MacAir's lack of cd drive

[danf63]

I've also throught that cd drives aren't too necessary anymore, but there's an article here: Minyanville article that says this is Apple's move to push everyone into downloading music and movies from now on. Interesting.

Dan

[Gregg]

No more discs??? I guess all you'll need is air!!!!

[sandbox]

Thanks for the insightful link Dan, it reinforced my suspicion that there was something missing for something gained other than cosmetics.
My new XO, has been an eye opening experience, like the MBAir it is dependent on WiFi for all of it's communication tasks without additional hardware so I have an insight into the problems that will and do confront a user. It is amazing how much in common both of these computers share. The key to this system is strong, dependable wifi capability which the XO has and without antenna I"m wondering how capable the wifi system on the MBAir can be, especially in an aluminum case. Time will tell.

[krissel]

Funny, that was exactly what I was thinking when he was explaining how to live without the optical disk. Like the iMac, he begins a radical change in hardware usage by eliminating a feature and 'forcing' the consumer to adapt. With the idea that wireless will be ubiquitous in the near future, he is anticipating a minimal need for the drive and Mac users will lead the way (like it or not).

[Mrious_be]

QUOTE

Let's assume that anyone shelling out $1,800 for the MacBook Air is already wedded to an iPod. Unless an external CD/DVD drive is purchased ($99), there's no longer a reason to buy music CDs. They won't fit anywhere. Instead, Apple suggests you mosey on over to the iTunes store and make your purchase there. Oh—and that Netflix account? Forget it. Their pesky DVDs will soon seem as ancient as 5.25" floppy drives. The iTunes store will now rent movies, and there's no need to worry about a scratched disc, or missing envelopes, or waiting for the mailman.

Remember (if you have seen the Keynote) that Jobs mentioned the reasons why the CD/DVD drive is used.
When they ended up at the Audio/Movie reason, he clearly said that they have iTunes for that one now.
Although I know what the guy in the interview is saying, the thing he's mentioning is not something like you have to be a well experienced market specialist to figure that out.
Steve Jobs clearly mentioned iTunes for that purpose during the Keynote

QUOTE

But more importantly, its aesthetic appeal allows for the precedent of no CD/DVD drive in a way that advances Apple's hold on digital media.

To my feeling, this editor wants to sound "smart" on something that has been noted anyway.
Off course Apple want you to use their service, but remember that there are (still) more download services available for Music and movies, other then iTunes.
People still have the choice (as it should be anyway).

 

[Paddy]

Yup...NetFlix offers over 6,000 movies and TV shows online, though only to Windows users, and only if you have the $16.99/mo "3 at a time" plan, though that should change soon so that anyone with the $8.99 plan can download as many movies as they want too. And they're streamed - you cannot watch them on another device (easily) or later or on the airplane. They're also generally older than the DVD offerings. And it's only in the US - though that's true for the iTunes movies at the moment as well.

Comparison of NetFlix & iTunes movie rentals

Other services include: http://www.mvlib.com/ (you get to keep these ones, and it works with Macs etc.)

More options here: http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/10/15/itune...ies-v-the-rest/ (some also US-only... )

Anyway - if it wasn't for burning CDs of photos or occasionally PowerPoint and the like when I'm out and about (ie: traveling or at meetings), I doubt I'd use my optical drive in my MacBook Pro very often. And even there, I do have a work-around in that I have a very small drive for offloading my CF cards directly. (Can't share them 'til I get home, but they are backed up) - so I can definitely see the rationale for dispensing with it. Of course, my kids, who like to watch movies that we own on DVD wouldn't agree - not that I generally let them anywhere near the MBP since they have the TiBook now.

[sandbox]

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[antony]

QUOTE(danf63 @ Jan 18 2008, 10:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've also throught that cd drives aren't too necessary anymore, but there's an article here: Minyanville article that says this is Apple's move to push everyone into downloading music and movies from now on.

Back in 1998, when Apple introduced the original iMac, Apple decided to dump floppy drives and pushed the USB technology. We all survived well without floppy.

[Gregg]

Not so fast! I was using floppies and zip disks (mostly the latter) until last Christmas!!

[antony]

I haven't used floppies disks for ages, except recently, with the need to install some operating systems under Parallels. For which I bought an external USB floppy drive.

[Mrious_be]

QUOTE(Gregg @ Jan 23 2008, 01:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not so fast! I was using floppies and zip disks (mostly the latter) until last Christmas!!

With an external reader probably Gregg
That's what Antony means (to my understanding).

You can still keep on using CD's and DVD's on the MB-Air when needed, but you'll need to get an additional external reader(/writer) for it.

So the idea is that in a certain amount of time, people will use CD/DVD's less and eventually (or that's what Apple is gambling on) Wireless will be so common and Wireless Technology and Software will be so advanced that we really don't need much of extra hardware to work on our computers and do whatever we want to do.

In a way it's not really that comparable with a floppy drive, because it has to be said that Apple did dump the floppy but they did introduce the CD.
So there was still a medium to use, just a different one while now, the MB-Air does not have a build in medium anymore (then off course the HD itself).
I guess depending how you look at it, Wireless might be also a medium... but I feel it's more a channel to get to a medium...