First Look at the MacBook Air

[wizard]

Priced way to high, It is like the CUBE all over again!!!

Hi Folks;

Let me first say that I'm impressed in many ways, the machine is certainly an excellent engineering effort. But that doesn't make up for Apple's greed.

First; this guy is way to expensive by at least $1000. You simply get to little for your hard earned dollar.

Second; The built in battery is a big no no. I listed this in the number two position but the reality is that it is a toss up with the number one issue. When it comes right down to it what is the point of a ultra portable laptop if you can't keep it running for extended times on battery power.

Third; Though minor the AIR should have provided an audio input jack. If for nothing else than to support Voice over IP. I suppose that a Bluetooth device could fill in for that but it won't be cheap and it will expose you to RF you don't need to be exposed to. What really sucks about ths move is that Apple could have easily dealt with this by simply using the iPhones jack. This is an example of one of those rather minor details that can really make or break a machine.

This is just a short list of what bothers me initially about this machine. On the surface doesn't look like much to complain about, but one needs perspective here. We are talking about a machine that doesn't offer up a lot to begin with. So the lack of Audio in wouldn't in itself be a major concern, but when you realize there are littel in the way of alternatives it becomes a big problem.

In any event I'm just going to sit back a wait a bit longer to see what Apple does with respect to a tablet larger than Touch. With movie rentals and other initiative I think the time is ripe for a larger tablet.

Dave

 

[Lonon]

The criticisms you guys are fielding sound as if you expected a MacBook Pro in a MacBook Air form factor at a MacBook price.

Apple is filled with great designers and engineers, not magicians. Sorry if you thought otherwise.

++
Big applause.

 

[TargetMan]

I got worned out after reading six pages of peoples views. Sry if i'm repeating to much.

To assess this computer one has to look at its inteded target group, which obviously is the ultra-portable segment. Who does really need ultra-portable? People who often travels and needs/wants to do work/fun in this time-span.

It annoys me that some of you compare MacBook Air with functunalities not aimed towards this group, and hence dishoner its 'specs' etc.

The only righteous criticism at this stage (pre-tested), as I see it, is the battery. It is stated "only" 5 hrs, and its not possible to easily change it. For someone who whishes to have a laptop for more than 2 yrs its a must to change the batteries.

Critics like; worse CPU than earlier products, and the unability to upgrade is off topics for this products segment! It's almost laughable what people expect. Also no firewire, ethernet, one USB-port is good. The name is AIR equivalent to wireless!

MacBook = todays typical computer for the man on the street
MacBook Pro = desktop-replacer
MacBook Air = ultra-portable

I've been PC-guy all my life, but lately been tempted toward Mac and the 'unknown' exotic thing. Style is everything, so design matters! And that is the playground Mac likes, as its their strongest card. Been looking on the MacBook for a time now, but doesnt really like the material it's buildt in. Also for me the optical drive is a total waste of money/space etc. - so was a bit excited/hopeful for what to come today, but unfortunately for me the ultra-portable was the segment to feed. I'm off to buy a MacBook 2.2GHz as I need an everyday-typical computer.

Think before writing, save the world from your ********

 

[pyrophite]

The whining in here is un-believeable!!! (as Steve Jobs would say).

People are complaining that the price is too high. Yet the same people are complaining that the specs are too low! Higher specs would mean an even higher price, fools!

WAH WAH WAH!!!!
processor is too slow
WAAH WAAH WAAH!!!
mono speaker
no upgradeable RAM
WAAH WAAH WAAH!!!!
hard drive is too small
no optical drive
WAAH WAAH I have no understanding of business decisions, consumer behavior and design trade-offs WAAH WAAH!!!

Do you idiots (excuse my language!) really think this machine could have been as thin as it is and as cheap as it is if they added in all that stuff? If they did, it would be the same as a Macbook Pro, you morons, which already exists!

And for all those who think the SSD option is too expensive, go and price out a Dell Latitude D630 and tell me how much the 64 GB SSD option costs. That's right $1000, the exact same as Apple's SSD option on the 1.6 GHz Air!!

Grow the *** up! I can't believe the level if ignorance being spouted here.

The problem here is that some of us DO realize the tradeoffs for design vs performance and price. I agree that if you want to lets say pay $700 more for an in-car navigation system for a vehicle this is valid, even if the cost of another non-integrated solution is much less. However what Apple seems to be doing it asking us to pay $500 more for an additional cupholder.... oh yeah, and we're going to get rid of your leather seats, and your car radio, and one of your windshield wipers.

Yes there is a design-price tradeoff, but there's enough of us in the industry, both tech, as well as marketing, hell even engineering, that know full well that the sacrifice that Apple is asking us to make for a slimmer laptop is a bit too extreme. Especially since alternatives already exist that prove that you can have more specs in a small form factor. The 64GB SSD itself has NO bearing whatsoever on this as i agree the $999 price increase is FULLY warranted as an upgrade as that's just the price you pay these days for that luxury. However i feel like we're being asked to pay Apple $700 more for them to redesign the case to slimmer (but wider and longer than the macbook), remove many ports, and create a new flat integrated battery. Things i was unaware that anyone asked for in the first place.

Where was Apple's test marketing done? I would seriously like to meet the people in the focus group that said "yeah i'd pay $1800 if you got rid of a bunch of those pesky useful ports, slimmed it down a ton, made the footprint bigger, and made me pay for a bunch of external accessories.... oh yeah also make it impossible for me to carry an extra battery or upgrade the ram"

If they took the low end macbook Pro specs, made it tiny and fittable into the macbook size case, and charged me $2500, that would be fully warranted. But that's not the case here. Apple may not be marketing to me, but i can also tell you that they're also not marketing to a large portion of other people. And with a smaller market share of computers, you just can't afford to appeal solely to a niche market.

 

[SiliconAddict]

The whining in here is un-believeable!!! (as Steve Jobs would say).

People are complaining that the price is too high. Yet the same people are complaining that the specs are too low! Higher specs would mean an even higher price, fools!

WAH WAH WAH!!!!
processor is too slow
WAAH WAAH WAAH!!!
mono speaker
no upgradeable RAM
WAAH WAAH WAAH!!!!
hard drive is too small
no optical drive
WAAH WAAH I have no understanding of business decisions, consumer behavior and design trade-offs WAAH WAAH!!!

Do you idiots (excuse my language!) really think this machine could have been as thin as it is and as cheap as it is if they added in all that stuff?

Yes. If Apple and Jobs specifically had pulled his head out from somewhere any realized that thin is NOT the end all be all of feature sets. I also noticed that you left out the ability to replace the battery. So I guess for people who loose half the charge once every year and a half they are just expected to drop a couple hundred for the ability to replace the battery.
Fanbois are really starting to bother me. You people keep thinking Apple can do no wrong and it aggravates the heck out of me and others. Its the sole reason for Jobs's enormous ego and that trickles down to the products he produces. In short his crap doesn't smell half as good as what every fanboi makes it out to be. And the sooner everyone realizes this and causes a few Apple products to bomb the sooner Jobs and co will realize it isn't all about marketing their product, which seems to be what Jobs is good at.

There is a reason they didn't just upgrade the 12inch PB - it was Apple's lowest selling laptop. I was one of the few people who bought one of them. They just didn't sell. Sad, but true.

So instead they are going smaller that will have an even more niche market with a premium price. BRILLIANT!

 

[Legacy]

A bold and beautiful move, but will it be as catchy as the soap?

Apple have indeed attempted to all out with this laptop. They have tried to address those who think 11-12" is too small by keeping the 13" screen estate, and included with it a full-size keyboard and backlit lighting which is very cool.

Apple is trying to get a share in everyplace in the home and there is only one way to do this: think different, think 'air'.

The boldness is in the features which have been dropped. There is a common theme running in the products released or updated today and that is the 'Air'. The name wasn't just chosen because it represented the highest selling type of Nike trainer in the world. Apple are heavily pushing forward wireless technology through the new 802.11n standard. The Apple TV, Time Capsule and iPhone are examples of this. Apple TV holds its place in your living room, while Time capsule functions as your WiFi centre, backup device and router and the iPhone replaces your portable music player and phone with a Smartphone that does everything every phone and ipod used to do better, with the added support of WiFi. Of course the iPod Touch was also introduced as a cheaper option to fill the gap for those who didn't need the phone or the hefty price-tag and monthly subscription contract associated with it.

Whats next? The MacBook Air. This is the mobile WiFI device that everyone will buy. It is NOT an ultraportable laptop by any means. It is a light, thin, yet fully functional computer that people can carry anywhere to browse the internet from any WIFI hotspot (which Apple is trying to promote, although is a long way away).

Remember folks, Apple pushed the Airport standard before WiFi really took off, and the launch of the iMac in 1998 paved the way for the extinction of the floppy disk as it is today.

The removal of ethernet and the optical drive are the two bold moves here and the beauty of the MacBook Air will attempt to masque Apple's subtle shift towards a wireless platform of electronics which it will want to pioneer by having a product for every possible corner of your house, bag or pocket.

Will it succeed? Yes. Not the MacBook Air, but the vision. Everyone was crying back in 1998 when the floppy went, no one thinks twice about it now.

Welcome to the era of chique, wireless computing. C'est la vie...

 

[topicolo]

What I wanna know is if this new multi-touch software is compatible with current macbooks? Is there going to be a hack that'll be released? What about the remote drive feature? That'd be nice for people who picked up the macbook with only a combo drive and want to burn dvds directly from their mac.

 

[mrwizardno2]

What I wanna know is if this new multi-touch software is compatible with current macbooks? Is there going to be a hack that'll be released? What about the remote drive feature? That'd be nice for people who picked up the macbook with only a combo drive and want to burn dvds directly from their mac.

That's a neat idea! I'd have loved to have been able to burn DVD's to another computer back when I had my mac mini!

 

[tirant]

There is a USB>Ethernet adapter.

I know, but it's one thing more you need to carry with you. And you also lose the only USB you had... (A USB hub? no, thanks, I want this to be a portable machine)

 

[mciarlo]

So I just purchased my first Mac ( MacBook Pro) and am concerned that the MBP will be updated soon with the multi-touch trackpad, new design, and Penryn processor.

Someone said that the time to buy is when you need it, which makes sense, but still--I needed it for school starting Jan 22nd as a design major.

I guess I'm looking for some re-assurance that this notebook will be well worth it and that I won't be too unhappy when the MBP does get an update in the near future.

 

[havand]

The whining in here is un-believeable!!! (as Steve Jobs would say).

People are complaining that the price is too high. Yet the same people are complaining that the specs are too low! Higher specs would mean an even higher price, fools!

WAH WAH WAH!!!!
processor is too slow
WAAH WAAH WAAH!!!
mono speaker
no upgradeable RAM
WAAH WAAH WAAH!!!!
hard drive is too small
no optical drive
WAAH WAAH I have no understanding of business decisions, consumer behavior and design trade-offs WAAH WAAH!!!

Do you idiots (excuse my language!) really think this machine could have been as thin as it is and as cheap as it is if they added in all that stuff? If they did, it would be the same as a Macbook Pro, you morons, which already exists!

And for all those who think the SSD option is too expensive, go and price out a Dell Latitude D630 and tell me how much the 64 GB SSD option costs. That's right $1000, the exact same as Apple's SSD option on the 1.6 GHz Air!!

Grow the *** up! I can't believe the level if ignorance being spouted here.

I actually typed up an entire response to this, but I am not going to bother.

All I have to say is that I hate the 'it's thinner, it must be newer/better/more expensive!' culture mac has created with the ipods. Why the hell would anyone pay a premium for a device that is for all intents and purposes the same size as a MB and nearly a MBP, but thinner? By that argument, it's ok if it's poster sized and 1mm thick. Makes. No. Sense. Go away. I'm done.

 

[rockosmodurnlif]

What I wanna know is if this new multi-touch software is compatible with current macbooks? Is there going to be a hack that'll be released? What about the remote drive feature? That'd be nice for people who picked up the macbook with only a combo drive and want to burn dvds directly from their mac.

I don't think so. I mean the two-finger touchpad wasn't backwards compatible with the older Powerbooks. And this thing has a lot more gestures.

Isn't the touch area on the Air bigger too?

So I just purchased my first Mac ( MacBook Pro) and am concerned that the MBP will be updated soon with the multi-touch trackpad, new design, and Penryn processor.

Someone said that the time to buy is when you need it, which makes sense, but still--I needed it for school starting Jan 22nd as a design major.

I guess I'm looking for some re-assurance that this notebook will be well worth it and that I won't be too unhappy when the MBP does get an update in the near future.

My MBP is older than yours if that helps. Y'know you can't look at the new features and wished you waited because you wouldn't buy the new one anyway, you'd wonder what new features would be in the next revision.

 

[MacbookSwitcher]

Yes. If Apple and Jobs specifically had pulled his head out from somewhere any realized that thin is NOT the end all be all of feature sets. I also noticed that you left out the ability to replace the battery. So I guess for people who loose half the charge once every year and a half they are just expected to drop a couple hundred for the ability to replace the battery.
Fanbois are really starting to bother me. You people keep thinking Apple can do no wrong and it aggravates the heck out of me and others. Its the sole reason for Jobs's enormous ego and that trickles down to the products he produces. In short his crap doesn't smell half as good as what every fanboi makes it out to be. And the sooner everyone realizes this and causes a few Apple products to bomb the sooner Jobs and co will realize it isn't all about marketing their product, which seems to be what Jobs is good at.

If you honestly think it was possible to make a laptop as thin and small as the Macbook Air, with the same specs as the Macbook Pro, for the same price as the Macbook, then...

1) You are a hardware design and logistics genius above all others in the world, and need to replace Steve Jobs ASAP,

or

2) You don't know anything about putting together cutting edge computer hardware, and are living in a fantasy land where the limits of computer hardware production are solely based on any arbitrary geek's imagination, not real world factors.

 

[nzmc36]

iMac and Mackbook Air a nice combo

For me it looks pretty interesting. I switched to an iMac 2.8 GHz because I wanted to wait for the MacBook Pro's revisions to come out.... really miss the portability. I also teach, and my classes are all PowerPoint so I just need a tool to get the classes done, give presentations when I travel, and take work home when I need to. All in all, I think it's a nice machine.... but I think I would rather wait for the new all singing and dancing MBP.... hopefully soon, and give another iMac to the Grad students. My 2cents.

 

[Bregalad]

Many decry Apple's approach of deciding what standard features users need/don't need, but this philosophy is absolutely essential to making gorgeous computers that push the market forward.

Telling users what they want is Steve Jobs' way. It's exceedingly rare for him to listen to anyone. If you aren't in the target market your criticisms are even more worthless (in SJ's mind) than they otherwise would be. Many of the comments here today are from people who aren't the target for this machine: those for whom the reduced bulk is worth paying more, losing performance, storage capacity/options, etc.

Probably the only thing forced on him this keynote was pushing the "greenness" of the MacBook Air more than he otherwise would have and that's thanks to all the bad press resulting from those flawed Greenpeace analyses.

I'm sure sales of the MacBook Air will meet or exceed Apple expectations and add dollars to the share price long term.

 

[Hemingray]

I'll go ahead and add my voice here, though undoubtedly nobody cares.

I think it's very cool overall. What I think are big mistakes:

1. No user accessible battery. Based on the problems they've had with their batteries in the past, I don't think this was a good idea.

2. No user replaceable RAM. 2GB is great, no doubt, but 4GB is better, especially for running Parallels!

3. No option for a larger 1.8" HDD. We know they're out there...

4. No Line In. Yeah, it's not one of those must-haves, but it would be good to have rather than relying on an external USB source or the built-in mic...

5. Only one USB port. I think 2 should be the minimum.

Don't get me wrong, I think this is an awesome little computer!

 

[Cybergypsy]

The iphone does not have a user replaceable batt/ and it sold 4 million.......Not to worried about the batt. never keep a laptop long enough to replace it

 

[pyrophite]

Apple have indeed attempted to all out with this laptop. They have tried to address those who think 11-12" is too small by keeping the 13" screen estate, and included with it a full-size keyboard and backlit lighting which is very cool.

Apple is trying to get a share in everyplace in the home and there is only one way to do this: think different, think 'air'.

The boldness is in the features which have been dropped. There is a common theme running in the products released or updated today and that is the 'Air'. The name wasn't just chosen because it represented the highest selling type of Nike trainer in the world. Apple are heavily pushing forward wireless technology through the new 802.11n standard. The Apple TV, Time Capsule and iPhone are examples of this. Apple TV holds its place in your living room, while Time capsule functions as your WiFi centre, backup device and router and the iPhone replaces your portable music player and phone with a Smartphone that does everything every phone and ipod used to do better, with the added support of WiFi. Of course the iPod Touch was also introduced as a cheaper option to fill the gap for those who didn't need the phone or the hefty price-tag and monthly subscription contract associated with it.

Whats next? The MacBook Air. This is the mobile WiFI device that everyone will buy. It is NOT an ultraportable laptop by any means. It is a light, thin, yet fully functional computer that people can carry anywhere to browse the internet from any WIFI hotspot (which Apple is trying to promote, although is a long way away).

Remember folks, Apple pushed the Airport standard before WiFi really took off, and the launch of the iMac in 1998 paved the way for the extinction of the floppy disk as it is today.

The removal of ethernet and the optical drive are the two bold moves here and the beauty of the MacBook Air will attempt to masque Apple's subtle shift towards a wireless platform of electronics which it will want to pioneer by having a product for every possible corner of your house, bag or pocket.

Will it succeed? Yes. Not the MacBook Air, but the vision. Everyone was crying back in 1998 when the floppy went, no one thinks twice about it now.

Welcome to the era of chique, wireless computing. C'est la vie...

I like how you think, however there's one flaw, you can't try to create a paradigm shift to a wireless computing experience with an entry price point of $1799. You can't get people to love the feeling of a light and free wireless experience with the trade off of a robust feature set at such a high cost. You're alienating a lot of people if nothing else. Apple is making a really pretty and thin laptop to entice people away from all the reliance they have on ports, but it's going to be a shock back to reality when people realize that half of the features they'd like to feel safe with, are gone. How much thicker would the laptop have been if you included 2 USB ports, a firewire port, and a removable battery? How about a SINGLE non soldered slot to add ram to? If these simple things had been added, so many people would not have felt so alienated. The price point would very likely be the same, if not a bit smaller, as less micronization would have had to be implemented.

 

[BigPrince]

No optical sound out.
No mic line in.

 

[badNameErr]

Why the hell would anyone pay a premium for a device that is for all intents and purposes the same size as a MB and nearly a MBP, but thinner?

And it is 2 pounds lighter. That is a big deal for lots of people.

It is not just about being thinner!!!

 

[MacbookSwitcher]

I like how you think, however there's one flaw, you can't try to create a paradigm shift to a wireless computing experience with an entry price point of $1799. You can't get people to love the feeling of a light and free wireless experience with the trade off of a robust feature set at such a high cost. You're alienating a lot of people if nothing else. Apple is making a really pretty and thin laptop to entice people away from all the reliance they have on ports, but it's going to be a shock back to reality when people realize that half of the features they'd like to feel safe with, are gone. How much thicker would the laptop have been if you included 2 USB ports, a firewire port, and a removable battery? How about a SINGLE non soldered slot to add ram to? If these simple things had been added, so many people would not have felt so alienated. The price point would very likely be the same, if not a bit smaller, as less micronization would have had to be implemented.

Simple: it would no longer have been the world's thinnest laptop. Don't you understand how much marketing capital there is in being able to make that claim? It is absolutely worth trading off a USB and firewire port!

 

[neski]

I've made a few comments and replies and this is my final word:
To have this laptop is a mere luxury. I can see a potential market for this: rich kids who love to show off. I don't think this is fit for students, musicians, photographers, Video producers, developers. This laptop would be popular, for those who would use it as a fashion statement.

For an average user like me, who is a student and who loves to produce beats every now and then, this is not for me. Based on portability I don't know what difference it would make this to a regular macbook. I won't be carrying a macbook air in an envelope but rather in a bag, where the other fits. To me the design is very poor and it looks very fragile, I'd rather have something I could easily grasp to. I don't like glossy screen, my house is quite bright during the day. Memory sucks, no speakers, lack of usb drive, no firewire, attached battey (I can imagine shipping my laptop for a replacement, yikes!): I think my iphone can be more useful. And finally, the price....OMG don't even get me started.

Conclusion, instead of buying this I'll wait for the introduction of a new macbook pro, hopefully a 13", and I would be the first buyer.

Can you imagine shipping your iphone for a replacement. Get over it. If anyone brings this up that has an ipod or iphone let me ask you something. Why did you get them????The same thing will happen to you...

 

[havand]

And it is 2 pounds lighter. That is a big deal for lots of people.

It is not just about being thinner!!!

You're right. I did overlook that. I guess the difference between 3 and 6 pounds isn't that big of a deal to me. My laptop rarely travels outside the house and usually only for longer excursions. Size is more important than weight to me. I can lift 6 pounds, not an issue.

 

[Tom B.]

I've been waiting to buy a MacBook since before Christmas, and while I love the MacBook Air, my perfect laptop would be, basically a normal MacBook, but with an aluminium body, LED backlit screen, backlit keyboard, and multi touch trackpad from the Air. I think I'll wait a little bit to order, just in case the MacBook and MacBook Pro get some silent updates in the next week or two.

By the way, I cannot believe the ignorance of some of these MacBook Air deriders. Amazing. Just accept that you are not the target market (I know I am not). The target audience are the kind of people that already have a Mac Pro and a MacBook Pro. This is a tertiary or secondary Mac for the real Pros.

Just keep telling yourselves that you know the computer industry better than a multi billion dollar company that has been there from the start.

Is it expensive?
Yes.

Is it overpriced for the target market?
No where near.

 

[elgruga]

Do you idiots (excuse my language!) really think this machine could have been as thin as it is and as cheap as it is if they added in all that stuff? If they did, it would be the same as a Macbook Pro, you morons, which already exists!

Grow the *** up! I can't believe the level if ignorance being spouted here.

This post needs a reply.
Like a lot of the 'pro-airbook' posts, you seem to believe that simply being 'thin' is some kind of a special feature that we need.
Thats not correct.

The dimensions that matter are the screen size, because it affects the overall size, the size that matters when it goes into a bag.
Its reasonably obvious that the last compact laptop, the PB12" was very popular.
It happened to be:

2" narrower, 1/4" thicker, and 0.3" less deep.
It had a 1.5 ghz processor (only 100 hz slower than this one)
It had ALL the ports and drives and connectors you could want.
It retailed at $1499 USD.
It weighed 4.6 pounds, 1.6 pounds heavier than the Airbook.
It was last produced in October 2005.

If this new machine is so great, how has it managed to throw away all the advantages of the PB12" for a trade-off of:

A smaller drive
no optical
no ports
$300 more expensive
1.3" bigger screen. (wow)
1.6 pounds lighter
1/4" thinner.
Not very much faster processor.
A full 2" wider - thats where it gets to be too big.
And a frickin' glossy screen...

This is NOT progress - this is obsession with looks and 'thin'.

I would expect the 'new' compact laptop to be considerably better than the PB 12" - this is NOT the case.

Something has gone awry in the development and final production of this machine - who knows what? Somebody got tunnel vision with 'thin'....
Its not right, and most here see that.
Hopefully it will sell, but after all the recent successes, its a disappointment.
It could have been so much better.

BTW, idiots isnt the best word to throw around - I would hazard a guess that a lot of people here are fairly bright....