The New MacBook from a Photographer's Perspective

Even though the Apple Watch was the star of the show today, Apple's introduction of the new MacBook was a bonus that I was happy to see. And I think from a consumer perspective, it's an interesting machine.

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Weighing in at just 2 pounds, the MacBook features a 12-inch LED-backlit display, 2304-by-1440 resolution at 226 pixels per inch (Retina display), Intel HD Graphics 5300, and a single USB-C port featuring USB 3.1 Gen 1.

It's that last feature that really shows the direction Apple is offering to its customers: a truly wireless world. Photographers who embrace the new Photos for OS X app don't need Thunderbolt and standard USB 3.0 ports. Your images live in iCloud and are available on all of your devices. No wires required.

The demise of Aperture fits perfectly into this scenario. My current libraries live on large hard drives connected to MacBook Pro 13 and 15 inch laptops via Thunderbolt. You could even say that I'm now officially old school.

But the fact of the matter is that the new iCloud/Photos/MacBook vision is for consumer photographers, not serious enthusiasts, and certainly not pros. A wireless world would not have worked for me when I was on assignment in Cuba. And there are many similar situations that I face every year.

I think 2015 is an exciting time for consumer snapshooters. It's going to be interesting to see how it shapes up for the rest of us.

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