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Apple to Introduce 11.6-Inch MacBook Air With 'SSD Card' Integrated Storage Next Week?

BRLawyer said:
And what's the use of it when Apple already offers the MBs and the iPad? In my view the MBA is a cool machine, but doesn't justify itself in today's market segments. Its only chance of success is if it's priced low enough to finish netbooks once and for all...otherwise it's gonna be just another Cube.
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I would use it. So would my wife.

I have 13" MBP right now and while I love it, I'd be happier with a machine that lacked an optical drive entirely.

An 11.6" MBA is gonna run cooler, run quieter (not that this machine is particularly hot or loud, but can be), be smaller, hopefully run "real" OS X, have a keyboard and a trackpad and get WAY better battery life. Plus, the speed to the average joe is going to be perceptibly fast because it's running with an SSD.

I'm VERY curious to see this machine and its specs. As a developer I really don't need a lot of power. I traded in my 15" MBP for the latest 13" because I prefer the form factor. I used to have a 12" PowerBook too. I really like small form factors on the road and when working at home or at the office, I hook up to an external keyboard, mouse and monitor.

11.6" might be a little too small... but I dunno. I'll have to see it. If this thing has a variant with at least 100 GB of space, I'll consider it. I mean, I'm gonna have to see it, but this is the most interesting thing coming from Apple, from my perspective, in a while.

I wonder what they're gonna use for video, processor and chipset. The 20th can't come soon enough!
 
I was planning to replace my PowerBook G4 with a MacBook Air. Is it a comparable replacement?

I need something for light use, mainly for syncing iPad, iPhones, and a few chores. Most of my needs are being covered by the iPad.
 
PeterQVenkman said:
iOSbook here we come!
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ENOUGH! Just knock it off.

This doesn't and hasn't made any sense ever and it still doesn't.

This will make even less sense if this MBA is announced at this coming event which is gonna focus on... the Mac and OS X. iOS makes sense on machines WITHOUT traditional keyboard mouse interfaces. It makes NO SENSE otherwise.

The market for an 11.6 MBA is NOT THE SAME as an iPad or any other iDevice. OS X and iOS can and will coexist. Every other OS out there that exists in the mobile and real computer space has a regular and mobile variant whether it's Windows or Linux or OS X.

Good lord.
 
firewood said:
That's what a lot of people say about the 13" MacBook. Apple still sells a ton.
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It depends on your definition of "real" work. As a programmer, 13.3" is fine and 12" on the old PowerBook was also fine. I can't see 11.6", particularly if the resolution stays at 1280x800, being a problem for "real" work. If I was in visual design, video or publishing that would be problematic, but I'm not.

I dunno why snobs have to make comments about what form factor or power level is suitable for "real" work. There's a reason we have options. Get the right tool for the right job. Geez.
 
Maybe Apple is planning on using AMD chips for the MBA. There was a rumor on here a while back about the heads of AMD beig at Apple Headquarters.
 
Meandmunch said:
Indeed. Apple is treading awfully close to hypocrisy here.
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Not really. All Jobs said was that they couldn't make a decent computer for under $500 when asked ABOUT netbooks. That was it.

I'll eat my hat if this thing is that cheap.
 
diddl14 said:
My 1st gen Air gets very, very hot when playing video and doing other graphic intensive stuff as it lacks a discrete GPU (unless you count an Intel X3100 as discrete GPU). The 2nd generation has a NVIDIA 9400M with full hardware acceleration, keeping the CPU substantially cooler.
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Both the X3100 and the 9400M as well as the latest 320M are considered integrated GPUs because they are both integrated with the overall chipset and must share RAM with the CPU as they have no separate graphics RAM like a discrete unit would. Discretes draw more power usually.
 
I'm still trying to reason WHY it will be scaled down to 11" from 13"...

For cost? It seems a little odd, but without knowing what they are putting into it or the cost, it's a curiosity. It just seems odd that they are making it about the size of an iPad. With an OSX device it would seem more beneficial to keep it larger to hold more battery-memory-functionality-whatever.

Especially when coming to a keyboard device, the old 13" MBA had a titan frame around the screen so the case could hold a keyboard...will this new screen have a 2" frame around it so the case holds a keyboard? Will the keyboard be tiny-sized? Questions....questions....

It would either be a large case with a small screen (ew)
A small case with a scrunched keyboard (ew)
Or ditch the keyboard and become a MacPad.
 
Lesser Evets said:
I'm still trying to reason WHY it will be scaled down to 11" from 13"...

Especially when coming to a keyboard device, the old 13" MBA had a titan frame around the screen so the case could hold a keyboard...will this new screen have a 2" frame around it so the case holds a keyboard? Will the keyboard be tiny-sized? Questions....questions....

It would either be a large case with a small screen (ew)
A small case with a scrunched keyboard (ew)
Or ditch the keyboard and become a MacPad.
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Um, to make it smaller and more portable. Have you looked at the 13" MacBooks? There is a large border around both the screen and the keyboard. Both can be removed, as in the 12" PowerBook and voila, you have a much smaller notebook. Put a slight border around an 11.6" screen and you have plenty of room opposite for a full-size keyboard.
 
not a chance.

why would apple make the MACBOOK Air a touchscreen? that's totally pointless, they may as well just make a bigger ipad! oh wait, if it does go touchscreen, it WILL be a bigger ipad!

i hate the fact that iPads have iOS.

I HATE IOS IN GENERAL, IF IT'S ON A SCREEN BIGGER THAN 5 INCHES!!

rawr! :apple:
 
I love how dumb people are comparing an Air and a netbook. They've obviously not USED an Air because they do have power. A lot more then I expected them to. I can run Unity on an Air just fine as well as Maya (although neither of those screen hogs are something you'd WANT to run on an air...)

I also know a guy who runs logic just fine on his air, and keeps his samples on an external drive. Works great for him.
 
chrono1081 said:
I love how dumb people are comparing an Air and a netbook. They've obviously not USED an Air because they do have power. A lot more then I expected them to. I can run Unity on an Air just fine as well as Maya (although neither of those screen hogs are something you'd WANT to run on an air...)

I also know a guy who runs logic just fine on his air, and keeps his samples on an external drive. Works great for him.
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Kudos for an excellent post, I could not agree more.

I have a gen 1 MBA and I'm really looking forward to the upcoming model(s).
 
iDave said:
Um, to make it smaller and more portable. Have you looked at the 13" MacBooks? There is a large border around both the screen and the keyboard. Both can be removed, as in the 12" PowerBook and voila, you have a much smaller notebook. Put a slight border around an 11.6" screen and you have plenty of room opposite for a full-size keyboard.
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How would an iSight camera fit in a "slight border"?

I dunno. Apple always come out with something amazing :rolleyes: Can't wait for the event ;)
 
alphaod said:
If it's $800 or less with a matte display and fast CPU, lots of RAM, big SSD, and more than one USB port, I'll buy it immmediately.

Otherwise I'll pass.
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ditto. It's like refusing to pay more than $20 for a 3way with kylie minogue and sandra bullock. this mac will be no cheaper than 12400 when you include apple tax.
 
Krauser said:
If this is under 900, has at least a 2.0 ghz core 2 duo, 4 gigs of ram, and an SSD at least 320gb, I will be ready to sell my 08 MacBook unibody.
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The cheapest SSD drive I can find is £428 for 256 GB, that is about $600 when you remove VAT. So in which alternative universe can you see Apple selling a complete computer with 320GB SSD for $900?
 
snowleopard48 said:
How would an iSight camera fit in a "slight border"?
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Aren't those cameras about the size of a tiny watch battery these days?

Anyway, I long for the days when there was no need for a huge bezel around the display (i.e. PowerBooks).
 
nutjob said:
I measured the plug on the top right of the picture in pixels, then I measured the width of the machine in pixels. Pixel for pixel its almost exactly 320mm. I think the mistake you made is calling the USB port 12mm. The opening might be 12mm but you have to add a mm each side for the case. Given that assumption you get 0.4375mm per pixel and a width of about 320mm.
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You're right, something was terribly wrong with my original measurement. I din't count the pixels but simply draw the arrows on top and trusted the tool. Big mistake. As it was off on the USB, the width got too small. Next time I'll take your word (and a better tool)! All in all I'm happy to see that it's no longer on Page 1 :eek:

Surprisingly the identification of the Toshiba SSD controller didn't get a lot of attention on the new thread. Like with the original Air, top 1 discussion point is the number of USB ports...
 
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