Updates to Apple's iMac Line Reportedly 'Imminent'

[bflowers]

Surely, this must be a joke. Backing up hundreds of gigs to optical in 4GB chunks would be an incredible waste of time. Don't even want to think about the organizational effort involved to be able to find anything in that monstrous pile of incremental backups.

No freakin' thank you.

And who the hell bothers ripping DVDs in the HD era? Complete waste of time.

no, I wasn't joking. Backing up family photos and videos taken on my DSLR is easy with DVDs. Especially for off site storage of them. I can simply burn a new disc at any time and drop it off at my parent's house at any time. Seems easier than making a trip over to pick up an external HDD, taking it home to do a backup, then returning it off site. I have a copy on an external drive here at home that I only pull out of the fire-safe when I need to do a backup.

As for DVDs in an HD era, it is a hell of a lot cheaper ripping DVDs that we already own than paying for them again from iTunes. The DVD is more flexible anyway. Portable DVD player in the car, taking it to Grandma's house. Not everyone has an AppleTV or similar for streaming HD rentals to the TV. Besides, I jumped into HD early, so my TV is a 720p/1080i 42in plasma. DVDs still look fine on them, even if I rip them and play them on the xbox.

Apple needs to cover the vast majority in order to move the most product. Don't make the assumption that your life, values and needs are the same as everyone else. You just make an Ass out of U.

 

[damir00]

Thats why you Rip to Blu Rays...

Apple does not, and will not, ship with BluRay. "Optical" in this context means DVD, and that's it.

Apple? Lowering the price?

Didn't say that. Apple tends to stick to price points, adding value over time.

If you have that little faith in Apple, why even bother being here?

 

[GizmoDVD]

Yep, I think you are just being selfish! Can't imagine how you think removing the ODD would make the computer better or lower the price. If the trade off was something like a top end graphics card, then maybe. To make it thinner,
get a life.

No, you're being selfish. Clinging on to a dead technology so you can use the drive 5 or 6 times a year is laughable. Buy an external. Move on. That's what Apple is doing. ODD is gone from the Air (aka Macbook), Mac Mini, MBPr (and likely the other Pros) and hopefully soon the iMac.

 

[bflowers]

It saves space and cost that can be put to other improvements. It's not an expensive enough component to warrant a huge step, but if it means (eg) knocking $25 off the base price of an SSD-equipped iMac, I'm all for it.

If nothing else, it can allow for improved airflow, as these machines tend to "sweat" under heavy loads.

It's time to dump the optical, no question about it.

Apple is not going to reduce the price by $25 just because they remove a component. Have you followed Apple for any amount of time? Not their MO. Pricing on a line rarely changes. They are more likely to drop the whole iMac line, and replace it with something entirely new if they want to change the price.

The airflow is tied to the complete design. Removing a component on one side of the machine would cause an uneven change to airflow and require a complete redesign of the internals to compensate.

 

[GizmoDVD]

Yes, I could back up to flash drives, and yes, I have several. I also have several external HDDs. However, I can buy a spindle of 100 blank DVD-Rs for about what it would cost me to buy a single 32 gig USB stick. Do you need me to do the math for you for the cost per gig? ok I found both for about $20, not being picky about brands. The USB stick is about $0.63 per gig, while the DVDs are $0.04 per gig. I'll grant you that you can rewrite the flash drive, but I could get DVD-RWs and still maintain a price advantage.

Ok? How much junk do you need to store on DVDs? Enough to buy a 100 DVD-R spindle? Buy an External HD (or two) and you'll be fine. If you are burning so many DVDs like you claim, you're probably better off getting an external incase the internal breaks. What will you do then? Whine to Apple that you have to pay them $400 to fix it?

Shipping is a one time cost, which can (and I'm sure is) passed on in part or full to the buyer. How much does a slot loading ODD weigh these days anyway? It cannot be that much.

Shipping? Let's talk shipping. Have you purchased a DVD or Blu-ray lately? What about a video game? Have you noticed that the cases now have 'holes' in them or a Recyle logo? Why did they do that? To reduce shipping costs. Weigh = money. How many iMacs does Apple ship a year. Several million? If removing the ODD drive saves them $2 (just in shipping weight), that adds up. Why do you think Movie studios are doing that?

I don't recall saying 'everyone' uses a ODD, but I'm sure a lot do. Many people still actually buy CDs and DVDs. I get books on CD and listen to them on my iPhone. Rip my kids' DVDs for them to watch on my old iPod Touch.

Most of you guys are acting like Apple is removing the USB ports and only supplying Thunderbolt ports. Most people don't use the ODD anymore. It's a dead technology. It's why Apple has removed it from most of their products and will continue to do so over the next year. It's why they push iTunes and AppleTV. If you need one so damn bad, buy an External and move on.

Let me take your asinine line of thinking a bit further.

If you want to make the argument that 'everyone' must use something for it to be included, I would say take out the web cam, microphone, Thunderbolt, Firewire and USB ports, as well as the audio in/out ports. People don't 'need' those either! If you don't video chat with people or use voice dictation, you don't need the camera or mic. Many people can't afford Thunderbolt accessories, so clearly we don't need those. Firewire is in limited use, cut it. We have a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, cut the USB. People will just have to use wi-fi enabled printers and network connected storage. Heck, we have iCloud, so you don't need external HDDs at all. I can't imagine why you might need to where headphones or connect to the AUX on a home stereo. We have AirPlay for that after all.

Heck, with your 'everyone' argument, all you really need is a Chromebook. After all, everyone can get by with just checking facebook.


It would be even better if they upgraded to Blu-Ray, but I expect that Steve's word on that will last a bit longer.

I can live without retina, but I would like a minimal SSD included for the OS.

I wish Apple would make iMacs to what I wanted. I'd dump the stupid camera, FireWires, Ethernet etc.

Some of you're "examples" are components that take up minimal space. A ODD takes up a significant amount of space in an iMac.

But what you are whining about is a device that few people use and that Apple has been moving away from for years. You want them to keep in a technology that is dying. Retailers are shrinking space to discs. Why would apple redesign a computer that will likely hold that same design for several years for a technology that fewer and fewer people will use as the years go by.

When Apple starts dumping USB ports from their line, we can talk. They just added the 3.0 spec, so I doubt that'll happen. And the Camera? Facetime.

 

[damir00]

Apple is not going to reduce the price by $25 just because they remove a component.

I didn't say they would.

It allows them to add $25 (or whatever the number is) worth of additional "something" while keeping the price the same. So (as an example) going to an SSD baseline results in less of a price increase than it otherwise would.

It's really not complicated...taking something out creates an opportunity to put something more useful in...

 

[G51989]

Apple does not, and will not, ship with BluRay. "Optical" in this context means DVD, and that's it.

I am aware it means DVD in Apples case, it still shouldn't be dropped. Its silly.

Apple, should be embracing Blu Ray. As an option at the least. Its REALLY useful.

Didn't say that. Apple tends to stick to price points, adding value over time.

Apple Adds value?

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/mac_pro

right.........

If you have that little faith in Apple, why even bother being here?

Because I've probably spent a solid 10-12,000 dollars in Macs since my late high school/early college days? So yes, I own Apple products, a bunch of them, I also own lots of PCs, I'm pretty agnostic.

I see them ditching the ODD drive as a way to " come buy all your software, again. From us! Its better! ". Or, buy an external drive.

Kinda ruins the whole " desktop nirvana " experience doesn't it? Makes your all in one, no longer an all in one. With all this external garbage.

----------

I didn't say they would.

It allows them to add $25 (or whatever the number is) worth of additional "something" while keeping the price the same. So (as an example) going to an SSD baseline results in less of a price increase than it otherwise would.

It's really not complicated...taking something out creates an opportunity to put something more useful in...

Whats more useful? And its a desktop, size doesn't really matter here, and room shouldn't be a problem.

They won't add something if they remove the ODD, the only thing they will add is more profit margin out of the same machine.

What would you put in its place? I'd hope a fan at the very least. That would fix the iMacs horrible cooling.

 

[damir00]

They won't add something if they remove the ODD, the only thing they will add is more profit margin out of the same machine.

If that's how you really feel, then that's how you feel, it's not my job to convince you otherwise.

Cheers.

 

[bflowers]

The only reason to make the iMac thinner

And let me just go on the record and say that people like this are freaking idiots. Buy a laptop and leave the iMac alone. That is a Starbucks just in case you needed clarification.

 

[G51989]

Ok? How much junk do you need to store on DVDs? Enough to buy a 100 DVD-R spindle? Buy an External HD (or two) and you'll be fine. If you are burning so many DVDs like you claim, you're probably better off getting an external incase the internal breaks. What will you do then? Whine to Apple that you have to pay them $400 to fix it?

Ahhh, how much data do some people need to store? Well some people use our computers for actual work, so quite alot. I probably have about 6TB of data in my personal work portfolio, and I like having my own Backups outside of my external drives, why? I want super reliable backups, that will last decades.

Oh so I should just go ONLY use external drives? If I need to get back to something 6 years later ( it happened a couple times already. And I've only been in the industry 6 years ), plug in your external....dead....flash drive....hmmmm dead from sitting for so long. Yep, I'm ****ed. Flash to 10 years from now....oh no my external drive is dead!....But my Blu Rays are just fine! Hell, I still burn DVDs, and I use my iMac for that ( My Gaming Tower Has Triple Blu Ray Burners ). And so, if I want the new iMac, and I want to use discs, I need to clutter up my desk with external drives?

Most of you guys are acting like Apple is removing the USB ports and only supplying Thunderbolt ports. Most people don't use the ODD anymore. It's a dead technology. It's why Apple has removed it from most of their products and will continue to do so over the next year. It's why they push iTunes and AppleTV. If you need one so damn bad, buy an External and move on.

Its really only dead in Apples " re buy all your content from us, " and Kool Aid Drinkers eyes.

Is it as widespread? No it isn't, but its still pretty widely used by lots of people. Ever been into an electronics store? Walls and walls and walls of discs.......clearly they sell 0 of them. So they just sit there to look pretty.

Of course they push iTunes and AppleTV, they make money off it

Some of you're "examples" are components that take up minimal space. A ODD takes up a significant amount of space in an iMac.

And what would you do with that extra space? Make the entire computer uselessly thin?

But what you are whining about is a device that few people use and that Apple has been moving away from for years. You want them to keep in a technology that is dying. Retailers are shrinking space to discs. Why would apple redesign a computer that will likely hold that same design for several years for a technology that fewer and fewer people will use as the years go by.

Its dying a little bit, but its still a mainstay. And its insane to remove it in a desktop, where space doesn't matter. But I guess thats Apple, form over Function.

Discs are great for music and movies to! Some of us don't settle for streamed crap.

 

[CWallace]

Removing the ODD probably won't allow Apple to make the iMac case thinner unless they also drop the HDD, as well, and only have "stick-type" SSDs for storage.

So if Apple intends to keep 2.5" / 3.5" form factor HDDs and SSDs in the iMac, they might as well keep an ODD in there, as well. That way, if you find an ODD useful, it's there and if you don't, well tape the slot off to keep the dust out.

 

[bflowers]

That way, if you find an ODD useful, it's there and if you don't, well tape the slot off to keep the dust out.

Or you always have the option to take the ODD out and stuff an extra HDD in there. iFixit has a kit to help with that. If they took it out and shrank the space, then you wouldn't have that option.

 

[jagolden]

No, you're being selfish. Clinging on to a dead technology so you can use the drive 5 or 6 times a year is laughable. Buy an external. Move on. That's what Apple is doing. ODD is gone from the Air (aka Macbook), Mac Mini, MBPr (and likely the other Pros) and hopefully soon the iMac.

No, it's the other way around. You're being selfish. Removing it affects people that use it, keeping it has no effect on those that don't.

Why should someone have to spend aditional money on an external when many still use the Internal OOD.

I say if someone is so hot for another piece of equipment to take its place, let them by the external whatever.

Most people don't use their directionals in the car. Should we remove them?

 

[damir00]

...keeping it has no effect on those that don't.

That's incorrect, as Apple will use the space/savings to provide/upgrade some other functionality.

Why should someone have to spend aditional money on an external when many still use the Internal OOD.

Why should most spend additional money on an internal when most do not have a use for it?

 

[GizmoDVD]

No, it's the other way around. You're being selfish. Removing it affects people that use it, keeping it has no effect on those that don't.

Except it does. It takes up space inside my iMac. It makes my iMac run hotter. It makes the iMac bigger. It means less options to install additional HDD/SDD.

Let's just add a Floppy drive while were at it. Maybe a Cassette? I mean, who cares, some people use those.

So sorry, you are being selfish. If Apple is going to redesign the iMac, I hope they drop it. They don't want to be saddled with a dying media for the next 4+ years.

Most people don't use their directionals in the car. Should we remove them?

What in the world is a "directionals"?

 

[bflowers]

Except it does. It takes up space inside my iMac. It makes my iMac run hotter. It makes the iMac bigger. It means less options to install additional HDD/SDD.

Let's just add a Floppy drive while were at it. Maybe a Cassette? I mean, who cares, some people use those.

So sorry, you are being selfish. If Apple is going to redesign the iMac, I hope they drop it. They don't want to be saddled with a dying media for the next 4+ years.



What in the world is a "directionals"?

Directionals are turn signals. Which you probably don't use, as they are an inconvenience for you to bother with, and only benefit others.

ODD is not dying as quickly as floppies did. Not a lot of software needs more than one DL-DVD to install, but I recall needing 20+ floppies for some software. If Apple would ever let us have a blu-ray drive, it would be even more useful. The idle ODD does not make your computer run hotter, and blaming it for airflow issues doesn't make it the ODD's fault. Get over yourself.

Oh, and how about irony, the guy that wants the DVD burner removed from the iMac has DVD in his name. Go to iFixit and buy the kit to remove your ODD if it bothers you so much.

 

[GizmoDVD]

Directionals are turn signals. Which you probably don't use, as they are an inconvenience for you to bother with, and only benefit others.

Wow, Are you actually trying to argue that is the same thing as removing the ODD from an iMac?

ODD is not dying as quickly as floppies did. Not a lot of software needs more than one DL-DVD to install, but I recall needing 20+ floppies for some software. If Apple would ever let us have a blu-ray drive, it would be even more useful. The idle ODD does not make your computer run hotter, and blaming it for airflow issues doesn't make it the ODD's fault. Get over yourself.

Oh, and how about irony, the guy that wants the DVD burner removed from the iMac has DVD in his name. Go to iFixit and buy the kit to remove your ODD if it bothers you so much.

No, Discs are dying. Perhaps you should try and keep abreast on the industry as they are all moving towards streaming/rentals as retailers shrink space devoted to discs. Even Apple has their own Movie and Music store. They don't supply Lion or Mountaion Lion on disc. They have not packed in a 'restore disc' in years. It's over. Move on.

I've been using the same username for nearly 15 years. Sorry if that bothers you. I like to stay on the cusp on technology and 15 years ago that was DVD. Today...not so much. And thankfully Apple will remove that silly ODD and I can read about everyone whining....as they run out to buy the iMac.

----------

And while Apple is at it, remove the stupid SD Slot. Looks so stupid on the side of the iMac.

 

[CWallace]

It takes up space inside my iMac. It makes my iMac run hotter. It makes the iMac bigger. It means less options to install additional HDD/SDD.

It takes up space, but removing it would not allow the iMac to be any thinner (except perhaps at the edges) if Apple still has a 2.5" or 3.5" HDD/SSD because those are as thick or thicker than the ODD.

I don't see how it makes the iMac run hotter just sitting there. If anything, it's a heat sink considering how hot a DVD is when I eject it after 20 mins compared to when I put it in.

And you do have options to install an additional HDD/SDD thanks to third-party ODD replacement kits.

 

[Thunderbird]

Touch screen imacs?

We won't be seeing those till we get sharks with frikken laser beams.

 

[Xiroteus]

And while Apple is at it, remove the stupid SD Slot. Looks so stupid on the side of the iMac.

Is that a joke?

Buy an External.

Is everyone just ignoring this idea or just being selfish?

No one wants to buy a streamlined iMac to just add an external dvd drive that should be included. It is more selfish to want to removed something just because you (anyone) does not want to use it ignoring those who have movies, software, games, music etc... on disc. Our old collections have not become obsolete.

 

[GizmoDVD]

Is that a joke?

No. My iPhone has no SD Slot...why do I want it?

No one wants to buy a streamlined iMac to just add an external dvd drive that should be included. It is more selfish to want to removed something just because you (anyone) does not want to use it ignoring those who have movies, software, games, music etc... on disc. Our old collections have not become obsolete.

No one? I don't want to buy an iMac with an obsolete ODD that I won't use.

Buy an external and move on.

 

[Ice Dragon]

Is that a joke?

Yeah I'm pretty sure he was joking there.

I have said this before though I am in the "remove the ODD camp." I am also in the "SSD as standard" crowd as well though that's asking for too much from Apple unfortunately.

 

[Ryth]

Thats why you Rip to Blu Rays, I've been re writing all my important data to Blu Rays from DVDs, collection is getting MUCH smaller."

Unfortunately, Blu-Rays can't even store most of our edit projects or graphic projects anymore...it's basically all external drives for us now...OD Media is just not keeping up with the size of files now.

 

[Xiroteus]

No. My iPhone has no SD Slot...why do I want it?

I wish my phone had an micro cd card slot, I can deal with that, no sd card slot on a computer? How about photographs?

No one? I don't want to buy an iMac with an obsolete ODD that I won't use.

Let me restate, no one that required a dvd drives wants to buy an external, I know I do not, that is a deal breaking and how important it is to have. Not sure how some people never use a drive ever I am not THAT much into the overpriced digital world and still require the use of an optical drive for all that I already own.

Buy an external and move on.

That is just not going to happen, who wants to buy a streamlined iMac to start adding externals to it? The same goes for a laptop, buying an external defeats the purpose. The Macbook Air gets a free pass because of the type of system it is.

Yeah I'm pretty sure he was joking there.

I have said this before though I am in the "remove the ODD camp." I am also in the "SSD as standard" crowd as well though that's asking for too much from Apple unfortunately.

Be nice one companies can hit 512GB SSD at a lower price point, that is likely enough for a good amount of people.

 

[Ryth]

No one wants to buy a streamlined iMac to just add an external dvd drive that should be included. It is more selfish to want to removed something just because you (anyone) does not want to use it ignoring those who have movies, software, games, music etc... on disc. Our old collections have not become obsolete.

I do. I'd rather have them use that space for a better GPU card. I can purchase an external BRD/DVD for the rare times I need to burn something to disc.

Something you use 5% over the life of the course of the computer is not wise to keep in the machine. It's dated tech that isn't used by many anymore and when it is, it during rare occasions.