The future for Macbook Air

[aristobrat]

Also, I'd have to guess that the MacBook and MacBook Pro sales (*individually*) will surpass the MacBook Air's once it's "newness" wears off.

Definitely on the MacBook -- there's no way to outpace the entry-level (price-wise) Mac notebook. Against the Pros, who knows.

But with Apple's history of keeping niche products around despite slow sales (hello Mac mini and iPod shuffle) and giving products a significant tweak instead of throwing in the towel (AppleTV Take 2), I think you're being a little simplistic to think that the Air's going bye-bye just because it won't sell as many as the MB and MBP.

 

[LloydDobbler]

In my opinion, they eliminated CD's way too early. While they may become obsolete in the future, it's no where near the point where we don't need CD's. While doing this they also increased the dependency the MacBook Air had on other laptops to perform routine task.

The fact of the matter is that once the MacBook Air's "coolness" wears off it won't become practical.

Just wanted to come back to this point. Reminds me of when I first thought of buying a Mac, I was thinking they were crazy for having just eliminated floppy drives. I mean, what the hell? People didn't do everything by CD! CDs cost too much, and had too much space for simple tasks! People NEEDED a floppy to move everyday files!

Turns out, I was a whole lotta wrong. IIRC, the 3-1/2" disk made its overall exit from both PCs and Macs over the next year or so once Apple eliminated it from their line. Turns out, people could use email to transfer files.

I'm not suggesting that DVDs and CDs will ever go completely away. Heck, burning DVDs is one of the things I need my new MBP for.

I just know that when I went to install my printer on my shiny new MBP 2.5Ghz this weekend, I had to go online to download the drivers, because the disc Lexmark included with my new printer only supported up to Tiger. Most of the software I buy these days I download, and it's a lot easier than working via disc, anyway. I've used my DVD drive less and less over the past few years, and as video transfer goes more and more digital, I can see myself only needing it for rare occasions in the future.

But of course, that's just me. YMMV.

Still, I think the lack of an optical drive is not a big thing at all, and maybe even shows foresight. Only time will tell.

 

[TheMadBrewer]

1 USB won't change to 2. Everyone who says they should add more ports to the air is wrong. If you want more ports, get a MacBook.

If they put a passthru USB port on the external superdrive, I'd agree with you.

Since the superdrive won't work thru a hub, in those rare cases where you need both the drive and (say) wired internet, you are SOL. I've also had problems with the ethernet dongle working thru a hub -- but that could be the hub -- I haven't had a chance to test it with another.

I've taken my MBA on three trips so far, two domestic and one to Europe and the single USB port is the only thing I don't like -- or rather the inability of the two apple USB devices to play well with others. One can always find a workaround, but if I liked workarounds I would have bought a Vista computer

 

[Tom J]

My mom has a MacBook Air - even though I tried to talk her out of it.

And you're trying to make a convincing argument on this forum?

 

[cedar]

I'm not basing it on any number of people - I am, however, basing it around the fact that many people use at least two USB ports, and if they do not I'm sure people like having them.

I've seen replies stating that they don't like it, and the unfortunate truth of it is that no matter how many people here can claim to think otherwise, it won't in anyway amount to the number of people who own MacBook Airs.

My opinion is that the majority of people who have a MacBook Air would prefer more USB ports, feel free to disagree with me.



No.




Great. That's your opinion. Once again, I'd have to assume that the majority of people would prefer more than 20GB - feel free to disagree if you'd like.




You really can't, sorry. My mom has a MacBook Air - even though I tried to talk her out of it. My sister has a MacBook Pro, and I've played around with the MacBook.

Just because you disagree with my opinion doesn't make it fair or justified to say I have no experience with the MacBook Air.

I really would be more interested in hearing what your mommy thinks of her Air than your opinion.

 

[youradhere4222]

And you're trying to make a convincing argument on this forum?

Did I say I had one. Didn't think so.

If you're going to critique my point, at least try making one yourself.

 

[youradhere4222]

If they put a passthru USB port on the external superdrive, I'd agree with you.

Since the superdrive won't work thru a hub, in those rare cases where you need both the drive and (say) wired internet, you are SOL. I've also had problems with the ethernet dongle working thru a hub -- but that could be the hub -- I haven't had a chance to test it with another.

I've taken my MBA on three trips so far, two domestic and one to Europe and the single USB port is the only thing I don't like -- or rather the inability of the two apple USB devices to play well with others. One can always find a workaround, but if I liked workarounds I would have bought a Vista computer

That's a good point, but was there a CD drive? If so, their at least needs to be a form of getting information onto your computer.

Since the MacBook Air is all about portability, I'd rather not tug around a external CD drive if I wanted to watch my favorite movie or possibly look over information on another CD.

 

[clayj]

Since the MacBook Air is all about portability, I'd rather not tug around a external CD drive if I wanted to watch my favorite movie or possibly look over information on another CD.

Then buy a MB or MBP if you think you will *always* need to have an optical drive available and the Remote Disc thing isn't going to cut it for you.

Honestly, this argument just goes around and around, ad nauseum. We get it; you don't like the MBA because of the ports it's "missing" and the optical drive it doesn't have. There is an MBA that has those ports and that optical drive; it's called a MacBook.

For those of us who don't need all those extra ports and who only use an optical drive very rarely, the MBA is juuuuuust fine.

 

[jlbrown23]

Number one, yes numbers can be close and I took specific mention of that word, but whether or not you're comparing 3 pounds to 5 pounds the reality is that the weight difference is slight (I've compared), and even though you can tell the MacBook Air is lighter the reality is that the MacBook isn't heavy in the least.

I find that people who say the weight isn't a big difference are people who lifted it off the bench at the Apple store a couple of times. They are not people who have had to carry a shoulder bag through airports and hotel rooms for 3 straight weeks.

I am also amazed at all of the "This apple makes a terrible Orange!" comments. YOU CAN ONLY MAKE A COMPUTER LIGHT BY MAKING COMPROMISES, OR THEY WOULD ALL BE LIGHT. And there are a LOT of people out there who have "light" as their most important quality. Apple made the RIGHT compromises to make it light - the screen, the keyboard and the wireless have NO compromises. Optical drives are tomorrow's floppy drive, and if I ever needed more than one USB port(my MacBook has TWO, hardly an astounding increase), the 20g 4 port USB I have for my IBM X40 would do quite nicely.

I've got one, I love it and it looks to me like there are many happy Air owners on this board. It does what it does VERY WELL, and is not a fad. At work where I am about to get a new laptop(they force me to use Wintel), I am getting my 3rd straight IBM X40-like laptop. 3lbs, no optical drive, slow CPU, small HD - and after 6 years of using them, I still want another one because I travel for my job. I only wish it had the screen and keyboard the Air has.

 

[Sandy Santra]

Wave of the (near) future: SSDs

This article about SSDs is definitely worth reading. Draw your own conclusions.

 

[Cheffy Dave]

"and MBA will continue to sell well, because it is very well set for students, writers, businessmen, etc.[/QUOTE]

zactly, I did and still do want one,but when the RFB Mac Books showed up for a sweet $1049 ,I jumped. I love it, my first Mac, my wife is checking it out as well, I think she'd love the MBA, and would give up her Dell Axim PDA. The Dell has served her well, she loves it's portability, which, although larger isn't as heavy as the MB.

 

[thejakill]

They are going to add a second USB drive to the air, right after they put a floppy on the iMac, a screen on the shuffle, and put FireWire back in the iPods.