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Apple Patents Mini CD/DVD-ROM Adapter For Slot Loading Drives
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That would be good. Had an update for Logic Studio and it came on a half size DVD. Odd when most of Apple's machines have slot loading CD-ROMs.
True, but the Wii uses a different load/unload mechanism that allows the use of the smaller CDs. Not all slimlines are created equal.
Why, when I bought my washer and dryer, did I have to buy the dryer exhaust hose and the dryer power cable separately?
That idea kind of reminds me of those silly CD cassette things that Macs used to have a long time ago. I hated those things...always cluttering up the desk when they weren't in use.
It'd be quite silly to include the adapter with each disc.
http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=677908&rl=1
The Wii's optical drive is there on the right.
And here's a take apart video as well.
One more time you can see here that the drive isn't much larger then the disc. I don't know how thick it is though.
I can imagine even smaller packaging now.
I was in the same boat too until one day I ended up with 3 extra USB cables from every other device.
Mini-DVD can hold 1.4 GB single or 2.66 GB dual layer. That's not a lot to download but bandwidth and maintaining it for so many users does add up.
Why not ask Nintendo?
I remember CD caddies as well.
Because they already have a bunch of drives out on the market that aren't small-disk compatible, but if they want to distribute their software on small disks, they need it to be able to run in those drives.
Interesting idea. However it would be kinda nasty when you have full size media and a mini drive. I mean if software were currently shipping on smaller media then this would make more sense.
Another item to sell on the Apple Store, the iFoldingMiniCDToFullSizeCDAdapter. Catchy name!
For just 20$ or 20€ a amazing adapter using a quality white plastic...
Don't like this idea..
Maybe the reason for the adapter is because these drives are burners as well. Perhaps the reason it works on the Wii is because it had the parts to make it work properly without jamming, but with the additional hardware for the drive to be a cd/dvd burner it is not possible.
They were common in DVD-writer camcorders that were popular for a bit (I think HD based camcorders have probably surpassed them now in popularity however).
Also software is often distributed on small disks to save space, for example I bought a HP Printer Cartridge at Wal-Mart recently that had a DVD for some junk HP software stuck onto the box. The DVD was tiny, so it could be fit on the small printer box (and totally useless if you have a slot loading drive).
Theres some other weird DVD/CD sizes like the "bootable business cards" that the Linux community are fond of (I've seen these at conferences in the USA as well, they're business card size DVDS, with rounded off edges).
That's what I was thinking. They've been complaining about not being able to make smaller laptops because of the size of the current optical drive.
If they are making a smaller drive, it might be a blue-ray drive. They would be able to fit all of the Final Cut Studio discs onto a tiny dual layer Blue-ray disc or something. This might be their way of pushing the industry to use small discs and retire the 25 year-old sized discs.
This has to be more than just saving a few pennies on packaging.
If they are making a smaller drive, it might be a blue-ray drive. They would be able to fit all of the Final Cut Studio discs onto a tiny dual layer Blue-ray disc or something. This might be their way of pushing the industry to use small discs and retire the 25 year-old sized discs.
This has to be more than just saving a few pennies on packaging.
ya the wii plays small gamecube discs without an adaptor, how come macs cant do the same?
This was for iPod packaging
Seems pretty clear to me this isn't a product idea (which would be pretty lame) but is something they thought up a few years ago when they were trying to figure out how to reduce the size of the iPod packaging. (Before the nano and 5G iPod, every iPod included the iTunes install CD in the box.) If they were going to shrink the package by putting in a mini-CD, they had to ensure that everyone, even with people with slot drives that can't read mini-CDs, could use it. Hence, the idea of including the folding adapter in each package.
Eventually they just decided it was OK to dump the CD entirely and just make people download iTunes themselves, but presumably either Apple or Tony thought there might benefit to patenting the idea anyway.
Seems pretty clear to me this isn't a product idea (which would be pretty lame) but is something they thought up a few years ago when they were trying to figure out how to reduce the size of the iPod packaging. (Before the nano and 5G iPod, every iPod included the iTunes install CD in the box.) If they were going to shrink the package by putting in a mini-CD, they had to ensure that everyone, even with people with slot drives that can't read mini-CDs, could use it. Hence, the idea of including the folding adapter in each package.
Eventually they just decided it was OK to dump the CD entirely and just make people download iTunes themselves, but presumably either Apple or Tony thought there might benefit to patenting the idea anyway.
My 6+ year old TiBook also accepts 3" disks in its slot-load drive with no problems. The first time I fed it one I was a little concerned, although I believe that the manual said it would work.
This really seems like a non-story.
Let's all of us hope that Apple is just filing this patent so they can lock it up in a safe and then throw the safe in maybe a volcano and prevent anyone including themselves from building this. What a service that would be to users everywhere. Thank you Apple.
Yes I guess making a smaller disk might save them two cents but do I really want to hassle with an adapter so that someone else can save two cents? Let's hope I'm right about Apple doing this as a public service.
Yes I guess making a smaller disk might save them two cents but do I really want to hassle with an adapter so that someone else can save two cents? Let's hope I'm right about Apple doing this as a public service.
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So that's about 25 discs for installing Final Cut Studio
Now they can sell it in a tennis ball tube though.
Now they can sell it in a tennis ball tube though.
*Note that the adapter may not work when used in a vertically-loading drive.
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well I am doubting whether Apple will use I'd for future product. Because Sony has made similar kind of device and small size CD or DVD, UMD. They haven't been successful well. I just believe it would be just patent.
I think of it as a non-issue. I have a USB 2 CD writer lying around, the tray has a recess that accepts the smaller discs. On a slot loader you need a mechanism that centres the smaller discs but it seems that has been dealt with by some manufacturers.