This is an article about a recent Apple Patent regarding placement of the ODD on the underside of a laptop rather than as a front-loading drive on the side.
http://www.wired.com/news/columns/0,72634-0.html?tw=rss.index
I understand that a front loading drive takes up more real estate on the ever shrinking laptops and this is why new options are being entertained, however, i do not see a disk drive with a hatch on the underside of the laptop being very user friendly… As cool as that “iris door” looks It would not convince me to purchase a less efficient machine.