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Surprised by the MacBook Air hype machine

A

Anthony8720

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 4, 2005
180
2
USA
I am somewhat shocked by the attitude towards the macbook air. I just watched a video hands-on on crave. The woman reviewing the notebook said "It retails at $1799, which is surprisingly well priced for an ultraportable". Im really not so sure of that.

Also, I just read an article on cnet.com that states, "In terms of interaction, the MacBook Air is probably the first three-pound notebook that hasn't asked users to make some kind of compromise." NO COMPROMISE!!?? How about no optical drive, user replaceable battery, stereo speakers, firewire, express card slot, etc etc... All I'm saying is, I think it is a logical addition to apple's line of notebooks, but for once I think I may be a little disgusted by the blinders us apple fanboys put on when a new product comes out. I can't believe it, but for the first time following macworld, I still have the most advanced notebook apple offers (mbp).
 
Anthony8720 said:
I am somewhat shocked by the attitude towards the macbook air. I just watched a video hands-on on crave. The woman reviewing the notebook said "It retails at $1799, which is surprisingly well priced for an ultraportable". Im really not so sure of that.

It is well priced.

Also, I just read an article on cnet.com that states, "In terms of interaction, the MacBook Air is probably the first three-pound notebook that hasn't asked users to make some kind of compromise." NO COMPROMISE!!?? How about no optical drive, user replaceable battery, stereo speakers, firewire, express card slot, etc etc... All I'm saying is, I think it is a logical addition to apple's line of notebooks, but for once I think I may be a little disgusted by the blinders us apple fanboys put on when a new product comes out. I can't believe it, but for the first time following macworld, I still have the most advanced notebook apple offers (mbp).
Click to expand...

The fact is the there really is no/minimal compromise with the MacBook Air as an ultra-portable, which is what it is marketed as.

I wouldn't expect any of those features that you mention for an ultra portable machine. What the reviewers are getting at is that there is no compromise in raw power and ability.

A gorgeous 13.3" display, iSight, Core 2 Duo chips, 2GB Ram, 80GB storage, USB, Micro-DVI. All pretty damn impressive for something so thin.

The features you listed are what people look for when they buy a full size notebook, like the MB and MBP.

I think the reviews are being very fair about this.
 
(don't forget multi-touch)

I'm gleaning more and more the demographic here are rather young who depend on their laptops as their MAIN and sole computer that needs to do more intensive things.

To expect any computer in this "light" category to be comparable to a ramped up MBP (especially without paying a fortune), is simply naive.
 
I'm still trying to figure out if Apple has ever released a computer that cost more yet delivered less than *existing* machines in its lineup (before now, with the MBA). I'm pretty sure they didn't do this with any of the iBooks/Powerbooks. It's like pricing the Mac Mini halfway between the iMac and the Mac Pro, and trying to pitch it on its portability.

A side result of this, interestingly, is how, all of a sudden, people are singing the praises of the Macbook. Sometimes, you'd think it were a toy compared to the MBP, based on how some folks talked about it here, but now the MBA has been released, and is priced halfway between the MB and MBP but offers lower performance than either, both the MB and the MBP are being referred to as the capable performance machines, while the MBA has been relegated to the scrap heap. :D
 
Anthony8720 said:
I am somewhat shocked by the attitude towards the macbook air. I just watched a video hands-on on crave. The woman reviewing the notebook said "It retails at $1799, which is surprisingly well priced for an ultraportable". Im really not so sure of that.

Also, I just read an article on cnet.com that states, "In terms of interaction, the MacBook Air is probably the first three-pound notebook that hasn't asked users to make some kind of compromise." NO COMPROMISE!!?? How about no optical drive, user replaceable battery, stereo speakers, firewire, express card slot, etc etc... All I'm saying is, I think it is a logical addition to apple's line of notebooks, but for once I think I may be a little disgusted by the blinders us apple fanboys put on when a new product comes out. I can't believe it, but for the first time following macworld, I still have the most advanced notebook apple offers (mbp).
Click to expand...

Good point, but your still gonna loose cause I can already see you have never traveled with your laptop more than 200feet. Yes, no optical drive and no subwoofer for the speakers and no firewire. But I dont give a damm. I fly to different countries every week and on a plane and in hotel, I dont do video-editing and do not organize a party so i dont need any of that speakeras and other BS. Sony TZ is slooowww even for simple suff, but with full blown C2D, the new MBA is a top contender for ultra-portable machine. SOny charges their laptops starting at $1999 and going up to $3700 for the SSD option, so how is $1799 not cheap??? Oh, yes beacouse your a student, you cant afford. Well guess what, this laptop is not targeted at you. Its a business laptop for people who really need ultra-portability.
 
Anthony8720 said:
The vaio's listed at the 3K price all have solid state drives and user-replaceable batteries. Add both of these features to the air, and you are right up at that price.
Click to expand...

not just that. the TZ91 sports what the Air does not:

Built-in stereo speaker
ExpressCard/34
SD/MMC/Memory Stick PRO
10/100/1000 LAN
56K v.90/v.92 Modem
USB 2.0 x 2
i.LINK (S400)
Mic Input
Docking Station Connector
Dual Layer DVD super multi drive (DVD±R DL)
Lightweight battery pack VGP-BPS11: 6 hours
Standard battery pack VGP-BPL11: 12 hours
Bulk battery pack VGP-BPX11: 18 hours
2.26 lbs

the Airbook only really wins in thinness and the ability to run osx
 
Mastamarek said:
Good point, but your still gonna loose cause I can already see you have never traveled with your laptop more than 200feet. Yes, no optical drive and no subwoofer for the speakers and no firewire. But I dont give a damm. I fly to different countries every week and on a plane and in hotel, I dont do video-editing and do not organize a party so i dont need any of that speakeras and other BS. Sony TZ is slooowww even for simple suff, but with full blown C2D, the new MBA is a top contender for ultra-portable machine. SOny charges their laptops starting at $1999 and going up to $3700 for the SSD option, so how is $1799 not cheap??? Oh, yes beacouse your a student, you cant afford. Well guess what, this laptop is not targeted at you. Its a business laptop for people who really need ultra-portability.
Click to expand...

HAHA. I really just laughed when I read this. I honestly can't believe this guy got this mad about my statements. Anyways, I am not a student, I own two small businesses. Both are run by macs. And I bring my mbp to my office every day. I was just giving my viewpoint on apple's new offering. Sorry if I ruined your day.
 
Anthony8720 said:
The vaio's listed at the 3K price all have solid state drives and user-replaceable batteries. Add both of these features to the air, and you are right up at that price.
Click to expand...

Yes, but it's not a Mac and doesn't have Leopard. :)
 
thies said:
not just that. the TZ91 sports what the Air does not:


To be honest, who gives a s*** about stuff like:
Built-in stereo speaker
ExpressCard/34
SD/MMC/Memory Stick PRO
56K v.90/v.92 Modem
USB 2.0 x 2
i.LINK (S400)
Mic Input
Docking Station Connector
Dual Layer DVD super multi drive (DVD±R DL)

on ultraportable? Especially expresscard and modem. Who uses that anyway?
and what is your point with mic input? you already have dual microphone on the lid, so what's that for? I can imagine, that docking station is usefull, but OTOH it's makes it heavier and bulkier, same with DVD - I prefer external one...
Click to expand...
 
to be honest, ive been thinking about some of the things that the MBA does not have (optical drive, speakers, USB ports, etc)...The fact of the matter is I really just dont use those things very often on my laptops. All speakers I find on laptops pretty much blow, I never really have more than one thing hooked up to the USB port on my current laptop, and while I do use the optical drive, it is usually just to burn CD's onto an external HD that houses my music library.

If the MBA was around $1000.00-$1200.00 I really wouldnt mind going out and buying one....It would suit many of my needs to a certain extent, but at $1799.00 I think it is just to much money for what it offers, also, aesthically it looks like Dell had a hand in the design.
 
Also, I just read an article on cnet.com that states, "In terms of interaction, the MacBook Air is probably the first three-pound notebook that hasn't asked users to make some kind of compromise." NO COMPROMISE!!?? How about no optical drive, user replaceable battery, stereo speakers, firewire, express card slot, etc etc...
Click to expand...

As a non-native English speaker, all I can comment is that you have not paid enough attention to what cnet.com said. "in terms of interaction" means what it means, the MBA actually doesn't compromise on interraction, the way you "speak" and "listen" to the machine. You still have a 13" display, a full sized keyboard, a giant trackpad.

However, concerning other aspects of this ultraportable, Apple decided to make compromises. The optical drive (functionnality), the user-removable battery (ergonomics), the stereo speakers (technology), firewire (blablabla).

So in my humble opinion, cnet.com is right, although you are also right to say that this notebook comes at the expense of some features that may be considered crucial and that are not built-in.

I know this is the answer of a politician... ("everyone is right" ! but I don't give a sh... of your real opinion !)
 
meagain said:
(don't forget multi-touch)

I'm gleaning more and more the demographic here are rather young who depend on their laptops as their MAIN and sole computer that needs to do more intensive things.

To expect any computer in this "light" category to be comparable to a ramped up MBP (especially without paying a fortune), is simply naive.
Click to expand...

Well, other than the "young" part, dead on. ;) I'd love to have an MBA, but it absolutely will not fulfill my needs; in fact, it would fairly well cripple my ability to do the things I need on a remote, day-to-day basis. Bummer...
 
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