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0 pointsmoe15y ago0 comments

unless you sacrifice [...] optical drive space

What they really sacrificed here was the opportunity to make a compelling product. It's 2011, when have you last time used an optical drive?

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9 comments · 5 top-level

hrktb15y ago· 2 in thread

It's 2011, when have you last time used an optical drive?

I see where you're standing. But actually I receive two DVDs per week in my mailbox, so last time was today. And I still buy CDs, yes.

I think what you really want is the next iteration of the Air with whatnot is missing from the current model.

moeOP15y ago

So, honest question, would you not trade the internal CD-Rom for better battery life, more ram, lighter weight or some other tangible advantage?

The only situation where I could imagine an external CD-Rom to get in the way would be for watching DVDs on the go. But afaik even for that most people copy the movie to the harddrive beforehand - to prevent the drive from sucking the battery dry while watching.

hrktb15y ago

Instead of the above trade off, I think I'd buy two machines if needed.

I see the MBP as a laptop to use plugged in a socket and with a lan cable at home, work, a client's place or a library, and only need decent portability and battery life. For all other uses I'd prefer the ipad or the Air(wish I get the $$ for it).

GeorgeTirebiter15y ago· 1 in thread

I'm curious why they didn't put in a Blu-Ray reader/writer, if they're going to put in an optical drive at all?

xuki15y ago

Because it costs more.

vrruiz15y ago· 1 in thread

When I updated the system to Snow Leopard.

xuki15y ago

Given the Air's recovery thumbdrive, I think Apple can start sell the next OS X version in thumbdrive form =).

1st thing I did when I receive my Snow Leopard DVD is to RIP it to my firewire HDD.

pmjordan15y ago

I have no idea why they're still so popular. I can only assume people don't think about it rationally. I don't know anyone who drags DVDs around with them, so why drag around the drive?

Frankly, I haven't needed an optical drive in a laptop since booting from USB drives became practical a few years ago. (happy MacBook Air user here)

It'll be interesting to see if Apple fleshes out its Cinema display into a combined docking station and screen using the Thunderbolt port's potential. Add a DVD drive, HDD for Time Machine, USB/Firewire controllers, ExpressCard slot, whatever, using the PCIe channel in the Thunderbolt.

jseliger15y ago

Last night, to rip a DVD from Netflix. Before that, I didn't use it often, to be fair, but I've still used it to install Office, to install OS X, and to burn a DVD with the complete audio _Ulysses_ on it.

Do I use it as often as I did, say, 10 years ago? No, but I can imagine why Apple would leave it.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

9 comments · 5 top-level

hrktb15y ago· 2 in thread

It's 2011, when have you last time used an optical drive?

I see where you're standing. But actually I receive two DVDs per week in my mailbox, so last time was today. And I still buy CDs, yes.

I think what you really want is the next iteration of the Air with whatnot is missing from the current model.

moeOP15y ago

So, honest question, would you not trade the internal CD-Rom for better battery life, more ram, lighter weight or some other tangible advantage?

hrktb15y ago

Instead of the above trade off, I think I'd buy two machines if needed.

GeorgeTirebiter15y ago· 1 in thread

I'm curious why they didn't put in a Blu-Ray reader/writer, if they're going to put in an optical drive at all?

xuki15y ago

Because it costs more.

vrruiz15y ago· 1 in thread

When I updated the system to Snow Leopard.

xuki15y ago

Given the Air's recovery thumbdrive, I think Apple can start sell the next OS X version in thumbdrive form =).

1st thing I did when I receive my Snow Leopard DVD is to RIP it to my firewire HDD.

pmjordan15y ago

I have no idea why they're still so popular. I can only assume people don't think about it rationally. I don't know anyone who drags DVDs around with them, so why drag around the drive?

Frankly, I haven't needed an optical drive in a laptop since booting from USB drives became practical a few years ago. (happy MacBook Air user here)

jseliger15y ago

Do I use it as often as I did, say, 10 years ago? No, but I can imagine why Apple would leave it.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse