"Pro Audio" users buy the MacBook Pro. Students buy the MacBook :D

You have a Time Capsule and back up wirelessly with Time Machine, and that same Time Capsule is a server grade networked hard drive, so why do YOU need an external hard drive with firewire connectivity? The trend is "wireless", and with USB 2.0 the speed differences between USB/firewire are negligible for the majority of users.

EDIT: Did you get an Airport Extreme and not Time Capsule? Maybe you did? You can plug your external hard drive into the back of that Airport Extreme and use as a networked hard drive.

I'm not an IT professional but i have helped many people who have Mac's so we do know a thing or two around here.

I have an external 500G running off my 1T TimeCapsule :thumbup:

As i mentioned earlier Using Audio programs (protools ect) often require firewire 400 and the internal drive CANNOT be use to record to. Only specific hi speed firewire drives can be used for this purpose and time capsule dosen't make the grade for this purpose.

funny discussion because...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FireWire

Thanks....I am well aware of that. But the Macbook can be used under circumstances with some audio programs but without a firewire interface that flexibility is gone.

My understanding is USB is a "dumb" port compared to FW. USB maybe fast but is does not have the same technical abilities the FW does. For example USB is not capable of allowing a mac to enter target mode.

Anyway I'll end my comments regarding this issue by echoing the comments of another user.

I think it's a serious mistake to shed the FW ports on consumer machines. I understand that Apple tries to lead the market in technology trends, and firewire is becoming diminished in the consumer market, but there is simply too much audio and video gear that relies on it, and simply saying that those users should purchase pro machines goes against Apple's long standing support of amateur and student artists- embodied by products like iLife, Final Cut Express and Logic Express.

Then maybe the $999 MacBook is for you since it has FW 400. They dropped the price $100 + gave you a super drive in lieu of the previous combo drive :). Is everyone forgetting about this model?