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MAAAN let the bashing begin lol jeez I am a huge fan of apple not a complainer at all just pointing out some obvious things that usually when a apple laptop is on its 2nd or 3d refresh 8gb is AN OPTION not saying I would need it but it would be good to have as an option.

As far as the HD cam as others mentioned by wife is overseas until an unforeseen amount of time so it would be NICE feature, not essential by any means but again just surprised that on a $1700 machine that I am looking to buy they would leave that out thats all. I just figure all their product lines should have certain standard features thats all.

I have used the air before I love everything about it and its why I am considering it again. I did however read about the possible 15" air like model coming that might be one badass machine!!!
 
MAAAN let the bashing begin lol jeez I am a huge fan of apple not a complainer at all just pointing out some obvious things that usually when a apple laptop is on its 2nd or 3d refresh 8gb is AN OPTION not saying I would need it but it would be good to have as an option.

But then you shouldn't have used the word "essential" in your title. If something is good to have as an option, that means it isn't "essential." I think that's where the confusion lies.
 
Try to compare all the new stuff you get in the 13 base model with the previous version. 4 GB of RAM as standard - backlight keyboard, way faster processors, thunderbolt... For the same price - that's not that bad compared if you had bought the old model a month ago.
 
AGH last refresh kept me from buying cause of the lack of backlit keyboard, this time around no HD in the FaceTime camera? seriously apple why do you get cheap? I would have imagined an option for 8gb ram even but I guess not.

How is that an essential feature? Do you believe that it is essential for everyone?
 
How is that an essential feature? Do you believe that it is essential for everyone?

There's the rub, I think. OP is complaining about "essential" things missing. To me, my MacBook Air provides all essentials - it is able to perform complex computational tasks at relatively high speed, connect me to a large network call "the Internet" and is portable enough to have with me at all necessary times. I believe these would like be essential functions to pretty much any Air owner.

What the OP lists are subjectively essential. I couldn't care less about the webcam being SD - others do, but likely not enough to justify the feature. However, if there's enough of a public outcry (see aforementioned backlit keyboard, which I find useless but enough folks "needed") it'll get thrown into the next version.

If it doesn't work for you, OP, then don't buy it. Sounds like you're in the market for a MBP anyway, which will deliver on all your needs.
 
this time around no HD in the FaceTime camera? seriously apple why do you get cheap?

Besides why do you need an HD webcam ? who on the other side really needs to see you in HD?

Why is the HD a necessity?

I would say, why do you need a camera at all.

Another vote for non essential

I agree. The existing camera is plenty good enough.

Sir...you have been PWND!
 
I would say, why do you need a camera at all. I wish they would get rid of it, it's just ugly and useless.

1. Work. I use Skype multiple times a day
2. Talking with family/friends in different parts of the world
3. It's a mm across and does not block anything and is barely visible
4. New software that utilizes your camera (and old software like business card scanners)
 
People who don't have family out of country aren't going to get it. My entire family in the uk live on skype.
 
Anyone else notice the webcam on the Air is pretty ****** compared to other non-HD Apple webcams? I feel like 4.5 year old MacBook Pro's camera is better quality than the one in my Air. Is there a difference between the two?

Edit: the MacBook Pro has iSight vs. the Air's FaceTime.
 
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Webcam will never be essential. Its not like the backlit keyboard is that essential either i barely use that function on my air
 
again, people who say a good webcam is not essential clearly have no embraced video calling like the rest of the world has.

In the US, it is much less used than other countries.
 
Anyone else notice the webcam on the Air is pretty ****** compared to other non-HD Apple webcams? I feel like 4.5 year old MacBook Pro's camera is better quality than the one in my Air. Is there a difference between the two?

Edit: the MacBook Pro has iSight vs. the Air's FaceTime.

Did you even read this thread?

1) iSight and FaceTime cameras are just branding names. The fact is that they are both just webcam hardware. The previous gen MBA for example was called iSight, and the latest gen is called FaceTime, but they are in fact identical webcams.

2) Apple calls the high quality webcams "FaceTime HD" because they are capable of "720p" and such, but the fact is they are still tiny sensors and are only slightly better. The webcam in your MBP might be spec'd to be similar to the FaceTime HD based on what you are saying.
 
It's only essential if it's "essential to you".. I've used both the cams and the quality is pretty poor compared to the 720p version. I need the HD version since I record video content using the cam so to me it is "essential" but if I didn't record the video I wouldn't ever use it so wouldn't care less it is was standard res or not..

I do agree, it is a shame..
 
I would say, why do you need a camera at all. I wish they would get rid of it, it's just ugly and useless.

That's going a bit far. I videochat quite a bit with my family since I live abroad. And I fail to see how it is ugly, it's a tiny circle in a place you won't be looking at anyway. In my case with a MBP, disguised in the black frame.
 
The screen on the Macbook Air is simply too thin for the HD camera.

Just like people were saying there was no room for a backlit keyboard. Seriously, do you really believe this? :rolleyes:

Sure the camera from the Pros may not fit, but Apple can build a HD camera for the Air if they wanted to.
 
Ha ha. Serves you right for insisting on it having a backlit keyboard - a pantywaist feature that does nothing useful and it adds weight.

If you are this concerned with the weight added by some fiberoptic cables you should probably also make sure you've cut your fingernails recently to help cut down on all that extra weight you're lugging around.
 
The screen on the Macbook Air is simply too thin for the HD camera.

I've heard several people say this, and I read it in the ifixit teardown. I just don't think it's accurate though. The panel isn't all that thin compared to the MacBook Pro. Plus there are thinner cameras out there. The one in the 4 gen iPod touch is super thin. The MacBook Air's camera is quite crappy. especially in low light. We need more bigger pixels like on the iPhone 4


Here's what ifixit said after disassembling the 2011 MacBook Air:


http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/MacBook-Air-13-Inch-Mid-2011-Teardown/6130/2

They say that, but don't give us the dimensions. I can't seem to find any place where they measured the two cameras.
 
Sure the camera from the Pros may not fit, but Apple can build a HD camera for the Air if they wanted to.

Apple doesnt build the cameras, the buy them from a manufactorer, like sony or samsung. if they havent built an "hd" camera thin enough to fit this lid, apple will just order what will fit.
 
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