How about people who don't have wireless routers? I'm the only one in my family who has a wireless enabled machine, so they don't see the need to buy a wireless router for just one person.
Ethernet is still a very viable way to get internet.
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1.8GHz SSD MacBook Air Drops $500
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How about people who don't have wireless routers? I'm the only one in my family who has a wireless enabled machine, so they don't see the need to buy a wireless router for just one person.
Ethernet is still a very viable way to get internet.
Okay I love price drops. Lower prices much better hands down but it seems that Apple is been doing this often recently. Remember iPhone? I don't want to lose my confidence to Apple when it comes to their product pricing incosistencies. It's just unfair for early adopters one year later should be the best time to lower their product prices.
Economics.... The first time something is out the door and has no competition, the more expensive. One it has become mainstream and the more competition, then price becomes the factor.
Ipods - over expensive but most innovative and friendly hardly any competition in the digital music market (along comes Zune and others, plus millions sold) - price drops to stay competitive
small laptops - not many in the market, along comes asus and a few others, plus more sold - price drops to stay competitive
Iphone - not many smart phones on the markets to compete, other companies start upping the anty on the smart phone, plus millions of iphones sold - price drops to stay competive
Also, SSD coming down in price quickly.
I think also the US economy may have something to do with it, with Gas going up, food going up, everything else going up, people are spending less on luxuary and technology. I know here in the US, mass transit is spiking due to the gas prices. A Macbook Air is a lot easier when riding the bus or subway than a bulky laptop. I got yelled at before because my laptop bag "was taking up too much room
". ever been on a crowded subway at rush hour, people are the meanest if you have baggage. Plus not to mention that on an airplane, getting down your laptop bag from the overhead compartment or getting it up from under the seat is a pain. Much easier if it was in a portfolio and slip it into the magazine pocket. 
. ever been on a crowded subway at rush hour, people are the meanest if you have baggage. Plus not to mention that on an airplane, getting down your laptop bag from the overhead compartment or getting it up from under the seat is a pain. Much easier if it was in a portfolio and slip it into the magazine pocket.
And that is the greatest weakness of the MBA. It really is not that portable. It cannot hold a very long charge, so you will probably need to carry an adapter. If you need ethernet (and there are a lot of hotels that only have ethernet) you need an adapter. More than one USB device? A hub. You get into the same situation of needing a laptop bag, the only difference is you have more external devices but the machine is smaller.
still waiting for Macbook Air Revision II. It's an ideal computer, but if my mediocre med school-supplied thinkpad can waste the current Air, what's the point in it? (Don't get me wrong, OSX>Win)
Nice to see they dropped the bourgeoisie option a few bucks - will remember to wait a couple months after release of Rev II... oh, and to see if they use crappy thermal paste again.
For the price of an Air, I've got a Mini at home and a Thinkpad on the run. I'm a computer nerd and Apple still hasn't tickled me enough to throw some cash at an Air. Swappable battery anyone? C'mon, we all remember the ipod battery misery...
Nice to see they dropped the bourgeoisie option a few bucks - will remember to wait a couple months after release of Rev II... oh, and to see if they use crappy thermal paste again.
For the price of an Air, I've got a Mini at home and a Thinkpad on the run. I'm a computer nerd and Apple still hasn't tickled me enough to throw some cash at an Air. Swappable battery anyone? C'mon, we all remember the ipod battery misery...
wow, way to go apple! it's stuff like this that make me such a loyal apple customer
Apple has quietly dropped the price of the high end MacBook Air by $500.
The high end MacBook Air comes equipped with a 1.8GHz upgrade (from 1.6GHz) and a 64GB Solid State Drive (SSD). The total price for the high end laptop is $2598. Compare this to the original price of the 1.8GHz/SSD MacBook Air at $3098 just last week (Google Cache).
The base price for the 1.6GHz 80GB Hard Drive MacBook Air remains at $1799. The difference in price appears to be a combination of price drops in both the processor upgrade ($200 vs $300) and SSD ($599 vs $999).
Article Link
I still use Ethernet a lot even though I have a wi-fi router. I find the speeds much faster than wi-fi and some say wired connections *can* be more secure (don't quote me
), but I wouldn't expect an Ethernet port in a device such as the MacBook Air as it's designed to be mobile, why would you use Ethernet in such a portable device?
I still use Ethernet a lot even though I have a wi-fi router. I find the speeds much faster than wi-fi and some say wired connections *can* be more secure (don't quote me
A lot of hotel's don't offer wi-fi, only ethernet connections.
I hear you, I'm waiting for rev.B, hoping for a 128 ssd (hopefully Apple will ditch PATA for SATA), and some performance improvements, then I'm off to the races
interestingly, the refurbished model is still $2,699.
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?nplm=FB450LL/A
woops
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?nplm=FB450LL/A
woops
Sounds to me like Apple is trying to clear the shelves to make way for a fall update. This is typical M.O. for Apple when they have more inventory than projected. Note how they didn't reduce the price of the 1.6., which Apple probably bought fewer of (the chips that is) + probably sells better than the 1.8s so doesn't need any help to clear the shelves.
Apple usually keeps 4-6 week inventories, and lets face it the, MBA's specs which were kinda stale out of the gate, are kinda moldy now. A Penryn based MBA is due at the very least.
Apple usually keeps 4-6 week inventories, and lets face it the, MBA's specs which were kinda stale out of the gate, are kinda moldy now. A Penryn based MBA is due at the very least.
Hey chupa, good to hear some of the old timers here backing up our hopes and projections for an update, whilst some newer guys swear that no updates within the next months will take place. And, lol, great way to put it, about the stale going moldy...but it's so true. Could you please, if you get the chance explain what you mean by apple's m.o. of keeping 4-6 weeks inventories? Does that mean that they keep ready to go about 4-6 weeks of projected sales in equipment?
Then, really, you shouldn't even be considering an Air if you don't even have a wireless router at home.
As for hotels only having ethernet - the simple solution is really to bring along an Airport Express. Instant wi-fi.
Don't know if you already know this but... you don't need a wireless router to connect wirelessly. If you enable the Internet Sharing option (the computer that's connected to the internet) and turn on your Airport (on your laptop) then you can wirelessly share your ethernet connection.
You have to carry a power adapter with all laptops if you're going out for any length of time. That still makes the MBA more portable, since the computer is lighter, even if the adapter isn't. I haven't used ethernet on the road with my PowerBook in years. The only USB device I even carry is a USB stick, so it's drastically unlikely I would need a hub. Explain to me why I need any of these external devices again?
not true at all. The computer that you enable the internet sharing on must have a wireless card. If the previous poster is the only one with a wireless enabled computer then obviously your suggestion is not an option.
Um... she said she was the only one in her family with a wireless-enabled machine. What computer is going to be doing the sharing, exactly?
Cheaper then A refurbished one
Macbook Air NewSSD =$2,598
Macbook Air SSD Educator Discounted = $2,418
Macbook Air SSD Refurbished from Apple = $2,699
HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
New one cheaper than a refurbished From apple
Macbook Air NewSSD =$2,598
Macbook Air SSD Educator Discounted = $2,418
Macbook Air SSD Refurbished from Apple = $2,699
HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
New one cheaper than a refurbished From apple
Ok, no need for machine like that - no purchase.
Need something else - no purchase.
Yeah, it's already made, it's called MacBook
WOW, just can't believe I said something like that
)))Guess hard spell of RDF is taking over me
(If you search my earlier comments this year, you'd find a lot of
bashing for weak Air ... )First of all I wasn't talking to you and if you read Cassie's profile, Cassie owns a HP Pavilion desktop. I was jumping to conclusion that most computers have a wireless card built in. Besides, some pavilions have a wireless card built in (yeah I read "the only one in her family with a wireless-enabled machine"). Purchasing a wireless card is still a cheap option.
Hm. I guess they haven't updated the refurb price, as it is more expensive then the new updated price.
Hope no one gets suckered into that one.
Hope no one gets suckered into that one.
This actually makes it a bit easier to consider the high end MBA. Before, I couldn't see getting the fiancee a book that costs more than the 17" MBP (or Mac Pro) with far less features no matter how thin and light it was.
it's still a bit much but at least it's $2600 instead of $3100. Still may get the 1.6 with 80GBs, but may consider the 1.6 with 64GB, or the 1.8 with 80GBs.
it's still a bit much but at least it's $2600 instead of $3100. Still may get the 1.6 with 80GBs, but may consider the 1.6 with 64GB, or the 1.8 with 80GBs.
I've been very close to buying the MBA several times and I have set my mind to getting one of next generation but I still would like to see one or two additional ports. I understand the space constraints, but what about a miniUSB or miniFireWire? Maybe they can find some space for that somewhere. Sure, I would need to either carry a miniUSB to USB adapter (but these things are really tiny) with me or get some miniUSB to miniUSB cables.