Sad day for the MacBook Air, regardless of its future ...

[MartiNZ]

Out of curiosity, why do you think so? I don't have experience with any other implementations of copy and paste on any other handsets, but it works great for what I do with it.

More so the fact that the interface gets in the way doing things that were fine before cut and paste came to the iPhone, combined with the fact that I have not had any desire to cut/paste on the iPhone - neither before nor after it was possible.

Originally going back to edit text further up in an email/note/text was very quick and painless - since cut and paste it always brings up the buttons and assumes I want to select a range, which is never the case, and of course there is no way to turn it off. Just like the equally annoying feature of apps like Mail and Safari rotating to landscape when there is no conceivable reason I would want them to and it just makes browsing while lying down more annoying. The iPad's rotation lock switch is a good sign, but I don't see it coming to the iPhone unless they can work out a combination with the silence switch.

 

[striatedglutes]

More so the fact that the interface gets in the way doing things that were fine before cut and paste came to the iPhone, combined with the fact that I have not had any desire to cut/paste on the iPhone - neither before nor after it was possible.


Originally going back to edit text further up in an email/note/text was very quick and painless - since cut and paste it always brings up the buttons and assumes I want to select a range, which is never the case, and of course there is no way to turn it off.

Ah, I guess I used to notice it more in that situation as well, but I've grown accustomed to it and think it's a small price to pay.

Just like the equally annoying feature of apps like Mail and Safari rotating to landscape when there is no conceivable reason I would want them to and it just makes browsing while lying down more annoying. The iPad's rotation lock switch is a good sign, but I don't see it coming to the iPhone unless they can work out a combination with the silence switch.

No doubt they are working on this, and that a ton of users are frustrated (myself included).

 

[halledise]

Folks keep saying that. But: it gains beaucoup battery life, double the base RAM and a kickin' graphics processor. What's not to like?

C2D is no slug. I absolutely hammer my once-high-end 15" unibody MBP which just happens to have the same 2.66 C2D that you can now get on the 13". It never lets me down, even when running several virtual machines simultaneously. It's a 100% solid performer, and now you can get it in the 13". What's not to like?

+1 !!

 

[MartiNZ]

+1 !!

I guess partly the fact that performance indicators place it close to the 15" from 2 years ago, with the potential for faster internal drive and the potential for more RAM, adding which take it close to the price of the 15" that is much better than the 15" from 2 years ago.

I guess that's where people keep coming back to the 12" PB of old. Its main reduction was in size vs the 15". It retained discrete graphics albeit the lousy geforce 5200 IIRC, most of the laptops suffered from low soldered RAM back then. If the 13" of today was just smaller than the 15" it would be an awesome product; if the MBA was just a lot smaller, it would be unbelievable.

 

[THX1139]

Apple is slowly over time becoming primarily a very large mobile device and content distribution company. I see them as becoming to the everyday user like what Microsoft did to the business user years ago. Go into any business office and Microsoft products are norm. Apple wants to have that same kind of entrenchment in personal devices and they are already well on their way. The profits are in the mobile sector... not in niche products. If you owned a business and 90% of your income came from a particular sector, wouldn't it make practical sense to focus all of your energy there? Especially if there was a lot of competition to take over that market and you're already the leader? Why divert any attention to products that don't bring nearly the revenue and actually drain resources from your cash cow? Don't believe they are doing that? Look for yourself... there is a long list of devices and software that hasn't been touched by Apple in years. Most of these things are one day away from discontinuation. And it's not like they don't have the resources either... they just choose to focus on the mobile market because they see that as their future. It just makes good business sense.

So, mark my words. Within the next ten years, Apple will be out of the desktop and professional software application markets. Why develop application software when you can have others develop "apps for that" and then just take a percentage from each sale? Apple will develop the ultra cool hand held devices and the provide opportunities to sell content and cheap software applications. It's already a multi-billion dollar industry and it's growing fast. Where does the Macbook Air fit into all this? Nowhere. Don't feel bad, it's called progress.

 

[mcgrat07]

I've been waiting for a new MBA for months and months. If they come out with a new one, it will be my first Mac. Otherwise, I won't bother. A 5 pound Mac is not much more attractive than any of the 5 pound Windows laptops I have.

 

[gri]

I've been waiting for a new MBA for months and months. If they come out with a new one, it will be my first Mac. Otherwise, I won't bother. A 5 pound Mac is not much more attractive than any of the 5 pound Windows laptops I have.

Same here - just bought a refurbished one (MBA) for the wait time...

 

[AppliedMicro]

If you owned a business and 90% of your income came from a particular sector, wouldn't it make practical sense to focus all of your energy there?

Let's take a quick trip down memory lane... 10 years ago, Apple Computer was a small yet profitable computer and software manufacturer.
What did most of its income come from?
So what did the company do?
Focus on its cash cows?

Why divert any attention to products that don't bring nearly the revenue and actually drain resources from your cash cow?

On october 23rd, 2001, Apple Computer officially went into the business of selling high-end portable music players.

Why develop application software when you can have others develop "apps for that" and then just take a percentage from each sale?

Simple enough: "Some apps" can't provide integrated solutions for professionals. Also... why close down a multi-million dollar business providing a healthy stream of revenues and income, if you don't need to?

So, mark my words. Within the next ten years, Apple will be out of the desktop and professional software application markets.

I'd bet you they won't.
Though Apple will be a stronger diversified company by then.

 

[gwsat]

I'd bet you they [Apple] won't [be out of the desktop and professional software application markets within 10 years].
Though Apple will be a stronger diversified company by then.

I don't know where to come down on this issue. Although the iPhone and iPod have been incredible cash cows for Apple, and the iPad bodes well to become another one, Apple still makes a substantial percentage of its profits from computers and software. Nevertheless, I can see the possibility that Apple might abandon the Mac Pro and OS X server. I think the chances of Apple dropping the iMac and stopping development of OS X, though, range between slim and none.

 

[justit]

Patience guys and gals, the air is a high end machine and apple are putting a lot of thought in there on what's next for it, hence the wait. It is a sad day indeed, I agree, but I suggest some patience for prospective buyers. It always pays off in the end.

The thought you refer to is battery and it can't keep it's thin/light promise without increasing size/weight of battery. If it can't solve this problem, which I doubt, it's bye bye MBA.

 

[blindcorpse]

But consider (Hong Kong) Apple Daily report

The technical level of discussion on this thread is impressive, and reading it I am just about convinced that Apple cannot produce any upgrade to the MBA until and unless Intel provides a new high-MHz low-energy CPU.

But what about the earlier news from the Apple Daily (actually a Hong Kong newspaper), indicating that MBPs and MBAs were already in production? The Chinese article included the line 採用英特爾超低電壓處理器（UM）推改版MacBook Air, or "using Intel's ultra-low-voltage processor (UM) to remake the MacBook Air."

Now, the Apple Daily isn't infallible, but it is explicit. Maybe there is a new MBA already under production?

 

[gwsat]

The thought you refer to is battery and it can't keep it's thin/light promise without increasing size/weight of battery. If it can't solve this problem, which I doubt, it's bye bye MBA.

I agree. I have been using an iPad for the past week and it has convinced me that for a truly portable device, battery life is a paramount consideration. Every ultra portable device, whether the iPad or a netbook, at the low end, to an MBA or a Sony Vaio Z, at the high end, is a series of compromises. The smaller and lighter the device, the more convenient it is to carry around. The iPad does that well, of course, but at the expense of a limited browser, limited application software, and limited data storage. On the other hand, the MBA and the Z will do everything a bigger computer would do but at the expense of the clumsiness of a clamshell setup that has to be open to be used. Also, even those ultra lightweight computers weigh twice as much as an iPad. My conclusion, based on using an iPad for the past week, is that there is no ultra lightweight device that is both small and light enough, and powerful enough. And that's even without addressing the dramatic difference in battery life between the two classes. You pays your money and you takes your choice.

 

[BornAgainMac]

You mean the iPhone, iPod and iPad are Apple's bread and butter.

The Air is the water stuff that comes out of a mustard bottle. I hope they update it it this year. Just double the memory, HD, and battery and I am in.

 

[.summerfree]

Relax, y'all. I'm sure an MBA update will come out soon. It might be tomorrow, it might be a month from now...there's no need for tears and negativity, just patience. Besides, I'm sure Apple's tied up with the iPad launch, the new MBPs, and now, the leaked 4G iPhone (Prototype?).

 

[justit]

Relax, y'all. I'm sure an MBA update will come out soon.

I think the discussion is that the same time last year the MBA was updated with it's cousins. No one singled it our except for small by-lines and footnotes. The mainstream press didn't analyze the rev C on it's own merits.

This year it got missed.

Apple gets a LOT (bit too much) pres coverage for any type of updates (even soft updates). The conundrum is if the MBA gets updated, with a moderate bump in specs, there will be far more negative press as the MBA has always been seen to many as an under performer with serious problems on its first launch. And this year it's not the only ultra light weight mobile device.

Minimum spec bumps will not overcome the negativity.

So there's only 2 options left:

(A) It's EOL for MBA
(B) They completely come out with a blazing new, re-invented MBA

I'm in the (A) camp

 

[chrono1081]

Relax, y'all. I'm sure an MBA update will come out soon. It might be tomorrow, it might be a month from now...there's no need for tears and negativity, just patience. Besides, I'm sure Apple's tied up with the iPad launch, the new MBPs, and now, the leaked 4G iPhone (Prototype?).

+1 people seem to forget that not all products update at the same time.

I don't ever remembering where the MBA updated at the same time the MBPs and MB's updated. (Notice the MBs didn't get an update but noone is freaking out...)

 

[MartiNZ]

The only times the MBA has been updated so far have been at the same time as MBP updates. The MB has been on a separate schedule since they reinvented it.

 

[.summerfree]

So there's only 2 options left:

(A) It's EOL for MBA
(B) They completely come out with a blazing new, re-invented MBA

I'm in the (A) camp

I'll admit, I could be wrong and there may be reason to believe that, considering what happened between Intel and Nvidia, the MBA might go EOL. I mean, Apple might barely get away with the 13" MBP still using C2Ds, but a premium $1500 product like the MBA? I personally wouldn't mind (I'd like to see 4GB of ram and a battery life bump at least), but the rest of the tech world will most likely be outraged at the fact. I dunno, either way, my original point is that people need to chill out lol.

 

[iZac]

I guess the issue is the same as with the 13" macbook, the new core i3s / i5s require Intels gimped integrated GPU, so Apple would have been forced to basically only update the GPU to the new nVidia 320M that the 13" MBP sports. But perhaps there's simply a size issue, not enough space for the GPU either way.

Either the Air gets a different processor which isn’t hindered by this licensing issue, or it doesn’t get updated until the Intel / nVidia standoff is resolved.

Overclocked A4, anyone?

 

[blairh]

I think we will see a MBA refresh come June during the new iPhone keynote. Makes sense, no? Either they refresh the specs (longer battery life, slight bump in processor) or they unveil a new design altogether.

 

[Scottsdale]

I think we will see a MBA refresh come June during the new iPhone keynote. Makes sense, no? Either they refresh the specs (longer battery life, slight bump in processor) or they unveil a new design altogether.

I think any update between now and WWDC will include the same SL9x00 CPU series and an Nvidia 320m. I believe the update will be a quiet one before WWDC. Then, I expect to see a completely new MBA in late 2010 or early 2011. If we don't get an update by WWDC, then Apple is waiting for a different chip for the MBA. It isn't happy with the current Arrandale CPUs, but it might be happy with the next Intel CPUs that sport the same TDP and double the graphics performance.

I expect small bump to SL9600, Nvidia 320m, 4 GB RAM, 192/256 GB SSD in the high end, and a glass trackpad. This will happen before or at WWDC. I give this an 80% likelihood based on Apple's track record of using one chip series, GPU, chipset across five Macs since October 2008. The 13" MBP got the update first because it is Apple's biggest seller.

If no update by WWDC, then Apple will wait for the next series of chips in late 2010 or early 2011. I say there's a 20% chance that this is the next update and Apple skips an update by or at WWDC.

I see no chance of EOL of the MBA. It wouldn't make sense. Plenty of people are interested even with the same CPU and chipset. What potential MBA buyers want is 4 GB of RAM and more drive space.

In all truth, there is no reason to unveil this update at WWDC. It's nothing new. If there was anything new and completely grand for the MBA, it would come a lot later than WWDC. Apple doesn't like the current Arrandale CPUs with GMA IGP. Any Mac that is sold will be a C2D or have dedicated graphics. Since the MBA doesn't have the space, no Arrandale in the MBA until the graphics get a lot better. Or, Apple sticks with C2D. I have to believe that Apple understands that people are really happy with the MBA's capabilities, but they just want more RAM and more drive space.

 

[entatlrg]

I wish Apple would give some kind of indication what their plans are with the Air .... they're known to be very secretive I realize but, they've talked or been open about other products in the past. Apple TV for example they've made their position clear ... it's still a hobby for them and not a focus.

Apple is super profitable with more cash than they know what to do with. The Air is making them money, not as much as other products no doubt but they knew before they released it along with how they priced it that's for a niche market.

So this niche market loves the product and here we sit ... everyone around us has iPad fever .... Apple is making tons of money via the app store with ipad app's already ... who knows where we're going to end up with the Air...

I hope it's not the odd man out. Over time the 13" MBP will become lighter, thinner that's a natural evolution for that product ... plus the iPad will become more capable and someday (hopefully) more 'notebook like' and more suitable for creating material...

Does this squeeze the MBA out? Maybe. Depends how you look at it ... in one way S Jobs could be an MBA lover throwing cash at the project to do something amazing ... in another way could S Jobs can be so iPad crazy that he can't wait to EOL the product ... he could be testing/using prototype products such as a spec'd out iPad that makes the Air obsolete ... it's all speculation and hoping.

I wish Apple would give a hint either way.

I'd almost like to send a note to sjobs at Apple asking about the MBA and see if by slight chance he replied.

 

[Earendil]

My guess is that releasing a new Macbook Air right now would not help Apple one bit.

Right now all eyes (especially the media) are on the iPad. No one but us cares about the MBA and how well it does in it's opening weekend/quarter. But the iPad is in its make or break moment.

While the price points of each are extremely different, the fact is that for some people just looking for ultra portable with lots of cash to spend, may be choosing an iPad. If Apple were to flash a bright shiny new MBA at the same time, at least SOME sales would go to it.

Same thing with the iPhone I bet. Even if it were ready, there is no way Apple would release it now. I'd look for MBA updates this summer.

 

[E=H2O]

I guess this discussion died. I found it because I am one of those people out there just looking for some information so I can spend the money burning a hole in my pocket.

If Apple updates the MBA, I'll be the first in line. If they don't I won't buy one. If I don't get a MBA I'll wait a year for the 2nd generation iPad. This is good news for me (I get to keep my cash for a year) bad for Apple (they lose a sale). Heck, I might just buy myself a carbon fiber road bike. That way I'd own 5 bikes. Right now I have a Mt. Bike, a Titanium road bike, a carbon fiber Time Trial bike and an old chrome moly road bike that hangs up in the basement. At least with computers I have the sense to pass them on to family members.

It would seem that I fit the Apple profile for a MBA customer.

 

[gri]

I guess this discussion died. I found it because I am one of those people out there just looking for some information so I can spend the money burning a hole in my pocket.

If Apple updates the MBA, I'll be the first in line. If they don't I won't buy one. If I don't get a MBA I'll wait a year for the 2nd generation iPad. This is good news for me (I get to keep my cash for a year) bad for Apple (they lose a sale). Heck, I might just buy myself a carbon fiber road bike. That way I'd own 5 bikes. Right now I have a Mt. Bike, a Titanium road bike, a carbon fiber Time Trial bike and an old chrome moly road bike that hangs up in the basement. At least with computers I have the sense to pass them on to family members.

It would seem that I fit the Apple profile for a MBA customer.

Consider buying a refurbished one from Apple. The 1.83/128 SSD is 20% of. I decided that I didn't want to wait until all eternity, shlepping my heavy MBP and than next update again no new MBA. So I bought one. LOVE it, great for my purpose (writing on the road , giving talks). IF a new one comes I will get that one as well (but probably I will wait now if it still has the C2D, which will be dead by the end of the year anyway and skip one). Might happen at WWDC (unlikely given the focus on iPad, iPhone) or early 2011 (new chip than as well).