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MacBook Air to Update This Week?
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I simply can't see Apple releasing a new display, when the Mac Mini and Mac Pro are so overdue (the mini is overdue due generally poor last revision and the Mac Pro is just 'old').
I tend to believe it's a New MBA with some BTO options. But what i can't figure is what they are going to do with the GPU if they pick a i7, would they sacrifice the GPU so much? Or would they be going to AMD? Last month there were some rumors of Apple looking into AMD as future chipsupplier.
I tend to believe it's a New MBA with some BTO options. But what i can't figure is what they are going to do with the GPU if they pick a i7, would they sacrifice the GPU so much? Or would they be going to AMD? Last month there were some rumors of Apple looking into AMD as future chipsupplier.
I don't think we will see either the i3/5/7 or an AMD cpu. Apple would never use integrated graphics, so no i series processor. AMD laptop cpus tend to run hot and inefficient or so has been my experience (this may change when Llano is released). I think we will see an unthrottled core2duo, 320m, 4gb ram, glass trackpad, and possibly 3g and higher res screen as an option.
If it's a Mini I'm grabbing one, would love for them to update before I graduate and lose the student discount. The 9400M just isn't good enough these days, especially with Starcraft 2 on the horizon. Not expecting miracles out of any upgrade, just the 4GB of RAM and 320M would do.
smaller screen?
I'm not the customer for the MBA, but I would definitely see it being more competitive with the products on the market, and customers would see more value in a smaller screen. The main reason to go with an MBA over a 13" MBP would be portability. An 11.6" or 12.1" MBA with a C2D, 4GB 1067MHz RAM, and 128GB SSD would be a killer product that I would see people paying serious money for. There's no room for an i3 or good GPU, and simple stat upgrades like that wouldn't even make it more competitive.
IMO, the only way the MBA is going to see another product cycle after this next one is to offer a smaller unit with similar stats to what we are seeing now, or it will be obsolete to its own iPad and 13" MBP, and force ultra-portable customers to Windows/UNIX Netbooks.
I'm not the customer for the MBA, but I would definitely see it being more competitive with the products on the market, and customers would see more value in a smaller screen. The main reason to go with an MBA over a 13" MBP would be portability. An 11.6" or 12.1" MBA with a C2D, 4GB 1067MHz RAM, and 128GB SSD would be a killer product that I would see people paying serious money for. There's no room for an i3 or good GPU, and simple stat upgrades like that wouldn't even make it more competitive.
IMO, the only way the MBA is going to see another product cycle after this next one is to offer a smaller unit with similar stats to what we are seeing now, or it will be obsolete to its own iPad and 13" MBP, and force ultra-portable customers to Windows/UNIX Netbooks.
I was also looking into the macbook air if it had more meat in it. If it had 4gb RAM, 250gb hard drive space, and new CPU and video card, then the premium may be worth it as these computers usually have a high value to them. Personally and financially. 
I treat my macbook pro and iPad like a baby, even though I use them a lot for school, home, and starbucks (when I'm cruising there with nothing to do as it gets hot at home sometimes). With my current setup, I'll be good with a new MBA and my ipad since I need a Mobile Force as a graduate student who carries his stuff out of the home a lot. I was looking into the 2010 13" MBP, but if this comes out right, I'll pick this up hoping that it won't have many issues as the previous versions.
I treat my macbook pro and iPad like a baby, even though I use them a lot for school, home, and starbucks (when I'm cruising there with nothing to do as it gets hot at home sometimes). With my current setup, I'll be good with a new MBA and my ipad since I need a Mobile Force as a graduate student who carries his stuff out of the home a lot. I was looking into the 2010 13" MBP, but if this comes out right, I'll pick this up hoping that it won't have many issues as the previous versions.Twin Touch screens
The perfect MBA configuration.
Do you hear that Mr. Jobs?
Twin touch screens, folding together.
The perfect MBA configuration.
Do you hear that Mr. Jobs?
Twin touch screens, folding together.
If that happened, the MacBook Air really might as well be replaced by the iPad.
The key things the MacBook Air needs are:
- 4GB RAM (more would be nice, but remember the target market)
- larger storage options (SSD chips attached to the motherboard would be fine with me if it saves space)
- improved cooling (the use of a new low wattage i7 processor might be beneficial in this respect).
Having used a MacBook Air for the last two and a half years, I would hate to have to lug a MacBook Pro around again when I don't need that much power or a disk drive. I do however need more hard drive space now and will need more than 2GB of RAM in the future.
I'd love to see the 12" iBook reborn as 12" macbook with no optical drive, priced just below the 13" macbook. The MBA has its devotees who will argue the design merits of a $1499 laptop with a sub-3 hour battery, but I think there's a larger market for a compact mac laptop with more ports and longer battery life.
If there is an update today, is there a time when the online stores usually go down for maintenance.
Almost 1:30 here and no new MBA's on the Apple website yet, lol.
Almost 1:30 here and no new MBA's on the Apple website yet,
lol.You don't need to be in school to get the student discount. I've been out of college for over a year now and just used my student discount last week to buy a Mac Mini.
If there is an update today, is there a time when the online stores usually go down for maintenance.
Almost 1:30 here and no new MBA's on the Apple website yet,
Usually this stuff happens around lunch time in Central Europe. (4:00-6:00 AM Pacific Time)
So you can start loosing your hopes at 6 hours from now.
Haha, you make me laugh.
The MBA is 1.3 kg, the 13" MBP 2.0 kg. So, it's roughly 50% heavier, or +700g. The top 13" MBP is slightly cheaper than the MBA, is ~50% faster, and has many more ports, and hence functionality.
I don't understand why people would sacrifice 33% of their processor speed, as well as a whole lot of functionality with loss of ports, plus an extra $100 for 700 grams. Why don't you just buy an iPad?
I fail to understand why people can't accept the fact that there are people who value saving weight over processing power and ports that they will never utilize.
You can't even do your trolling right.
Whining about "loss of ports" and subsequently recommending an iPad is beyond schizophrenic.
Interested to see if there's an update today. All the people with hate for Air, you obviously just don't get it. There is a market for it, people love it, people will spend decent money on it, Apple will continue to make and sell it.
Any time now Apple
Hey don't say that!
Assuming they (apple spies) are reading (yeah right) ... you've got to say you'll go out and buy an HP or a Sony or something! They won't be in a hurry to update it if we all are still going to buy one of their other laptops instead! LOLBecause MacBook Air users still want a fully featured computer - an iPad can't be used for web design, photo editing etc.
Question is, do you need that 33% extra processor speed and USB port? You might, but there are lots of uses for a computer that don't require MacBook Pro specs but do require more than an oversized iPod touch will ever be able to offer. It also depends on your usage. Do you drive to work, walk 2 minutes with your laptop to your office; or do you spend 40 minutes to an hour on public transport each way to and from work or uni and carry textbooks and gym gear in your bag as well. Hopefully this will help you understand why there is a market for the MacBook Air. Obviously it is much smaller than that of the MacBook Pro, and is limited to those that are lucky enough to be able to afford to buy into that market, but it does exist and I hope Apple continues to serve it. I predict that two years from now, the MacBook Pros will be lighter and thinner, but it will be that and not the iPad that removes the need for the MacBook Air.
Good and valid point. Might fit with the fact that the C2D dies at the end of the year so it makes more sense to me to update the display to be ready for the MP shown on the WWDC? I believe MBA will follow later in the year, with the MB and 13' MBP (all the remaining portable C2D ones).