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SlotLoading Superdrives and Powerbooks

Yikes!

The great thing about all this is that I'm sure - like upgrading from a 20 to a 40 or 60 GB Harddrive - the Magnificent Oz will ensure the new DVD RW will be available to those who by today. For anyone who is at all familiar with Apple Computer Inc. protocol, the place to find out about new stuff is MacRumors, the unofficial-official source for hardware updates and the latest news.

Don't worry Dorothy, the Titanium man will get a new heart! ;)
 
Re: buy now!

Originally posted by Blackcat


Apple wheels out Jozwiak when sales are poor because we're waiting. He's saying buy a Powerbook now, it's not getting a Superdrive this revision. He did the same when no new PowerMacs were due.
Click to expand...

Joswiak said "We'll offer them as soon as the slot-loading drives are available" and nothing more. He never said the next revision would lack a Superdrive. Apple does not comment on future products. As you can see they are indeed available so this is a moot point anyway. They are in production. They are coming.
 
Re: Re: buy now!

Originally posted by Titanium.X


Joswiak said "We'll offer them as soon as the slot-loading drives are available" and nothing more. He never said the next revision would lack a Superdrive. Apple does not comment on future products. As you can see they are indeed available so this is a moot point anyway. They are in production. They are coming.
Click to expand...

That's what makes it weird. We've all known slot loaders were out, and not just recently either, so for Apple to comment on them as if they weren't is odd.

I'm with everybody regarding tray loading too, it would look fine.
 
Re: Re: Re: buy now!

Originally posted by Blackcat


That's what makes it weird. We've all known slot loaders were out, and not just recently either, so for Apple to comment on them as if they weren't is odd.
Click to expand...

We don't know when he said that though. It could have been a month ago, maybe even longer. He said they would be using them as soon as they are available. They are in production now and should be "available" sometime in Novemeber. So if they announce them Novemeber 5th they could easily be shipping in time for Christmas. I'm sure the Superdrive will only be offered on the top model, maybe even as a BTO-only option if supplies are really limited. That way they can start shipping the low-end PowerBook immediately for those who don't need it.
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: buy now!

Originally posted by Titanium.X


We don't know when he said that though. It could have been a month ago, maybe even longer. He said they would be using them as soon as they are available. They are in production now and should be "available" sometime in Novemeber. So if they announce them Novemeber 5th they could easily be shipping in time for Christmas. I'm sure the Superdrive will only be offered on the top model, maybe even as a BTO-only option if supplies are really limited. That way they can start shipping the low-end PowerBook immediately for those who don't need it.
Click to expand...

That makes sense, especially as News.com has a reputation for old news.

I hope Apple offer an upgrade like they did for the combo drive - I bought a Ti800 3 weeks ago!
 
Combo Upgrage?

I know this is a smidg off topic, but I recently bought a used Tibook 667 with a DVD Rom drive...how do I get it upgraded to a Combo Drive...

I didn't see anything on the Apple web site?


Angus
 
Re: Combo Upgrage?

Originally posted by AngusB
I know this is a smidg off topic, but I recently bought a used Tibook 667 with a DVD Rom drive...how do I get it upgraded to a Combo Drive...

I didn't see anything on the Apple web site?


Angus
Click to expand...

They offered it briefly to people who bought 'books just before the release.

MCE do it now though, if you want one.
 
I bought a new 800mhz TiBook Ultimate Monday. I would have held out for Nov. 5th, but I reckoned that the updated TiBooks wouldn't ship until January probably, and I don't think that 200mhz justifies that wait. I don't really want a SuperDrive that much, so even this addition wouldn't cause me to wait. A SuperDrive would be a good seller, however. I hope I don't eat my words about not holding out though :D.
 
Re: buy now!

Originally posted by Blackcat
Apple wheel out Jozwiak when sales are poor because we're waiting. He's saying buy a Powerbook now, it's not getting a Superdrive this revision. He did the same when no new PowerMacs were due.
Click to expand...
Actually, all Jowziak said is that as soon as slot-loading DVD writers are available, that Apple will offer them. He didn't say anything about when they'd be available, which, based on previous information cited earlier in this thread, could be right about now.

His remarks also seem to confirm an internal drive as opposed to an external one.
 
The Japanese ZDNet article I linked to shows a picture of the drive. Note the picture (file) name indicates it will be distributed by their OEM division Matsushıta. Guess where all of Apple's slot-loading drives have come from in the past? There is no doubt this is the drive they will use just whether or not it will be ready in time. It is supposed to be avaialble towards the end of the year. The article was dated October 3rd so it has already been a month. I think there is a very good chance we will see it with this next revision.
 
Why does this messageboad keep censoring the name of this company? I am talking about a manufacturer not a bodily function. Sheesh.
 
I think a lot of people are waiting just to get the super-drive. I think it will hurt sales a good amount if there is no superdrive. But hey, the computer world is anything but predictable.;)
 
It seems to me that a month or so ago, we were looking at a Kodawarisan article concerning a slot-loading DVD drive inside a poly-mosquito (polycarbonate) casing. :D

Matsusita was the drive manufacturer, you may remember, as the profanity filter was going off when it was spelled with the Hepburn transliteration. :)
 
Originally posted by bousozoku

Matsusita was the drive manufacturer, you may remember, as the profanity filter was going off when it was spelled with the Hepburn transliteration. :)
Click to expand...

Eh? Hepburn transliteration? I spelled it correctly. Well, I went back and substituted another character for the letter i. Strange that the filter censors it even as part of a larger word.
 
If the superdrive comes out soon for the powerbook, how long do you think it would be before it comes out on the iBook?
Oh and this is my first real post here, the forum already seems to be very well put together so I'm glad to be here.
 
Not for a while, sorry....

I am sorry, but I guarantee you it will take quite a while before the superdrive makes it to the iBook. Think of how long normal superdrives were available to the powermac before they made it to the imac. If the superdrive comes to the powerbook on the 5th, I think you will need to wait until a second version of a superdrive comes out before they put them on iBooks.

On another note, all I know is that I have been browsing rumor sites for a good 3-4 months waiting for new powerbooks and now they may be right around the corner and I am very excited (though not too excited so as to not be too let down if the pb rev doesnt come out).
 
i'll second that one, moo83. actually i need them to ship by November 20 (my Bday) and that is probably not happening, even if they do announce them on the 5th. oh well. i can always wait till january too, i just don't want to at all.
 
My Birthday too!

My birthday is the 22nd. Cool, I guess we have similar tastes in presents!
Has anyone heard more about the graphix card? Is it going to be a mobility 9000?
 
Pioneer makes a tray-loading DVD-R drive that will fit the PowerBook. It burns DVD-R and DVD-RW discs at 2x speed. Panasonic (Matsushıta) makes both a tray-loading and slot-loading DVD-R drive that will fit the PowerBook. It burns DVD-R discs at 2x and DVD-RW discs at 1x so not as fast as the Pioneer. It is also slower at burning CD-RW discs. Apple has used Matsushıta in the past for their slot-loading drives so they will going with them here, at least initially. It was announced October 3rd and was said to be available towards the end of the year. If the 3-5 day wait at the Apple Store is any indication, they may not have gotten them in time. It's 50/50 really. They could also offer it as a BTO-only option initially with delayed delivery.
 
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