Apple Announces New 13.3-Inch and 11.6-Inch MacBook Air Models with Flash Storage

[acidfast7]

no 4G on the MBA (edit: 4G as in fourth-generation mobile speeds ... in the US it's still called LTE I think)

seriously, WTF ... we've had 50/5 4G service in Stockholm since 2009 and I still can't use it with any Apple product.

:thumbs down on that garbage:

and this is coming from a guy with two 27" iMacs, a 20" iMac, a uniboby MacBook, a black MacBook and a 2G iTouch.

 

[dXTC]

It looks to me that the only thing great about this new MBA is that you can impress others with it. I have the original MBA when it first came out. When novelty wears out, there's nothing great about it I can think of.

The suckiest thing is the slow single USB port. And the clunky superdrive for the MBA is so slow (and bulky too, if you think about it) and sometimes faulty. Then there's no ethernet port either. And it isn't exactly light as netbook out there (which some have 2 usb ports).

Oh, and did I mention that it's S....L....O....W....?!

I would like to point out to you that both new models have two count'em two USB ports now.

EDIT: I now see you were talking about the old MBA.

no 4G on the MBA

Yes, there is, for $100 upgrade.

 

[Colman]

My first release MBA still works just fine. Sure, it's not as fast as my 27" iMac, but for a two year old it's perfectly fine - as a super portable second machine, which is what it was bought as. I really don't know what the people who whine about theirs thought they were buying.

 

[Chundles]

The keyboard is no longer backlit on either model of the MacBook Air. That's a shame, love the backlit keyboard.

 

[scottrichardson]

Just want to vent about Australian pricing...

Considering our Aussie dollar is basically at a 1:1 parity with the US dollar, why on earth are we being taxed up to 33%??

ie: $100 memory upgrade is $150 AUD, same for processor.

$999 11" air is $1199 AUD.

What a joke Apple Australia. I understand to a degree with the actual laptops.. import duties and the like.. but for RAM upgrades? Really? 33% price hike?

At those prices I'll just wait and buy the next macbook pro 13" when you release it with the 1440 x 900 screen.

Scott

 

[menomano]

the width of the bezel is huge, especially in the smaller Air. they need to make it smaller like on the 17". too bad

 

[bobborries]

It does too

 

[Shanpdx]

Give it a 6 or 12 months time, see what it can bring for $999...

it just the beginning, wonder this Flash will come to Macbook and MBP?

Are these CPUs are Low Voltage or Ultra Low Voltage?

Looks like 11" is using ULV

and 13" is using LV.

two usb ports and sd card slot on 13" awesome, $$$ is the question, everything else is nice. cannot wait for Sandy Bridge CPUs !!!!

is it low voltage or ultra low voltage?

 

[iVoid]

This is pretty close to what I'd want for a lightweight computer that I'd want to carry around almost everywhere I go. Price is decent too (original MacBook Air was a bit pricey for its specs).

I'm glad they didn't put the glare/glass screen on it, but that's probably mostly to keep the weight and thickness down. Shame the display itself is still glossy (it always bugs me when I have to buy a anti-glare screen protector to make up for a bad design choice by Glarpple).

I notice they include a software reinstall USB drive.

128GB would be fine for my main needs while traveling, although it'd be easy to toss a usb drive onto it to add extra space when needed.

I'll definitely consider one of these the next time I'm in the market for a laptop.

 

[acidfast7]

Yes, there is, for $100 upgrade.

no 4G on the MBA (edit: 4G as in fourth-generation mobile speeds ... in the US it's still called LTE I think)

corrected my original post ... sorry for confusion

 

[Torrijos]

Not Screen-less Mac
No iWork '11

MacApp Store

Mac OS Lion needing a multitouch input :| I hate the magic mouse with a passion (and it seemed difficult in the demo) but with the pad we'll see.

 

[NJMetsHero]

I don't really want to buy a MacBook Air, money/power ratio isn't great in my opinion. But I love what this is going to mean for Macs in the future. The instant on, flash storage, and significant improvement in battery life in the new Air's along with the better processors in the MacBook Pros is going to be great, plus 10.7, just in time for my new laptop.

 

[adztaylor]

The Software Reinstall Drive is a great idea.

 

[sammich]

Just want to vent about Australian pricing...

Considering our Aussie dollar is basically at a 1:1 parity with the US dollar, why on earth are we being taxed up to 33%??

ie: $100 memory upgrade is $150 AUD, same for processor.

$999 11" air is $1199 AUD.

What a joke Apple Australia. I understand to a degree with the actual laptops.. import duties and the like.. but for RAM upgrades? Really? 33% price hike?

At those prices I'll just wait and buy the next macbook pro 13" when you release it with the 1440 x 900 screen.

Scott

GST, and taking into account future currency fluctuations. Apple has always pegged most products at 30% more than the outright price listed on the US store. But with this it's actually 20%, which is a step in the right direction.

EDIT: the import duty is 5% as well. Brings it to roughly 15%. Which is just below the 20% mark. If the currency moves south again, then Apple will be losing out.

 

[Battlefield Fan]

Anyone have any guesses as to how hot these new MacBook Airs will run? My 13" MacBook Pro absolutely burns my legs in hot weather.

dont hold it that way

 

[Shanpdx]

iPad and 11" Macbook Air

Fight !!!!

awesome machines, next to 6 to 12 months MBA will have

* 4GB RAM standard
* Intel IGP with Sandy Bridge CPU - less heat/energy efficient (current CPUs are 45nm i think)
* More Flash Storage
* Cheaper MB and MBP

wait i had say !

 

[WiiDSmoker]

The Software Reinstall Drive is a great idea.

It's been done for years in Windows Netbooks.

 

[bluefox9er]

gonna kick back...

and see how the nerds defend this overpirced nonsense.

 

[0092762]

The keyboard is no longer backlit on either model of the MacBook Air. That's a shame, love the backlit keyboard.

Now that I've learned that the ram can be upgraded, that's my biggest gripe. I'm fine with the C2D, but why remove the backlit keyboard????

 

[SPEEDwithJJ]

My dilemma: Order the 11" MBA with 2GB or 4GB RAM?

Are the RAM chips in those new MBA user upgradeable or are they soldered onto the logic board?

 

[adamw]

Here is more information about Apple's Software Reinstall Drive included with the new Macbook Air models:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4399

It is a READ ONLY USB stick drive. You CAN NOT write to it or format it.

Nice to see this handy feature for recovery purposes!

 

[TSE]

Does anybody know if my Samsung External Superdrive will work with the MacBook Air? And what the realistic battery life of the 13" will probably be?

 

[Lesser Evets]

$999 -- impressive.

I felt they would do $1099 and dance around as if that would be an amazing price. The small laptop is great in all ways aside from drive size. I was almost tempted to buy when I first saw it, but give it another 2 years and Jobs will get off his thin ass and ACTUALLY mate an iPad with a MBAir... this wasn't like mating crap. It's a Macbook Air, period.

Make a MacPad and I'm totally in there.

 

[Poff]

Who cares about the Macbook Air.

I want that Apple USB Stick! eBay next!

Also, you'd feel cramped with 64 GB after a while, as camera resolutions improve and as you buy a few movies. 128 GB is a minimum.

Unless you're one of those who change computer every year, that is.

It is a READ ONLY USB stick drive. You CAN NOT write to it or format it.

Oh...

Guess that will make life a lot less painful for those who'll actually use it as a recovery drive, though.

 

[BornAgainMac]

Why do they call it a face time camera instead of the iSight camera? I assume it will still do iMovie, Photobooth, and iChat. Is the specs lower?