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The new MacBook could kill off technologies we’ve used for years – including some of Apple’s

Published Mar 12th, 2015 2:42PM EDT
MacBook USB 3.1 Port
Image: Apple

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Some people thought Apple was crazy for not including a DVD drive in its first-generation MacBook Air. Years later, do we really miss such disc drives in our laptops? The same could hold true of a lot of the ports that Apple removed with its new MacBook.

FROM EARLIER: The brand-new 12-inch Macbook is a lot more powerful than you think

In case you don’t know, the new MacBook only features two ports: A headphone jack and a USB 3.1 port that delivers the device’s power, USB data transfer, HDMI and VGA capabilities. This change has apparently upset some MacBook owners who like having several different ports they can use to plug in assorted gadgets and dongles. What’s more, it’s also threatening to make some of Apple’s own iconic pieces of technology obsolete.

PCWorld has put together a cool slideshow of the “everyday technologies” that Apple killed with its newest MacBook and we were amused that it included some of Apple’s very own iconic tech.

For instance, the Mag Safe power adapter is no more on the new laptop since it’s been replaced entirely by the USB 3.1 port. Similarly, Apple eliminated any ports for its super-fast Thunderbolt cables, although PCWorld notes that “the USB 3.1 spec powering Type-C can deliver the same 10Gbps as Thunderbolt, and USB is much more widely adopted.”

To see what other technologies Apple effectively axed, check out PCWorld’s full slideshow by clicking here.

Brad Reed
Brad Reed Staff Writer

Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.