MacBook Air Unboxing Photos and Wireless Booting

[NYCMacFan]

I wonder when the reviews for the Macbook Air Come Out??? Soon?

Who has one? I was under the impression that even the stores in the US have not gotten any floor display models?

Anyone see/hear differently?

I would want the SSD which would in the long run still put this over the $3000.00 mark. Perhaps once I have a regular teaching gig, I'll be able to get my hands on one or maybe Apple will start selling other laptops with SSD in them rather than standard HDDs. Still looking forward to seeing these in person.

Yeah. Although what I may do is go with the MBA 1.6htz and then upgrade to the SSD. With educational discount, this makes it $2,598.

I am on an old ibook G4 and so anything will see so fast, I'd rather have the extra 20-30 minutes in battery life that I am guessing the 1.6 has to offer at its lower wattage.

I won't pre-order as I really want to hold the MBA and especially get a sense of the size/weight. I really also check out the speaker quality as my ibook is rather loud for its size and I fear the speaker on this thing...

 

[mmendoza27]

I agree with other posters that the MBA is ahead of it's time. It's a great device, but they sacrificed a lot to get it in such a small package. I think when Intel starts shooting out 32 and 22 nm processors, along with cheaper prices for SSD, this will be a real winner.

As for people wanting one now, more power to them if it works for them. I dunno, my next laptop purchase will not be until mid or late-2009, so we'll see if this is my next laptop, or a the then 17" MBP, which is what I have now.

I like the whole wireless thing. I have all my media on my external hard drive which is hooked up to my airport extreme. I just stream all my music, DVD's, and high-definition movies to my 17" MacBook Pro. I'd be doing the same with the MBA, everything would be wirelessly and I'd never really use the ports on the side, with the exception of the micro-DVI.

 

[pjmurphy77]

WOW! How big was your focus group?? Out of the 10 Mac users I just queried, 8 love this thing and 6 will buy.

Wonderful, beautiful machine which is relatively unusable and unsuited for 99% of Mac users.

But, they will sell a ton of them to the other 1%.

Not even tempted personally.

 

[Stratus Fear]

I was wondering about that too. I wonder if it will only boot wirelessly if there is a pre-existing OS on the system or if they actually have a small hidden boot partition on the HDD.

It seems that the MBA will need some sort of pre-existing file that contains network connection details like login account, passwords, encryption keys, etc. Otherwise how will it connect to the machine that serves the optical media to the MBA.

I'm not sure why this would be the case. If you take a look at Apple's developer notes, the MacBook Air's EFI ROM is twice the size of that of their other machines (4MB vs 2MB). It's not at all far-fetched that they could fit a lightweight 802.11 stack, Wi-Fi driver, and simple configuration and graphical connection interface for wireless booting within the extra 2MB. Putting something on the HDD wouldn't make nearly as much sense, IMO. That's a far more volatile storage area than a ROM that rarely gets written to outside of firmware updates.

 

[Ugg]

No one has mentioned it here, but isn't this the first Apple laptop to ship without styrofoam?

That's a big win if you ask me.

3 years ago I bought a 12" PowerBook and there wasn't even a styrofoam peanut in the box, it was all cardboard.

 

[elgruga]

Wonderful, beautiful machine which is relatively unusable and unsuited for 99% of Mac users.

I dont agree - you have it backwards:
Its unusable for 1% of Mac users and just fine (if we are honest) for the other 99%.

They might not be able to afford it, and they believe that they need all the extra ports, but they dont.

Most people surf the 'net, get their email and write Word documents or mess about with Photoshop.
Thats all. Easy with the Air.

if you want to watch DVD's , get the add-on drive for $99. (thats actually really cheap, and you can use it with any computer with a USB 2.0 port, I think.)


Of course, we all have fantasies that we are serious hackers and we need a huge tower with 8 terabytes of storage and 6 redundant back-up systems and a RAID array with UPS for 12 kilowatts blah blah.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.... sorry, I fell asleep there daydreaming about my perfect computer waiting for me on the planet Zargon.

 

[nintyuser]

Ok. So with wireless booting being added in 10.5.2. I want to clarify this, so will it add remote disc to mbp/mb's, mac pro's,imacs, mini's(running leopard of course) etc. Or is it just wireless from another mac/pc? Kinda confused as to what this means or does anyone not know for sure.

Thanks!

 

[elgruga]

I LOVE the AIR - going to buy one as soon as they arrive!

Worlds thinnest, lightest, and most beautiful computer.

 

[cohibadad]

Um, $599 Mini -- $99 external drive

Pretty sure the Mini is more expensive. Of course the Mini is worth the 599, not so sure about the external drive.

lol. I thought he meant a computer that costs a lot more...than a MBA.

 

[dannbohn]

It can be done without the $99 external SuperDrive if you have a computer that costs a lot more.

I'm pretty sure the MBA isn't meant to be your only computer.

 

[rtdunham]

I'm pretty sure the MBA isn't meant to be your only computer.

Probably true. But I've outlined a scenario below that can give you up to 320GB storage, plus the ability to back up under a variety of circumstances. With the SSD model this would be potent stuff!

...does one have to buy time capsule in order to back up the MBA. . .

Short answer: NO. Long answer:

i spent a lot of time at MWSF with the apple guys at the MBAir and Time Capsule displays, grilling them on backup strategies (with only one USB port the simplest methods aren't viable on an Air).

They assured me i could back up an Air to a) time capsule using time machine; b) a 3rd party NAS drive connected to a non-apple router, using time machine; c) an NAS drive using superduper or some other backup app; d) an external drive using time machine. And I think they told me i could backup to time capsule's HD using some other backup app, but i won't swear to that.

The problem I have is that with only 64 or 80 GB of storage, an external drive is (for my purposes, at least) going to have to be used just to carry the files I'd normally carry on my MB or MBP. So the real question is, "how do you backup your external drive?" That's not a problem if you have another computer with more typical, more generous port configuration (meaning ANY other mac). If you don't, and have only the Air, it's a challenge: a) b) or c) above would work; d) wouldn't.

And I figure lots of buyers would want to carry the Air back and forth between home and office, or, as in my case, two different home bases. I'm sometimes at one place or the other for more than a month, so I'm going to want to make backups in both places. I was disappointed to hear from the MWSF apple guys that time machine can ONLY back up to a single target (meaning my scheme, to hang an NAS drive or Time Capsule at both my destinations, and use time machine at each place, won't work. I can, however--and this would be my plan--use time capsule at one location with time machine, and use an NAS drive and superduper at the other).

It's not unreasonable for a dramatic new product to force some compromises, and to spawn some creative new solutions.

 

[eddietr]

Short answer: NO. Long answer:

[snipped]

It's not unreasonable for a dramatic new product to force some compromises, and to spawn some creative new solutions.

Hmmm, it sounds like your work pattern is such that 64 or 80GB is not particularly practical for you. The MBA is a great compact design, but I'm not sure if I'd be as interested in it with a HD hanging off the side most of the time. Maybe a MBP would be better?

But if you stick with the MBA, you could put a small time machine drive and a small usb hub in our bag when you move from home base to home base.

 

[rtdunham]

Hmmm, it sounds like your work pattern is such that 64 or 80GB is not particularly practical for you. The MBA is a great compact design, but I'm not sure if I'd be as interested in it with a HD hanging off the side most of the time. Maybe a MBP would be better?

You're right. My present computer's a MB. I bought a western digital scorpio 320 GB internal for it, and a WD passport external 320 for backup. That certainly leaves me with less to carry around, with all my files on the machine's drive, and with added functionality (the internal optical drive, dual usb ports and a firewire port, etc.)

But I'm going to use the updated setup to explore how things would work in the MBAir scenario i outlined above. By the time that experiment's done there might be a new MBP to tempt me, or i might be content with the MB, or i might do as my brother's done and order the SSD Air.

But if you stick with the MBA, you could put a small time machine drive and a small usb hub in your bag when you move from home base to home base.

In addition to the apple folks, i spent considerable time with very knowledgeable guys at LaCie and Western Digital, discussing the backup schemes. They think that usb hub would have to be a powered one, if it's used to connect the external HD AND a 2nd external HD to back it up. Obviously by the time you add a couple (even small) external drives and an optical drive and a powered hub, you've equalled or exceeded the weight and volume of a MB or MBP, AND you're carrying a bunch of little pieces instead of the convenience of all-in-one.

Like i said, the Air poses some challenges and it'll be interesting to see what solutions sort out for some of them.

 

[nintyuser]

So it looks like it's been corrected on the main page. But wireless booting or remote disc like capabilities still are neat to have in other macs. I mean would blu-ray/hddvd drives work? For data back up of course. Movie play back maybe. Or is it only set to work with booting software? Any thoughts?

 

[nintyuser]

Ah i get it. Wireless sharing so it won't add remote disc to current macs. Boo! I know apple wants people to get the Air. But I clearly would pay money or something to get the remote disc software for my pro. I just like the fact that it's neat to use since I could use a newer dvd drive or hd drives. Ah well feb 8th isn't to far away to try this stuff out in apple stores. Or somebody leaks it on the net for other mac users to use...

 

[eddietr]

They think that usb hub would have to be a powered one, if it's used to connect the external HD AND a 2nd external HD to back it up. Obviously by the time you add a couple (even small) external drives and an optical drive and a powered hub, you've equalled or exceeded the weight and volume of a MB or MBP, AND you're carrying a bunch of little pieces instead of the convenience of all-in-one.

Yes, good point about power.

I don't know, sounds a bit ugly to me. There is a reason Apple offers three different Macbook sizes. One size certainly does not fit all.

I ordered the SSD also. But my usage pattern is very different, so the 64GB works for me. And carrying my MBP around is overkill.

 

[evillageprowler]

I'm surprised that so many folks are ga-ga over the wireless booting/install capability of the MBA... Wireless booting is just network booting using 802.11 instead of 802.3, and network booting has been around since the '80's. Sun workstations used to be routinely configured without any local disk whatsoever; everything was obtained remotely, including the swap area.

There've been many network boot/install methods since then, including Jumpstart, PXE, DHCP, bootp and homegrown wrappers around basic network booting. We've had this sort of thing for all sorts of computers: Suns, Apollos, Linux PC's and Windows PC's to name just a few.

This part of the MBA is much ado about nothing. Now, the package as a whole is quite impressive. Pricey and probably not for me, but impressive nevertheless.

EVP

 

[rkevwill]

I'm not sure how much good wireless booting would do me, if I'm in a little hotel I frequent in Montana (which has great wifi btw). Personally I am hoping there is or will be some way to put a boot disk on a usb keydrive. Frankly, in the last 10 years I have only had one serious problem (that was in St Martin) with a laptop when traveling, and that was on a Win98 machine. I am still trying to figure out, how will wireless booting help, if your machine is dead or locked up, and you haven't been able to select the wireless disk as the boot disk.

I'm just thoroughly cornfused on that part. Oh well, I will be getting one of the MBA's when my ibook turns 3 later this year, and I will deal with that situation and knowledge then. At any rate, I doubt very seriously if I will get an external optical drive.

I also played with the MBA's at Macworld, and indeed, they are very cool, very sturdy, and very light devices.

 

[Antimatter]

I don't get what all the fuss is about wireless booting. Wow! I can boot my Mac wirelessly. Are we that lazy now? Someone care to enlighten me?

 

[xparaparafreakx]

The firmware is already in there, you have to ask the macworld people to show you.

Hold option when you start it up, the option to select disc comes up.

Below it, it has a list of wireless it can connect with a button to refresh the list.

In the list, you can pick wireless networks. The ones with a lock, you can put the password so you can connect into it.

Also on the bottom of the list, there is a choice to put in the SSID and Password.

 

[digitalbiker]

I LOVE the AIR - going to buy one as soon as they arrive!

Worlds thinnest, lightest, and most beautiful computer.

I guess to each his own. I think it looks kind of ugly and out dated. The aluminum clam shell saucer wedge shape has been the defacto standard for years now.

I wish Apple would get off this silver, gray, metal kick.

It also looks like Apple could have reduced the foot print a lot and not sacrificed any thickness just by rounding, rather than tapering the bezel.

 

[moki]

Wonderful, beautiful machine which is relatively unusable and unsuited for 99% of Mac users.

But, they will sell a ton of them to the other 1%.

Not even tempted personally.

For what it's worth, here's why I ordered a MacBook Air.

 

[BWhaler]

It looks incredible. I can't wait until mine arrives, and fingers crossed that it doesn't have the Apple quality problems of late...

Also, it is good to see Apple lead the way with smaller packaging for the environment. This is great.

 

[008325]

Can install Windows XP or Vista via Wireless Boot ?

 

[emotion]

For what it's worth, here's why I ordered a MacBook Air.

You want EVDO? WiMax is coming. Intel are behind it, so I expect Apple to be too.

Maybe Google's attempt at buying frequencies will mean a nation-wide (US) WiMax network? Anyway, I think this is what the future holds for Apple mobile devices.