for a tablet-ish UI. I'm quite sick of the trend that things have to be dumbed down for the average user so that things look "slick." It's happening in the Linux world, too, look at GNOME 3. At least, there, you have the option to get rid of GDM and Mutter, install OpenBox, and be merry. Can't do that if you're vested in the Apple ecosystem, unfortunately... which is one of my most vehement dislikes about them. I'll keep buying Apple because it's the best, but I still wish somebody would produce computers and software for real professionals. I don't care if it's thick; I want an optical drive with Blu-Ray, a decent soundcard, an array of ports, and user accessibility, with the best CPUs, battery life, and nVidia graphics, and with Linux preinstalled; maybe a custom Arch derivative with Wine, and XFCE or Cinnamon installed. Once Wine matures to the point where virtually all the libraries are in place, I might even switch to running Linux full time and ditch OS X.
- derleth 13y ago
  > I'm quite sick of the trend that things have to be dumbed down for the average user so that things look "slick." This has been one of the primary complaints about the One Macintosh Way since the first Mac proved that 1984 was going to be like Nineteen Eighty-Four and its largest competition was systems built around command lines, such as the Apple ][ and Commodore 64. It's never hurt Apple yet, and their durable majorities in coffeeshops and design hausen don't look eager to abandon them over it now. > At least, there, you have the option to get rid of GDM and Mutter, install OpenBox, and be merry. You... you understand that Linux has more than one GUI! Are you a god?
fcoury 13y ago
This. I am going to US now in November and the one thing I wanted to come back to Brazil with was an Apple 4K Thunderbolt Display... I even had hopes for it being the one more thing but no.
bane 13y ago
> Finally, the "software is free" announcement This is really about the desktop/laptop market and not the mobile market. It's important to separate these two markets when looking at this decision. Right, they are taking aim at MS, but not in the way I think most people here are talking about. For most Windows users, Windows is either free or transparent (OEM install so the price is both ridiculously reduced over consumer, and it's just part of the computer purchase). You'll also generally get years of significant updates to Windows for $0. For Apple, selling the OS has always been kind of weird. 99.999% of people who get the latest OS X are going to run it on their Apple built and sold computers anyway. And Apple obsoletes their hardware from the upgrade path faster than the Microsoft equivalent. So most users might see 3 or 4 years of solid updates before getting obsoleted out. (Anecdote, my Windows desktop from early 2007 is still able to be upgraded to the very latest MS desktop OS. My MBP from the same time frame is so obsolete I can't even get a version of Flash that runs on it.) So what changed? Surface. Apple has never competed well in the desktop/laptop market until very recently. Despite all the MBP and MBA I see at Starbucks, Apple only owns about 10-11% of the global market. But tight vertical integration and a very loyal customer base means they can squeeze that 10% for lots of profit. A user who upgrades their Mac every 3-4 years...well $100 for an OS license isn't all that much. And Mountain Lion? What was that $20? So Surface changes this, Apple knows that Microsoft has the appetite to swallow ungodly amounts of money trying to get Surface some marketshare. And with Surface the OS is basically free with the device. A Surface Pro 2 isn't a bad little computer and is a better MBA competitor than any ultrabook is. This is the first time that Microsoft has really built, marketed and sold their own computer which means that the OS really is free. A couple price cuts and Surface Pros will dominate the Starbuck's scene (at least outside of the Valley). While not really important to Apple right now, Apple needs to strategically move to cut this off quickly for the future. As a company Apple is just now finally starting to get large groups of people to move to their computing platform, and it'd be a shame to lose their momentum right now.
- poolpool 13y ago
  (Anecdote, mid 2007 macs should be able to be upgraded to the very latest Apple desktop OS)
bhauer 13y ago
My wife has been using a 4K monitor on her desktop for a few weeks now. It's fantastic. This evolution to 4K on the desktop is so overdue that I am simultaneously delighted by it and frustrated that it took so long. I too am disappointed that 4K (or even better!) has not been adopted by hardware vendors, Apple included. But I personally have made the argument that Microsoft should embrace ultra-high-end desktop computing as a competitive advantage [1] because they seem to be most in need of something to differentiate them from the crowd. I will open my wallet and tap it empty for the first vendor to deliver desktop computing that is immersive, with bezel-free large form-factor displays. I'm not suggesting Apple should pave the way—if anything they have distanced themselves from desktop computing—but it is nevertheless disappointing that they are not advancing that front even modestly. [1] http://tiamat.tsotech.com/microsoft http://tiamat.tsotech.com/microsoft
bonaldi 13y ago
I don't even need a 4K monitor at £2000. A 15" or 17" external retina thunderbolt screen would be perfect. They already have the 15" panels, I wonder why they don't sell them as external monitors too.

by cstross 13y ago

nwh 13y ago

> Where's the Apple 4K Thunderbolt Display? In their documentation they talk a lot about using 4K TVs. I imagine they're going to release a new display to match it.

bennyg 13y ago
Exactly my guess too. There's no way they make a Mac Pro that can make a 4k display look good without making one themselves. My guess is after Christmas though, maybe a Spring event of some sort.
- pbhjpbhj 13y ago
  >without making one themselves // Why not "having Samsung make one for them" as it's been in recent years?
  - Samuel_Michon 13y ago
    Given that Samsung hasn’t shipped any 4k displays so far, I suspect Apple would rather go with a manufacturer that has experience building them and with whom they don’t have such a complicated relationship. I’m thinking of 4k panel makers like AUO, Innolux, Sharp, and LG.
caycep 13y ago
Now that the rMBP integrated graphics can finally handle the 27" reasonably well...they up the ante to 4k... Can the 13" rMBP IGP handle 4K? If so that would be awesome, that form factor is perfect every other way...
- sliverstorm 13y ago
  Can the 13" rMBP IGP handle 4K? 4K is about 2x the pixels. So how comfortably does the IGP handle the onboard display?
  - Samuel_Michon 13y ago
    4K UHD is 85% more pixels than the 13" rMBP’s internal display. Driving 2 Thunderbolt Displays, which the 13" rMBP can do, involves 6% more pixels than one 4K display at full resolution.
    - deleted 13y ago
      [deleted]
- Samuel_Michon 13y ago
  > Can the 13" rMBP IGP handle 4K? Yes, it can handle 4K ‘Ultra HD’ over HDMI 1.4, like the 15" rMBP. The new 13" rMBP can also drive 2 Thunderbolt Displays plus the notebook’s internal display (which has the same resolution as a Thunderbolt Display, 2560x1600 pixels.) http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs-retina/ http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs-retina/

maerF0x0 13y ago

I have been waiting for a new apple display since about Apr. Money in hand ready to go, just want a new one. I went away from the event, thinking the same as you about 4k monitors. Shrugged my shoulders and said, "Fine. I'll give my money to someone else" . I really appreciated the made in USA bits and the enviro bits though.

Segmentation 13y ago
I'm surprised anyone was expecting an Apple 4k announcement. The tech is not affordable yet. Apple is premium, but not that premium. They're not going to release a $3,400 monitor and hype about it at their event, when only 1% of people are going to be able to afford it. The monitor will be branded Retina, and their current Retina mobile displays aren't exclusive to the 1%, regular consumers can afford them.
- bryanlarsen 13y ago
  Apple's 30 inch cinema display originally retailed for $3200. http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2004/06/28Apple-Unveils-30-Cinema-HD-Flat-Display.html http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2004/06/28Apple-Unveils-30-C...
  - pbreit 13y ago
    Key point: "hype about it at their event".
  - Samuel_Michon 13y ago
    That is true, so it isn’t unprecedented, but when Apple announced that display, it also lowered the prices of its other displays to $699 and $999, which it continued selling. I believe that if and when Apple releases a 4K display, it will not be its only offering. I expect it to be accompanied by a revamped (thinner) 27" display that supports Thunderbolt 2, USB 3, and MagSafe 2 – priced the same as the current Thunderbolt Display ($999).
  - rsynnott 13y ago
    It was a different market at the time, though. Consumer monitors didn't have the colour accuracy for photo and video professionals, and those people were accustomed to paying a _lot_ for their computers and monitors; the 30" display was going up against even more expensive things from the likes of Ilyama. Today, it's different. 4K displays haven't (yet) become entrenched in the professional space, and a lot of graphics professionals pay much less for their computers and monitors now. And besides that group, is there really a market for a >$3000 monitor at all? I'd be surprised.

mythz 13y ago

The lack of a new Thunderbolt (which I've been waiting for over a year) was the biggest disappointment for me, I'm not sure how much longer I'll have to wait but I definitely wont be getting their current obsolete models. If it doesn't come in December along-side the new Mac Pro's then I'll be shopping around for one. But the new iPad's do look amazing. I was destined to get a new iPad mini if it came with Retina display and now it does at the same resolution (and even A7 chip) as the 10" no less! But then now the iPad Air is much lighter and smaller (which were my main issues with it), so now I have buyers uncertainty and have to physically go into the Apple Store to see which one I prefer. I generally prefer going for the 'best experience' Apple has to offer, and if the 10" stayed the same size and weight the iPad mini would've been a no-brainer - now not so sure. The same with the MacBook Pro, I was going to get the new 15" MBP, but it looks like the 13" got the biggest upgrade and is the better value, and then if you're considering a 13" you'll also have to consider ultra portable 13" Air for max portability. Personally my "un-ease" with the new products is that it seems to be less clear which products have the best value (well other than the iPad2-filler). It's nicer when the products you want get the best upgrades re-enforcing your decision, not-so-nice when the alternative models get the value/feature bumps - increasing the fear you might get the wrong one!

tedunangst 13y ago

The Mac Pro still won't be out for two more months. They could launch a 4K display then. Nobody is going to buy a 4K monitor today for the Mac Pro they're getting in January.

yannk 13y ago
Yeah, that's what I'm hoping too. But then it's a bit weird to keep it a surprise. If true, they would announce both at the same time. So my best guess is that they are behind for their display revamp, or it's a product in its own right (TV) and will be announced later. Maybe they missed the holiday season.
- tedunangst 13y ago
  I'd say the Mac Pro was teased unusually early. A product like a monitor doesn't call for that kind of buildup.

adwf 13y ago

Perhaps we're still seeing the aftereffects of suing their largest component supplier, who also happen to be one of the largest LCD panel manufacturers in the world?

caycep 13y ago
or it could be the different pieces of said component supplier suing each other. Always hard to figure out how the Chaebol works...
- Samuel_Michon 13y ago
  For those who don’t know the term ‘chaebol’: They’re South Korean business conglomerates, controlled by a chairman who has power over all the operations. Often, the leaders of the divisions are blood relatives. The chaebol have enormous influence in South Korean politics. The largest chaebol are Samsung, Hyundai, and Lucky Goldstar (LG). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaebol http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaebol
- adwf 13y ago
  Yes very true; I remember hearing once (I don't know how true this bit is), that Samsung Group alone make up around 20% of the South Korean economy... It may just be me, but I do detect a slight slowing down of Apple's supply chain in recent years though. I know that they've had a lot of trouble when trying to move away from Samsung, simply because Samsung were/are the only single supplier that is able to provide the sheer quantity of components that Apple need. Also, Apple always used to have a habit of having their big product announcements available for order and shipping on the day that they announced them, not 2 months down the line. When you add in potential omissions like the 4k monitors (or any kind of monitor refresh since 2011), you have to start thinking that perhaps they have a few troubles down the line. Whether it's suppliers being difficult, or just a factor of the sheer size that Apple has reached, I really don't know.
  - Samuel_Michon 13y ago
    > I remember hearing once that Samsung Group alone make up around 20% of the South Korean economy It was. Right now, South Korea GDP is 1687 trillion Won. Samsung’s revenue is 252 trillion Won. That makes Samsung’s share 15 percent. Hyundai adds another 12% and LG 11%. That’s 38% of the economy in hands of just three companies. Effectively, South Korea is an oligarchy[1]. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oligarchy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oligarchy

kunai 13y ago

iWork 5 is awful. The Inspector was by far the most innovative UI ever seen; brought in by SJ with NeXTStep, and they killed it for a tablet-ish UI. I'm quite sick of the trend that things have to be dumbed down for the average user so that things look "slick." It's happening in the Linux world, too, look at GNOME 3. At least, there, you have the option to get rid of GDM and Mutter, install OpenBox, and be merry. Can't do that if you're vested in the Apple ecosystem, unfortunately... which is one of my most vehement dislikes about them. I'll keep buying Apple because it's the best, but I still wish somebody would produce computers and software for real professionals. I don't care if it's thick; I want an optical drive with Blu-Ray, a decent soundcard, an array of ports, and user accessibility, with the best CPUs, battery life, and nVidia graphics, and with Linux preinstalled; maybe a custom Arch derivative with Wine, and XFCE or Cinnamon installed. Once Wine matures to the point where virtually all the libraries are in place, I might even switch to running Linux full time and ditch OS X.

derleth 13y ago
> I'm quite sick of the trend that things have to be dumbed down for the average user so that things look "slick." This has been one of the primary complaints about the One Macintosh Way since the first Mac proved that 1984 was going to be like Nineteen Eighty-Four and its largest competition was systems built around command lines, such as the Apple ][ and Commodore 64. It's never hurt Apple yet, and their durable majorities in coffeeshops and design hausen don't look eager to abandon them over it now. > At least, there, you have the option to get rid of GDM and Mutter, install OpenBox, and be merry. You... you understand that Linux has more than one GUI! Are you a god?

fcoury 13y ago

This. I am going to US now in November and the one thing I wanted to come back to Brazil with was an Apple 4K Thunderbolt Display... I even had hopes for it being the one more thing but no.

bane 13y ago

> Finally, the "software is free" announcement This is really about the desktop/laptop market and not the mobile market. It's important to separate these two markets when looking at this decision. Right, they are taking aim at MS, but not in the way I think most people here are talking about. For most Windows users, Windows is either free or transparent (OEM install so the price is both ridiculously reduced over consumer, and it's just part of the computer purchase). You'll also generally get years of significant updates to Windows for $0. For Apple, selling the OS has always been kind of weird. 99.999% of people who get the latest OS X are going to run it on their Apple built and sold computers anyway. And Apple obsoletes their hardware from the upgrade path faster than the Microsoft equivalent. So most users might see 3 or 4 years of solid updates before getting obsoleted out. (Anecdote, my Windows desktop from early 2007 is still able to be upgraded to the very latest MS desktop OS. My MBP from the same time frame is so obsolete I can't even get a version of Flash that runs on it.) So what changed? Surface. Apple has never competed well in the desktop/laptop market until very recently. Despite all the MBP and MBA I see at Starbucks, Apple only owns about 10-11% of the global market. But tight vertical integration and a very loyal customer base means they can squeeze that 10% for lots of profit. A user who upgrades their Mac every 3-4 years...well $100 for an OS license isn't all that much. And Mountain Lion? What was that $20? So Surface changes this, Apple knows that Microsoft has the appetite to swallow ungodly amounts of money trying to get Surface some marketshare. And with Surface the OS is basically free with the device. A Surface Pro 2 isn't a bad little computer and is a better MBA competitor than any ultrabook is. This is the first time that Microsoft has really built, marketed and sold their own computer which means that the OS really is free. A couple price cuts and Surface Pros will dominate the Starbuck's scene (at least outside of the Valley). While not really important to Apple right now, Apple needs to strategically move to cut this off quickly for the future. As a company Apple is just now finally starting to get large groups of people to move to their computing platform, and it'd be a shame to lose their momentum right now.

poolpool 13y ago
(Anecdote, mid 2007 macs should be able to be upgraded to the very latest Apple desktop OS)

bhauer 13y ago

My wife has been using a 4K monitor on her desktop for a few weeks now. It's fantastic. This evolution to 4K on the desktop is so overdue that I am simultaneously delighted by it and frustrated that it took so long. I too am disappointed that 4K (or even better!) has not been adopted by hardware vendors, Apple included. But I personally have made the argument that Microsoft should embrace ultra-high-end desktop computing as a competitive advantage [1] because they seem to be most in need of something to differentiate them from the crowd. I will open my wallet and tap it empty for the first vendor to deliver desktop computing that is immersive, with bezel-free large form-factor displays. I'm not suggesting Apple should pave the way—if anything they have distanced themselves from desktop computing—but it is nevertheless disappointing that they are not advancing that front even modestly. [1] http://tiamat.tsotech.com/microsoft http://tiamat.tsotech.com/microsoft

bonaldi 13y ago

I don't even need a 4K monitor at £2000. A 15" or 17" external retina thunderbolt screen would be perfect. They already have the 15" panels, I wonder why they don't sell them as external monitors too.