When??

[gri]

Can anybody enlighten me when we might see an Apple announcement coming? Now that they are not participating in Mac World anymore (which was a reliable date that updates are coming) we are somewhat in the air... Is there an Apple presentation at CES? I post this in the MBA forum as I guess we are all waiting for the "real" revision C coming (you know, 4 GB RAM, 256 SSD HD etc...)

 

[SwiftLives]

Absolutely nothing has been announced. We may get a media event. Or we may just get a product announcement. I suspect we'll know more within about a week of whenever the announcement feels like happening.

 

[jimboutilier]

I gave up waiting and got a current RevC that I am extremely happy with.

I notice you have 2gb in your current machine even though they are capable of more - are you sure you need an Air with 4gb?

As to the SSD size, thats just a matter of time and is user upgradable when it becomes available. So if you could live with 128gb for some period of time and keep other thinga in the cloud the current RevC is not a bad choice.

Who knows if and when Apple will release a 2.xghs/4gb/256gb unit. Both rev B and C could have and should have been 4gb but were not so I'm not holding my breath for it in a revD. SSD's will just get bigger and cheaper over time and are retrofittable.

With the next generation of mobile processors having issues with GPU it may be a while before Apple does much but a speed bump to the Air. An Intel GPU would sure not do much to bolster sales.

 

[vraxtus]

I gave up waiting and got a current RevC that I am extremely happy with.

I notice you have 2gb in your current machine even though they are capable of more - are you sure you need an Air with 4gb?

As to the SSD size, thats just a matter of time and is user upgradable when it becomes available. So if you could live with 128gb for some period of time and keep other thinga in the cloud the current RevC is not a bad choice.

Who knows if and when Apple will release a 2.xghs/4gb/256gb unit. Both rev B and C could have and should have been 4gb but were not so I'm not holding my breath for it in a revD. SSD's will just get bigger and cheaper over time and are retrofittable.

With the next generation of mobile processors having issues with GPU it may be a while before Apple does much but a speed bump to the Air. An Intel GPU would sure not do much to bolster sales.

I'm in the same boat here with you though I've yet to pull the trigger. Arrandale would be a great benefit but without nVidia in the picture anymore to create integrated GPU chipsets I'm not sure what the future is going to look like for the MBA.

I keep flip flopping on whether to buy it now with the fact that a refresh seems so close to happening. I guess the question is whether its worth grabbing one as strictly a mobile machine and a desktop for "real" work, or holding out to see if the next rev might be suitable as a full timer!

 

[colourfastt]

I'm in the same boat here with you though I've yet to pull the trigger. Arrandale would be a great benefit but without nVidia in the picture anymore to create integrated GPU chipsets I'm not sure what the future is going to look like for the MBA.

I keep flip flopping on whether to buy it now with the fact that a refresh seems so close to happening. I guess the question is whether its worth grabbing one as strictly a mobile machine and a desktop for "real" work, or holding out to see if the next rev might be suitable as a full timer!

There is always a 'refresh' for any line of computers in the future. If you keep waiting for the next one you'll NEVER buy a computer. And the current Air (Rev C) IS suitable as a "full-time" system.

 

[vraxtus]

There is always a 'refresh' for any line of computers in the future. If you keep waiting for the next one you'll NEVER buy a computer. And the current Air (Rev C) IS suitable as a "full-time" system.

True, I think I have been overthinking the possibilities involved on a refresh currently. I guess the only concern I'm having now is that I'd essentially be sidegrading from my current computer (MBP 06) to a lighter machine, and I'd really prefer some sort of performance gain

 

[jimboutilier]

True, I think I have been overthinking the possibilities involved on a refresh currently. I guess the only concern I'm having now is that I'd essentially be sidegrading from my current computer (MBP 06) to a lighter machine, and I'd really prefer some sort of performance gain

I think you would find a RevC 2.13/2/128SSD significantly faster than your 06 MBP. I have 2 07 MBP's (one 2.2ghs/4gb/7K320 and one 2.4ghz/2/5K160) and an 08 uMB (2.4/4/7k320) and the MBA feels significantly faster than any of these most of the time.

The only time the MBA slows down a bit is when you are really taxing the CPU/GPU, the fan is pegged and the MBA clocks down to reduce heat generation. I never get this with VLC but sometimes do in Quicktime or Flash. Ripping a DVD would likely also produce this condition. Not sure what else as this never happens for me in everyday business use.

So IF the current spec Air can fulfill your needs, don't wait for what might come at some point next year. You'll just be missing out on the Air experience for that many months. My only real regret with the RevC is how long I held off buying it in hopes of a RevD when a RevB or C with 128gbSSD would have done me just fine almost a year ago.

 

[vraxtus]

So IF the current spec Air can fulfill your needs

That's always the problem Jim I get ambitious with what I try to do with my computer sometimes!

 

[zedsdead]

The laptop refresh is due in the 1st quarter of 2010, of course you never know.

The Air is long overdue for an update.

 

[AAPLaday]

Aargh the waiting for the new mac laptops is killing me haha!! January cant come soon enough, if the update is anything like the iMac update then sign me up

 

[gri]

True, I think I have been overthinking the possibilities involved on a refresh currently. I guess the only concern I'm having now is that I'd essentially be sidegrading from my current computer (MBP 06) to a lighter machine, and I'd really prefer some sort of performance gain

Well put. I have the same issue. My laptop is a 2006 MBP, 1st intel generation. Max of 2G RAM, had a 125 hd (now a 320 he he...). The current MB A would be a sidegrade, not an upgrade, only in terms of weight...

 

[musicpenguy]

I also have an original MBP (17") with a 2GB cap - the MBA Rev A - feels much faster than my MBP - this could be the SSD it could also be that the 2.16 Intel Core Duo may be slower than a 1.8 Core 2 Duo - not sure what it is but the MBA does feel faster to me

I would imagine the current models would feel much faster than the original MBPs

 

[stoconnell]

I can tell you that my work issued laptop is a 15" MBP from 2006 with 2GB of RAM, and there is absolutely NO comparison in usability and portability between my Rev B and the old MBP. The keyboard and touch pad, the weight, etc. Whenever I do use that machine, I always am amazed at just how ridiculously huge and flexy it is and how dim the screen is.

 

[gri]

I can tell you that my work issued laptop is a 15" MBP from 2006 with 2GB of RAM, and there is absolutely NO comparison in usability and portability between my Rev B and the old MBP. The keyboard and touch pad, the weight, etc. Whenever I do use that machine, I always am amazed at just how ridiculously huge and flexy it is and how dim the screen is.

Problem is I now waited already 6 months and thats more than halftime to the next revision.... I would be just mad if I buy rev. C and than a month later - rev D, 5 G RAM, 320 SSD... You know what I mean.

 

[vraxtus]

Problem is I now waited already 6 months and thats more than halftime to the next revision.... I would be just mad if I buy rev. C and than a month later - rev D, 5 G RAM, 320 SSD... You know what I mean.

I am RIGHT there with you!

 

[gri]

CES in January

Any chances something will happen in January at the CES? Quick poll, when is the point of no return (i.e. from that point on better wait and don't buy)

 

[kennycheng93]

Intel integrated graphic

I think it's going to be Intel integrated graphic. I kind of worry about that.

 

[gri]

I am RIGHT there with you!

Any chances that there will be anything coming along with the special event late January...?