Not to mention the higher end model is just way to expensive. Could buy a 15'' MBP and a cinema display for that and have a lot more fun!
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Apple Announces MacBook Air
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With respect (seriously), a little bit more...perspective...is in order.
Why does Apple make the MacBook and MacBook Pro? Why not just one model?
Why do they make the Mac Mini and the Mac Pro? Why not just one model?
Why not just offer the iMac instead of the MM and MP since it's all-in-one which is the simplicity and ease of use that are Apple design hallmarks?
Why do they make the iPod Shuffle, the iPod Nano, the iPod Classic, and the iPod Touch? Why not just one model?
Because each device appeals to a different market.
Just because someone does not see a need for it where others do, this does not mean the product itself sucks. It just means it's not for them.
A number of people were arguing for just this form factor and feature-set and if Apple had come out with something bigger and heavier and more capable, they'd be in here bitching about it, instead.
Apple chooses not to please everyone all the time.
If you really want "something for everyone", run Windows on a PC.
very well thought out response, thank you.
I need a sugar daddy
Well, that is lovely.
However, there's so much silver around the screen that it kind of looks like my aging but very much in use 12" PB G4. And come to think of it ... I think my nice old laptop fits in those manilla envelopes, too!
I'm going to start using it right now and just not look at it from the sides so I can pretend I have a MacBook Air until I can afford one.
Well, that is lovely.
However, there's so much silver around the screen that it kind of looks like my aging but very much in use 12" PB G4. And come to think of it ... I think my nice old laptop fits in those manilla envelopes, too!
I'm going to start using it right now and just not look at it from the sides so I can pretend I have a MacBook Air until I can afford one.
It sounds decent, but I'm left a bit underwhelmed. I would of expected a 160GB drive like the iPod's seeing as they're using the same drives. I would of thought they'd get Intel to shrink a 1.8 and 2.0GHz chip at least. 2GB RAM I presume is non-negotiable, built-in and non-upgradeable. Meh.
It just lacks, but I'll wait to see it in person.
And I wonder if that multi-touch firmware for the trackpad will come to exiting MB/MBP's ? I would think it'd certainly be possible. Maybe someone could extract the required kext's or whatever they are ?
Finally, will the Superdrive be available as a stand-alone purchase for existing MB/MBP owners who have combo drives built-in ?
It just lacks, but I'll wait to see it in person.
And I wonder if that multi-touch firmware for the trackpad will come to exiting MB/MBP's ? I would think it'd certainly be possible. Maybe someone could extract the required kext's or whatever they are ?
Finally, will the Superdrive be available as a stand-alone purchase for existing MB/MBP owners who have combo drives built-in ?
Kind of a disappointment
Nothing revolutionary, like no moving parts, solar recharging, etc... Maybe the revolution is still in the works.
Nothing revolutionary, like no moving parts, solar recharging, etc... Maybe the revolution is still in the works.
The thing that really sucks is that now that the case is metal it will have the same sad wifi range as the MBP.
I was hoping for a MacBook or MacBook pro with a multitouch trackpad.
This this is awesome and small and thin but not enough performance for the price for me. I need a HD larger than 80 GB and I would like a bit more processor power if I am going to upgrade my 12". Unfortunately, the Air would have the same hard drive or smaller.
This this is awesome and small and thin but not enough performance for the price for me. I need a HD larger than 80 GB and I would like a bit more processor power if I am going to upgrade my 12". Unfortunately, the Air would have the same hard drive or smaller.
Lots of negative reaction here - but that just means its NOT for you.
Would I buy one? Yes, if I was doing a lot of on-the-road work.
Right now, the MacBook seems like a hell of a good buy, and maybe thats what Apple have done here - offered the cutting edge skinny thing, which pleases all the cool people with cash, and thus highlight the great deal that is MacBook.
Thats a good marketing ploy.
This is NOT a mainstream machine.
I dont like the bezel look, the slanty look, because it seems weak to me.
I would have preferred something more akin to the thinness of the ipod touch, rounded and constant in its thickness.
Somehow, the tapered thing doesnt feel right.
So if you have the slanty look, then you have large screen surround, its almost like the design is half done.
Slanty doesnt go with the 13.3" and the big border. Odd.
I think we will all have to see one in the flesh to be sure here. I think I like it.
Its slowly making sense.
The ports are fine - I have NEVER used the ethernet port on my MBP.
Would I buy one? Yes, if I was doing a lot of on-the-road work.
Right now, the MacBook seems like a hell of a good buy, and maybe thats what Apple have done here - offered the cutting edge skinny thing, which pleases all the cool people with cash, and thus highlight the great deal that is MacBook.
Thats a good marketing ploy.
This is NOT a mainstream machine.
I dont like the bezel look, the slanty look, because it seems weak to me.
I would have preferred something more akin to the thinness of the ipod touch, rounded and constant in its thickness.
Somehow, the tapered thing doesnt feel right.
So if you have the slanty look, then you have large screen surround, its almost like the design is half done.
Slanty doesnt go with the 13.3" and the big border. Odd.
I think we will all have to see one in the flesh to be sure here. I think I like it.
Its slowly making sense.
The ports are fine - I have NEVER used the ethernet port on my MBP.
I do think that this will be a much more attractive computer in a year or two when SSDs are doable for a reasonable price. I don't think I'd want this with the 1.8" hard drive in it. Not convinced they'll last long. (Isn't it true that you shouldn't run OSX off an iPod (classic) for an extended time because the hard drive can't handle it? Wouldn't that hold true for the Air? Or have there been improvements to those drives recently?
Honestly though I think this MBA is a beast, ugly as sin. It looks like an HP in terms of coloring.
Who at Apple thought a black keyboard was a good idea on a machine that isn't black?
Lame.
The screen is very unattractive too.
Who at Apple thought a black keyboard was a good idea on a machine that isn't black?
Lame.
The screen is very unattractive too.
The MB's drive is also 5400rpm... 4200 rpm drives suck for laptops... My last laptop had such a 4200 rpm drive.. It was quite slow.
Not that I can tell.
Yeah...same as the iPod Mini!
Oh, wait. That was far and away one of the best-selling iPods up to that point?
Hmm...
I pity you if the only reaction you can come up with after seeing something that is by anyone's standards a beautiful piece of engineering is to call it a 'turd'. What is wrong with you?
That's what I'm thinking!
Btw, I feel sorry for ANYone complaining about the name, design, price, etc.
Take it easy. The thing is gorgeous and the name is clever.
Regarding price, I do wish they had hit the 1499. Just for nice numbers sake, I suppose.
This is precisely the point to me.
From what I understand, the firewire controller is huge compared to the USB ones, which is why the iPod had to take it out. Please correct me if wrong.
But isn't the Sony UMPC very very expensive as it is? For that tiny screen ... prohibitively small for computing for me.
Amen!
This is where I think a bit more thickness could have served them well -- I'm sticking to my story on this -- I think they tried for 10 h in some designs, couldn't hit it, and traded off thinness for battery. Too bad.
Agreed on the bezel. Yikes!
Good question ....
well I'm getting one 'cos it fits my requirements perfectly as a complement to my mac pro.
Just got to decide if the SSD can be justified now
This is precisely the point to me.
The lack of Firewire is a real shame, USB soundcards are generally inferior to their Firewire cousins, from my experience
I'm guessing the hard drive isn't user replaceable...?
EDIT: I still think it looks AMAZING though!
From what I understand, the firewire controller is huge compared to the USB ones, which is why the iPod had to take it out. Please correct me if wrong.
But isn't the Sony UMPC very very expensive as it is? For that tiny screen ... prohibitively small for computing for me.
Amen!
This is where I think a bit more thickness could have served them well -- I'm sticking to my story on this -- I think they tried for 10 h in some designs, couldn't hit it, and traded off thinness for battery. Too bad.
Agreed on the bezel. Yikes!
Good question ....
Just a reminder...
This is the same group of clowns that proclaimed:
The new Nano was ugly and a failure..
The iMac was ugly and a failure...
The iphone would never fly...
Do I need to go on?
Once again we will see why he is Steve Jobs and you folks are not.
This is the same group of clowns that proclaimed:
The new Nano was ugly and a failure..
The iMac was ugly and a failure...
The iphone would never fly...
Do I need to go on?
Once again we will see why he is Steve Jobs and you folks are not.
how many times do you have to post this? I get the point, and in fact, agree that im not sure about the name. However, I think that it would make a perfect companion for the mac pro i await, and as i have to take my laptop (currently a mbp) all over the place, it seems like a really good idea!
I really like the MacBook Air, if not the name. Sure the 1.6/8 GHz is a bit slow, but it's Santa Rosa with 2GB of RAM. This isn't meant for power computing (although I did find it amusing they're pitching FCE with it - I can't imagine what that would do to the poor 1.8"/4200 drive), but portability.
I'm a little sad there's only one USB 2 port, two would have been nice. And, I suppose others are pissed that there's no FireWire (but a FW bus is really big and power hungry by the standards of the MBA).
And, I'd bet that folks are going to quickly figure out how to open them and upgrade the hard drive.
I think it's a great start, although the integrated battery also gives me pause for concern - what happens when it's old?
One prediction I will make is an uptick in cracked LCD screens on these, though.
I'm a little sad there's only one USB 2 port, two would have been nice. And, I suppose others are pissed that there's no FireWire (but a FW bus is really big and power hungry by the standards of the MBA).
And, I'd bet that folks are going to quickly figure out how to open them and upgrade the hard drive.
I think it's a great start, although the integrated battery also gives me pause for concern - what happens when it's old?
One prediction I will make is an uptick in cracked LCD screens on these, though.
Weight
I wonder how much the Superdrive weighs - no specs on that. I suppose you can leave it in your room. I wonder how much thickness and weight they "saved" by not including the optical drive in the computer, and how much it adds being a separate item.
In the MacRumorsLive transcript they had Steve saying "3 lbs was a good target weight, but required too many compromises with features." Then no weight mentioned at all. So I expected a weight of 3.5 lbs or so. But the spec say 3.0 lbs. Something must have got lost in the translation (aside from the optical drive).
I wonder how much the Superdrive weighs - no specs on that. I suppose you can leave it in your room. I wonder how much thickness and weight they "saved" by not including the optical drive in the computer, and how much it adds being a separate item.
In the MacRumorsLive transcript they had Steve saying "3 lbs was a good target weight, but required too many compromises with features." Then no weight mentioned at all. So I expected a weight of 3.5 lbs or so. But the spec say 3.0 lbs. Something must have got lost in the translation (aside from the optical drive).
It's super sexy .
Too bad it's also super useless; at the exact same size of a MB it's a little thinner and lighter, both doesn't really improve portability by much, if at all. You'll need a really strong and well padded sleeve to keep it safe.
No firewire, integrated graphics, slow HD and processor, big size at a fairly high prize; it can't be used by professionals, who but Apple nerds and trust-fund kids will buy that thing ?
A successor of the 12" PB, now that would have been something to drool over; this Air is one to go with the other gadgets in Apple's lineup, an overprized, oversized internet toy.
Poor example of form over function all the way...
.Too bad it's also super useless; at the exact same size of a MB it's a little thinner and lighter, both doesn't really improve portability by much, if at all. You'll need a really strong and well padded sleeve to keep it safe.
No firewire, integrated graphics, slow HD and processor, big size at a fairly high prize; it can't be used by professionals, who but Apple nerds and trust-fund kids will buy that thing ?
A successor of the 12" PB, now that would have been something to drool over; this Air is one to go with the other gadgets in Apple's lineup, an overprized, oversized internet toy.
Poor example of form over function all the way...
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