SuperDrive add-on only works with MacBook Air
- January 17th, 2008
- Read 2706 times
- 15 Comments
In light of the fact that Apple’s “new” Remote Disc technology is looking to be little more than a network drive share, some people might be eyeing the $99 external SuperDrive add-on.
Well, guess what? It only works with the MacBook Air, even though it’s a USB drive.
According to Macenstein…
“For some reason, Apple has decided to hobble the MacBook Air SuperDrive. Despite being a USB device which should work with any Mac or even PC, it will only work with the MacBook Air. A call in to Apple has confirmed that the system requirements listed online are correct, and a MacBook Air is required to use the drive.”
I can safely quote the infamous David Puddy when I say, “This is bogus.” That’s just my opinion, though. And sure, you can vote with your wallet by either buying a different brand of external drive and/or you can choose to not lose any sleep over it by forgoing the purchase of a MacBook Air in the first place.
I just find this to be an odd choice on Apple’s behalf. Your thoughts, please.
WTF? MacBook Air SuperDrive can only be used with MacBook Air [Macenstein]
ACTUALLY…
If you get a Time Capsule (not sure if this is the same for AirPort Extreme Base Station), you can plug that lil joker into the USB port on the back of the TC and access it that way… Which would make it open to any user who’s tapped into the Time Capsule.
Pretty cool (if you’re in the vicinity more often than not) to have a wireless hard drive (of large size… 1TB!?) and be able to wirelessly access a SuperDrive if you want.
Trying to justify getting an Air… (can’t do it yet… but still trying!)
Maybe it requires more power the what a standard USB bus can provide?
That would be breaking all sorts of standards and cause untold amount of headaches for everyone
I am pretty much sick and tired of companies crippling their HW / SW. Why would anyone look at the SuperDrive and say “you know what customers would really love, let’s place restrictions on this so they can’t use it how they want.” I can’t even think of a how this benefits Apple either. This baffles me.
“I can’t even think of a how this benefits Apple either”
Trying to ‘convince’ people to buy an AIR, just like how DirectX10 and Games for Windows are Vista only despite very little to nothing really stopping them from running on XP.
This has been one trend I’ve seen with Apple. Making seemingly random decisions to restrict their products with given explanation.
It seems that nobody would buy an AIR just to use their cool new SuperDrive.
The drive isn’t going to sell computers, and they could sell a lot more drives if you could use it with any computer.
What were they thinking?
If you look at many competitor’s products, many either use an external AC adapter or two usb ports (for extra power). Of course, the Macbook Air does not have two usb ports, and I guess they decided not to go the adapter route, which meant that the USB port on the Air gives a higher power profile than a typical USB port. That, I take it, is the reason for the Superdrive not being compatible with any other computer other than the Air.
+1, insightful
but still, it’s an annoying thing.
Apple expects everyone buying and apple product to pair it with the apple product it was made to be paired with. You buy an Air and apple knows that these people won’t go looking anywhere else to buy an external drive, they will come to them and they will tell you, you need this drive which only works with Airs. Well they would want you to have any real freedom, would they, thats not there way.
The fact is that Apple doesn’t really want to sell many of those drives. Apple is skating to where the puck is going, not where it’s been.
MacBook Air is a guinea pig for Apple’s entrance into cloud computing.
They want to get people used to purchasing things from the Apple Store, and distributing them via .Mac.
Also, most Macs that don’t have SuperDrives are PowerPC. Apple is not going to be releasing any products that extend the life of a PowerPC computer. It’s a pain to support yesteryear’s technology and it slows down the rate of progress for development on current generation products.
If you own a Mac that doesn’t have a SuperDrive in it already, you know it’s time to upgrade when that accessory is already being phased out…
they do work with a powered usb hub, one that plugs into the mains. They also run on vista on the MBA. The only thing u can’t do is boot an ordinary pc off the drive?? No idea why! I wouldn’t say they are worth the money though when you can still use 3rd party drives and they are arround half the price!! Also how do you burn cd’s/dvd’s through the borrow a drive thing??
Well, one thing that people may not realize is that this lil drive is the holy grail for a lot of custom computer “modders” like myself. I live near Silicon Valley, in the bay area and the only drive that even resembled the size and features was a camcorder drive that came in a separate box and was only sold “Bundled” with the camera. There is not one SINGLE slot loading drive avail at retail anymore. Unless, you want to use a drive culled from say and Imac DV, new ones supporting dual layer and such are rarely “Slot” loading, Plus how am i supposed to finish off the ultimate Color Mac Se/30 I really dont want to destroy a Imac, a Mac Cube or A Mac mini.. just to get a slot-loading drive Also laptop Lot loading things use weird sockets and i don’t really wanna solder. I just wanna make a holding bracket and widen the slot in my old SE-30 to accept a DVD. So, im my case, this would even be used as an internal drive. This could become the new “default” drive used for custom modding projects. Like Automotive, or other custom computing.
1st person to hack this drive gets $10.oo US from me! as My SE/30 project has been on hold for the perfect Slotloading Slimline drive.
The Se/30 now contains a FX815ELT-LF
Intel® Pentium® III / Celeron® Mini ITX Motherboard
I may replace that entirely as the drive needs USB2.0 but regardless this Optical drive finishes off my project perfectly.
Well, there’s no surprise that drive works only with the MBA. There’s no point in making something suitable for all. Actually, Apple expects everyone buys apple product to pair it with the apple product it was made to be paired with and pay more money for it.
By the way, all the truth about the macbook air here: http://www.maconair.com
Hello!
I think this try.