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More Claimed MacBook Air Specs: 8-10 Hour Battery, NVIDIA 320M, Upgradeable RAM and SSD

Smartest thing Apple has done to their MacBook Air line-up... Drop it a couple hundo, and watch your target audience grow...

I'll take an 11.6" with 4GB of RAM as soon as it is in stores!
 
rmwebs said:
Hmm...this is going to be another fail for the Air if they dont get that price sorted out.

The air may be 'magical' but its price is just laughable. ...

I've never been a huge fan of the Air. It just seems that to get the formfactor and weight, they have had to comprimize performance, build quality and basic common sense (why would you ship a laptop with just 1 usb port, and why in this day and age are they not providing 4GB RAM as standard!).

For me, the air would need something more along the lines of the following specs to make it be worthwhile:

  • i5 or i7 processor
  • Minimum of 4GB RAM (DDR3)
  • 2-4 USB 3 ports (again, futurerproof your damn hardware like everyone else!)
  • changeable battery
  • upgradable ram
  • upgradable hard drive
  • should ship with something like an option of say 250GB SATA or 64GB SSD (giving you a choice)
  • Maybe an SD/memory card reader? I can see the Air being useful for family vacations and photographers on location.

......
Click to expand...

Just because it doesn't suit your needs, does not make it a "fail". That's why companies put out different models. The Air suits many people, not despite it's features, but because of it's features. My wife loves her Air. It's her travel machine. What she needs when she travels is something that has a full sized keyboard that is as small as possible and light enough for her to carry and that can go all day without being plugged into the wall. The Air, as is, meets all of those needs (though of course she needs to close it up when not actually in use to make the 5 hour charge go all day). The 10" or 11" version will probably be too small for her, since she needs to read and write documents... but it will suit some people. A single USB slot is fine, she only uses one memory stick at a time. More RAM, bigger HD simply add cost with no benefits for her. When she got the Air, she was one of the first in her professional circle. She has probably sold a dozen of them by now as people in her circle saw what the Air can do.

So please spare me the "Fail" label. It doesn't work for you... great. Move on. You don't need to share the fact that you don't know/care how other people work and what their needs are.

jayducharme said:
That just boggles my mind. Why would someone pay that for an Air, when a MacBook Pro is about the same size and price but gives you a lot more for your money? If people can live with the slightly reduced functionality of the Air to go with its reduced size, why not just get an iPad (which, by the next revision, I'll bet will do almost as much as an Air)?
Click to expand...

See above. The iPad with the BT keyboard is bigger than the Air, with a small screen and less functionality. The Air is a tool for doing a very limited set of specific tasks. Nothing Apple has does that job half as well as the Air. If you don't need it for those tasks, then the Air is not for you. Move on. And when somebody finds a tool that solves their needs as well as the Air, they will spend more for it - and recognize that it is a low-volume specialists tool. And not suitable for broad range of uses. I don't need one - I wouldn't pay for one. Doesn't suit me.

Just saying....
 
just a theoretical question. if it is really going to be thinner than the current model, then will it be fragile?

its just that a smaller form factor is very appealing to me, and if its gonna cost much lower than the current MBA, that is much more appreciated. but will it be fragile? and how fragile will it be?
 
Get rid of the white Macbook!

It's anachronistic; the white color is horrible and it's the only "MacBook". Everything else is MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. It would make sense for the white MacBook to go away, the new MacBook Air being rebranded as a MacBook: then there's only two distinct lines: Macbook and the MacBook Pro's.
 
Mmm, very tempting.

Even more tempting if they do away with C2D in favour of i3 or i5. Apple seriously need to drop C2D. I think it would be a let down to give the Macbook Air such a drastic revamp (supposedly) but include such an outdated processor as we head towards 2011.
 
shanmugam said:
2.1/2.4GHz speed and 8 to 10 hours of battery life and $1099 price point -> looks like these are standard voltage CPUs, can they fit (heat) in MBA form?
Click to expand...

Sony has done that with their Vaio Z line. I somehow doubt that Apple can put everything in it. Bigger battery, standard voltage iX CPUs and discrete GPU (320M) -> 11.6" Air. No way.

I'm guessing it's Core 2 Duo. Could be SP9xxx or an updated (custom) SL9xxx.
 
RebootD said:
We lost that battle, time to go home with some dignity.
Click to expand...

Spot on. Actually ever since :apple: has been offering the Glossy screen as standard, I have been saving a lot of money since I have not bought any :apple: HW since mid-2008. More money in my pockets. :D


My next purchase will correspond when OS 10.7 Lion will be released with the HW offering. Nothing for me till that time frame. 4GB of ram is fitting for my requirements plus my nVidia GPU.

I would expect an HDMI port on this MBAir along with SDXC. It seems to be fitting with the recent inclusion of the port on MacMini and :apple:TV. MTF.
 
crackbookpro said:
Smartest thing Apple has done to their MacBook Air line-up... Drop it a couple hundo, and watch your target audience grow...

I'll take an 11.6" with 4GB of RAM as soon as it is in stores!
Click to expand...

Not in the market for a 11.6" MBAir, however when comparing it with the iPad, I cannot do without the physical KB for lengthy emails and documents, plus the complete SW suite that I run. Will hold out till 10.7 Lion is released and see what is offered HW wise for the MBAir. :)
 
Detlev_73 said:
It's anachronistic; the white color is horrible and it's the only "MacBook". Everything else is MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. It would make sense for the white MacBook to go away, the new MacBook Air being rebranded as a MacBook: then there's only two distinct lines: Macbook and the MacBook Pro's.
Click to expand...

i would suggest to bring the cost down to $800 and possible 15" white macbook (not going to happen).

with all the iPod, iPhone, iPad moment all APPLE needs is one Mac Hot seller - either desktop or laptop ...
 
Matte screen option--AMEN brother

icanboogie said:
a matte option would be cool!
(sorry, I simply HAD to write that down :p)
Click to expand...

AMEN, brother. It's one feature I can't see them giving us and one that wd make this machine much more useful. On the go photographers, designers will snag these if they can run CS decently in any case.
 
Hellhammer said:
Sony has done that with their Vaio Z line. I somehow doubt that Apple can put everything in it. Bigger battery, standard voltage iX CPUs and discrete GPU (320M) -> 11.6" Air. No way.

I'm guessing it's Core 2 Duo. Could be SP9xxx or an updated (custom) SL9xxx.
Click to expand...

Looking at the Mobo size in the iP4, iPT4, MacMini and, :apple:TV, I do not think its going to be much of an issue. I would not be surprised if they stick the Power Adapter in there as well for a "clean look" marketing props. Granted it will generate heat, however I believe if anyone is willing to do it, it be :apple:.
 
I'm also hoping it's early access to sandybridge cpus. Apple has had early access to the nehalem xeon cpus for their mac pros, and they've been disappointed at intel's required use of integrated graphics with their mobility nehalems. The sanydbridge's integrated graphics are as fast-- if not faster, than 320m, while delivering less heat.

Multiple rumors and reports have suggested that intel was ready to push their sandybridge lineup out as early as this winter, but rather or not it'll be ready for macbook air remains to be seen.

Nevertheless, a 2ghz core2duo and 320m for such a tiny formfactor isn't a letdown at all. Too many people get caught up in the "i" branding.
 
Detlev_73 said:
It's anachronistic; the white color is horrible and it's the only "MacBook". Everything else is MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. It would make sense for the white MacBook to go away, the new MacBook Air being rebranded as a MacBook: then there's only two distinct lines: Macbook and the MacBook Pro's.
Click to expand...

Agree 100%. The white macbook is the odd (and relatively ugly) man out.

I just bought an iPad, but if they come through with this new MBA at a 1k price point, see y alater ipad.
 
core 2 duo

this was probably already brought up, but isn't Intel going to discontinue core 2 duo sometime soon? the point being that apple needs to choose a processor that will be produced for the duration of that product generation.
 
never

never going to happen,

I really doubt apple will bring out a 11" sized screen. its a netbook. and their "crap at everything"
 
jamesnajera said:
My Prediction,

A HDMI MacMini with less interfaces = New Macbook Air.
Click to expand...

Was hoping for WirelessDisplay Output option to beam my image to my TV, intel has it, and I know its possible via iOS4. HDMI, SDXC and WirelessDisplay Output = Win. Matte display would be icing on the cake for me. :D
 
Hellhammer said:
Sony has done that with their Vaio Z line. I somehow doubt that Apple can put everything in it. Bigger battery, standard voltage iX CPUs and discrete GPU (320M) -> 11.6" Air. No way.
Click to expand...

the GPU is IGP like the MacBook and Mac mini...

heat will be the issue with Standard Voltage CPU and IGP 320M (excluding intel IGP which is in CPU)
 
Solo500 said:
AMEN, brother. It's one feature I can't see them giving us and one that wd make this machine much more useful. On the go photographers, designers will snag these if they can run CS decently in any case.
Click to expand...

The air definitely will not come with glossy screen. The glass panel would increase at least .5 pound weight and that is unacceptable for MBA
 
No glass screen please! And can we just have 4GB of RAM standard?

Otherwise I am really digging the sounds of it. Though I still wish there was a way to get gigabit ethernet into it, even if it was with an adapter but then we would need USB 3 or something.
 
Detlev_73 said:
It's anachronistic; the white color is horrible and it's the only "MacBook". Everything else is MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. It would make sense for the white MacBook to go away, the new MacBook Air being rebranded as a MacBook: then there's only two distinct lines: Macbook and the MacBook Pro's.
Click to expand...

I would agree although I think they will keep the MBA name. If you look at Mac updates this year we now have 2 Mac Mini models and 2 iMac models so maybe they will continue this logic on to the laptops 11" & 13" MBA and 15" & 17" MBP. Apparently the 13" MBP is their best selling laptop (which is probably just a price thing) so maybe they will keep the 13" MB to replace the 13" MBP but update it so it looks the same as the current MBPs.
 
reallynotnick said:
No glass screen please! And can we just have 4GB of RAM standard?

Otherwise I am really digging the sounds of it. Though I still wish there was a way to get gigabit ethernet into it, even if it was with an adapter but then we would need USB 3 or something.
Click to expand...

A physical Gigabit ethernet port defeats the purpose of what the MBAir is supposed to be. A sub-notebook with minimal wires if any at all. Unless we can get wireless power through the airwaves to charge the MBAir, there is no way to cut the power cord.
 
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