Thin MacBook with Bottom Mounted Optical Drive?

MacRumors · Jan 25, 2007, 12:19 PM

Unwiredview posts a report and photos from Apple's latest patent application.

The newest patent focuses on where to put the optical drive in a notebook computer.

Quote:

The drive itself is a pretty bulky thing. With all the necessary EMI shielding and structural integrity elements it gets even bigger. It is the biggest component of ultraportable laptop apart from LCD and keyboard. And it waists even more space because it has to be mounted along one side edge of the computer, usually in that precious space in front of the keyboard where a lot of other goodies might be stuffed in. Right? Right?

Not necessarily. Apple thinks that it has found a much better place to put the Optical Disc Drive: at the bottom of the MacBook

In the patent description, Apple addresses the challenges of making laptops even smaller, and how the available area on the perimeter of the computer diminishes as the laptops get thinner. They do admit there are challenges to moving the optical drive to a different location however, including user familiarity and access door issues with a bottom mount.

R.Youden · Jan 25, 2007, 12:24 PM

Can't see that working myself. If you want to pop in a CD you have to shut the laptop, turn it over insert disk, turn in back the right way, open the lid, oh balls its the wrong CD....

twoodcc · Jan 25, 2007, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R.Youden

Can't see that working myself. If you want to pop in a CD you have to shut the laptop, turn it over insert disk, turn in back the right way, open the lid, oh balls its the wrong CD....

yeah, i don't see how it would work either.......but i guess we'll see

Bonte · Jan 25, 2007, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R.Youden

Can't see that working myself. If you want to pop in a CD you have to shut the laptop, turn it over insert disk, turn in back the right way, open the lid, oh balls its the wrong CD....

hm, ok but it would be perfect for a tablet, no?

zblaxberg · Jan 26, 2007, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R.Youden

Can't see that working myself. If you want to pop in a CD you have to shut the laptop, turn it over insert disk, turn in back the right way, open the lid, oh balls its the wrong CD....

yea I don't see how they would fit something like that in there...isn't the goal to make the laptops less bulky?? and what if your MBP fell or was tapped...oops there goes the $500 adobe photoshop install cd all scratched up

miketcool · Jan 25, 2007, 12:24 PM

Sounds cool, but probbly wont see the light of day.

I like the old TI PB used in the patent image...

GenesisST · Jan 25, 2007, 12:26 PM

Although the smaller the better except the screen and keyboard. I wouldn't want to import my CD collection to iTunes like this.

On the other hand, it is already imported in my case. :-)

rtdgoldfish · Jan 25, 2007, 12:27 PM

Seems a little strange but if anyone can pull it off, Apple can.

zelmo · Jan 25, 2007, 12:27 PM

I'd rather have a latch that lifts up a section of the keyboard where I can drop in a disk.

rtdgoldfish · Jan 25, 2007, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zelmo

I'd rather have a latch that lifts up a section of the keyboard where I can drop in a disk.

Cool idea, get it patented before someone steals the idea!

nbs2 · Jan 25, 2007, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zelmo

I'd rather have a latch that lifts up a section of the keyboard where I can drop in a disk.

Like the ToughBooks? Or do you mean actually under the keyboard proper rather than under the palm rests?

zelmo · Jan 25, 2007, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nbs2

Like the ToughBooks? Or do you mean actually under the keyboard proper rather than under the palm rests?

Under the keyboard proper. Of course, I basically only use my CD drive to rip songs or watch a movie, so I'm not likely to use the keyboard while a disk is in there spinning away.

excalibur313 · Jan 25, 2007, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zelmo

I'd rather have a latch that lifts up a section of the keyboard where I can drop in a disk.

That is an excellent idea. The only thing is that a cd i wider than the width of a keyboard right?

longofest · Jan 25, 2007, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by miketcool

Sounds cool, but probbly wont see the light of day.

I like the old TI PB used in the patent image...

I agree... I noticed the old TiBook image too

Plus, the idea just doesn't seem very "Apple"

dejo · Jan 26, 2007, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by miketcool

I like the old TI PB used in the patent image...

What makes you think it's an old Ti PB? Seems fairly generic to me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iSee

Geeze, just take the optical drive out of the ultra portable!
And then make a really nice, thin add-on drive available.

Ultra-portable. Add-on. Isn't that a conflict of terms?

yoak · Jan 25, 2007, 12:25 PM

I wouldn´t mind having to turn the laptop over to insert a disk as long as it´s small.
Great idea me thinks
It´s not that often I need the optical drive on my laptop, but for others it might be a pain.

esaleris · Jan 25, 2007, 12:25 PM

That's just strange.

L3X · Jan 25, 2007, 12:27 PM

ehh, i prefer the drives the way they are. i can deal with a laptop being 1 or 2 pounds heavier for an easily accessible drive.

JFreak · Jan 25, 2007, 12:29 PM

I would prefer a laptop without any moving parts whatsoever. Not counting electrons, mind you. Hard drive is already bad enough and optical drives make it even worse. Could they eliminate those two, the future laptops would be insanely great!

Object-X · Jan 25, 2007, 12:31 PM

So, I have to pick up my laptop to put in a CD? Seems like a hassel. Weird

darkwing · Jan 25, 2007, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFreak

I would prefer a laptop without any moving parts whatsoever. Not counting electrons, mind you. Hard drive is already bad enough and optical drives make it even worse. Could they eliminate those two, the future laptops would be insanely great!

Electrons don't move too fast. We did calculations in my 2nd physics class showing how an electron at the socket will take something like 3+ days to reach the lamp through a 6 foot cord. Neat stuff.

dashiel · Jan 25, 2007, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFreak

I would prefer a laptop without any moving parts whatsoever. Not counting electrons, mind you. Hard drive is already bad enough and optical drives make it even worse. Could they eliminate those two, the future laptops would be insanely great!

indeed. my dream laptop from apple would be the height/width dimensions of the macbook two-thirds to half the thickness. LED backlit screen and a 32gig non-volatile flash drive and no dvd/cd at all. apart from installation i never use my cd/dvd drive. other than OS installations i don't use the CD/DVD drive on my laptop.

i could never really see apple releasing it, but if they did it could be sold with a "dock" that included a CD/DVD drive, or maybe it's just marketed to existing mac owners who just need an occasional laptop.

as long as i'm dreaming, an integrated iphone dock in front of the keyboard. the iphone when docked would add 4-8GB of memory, act as a replacement for your DVD player on long hauls and work as a larger trackpad.

karlfranz · Jan 25, 2007, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFreak

I would prefer a laptop without any moving parts whatsoever. Not counting electrons, mind you. Hard drive is already bad enough and optical drives make it even worse. Could they eliminate those two, the future laptops would be insanely great!

No moving parts whatsoever? What about the hinge for the display? What about the keys in the keyboard?

Grakkle · Jan 25, 2007, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L3X

ehh, i prefer the drives the way they are. i can deal with a laptop being 1 or 2 pounds heavier for an easily accessible drive.

I'd tend to agree, for a normal notebook. I'd be willing to deal with an awkward location if my main concern was that it be ultra-portable, though.

I can't see it being too popular in a normal notebook, but if they could pull off a tablet-type notebook with optical drive, I imagine it could be quite successful.

Over Achiever · Jan 25, 2007, 12:27 PM

Interesting concept, would work in a tablet style notebook than a laptop used predominantly on a surface.

Jan 25, 2007, 12:27 PM	#8
rtdgoldfish macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Tallahassee, FL	Seems a little strange but if anyone can pull it off, Apple can. __________________ Nothing to see here...Move along...

Jan 25, 2007, 12:27 PM	#9
zelmo macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Mac since 7.5	I'd rather have a latch that lifts up a section of the keyboard where I can drop in a disk. __________________ Unholy Ferret Invasion is coming to your town!

Jan 25, 2007, 12:25 PM	#16
yoak macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Oslo, Norway	I wouldn´t mind having to turn the laptop over to insert a disk as long as it´s small. Great idea me thinks It´s not that often I need the optical drive on my laptop, but for others it might be a pain. __________________ 2.8ghz MP Octo 2,66ghz MBP, Express card slot! 12" iBook 1.2ghz 60GB HD & 768RAM www.sombrafilm.com

Jan 25, 2007, 12:25 PM	#17
esaleris macrumors 6502 Join Date: Oct 2005	That's just strange. __________________ Mac mini + Macbook + G4 Digital Audio = Happy convert!

Jan 25, 2007, 12:27 PM	#18
L3X macrumors 6502 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Chesapeake, VA	ehh, i prefer the drives the way they are. i can deal with a laptop being 1 or 2 pounds heavier for an easily accessible drive. __________________ 2.2 SR MBP; 8GB iPhone 3G; 30GB 5.5G Black iPod; Airport Extreme; Work: 2.8 Dual-Quad Mac Pro, 10 GBs RAM, ATI HD 3870

Jan 25, 2007, 12:24 PM	#2
R.Youden macrumors 68020 Join Date: Apr 2005	Can't see that working myself. If you want to pop in a CD you have to shut the laptop, turn it over insert disk, turn in back the right way, open the lid, oh balls its the wrong CD....

Jan 25, 2007, 12:24 PM	#6
miketcool macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jun 2003	Sounds cool, but probbly wont see the light of day. I like the old TI PB used in the patent image...

Jan 25, 2007, 12:26 PM	#7
GenesisST macrumors member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada	Although the smaller the better except the screen and keyboard. I wouldn't want to import my CD collection to iTunes like this. On the other hand, it is already imported in my case. :-)

Jan 25, 2007, 12:29 PM	#19
JFreak macrumors 68040 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Tampere, Finland	I would prefer a laptop without any moving parts whatsoever. Not counting electrons, mind you. Hard drive is already bad enough and optical drives make it even worse. Could they eliminate those two, the future laptops would be insanely great! __________________ what we do in life, echoes in eternity.

Jan 25, 2007, 12:31 PM	#20
Object-X macrumors 6502a Join Date: Aug 2004	Don't like it So, I have to pick up my laptop to put in a CD? Seems like a hassel. Weird

Jan 25, 2007, 12:27 PM	#25
Over Achiever macrumors 68000 Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Toledo, OH, formerly Twin Cities, MN	Interesting concept, would work in a tablet style notebook than a laptop used predominantly on a surface. __________________ "Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment." Sigma DP1 • 2 GHz Blackbook with 20" Dell LCD • Fujifilm S6000fd

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