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macjay

macrumors 6502
Oct 3, 2003
366
0
Apple now sells seven laptop models, eight if you include the black version of the MacBook.

Why stop at eight when you can include all the possible CTO configurations?

I'd say that Apple sells 4 distinct laptop models.
 

IJ Reilly

macrumors P6
Jul 16, 2002
17,909
1,496
Palookaville
My problem with the MBA is that it has no real functionality, it looks great but that is about it. Apple has gotten to a point of over charging and not giving you anything in return. For what it offers the MBA should be the lowest end of the laptop line. I would not consider it to be a high end machine. For it to be practical you have to spend another few $100 to get the proper add ons that should be included with the machine to begin with. I would rather spend the money on something that will give me usefulness rather then just eye candy.

Everything you have said is completely unsubstantiated opinion. It's not a "high-end machine," it's a sub-notebook for people who have a use for one. What's so difficult to understand about that concept? Maybe you need to look at the other offerings in the sub-notebook category.

I want one, and not for the "eye candy" (whatever the hell that is), but because it would be ideal for road shows, which I do quite often. It's very light and would easily fit in my briefcase along with my projector. The MBA is the first offering from Apple to make me think seriously about replacing my 12" PowerBook.
 

LethalWolfe

macrumors G3
Jan 11, 2002
9,370
124
Los Angeles
While it is clear that the majority of the people on MR find that the MB Air does not appeal to them, this fact alone may not be a good enough indicator of how the average consumer will view this machine.
I don't think the discussions about the MBA come close to the negativity that surround the original iPod. And then there was all the b*tching about the iPhone not matching feature-for-feature w/other smart phones in it's price range. If MR was around 10yrs ago when the original iMac was released I can't even fathom how many threads there'd be complaining about how stupid Apple is for releasing an all-in-one machine w/only USB (no legacy ports), no floppy, and only a CD-ROM drive.

The MBA, IMO, is the laptop version of the original iMac.


Lethal
 

MacNut

macrumors Core
Jan 4, 2002
22,998
9,976
CT
Then they should market it as such, a lot of people are looking at the MBA as being a replacement machine.
 

IJ Reilly

macrumors P6
Jul 16, 2002
17,909
1,496
Palookaville
I don't think the discussions about the MBA come close to the negativity that surround the original iPod. And then there was all the b*tching about the iPhone not matching feature-for-feature w/other smart phones in it's price range. If MR was around 10yrs ago when the original iMac was released I can't even fathom how many threads there'd be complaining about how stupid Apple is for releasing an all-in-one machine w/only USB (no legacy ports), no floppy, and only a CD-ROM drive.

The MBA, IMO, is the laptop version of the original iMac.

Exactly. Well I remember, a lot of people thought Apple had completely lost it when they started selling Macs without a floppy drive. Can't possibly sell. A Mac without a dedicated GPU? Can't possibly sell. An iPod touch with less than 32 GB of RAM? Who'd want that? And so on.

Then they should market it as such, a lot of people are looking at the MBA as being a replacement machine.

I supposed you must have missed the keynote and all the discussion about it. Otherwise, I can't imagine where you are coming up with this.
 

MacNut

macrumors Core
Jan 4, 2002
22,998
9,976
CT
I supposed you must have missed the keynote and all the discussion about it. Otherwise, I can't imagine where you are coming up with this.
That is from people in this forum. I hear a lot of people saying that the MBA will be a replacement for their current computers.

Personally I think there is a very small market that would want such an expensive computer with no real functionality. Maybe if it was under $1000 then more would jump on.
 

IJ Reilly

macrumors P6
Jul 16, 2002
17,909
1,496
Palookaville
That is from people in this forum. I hear a lot of people saying that the MBA will be a replacement for their current computers.

You are substituting what people say in this forum for Apple's marketing? Now I'm really confused about what you are arguing. And if someone wants to use the MBA as their primary Mac, then why should anyone have a problem with that?
 

Much Ado

macrumors 68000
Sep 7, 2006
1,532
1
UK
A thread with a link to one of Dvorak's pages? :eek:

What next... voluntary donations to Steve Ballmer?
 

MacNut

macrumors Core
Jan 4, 2002
22,998
9,976
CT
If people are going to use this as an everyday computer I think they will be disappointed in the lack of ability they will get. For the price they should get more.
 

heatmiser

macrumors 68020
Dec 6, 2007
2,431
0
If people are going to use this as an everyday computer I think they will be disappointed in the lack of ability they will get. For the price they should get more.

I agree with you, but lots of people have to learn stuff the hard way. You only have to read the three threads a week started by high schoolers who refuse to listen to posts other than those that say "get an MBA over a Macbook for college" to see this in action. They'll learn. :cool:
 

.:R2theT

macrumors 6502
Jul 1, 2007
283
0
VR6
Apple's stock price dropped because it had to. Come on people. It doubled over the last year. Talk about "emotional exuberance". This is just an adjustment if you asked me. It is still 50 points above where it was a year and half ago.

I am too young to know who this Dvorak guy is, but he seems off the mark. The Air is new type of portable for Apple. It will get cheaper as ssd prices fall over the next couple of years. And in a lot of ways the Air is more advanced than many other portables out there. Sure it has a lack of ports but as Jobs has said over and over and over..."it's all moving to the cloud". This is just Apple getting its foot in that door. Think about the Air in a year or two. 128-256 GB ssd with wireless printing/internet/software loading, LED screen and all wrapped in aluminum. Plus OS X. This thing is going to be phenomenal! I think about how crappy my 1rst gen. 10GB iPod was...
 

IJ Reilly

macrumors P6
Jul 16, 2002
17,909
1,496
Palookaville
If people are going to use this as an everyday computer I think they will be disappointed in the lack of ability they will get. For the price they should get more.

I'm still confused about what you are arguing. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it comes down to an assumption that people generally are too stupid to know what they are buying.

Present company excepted, of course.
 

katorga

macrumors regular
Oct 28, 2006
200
0
General economic decline

Apple's stock is being punished because it is a luxury product and those are the first to go in recession. It is that simple.

That said, the MBA has some serious flaws and some serious positives. The lack of security lock connector would stop me cold. Also, I think the general lack of SD memory slots on Mac's are an issue. It is the new floppy.

Other than that, it is one of only a few ultralights that have a decent sized screen. Anything less than 13" is just to small for me. It is not over priced compared to the Sony SZ (which has better specs) or the Panasonic Y7 or W7.
 

IJ Reilly

macrumors P6
Jul 16, 2002
17,909
1,496
Palookaville
Well, not exactly. There's less variety to find a laptop that one likes with 4 vs. 8 models. And by size there are only 3 choices. :D

Okay then, not exactly. The number of Mac laptop choices has not contracted with the release of the MBA -- it has expanded by one. Exactly one. To hear some say it, you'd think Apple had restricted their choice.
 
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