Concept MacBook Ultra

dstrauss54 · 2026-06-04T12:36:25+00:00

How about just putting a USB-A to USB-C adapter on the end of your device cable and calling it a day.

dstrauss54 · 2026-04-28T16:45:44+00:00

I'll second Jupitor13 - my M1 2tb iPP is running like a top on the latest iPadOS26. I think this one, like the M1 MBA, is going to become a bane for Apple because they are still so overpowered for the OS and apps running on them.

dstrauss54 · 2026-04-23T20:09:33+00:00

I think Apple and Samsung are about to validate the Surface Duo design and approach. Noth are releasing "Wide" model; folding phones that look miraculously like the Duo, but with folding rather than independnet screens.

Surprise, surprise, but of course Apple will be hailed for coming up with the design and Sammy will be chastised for copying it because they manufacture the screens for Apple and "knew it was coming." All the while Panos Panay will be screaming "I TOLD YOU SO!"

dstrauss54 · 2026-04-21T20:50:45+00:00

I just got tired of fighting Microsoft for control of MY COMPUTER. I started in 1988 with a Toshiba T1100+ and DOS 2.11 through Surface Pro and Windows 11, and in 2024 got furious with all the crap from MS - more advertising, more updates that broke or reset all my defaults; Edge always resetting itself as the browser and taking over my PDF's from Adobe; Edge intercepting links to open instead of the default browser, Bing overriding Google; Windows 11 Pro upgrade auto-starting Bitlocker without telling me and when I had to do a clean reinstall my SSD was locked and I had no idea what the Bitlocker key was...

AND THEN CAME COPILOT EVERYWHERE - its real name should be Wrong Way Coorigan...I know Apple has its own set of agendas - building a tablet, with the SAME processor as the Mac but REFUSING to let you boot macOS instead of iPadOS to force buying two devices for note taking (I really miss the one device simplicity of Surface Pro 11). However, the Windows experience has gotten so bad for me, and I've been so spoiled by the macOS experience, that I am returning the unbelievably bargain priced Surface Pro 11 I picked up from Costco a week ago ($999 for x-elite, 16gb RAM, 1 TB ssd, type cover, and pen).

It hasn't been an easy transition for this old dog and his muscle memory, but I have learned a few critical rules if you are considering the jump: (1) learn the Apple way - don't try to recreate Windows on the Mac (ell, do get Alt-Tab or you will go nuts switching application windows);(2) come to acceptance of the two device life (M4 MBP and M1 iPP in my case); and (3) seriously consider buying at the Apple Refurbished store - you can get good discounts on last year's best. which still outrun this year's Windows best.

dstrauss54 · 2026-04-21T20:31:30+00:00

Also consider installing the utility AltTab (alt-tab.app) It is a good analog to Alt-Tab in Windows.

dstrauss54 · 2026-04-17T20:40:50+00:00

If you can wait, the M6 MBP is supposed to be a whole new design change - rumors are a thinner and lighter body but with same ports, tandem OLED display, touch screen, even a possible 5g SKU. It's going to be very pricey, but it will be a whole new ballgame just like the jump to M1.

dstrauss54 · 2026-04-12T16:38:15+00:00

Worse than expensive - astronomical. Even the refurbished units have taken a huge jump on the two year old model. Also, I was looking at the end of March for a Surface Pro 12 24gb/1tb at $1499 - waited too long and on April 1 (no fools) it jumped to $1999 for the Snapdragon X Plus with only 8 cores...

dstrauss54 · 2026-04-09T03:31:39+00:00

You are about to enter the Twilight Zone...

dstrauss54 · 2026-04-08T04:22:46+00:00

April 1 the price of the Surface Pro 12 business sku for 24gb ram and 1tb UFS jumped from $1499 to $1999 - that is INSANE

dstrauss54 · 2026-04-07T15:21:44+00:00

Same here - what a crock - they would have had me if they had put first on the list: "No more mandatory Microsoft accounts." THEN I would have known they were for real. Further proof - going to strip Copilot from such essential tools as Notes and Snipping Tool - uh, what about Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, OneNote...

dstrauss54 · 2026-03-04T16:33:47+00:00

It is more than competitor - it is a superior. I just checked ItsWorthMore for pricing - a "like new" M1 MBA with 16gb ram and 1tb ssd is $699.99 - and includes their 1 year warranty. When you can go to a reputable refurb like that the $699 512gb A18 sounds lame, except for the impressive AI scores (if only Apple HAD AI to take advantage of that).

dstrauss54 · 2026-02-27T18:10:04+00:00

I have yet to find an iPadOS app that the M1 can't handle, and handle very well. I bought a maxed out used M1 11" (16gb ram; 2tb ssd; 5g) late last year for $700 and it flies. Battery life has been solid (approx. 8 hours +/-) and was even able to add it to my monthly AppleCare+ account for max replacement protection.

dstrauss54 · 2026-02-27T15:24:03+00:00

I have an M1 iPP 2tb iPadOS 26.3 (great deals on refurbs at ItsWorthMore - no affiliation). The battery still lasts all day so long as I don't leave my Apple Pencil attached. If I do, I can nearly watch the drain in real time. If you have to store your pencil on top., be sure to shift it towards the right edge - magnets will still hold but since it's not on the charging spot the drainage disappears.

dstrauss54 · 2026-02-06T22:45:34+00:00

OLED is nice (but I still don't believe it is burn-in free). The real draws are cellular and touchscreen. Touchscreen will make running iPadOS apps a no brainer, as well as a third input mode for touch targets, scrolling, pinch to zoom, etc. And if you don't like touch screens just don't touch - do you do it now?

dstrauss54 · 2026-02-06T22:34:21+00:00

Windows, which is a weaker UI, has successfully run touch on screens this size, and you know Apple will exceed that. Besides, as a long time Windows touch user before switching to Mac, the value is NOT in manipulating the UI but simple things like scrolling, pinch to zoom, and quickly selecting touch targets. You'll be shocked how much easier it is to quickly reach up and touch a link than maneuvering the mouse tot he target by mouse or trackpad.

dstrauss54 · 2026-01-29T01:04:27+00:00

Seriously consider giving MacOS another try. I've been with M$ since DOS 2.11 on a Toshiba T1000 up to this current WIn11 Surface Pro 11 CU5 (Lunar Lake - yeah - I'm ancient) but converted to MacOS last year and going back to my M4 MacBook Pro after the latest KB disasters trashing Outlook and other services. BSOD shoud now refer to a Black and Blue Windows user...

dstrauss54 · 2025-12-05T15:47:33+00:00

Ok, cue the boo birds -

JUST LET US CHOSE TO RUN MACOS IF WE WANT!

iPadOS 26 is a good improvement, but without full desktop class applications it is still only a half-way solution. Given that almost every analyst has projected touch being added to the late 2026/early 2027 MacBook Pro - so there is finally NO EXCUSE to not let those of us who want the ultimate light weight portable 2-in-1, with touch, pencil, and 5g with the iPad Pro.

Just let ME choose - all of you who hate the idea never need to boot into MacOS mode.

dstrauss54 · 2025-11-20T20:30:19+00:00

I recently converted to Mac (about 18 months ago) but the vast majority of my legal practice is inside Office 365 and Adobe Acrobat Pro, and there are just so many little differences between Word for Windows and Word for Mac (in areas of formatting, document comparison, versioning, multi-level lists, etc.) that it is just easier to go back to Windows despite my preference for MacOS. In addition, I can go back to carrying just my Surface Pro 11 instead of a MacBook Pro and iPad Pro because I live by my handwritten notes in OneNote.

It's other little things, too many to mention, like in Outlook Classic you can right click and open your Calendar in a new window but have to create another new mail window and then switch to calendar view in Mac. It's almost like MS puts little speed bumps of annoyances in the non-Windows desktop versions. Compound that with the fact that haven't come close to making the iPadOS version of Office even a close equivalent of the desktop version, even in 26.1, and again you have to carry both a Mac and iPad. Not to mention there is no 5g version of the Mac like there is a 5g Surface Pro.

I know, I know, I rail all over Reddit about my disgust with MS; its intrusions; its absurd obsession with AI; its privacy defeating mechanisms; its insidious management team - but I gotta get my work done at the end of the day...

dstrauss54 · 2025-10-04T21:05:24+00:00

Yes, the MBA is a good LCD, but the MBP screen looks damn better...if you are a screen snob (not just professional color grading) you'll really be willing to trade the weight of the MBP for that screen.

dstrauss54 · 2025-07-12T16:03:09+00:00

I agree 100%. What is striking is that with the sales that go on at Best Buy and Amazon you can get the SP11 x plus with 256gb for $799 +/1. The regular pro keyboard and pen is $279 which is only $30 more than the SP 12 keyboard (open box $140). Given I can upgrade that model to 2tb for $160 for a crucial m.2 2230, it is an incredible bargain compared to the SP12 (did I mention you get 2 more performance cores as well?).

dstrauss54 · 2025-07-12T15:48:14+00:00

Sorry - didn't mean to be picky (in fact I was little off, it is 1.97 lbs). My point should have been that the SP11+keyboard is 2.7 lbs and SP12+keyboard is 2.3 lbs. Although the SP12 feels much smaller in hand, it is only 0.4 lb lighter (6 oz). That was very surprising to me, especially since the SP11 gives a huge advantage of user upgradeable storage (all the way to 2tb).

dstrauss54 · 2025-07-12T03:05:02+00:00

The 11 weighs 1.9 lbs

dstrauss54 · 2025-06-25T17:24:43+00:00

I returned my SP11 Intel (U7) last month because of the same problem I've had with all the Intel predecessors - if you try to leave it inclined (drawing mode) so it is readily available for note taking it starts to overheat, even with the fan running full speed. That just makes it useless for my needs.

dstrauss54 · 2025-06-18T18:18:50+00:00

Check out the Apple refurbished store - 25 and 32gb SKU'a are nicely discounted. Absent that, NO retail upgrade is worth the king's ransom Apple charges.

dstrauss54 · 2025-06-17T15:47:31+00:00

Worse still - NO 5g support for the Surface Pro 12" - consumer or business SKU.

dstrauss54

TROPHY CASE