jav6454
Mar 24, 01:48 PM
Probably a daft question but i'll ask anyhows so forgive my techie noobness!
With the advent of thunderbolt and its high bandwidth, will it possible for a gfx card to be sited externally in some kind of cradle and be used as the main gfx card or wouldn't the internal "plumbing" allow it to happen ?
/noob mode off
;)
It would be very well possible. Remember, Thunderbolt is derived from LightPeak. One of the reasons to develop LightPeak was to transmit data at very fast rates over a distance. Essentially, not have everything so closed together.
In other words, you can the CPU in room A and the RAM in room B which is 20 feet away and get the same result. This is one of the reasons Intel developed LightPeak. There are many other reasons for development obviously.
However, Thunderbolt in its current stage is not suited for such lengthy exchange due to its copper nature. However, say you have a GFX cradle on your desk, you could well use Thunderbolt's current implementation to feed data. However, you'd need multiple implementations of Thunderbolt in order for it to work great. Currently, many GFX solutions use PCIe 2.0 x16 interface which pretty much uses 8 GB/s bandwidth so one Thunderbolt interface will do fine and still have a nice 2GB/s overhead. However, the newer PCIe 3.0 interface pushes 16GB/s now so you'd need two Thunderbolt interfaces.
With the advent of thunderbolt and its high bandwidth, will it possible for a gfx card to be sited externally in some kind of cradle and be used as the main gfx card or wouldn't the internal "plumbing" allow it to happen ?
/noob mode off
;)
It would be very well possible. Remember, Thunderbolt is derived from LightPeak. One of the reasons to develop LightPeak was to transmit data at very fast rates over a distance. Essentially, not have everything so closed together.
In other words, you can the CPU in room A and the RAM in room B which is 20 feet away and get the same result. This is one of the reasons Intel developed LightPeak. There are many other reasons for development obviously.
However, Thunderbolt in its current stage is not suited for such lengthy exchange due to its copper nature. However, say you have a GFX cradle on your desk, you could well use Thunderbolt's current implementation to feed data. However, you'd need multiple implementations of Thunderbolt in order for it to work great. Currently, many GFX solutions use PCIe 2.0 x16 interface which pretty much uses 8 GB/s bandwidth so one Thunderbolt interface will do fine and still have a nice 2GB/s overhead. However, the newer PCIe 3.0 interface pushes 16GB/s now so you'd need two Thunderbolt interfaces.
aaps59
Feb 7, 04:24 PM
2005 LR3 SE, mountain road in Northern New Hampshire
French iPod
Nov 27, 10:44 PM
I'm going to order these tomorrow or maybe on monday:
Games (PS3 & MAC)
- Devil May Cray 4 (PS3)
- Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS3)
- Batman Arkham Asylum: Game Of The Year Edition (with the one that i can play the Joker:D) (PS3)
- Prototype (PS3)
- The Orange Box (PS3)
- Skate III (PS3)
- Spider-Man Web Of Shadow's (PS3)
- Call Of Duty Mordern Warfare (Greatest Hits Edition) (PS3)
- Diablo Battle Chest (new edition) (MAC)
- Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 Platinum (MAC)
- Bioshock (PS3)
-
Blu-Ray:
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
Wonder Woman
Batman: Under The Red Hood
Justice League Season 1 (maybe)
Games (PS3 & MAC)
- Devil May Cray 4 (PS3)
- Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS3)
- Batman Arkham Asylum: Game Of The Year Edition (with the one that i can play the Joker:D) (PS3)
- Prototype (PS3)
- The Orange Box (PS3)
- Skate III (PS3)
- Spider-Man Web Of Shadow's (PS3)
- Call Of Duty Mordern Warfare (Greatest Hits Edition) (PS3)
- Diablo Battle Chest (new edition) (MAC)
- Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 Platinum (MAC)
- Bioshock (PS3)
-
Blu-Ray:
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
Wonder Woman
Batman: Under The Red Hood
Justice League Season 1 (maybe)
NickK1066
Jun 23, 09:17 AM
iOS would need a considerable amount of additions to replace OSX.
Currently iOS does not allow third parties to add drivers for their own attaching products to make services etc available for multiple applications.
MIDI is one such example.
Currently iOS does not allow third parties to add drivers for their own attaching products to make services etc available for multiple applications.
MIDI is one such example.
Goldfinger
Aug 31, 03:35 PM
Any chance of a new chip set with a newer GMA ?
poppe
Sep 1, 12:46 PM
Hmm... the problem with that line-up is that when consumers see the shiny new advert saying "Meet the new iMacs" they'll look at the clock speeds and say "What new iMacs?". I think it would be reasonable for Apple to offer...
17" iMac - $1,199 - 2 GHz, X1650 Pro 128 MB
20" iMac - $1,699 - 2.16 GHz, X1650 Pro 256 MB
23" iMac - $2,199 - 2.33 GHz, X1650 Pro 256 MB
If the Mac Mini and the MB would have stayed under 500 and 1000 repsectively then I would have said you are so wrong, but because they didn't I wouldn't be surprised if they came out with one just above 1999.
17" iMac - $1,199 - 2 GHz, X1650 Pro 128 MB
20" iMac - $1,699 - 2.16 GHz, X1650 Pro 256 MB
23" iMac - $2,199 - 2.33 GHz, X1650 Pro 256 MB
If the Mac Mini and the MB would have stayed under 500 and 1000 repsectively then I would have said you are so wrong, but because they didn't I wouldn't be surprised if they came out with one just above 1999.
MrFirework
Jan 2, 10:51 AM
not only that, but none of the rumors really pointed to MWSF for a compact Macbook.
arn
True enough... but have any of the new product rumors really pointed to MWSF for anything?
arn
True enough... but have any of the new product rumors really pointed to MWSF for anything?
tomsk
Jan 12, 12:57 AM
Try this...
Jobs described the Apple TV as his 'hobby' - Not a clever choice of words at the time the analysts thought...
Now take the outgoing Mac Mini, repackage and upgrade, dice it up with the Airport Extreme (with built in bb modem this time - please), add a little Apple TV '2', leave on gas mark 7 for 2 hours...
Total over the 'air' internal network with media storage and streaming capability and it's time to enter the full-on home multimedia market. Plus as a little bonus, movie and tv show rentals - watchable on your mac, itouch, iphone etc...
Actually, what the hell... They make Back to my Mac actually work and let you watch them on the road too ;-)
:p
Jobs described the Apple TV as his 'hobby' - Not a clever choice of words at the time the analysts thought...
Now take the outgoing Mac Mini, repackage and upgrade, dice it up with the Airport Extreme (with built in bb modem this time - please), add a little Apple TV '2', leave on gas mark 7 for 2 hours...
Total over the 'air' internal network with media storage and streaming capability and it's time to enter the full-on home multimedia market. Plus as a little bonus, movie and tv show rentals - watchable on your mac, itouch, iphone etc...
Actually, what the hell... They make Back to my Mac actually work and let you watch them on the road too ;-)
:p
henrikrox
Mar 24, 01:37 PM
anyone want to guess what we will see in the new imac?
gpus i mean
gpus i mean
yg17
Mar 19, 11:16 PM
For the sake of consistency with the App Store and its censorship policies, it should be removed for containing offensive, disgusting content.
I don't think it should be removed, and I don't think many other apps that have been removed should be removed. I just think Apple should censor consistently or not censor at all.
I don't think it should be removed, and I don't think many other apps that have been removed should be removed. I just think Apple should censor consistently or not censor at all.
rezenclowd3
Jan 4, 11:38 PM
^^^ Nice!
mrblack927
Apr 1, 08:41 AM
The new "year view" shows a heat map of events, ie. the more red it is the busier your day. ;)
ingenious
Apr 8, 12:53 PM
I think he did. He said something like "okay, I've read the other side. Now can we go back to talking about my half baked misguided ideas?"
ya i know but i was talking about when i put:
Thats not true ! Ive been reading everyone's posts but you just don't want to see both sides of the story. I just want Apple to do better...
Look at this business weekly online story about Apple - very interesting
http://www.businessweek.com/technol..._5468_tc056.htm
really, this is what Ive been taking about...I think that most Mac users don't want to hear it
and this one too
http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/main...cfm?NewsID=8372
ok, YOU listen to "our side" of the story now!!!!! The point is, apple is NOT dying, they do not need saving, blah blah blah. just read the 100 posts above mine explaining this to you, but you refusing to listen. If you want apple to do better, then think that and leave the rest of us alone. I myself wouldn't mind having more of my contacts using a mac so i wouldn't have to do tech support for them all the time, but then again, that would cut down on people who force money on me for it.
ya i know but i was talking about when i put:
Thats not true ! Ive been reading everyone's posts but you just don't want to see both sides of the story. I just want Apple to do better...
Look at this business weekly online story about Apple - very interesting
http://www.businessweek.com/technol..._5468_tc056.htm
really, this is what Ive been taking about...I think that most Mac users don't want to hear it
and this one too
http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/main...cfm?NewsID=8372
ok, YOU listen to "our side" of the story now!!!!! The point is, apple is NOT dying, they do not need saving, blah blah blah. just read the 100 posts above mine explaining this to you, but you refusing to listen. If you want apple to do better, then think that and leave the rest of us alone. I myself wouldn't mind having more of my contacts using a mac so i wouldn't have to do tech support for them all the time, but then again, that would cut down on people who force money on me for it.
Nym
Nov 30, 10:31 AM
Microsoft owns nothing of Apple, just to make that clear, and of course they don't Apple to succeed... they want it to sink. :)
The fact that M$ owns a portion of Apple is a myth, not true.
The fact that M$ owns a portion of Apple is a myth, not true.
Nym
Nov 30, 08:53 AM
Why not put wheels on a boat?
AHAHAH!
That was nice :D
You guys are always speculating about what it will or will not have, I mean, you could all be right, but then.. you could all be wrong, I'm not betting on anything till I see the real thing :)
And there's one problem, is iTv supposed to be international or a USA only service? If it's supposed to be international Apple has to watch those "features", what's the point of people in Europe buying an iTv if half the "features" are not supported outside the US? :eek:
However, Apple has always surprised us, iTv is gonna be great IMO, is there another way? :)
AHAHAH!
That was nice :D
You guys are always speculating about what it will or will not have, I mean, you could all be right, but then.. you could all be wrong, I'm not betting on anything till I see the real thing :)
And there's one problem, is iTv supposed to be international or a USA only service? If it's supposed to be international Apple has to watch those "features", what's the point of people in Europe buying an iTv if half the "features" are not supported outside the US? :eek:
However, Apple has always surprised us, iTv is gonna be great IMO, is there another way? :)
puckhead193
Apr 12, 10:23 PM
Would like to see a demo as well as new Mac pros to go with it
Evangelion
Jul 14, 05:33 AM
There will be more media once there are more players, and there will be more players once there is more media. Which goes first? Players, naturally. Apple and the rest of the industry will just have to begin selling the players, and then the content will follow. Very soon I'd guess. The new Blu-Ray media can be sold at premium, so I think there will be a lot of discs to buy once certain threshold of players have been installed.
Well, PS3 will have Blu-Ray in it. And if PS3 is even moderately succesfull, it would mean lots of Blu-Ray-players in the market.
Well, PS3 will have Blu-Ray in it. And if PS3 is even moderately succesfull, it would mean lots of Blu-Ray-players in the market.
stevehp
Oct 23, 08:23 AM
please let this be true. I've had enough of waiting and these posts are too much to handle every week!
HecubusPro
Sep 1, 12:04 PM
If true, this is simply great news all around. The potential for updates, new additions to existing computer lines, iPods, iSight, etc. Was there ever a time where so much was happening in such a short span of time for Apple? I'm sure there was, but this is pretty impressive.
I almost want to drop my plans to get a C2D MBP and get a 23" iMac. Almost.:)
I almost want to drop my plans to get a C2D MBP and get a 23" iMac. Almost.:)
adhesiv
Jan 11, 05:31 PM
Because its not going to be identical.
Neither will have built in superdrive, but will have the same external model.
Pro machine will have additional stuff like backlit keyboard, FW800, graphics card. Probably be even smaller and lighter. Maybe have a touch screen.
They will be quite clearly different and $ differences as well.
Sorry aswitcher i wasn't referring to your post but to the initial post. While my findings, i won't go into details on that but it's related to private advertising, show the new model is based on the aluminum build which would suggest PRO affiliation. i don't think they'd blur the line between PRO and non-PRO by releasing a product that has the PRO build but is not in the PRO line. that would only hurt the brand identity of both and confuse consumers. this holds true regardless of external optical or not. current design technology should be able to shoehorn a higher class video card and firewire 800 into a smaller form factor, especially with apple's prowess in this field.
Neither will have built in superdrive, but will have the same external model.
Pro machine will have additional stuff like backlit keyboard, FW800, graphics card. Probably be even smaller and lighter. Maybe have a touch screen.
They will be quite clearly different and $ differences as well.
Sorry aswitcher i wasn't referring to your post but to the initial post. While my findings, i won't go into details on that but it's related to private advertising, show the new model is based on the aluminum build which would suggest PRO affiliation. i don't think they'd blur the line between PRO and non-PRO by releasing a product that has the PRO build but is not in the PRO line. that would only hurt the brand identity of both and confuse consumers. this holds true regardless of external optical or not. current design technology should be able to shoehorn a higher class video card and firewire 800 into a smaller form factor, especially with apple's prowess in this field.
neoelectronaut
Jan 18, 01:41 PM
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/6843/photojan1812328pm.jpg
New 2011 Ford Fusion SE which is replacing my 2007 Ford Fusion SE which was the victim of an unfortunate accident.
Edit: I need to pick up a sunshade before Summer rolls around.
New 2011 Ford Fusion SE which is replacing my 2007 Ford Fusion SE which was the victim of an unfortunate accident.
Edit: I need to pick up a sunshade before Summer rolls around.
ianray
Jun 23, 04:52 AM
While we have seen very interesting advancements in App design between iPhone and iPad, I wonder how iOS could scale up to a 'Desktop PC' form-factor (or screen-size) without looking like some "Fisher-Price" toy?
mc68k
Jan 6, 05:51 PM
We are now in 56th place!
And mc68k should be over 10 million about now! Congrats! Happy new year :Dthats great news! it's been a while since we've been able to pass teams with ease. prob due to new enthusiastic users + the bigadv WUs
i'll be at 8 digits, not too bad. but it's really just a #. things might be changing for me for the worse WU-wise temporarily
And mc68k should be over 10 million about now! Congrats! Happy new year :Dthats great news! it's been a while since we've been able to pass teams with ease. prob due to new enthusiastic users + the bigadv WUs
i'll be at 8 digits, not too bad. but it's really just a #. things might be changing for me for the worse WU-wise temporarily
seashellz
Jul 18, 01:25 PM
1. The reports are coming in that the BR DVD picture is....well, lousy-while the HD picture is said to be primo. You can buy an HD player NOW (and discs-soon)for under $500.
For all intents and purposes, $1000 Blu Ray players are as scarce as George Bush's IQ numbers-if there are even any to be had at all...
2. *VERY Important: SONY has yet to produce a single BR disc under the promised new HD Codec 1- the prime reason to buy BR HD in the first place-the ones they are selling now are just 'prototype', being rushed to market so they can say "We were first!" which is like selling a car without spark plugs-youll just have to be patient until some arrive.
Yes, a "Better Future" is just around the corner, as they like to say defensively-well I say- PRODUCE THEM-then we will believe-other wise, it is VAPORWARE.
So you are in effect buying v.1 BR discs down at Best Buy-while v.2 discs are still being worked on-possibly to arrive by Christmas.
Who would buy a BR disc that will be obsolete in a few months-that is-if the Codec 1 discs ever arrive at all-?
They are having manufacturing problems with these still- [Corpspeak: "we are 'fine tuning' them"] which is the reason for the delay.
2. SONY JUST GOT KICKED IN THE BALLS #1: (Reuters) a UK high court ruling Friday declared that the the giant SONY/BMG merger is not legal, and must be broken apart, worldwide.
If this ruling stands, SONY will be sucked dry, in order to either fight this, or to seperate, as they have streamlined and folded the two companies in together so tightly-like two Octopi in battle-or love, that it will drain much time, money and resources from the company to fight the ruling, or to re-separate as two distinct entities should they lose...it could in fact, this SINK SONY.
Because of this ruling, Warner Bros. have already backed out of a deal to merge with EMI.
And while spokemen at EMI declared 'This will be no problem,'
Warner Bros. spokesfolks retorted with-'We wouldnt bet the farm on that if we were you'
The deal is on HOLD and possibly withdrawn.
Anyway, this will be a HUGE drain on SONYs already shaky financial structure-they are literally betting the whole company on Blue Ray-hoping it wont become another Betamax. There is also much infighting in the ranks of SONY, according to reports. (also, they themselves admit they have lost 3% marketshare worldwide, since the merger (If thats so, why would they APPEAL the decision?!)
3. SONY JGKITB #2: Reports are coming from the chip manufacturing plant that for every FIVE PSP-3 chips created, only ONE is usable-SONY still has to pay for the other chips. (Wednesdays Gizmo.com)
(they are too complex, and they are rushing this whole thing to market too fast)
What this means is that SONYs expected cash influx from selling these will be nill-in fact, this will bleed the company big time.
What it will mean for the consumer, is that the PSP-3 may be very hard to find, as there will be supply and distribution problems, if this is not corrected PRONTO.
SONY was counting on being able to flood the landscape with these in order to better 'push' BR.
But apparaently not any longer.
And we all know what it means when a desired product is scarce-much higher prices.
SONY has alienated much of the CD community with the secret DRM implant from a few months ago.
They have alienated much of the DVD community with subpar DVD releases of late.
ie: too many pan and scan releases, or cancelled titles.
And will they finally decide on flagging these BR discs so the folks with non-upconverting HDMI Monitors (or no HDMI outs at all) will be unable to play their discs in prime mode, if at all?
If they do-all you thousands of folks with the non-upconverting/compliant "HD" Bigscreen TVs will have to donate them to GOODWILL, and buy a new one.
While these trial discs dont have the feature yet, the *whole rational* in BRs security architecture was to keep
people from copying or PLAYING 'unauthorized' discs.
When SONY finally chooses to implement this essential (in their minds) baseline feature:
1.You will be unable to download BR movies onto your computer from disc or Internet.
2.You will need to connect to the internet through your player to get "permission" from a SONY server to play any title-not just SONY-Columbia movies.
I do not know if HD discs/players have the same feature, but doubt it.
Aside from the intrusion into your privacy, your player would be shut down via a signal from SONY if you tried to play a 'pirated', a backup disc, or one copied/borrowed from a friend. (It is not clear whether you will be locked out from that title only, or your WHOLE player will be shut down-and become a piece of junk-until the situation is rectified with SONY over an 800 number-remember, however, -thought criminals-er, pirates-you will have no reason to complain-or have recourse-what you did was ILLEGAL, so no amount of whining may save you-or your useless player.
(While this is still conjecture-it is a likely and very real possibility-as they spent billion on just this sort of feature)
They WILL NOT be burned by a cracked CSS code and wholesale DVD copying again.
They are serious about "piracy"-and your friends borrowed copy of a title-maybe even if legit-will shut down your player just as if playing a dubious Chinese-made copy of PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN disc bought today.
I dont think APPLE or anyone, should jump into BR just yet-It is not OUR duty to shore up a flagging, unproven-or any-HD format.
Let the war of the marketplace and the better player decide, before you buy into another potential Laserdisc or Betamax-whether BR or HD, then make a decision
It clearly looked for a moment that HD was the underdog, but that has changed overnight.
While at this point I have a slight bias towards HD for no particular reason,
I am sitting out ALL HD out until:
1. ONE format emerges as the clear winner.
2. Second generation of players and discs are available - a year or two from now-and most of the kinks are worked out.
For all intents and purposes, $1000 Blu Ray players are as scarce as George Bush's IQ numbers-if there are even any to be had at all...
2. *VERY Important: SONY has yet to produce a single BR disc under the promised new HD Codec 1- the prime reason to buy BR HD in the first place-the ones they are selling now are just 'prototype', being rushed to market so they can say "We were first!" which is like selling a car without spark plugs-youll just have to be patient until some arrive.
Yes, a "Better Future" is just around the corner, as they like to say defensively-well I say- PRODUCE THEM-then we will believe-other wise, it is VAPORWARE.
So you are in effect buying v.1 BR discs down at Best Buy-while v.2 discs are still being worked on-possibly to arrive by Christmas.
Who would buy a BR disc that will be obsolete in a few months-that is-if the Codec 1 discs ever arrive at all-?
They are having manufacturing problems with these still- [Corpspeak: "we are 'fine tuning' them"] which is the reason for the delay.
2. SONY JUST GOT KICKED IN THE BALLS #1: (Reuters) a UK high court ruling Friday declared that the the giant SONY/BMG merger is not legal, and must be broken apart, worldwide.
If this ruling stands, SONY will be sucked dry, in order to either fight this, or to seperate, as they have streamlined and folded the two companies in together so tightly-like two Octopi in battle-or love, that it will drain much time, money and resources from the company to fight the ruling, or to re-separate as two distinct entities should they lose...it could in fact, this SINK SONY.
Because of this ruling, Warner Bros. have already backed out of a deal to merge with EMI.
And while spokemen at EMI declared 'This will be no problem,'
Warner Bros. spokesfolks retorted with-'We wouldnt bet the farm on that if we were you'
The deal is on HOLD and possibly withdrawn.
Anyway, this will be a HUGE drain on SONYs already shaky financial structure-they are literally betting the whole company on Blue Ray-hoping it wont become another Betamax. There is also much infighting in the ranks of SONY, according to reports. (also, they themselves admit they have lost 3% marketshare worldwide, since the merger (If thats so, why would they APPEAL the decision?!)
3. SONY JGKITB #2: Reports are coming from the chip manufacturing plant that for every FIVE PSP-3 chips created, only ONE is usable-SONY still has to pay for the other chips. (Wednesdays Gizmo.com)
(they are too complex, and they are rushing this whole thing to market too fast)
What this means is that SONYs expected cash influx from selling these will be nill-in fact, this will bleed the company big time.
What it will mean for the consumer, is that the PSP-3 may be very hard to find, as there will be supply and distribution problems, if this is not corrected PRONTO.
SONY was counting on being able to flood the landscape with these in order to better 'push' BR.
But apparaently not any longer.
And we all know what it means when a desired product is scarce-much higher prices.
SONY has alienated much of the CD community with the secret DRM implant from a few months ago.
They have alienated much of the DVD community with subpar DVD releases of late.
ie: too many pan and scan releases, or cancelled titles.
And will they finally decide on flagging these BR discs so the folks with non-upconverting HDMI Monitors (or no HDMI outs at all) will be unable to play their discs in prime mode, if at all?
If they do-all you thousands of folks with the non-upconverting/compliant "HD" Bigscreen TVs will have to donate them to GOODWILL, and buy a new one.
While these trial discs dont have the feature yet, the *whole rational* in BRs security architecture was to keep
people from copying or PLAYING 'unauthorized' discs.
When SONY finally chooses to implement this essential (in their minds) baseline feature:
1.You will be unable to download BR movies onto your computer from disc or Internet.
2.You will need to connect to the internet through your player to get "permission" from a SONY server to play any title-not just SONY-Columbia movies.
I do not know if HD discs/players have the same feature, but doubt it.
Aside from the intrusion into your privacy, your player would be shut down via a signal from SONY if you tried to play a 'pirated', a backup disc, or one copied/borrowed from a friend. (It is not clear whether you will be locked out from that title only, or your WHOLE player will be shut down-and become a piece of junk-until the situation is rectified with SONY over an 800 number-remember, however, -thought criminals-er, pirates-you will have no reason to complain-or have recourse-what you did was ILLEGAL, so no amount of whining may save you-or your useless player.
(While this is still conjecture-it is a likely and very real possibility-as they spent billion on just this sort of feature)
They WILL NOT be burned by a cracked CSS code and wholesale DVD copying again.
They are serious about "piracy"-and your friends borrowed copy of a title-maybe even if legit-will shut down your player just as if playing a dubious Chinese-made copy of PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN disc bought today.
I dont think APPLE or anyone, should jump into BR just yet-It is not OUR duty to shore up a flagging, unproven-or any-HD format.
Let the war of the marketplace and the better player decide, before you buy into another potential Laserdisc or Betamax-whether BR or HD, then make a decision
It clearly looked for a moment that HD was the underdog, but that has changed overnight.
While at this point I have a slight bias towards HD for no particular reason,
I am sitting out ALL HD out until:
1. ONE format emerges as the clear winner.
2. Second generation of players and discs are available - a year or two from now-and most of the kinks are worked out.