Why do some people appear to HATE the MBA?

[janstett]

What if the old car was a 2-ton SUV that could carry seven people and the new car is a beautiful sportscar than 'only' seats two?

The haters all sound like the neighbor stuck with the SUV

Only in this case, the "beautiful sportscar" does indeed look beautiful with a low and sleek body, but has the same freakishly gigantic and inappropriate wheelbase as the SUV (footprint of the Macbook Air vs Macbook Pro). And it doesn't have a very good engine like other true sports cars do. And it doesn't have a limited slip differential like other sports cars do (lack of features found on other ultraportables). And it has the "look-I-care" smug factor (ssd drive for $1k).

So in the end it's a wanna-be sports car for poseurs. It's the Honda Del-Sol or Ford Probe of sports cars.

 

[devilot]

Only in this case, the "beautiful sportscar" does indeed look beautiful with a low and sleek body, but has the same gigantic wheelbase as the SUV (footprint of the Macbook Air vs Macbook Pro). And it doesn't have a very good engine like other sports cars do. And it doesn't have a limited slip differential like other sports cars do (lack of features found on other ultraportables).

So in the end it's a wanna-be sports car for poseurs.

Sorry, if you wanna go w/ that analogy, it's probably better to clarify: wider wheel bases when low to the ground are good. Better stance, better grasp of the road. And yes, some "luxury" features get dropped on decent sports cars/ roadsters-- like cup holders because if you're buying and driving certain cars like that, you're in it for that kind of performance.

All in all, the analogy is odd and doesn't quite work out because people typically think of sports cars as being fast. And people think performance = more power and faster. Which truly, isn't always the case. Miatas are some of the best trackers. But they're not particularly known for their straight line. Guess that's a decent comparison. Elises have 4-bangers instead of the 8+ cylinders others usually expect or want out of a "sports car" but again, different strokes for different folks. The person who buys and drives an Elise or Miata wants and needs a very different experience from the person who buys an Enzo.

 

[janstett]

^ well yes, the car-computer analogies are always somewhat tortured. The wheelbase/footprint analogy has some merits and some drawback.

While lower/wider generally applies to supercars, a shorter/narrower wheelbase in sports cars also equates to nimbleness and agility -- quick turn in.

Anyway, I think we both realize the analogy is somewhat tortured and we can let it drop.

My biggest disappointment in the MBA is the footprint.

I sort of want an MBA for surfing around the house but I can't pull the trigger jsut for that. But for business travel and footprint my Thinkpad X61 hits the right marks, as did the 12" PB of yore. I just can't fit the MBA on a coach seat tray.

 

[mashoutposse]

I love car analogies

Only in this case, the "beautiful sportscar" does indeed look beautiful with a low and sleek body, but has the same freakishly gigantic and inappropriate wheelbase as the SUV (footprint of the Macbook Air vs Macbook Pro).

The MBA's footprint is definitely better than the MBP's. Still, the MBA's dimensions are much more like a wide Ferrari or a 911 Turbo with flared fenders

And it doesn't have a very good engine like other true sports cars do.

The MBA is the fastest ultrathin 3-pounds-and-under that money can buy. It is nearly twice as fast as the ULV CPU-powered Sony TZ, another "true sportscar" by our definition.

And it doesn't have a limited slip differential like other sports cars do (lack of features found on other ultraportables).

Nah, more like a purpose-built spartan, carbon fiber-laden interior with no radio or power windows -- think Ferrari F40 or Lotus Exige.

There are no screens in the headrests or flip-out in-dash DVD players to distract from the business of driving (computing). You just get the best seats and steering feel possible (class-leading screen and keyboard) bolted to a fantastic chassis made from exotic materials (superslim aluminum body).

And it has the "look-I-care" smug factor (ssd drive for $1k).

The best suspension setup money can buy

So in the end it's a wanna-be sports car for poseurs. It's the Honda Del-Sol or Ford Probe of sports cars.

Nope You wish, though, I'm sure

All in good fun!

 

[ctt1wbw]

Here's the best car analogy:

The Macbook Air doesn't cost 300 monthly on insurance.

 

[AppleIntelRock]

I love car analogies



The MBA's footprint is definitely better than the MBP's. Still, the MBA's dimensions are much more like a wide Ferrari or a 911 Turbo with flared fenders



The MBA is the fastest ultrathin 3-pounds-and-under that money can buy. It is nearly twice as fast as the ULV CPU-powered Sony TZ, another "true sportscar" by our definition.



Nah, more like a purpose-built spartan, carbon fiber-laden interior with no radio or power windows -- think Ferrari F40 or Lotus Exige.

There are no screens in the headrests or flip-out in-dash DVD players to distract from the business of driving (computing). You just get the best seats and steering feel possible (class-leading screen and keyboard) bolted to a fantastic chassis made from exotic materials (superslim aluminum body).



The best suspension setup money can buy



Nope You wish, though, I'm sure

All in good fun!

The Problem with the F40 analogy is that you can't really use an F40 everyday... you can use a Macbook Air every day (I take mine everywhere)

So by my very complicated math equation, rounding Pi to ten decimal places.

Macbook Air=8
F40=7

 

[Macintosh Man]

The thing might have some user specific, case sensitive flaws, like a lack of ethernet, or too big a footprint, or number of slots, whatever. A reasonable person can understand these things and accept that the air doesn't fit their needs.

The air also has some pretty glaring, undeniable flaws that I don't think anyone can justify.

The battery is the biggest one. It's not user replaceable. You know what? Fine. That'd be great if the thing got anywhere near its advertised running time, but the fact is, it doesn't. Can anyone, anyone, here justify the fact that you will be paying 2000-3000 dollars for a computer that lasts between two and three hours? Three and a half, at most?

That's just a necessity of ultraportable computers. If you can't swap the battery out for a new one, you best be getting a decent amount of time out of the air. The fact you can't is poor engineering on apple's part, plain and simple.

Well said, but unfortunately some of us here are such big Apple fanboys that if Steve Jobs pooped in a plastic bag, slapped an logo on it and sold it for $3,000, many would swear it's worth every penny. I'm not saying the MBA is poop, after all it does run Mac OS X which puts it way ahead of the competition but should be sold at $899.00 tops. If it's that stripped down why not strip down the price to match it? Oh that's right, it's thin. Price justified.

 

[ob81]

Well said, but unfortunately some of us here are such big Apple fanboys that if Steve Jobs pooped in a plastic bag, slapped an logo on it and sold it for $3,000, many would swear it's worth every penny. I'm not saying the MBA is poop, after all it does run Mac OS X which puts it way ahead of the competition but should be sold at $899.00 tops. If it's that stripped down why not strip down the price to match it? Oh that's right, it's thin. Price justified.

For it's purpose (questionable ultraportable) it is priced near fair. The fact that you have to buy the external writer, remote, and other things is what really puts the price up there. The price seems weird du eto the MBA being one of the most expensive 13" laptops on the market. That is where the arguement gets stuck. On one hand one could argue that the MBA is not a true Ultraportable at 13", thus it is over-priced, and on the other one could argue that the MBA is the new way that ultraportables will be, and the price is similar to any other ultra-portable.

 

[kuwisdelu]

On one hand one could argue that the MBA is not a true Ultraportable at 13", thus it is over-priced, and on the other one could argue that the MBA is the new way that ultraportables will be, and the price is similar to any other ultra-portable.

Or one could just argue that it's Apple's interpretation of an ultraportable, which offers its own strengths and weaknesses as an ultraportable that some will like and some won't like, but as an ultraportable, it is priced as fairly as the rest of them.

 

[MazingerZ]

Well said, but unfortunately some of us here are such big Apple fanboys that if Steve Jobs pooped in a plastic bag, slapped an logo on it and sold it for $3,000, many would swear it's worth every penny. I'm not saying the MBA is poop, after all it does run Mac OS X which puts it way ahead of the competition but should be sold at $899.00 tops. If it's that stripped down why not strip down the price to match it? Oh that's right, it's thin. Price justified.

Wow...an Apple insider in our midsts! Do you actually know how much each MBA costs to make? R&D Costs? Overhead and margins? Or did you just pull that number out of you a$$?

 

[HLdan]

Well said, but unfortunately some of us here are such big Apple fanboys that if Steve Jobs pooped in a plastic bag, slapped an logo on it and sold it for $3,000, many would swear it's worth every penny. I'm not saying the MBA is poop, after all it does run Mac OS X which puts it way ahead of the competition but should be sold at $899.00 tops. If it's that stripped down why not strip down the price to match it? Oh that's right, it's thin. Price justified.

See the problem with your opinion on the AIR's price mimics the ignorant argument that a person can get a Dell XPS 1530 with similar specs to the MBP for a lot less.

Specs don't tell all the story, there's a lot more involved, one big thing being that of the fit and finish.
Dell's fit and finish stinks. The outer casing is cheap and the keyboard is cheap and that makes a big difference on longevity and resale value. After a couple of years the Dell will look aged from wear and tear.

The MBA AIR's fit and finish is outstanding. It's better than the MBP. The alu shell is very strong and durable and the keyboard is stronger as well and much better than the MBP or the Macbook keyboard.
Fit and finish makes a big difference for me when I buy things. Features are important but so what if the thing is cheap. What I hate about the black and white Macbook is the white one scratches way too easily and gets dirty and the black one (while matte) picks up fingerprints and will show signs of wear.

 

[Catch]

Well said, but unfortunately some of us here are such big Apple fanboys that if Steve Jobs pooped in a plastic bag, slapped an logo on it and sold it for $3,000, many would swear it's worth every penny. I'm not saying the MBA is poop, after all it does run Mac OS X which puts it way ahead of the competition but should be sold at $899.00 tops. If it's that stripped down why not strip down the price to match it? Oh that's right, it's thin. Price justified.

Did it ever occur to you that Apple may have priced this thing where it is to fit in to the pricing of its other laptops. Selling things is a complex business and many variables must be considered. Even if it was cheap to produce, which I doubt very much, Steve would want to price and position this laptop to complement Apples range and not cannibalize other ranges. Regardless, the machine is priced where Apple needs it to be.

If you cannot justify the price, buy something cheaper, or more feature packed. Enjoy carrying around that super drive without using it 'in case someone asks you to load something'...

So if a machine fits your needs you are a 'fanboi', 'retarded', 'rich', or now to top it all a 'Steve poop lover'... Grow up already...

I do wonder what would happen to the number of 'whiners' if all the 'gamers' would just go back to the MBP forums. Something tells me there would be very little 'whining' going on...


Regards,

C

 

[MRU]

So if a machine fits your needs you are a 'fanboi', 'retarded', 'rich', or now to top it all a 'Steve poop lover'... Grow up already...

I do wonder what would happen to the number of 'whiners' if all the 'gamers' would just go back to the MBP forums. Something tells me there would be very little 'whining' going on...

Apparently it does going on the level of venomous bile that has been spat out by these supposed purveyors of all knowledge who assume we are all wrong for liking the macbook air and finding it fits within 'our' budgets.

How dare we find a niche for this product.. How very dare we.



Conspiracy..

I suspect that the macbook air was not manufactured in China at all, and may indeed have been produced in the fires of 'Mordor' , for as this beast was released unto the unsuspecting public, the forums became over run with bitter ugly trolls. Surely it can't just be a co-incidence

 

[janstett]

I paid more than that for a Dell XPS that lasts about 2 hours. On the Air, I've been getting over 4 hours per charge.

the difference is that the XPS is one of those ultrapowerful laptops that uses a desktop CPU, isn't it? Like an Alienware. Wrong end of the spectrum.

There is another flaw to the battery design -- not just that you can't remove it but it's not expandable. On some like lenovo and dell the 8 cell batteries can bump out the back. Combined with a 2nd battery in the modular drive bay you can get 8 hour computing. This is another gigantic failure of the MacBook air IMO.

 

[ctt1wbw]

Well said, but unfortunately some of us here are such big Apple fanboys that if Steve Jobs pooped in a plastic bag, slapped an logo on it and sold it for $3,000, many would swear it's worth every penny. I'm not saying the MBA is poop, after all it does run Mac OS X which puts it way ahead of the competition but should be sold at $899.00 tops. If it's that stripped down why not strip down the price to match it? Oh that's right, it's thin. Price justified.

It's not stripped down for Christ sake. Many ultraportables don't have an optical drive. I've been using mine for a week, but I wonder how, since it doesn't have an optical drive. I'm surprised it barely turns on because of it.

And I haven't even used the usb mouse because this touchpad is so simple and easy to use. So that leaves me with only ONE usb enabled device and that's my Canon G7 Powershot. I don't own any firewire devices, in fact I've never owned a firewire device. So how is this stripped down? It's almost as fast as my new Dell Inspiron laptop, which has a 1.6 C2D in it, too.

 

[diabolic]

the difference is that the XPS is one of those ultrapowerful laptops that uses a desktop CPU, isn't it? Like an Alienware. Wrong end of the spectrum.

I realize the differences. I was just talking price vs. battery life.

It's ridiculous that the same people that complain the MBA is underpowered are also expecting 7 hours of battery life. For the processor power it has, which is more than competitors, the battery has been fine, at least in my case. They can't just magically put 7 hours of battery life in there. There are plenty of tradeoffs that have to be made.

I think it hits a sweet spot having more processor power than other ultraportables while maintaining a relatively large screen and full keyboard.

I don't see people running flawless 1080p HD video on their Sony TZs or Asus EEEs, but if the MBA hiccups while trying it, then it's a design problem with the MBA. Hilarious.

 

[ctt1wbw]

I realize the differences. I was just talking price vs. battery life.

It's ridiculous that the same people that complain the MBA is underpowered are also expecting 7 hours of battery life. For the processor power it has, which is more than competitors, the battery has been fine, at least in my case. They can't just magically put 7 hours of battery life in there. There are plenty of tradeoffs that have to be made.

I think it hits a sweet spot having more processor power than other ultraportables while maintaining a relatively large screen and full keyboard.

I don't see people running flawless 1080p HD video on their Sony TZs or Asus EEEs, but if the MBA hiccups while trying it, then it's a design problem with the MBA. Hilarious.

That's it! I've had it up to HERE! I'm suing Apple.

 

[dsnort]

I suspect that the macbook air was not manufactured in China at all, and may indeed have been produced in the fires of 'Mordor' , for as this beast was released unto the unsuspecting public, the forums became over run with bitter ugly trolls. Surely it can't just be a co-incidence

No coincidence, it's a very common and oft repeated phenomenon here on the forums.

Every time Apple releases a new product, the forums become populated with "New Members" who have "been a Mac fan since SJ was playing with building blocks", but who just happened to join MacRumors this very day so that the rest of the members can have benefit of their superior knowledge of all things computer to illustrate how "Apple really blew it this time", the new product is an "obvious rip off", because you can "buy a similarly specced ABC POC comp for $xx.xx less", etc etc ad nauseum.......

But don't dare call them Trolls.....