First Look at the MacBook Air

[SiliconAddict]

Typical Apple product.....Sacrifice features to make it overly small. (This is the same crap we had on the first gen MacBook Pro with single layer DVD's.) Sorry while this may be very useful to many people, dropping Ethernet is beyond retarded. You just lost a segment of users because of this. Oh and being that thin is a moot point if you have to carry around the power bri....square and now an external USB NIC for the multitude of offices that do now and will not support WIFI.
Sorry but 1" is a perfectly fine form factor Steve. The man needs therapy soon before he dropped the battery (Because everyone has an outlet in the car, on the plane in first class, everyone flys FC right?.) and the hard drive because you have a USB port so you can plug it in externally. What? You say that the computer is useless without a hard drive? Buts look! Its .12 of an inch thic....thin!! Its so worth it!

Oh and my favorite part of the keynote.

"Apple asked Intel to shrink the Core 2 Duo. Intel shrunk the processor by 60%."

Yah because Intel responded to Apple snapping their fingers vs. just doing it in response to getting their 42nm process down pat. The smell coming off of that stage I have to imagine was rather pungent.

I'm getting really sick of Apple and more specifically Jobs's shenanigans. They are more marketing then anything else now a days.
Heck where is 10.5.2 I refuse to install OS X back on my system until they fix the dang WIFI in Leopard.

Cant believe im saying it but Wired's design is way more appealing than apple's. OMG that black keyboard and the out of proportion screen just kills me. i would never believe apple can pull such a badly design product...man
not to talk about the price of the accessories..
i think they should have stick to that iMac black boardeer design (like Wired's) and to go with an 11 inch screen. if you buy it your not gonna use it as your main machine so why putting such a big screen.

anyway.. as a owner of an AppleTV .. i'm pretty happy after all... though im not gonna buy one of those "Air"s..lol

Everyone's design is way more appealing then Apple's. Granted Apple's designs are rooted more in reality then most mockups it would be nice to see Apple put more style in their designs. Sorry plain metal has gotten old. Very old. I'm really liking the barrel design of Dell's xx30's. At the end of their laptops. There HAS to be something that Apple can do to revamp the design.

 

[milo2020]

This picture for me, demonstrates the MBA's less than stellar footprint.

this photo says it all. Who is this aimed at and who cares about the thickness rather than the footprint? So when's the 13" macbook pro coming?

 

[pyrophite]

A lot of folks on MR poured hate on the iPod when it was first launched, too. And here we are years later with the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Look, this is the first release of an entirely new product line from Apple that's targeting an emerging market for the entire laptop industry.

If you're here quibbling about specs, ports, hard drive rotation speeds, ExpressCard slots, soldered RAM and glossy screens, then guess what: You're not the target audience for the MacBook Air. You're a Geek, just like every single forum member on MR, who represent the overwhelming minority of Mac users in the world.

Geeks care about expandability, battery replacements, port configurations and any number of issues that folks who simply want to write Word documents, check their email, and surf the net don't necessarily fully understand. And it's the people in this latter category who make up the majority of the world of computer users.

There's a lot of people out there for whom adding RAM to a MacBook or iMac is a difficult and challenging process, who will never use an ExpressCard to expand anything, and who don't import video or edit photos on their laptops.

There's another group of people who find current laptops bulky and heavy, but who also don't want to be writing Word documents on their Treo (which is a hell of a lot of fun, I'm sure) or straining their eyes reading Web sites on their iPhone. They want portability and the capability to help with simple, redundant computer tasks in their lives that most of the MR community look down on ("You bought a MBP so you could surf the net! How gaudy.") Why pay for computing power in a MBP or even a MacBook if you're not going to use it, and what matters more is how sore your shoulder is from lunking around your laptop? Two pounds of weight is actually a big difference to some people.

It's about choices. And yes, theres a lot of folks on MR who could say that Apple could offer a better choice. But none of us are Apple, and all of us want Apple to grow, expand and be a healthy company. So instead of faulting Apple for doing what companies do, which is diversify and push the envelope while trying to turn a buck, why not applaud the MBA as another way to spread OS X to the everyday person?

The MBA will evolve, just like the iPod evolved.

The problem here with what you say is the "market" you identified will most likely NOT pay the $1800 price for the laptop. If they need it for portability, but not need power, they'll buy a $800-900 Macbook. The people with too much money on their hands and need this WILL pay it, but frankly that is not a market in itself, it's the higher echelon INSIDE a market. Yes people will buy this, and yes they'll be happy, but i think that these are the same people that will be SCREAMING with apple on the phone when a year down the line they have a battery that holds a charge for only 2 hours saying how they paid such a premium for a laptop that can't even have a new battery easily replaced.

 

[jardeon]

How do I reinstall Leopard?

1) Buy a $99 external drive or
2) Reinstall Leopard over the Shared Optical Drive from another system

Hmmm...

 

[chadder007]

disappointed to say the least...

No user replaceable battery, No upgradeable RAM, No DVD drive included, slow ass 1.8 inch 4200 rpm hard drive, and only Intel graphics FTMFL. Plus you can get so much more with the M1330 and its no much bigger at all.....just a tad thicker and less than 1 pound more.

This is what I was waiting for from Apple to see how it panned out and I must say I'm rather disappointed in what is the Macbook Air.

 

[weg]

The thing has only *existed* for a month or so and it's still winter.

How the heck do they know what will happen to it in the summer?

They can use environmental or temperature chambers to test the device.
Considering that the Apple webpage says "Operating temperature: 50° to 95°F (10° to 35°C)", they probably did.

 

[sanford]

glossy screen, black keyboard, internal battery.....NO THANKS! Time Capsule however, ordering mine next week!

Time Machine back up over WiFi, even 802.11n = dog slow. Get a top-notch 500GB FireWire/USB2 drive for almost a third the price on sale; or a USB2-only model for even less.

And the MacBook Air. The $1,800 model is pretty dumb, considering it's not very portable at all. If you can't leave town, buy a CD and play it or rip it, or play a DVD without a freaking external drive you bought have to lug around and use on the one USB2 port, that's not portable. And it's *too* small: you want to feel like you're using, you know, *something*.

Now $3,100 for the model with 64GB of solid-state storage, if you go for this one, please, please seek professional help immediately.

No I am not trolling. I love Apple. Never used anything else. But this thing is just, well, dumb. It's like their line is so rock solid, they're out of new things to do, so they release this because they can. Sometimes you just stand pat when you're on top.

Update: But fake GPS for iPhone, I just tried it on mine, pretty crazy accurate w/o the battery and size overhead for GPS, now that's worth the whole MacWorld Keynote right there.

 

[joseph2166]

The MBA will evolve, just like the iPod evolved.

Agree with everything you say!

Yes its obviously not meant for the people who are getting annoyed at it here, but there's no need for people to get annoyed at it simply 'cos its not what THEY want. For anyone who wants something between a MacBook and an iPhone - someone who doesn't care about what's inside the computer as long as it works, looks nice and is relatively small - it's perfect!

I don't know what people expected - yes maybe an ethernet port and a couple more usb, and a firewire... hell lets throw in a firewire800... and an express port... and why not a superdrive?... Oh look - this has turned into a MacBook! For these people THERE'S ALREADY A PRODUCT THERE FOR YOU.

As for those wanting even SMALLER (as opposed to just thinner and lighter) - anyone remember those rumours of a return of the Newton? Apple shall deliver.. Eventually...

 

[Huracan]

Of all the announcements today, here is one where the positives definitely overwhelm the negatives. Ok, internal battery. This is expected in such a small device. Hopefully they will have a battery replacement program. Choice of 1.8" drive or solid state is pretty good, although pricey on the latter. Anyway, the laptop is beautiful and something beyond what other manufacturers offer. I have lived with a glossy display on my MacBook for over a year and it has mostly been good. All said and done I don't think I am going to buy one as I prefer performance over size. I would expect this device to be most popular with women and wealthy students.

Conclusion: Kudos to Apple for producing this breakthrough slim laptop.

 

[badNameErr]

Not for the fanbois!

They are going to sell a lot of these. At 1.36 kg these are going to be flying out the door...

 

[xenotaku]

that picture someone posted proves to me that Apple design actually regressed with the design of this thing. Either make the footprint smaller, or make the screen larger....what the hell is with all that space around the screen on the bezel?

 

[clevin]

I would expect this device to be most popular with women and wealthy students.

why women?

 

[tonytempo]

Total letdown

I, like many, was looking for something to replace my 12" powerbook. This is not it. Not even close.

Footprint too big.
Pricetag too big.
Hard drive too small.
Ports too few.
Battery too...stationary.

I'm more excited about the iPhone firmware than this "revolutionary" device.

 

[DCSMAC]

looks amazing, but isnt practical for me considering its would be my only computer. sure makes the MBs and MBPs look really outdated and stogy.

 

[dante@sisna.com]

why women?

It is light, will fit in a small handbag and no one else makes anything like it.

It will sell bigtime.

 

[mill2000]

good concepts, but too early

a computer with similar specs should be out when 1.8" SATA SSDs and wireless usbs are popular, which should be 3-5 years from now. when ssds become popular, it will be 1.8"s that will lead the market. i really lost respect for jobs. the third generation with similar concepts will become very popular, but i just don't know if the "air" brand will last that long.

 

[Duncan-Idaho]

all you whiners...

I have seen few intelligent responses here regarding the MBA introduction. Why don't you fanboys understand that you represent an insignificantly small number of true Apple users? Geez, the fact that you're even here posting at rumor site confirms the obvious bias.

Most people will think "Wow that thing is small, I want one". Stop saying it wont sell or that a market does not exist for such a product. This is why you people don't work at Apple, and if you did then I wouldn't own so much AAPL and be making >$10,000 in one month off them.

You know the saying about opinions, but the stink of some of the ones here are indescribable.

and yes...I am a fanboy too.
(queue somebody quoting/countering this post trying to be smart)

 

[clevin]

It is light, will fit in a small handbag and no one else makes anything like it.

It will sell bigtime.

nada, small handbag? a 13.3" handbag? no, no, no

 

[G.Kirby]

Looks sweet, very slick. However, apart from thickness and weight I can see no advantage over the MacBook's. I can see this eventually replacing the MacBook range but for the moment I'd spend my money on a MB Black and an iPod touch for roughly the same combined price or go the extra stretch for the 15"MBP.

 

[freddiecable]

agree with u! this is an option increasing "freedom of choice". what is the use of releasing an mac book mini with optical drive, FW, ethernet etc. mac book and pro already have all those features. the market for these kinds of laptops is exploding and I think it's going to be a heavy switcher machine...

and as other says here - this is not for the fanboys - but for the other majority.

I'll wait for the next revision, since the price is a tad too high ($1899 here in Canada). However, this machine fits into a very common and growing target market. I know a lot of people that have picked up a MacBook recently, rarely use the optical driver, never use the Ethernet, use only one USB port max, never use the Firewire port, and so on. Apple has done their homework and removed features rarely used, while increasing the value of the laptop through its form factor.

 

[weg]

It says "Command" instead of . Now we can't impress new Mac users with our wizard-like knowledge: the secret that the command key is the one with the Apple logo on it.

I find it already challenging enough to remember where ~, \, and | are located on my German Powerbook keyboard. Whoever designed this keyboard must feel nothing but utter hate for C programmers and LaTeX fans..

 

[joseph2166]

a computer with similar specs should be out when 1.8" SATA SSDs and wireless usbs are popular, which should be 3-5 years from now. when ssds become popular, it will be 1.8"s that will lead the market. i really lost respect for jobs. the third generation with similar concepts will become very popular, but i just don't know if the "air" brand will last that long.

Yeh not sure about the Air - but then I didn't like the MacBook/MacBook Pro name change but that's grown on me.

I wouldn't dismiss the 'premature' switch to small drives few ports as THAT far ahead of its time - remember the usb only situation in the iMacs when they first came out? Ok maybe a BIT ahead of its time, but they weren't far off, and that switch didn't take 3-5 years.

 

[ziggyonice]

So, it's a toss up: you want thin you need to live with the engineering compromises, you want power and flexibility then you need a bigger housing.

Exactly. If you're upset about it because you need more power, then it's not for you.

 

[weg]

They are going to sell a lot of these. At 1.36 kg these are going to be flying out the door...

I'm looking forward to the first videos on youtube that show how far that thing flies.. ;-)

 

[FoxyKaye]

The problem here with what you say is the "market" you identified will most likely NOT pay the $1800 price for the laptop. If they need it for portability, but not need power, they'll buy a $800-900 Macbook. The people with too much money on their hands and need this WILL pay it, but frankly that is not a market in itself, it's the higher echelon INSIDE a market. Yes people will buy this, and yes they'll be happy, but i think that these are the same people that will be SCREAMING with apple on the phone when a year down the line they have a battery that holds a charge for only 2 hours saying how they paid such a premium for a laptop that can't even have a new battery easily replaced.

The MacBook starts at $1099 (so, $1100), and refurbs are going to cost less when they're available. And the tradeoff for computing power is weight and profile - it's about choices.

When your iPod battery dies, do you call Apple and scream at them, or do you send it to TechRestore and have it changed out overnight for less than $100? AppleCare will take you to three years from date of purchase, and I could imagine a scenario where Apple Stores (despite my limited opinion of the Dummy Bar) would have the capacity in-house to change out your battery. It's a set of torx screws holding it together, not welded steel.

Portability right now comes at a premium, Folios don't run OS X, and iPods seem to somehow live for a long time and have a huge secondary market of battery replacements (DIY and otherwise) and accessories. For some folks, this is an easier way of approaching computing than knowing a laptop could do something that they'll never actually use. Apple is making laptop computing more accessible and attractive with the MBA, not the reverse, despite what we on MR may think about its specs and internals. And folks will pay for accessibility the same way I could either change the oil in my car myself (which is a messy, if not necessarily complicated procedure) or take it to the mechanic and pay to have it done with no fuss and muss. Sometimes expandability is a detriment to computing accessibility, just as perceived and experienced weight and bulk a barrier to using a laptop.