Were you a MBA hater until you saw it??

not sure about a hater, but underwhelmed for sure. I bought one today!

Wow .. I've personally never bought a computer based on the way it looks. However, I do know your not alone or Apple wouldn't be able to charge extra for the black MacBook.

Glad you are enjoying your new MBA!

Cheers.

The last mac I owned before getting the Air was G4. That should tell you something

I agree with you on aesthetics..

The half of purchase decision was made on the looks (that doesn't mean I miss USB ports and DVD drive)

I was also underwhelmed at first. Ordered my 1.8/SSD Macbook Air yesterday

I think the MBA will be much more successful than the early reviews suggested. Trusted Reviews were particularly scathing of the concept...

mere skeptic turned

since iPhone I wanted a mac at some point... would love to lose (gain?) my windependence...
had doubts about air, its overall feel in the hand... but after a hold n type i loved it (I had to exchange my orig one with a dying battery for new - and even that was so EZ with applestore support - quite impressive)

just wish i didn't have to use pc side much more than OSX... amazed at how really great it runs as a win machine toooo

I thought it was horribly under-cooled, and lacking far too many ports to be useful. About a week or two ago, I went to my local Best Buy, looked at one, and realized, dang, this thing is light... but really HOT for just sitting here. And the lack of Firewire and a 2nd USB port was a deal breaker for me. (excluding $$$)

no change after seeing it in person ... i guess the RDF didn't got me on this

i'm still underwhelmed.

i'm still using a 12" powerbook as a laptop, and a hac as my desktop.

I was really hoping for something like the modbook.

one usb and lack of other prots is a deal breaker though. Also my 12" alum is warped and strength is an issue for me.

takao said:

no change after seeing it in person ... i guess the RDF didn't got me on this

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Same here.

At first blush I thought it was going to the be flimsiest laptop ever. Then I tried one in my local Apple store and felt how solid it was, it completely changed my mind about the MBA. Definitely has Teh Sexy™ going for it.

thejadedmonkey said:

And the lack of Firewire and a 2nd USB port was a deal breaker for me. (excluding $$$)

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I've said this before -- here and elsewhere -- but if it came with a FireWire port (for target disk mode and my little Duet), I'd own one already.

Still, I'm very happy with with my 2.2GHz SR blackbook.

i wasnt blown away when it was introduced. but i HAD to see it, touch it, pick it up, before i could be sure. When i got to the apple store i thought....wow, its thin, its pretty and i dont really notice that the keyboard is black. i wouldnt buy one yet...im anxious to see if the new MBP go the same style direction. I need a little 'meat' to my laptop, so if the MBPs go the direction, im sold!


overall, yes. seeing it in person changed my opinion a lot!

To tell the truth, I didn't like the MBA at first, but then I realized it was a pretty awesomely portable computer and wanted one for a short period of time, but when I was in the Apple store, it broke my heart... it was just too wide (I know it doesn't look like a lot, but still) coming from a 12" PowerBook, so I'm sorry Apple, you need to revive the 12".

I haven't bought one, although I was really impressed when I saw one at Best Buy. What a great example of industrial design. It somehow reminded me of the design density of an ipod. Lots of stuff in that thin, sleek little package.

As I think about the "shortcomings" of the MBA, I am sitting here using my three year old 12" iBook. I can't remember the last time I used the iBook in a way that would be a problem for the MBA. Lack of ports? No problem, I rarely use more than one USB. Lack of ethernet port? I don't think my iBook has ever been hooked to an ethernet cable. Lack of optical drive? Maybe one or two times in the last year has it been fed a CD, and there would not be any problems if I had to do something else. Now, this iBook is not my primary computer. But I'll bet that few MBA's will be used as primary computers. Bottom line, for what I use a laptop computer for the MBA would be a reasonable option.

I wouldn't say I was a hater at all but when I got the chance to see one and touch it I was amazed. Clearly a great next-gen device. But it doesn't suit my needs and what it lacks is my main problem. I don't have a main computer so I went with the blackbook with a 250gb. Beautiful machine the MBA is though.

Here to, after actually seeing one at the AS...ohhhh shiiiii* this is great computer.

From when I saw the keynote to when I saw it in the Apple Booth at Macworld I was always a "supporter" of the idea. I think it might be the next laptop I get however I am becoming quite partial to the blackbook.

Not to be a downer, but I thought it was awesome, then I saw it it (and used it) and was left disappointed.

I loved it from the moment it debuted. THEN I got my hands on it and used it and lost interest entirely.

Yup. I didn't really care when it was introduced, but when I got a chance to see it, I was really taken with the feel of the thing, the super bright screen, the overall uniqueness and modernity.

It felt more like an instrument than an appliance, with everything disappearing except the screen and the input devices.

Unfortunately, after a string of defective ones, I gave up and bought an MBP.

Never had any interest in getting a laptop, but I wanted to do some OS X programming and I just don't have the time at home. I wanted something light and portable. The Air fit the bill. I saw one when they first came out at the Apple store. I thought it was cool, but never seriously considered it.

I've had mine for less than a day now, and I have to say its pretty cool so far. Obviously, it wins in the looks department, the screen is bright and easy to see. This thing just kicks butt in the wifi department. I have 3 Macs at home, and this thing blows them away for some unknown reason. I still can't believe how fast it is.

Phatpat said:

Not to be a downer, but I thought it was awesome, then I saw it it (and used it) and was left disappointed.

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same here. I wanted to believe it was awesome, but i was left underwhelmed. The only things which grab me about it are the LED backlight (which will end up in the MacBook soon enough anyway) and the weight (or lack thereof). The thinness doesn't really phase me; I've never wished my MacBook was thinner, and the MBA is only 75% of the size. I'm not really going to notice 1/4" when I have a bag full of books.

The price and lack of speed, internal storage and expandability are huge deal breakers for me, and almost everyone around me. It almost cost as much as a MBP!

Scarlet Fever said:

same here. I wanted to believe it was awesome, but i was left underwhelmed. The only things which grab me about it are the LED backlight (which will end up in the MacBook soon enough anyway) and the weight (or lack thereof). The thinness doesn't really phase me; I've never wished my MacBook was thinner, and the MBA is only 75% of the size. I'm not really going to notice 1/4" when I have a bag full of books.

The price and lack of speed, internal storage and expandability are huge deal breakers for me, and almost everyone around me. It almost cost as much as a MBP!

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If every there was an ill conceived product this was it, there is no reason to buy one unless you want it as a novelty item.

AlexanderTgreat said:

If every there was an ill conceived product this was it, there is no reason to buy one unless you want it as a novelty item.

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Well if this is a hyperbole contest, I will say that your post is the most ill-conceived, inaccurate statement in the history of time.

Seriously though, the fact that the rest of the world loves this thing, kind of proves you wrong slightly. Just saying "it sucks" (or words to that effect), is not really a valid argument.

The Air is one of the most popular products Apple has made lately and everyone I know that actually has one loves it to death. I think this is the very point the thread starter was trying to make actually.