Not likely. Scroll back to the post I made about iBook being made available to the US only(either permanently or for the time being). That alone shows that the app will only be made available in US iPAds. The webpage for the Asian iPads that I've linked made no mention whatsoever about the existence of the iBook app. Makes no sense making that available on the Asian iPads and posting a footnote saying it is only made available in the US only, doesn't it?

AS for the BD question, again, I do. If the option does made availlable, why not? Panasonic does not manufacture their DMP-BD15 portable BD player for stationary use. This also helps accelerated adoption of the BD format, instead of having to be content with DVDs or if I want a step up above that, the Apple's so-called HD movie. Like I said before, Apple's systematically eliminating competition to its business model by denying the alternative options itself.

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Added on January 30, 2010, 1:38 amWell, looks like the worry of Micro-Sim format being incompatible with current sim card sizes may be unfounded.

Don't worry about the iPad's Micro-Sim, just trim yours down.

Anyone's up for the mutilation of their own sim cards? Oh and do remember to have a backup plan on putting that very same sim card back into some form acceptable into the iPhone/your favourite 3G modem slot.

This post has been edited by stringfellow: Jan 30 2010, 01:38 AM

Ah.. but what exactly does the 'iBook' term here refer to anyways? The app? Or the iBook store service? After all, even before the iTunes store availability, ppl have been dragging and dropping their own music and/or movies into iTunes (the desktop app) to be synced anyways.

And as per what I had asked earlier, any history of Apple offering region specific software or firmware? And does it make sense for them to start doing so when its something that can be controlled via the iTunes store account, especially considering that regional availability is more likely due to licensing reasons? Such regional licensing issues is something that needs to be resolved likely country by country. Imagine the logistical nightmare when it comes to the issuing of firmware updates later on too.

I'm not asking if you do. I'm asking exactly how many ppl actually watches such movies on their computers instead of on that wide screen TV in the living room.

I do and so does a lot of people uses their laptops as a portable DVD player. I'm sure lots like to watch movies in their bed and most non-tech savvy people couldn't bother with ripping and just play it right out of the disc.

Blu-ray is the future and DVD will be obsolete in time. Period. That's how technology works. A new tech comes in and pushes the old one away.

Is Apple going to be left in the dust because its a big bag of hurt?

Click that link, and this is specifically being asterisked:-



Continuing on:-



It does point towards the app being made available for free from the AppStore, as an app, from the specific region, namely the US.

The BD question:-

Can't answer that, I'm not with AC Nielsen. Which is the reason again, I reiterate, CTO only, not a platform-wide adoption. They provided Matte/Clear screen option for their MBPs as a CTO, why not the BD? Pass the cost to the consumer, let them decide if the extra cost is worth it or not. IF it is a licensing issue, I guess being on the BD Consortium does not really curry any favours to Apple on helping them adopt the BD format faster. I thought that is the reason being on the board of directors on the said consortium?*shrugs*

This post has been edited by stringfellow: Jan 30 2010, 01:53 AM

Well, you just hit the spot with the term here: 'portable DVD player'. There's heaps of DVD disks all over the place. But what's the average ratio of DVD / BluRay ownership anyways?

Sure, BluRay is the future, but its as per the question that I had asked, its the adoption rate high enough that most people feel the need to watch bluray on their portable computers?

I'll agree that Apple could have offered it as a Custom To Order option, and my guess that they did not is because they would prefer to cut down on the number of options available whenever they can, for purposes of simplifying the supply chain issue.

I guess on the supply chain issue, the screens are cheaper than the BD drives. *shrug*

No biggie, Apple's loss, Alienware's gain.

Ahh.. so its an app to be downloaded separately. well, that still reinforces my original argument though, that its regional control via the iTunes account rather than something that you need to hack the firmware to get it into your iPad if you happened to live outside the US.

Well, if you're to compare the matt/gloss screens, quite a lot of ppl who are too used to matt screens had been screaming over the annoyance of seeing their own reflections. In this case, its something where the target market are more or less evenly split between gloss or matt.

But when it comes to BD, is the demand for it that high though? And mind you, Apple does have a history of wanting to keep their inventory lines as simplified as possible. To me, this is the most likely reason for them not offering it as a CTO.

frankly speaking, what is the average cost for a BD ROM drive? the cost has dropped tremendously since last year, there's not even the need for CTO, just include it in the highest end model of iMac and MBP and that would still not hurt the profit margin.

oh and by including BD drive in certain models only, Apple have to recode the OS and Apps to include support for BD playback. But by doing that, the OS/Hardware integration will not become as consistent as before, as the BD drive will only be available in certain models only, but the code that enables the playback is available even on Mac Mini, that kinda violate Apple's philosophy I guess


This post has been edited by dattebayo: Jan 30 2010, 02:21 AM

In that case, I need more screaming folks then, and to get people to split evenly between DVDs and BDs. Catch 22 though, you wont get people moving up to BD if they dont leave DVDs behind.

But funny though, Alienware's lineup is relatively clean as well, even simpler than Apple in fact, (2 laptops compared to 3 laptops on Apple's side), but they do provide CTOs for BD drives. And here I thought Apple demands a premium from its users, and gets first dibs at things. *more shrugs*

This post has been edited by stringfellow: Jan 30 2010, 02:15 AM

There's a difference between the cost of an average optical drive of such types, and the cost of having to add one more item into your supply chain to be managed you know.

now we're talking about BD drives?

being the future or not, the media is still expensive. maybe it'd make sense if we have some official bluray rental service in malaysia la (do we?). about adoption rates hmm...well i wont call it mainstream yet, so superdrive is fine with me

plus, apple would rather have u purchase HD movies from itunes store. i actually prefer that though since its much much cheaper, only rm50+ compared to rm149. of course bluray got extras2 lah, whatever that is ;p

Why yes of course, the faster you can convince people to switch their DVDs to BDs, the faster you'll get Apple to offer such optical disks in their product offerings

edit: gee. Alienware really cut down on their product range. there was around 5-6 different models a year ago that I noticed, when my aunt asked me to help vet through their notebooks 'cause my cousin was asking for one.

This post has been edited by fyire: Jan 30 2010, 02:19 AM

Have you even compare the Image Quality between iTunes HD content and BDs? For the amount you pay for the HD content on iTunes, you can go out, and purchase actual physical media, on a physical BD, and have better content image resolution than iTunes 720p movies.

If you're not picky, then that's fine by me, but I thought Malaysians are the "best bang for the buck" kinda crowd. I find it surprising that you'd pick a HD download with low bitrate over the actual Full HD content on physical media itself.

About adoption rates, let's not go there, it will be an endless circle of "price cheaper when more people buy, more people buy then only cheaper" loop with no end in sight. BD is already mainstream in the US, the only reason it is not picked up as enthusiastically here is because it is made expensive here because of the jacked-up premium for the officially-made available BD selections here due to low demand/pickup rate. Be a smart consumer, use Amazon. You cant go wrong with USD19.99 BD title compared to the similarly priced(or sometimes more expensive) HD download from iTunes.

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Added on January 30, 2010, 2:31 amFunny how Apple who holds interest in the consortium responsibleand financially benefiting from further expansion on the adoption of the Blu-ray format, is uninterested in collecting revenue by offering it in their product lineup, while companies like Alienware, whom I assume holds no monetary gains out of including BD in their options, are more willing than the company(Apple) holding stakes in it.

Nope. My recent Alienware purchase was 2 years back, and they still only have the M15 and M17, before moving to the M series with the X moniker. Two only. Unless you're talking about their refurbished store, in which case, Apple themselves do provide the same service as well. Or if you're talking about their dekstop lineup, which also only two, the Aurora and the ALX series. Simpler than Apple's(Mac Pro and Mac Mini) offering, yet more willing to offer BD option, than Apple. Funny how things go in this world, isn't it?

Which still conveniently does not explain Apple's refusal for CTO for the BD drive, while a smaller entity like Alienware provides. Weird eh?

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Added on January 30, 2010, 2:34 amBTW, I'm just killing time here, waiting for my Saw VI to finish downloading from iTunes. Also be buying the BD when I'm in LA next week. More revenue for Apple, both from iTunes and BD. Sad that I can't play the BD on their portables though.

This post has been edited by stringfellow: Jan 30 2010, 02:34 AM

Like I said, supply chain cost vs how much money they can make by offering it as CTO

A private school kid wanting to get a refurb? Not likely. Then again, I was looking at the Australian store where he'll be making the purchase from. 4 models there right now apparently.

Well yeah, but you do realize that both of them are actually in different market segments right?

So you're saying Apple's more interested in their bottom line than catering to the needs, however niche, of their customers? As for the supply chain, does a position in the board of directors holds no benefit for them? Surely people would think that Apple would be more like to get first dibs and priority and the ease of securing parts compared to those only licensing BD technology. I'd be quick to get out of any position I hold I don't get special privileges over the products I preside over.

The OZ store only has two Alienware models, the M17x and the M15x. The rest are Dell's premium Adamo lineup which are not related to Alienware. Still simpler than Apple's 3 different models.

One's for gaming, and the other's for......? Either way, both impose premiums over their customers when buying their products. Still does not explain why Alienware offers BD and Apple doesn't. I don't see games being distributed on BD discs for the PC market. In fact, the creative professionals using their Macbooks are the loudest clamoring for BD inclusion so that they can include them in their work assignments (burning HD movie dailies and shipping them overnight for studio review on different side of the continent, for example).



This post has been edited by stringfellow: Jan 30 2010, 02:55 AM

You two are going way off topic. What does Blu-ray have anything to do with Apple iPad?

Nothing, actually. My points are seductive most of the time, ripe for the picking, hence the derailing posts.

My attempt to steer this back on track, on the iPad.
Has Apple Lost It's Mojo?
FOX News reporting on the reaction towards the iPad.

Yeay! Saw VI download done from iTunes. Excuse me while I have my fill of much needed gore after the iPad disappointment.

Hmm, Gizmodo makes a fair point that the iPad is akin to the DS LL which it actually caters for the senior demographics.

http://gizmodo.com/5458855/the-apple-ipad-is-for-old-people

In a way, yes, I have money too spend...

I think the reason they removed most of the format is because they need to fit the size of the iPhone/iPod screen.
What if they maintained all the format for the iPad version which have a normal big size screen?
I am sure the developers of iPad will find ways to do this.

Have you tried the mac desktop version of PDF reader called Yep?
If they have this iPad version of Yep, it would be sufficient for me.

This post has been edited by Edoras: Jan 30 2010, 07:40 AM

Guys, I dun own an ipod touch nor iphone (or any other apple product) before.

I wanted a tablet to read PDF and movies. Is iPad my best bet?
Or this Acer Aspire 1420P:
http://www.google.com.my/search?hl=en&sour...er+aspire+1420p