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gioele · Jul 27, 2005, 01:37 PM

I can't understand how Apple does not offer, even as BTO, DVD writers with the 12" iBook.

What are they waiting for? To have Blu-ray writers on the PowerBooks?

Pao|o · Jul 27, 2005, 01:49 PM

It would conflict with their 12" Powerbook Superdrive. I think Apple's trying their hardest to keep the consumer & professional lines seperate until they switch to Intel chips.

SkaGoat · Jul 27, 2005, 10:20 PM

Last I checked you could get a superdrive in a iBook. Infact, it's standard on the 14" iBook. Just no on the 12"

http://www.apple.com/ibook/

ghporter · Jul 28, 2005, 09:40 AM

Yep. It shows up as standard on the 14 inch iBook right now, and it was a BTO option before the new iBooks were announced. Is it different on the Italian Apple Store?

galarneau · Jul 28, 2005, 10:49 AM

I'm considering whether or not I have the balls to put a SuperDrive into the new 12" iBook I'm planning on buying.

I've taken apart a G4/800 iBook, and it wasn't too bad.

I think you can get a slot load dual layer notebook DVD-R for about $100-120 (Pioneer K04 or something like that)

gioele · Jul 29, 2005, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

Yep. It shows up as standard on the 14 inch iBook right now, and it was a BTO option before the new iBooks were announced. Is it different on the Italian Apple Store?

Was the font I used for '12"' too little?

I think that writing on DVDs is as common as on CDs. I can get a DVD-R for about the price of a CD-R and I can put 5 times more things on it. On my (far away) desktop I use only DVDs.
All the PCs I saw in the last 2 years came with a DVD writer; most of the laptops I saw in the last two years came with a DVD writer (and those that had not could pay to add it).

Let's be realistic, the superdrive is not that super anylonger.

budster101 · Jul 29, 2005, 02:39 PM

Get an external firewire that burns faster.

My .02

ghporter · Jul 29, 2005, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by gioele

Was the font I used for '12"' too little?

I was commenting on SkaGoat's statement that it was now standard on the 14 inch iBook...

I agree that a DVD writing drive is no longer so out of the ordinary that it should be out of the question for the smallest-screened Mac laptop, but I also agree with Pao|o that putting one in an iBook that size would seriously impact sales of the smallest PowerBook... I certainly wouldn't buy a PB if I could get everything I wanted in an iBook, though there's a lot you get in a PB beyond an optional SuperDrive.

gioele · Jul 30, 2005, 03:59 AM

Originally Posted by budster101

Get an external firewire that burns faster.

I buy a 12" to be as much portable a possible and then I go around with an external DVD writer?

Randman · Jul 30, 2005, 04:14 AM

Considering the new iBook 12s can go to 1.5GB of ram while the PB 12s can only go to 1.25GB of ram, Apple doesn't need to muddle the equation even more by offering SuperDrive. You want SuperDrive, Apple wants you to get an iBook 14 or a PowerBook. Business.

galarneau · Jul 30, 2005, 08:33 AM

I think I once saw small external enclosures that can be used with laptop cd-roms, and are powered by the firewire bus.

I know SmartDisk (originally VST) used to make a firewire powered external slim CD-RW. In fact, I have one with a dead drive.

I wonder how hard it would be to swap it out for a DVD-R, and then get the faceplate to match?.... hmm

Not quite as nice as an internal, but definitely better to tote along than a standard 5.25" ATAPI drive in an external enclosre with a power brick.

MindFad · Jul 30, 2005, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by gioele

I buy a 12" to be as much portable a possible and then I go around with an external DVD writer?

Get a 12" PowerBook instead perhaps?

mitchell_pgh · Jul 31, 2005, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by gioele

Was the font I used for '12"' too little?

I think that writing on DVDs is as common as on CDs. I can get a DVD-R for about the price of a CD-R and I can put 5 times more things on it. On my (far away) desktop I use only DVDs.
All the PCs I saw in the last 2 years came with a DVD writer; most of the laptops I saw in the last two years came with a DVD writer (and those that had not could pay to add it).

Let's be realistic, the superdrive is not that super anylonger.

LET'S be realistic... DVD burners are NOT as common as CD burners.

Take a trip over to Dell and you will see that NONE of their sub $1100 laptop systems have DVD burners and few of their sub $700 desktop systems have built in DVD burners as standard.

They aren't as super as they were 4+ years ago, but they are still unique.

nredman · Jul 31, 2005, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by MindFad

Get a 12" PowerBook instead perhaps?

agreed, look out for a refurbed 12" powerbook on apple's website or smalldog.com usually has good deals.

gioele · Aug 1, 2005, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by mitchell_pgh

Take a trip over to Dell and you will see that NONE of their sub $1100 laptop systems have DVD burners and few of their sub $700 desktop systems have built in DVD burners as standard.

But they CAN have a DVD burner! Pay $100 or $200 and you'll have your slick new laptop with a DVD burner if you want.
With the 12" iBook you cannon have a DVD burner!

All you can do is pay about $120 for a naked DVD burner, open your iBook voiding your warranty, deal with 30 screws of different sizes, replace the combo drive, crack various applications to comply with your new burner (if you could not find one of the few supported slim DVD burners). Simple, isn't it.

mitchell_pgh · Aug 1, 2005, 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by gioele

All you can do is pay about $120 for a naked DVD burner, open your iBook voiding your warranty, deal with 30 screws of different sizes, replace the combo drive, crack various applications to comply with your new burner (if you could not find one of the few supported slim DVD burners). Simple, isn't it.

Ummm... or upgrade from to the PB.

NeonGE · Aug 2, 2005, 02:09 AM

Originally Posted by mitchell_pgh

Ummm... or upgrade from to the PB.

Right, for the low low price of just $700 (70%) extra you can get a computer that is half as durable, hooray!

What this all comes down to is that rather than improving the 12" PowerBook (give it a different screen than the iBook, for starters) Apple instead cripples the 12" iBook.

It would cost Apple nothing to add DVI and unlock spanning with the next update, and they would actually profit from DVD burner upgrades! The only reason they haven't is because the 12" PowerBook is an embarrassment!

volcano · Aug 3, 2005, 02:40 AM

Originally Posted by NeonGE

The only reason they haven't is because the 12" PowerBook is an embarrassment!

My thoughts exactly. Why would anyone need a 12" super-duper top-of-the-line laptop? It doesn't make sense. The market doesn't work that way. Those who want a small and portable laptop need it for just that.. it's size. Usually it's a student, and a student would never spend that much money on a 12" Powerbook when they could function just as well using a 12" iBook for their schoolwork. Can you imagine how much Ramen you could buy with that extra $500 you'd be saving by purchasing an iBook?

NeonGE · Aug 3, 2005, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by volcano

Can you imagine how much Ramen you could buy with that extra $500 you'd be saving by purchasing an iBook?

I do believe that is a lifetime supply.

mitchell_pgh · Aug 4, 2005, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by volcano

My thoughts exactly. Why would anyone need a 12" super-duper top-of-the-line laptop? It doesn't make sense. The market doesn't work that way. Those who want a small and portable laptop need it for just that.. it's size. Usually it's a student, and a student would never spend that much money on a 12" Powerbook when they could function just as well using a 12" iBook for their schoolwork. Can you imagine how much Ramen you could buy with that extra $500 you'd be saving by purchasing an iBook?

While I love my iBook, I could see the need for a 12" PB.

If you purchased the iBook, you could get a nice 20"+ display to work on at home.

You can't do that with the iBook. Native screen spawning would be nice as well.