My desktop is an HP, I hate it. The specs are OK, 2.4 Athlon Dual Core, 2 GB Ram, Windows XP, but there are these random pauses when performing routine operations, my next computer is definitely going to be a Mac.
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MacBook Air Suitable Montevina Chips Due Later This Year
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Give me a price drop, FW400 & ethernet port/2ndUSB, second speaker, and desirably a real graphics card for this premium machine.
Why don't you get a macbook?
It's not quite correct to label it a premium machine. It's first and foremost an ultra portable machine.
MB is plastic and I am using one and finding it grubby compared to my MBP.
MB is significantly heavier.
Apple might just replace the 22mm package Memrom's with 22mm package Penryns. The SL9400 (1.86GHz) and SL9300 (1.6GHz) both have 17W TDPs, 6MB of L2 instead of the 4MB on the Memrom and 1066MHz FSBs instead of 800MHz. So even though the raw CPU speed won't change, performance would improve (thanks to the higher FSB, L2 cache, and better memory speeds) and battery life could be a bit better thanks to the slightly lower TDP.
Kind of a poor offer from Intel really, 25% (which is doubtable ) in performance and an added 5 wint TDP. Not good enough, not when apple ALREADY have a BETTER processor out in terms of their very own pa semi, with their that even ars technica calls a "wonder chip":
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070213-8828.html
Or how about P.A. Semi PWRficient, 2 cores, minimal tdp...fits right in here no doubt!
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2008/01/10/3204139.htm
Forget the hype with th core 2 duo, ok, intel did the untinkable and turned around a shi tty architecture to begin with that we were saddled with out of a historical mistake for ages. Apple did what they had to do and switched to Intel, and they should be weaping if the read the performances of power6 and the projected power 7. Until nehalem where intel finally brings in some proper and much anticipated re-design, all that we have so far, strictly speaking are shi t.
Of course I am waiting for the air's net incarnation and I ll get it even with the intel chip. but this is because I cant wait any longer.
AND SWITCH GOD DAMN IT!
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070213-8828.html
Or how about P.A. Semi PWRficient, 2 cores, minimal tdp...fits right in here no doubt!
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2008/01/10/3204139.htm
Forget the hype with th core 2 duo, ok, intel did the untinkable and turned around a shi tty architecture to begin with that we were saddled with out of a historical mistake for ages. Apple did what they had to do and switched to Intel, and they should be weaping if the read the performances of power6 and the projected power 7. Until nehalem where intel finally brings in some proper and much anticipated re-design, all that we have so far, strictly speaking are shi t.
Of course I am waiting for the air's net incarnation and I ll get it even with the intel chip. but this is because I cant wait any longer.
AND SWITCH GOD DAMN IT!
The interesting thing about this voodoo is that it has obviously been specifically built to compete with the MBA. The internals are identical, but there are some additional ports and its widest dimension is thinner than the MBA.
It looks like a bean counter's attempt to benchmark against the MBA and have the bare minimum extra features to justify it. It has an an HDMI, a shared usb/esata and an express card slot over the MBA, and comes with an external dvd drive, but costs an extra $300.
It also has a combo ethernet/power port (the ethernet port itself is on the power brick. It sounds a rather nifty innovation, but on reflection it means that you must connect to power to use ethernet. Not sure if that is a good or a bad thing. Probably bad overall as it means that you have to make numerous connections to just connect to a network, but on the other hand your reasons for connecting to the ethernet network probably sucks a lot of juice. Maybe not relevant to the target market for an ultraportable.
I am pretty sure the MBA would look and feel thinner than this beasty, and certainly weighs less. I am in the market in the next year for an ultraportable, and to be honest, the ability to connect to a mobile phone network without dongles hanging off the usb port is the only reason I have not bought an MBA. Outright performance is not the issue here, otherwise I would go the MB pro. Which chip it uses is only relevant regarding its implications for battery life.
Solve the mobile connectivity problem (a sim card slot would do it, but even better an express card slot setup that accepted a sim card would do) connected to internal antennas, and increased battery life would be the dream machine.
It looks like a bean counter's attempt to benchmark against the MBA and have the bare minimum extra features to justify it. It has an an HDMI, a shared usb/esata and an express card slot over the MBA, and comes with an external dvd drive, but costs an extra $300.
It also has a combo ethernet/power port (the ethernet port itself is on the power brick. It sounds a rather nifty innovation, but on reflection it means that you must connect to power to use ethernet. Not sure if that is a good or a bad thing. Probably bad overall as it means that you have to make numerous connections to just connect to a network, but on the other hand your reasons for connecting to the ethernet network probably sucks a lot of juice. Maybe not relevant to the target market for an ultraportable.
I am pretty sure the MBA would look and feel thinner than this beasty, and certainly weighs less. I am in the market in the next year for an ultraportable, and to be honest, the ability to connect to a mobile phone network without dongles hanging off the usb port is the only reason I have not bought an MBA. Outright performance is not the issue here, otherwise I would go the MB pro. Which chip it uses is only relevant regarding its implications for battery life.
Solve the mobile connectivity problem (a sim card slot would do it, but even better an express card slot setup that accepted a sim card would do) connected to internal antennas, and increased battery life would be the dream machine.
great post. Very dull and uninsipiring design. And WAIT FOR THAT: the fugly looking vent grilles on the sides and front don't even server a functional purpose, they are there for the NEXT iteration of the voodoo envy, see of course the new intels for better heat dissipation. That is all according to the makers...
Learn to read signature blocks...I have a MBP...its great its just too big for me now.
And I queued for 12 hours on Thursday for the opening of the Sydney Apple store if there is still doubt in my appreciation of Macs...
FWIW, a lot of folks around here have the forum configured to not display signature blocks.
IMO, it's a cool idea, but the Voodoo power brick (in the guys hands below) looks to be close to the size of the MacBook Air's external SuperDrive.
Engadet has a cool video review with the guy from HP explaining everything. It was interesting to hear him talk about "thermal management" and how they cool the thing, and how he thinks that's important because of something happening later this year in regards to onboard graphics being as powerful as discreet graphics
http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/10/voodoo-floats-13-3-inch-envy-133-in-the-air/
Attachments
So some people want more power while some want more battery life. Maybe the Apple & Intel engineers can solve the problem with 3 new power management options - each changing the speed to keep everyone happy:
Economy (1.8 or 1.6)
Normal (2.0)
Kick Ass (2.4)
Economy (1.8 or 1.6)
Normal (2.0)
Kick Ass (2.4)
This is site is the only one I've read where people have straight up said the Envy is ugly. On every other site I've read, and I've been following the Envy, everyone is pretty much drooling over the thing.
As for me, if the Envy ran OS X, I would pick it over an MBA. Interestingly, many people have commented how the Envy looks like a Macbook pro, but in black.
As for me, if the Envy ran OS X, I would pick it over an MBA. Interestingly, many people have commented how the Envy looks like a Macbook pro, but in black.
So does anyone know when the Montevina platform with these particular cpus will be available?
I need to replace my failing powerbook soon and I am undecided between a MBP or a MBA. The MBA as it is now is appealing because of it's light weight but it is really impractical for me because I need more HDD, GPU, CPU and memory than the MBA currently sports.
However, I am really getting sick of lugging around a 17 inch PB when 60% of the time I use my laptop for email, web surfing, listening to music, and programing while watching TV. Of course the other 40% of the time I run Aperture, Starry Night Pro, play DVD's, and need to run windows in a VM for client applications.
Here's hoping for at least a 120 GB HDD, penryn processor, and 3 or 4 GB of ram.
Anyone think it is too soon to hope for a MBP and a MBA update in July or Aug? I know that the Montevina platform in general is expected to be released July 14th.
I need to replace my failing powerbook soon and I am undecided between a MBP or a MBA. The MBA as it is now is appealing because of it's light weight but it is really impractical for me because I need more HDD, GPU, CPU and memory than the MBA currently sports.
However, I am really getting sick of lugging around a 17 inch PB when 60% of the time I use my laptop for email, web surfing, listening to music, and programing while watching TV. Of course the other 40% of the time I run Aperture, Starry Night Pro, play DVD's, and need to run windows in a VM for client applications.
Here's hoping for at least a 120 GB HDD, penryn processor, and 3 or 4 GB of ram.
Anyone think it is too soon to hope for a MBP and a MBA update in July or Aug? I know that the Montevina platform in general is expected to be released July 14th.
I can't believe no one has commented so far that APPLE COULD USE THEIR OWN CPUS in the form of two cpus that are already out and in use by recently acquired PA SEMI which are in many ways BETTER than Intels and they certainly have far FAR BETTER POWER MANAGEMENT.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070213-8828.html
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2008/01/10/3204139.htm
I am sorry but a slightly faster fsb and some l2 cache don't cut it for me to increase the TDP at 25 watt, and with a slightly higher clock rate. This first and foremost isn't helping with the heating issues, and I mean, you compromise almost everywhere with the air to get the portability you and apple are aiming at, they should at least get the thermals right!!!
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070213-8828.html
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2008/01/10/3204139.htm
I am sorry but a slightly faster fsb and some l2 cache don't cut it for me to increase the TDP at 25 watt, and with a slightly higher clock rate. This first and foremost isn't helping with the heating issues, and I mean, you compromise almost everywhere with the air to get the portability you and apple are aiming at, they should at least get the thermals right!!!
Unfortunately if you go PPC you lose the capability to run vm's at native intel speed. You also may not be able to run snow leopard which so far is intel only to developers.
Not only that you break compatibility with some intel only OS X apps.
Also, Isn't the Montevina platform much much better at power management than the custom merom board currently in the MBA. I thought that the advanced power management capabilities in the Montevina platform and the 65nm penrym were one of the reasons to upgrade.
Agreed.
The Macbook Air is the best quality portable Apple makes right now--it is so obvious to tell where Steve is focused--but the heat issue needs to be fixed.
I hope we see a major upgrade the MBA. (This year would be great.) I own the current model and love it, but a fat upgrade would be perfect.
There are 3 things this machine needs.
1) A bigger hard drive.
2) A longer battery life.
3) A cheaper price.
Any other upgrades will increase #3, which is bad. It doesn't need a fast processor to run MS Word. It doesn't need a good graphics card. It doesn't need better sound, or even perhaps more ports, or a better screen. All of those things can be obtained in a MB or MBP. This product has a distinct purpose, and that purpose is not a thin MBP.
1) A bigger hard drive.
2) A longer battery life.
3) A cheaper price.
Any other upgrades will increase #3, which is bad. It doesn't need a fast processor to run MS Word. It doesn't need a good graphics card. It doesn't need better sound, or even perhaps more ports, or a better screen. All of those things can be obtained in a MB or MBP. This product has a distinct purpose, and that purpose is not a thin MBP.
PA Semi's CPU draws similar power at 2GHz as Intel's do at 2.53 and do we know for sure it will run PhotoShop CS3 just because it says PowerPC on it?
As to the G6 and G7, Motorola could never get the G5 mobile out the door, period, much less at the 15 watts they claimed it would draw in 2001. And the 970MP in the last G5 Mac Pros drew 100 watts. I can't find power draws for the POWER6 or POWER7, but they all seem to be going into Big Iron so I am guessing they are not low and might stress a Mac Pro's power supply, to say nothing of a Mac Mini's or MacBook Air's.
As to the G6 and G7, Motorola could never get the G5 mobile out the door, period, much less at the 15 watts they claimed it would draw in 2001. And the 970MP in the last G5 Mac Pros drew 100 watts. I can't find power draws for the POWER6 or POWER7, but they all seem to be going into Big Iron so I am guessing they are not low and might stress a Mac Pro's power supply, to say nothing of a Mac Mini's or MacBook Air's.