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Mar 07, 08 - 01:16 pm Comment from: Predrag

Sure. Why not? They'll become very cheap now and it's the new optical media for the next ten years, so sure, make that deal.

Mar 07, 08 - 01:25 pm Comment from: MikeK

"discussions were also taking place with Apple, which has not offered Blu-ray drives on any of its computers so far and has focused on digital media via downloads and streaming through devices such as its Apple TV.""

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If and when Apple decide to add Blu-ray drives to Macs.. Their reasoning would have very little to do with the ability to play Blu-Ray movies and everything to do with Blu-Ray authoring and storage solutions.

No future in optical discs. They can only spin so fast and store so much. Electronic distribution and/or read-only flash will be the future.

Imagine being able to purchase 1080p movies on 16GB/32GB etc read only flash drives that will be the size of those little USB keychain drives.

and the truth to why MS backed HD-DVD is now obvious... If they backed BD, they'd be backing a direct competitor to the XBOX.

Apple doesn't play in the Game Console space so they could afford to back whatever they wanted.

Mar 07, 08 - 01:53 pm Comment from: theloniousMac

Wait, this isn't an article about a phone?

Mar 07, 08 - 01:57 pm Comment from: Jamie

@macman,

I've never thought of that concept, it a goodun

Peace

$299 is still way too high for a Blu Ray player... no sale here. I'll stick with Handbrake and my Apple TV.

You're going to have to do bettter than that Sony.

Good!

The lessor of two evils has won against the Evil Empire!

We continue to have some illusion of normalcy for just a little while longer.

Now who's fscking idea was it to have glossy screens on Apple's computers anyway?

Shoot the basterd now.

Mar 07, 08 - 02:05 pm Comment from: Ampar

"Imagine being able to purchase 1080p movies on 16GB/32GB etc read only flash drives that will be the size of those little USB keychain drives."

That would be very cool. And reusable.
And, Wal-Mart could fit more closeout deals in the bin.

Mar 07, 08 - 02:46 pm Comment from: Cubert

Ballmer's loving that crow today. First chairs and now birds. When will it end?!?!?! Oh, the humanity of it all!

Mar 07, 08 - 02:51 pm Comment from: DLMeyer

""Imagine being able to purchase 1080p movies on 16GB/32GB etc read only flash drives that will be the size of those little USB keychain drives."
That would be very cool. And reusable.
And, Wal-Mart could fit more closeout deals in the bin."
Yes ... an excellent idea. But ... why close them out? Return them to the source to be written over ... again, and again, and ... until they come up with something worth watching. Or, perhaps, sell the right to make a copy on your own 16/32 right at the store!
Dave

Mar 07, 08 - 02:53 pm Comment from: TowerTone

I have never understood why VHS and Beta, audio cassettes and even 8-tracks had protection for the media, yet when you get a DVD or CD out to play, it can be damaged easily.

Yes, a flash dongle that you insert in a video machine to to update and pay at McDonalds or wherever would be so much better than disc.

Mar 07, 08 - 02:55 pm Comment from: TowerTone

....not to be confused with the other flash dongle that you insert.
Although that could be electrifying.

Mar 07, 08 - 02:56 pm Comment from: Ampar

Dave:
By closeouts, I just meant bargains. I like the idea of just plugging into a kiosk wherever you shop and grabbing a new movie. It would eliminate the need for separate brick and mortar rental stores.

Told ya!

Apple does need BR for end to end HD production and distribution. At least on it's Pro Towers.

Although a 24 inch iMac with BR would make a nice little HD media center as well.

Mar 07, 08 - 03:45 pm Comment from: Aldebaran

@ Ampar
That "kiosk" already exists. It's called the Apple TV, and it's already attached to your HD television. You don't even need to drive away from your living room with your little dongle! Optical and/or removable media distribution is dead!

Mar 07, 08 - 04:03 pm Comment from: Ampar

To Aldebaran:
I understand that but I think even though things change for the better people sometimes still like to hold something they have purchased. Tactile feedback and all that. We'll see I suppose. (And I'm no fan of the disc.)

Mar 07, 08 - 04:16 pm Comment from: Aldebaran

@ Ampar
I certainly understand making a purchase of goods that *require* a tactile feel. For example I have a hard time buying clothes, shoes, or furniture online. But a movie (or music, or software), is just bits and bytes. In a world that is increasing striving to become green and reducing waste (packaging, unnecessary travel, etc.). The downloadable model is where I'd put my resources. Apple is clearly "skating to where the puck is going to be."

Mar 07, 08 - 04:26 pm Comment from: Ampar

I think we're agreeing, Aldebaran. And it will be a generational change. My parents still use a VCR. Can you imagine?

Mar 07, 08 - 04:39 pm Comment from: Aldebaran

My parents never could program their VCR, but my 71-year old Dad LOVES his new Sony Bravia 40" flatsceen TV and surround sound I got him for his birthday last year. I'm getting them an Apple TV this year to go with it to make movie rental even easier, and so they can show off all those travel and grandkid photos my Mom has been collecting on her G4 iMac.

I remember 25 years ago when I paid $800 for a VHS machine and movies on tape were $80. So, I am not complaining about a $400 player and $30 movies that are 100 times better.

Mar 07, 08 - 05:41 pm Comment from: effwerd

Don't do it, Apple. Especially if it will add to the price or keep the price level but reduce profit margins. Fuck Sony and fuck Blu-ray.

@Aldebaran:

I don't think that physical media will be going away as quick as you think. Until storage technology drops in price and increases in reliability by an order of magnitude or two, plenty of people will still prefer to have a physical good. Optical discs certainly have their limits, but with any kind of care, will last quite a while. Hard drives fail, regardless of well they are treated. I think the idea of some sort of ROM-based solid state media is great- reduced size and no moving parts. Short of some sort severe EM pulse or just plain abusive physical handling, very difficult to break. And it has the benfit of you not being able to accidentally delete a movie by mistake.

Mar 07, 08 - 06:52 pm Comment from: iDon't

Can you record on Blu-ray?

iDon't: Can you record on Blu-ray?

Yes, contrary to HD-DVD there are actually working BlueRay burners even today. As far as I know the maximum media capacity available is 50GB.

Theoretically iDVD and/or its professional cousin should be able to author and burn BlueRay at some point, but that is not the case yet.

Nor can the DVD Player application play BlueRay disks at this time.

The problem is most probably that the DRM used on BlueRay disks would require Apple to nail OS X shut to a degree we've not seen so far. Apple's resistance to that is probably the main reason why it's not happened yet - in addition to the AppleTV.

I guess Jobs is waiting for a) AppleTV becoming somewhat more established and b) the BlueRay DRM to be cracked á la Handbrake so the studios might give up at least some DRM requirements for a Mac BlueRay playback application.

I don't think Jobs loves the thought of having the content industry dictate to him what he can or can't do with his own operating system, so in return he's demonstratively reluctant to support their (now) favourite format...

i believe Job's answer to sony and the world regarding blu-ray can be answered by looking at the macbook air

The only thing you get with Optical Disks that you don't get with Downloadable content is Merchant trash such as coverbox, insert, protective wrap and spam.

Why do I need to get another shelf for my media when I can fit it all on my 1TB iMac.

a 1TB Apple TV and I am there.

Flash drives (USB or otherwise) will take over old fashioned spinning disks.