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Originally Posted by
zoetmb 
Because in a
Pro portable device, I don't want something external that could be internal.
You might to rethink that statement since a floppy drive and a whole mess of other outdated HW
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And I still use the optical drive to receive files that are too big to email from other people and to transfer files from a non-networkable standalone CD-R drive. And I also burn music for people. As cheap as USB hard drive keys are, they're not as cheap as a blank CD-R.
But how common do you thin it is for people to require burning audio CDs for people or getting files to people that don't have network connectivity? This simply isn't something the average user does which is why the iPad, with even less in the way of ports and slots is capable of being so popular.
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In addition, some people still prefer DVDs (and Blu-rays for that matter) to streaming and downloadable files. What it really comes down to is why should I lose functionality when I "upgrade" to a new machine.
Titles on Blu-ray is still the best quality but that isn't something that has ever been on the Mac... and never will be. It's a living room technology not something that needs to be carted around in your 13" notebook taking up 25% of the internal space just in case you feel the urge to watch a movie.
Have you ever heard a Blu-ray drive in action on a notebook? You should wear headphones because they can be loud, not to mention the fans going for all the heat it produces
It's just not a smart fit for the average user.
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I agree with those who wonder what the difference is going to be between a MBA and a MBP. I would also consider a small solid-state drive to be a downgrade as well. I've put a 750GB drive into my MBP and that's what I need. As a consultant, I do lots of work for clients who do not want their files in the Cloud.
The differences are clear. The current MBP took it's cues for the unibody design from the original MBA and yet people didn't wonder about the difference between the two so getting rid of the ODD and making it a little thinner isn't going to do the same.
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I think Apple is going to be making a big mistake if they don't maintain a distinction between these lines. They will lose the high-end users. If they want to have thin machines with solid state drives and no optical drive for people who mainly consume content, that's fine -- that's what the MBA line is for.
Those who think the ODD is a requirement for high-end users don't sound like Pro users to me. They sound like Pre users, as in
prehistoric.

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I do not want to trade hard disk space and the optical drive for slightly more speed and battery life - that's not a good tradeoff for me.
Then don't buy a MBA.