BestBuy.com Runs Out of MacBook Airs As Refresh Nears

[foidulus]

I just can't see the MacBook's going! They're what started the modern Mac notebook lineup

You can sort of see how Apple sees it's own computer lineup by going to apple.com/mac

and looking at the order they line the computer up. It's no accident that the macbook air and iMac are the ones in the center, those are the machines Apple really wants to sell. Going out one further and you see the mini and mbp, while not Apple's darlings, they sell relatively well so Apple put them next. Then on the very edges of the lineup you see the macbook and mac pro. These are the machines Apple is only carrying because it doesn't want to totally abandon their respective market segments. These are the computers that sell the least and go the longest amount of time between updates.....

 

[orfeas0]

But it does email, games, pages, keynote, imovie etc etc. And for 95% of the people who buy the macbook that's enough. They don't want linux or terminal. So if the Macbook was removed from the line up I'm not be disappointed.

Actually the ipad IS a computer. And with iOS 5 it's a PC too. Cause a PC needs to be free from the need of other devices to run. You can google this up easily to verify this. So learn what a computer and what a PC is. The ipad with iOS5 is just a portable touchscreen PC. And for a lot of people it does 100% of what need.

it's a computer with the technical term of it. but it CANNOT replace a laptop/desktop. Sure, it does a lot of stuff that a laptop does, but can you import pics/movies from a camera? can you download anything you want from the internet , and open it with your program of preference? can you ... use a mouse on it?

Then get the Mac Pro or the Air.

There is really no need for the White Mac.

And how many people buying entry level Macs use the Terminal ?

And you know what, If you require all of those features you can always use the App LogMeIn Ignition

The white mac is the cheapest 13" macbook there is, that's why we need it. Sure I could buy a MBA instead of the macbook, but for the same money i would get a 11", which is too small for me. it's not bad, i have thought about it but i believe it's too small, i like movies etc... which means the minimum price for a 13" macbook is now 1300$ for the air or pro!

The iPad and iPod Touch are both computers.

ok, connect a usb mouse, a dvd reader/write, a usb camera, an hdmi out and then tell me it's a computer. as someone else mentioned, a toaster is a computer too, but that's not what we usually mean with the word computer..!

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And if you want to be really technical about it, my toaster is a computer too since it probably runs NetBSD.

 

[KnightWRX]

ok, connect a usb mouse, a dvd reader/write, a usb camera, an hdmi out and then tell me it's a computer.

I can't seem to find the USB ports on our IBM zSeries mainframe. I guess that's not a computer either.

All those things have nothing do with something being a computer or not. Heck, my 386 is a computer, yet I can't plug a DVD reader, a USB mouse, a USB camera in it nor does it have HDMI out.

as someone else mentioned, a toaster is a computer too

Highly dependant on the toaster. Mine is completely electric. It lacks processing and storage thus it is not a computer. I'd say that there's probably very few toasters capable of computing.

but that's not what we usually mean with the word computer..!

But you should be careful when you say something is not a computer. It's fine to use the word computer to define your laptop desktop. You can very much call a square a rectangle because it is. But to go out of your way to call a shape that has 4 sides and 4 right angles "not a rectangle" because you can't plug a USB mouse into it is quite wrong.

 

[tigres]

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I don't expect the air to get a huge refresh, that is not how apple rolls in the upgrade category.

Also, I would be shocked if they killed the MacBook line. We as a family own 2 and for 849 on the refurb store, that is on capable machine. The only one in fact that represents the name "MacBook".

 

[KnightWRX]

I don't expect the air to get a huge refresh, that is not how apple rolls in the upgrade category.

Minor spec bumps accross the board (maybe a few models with 4GB ram standard ? 128 GB SSD/256 GB SSDs earlier in the pricing), Sandy Bridge with Intel IGP and maybe thunderbolt (space concerns could prevent this).

No one is expecting a huge refresh, the thing just got a keynote and a big redesign last October.

 

[res1233]

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And if you want to be really technical about it, my toaster is a computer too since it probably runs NetBSD.

What kind of toaster is it ? Mine is purely electric, hit a switch and the heating elements turn on. I don't think paying more than 20$ is worth it, but if you have one with a full microprocessor and sensors, maybe share with the rest of us what kind of expensive computer is heating up your breakfeast.

That's a fair comparison

A toaster to an iPad

A computer is a very generic device. It's basically a device that takes in input, processes it and produces output while also providing storage. 4 characteristics of a lot of devices beyond the world of PCs, Macs, laptops, tablets basically. That's why it's always funny when someone says the iPad isn't a computer, ignoring what a computer even is.

Believe it or not, but many devices run some sort of basic OS such as NetBSD. That flavor of BSD happens to not be all that feature packed. Their primary focus is performance and stability, which is ideal for many basic devices such as a toaster. It depends on exactly how advanced of a toaster it is I guess.

 

[ColdFlame87]

com·put·er/kəmˈpyo͞otər/Noun
1. An electronic device for storing and processing data, typically in binary form, according to instructions given to it in a variable program.

Sounds like an iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch to me.

 

[KnightWRX]

Believe it or not, but many devices run some sort of basic OS such as NetBSD. That flavor of BSD happens to not be all that feature packed. Their primary focus is performance and stability, which is ideal for many basic devices such as a toaster. It depends on exactly how advanced of a toaster it is I guess.

I know of NetBSD. I've known of it since the 90s don't worry. But again, my toaster is a 20$ electric affair with a thermostat, it does not do any processing, nor is it programmable and especially doesn't offer storage of any kind (except for loose bread crumbs on the bottom rack).

The point remains, while you were technically trying to make a joke, a microwave oven would've actually been a better choice, since I don't think any of those have been produced without at least a micro-controller for the last 20 years or so.

 

[subsonix]

Perhaps we can end this discussion by agreeing that it's not a PC?

 

[hotcocoa]

I'll bet the farm on Thunderbolt. Apple is rolling it out to all their new computers. It won't catch on if only a few models have them.

Especially considering it doesn't add any extra ports or anything so it isn't like space is an issue.

I suspect you are probably right, but there are two issues. Although the port takes no extra space, the controller on the motherboard will. The motherboard seems pretty packed already. The other potential issue is cost. I've never read any estimate of what it costs Apple to add Thunderbolt, but as a percentage it will be more for the Airs than it is for the MBPs or iMacs.

It will be interesting to see what happens with Thunderbolt. Will it be a high-end feature reserved for "pro" macs, or will they add it to all macs? I think it is still something of an open question until we actually see lower priced macs with the port. When we know the answer it will give us more insight as to Apple's intentions with this technology.

 

[azentropy]

Can't wait!!



And Mac mini's? I think they'll update it in October (White Macbook was last updated in October)..

No, the White Macbook was last updated in May 2010. It has been over 400 days.

 

[TC400]

I want a black laptop from them so bad. Come on Apple.

 

[azentropy]

Minor spec bumps accross the board (maybe a few models with 4GB ram standard ? 128 GB SSD/256 GB SSDs earlier in the pricing), Sandy Bridge with Intel IGP and maybe thunderbolt (space concerns could prevent this).

No one is expecting a huge refresh, the thing just got a keynote and a big redesign last October.

No, it won't have a major case redesign or anything, but I don't consider going SB and adding thunderbolt a "minor" spec bump.

 

[macnisse]

Really looking fwd to the new MBA specs

 

[Acerone]

A 15" MB Air would be amazing. What are our chances?

 

[KnightWRX]

No, it won't have a major case redesign or anything, but I don't consider going SB and adding thunderbolt a "minor" spec bump.

Neither do I, nor did I say that. It's still just a spec bump, not a huge refresh.

I wouldn't be 100% sure of Thunderbolt though, because of space concerns on the logic board.

(Hint : Minor spec bump in my post was talking about all the other specs, RAM, HD space, stuff like that, hence why I mentionned SB and TB seperately afterwards).

 

[ugru]

A 15" MB Air would be amazing. What are our chances?

Chances = 0

 

[Bear]

It appears as though you can in fact order Macbook Air's for shipping from the site, and Apple's webstore doesn't show shipping delays yet. Not the most convincing evidence the refresh is imminent imo.

The shipping date not changing on the Apple Store actually doesn't indicate anything at all. What Apple has been known to do instead is to put the orders into backorder after they are placed.

We know an update is due for the Airs. Ww know that it will happen with or just after the Lion release most likely. The odds are Best Buy is letting their stock decline, so they don't have to deal with outdated inventory.

 

[stadlin]

A 15" MB Air would be amazing. What are our chances?

that would be awesome! A 15"MBP without ODD and more mobile...

 

[hotcocoa]

A 15" MB Air would be amazing. What are our chances?

My guess is that the chance of that this summer is pretty low. Maybe next spring's MBP refresh will basically be a 15" MBA, although it probably won't be called that.

 

[Stok3]

I disagree, and I think the Macbook will be here for a little while longer. Can't see the 11" MBA taking its place as an entry level either. The screen size is quite small for the average consumer. If anything, the Macbook helps sales of it's bigger, badder brother, dubbed the "MacBook Pro".

thus the label "entry level"

 

[azentropy]

Neither do I, nor did I say that. It's still just a spec bump, not a huge refresh.

I wouldn't be 100% sure of Thunderbolt though, because of space concerns on the logic board.

(Hint : Minor spec bump in my post was talking about all the other specs, RAM, HD space, stuff like that, hence why I mentionned SB and TB seperately afterwards).

Hint: "across the board" doesn't mean what you think it means then...

 

[reputationZed]

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oh and I'll say it again - but all the new airs will have will be i5 or i7 processors. mark my words this will be a minor upgrade for sure..... maybe a Tunderbolt too, but I wouldn't bet on it....

I'll bet the farm on Thunderbolt. Apple is rolling it out to all their new computers. It won't catch on if only a few models have them.

Especially considering it doesn't add any extra ports or anything so it isn't like space is an issue.

The real question is when will any Thunderbolt peripherals be available, and will there be a premium over USB? Can you even buy TB cables yet?

 

[trondhb]

Does someone know if it is in any way possible to buy an MacBook Air with a norwegian keyboard in an US Apple Store (a "physical" store, not online) ? As I am going to New York in September that would be just perfect. Why? The 13" version costing $1.299 in the US costs about $2.000 here in Norway... Although it would probably be worth it even with a US keyboard, of course it's better to have a norwegian one.

I am aware of that it is not possible online, although for some reason spanish, french or japanese keyboards are available... Of course I realise that it is more demand for these languages and that's probably why they are there, but as they probably come from the same factory anyway I can't really see why it should be more difficult with a norwegian one ? I would be happy to make a "special order" with an Apple Store in New York if so needed.

 

[islanders]

The 13'' MBA and 15'' MBP with Hi Res AG are on the top of my list because of the screen quality.

The light weight of the MBA is great but I hope the future of MBP isn't non upgradable just to make it look extra sexy and thin like the MBA.

For me the MBP being upgradable is a real advantage.