Why NOT to buy a MacBook Air

[PkennethV]

here's another thing that really bugs me.

I don't like how Apple is compromising on so much just to they can have the tittle of "World's thinnest laptop." I mean ok...there are some people that complain that the MacBook is too big, but almost no one that say the 12" PB is. and have you *ever* seen anyone say the Sony TZ was too big/thick for them to carry? SO WHAT if it's as thick as the TZ if that means having 160gb harddrive and an optical drive! If it ran OS X, I would pick the TZ over the the MBA any day (and I'm saying this as a Mac user all my life).

 

[maceleven]

Apple is KRAZY BIG mi$take

unless your rich then its a tight computer lol

 

[HenMaster6000]

i've said this before, but without a firewire port, you can't really do imovie. up until now, apple predicated their marketing strategy on mac os x and ilife.

the whole device is silly.

 

[izzysanime]

I really like the thinness and I want it so much. but, there are a few issues, I was hoping for some kind of external media, like maybe slots for those super tiny microSD card slots if they cant put a optical drive. I suppose i could buy an external dvd burner for it. The thin super drive that apple will sell to you only works for the macbook air. I don't want to buy something that would only work with one computer.

I wish there was a firewire and ethernet port, gigabit ethernet. O well

I was also hoping that the display would be a touch screen, guess not.

 

[ddavid]

i've said this before, but without a firewire port, you can't really do imovie. up until now, apple predicated their marketing strategy on mac os x and ilife.

the whole device is silly.

They could've done a mini firewire port without too much problem.Unfortunately, I don't think the MBA could take the heat of processor intense video editing. Does it have an internal fan?

 

[chewietobbacca]

This really is a niche product with no niche. Who is going to buy it besides people who must absolutely have the newest latest trendy tech equipment with the money to spend?

Business people who need a portable computer? First of all, people who work for big companies often use Exchange servers and so on, so Mac's are out. Besides, they have a smart phone for email if they need a portable device. Let's not even talk about battery life....

Students? Well with that kind of a price and limited HD space, that'll be rough. Oh yeah, no speakers too, so be prepared to bring your own speakers if you want more than yourself to listen to music.

Gamers? Not even considering it.

They claim this will be portable, but to use more than one USB device you need to bring along a USB hub. To connect to a Ethernet connection, bring a USB -> Ethernet adapter. Uh oh, need to play any DVD's? Well, unless you've put them on the computer (limited HD space though will limit your selection), you bring along an external disc drive.

Very portable now that you think about it? Nah.

Let's not even get started with the fact that the footprint is the same size as the MB. Great, i can now put 3 of them in a bag where a previous PC notebook was. But it still won't fit in that bag that can fit a notebook with a 11" screen or smaller!

I'm guessing Intel got paid a lot lot lot of money to make this platform (the price point would suggest so)...

 

[greenmeanie]

Don't worry about battery life.
A new Mac Rumor has the new I-Battery due out in spring. It hangs out the back right next to the USB dongle you have to use because it only has 1 USB.

Farther down the road due out is the I-Octopus that will have a all in one option

 

[26139]

USB Ethernet/Modem for 29/49$ -- they shud give these 4 free

All this comes with a price tag of $1799 .... just for coolness .. so be it
Only good thing is the multitouch trackpad ...... all else is crap 4 the cost

Its Still untested ... I WUD NEVER BUY IT -- no WAY

i missed an MacBookPro Update .. it sucks but ill still wait

Seriously Apple is losing the initiative ... it wants only one thing - making money ... huh 2 bad they want 20$ for the ipod touch software upgrade .. boooo .................wats goin on guys ... wake up steve

Man your grammar and spelling are terrible. I'd be embarrassed to be your teacher or parent.

Anyway, WHAT'S WRONG WITH MAKING MONEY? All companies need to make money.

So the MacBook Air is new...it certainly has its niche. It's perfect for travelers who already have a decent desktop.

 

[Prometheus101]

My Oppinion

To me it seems that there is alot of fighting going on here based on personal oppinions.

I go to school everyday and I use MS Word, Safari, etc...

I also on occation use imovie and Final Cut Pro.

All of this on a G4 PowerBook. I dont care what you tell me the MBA is much faster than the PB.

I dont have a problem with the speed of my PB because I encode on a desktop. (My PB is screwed though so i need an upgrade) so upgrading to the MBA would achieve better results than i curently have no problem with, inside a much more portable laptop.

The way I see it the only major dissadvantage for me of the MBA is the lack of firewire, but i can just import form video cameras on my desktop onto a usb powerd external hdd.

I think for me its a great sollution.

I am open to being convinced otherwise so please tell me what i couldnt do that i can now.

Cheers, from Down Under (no iPhone grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr)

 

[nuclearwinter]

More expensive than MacBook &....


-Same size screen
-slower, smaller reg HDD / expensive smaller SSD
-Slower processor
-lack of optical drive
-about same battery life
-could have 1st gen problems
-more expensive


you will be paying for the coolness factor.... i mean what is 1"? just buy MacBook for now

Screw what i said before... i fell in love .. even bought the 3k model ohh wife is gunna hate me lol

Funniest. Post. Ever.

 

[FanOfMac]

Geez, let me think!

Oh, yeah! I know! Because I have a new 3rd generation MacBook that just works great!

Not sure I'm really ready to give up the internal optical drive. Besides, my MacBook is "air" enough for me.

 

[jnc]

it's probably an ipod/iphone all over again... send it back to apple for a moderately priced replacement

$129, but no charge for the actual replacement. Which makes me think - MBAs will be covered for a year under warranty, a period of which a replacement would be exceptional... when would someone legitimately need to actually buy one of these? Not for at least 12 months!

Funniest. Post. Ever.

48 hours later I have really warmed to the MacBook Air too If I hadn't just bought this Mac Pro...

(the realistic end to that sentence is "...I'd still be using my MacBook until a new MacBook Pro came out )

 

[thinkband]

It is alright. Not my market.

Price drop I am guessing so this Laptop doesn't flop like the Iphone could have at its price tag.

Too many people think it is the worse thing invented in the world or the best thing since sliced bread. People should either see it as 'okay' or 'a step in the future of laptops.' Eventually, this laptop will be as powerful as a macbook pro and this small of size giving it time.

For me, I do not care that much about the size and the other apple notebooks are a good size already

 

[superleccy]

...because I have a special supply of really big manilla envelopes that I can put my 15" MBP in.

 

[dpaanlka]

Screw what i said before... i fell in love .. even bought the 3k model ohh wife is gunna hate me lol

Hahah!

I love it too!

 

[Catch]

I am utterly amazed that Apple would produce a laptop that has no speakers!!!!!!!!!!! For how much Apple as prided themselves on being at the forfront of music and such.. WOW. Also, only one USB port?? What were they thinking??

The Macbook Air is all about the FLASH!!

You listen to music through laptop speakers?

Carry on...

C

 

[Catch]

It amazes me to see so many (educated?) people on these forums missing the point of the MBA. Its incredible. We have comments ranging from missing a FW port (understandable and I agree thats a shame) to even wanting gaming graphics cards.

People, they had to have a specially designed processor to build this thing this size. You cannot have this amount of portability AND top end power to cut HDM and play whatever game is the most "in" right now. I mean come on!

Furthermore, I have to say I am stunned to see people relegating this machine to toy status and Paris Hilton accessory, simply because it does not fit their needs.

Does someone here think Steve Jobs needs video editing on the go? Do you think he may need Excel and Word, communications and presentation options on the go?

So if Steve Jobs chooses to use this machine he is a hobbyist and not a business person? Everyone that buys this machine does so as a fashion accessory?

My absolute favourite so far, "Its just an iPhone"! People that make those statements must either be unemployed, on summer holiday or living in a dream world.

The machine is absolutely perfect for what it was designed for.

Is it a made to measure computer for everyone? No its not.

Does it fit into the current laptop offerings from Apple? Yes it does.

Regards,

C

 

[iAmLegend]

The machine is absolutely perfect for what it was designed for.

Giving trend whores a shiny new conversation piece? I agree.

 

[Catch]

Giving trend whores a shiny new conversation piece? I agree.

How about increasing the company TO by 20% by shrewd financial modeling/planning and developing strategies for expansion and profit maximization, while on an intercontinental flight, instead of wasting precious time playing video games?

But hey if you think I look cool while I am sitting next to you why not!

C

 

[netdog]

mst be this:

*note the 2x little grills. 1x mic 1x speaker

I think that is both speakers on the bezel, and the mic would be the slit on the front right of the base.

I also think that the MacBook Air is really great exactly as it is.

 

[Macmanus]

Just my 2 cts here.

Apple is a design company, not a computer company. They make beautiful objects. Thats's the main point a lot of people seem to forget here. Vista is a good system, that actually works. No need to go to Leopard.

If I want an ultra-portable for my job, I won't buy Apple. It's a complete ripoff. I was waiting for an ultra-portable Penryn based computer. I get a Core 2 Duo processor specially made for Apple, which is really overpriced. Apple is cheating.

If I want a beautiful computer to make my friends cream their panties at Starbucks, I'll go for it, no problem. That's the most beautiful computer I have ever seen.

One thing I like here is the remote system. Kicks ass. If only we could watch movies using other computer optical drives. From what I gather, you can only download software.

 

[Cybergypsy]

It amazes me to see so many (educated?) people on these forums missing the point of the MBA. Its incredible. We have comments ranging from missing a FW port (understandable and I agree thats a shame) to even wanting gaming graphics cards.

People, they had to have a specially designed processor to build this thing this size. You cannot have this amount of portability AND top end power to cut HDM and play whatever game is the most "in" right now. I mean come on!

Furthermore, I have to say I am stunned to see people relegating this machine to toy status and Paris Hilton accessory, simply because it does not fit their needs.

Does someone here think Steve Jobs needs video editing on the go? Do you think he may need Excel and Word, communications and presentation options on the go?

So if Steve Jobs chooses to use this machine he is a hobbyist and not a business person? Everyone that buys this machine does so as a fashion accessory?

My absolute favourite so far, "Its just an iPhone"! People that make those statements must either be unemployed, on summer holiday or living in a dream world.

The machine is absolutely perfect for what it was designed for.

Is it a made to measure computer for everyone? No its not.

Does it fit into the current laptop offerings from Apple? Yes it does.

Regards,

C

Very well said, Its perfect and will fill my every need!

 

[NickFalk]

I also on occation use imovie and Final Cut Pro.
The way I see it the only major dissadvantage for me of the MBA is the lack of firewire, but i can just import form video cameras on my desktop onto a usb powerd external hdd.

G'day mate!
Well I love the Macbook Air but wouldn't buy one as it is virtually unusable for video-editing at all. Even by following your scheme you're either stuck with storing the video-files on the too slow eternal HD or on the external USB one that will have problems streaming the data quick enough...

 

[jnc]

One thing I like here is the remote system. Kicks ass. If only we could watch movies using other computer optical drives. From what I gather, you can only download software.

Oh, lame if true. I thought it was a complete solution - as if the MBA was using that exact drive (listen to music, burn discs, play games etc)

 

[macenforcer]

Top 10 Reasons to buy the Macbook Air

1. You can shave with it in the morning.
2. Better than a credit card when picking locks.
3. It cuts meat.
4. Can be used as a bookmark.
5. Thrown just right it can take the heads off of your enemies!
6. There is nothing in it, so less to break.
7. The hard drive is so small that if you loose it or it gets stolen you won't loose much data.
8. Its the only new looking laptop from apple in 6yrs.
9. Being so slow it will make you appreciate your mac pro's speed even more.
10. People will think you are COOL!