Why do you and others so vehemently object to the use of the word "netbook" to describe the MBA? If Steve Jobs hadn't once famously said that Apple would never make a netbook, this debate wouldn't have happened. Many of us here not only do not object to the use of "netbook" to describe the 11 inch MBA but approve of its use. With the introduction of the 11 inch MBA Apple, and by extension Steve Jobs, broadened the definition of netbook to include a machine, which is more powerful, has a better display, and a larger keyboard than previous netbooks but is nevertheless no larger. Read our lips, many if not most of us who use the term "netbook" to describe the new 11 inch MBA do not do so derisively but admiringly. Why can't you and others accept that?
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Anyone else regretting buying the MBA?
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I am quite educated I assure you.
Clearly you are or you wouldn't have bought a product for its purposes rather than as a 'status symbol.'
The problem here is you and I are dealing with a form of class snobbery. Just look at the arguments and how they are phrased:
"Smart consumers know better than to call it a netbook...."
Inferring that you must not be smart (like them!) because you don't see the overwhelmingly huge and clear distinction (like they do!) between Apple's version of the netbook and the Windows version of the netbook.
Now forget for just a moment that many of these netbooks graced the forums here as Hackintosh's....but even though they were built on netbook form factors, the very fact that they were now sporting OSX (even if a bastardized version of it) made them somehow "magically different" than what they were. In other words, the whole was made better than the sum of its parts because it ran OSX.
The arguments will continue this way from those afflicted with brand snobbery. They cannot, under any circumstances, allow their choice of computing gadgetry to be lessened in their eyes. Because their egos, and their sense of self-worth, are wrapped up in material possessions and not on their productivity.
Ever had the pleasure of hanging out at the pool at the Four Seasons spa and resort? I have....its not my cup of tea but its certainly a nice place. Until the pool girl/guy starts pestering you to ask if you'd like a "refreshing Evian spritz" to help you cool down. I kid you not...they chill Evian water and offer to spritz you down so you can stay cool. Forget that the pool is right there for that purpose, or for that matter that cool tap water could do the same trick. Its branding snobbery.....Evian spritz.
We are surrounded by the finer folk on here who MUST insist that their cold water is Evian and nothing else. To call it just water would demean their sense of pride.
Like I said...it hurts their feelings. Which is why they must now resort to saying "you must be too stupid to not realize this is the EVIAN of netbooks!" because they are showing their true colors. Its what motivates them....they need to feel they are better than you.
Its amusing and an interesting example of how human psychology and brand image identification work. I'd like to thank those posters who are so inclined to continue demonstrating this behavior to us for providing a perfect example of brand and, by association, class snobbery in action. Thanks!
It's the same way that I object to using the word "fruit" to describe a piece of bacon. The name does not apply.
And in this case, I wasn't even objecting to the use of the word netbook to describe the MBA, I was objecting to ReallyBigFeet's insistence on plugging the word multiple times in order to simply illicit responses and ruin the thread, like he seems to have a malign pleasure of doing in each and every instance (see the 1080p MKV thread where he again uselessly uses the word netbook).
Wow, now you are stalking me to measure my use of the word 'netbook'? I don't know if I should be flattered or scared? Do you have graphs and stuff to measure my posting frequency?
So you aren't so much as obsessed with my use of the term netbook as you are obsessed with me personally?
Wow.....just.....wow!
Compare the MacBook Air to the original Mac Portable, or, better yet, the original Compaq. The definition of "portable" has certainly changed a lot over the years.
That said, the term "netbook" was coined primarily to refer to machines that are capable of web browsing and little else. A machine running Windows 7 Starter on an Atom with 1GB RAM is broadly comparable to a mainstream notebook from 7 years ago, but can't run much modern software and is marketed primarily for web use. "Ultraportable" refers to devices that are running mainstream OSes and are capable of running mainstream software. The 1.4GHz C2D is certainly at the low end but still runs circles around any Atom. Plus it has a full keyboard and a full version of OS X.
ReallyBigFeet: People obvious do not like you referring to the 11.6 inch Air as a netbook. Who cares if you are right and it is? Please stop bringing it up in every single thread. It is contributing nothing to the topic and it is trolling. I'm sure you will have some long boring response that continues to have nothing to do with the topic, but please stop. Some of us get on these threads hoping that they will actually have something to do with the original post, yet you turn them into a netbook debate.
Back on topic, I'm starting to get used to my 11.6 Air and the screen doesn't seem as small. I used a white macbook and a macbook pro yesterday and it seems like all apple notebooks have large bezels. To those that are unsure of their decision, just give it some time. You can always put it on ebay later.
Also, what helps me with the small screen is to set preferences in safari to never use font sizes smaller than 14. My eyes aren't straining anymore.
Back on topic, I'm starting to get used to my 11.6 Air and the screen doesn't seem as small. I used a white macbook and a macbook pro yesterday and it seems like all apple notebooks have large bezels. To those that are unsure of their decision, just give it some time. You can always put it on ebay later.
Also, what helps me with the small screen is to set preferences in safari to never use font sizes smaller than 14. My eyes aren't straining anymore.
Excellent post.
The brand snobbery around Apple is one of the things I try to avoid at all costs. I love the beautiful design and the wonderful innovation of the total package of hardware and software and that is why I am willing to pay a premium and am always a first adopter of Apple products. I hate the brand snobbery though.
It reminds me of the kind of snobbery that happens with cars. I drive an Audi A4. I never think about it as a luxury car, like my macs, I bought it for the beautiful design, and the innovation of the total package. I consider my car a high end Volkswagen and that is fine by me, I didn't buy the car for its name or its prestige. This is considered sacrilege though to Audi snobs. I hear all the time, that same snobbery from people on Audi forums and in general conversation with audi fans, where they do not want the Audi compared to Volkswagens etc....
There is always a more powerful computer, a more expensive luxury car, a trendier designer handbag to purchase. I buy what I like and need, and try to disregard the hype.
What a load of tard this thread has turned into thanks to ReallyBigFeet who keeps trolling non-stop and adding NOTHING useful to the original topic. Who cares if he or other people want to call the 11.6" MBA a netbook? Why in the world should you give a rats a$$ what he or anyone else thinks as it's only what YOU think that matters.
In MY opinion, a netbook is a cheap plastic computer with small cramped keys, has a small crappy trackpad, and runs a crappy Windows operating system which is an all around pain in the a$$ to use. The 11.6" inch MBA in my opinion is not a netbook as it is none of the above and is an all around quality machine that's a joy to use.
Case closed in my opinion but whomever wants to can call it a netbook all they want, as that's THEIR opinion. Who cares what you or I think? Hopefully somebody will get this thread back on topic, as this thread should be about people regretting buying EITHER air and not if the 11.6" is a netbook. What a stupid waste of time!
In MY opinion, a netbook is a cheap plastic computer with small cramped keys, has a small crappy trackpad, and runs a crappy Windows operating system which is an all around pain in the a$$ to use. The 11.6" inch MBA in my opinion is not a netbook as it is none of the above and is an all around quality machine that's a joy to use.
Case closed in my opinion but whomever wants to can call it a netbook all they want, as that's THEIR opinion. Who cares what you or I think? Hopefully somebody will get this thread back on topic, as this thread should be about people regretting buying EITHER air and not if the 11.6" is a netbook. What a stupid waste of time!
Is the Mini Cooper an "econobox"? It's cramped, has a Chrysler engine, and is boxy. It's also sub-$20K.
Actually, a better analogy might be a VW GTI. It has a decent engine, but among the slowest in its class. It still is faster than a typical Golf or Civic.
Actually, a better analogy might be a VW GTI. It has a decent engine, but among the slowest in its class. It still is faster than a typical Golf or Civic.
Though we could take the off topic drift to "that" debate as a sign that there really just isn't a lot of people who regret buying Air showing what a strong product it is.
I know I just love mine.
I agree. The arid debate about You Know What added nothing to the discussion of whether anyone has regretted buying an MBA. As so many of you have said, I love my MBA. Although I have loved Mac laptops ever since I bought my first one, a Powerbook G4, 8 years ago, my new loaded 13 inch MBA has been the best of the 3 I have owned. I just can't get over how Apple has packed such speed, power, and graphics capability into a little package that is, on average, less than .5 of an inch thick and weighs less that 3 pounds.Though we could take the off topic drift to "that" debate as a sign that there really just isn't a lot of people who regret buying Air showing what a strong product it is.
I know I just love mine.
I don't care what Steve Jobs said. Everyone in my experience outside this forum uses the term netbook as a derogatory term. I've never heard anyone use netbook to mean anything other than a cheap, poorly made, limited product. That's why I object to the term netbook.
Why can't you and other accept accept that this is the definition many give to netbook rather than your new modified term? Simply because you have accepted a different definition doesn't mean other have.
Let me re-state, as I've done so countless times already, I do not consider calling the 11" MBA a "netbook" to be any sort of a derogatory term. As I suspected, YOU do (and likely others as well) which is why you get so defensive about it and start the name calling and mud slinging.
What I believe about the 11" MBA:
It redefines what a "netbook" can be, will be and should be. I think with all these definitions people are throwing around they forget that basis of the term "netbook" is "net" for "networked or internet" computer. Book meaning small form factor obviously. The 11" and 13" MBA both represent Apple's vision for networked computing in a small form factor. You can see it most clearly in the 11" version as the 13" is almost a true substitute for the 13" MBP and 13" Macbook computers. Its a device meant for cloud-based computing, offloading much of your data to the cloud (or to at least an external USB drive). It isn't designed for heavy lifting, although it can do more than a 2+ year old traditional netbook based on Atom technology. And it does this with the panache and flair typical of all Apple products inside a shiny aluminum case that offers instant on/instant off gratification.
You and others continue to see the word 'netbook' and get this emotionally visceral reaction to it. You fail to see the broader context of Apple's strategy personified by the device. Steve won't call it a netbook because he's trying to invent a brand new category....and he has!
Now with that, I'll make no more posts in this thread that are considered off-topic. Although I will close with saying that I agree fully with one thing Knightwrx has said. Shocker, I know, but it bears repeating as being totally on topic:
+1
See Post #212 to this thread, think about it, and then find a mirror.
I agree the debate doesn't add anything. I fail to see what a mirror has to do with it.
"The mirror" is showing you that you have been one of the prime contributors to the netbook debate that you "agree doesn't add anything" to the discussion.
"The mirror" is showing you that you have been one of the prime contributors to the netbook debate that you "agree doesn't add anything" to the discussion.
I see, so we should meekly accept a viewpoint shouted all the time by others that we don't agree with?
By all means do so, but it helps that it actually has any real meaning. Arguing about netbook/ultraportable is frankly beyond pathetic.
I think the 11.6" air is a netbook because of the slower processor, the port limitations, the memory limitations, and the hard drive limitations.
That being said, I would never have been able to run adobe cs5 on an atom based netbook without having huge issues. It runs on the air fine which really surprises me.
Also I don't feel any compromises in terms of keyboard and i/o bottlenecks on the air which I would expect to feel on a low end netbook.
When I think of "ultraportable", I think of a $4k maxed out sony. The air is not in that class of machine (price wise or feature wise) in my opinion.
I love my air anyway, and think it is much more useful than my now-sold ipad.
It's a netbook people, get over it. Stop drinking the kool-aid fanbois.
No it isn't. Get over it and stop drinking the hate juice. This isn't some plasticky machine running a crippled "starter" OS. All this nonsense about "Jobs has redefined what a netbook is" is irritating. Subnotebooks have been around since the 1990s and have always had slower processors and fewer ports than larger notebooks. They didn't start calling them "netbooks" until dirt cheap (and cheaply made) throwaway PCs came out. Netbooks don't have HD displays.
Here is Microsoft's maximum requirements for Windows 7 Starter (currently the netbook OS of choice).
• Screen size: 10.2 inches or smaller
• Memory: 1 GB RAM maximum
• Storage: No more than 250 GB HDD or 64 GB SDD
• CPU: Single core processors that do not exceed 2GHz and have a CPU thermal design power less than or equal to 15 W, not including the graphics and chipset.
The cheapest 11.6" MacBook Air fails the screen size, memory, and CPU limitations. It also is capable of running Windows 7 64-bit.
i just got my 13.3 MBA for my first Apple Notebook and i love it, the only thing thats troubling me is the wifi im downstairs and it just hard too connect it cuts in and out so thats the only problem. But so far its fine everything works great and happy that this is my first Apple Product