digg

The only issue with this is that Apple laptops go to sleep when you shut the lid, but I'm sure they'll find a way to avoid that if they actually implement this.

Putting it in and out of backpacks filled with text books seems like it would break the drive too easily.

Well, taking 10-20 seconds to load a CD, including the hassle of turning the computer upside down isn't something I expected from apple.

Where's the usability on that thing? O_O

this is ridiculous

I don't like it, Easy access is a big thing for me. If I want to put a cd in the drive I like to be able to stick it in there... I don't want to have to move my notebook from where it is...

Japanese notebooks have been doing this for quite a while, only on top instead of on the bottom:
http://www.dynamism.com/x1/main.shtml
http://www.dynamism.com/y5/main.shtml

I think it's a pretty bad idea. I would constantly find myself unconsciously reaching for the side of the laptop, then realizing the bloody thing was on the bottom.

That hinge mechanism is asking to be broken. I'm sure there is a better way. Disc technology is so old. CD, DVD, HD, Blu-Ray...are all based on a stupid silver disc. Innovate!

Under the keyboard would be better. But I am not sure it would be any thinner.

Looks very cool and innovative, but i can imagine that it would probably get pretty hot. I hope they pull this off well and we don't have a recall in 6 months because of melted CDs

this is the worst idea I have ever heard

I think it would be more of a problem if you were using your laptop as your only computer. I would not like to think about ripping my 300 cds to iTunes with a laptop that had a bottom mounted drive. I do give Apple points for thinking about this problem tho... or they could just wait a couple of years when ppl don't really use discs at all. They do have precedent here, remember the original imac with no floppy. I recall people thinking that was dumb too.

on the lid , i would'nt care.

What if the lid opened so that you could lift the front edge of the laptop up and switch the disc without having to fully shut the screen and turn the laptop over? The screen would act as a temporary base, sort of a "roll" technique. It sounds more feasible than the, "shut, flip" technique everyone is assuming. I've actually done this to swap batteries while I've got the laptop plugged into the wall-wart without having to shut the lid.

What a ***** idea.

That's the old Titanium Powerbook design in the schematics, I bet this is one of those patents they never actually used.
Besides - July 2005 is hardly a "recent" patent.

Besides, Apple would never give up the slot loading design for a PS-1 looking lid design...

Why not just put the optical drive under a flip-uppable keyboard, so the keyboard doubles as the drive's lid?

Or have a circle around the Apple logo on the back of the LCD, and that is where the drive is housed?

I'm skeptical about how this patent will apply to new MacBooks. It looks like the diagrams for this are based off of a circa 2001 Titanium Powerbook G4.

I think eventually with technologies like UWB and wireless USB we'll move away from internal drives entirely. Spinning components... how last century.

If any laptop maker though out of the box, the logical idea in keeping it slim would be to make a top loading CD/DVD drive. Set it underneath the keyboard, you pop up the keyboard, put in the disc then close the keyboard, like the trunk of a car...

This is dumb and un-apple like. It's also from 2005 and they probably just patented it because they thought of it.

Let's put the USB ports on the bottom too.

This is retarded.

Could it be that Apple just thought this was something they could patent so they just applied for one? Am I wrong or don't companies do that sort of thing a lot nowadays. There's no proof that they're actually trying to implement this.

I would rather have an external USB drive. I can't remember the last time I used the optical drive on my computer. You would also get the benefit of fewer moving parts in the computer.

thats ***** retarded

I would buy that

This was done with the PS2 to PS2 slim.

same idea. truly.

Umm. What happens if I have this laptop docked at home? I have to remove all the usb, power, network, and speaker cables before I can swap a CD? Maybe some should invent keys that automatically sink when you close the lid.

i rarely use the CD/DVD drive on my MacBook. so i probably wouldnt mind this as much. dont see the need to flip the MacBook over though. i mean you could just lift up your MacBook and place the disc on the spindle without having to flip the whole thing over.

I love how an article about a two year old patent application that nobody has ever seen evidence of the company actually doing something about becomes a present tense, 'this-is-happening' article title.

"Apple makes..." ????

how about

"Apple once sorta thought of the idea but never made..."

Why does everyone say you have to close the lid to change the CD????
I dont necesarrily think the idea is great to have it on the bottom like that but all you would have to do is turn the laptop up in your lap, put the CD/DVD in, then set it back right side up, why would you close the screen/lid for that?

For an ultra portable laptop. I think the way to go is flash based HDD and external DVD/CD-ROM for a 12" version.
Majority of the time people don't need the DVD/CD-ROM drive. Perhaps in the first week or two when one needs to
load all that software on your new system. Otherwise people use Jumpdrives to transfer data. I'd keep the external
USB 2 or FW optical drive in my office or my home.

This isn't really anything new - Panasonic did something similar with their Toughbook's awhile ago. I know the W4 model has half the DVD player underneath the keyboard the other half (which open for eject) is under the trip beside the touchpad.

"And it isn't as stupid as it sounds."

Yes it is. It's stupid. Don't be a fanboy and embrace a stupid idea.

i rather have the hassle of this function though, if it can save me a significant space (height). how about 2/3 of the size today? that would be worth it, since i probably use my laptop optical drive only when i am installing software.

this is what will happen... quite a number of people will get upset at having to take 10-20 seconds to load a CD... they'll want to shorten the time... they'll rush, try to close the drive, the door will actually not lock, they'll turn the laptop back over and SNAP, there goes the drive door...

also, why does the laptop need to be closed? i'm sure i'm missing something, but why not just rock the laptop over onto the LCD side, exposing the underbelly, then rock it back?

I think I might break it to easily by putting my laptop on a table to hard on when using it on my lap hitting it accidentally with my leg or knee. The drives right now already warp over a period of time.

That camera Shutter Iris door looks like it could be wicked cool!

I'd like to be given the option to not have an internal optical drive at all. Wheres that wireless USB 2.0 anyway?

Or, just remove the optical drive entirely. Put it in it's own slim housing and include it with the laptop. Seeing as the average person uses the drive only occasionally, you could save a ton of room this way. I really wouldn't mind carrying a small slot loaded USB drive in the bag for the occasions when I need it, it'll share a pocket with the full size mouse I use because I can't stand touch pads for anything more than quick, intermittent use.

A great milestone in gheyness

This has "break me" written all over it.

Note: More than half of Apple's patents never make it to any final products.

*SNAP*

*****!

Nice picture of an old-ass Titanium PowerBook. Obviously a picture that Apple used for something in the days of that system that was found by one of the myriad Apple rumor sites who decided to use it to maufacture hype and hits. No digg.

I guess I'm the only one that thinks this is a good idea?

I have a regular laptop with a DVD-R/W on the side and I *never* use it. I can't remember the last time I used the drive to be honest. Most programs I get I download, I rarely watch movies and with iTunes I never listen to CDs, so the drive is almost worthless to have. However I'm glad I have it just in case I take a flight somewhere or really want to watch a movie or install software. For software that requires a disc I have a drive emulator so I just rip the software onto the hard drive and never need the disc again.

So to me, and probably most laptop users except the very few that watch lots of movies or swap CDs regularly, a DVD-R/W on the bottom would be fine.

That's pretty stupid, if you're gonna do that, might as well put it on top, by the palm rest.

This in fact is a VERY STUPID idea.

One of the reasons I like Apple's design is because it doesn't have that same "pop-out" type mechanism for the optical drive that EVERY company has on their laptops. These pop out types are a big nuisance. The slot loading drive is a much better design, and even thinking about the design that is pictured is a step backwards for Apple. Having to lift you laptop every time is a pain in the a**.

I mean come on, Apple created the iPhone, they can think of a better way to load CDs than this.

Worst. Rumor. Ever.