Do we need a mini-disk Adapter from Apple?


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A patent discovered by AppleInsider reveals plans for a mini-disk adapter that would allow companies to distribute media on smaller disk formats and still have them load in Apple slot-load disk drives.

One of the problems with using slot drives is that you typically can’t insert mini-disks or disk that have been cut into a shape beyond the standard disk circle. The adapter is described as either breaking into two pieces, or folding up for easy storage.

Now, the only reason I can think of something like this being necessary is if Apple is planning to move to smaller disks for some releases. My personal speculation is that this may reveal that Apple is planning to update the drives that it installs in all Macs, switching to a drive like the Nintendo Wii that will accept smaller disks. This adapter would be for those of us that don’t upgrade, but still need to access the media on those smaller disks.

If they do this, I hope these adapters come free with software, because I don’t think I should have to pay extra because they decide to move to a smaller disk format to save money.

Of course, its possible that this is just a patent filing, and never see the light of day.


Kossi Adzo

Kossi Adzo is a technology enthusiast and digital strategist with a fervent passion for Apple products and the innovative technologies that orbit them. With a background in computer science and a decade of experience in app development and digital marketing, Kossi brings a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective to the Apple Gazette team.

7 Comments

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  1. Very silly. Very silly indeed. CDRs/DVDs nowadays are pretty much free. (Free after rebate, anyway.) At most, they are pennies-a-peice, if you shop around. And that’s retail pricing. Apple probably gets their media for a fraction of that.

    Those mini-CDs/DVDs still cost a premium. I can’t see how Apple would save money by distrubuting software on those litttle CDs/DVDs; and then add the cost of an adaptor to it? I don’t see the point, or the savings. I think it’s way cheaper to keep using the 12cm ones.

    Although, if the capacity was to increase, I think a mini 4+ Gig version with a mini USB/Firewire external burner would be really cool! That would be nice to keep in a laptop case if an upcoming MacBook was to ship w/o a Superdrive!

  2. @Steve

    True.

    My wife’s computer at work needed a software patch for a medical billing program that they use. The comany send out the patche on a 512M thumb drive. Very cool. (I got to keep it after the installation!)

    I know 512M is nothing to write home about, but the fact that they can just give them away may be a sign of things to come.

  3. I doubt they would alienate regular sized cd’s by forcing only smaller ones in their computers. I think something more likely would be no drive at all and use memory sticks. Its only a matter of time before the disc world is dead.

  4. Some camcorders write directly to these mini-DVDs. I can’t do anything with them on my Macbook, so I have to have a PC friend rip the DVD and burn it to a regular sized DVD. Pain in the ass.

    Do we need an adapter? Hell yes.

  5. Many business people are placing their business cards, catalogs, etc. on mini-CDs. As mentioned above by Bryan Gibson, the mini-DVDs used by camcorders won’t work in most Macs. That’s a problem for a company which promotes itself as the best choice for consumer and prosumer video editing.

    I doubt Apple would start distributing software on mini-DVDs simply to save a few dollars on discs. Customers would be upset that they have to buy an adapter, or Apple would have to offer both sizes, which makes no sense and increases costs rather than reduce them.