MacBook Air First Impressions and Notes

[uber gorilla]

everybody look at me!

I just received my MBA (plus a lotta other goodies from Apple) this morning, and can't wait to get home to open it!

Will post photos and stuff (even though the whole posting-photos thing is SO last week.... ) soon!

 

[Clix Pix]

There is something that happens when you get the MBA into your home instead of looking at it.
...

Being so light and given its size, leaving it around in sleep mode on the coffee table or end tables is kind of like leaving your favorite magazine laying around. It's there when you need it, so you just pick it up, open it, get what you need or do whatever you've got to do, and put it down.

It's all so fast and so simple you can't really put it into words - it just changes and simplifies your access to information throughout the day in a way that makes everything a little bit better. It just feels good, and I don't know about the rest of you but when I feel good I work good.

You won't get this playing with it for :15 minutes in a store or over at your friend's house. At home, it works its way into your life in a way you might not expect - but its all cool.

EXACTLY!!!! I've been using Macs for about two and a half years now and I've had a PB, then MBPs (15" and 17")....I love them, but the MBA is different, it truly IS a machine which happily and easily moves around the house with me, and in the warmer weather will be going out on the deck without any fuss, a machine which will easily slip into my messenger bag as I'm running out the door.... It's elegant to look at when closed but more importantly is totally functional when open -- no compromises on the keyboard size, no compromises on the LCD monitor size -- two very important elements in day-to-day use of any computer. I'm happy, VERY happy!

 

[wkw]

I Love It!

Today I drove about 4 hours round trip to purchase one in Tigard, OR. I had been on the fence for days and finally couldn't stand it any longer. I have owned many different mac portables and most of them have been great computers. This Air is something else though. So light and thin. The keyboard feels fantastic. The screen is practically blinding at full brightness, even brighter than my iMac. I LOVE the new trackpad. I have enabled all the gestures and taps except for tap/drag (I have to practice that). I really like the instant response from sleep. I open the lid and BANG!! its ready to go. I could go on and on but basically I love the damn thing. I am a hopeless mac fanboi/nerd/geek. Ok thats it, I have a paper to type!

thanks apple!

 

[Catch]

Finally got it!

The weather here in the UK is totally incredible for February. Received my MBA this morning. Its also my birthday today so things are looking really good! Sitting just inside my living room with the sliding doors all the way opened and listening to the peace and quiet!

This might be a bit premature, as I have only had the machine for half a day. Typing on it now by the way. This thing is incredible though. It is almost as if it was made with me in mind. The keyboard, screen and build quality are amazing.

So far I have only installed my business applications and moved my work files over, so I have plenty of space. I will keep about ten films on the machine for traveling, but thats about it. Very little in the way of photos and no music as I keep them on my iPod and don't want to run on the MBA batteries. Storage on this baby will not be a problem for me even with the SSD drive. I have not bothered to reinstall the OS to free up space either...

The machine is incredibly responsive. It opens my largest spreadsheets with hardly any delay at all. Much faster than my MBP 2.16. I have no comparison with the normal HD, but I am glad I specified the SSD as I won't need 80GB of storage.

The screen is very nice also. I am in the sun and still its easy to read on screen. I am not totally convinced about this shiny material they use on it though. It looks stunning when I watch films and doing work away from the bright light, but does reflect quite allot in the sun. Nothing that I can't get used to though. The screen size is also as small as I could accept. When I set my spreadsheets on 90% I can read the text ok, any smaller and it would be too hard, and I still manage to get 12 months and total columns as well as budget column on the end visible, which is just fantastic. No scrolling to see changes. Obviously I have to scroll up and down, but the only screen I don't have to do that on is my 30" CD...

The keyboard is superb and I much prefer the keys and color to my MBP. I really feel like I could work all day on this thing. Thank God Apple decided to go full size for this machine. The edge is sharp, but it does not make it uncomfortable for me. Obviously different people have different sized hands...

The processor speed is a non issue for me. I run Coolbooks on my MBP and it only hovers around 1-1.3Ghz most of the time, so nothing I throw at the MBA will have any problems. For some reason I can't seem to get Coolbooks running on the MBA. Anyone running it or a similar application? Heat is no problem at all. My processor, after a few hours on the machine, is at 42c. No other readings go above 40c as per iStat Pro. This is with me having the MBA in my lap with nothing but my legs for support.

Portability. What can I say about portability except that this machine is made for it. It is the best machine I have had since moving from an old Toshiba in my Windows days. If I could only choose one computer from Apple today, I would choose the MBA hands down. I have been carrying it all over my house and my home office. I even took it and sat in the garden for a bit. It really was about time Apple released something like this. Why o why would anyone want to carry around a superdrive and lots of ports unless you really have no choice? Light weight and thin is where its at for me. Superb...

The wireless seems to be allot better than my MBP so far. I have full bars wherever I go in my house and in the garden. My MBP struggled in my garden. Whatever Apple did to this machine they should do to the MBP as well, as the range on those with WiFi is appalling. Bluetooth is off for me. I have to say though that I would absolutely upgrade this thing if they built in 3G in the future. Its about the only thing on my wish list for the future. I hate dongles...

Too early to tell if I have any battery issues. So far I seem to be getting just under 5 hours on this thing. The fan has been spinning high at 6200rpm, but I am guessing its indexing? If not I will try to work out a fix. Even at 6200rpm I am not finding the fans that loud to be honest. Maybe because the birds are so loud! Inconciderate wildlife

Would I swap this thing? No way. As they say, 'you can have it when you pry it from my dead fingers..!'. Superb and a very well done to Apple!

Regards,

C

 

[Sandy Santra]

Thanks for the excellent review, Catch!

 

[Talcon]

Not a fan of the MBA. It just didn't seem to prove to be more powerful for the price that it is compared to the regular macbook.

 

[lekun]

Not a fan of the MBA. It just didn't seem to prove to be more powerful for the price that it is compared to the regular macbook.

That is weird because it has a more powerful processor and faster hard drive than the MacBook. Maybe you should re-run the tests. But if that is true, I am never going to get a MBA, because without it being faster than the MB, there is no reason to even consider it.

 

[Bababasjd]

If space is your only nuisance, why dont you get a portable hard drive (lets say 80-120GB since you dont need that much)? I know it will defy the whole purpose of the Air, but remember, this laptop's purposes are few (at least on the fewer side), and not intended as a media powerhouse. I for one, although I am absolutely mesmerized by it, am waiting for the MBP update, as I have the very first one (first switch to intel) and it is time to switch. Just like another reviewer said, it really is the IDEA that is winning you over, not the specs. I read this great article, where the author compared the Air and one of the TZ series side by side, and from an objective point of view, the TZ is alot better in so many ways (of course the key is the OS, which tilts the picture) as a portable device.

I dont think you mac fans are getting it. If you have a laptop that is .7 inches thick and weights 3 pounds it does not make sense to add a external hard drive and cd rom then that defeats the purpose of having the machine. Why not get a macbook pro that is .3 inches thicker much much much faster. I can go on and on. 3 more pounds wont make a difference and trust me when you are carrying a lot of stuff 3 extra pounds doesn't do anything unless you are a nerd who has no athletic ability. Another useless thing mac fans are going crazy over.

 

[abijnk]

I dont think you mac fans are getting it. If you have a laptop that is .7 inches thick and weights 3 pounds it does not make sense to add a external hard drive and cd rom then that defeats the purpose of having the machine. Why not get a macbook pro that is .3 inches thicker much much much faster. I can go on and on. 3 more pounds wont make a difference and trust me when you are carrying a lot of stuff 3 extra pounds doesn't do anything unless you are a nerd who has no athletic ability. Another useless thing mac fans are going crazy over.

I don't think you get it... We like our Macbook Air's and posting comments about how silly it is that we are willing to carry a thin and light laptop with external accessories isn't going to change that. Please, this is for notes and first impressions, not "how silly are Macbook Air owners" or "how weak and lazy are Macbook Air owners."


Anyways, I go my air on Saturday and it hasn't left my side. I am really really pleased with it. The backlit keyboard is really nice, even if it doesn't function 100% correctly yet, with lab tick installed I just adjust it myself and it works really well.

My main attraction to the air was the thin part because it fits so well in my backpack. I didn't think I would notice 2 pounds difference from my macbook, but I do. I am sure I will adjust to it and will not notice a difference soon, but it is a welcome difference for walking on campus, any little bit helps.

I love typing on this thing too, I do get annoyed but the sharp front edge, but with the wrist rest area being deeper and the keyboard itself sitting so close to the table/desk/typing surface it is really easy to compensate for it; I have carpal tunnel syndrome in my left hand, so this is important to me.

I am really happy with my purchase (the 1.6/80GB, BTW) and I don't feel like I wasted my money, or that it is silly that I also have a WD Passport external drive and an external superdrive in my bag...

 

[Tosser]

That is weird because it has a more powerful processor and faster hard drive than the MacBook. Maybe you should re-run the tests. But if that is true, I am never going to get a MBA, because without it being faster than the MB, there is no reason to even consider it.

What are you talking about, Lekun?

The Airbook has either a 1.6 or a 1.8GHz processor, whereas the Macbook has either a 2.0 or 2.2GHz processor.

The Airbook has a 4200RPM drive (an iPod drive with a max of of 80GB, no less), whereas the MacBook has a 5400RPM (a standard 2.5 inch notebook drive).

Now, the Airbook does have the option of a 64GB Solid State Drive, however, the implied speed such a technology promises isn't followed through, and it turns out the SSD in the Airbook is one of the slowest SSD's out there.

 

[clownie]

PC Magazine Jan 08

In their January Future Tech issue, they claim that in the future, laptops will have solid state drives. Talk about "skating where the puck is going to be!"

 

[ctt1wbw]

I dont think you mac fans are getting it. If you have a laptop that is .7 inches thick and weights 3 pounds it does not make sense to add a external hard drive and cd rom then that defeats the purpose of having the machine. Why not get a macbook pro that is .3 inches thicker much much much faster. I can go on and on. 3 more pounds wont make a difference and trust me when you are carrying a lot of stuff 3 extra pounds doesn't do anything unless you are a nerd who has no athletic ability. Another useless thing mac fans are going crazy over.

I use a cane to walk. Three pounds makes a huge difference along with my two hardcover school books, notepads, and another removeable hard drive for a desktop.

 

[Zimbo]

I dont think you mac fans are getting it. If you have a laptop that is .7 inches thick and weights 3 pounds it does not make sense to add a external hard drive and cd rom then that defeats the purpose of having the machine. Why not get a macbook pro that is .3 inches thicker much much much faster. I can go on and on. 3 more pounds wont make a difference and trust me when you are carrying a lot of stuff 3 extra pounds doesn't do anything unless you are a nerd who has no athletic ability. Another useless thing mac fans are going crazy over.

Well, it is not black or white - it can be grey as well. I have MBA 1.8 SDD and MBP15inch, and I think they are both fabulous machines. When I'm on the road and I need power, I take MBP, and when I don't need power (that is about 90% of time), I take this MBA. I just can't remember how many times I have been carrying my MBP thinking why in earth this can't be any _thinner_ and lighter.

I don't need superdrive, so that's nearly always just ballast for me. In couple of years optical disk will be as history as floppy disk is now, for me it is already now.

And battery of MBA is just perfect. Of course you can always ask more, and 124GB SSD and 3GHz processor and so on...list is endless, but now and here MBA is exactly the machine I wanted. The only thing I need is firewire (I'm on video business), but I can live also without it.

 

[John.B]

I dont think you mac fans are getting it. If you have a laptop that is .7 inches thick and weights 3 pounds it does not make sense to add a external hard drive and cd rom then that defeats the purpose of having the machine.

Because you can leave the external hard drive and superdrive at home when you don't need it?

 

[clownie]

Priorities...

Lots of people not getting it. This is a statement computer and it will determine the direction of Apple's future offerings, and other companies as well. In simplest form, it lacks certain capabilities. Because it is small and pretty, it is more expensive and slower than similar large laptops. Regarding convenience/features, it is maybe 3/4 of the way from iPhone to Macbook.
It is not for people on a budget, or people needing bleeding edge speed and maximum connection choices. For me, it is a light, elegant way to take a laptop on a family vacation. For a photo trip, I would also take the optical drive (which could be packed separately) for ongoing backups of images. At home, I have my Windows capable Mac Pro...
Personally, I am going to watch how things go for the early Air adopters, and wait for the imminent Macbook Pro release to see how best to replace my Macbook, which went to my daughter's room and never came back...

 

[ctt1wbw]

It's not a statement computer. You could say it is by running OS X on it. I guess that's making a statement, in a strange way. But I remember back in the day when people were screaming that Apple dropped the now worthless floppy drive. We know where that lead.

And the Air is not more expensive and less powerful that similiar laptops.

 

[clownie]

Statement is good...

I meant it as praise when I called it a statement computer. To the best of my knowledge, there really is no equivalent product at this very moment. The attacks generally cite missing features or processor speed or imply fragility. To attack the Macbook Air on price is like complaining that the Lexus E350 costs more than the Camry. Unique size, styling, weight and availability of cutting edge features like SSD all cost money.
I think Jobs quoted Gretzky who said approximately "You don't skate where the puck is, you skate where the puck is going to be". The Macbook Air is where the puck is going to be.
I for one expect to someday buy MB Air or whatever it evolves into...

 

[queshy]

Ok, so today I finally got to meet a MacBook Air in person. Here are some notes.

The Good:

The MacBook Air is the best built laptop I've ever felt. It feels more sturdy than even my friend's Thinkpad X60!
The build quality is superior to that of the macbook. The air is sort of one-piece-ish and feels like tank. The lid closes and opens with authority. So does the little door that houses the small array of ports. The build quality on this thing was phenomenal, and even better than the MacBook Pro mostly due to the keyboard.
The keyboard on the MacBook Pro feels too soft in comparison - even though the keyboard on the pro has very little flex. The keyboard on the MacBook air feels like the Apple wireless keyboard (the new one, obviously), and the feel is perfect. The best keyboard I've ever used.
The touchpad is gigantic. I didn't try the multi touch gestures so I can't comment on how well they work. The mouse button looks way smaller in pictures than it actually is. It's nothing to worry about...it's plenty big enough for people to use, although I never use the buttons anyways, and only the track pad.
The screen looked very vibrant and had a much better viewing angle than that of the macbook. Although I still prefer the matte screen of the pro, you can tell they didn't take the cheap route with the screen on the air. It was very high contrast and the colors really seemed to "pop".
The computer itself is very thin, and feels much more natural to hold for long periods of time. It makes the MacBook Pro feel big. But the MacBook Pro is incredibly thin for its size already. But then when you go look at, say, the toshiba satellites next to the Apple display, you can just tell that other companies cheaped out and didn't make as much of an effort as Apple did to get this thing thin.
Going on safari, mail, pages, etc, all felt just as fast as on my iMac and MacBook Pro. I'm not the person to push their machine to its fullest potential, as you can see, but I can imagine that people doing more demanding stuff will clearly be able to tell the difference.

The Bad:

I saw it at Future Shop. They have a really nice display with all the macs set up, but the air was tucked in behind a glass cage (where they keep the Mac software and easily stolen items I guess) - nobody could touch it, just look at it. I'm guessing they did this because they couldn't figure out a way to lock the thing to the table like the mb and mbp. Apple should be sure to give every retailer the chance to display it. It does Apple no good being tucked away like that. People could hardly say it. I was able to get a salesman to open up the cage and put it on the table.

I'm not going to discuss the "limitations" of the air because everybody already knows them and they're only limitations if you're bothered by them; i.e. if you use an optical drive daily then the fact that the air hasn't one is a huge limitation!

It would have been much slicker with a thinner bezel. But I'm guessing they made it as small as they could...

Why no Apple remote in the box? (I didn't buy an air yet BTW). As a $20 upgrade it must cost them pennies to produce.

Although I couldn't test the battery, I would have loved an 8 hr battery. But I guess they just couldn't do it in that form factor. But if I could get 5 hours with wifi off just typing notes with the screen half way dimmed, I'd be very happy.

Conclusion:

The MacBook Air is so much more special not for what it is, but rather for what it isn't. It isn't like the rest - the quality difference is astounding when compared to other laptops in the store around it. Other "smaller" laptops, i.e. 13.3" or less look and feel like childs' toys in comparison. They're built out of plastic, their OS is stuffed with useless junk, the screens look decent only from head on, they're twice as thick as they should be, etc. Apple is continually raising the bar in this regard.

For a light weight notebook for the basics, there's no other laptop that matches the air in terms of looking good and being well built while performing decently at the same time.

 

[Anderson3133]

What are you talking about, Lekun?

The Airbook has either a 1.6 or a 1.8GHz processor, whereas the Macbook has either a 2.0 or 2.2GHz processor.

The Airbook has a 4200RPM drive (an iPod drive with a max of of 80GB, no less), whereas the MacBook has a 5400RPM (a standard 2.5 inch notebook drive).

Now, the Airbook does have the option of a 64GB Solid State Drive, however, the implied speed such a technology promises isn't followed through, and it turns out the SSD in the Airbook is one of the slowest SSD's out there.

Can't detect sarcasm?

 

[mrklaw]

just opening the box.

would it have killed them to supply additional 'heads' for the magsafe power adapter? eg european and US? Are the apple heads interchangable - can I buy european/US ones simply? I could pack a world adapter but thats almost the same size as the power supply (very small BTW!)

 

[hogo]

I drove several miles today to get a 1.8 / ssd mba. It is quite nice to use. I had a ppc 1.67 for three years and this baby smokes that one. Much snappier and responsive. I wont mention the looks cuz I think it's obvious. Love the screen and keyboard feel. It is the perfect compliment to my Quad tower. Remote disc is a treat, sharing itunes library and external hard discs is the way to go to make use of this machine. I'll store next to nothing on it, don't really need to. I am very happy over all, even though the 3 grand stung a little bit when I bought it

 

[netdog]

just opening the box.

would it have killed them to supply additional 'heads' for the magsafe power adapter? eg european and US? Are the apple heads interchangable - can I buy european/US ones simply? I could pack a world adapter but thats almost the same size as the power supply (very small BTW!)

The travel kit comes with heads for all over the world. Yes, they are interchangeable. That is true for all Apple portables and USB-based power products.

 

[Catch]

The travel kit comes with heads for all over the world. Yes, they are interchangeable. That is true for all Apple portables and USB-based power products.

I bought this some years ago, and its a great purchase if you travel allot. Very nice solution in my opinion...

C

 

[panda]

help for you

just opening the box.

would it have killed them to supply additional 'heads' for the magsafe power adapter? eg european and US? Are the apple heads interchangable - can I buy european/US ones simply? I could pack a world adapter but thats almost the same size as the power supply (very small BTW!)

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APP.../shop_mac/mac_accessories/power&nplm=M8794G/B

this should do the trick for you.

apple's thought about it

 

[mrklaw]

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APP.../shop_mac/mac_accessories/power&nplm=M8794G/B

this should do the trick for you.

apple's thought about it

$39 in the US, £29 in the UK!? ouch.