Slashdot Mirror
Zettabyte Shut Down
jpt.d writes "Zettabyte (those who put the SuperDrive in the eMac) have been shut down without detailed explaination. They only say, 'Due to Legal Restrictions we will no longer be able to sell our SuperDrive equipped eMac.' Does anyone have any more details about this?"
Go read MacCentral.
You will learn that Apple told them to stop selling the upgraded devices, and that now they are going to sell kits instead, and perhaps a service where customers can send in their eMac to get it upgraded. They are not "shut down" or closed, or out of business by any means.
I don't see the big deal in this at all. If someone were to take boxed Dells and modify them and resell them, I think Dell would have a problem with that too... But, then again, what about the rack mounted Quicksilvers that Terra Soft sells as the GVS 9000? They're repackaged Power Macs.
Honestly, I don't see why the heck people don't just buy an external DVD-R. SuperDrives are too slow anyways. It's convenient, yes, but limiting. The built-in CDRW is 24/16/32 or something like that. Aren't the SuperDrives 4 speed?
Ironically enough, you can still get to the order page by going here
Gabriel Ricard
i think the big issue is with someone selling a modified product, and calling it an emac.
the company that makes the rackable g4's doesnt call them powermac g4's, they have their own model name. and package them differently.
Apple sells the emacs to Zettybyte, apple doesnt care what happens to them, what they likely have the issue with is people buying these, thinking that they are supported by apple, when they are not.
Zettybyte doesnt call them the z-1000, they call them an apple emac, and likely ship the modified units in apple boxes, with apple documentation.
and buyers (at least a percentage) call apple for support on these machines, with voided warrantys.
this likely causes customer confusion, and dissatisfaction with the Apple Brand and is the reson for the halting of production.