Only an observation: my complaint about Macbook

The biggest design floor on the iMac is the dang ports being right on the back... seriously stupid I reckon.

Yes.. have two or whatever on the back for permanent port users such as printers but when I have to plug in my camera or iphone/ ipod I have to pull the computer right out.

Yes, I totally agree.. Even one on the other side would be handy because on the new gen MBP they are awfully close together and some usb connnectors cannot fit at the one time beside each other which is annoying at the best of times.

I guess I feel lucky never needed more than 2 got a networking printer and use an external drive for Time Machine tethered to an Airport Extreme a WD with firewire for various other things so one port
for a thumb drive ever so often and the other port for docking not at the same time the iPod,iPhone and iPad.

the8thark said:

I do think Apple should sell a USB hub for this very issue.

Click to expand...

I agree, they should, just to get people to shut up about it.

They'd charge twice what ordinary hubs cost, but people would buy it anyway. And they'd love it, because it'd be such a sleek, high-quality hub.

(Actually, Apple displays have USB hubs in them, and my above comment stands.)

Irritated...

To not be able to use my mobile broadband card along with one other device....like a printer, flash drive, Garmin device...is substandard.

The whole idea of having a Macbook Pro is the ability to carry around fewer, lighter components....not more. A separate hub is a pain.

Answer: Three or more ports, sufficiently spread out.

CrimsonRequiem said:

I think 2 USB is more than enough on a notebook. The MBA only has one port >_<".

What devices do you have connected that you need 4? I have my Wacom Tablet connected at all times, and the only other device that I connect or use often is my external HDD and thumb drives.

Click to expand...

MBA has two.....

lekhraaj said:

MBA has two.....

Click to expand...

The newer ones have two.

surfingthegulf said:

To not be able to use my mobile broadband card along with one other device....like a printer, flash drive, Garmin device...is substandard.

The whole idea of having a Macbook Pro is the ability to carry around fewer, lighter components....not more. A separate hub is a pain.

Answer: Three or more ports, sufficiently spread out.

Click to expand...

Thanks for necorbumping the thread.

As for USB ports. There is an average on the non-netbook machines to have between 2 and 4. There is no set number. My old 15" laptop had 3; 2 on one side, 1 on the other. My MBP 17" has 3 on the same side.

While there were times I needed more than 3 they were few and far between. I used a powered USB hub for those times.

Fewer USB ports on the go means you dont have to bring so much gear around while on the go.

And, if you think about it, the 3 main peripherals for Macs are the Magic Mouse, Trackpad and Keyboard - all Bluetooth.

Old thread - but since someone bumped it this is just for technologist USB iHub is the perfect knockoff accessory for your Apple-centric existence -- Engadget

4 would be nice.

I just got a Belkin powered USB hub, I keep it on my desk plugged into my laptop USB fan that has three more USB ports attached to it, giving me a total of 7...crude, but it works.