Here it is: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304173704575578341059569632.html?mod=djemptech_t
Walt seemed to have enjoyed the machines.
Walt seemed to have enjoyed the machines.
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An MBA review from WSJ
- Thread starter Jaro65
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Interesting, thanks. The writer spent a little more time on the 11 inch and a little less on the 13 inch than I would have liked. I suppose that was to be expected, though. The 11 inch's Wow! factor is off the charts right now, just as the iPad's was when it was introduced.
Agreed, another pathetic review that could have been written by anyone. I still haven't even seen one and I could have written this review.
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He didn't mention that a simple hdmi adapter will give video and audio. Apple sells them at the stores (not made by apple but a third party item).
He didn't mention that a simple hdmi adapter will give video and audio. Apple sells them at the stores (not made by apple but a third party item).
I love my 13 Air, but I could have guessed Mossberg's reaction without reading it. And having read it, I feel like I wasted my time. Independent tech sites are so far ahead of Walt and the other mainstreamers.
I agree. The WSJ would do everyone a service by firing that idiot. He is completely out of "in" when it comes to tech. He is clueless, and his articles are always irrelevant and pointless. Basically, he writes one paragraph that's a terrible analogy, then fills the rest with completely worthless analogies and ideas that help nobody understand what he is talking about. The WSJ can do WAY BETTER than Walt Mossberg. Heck, I would rather read the average MR member's thread than his article about any topic.
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Walt doesn't have anything bad to say about Apple usually but then again the products haven't usually been too bad. Not since the original MBA (and iPhone 4 if you thought antennagate was a real issue) had there been issues with a product/pricing/gap between what people want and what Apple created.
It's like Macworld reviews. How many mouse marks are almost full (every time). Why rate it if it's always the same rate!
Anyhow, you could discuss pros and cons of new features versus ones taken out. That nights be more interesting than a review that I could read from any other blogger.
Anandtech has the best thorough review so far.
Walt doesn't have anything bad to say about Apple usually but then again the products haven't usually been too bad. Not since the original MBA (and iPhone 4 if you thought antennagate was a real issue) had there been issues with a product/pricing/gap between what people want and what Apple created.
It's like Macworld reviews. How many mouse marks are almost full (every time). Why rate it if it's always the same rate!
Anyhow, you could discuss pros and cons of new features versus ones taken out. That nights be more interesting than a review that I could read from any other blogger.
Anandtech has the best thorough review so far.
Why did he keep trying to compare them to netbooks? It's obviously NOT a netbook, both in size and horsepower. It's more along the lines of a thin and light, like the Dell Vistro v13 or Asus UL80Vt.
Obviously, it's going to be a lot better than a netbook. I'd like to see how he compares them to legit thin and light's.
Obviously, it's going to be a lot better than a netbook. I'd like to see how he compares them to legit thin and light's.
Ugh, don't get me started! I once read a review where they were praising Apple for not offering an HDMI port.
Likely because as a netbook the 11" really is aimed at the same crowd that snapped up the iPad in large numbers....people who have very little computing needs beyond email and web surfing.
I was amazed when the iPad was released how many early adopters quickly proclaimed that they were dumping their fairly new MBP's in record numbers. The biggest comment was "I no longer will need my MBP for web surfing and email...the iPad can handle this just fine!"
Hello? You bought a $2K computer to do email and surf the web?!?!?!?!
Now buying a $999 netbook to do these things....well that I can more easily understand.
I completely agree that Anand's review was by far the best I've seen: subjective and quite detailed. Walt's review is...Walt's review. He does what he does. He is without doubt going to retire at WSJ. ...And really, this is WSJ, the source of mostly financial and market news. They'll ultimately look for a replacement who would provide a similar type of light reviews.
Finally, I'm getting tired of people comparing MBA's to netbooks. If I wanted one of those crappy machines, I would have bought one. This sort of reminds me of me enjoying my BMW, while others keep telling me how their Kia's are just as good (or better). Good for you, but I really couldn't care. I will gladly pay for superior design, both from the h/w and s/w perspective. As we all do here on MR.
I sure hope my wife will enjoy her new 11.6" MBA while I'm debating when I'm going to pull the trigger on its bigger brother. Enjoy your lovely machine, fellow MR members.
Finally, I'm getting tired of people comparing MBA's to netbooks. If I wanted one of those crappy machines, I would have bought one. This sort of reminds me of me enjoying my BMW, while others keep telling me how their Kia's are just as good (or better). Good for you, but I really couldn't care. I will gladly pay for superior design, both from the h/w and s/w perspective. As we all do here on MR.
I sure hope my wife will enjoy her new 11.6" MBA while I'm debating when I'm going to pull the trigger on its bigger brother. Enjoy your lovely machine, fellow MR members.
Mossberg is very clear about the fact that he writes for a mainstream audience as opposed to for nerds and hobbyists. His review was entirely appropriate for his intended audience who don't want to read (and probably wouldn't fully understand) the Anandtech review.
haha I hate this guy. Something about him annoys me. Anything he says negative about any product, he doesn't think before he says it. Some negatives aren't that bad at all...I just don't get why this guy is so famous. He seems pretty meh.
Agreed. Also, I don't see why some of you are so upset? Personally, I think the new airs are great. However, they aren't perfect; pointing out some negatives is fine. For the most part, he liked them (yes, I know he is usually pro apple, but aren't we also?)
Walt is a suck-up...
He's the reason Jobs always has that grin on his face. Walt's owned.
QFT.
If you've ever read Fake Steve, you'll know the sort of relationship the whole tech industry KNOWS Apple and Walt have
I feel like WSJ is like the grandfather whom wanted to blog as a hobby talking like everyone beneath him are 10 years old.
You really don't respect him. You just pat him on the head and say "good grandpa, its medicine time!"
You really don't respect him. You just pat him on the head and say "good grandpa, its medicine time!"
It's shameful that Mossberg is spreading Apple's hype about the iPad. Their big message is that the new MBA was inspired by the iPad, and people just keep repeating it uncritically. The new MacBook Air is not fundamentally different from the one that preceded the iPad. I had to finally admit that Apple really does spread unwarranted hype -- not just the media. I wrote all about it here.
I agree that the Wow! factor can lead to a heightened sense of unreality. I, too, remember the posts here in which some new iPad owners were proclaiming the iPad to be the functional equivalent of the MBP. Ha. I bought an iPad during the first week of its release in April and quickly saw its limitations, which I will not bore everybody with by repeating here. The iPad is great for Web surfing, as long as you don't go to Flash enabled sites and being able to sync its Contacts and Calendar apps to those on my MBP, has been terrific. Of course my iPod touch does that, too, but that's a story for another day. On the down side, the iPad's email app is primitive and document preparation on its virtual keyboard is the next thing to impossible.
I have posted before that I agree the new 11 inch MBA is, indeed, a "netbook," as long as it is understood that when Steve Jobs expressed his dislike for netbooks, he meant a cheaper and much less capable device than the 11 inch MBA. In stark contrast to the iPad, the 11 inch MBA really can do virtually everything a larger computer can do, including document preparation. I finally decided on the 13 inch MBA but the 11 inch with 4GB of RAM was very, very tempting. In general terms, the new MBA is twice as expensive as the iPad but it is twice as capable, too.
I am a bit more sanguine about the Mossberg piece in the WSJ than some posters here have been. Mossberg writes for tired businessmen, who have little knowledge of or interest in technical matters. His stuff isn't the sort that is of much interest to we members of the nerd class who congregate here but it is still fun to see what is being pitched to the non-techies about the new MBA
Wow--the hating on Walt Mossberg! Give the guy a break.
I am one of the "tired businessman" Walt writes for, who also happens to be somewhat of a computer geek, early adopter type in addition to a being physician-scientist who travels quite a bit giving presentations.
I ordered my BTO 11, 4, 1.6 MBA at 1154 PST on 10/20, and received it this past Tuesday AM via UPS. I have been playing with it ever since. Right now I am finishing the update of Windows 7 on Boot Camp while waiting for my clinic to begin.
I have two iPads (Wifi for the kids and a 3G), and have owned the 2008 MBA and the 2009 MBA.
Walt's review is spot on. For what I do, this gives me what the iPad can't. It is a real improvement over the older MBAs. In fact, now that I have Office 2011 for Mac installed with Outlook, I really have everything I need, and I'm not sure I even need Boot Camp and Windows 7 anymore.
Anyway, I think Walt's review was good and in line with the other reviews.
I am one of the "tired businessman" Walt writes for, who also happens to be somewhat of a computer geek, early adopter type in addition to a being physician-scientist who travels quite a bit giving presentations.
I ordered my BTO 11, 4, 1.6 MBA at 1154 PST on 10/20, and received it this past Tuesday AM via UPS. I have been playing with it ever since. Right now I am finishing the update of Windows 7 on Boot Camp while waiting for my clinic to begin.
I have two iPads (Wifi for the kids and a 3G), and have owned the 2008 MBA and the 2009 MBA.
Walt's review is spot on. For what I do, this gives me what the iPad can't. It is a real improvement over the older MBAs. In fact, now that I have Office 2011 for Mac installed with Outlook, I really have everything I need, and I'm not sure I even need Boot Camp and Windows 7 anymore.
Anyway, I think Walt's review was good and in line with the other reviews.
No offense to those of you who love Walt, but his reviews are nowhere near as engadget's review. Engadget writes much better reviews and also they are quick about it. All of his points are pretty much what others have said before. He is just late to the party. Also, I really don't see how 11 inch has a long battery life. 4-5 hours of battery life is great, but it's not long enough. If it had 7-8 hours then yes. 11.6 inch is really for people who travel a lot. 2.2 vs 2.9 pounds is just silly. There isn't that much difference in weight. SD card slot, better battery life and faster processor are enough reasons for me to go for 13.3 inch models.