MacBook Air First Impressions and Notes

[dkorpresto]

how can you tell the speed of yor fan?

 

[NC MacGuy]

how can you tell the speed of yor fan?

I'm using istat nano widget. cool little widget monitors network, fan(s), temps, network, processes, battery and lots more.

 

[whenders0n]

somebody want to post side-by-side pictures showing the max screen angle vs the MBP's? thanks...

 

[ubercool]

Why wouldn't it be possible on the SSD model? It has a fan too. But yes, I'm talking about the HDD version.

Because my TZ with SSD only ran virtually silent, as SSDs rarely heat up.

 

[USCSean2222]

Which USB Verizon USB card?

I have used the mba for the past day. Here are some thoughts:

- as nice a most are posting from a physical standpoint. Keyboard nice, case fantastic, screen bright. All good.

- Added handbrake and works great. I am using external superdrive to get movies from handbrake to itunes on mba

- added microsoft office 2008 for mac and it also works fine. Also added microsoft remote desktop to control my work pc. No problems there either

- I use a Verizon wireless usb broadbank card and it works fine. It connects directly to the mba or I can use an extender cable

- issues: fan is louder then I expected. Not crazy loud but more then I would have thought. I want to see if others start reporting this issue or if it is my machine. Ripping dvd's is intense so that might be why it is on a lot.

- The MBA does not see to lay down totally flat on my desk. The from left corner is slightly raised - just enough to make a sound if I press anything on the far left front side of the unit. It is probably the fault of the little round black rubber pads but it is annoying. I will also watch to see if others have an issue. Not a deal breaker but still annoying.

- Overall - happy with unit and I think it will be another apple success - for the right erson in the right environment. If you look at the cost and specs all by itself, the price and feature set are hard to justify. If you look at it across the entire line of Apple laptops, it starts to make more sense to me.

I'm migrating from a MBP with a express card so that I can have a lighter haul for business travel. I've read the various reviews that discuss the USB broadband card "fit" issues. Which model are you using?

Thanks,

 

[ubercool]

How about the LED Backlight feature, or the Backlit Keyboard feature, or the 3lb weight feature? or the Aluminium case feature? or the Multitouch trackpad feature?

You forgot "uber-sexy"! She may not have brains, but boy is she good-lookin'!

 

[designed]

I was just wondering, can you configure the trackpad gestures otherwise than enable/disable them? I think I won't have much use for the three-finger swipe to go backwards and forwards but using it to switch Spaces would be fantastic, especially considering the limited desktop space available in Air.

 

[infobhan]

What gets me is that anyone here could have more features/functionality by getting a macbook and then placing an SSD in there. At least this way - the computer itself won't be crippled in terms of functionality and it'll be much faster.

It wouldn't make the MacBook weigh any less, though. The MBA is close to half the weight of the MB.

 

[mcdj]

somebody want to post side-by-side pictures showing the max screen angle vs the MBP's? thanks...

I don't have either computer, or pics, but I can tell you I played with an MBA yesterday and it doesn't open nearly as wide as my Powerbook 12".

This might be a deal killer for me, as I often lay on the couch with the PB balanced vertically on my chest and surf/watch movies. I can see the screen perfectly and the keyboard faces me. The MBA doesn't seem to open up much past 95 degrees or so from the keyboard, meaning the screen would be facing pretty much downward if I rested the front edge of the keyboard vertically on my chest, unless I rested the keyboard flat on my chest...then the screen would be too low and I wouldn't be able to see the keyboard.

 

[Petrogk]

What gets me is that anyone here could have more features/functionality by getting a macbook and then placing an SSD in there. At least this way - the computer itself won't be crippled in terms of functionality and it'll be much faster.

Yeah, of course.

But let me know when you find a big one.
Last I heard, you can only buy 32GB SSDs at retail and those cost 800$
That leaves what...something like 15GB free after OS X and whatnot...

All in all, I'd say the MBA is pretty impressive first step into the ultrathin/light category for Apple.

 

[AeroHead]

VGA Projectors with Long Cables & DVD Zone Locking

Hi Folks,

Apple may finally have made a portable compelling enough for me to finally upgrade, but there's one big issue: connecting to VGA projectors in classrooms and conference rooms.

My wife has a MacBook C2D, pre-santa Rosa. She went to a conference and he computer would not recognize the projector. She had to borrow a windows laptop and present from a USB drive. This wasted about ten minutes, and, needless to say this was very embarrasing. I assumed that this was just a projector problem. The computer works well with external monitors and desktop projectors (Short VGA cables).

However, I have a tech here who is saying that they are discouraging people from buying either the MB or the MBP because this is apparently a widespread problem for any of the new books using the DVI to VGA converter. I don't need advice or commentary, I found a couple of boards going on this problem already.

So, does anyone have a classroom/conference room with an overhead VGA projector they can try out? One of the things I have most enjoyed about my mac has been being able to just walk up to the front of the room, plug in and go. This is probably the most vital function for me. I don't need speed or storage. I need to look competent and start my presentation on time, without distractions, or fumbling around.

The second item is minor. I'm assuming that the DVD drive, like every DVD drive on a portable computer designed for world travel is zone locked . Since I am one of those low life, criminal, deviant, foul parasites that the movie industry would like to see in jail for life, I occasionally buy DVDs outside of my proper movie industry assigned zone. Can someone tell me what the mechanism is inside this, or even better, can you tell me if handbrake can work on a DVD that doesn't match the assigned zone?

Thanks

 

[chp5592]

My two cents on fan noise

I agree that when doing intensive work ( for me that included copying massive files to the MacBook Air hard drive or ripping DVD with handbrake) the fan noise is noticeable. It is a mid pitch whir type sound.

However once things cool down and doing normal work ( safari browsing, office work, light photoshop filter stuff, and windows on parallel) the fan rarely turns on.

Today I was using the laptop for my normal work stuff ( in contrast to last two days when I was doing lots of intensive data moving and house keeping) and I have yet to hear the fan.

 

[desenso]

- issues: fan is louder then I expected. Not crazy loud but more then I would have thought. I want to see if others start reporting this issue or if it is my machine. Ripping dvd's is intense so that might be why it is on a lot.

- The MBA does not see to lay down totally flat on my desk. The from left corner is slightly raised - just enough to make a sound if I press anything on the far left front side of the unit. It is probably the fault of the little round black rubber pads but it is annoying. I will also watch to see if others have an issue. Not a deal breaker but still annoying.

I have both of these problems as well.

 

[ViperrepiV]

to what extent are battery issues covered by the warranty?

 

[pugnut]

Laying Flat

I have both of these problems as well.

Don's have one yet , I have been stalking the stores, hopefully this week. The ones that I looked at the store had the same issue, the guy told me it was the table but I moved it as far as I could, cord was attached and still no balance. There was one , of the three that laid flat.

 

[uber gorilla]

Re: Laying Flat

I'm slightly freaking out about the potential for my pre-ordered (but yet to arrive) MBA having wobbly-feet syndrome.

If my MBA comes with this problem, would that be something covered by the warranty, such that I could send it back to Apple for repair?

 

[ubercool]

I'm slightly freaking out about the potential for my pre-ordered (but yet to arrive) MBA having wobbly-feet syndrome.

If my MBA comes with this problem, would that be something covered by the warranty, such that I could send it back to Apple for repair?

Yea, but that would be a big pain in the ass to deal with! I don't know what I would do, the choice is swallow the restocking charge or argue with store peeps.

 

[ipedro]

Wow... just "wow".

I stopped by my local Apple Store and had a look at one.

I could care less at how it performed, I picked it up and couldn't believe how thin and light it is. Pure sex I tell you. Pure sex.

 

[ubercool]

Wow... just "wow".

I stopped by my local Apple Store and had a look at one.

I could care less at how it performed, I picked it up and couldn't believe how thin and light it is. Pure sex I tell you. Pure sex.

Welcome to the club!

 

[Eric Lewis]

i want to have sex with one..there so thin

 

[BWhaler]

I'm slightly freaking out about the potential for my pre-ordered (but yet to arrive) MBA having wobbly-feet syndrome.

If my MBA comes with this problem, would that be something covered by the warranty, such that I could send it back to Apple for repair?

Me too.

This is the problem with the bigger Apple nowadays. Their quality control is simply horrific.

Apple is lucky their competitors haven't gotten their act together. Yet.

But good luck. I too bought a MBA, $3,200 for a secondary laptop. You can be sure at this amount of money, I am not going to tolerate the usual Apple quality.

 

[NC MacGuy]

Me too.

This is the problem with the bigger Apple nowadays. Their quality control is simply horrific.

Apple is lucky their competitors haven't gotten their act together. Yet.

But good luck. I too bought a MBA, $3,200 for a secondary laptop. You can be sure at this amount of money, I am not going to tolerate the usual Apple quality.

Quality is best since my Irish built laptop years ago. You're right, the quality has slipped but it's because they moved production to China. Luckily for Apple, all their competitors units are made in China too.

Just bought two Canon cameras for Christmas. One was made in Japan, the other China - well guess which one went back after less than three weeks?

 

[robrose20]

I went to amazon to post a review of this new macbookair but i couldn't because the forums weren't open yet. i never post reviews but this product is SO $@#%!#$% amazing I couldn't resist.

a perfect blend of pro and macbook. responsive keyboard that lights up, crisp screen. sharp edges with beautiful details. no distractions. A pure portable with everything you need/ nothing you dont.

multi touch is genius, scroll through webpages with double touch, secondary click with double touch.... triple touch swipe through webpages... this is what i have figured thus far.

i dont feel like i need to carry an annoying mouse around with me anymore. quick responsive touch. @#$%@#$ clean mang!

doesnt get hot on your lap... a little but manageable

an engineering feat... i happy to have pioneered this purchase.... if you think you don't need it. like i did, go see it and think... hmm, i know i need a new PB but this ones too expensive, this one provincial, however all that crap you are used to... the cd drive.... OBSOLETE MANG! i just copy crap off my comp, and rip off my works puters. DVDs are out... i have enough already... it is the age of downloads...

anyway... i hope this explains the sheer giddyness of my experience thus far... a couple of hours... i bought it down on prince ST. GO GET YOURS

I have decoded the actually identity of this user ... yikes .. It is Steve Jobs ... He's lost about $500,000,000 in stock value so he has resorted to posting messages on macforums to get people to buy the Crapbook Air.

 

[robrose20]

Me too.

This is the problem with the bigger Apple nowadays. Their quality control is simply horrific.

Apple is lucky their competitors haven't gotten their act together. Yet.

But good luck. I too bought a MBA, $3,200 for a secondary laptop. You can be sure at this amount of money, I am not going to tolerate the usual Apple quality.

You spent $3200.00 on a computer that has less processing power than a Mac Mini. Are you insane man??? You just bought Steve Jobs a marble floor for his bathroom.. yikes.

 

[scottkifnw]

Opinions/thoughts please for Blue Tooth accessories

My only experience with Blue Tooth is with phone headsets.

Due to limited ports, and a mono speaker, any thoughts regarding Blue Tooth mice, and possibly Blue Tooth externally powered speakers?

Thanks.