$49 for an adapter, does any one know a compatible brand that works? Apple is completely gouging people on this...

This is the same problem as upgrading your component stereo. If you buy completely compatible, your sound quality never gets better.

You have to go out on a limb and buy some things that are much better, even though the improvement may not be realized until you make several additional upgrades.

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If you want a cheaper adapter, use USB-3 for comparable speeds to ThunderBolt for one or two drives, but not quite as high a maximum transfer rate if you are using four drives at once.

Hard to answer. You have not told us what adapter.

Intel controls the chips required and the certification process. If stuff is too expensive, you can thank lntel.

be sure you are not expecting that adapter to produce a usable display output other than genuine thunderbolt, or power a disk drive. It can accomplish neither.

"Apple could provide at least one adapter along with their machines for people who upgrade their macbook pro to the latest model... just saying. "

I should've known this was going to be another typical rant and not an outreach for help. What about the rest of us who don't need those "included" adapters. Many of us would feel we are paying extra for something we don't need.

Not to mention not everyone needs/wants Thunderbolt devices. I'm doing just fine with USB 3. If Apple provided that adaptor many of us would be charged additional $$ for something we don't want. It isn't the same as including a Lightning cable with the iPhone. We all need it.

Thunderbolt anything is expensive. Don't think you are being gouged by Apple.

In my opinion, you are mistaken. Apple is looking forward, and you are looking back.