I don't know if it is that funny. People here and elsewhere often complain about this practice from Apple's part to go only thinner with revisions. Many professionals would ask for a more sturdy MBP, even if the price to pay is weight and thickness.
We have a saying is research that goes, "If you don't want to hear the answer, don't ask the question.
Apparently as of Aug 27, 2008, more than 780 Blu-ray Disc titles have been released in the United States. Note that not all are movies.
In comparison, more than 12,000 titles have been released on DVD since January this year alone. Again not all are movies. Note, so far a little over 955 movies have been releases in the theatres since January.
So let's put this in perspective.
Lieing with statistics..
DVD is old now, how CD's are available? As time goes on availability will increase.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Abster2core
Blu-Ray is a great technology. Especially for HDTV. Still the final codec is to be decided. Still very expensive.
What are you talking about? What final codec? The video and audio codecs are already in place, MPEG-2, AVC, VC-1 for video, and numerous audio ones.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Abster2core
Sure, Blu-Ray movies look fantastic on a 24" iMac. But what about the rest of the family? Are you going to log off AppleInsider and share the screen?
Well at present if someone in my family wants to watch an blu-ray movie, they would place the disc in my PS3 and watch it on the TV connected to that.
But what happens when I want to go away and take that movie with me? I either purchase a laptop with blu-ray support, and I wait for Apple to pull their finger out and do something
Quote:
Originally Posted by Abster2core
True, moves have been made to manufacture players/recorders in China. Prices are expected to come down precipitously. However, only a test center has been designated in China so far, and the earliest production, if approved, could only start as early as December, if at all.
Which really has nothing to do with Apple being able to put blu-ray drives in their computers as an option, all the components needs are already available, and have been available for a long time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Abster2core
Although HDTV sales are on the rise, it is still in its infancy. Same goes for content. Movie studios produce over 2000 films a year, but Blu-Ray movies are still only averaging less than 25 new releases a month. And it is not like TV, with virtually a set in every room of the house, and an abundant number of them quite capable of playing videos via a very inexpensive DVD player.
True, there are more DVD players than Blu-Ray players.
And when DVD came out, there were more VHS players than DVD players.
And when the CD came out, there were more cassette decks than CD players
I'm surprised at you. You usually put up a much better argument than this.
Bd is still new. It's arrived just as the worlds economies are going through a tough time.
The same thing was said about DVD vs VHS. People have invested in VHS, they won't buy the same movies again. Well, they did. It was also said that DVD players don't record, so people won't want them because they want to record. Well, most people don't want to record, and they did want them.
None of that matters. Despite a few wags here who think that downloads will win in the end, that end won't be for some time yet. Only when most people have true high speed connections will there be a chance for that.
Right now there is no download service that can offer anything close to the quality of a B-D disk, and we all know that.
Someone brought up the argument that not all B-D disks being offered are top material. Does anyone seriously think that anywhere near the full number of DVD releases is that top quality stuff? That's not even something that a fantasy would show to be true. The percentage of garbage on DVD is far greater that the same for B-D. Give it a few years, and that will change, if it matters to people.
I wouldn't worry about people crowding around the monitor to watch B-D as they must to watch a thumb drive.
Mel, why shoot the messenger.
My comments were to simply point out that the format is not the issue. It is just that interest/sales does not reflect need/demand. As such, don't expect Blu-Ray to be part of Apple's new product offerings in very near future, certainly not this year.
How can Apple support an option that is still very expensive and used so relatively little?
To get player/recorder prices down, it has to start manufacturing is China. That scenario has not yet happened. And now the Chinese have come up with a new audio codec to compound the issue.
I am not questioning quality. But quality does not outsell quantity. Sure, flatscreen sales are up. Now we hear reports that as much as 35% of them are not HD as presented. Studios are, as the data shows, releasing a smidgen of new materials compared to the total titles hitting the stores. And some of the big players are just starting to introduce recorders in Europe*
What is discouraging is the language to some of FAQs? posted on the official Blu-Ray Association web site.
For example, 2.6\tWhat about Blu-ray for PCs?
"There are plans for BD-ROM (read-only), BD-R (recordable) and BD-RE (rewritable) drives for PCs, and with the support of the worlds two largest PC manufacturers, HP and Dell, it's very likely that the technology will be adopted as the next-generation optical disc format for PC data storage and replace technologies such as DVD±R, DVD±RW, and DVD-RAM."
Although we know that there are internal drives available, what is disturbing is the lack of hype, reviews and announcements of introductions, particularly in Macworld and even more important, the governing association itself.
Bottom line. I just don't think that everything that has to go into making Blu-Ray an internal offering in the Mac, has yet to be achieved.
can they just release these things already.... i dont know much but my instinct tells me they will release the ipods early in september and do these separately to avoid crowding out, and these will come out in october.
I dont see any reason to make the mbp thinner. It is already extremely compact. The mbp should be their flagship do it all laptop for power users, and if you want something really thin, get the air. I think this is the right way to have one ultra thin laptop and one powerful one. If they make the mbp thinner they will not be able to compete performance wise with the other top pc books.
My comments were to simply point out that the format is not the issue. It is just that interest/sales does not reflect need/demand. As such, don't expect Blu-Ray to be part of Apple's new product offerings in very near future, certainly not this year.
How can Apple support an option that is still very expensive and used so relatively little?
To get player/recorder prices down, it has to start manufacturing is China. That scenario has not yet happened. And now the Chinese have come up with a new audio codec to compound the issue.
I am not questioning quality. But quality does not outsell quantity. Sure, flatscreen sales are up. Now we hear reports that as much as 35% of them are not HD as presented. Studios are, as the data shows, releasing a smidgen of new materials compared to the total titles hitting the stores. And some of the big players are just starting to introduce recorders in Europe*
What is discouraging is the language to some of FAQs? posted on the official Blu-Ray Association web site.
For example, 2.6\tWhat about Blu-ray for PCs?
"There are plans for BD-ROM (read-only), BD-R (recordable) and BD-RE (rewritable) drives for PCs, and with the support of the worlds two largest PC manufacturers, HP and Dell, it's very likely that the technology will be adopted as the next-generation optical disc format for PC data storage and replace technologies such as DVD±R, DVD±RW, and DVD-RAM."
Although we know that there are internal drives available, what is disturbing is the lack of hype, reviews and announcements of introductions, particularly in Macworld and even more important, the governing association itself.
Bottom line. I just don't think that everything that has to go into making Blu-Ray an internal offering in the Mac, has yet to be achieved.
Cost is not the issue. It's that Apple is going in a direction that they think is better for them. Because of that, BD would b a distraction, and water down the message.
When Apple went to DVD burning, that was the message. iMovie. FCP, etc. So they included the $1,000 Pioneer DVD burner before anyone else did. No cost issue there. Today that burner would cost about$1,300. That is not a detriment to inclusion in a Mac Pro. When the prices come down, it gets included in cheaper machines.
But the price has already come down,. I pointed out that a new burner costs $280. Apple would get them much cheaper. When the included the Pioneer, they didn't even charge extra! They were pushing burning very hard back then.
Now, they MUST include DVD, but they are trying to avoid BD. They no longer care about burning, as they don't see it as a big selling point right now as opposed to the desire to control purchasing, and rentals, through iTunes.
As I've been saying since this issue first came up, it's a matter of lack of desire on their part, not pricing or ability.
BD is becoming more popular with time, an a decent number f people want one. But Apple doesn't care. They have their agenda.
Cost is not the issue. It's that Apple is going in a direction that they think is better for them. Because of that, BD would b a distraction, and water down the message.
When Apple went to DVD burning, that was the message. iMovie. FCP, etc. So they included the $1,000 Pioneer DVD burner before anyone else did. No cost issue there. Today that burner would cost about$1,300. That is not a detriment to inclusion in a Mac Pro. When the prices come down, it gets included in cheaper machines.
But the price has already come down,. I pointed out that a new burner costs $280. Apple would get them much cheaper. When the included the Pioneer, they didn't even charge extra! They were pushing burning very hard back then.
Now, they MUST include DVD, but they are trying to avoid BD. They no longer care about burning, as they don't see it as a big selling point right now as opposed to the desire to control purchasing, and rentals, through iTunes.
As I've been saying since this issue first came up, it's a matter of lack of desire on their part, not pricing or ability.
BD is becoming more popular with time, an a decent number f people want one. But Apple doesn't care. They have their agenda.
Wouldn't it be better just to buy this and use it on all machines?
It's Mac compatible if you used Toast as I mentioned before. Just as all CD and DVD writers were over the years were when Apple refused to support drives they didn't sell.
You can install any standard sized drive in a Mac that will take a standard sized drive.
I'm not saying this will fit an iMac or a portable. That was the case with early CD and DVD drives as well. It will fit a Mac Pro very nicely.. Then use Toast, or some other program.
It's faster when writing to a non rewritable disk as is always the case with optical drives.
The point though, is to have something that will outlast data on a HDD, and be far cheaper than a large thumb drive, while being much easier to file in a library, which is the way we keep valuable data and projects.
It's Mac compatible if you used Toast as I mentioned before. Just as all CD and DVD writers were over the years were when Apple refused to support drives they didn't sell.
You can install any standard sized drive in a Mac that will take a standard sized drive.
I'm not saying this will fit an iMac or a portable. That was the case with early CD and DVD drives as well. It will fit a Mac Pro very nicely.. Then use Toast, or some other program.
It's faster when writing to a non rewritable disk as is always the case with optical drives.
The point though, is to have something that will outlast data on a HDD, and be far cheaper than a large thumb drive, while being much easier to file in a library, which is the way we keep valuable data and projects.
Sorry Mel, but this thread started in reference to iMac and Macbook as the actual article does.
Now I would like to bring up another issue with Blu-Ray. Unless you are storing video, one has to question its value as a backup medium. Certainly Time Machine or Capsule needs a rewritable format.
At the current prices for blank discs, there will undoubtedly by a hesitancy to burn. For the average consumer, finding content may be a problem. And a simple mistake could be very expensive. Then there is cataloging.
Looking over my shoulder, I have over a thousand CDs/DVDs indexed using CDFInder, which without it, I would be totally lost. But, as for most users, such backups and indexing are not the norm. Thus the success of Time Machine and Time Capsule.
And they combined with another important factor I know you are well aware, i.e., Apples/Jobs push toward Cloud computing, Blu-ray may just end up for watching movies.
And they combined with another important factor I know you are well aware, i.e., Apples/Jobs push toward Cloud computing, Blu-ray may just end up for watching movies.
They can push all they like, services like Mobile Me have proved it is no where near being a viable option.
Sorry Mel, but this thread started in reference to iMac and Macbook as the actual article does.
Now I would like to bring up another issue with Blu-Ray. Unless you are storing video, one has to question its value as a backup medium. Certainly Time Machine or Capsule needs a rewritable format.
At the current prices for blank discs, there will undoubtedly by a hesitancy to burn. For the average consumer, finding content may be a problem. And a simple mistake could be very expensive. Then there is cataloging.
Looking over my shoulder, I have over a thousand CDs/DVDs indexed using CDFInder, which without it, I would be totally lost. But, as for most users, such backups and indexing are not the norm. Thus the success of Time Machine and Time Capsule.
And they combined with another important factor I know you are well aware, i.e., Apples/Jobs push toward Cloud computing, Blu-ray may just end up for watching movies.
I agree that there are other backup mediums for users to choose from. And personally I find external drives and flash more appealing for most of my needs. Still there are others that may find that BR is best for them. Anyway the storage feature is but one of the features in BR.
In the end I think Apple would be wise to offer it, perhaps as a BTO option, and let users decide.
Sorry Mel, but this thread started in reference to iMac and Macbook as the actual article does.
Now I would like to bring up another issue with Blu-Ray. Unless you are storing video, one has to question its value as a backup medium. Certainly Time Machine or Capsule needs a rewritable format.
At the current prices for blank discs, there will undoubtedly by a hesitancy to burn. For the average consumer, finding content may be a problem. And a simple mistake could be very expensive. Then there is cataloging.
Looking over my shoulder, I have over a thousand CDs/DVDs indexed using CDFInder, which without it, I would be totally lost. But, as for most users, such backups and indexing are not the norm. Thus the success of Time Machine and Time Capsule.
And they combined with another important factor I know you are well aware, i.e., Apples/Jobs push toward Cloud computing, Blu-ray may just end up for watching movies.
Yes it did start out that way, but sometimes expanding it is sensible. With new tech, often Apple starts it on its pro desktop line.
You have to understand what I'm talking about when I mean backup. I'm not talking about a Time Machine backup. I really did think that was clear. Sorry if it wasn't.
When I shoot gigabytes of photos in a day, I need to back that info up. While I have it on three places on the computer, as you must do, I need a safer place to store it. that means offline backups. The way we do this in the industry is CD, DVD, and now, BD. The same is true of movie projects. When my friends shoot a fashion shoot, and end up with 50 GB of photos, they too back it up on optical disk(s). That has been DVD of late, but is now moving to BD as well. The same thing is true for any large data sets that you need to backup for safe keeping.
Perhaps I should be using the term "archive" instead, because that's what it really is.
I've been saying all along that Apple isn't supporting BD at this time because of their downloads business. Thats the real problem here.
The truth is that recently, Apple is being far too restrictive. They aren't letting their customers choose for themselves. They offer many options on their machines, and there is no reason why they couldn't offer this as well.
The people here who aren't interested, don't have to buy it. But they (I'm not saying you're one of them) are just as bad as Apple, they want to restrict what we can choose to do too. That's just plain wrong. As the posts have shown, there are a good number of people who do want BD on the machine, and damn their download business, Apple should give us the choice. I'm beginning to resent the fact that they may decide not to.
I find your stance quite bizarre. Why would you not want a BD player in Apple hardware? It's the current state of the art in movie playback, absolutely nothing comes anywhere near it. (not since the death of HD DVD anyway) BD movies would look fantastic on the 24" iMac screen.
Plus BDs are a great backup format, VASTLY superior to any thumb drive on the planet in fact. Look at the price of a blank 25gb blu-ray.
Go away and watch Blade Runner on a 50 or 60" Pioneer plasma from a Blu-Ray then see how you feel about the format.
You have captured my own feeling about blue ray fairly well. Why would you waste the output of the sharpest video possible by showing it on a tiny 15 to 17 inch screen ?- It's a lot harder to see the difference from standard DVDs there - now running on a 50 or 60 inch 1080p TV is another thing altogether, and the difference between blue ray and the best DVDs is something you can see - (although not as great as the difference between video tape or SD TV and DVD.) If I didn't have blue ray hooked up to a big screen HD TV that could show 1080p, I just don't see the need for the technology on a computer. Why pay the extra for Blue Ray movies just to watch them on a tiny screen?
And having done it with CDs vs. flash vs. portable hard drive, I'll take the flash for presentations and other stuff you need to carry around and put on someone elses machine (which probably doesn't have BRay) and the external hard drive as easier to routinely back up the computer HD.
You have captured my own feeling about blue ray fairly well. Why would you waste the output of the sharpest video possible by showing it on a tiny 15 to 17 inch screen ?- It's a lot harder to see the difference from standard DVDs there - now running on a 50 or 60 inch 1080p TV is another thing altogether, and the difference between blue ray and the best DVDs is something you can see - (although not as great as the difference between video tape or SD TV and DVD.)
There's more to it than the size of the screen, and I would argue the reverse of what you say, that it would be likely more noticeable in a notebook computer. A 15" screen 18" away from your eyes is roughly the same as a 60" screen 6ft away, it would have the same field of view. What you don't get in a notebook is good sound, unless you're into good headphones too.
Stop with all the Blu-Ray talk. This is not about Blu-Ray at all, aside from whether or not they will but a BD drive in the computers, which they won't, so case closed there.
Comments
I can see it now...
The iTurd
Genius!
I don't know if it is that funny. People here and elsewhere often complain about this practice from Apple's part to go only thinner with revisions. Many professionals would ask for a more sturdy MBP, even if the price to pay is weight and thickness.
We have a saying is research that goes, "If you don't want to hear the answer, don't ask the question.
Apparently as of Aug 27, 2008, more than 780 Blu-ray Disc titles have been released in the United States. Note that not all are movies.
In comparison, more than 12,000 titles have been released on DVD since January this year alone. Again not all are movies. Note, so far a little over 955 movies have been releases in the theatres since January.
So let's put this in perspective.
Lieing with statistics..
DVD is old now, how CD's are available? As time goes on availability will increase.
Blu-Ray is a great technology. Especially for HDTV. Still the final codec is to be decided. Still very expensive.
What are you talking about? What final codec? The video and audio codecs are already in place, MPEG-2, AVC, VC-1 for video, and numerous audio ones.
Sure, Blu-Ray movies look fantastic on a 24" iMac. But what about the rest of the family? Are you going to log off AppleInsider and share the screen?
Well at present if someone in my family wants to watch an blu-ray movie, they would place the disc in my PS3 and watch it on the TV connected to that.
But what happens when I want to go away and take that movie with me? I either purchase a laptop with blu-ray support, and I wait for Apple to pull their finger out and do something
True, moves have been made to manufacture players/recorders in China. Prices are expected to come down precipitously. However, only a test center has been designated in China so far, and the earliest production, if approved, could only start as early as December, if at all.
Which really has nothing to do with Apple being able to put blu-ray drives in their computers as an option, all the components needs are already available, and have been available for a long time.
Although HDTV sales are on the rise, it is still in its infancy. Same goes for content. Movie studios produce over 2000 films a year, but Blu-Ray movies are still only averaging less than 25 new releases a month. And it is not like TV, with virtually a set in every room of the house, and an abundant number of them quite capable of playing videos via a very inexpensive DVD player.
True, there are more DVD players than Blu-Ray players.
And when DVD came out, there were more VHS players than DVD players.
And when the CD came out, there were more cassette decks than CD players
etc etc
1. Enclosure to be made of aluminum
2. 2.3GHz and 2.6GHz procesor speeds
3. 2GB RAM standard on all models
4. all modles 14" LED backlit dispaly
5. white models will have white keys, premium black model will have black keys.
(still same scrable tile shape!)
6. shipping with apple remote (made of aluminum)
7. intel x4500 intergrated grafics
8. 800MHz FSB
9. 3 x USB
10. 1 x FW 400
11. mini DVI (adapter included. Mini DVI to VGA)
12. Magsafe
13. backlit apple logo!
14. magnetic latch
15. NO blu ray or hd dvd
16. smaller box!
look at
http://www.apple.com/environment/
apple themself say that the will stop using palstic in products and will use led displays!
tell me if you think im incorrect (in a nice way!) or if you think i have missed any thing !
Thanks
I'm surprised at you. You usually put up a much better argument than this.
Bd is still new. It's arrived just as the worlds economies are going through a tough time.
The same thing was said about DVD vs VHS. People have invested in VHS, they won't buy the same movies again. Well, they did. It was also said that DVD players don't record, so people won't want them because they want to record. Well, most people don't want to record, and they did want them.
None of that matters. Despite a few wags here who think that downloads will win in the end, that end won't be for some time yet. Only when most people have true high speed connections will there be a chance for that.
Right now there is no download service that can offer anything close to the quality of a B-D disk, and we all know that.
Someone brought up the argument that not all B-D disks being offered are top material. Does anyone seriously think that anywhere near the full number of DVD releases is that top quality stuff? That's not even something that a fantasy would show to be true. The percentage of garbage on DVD is far greater that the same for B-D. Give it a few years, and that will change, if it matters to people.
As far as HDTV sales goes, here are some numbers:
http://www.parksassociates.com/press...05/hdtv-1.html
I wouldn't worry about people crowding around the monitor to watch B-D as they must to watch a thumb drive.
Mel, why shoot the messenger.
My comments were to simply point out that the format is not the issue. It is just that interest/sales does not reflect need/demand. As such, don't expect Blu-Ray to be part of Apple's new product offerings in very near future, certainly not this year.
How can Apple support an option that is still very expensive and used so relatively little?
To get player/recorder prices down, it has to start manufacturing is China. That scenario has not yet happened. And now the Chinese have come up with a new audio codec to compound the issue.
I am not questioning quality. But quality does not outsell quantity. Sure, flatscreen sales are up. Now we hear reports that as much as 35% of them are not HD as presented. Studios are, as the data shows, releasing a smidgen of new materials compared to the total titles hitting the stores. And some of the big players are just starting to introduce recorders in Europe*
What is discouraging is the language to some of FAQs? posted on the official Blu-Ray Association web site.
For example, 2.6\tWhat about Blu-ray for PCs?
"There are plans for BD-ROM (read-only), BD-R (recordable) and BD-RE (rewritable) drives for PCs, and with the support of the worlds two largest PC manufacturers, HP and Dell, it's very likely that the technology will be adopted as the next-generation optical disc format for PC data storage and replace technologies such as DVD±R, DVD±RW, and DVD-RAM."
Although we know that there are internal drives available, what is disturbing is the lack of hype, reviews and announcements of introductions, particularly in Macworld and even more important, the governing association itself.
Bottom line. I just don't think that everything that has to go into making Blu-Ray an internal offering in the Mac, has yet to be achieved.
*http://www.techradar.com/news/home-c...-europe-461053
?http://www.blu-ray.com/faq/#bluray_replace_dvd
I dont see any reason to make the mbp thinner. It is already extremely compact. The mbp should be their flagship do it all laptop for power users, and if you want something really thin, get the air. I think this is the right way to have one ultra thin laptop and one powerful one. If they make the mbp thinner they will not be able to compete performance wise with the other top pc books.
Mel, why shoot the messenger.
My comments were to simply point out that the format is not the issue. It is just that interest/sales does not reflect need/demand. As such, don't expect Blu-Ray to be part of Apple's new product offerings in very near future, certainly not this year.
How can Apple support an option that is still very expensive and used so relatively little?
To get player/recorder prices down, it has to start manufacturing is China. That scenario has not yet happened. And now the Chinese have come up with a new audio codec to compound the issue.
I am not questioning quality. But quality does not outsell quantity. Sure, flatscreen sales are up. Now we hear reports that as much as 35% of them are not HD as presented. Studios are, as the data shows, releasing a smidgen of new materials compared to the total titles hitting the stores. And some of the big players are just starting to introduce recorders in Europe*
What is discouraging is the language to some of FAQs? posted on the official Blu-Ray Association web site.
For example, 2.6\tWhat about Blu-ray for PCs?
"There are plans for BD-ROM (read-only), BD-R (recordable) and BD-RE (rewritable) drives for PCs, and with the support of the worlds two largest PC manufacturers, HP and Dell, it's very likely that the technology will be adopted as the next-generation optical disc format for PC data storage and replace technologies such as DVD±R, DVD±RW, and DVD-RAM."
Although we know that there are internal drives available, what is disturbing is the lack of hype, reviews and announcements of introductions, particularly in Macworld and even more important, the governing association itself.
Bottom line. I just don't think that everything that has to go into making Blu-Ray an internal offering in the Mac, has yet to be achieved.
*http://www.techradar.com/news/home-c...-europe-461053
?http://www.blu-ray.com/faq/#bluray_replace_dvd
Since when has Apple cared about cost? Never.
Cost is not the issue. It's that Apple is going in a direction that they think is better for them. Because of that, BD would b a distraction, and water down the message.
When Apple went to DVD burning, that was the message. iMovie. FCP, etc. So they included the $1,000 Pioneer DVD burner before anyone else did. No cost issue there. Today that burner would cost about$1,300. That is not a detriment to inclusion in a Mac Pro. When the prices come down, it gets included in cheaper machines.
But the price has already come down,. I pointed out that a new burner costs $280. Apple would get them much cheaper. When the included the Pioneer, they didn't even charge extra! They were pushing burning very hard back then.
Now, they MUST include DVD, but they are trying to avoid BD. They no longer care about burning, as they don't see it as a big selling point right now as opposed to the desire to control purchasing, and rentals, through iTunes.
As I've been saying since this issue first came up, it's a matter of lack of desire on their part, not pricing or ability.
BD is becoming more popular with time, an a decent number f people want one. But Apple doesn't care. They have their agenda.
For reviews and such this is a good site:
http://www.cdfreaks.com/
Forget Macworld. Who cares? They aren't interested unless Apple already does it.
Since when has Apple cared about cost? Never.
Cost is not the issue. It's that Apple is going in a direction that they think is better for them. Because of that, BD would b a distraction, and water down the message.
When Apple went to DVD burning, that was the message. iMovie. FCP, etc. So they included the $1,000 Pioneer DVD burner before anyone else did. No cost issue there. Today that burner would cost about$1,300. That is not a detriment to inclusion in a Mac Pro. When the prices come down, it gets included in cheaper machines.
But the price has already come down,. I pointed out that a new burner costs $280. Apple would get them much cheaper. When the included the Pioneer, they didn't even charge extra! They were pushing burning very hard back then.
Now, they MUST include DVD, but they are trying to avoid BD. They no longer care about burning, as they don't see it as a big selling point right now as opposed to the desire to control purchasing, and rentals, through iTunes.
As I've been saying since this issue first came up, it's a matter of lack of desire on their part, not pricing or ability.
BD is becoming more popular with time, an a decent number f people want one. But Apple doesn't care. They have their agenda.
For reviews and such this is a good site:
http://www.cdfreaks.com/
Forget Macworld. Who cares? They aren't interested unless Apple already does it.
Mel, before I go further, please provide link to that $280 burner.
Thank you.
Mel, before I go further, please provide link to that $280 burner.
Thank you.
Go to that site. It was just reviewed there.
Go to that site. It was just reviewed there.
Thank you
Issues:
Slow, about and hour and a half to write 50 Gbs
External only?
Not Mac compatible?
Not writable?
Wouldn't it be better just to buy this and use it on all machines?
Thank you
Issues:
Slow, about and hour and a half to write 50 Gbs
External only?
Not Mac compatible?
Not writable?
Wouldn't it be better just to buy this and use it on all machines?
It's Mac compatible if you used Toast as I mentioned before. Just as all CD and DVD writers were over the years were when Apple refused to support drives they didn't sell.
You can install any standard sized drive in a Mac that will take a standard sized drive.
I'm not saying this will fit an iMac or a portable. That was the case with early CD and DVD drives as well. It will fit a Mac Pro very nicely.. Then use Toast, or some other program.
It's faster when writing to a non rewritable disk as is always the case with optical drives.
The point though, is to have something that will outlast data on a HDD, and be far cheaper than a large thumb drive, while being much easier to file in a library, which is the way we keep valuable data and projects.
I'm not saying this will fit an iMac or a portable. .
There are BR drives that fit portables as Dell offers them as a BTO option on some of their laptops.
There are BR drives that fit portables as Dell offers them as a BTO option on some of their laptops.
That's true, but I was referring to this drive in particular, and it's possible that those drives aren't thin enough for Apples purposes.
It's Mac compatible if you used Toast as I mentioned before. Just as all CD and DVD writers were over the years were when Apple refused to support drives they didn't sell.
You can install any standard sized drive in a Mac that will take a standard sized drive.
I'm not saying this will fit an iMac or a portable. That was the case with early CD and DVD drives as well. It will fit a Mac Pro very nicely.. Then use Toast, or some other program.
It's faster when writing to a non rewritable disk as is always the case with optical drives.
The point though, is to have something that will outlast data on a HDD, and be far cheaper than a large thumb drive, while being much easier to file in a library, which is the way we keep valuable data and projects.
Sorry Mel, but this thread started in reference to iMac and Macbook as the actual article does.
Now I would like to bring up another issue with Blu-Ray. Unless you are storing video, one has to question its value as a backup medium. Certainly Time Machine or Capsule needs a rewritable format.
At the current prices for blank discs, there will undoubtedly by a hesitancy to burn. For the average consumer, finding content may be a problem. And a simple mistake could be very expensive. Then there is cataloging.
Looking over my shoulder, I have over a thousand CDs/DVDs indexed using CDFInder, which without it, I would be totally lost. But, as for most users, such backups and indexing are not the norm. Thus the success of Time Machine and Time Capsule.
And they combined with another important factor I know you are well aware, i.e., Apples/Jobs push toward Cloud computing, Blu-ray may just end up for watching movies.
I have an ipod touch.
Good for you.
And they combined with another important factor I know you are well aware, i.e., Apples/Jobs push toward Cloud computing, Blu-ray may just end up for watching movies.
They can push all they like, services like Mobile Me have proved it is no where near being a viable option.
Sorry Mel, but this thread started in reference to iMac and Macbook as the actual article does.
Now I would like to bring up another issue with Blu-Ray. Unless you are storing video, one has to question its value as a backup medium. Certainly Time Machine or Capsule needs a rewritable format.
At the current prices for blank discs, there will undoubtedly by a hesitancy to burn. For the average consumer, finding content may be a problem. And a simple mistake could be very expensive. Then there is cataloging.
Looking over my shoulder, I have over a thousand CDs/DVDs indexed using CDFInder, which without it, I would be totally lost. But, as for most users, such backups and indexing are not the norm. Thus the success of Time Machine and Time Capsule.
And they combined with another important factor I know you are well aware, i.e., Apples/Jobs push toward Cloud computing, Blu-ray may just end up for watching movies.
I agree that there are other backup mediums for users to choose from. And personally I find external drives and flash more appealing for most of my needs. Still there are others that may find that BR is best for them. Anyway the storage feature is but one of the features in BR.
In the end I think Apple would be wise to offer it, perhaps as a BTO option, and let users decide.
Sorry Mel, but this thread started in reference to iMac and Macbook as the actual article does.
Now I would like to bring up another issue with Blu-Ray. Unless you are storing video, one has to question its value as a backup medium. Certainly Time Machine or Capsule needs a rewritable format.
At the current prices for blank discs, there will undoubtedly by a hesitancy to burn. For the average consumer, finding content may be a problem. And a simple mistake could be very expensive. Then there is cataloging.
Looking over my shoulder, I have over a thousand CDs/DVDs indexed using CDFInder, which without it, I would be totally lost. But, as for most users, such backups and indexing are not the norm. Thus the success of Time Machine and Time Capsule.
And they combined with another important factor I know you are well aware, i.e., Apples/Jobs push toward Cloud computing, Blu-ray may just end up for watching movies.
Yes it did start out that way, but sometimes expanding it is sensible. With new tech, often Apple starts it on its pro desktop line.
You have to understand what I'm talking about when I mean backup. I'm not talking about a Time Machine backup. I really did think that was clear. Sorry if it wasn't.
When I shoot gigabytes of photos in a day, I need to back that info up. While I have it on three places on the computer, as you must do, I need a safer place to store it. that means offline backups. The way we do this in the industry is CD, DVD, and now, BD. The same is true of movie projects. When my friends shoot a fashion shoot, and end up with 50 GB of photos, they too back it up on optical disk(s). That has been DVD of late, but is now moving to BD as well. The same thing is true for any large data sets that you need to backup for safe keeping.
Perhaps I should be using the term "archive" instead, because that's what it really is.
I've been saying all along that Apple isn't supporting BD at this time because of their downloads business. Thats the real problem here.
The truth is that recently, Apple is being far too restrictive. They aren't letting their customers choose for themselves. They offer many options on their machines, and there is no reason why they couldn't offer this as well.
The people here who aren't interested, don't have to buy it. But they (I'm not saying you're one of them) are just as bad as Apple, they want to restrict what we can choose to do too. That's just plain wrong. As the posts have shown, there are a good number of people who do want BD on the machine, and damn their download business, Apple should give us the choice. I'm beginning to resent the fact that they may decide not to.
I find your stance quite bizarre. Why would you not want a BD player in Apple hardware? It's the current state of the art in movie playback, absolutely nothing comes anywhere near it. (not since the death of HD DVD anyway) BD movies would look fantastic on the 24" iMac screen.
Plus BDs are a great backup format, VASTLY superior to any thumb drive on the planet in fact. Look at the price of a blank 25gb blu-ray.
Go away and watch Blade Runner on a 50 or 60" Pioneer plasma from a Blu-Ray then see how you feel about the format.
You have captured my own feeling about blue ray fairly well. Why would you waste the output of the sharpest video possible by showing it on a tiny 15 to 17 inch screen ?- It's a lot harder to see the difference from standard DVDs there - now running on a 50 or 60 inch 1080p TV is another thing altogether, and the difference between blue ray and the best DVDs is something you can see - (although not as great as the difference between video tape or SD TV and DVD.) If I didn't have blue ray hooked up to a big screen HD TV that could show 1080p, I just don't see the need for the technology on a computer. Why pay the extra for Blue Ray movies just to watch them on a tiny screen?
And having done it with CDs vs. flash vs. portable hard drive, I'll take the flash for presentations and other stuff you need to carry around and put on someone elses machine (which probably doesn't have BRay) and the external hard drive as easier to routinely back up the computer HD.
Apple would be wise to make this a BTO if at all.
You have captured my own feeling about blue ray fairly well. Why would you waste the output of the sharpest video possible by showing it on a tiny 15 to 17 inch screen ?- It's a lot harder to see the difference from standard DVDs there - now running on a 50 or 60 inch 1080p TV is another thing altogether, and the difference between blue ray and the best DVDs is something you can see - (although not as great as the difference between video tape or SD TV and DVD.)
There's more to it than the size of the screen, and I would argue the reverse of what you say, that it would be likely more noticeable in a notebook computer. A 15" screen 18" away from your eyes is roughly the same as a 60" screen 6ft away, it would have the same field of view. What you don't get in a notebook is good sound, unless you're into good headphones too.
Get back on topic.
NEW MACBOOKS AND MACBOOK PROS!!!
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