IF I had a choice between MBA and "netbook"...

[PracticalMac]

I'm pretty sure Scottsdale understands that the Air isn't for everyone. If you need an optical drive, ethernet, printer, and a few other USB peripherals (not to mention Firewire drives), then of course the Air won't be good for you. But for those of us who rarely use the optical drive and are primarily wireless (WiFi + wireless print hub + bluetooth) and occasionally plug our iPhones in long enough to do a backup/sync, the Air is just as capable of performing the duties of a primary computer. Fortunately for all of us, Apple makes more than 1 laptop; they actually make 5!

Well, the latter half of Scott's post does not come across that.

If I needed a netbook or secondary computer, and had a lot of money, I would buy an MBA. Or, if you are a normal "consumer" who can live with wireless connectivity, and love extreme portability, the MBA is a nice choice as a primary Mac!

Knock the MBA all you want, but for those of us who have really used one, it all makes perfect sense. It is the most fun I have ever had with a computer. It's super portable yet becomes an instant desktop when plugged into a 24" ACD! Honestly with 2.13 GHz CPU, and SSD, it feels like a Mac Pro for all normal tasks when plugged into my 24" LED backlit Apple Cinema Display!

So, Scott says you need a lot of money.
Something I eluded to in the beginning.

Let me put it this way:
For $899, I might purchase it.
For $699 I very likely get.

No doubt the MBA is a superb piece of hardware, its almost like sex just to touch it, but while it is really sexy, it lacks, well, substance.

You still need DVD's every once in a while, no way you can get away from that, and your choice of drive is fixed to only one.
That DVD drive hogs your only USB port. You have 0 ability to hook another device in, and to use a USB hub mean you cannot use the DVD drive.

Wireless is great, but when you realize it is limited in speed, it suddenly is not all the great as a sole connection.

Wi-Fi <<< USB2 < Giganet*/ FireWire 400* << FireWire 800 < eSATA
*In actual lab tests FW400 and Giganet was about same speed.

And one of the great features of the Mac, Target Disk mode, is gone in the MBA.


In short, it lacks too much stuff for the $$$$ asking.

 

[jdechko]

The thing is that if you are not a "power" user who needs raw power for games, tons of memory for intensive apps, or big display as desktop replacement, the MacBook Air is an excellent choice as a PRIMARY MAC!

...

if you are a normal "consumer" who can live with wireless connectivity, and love extreme portability, the MBA is a nice choice as a primary Mac!

Well, the latter half of Scott's post does not come across that.



So, Scott says you need a lot of money.
Something I eluded to in the beginning.

Let me put it this way:
For $899, I might purchase it.
For $699 I very likely get.

No doubt the MBA is a superb piece of hardware, its almost like sex just to touch it, but while it is really sexy, it lacks, well, substance.

You still need DVD's every once in a while, no way you can get away from that, and your choice of drive is fixed to only one.
That DVD drive hogs your only USB port. You have 0 ability to hook another device in, and to use a USB hub mean you cannot use the DVD drive.

Wireless is great, but when you realize it is limited in speed, it suddenly is not all the great as a sole connection.

Wi-Fi <<< USB2 < Giganet*/ FireWire 400* << FireWire 800 < eSATA
*In actual lab tests FW400 and Giganet was about same speed.

And one of the great features of the Mac, Target Disk mode, is gone in the MBA.


In short, it lacks too much stuff for the $$$$ asking.

I snipped Scottsdale's post to the relevant parts, and highlighted the word "if". He isn't saying it's one-size-fits-all, or even most. Yeah, it is more expensive for less performance.

I rarely use the DVD drive, and would put installers on a USB drive for the future, making it even more unnecessary. Also, there are other USB CD drives, not just the ones from Apple, and they all seem to work through Hubs (including the Apple one from some reports). WiFi and USB 2.0 are the fastest connections that most people use anyway, and while I don't discount that some people wouldn't appreciate the speed, most people just don't care.