***Stunning*** Toshiba with best competition so far? Power and LIGHTEST 13" Notebook!

[Thunderhawks]

Goodbye air, I just don't see where it will fit anymore

TOTALLY AGREED!

The trend is small and light as possible with all the most used features (e-mail, surfing, read stuff)

Thus the drive for cloud computing by Apple, Google etc.

As connections get faster, we will all have a "workhorse computer" at home or the office, which we can access with NTR , LogMeIn or GoToMyPC and whoever else enters that field.

Just did it from Germany and it's awesome.

Already predicted the ipad would look like an AIR without hinges and keyboard.

So, I think that over time, the ipad will be available in other sizes ( Small, medium, large and XL and have many or most of the AiR features added.

 

[deus_ex_machina]

People for whom OS X is the only obstacle should consider Ubuntu. Does pretty much all of the above, on a Mac and on a PC. Is based on Linux, which is just like OS X a Unix variety. And it has nothing to do with Microsoft (unless you choose to run Windows in VM ware). And is truely open and free!

Very true - the only difference is it doesn't fit with Apple's slogan "Just Works". Getting Ubuntu setup can be a trial depending on your machine and the distro.

 

[cleric]

Very true - the only difference is it doesn't fit with Apple's slogan "Just Works". Getting Ubuntu setup can be a trial depending on your machine and the distro.

Yea its a different philosophy not to mention dpkg distros tend to just be krusty in general.

 

[Huubster]

Very true - the only difference is it doesn't fit with Apple's slogan "Just Works". Getting Ubuntu setup can be a trial depending on your machine and the distro.

You are talking Ubuntu of old. Tested it on my MBA and installing it is as easy as OS X. And everything works without any tweak.
Ubuntu has come a very long way in the past few years.

EDIT: Obviously not so easy. Give it a few months and it should be sorted by the Linux community.
http://questier.com/tag/vaio-z/

 

[Jobsian]

UPDATE - Engadget goes hands-On at Computex 2010!

False Alarm

 

[Jobsian]

False Alarm

 

[Jobsian]

Probable false alarm!

On reviewing the pics on the first page, this doesn't look like it's the same notebook - apologies if this is so and it would seem to be as well because the notebook above has a low voltage arrandale.

I'm now almost certain that they're not the same notebook

 

[Scottsdale]

On reviewing the pics on the first page, this doesn't look like it's the same notebook - apologies if this is so and it would seem to be as well because the notebook above has a low voltage arrandale.

I'm now almost certain that they're not the same notebook

Not even close. Why did you think it was the same notebook? It seriously doesn't look the same nor contain any of the specs of the one you initially reported, does it?

 

[Jobsian]

Not even close. Why did you think it was the same notebook? It seriously doesn't look the same nor contain any of the specs of the one you initially reported, does it?

I had a vague reference image in my head the veracity of which I didn't check properly before I posted, posts edited accordingly.

 

[Scottsdale]

I had a vague reference image in my head the veracity of which I didn't check properly before I posted, posts edited accordingly.

Must have been too excited and hopeful that it meant Apple would have to answer to the challenge, LOL. I sure hope we all get excited Monday with a new MBA. I was surprised it wasn't mentioned in the article on the front page of MR today? Especially when the MBA was thought to have an 80% chance of update at WWDC, based on another rumor site.

 

[Jobsian]

Must have been too excited and hopeful that it meant Apple would have to answer to the challenge, LOL. I sure hope we all get excited Monday with a new MBA. I was surprised it wasn't mentioned in the article on the front page of MR today? Especially when the MBA was thought to have an 80% chance of update at WWDC, based on another rumor site.

Haha exactly, yes I saw that Gizmodo article which gave me some hope (even though it wasn't based on anything concrete!), but unfortunately no mention from the MacRumor Eds

Still, it's all speculation isn't it

 

[Metlin]

Goodbyer air, I just don't see where it will fit anymore

TOTALLY AGREED!

The trend is small and light as possible with all the most used features (e-mail, surfing, read stuff)

Thus the drive for cloud computing by Apple, Google etc.

As connections get faster, we will all have a "workhorse computer" at home or the office, which we can access with NTR , LogMeIn or GoToMyPC and whoever else enters that field.

Just did it from Germany and it's awesome.

Already predicted the ipad would look like an AIR without hinges and keyboard.

So, I think that over time, the ipad will be available in other sizes ( Small, medium, large and XL and have many or most of the AiR features added.

The iPad is nowhere near being a "real computer". The iPad cannot be used even for menial office tasks (e.g. building a presentation or an excel model).

There will always be room for a "real" ultra-portable computer, and Air fills that niche.

 

[gwsat]

The iPad is nowhere near being a "real computer". The iPad cannot be used even for menial office tasks (e.g. building a presentation or an excel model).

There will always be room for a "real" ultra-portable computer, and Air fills that niche.

I have had an iPad since shortly after its release date and can confirm that, in its present iteration, the iPad falls far short of being a real computer. Until and unless Apple dramatically improves the iPad's functionality, there is still a place for the MBA.

 

[pharmx]

The iPad is nowhere near being a "real computer". The iPad cannot be used even for menial office tasks (e.g. building a presentation or an excel model).

There will always be room for a "real" ultra-portable computer, and Air fills that niche.

I have had an iPad since shortly after its release date and can confirm that, in its present iteration, the iPad falls far short of being a real computer. Until and unless Apple dramatically improves the iPad's functionality, there is still a place for the MBA.

While I agree 100% that an iPad is not a replacement for an MBA (for people who needs its unique feature set, like being an ultra-portable that runs OS X), I think it's misleading to say that the iPad "cannot be used even for menial office tasks". The two examples you mentioned (building a presentation or an excel model) are both covered by Apple's own Keynote and Numbers app...and that's before considering all the third party apps that are already out or being developed.

As an owner of both, I use them in completely different circumstances. The iPad seems to replace my iPod Touch more than my MBA.

 

[Metlin]

While I agree 100% that an iPad is not a replacement for an MBA (for people who needs its unique feature set, like being an ultra-portable that runs OS X), I think it's misleading to say that the iPad "cannot be used even for menial office tasks". The two examples you mentioned (building a presentation or an excel model) are both covered by Apple's own Keynote and Numbers app...and that's before considering all the third party apps that are already out or being developed.

As an owner of both, I use them in completely different circumstances. The iPad seems to replace my iPod Touch more than my MBA.

My bad; you're right, of course -- you can use Apple's alternatives to create a presentation or a model. But I was bemoaning more the lack of an accessible/searchable filem anager where I could store and search said presentations or models, rather than the tools themselves.

I have an application on my iPhone called Readdle Docs that acts as a filemanager for the iPhone's filesystem. While I'm sure one could use such an application for the iPad, it seems like a workaround.

But most importantly -- I'm unaware of the ability to multi-task (e.g. I'm making a presentation and I'm searching the web and my machine for documents and images to be used; or I'm building a model with data from an external source).

Hence my complaint on the inability of the iPad to fulfill basic tasks. I apologize for not being particularly clear!

That said, as someone who's flown half a million miles in just the past couple of years, the small size made a HUGE difference. I already lug around a heavy ThinkPad with me for work, and the last thing I wanted was another bulky machine to lug around the world. The MBA fits that niche very nicely.

 

[gwsat]

Hence my complaint on the inability of the iPad to fulfill basic tasks. I apologize for not being particularly clear!

That said, as someone who's flown half a million miles in just the past couple of years, the small size made a HUGE difference. I already lug around a heavy ThinkPad with me for work, and the last thing I wanted was another bulky machine to lug around the world. The MBA fits that niche very nicely.

This is how I feel about my iPad, too. Despite its many significant weaknesses, it is so small and light and does the things it can do so well, it's easy, maybe even sensible, to overlook its weaknesses. The danger of such thinking, of course, is the danger that one might be deluded into thinking the iPad is a replacement for a real computer that runs a real OS. It's not.

 

[pharmx]

My bad; you're right, of course -- you can use Apple's alternatives to create a presentation or a model. But I was bemoaning more the lack of an accessible/searchable filem anager where I could store and search said presentations or models, rather than the tools themselves.

I have an application on my iPhone called Readdle Docs that acts as a filemanager for the iPhone's filesystem. While I'm sure one could use such an application for the iPad, it seems like a workaround.

But most importantly -- I'm unaware of the ability to multi-task (e.g. I'm making a presentation and I'm searching the web and my machine for documents and images to be used; or I'm building a model with data from an external source).

Hence my complaint on the inability of the iPad to fulfill basic tasks. I apologize for not being particularly clear!

That said, as someone who's flown half a million miles in just the past couple of years, the small size made a HUGE difference. I already lug around a heavy ThinkPad with me for work, and the last thing I wanted was another bulky machine to lug around the world. The MBA fits that niche very nicely.

Regarding the file system, I doubt it will ever be the way you want. It's one of the fundamental differences between a mobile OS like iPhoneOS and a full fledged OS like Mac OSX. Opening up the file system would defeat the purpose of the closed system Apple implements. Although the workaround apps will improve with time, there will always be that restricted access to the file system. This is one of the reasons why the MBA shines as being the only ultra-portable that can run a full fledged Mac OSX/Windows7.

Regarding multi-tasking, that is coming in the next iPhoneOS update, so it should make its way to the iPad relatively soon, probably within a few months. Although I guess one could argue that it's not "true" multi-tasking, it should definitely be able to handle the situations you described.

While the MBA could potentially serve as a person's main and/or sole computer, the iPad definitely cannot. However, the iPad could potentially serve as a person's main and/or sole entertainment device. While there is some overlap between functionality of the two devices (depending on what people use their MBA or iPad for), I still maintain that they serve different purposes and are for different target populations. The versatility of the MBA is why people mistakenly think that a 13" MBP or iPad is a substitute, when (in my opinion) it is clearly not.

 

[Metlin]

This is how I feel about my iPad, too. Despite its many significant weaknesses, it is so small and light and does the things it can do so well, it's easy, maybe even sensible, to overlook its weaknesses. The danger of such thinking, of course, is the danger that one might be deluded into thinking the iPad is a replacement for a real computer that runs a real OS. It's not.

Indeed! In fact, it is just this that made the choice between the iPad and the MBA particularly difficult.

But on some level, I wanted a real computer, and the MBA provided that. To pharmx's point below, the fact that it was the best and smallest system that could run a real *nix-like OS that made a huge difference to me.

Regarding the file system, I doubt it will ever be the way you want. It's one of the fundamental differences between a mobile OS like iPhoneOS and a full fledged OS like Mac OSX. Opening up the file system would defeat the purpose of the closed system Apple implements. Although the workaround apps will improve with time, there will always be that restricted access to the file system. This is one of the reasons why the MBA shines as being the only ultra-portable that can run a full fledged Mac OSX/Windows7.

Regarding multi-tasking, that is coming in the next iPhoneOS update, so it should make its way to the iPad relatively soon, probably within a few months. Although I guess one could argue that it's not "true" multi-tasking, it should definitely be able to handle the situations you described.

While the MBA could potentially serve as a person's main and/or sole computer, the iPad definitely cannot. However, the iPad could potentially serve as a person's main and/or sole entertainment device. While there is some overlap between functionality of the two devices (depending on what people use their MBA or iPad for), I still maintain that they serve different purposes and are for different target populations. The versatility of the MBA is why people mistakenly think that a 13" MBP or iPad is a substitute, when (in my opinion) it is clearly not.

Oh absolutely. You pretty much summed up my sentiments -- and my reasons -- for choosing the MBA.

Let me be the first to say that I've no expectation whatsoever that the iPad would be a substitute for a computer in any way, even a secondary one.

In my mind, the iPad is an entertainment device for consuming content. And the MBA is a basic, minimal "office" computer sans bells and whistles, which can be used to create and consume content. Even if the iPad did all that I just complained about, I would still go with an MBA because of the iPad will never be (and shouldn't ever be expected to) be a "real" computer. It will always fall short, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[DJ Kwai]

Actual Toshiba Model - Close but not quite the leak.

Here's the recently released Toshiba:

http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/21/toshiba-portege-r700-slides-in-with-a-thin-design-core-power-an/

Not quite the same as the leaked model, but probably just the lower-end version of the same thing. I wonder if they will be releasing the originally leaked version at all. This protege r700 certainly surpasses the MBA in terms of specs and price, and matches it in terms of weight - but of course it doesn't have OSX or the beautiful form factor of the MBA.

I'm just hoping that Apple really does come with some sort of update soon. I've got carte blanche to purchase any laptop I want for my new university position, and portability is a high priority for me.

 

[DJ Kwai]

Actual Toshiba Model - Close but not quite the leak.

Oh yeah, I will be curious to see if the actual leaked Toshiba makes an appearance too...

 

[bloodycape]

I like the fact that you can get usb 3.0, but I don't like the fact that you have to get the docking station to get it. Also, wish they kept it 12in it's predecessors the R600 and R500, but hope that they used a better matte screen than the R600, which bleh compared to the Vaio TT, and MBA.