MacBook Air Disassembly Photos and Battery Access

[MacRumors]

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


http://images.macrumors.com/article/2008/01/24/190655-battery_300.png

MacBook Air Battery
Gizmodo provides (http://gizmodo.com/348769/macbook-air-tear-down-sexy-on-the-inside-too) a gallery of screenshots and video documenting the disassembly of the MacBook Air and shows that it is relatively easy to access the battery, which is held in by a number of screws.

Article Link (http://www.macrumors.com/2008/01/24/macbook-air-disassembly-photos-and-battery-access/)

[jnc]

So would it be relatively painless to DIY a spare one in there, on a long journey for instance? Which assumes in the first place you're walking around everywhere with the right screwdriver... lord how I wish for the simplicity of a battery removable by a mere coin-turn...

[tjcampbell]

Wirelessly posted (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)

the battery situation is totally balls.

[Ja Di ksw]

Ok, so it's possible to take a battery out and put a new one in. Question though . . . these batteries look very specialized. Will Apple even sell these? If they don't, if they want you to send it in, it doesn't matter if it's possible for us to do it.

[jnc]

Wirelessly posted (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)

the battery situation is totally balls.

I find it funny you're using an iPhone :D

I'm not sure how booming the "carry a spare" market is... but it could be a PITA for the frequent travellers the thing seems to be geared toward.

[NAG]

So would it be relatively painless to DIY a spare one in there, on a long journey for instance? Which assumes in the first place you're walking around everywhere with the right screwdriver... lord how I wish for the simplicity of a battery removable by a mere coin-turn...

I believe this addresses when a battery dies dies and is not intended to persuade people who demand hotswappable batteries. Yes, the Macbook Air can't hotswap batteries, we get it.

[jnc]

Ok, so it's possible to take a battery out and put a new one in. Question though . . . these batteries look very specialized. Will Apple even sell these? If they don't, if they want you to send it in, it doesn't matter if it's possible for us to do it.

Very true. I've heard it costs $129, but of course if they only want Apple Genius...es to install them, they probably won't sell them over the counter.

Also - if you're covered for a year (a period in which battery failure should definitely be regarded as a defect), when will anyone even need to buy one? Outside of accidental damage, not for at least 12 months...

Yes, the Macbook Air can't hotswap batteries, we get it.

Why the attitude? If anything this shows (if you can acquire a spare) it should be possible to perform a swap yourself. Loads of people would like to hear that

[matthewHUB]

they took it apart but they didn't mention whether the HD is soldered in, or whether it looks replaceable. For me, the option to upgrade to SSD in 6 months and save $600 is a plus.

[iMikeT]

As ugly as this thing is on the outside (yeah it's my honest opinion, live with it), it sure is beautiful on the inside.

Now, only if Apple could have gotten much more powerful hardware, I would be sold.

[twoodcc]

well at least you can change out the battery. i guess it's not perfect though.

[mashinhead]

very easy, but the fact that they crippled the remote disk to not include cd's and dvd's (to pigeonhole you from buying them from itunes) pretty much tipped this thing to the wrong side of the thin line it was walking on.

[NEENAHBOY]

Dear God, that thing is gigantic! :eek:

[a1016neo]

Compared to the Macbook and Macbook Pro... That's one ugly battery :o

[NAG]

they took it apart but they didn't mention whether the HD is soldered in, or whether it looks replaceable. For me, the option to upgrade to SSD in 6 months and save $600 is a plus.

Yeah, I would like to know exactly what you can feasibly replace. I know the ram is on the motherboard so no luck with that. But I'd think the hard drive would be just as easy to swap out as the battery.

[Techguy172]

So you can change the battery yourself but where would you get it 3rd Party seller?

[NAG]

So you can change the battery yourself but where would you get it 3rd Party seller?

The same place you get the iPod batteries?

[jnc]

very easy, but the fact that they crippled the remote disk to not include cd's and dvd's

That sucks! So what are you limited to in remote disc? I thought surely you could access data and play DVDs, rip CDs to the MBA... weak.

edit: found an engadget article: http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/24/remote-disc-no-movie-playback-no-hd-support-and-everything-el/

(to pigeonhole you from buying them from itunes)

I can't agree with that. There's still the SuperDrive option. It still sucks, but alas.

[MacRumorUser]

they took it apart but they didn't mention whether the HD is soldered in, or whether it looks replaceable. For me, the option to upgrade to SSD in 6 months and save $600 is a plus.

Yeah I'd be interested in this aspect too, like you say a big saving and a relative pain free upgrade in 6 months or so when the price has fallen considerably for SSD would be very enticing.

[MrCrowbar]

Compared to the Macbook and Macbook Pro... That's one ugly battery :o

That's why it's hidden inside :)

[ncbill]

Someone needs to pull the drive and measure its height.

If it is 8mm then we can swap in a 1.8" 160GB drive - for about $200.

(if 5mm, then we're stuck at 80GB for now)

[arn]

they took it apart but they didn't mention whether the HD is soldered in, or whether it looks replaceable. For me, the option to upgrade to SSD in 6 months and save $600 is a plus.

I just asked Brian Lam, he said the hard drive is easily accessible/replaceable.

arn

[matthewHUB]

I just asked Brian Lam, he said the hard drive is easily accessible/replaceable.

arn


you're the best Arn. Thanks a lot!

[dual64bit]

I think this proves the MacBook Air is potentially customizable.

If third party comes out with hard drive swap, like previous poster said the 160Gb may fit. Even third party could make batteries.

The point of this is, things are possible.

Still no "take apart" instructions on Apple's service source.

[SolRayz]

The MBA will be relatively obsolete in a few years anyway so who cares if you can change out the battery.

[jnc]

I just asked Brian Lam, he said the hard drive is easily accessible/replaceable.

arn

Such good news. Now I feel ok with ordering the 80GB but with 1.8GHz, and holding out for cheaper SSDs.

The MBA will be relatively obsolete in a few years anyway so who cares if you can change out the battery.

Man people just love using that word here, don't they? You can still get away with light day-to-day usage on G3 iBooks so the Air should function much longer than you'll need it to. Everything it can do today it'll be able to do ... well, always.

[Orng]

they took it apart but they didn't mention whether the HD is soldered in, or whether it looks replaceable. For me, the option to upgrade to SSD in 6 months and save $600 is a plus.

Aagh! You make me turn into The Incredible Snark! :eek: SNARK SMASH!

Now I know that the people who put up that album are guilty of the cardinal sin of putting up three pictures when one would tell the story (I'd hate to sit through their vacation photos - "and here's another shot of me in front of the moscone centre") but your answer can be found in fewer clicks than the keystrokes it took you to ask! :D

I'll reduce it to a single click for you... you're looking for something that looks like a Phillips screw next to a metal boxy thing that says "HDD" on it. (http://gizmodo.com/photogallery/Macbookairteardown/1000560552) :)

"... and here's another shot of the MacBook Air, this time with my right hand resting lightly on the frame..."

[deathshrub]

This is MORONIC.

[AppleMojo]

Wirelessly posted (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)

the battery situation is totally balls.

Waaaaaahhhh!

And I too think it's funny you have an iPhone and complain about spare batteries.

[mashinhead]

I can't agree with that. There's still the SuperDrive option. It still sucks, but alas.

you're right. i meant to pigeonhole you into buying superdrive.

[mashinhead]

Dear God, that thing is gigantic! :eek:

it is but it's oh so thin. it only measures .5 inches at it's thickest point. It is world's thinnest laptop battery. You should see sony's it at least .8 inches thick.

[bacaramac]

Question, Why didn't apple just make the battery part of the outside of the unit. Would it be to flimsy or is it more of a strategy?

[AppleMojo]

Question, Why didn't apple just make the battery part of the outside of the unit. Would it be to flimsy or is it more of a strategy?

I would initially guess that the structure of the enclosure depends significantly on the pieces being largely sized without weak points.

Possibly why there are so many screws to keep the guts inside. They may have chosen to bolt everything together and have the shell screw to this, versus having everything bolt to the shell.

I haven't touched / molested one yet, so what do I know.

[erockerboy]

very easy, but the fact that they crippled the remote disk to not include cd's and dvd's (to pigeonhole you from buying them from itunes) pretty much tipped this thing to the wrong side of the thin line it was walking on.

really???!? WEAK!!!!

[SolRayz]

Man people just love using that word here, don't they? You can still get away with light day-to-day usage on G3 iBooks so the Air should function much longer than you'll need it to. Everything it can do today it'll be able to do ... well, always.

Unfortunately that is all you will be doing with the MBA, is light day to day usage. IMO the MBA should have been priced $799 aux lieu $1799, affordable to a larger demographic of not so savvy computer users.:rolleyes:

[MacRumorUser]

really???!? WEAK!!!!

No not really.

The reality is.....

If you have another computer what the hell is stopping you ripping your disc on that computer which would probably be faster than doing it wirelessley, and then simply sending the MP3's or AAC's over to your MBA as files via wireless network ?

Same as ripping DVD's too.

Some people are making some noise out of nothing.

[jnc]

you're right. i meant to pigeonhole you into buying superdrive.

In that case I agree ;) At least you can use wireless migration to move already-ripped tracks and movies from another computer.

Right? :eek:

No not really.

The reality is.....

If you have another computer what the hell is stopping you ripping your disc on that computer which would probably be faster than doing it wirelessley, and then simply sending the MP3's or AAC's over to your MBA as files via wireless network ?

Same as ripping DVD's too.

Some people are making some noise out of nothing.

It's just another step to take, and people are lazy (as evidenced by the uproar caused by some 3G USB broadband adapters not fitting the MBA unless you buy a $2 extension cord). It is a shame that remote disc does not work in this manner though, it does seem pointlessly crippling(as in, in the absence of evidence that it is impossible to do, it just appears like Apple have purposefully left it out).

[ricosuave]

Battery replacing on the other Macbooks is a cinch but I like the way one can access the innards to replace the components by removing a few screws.

Excluding the battery location, I hope apple moves in this direction for their future Macbooks. Imagine if the pro was this easy to replace the HD.

[AppleMojo]

^^unfortunately and for the most part, that is all you will be doing with the MBA, is light day to day usage. IMO the MBA should have been priced $799 aux lieu $1799, affordable to a larger demographic of not so savvy computer users.:rolleyes:

There it is again... all complaints here usually boil down to price.

If the MBA was made with the cheapest parts that could be found and was running Vista, then we'd humor the complaints.

Oh, and I wanted to add that the larger iPhone's initial retail price was $599.00 - With your logic, I see how you could add $200.00 and get the Macbook Air. ;-) -- That is sarcasm, by the way.

[joelypolly]

Someone will probably build a replacement bottom housing for the MBA that will allow a larger battery say a 80W replacement battery which should give you about 10 hours of run time. It would only increase the height a little more though.

[psychofreak]

Someone will probably build a replacement bottom housing for the MBA that will allow a larger battery say a 80W replacement battery which should give you about 10 hours of run time. It would only increase the height a little more though.

If this were possible and simple, I'm sure Apple would have given it as an option.

[sushi]

very easy, but the fact that they crippled the remote disk to not include cd's and dvd's (to pigeonhole you from buying them from itunes) pretty much tipped this thing to the wrong side of the thin line it was walking on.
Who wants to play a DVD via remote disk.

For business travelers who feel the need to play a DVD they can carry the external optical drive.

My guess is most will do their ripping at home and either carry their movies via a much larger external HD or just put the movies on the internal MBA HD.

Such good news. Now I feel ok with ordering the 80GB but with 1.8GHz, and holding out for cheaper SSDs.
This is good news.

I expect that SSDs will significantly drop in price and increase in capacity in the next few years.

No not really.

The reality is.....

If you have another computer what the hell is stopping you ripping your disc on that computer which would probably be faster than doing it wirelessley, and then simply sending the MP3's or AAC's over to your MBA as files via wireless network ?

Same as ripping DVD's too.

Some people are making some noise out of nothing.
Agree.

[joelypolly]

If this were possible and simple, I'm sure Apple would have given it as an option.
yeah but then they wouldn't have been able to claim it as the worlds thinest

[rjflyn]

Someone will probably build a replacement bottom housing for the MBA that will allow a larger battery say a 80W replacement battery which should give you about 10 hours of run time. It would only increase the height a little more though.


Maybe throw in some room for a fatter drive, that 3G card, or who knows what kind of after market attachment.

Rj
,

[ltldrummerboy]

I don't suppose that it could be charged on the go with an external USB battery. Anyone know if it's possible? We all know it works the other way around.

[jnc]

I don't suppose that it could be charged on the go with an external USB battery. Anyone know if it's possible? We all know it works the other way around.

Sure, an external battery with magsafe - know of any? ;)

[Eidorian]

19 screws is a little painful but it was uneventful. I was half expecting some sort of nasty tamper evident seal on the inside of that thing. Other then the number of screws it does look as easy as the standard MacBook to upgrade.

Now if the MacBook Pro was only that easy...

Kudos to Apple not making the MacBook Air's interior a trip to hell like the iBook was.

[Virgil-TB2]

Ok, so it's possible to take a battery out and put a new one in. Question though . . . these batteries look very specialized. Will Apple even sell these? If they don't, if they want you to send it in, it doesn't matter if it's possible for us to do it.It does if they end up allowing a certified Apple repair person to do it with a kit.

That means every University (as well as most towns of any size at all), will have at least one store where you can take the MacBook Air in and get the battery replaced in less time than it takes to change the oil in your car.

[zlinger]

I bet an entire mod market will open up, given that the case opens up so easily. Like a poster mentioned, a custom bottom case with a higher capacity battery (10 hrs. runtime), with extra ports. Capability to replace the drive with a 128GB SSD one year from now is certain.

I can say that I'm 100% pleased with the MBA (without even seeing or trying it). Since I was in the market for a lightweight laptop... the timing is perfect, and custom ordered with 1.8GH 80GB HD.

About RAM, I don't know why people are complaining so much. It is what it is. The level of technology the MBA brings (to me at least) will meet my needs for some years to come. A kick ass secondary portable computer that I can carry everywhere for work, travel, and leisure. A 5 or 6 lb. computer is too much.

If you need the high end graphics, lots of RAM, multiple ports, a computer that does it all.. then just go or stay with the MBP, or MB. This machine is a marvel of technology, and I would never have imagined a computer like this when I first turned on my Mac Classic.

[Virgil-TB2]

I would initially guess that the structure of the enclosure depends significantly on the pieces being largely sized without weak points.

Possibly why there are so many screws to keep the guts inside. They may have chosen to bolt everything together and have the shell screw to this, versus having everything bolt to the shell.

I haven't touched / molested one yet, so what do I know.Bingo.

The shape of that battery, especially integral the side brackets and the centre channel, combined with lots of screws to attach it, essentially makes a box beam. At least that's what it looks like in the video.

By securing the outside bottom with lots of screws around the edge, the entire casing also becomes a kind of seed or shell form that would have quite a huge amount of stiffness/strength for it's (low) weight.

The rest of the components are just sort of dropped into the cavity in the thick bit and probably don't contribute to the overall strength.

Quite a brilliant design really. Probably some English person made it. ;)

[zlinger]

Bingo.

The shape of that battery, especially integral the side brackets and the centre channel, combined with lots of screws to attach it, essentially makes a box beam. At least that's what it looks like in the video.

By securing the outside bottom with lots of screws around the edge, the entire casing also becomes a kind of seed or shell form that would have quite a huge amount of stiffness/strength for it's (low) weight.

The rest of the components are just sort of dropped into the cavity in the thick bit and probably don't contribute to the overall strength.

Quite a brilliant design really. Probably some English person made it. ;)

You are so right on this. A formed and curved casing is way stronger compared to a boxed case like with the MBP. In fact, I recently owned a MPB (that I sold) and I have witnessed it flex considerably a few times when I picked it up in an unbalanced manner. Just surprised I did not crack the logic board or something.

[Ugg]

Unfortunately that is all you will be doing with the MBA, is light day to day usage. IMO the MBA should have been priced $799 aux lieu $1799, affordable to a larger demographic of not so savvy computer users.:rolleyes:

Why would they introduce a bottom of the line product first?

That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

What does GM introduce in Detroit? The cheap little cars that it doesn't make any money on or the monsters that it makes money hand over fist on?

Apple is clearly going after the high end business user here, as well they should be.

[veeco3110]

i never understood dissassembly pictures and posts....

[MacTO]

I don't know about 'sexy' like Gizmodo calls it, but it looks a lot better than regular PC laptops for sure. :D

Cheers! :apple:

[QuarterSwede]

Pictures have been pulled. Anyone have it mirrored?

[mrrydogg]

Oooops. Busted by the Apple Police!

[jnc]

i never understood dissassembly pictures and posts....

A better understanding of how things work/design process.

[JDOG_]

Oooops. Busted by the Apple Police!

God forbid we see the inside of one of the company's publicly available products. Yeesh.

[QuarterSwede]

God forbid we see the inside of one of the company's publicly available products. Yeesh.
Heck, even Jobs showed the innards at the Macworld Keynote.

[thefunkymunky]

It's not Gizmodo's MBA, it's on loan to them from Apple. So theroretically they shouldn't take it apart because its not theirs.

[Tosser]

They're not pulled, they're still there:

http://gizmodo.com/photogallery/Macbookairteardown


Get them while you can –*they only removed the link to the gallery.

[QuarterSwede]

They're not pulled, they're still there:

http://gizmodo.com/photogallery/Macbookairteardown


Get them while you can –*they only removed the link to the gallery.
Excellent, thanks!

[Northshore357]

Upgrading the System

It’s should take too long for the third party developers to get some sort of battery replacement out to the market, just look at all of the different stuff that you can get at OWC to upgrade your system.

As far as the ability to upgrade the internal hard drive in the computer, I have found based upon studying the pictures that the hard drive’s specifications are as follows:

Manufacturer: Samsung Electronics
Hard Drive Model Number: HS081HB/A
The hard drive is part of Samsungs Spinpoint N series
Click HERE to see exact page on HD (http://www.samsung.com/global/business/hdd/productmodel.do?group=&type=60&subtype=68&model_cd=343&tab=fea&ppmi=1160#)

Here are the specs listed below if you don't want to go to the link.
Drive Configuration
Capacity 80 GB
Interface PATA/ZIF
Buffer DRAM Size 2M
Byte per Sector 4K
Rotational Speed 4200 RPM

Performance Specifications
Average Seek time (typical) 13.0 ms
Average Latency 8.3 ms
Media Transfer Rate (Max.) 428 Mb/s
Interface Transfer Rate (Max.) 100 MB/s
Drive Reday Time (typical) 2.0 sec

Reliability Specifications
Non-recoverable Read Error 1 sector in 10^13 bits
Controlled Ramp Load/Unload 600,000

Acoustics
Idle 1.6 Bel
Performance Seek 2.2 Bel

Environmental Specifications
Temperature / Operating 5 ~ 60 C
Temperature / Non-operating -40 ~ 85 C
Humidity (non-condensing) / Operating 8 ~ 90 ％
Humidity (non-condensing) / Non-operating 8 ~ 90 ％
Liner Shock (1/2 sine pulse) / Operating 600 G
Liner Shock (1/2 sine pulse) / Non-operating 1500 G
Vibration / Operating 0.67 Grms
Altitude (relative to sea level) / Operating -300 to 3.000 m
Altitude (relative to sea level) / Non-operating -400 to 15,000 m

Power Requirements
Voltage +3.3V ±5%
Spin-up Current (Max.) 400 mA
Seek (typical) 0.8 W
Read/Write (typical) 0.9 W
Idle 0.30 W
Standby (typical) 0.07 W
Sleep (typical) 0.07 W

Physical Dimension
Height (Max.) 5.0 mm
Width 71.0 mm
Length 54.0 mm
Weight (avg.) 48 g

Assuming that you could find another hard drive that is 5mm thick and similar in dimensions, it shouldn't be too hard to swap it out for another hard drive. I don’t know much about SSDs so I wouldn’t be able to stay with any certainty if an upgrade would be possible. However assuming the connections would match up, it should not be too much trouble to upgrade the internal hard drive to your own personal preference.

I hope this helps some of you out. :)

[Evangelion]

very easy, but the fact that they crippled the remote disk to not include cd's and dvd's (to pigeonhole you from buying them from itunes) pretty much tipped this thing to the wrong side of the thin line it was walking on.

Well, as far as DVD's are concerned, the licenseing-terms for CSS-scrambling prohibit the signal from being broadcasted wirelessly.

[phelix_da_kat]

Bingo.

The shape of that battery, especially integral the side brackets and the centre channel, combined with lots of screws to attach it, essentially makes a box beam. At least that's what it looks like in the video.

By securing the outside bottom with lots of screws around the edge, the entire casing also becomes a kind of seed or shell form that would have quite a huge amount of stiffness/strength for it's (low) weight.

The rest of the components are just sort of dropped into the cavity in the thick bit and probably don't contribute to the overall strength.

Quite a brilliant design really. Probably some English person made it. ;)


One of the ways they have crammed more powerful engines in to smaller motorcycle frames is that instead of making a rigid frame that cradles the engine block; they have been using the engine block as a stress block and mounting the bike onto the engine.

By using the battery as the stress block - The theory could definitely be used in designing "thinner" yet more rigid laptops.. Also the curved nature of the case doubles up as an optical illusion (aka curves edges of the iPods make them look thinner than they are) and provides a more rigid case over a similarly sized/weight box type enclosure.

Smart engineering!!

[weg]

Ok, so it's possible to take a battery out and put a new one in. Question though . . . these batteries look very specialized. Will Apple even sell these? If they don't, if they want you to send it in, it doesn't matter if it's possible for us to do it.

No problem, just buy a second MacBook Air. As always, Apple's solution is way more intuitive than what other notebook producers provide. The MBA isn't that heavy, so it's not a problem to carry around a second one.

[oceanzen]

The MBA looks cool for surfing but I'll always think of it as the Macbook Hot Air :)

[Bonte]

I don't suppose that it could be charged on the go with an external USB battery. Anyone know if it's possible? We all know it works the other way around.

I think we'll soon see external battery extenders from various company's either via USB or the MagSafe power adapter port.

[jouster]

So would it be relatively painless to DIY a spare one in there, on a long journey for instance? Which assumes in the first place you're walking around everywhere with the right screwdriver... lord how I wish for the simplicity of a battery removable by a mere coin-turn...

No, I think it would be extraordinarily painful....unless your idea of painless includes unscrewing 19 tiny screws of varying lengths, then putting them all back with the new battery. Fancy doing that on an airplane seat table?

[ncbill]

The 160GB 1.8" model is only 3mm taller - 8mm instead of 5mm.

Can it fit with some judicious use of a dremel?

Upgrading the System

It’s should take too long for the third party developers to get some sort of battery replacement out to the market, just look at all of the different stuff that you can get at OWC to upgrade your system.

As far as the ability to upgrade the internal hard drive in the computer, I have found based upon studying the pictures that the hard drive’s specifications are as follows:

Manufacturer: Samsung Electronics
Hard Drive Model Number: HS081HB/A
The hard drive is part of Samsungs Spinpoint N series
Click HERE to see exact page on HD (http://www.samsung.com/global/business/hdd/productmodel.do?group=&type=60&subtype=68&model_cd=343&tab=fea&ppmi=1160#)

Here are the specs listed below if you don't want to go to the link.
Drive Configuration
Capacity 80 GB
Interface PATA/ZIF
Buffer DRAM Size 2M
Byte per Sector 4K
Rotational Speed 4200 RPM

Performance Specifications
Average Seek time (typical) 13.0 ms
Average Latency 8.3 ms
Media Transfer Rate (Max.) 428 Mb/s
Interface Transfer Rate (Max.) 100 MB/s
Drive Reday Time (typical) 2.0 sec

Reliability Specifications
Non-recoverable Read Error 1 sector in 10^13 bits
Controlled Ramp Load/Unload 600,000

Acoustics
Idle 1.6 Bel
Performance Seek 2.2 Bel

Environmental Specifications
Temperature / Operating 5 ~ 60 C
Temperature / Non-operating -40 ~ 85 C
Humidity (non-condensing) / Operating 8 ~ 90 ％
Humidity (non-condensing) / Non-operating 8 ~ 90 ％
Liner Shock (1/2 sine pulse) / Operating 600 G
Liner Shock (1/2 sine pulse) / Non-operating 1500 G
Vibration / Operating 0.67 Grms
Altitude (relative to sea level) / Operating -300 to 3.000 m
Altitude (relative to sea level) / Non-operating -400 to 15,000 m

Power Requirements
Voltage +3.3V ±5%
Spin-up Current (Max.) 400 mA
Seek (typical) 0.8 W
Read/Write (typical) 0.9 W
Idle 0.30 W
Standby (typical) 0.07 W
Sleep (typical) 0.07 W

Physical Dimension
Height (Max.) 5.0 mm
Width 71.0 mm
Length 54.0 mm
Weight (avg.) 48 g

Assuming that you could find another hard drive that is 5mm thick and similar in dimensions, it shouldn't be too hard to swap it out for another hard drive. I don’t know much about SSDs so I wouldn’t be able to stay with any certainty if an upgrade would be possible. However assuming the connections would match up, it should not be too much trouble to upgrade the internal hard drive to your own personal preference.

I hope this helps some of you out. :)

[bripirie]

Besides the obvious revisions like bigger HDD, bigger/cheaper SSD options, I wonder what other tweaks they'll make?

It looks like there should be room for a second USB port by making the flip-down door longer.

[samarks]

By the time a replacement is needed I am sure there will be higher capacity batteries available from 3rd parties.

[AidenShaw]

Besides the obvious revisions like bigger HDD, bigger/cheaper SSD options, I wonder what other tweaks they'll make?

It looks like there should be room for a second USB port by making the flip-down door longer.

Here is some interesting speculation on the next model:

MacBook Air recommendation: 10 reasons to wait (http://blogs.computerworld.com/macbook_air_reccomendation_wait)

[ReanimationLP]

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2344327&cp=2032061.2032365.2032390&cp=2032061.2032365&fbn=Brand%2FRadioShack&f=Taxonomy%2FRSK%2F2032390&f=Brand%2F1000094%2F&fbc=1&categoryId=2032390&kwCatId=2032061&kw=usb&parentPage=search

That will take care of the 3G modem problem

[TPALTony]

Question, Why didn't apple just make the battery part of the outside of the unit. Would it be to flimsy or is it more of a strategy?

My guess is that it's an engineering or manufacturing constraint.

The chassis is so damn thin, that it would be fairly weak when the battery wasn't present and highly susceptible to twisting. Not that people are really gonna use it "sans" battery, but during the swap out it would be vulnerable.

Also, from a manufacturing standpoint, it's easier to put a single cover over the base of the entire machine than it is to build out the frame around a battery compartment. The battery is clearly highly custom due to the shape they needed, so the frame would have been complex to build (and keep strong, especially near the front where the chassis gets really thing.)

In any case I doubt this will be an issue. Someone (perhaps even apple) will release an external battery that you can connect to the MagSafe port. The mac will see it as if it were external power and will work just fine. I know this isn't ideal since you'd need to put it somewhere, but in terms of what you carry, well if you were gonna carry an extra battery anyway... Someone will solve the "where to put it" problem with a clever design, all will be well. :)

[happydude]

No not really.

The reality is.....

If you have another computer what the hell is stopping you ripping your disc on that computer which would probably be faster than doing it wirelessley, and then simply sending the MP3's or AAC's over to your MBA as files via wireless network ?

Same as ripping DVD's too.

Some people are making some noise out of nothing.

agreed, man. amazing people just don't get it. to complain about not being able to rip a cd off another computer wirelessly just doesn't make sense. you OBVIOUSLY have two computers in the room (or why would you be making this argument). fastest method - rip cd/dvd on desktop/MB/MBP, wireless send ripped cd/dvd to MBA. slowest method - ripping a cd from one computer to another wirelessly. THIS ISN'T MEANT TO BE YOUR ONLY COMPUTER, PEOPLE!!!

[bigmc6000]

Unfortunately that is all you will be doing with the MBA, is light day to day usage. IMO the MBA should have been priced $799 aux lieu $1799, affordable to a larger demographic of not so savvy computer users.:rolleyes:

Well, let's see here. I'm still using my 12" PB and I know of scores of others on this site that are still using their PB's so I guess that means we're "not so savvy computer users" anymore since our computers can't even hold a candle to this thing? Dedicated GPU or not we're still talking about a vastly superior processor and I'm sure in every single test out there the MBA beats even the best PB.

Anybody have a link to something like that or have people stopped comparing MB's to PB's?

[ViperrepiV]

Does anyone know what the warranty policy is on opening up your computer (and potentially replacing the HDD)? The reason I ask, is because if it voids your warranty, there is no point to get the extended AppleCare if you plan on replacing the HDD a year down the line....I don't want to spend unnecessary $$$

[Breckenridge]

So the photos where pulled out. Why Apple, why? still battery situation is lame and very impractical, I can just see myself running around the airport trying to find a plug, Lame, Lame, Lame.:mad:

[latergator116]

Does anyone know what the warranty policy is on opening up your computer (and potentially replacing the HDD)? The reason I ask, is because if it voids your warranty, there is no point to get the extended AppleCare if you plan on replacing the HDD a year down the line....I don't want to spend unnecessary $$$

FWIW, I replaced the hard drive on my iBook G3 and later sent it in for repair (still under warranty). And From the looks of it, replacing the Air battery will be MUCH easier than doing anything with any iBook. As long as you are careful I think you should be all set.

[rtdunham]

Random numbers are just to darn important to be left up to chance.

so is spelling. :eek:

[rtdunham]

expect that SSDs will significantly drop in price and increase in capacity in the next few years.

That's a good bet. But I doubt we'd be able to buy just any SSD and use it: it's probably going to have to be manufactured specifically for the MBA (dimensions, mount, connector), or require enough hacking that most of us would pass on the opportunity.

[kuwisdelu]

That's a good bet. But I doubt we'd be able to buy just any SSD and use it: it's probably going to have to be manufactured specifically for the MBA (dimensions, mount, connector), or require enough hacking that most of us would pass on the opportunity.

But despite how much more expensive the SSD option on the MBA is, Apple is actually selling the SSD for a pretty good price. They're not being stingy with that SSD like their RAM. I expect they'll put better, cheaper SSD's in on their own, but I'm not sure what it'll mean for those who already have an MBA with an old SSD.

[nemaslov]

This is actually the first new Apple Laptop that I didn't really want to get right away as a new release. I was ready to buy but now I will wait for the next round of Macbooks or Powerbooks:(

[ncbill]

And this model uses a parallel ATA interface.

What happens when higher-capacity units are available as SATA only?

That's a good bet. But I doubt we'd be able to buy just any SSD and use it: it's probably going to have to be manufactured specifically for the MBA (dimensions, mount, connector), or require enough hacking that most of us would pass on the opportunity.

[kajitox]

That IS a sexy battery! And if I had an extra 2K laying around (haha <-starving college student) then I would definitely have one.

[Zweben]

http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:fQ6pP9tlqosJ:gizmodo.com/348769/macbook-air-tear-down-sexy-on-the-inside-too

Google Cache of the video and text they took down.

:)

[compuguy1088]

http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:fQ6pP9tlqosJ:gizmodo.com/348769/macbook-air-tear-down-sexy-on-the-inside-too

Google Cache of the video and text they took down.

:)

Nice. I was also able to get the flv off there server. Apparently they just took down the player but not the actual file.

The video can also be found here:
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/video/macbookteardown.flv

Edit 2:
Here it is on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zyc8wMAihZA

[ewxlt]

I can't believe so many people have the guts to hack apart a new computer! I always have the feeling that it won't go back together.:rolleyes:

[Genius Dude]

It's amazing how technology is getting smaller and smaller

[johnpaul191]

user replaceable batteries require thicker housing. it probably requires some sort of lid. look at, for example, the battery of an ibook. the battery has a plastic shell, plus there is sort of a docking bay for it to pop into. the MBA battery (or iPhone battery, iPod battery) are not in the kind of shell that can get tossed around in a backpack. that extra little shell adds up enough in those devices that it would add significant thickness. these are lithium after all, and there is a safety issue.
i guess it does say something about how thin devices have become when things like that are now significant.

[jaknudsen]

But I doubt we'd be able to buy just any SSD and use it: it's probably going to have to be manufactured specifically for the MBA (dimensions, mount, connector), or require enough hacking that most of us would pass on the opportunity.

Most likely, like all the other proprietary hard drives and memory modules they are currently using … :rolleyes:

[netdog]

And this model uses a parallel ATA interface.

What happens when higher-capacity units are available as SATA only?

There will be PATA drives available.

[EagerDragon]

So would it be relatively painless to DIY a spare one in there, on a long journey for instance? Which assumes in the first place you're walking around everywhere with the right screwdriver... lord how I wish for the simplicity of a battery removable by a mere coin-turn...

Likely it would void your warranty if you open the case, also may not be able to purchase the spare battery as is prob considered a replacement part only handled by repair stores.

[EagerDragon]

very easy, but the fact that they crippled the remote disk to not include cd's and dvd's (to pigeonhole you from buying them from itunes) pretty much tipped this thing to the wrong side of the thin line it was walking on.

very easy fix, $99.00 fix.

The system is for people who have little to no need for a cd/dvd/burner. For those rare occasions, they sell the separate drive. Same thing for firewire .... mainly needed for some disk drives, for movie cameras and for the old iSight. The target audience for this machine does little to no media work while on the road and have a second more powerful system at home or office.

If you are that worried about the ability to burn DVDs or multi-media than is likely you are not the target for this system.

[Marx55]

Which main board is smaller, the one of the MacBook Air or the one of the Mac mini? I guess the smaller one could be used to build the ultimate light (400 g or so) and small (pocketable) full Mac, much as the Axiotron ModBook, but as light and small (pocketable) as the OQO model 2+:

http://www.axiotron.com
http://www.oqo.com

Is that possible with video-out and USB2 port? That would be awesome for Keynote and PowerPoint presentations, because even the MacBook Air is too heavy and too large. So, you make the presentation on the larger Mac, and then use the pocketable one for the classroom, meeting, home, etc for the video presentation.

Thanks.

[AidenShaw]

Which main board is smaller, the one of the MacBook Air or the one of the Mac mini? I guess the smaller one could be used to build the ultimate light (400 g or so) and small (pocketable) full Mac...

Motherboard design is not that expensive - look at the proliferation of DIY motherboards available. If it were expensive, you wouldn't see companies making so many boards that are minor variations of specs and features.

Better to design a board specifically for the netbook - especially since neither the MBA or mini have a Gobi chip for universal 3G.

[Marx55]

Motherboard design is not that expensive - look at the proliferation of DIY motherboards available. If it were expensive, you wouldn't see companies making so many boards that are minor variations of specs and features.

Better to design a board specifically for the netbook - especially since neither the MBA or mini have a Gobi chip for universal 3G.

But I guess that is not legal and in any case not as easy as using a board already available. I can use an existing board; but I cannot design and make a new one!