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Apple Prepping 11.6'' MacBook Air and New iPod Touch with 3MP Camera
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That is super tempting. Stop it!
It would be nice, but then what about the Macbook? This $800 Air would have to be spec'd significantly lower or nobody would buy a Macbook. Though it's life might be limited.
My (maybe somewhat realistic by the time I want to buy a new Mac in Summer 2011) dream 'book would be:
- 12", Air like weight and thinness
- At least 1440 x 900, IPS display, capacitive touch enabled
- Intel Sandy Bridge chipset - 4 cores
- 16gb ram
- 512mb decent graphics
- 512gb SSD with TRIM support in OS X
- At least two USB, HDMI+Audio out
- 12 hour battery life
- iOS 5 installed for quick mode
- Integrated 4g/3g card
BOOM Summer 2011. Please, Apple?
Ok I'm monstrously excited about an even smaller MB Air with a Core-i, even it was only ULV.
The Core-i Turbo will still make it lift quite well when it needs to, while at the same time maintaining cooler temps on lighter workouts. One of my biggest gripes with the current MBA is the heating.
This will also ensure a better battery, another of the MBAs relative weaknesses.
The major downside to this (assuming the Core-i rumor is correct) will be that it will almost certainly have poorer Intel graphics compared to the MBA's current Nvidia 9400m. A 11.6" chassis surely can't contain discrete graphics.
And if they maintain only 2 Gigs of RAM, frankly someone will get hurt.
The MBA, imo, is the greatest notebook ever designed by any company in the history of computing, it is stunning and you will only appreciate the true functional utility of its lightweight design when you use it, and I'm not talking in shops only - shifting with it, adjusting your seating position, actually using it on your lap, using it comfortably while lying down, not hesitating for a second before taking with you on your travels etc, this apparently slight reduction in weight assumes a synergistically greater significance when you factor just what it facilitates functionally. And despite it only being 1.5lbs lighter than the 13" MBP (terrific notebook too), the MBP is still a whopping 50% heavier.
People may criticise specifications and what it's like on paper till the cows come home but for me the proof of the pudding is that I have not seen a more satisfied group of notebook owners than the MBA group.
We have been waiting long for an update - as long as the design maintains a similarly spectacular design to the current MBA, I'm likely buying this on day 1!
The Core-i Turbo will still make it lift quite well when it needs to, while at the same time maintaining cooler temps on lighter workouts. One of my biggest gripes with the current MBA is the heating.
This will also ensure a better battery, another of the MBAs relative weaknesses.
The major downside to this (assuming the Core-i rumor is correct) will be that it will almost certainly have poorer Intel graphics compared to the MBA's current Nvidia 9400m. A 11.6" chassis surely can't contain discrete graphics.
And if they maintain only 2 Gigs of RAM, frankly someone will get hurt.
The MBA, imo, is the greatest notebook ever designed by any company in the history of computing, it is stunning and you will only appreciate the true functional utility of its lightweight design when you use it, and I'm not talking in shops only - shifting with it, adjusting your seating position, actually using it on your lap, using it comfortably while lying down, not hesitating for a second before taking with you on your travels etc, this apparently slight reduction in weight assumes a synergistically greater significance when you factor just what it facilitates functionally. And despite it only being 1.5lbs lighter than the 13" MBP (terrific notebook too), the MBP is still a whopping 50% heavier.
People may criticise specifications and what it's like on paper till the cows come home but for me the proof of the pudding is that I have not seen a more satisfied group of notebook owners than the MBA group.
We have been waiting long for an update - as long as the design maintains a similarly spectacular design to the current MBA, I'm likely buying this on day 1!
Just seen this on the main news forum. As I've said there, I'm monstrously excited about an even smaller MB Air with a Core-i, even it was only ULV.
The Core-i Turbo will still make it lift quite well when it needs to, while at the same time maintaining cooler temps on lighter workouts. One of my biggest gripes with the current MBA is the heating.
This will also ensure a better battery, another of the MBAs relative weaknesses.
The major downside to this (assuming the Core-i rumor is correct) will be that it will almost certainly have poorer Intel graphics compared to the MBA's current Nvidia 9400m. A 11.6" chassis surely can't contain discrete graphics.
And if they maintain only 2 Gigs of RAM, frankly someone will get hurt.
The MBA, imo, is the greatest notebook ever designed by any company in the history of computing, it is stunning and you will only appreciate the true functional utility of its lightweight design when you use it, and I'm not talking in shops only - shifting with it, adjusting your seating position, actually using it on your lap, using it comfortably while lying down, not hesitating for a second before taking with you on your travels etc, this apparently slight reduction in weight assumes a synergistically greater significance when you factor just what it facilitates functionally. And despite it only being 1.5lbs lighter than the 13" MBP (terrific notebook too), the MBP is still a whopping 50% heavier.
People may criticise specifications and what it's like on paper till the cows come home but for me the proof of the pudding is that I have not seen a more satisfied group of notebook owners than the MBA group.
We have been waiting long for an update - as long as the design maintains a similarly spectacular design to the current MBA, I'm likely buying this on day 1!
The Core-i Turbo will still make it lift quite well when it needs to, while at the same time maintaining cooler temps on lighter workouts. One of my biggest gripes with the current MBA is the heating.
This will also ensure a better battery, another of the MBAs relative weaknesses.
The major downside to this (assuming the Core-i rumor is correct) will be that it will almost certainly have poorer Intel graphics compared to the MBA's current Nvidia 9400m. A 11.6" chassis surely can't contain discrete graphics.
And if they maintain only 2 Gigs of RAM, frankly someone will get hurt.
The MBA, imo, is the greatest notebook ever designed by any company in the history of computing, it is stunning and you will only appreciate the true functional utility of its lightweight design when you use it, and I'm not talking in shops only - shifting with it, adjusting your seating position, actually using it on your lap, using it comfortably while lying down, not hesitating for a second before taking with you on your travels etc, this apparently slight reduction in weight assumes a synergistically greater significance when you factor just what it facilitates functionally. And despite it only being 1.5lbs lighter than the 13" MBP (terrific notebook too), the MBP is still a whopping 50% heavier.
People may criticise specifications and what it's like on paper till the cows come home but for me the proof of the pudding is that I have not seen a more satisfied group of notebook owners than the MBA group.
We have been waiting long for an update - as long as the design maintains a similarly spectacular design to the current MBA, I'm likely buying this on day 1!
For a lightweight portable computer 13" is a sweet spot. 11" may be okay for some but do not get rid of a 13"
Seems like an odd move to me. Might make Netbook/Ultra portable users who wanted a MAC happy, but I thought the strength of a MBA was all day usability and mainstream performance in a very thin and light package and an 11" ulv iSeries would certainly eliminate that strength.
Ah well, sold my MBA and split my time between a more portable, less powerful iPad and a more powerful almost as portable 13" MB at the moment. My next MAC is likely to be a 13"MBP with full iSeries processor and good discrete graphics in next years MBP.
Sadly I can't see them maintaining two MBA models and the current Intel / Nvidia difficulties means making any significant improvement on the current MBA unlikely so they retooled with a whole new form factor that might entice a different segment.
Didn't Steve Jobs compared the Air to the Sony TZ series and saying how 11.6" was too small?
2.5 years later...
"Boom. 11.6" now really portable. We are very innovative and it's just agical. Buy one."
....this is to compete with the Sony X netbook at ~$1200.00 its carbon fiber, has a ~8 hour battery and a 64Gb SSD with a 2.0Ghz Intel Atom processor... apple smells the profit margin in Cupertino...
Hmmm, 11 inches is small - but netbooks are small,hah.
As a consumer and someone considering a netbook soon, I find it hard to decide between an eeepc (runin OS X), iPad, and Macbook Air now
I tend to feel like I would opt towards the iPad.
Does anyone else feel this tension... furthermore, how do you guys see this playing out in their product line as well as being competitive with other netbooks on the market? Seems like there is some significant cross over in the product line- which is fine.
Cheers,
Brian
As a consumer and someone considering a netbook soon, I find it hard to decide between an eeepc (runin OS X), iPad, and Macbook Air now
I tend to feel like I would opt towards the iPad.
Does anyone else feel this tension... furthermore, how do you guys see this playing out in their product line as well as being competitive with other netbooks on the market? Seems like there is some significant cross over in the product line- which is fine.
Cheers,
Brian
my thoughts would be to dump the current Macbook (plastic) in favor of a Macbook Air netbook. However, instead of running a iwhatever intel processor, utilize the A4 processor with OSX, but obviously change the cache to 1GB or 512mb and pre-install at least 2GB ram. If it is priced right (around 600-700) they should sell well. With the A4 processor, it should run cooler and allow for a ultra thin design. Most netbook users wouldn't need the performance of a high-end graphics chip OR a iwhatever chip to do their basic OSX computing...
I don't think buyers would be necessarily looking for a computer this small to be the go-to device for Photoshop, Final Cut, Aperture, Logic, etc. Okay, maybe Logic, but for most computing needs (iWork, Safari, Filemaker, iLife) the A4 should be able to handle the overhead quite well.
I don't think buyers would be necessarily looking for a computer this small to be the go-to device for Photoshop, Final Cut, Aperture, Logic, etc. Okay, maybe Logic, but for most computing needs (iWork, Safari, Filemaker, iLife) the A4 should be able to handle the overhead quite well.
Oh hell yeah. If the price is right, my 10" hackintosh netbook is going straight in the bin. (Stupid plastic POS like every other non-apple laptop I've tried.)
11.6" would be a perfect size too. Trying to get stuff done on a 10" screen with only 576 vertical pixels has been a challenge, to say the least.
Edit: Actually my excitement is dying down as I remember how the price was oh so wrong (OH SO) with the first MBA. I can see it being on the wrong side of $799US
11.6" would be a perfect size too. Trying to get stuff done on a 10" screen with only 576 vertical pixels has been a challenge, to say the least.
Edit: Actually my excitement is dying down as I remember how the price was oh so wrong (OH SO) with the first MBA. I can see it being on the wrong side of $799US
I'll say it again, but I can't wait for this!I'll post it here again:
What I want:
- improved battery life (6-10 hrs)
- 4GB DDR3 RAM
- Matte screen
- 2 USB Ports
- Full-Sized keyboard
(does anyone know what screen size we would get if they cut off the free space left and right from the MBs keyboard?)
- Price around 800-899
What I expect:
- 2 GB RAM
- Glossy screen
- Even less ports (is that even possible?)
- battery life around 3-5 hrs
- price := +1000
I would buy it if the price/performance ratio is right..
bring it on!
I actually suspect your first set of predictions are going to be closer to the realistic mark, perhaps barring the price, I can still see it being in the expensive bracket and pitched as a luxury premium ultraportable. It may well still only have 1 USB too, I wouldn't be as confident betting against it.
I just cannot at all fathom that they'll maintain the 2 Gigs of RAM in the current Air. I suspect that it will be 4 Gigs at the minimum.
Also, while I'm very comfortable with the current 13" screen, I suspect that they're going smaller for a number of reasons, the most exciting of which would be to cost-effectively include something special on the display end of things, akin to IPS Retina! Imagine that!
I also predict lower heat (really looking forward to this) and an improved battery (smaller battery volume however better tech and more efficient 32nm ULV Core-i at low idle clock speeds).
Your way of thinking and logic is assbackwards. How is it dumbing down the product? It didn't have a camera before and now it will have one!
Having a thin product then making it thicker to fit in a bigger camera IS dumbing it down.
I've been waiting for an Air update for like, forever.
But no way I'm buying a 11'6 machine. Apple doesn't need to add much to the Air to make it a perfect main computer and ditch the heavy macbook pros. Now on the contrary, they're turning it into an iPad with a keyboard and OSX. It's honestly ridiculous.
Assuming the news is true, I'm feeling really dejected.
But no way I'm buying a 11'6 machine. Apple doesn't need to add much to the Air to make it a perfect main computer and ditch the heavy macbook pros. Now on the contrary, they're turning it into an iPad with a keyboard and OSX. It's honestly ridiculous.
Assuming the news is true, I'm feeling really dejected.
If they price it right I can see it being successful, however this is Apple and I think there will be a premium attached to it.