Q: No DVD drive in new iMac ???

So would the FireWire 400 to 800 adapter and then a FireWire 800 to Thunderbolt adapter combination that MichelPM mentioned above have a better chance of adapting the protocols?

Yeah, sadly after more than 2 decades of being an Apple man, I'm on my last Apple computer.  Apple's shift away from being focused on the consumer has made it too difficult for me to continue.

Apple, in its new drive-less Macbook and Imac designs, has pulled their focus away from a smooth and exceptional computer experience.  If you need a new computer, all of your software is now useless since you cannot load it onto your new computer since there is no disk drive.  Therefore you have to either 1) buy additional acessories  -- which violates the Imac premise of an "all in 1 computer," and the middling-reviewed "superdrive" doesn't seem worth it -- or re-buy everything through the App store to give Apple a cut of repurchasing software you already own.  The cynic in me sees either option as a blatant attempt by Apple to squeeze more money out of their computer consumer base.  The only way this would make sense from a consumer standpoint would be if Imac prices were lowered to reflect the removal of functionality.

Those of us without access to reliable and/or uncapped/unthrottled broadband access are now largely left out of Apple computers. Those of us who want to be able to install/reinstall software at our own convenience are excluded.  Those of use with pre-existing software on disks (like MS Office, for example) are disregarded.  Sadly, Apple's attempts to be "cool" and force everything into the "cloud" fad are leaving behind their longtime loyal customers.

You guys still got your undies in a knot over the non drive issue?? wow.... Talk about beating a dead horse..

ReWoP wrote:

 

Talk about beating a dead horse..

I fear the horse is now undead, a zombie horse

$79 (or less) gets you a USB Superdrive - plug it in when you need it - remove and store it when you don't.

You guys still got your undies in a knot over the non drive issue?? wow.... Talk about beating a dead horse..

The horse is not dead yet.  If it was, you would not have posted.

It's hardly a dead horse.  Do a google search for "new imac no optical drive".  It's FAR FROM a dead horse.  Of course, there's more to the story than just the premature removal of the optical drive; There's the fact that the SD port was moved to the back of the iMac, and not one conveniently placed USB port to quickly connect and disconnect devices -- They are all on the back as well.  Very convenient.

But hey, at least it's thin!

If we are continuing to beat the last amount of stuffing out of this horse...than I am batter up!!!

If you want to have quick USB connects, if you substitute the Apple Bluetooth keyboard for an Apple wired aluminum keyboard, you get two convieniently places USB 2.0 ports below and on either side of the keypad.

good idea except that those ports will not supply enough power to run a burner or player.....

Is there any documentation for that, I have heard it before but Apple's specification says they are USB2 sockets, how do they differ from the USB standard?

babowa wrote:

good idea except that those ports will not supply enough power to run a burner or player.....

Actually, they are high power ports, capable of delivering the same power as the ones on the back of the Mac.

Depending on the Mac the aluminum keyboard is plugged into, they even support the USB battery charger standard that supplies more than 0.5 amp to more quickly charge battery powered devices that charge through a USB port.

At the moment, mine is supplying 500 ma to my Nikon S-8100 camera plus "extra operating current" of 400 ma, for a total of 0.9 amps to charge it.

Message was edited by: R C-R

Csound1 wrote:

 

Is there any documentation for that, I have heard it before but Apple's specification says they are USB2 sockets, how do they differ from the USB standard?

This is the most definitive  Apple source I've found on USB ports on Mac computers.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4049?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

Thanks, that is useful.

Csound1 wrote (about the USB to FW adaptor):

 

Add me, it looks like it adapts the plug, not the protocols.

Yep. Just because the plugs fit doesn't mean it does anything useful.

OT: reminds me of when I had an electronics repair business. We made up custom audio cables for customers & displayed a few samples on a point-of-sale pegboard. As a joke, I made up an XLR (mic connector) to garden hose "adaptor" & (my favorite) a BNC to dinner fork one & displayed them along with the real ones.

Some customers got the joke but several seemed to think they actually had some functional use.