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Really No Opt Drive?
- Thread starter electricdreams
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I think they will. There is more than enough room to house one, so I doubt it will go away any time soon.
U rlly cld hve pst'd w less ltrs.
Anyway, as far as the 2012 iMac thread goes, the optical drive will probably be still included, as it hardly takes away any space in an iMac. Just look at the MacBook Pros.
Anyway, as far as the 2012 iMac thread goes, the optical drive will probably be still included, as it hardly takes away any space in an iMac. Just look at the MacBook Pros.
Apple doesn't do things purely for size reasons, but also for philosophical or design reasons.
Why not save a few dollars in manufacturing costs and sell superdrives at vastly inflated prices to the few people who need an optical drive?
The MacBook Pros haven't had a redesign in 4 years. No one seriously believes there's ever going to be a non-Retina redesign or that the optical drive models will still exist a year from now.
Why not save a few dollars in manufacturing costs and sell superdrives at vastly inflated prices to the few people who need an optical drive?
The MacBook Pros haven't had a redesign in 4 years. No one seriously believes there's ever going to be a non-Retina redesign or that the optical drive models will still exist a year from now.
Precisely. More and more as time goes on, I use the optical drive in my iMac less and less. But I'm glad it's there because on occasion I do have a need for it. I don't mind having it on a desktop computer since it's large and has plenty of room for one. I can easily live without one built into a laptop and if I really needed one on the go, I can always get an external portable drive to go with it.
Apple wants you to buy an over priced external drive. Or buy your software from them again.
For the Air that rarely needs access to a CDROM/DVDROM I don't mind spending money on an external for if and when I need it on the go. I appreciate a smaller form factor as optical discs will most likely be used 3-4 times out of the whole year.
For a stationary computer as the iMac where form factor, physical size, and weight is much less of a concern I prefer to have a CDROM built-in into the AIO computer and prefer not having things lying all over the area. On the larger screen I often stream movies and sometimes play DVDs through rentals. Even for some of the larger games I prefer having a physical install disc over having to download 10+ gigs over steam.
For a stationary computer as the iMac where form factor, physical size, and weight is much less of a concern I prefer to have a CDROM built-in into the AIO computer and prefer not having things lying all over the area. On the larger screen I often stream movies and sometimes play DVDs through rentals. Even for some of the larger games I prefer having a physical install disc over having to download 10+ gigs over steam.
Cheaper options exist if you really need one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136251
Aside from the odd redbox video, I can't say that I've had a huge need for a DVD drive, even at work. Actually even when I used to do video editing in my past career, the only time I used the DVD drive in my Mac was to burn an obligatory DVD test.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136251
Aside from the odd redbox video, I can't say that I've had a huge need for a DVD drive, even at work. Actually even when I used to do video editing in my past career, the only time I used the DVD drive in my Mac was to burn an obligatory DVD test.
Not old timer technology lots of clients still want optical media. Yes it is on its way out but its definitely not dead yet.
While its not dead yet I feel like apple feels they have the right to kill it. On the other hand I don't think they will spend the money on removing and redesigning without also adding retina and that isnt coming so the drive will live on.
There's a reason...
My car has a perfectly usable CD player and that's what I play music on in the car so....
My car has a perfectly usable CD player and that's what I play music on in the car so....
Just get a $25 cheapo external optical drive from Amazon, eBay, Newegg, wherever.
Forget the over-priced Apple drive.
Not a big deal.
Forget the over-priced Apple drive.
Not a big deal.
there's no practical reason for apple not to include one, but I can imagine them not, as it will save/make them money (through selling separate ones) and they're really trying quite hard to get rid of them. They do like to include new, not necessarily widely used technology and get rid of old stuff. Although it can seem annoying and unnecessary at the time, it is a good thing, otherwise tech would be much slower in moving forward, IMO. 
EDIT: I hope they work some way of getting previously purchased software free on the app store. Hope, but don't expect...
EDIT: I hope they work some way of getting previously purchased software free on the app store. Hope, but don't expect...
I don't think I have any software on physical media any more, but I've got music and movies which, from time to time, I want to either rip to my Mac or at least play on it.
EDIT: I don't buy CDs any more, but I still have a lot of discs that I've never ripped.
EDIT: I don't buy CDs any more, but I still have a lot of discs that I've never ripped.