Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
I would be first in line to buy a new MBA, if they were coming with IPS displays.

Really disappointed that it seems like this is not the case, and I'm really trying to understand why. IPS has made inroads into the rest of Apple's entire product line, from mobile devices like iPhone and iPad to their iMac desktop line as well as the latest Apple Cinema displays. I really thought that the next refresh in either MacBook Air or MacBook Pro would see Apple finally giving portable Mac users an IPS option.

Apple, I keep telling you: I will switch to Mac when you come out with a portable Mac that has a high-resolution *IPS* display on it!

-- Nathan


How do you know these lack an IPS display? I figured if the iPhone and iPad had them, the MBAs would? (In fact, I suspect we'll see the MBPs get higher resolution screens in the near future, which would be nice.)
 
They're still over priced. Why pay $999 for the cheapest one when you can get the white MB for the same price with a larger screen, more HD space, longer battery life...

Because the form factor IS what some people want. Also, have you even used a machine with solid state storage? I promise you'll notice a considerable performance increase unless you specifically do processor intensive tasks (which most of us don't). I'll take the performance boost from an SSD over a bump to something like an i5 from a C2D any day of the week.

I SOLD my 15" MBP to buy a 13" because I prefer the form factor. Also, the battery life might be better on the MBA. In the conference Jobs said they had adopted more rigid guidelines for how they determined battery life. 5 hours on the 11.6" MBA is greater battery life than the 5 hours advertised on the 13" MBP.
 
I'm always shocked that anyone actually cares about a backlit keyboard. Don't all you "power-users" touch-type?

In this day and age to be using the hunt-and-peck method for typing is just silly.
 
I'm always shocked that anyone actually cares about a backlit keyboard. Don't all you "power-users" touch-type?

In this day and age to be using the hunt-and-peck method for typing is just silly.

I've been in a few real-life situations that called for it. I also touch-type very well.
 
They're still over priced. Why pay $999 for the cheapest one when you can get the white MB for the same price with a larger screen, more HD space, longer battery life...

Not everyone cares about cost vs a spec sheet. Sometimes people buy **** they think is "cool". Pretty sure I've spent money on items I like, cars, boats, motorcycles etc... That have zero value compared to brand X, but most of the planet outside nerdville doesn't give a rats ass if it has feature A vs B, they buy wherever they want because they because they get some enjoyment out of it, that's all that matters. If it's "fun" to use, buy it and move on.

Some people need to seriously relax and enjoy life. Not everything we buy is about trying to rub two pennies together to make a dollar...
 
Based upon what I've seen, I don't think there are a lot of differences. But if the video's on Apple's website are to be believed, the new video card can drive a large monitor at a higher resolution. My current MBA (gen 2) drives my iMac display at a disappointing resolution. If I were to consider upgrading MBAs to this new model, it would likely be because of that.

The other big changes seems to be battery life. No SSD like my Gen2, so more room for batteries.

Excuse me while I yawn.
 
I'm always shocked that anyone actually cares about a backlit keyboard. Don't all you "power-users" touch-type?

In this day and age to be using the hunt-and-peck method for typing is just silly.

Same here. I've had the backlit keyboard on my '08 MBP turned off since I got it ... except of course when I had boot camp installed and it stayed on the whole time while in Windows. In fact that's a point they should push - MBA, now better for running Windows :D.
 
I'm always shocked that anyone actually cares about a backlit keyboard. Don't all you "power-users" touch-type?

In this day and age to be using the hunt-and-peck method for typing is just silly.

Touch typing is easy but there are still a lot of times that having back lite keyboard is really nice. For example sometimes your are just going to be using one hand to hit a few keys. often times I may been to type in a few things on my keyboard and will just use my left or right hand to hit them. I can not touch type as easily if my hand is not on the home row.

Do not forget their are also a lot of keys that need to be hit that our out side of the standard. Take for example the special characters like '|' '\' or anything above the number keys at the top.
Hell the number keys are often times require people to look down at them since they are hardly ever used compared to other keys. I know I normally use my keyboard 10-key over reaching up and hitting those keys. I touch type the 10-key but the numbers along the top I am not a 100% confident on. I have been touch typing for well over 10 years now and type lot faster than the average person.

Or you can add any of the F1-F12 keys. Very few people can touch type thoses.

See that is just a small list of things were a backlite keyboard would be really nice.
 
sometimes i forget which keys are the fn, control, alt, option, command and ⌘ .

face it, it's a Pro feature.

Yep, I can't disagree with you there. The backlit keyboard does have a benefit.

I have to agree with others, that guy was so rude how he handled those Airs and he is a big douche trying to look like the cool guy he's not.

I did notice that the 13" appears to have "some" anti-glare properties and te 11" is very glossy.
 
That guy who unboxed it, does he think he looks cool with those clothes, hair and those horrible sunglasses? Looks like he also needs a good clean up.

Porn actors are out of work now with the latest HIV exposure crisis. Looks like he found a new line of work quickly. :D
 
I'm building these on Apple's store and its saying they have a backlit keyboard when building one! So who is wrong here...Apples website or these dudes?

Uhh, I must be blind because I see nothing mentioned or shown about backlit keyboards for the new Macbook Air even when building in the Mac Store.

You can prove me wrong because in this case I really wish I am since the backlit keyboard is one of my most favorite features of the Macbook Air I have now. Looks like no new Macbook Air for me... Another step backward for Apple.
 
love hate.

I am not someone who touched one, but here are my impression as someone who fixes macs for a living.
Yay 2 USB ports!
Nice that its thinner and the door is gone.
Wicked light.
Awesome performance step up.
Boo that it still has the ugly bezel which dates back to the pre unibody macbook pro.
Boo that it has no 1394 so you can only image it over the network. If my shop goes all MBA (as we might at these prices) we will have to invest in some more network gear to support many simultaneous wipes and re-images. Stuff we now do with USB-sata dongles and plain old target mode.
network imaging suck, on windows, mac or linux. Too many variables can fudge your install.
 
How do you know these lack an IPS display? I figured if the iPhone and iPad had them, the MBAs would? (In fact, I suspect we'll see the MBPs get higher resolution screens in the near future, which would be nice.)

I'm with Nathan on this one.

and, if it was an ips display you could be damn sure S. Jobs would have told us that in the presentation, like he told us the iPad was IPS in it's original presentation.

I will bet you dollars to doughnuts it is NOT an ips display, which is a disappointment.

But if it was IPS, that would most surely cut into MBP sales quite heavily, and the MBP would also need to become IPS.................
 
Unboxing in what looks like a coffee shop?

I don't think he can get any douchier.

I know, right... You couldn't hear him at times because of the background (coffee shop) noise. Was that a show-off?... And why sunglasses? :rolleyes:
 
I'm totally up for replacing my MBP (or maybe even iPad!) for one of the 11inchers .. my biggest problem. It's supposed to be ultra portable and fully functioned right? Well where is the 3G capability???

Monty
 
Whats with all the comments about the guy? HE isn't the product Apple are trying to sell you. :p

Seriously, all this "he thinks he looks so cool!" nonsense is hilarious. You all look so cool dissing him on a forum, I'm sure. He's done you a favour - even if it is inexplicably in a coffee shop.
 
They're still over priced. Why pay $999 for the cheapest one when you can get the white MB for the same price with a larger screen, more HD space, longer battery life...


probably because white mac books look rubbish and MBAs look like the coolest looking laptops on the market.... why buy a ferrari when fords are cheaper and more economical?
 
I'm always shocked that anyone actually cares about a backlit keyboard. Don't all you "power-users" touch-type?

In this day and age to be using the hunt-and-peck method for typing is just silly.
Being able to touch-type doesn't mean that one never glances at the keyboard. If I'm going for one of the lesser-used keys, F-keys for example, I don't just stab around hoping to hit the right one - I tend to glance at the keyboard first.

Sorry if that doesn't fit your Office Applications view of how one should type.

The fact remains that Apple have removed this feature from the new Air, where it was present on the old one. Therefore I think it's wholly reasonable to be disappointed.

I hope you're able to get over your shock soon.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.