MacWorld 2008

Gordon · 16-01-2008 10:14am

Optical drive? "Most users won't find the need for one".

Ahahaha. I reckon that fact alone will kill the macbook air. Shame, it's a nice looking thing, pretty sleek, but no CD drive? They were obviously faced with creating the smallest/thinnest computer so had to cut corners somewhere then come up with a solution to make it sound acceptable.

unklerosco · 16-01-2008 10:38am

Gordon wrote: »

Optical drive? "Most users won't find the need for one".

Ahahaha. I reckon that fact alone will kill the macbook air. Shame, it's a nice looking thing, pretty sleek, but no CD drive? They were obviously faced with creating the smallest/thinnest computer so had to cut corners somewhere then come up with a solution to make it sound acceptable.

My dell X300 doesn't have a drive in it, it has a drive much like the airs drive if i need it..

Sure I never need it unless i'm installing something n allot more software is available for download n activation over the net so there's not as much of a need for a drive....

daveirl · 16-01-2008 10:40am

This post has been deleted.

BanzaiBk · 16-01-2008 10:49am

Gordon wrote: »

Optical drive? "Most users won't find the need for one".

Ahahaha. I reckon that fact alone will kill the macbook air. Shame, it's a nice looking thing, pretty sleek, but no CD drive? They were obviously faced with creating the smallest/thinnest computer so had to cut corners somewhere then come up with a solution to make it sound acceptable.

The MBA isn't designed to be a main computer. It's supposed to be a secondary/travel/business meeting etc machine if anything. I said a few pages back that people weren't getting the concept of the ultraportable idea. Same goes for USB ports. This is meant to be a barebones lightweight and compact travel accessory, not something for someone looking for an all around machine. If it had been 11/12" I would have it ordered by now, but for that money I can get a better spec'd machine that's the right size. Just my 2 cent.

badlyparkedmerc · 16-01-2008 11:17am

Apologies if it's been whined about already, but why is the "new" apple TV still 299 on Irish site and only 229 dollars in the US. Hopefully just a mistake but they've updated other prices so I'm not so sure.

They used at least match the euro to dollar prices which taking in the extra VAT and the possible extra costs of EU warranty wasn't as bad as it seemed.

But the Apple TV price in the US is about 160 euro pre tax, in Ireland it's about 250 euro pre tax. And we don't get the movie + tv downloads.

I don't really want one but for around 199 euro might have considered it.

440Hz · 16-01-2008 11:24am

daveirl wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

True, but at the same time, i wouldnt like NOT to have an easy option. Like I said to me, the Air would be a beautiful fun second machine, if I were rich. Id never have it as a primary.

dubmick · 16-01-2008 12:19pm

I'm impressed that you can use an optical drive on another machine. Seems to work quite well too.

Gordon · 16-01-2008 12:45pm

Hm, I use my optical drive quite a bit.

/oldskool!

jester77 · 16-01-2008 1:05pm

hmm, what's the graphics like?
I'm interested in this. I've a 15.4 inch laptop and find it a bit too big for lugging around and it's starting to die on me, 13.3 would be ideal. Lack of optical drive is not a problem as I don't think I've ever used the drive on my current laptop. The one thing that annoys me is the audio. Only a mono speaker and no mic jack. Would a bluetooth headset work with the laptop?

unklerosco · 16-01-2008 1:23pm

There's a built in mic if thats any use...

ZENER · 16-01-2008 1:32pm

jester77 wrote: »

hmm, what's the graphics like?

Intel Integrated Graphics chip.

. . . The one thing that annoys me is the audio. Only a mono speaker and no mic jack. Would a bluetooth headset work with the laptop?

Leopard now supports A2DP, so with a Bluetooth Stereo Headset you can listen to reasonable quality stereo.

I have a Sony DR-BT20NX set that do a decent job.

ZEN

jester77 · 16-01-2008 1:46pm

ZENER wrote: »

Intel Integrated Graphics chip.

Leopard now supports A2DP, so with a Bluetooth Stereo Headset you can listen to reasonable quality stereo.

I have a Sony DR-BT20NX set that do a decent job.

ZEN

Nice. Interested in this, with the € strong against the $ it would be possible to pick up the base model for around €1150, reasonable price I think.

Basq · 16-01-2008 4:41pm

Brother just sent me this - gave me a giggle!

cornbb · 16-01-2008 5:09pm

basquille wrote: »

Brother just sent me this - gave me a giggle!

Lol, that'll have our office in stitches

440Hz · 16-01-2008 5:32pm

cornbb wrote: »

Lol, that'll have our office in stitches

Plebs!!

Dr_Teeth · 16-01-2008 6:30pm

It was a pretty dissappointing keynote I must say.

The Macbook Air sacrifices far too much in terms of spec, ports and upgradablity for extreme thinness that I don't think anyone really wanted. I can't think of anyone who would buy it.. it's too expensive for students, too small and slow for professionals, and too limited/toyish for techies.

Charging $20 for the iTouch update was a real slap in the face.

The movie renting sounds good, if they ever release it in Ireland! Ditto the iPhone update.

The Time Capsule looks like a good product, I'd certainly buy one if I hoarded data like a lot of people do.

Dorsanty · 16-01-2008 6:40pm

Okay I hope I haven't got this wrong but....

Downloaded the latest front row after the Keynote and noticed I could browse my 'Movies' folder so on the off chance I selected a divx movie and it worked.

So I'm thinking it's either new that I could browse my movies folder, or new that it'll allow me to play a divx/xvid file, or both.

Anyone know if this is new or have I lost it?

Playing divx via front row UI on mini hooked up to TV seems to be an obvious possibility now.

Basq · 16-01-2008 7:10pm

Playing DivX / XviD on FrontRow has always been pretty easy - just a matter of putting the AC3 / DivX / XviD codecs into the 'Library\Quicktime' folder.

Richard · 16-01-2008 7:12pm

Dorsanty wrote: »

Okay I hope I haven't got this wrong but....

Downloaded the latest front row after the Keynote and noticed I could browse my 'Movies' folder so on the off chance I selected a divx movie and it worked.

It was possible to browse your Movies folder before, not sure about divx movies.

440Hz · 16-01-2008 7:54pm

Anyone see the 6 o'clock RTE news there? Segment on the Keynote and MBA.

Nice free advertising.

My Mom, not knowing who El Jobso was, exclaimed "what a freak! what is that guy wearing" and that he looked "dirty" lmfao. I do think he is looking a little ill and worse for wear atm. Hmmmm perhaps its time to put my Anna Nicole-Smith plan into action, sounds like Stevo needs some TLC mhahahahaha.

Richard · 16-01-2008 8:05pm

440Hz wrote: »

Hmmmm perhaps its time to put my Anna Nicole-Smith plan into action, sounds like Stevo needs some TLC mhahahahaha.

Well she didn't look too great towards the end, did she?

Goodshape · 16-01-2008 8:10pm

440Hz wrote: »

Anyone see the 6 o'clock RTE news there? Segment on the Keynote and MBA.

Nice free advertising.

Umm... not really though. Spend a **** load of cash putting on a big conference and invite a load of journalists... I think the plan is that they report on it.

conor2007 · 16-01-2008 8:30pm

ye
would have been better to keep these low key

was a crap confrence

aidan_walsh · 16-01-2008 8:49pm

Goodshape wrote: »

Umm... not really though. Spend a **** load of cash putting on a big conference and invite a load of journalists... I think the plan is that they report on it.

The invited journalists, sure. Everyone else is a bonus.

440Hz · 16-01-2008 8:59pm

aidan_walsh wrote: »

The invited journalists, sure. Everyone else is a bonus.

Zackly! I mean you don't expect RTE primetime news to devote a segment to it. Well, I didn't anyway.

Archytas · 16-01-2008 10:37pm

I dunno if anyone else has said this(10 page thread....) but The iphone update is a non event. Seriously. Send multiple contacts the same SMS!! Wow! My 4 year old Nokia does that!! It should have been there from the beginning.

Better Maps and "improved" SMS does not constitute an iPhone update. One is a bug fix, the other is an application upgrade.

The only good thing from that the iPhone "update" is the multiple home screens and the re-arranging of icons etc. So basically the home screen is editable. Great.

daveirl · 16-01-2008 11:46pm

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Username! · 16-01-2008 11:52pm

The fee for the apps on the Touch is also ridiculous... I'll stick with my Jailbreak thank you.

BanzaiBk · 17-01-2008 12:21am

Fee for iTouch upgrade is probably a test to see what the market will be re: buying iPhone apps.

Archytas · 17-01-2008 12:24am

I'll actually pay for the new apps... if I could find out how to do it!

MacWorld 2008

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