Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

MacBook Air Supplies Constrained Ahead of Refresh?

Got a feeling they're not going to change the exterior much at all and they're just release it without much of a big annoucement like the iMac and MacBook pro of this year.

I wish at least they'll put in a black bezel like the MacBook pro.
 
kjjnk said:
Only difference is this time Intel's GPU performance is acceptable.
Click to expand...

OMG, yes I know this, you know this, everyone should know this. My point still stands people are going to complain about it. Some people just hear Intel graphics and cringe.
 
TMar said:
OMG, yes I know this, you know this, everyone should know this. My point still stands people are going to complain about it. Some people just hear Intel graphics and cringe.
Click to expand...

Some people hear Core 2 Duo and cringe. Who the hell cares? 🙄
 
Caliber26 said:
Although I am dying to see a backlit keyboard featured on the next MBA, I have to agree. Ultimately, its absence does not disrupt my ability to view or use my keyboard, while using it in the dark.
Click to expand...

Same here. I do lots of writing, but I'm a good touch-typist so I rarely have an issue. My maxxed-out 11" also handles FileMaker and non-spreadsheet financials. Backlighting would be a nice upgrade.

Wouldn't it be great if Apple offered upgrades to current owners to install the backlighting for a nominal fee?
 
dawnrazor said:
Awesome....

My wife's getting my 11" MBA and I'm getting a maxed out top of the line 13" MBA when they come out, the addition of the Thunderbolt is very welcome indeed as doing backups via USB2 is so slow....
Click to expand...

It'll be even slower on your new one when you realise there's no Thunderbolt external drives...
 
Reach9 said:
Who said there won't be any hardware upgrades in this year's WWDC? 🙄
Click to expand...

It shows how much focus there is on iPhone's eh?

Of all the upgrades possible this is probably perfect.

  • Cloud release for storage of files, music, photos online - for iOS and OSX. Perhaps a new paradigm for computing
  • iOS5 showcased with all its new features - converging towards OSX,
  • OSX Lion showcased with its new features - converging towards iOS
And then the Air laptop - the Apple hardware that converges an iPad with a MacBook.

Perhaps they'll add touch screen to the MBA.
 
powtail said:
The new ones better come with back-lit keyboards, otherwise they will be a big disappointment. I know for a fact, I'm not the only one that thinks that way.
Click to expand...

Yep, I'm with you... SB Processors are a given, but to "complete the package" I'm really, really hoping they bring back the backlit keyboard.
 
If I read one more message about people demanding a backlit keyboard on the new Macbook Air, I'm gonna kill myself!

It's really not that important to anyone who knows how to type!

Learn to type people!!!! The amount of time you will save will be far greater than any gains a backlit keyboard will get you.

😀
 
Awesome... NOT

I already ordered a maxed out MBA 13" and it will arrive next week. So i will have the current model for a good 5-6 weeks. a w e s o m e.

BTW, backlit kb was a nice feature to have (i had it in my late 1.86 80GB Air), but c'mon! Be serious! It is NOWHERE near being the dealbreaker here. However, I do believe the least they can do is putting a nice 2nd gen SB Core i3 in it. Graphics? If you cared about that, you'd be getting the MBP. As long as it plays video smoothly and it doesnt lag when using exposé or spaces (that happens with my business partner's 11.6 baseline Air) im #HappyLikeTheHippo.
 
Last edited:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8J2 Safari/6533.18.5)

Sooo getting a maxed 11".

I can understand the love for a backlit keyboard but I think that battery life is such important part of the package for the majority of buyers that Apple won't do anything that compromise battery life. And a backlit keyboard will be seen as such. I'd turn it off for that reason and I'd be slightly annoyed if I had to pay for an extra I'd not use. Build to order option by all means but don't be sticking it in and bumping the price please.

What I'm more interested in is a speed bump, increased ram and SSD options.

The graphics being intel don't put me off. If I can station spin, trade and skill train in Eve, with low settings, while on my travels I'll be happy.
 
applemagnet said:
If I read one more message about people demanding a backlit keyboard on the new Macbook Air, I'm gonna kill myself!

It's really not that important to anyone who knows how to type!

Learn to type people!!!! The amount of time you will save will be far greater than any gains a backlit keyboard will get you.

😀
Click to expand...
Touch typing works when your seated and wrist don't move to much.
What if they aren't typing but using the keyboard as a control device in conjunction with say another device like a mouse or special control interface.

In which case it's easier to set yourself in the first position you need from there yet set and muscle memory has some hope for working.
 
Anyone familiar with this care to hazard a guess at a release? If supplies are 'constrained' today does that mean we'll be seeing new MBAs today (it is a Tuesday) or is it likely still several weeks away?
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8J2 Safari/6533.18.5)

johneaston said:
Anyone familiar with this care to hazard a guess at a release? If supplies are 'constrained' today does that mean we'll be seeing new MBAs today (it is a Tuesday) or is it likely still several weeks away?
Click to expand...

I'd say at least till Lion ships. They'll either have it installed already or the USB stick that ships with them will have it on.

So we know that Lion will be coming soon at least. WWDC I'd guess.
 
should i keep hoping fro 15" AIR or should i buy the new sandy bridge 13"? 🙁
also are you all serious about the backlit keyboard, my ancient MBP has it and i never use it, its just distracting at night
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_3 like Mac OS X; en-gb) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8J2 Safari/6533.18.5)

If the new one comes with backlit keyboard I'll be even happier with my late 2010 13"! It's so nice having that extra function key to use for exposé show desktop! Plus not having ambient light sensor means you can put your hands anywhere. I never intentionally used my backlit on my '08 MBP; usually it was boot camp turning it on stupidly, but even that is fixed now; I'd sooner have been without it in general - that was one of the big ups of the original MBA, the option to have no backlit keyboard - but I'm pretty sure the function keys recovered on that machine couldn't be reassigned so late 2010 went one better! I can see them doing it though, and just taking off the useless eject key.

Oh and also, perfectly happy to have not waited for 3000 gpu, and happily for this post to go negative - ain't that a great system 🙂!
 
Nvidia announcement yesterday

Saw this post on slashdot yesterday and immediately thought "MB Air refresh".
"NVIDIA Announces New GeForce GTX 560M and GT 520MX Mobile GPUs"
http://hothardware.com/News/NVIDIA-Announced-New-GeForce-GTX-560M-and-GT-520MX-Mobile-GPUs/

No comments on this?

Apple has stuck with the ancient Intel Core2Duo processor in it's Air range partly due to the legal fight between Nvidia and Intel which has now been resolved.
Apple's logic appears to have been that the GPU was of greater importance than the CPU. I tend to agree given how much is off loaded onto GPU's now (Video CODEC especially).

There was a recent post on Intel Sandy Bridge Core i5/i7 here on Macrumors.
https://www.macrumors.com/2011/05/2...ghz-processors-suitable-for-next-macbook-air/
I can't see Apple releasing another Core2Duo MB Air.
I'm wondering if the new MB Air will offer both Intel and Nvidia's latest offerings?
 
If they bring back the IR Sensor and Backlit Keyboard, I would sell mine and upgrade. Otherwise, the speed bump is not a thing I need currently.

Bring on a refreshed Mini!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back