That is just the thing... people are stuck with the thought, "need more power for heavy lifting." It is all BS for the vast majority of people. The vast majority would benefit far greater by having an MBA that's shear perfection. Then, buy a 27" LED ACD for "heavy lifting" while plugged into an MBA. We DON'T NEED more power people.
What we need is better software to take full advantage of the power we have. The MBA v 2,1 has gotten faster and faster with nearly every OS X service update. OpenCL, OpenGL, drivers, and even the SSD are all FASTER. The average person would benefit far greater from an SSD as found in the MBA rather than a Core i7 Quad CPU (I know they don't have them for the MBA, I am just making a point of wanting "more power").
I would tell the vast majority to forget the thought of the MBA not being able to do "heavy lifting." For the vast majority, the MBA will be faster than an MBP with 3 GHz Core CPU, 8 GB RAM, and a 7200rpm HDD. The SSD alone in the MBA removes the number one constraint felt by the average computer user.
In addition, a one computer system is SO MUCH easier to deal with. I have finally not lost files, while using the MBA for a year plus as my only computer. A one computer system that will do everything, and the MBA will for the vast majority, is a much simpler system.
Now, the MBA does have a few limitations, but I believe there are ways around those. We all want more RAM, but the MBA actually has enough for either OS X or Windows 7. The problem occurs when we want to run both simultaneously... okay, so for now we have to run them one at a time. The other problem for many is drive space. With the various applications available for sharing drive space, MobileMe access to AEBS attached drive, and wireless networking, this is basically a dead issue.
The other limitations of the MBA aren't really limitations at all. With the Nvidia GPU and 24" LED ACD, the MBA can give us full desktop space we would expect from a "workhorse" machine. The battery life on the MBA is fine, and if it's not then people NEED an MBP or MB and not an MBA. The MBA cannot sustain a 3 lb. weight limit and achieve 10-hour battery performance WITHOUT giving up lots of performance capabilities and probably dropping to ULV and Intel's God forsaken IGP. I love the fact that the MBA has a four-hour battery, as it means I don't have to carry around another pound for battery life. The MB/MBPs are a joke with their irrelevant and completely outdated optical drives... if it doesn't include Blu Ray it's simply pointless and a waste of space and carry weight.
I LOVE THE MBA. I want a few changes and additions to the new MBA, but I still believe it's the most amazing Mac ever. I also think it could dominate the ultraportable market just as it did when the 2,1 was introduced in October 2008 with a few updates...
Core i7-6x0LM low voltage CPU (25W TDP, IGP turned off)
ATI 8430 GPU (7W TDP)
4 GB RAM standard (upgradeable to 8 GB for $400)
256 GB SSD standard or as $300 BTO option (I expect the high-end MBA price to be bumped $300 if this is standard)
13 to 15" IPS display
5-hour battery
Glass Trackpad
Redesigned case... eliminating the majority of the wasted bezel to either make the 13" MBA smaller or keep similar size but use a larger display.
Also would be nice is a 3G/4G Verizon card. I think this is about a 50/50 shot.
I really believe this MBA would dominate the market again as the v 2,1 did when it was released clear back in 2008. I want Apple to jack the price up. I expect an extra $100 added for the ATI discrete GPU. Apple could add more things and jack the price back up if it wants to. I really hope it does. I want more power in the same weight rather than reducing weight or reducing performance to get longer battery life.
I haven't used my MBA since I got my Lenovo, but since I am working on a big project right now I am not missing it too much, BUT... Actually, I love the keyboard on this Lenovo ThinkPad. It is actually nicer than the MBA's keyboard in my opinion. I believe my typing speed has increased by five words per minute and my error rate has dropped by 50%... and it's shocking to me, because I always loved the MBA's keyboard too. However, I do miss the idea of using an MBA that dominates all other ultraportables... I miss an MBA that is everything I want in a computer and more. I miss the fun... so I want Apple to give us an MBA that is, in relation to alternatives, what the 2,1 was when it was released.
Here's to the MBA and an update in September along with the iPod, iTV, and 7" iPad updates.
