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Apple Still Selling These Old and Often Forgotten Products in 2024

The USB SuperDrive I completely understand. It's a USB 2.0 slot-loading DVD burner that's not always reliable. For the same price as that, I got a nice third-party USB-C slim tray-loading Blu-ray burner from MthsTech.
As for the MagSafe converter, we find them handy at my workplace, since we get SO MANY MagSafe 1 AC adapters but not as many MagSafe 2 adapters. And yes, I have a couple, including one to use with my 2015 Retina 15" MacBook Pro hooked up to my Thunderbolt Display (as long as said display still works, I'm happy with it, and it even works pretty well with my M1 MacBook Air!)
Though I am honestly surprised they still sell a 30-pin USB cable, possibly for legacy device support. Of course at my workplace, we already have a TON of those cables, for when I wipe and reset old iPhones and iPads using that protocol.
 
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People still need an optical drive now and then. I recently watched a YT video of IMAX technicians setting up their 70mm film copy of Oppenheimer last year. The audio arrived on optical disk from which they copied the files into their system.
 
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I decided to look around and found this.

Pioneer
 
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My Superdrive is the only way I can play a disc/dvd. And its USB-A now requires a dongle. Needless to say, the thing sits on the shelf in my closet gathering dust.

True story... I've had mine for maybe 15 years. The first time I used it was early Oct. '23 when a neighbor gifted me the Xanadu dvd after I shared a story of my first love: Olivia Newton-John. A hilarious gift and an insane movie. Hard to believe there was a time that movie was "cool." Or, it was cool to a 10-year old American boy in 1980.

Edit: I feel compelled to add that I also still have a couple of 30-Pin to USB cables and a couple pairs of EarPods with 3.5mm cable. I just recently stumbled across my iPhone 30-pin cradle. I don't recall a lot of environment talking points/complaints when they moved from 30-pin to Lightening. 😜
 
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iZac said:
I actually had to dig out my old Superdrive the other day upon finding out that my PS5 doesn't play freaking Audio CDs!

(for clarity, I plugged it into my mac, wouldn't it be wild if the PS5 recognised the Superdrive!)
Click to expand...

PS4 didn't either - Sony doesn't put support to run the laser to read them in the drives.
 
let’s all appreciate a bit of humor on MR’s part in the new year lmao 💜 (edit: I do sometimes wish I had a superdrive tbh, would be cool to look thru my dad’s old CDs, so 🤷‍♂️ maybe 2024 is the time!)
 
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I can understand the need for optical drives; we still use them here at the hospital I work at to transfer various things. That said, you don't need a superdrive. A modern usb-c dvd-drive or blu-ray drive on Amazon would fit the bill better.

I have an older tray-loading Sony dvd-r M-Disc drive that I use occasionally and works just fine with my M1 Air. It's old enough that it has a mini (not micro) usb connector. I bought a mini-usb to usb-c cable for it and it's quite convenient. I'm not sure why Apple decided to put a fixed cable on their drive.
 
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fenderbass146 said:
surpised the magic trackpad 2 is 9 years old, but not sure what else I'd need it to do. I love mine.
Click to expand...
New versions are expected this year, with a USB-C connection, but otherwise I agree with you. No, point in upgrading what doesn't need more features. But selling a DVD reader is necessary for many with a collection of CD's.
 
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Think I have like three unopened pairs of 3.5mm earpods. Bought them as standalone purchase because I really like them. Best audio I've heard from buds that don't have to attach themselves with foam or rubber.

I think Jony snuck in one night and formed them after my ear canals specifically!
 
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I always wondered why people bought the SuperDrive. I mean, aside from form over function. Better, more capable, Blu Ray enabled drives exist for far less and the SuperDrive was never a value proposition.

Looks kinda pretty and Apple make it... guess that was and still is enough!
 
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Some of these (30pin cable, 3.5mm earpods, DVD drive etc) are pretty essential for people that want to keep using or need to access their legacy devices. If you buy an old mac or ipod on ebay or thrift store as vintage or you have an old relatives one that has important data on it, its good to know you can still buy new OEM accessories for them. It's called support.
 
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We needed a USB to floppy drive unit the other day at work. Luckily there was an old ThinkPad that had a floppy drive.
 
Fixed. 🤪

Mac-Pro-Wheels.jpg
 
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