Everything Apple (the Mac heads thread)

nah, an apple one is £60, hardly worth the money for the very ocassional use. There are still a couple of software that I can't manage to get a workaround to have them installed, so an optical drive is needed...

Oh it so is... trust me, I did the same.

Have a blu-ray/DVD for less than that thought (Samsung), only problem is buying 3rd party application to run blu-ray films.

doesn't vlc do blu-ray?

Oh it so is... trust me, I did the same.

Really? Even the guys who work at Apple don't recommend it... Hummm...

Do you have an old mac with one in? Can't you burn a disk on another computer (over wifi or summat). I know this was a feature when the first air came out.

I've just bought one of these:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=221228668601
Could be crap, but might be fine. When I use it next week I'll let you know.

Really? Even the guys who work at Apple don't recommend it... Hummm...

Yeah I did.
I've got a Mac mini, mac mouse and keyboard and an apple screen, saving £20 to get a non matching DVD drive would be crazy regardless of the fact I bring it out once a month.

Treat yourself, your worth it.

Do you have an old mac with one in? Can't you burn a disk on another computer (over wifi or summat). I know this was a feature when the first air came out.

Yes, remote disc and that is as good as a load of crap. It won't even connect between my computers, called apple and they basically told me don't bother with it. Besides, even if the remote disc worked, it won't allow you to burn a disc, to install any software or read any copyright protected materials. It does fuck all, according to apple.

Yeah I did.
I've got a Mac mini, mac mouse and keyboard and an apple screen, saving £20 to get a non matching DVD drive would be crazy regardless of the fact I bring it out once a month.

Treat yourself, your worth it.

So it's look over function then? Nah, not for me. Thanks though.

surely you can just write out an iso and virtually mount that ? I used to do in on my mac back in 2007 as we stored all the iso's on a network server

I suppose I could, but it's easier to just buy a drive as they are only cheap.

On a different topic, to cut a long story short, the 1st unit I had eventually developed a fault and so they set up a collection and sent me a replacement. The whole process was made very complicated by Apple - they kept changing dates, couldn't get the courier to come at a time they promised etc. Basically they fucked it up and they have admitted to having wasted my time and staff I spoke to was somewhat incompetent . On top of that, the replacement has a couple of scratches on the back straight out of the box, no biggie really, but still not very nice. Anyway, Apple has now offered to give me a partial refund and the amount is open for discussion (whatever that means). Now my question is, how much is fair? I already bought it using my edu discount, so that's already about 14% off.

Not looks over function, looks with function...

So Apple has offered a very good refund. Business must be hard for snooty Apple.

chris, but the apple drive doesn't actually have that good a review... I don't know...

Works for me, 0 hassle, and matches my set up. Perfect so far... theres my review.

I'm guessing there are others that read/write quicker or something? I'm not a busy enough person to count every single second in my day.

So Apple has offered a very good refund. Business must be hard for snooty Apple.

They are, google "Apple sales decline" and you can read lots and lots about it. Basically they are down to cannibalizing their own customers for further sales.

Most people I know here in the US who had iPhone 4's but aren't hardcore Apple fans have all moved to Samsung S4's.

Compare Apple's decline to the PC industry as a whole.
Everyone I know, who isn't a die hard Open Source nerd has an iPhone.

Well, we all have stories...
(Mike to Trent, back at the Caravan scene)

I've only got one or two friends on iPhones, everyone else is on Android. And they're all normal people (reasonably). Maybe I don't hang around with the right people.

Well I am in SF... so if you don't have Apple here you are an outcast!
But in most of my travel people not in tech seem to have gone android.

Yah, the whole PC computer market is screwed. Mind you, interesting to see the analysts forcast tablets imploding and demand tanking majorly

Basically they are down to cannibalizing their own customers for further .

When I was just about to email them to accept their offer of about 17% of the total price as a refund, 2 colleagues have told me I should go further for 2 reasons:

• I am an apple fan and have always bought higher specs so a higher spending customer than the average ones.
  
• I work at an art uni in a students facing setting and one of the FAQs is what computer to get and I have recommended endless people to get a mac. And apple wouldn't want me to broadcast this incident to the many students we have.
  
  

Not gonna switch to PC because of this experience but nevertheless this has put me off a bit. I mean fingerprints on the screen? And scratches? Surely they can do better than that.

Thoughts?

well that's down to the should it have been "new" replacement, or "refurbished"
If "new" I'd argue with them since it's obviously not new
If "refurbished" well then you probably should just take the 17% since they don't have to give you anything.

I'm not sure what the timeframes are between legally has to be "new" verses a "refurbishment"

It's 100% brand new according to apple and it's still within the 14 days window, I was promised a new unit, so however you look at it, I have the upper hand. They did offer to send another replacement but I really don't want to go through the hassle, either did they if I am reading between the line correctly. Oh I don't know, the max I could push for is probably up to 20% without starting to sound greedy. I should add that it's apparently common that they offer the basic 10% to customers who have a valid complaint. So the 17% is a combination of 10% for wasting my time with the delivery/collection, and 7% for the scratches and seemingly lightly used (tested they say...) battery.

well no one can decide that besides you

Just read the email again, they said 'we can replace it but its not ideal...' Sounds like they want me to keep this unit more than I do...

Most people I know here in the US who had iPhone 4's but aren't hardcore Apple fans have all moved to Samsung S4's.

Most of my younger students have iPhones, even the ones who have PCs at home. That doesn't automatically translate to brand loyalty but it's a start.

Apologies if this is a dumb ass question, but what's the best way to copy a movie to an external USB HD, so I can view it on my TV.
So easy with a windows laptop, but this has got me scoobied!
TIA