First MacBook Air Reviews: Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, USA Today

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com)

The first reviews are in for the MacBook Air:

Wall Street Journal (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120113632301711881.html?mod=hpp_us_inside_today)
- "beautiful, amazingly thin computer, but one whose unusual trade-offs may turn off some frequent travelers."
- "difficult to describe just how surprising this feels in your hands"
- "MacBook Air's screen and keyboard were a pleasure to use."
- felt speedy
- Limitations: Sealed in battery, no optical drive, no built in Ethernet jack
- Battery test: screen brightness at maximum, Wi-Fi on, playing endless look of music: 3 hours, 24 minutes.

Newsweek (http://www.newsweek.com/id/101113)
- "When I slip it in the sleeve of my backpack where my six-pound MacBook Pro usually travels, the pocket still looks empty"
- "diminutive dimensions pretty much evaporate the eternal quandary of whether or not to take your computer along with you."
- Doesn't get as hot as other Apple laptops.
- Max hard drive space is 80GB; no 160GB option due to thinness of machine.

USA Today (http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/edwardbaig/2008-01-23-macbook-air-review_N.htm)
- "remarkably sturdy-feeling machine, especially given its size and weight"
- Not ideal for everyone (due to known limitations, non-replaceable battery, limited ports, etc..)
- "Jobs told me last week that Apple considered [adding 3G mobile broadband] but that adding the capability would take up room and restrict consumers to a particular carrier. Through a USB modem, he says, you can still subscribe to wireless broadband with your favorite carrier."
- Battery test: surfed web, used Remote Disk, wrote: 3 hours, 40 minutes.
- don't expect Air to be someone's only computer.




Article Link (http://www.macrumors.com/2008/01/24/first-macbook-air-reviews-wall-street-journal-newsweek-usa-today/)

[CalfCanuck]

WSJ link doesn't work. Interesting articles otherwise.

[chr1s60]

I think with the MacBook Air it is either the perfect computer for you or it just isn't for you. There isn't really any in between with it like there is with the MacBook or MacBook Pro.

[kskill]

i feel like right now the macbook air is only good for the rich

it will start getting fun with future improvements and price drops though.

[Sandfleaz]

Maybe not for everyone but .....
Delightfully different .... can't wait to get my hands on one!
.

[lshaner]

Crock!

Just put a user-accessible slot for one of these:

http://www.novatelwireless.com/products/expedite/index.html

Then the customer can choose the 3G carrier.

[AlBDamned]

I can't believe the Newsweek article uses the analogy of a circumcision....

[solipsism]

Well, unless they come out with an external battery w/ MagSafe power-through connecter I won't be buying one. I want the lightweight machine but without getting more longevity out of it I am better off with my MacBook and 3 batteries for the long flights I take.

Here's hoping.

[a1016neo]

Can't wait until David Pogue's Video Review!!:rolleyes:

[Mackan]

"Jobs told me last week that Apple considered [adding 3G mobile broadband] but that adding the capability would take up room and restrict consumers to a particular carrier. Through a USB modem, he says, you can still subscribe to wireless broadband with your favorite carrier."

Restrict consumers to a particular carrier is what Apple and Steve wants, just look at the iPhone. So it must have been "take up room". ;)

[FrenchKheldar]

Sounds like pretty weak battery results ... Even if the SSD improves them, it won't be a drastic increase I think. I can live with a non-user replacable battery but you should be able to get 6+ hours being conservative (low brightness, some WiFi), and it doesn't look like we're there yet... I guess I'll wait the next iteration of the air (not that I had the need or the money now anyway :) ).

[arn]

added to story.

MacBook Air now shipping for some lucky early customers

http://images.macrumors.com/article/2008/01/24/005132-shipping.png

[shadowfax]

i feel like the macbook air is only good for the rich

That seems like a rather strange thing to say. My wife and I are potentially on the verge of losing our computers (work has me with a 2.33GHz MBP, and I am considering getting a different job when I graduate, and she is rocking my old 1GHz TiBook that's either about to die or should be, though it really runs Leopard pretty decently). We're not rich by any stretch of the imagination (she's an athletic tutor, and I am a grad student with a nice internship).

We're seriously considering the 24" iMac from money we save from her job, and then a MBAir if we can afford it later (depending on my job). The iMac will be perfect for when the occasional gaming bug bites, and with a USB TV tuner dongle, it will be our TV/entertainment center as well as the family computer. the MBAir fits in perfectly, to me. the iMac will run Aperture and whatever else I need, graphically, pretty happily, although I think even a rev. B MBAir will be up to that task just fine as well. When I am out and about, traveling, on vacation, I don't really need to play counterstrike:source--not that the MacBook regular would do that particularly well either. I might need to import images into Aperture, or I might want to watch some encoded HD video. Seems like the MBAir ought to run 720p, which is all it can really display, quite well. All the other stuff--iTunes, Safari, Mail, iChat--should be smooth sailing, easily.

So what's the deal? Why is that only for rich people? It isn't a cheap laptop, that's true, but "ultraportables" aren't usually cheap. Honestly, I don't think many people out there really use their computers' horsepower anyway. the Air is perfect for all of Apple's cool apps except for video (iMovie, right), and how many people use that? I sure don't.

[luminosity]

- "When I slip it in the sleeve of my backpack where my six-pound MacBook Pro usually travels, the pocket still looks empty"


Well, it would, because the only six pound MBP is a 17 inch version, and any backpack/case made for it would undoubtably make the Air look pretty small by comparison.

[bdkennedy1]

This means OS X 10.5.2 Friday! YAY!

[twoodcc]

the reviews say about what i expected. can't wait to see one in person though

[retroneo]

As long as they don't seal in the SIM card or put a network lock on, you can put any carrier's 3G sim card in and it will work.

There are multiple 3G HSPA networks in every other country that Apple operates in.
(The USA will soon have two)

The data plans are getting very cheap now too.

Please put HSPA in, it's pretty much essential now.

[ob81]

"- Battery test: surfed web, used Remote Disk, wrote: 3 hours, 40 minutes."

I was going to get one. I will wait.

[Zadillo]

Sounds like pretty weak battery results ... Even if the SSD improves them, it won't be a drastic increase I think. I can live with a non-user replacable battery but you should be able to get 6+ hours being conservative (low brightness, some WiFi), and it doesn't look like we're there yet... I guess I'll wait the next iteration of the air (not that I had the need or the money now anyway :) ).

6+ hours out of a 37 watt/hour battery? I think that would be a bit of a stretch. Usually you only see that kind of battery life with the extra large extra capacity batteries (the ones that significantly add to the weight and dimensions of "ultraportables").

[shadowfax]

One thing I am curious about, and I didn't see it in the reviews or the other threads, is how well the thing handles an external display. I am going to assume it does pretty well, with the X3100 integrated graphics, but I'd be curious to see it hooked up to a 23" display @ 1920x1200, its supposed max res.

[ob81]

6+ hours out of a 37 watt/hour battery? I think that would be a bit of a stretch. Usually you only see that kind of battery life with the extra large extra capacity batteries (the ones that significantly add to the weight and dimensions of "ultraportables").

4ish hours out of an ultraportable computer is horrible. Which leads back to the compromise issue. Apple compromised on some of the main aspects that makes a portable laptop, portable in the first place. If you have to keep charging your battery while on the go, not very portable. Only 3hrs of battery life? What will it be at 6 months?

[shadowfax]

4ish hours out of an ultraportable computer is horrible. Which leads back to the compromise issue. Apple compromised on some of the main aspects that makes a portable laptop, portable in the first place. If you have to keep charging your battery while on the go, not very portable. Only 3hrs of battery life? What will it be at 6 months?

well, 3.5 hours in all the reviews, and I believe both of them were with the settings maxed out. with half brightness (should be fine on an LED-backlight), and WiFi off (like on a plane), I can really see this thing rocking 4.5.

[Luis]

- "Jobs told me last week that Apple considered [adding 3G mobile broadband] but that adding the capability would take up room and restrict consumers to a particular carrier. Through a USB modem, he says, you can still subscribe to wireless broadband with your favorite carrier."


But they didn't care of that with the iPhone? Thank god for anySIM.

[ebouwman]

Crock!

Just put a user-accessible slot for one of these:

http://www.novatelwireless.com/products/expedite/index.html

Then the customer can choose the 3G carrier.

You can also do it with your cell phone, you can bluetooth connect it and tell the computer to use it's data connection. Then say you have a blackberry on an unlimited data plan, then you shouldn't get nailed with 2 bills right?

Although I'm not sure how your phone company would feel about that.

How much is one of those cards anyways? And i'm sure that a slot like that would take up a lot of space, and considering they don't even have a disk drive...

"Jobs told me last week that Apple considered [adding 3G mobile broadband] but that adding the capability would take up room and restrict consumers to a particular carrier. Through a USB modem, he says, you can still subscribe to wireless broadband with your favorite carrier."

Restrict consumers to a particular carrier is what Apple and Steve wants, just look at the iPhone. So it must have been "take up room". ;)

They don't care about locking you to a carrier for a laptop, they only care about for the iPhone. That because with the iPhone they can make lots of money, but nobody would ever buy a laptop that was locked to a specific carrier, they just can't do it.

Also most of us don't have a use for that kind of feature so it'd be wasting space.

Sounds like pretty weak battery results ...

My MacBook probably gets less than that kind of battery life and it's twice the size :confused:

[NYCMacFan]

No agreement on time here:

Mossberg: Torture test with wifi on, max brightness and continuous play of music: 3 hour 24 minutes, he expects 4 hours 30 minutes with usual use.

Newsweek: Slightly less than 5 hours

USA Today: Almost 3 hours 40 minutes surfing, typing and using remote disk. 1 hour less watching a movie.

What gives? I find this range of battery results somewhat strange. Surprised none of them discussed the quality of the speaker sound or volume, only one mentioned heat was low, none gave specifics on system performance or startup time.

[Zadillo]

4ish hours out of an ultraportable computer is horrible. Which leads back to the compromise issue. Apple compromised on some of the main aspects that makes a portable laptop, portable in the first place. If you have to keep charging your battery while on the go, not very portable. Only 3hrs of battery life? What will it be at 6 months?

Well, as an example, that's still better than what the Sony SZ gets with its standard battery, or even something like the Lenovo X61 with its standard battery.

The only way for ultraportables to get those 5 or 6 hour battery lifes is with extended batteries, which are larger, add more weight, and pretty much defeat the purpose of the form factor, at which point you might as well have a more typical laptop anyway.

-Zadillo

No agreement on time here:

Mossberg: Torture test with wifi on, max brightness and continuous play of music: 3 hour 24 minutes, he expects 4 hours 30 minutes with usual use.

Newsweek: Slightly less than 5 hours

USA Today: Almost 3 hours 40 minutes surfing, typing and using remote disk. 1 hour less watching a movie.

What gives? I find this range of battery results somewhat strange. Surprised none of them discussed the quality of the speaker sound or volume, only one mentioned heat was low, none gave specifics on system performance or startup time.

There's no agreement on time most likely because they were using different methodologies......... 3 hours 24 minutes with wifi on, max screen brightness and constantly playing music, meaning constand use of the hard drive, is really pretty remarkable. Usually also when you see people talking about getting 5 hours of life, it is with screens at half brightness or less, wifi off, the hard disk not being regularly accessed, etc.

The max battery lifes are usually in power saving modes, where the CPU is throttled down, screen is often at lowest brightness setting, all wireless is off, and the hard drive is idling.

-Zadillo

[digitalbiker]

6+ hours out of a 37 watt/hour battery? I think that would be a bit of a stretch. Usually you only see that kind of battery life with the extra large extra capacity batteries (the ones that significantly add to the weight and dimensions of "ultraportables").

Sony's ultra portable Vaio TZ gets 5 - 7.5 hrs of battery life. Weighs less than MBA, is smaller, has WWAN capability, includes an optical drive, and uses a 100 GB HDD.

The only plus for MBA is bigger screen and keyboard. Runs OS X. If one could run OS X on the Sony, I think most would buy the Sony over the MBA.

[NYCMacFan]

well, 3.5 hours in all the reviews, and I believe both of them were with the settings maxed out. with half brightness (should be fine on an LED-backlight), and WiFi off (like on a plane), I can really see this thing rocking 4.5.

I may go with the SSD and 1.6htz processor. I assume that will yield 5 hours. Certainly if you have wifi off and reasonable brightness.

There's no agreement on time most likely because they were using different methodologies......... 3 hours 24 minutes with wifi on, max screen brightness and constantly playing music, meaning constand use of the hard drive, is really pretty remarkable. Usually also when you see people talking about getting 5 hours of life, it is with screens at half brightness or less, wifi off, the hard disk not being regularly accessed, etc.

The max battery lifes are usually in power saving modes, where the CPU is throttled down, screen is often at lowest brightness setting, all wireless is off, and the hard drive is idling.

-Zadillo

I agree but the verdict of like 2.5 hours watching a film seemed low as well.

Also, I don't know how much the screen brightness matters with an LED. Should be more efficient and so brightness is less of an issue.

BTW, I always have bluetooth off, but wonder what effect that has on battery life and some people have never used it, but have it on by default on their machines.

Hey if they went with a ULV processor, probably could have added some more time, but that would be a compromise too far. :)

[skellener]

In other forums as well as this one, it seems to be the consensus that had Apple made a 12" or 13" MacBook Pro, people were ready to order right after the keynote. Many are now disgruntled and not interested in the Air. It's not Pro and it doesn't have the features of even the regular MacBook. It's just......thin. So the big question is will Apple ever do a Pro MacBook with a small screen ever again? It seems there is demand for it. Will they do it? And will the Air wither away after the niche of execs get theirs?

[Zadillo]

Sony's ultra portable Vaio TZ gets 5 - 7.5 hrs of battery life. Weighs less than MBA, is smaller, has WWAN capability, includes an optical drive, and uses a 100 GB HDD.

The only plus for MBA is bigger screen and keyboard. Runs OS X. If one could run OS X on the Sony, I think most would buy the Sony over the MBA.

OK, but this comparison makes no sense. The Vaio TZ has only an 11" screen (quite hard to read compared to the 13" Vaio SZ or the MacBook Air, etc.). It has an incredibly small keyboard that is not nearly as comfortable to type on as a full 13" laptop's keyboard.

In terms of battery life, the TZ also only uses a fairly slow ULV processor - read some Sony Vaio forums sometime, and you'll see plenty of people complaining about how sluggish the TZ is.

And to say that the "only plus for the MBA is bigger screen and keyboard" I think is sort of underestimating the differences. To get the weight the TZ does, it does give you an incredibly small keyboard and screen, while the MBA weighs only slightly more, but gives you a much more useable screen and keyboard, a much better performing processor, etc.

A well configured TZ with 2GB of RAM of course also is significantly more expensive.

I'm not saying the TZ doesn't have its place as well, but I can cite myself as someone who, given a choice between a TZ and an SZ, for example, would always choose the SZ, simply because I find the TZ screen and keyboard and ULV processor performance to just be too limiting.

-Zadillo

[peestandingup]

The first reviews are in for the MacBook Air:

- "Jobs told me last week that Apple considered [adding 3G mobile broadband] but that adding the capability would take up room and restrict consumers to a particular carrier. Through a USB modem, he says, you can still subscribe to wireless broadband with your favorite carrier."
Yeah, Apple would NEVER restrict its users into one cell phone carrier. :rolleyes:

[kskill]

That seems like a rather strange thing to say...

We're seriously considering the 24" iMac from money we save from her job, and then a MBAir if we can afford it later (depending on my job).
So what's the deal? Why is that only for rich people? It isn't a cheap laptop, that's true, but "ultraportables" aren't usually cheap. Honestly, I don't think many people out there really use their computers' horsepower anyway. the Air is perfect for all of Apple's cool apps except for video (iMovie, right), and how many people use that? I sure don't.

I say it's for the rich because a lot of people would not be able to use it as their sole computer. And if it's your second computer, you're spending $1800 on top of whatever you paid for the first one. [So yes, rich is an e exaggeration, but you need to be spending a lot of money on computers to have one].

Macbook Air is pretty cool, but to me it's a complete luxury.

[TomSmithMacEd]

Well hopefully these reviews make people buy these things.

I've lost too much money on AAPl these past couple weeks.

[eddietr]

I say it's for the rich because most people would not be able to use it as their sole computer. And if it's your second computer, you're spending $1800 on top of whatever you paid for the first one. [So yes, rich is an e exaggeration, but you need to be spending a lot of money on computers to have one].

Macbook Air is pretty cool, but to me it's a complete luxury.

The consensus is definitely that this is not something you want right now as your only computer. Maybe a year from now when there are larger capacity 1.8" drives (hopefully 128GB SSD at reasonable price)

But I think a lot of non-rich people have at least one other computer.

And having a laptop is not a luxury for people who travel. For me my laptop is my second machine, though, because I also need/want a desktop for heavier work.

So I guess that's the target customer right now.

[NYCMacFan]

In other forums as well as this one, it seems to be the consensus that had Apple made a 12" or 13" MacBook Pro, people were ready to order right after the keynote. Many are now disgruntled and not interested in the Air. It's not Pro and it doesn't have the features of even the regular MacBook. It's just......thin. So the big question is will Apple ever do a Pro MacBook with a small screen ever again? It seems there is demand for it. Will they do it? And will the Air wither away after the niche of execs get theirs?

Ask yourself this. How much would a 13.3 MB Pro weigh?

If its 4.5lbs or less, you got an issue of whether you would want to go with an MBA to save 1.5 lbs. The old 12inch at 4:3 was 4.6lbs or something like that. A 13.3 is not that bigger and a new Macbook Pro could have a better case and saves some weight with the LED.

[sam10685]

"- Battery test: surfed web, used Remote Disk, wrote: 3 hours, 40 minutes."

I was going to get one. I will wait.

My battery is so old it lasts 15-20 minutes.

Edit; i have a Powerbook g4.

[Shayne]

If its 4.5lbs or less, you got an issue of whether you would want to go with an MBA to save 1.5 lbs. The old 12inch at 4:3 was 4.6lbs or something like that. A 13.3 is not that bigger and a new Macbook Pro could have a better case and saves some weight with the LED.

I'd just be happy to see the Macbook get the LED screen. Add a bit more life to it. Full featured laptop with near or better battery life then the MBA and only a bit heavier. Perhaps in a perfect world.

[digitalbiker]

OK, but this comparison makes no sense. The Vaio TZ has only an 11" screen (quite hard to read compared to the 13" Vaio SZ or the MacBook Air, etc.). It has an incredibly small keyboard that is not nearly as comfortable to type on as a full 13" laptop's keyboard.

In terms of battery life, the TZ also only uses a fairly slow ULV processor - read some Sony Vaio forums sometime, and you'll see plenty of people complaining about how sluggish the TZ is.

And to say that the "only plus for the MBA is bigger screen and keyboard" I think is sort of underestimating the differences. To get the weight the TZ does, it does give you an incredibly small keyboard and screen, while the MBA weighs only slightly more, but gives you a much more useable screen and keyboard, a much better performing processor, etc.

A well configured TZ with 2GB of RAM of course also is significantly more expensive.

I'm not saying the TZ doesn't have its place as well, but I can cite myself as someone who, given a choice between a TZ and an SZ, for example, would always choose the SZ, simply because I find the TZ screen and keyboard and ULV processor performance to just be too limiting.

-Zadillo

I understand what you are saying and I agree that I shorted the MBA a little because I forgot to mention the processor speed difference.

However as far as the screen goes when you compare ultra-portables you usually are desiring a smaller footprint. Also the TZ screen is higher-res than the MBA so you can actually fit more content on the screen even though it is physically smaller.

Most ultra-portable users are looking for a device that fits into a tight space, even when opened. I don't even consider the MBA an ultraportable because it is too big.

So what is the MBA, is it an ultra-portable or is it just a light laptop. If it is a light laptop then you have to compare it to the MB or MBP. I think most would either buy the MB or MBP as they are a much better bang for the buck.

[Zadillo]

I'd just be happy to see the Macbook get the LED screen. Add a bit more life to it. Full featured laptop with near or better battery life then the MBA and only a bit heavier. Perhaps in a perfect world.

I think that is inevitable; Apple had specifically announced that they were eventually going to be transitioning their entire product to LED-backlit screens, so it's only a matter of time before the regular MacBook gets them as well.

At this point unfortunately the costs of LED-backlit screens still seems to limit them to premium laptops like the XPSM1330, Sony SZ, Sony TZ, Asus U6, etc.

-Zadillo

[eddietr]

I understand what you are saying and I agree that I shorted the MBA a little because I forgot to mention the processor speed difference.

However as far as the screen goes when you compare ultra-portables you usually are desiring a smaller footprint. Also the TZ screen is higher-res than the MBA so you can actually fit more content on the screen even though it is physically smaller.

Most ultra-portable users are looking for a device that fits into a tight space, even when opened. I don't even consider the MBA an ultraportable because it is too big.

So what is the MBA, is it an ultra-portable or is it just a light laptop. If it is a light laptop then you have to compare it to the MB or MBP. I think most would either buy the MB or MBP as they are a much better bang for the buck.

The MBA is not a TZ, and it's not an MB or MBP either.

It's something else.

I've wanted a lighter laptop for some time. But I did not want a 10 or 11" screen. I did not want a small keyboard. I did not want a ultra low power processor. I did not want Windows. And I did not want to spend time getting Linux working smoothly on a machine where it isn't officially supported.

So the Air fits the bill. Not perfectly (wish it were a bigger HD), but it fits better than an MBP for me, and better than anything else I've looked at.

[NYCMacFan]

Also the TZ screen is higher-res than the MBA so you can actually fit more content on the screen even though it is physically smaller.

Most ultra-portable users are looking for a device that fits into a tight space, even when opened. I don't even consider the MBA an ultraportable because it is too big.

On point 1, I am not sure how mcuh the high resolution helps if you can't read what you are looking at. I like the TZ, but a small screen has only so much usable space while still being readable. (And I don't wear glasses.)

On point 2, this is true and of course one MBA issue identified by reviewers is does it fit on a tray in coach class.

[ebouwman]

Sony's ultra portable Vaio TZ gets 5 - 7.5 hrs of battery life. Weighs less than MBA, is smaller, has WWAN capability, includes an optical drive, and uses a 100 GB HDD.

The only plus for MBA is bigger screen and keyboard. Runs OS X. If one could run OS X on the Sony, I think most would buy the Sony over the MBA.

Yes but that battery life is straight off of sony's site, and if you read it... Estimated Battery Life: 4.0-7.5 hours
so really maximum rated battery life is better than the macbook, but how is it while you're using it like in these tests?

another plus though for the MBA is the size, it is smaller than the TZ just not width wise, but really, considering that the MBA is about the size of a sheet of paper, do you really need it to be smaller?

Since every briefcase of backpack ever made can accommodate the length and width a piece of paper, why would you need something smaller, i mean come on!

[Zadillo]

I understand what you are saying and I agree that I shorted the MBA a little because I forgot to mention the processor speed difference.

However as far as the screen goes when you compare ultra-portables you usually are desiring a smaller footprint. Also the TZ screen is higher-res than the MBA so you can actually fit more content on the screen even though it is physically smaller.

Most ultra-portable users are looking for a device that fits into a tight space, even when opened. I don't even consider the MBA an ultraportable because it is too big.

So what is the MBA, is it an ultra-portable or is it just a light laptop. If it is a light laptop then you have to compare it to the MB or MBP. I think most would either buy the MB or MBP as they are a much better bang for the buck.

These are all fair points; as I said, the TZ has its place, and for people who absolutely depend on the smallest overall package, it fits the bill.

And yes, the TZ does have a 1366x768 res screen compared to the 1280x800 res of the MacBook Air. However, that higher res still comes at a cost; yes, you can fit a bit more, but it also makes things smaller......... some people can deal with this, and some can't. Personally I find 1366x768 on an 11" screen to be too small to comfortable view text/etc. for extended periods of time, unless you zoom in in Word, for example, at which point the higher res becomes useless.

I will personally take the 1280x800 13" screens of the MacBook Air or Sony SZ over the TZ any day.

You ask what the MBA is, and I think it's an interesting question.

I think it is sort of a mix of things; certainly it isn't for everyone, and either a MacBook or MacBook Pro (or a Vaio TZ or SZ or Dell XPSM1330) might be better options.

But the MacBook Air I think offers its own interesting mix. Right now, for people that did want a laptop in the 3 pound and under arena, you did have to make a lot of sacrifices in some pretty critical areas.

As I mentioned with the TZ, although it is very lightweight and portable, which is great for when you aren't using it and traveling around, it requires enormous compromises on the user's part when actually using it, given the small screen and keyboard. And of course the TZ's ULV processor also requires real performance compromises as well, and you'll find plenty of TZ owners complaining of the sluggishness of their systems.

I've personally always found something like the Sony SZ or the more recent XPSM1330 to be perhaps the best compromises between size and performance. Although they aren't as portable (given the larger footprint of a 13" machine), they have much more useable screens and keyboards.

But the SZ and XPSM1330 can get fairly thick in their own right, and also are in the 4 pound range.

So what the MacBook Air represents, I think, is a sort of middle ground. It gives you extraordinary thinness and a 3 pound weight, while still allowing you to have the benefits of a larger and more readable screen and a full-sized keyboard.

Now whether those compromises to get this combination are worth it is obviously a choice for the consumer to make. But I don't see a big problem with offering another take on this.

I think if Apple had just done a Sony SZ clone (like the XPSM1330), it would have been nice enough in its own right, and probably pretty close to what many people were hoping for. But I think there's something to be said for the MBA as well.

The MBA is not a TZ, and it's not an MB or MBP either.

It's something else.

I've wanted a lighter laptop for some time. But I did not want a 10 or 11" screen. I did not want a small keyboard. I did not want a ultra low power processor. I did not want Windows. And I did not want to spend time getting Linux working smoothly on a machine where it isn't officially supported.

So the Air fits the bill. Not perfectly (wish it were a bigger HD), but it fits better than an MBP for me, and better than anything else I've looked at.

Exactly. For the people asking "who is the market for this thing?", I think this sums it up pretty well.

I've always been intrigued by the idea of the TZ, but in actual use, I've found the screen and keyboard to just be too small. But I didn't like the SZ for other reasons.

I think there's definitely a market out there for that mix; the lightness of those 11" screen ultraportables, with the larger screens and keyboards of the SZ's and XPSM1330's of the world.

Yes but that battery life is straight off of sony's site, and if you read it...
so really maximum rated battery life is better than the macbook, but how is it while you're using it like in these tests?

another plus though for the MBA is the size, it is smaller than the TZ just not width wise, but really, considering that the MBA is about the size of a sheet of paper, do you really need it to be smaller?

Since every briefcase of backpack ever made can accommodate the length and width a piece of paper, why would you need something smaller, i mean come on!

No, the TZ can achieve that kind of battery life in real-life; but again, that is what is possible when you are only powering an 11" screen, using a 1GHz ULV processor, etc.

[digitalbiker]

The MBA is not a TZ, and it's not an MB or MBP either.

It's something else.

I've wanted a lighter laptop for some time. But I did not want a 10 or 11" screen. I did not want a small keyboard. I did not want a ultra low power processor. I did not want Windows. And I did not want to spend time getting Linux working smoothly on a machine where it isn't officially supported.

So the Air fits the bill. Not perfectly (wish it were a bigger HD), but it fits better than an MBP for me, and better than anything else I've looked at.

I guess my question to you is Why is this better than an MB?

The MB is the same physical dimensions only slightly thicker and it does weigh a little more than a pound more.

But...
You get longer battery life, bigger HDD, faster processor, easily accessible battery compartment, built-in ethernet, firewire, multiple USB ports, optical drive, and it is less expensive.

[Chundles]

Damnit I want one....

[Zadillo]

I guess my question to you is Why is this better than an MB?

The MB is the same physical dimensions only slightly thicker and it does weigh a little more than a pound more.

But...
You get longer battery life, bigger HDD, faster processor, easily accessible battery compartment, built-in ethernet, firewire, multiple USB ports, optical drive, and it is less expensive.

The MacBook weights 2 pounds more (5.0 pounds vs. 3.0 pounds). That isn't really insigificant.

But again, it isn't saying that's "better" or "worse" than the MacBook. It doesn't kill Apple to have multiple types of products depending on what someone needs.

You could make this same argument about any number of laptops (say, comparing the Sony C or CR series to the Sony SZ series..... or the Dell Inspiron 1525 to the XPS1530).

-Zadillo

[ebouwman]

Damnit I want one....

well said:p

I would have bought one of these a year ago when i bought my MB, but there's not much sense in me buying it now. :eek:

[eddietr]

I guess my question to you is Why is this better than an MB?

The MB is the same physical dimensions only slightly thicker and it does weigh a little more than a pound more.

But...
You get longer battery life, bigger HDD, faster processor, easily accessible battery compartment, built-in ethernet, firewire, multiple USB ports, optical drive, and it is less expensive.

It's two pounds lighter. And I don't consider it only "slightly" thicker.

A 17" MBP is "only" 2 lbs heavier than a 15 and only "slightly" wider, but boy does that make a huge difference in portability.

I agree the MB performs better and is cheaper. But for some people (like me), I don't mind spending extra to get that weight down and to allow for a smaller bag. I can get a thin portfolio style briefcase now and have room for some files and this computer.

And that's perfect for me.

If I wasn't using the MP as my primary computer, then of course I would keep the MBP instead. Because then I would need more speed, an optical, etc. But right now I very often leave the MBP in the hotel and use my even slower, less capable iPhone because the MBP is just too bulky.

EDIT: I'm not saying the MBA is a better computer than the MB for everyone. But it is for me. And I understand for others the MB is better. Which is why it's a good thing Apple makes both. It's hard to understand why people seem disappointed that Apple provides more choices now than they did two weeks ago. I could understand the angst if Apple replaced the MB with the MBA. But they didn't.

[digitalbiker]

Now whether those compromises to get this combination are worth it is obviously a choice for the consumer to make. But I don't see a big problem with offering another take on this.

I think if Apple had just done a Sony SZ clone (like the XPSM1330), it would have been nice enough in its own right, and probably pretty close to what many people were hoping for. But I think there's something to be said for the MBA as well.

I agree with what you are saying.

I don't think there is any problem with Apple introducing a new line and experimenting with the market. There may be enough market for the MBA to sustain a few iterations and eventually Apple may hit on the perfect ultra-portable.

What I don't fully understand is why Apple is choosing to experiment with an untested design in their product line. They do so even though many customers have been dying for something between a mini and macpro for gaming and general computing. As well as the market for a MBP with a smaller footprint.

[GFLPraxis]

I can't believe the Newsweek article uses the analogy of a circumcision....

And to top it off, puts a header on the article, "Size matters".
ROFL.

[Zadillo]

It's two pounds lighter. And I don't consider it only "slightly" thicker.

A 17" MBP is "only" 2 lbs heavier than a 15 and only "slightly" wider, but boy does that make a huge difference in portability.

I agree the MB performs better and is cheaper. But for some people (like me), I don't mind spending extra to get that weight down and to allow for a smaller bag. I can get a thin portfolio style briefcase now and have room for some files and this computer.

And that's perfect for me.

If I wasn't using the MP as my primary computer, then of course I would keep the MBP instead. Because then I would need more speed, an optical, etc. But right now I very often leave the MBP in the hotel and use my even slower, less capable iPhone because the MBP is just too bulky.

Yeah.

I kind of wish people had an easier time realizing that not everyone uses their laptops the same way, or necessarily needs all of its capabilities.

My two previous laptops for a long period of time were a Sony Vaio S360, and a Sony Vaio SZ460.

Neither of these laptops were bad by any means (although the SZ especially I ultimately sold because I just didn't like the keyboard).

But the thing is, I look at all the criticisms leveled at the MacBook Air, and then think about how I used my Vaios.

No Optical Drive: In all honesty, I barely ever used my Vaio's optical drive; probably to install Office, and to burn the system recovery disks (Sony doesn't provide physical recovery media). The primary reason I avoided using it was because the optical drive was noisy (making movie watching a pain) and a major battery drain.

No ethernet: Never used Ethernet myself.

Only one USB port: I rarely ever had ANYTHING plugged into the USB ports of my Vaios. Probably at most I might have used it to hook up to a printer, or to put stuff on a thumb drive, but that was pretty much it. I did have a Logitech VX Revolution with a USB wireless dongle, but in the end I rarely traveled with the external mouse anyway.

So looking at how I've actually used laptops myself, the shortcomings of the MacBook Air don't effect me personally.

I'm not saying, of course, that means these don't matter to anyone. Clearly for people who do need these things, the MBA obviously isn't the right choice.

But the point I'm trying to make is that the "limitations" of the MBA aren't specifically limitations for those of us out here that don't specifically use some of those other elements of a laptop.

I'm not saying I'm going to buy an MBA, of course; I am probably more tempted by the MBP at this point. But I can definitely see the appeal of the MBA, and it frankly fits the bill of what I've been looking for in a laptop in ways that machines like the Vaio TZ and SZ don't.

-Zadillo

I agree with what you are saying.

I don't think there is any problem with Apple introducing a new line and experimenting with the market. There may be enough market for the MBA to sustain a few iterations and eventually Apple may hit on the perfect ultra-portable.

What I don't fully understand is why Apple is choosing to experiment with an untested design in their product line. They do so even though many customers have been dying for something between a mini and macpro for gaming and general computing. As well as the market for a MBP with a smaller footprint.

Fair enough. Certainly there's all sorts of things people have been clamoring for that Apple hasn't yet unveiled (and we have no way of knowing for sure what they're working on).

I do think that eventually, one way or the other, Apple is going to address some of those other "holes" in their product line. But from all the rumors, it sounds like the MBA was something Apple was working on for quite a while, and I don't think it hurts to have released it now even while they are still probably working away in their labs somewhere on some of those other things people have been talking about (a mid-range midtower Mac between the iMac and Mac Pro, a smaller MacBook Pro, etc.).

-Zadillo

[samh004]

"- Battery test: surfed web, used Remote Disk, wrote: 3 hours, 40 minutes."

I was going to get one. I will wait.

That's what I get on my MB, I think I'll be quite happy sticking with it for the foreseeable future, although the backlighting should really come to the MacBook now, at least for the black model.

[Zadillo]

That's what I get on my MB, I think I'll be quite happy sticking with it for the foreseeable future, although the backlighting should really come to the MacBook now, at least for the black model.

It does make you kind of wonder what Apple is going to do with the regular MacBook line, especially the $1499 black MacBook.

-Zadillo

[eddietr]

I agree with what you are saying.

I don't think there is any problem with Apple introducing a new line and experimenting with the market. There may be enough market for the MBA to sustain a few iterations and eventually Apple may hit on the perfect ultra-portable.



It's highly unlikely there will ever be a "perfect" ultra-portable. Because everyone's idea of perfect is different. My perfect is not your perfect.



What I don't fully understand is why Apple is choosing to experiment with an untested design in their product line.


Not the first time they've introduced something new and different. Some work, some don't. We'll see how this one works out. The next one might be quite different. Like the second shuffle. Or the second nano.


They do so even though many customers have been dying for something between a mini and macpro for gaming and general computing. As well as the market for a MBP with a smaller footprint.

Well, if Apple makes either of those, I'm sure you'll be very happy and go out and buy one. That's great.

[digitalbiker]

It's two pounds lighter. And I don't consider it only "slightly" thicker.


Ok sorry two pounds. But do you really consider .32 inches of thickness to be a big burden?

I'm not trying to put down Apple for experimenting with the MBA in the market place. I am just really trying to understand why someone would pay more for less and still not get the ultra-portability of a smaller machine.

It seems like the standard MB has the same market covered pretty well. Two pounds just doesn't seem like much. I understand two pounds and a smaller foot print because a smaller footprint is useful in tight places common to commuting.

[Macciee]

The MBA is not a TZ, and it's not an MB or MBP either.

It's something else.

I've wanted a lighter laptop for some time. But I did not want a 10 or 11" screen. I did not want a small keyboard. I did not want a ultra low power processor. I did not want Windows. And I did not want to spend time getting Linux working smoothly on a machine where it isn't officially supported.

So the Air fits the bill. Not perfectly (wish it were a bigger HD), but it fits better than an MBP for me, and better than anything else I've looked at.


Exactly, youre absolutlely right, this is my logical chain of thought as well and I ordered it when I realised that this was exactly what I been waiting for!

I think our way of thinking, including HD & Streaming for movies adn other content ,instead of the old optical way is rather early adaptor still, thats why most people will have to try this new ideas out first before they are all into the Air thing.

Once you step awy from optical media this is the logical step for the future.

[digitalbiker]

Well, if Apple makes either of those, I'm sure you'll be very happy and go out and buy one. That's great.

Probably not. I have a MacPro 3.0 ghz octo desktop with 31" and 24" ACDs. My current portable is a G4 17 inch Powerbook. I am waiting for a revised 17" MBP. I'm too old for an ultra-portable. Even 13 inch seems too small to me.

[eddietr]

Ok sorry two pounds. But do you really consider .32 inches of thickness to be a big burden?



At the one edge it is a third of an inch. That's a 30% difference. That's pretty significant. And as you know, it's more than that has you move toward the other edge. So in a semi-flexible briefcase, you can put that "fat" edge up, for example, and you have a lot of extra space at the bottom. Or vice versa.

Also the weight is 40% less. Again, a 17" is "only" 2 lbs more than an 15" MBP. You cannot possibly be saying that difference is not significant.


I'm not trying to put down Apple for experimenting with the MBA in the market place. I am just really trying to understand why someone would pay more for less and still not get the ultra-portability of a smaller machine.



Because for people who travel with briefcases, having a narrow notebook is of no value. And it would mean a smaller keyboard and screen. Which I don't want. As long as it's no wider in footprint than a file, I'm all set.


It seems like the standard MB has the same market covered pretty well. Two pounds just doesn't seem like much. I understand two pounds and a smaller foot print because a smaller footprint is useful in tight places common to commuting.

Again, not for those of us who carry normal portfolio cases, footprint is not as important, and comes at the expense of the keyboard.

Like I said, I've been wanting to downsize my laptop for some time. I did look at the MB last year, but it was no lighter than my MBP. And no less thick. So there was no point for me to move from the MBP to an MB. Now I have a choice that is thinner and lighter, which is what I wanted.

[BWhaler]

Well, unless they come out with an external battery w/ MagSafe power-through connecter I won't be buying one. I want the lightweight machine but without getting more longevity out of it I am better off with my MacBook and 3 batteries for the long flights I take.

Here's hoping.

I bought one because I want the portability, but the lack of swappable battery is a major bummer.

I too hope that Apple releases an external battery. I don't think it's going to happen, but I am hopeful.

[Cloudsurfer]

I'm looking forward to Pogue's and Arstechnica's reviews.

[yayaba]

Two pounds just doesn't seem like much.

Two pounds is still pretty significant. Lug around a 5-6 pound laptop in a backpack or bag compared to a 3 pound laptop and you would definitely be able to tell the difference.

I think I'd enjoy having an Air. It's shortcomings do not matter for me at all except for the larger footprint. I rarely use USB, have used the optical maybe 5 times this past year, never use Firewire (if the port was broken on my Macbook I wouldn't even know), and have only used the Ethernet jack maybe 3-4 times this past year. I only wish it had a screen smaller than 13" but that's mainly to appease my desire for an extremely light and small ultraportable.

Unfortunately I already have a Macbook that while I wish were lighter, it already serves my purposes. No point upgrading for another $1000 (I'm assuming I'd get around $800 for this machine).

[yayaba]

I bought one because I want the portability, but the lack of swappable battery is a major bummer.

I too hope that Apple releases an external battery. I don't think it's going to happen, but I am hopeful.

What gets me is that maybe Apple could've had an option to include a user-swappable battery if they say, increase the width of it by like a tenth to a quarter of an inch. But they were so steadfast in making this thing so thin they cut out on usability all for the sake of thin.

Honestly, was there a point in getting it so freaking thin? (besides satisfying some product manager's desire) Surely a few centimeters could have been sacrificed to include some options that users would want.

[After G]

Honestly, was there a point in getting it so freaking thin? (besides satisfying some product manager's desire) Surely a few centimeters could have been sacrificed to include some options that users would want.I hope you meant millimeters. :D

But for those who don't like the MBA, there's always the MB and the MBP. Before the MBA I wanted to have an MBP keyboard with MB-class hardware so this is yet another thing for me to try out.

[Towhead]

Some points:

High res is always useful; one doesn't have to have everything remain small, the hires can be used solely for clarity and sharpness of images when they are scaled larger.

Sony's tiny computer is useless for anything but e-mail, surfing, and office-type activities, short ones at that considering the difficulty of using the kb.

MBA can do OS X, Windows, Linux, DOS 3.3, WoW, Golf, etc. Its probably the only computer of its weight that can, bar none.

[milo2020]

notice in the inventory it's described as the 'macbook air 13'? So will it soon be complimented by an 11" or 15"?

[AppleMojo]

So what's the deal? Why is that only for rich people? It isn't a cheap laptop, that's true, but "ultraportables" aren't usually cheap. Honestly, I don't think many people out there really use their computers' horsepower anyway. the Air is perfect for all of Apple's cool apps except for video (iMovie, right), and how many people use that? I sure don't.

/ Preface | Warning / * If you are the owner or would like to be an owner of a Ford Focus or Kia Spectra; please do not take offense to the statement below *

Shadowfax; I agree with you that a lot of the negativity towards the Air has been cost. It seems to be the underlying tone in most of the posts knocking the new machine.

Like you said - it is an ultra-portable, and the cost is actually very friendly in that matter.

Features aside, they'd knock a 911 Turbo because their Focus or Spectra comes with 4 wheels too, but costs $110,000 less.

[tony-in-japan]

In other forums as well as this one, it seems to be the consensus that had Apple made a 12" or 13" MacBook Pro, people were ready to order right after the keynote. Many are now disgruntled and not interested in the Air. It's not Pro and it doesn't have the features of even the regular MacBook. It's just......thin. So the big question is will Apple ever do a Pro MacBook with a small screen ever again? It seems there is demand for it. Will they do it? And will the Air wither away after the niche of execs get theirs?

someone posted this link in another forum: http://mbp12.com/

Maybe it is just a dream or fantasy, but until Apple listens to what many of us would be willing to purchase without a second thought, I think the 12" Powerbook G4’s shadow will always be haunting the MBA. Maybe that is what the shadow in the floating MBA’s photos actually is! The spectre of a discontinued but still much-loved 12" Powerbook.

I wonder what the count is of people with the 12" Powerbook still waiting for a smaller Macbook Pro? Thousands? Tens of thousands? More?

[theBB]

What gets me is that maybe Apple could've had an option to include a user-swappable battery if they say, increase the width of it by like a tenth to a quarter of an inch. But they were so steadfast in making this thing so thin they cut out on usability all for the sake of thin.
Battery is where all the weight is. If you are going to be carrying around extra batteries, why pay extra for an ultraportable?

The old PB 12'' was a square screen, so its height is probably not any less than 13'' widescreen. The height is what makes it hard to open the lid up in an airplane when the seat in front is reclined. Aside from lacking a cramped small keyboard to remind you that you have an ultraportable, I don't see MBA to be any harder to use.

In terms of ports, we do use ethernet at work quite a bit, so I could see an ethernet port or a second USB port come in handy when you want to hook up a thumbdrive quickly without getting disconnected from the network when you are visiting a customer. Still, it is not the end of the world.

[JonasLondon]

My battery is so old it lasts 15-20 minutes.

Edit; i have a Powerbook g4.

ROFL - I second that! my PowerBook G4 with 1.25 GHz rund about 40 minutes on its old-old battery. But, despite dropping it on the concrete ground from over a meter in height, it still works perfectly andis not too sluggish to use Aperture onthe Road with 10-15 MB RAW filesfrom my D200.

I am really looking forward to a new MacBook pro or MacBook Air though, but first I need my Mac Pro 8-core... a few more weeks... yay!

Also wanted to add I think taking the disk driveout is genius - I stopped carrying DVDs a long time ago (HandBrake!) and for installation, the Remote Disk thing seems ideal. Andthose who really need Ethernet - it's like a 19USD adapter - get one and get real. It's the hotels that should offer free WiFi in all rooms anyways. And they will, as installation costs are lower nowadays.

All will be good :-) :apple:

[tjcampbell]

I think the problem with my trade off of the optical drive would be that I would like a bigger HDD to carry around my data. I struggle right now with my 80 Gig HDD on my MBP. I barely ever have any space free.

[koobcamuk]

I am still happy with my PowerBook G4.

I am sure this thing is faster, but I get 4 hours battery out of my PowerBook and I have two batteries. Love the little thing.

[maestrokev]

notice in the inventory it's described as the 'macbook air 13'? So will it soon be complimented by an 11" or 15"?

Can anyone see any other major updates happening this year now that Macworld is over?

[winterspan]

You can also do it with your cell phone, you can bluetooth connect it and tell the computer to use it's data connection. Then say you have a blackberry on an unlimited data plan, then you shouldn't get nailed with 2 bills right?
Although I'm not sure how your phone company would feel about that. How much is one of those cards anyways? And i'm sure that a slot like that would take up a lot of space, and considering they don't even have a disk drive...
Also most of us don't have a use for that kind of feature so it'd be wasting space.


I don't agree at all. I think a large fraction of the target demographic for this laptop would be VERY interested in a cellular 3G broadband connection. For god sakes, I've never seen the "totally wireless" concept pushed so hard before. How ironic is it that it doesn't even have a built-in 3G HSDPA/EVDO option or an express card slot, like nearly EVERY other notebook made this decade, including most subnotebooks coming out of Japan. I have a Verizon EV-DO expresscard and it's great. Especially with many hotels now charging over $10 a day for in-room internet, and Wifi networks being bought up by T-mobile/Boingo, it definitely pays for itself if you travel much.

As long as they don't seal in the SIM card or put a network lock on, you can put any carrier's 3G sim card in and it will work. There are multiple 3G HSPA networks in every other country that Apple operates in. (The USA will soon have two)
The data plans are getting very cheap now too. Please put HSPA in, it's pretty much essential now.

I don't think it's a good idea only adding built in HSDPA, as it's the LEAST covered network in the USA. If they wanted to go the builtin route, they should offer a choice of internal Sprint/Verizon EV-DO/CDMA card or AT&T HSDPA card, like the PC manufacturers do.
A much better and more practical alternative would have been adding an ExpressCard-34 Slot, which would allow consumers to get a 3G expresscard from any network they wish. (nearly all 3G cards are in the thin "34" form factor) Restricting it to the "34" size slot would keep the port very small and allow the Air to stay quite thin. In this way, the 3G card would fit nearly completely within the laptop so you wouldn't have to have a huge USB dongle hanging off the side... who the hell wants that?
An expresscard slot would also be a great way to expand the features of the Air, without having more adaptors/connectors/etc hanging off the laptop.

possible uses:
1) USB too slow for an external drive and/or just need more ports? Just pop in a FireWire 400 or Firewire 800 or eSata express card and hook up an external 2.5" 7200rpm drive at native speed. They even make combination FireWire800 + 2USB ports cards.

2) Not content with only 64GB SDD or want a boost to that slow 80GB HDD? Install a 16GB or 32GB expresscard flash memory card and use it as your boot drive or place your memory pagefile or temporary data onto it for fast access.

3) Don't like the usb->ethernet dongle, install a gigabitE expresscard instead. New WiFi standard comes out... just install a new card.

There are even expresscards that connect to a PCIexpress breakout box so you can install desktop size PCIexpress graphics cards, RAID controllers, Scientific data aquisition devices, etc. In other words, almost anything you could possibly need. And the best part is that the most of the cards sit nearly flush with the side compared to the monstrosity that is the USB dongle.

[LeviG]

I'll wait for some more detailed/user reviews as they just seem no better than the initial hands on tests from mwsf.

The battery life tests just confuse matters as one says it lasts over 3.5 hours with no battery saving aspects on (so heavy usage of full speed/power cpu, constant spinning of drive etc) - that isn't too bad, another says less with lighter use but no info on settings.

Now 3.5 hours under heavy use thats fair as you are using more cpu time, but if it doesn't get to anywhere near 5 hours with wireless on and the user being productive - to me its doing a little more than browsing the net, I want to be able to watch/listen streaming video/audio then I think Apple may have a bit of an issue.

Also no mention of how much drain the optical drive has on battery life.

[gnasher729]

In other forums as well as this one, it seems to be the consensus that had Apple made a 12" or 13" MacBook Pro, people were ready to order right after the keynote. Many are now disgruntled and not interested in the Air.

That is not the consensus. It is the consensus among the complainers. If Apple had made a 12" MacBook Pro, you wouldn't hear a thing from those people, but all those who like the MBA as it is and don't post would be posting that the screen is too small and it is too thick and heavy and they would have ordered one right after the keynote if it only had been thinner, lighter and with a bigger screen.

[mikes63737]

"Jobs told me last week that Apple considered [adding 3G mobile broadband] but that adding the capability would take up room and restrict consumers to a particular carrier. Through a USB modem, he says, you can still subscribe to wireless broadband with your favorite carrier."

Why didn't they think of that when they released the iPhone?

Since AT&T announced that they will filter traffic I've wanted to switch to T-Mobile more than ever.

[rockthecasbah]

Battery performance is a bit underwhelming, sort of disappointing. I'm glad the reviews were generally happy with it's power/speed. The complaints other than the battery life was stuff I already knew (lack of ports, optical drive, etc) so these reviews haven't really shaken me off it yet. When the time comes to buy my notebook, I'll be strongly considering the MacBook Air :)

[Stella]

I'm not surprised by these good reviews. Sure the Air has come drawbacks - every laptop does.

The Air is going to a hit and other manufacturers will be following step, design wise.

Most other sub laptops have had slow processors, this Air is fast in comparison.

[jellomizer]

"Jobs told me last week that Apple considered [adding 3G mobile broadband] but that adding the capability would take up room and restrict consumers to a particular carrier. Through a USB modem, he says, you can still subscribe to wireless broadband with your favorite carrier."

Restrict consumers to a particular carrier is what Apple and Steve wants, just look at the iPhone. So it must have been "take up room". ;)

I am not sure about that. Apple wants to sell hardware. They needed to choose a carrier for the iPhone especially to get into the market. They first went with Verizon and they said no. But that is with a Cell Phone. 3G broadband on a computer is a different issue, people demand more flexibility with a computer then with a cell phone.

[John Jacob]

As long as they don't seal in the SIM card or put a network lock on, you can put any carrier's 3G sim card in and it will work.

There are multiple 3G HSPA networks in every other country that Apple operates in.


Not if the other carrier uses a different network (like say, CDMA). And while most countries now have UMTS HSxPA networks (although there are still many countries that don't, example India), coverage is still quite spotty, even in Europe where the first 3G roll outs happened.

So the big question is will Apple ever do a Pro MacBook with a small screen ever again? It seems there is demand for it. Will they do it?

Probably not, simply because there would be no way of differentiating it from the other MacBook Pros, or even from the MacBooks.

Just think about it: the Air caters to a completely different market. The people who would consider a Macbook Air, would never be potential customers for either the Macbook or the Macbook Pro. A 12" or 13" Macbook Pro, on the other hand, would cannibalize sales of both the Macbooks and the larger Macbook Pros.

[SvenSvenson]

I am better off with my MacBook and 3 batteries for the long flights I take.I]

With all due respect, would you expect someone who needs to carry 3 extra batteries to be the intended market for an ultra-portable?

Steve

[deathshrub]

10.5.2 has gone gold then. Excellent! :D I want my Mac Pro :)

[deathshrub]

Why didn't they think of that when they released the iPhone?

Since AT&T announced that they will filter traffic I've wanted to switch to T-Mobile more than ever.

Because the Macbook Air is a computer, not a phone. Come on man, think.

[PabloGS]

"Jobs told me last week that Apple considered [adding 3G mobile broadband] but that adding the capability would take up room and restrict consumers to a particular carrier. Through a USB modem, he says, you can still subscribe to wireless broadband with your favorite carrier."

Since when does adding 3G limit you to a particular carrier?
This once again shows, how blindly Apple ignores the rest of the world.
UMTS is a standard all around the world, except for the USA of course where EDGE (which of course is just a 2G service btw) is the ultimate wireless experience...

No 3G in the MacBookAir is especially painful for all those, who call the crappy iPhone - which of course has a wireless internet flat-rate, yet no capability to use their phone as a modem - their own.

Most advanced wireless technology built in... my @$$

I'd rather have a slightly thicker MacBookAir... It would still be thin enough...

Oh... And by the way... MacBookAir is not the thinnest notebook on the market... Google for the Sony Vaio X 505

Please Apple, stop lying and please hear the customers!

A proud owner and buyer of various iPods, iBooks, MacBooks and other Apple stuff

Pablo

[Zadillo]

Since when does adding 3G limit you to a particular carrier?
This once again shows, how blindly Apple ignores the rest of the world.
UMTS is a standard all around the world, except for the USA of course where EDGE (which of course is just a 2G service btw) is the ultimate wireless experience...

No 3G in the MacBookAir is especially painful for all those, who call the crappy iPhone - which of course has a wireless internet flat-rate, yet no capability to use their phone as a modem - their own.

Most advanced wireless technology built in... my @$$

I'd rather have a slightly thicker MacBookAir... It would still be thin enough...

Oh... And by the way... MacBookAir is not the thinnest notebook on the market... Google for the Sony Vaio X 505

Please Apple, stop lying and please hear the customers!

A proud owner and buyer of various iPods, iBooks, MacBooks and other Apple stuff

Pablo

The Vaio X505 is not a currently produced laptop. The MacBook Air IS the thinnest currently produced notebook; the claim wasn't the thinnest laptop in history.

Btw, EDGE is considered to be 2.5G (with GPRS being 2G).

The "limit to one carrier" bit is clearly a reference to the situation in the US, where that is true - it isn't ignoring the rest of the world to state the issue in the US.

Note that currently in the US, the only carrier offering UMTS is AT&T (T-Mobile is just starting to roll out their offering). The other major providers, Verizon and Sprint, are CDMA-based and use EVDO. I don't think that means Apple is "blindly ignoring" the rest of the world, just dealing with the fact that the situation in the US is different.

-Zadillo

[surferfromuk]

Seems like some people are missing the entire point - I guess the manilla envelope was too subtle!

When someone carries around their laptop they usually have it in a dedicated bulky laptop bag - and then they have a briefcase, an executive bag, satchel, handbag/manbag etc etc

That means carrying two bags - now that's an pain in the derrière!

You could slip the Macbook Air into any of your primary bags, briefcases (full of manilla envelopes defo!), satchels etc and still leave all the room you need for what that bag was originally intended...

Thus you 'lose' ONE ENTIRE BAG! The Macbook Air will fit into any bag you currently own -even a lot of womens handbags!

Now that's a significant change to your 'daily portage' and it's worth any of the so called issues that full time desk warriors don't have to consider.

[Raveny]

Sony Vaio is not the thinnest: 11 - 21 mm thick. It looks even thicker:

http://scr3.golem.de/screenshots/0407/Sony_X505/x505_3_screen.jpg

[wordmunger]

For those complaining about the non-swappable battery I direct you to my poll (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=420805) about how many users actually utilize this feature.

So far it's looking like battery swapping is a pretty rarely-used feature. There are a few loud complainers, but it doesn't seem to actually affect the vast majority of users.

[wizard]

.... And will the Air wither away after the niche of execs get theirs?

I don't know about a 12 or 13" MBP but the answer to your question above is yes, the Air will die just like the Cube and frankly for the same reasons. To sum it up it offers way to little for the money requested. As you note there is a niche that will be filled with this device, I like to think of them as the executive class that is so dumb they don't even realize their role in our current economic mess. In any event when the current buying binge, from people who prefer exclusivity over value ends, the AIR will simply die as no one will be able to justify it.

It should be noted too that some of the issues with this machine where highlighted by objective people even before these reviews hit the stands. The AIR is fundamentally flawed and as people realize this I think they will end up on the used market real cheap.

Dave

[everdown]

I don't know why everyone keeps saying that the lack of an optical drive is a negative. I bet I use my optical drive, maybe, three times a year to burn a cd of photos or something for someone who doesn't have a good connection at home or for my grandmother who doesn't touch computers.

A negative? All the software/media on my Mac comes from online sources and has for at least four years.

Yay for the airbook!

[imikem]

Yeah, Apple would NEVER restrict its users into one cell phone carrier. :rolleyes:

Do you actually think that Apple were the ones insisting on exclusivity on the iPhone deal? Hmm, how would that conversation with AT&T go?

Jobs: "We have this really cool phone, but I want to make sure that two thirds of the potential customers can't use it. Will you please be the only carrier for the next five(?) years?"

AT&T "No, we want to give Verizon and T-Mobile users your phone too, so they won't have to sign up with us instead."

Jobs: "Pretty please????"

AT&T "Well, if you insist."

If so, I could use some of what you're smoking. :rolleyes:

[Manic Mouse]

I am not sure about that. Apple wants to sell hardware. They needed to choose a carrier for the iPhone especially to get into the market.

Do you actually think that Apple were the ones insisting on exclusivity on the iPhone deal? Hmm, how would that conversation with AT&T go?

Tosh, in Europe had they released an unlocked iPhone for a reasonable price they would be selling ten times as many as they currently are. Apple want constant income from the overpriced contracts they get a cut of, that's why the iPhone's locked to a carrier and has special "iPhone" contracts.

[wizard]

For those complaining about the non-swappable battery I direct you to my poll (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=420805) about how many users actually utilize this feature.

So far it's looking like battery swapping is a pretty rarely-used feature. There are a few loud complainers, but it doesn't seem to actually affect the vast majority of users.

That would likely be because most people have their charger at hand where ever they go. This due to crappy battery life.

If you travel at all though a good battery and a back up is a must have. If nothing else you don't want to get stuck going through airport security with a laptop with a dead battery.

Dave

[Chupa Chupa]

I'm not surprised by these good reviews. Sure the Air has come drawbacks - every laptop does.

The Air is going to a hit and other manufacturers will be following step, design wise.

Most other sub laptops have had slow processors, this Air is fast in comparison.

You thought those were good reviews? You must not read Mossberg on Apple products much. Usually he is gangbusters for everything Apple; the ultimate fanboy reviewer.

It seemed to me he was really tip-toeing through this one, especially where he warns the MBA lid is too tall to comfortably watch a DVD movie on a plane. Well, if it's too awkward to watch a movie, it's probably hard to get work done to. He doesn't say that but that is what he is telegraphing RoadWarrior businessmen who read the WSJ without totally pissing Steve Jobs off.


If you travel at all though a good battery and a back up is a must have. If nothing else you don't want to get stuck going through airport security with a laptop with a dead battery.

Dave

I agree with you the battery, but going through security w/ a dead laptop isn't really a big deal, just a time eater. If they do have to visually inspect your dead laptop (very rare in my experience) they just test it for residue. The whole process takes maybe 5 min.

[dual64bit]

Most modern airports have "charging stations", even the airplanes have power ports- some like BA use normal ports - no need for adapters or "airplane charing cable"

[eddx]

Very interesting comment from Steve about the idea of including a 3G broadband modem...do I see iPhone / MBA broadband syncing in the works when the next iPhone gets updated with 3G capabilities???

Keeping the dream alive here people!

[Sweetbike40]

I know when i see one of these in the store, i'll be in love. But it's not something i need and they are too expensive now. I am shocked at the low battery life. I get frustrated with how long (short) the battery lasts on my MBP and would think that a super portable laptop would have more battery life. It sucks having to carry that heavy ac adapter around. You would think if you are sacraficing on something things with the MBA, at least you'd get good battery life. I am curious.... i don't travel much... are there power sources on airplanes?

[UnSainted]

I work as a sysadmin for a medium sized mfg company (primarily Windows) but we have a few macs and run Linux on some of our servers.. The owner of the company was looking for an Ultraportable and when the MBA was debuted (sp?) I told him about it.. Him being a Windows guy primarily, having never used Macs, he just had me pre-order a MBA with the SSD and a 23" Cinema Display to go along with it..

Naturally I will have to configure it for him when it comes in, so I will get to play with it a while..
I dont think it would be my choice for a laptop (I use a MBP exclusively) and I think i would be too hard on something so small and thin.

Anyways... I hope he enjoys it and becomes a Mac convert out of the deal..

[kornyboy]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A93 Safari/419.3)

"Jobs told me last week that Apple considered [adding 3G mobile broadband] but that adding the capability would take up room and restrict consumers to a particular carrier. Through a USB modem, he says, you can still subscribe to wireless broadband with your favorite carrier."

Restrict consumers to a particular carrier is what Apple and Steve wants, just look at the iPhone. So it must have been "take up room". ;)

I see your point but I think that part of the issues with the iPhone being exclusively with AT&T has a lot to do with all carriers. Every single carrier has phones that you can only get with that carrier. I think that in order to get the phone out there with an attractive rate to the consumer, Apple had to end up putting the iPhone on one carrier exclusively. The same thing really doesn't apply to computers. The carriers know that the only way to sell the mobile broadband services to people with laptops is to make it available for the laptops that are out there and hope you find their offerings convenient. That is just my take. All that to say that I believe what Steve said about the mobile networking.

[Adokimus]

Early in my writing career, I had an assignment to follow around a mohel--the guy who does ritual circumcisions in the Jewish tradition. My subject learned the trade by watching his dad, a renowned figure in the field. One day, father told son he was ready to handle the tools himself. Why now, the son wanted to know. "Most students ask me how much to take off," the senior explained. "You asked me how much to leave on."

Apple faced a similar question when designing the MacBook Air...



Um, gross.

Way to make me not want to get my hands on a macbook air...

[CaptainCaveMann]

Wow 3 hours and 40 minutes. And all those users who said get rid of the optical drive so we can have better battery life etc. What a waste. :rolleyes:

[Adokimus]

Honestly, I agree with this blog post. The Air is an amazing piece of machinery. But Rev 2 is going to be the sweet spot in terms of time to buy.

http://blogs.computerworld.com/macbook_air_reccomendation_wait

That was a really good article. I was thinking the same thing that was said about the make-shift "penryn" processor used in the air, or as the blogger put it, "jimmy-ing a 65nm chip onto a board that was made for a 45nm one." I also have the same concerns about a Rev. A build quality. Then there's the falling prices with regard to flash drives and the annual increase in storage for iPod sized hard drives. Something that wasn't mentioned in the article was the quick burns for early adopters of the iPhone and iPod touch regarding a hefty price drop in a short period and new free software for $20 on the touch. With the air having a similar appeal, I intend to wait for Rev. B so that I don't get burned again. I'm just hoping I can hold off. I am a known sucker for good looking tech. Oh, and while I'd love to see a smaller bezel around the screen, or a 14" screen to take up the width and height more efficiently, I doubt anything like that will come within a few years and I can't wait that long. Alas, back to the waiting game.

-Ado

[DTphonehome]

Well, unless they come out with an external battery w/ MagSafe power-through connecter I won't be buying one. I want the lightweight machine but without getting more longevity out of it I am better off with my MacBook and 3 batteries for the long flights I take.

Here's hoping.

If you're taking such long flights so often you really should be going biz class, where they have in-seat outlets. Many airlines have it in coach too.

[seedster2]

"Jobs told me last week that Apple considered [adding 3G mobile broadband] but that adding the capability would take up room and restrict consumers to a particular carrier. Through a USB modem, he says, you can still subscribe to wireless broadband with your favorite carrier."

LOL @ SJobs. He's said some really silly things as of late


how can you cater to business clients with a large footprint, without a removable battery or 3G access (lacks a PC card slot)? Until wifi becomes ubiquitous, a 3G card is essential for a true roadwarrior.

I dont think the MBA is suitable for road warriors. Slim and sexy but it could be more narrower. Ive been wanting to upgrade my PB, but I will just wait until the second iteration.

[flashframe]

Is why John Mayer's Air doesn't have a cool desktop pic.

[phoxrenvatio]

okay, to all of those complaining about battery, these tests were with everything turned on, complimented by either an endless music loop, or burning a remote disc. that's battery intensive.... get over it.

[Twentee8]

Well it seems that only the Positives have been posted, i read all three articles and they only seem to "glow" about the feel and the size. The battery life is about an hour and a half less than what apple boasted, and it has the slowest of all the intel processors and on the $1799 model the hard drive is slower than a standard hard drive you'd find on any other apple notebook. Needless to say its just a notebook for web browsing (if you have wi-fi) and paperwork.

Good news though, i read yesterday the new Macbook Pros should be out in three weeks, so if you are an editor or just want more umph in your notebook, and like the option of an optical drive, firewire etc. Then hold out cause the new one is going to be a goodie....i'm just wondering what the price point is going to because they really screwed the pooch on the air....i mean 1799 for something that is just thin and really can't do much without the assistance of another mac, or an "optional" optical drive. I'm nervous cause they might go astronomical with the price of the new ones.

although when they revamped the imac they kept the price relatively the same. so heres hoping.

[Virgil-TB2]

The consensus is definitely that this is not something you want right now as your only computer. ... Really, the jury is still out on this one yet.

I keep hearing the statement above repeated over and over again, but it's really sloppy thinking/writing of reviewers to say so. The thing isn't even shipping yet. Something more like "The expectation or working hypothesis of many reviewers is that ..." would be more accurate.

That being said, I disagree anyway. I have only talked to a few people so far who are aware of the MBA and are intending to buy it the second it comes out, but every single one of them has said to me they will be using it as their "main" and only computer.

The problem is really that the reviewers of such products are serious gadget heads and geeks. These are the guys that try to convince their wives and friends to get over-spec'ed supermachines and a small suitcase to carry them in, when in fact they don't really want them.

There is also a lot of coverage in these reviews about how the MacBook Air won't play nice with Windows, but the market segment that wants a MacBook Air is seriously unlikely to ever install Windows on their Mac. This is the typical case of taking the latest high profile improvement (the ability to do Windows on a Mac), and using it as a talking point in every review of every new product that comes out. If they didn't include something about the "run Windows on a Mac" feature in the review, all the sub-gadget heads would write in and tell the reviewer off for being so foolish, but in fact only a tiny percentage of Mac buyers will ever even try to install Windows.

People, and technology reviewers especially, need to seriously embrace the fact that their opinions, and their "gut instincts" in these matters are far, far removed from the consumers. Especially with Apples products and especially lately, computers are a consumer item, not a specialty market item anymore. What a Linux geek thinks of the Air is basically irrelevant in today's market.

A lot of folks just want the thing to work. They want it to be fast, easy to carry, light and to be able to do all the basic things that another computer will do. they want the OS to be easy to understand and "just work" as the saying goes. Like the MacBook, the MacBook Air is a perfect "do-everything" machine for the average person.

Walt as much as says so in his review.

Um, gross.

Way to make me not want to get my hands on a macbook air...Yeah, including a quote about ritual baby mutilation in a tech article was a *very* strange choice.

You thought those were good reviews? You must not read Mossberg on Apple products much. Usually he is gangbusters for everything Apple; the ultimate fanboy reviewer. It seemed to me he was really tip-toeing through this one, ...This is just weird. :confused: What planet are you on?

Walt has never given a gushing fanboy review of a Mac product that I recall. I think your rose-coloured (or would that be crap coloured) :rolleyes: glasses are on too tight.

Sony's ultra portable Vaio TZ gets 5 - 7.5 hrs of battery life. ...This statistic is so misleading and downright wrong that it's not worth even having the argument you are having below (with the other guy that swallowed this.) If you're going to make comparisons, lets deal with the *actual* battery life, not what Sony says is possible on a good day by adding a giant thick extra battery on the bottom of the unit. ;)

[roland.g]

Battery life of 3.5hrs concerns me: proceed with caution.

[kornyboy]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A93 Safari/419.3)

Battery life of 3.5hrs concerns me: proceed with caution.

Why is this a concern to you? I feel like the battery life is pretty good considering the tasks and settings used in the tests on such a small computer. Am I missing something?

[chicagostars]

With all of the noise about poor battery performance and taking the machine on airplanes, what's to preclude people from purchasing an adapter to plug their laptop into the seat outlet on their plane? (Definitely in business class, also in coach in some cases.) I also see a great many people pulling out power bricks at the airport, coffee shops, etc. to plug in their current laptops, regardless of make.

Not saying that plugging in while out and about is the answer for the MBA -- longer battery life for a machine meant to live wirelessly seems in order -- but the battery issues seems a bit overblown in some posts. I'm not in the market for one (my current portable is my primary machine and I don't have a desire to use a USB adapter for video out) but can still see how the MBA would make the cut for others. (Steve Jobs as mohel? OUCH!)

[Lord Sam]

Well, with a product like that, its hard not to garner excellent reviews. I used a MacBook Air at MWSF. Picking one up is like pretending to pick one up, apart from the cold brushed metal you feel in your hand. Its like the air (normal air, not mba) is metal. You feel like you're just lifting your hand. And the LED screen is great. It is fast, responsive, and it has an outstanding amount of RAM built in on all models for a laptop, even an Apple one. The multi-touch trackpad is more of a novelty than a useful feature though, and the sealed battery is likely to die before your pet hamster.

[seedster2]

The problem is really that the reviewers of such products are serious gadget heads and geeks. These are the guys that try to convince their wives and friends to get over-spec'ed supermachines and a small suitcase to carry them in, when in fact they don't really want them.

I disagree with you. When these same reviewers gave glowing reviews of the iphone no one was complaining that they were geeks who didnt understand what normal people wanted. Seems a little unfair to discount their opinion when you're not happy with it

There is also a lot of coverage in these reviews about how the MacBook Air won't play nice with Windows, but the market segment that wants a MacBook Air is seriously unlikely to ever install Windows on their Mac. This is the typical case of taking the latest high profile improvement (the ability to do Windows on a Mac), and using it as a talking point in every review of every new product that comes out. If they didn't include something about the "run Windows on a Mac" feature in the review, all the sub-gadget heads would write in and tell the reviewer off for being so foolish, but in fact only a tiny percentage of Mac buyers will ever even try to install Windows.

The corporate standard is windows. If the MBA is supposed to be for roadwarriors and professionals then I would definitely think they want Windows installed to avoid any potential headaches. When I travel to off site locations, staff are proficient in windows not OS X. I have me presentations in powerpoint so that I am not a PITA to the staff setting me up. Moreover, there are still a great deal of specialty apps that dont run on the mac. I only access my corporate email through a VPN on Outlook not entourage. My CEO inquired about getting a MBA but one of the requirements was that it boot in XP Pro and I imagine an exec has better things to do than learn a new OS in order to do simple tasks like checking email remotely

[ruckus]

Well, I knew this was going to happen. I held out for a year for a compact notebook from apple, and apple missed my mark. I had a feeling they would take it too far in an attempt to be different.

Though I think the macbook air is "cool", it doesn't meet my requirements for horsepower. Oh well, guess I'll be getting a macbook pro on their next update, which should be soon...

[Tosser]

With all due respect, would you expect someone who needs to carry 3 extra batteries to be the intended market for an ultra-portable?

Steve

Yes, Steve,

Just like people that use digital recorders (audio/video) and professional DSLR's have several battery packs with them. Because, you know, that actually want to use their equipment in the field.

I don't know why everyone keeps saying that the lack of an optical drive is a negative. I bet I use my optical drive, maybe, three times a year to burn a cd of photos or something for someone who doesn't have a good connection at home or for my grandmother who doesn't touch computers.

Same here – although I don't even have a grandma to burn a disc to.

The lack of an optical drive is the one concession to thinness I actually consider a bonus –*a feature even.

[CaptainCaveMann]

You know, I'm actually starting to think this macbook air could work for me. First reason being, it's cheaper than a mbp and smaller. Second reason being it's better built than a macbook.

Thinking about this set up: A macbook air, time capsule with printer plugged in, and external super drive sitting on top of it. Could be a pretty slick set up. The only problem I see with it is, I still have to keep my external speakers which have a mass of wires. So annoying. Anyone have a solution for that? Also, I'd need a usb hub but that would just be for desktop use. As on the road the only time I need a usb is for my ipod. Wow, yep, I think I'm getting a macbook air!!!

[hiptobesquare]

wake me up when this is a face-up tablet with full screen multi-touch with typing on screen.

Two usb ports minimum on a machine that relies heavily on USB dongles and externals (optical drive, cell modem, ethernet jack, external large hard drive, etc...)

Firewire would be a welcome addition, and I can see why people would want an expansion card slot for an internal 3G card, or something.

The battery bit doesn't bother me so much, as long as it is accessible by pulling the bottom cover off, and un-plugging the battery for replacement. Someone will probably come up with an external battery module with a magsafe plug to supplement the internal battery.

This doesn't seem to be a bad computer, just a bit more limited than it should be.

but Apple has been a game-changer in the past. This computer seems to be designed to win the game, but not re-define the rules of the game. The iPhone/iPod Touch re-defined their game. The original iPod started the game for most of the general public. The iMac changed the personal computer game.

The MacBook Air simply tries to win the game that sony, lenovo, and others are already playing.

Think about how much smaller and lighter a non-folding solid tablet would be. No keyboard. No double casing, and no hinge. The MBA's bottom case and a tempered glass screen top, with multi-touch, like the iPhone on the full-featured OS.

The cell phone phenomenon may have sprung from ideas prompted by the star trek communicator from the 1960s. This sort of thing would be a real version of the PADD device from The Next Generation. A flat touch screen thin device that doesn't need anything else, but can connect to other devices at will. Bluetooth mouse and keyboard expansion, as well as the MBA's disc-co-opting capabilities and wireless connectivity (BT, WiFi-N, and 3G internal or via BT or USB phone connection), and a dongle port for external video output. Very versatile, connectable, and scalable for various uses.

THAT would change the game. The current MBA merely tries, (and might just succeed) to win the old light weight laptop game.

[CaptainCaveMann]

wake me up when this is a face-up tablet with full screen multi-touch with typing on screen.

Two usb ports minimum on a machine that relies heavily on USB dongles and externals (optical drive, cell modem, ethernet jack, external large hard drive, etc...)

Firewire would be a welcome addition, and I can see why people would want an expansion card slot for an internal 3G card, or something.

The battery bit doesn't bother me so much, as long as it is accessible by pulling the bottom cover off, and un-plugging the battery for replacement. Someone will probably come up with an external battery module with a magsafe plug to supplement the internal battery.

This doesn't seem to be a bad computer, just a bit more limited than it should be.

but Apple has been a game-changer in the past. This computer seems to be designed to win the game, but not re-define the rules of the game. The iPhone/iPod Touch re-defined their game. The original iPod started the game for most of the general public. The iMac changed the personal computer game.

The MacBook Air simply tries to win the game that sony, lenovo, and others are already playing.

Think about how much smaller and lighter a non-folding solid tablet would be. No keyboard. No double casing, and no hinge. The MBA's bottom case and a tempered glass screen top, with multi-touch, like the iPhone on the full-featured OS.

The cell phone phenomenon may have sprung from ideas prompted by the star trek communicator from the 1960s. This sort of thing would be a real version of the PADD device from The Next Generation. A flat touch screen thin device that doesn't need anything else, but can connect to other devices at will. Bluetooth mouse and keyboard expansion, as well as the MBA's disc-co-opting capabilities and wireless connectivity (BT, WiFi-N, and 3G internal or via BT or USB phone connection), and a dongle port for external video output. Very versatile, connectable, and scalable for various uses.

THAT would change the game. The current MBA merely tries, (and might just succeed) to win the old light weight laptop game.

Gawd, you people and your tablets. I just don't get it. The rest of the world use keyboards, they seem to work pretty well. I can type faster than I can write. Unless you want to draw on your tablet, but they have better options for that even still. Am I missing something?

[Tosser]

You know, I'm actually starting to think this macbook air could work for me. First reason being, it's cheaper than a mbp and smaller. Second reason being it's better built than a macbook.

Thinking about this set up: A macbook air, time capsule with printer plugged in, and external super drive sitting on top of it. Could be a pretty slick set up. The only problem I see with it is, I still have to keep my external speakers which have a mass of wires. So annoying. Anyone have a solution for that? Also, I'd need a usb hub but that would just be for desktop use. As on the road the only time I need a usb is for my ipod. Wow, yep, I think I'm getting a macbook air!!!

If those speakers are active, you could perhaps run a USB-preamp (search for "DAC" (digital-to-analogue-converter)) to them? Or perhaps one of those slimdevices – they have a few different ones. I don't know if any of those will fit, but it might pay having a look. www.slimdevices.com.

Otherwise, even if they're not active, you could connect, say, an airport express or even better: a slimdevices-thingamajig to a poweramplifier and go from there. That way you won't need to have anything connected to your MBA.

P.S. you don't want to use the headphone out to connect to a stereo – you want true line out. You can get around that by streaming – especially if you want an external harddisk connected through the USB-port

One thing, though –*You really can't have much on the MBA-hdd/ssd, so perhaps the streaming is the best solution?

[hiptobesquare]

Gawd, you people and your tablets. I just don't get it. The rest of the world use keyboards, they seem to work pretty well. I can type faster than I can write. Unless you want to draw on your tablet, but they have better options for that even still. Am I missing something?

Some people type very little, or only some of the time.

A laptop keyboard turned into an external bluetooth keyboard would be fine for most, if they need to type. a light, small BT keyboard is not that heavy, and paired with a laptop that could even be a few ounces even lighter than the MBA (with less casing material and componentry) is probably still much lighter than a traditional full laptop, despite being two pieces. And the keyboard stays stowed if it isn't needed, and people who never use it aren't required to carry it.

With a 10-13" screen, and the iPhone's on-screen typing ability, typing short things like small notes, text messages/IMs, or short e-mails would be no problem, right on the screen. Existing tablets DO NOT have that capability, and typing by hunt and peck with a stylus is not the same thing as multi-touch typing. Although multi-touch doesn't have key feedback, hence the availability of bluetooth keyboard connection.

And if you type on your laptop A LOT, chances are a MacBook Pro is going to fit your other more power-user intensive needs better, anyway.

But for people checking and reading e-mail, checking web, or other less typing-intensive work, the multi-touch keyboard, and stylus-driven inkwell handwriting recognition would probably be sufficient input capability when not sitting at a desk.

Plus, with multi-touch gestures directly on the screen, items can be manipulated almost more intuitively than with a mouse.

If the optical drive can be optional, the hard keyboard can be optional, with the availability of multi-touch.

People mention a bigger iPhone/iPT... This would be that and more. The simplicity of design and useability and multi-functionality of those devices, with full operating system capabilities, and expansion via USB (and hopefully firewire) and full wireless protocols, and video out for presentations or larger screen view. With a BT keyboard, mouse, USB external HD, network printer, and an external large monitor, a device like that could expand into somewhat of an approximation of a full function computer, which an iPT or iPhone cannot do.

[gotohamish]

Gawd, you people and your tablets. I just don't get it. The rest of the world use keyboards, they seem to work pretty well. I can type faster than I can write. Unless you want to draw on your tablet, but they have better options for that even still. Am I missing something?

I agree. I just don't get the appeal of the tablet. I guess if you're a doctor on rounds it would be cool, but so would a slightly larger iPhone. Can anyone give me 5 reasons why a tablet would be better than a sub-notebook, other than the wow factor?

[Virgil-TB2]

... The corporate standard is windows. If the MBA is supposed to be for roadwarriors and professionals ...I guess we just disagree then.

I would strongly disagree that the MacBook Air is "for Road warriors and professionals" at all. I think you are just reading that in.

IMO the "Pro" in MacBook Pro is for Professionals and a "Roadwarrior" is a professional by definition. You should be using a MacBook Pro.

It seems to me that the Air is much more for the upper, trendier end of the MacBook consumer-level market. It's so obviously a computer (along the lines of Apples other products), wherein it has everything in one sleek box and as few buttons, doo-dads and gee-gaws as possible. Despite it's speed and large memory, it's not intended to be a "Pro" machine at all.

It's a consumer product for people that want a computer that just turns on and works, for all the usual things that people tend to use a computer for. As Jobs himself noted, it's a bit pricey right now, but this is definitely a consumer level laptop IMO.

[Chupa Chupa]

This is just weird. :confused: What planet are you on?

Walt has never given a gushing fanboy review of a Mac product that I recall. I think your rose-coloured (or would that be crap coloured) :rolleyes: glasses are on too tight.


Maybe you need to actually read Walt's columns then. He fawned all over the Apple TV 1.0 and Digital iLife '08 (most notoriously iMovie '08). As a professional reviewer you won't find anyone more pro-Apple than Walt. I'm all for having allies, but sometimes Walt is just an enabler to SJ and minces words when something needs improvement on an Apple product.

[CaptainCaveMann]

If those speakers are active, you could perhaps run a USB-preamp (search for "DAC" (digital-to-analogue-converter)) to them? Or perhaps one of those slimdevices – they have a few different ones. I don't know if any of those will fit, but it might pay having a look. www.slimdevices.com.

Otherwise, even if they're not active, you could connect, say, an airport express or even better: a slimdevices-thingamajig to a poweramplifier and go from there. That way you won't need to have anything connected to your MBA.

P.S. you don't want to use the headphone out to connect to a stereo – you want true line out. You can get around that by streaming – especially if you want an external harddisk connected through the USB-port

One thing, though –*You really can't have much on the MBA-hdd/ssd, so perhaps the streaming is the best solution?

Oh sweet, I get what your saying. Like maybe have an airport express on the other side of the room with my speakers plugged in over there. Then I could sit on my bed and listen to music in the whole room. How awesome is that!

Does the airport express have the true line out that your talking about? I've always just used my headphone port to connect speakers. I didn't know there was a better option? Thanks for your help man!

I guess we just disagree then.

I would strongly disagree that the MacBook Air is "for Road warriors and professionals" at all. I think you are just reading that in.

IMO the "Pro" in MacBook Pro is for Professionals and a "Roadwarrior" is a professional by definition. You should be using a MacBook Pro.

It seems to me that the Air is much more for the upper, trendier end of the MacBook consumer-level market. It's so obviously a computer (along the lines of Apples other products), wherein it has everything in one sleek box and as few buttons, doo-dads and gee-gaws as possible. Despite it's speed and large memory, it's not intended to be a "Pro" machine at all.

It's a consumer product for people that want a computer that just turns on and works, for all the usual things that people tend to use a computer for. As Jobs himself noted, it's a bit pricey right now, but this is definitely a consumer level laptop IMO.

It's actually not though. I'm not a trendy person at all in fact. I'm actually very conservative. But as I see it, the macbook air fits my needs better than any of the other laptops apple is producing right now. As I said before the appeal being that it's better built than the macbook (my opinion) and more portable and cheaper than a mbp. I go to school full time, I'm not a pro by any means. I can make movies or whatever on it, and when I want to burn to dvd I can come home and plug in the external super drive. And another argument has been this macbook air is only for the rich. Also not true, in fact it's cheaper than a mbp. Lacking features of course, but I won't miss what it's lacking, and the benefits of the air outweigh what it lacks. For me personally. I'm also a minimalist and not having an optical drive is just one less thing to break down. Also I read the battery is easily user replaceable by simply removing a couple screws it just unplugs. However, although I'm not to happy about the battery life, I've thought about it and everywhere I usually use my computer, there is a power port right there. IE: School, coffee shops, etc. Many places are laptop friendly now.

[gotohamish]

Maybe you need to actually read Walt's columns then. He fawned all over the Apple TV 1.0 and Digital iLife '08 (most notoriously iMovie '08). As a professional reviewer you won't find anyone more pro-Apple than Walt. I'm all for having allies, but sometimes Walt is just an enabler to SJ and minces words when something needs improvement on an Apple product.

I remember a lot of people right here in this forum were bleh about the :apple:TV 1.0, and quite a few—myself included—have just bought one in time for the update, and are very, very, satisfied. And it's still on version 1.0. Maybe Walt only gushes when there's something to gush about, which might be often.

[CaptainCaveMann]

I guess we just disagree then.

I would strongly disagree that the MacBook Air is "for Road warriors and professionals" at all. I think you are just reading that in.

IMO the "Pro" in MacBook Pro is for Professionals and a "Roadwarrior" is a professional by definition. You should be using a MacBook Pro.

It seems to me that the Air is much more for the upper, trendier end of the MacBook consumer-level market. It's so obviously a computer (along the lines of Apples other products), wherein it has everything in one sleek box and as few buttons, doo-dads and gee-gaws as possible. Despite it's speed and large memory, it's not intended to be a "Pro" machine at all.

It's a consumer product for people that want a computer that just turns on and works, for all the usual things that people tend to use a computer for. As Jobs himself noted, it's a bit pricey right now, but this is definitely a consumer level laptop IMO.

It also depends on what kind of professional your referring to? If your talking about a professional video editor who may need a built in optical drive then yes your right. But if your talking about a professional writer, why not?

[Tosser]

Oh sweet, I get what your saying. Like maybe have an airport express on the other side of the room with my speakers plugged in over there. Then I could sit on my bed and listen to music in the whole room. How awesome is that!


That is exactly what I was thinking. It's a neat set up, and you don't need to plug/unplug and you can use the usb-port for something better.

Does the airport express have the true line out that your talking about? I've always just used my headphone port to connect speakers. I didn't know there was a better option? Thanks for your help man!

You're welcome. And, yes it does. In fact, it's a "weird" miniplug, not only is it a true coaxial (copper) line-out (with volume control, meaning you can connect it directly to a power amp/active speakers without volume control), it also has optical out.
If you don't like that solution, certainly take a look at the Squeezebox from slimdevices or one of their other products. They are even better than the airport express/extreme when it comes to audio streaming.

I, myself, stream most music. Most of the times from a dedicated audio server (it's not a computer), and when I edit audio, I use a USB-preamp/DAC connected to active monitors (this solution is needed because of the inherent lag with wireless). Otherwise I use one of my many headphones, which is always a nice solution :D

[bigmc6000]

well, 3.5 hours in all the reviews, and I believe both of them were with the settings maxed out. with half brightness (should be fine on an LED-backlight), and WiFi off (like on a plane), I can really see this thing rocking 4.5.

MR didn't quote Newsweek's battery drain test - I'm quite disappointed arn, it seems as tho you are trying to make people think it doesn't last very long. As quoted from AI via the newsweek article "Battery life is quite acceptable--I didn't have time for a definitive study but was getting only slightly less than the five hours per charge that Apple promises."

Come on ARN - why the selective Journalism? WSJ test is just stupid - who would actually play music for 3.5 hrs with the speakers going? I never listen to music on my laptop speakers except for when I listen to the 30 second previews on iTunes. Newsweek's evaluation is more of what people use their laptops for.

[MacTO]

Walt Mossberg's review was very thorough. I don't travel much and don't mind a couple of extra things to carry, such as a USB hub. But that's just me. :D

It'll be interesting to see how MacBook Air starts to appeal to long distance travelers once they actually have their hands on it. ;)

Cheers. :apple:

[devilot]

In one of the articles, the battery duration was based on 100% full brightness. Maybe a lot of users keep the screen so bright when not plugged in, but heck, if I'm shooting for battery longevity, I'll easily stay within the 3-7 "bar" range (on the MB). I'm guessing that 3+ hours w/ full brightness would translate to closer to Apple's slated 5 hours once the brightness is lowered.

These articles did nothing but make me want one more... :o Their cons aren't really of issue to me. I don't need optical. I don't need FW. The damned storage is less than the highest capacity iPod and iPods don't have FW. ;) As for movies taking up HD space that's what HandBrake is for, no? Hee.

[liberty4all]

This is really the killer, in my view -- no 3G mobile broadband integral, and no WiMax either! All Mac laptops need this option at least BTO, not taking up a card slot either! The single carrier restriction argument is bunk, as you could bundle a combo radio with HSPA/EV-DO/WiMax, and all bases would be covered.


"Jobs told me last week that Apple considered [adding 3G mobile broadband] but that adding the capability would take up room and restrict consumers to a particular carrier. Through a USB modem, he says, you can still subscribe to wireless broadband with your favorite carrier."

[lazyrighteye]

added to story.

MacBook Air now shipping for some lucky early customers

http://images.macrumors.com/article/2008/01/24/005132-shipping.png

Interested to see these babies in-store & in-hand.
Tho, like many, not a product I am interested in purchasing.

[PacMookBro]

Whatever the type of MacBook Apple offers, which type you should get depends on your computing needs. Just get the one you think it works for you. I use MacBook Pro but I do not have to be "A PRO USER" to use it. Of course, you do not need to be "AN AIR USER" to use MBA. I bought MBP years ago because it offers nice styling (looks never get outdated, I think) with more than all the features needed for my needs.

They all come down to this.
MB, MBA, and MBP: Each of them has a distinct characteristics and attitudes. But, they are all great for roadwarriors. They are all "Light", but MBA is especially light but to me it's insignificant.

So, in reality, it all comes down to what you want. Functionality didn't matter much to me. In fact I never used Express Card. I could save more than $1000 by going MB but I did not choose this option.

I love to have MBA despite the lack of functionality, but I already have a MBP with all the functionality. So, I don't need MBA despite its appeal.

Get MBP if you have to have GeForce. Go for MBA if you like the styling. Exciting to see some people are getting MBA tomorrow!!

[jmadlena]

...
Restrict consumers to a particular carrier is what Apple and Steve wants, just look at the iPhone. So it must have been "take up room". ;)

With the iPhone it is a very different ballgame. They needed to work with a single carrier to have Visual Voicemail, as well as revenue sharing. But with a broadband card they wouldn't have to worry about any special features or revenue sharing.

I wish they had included a broadband card, but I don't think they excluded it because they wanted to tie you to a specific carrier. If size and weight are the most important aspects of the MacBook Air (as they should be for any ultra-portable), building in a card or a slot for a card would only make it larger than it 'had' to be.

[imwoblin]

I was just watching CNBC and they had Walt Mossberg on live to discuss the Macbook Air. He talked about how incredibly thin and powerful it was for a sub notebook, and started talking about the tradeoffs, including a non removable battery and lack of ports. He started showing the Air and they cut him off, saying they had breaking news, incredibly they went to commercial and the smug looks on the anchor's faces were priceless..

[NYCMacFan]

I bought one because I want the portability, but the lack of swappable battery is a major bummer.

I too hope that Apple releases an external battery. I don't think it's going to happen, but I am hopeful.

Is there an impediment to a 3rd party provider? Would seem to be pretty simple.

[gotohamish]

It's sad to hear that you can't watch DVDs shared from other machines. I was hoping that would be a front row features (and maybe even an :apple:TV 2.0 feature).

[jmadlena]

...
i mean come on!

Arrested Development reference? I hope so, as it's always nice to find another AD fan somewhere.

[pjarvi]

Sounds like pretty weak battery results ... Even if the SSD improves them, it won't be a drastic increase I think. I can live with a non-user replacable battery but you should be able to get 6+ hours being conservative (low brightness, some WiFi), and it doesn't look like we're there yet... I guess I'll wait the next iteration of the air (not that I had the need or the money now anyway :) ).

It has a small battery, if they had used a battery the size of the one in the regular MacBook or MacBook Pro, i'm sure they would've gotten well over 6 hours. However, they also would have gotten a lot more weight and a lot more heat. The only problem with the battery they went with, is it is not user swappable. I expect the 2nd revision of the Air to have a user swappable battery, or an external battery. External would be my preference.

[macshark]

I don't get it why Apple had to make the front of the AirBook so thin. It has no practical value - other than looking "good" in certain shots taken from certain angle.

A form factor that was uniformly thick would have been a lot more practical. This surely would have left room for a larger HD option, and maybe enough room for a second, removable battery option.

[EagerDragon]

Well, unless they come out with an external battery w/ MagSafe power-through connecter I won't be buying one. I want the lightweight machine but without getting more longevity out of it I am better off with my MacBook and 3 batteries for the long flights I take.

Here's hoping.

They let you take 1 battery in the MacBook and 3 spares in the plane????

Your bag must weight a ton.

How you keep all 4 charged?

[Digital Skunk]

Apple could have added 3G from Sprint, the fastest network, and just let users that would have wanted to use other networks buy dongles. They limited users of the iPhone to AT&T, so why the sudden change of heart?

Apple crippled the machine even further for no reason at all IMHO.

[Domofloge]

WSJ link doesn't work. Interesting articles otherwise.

It works now. Check it out. :cool:

[Lesser Evets]

'Felt Speedy'

....who is Speedy?

[EagerDragon]

If I had the money I buy 2 (wife wants one), my only complain is that it could go down another 2 to 3 hundred to make it even more pleasant on the bank account. Likely to get even more sales at 1499.

As long as it is a second system, mainly used to travel or away from a desk, it is a great machine.

Consultants of most kinds and writers should love this baby, most of the time they are in an editor, email, address book, or a CRM application. They don't do much with multimedia, don't edit much video, and carry maybe 1 to 20 Gigs of files that they need 99.999 of the time, so there is plenty of room and power. If you forgot something use back-to-my-mac to get the files.

This is not meant to replace a Mac Pro for connectivity and power, it is a writer/emailer dream machine.

If only I had the money.

One of my functions as a security consultant is to perform code reviews, this machine is plenty powerful to run Eclipse with several plug-ins for all the different languages I review and plenty powerful to handle all my emails and word for my papers. I can also log into other systems via SSH and look at their logs and take people by the hand using any number of remote control clients. Joining the web just about anywhere is easily done by getting the Ethernet dongle or using Airport Express. Most of the times the system would be in my hands, not even in a bag as I move from office to office or conference room and at home I can lay on the couch and work with the Air on my beer gut.

For my multi media I can use an iMac or Mac Pro with 1TB drives and plenty of power, memory, devices and connectors.

Sounds like a dream and impressive to my customers.

[NYCMacFan]

They let you take 1 battery in the MacBook and 3 spares in the plane????

Didn't they change the rules restricting the number of batteries. They say it takes 3 minutes to swap out, but I am trying to see you explain that thing in the x-ray to airport security and then why you are disassembling your laptop at 10,000 feet.

Two questions: (1) I fly internationally, but never bothered to use the power on the plane. Do you always use that Apple adapter and does it work on all carriers?

(2) At 45watts, won't this charge off the shaver socket in the plane's bathroom?

[psychofreak]

As Jobs himself noted, it's a bit pricey right now, but this is definitely a consumer level laptop IMO.

Jobs noted that the SSD was 'pricy', not the laptop with the regular HD.

[EagerDragon]

Didn't they change the rules restricting the number of batteries. They say it takes 3 minutes to swap out, but I am trying to see you explain that thing in the x-ray to airport security and then why you are disassembling your laptop at 10,000 feet.

Two questions: (1) I fly internationally, but never bothered to use the power on the plane. Do you always use that Apple adapter and does it work on all carriers?

(2) At 45watts, won't this charge off the shaver socket in the plane's bathroom?

I was asking the guy the same thing, you responded to the wrong message, also he was refering to his MacBook not his Air..

[NYCMacFan]

I was asking the guy the same thing, you responded to the wrong message, also he was refering to his MacBook not his Air..

No NO. I know. I was thinking aloud. :) Clearly external spares are an issue for all machines these days. Just trying to picture what the MBA spare would look like in xray and how one would change it and smiling.

Questions 1 and 2 were serious though.

[CaptainCaveMann]

Ok I have a question for you gamers. At the present time, If I want to play a game on my ibook I have to insert the disk. So what if I want to play WC3 on the macbook air on the road? How can you get the game onto your computer and play it without having to insert a disk? :confused:

[kuwisdelu]

Ok I have a question for you gamers. At the present time, If I want to play a game on my ibook I have to insert the disk. So what if I want to play WC3 on the macbook air on the road? How can you get the game onto your computer and play it without having to insert a disk? :confused:

Actually, even with the current MacBooks, you can use Disk Utility to make a disk image of the CD you need, keep it on the hard drive, and then mount it whenever you want to play the game, without needing to insert the disk at all. I haven't done this myself, and don't really know how, but I've heard from some people who have that it's possible and very convenient.

[MacTheSpoon]

Hmmm, tough call... 3.5 hours on full screen brightness, highest performance battery setting, speaker blaring and with wi-fi on sounds pretty good. I think my MBP gets not much more than that with wi-fi and bluetooth off, my brightness down to one or two bars, and the battery set to minimal use. And no music being played.

I was kind of hoping for spectacular battery life, though, not just very good life. Like, I was hoping this computer would set new standards for battery life the way it set new standards for thinness.

Well, I will think about it... ultimately I may need to just buy one and see for myself how the battery lasts.

It would be nice if in the next model they could trim off the border around the screen and get a smaller footprint, though.

[CaptainCaveMann]

Ok ok, hold everything! I was about to order one of these bad boys, then I realized... a 4200rpm hard drive? Apple, oh why do you do this to me?

3 steps forward, and 4 steps back. :cool:

What I'd really like to see is 100gb ssd drive for 1799. Or a 100gb regular hd at 7200 rpm for the same price. Guess I'll be waiting. Unless of course real world tests show these 4200rpm drives arent THAT slow. Although my ibook has a 4200rpm drive and it crawls.

[Virgil-TB2]

Jobs noted that the SSD was 'pricy', not the laptop with the regular HD.Oh. :(
my bad, I might have misconstrued that.

[eddietr]

What I'd really like to see is 100gb ssd drive for 1799. Or a 100gb regular hd at 7200 rpm for the same price. Guess I'll be waiting. Unless of course real world tests show these 4200rpm drives arent THAT slow. Although my ibook has a 4200rpm drive and it crawls.

The problem is that SSDs just aren't available at that price yet. I think by the end of the year though we should see 128GB SSDs for less than the 64s are now.

If you've priced bare SSDs at newegg, etc., you'll see what I mean. Granted Apple gets volume pricing, but still it's not like they pay 10 cents on the dollar for these things.

[Darth.Titan]

Actually, even with the current MacBooks, you can use Disk Utility to make a disk image of the CD you need, keep it on the hard drive, and then mount it whenever you want to play the game, without needing to insert the disk at all. I haven't done this myself, and don't really know how, but I've heard from some people who have that it's possible and very convenient.

Actually, I just tried this with Guitar Hero 3 on my Macbook Pro, and it still asks for the game CD. So this is not a universal solution.
Not to mention I just don't see a Macbook Air as being a very good (or even acceptable) gaming system with its current specs.

[CaptainCaveMann]

Actually, I just tried this with Guitar Hero 3 on my Macbook Pro, and it still asks for the game CD. So this is not a universal solution.
Not to mention I just don't see a Macbook Air as being a very good (or even acceptable) gaming system with its current specs.

Yes but to be fair, WC3 doesn't need to much to play well. :)

[bushman1]

this might just be me but do you notice now that the MBA is shipping you can add an 64gig SSD with out the 1.8Ghz processor. I don't see why anyone would do this when you could get a faster processor for essentially the same price.

[NYCMacFan]

this might just be me but do you notice now that the MBA is shipping you can add an 64gig SSD with out the 1.8Ghz processor. I don't see why anyone would do this when you could get a faster processor for essentially the same price.

$300 and a slight uptick in battery life. I was considering. With my education discount, it costs like $2598 in that config.

[CaptainCaveMann]

this might just be me but do you notice now that the MBA is shipping you can add an 64gig SSD with out the 1.8Ghz processor. I don't see why anyone would do this when you could get a faster processor for essentially the same price.

I'm curious to know, how much faster is the 64gb ssd drive over the 80gb 4200rpm drive? Where would you notice the speed differences, and how significant would they be?

[winterspan]

Since when does adding 3G limit you to a particular carrier?
This once again shows, how blindly Apple ignores the rest of the world.
UMTS is a standard all around the world, except for the USA of course where EDGE (which of course is just a 2G service btw) is the ultimate wireless experience...
Pablo

Yes, UMTS/HSDPA is a widely used standard in Europe. GPRS/EDGE is NOT THE "ultimate wireless experience" in the United States. Verizon/Sprints's CDMA/EV-DO 3G network is great, with nearly all areas now upgraded to Rev. A, and it is available across most of the country, with nearly every single city and major suburb covered, and surprisingly many rural areas as well. Even my parents that live in northern idaho in a town of 40,000 have 3G there.
It's really too bad that Verizon didn't bite on the iPhone.

Also, Japan uses a modified form of WCDMA, China has its "own" network standard, etc etc.

Apple needed to do a Built-to-order "add a 3G card" just like the PC manufacturers do, where you can choose between a UMTS/HSDPA card
and an CDMA1x/EVDO card. Or as I mentioned in my previous post, it would have been even better to go with a small expresscard slot.

Now engadget is reporting that even USB modems don't fit.... ugh

[gotohamish]

Now engadget is reporting that even USB modems don't fit.... ugh


I saw that. Then I closed my wallet on this for good. What a damn shame, I so wanted to buy one, but there's just too much sacrificed.

[EagerDragon]

Ok I have a question for you gamers. At the present time, If I want to play a game on my ibook I have to insert the disk. So what if I want to play WC3 on the macbook air on the road? How can you get the game onto your computer and play it without having to insert a disk? :confused:

Not likely to work over the shared DVD, your key DVD needs to be in place at all times so you may need to get the optional DVD drive.
Nobody has an Air so hard to tell, but I bet you need to buy the optional drive.

[Tosser]

I'm curious to know, how much faster is the 64gb ssd drive over the 80gb 4200rpm drive? Where would you notice the speed differences, and how significant would they be?
Check out the huge difference between a 1.8 inch iPod drive and a Samsung SSD 64GB here:


http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/products/flash/Products_FlashSSD.html

sustained R/W (MB) 1.8" SSD: 100/80 ––– 1.8 inch HDD: 20/20 (1)

(almost at the bottom).

You'd see it when starting up, backing up, copying/duplicating files and what have you.

Added:

Hell, try booting your computer from an old iPod. That is how slow it will be. But the SSD will be faster than our current laptop HDD. It has almost no seek times.

[CaptainCaveMann]

Check out the huge difference between a 1.8 inch iPod drive and a Samsung SSD 64GB here:


http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/products/flash/Products_FlashSSD.html



(almost at the bottom).

You'd see it when starting up, backing up, copying/duplicating files and what have you.

Added:

Hell, try booting your computer from an old iPod. That is how slow it will be. But the SSD will be faster than our current laptop HDD. It has almost no seek times.

Wow that's pretty cool, sounds like ssd is the way to go. But check this out...

"Samsung is one of the key players in the flash market, and plans to introduce a 128GB solid state drive this year for notebook computers, as does Hitachi."

Thats from an article I read at msn on flash drives making their way into lighter laptops. I think the best thing to do for the average user, who has photos, music, videos, would be to wait until the next revision of the macbook air and get it with a bigger ssd drive. Should be cheaper by then to! Plus gives you more time to save up some money. :D

[gotohamish]

Wow that's pretty cool, sounds like ssd is the way to go. But check this out...

"Samsung is one of the key players in the flash market, and plans to introduce a 128GB solid state drive this year for notebook computers, as does Hitachi."

Thats from an article I read at msn on flash drives making their way into lighter laptops. I think the best thing to do for the average user, who has photos, music, videos, would be to wait until the next revision of the macbook air and get it with a bigger ssd drive. Should be cheaper by then to! Plus gives you more time to save up some money. :D

How about an 832GB SSD (http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/bitmicro-introduces-832gb-ssd-for-ces-2008/) then?

[Tosser]

Wow that's pretty cool, sounds like ssd is the way to go. But check this out...

"Samsung is one of the key players in the flash market, and plans to introduce a 128GB solid state drive this year for notebook computers, as does Hitachi."

Thats from an article I read at msn on flash drives making their way into lighter laptops. I think the best thing to do for the average user, who has photos, music, videos, would be to wait until the next revision of the macbook air and get it with a bigger ssd drive. Should be cheaper by then to! Plus gives you more time to save up some money. :D

Sweet! Then it will propably be another year on top of that before the 128GB is reasonably priced. But that _is_ sweet.!

[CaptainCaveMann]

How about an 832GB SSD (http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/bitmicro-introduces-832gb-ssd-for-ces-2008/) then?

That is awesome! Ya, I'm definitely waiting a bit for these laptop ssd drives to come down a bit in price, and increase in storage capacity. I'm sure we'll be seeing them come september. :D

[Tosser]

How about an 832GB SSD (http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/bitmicro-introduces-832gb-ssd-for-ces-2008/) then?

Impressive indeed, but read the second post about the technology used (besides of course thinking about the price point of such a thing).

I certainly prefer Samsung (although I might be able to live with a hitachi or a Sandisk).

[Anonymous Freak]

As long as they don't seal in the SIM card or put a network lock on, you can put any carrier's 3G sim card in and it will work.

There are multiple 3G HSPA networks in every other country that Apple operates in.
(The USA will soon have two)

The data plans are getting very cheap now too.

Please put HSPA in, it's pretty much essential now.

The problem is that in the US, the fastest mobile network doesn't use a SIM. Yes, AT&T uses SIMs, and T-Mobile (who should get 'real' 3G soon,) uses SIMs, but Verizon and Sprint don't.

I still think the next iteration of the MacBook Air needs Wireless USB, some plus form of 3G or Wi-Max.

[eddietr]

Yes, UMTS/HSDPA is a widely used standard in Europe. GPRS/EDGE is NOT THE "ultimate wireless experience" in the United States. Verizon/Sprints's CDMA/EV-DO 3G network is great, with nearly all areas now upgraded to Rev. A, and it is available across most of the country, with nearly every single city and major suburb covered, and surprisingly many rural areas as well.

Yes, that's definitely been my experience as well. I started with EVDO and then switched to HSPDA and then back to EVDO Rev.A and the performance of EVDO Rev A is significantly better and more consistent both here in the DC area and in the Bay Area. And even when you get further out from the city.

So for me, an internal EVDO Rev A card would have been nice. But that would have been useless in Europe.

[MacsAttack]

How about an 832GB SSD (http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/bitmicro-introduces-832gb-ssd-for-ces-2008/) then?

That's a 2.5 inch drive. The MBA uses 1.8 inch HDs and SSDs.

Not going to fit. :D

[TechnoLawyer]

Can't wait until David Pogue's Video Review!!:rolleyes:

Something tells me David Pogue did not receive an advance copy like the other three guys. :confused:

[NYCMacFan]

It's highly unlikely there will ever be a "perfect" ultra-portable. Because everyone's idea of perfect is different. My perfect is not your perfect.

True in terms of the balance between small footrint with small screen/keyboard vs. large footprint with large screen and keyboard.

But otherwise, the tradeoffs are likely to decline with time. As machines get more power efficient (SSDs, LEDs, efficient processors), battery size is less of an issue. As they get faster, you care about relative speed differences less. The move to SSD drives means physical dimensions are less relevant. Optical drives seem on their way out. So I think the tradeoffs are likely to diminish.

The MBA is amazingly functional in a lot of ways. They could certainly have added an extra port or two were they so inclined. They perhaps could shrink the footprint by 8-10% in both directions. But I'd argue that 2megs of ram and a 1.8htz processor is not a performance compromise for example.

[kingtj]

Yeah.... or find a decent "no CD/DVD" crack for the games you play.

Seriously, the business of requiring the disc in the drive at all times to play modern games is utter B.S. There was a time, long ago, when it was justified - because the 650-700MB of data a CD held was potentially more than the total space you had on your hard drive.

But doing it just for the sake of "copy protection" amounts to treating one's customers as criminals. With most of the Internet multi-player games, they're designed so you can't play online without a valid CD key code (checked against their database of valid keys on their server), so that seems like plenty of copy-protection right there, in a form people can respect.

But games that have an "install procedure" that amounts to dragging and dropping the whole folder from my DVD to my hard drive - and *then* they still require the original disc in the drive? I'm simply going to avoid buying any of them unless/until I see somebody has a "crack" available for them.


Not likely to work over the shared DVD, your key DVD needs to be in place at all times so you may need to get the optional DVD drive.
Nobody has an Air so hard to tell, but I bet you need to buy the optional drive.

[TechnoLawyer]

People, and technology reviewers especially, need to seriously embrace the fact that their opinions, and their "gut instincts" in these matters are far, far removed from the consumers.

Virgil-TB2 is a righteous dude. Lots of tech-savvy people seem to lack the ability to put themselves in the shoes of the average consumer.

[winterspan]

wake me up when this is a face-up tablet with full screen multi-touch with typing on screen.....

I think that's a terrible idea.. I challenge anyone who actually thinks this is actually feasible to stop what you are doing, and "type" on your desk right now. Not only is typing on a desk or glass screen surface with no "give" akward, and even painful, but it would lead to carpal tunnel faster then you can type out an email. I mean really, give it a try and see what I mean...

I don't see such an idea working, unless they just implemented a touch keyboard the size of the iphone's "wide" typing method. Thumb tapping seems to work much better and offers at least some typing ability for a tablet. I know that Apple had a few patents to the effect of a touch screen with some sort of collapsible "spring" mechanism to give the feel of a real keyboard, but I would be surprised if something to that effect makes it out of the laboratory anytime soon.

That said, I don't know if the tablet form factor will ever be useful as a producitivy machine, or if they will always be relegated to a secondary "entertainment" role. I'm sure Apple is cooking up some great things in the interface world, but as of now, Apple's multi-touch implementation seems to be more of a "wow" feature, than anything that is really useful. (I hope I'm proven wrong so we can all be propelled into a minority report future. lol)

This is really the killer, in my view -- no 3G mobile broadband integral, and no WiMax either! All Mac laptops need this option at least BTO, not taking up a card slot either! The single carrier restriction argument is bunk, as you could bundle a combo radio with HSPA/EV-DO/WiMax, and all bases would be covered.


Apple could have added 3G from Sprint, the fastest network, and just let users that would have wanted to use other networks buy dongles. They limited users of the iPhone to AT&T, so why the sudden change of heart?

....... If size and weight are the most important aspects of the MacBook Air (as they should be for any ultra-portable), building in a card or a slot for a card would only make it larger than it 'had' to be.

@liberty4all: I don't think many care about WiMax, at least not yet. With Sprint's new CEO and their continuing problems, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Xohm wimax buildout delayed.

@Digital Skunk: Sprint is not the fastest network. Verizon and Sprint both share 3G/EV-DO and I believe Verizon has a larger buildout area, especially in the suburban/rural market.

To save weight and volume, Apple should have offered a BTO for a builtin AT&T 3G UMTS/HSDPA chip *or* Verizon/Sprint 3G CDMA/EVDO chip and just let people choose which one they wanted, like how Dell does it. I still would have preferred to see a small "34" expresscard slot, however, and I think that would have been the best compromise between size, expandability, etc. It would have allowed other expandability options besides 3G data cards as well.


They let you take 1 battery in the MacBook and 3 spares in the plane???? Your bag must weight a ton. How you keep all 4 charged?

Didn't they change the rules restricting the number of batteries. They say it takes 3 minutes to swap out, but I am trying to see you explain that thing in the x-ray to airport security and then why you are disassembling your laptop at 10,000 feet......


I'm 99% sure the FAA recently announced that you CANNOT BRING SPARE LI-ON BATTERIES ON BOARD AIRPLANES! You only get the one in the device and no extra. I don't know if Jobs knew about that or not (i doubt it),
but it seems to blow that drawback right out of the water.. at least for now.


Ok ok, hold everything! I was about to order one of these bad boys, then I realized... a 4200rpm hard drive? Apple, oh why do you do this to me? ..... What I'd really like to see is 100gb ssd drive for 1799. Or a 100gb regular hd at 7200 rpm for the same price. Guess I'll be waiting. Unless of course real world tests show these 4200rpm drives arent THAT slow. Although my ibook has a 4200rpm drive and it crawls.

Yes, 4200rpm drives are pretty slow, but that's all you get with a 1.8" hdd. Even if they would have squeezed a 2.5" in a larger case, they would never go with a 7200rpm because of the extra heat generated, higher power requirements, and noise.
100GB SSD at the base price? KEEP DREAMING. SSDs are going for $15-20/GB retail.


Check out the huge difference between a 1.8 inch iPod drive and a Samsung SSD 64GB here:
http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/products/flash/Products_FlashSSD.html
(almost at the bottom).
You'd see it when starting up, backing up, copying/duplicating files and what have you.
Added: Hell, try booting your computer from an old iPod. That is how slow it will be. But the SSD will be faster than our current laptop HDD. It has almost no seek times.

Does anyone know what model SSD is in the "Air" and what the read/write speeds are?

[gotohamish]

That's a 2.5 inch drive. The MBA uses 1.8 inch HDs and SSDs.

Not going to fit. :D

I linked it as an illustration of the speed that the technology is developing. 2.5" or not, that drive would also be—[raises pinky to mouth]—a million dollars [or there abouts ;-)]

[wizard]

........ Am I missing something?

Truth in advertising!

The more I follow Apple the more I'm starting to believe that Jobs is the ultimate snake oil salesman.

Don't get me wrong I know the AIR has some good points but the amount of BS expelled by Apple to cover up the bad points is just amazing. What is even worst is people don't see that BS, people need to step aside fro the flying BS and look at what is really there with respect to the AIr.

Dave


This doesn't seem to be a bad computer, just a bit more limited than it should be.

I think this is the thing that raises my blood pressure the most with respect to the air. the machine could have had plenty of USB ports if they really wanted them on the machine. Instead they mount a bunch of ports in a trap door that just takes up space.

They spent more time making the AIR look pretty rather than making it practical. Even worst there is plenty of room for a reasonable complement of I/O ports on the machine. In the case of USB it costs them practically nothing to add USB ports as they come with the chip set.


The MacBook Air simply tries to win the game that sony, lenovo, and others are already playing.

Frankly I don't see the AIR even coming close to competing with any thing those manufactures produce. Lets face it looking at the computers form these manufactures is like going to a beauty contest. Each and every contestant looks really sharp but then AIR walks on stage - you are blown away by her beauty. You are instantly transported to a dream land, but then she starts to speak... You suddenly realize there is more missing to the package than you can deal with. You gather your wits together sheepishly, admonishing yourself not to be shallow any more and look deeper.

Air is basically that, a book with a beautiful cover and no printing on the inside.


Think about how much smaller and lighter a non-folding solid tablet would be. No keyboard. No double casing, and no hinge. The MBA's bottom case and a tempered glass screen top, with multi-touch, like the iPhone on the full-featured OS.

I'm all for tablet computers but really think about how useless one that size would be. Tablets belong in the hand.


The cell phone phenomenon may have sprung from ideas prompted by the star trek communicator from the 1960s. This sort of thing would be a real version of the PADD device from The Next Generation. A flat touch screen thin device that doesn't need anything else, but can connect to other devices at will. Bluetooth mouse and keyboard expansion, as well as the MBA's disc-co-opting capabilities and wireless connectivity (BT, WiFi-N, and 3G internal or via BT or USB phone connection), and a dongle port for external video output. Very versatile, connectable, and scalable for various uses.

I'm for the most part glad that I don't watch TV anymore, but then things like this pop up and I have to wonder what the hell you are talking about.


THAT would change the game. The current MBA merely tries, (and might just succeed) to win the old light weight laptop game.

I don't think the AIR has the staying power. It will likely be the hot seller for three months and then die a horrible death.

Dave

[AidenShaw]

- "Jobs told me last week that Apple considered [adding 3G mobile broadband] but that adding the capability would take up room and restrict consumers to a particular carrier. Through a USB modem, he says, you can still subscribe to wireless broadband with your favorite carrier."



Mobile Broadband

Use integrated mobile broadband from Dell to access email and the Internet through AT&T, Verizon or Sprint Wireless cellular networks, with download speeds averaging 400Kbps to 700Kbps-about as fast as some DSL connections.

Select options below

None

Verizon Wireless built-in mobile broadband (EV-DO Rev A) [add $149]

Sprint built-in mobile broadband (EV-DO Rev A) [add $149]

AT&T built-in mobile broadband (HSDPA 3.6) [add $199]


(http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=555&l=en&oc=MLB1935&s=biz)

[AppleMojo]

I think this is the thing that raises my blood pressure the most with respect to the air. the machine could have had plenty of USB ports if they really wanted them on the machine. Instead they mount a bunch of ports in a trap door that just takes up space.

They spent more time making the AIR look pretty rather than making it practical. Even worst there is plenty of room for a reasonable complement of I/O ports on the machine. In the case of USB it costs them practically nothing to add USB ports as they come with the chip set.


Yes, it COULD have had 'this' and COULD have had 'that'. But it doesn't. Apple gets to choose, not you.

You don't like it, don't buy it... But why ruin the idea, the concept for everyone else? What's your motive?

Every whiner in here thinks he/she has a better way of building Apple hardware, the Air is no exception.

The machine was designed for freakin' portability. Tell me how portable you are sitting in an airline seat or in a conference room with your clients and you have 6 usb devices plugged in. I would have to think 1 is enough. Need more ports at your desk in your office when you aren't mobile, then use 1 of the million laptop designed USB hubs on the market.

These arguments are so silly, I am wondering if these people have ever been in the real world.

I don't own quite a few new techno-gadgets, but could really care less who wants one or not.

The pointless bashing instead of legitimate concern is driving me nuts.

Unless you are right, and Apple should have called and personally consulted you, as all of the whiners in here are obvious experts in the field of hardware and device design.

Truly, I could only imagine how these devices would work and look.

3 USB ports
2 Firewire ports
1 CD/DVD Drive
1 Hard drive
1 Ethernet jack
1 VGA port
1 DVI port
1 replaceable battery
15" display
Bluetooth
Audio Line in/out
Memory card / stick reader
... on and on...

But wait, these already exist. Go buy one of those!

[eddietr]

I think this is the thing that raises my blood pressure the most with respect to the air.

Raises your blood pressure?

Do you think maybe you're taking this computer a bit seriously?

I'm sure I drive a different car than you. Because I probably made different trade-offs. Maybe yours is easier to park. Maybe mine has more back seat space. Or yours has more horsepower or is more expensive or whatever.

Does it raise your blood pressure to think that car manufacturers offer vehicles in different sizes and packages so that you can choose the one that fits you and I may choose something completely different?

Or maybe somepeople may choose to have a minivan in their garage and maybe a more expensive sports car that can barely fit two grocery bags? Does that bother you?

[AppleMojo]

I'm sure I drive a different car than you. Because I probably made different trade-offs. Maybe yours is easier to park. Maybe mine has more back seat space. Or yours has more horsepower or is more expensive or whatever.

Or maybe somepeople may choose to have a minivan in their garage and maybe a more expensive sports car that can barely fit two grocery bags? Does that bother you?

I like this analogy and completely agree. Except for the mini-van part... who buys those things? ;-)

[EagerDragon]

Guys this machine is being targetted at a specific type of user. It is rather obvious that you are not the target.

If the machine does not fit your needs, don't whine, just don't buy it. That is the best way to tell a company that they are creating products that you can not use.

Need more ports? Get a USB hub or get a different system.:eek:

[AidenShaw]

I'm 99% sure the FAA recently announced that you CANNOT BRING SPARE LI-ON BATTERIES ON BOARD AIRPLANES! You only get the one in the device and no extra.

The rules are at: http://safetravel.dot.gov/whats_new_batteries.html

There are limits on the number of spare Lithium Ion batteries larger than 100 WHr that you can carry on - but even the MBP battery is only 68 WHr, so it's not affected.

Loose spare batteries cannot be in checked luggage, must be in carryon. It's ok to check the laptop with the battery installed, but not the loose spare battery alone.

Even my 9 cell extended battery for my Dell is under 100 WHr - it's 85 WHr.

This new rule will affect video and pro photographers more than computer users - many batteries for big cameras and lights are over 100 WHr.

[winterspan]

Obviously I should have checked out the details further, but I thought of it and quickly wrote something down. I remember hearing a short segment from CNN, but they never mentioned an energy capacity threshold.... thanks for the link...


The rules are at: http://safetravel.dot.gov/whats_new_batteries.html

There are limits on the number of spare Lithium Ion batteries larger than 100 WHr that you can carry on - but even the MBP battery is only 68 WHr, so it's not affected.

Loose spare batteries cannot be in checked luggage, must be in carryon. It's ok to check the laptop with the battery installed, but not the loose spare battery alone.

Even my 9 cell extended battery for my Dell is under 100 WHr - it's 85 WHr.

This new rule will affect video and pro photographers more than computer users - many batteries for big cameras and lights are over 100 WHr.

[johnnyjibbs]

- "Jobs told me last week that Apple considered [adding 3G mobile broadband] but that adding the capability would take up room and restrict consumers to a particular carrier. Through a USB modem, he says, you can still subscribe to wireless broadband with your favorite carrier."

"Just like the iPhone.... oh."

Strange that Steve would say that.

[iAmLegend]

People hate the MBA because the time spent designing and manufacturing this product for a select few should have been spent improving on products for the majority. The Air is going to be a big flop, and trend whores are not going to get the public adoration they so desperately crave because more people will be criticizing your shiny new toy than praising it. The U.S. Economy is a mess right now, and I don't understand how Apple thought this was a good time to release such an expensive and ultra-limited product. If you own shares in Apple...SELL!

[eddietr]

People hate the MBA because the time spent designing and manufacturing this product for a select few should have been spent improving on products for the majority. The Air is going to be a big flop, and trend whores are not going to get the public adoration they so desperately crave because more people will be criticizing your shiny new toy than praising it. The U.S. Economy is a mess right now, and I don't understand how Apple thought this was a good time to release such an expensive and ultra-limited product. If you own shares in Apple...SELL!

Oh, I get it, so this is sort of like a "power to the people" thing or something. Got it. Fight the power, man.

So because you think that a "select few" rich people are buying this as a status symbol, your job is to counter that by talking about how much it sucks so that people will ridicule them instead.

I see.

And of course, since the Air is the only product that Apple sells and the only thing they will introduce in 2008, I might as well dump the stock.

Got it.

[bayol05]

I believe that Air will be successful opposed to what a lot of people are saying. Everyone on Mac Rumors is probably a very intense computer user. Think about the millions of other people that really don't use their macs for more than myspace, iChat, and iPhoto. I know a LOT of them. The Air is great for them...as long as they can afford it.

[Scottgfx]

...The Air is going to be a big flop, and trend whores are not going to get the public adoration they so desperately crave because more people will be criticizing your shiny new toy than praising it. The U.S. Economy is a mess right now, and I don't understand how Apple thought this was a good time to release such an expensive and ultra-limited product. If you own shares in Apple...SELL!

You flaming hypocrite!!! You have an iPhone! How dare you have a product that has only a limited appeal to the entire cellphone user base!

The economy is going down in flames, and you are messing around with your "Shiny New Toy"! How dare you!

[BWhaler]

People hate the MBA because the time spent designing and manufacturing this product for a select few should have been spent improving on products for the majority. The Air is going to be a big flop, and trend whores are not going to get the public adoration they so desperately crave because more people will be criticizing your shiny new toy than praising it. The U.S. Economy is a mess right now, and I don't understand how Apple thought this was a good time to release such an expensive and ultra-limited product. If you own shares in Apple...SELL!

People said the same exact thing about the iPod.

Now, I'm not saying the appeal is the same or as broad, but the MBA serves a purpose and a need and will sell well to those whose needs are met by this product.

But back on point, go read the slashdot thread on the day the iPod was released. Classic geeks talking about specs/price/hating apple and they all got it wrong.

All of them.

[mashoutposse]

People said the same exact thing about the iPod.

Now, I'm not saying the appeal is the same or as broad, but the MBA serves a purpose and a need and will sell well to those whose needs are met by this product.

But back on point, go read the slashdot thread on the day the iPod was released. Classic geeks talking about specs/price/hating apple and they all got it wrong.

All of them.

And the worst part is that when they're wrong, they blame it on the "sheep who will do anything Jobs tells them to." Riiiiiiiiiight :p