MacBook Air CD drive

Hi.

I am interested in the Macbook Air, but I need a CD drive, can I use any USB CD drive, or does it have to be the superdrive?

Thanks.

Nick

 

You could use any USB CD drive I believe. Many are powered through the USB port, not requiring an external power adapter. The super-drive that Apple has can be powered by the USB port alone.

 

You should be able to use any usb powered optical drive, but one thing's what you should be able to do, and the other what apple will allow you to do. I wouldn't be surprised if it was a requirement, considering the ridiculous $20 software upgrade for the ipod touch, or the way they're shutting out previous-gen ipod video users by not letting them use movie rentals...

Anyway, I think we will only know for sure once apple starts shipping them out to the people who ordered them in the next week or so.

 

I'd have to say real quick, I'd recommend buying the Apple dvd-drive for the MBA. It's pretty slick, matches the Air and isn't terribly expensive. It's also small.
Most of the external dvd-drives I've seen are basically standard 5.25" in an external case. This thing seems pretty slick and slim. And I doubt it would be too much more than a DIY solution.

If you happen to use the same few CD's a lot, you could always make them into ISO images through Disc Utility and mount those.

 

I would still recommend using Apple's drive. I was at Macworld and tried it out, it's very sturdy and well built.

On a side note to 00fez, the $20.00 for the software upgrade to the iPod touch is really quite generous of Apple. Owners of the Touch are not paying a monthly recurring charge like the iPhone customers are so Apple is really in no way obligated to continuously furnish software upgrades for free to iPod owners.

EyeTV just came out with a new software update to their EyeTV Hyrbrid I bought last year at Macworld and they $40.00 for the upgrade. That's business.

 

I can get one far cheaper, but I would probably go for the Apple one.

Thanks.

 

That's a good excuse, but it isn't generous. Cowon constantly updates the firmware on their portable media players, oftentimes adding functionality, and they don't charge their users extra. Software support isn't a privilege that a company gives us for our money. It should be an obligation.

 

I believe that the Apple Superdrive only works with the MBA. Such a crappy move an Apple's part.
http://macenstein.com/default/archives/1052

 

Hell, even SONY gives free software updates for the PSP... Apple is really just interested in charging you as much as they can. Generous and Apple should never be used in the same sentence.

 

All businesses are interested in charging you as much as they can.

 

Exactly...I guess many people forget, but Apple is a corporation, one that has stockholders to satisfy . In the end, Apple can only do what will be profitable. Its unfortunate, but its the truth.

I dislike having to pay $20 to upgrade my iPod Touch, considering the new ones are getting this for free. Once again, Apple should pay more attention and care for its early adopters, as these usually are its most loyal supporters that they are hurting, but yeah. I dislike it, but I think I'll end up upgrading to it anyway.

 

I would probably go for the USB superdrive, but really for the extra money I would get the MacBook Pro.

But then the price £1,200 when I could get a Dell XPS M1350 for a lot less. I did own a MacBook I liked it, but I think the price is a little turn off.

Nick.

 

the iPod update is NOT software support, it is simply new software for a portable device. but in all honesty, I still don't understands Apple's attempts at charging these small fees for software, especially the Airport Update thing awhile back, that WAS ridiculous.

they are almost asking people to pirate that software doing things like that.

 

They do it as Apple are doing so badly, they need to rake in as much money as they can.

$1.99 for Wireless N????

Is there any other ultraportables, such as Dell, HP, Acer? I can't afford the MacBook Air, so is there a alternative?

Thank you.

Nick

 

Actually as far as I understand it (this was discussed at my work recently) - they charged because legally they're obligated to (weirdly enough). Something to do with the fact that legally a company can't change hardware (unlike a software update) and have to do things to circumvent it like the 1.99 update for airport or so on.

20 dollars though is somewhat overpriced I agree though - when they could release the update for 1 cent.

 

Apple is doing badly? Their computer sales are going up and they have the most popular portable devices on the planet. I wouldn't say they are doing "badly."

If you can't afford a low-end MBA, you're not going to be able to afford an ultraportable period.

 

Interesting...heck, I'd gladly pay $5 for it...but $20 for 5 new applications that almost should have been there in the first place is a little too much for me.

 

they definitely are not required to charge anything, and they didn't change any hardware, like you said, it was a software update, that really should have already been in place.

 

I don't think they are doing anything wrong charging for software additions (Though I think $10 would be more fair, and get more people to buy it).

They spent a lot of time writing that software, so asking people to buy it isn't out of the question.

Technology will always get updated to better stuff, and when you get the first revision of something you'll have to assume that it'll get replaced with better stuff.

Let's phrase it in an easy way... Say you bought a new computer back in early October with Tiger installed. End of October, Apple released Leopard. You won't get Leopard for free, you gotta pay $20 or $30 or whatever it was.

If you waited 4 weeks, you'd have Leopard free. Though I suppose it's not fair to compare the two because people knew about Leopard's release... it's still essentially the same thing.

 

Well a Dell Latitude D430 is cheaper, but only by a fraction.

I could get a HP TX Tablet PC for peanuts!

But it isn't really ultraportable, I would probably for the extra money go for the Air, but then I think the Pro would be good for me.

What about the future "MacBook" they have had that white/black look for a long time, and it is getting old! Will they be changed any time in 2008? Or will it be another special thing at MacWorld?

What about a drop in price? Is that likely to happen?

Thank you.

Nick

 

Obviously a major OS update your going to get charged for, but no company should ever charge that much for a small update that adds a few new features.

Thats like Nvidia or ATI charging $20 for new video card drivers because they added an overclocking feature or something.

 

Actually, those customers basically got Leopard for free, they just had to pay shipping for it .

 

Well, change it to customers that bought it in August then

 

While we're at it, how about all users of Mac OS X Tiger get a free upgrade?

 

Let me know when that happens... I'll go play the lotto that day and win, somehow land a girlfriend, and magically my transmission in my hearse won't be blown anymore...

 

Well the D430 is also thicker, and has a much weaker processor, and I don't think it even uses the GMA X3100. At least, the site doesnt even mention the GPU, so I'd assume it's an older, weaker GMA.

 

I would recommend Apple's drive. Anyone who remembers trying to install a 3rd party drive in the old towers will know why. Many of those would not work with things like iLife. Of course, Apple later changed that, but for maximum compatibility I would go with Apple's. If you are sweating $99 vs. $50, you should probably rethink buying a MBA.

As for the Touch software charge, the reason behind it is that the Touch revenue is not subscription like the iPhone. It is the same reason they had to charge for N capabilities. They are bound by law. Now that said, $20 is probably somewhat steep, but you are also getting 5 apps you did not have before, and had little expectation of ever getting.

 

How does the Remote Disc work?

Thank you.

Nick

 

Agreed, I'm not at all too thrilled that Apple is charging $19 for the Apple Remote for the Air. Are profit margins that tiny that they have to be this anal?

Now in Sam's post I have to play devils advocate. I'm not defending Apple in this case but companies will only support new software features free of charge for only so long.
I bought an EyeTV Hybrid last year at Macworld and Elgato has been really good at upgrading the software with several new features. Now the software just went up to version 3.0 and Elgato is charging $39.00 for the upgrade. If you buy the new EyeTV Hybrid it comes with version 3.0.
So for the iPod Touch Apple's not the only one.

 

I can get free software updates with Microsoft products....

 

The stupidest attempt to start a flamewar yet. You just opened yourself up to:

1. Only because Microsoft makes inferior products that need patching. Haha, fart.

2. Software updates != new software.

 

It's depending on new features in your opinion are updates or new softwares. Some might not think like you.

By the way, new programs in iPhone are just an update--1.1.2, 1.1.3, and so on, aren't they?