Filed under: Macworld, MacBook Air
Remote Disk
The MacBook Air doesn't have an optical drive, but it does have a new software feature called Remote Disk. This comes with every MacBook Air and works with both Macs and PCs. Simply install the Remote Disk software on the Mac or PC that has an optical drive and that drive will now be available to the MacBook Air. Slide a disk into the optical drive and Remote Disk shows up in the MacBook Air's Finder. Install software to your heart's content, but sadly you won't be burning CDs using Remote Disk.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
sarasuefrench said 3:49PM on 2-07-2008
I'm studying a foreign language and need to spend time listening to the CDs that come with my textbook. Do you know whether I'd be able to do this using the MacBook Air's Remote Disk? Thanks.
Reply
Alex Saidani said 8:21PM on 2-13-2008
This feature seems pretty cool, but i don't have a macbook air i have a macbook and obviously it has a disk drive. But i was just wondering if you can install the software on a normal mac so i can use it to access disk drives of other computers while still being able to use my disk drive.
Any Ideas Anyone? Can You Do It?
Reply
Jon Niola said 2:44PM on 1-15-2008
I would like to see more details on this "remote disk" software. Hopefully they will divulge more details soon.
Reply
Russell said 2:44PM on 1-15-2008
Whatever, I can do that in Windows 2000.
I don't care about some lame overpriced under specced macbook, what I want to know is where 10.5.2 is! What ever happened to fixing the current bugs before adding new features.
Reply
Kevin said 3:11PM on 1-15-2008
Actually, you could already do this in Mac OS X (Even in Mac OS 9), I just think that the software makes it so that it is instant instead of having to access the remote computer first. Also, you claim of overpriced and under specced. I would like to see where I could get the same specs in the same size package for that price.
mick129 said 3:20PM on 1-15-2008
So is there a way to choose who can see your disks?
Reply
Fritz Laurel said 2:53PM on 1-15-2008
Seems like an official variation on a theme that we Mac hacks have been doing since the late 80s with System 6. I like it.
Cheers,
FL
Reply
Michael Schmitt said 2:55PM on 1-15-2008
So... how does one do a clean install of the OS on one of these things?
Reply
Yazdgerd said 4:28PM on 1-15-2008
99 bucks external drive. :-)
Big John said 6:04PM on 1-15-2008
With Remote Disc. They're mentioning it *everywhere*.
Michael Schmitt said 6:47PM on 1-15-2008
@ Big John: Remote Disc is software that allows you to connect to a Mac or PC's optical drive. That software has to be loaded into the system in order for it to work, and you run the optical drive through the Finder. Last time I did a clean install of OS X, the computer restarted and booted OFF THE INSTALL DISC. So, you're saying that Remote Disc allows for wireless boot disks now?
Michael Schmitt said 11:15PM on 1-18-2008
Apparently... it's true... http://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/18/reader-questions-can-you-install-xp-via-remote-disk-on-a-macboo/
MasterLeep said 2:57PM on 1-15-2008
How would you restore a corrupted system with Remote Disk?
Reply
Jason said 3:08PM on 1-15-2008
uh, you might want to spell it correctly: Remote Disc
Reply
Vijay said 3:23PM on 1-15-2008
I think the word Disc is spelled Disk in UK (probably rest of the world too, although philips' CD is spelled "Compact Disc").
Rae Whitlock said 3:48PM on 1-15-2008
Magnetic = "Disk"
Optical = "Disc"
Steven Schmitt said 3:17PM on 1-15-2008
I wish they would have come out with a laptop at a lower price point. From a business point of view all these new "air" products work beautifully together to better position Apple in the whole home "digtal hub" thing... The problem as I see it is that the MacBook Air, due to it's niche market focus, is not going to create the number of users (nor the right segment of users) to really make the Apple TV and the Time capsule take off like they should.) Imagine if they had made a scaled down laptop (no drives, and limited speed, kind of a middle ground laptop between the ibook and ipod touch. That is something that people could get into cheaply and get them vested in the Apple home network idea... As cool as the MacBook Air looks, I think Apple really missed an opportunity here.
Reply
alexis said 4:10PM on 1-15-2008
so i'd have to remotely burn a cd?
Reply
Brian said 4:14PM on 1-15-2008
Is "you won't be burning CDs using Remote Disk" actually based on feedback from Apple employees on the show floor?
I suspect Remote Disc is based on iSCSI, which is how they get it to work on both Windows and Mac, and would allow burning, although they might have that capability blocked.
Reply
Edicius said 6:21PM on 1-15-2008
Why would you want to burn remotely? Just burn it on the remote computer. Why involve the Macbook Air? Just transfer the files remotely then burn or use a USB flash drive to move them to the other computer when you go to insert the CD.
Reply