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Concerns about the 11.6 Macbook Air

hachre said:
I run Windows 7 on Parallels often and I can tell you it wasn't enough with 2GB but it is with 4GB, on my MacBook Pro 15" (late 2008) with 2.4GHz...
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Thanks for the information. I started a thread on this subject earlier in the week and received feedback from others who also have had no problem running Windows in virtualization with 4Gb of RAM. I am encouraged that a new 11 inch MBA with 4Gb of RAM will work for me. By the way, those who say that the 11 inch MBA is nothing but a netbook are out of their minds. The biggest problem with netbooks is their undersized keyboards. The 11 inch MBA, though, has a full size keyboard so it's not a netbook.
 
gwsat said:
By the way, those who say that the 11 inch MBA is nothing but a netbook are out of their minds. The biggest problem with netbooks is their undersized keyboards. The 11 inch MBA, though, has a full size keyboard so it's not a netbook.
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What's amazing to me is the people who work in the tech journalism world that are saying "well, this is Apple's netbook". Um, no it's not. What netbooks have a C2D processor? What netbook is constructed with such fine hardware as the MBA? It just boggles my mind how wrong some of the people who work in tech journalistic arena can be. 😕

I think anyone who spends a little time with the 11" MBA will come to the conclusion that it isn't a netbook. Not even close (aside from the fact that it has a 11.6" screen like some netbooks).
 
silverfrancis said:
Hey guys,

Just decided to start a thread discussing some of the concerns about the 11.6 inch Macbook Air. I think it will help a lot of people who are torn between 13.3 and 11.6.

For me the problem was whether the screen was able to view whole webpages because the aspect ratio was 16:9 rather than 16:10.

What do you think?
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I find the screen useless. The last thing that they should have done was taken it to a 16:9 ratio. There just isn't anywhere near enough height to the screen to see much at one time, and aggravating it by going with that ratio only made it more like a netbook experience.

Great keyboard, but as much more than a toy or device to watch movies, the screen is far from ideal. Jobs was right when he decried small screens, and he still is right.

I really think many who are seduced by the novel sexiness of the 11" are going to find that they wind up using it as a content creation and productivity device are going to find they wind up using it a lot less than they expect, whereas the 13" is very suitable as an everyday machine on the go.

Not trying to troll. I know we all have different needs. Just giving my personal opinion in response to the original post.
 
How much heat does the MBA put out? I love my MacBook and MacBook pro, but after about an hour of use, it would burn my lap. Not a deal breaker for me but would like to know.
 
blair.harringto said:
What's amazing to me is the people who work in the tech journalism world that are saying "well, this is Apple's netbook". Um, no it's not. What netbooks have a C2D processor? What netbook is constructed with such fine hardware as the MBA? It just boggles my mind how wrong some of the people who work in tech journalistic arena can be. 😕

I think anyone who spends a little time with the 11" MBA will come to the conclusion that it isn't a netbook. Not even close (aside from the fact that it has a 11.6" screen like some netbooks).
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Get real, it's a netbook.

Keep drinking the kool-aid.
 
gwsat said:
Thanks for the information. I started a thread on this subject earlier in the week and received feedback from others who also have had no problem running Windows in virtualization with 4Gb of RAM. I am encouraged that a new 11 inch MBA with 4Gb of RAM will work for me. By the way, those who say that the 11 inch MBA is nothing but a netbook are out of their minds. The biggest problem with netbooks is their undersized keyboards. The 11 inch MBA, though, has a full size keyboard so it's not a netbook.
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I have 4GB of RAM in my 2.4GHz 13" MBP. I have 2 XP VM's for legacy windows applications and 6 flavors of Linux server VM's. I have had no issues running my XP VM's alongside OSX. I usually just run one XP VM but have had two running without incident. So it seems that 4GB RAM is the minimum for running one or two Fusion VM's flawlessly alongside OSX.

I am planning on getting the 11.6" MBA as my secondary Mac primarily used for working on the road. I know for sure that I will need the 4GB RAM as I intend to install Fusion. I am leaning toward the 1.6GHz processor upgrade but not sure if I will be fine with the 1.4GHz processor and 4GB of RAM.
 
gerabbi said:
Compared the Air 13 and 11 at MacMall this morning. I would have a hard time with the 11. I am 51 and don't have perfect sight, and doing computing on that small of a screen is not a viable option for me. (I realize it can run an external monitor but that kind of defeats the purpose of being so portable, imho.) However I can see the value of such a small machine in a pinch. If I was in the market for an Air I would choose the 13. I don't have an iPad either just for clarification.
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What is the actual difference in pixels per inch of the two new machines? I thought they were pretty close.
 
blair.harringto said:
What's amazing to me is the people who work in the tech journalism world that are saying "well, this is Apple's netbook". Um, no it's not. What netbooks have a C2D processor? What netbook is constructed with such fine hardware as the MBA? It just boggles my mind how wrong some of the people who work in tech journalistic arena can be. 😕

I think anyone who spends a little time with the 11" MBA will come to the conclusion that it isn't a netbook. Not even close (aside from the fact that it has a 11.6" screen like some netbooks).
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The ignorance of the technical press sometimes knows no bounds. One of those guys wrote about what a bad choice the C2D was instead of the newer i series. The guy clearly did not understand just how weak the i series' built in GPU is and that Intel prohibits using an NVIDIA integrated GPU with the i series. Unbelievable!

I just discovered that in its shortest dimension the 11 inch MBA is only .09 of an inch deeper that is the iPad in its shortest dimension. No wonder I was impressed when I got to manipulate the 11 inch MBA at the Apple Store. If I got one I would be able to leave it on the same narrow shelf next to my chair that I currently use for the iPad.
 
netdog said:
Yes.

The keyboard is actually pretty nice though I find the small deck awkward, but I am sure that I'd get used to that.
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So by your definition any laptop with a 11.6" screen is a netbook?

You're entitled to your opinion, but people scoffing that the 11" MBA is a netbook are out of their minds. Netbooks are of cheap construction, run seriously underpowered processors, and have small trackpads. The 11" MBA is not a netbook, even if you think the screen is too small, etc.
 
It's very simple. There are two definitions of a netbook:

1. A small notebook which is cheap by compromising on everything:
- small low resolution and low quality screen
- slow processor (often Atoms)
- not too much memory (1-2GB max)
- small and slow hard drive (5400rpm max)
- cramped up keyboard that's hard to type on for long periods of time
- small and hardly usable touchpad
- crappy speakers, microphone and low quality camera (if any)
- poor overall build quality
- ...

2. A small notebook.

So is the MacBook Air 11.6" a netbook? In case of 1, no; in case of 2, yes. End of story.
 
blair.harringto said:
So by your definition any laptop with a 11.6" screen is a netbook?

You're entitled to your opinion, but people scoffing that the 11" MBA is a netbook are out of their minds. Netbooks are of cheap construction, run seriously underpowered processors, and have small trackpads. The 11" MBA is not a netbook, even if you think the screen is too small, etc.
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Some of Sony's netbooks are not cheap nor are they cheaply constructed of cheap materials.

Apple went the same route.

Good materials. Well selected components. Expensive drives. Bright screens.

I definitely don't scoff at the 11". It's a jewel. It's just not a jewel that I want. And yeah, I think it's a really great netbook.
 
C64 said:
It's very simple. There are two definitions of a netbook:

1. A small laptop which is cheap by compromising on everything:
- small low resolution and low quality screen
- slow processor (often Atoms)
- not too much memory (1-2GB max)
- small and slow hard drive (5400rpm max)
- cramped up keyboard that's hard to type on for long periods of time
- small and hardly usable touchpad
- crappy speakers, microphone and low quality camera (if any)

2. A small laptop.

So is the MacBook Air 11.6" a netbook? In case of 1, no; in case of 2, yes. End of story.
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A small laptop is only a netbook if it's underpowered. There are plenty of ultra-portable laptops that are not "netbooks". Hence, the MBA is not and never has been a netbook. End of story.
 
blair.harringto said:
A small laptop is only a netbook if it's underpowered. There are plenty of ultra-portable laptops that are not "netbooks". Hence, the MBA is not and never has been a netbook. End of story.
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Obviously not everyone shares the same definition, which is certainly the end of the story.
 
C64 said:
It's very simple. There are two definitions of a netbook:

1. A small notebook which is cheap by compromising on everything:
- small low resolution and low quality screen
- slow processor (often Atoms)
- not too much memory (1-2GB max)
- small and slow hard drive (5400rpm max)
- cramped up keyboard that's hard to type on for long periods of time
- small and hardly usable touchpad
- crappy speakers, microphone and low quality camera (if any)
- poor overall build quality
- ...

2. A small notebook.

So is the MacBook Air 11.6" a netbook? In case of 1, no; in case of 2, yes. End of story.
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Yeah pretty much.

Having played with one... it's pretty much a Macbook Pro netbook. But that's an amazing thing, at least for me.

One you pick it up and realize how light and small the thing is, it's tough to claim that it doesn't have netbook qualities.
 
netdog said:
Some of Sony's netbooks are not cheap nor are they cheaply constructed of cheap materials.

Apple went the same route.

Good materials. Well selected components. Expensive drives. Bright screens.

I definitely don't scoff at the 11". It's a jewel. It's just not a jewel that I want. And yeah, I think it's a really great netbook.
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good materials, select component, expensive drives, bright screens....and small keyboards. So there you have it.

It's an anachronism to call the air a netbook when the closest thing it resembles is the old powerboook 12" g4, and that wasn't a netbook.
 
Who cares if it is called a netbook or a small notebook. It is just semantics and doesn't change how the mba performs or who it is catered to!
 
iDave said:
What is the actual difference in pixels per inch of the two new machines? I thought they were pretty close.
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I don't know. But in looking at the two side by side I would choose the 13 for my self. The little guy is nice just not for me. As always YMMV.
 
I don't get the obcession people have with the PowerBook 12".

It was just an iBook dressed up as a PowerBook. I don't hear anybody crying about the death of the 12" iBook which I actually thought was a lot cooler all dressed in white.
 
netdog said:
Obviously not everyone shares the same definition, which is certainly the end of the story.
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How can a laptop running a C2D be considered a netbook? Seriously. 😕

Does anyone else realize that the 11" base model is close in specs to the white MacBook? (Albeit a slower processor 1.4 vs. 2.4). Would anyone dare call the white MacBook a netbook powered machine?

Everyone wants to tag the 11" MBA as a netbook because of the screen size, and that doesn't make any sense. It's an ultra-portable.
 
Hinge issue

On the Apple web site there is a link to Laptop Magazine's review of the 11.6" MB Air.

They mention the hinge being very loose. So loose in fact that the screen changed viewing angles when the MB Air was picked up or when it was being used in a car going over bumps.

This is a bit concerning but my opinion is that they have a 'bad' review unit. I've not heard this problem anywhere else. Has anyone heard of this or is anyone experiencing this loose hinge problem?
 
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