“We’ve built the world’s thinnest notebook — without sacrificing a full-size keyboard or a full-size 13-inch display,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO, in the press release. “When you first see MacBook Air, it’s hard to believe it’s a high-performance notebook with a full-size keyboard and display. But it is.”
MacBook Air has a vibrant 13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display that is energy efficient, and its spacious trackpad offers multi-touch gesture support for pinch, rotate and swipe, making it more intuitive than ever to browse and rotate photos or zoom into web pages in Safari. MacBook Air features a full-size keyboard design in a sleek and durable aluminum enclosure. The backlit keyboard makes it ideal for dimly lit environments such as airplanes, studios or conference halls, and a built-in ambient light sensor automatically adjusts the brightness of the keys as well as the display brightness for optimal visibility.
MacBook Air delivers up to five hours of battery life for wireless productivity and includes AirPort Extreme(R) 802.11n Wi-Fi networking, which delivers up to five times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g. Apple’s Migration Assistant software now enables users to quickly transfer files, applications and preferences from your old Mac to MacBook Air right over your wireless network.
MacBook Air users can buy the companion MacBook Air SuperDrive, a compact external drive designed for MacBook Air, for just US$99. The MacBook Air SuperDrive is powered by MacBook Air’s USB port, eliminating the need to carry a separate power adapter. Many MacBook Air users will not find a need for an optical drive now that they can wirelessly rent movies from the iTunes Store, wirelessly backup files with Time Capsule and access the optical drives on remote PCs or Macs to wirelessly install software applications on MacBook Air.
MacBook Air is powered by Intel Core 2 Duo processors running at 1.6 GHz or 1.8 GHz, and includes as standard 2GB of memory and an 80GB 1.8-inch hard drive. An optional 64GB solid state drive contains no moving parts for added durability. Every MacBook Air includes a micro-DVI port so users can connect to Apple’s gorgeous 20-inch or 23-inch Cinema Displays to extend their desktop or connect to projectors and other displays via DVI, VGA, Composite and S-video adapters. MacBook Air includes USB 2.0 for plugging in peripherals or charging an iPod or iPhone, a headphone jack and Apple’s acclaimed MagSafe Power Adapter designed especially for mobile users.
Every MacBook Air comes with iLife ’08, the most significant update ever to Apple’s award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications, featuring a major new version of iPhoto and a completely reinvented iMovie, both seamlessly integrated with the new .Mac Web Gallery for online photo and video sharing. The new MacBook Air also comes with Leopard(TM), the sixth major release of the world’s most advanced operating system. Leopard introduces Time Machine, an effortless way to automatically back up everything on a Mac; a redesigned Finder that lets users quickly browse and share files between multiple Macs; Quick Look, a new way to instantly see files without opening an application; Spaces, an intuitive new feature used to create groups of applications and instantly switch between them; a brand new desktop with Stacks, a new way to easily access files from the Dock; and major enhancements to Mail and iChat(R). .Mac members can use the new Back to My Mac feature to browse and access files on their home computer from a MacBook Air over the Internet while out on the road.
The new MacBook Air embodies Apple’s continuing environmental progress with its aluminum enclosure, a material highly desired by recyclers; Apple’s first mercury-free LCD display with arsenic-free glass; and brominated flame retardant-free material for the majority of circuit boards as well as PVC-free internal cables. In addition, MacBook Air consumes the least amount of power of any Mac, and its retail box, made primarily from 100 percent post-consumer recycled material, is 56 percent smaller by volume than the previously smallest MacBook packaging.
The new MacBook Air will be shipping in two weeks through the Apple Store, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of US$1,799, and includes:
• 13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with 1280×800 resolution
• 1.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4MB L2 cache
• 800 MHz front-side bus
• 2GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
• 80GB hard disk drive with Sudden Motion Sensor
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
• Micro-DVI port (includes Micro-DVI to VGA and Micro-DVI to DVI Adapters)
• built-in iSight video camera
• built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
• one USB 2.0 port
• one headphone port
• multi-touch TrackPad with support for advanced multi-touch gestures including tap, scroll, pinch, rotate and swipe
• 45 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter
Build-to-order options and accessories include the ability to upgrade to a 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor; 64GB solid state drive, MacBook Air SuperDrive, Apple USB Ethernet Adapter, Apple USB Modem, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter, Apple Remote and the AppleCare Protection Plan. Additional build-to-order options also include pre-installed copies of iWork ’08, Logic Express 8, Final Cut Express 4 and Aperture 1.5.
See Apple’s new MacBook Air here.
too heavy, too expensive…..pretty though. where’s the 160GB drive option?
How freakin’ lame! That snake oil huckster Jobs is pulling another one on you MAC lemmings. I ask you, is this overpriced thing any good for games?
This thing isn’t anywhere near as thin as he says it is. I can’t wait to see what Gateway and Acer have up their sleeves. Apple is a sitting duck. At least their ultra-thin offering will run Windows. Buh-bye Apple.
Your potential. Our passion.™
it shoulda been:
MacBook ReallyThin
MacBook Pancake
MacBook Wafer
SmashBook
The perfect photographer’s notebook.
Well done.
Anyone else trying to access the videos on Apple.com? Site is completely bogged down now.
Oh, and the stock is tanking. I wonder how that’ll correct when earnings get blown out next week…
I told you it was coming with multi-touch!!! I just thought the trackpad would be bigger.
Let the cryin begin
MacBook Air sneak peek to Ed Colligan…
the *real* reason Palm killed the Foleo.
hahahahaha
“Oh, and the stock is tanking.”
Which rhymes with “So it’s time to be buying.”
But,
Will it blend?
Yeah, it’s too expensive. I think that they pulled the plug on optical too quick. Can’t make a DVD and burn it from there, but AIR is probably the wave of the future… reminds me on 1998 when they pulled the floppies from the new iMacs… every one was up in arms about that.
Man I was looking forward to it and now its just been killed by the price. the whole idea of a sub portable is it be be priced cheaper then the macbooks they already have. I will be suprised if they make any sales of them. You can get a macbook pro for a few dollers extra, What a rip. APPLE you will have to sell it cheaper with maybe a 1Gb of ram option but it will have to be less expensive then there macbook.
Why couldn’t they have just made a tablet? I would have spent $1799 on that (no more notebooks, hell yeah) but not a super-thin, super-useless laptop. One USB port and no optical drive? C’mon!
I was hoping for MacBook Pro updates. This is pretty cool, though, for those who can use something like this. Not something I’d get, however. Too many limitations.
Its neato, but I still wanted a touch based Mac……..
The wife wants one.
What about me? 🙁
What planet are we on where this is so expensive? I was actually surprised that it was under 2 grand. Do you not understand what that kind of engineering costs?
Okay, whatever. I think once you hold on in your hands you might think different.
Judging by the feedback so far, people will either love it…or hate it.
Ultra portable notebooks = limited market.
MBP’s need upgrades. Very stale.
Disappointed no: multi-touch, CPU upgrade, larger HD’s, and better battery life in MBP’s.
Maybe in April.
Anybody see it costs 3100 dollars to have that flash drive… Nice apple
don’t get me wrong, its pretty and all, but I would really like the multi touch trackpad on the rest of the laptop line up…
There will be whinging, detractors, Fud you name it, but here indeed is the future. The PC brigade will be burning plenty of candles in 2008 they will deride in public and bemoan in private and as usual the only result will be burnt fingers.
I’m with C1 on this one as I wasn’t expecting it to be sub $2K either. Now the $3098 price with the SSDD is a bit rich, but bleeding-edge tech comes with a price. I think it’s awesome looking and would definitely get one if I was in the market.
And why do sub-notebooks have to be cheaper than regular ones??? What kind of tard thinks smaller = cheaper??? Jamie???
Ditching wired Ethernet is an egregious error and kills this for me. There are still too many times that WiFi inexplicably fails to connect. I’ve stayed in too many hotel rooms without WiFi but with wired connectivity. Also, as a telecom engineer, I occasionally have to connect to switches and other gear that don’t have WiFi. Time to pull the trigger on the backup plan: a refurb black Macbook. The screen on my 12″ G4 is about done. Looks like I’ll be lugging a extra few pounds for the foreseeable future. The alternative is to carry an Airport everywhere and use it as a bridge, but that just seems silly, unless someone has a better idea.
jobs on CNBC this quarter hour or next quarter hour
It aint that expensive to build and besides if they keep it at that price they wont sell any. An ultra portable is suppost to be cheap. They are better off selling at aloss because then they can eventurly start making profit as it becomes cheaper to produce and besides apple half a mass of cash in the bank that they have made not being used. they should use that to sell the macbook air at a loss. Its way to expensive macbook pro is way better for that price. And a macbook is way cheaper. You would be insane to pay that price for it when you could get a macbook or macbook pro for better value.
+1 on C1. This thing is pretty amazing. Touching – multi or otherwise – will be believing.
Gotta disagree with Jamie: “the whole idea of a sub portable is it be be priced cheaper then the macbooks they already have.“
Actually, it seems like the cheapest laptops are bulky with small screens; on the other hand, much of the sub portable market is pretty pricy. Now, having something cheaper than the Macbooks would be nice, but not like this.
Why couldn’t they have just made a tablet? I would have spent $1799 on that
Please, don’t give anyone such a stupid idea. $1800 for a Mac tablet is much too much. Not like it matters, though.
Well, according to Apple’s website, it does have a custom-built Core 2 Duo chip in it, which is 60 percent smaller than the regular one. Was probably pricey to develop.
I’m really surprised that it leaked yesterday – considering all the Apple security around such things… thats the first time in I can’t remember – a product has been shown before the key note.
Actually too the store was up for a while during the keynote – then taken back down… I saw the Air briefly during Steves talk about it.
As is typical, Apple will release yet another amazing product that idiots will pan right off the bat because they are too stupid to see how awesome it is. Been through this a bunch of times. Stock price reflects the lack of vision perfectly.
Ok, maybe not cheaper but they are pushing it with the price. I would prefer to get a macbook pro or a macbook at that price, but each to there own
Do you not understand what that kind of engineering costs?
That’s not really how consumers think.
Expensive? Have you priced a Sony TZ? Granted, very different feature set, but they hover around 3k. As for no ethernet (FG), not true, there is an ethernet adaptor. I have no use for this, but I recognize it as an extreme elegant piece of hardware that will do very well amongst those who desire a very lightweight laptop.
Who is the Air aimed at? What buyer audience?
Dont get me wrong i think its awsome I want one, but i aint paying that much.
“As is typical, Apple will release yet another amazing product that idiots will pan right off the bat because they are too stupid to see how awesome it is. Been through this a bunch of times. Stock price reflects the lack of vision perfectly.”
Agreed, this place is strange sometimes. Folks spend so much time in hostile defense of Apple, then when they release a product that doesn’t conform to whatever “iToy” they dreamed up while wanking off and playing World Of Warcraft, they get pissed off.
Angelus520, I wouldn’t call Jamie a “tard”, but small doesn’t always translate into cheap, either.
Famous Grouse does have a point about excluding an ethernet port; Wi-Fi is, for many, a hit-or-miss proposition; getting better all the time, though, and the world will adapt.
@ *sign*
If you want a Mac tablet, get a ModBook from OWC. It’s another $480, but it gets you there.
Otherwise, I’ve mixed feelings about the Air. Sure, it’s a technological marvel but not the most practical portable. What I wonder is: Why is rediculously thin, better? I’m sure this serves a perfect purpose for someone, just not me. However, I am looking forward to the next batch of MBP’s with all of these power saving features. Hopefully it’ll run cooler, too. I’d be nice to actually put my laptop on my lap.
@ Famous Grouse
“Ditching wired Ethernet is an egregious error and kills this for me. There are still too many times that WiFi inexplicably fails to connect.”
….
“The alternative is to carry an Airport everywhere and use it as a bridge, but that just seems silly, unless someone has a better idea.”
How about just getting the USB->Ethernet adapter. It’s smaller, lighter and cheaper than the Airport express…
Anyone, Anyone? Who is singing on the AIR commercial and what is the song’s title?
Tanks man!
Apple are risking it all with this one. They said they didnt but they have made too many copramises. one usb port not ethernet. the price. I dont know how this one will pan out. I think we will see a price drop pritty soon once they see how many pre orders they have or dont have
To everyone that has wined about the lack of a replacement for the 12″ PowerBook G4, here it is. Buy it so my stock price can go back up!
wow for the whining.
did you look at it? watch the ad?!?
in a year this (and the iPhone) will have completely replaced the iPod for the definition of sex appeal, and people will be writing articles about how overcharges for their design even though not ONE PC maker will be able to make the same thing at the same price point.
these will be THE computer to own in a year, and we will see pictures of hundreds of them in uni class rooms. and, like the iPod and iPhone and the black macbook, before them, the whiners here will say “too pricey! need better video!”
guess i will go buy some stock right about now…
uh USB to ethernet port? you are the worst telecom engineer in history. LMFAO
My only minor gripe is that it should have silver keys a la the MBP. Other than that… I WANT ONE
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@ ChrissyOne
World of unrealistic expectations.
Making a processor take only 40% of space it has, that sure doesn’t come cheap. Aluminium everything also has its price, since injection molded plastic of any kind is less expensive than Al, when we’re taking about mass production.
But god damn! that thing must be solid.
Personally I would have preffered thicker (more battery), no-optical-drive, FW and 2 slots for SSD. I’ll stick to my MacBook and 200GB@7K Seagate.
@ Famous Grouse & Grigori
USB to Ethernet adapters are cheap – right around $20.
Most people would
No one is bitching about the fact that it has integrated graphics?
huh. That surprises me.
wait 6 weeks and the price will come down with an apology from steve and a voucher at an apple store…
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Yea Because its a sub portable if the mac book does why wouldnt something smaller not. But again the macbook pro specs are way better and the macbook pro isnt that much bigger its an inch thick
Anyone see a weight on this thing? I noticed that was missing from the press release.
I’m not surprised at all that the SSD option costs so much; that technology is EXPENSIVE. Think about the little thumbdrives we use: 2GB is about $50. What did you expect a 64GB to be??
Speaking of thumbdrives, that’s the reason Apple can get away with losing the optical drive. Just like in 1998, CDs were becoming the popular media and making floppies obsolete, thumbdrives are doing the same to CDs and DVDs.
If you’re in to movie production, you’ll probably want to do that on a more powerful machine than the Macbook Air anyway I imagine. Or, at least in the **presence** of a more powerful machine, as you can access the optical drive WIRELESSLY! How sweet.
Time to buy aapl.
Can I back it up via Time Machine to a 160GB iPod?
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I wonder how they arrived at the conclusion that 13.3″ is the minimum acceptable screen size?
No ethernet port will take a while to get my mind around. Leaving out the FW port makes sense with the slow (or small) HD. Pushes people to the MBP for video work.
Here’s hoping that the MBA SuperDrive is region-free.
For what it’s for, the MacBook Air is priced about right, and very well designed with the right specs. I’m just not sure the market for it is that large. It’s the perfect companion for people who have an iMac or a PC. Those of us who have a MacBook or MacBook Pro as our primary computer already will find little justification in buying a MacBook Air unless we have a LOT of disposable income.
I’m fine with that. I have a 15″ MacBook Pro, and I don’t expect every Apple product to meet my needs and desires specifically. There is a subset of users who spend a lot of time working on airplanes, in taxi cabs, on commuter trains, etc., for whom the MacBook Air is going to be a godsend. If I had a desktop Mac at home and no notebook, I could see myself getting a MacBook Air to be my “Mac on the road”, but I’m sold on only having one machine that I use at home and on the road, and for my needs, my MBP is perfect.
Too heavy? Too expensive? Not a tablet?
All of you scratching your heads wondering why Apple made this should learn to take a breath and consider before typing. There is NO one computer, laptop or otherwise, that is perfect for everyone. The Macbook Air is going to be perfect for a number of types. Specifically those that put a premium on traveling small and light. When traveling is a big part of your daily grind, shedding pounds is welcome, and reducing bulk is number two on the list. This puppy is going make a lot of people very excited.
@OBill-Wan Kenobi
I oculd not agree with you more on that heat. My MBP (Core Duo) generates way too much heat.
Who cares about wired ethernet when you have the ‘n’ spec?
More Apple customers are complaining about Apple prices because there are more former PC-owners in the Apple universe.
I guess that’s a good thing?
what about evdo peple? wth???
All the people saying you can get an external optical drive, and add on an ethernet card…yes I want the “convenience” of hauling around a whole bunch of stuff in the bag with the notebook, things that get lost, stolen misplaced, and forgotten often.
Brilliant.
From Apple’s page:
Size and weight
Height:
0.16-0.76 inch (0.4-1.94 cm)
Width:
12.8 inches (32.5 cm)
Depth:
8.94 inches (22.7 cm)
Weight:
3.0 pounds (1.36 kg)1
For those without foresight, this is the future of laptops and, as always, Apple is dragging us kicking and screaming into it.
Weight = 3.0 lbs
Answered my own question.
I wonder if the new Air Steve with get together with the real Air Jordan? Something’s in the air…there.
this is just for people surfing the internet.
you can´t do anything that requires burning a cd/dvd.
————
Well I for one, will welcome a 3llb laptop, my current powerbook weighs a ton when you have to carry it all day, and as for the price, it’s a lot less than going to the osteopath
Back up battery?????
Install a new battery????
You can´t, right?
So typical…..
Why do people and companies bash first on anything NEW that comes out of Apple? And months later, they copy.
No wonder they can’t come out with anything “DIFFERENT”.
Reminiscent of the Cube, very cool but expensive. I hope this works out better.
Why do Mac loyalists fawn over anything Mac?
Sorry I left the cult years ago.
I heard the same thing when the iMac didn’t come with a floppy drive. People were beside themselves about it. One guy posted a video on ePinions of him shooting one up at the firing range, remember that goon?
Floppies… Personally, I hated the damn things, and at 1.44 MB they weren’t very useful for the large image files I work on. The iMac got rid of it and moved us to thinking of the internet as a storage and transfer method.
And look at us now. Does anyone even have an external floppy drive?
And I only need an optical drive to load apps, and if you all watched the show, you’d see that you can slave a drive from an existing Mac and use it wirelessly. And that is very cool. I do NOT need a CD/DVD drive on the road… as long as I have Handbrake. It takes less battery power to watch a movie from your HD than it does to spin a disc.
The only problem I see is for things like games that require the CD is inserted, but that’s not a big deal to me. Really, as long as I can run Lightroom and plug in a USB card reader, I have all I need.
So go ahead and whinge and moan all you like. I’ve heard it all. For myself, I can’t wait to get my hands on one.
-c
A standard macbook out performs this computer in all aspects other than thickness…. Who the hell was this ultra restrictive (and expensive for the capabilities) computer designed for?
Having to carry external peripherals (like an optical drive, and airport or usb to eithernet converter) kind of defeats the “ultra portableness” due to the amount of extra crap to carry. Is this outlandish to suggest?
I don’t know of anyone in the graphic design industry that will want a tiny 80gb and slow processor. Same thing goes for pro photographers… 80gb is pretty limited, and one usb is also limiting. I can see the size and weight being more suited for remote shoots, but thats about it. Get a MBP and be able to actually work on the super high res photos when the shoot ends.
Man this MacWorld was a disappointment in comparison to last year!
I agree m so disipointed this would have been cool if it was cheaper. Maybe $200 more then the macbook. id get it then
@ Tom V
Yeah, because you know I’d keep my entire photo library on it.
I see creativity and vision about today.
But Chrissy, how are you going to change your battery or get a new one when it dies on your MacAir?
And I need to buy a second computer so I can load a new program on my MacAir?
OK – Step 1: can someone confirm there are OS 10.5 drivers for these USB-Ethernet dongles? After a quick search, these look llke Windoze only things.
Now – Step 2: Let’s assume I’ve got the USB-Ethernet adpater working and I want to talk on Skype for the next sixty minutes so I put on my logitech USB headphones and – whoops, out of ports. Anyone know if a bluetooth headset will work? Again, it’s an issue of appropriate drivers… can you mate a bluetooth headset with a Mac and run all your audio through it?
Hell yea everything is too small what the hell were they aiming at, if people travel all the time just get a macbook its almost half the price and it out performs it.Like Jamie said we will see how many people buy one at that price i dought it.
Jamie, you seem to have missed the best feature. It’s worth the price alone!
It’s called reality. It’s really neat. You ought to try it some time.
It’s not Different it’s a stripped down notebook…for $1700…with no accessories…for $1700.
Did I say $1700?
Who is going to be the first to want to leave their laptop at the Apple repair depot to get their battery replaced?
You want some Apple dipsquid person looking through and downloading all your important info on your laptop? Or maybe deleting it?
————
MacBook Air – the first disposable laptop at only $1700….
For an extra £100 you get a MBP with all the higher specs and features. Why the heck would you buy this!?
Sorry – “abound”
“But Chrissy, how are you going to change your battery or get a new one when it dies on your MacAir?”
I have had 3 laptops and I have never even removed the batteries. It might be a giant problem that has never hit me, but I’m not that worried about it.
“And I need to buy a second computer so I can load a new program on my MacAir?”
No, you only need to buy the $99 super drive. Or maybe it’s just not for you. I already have 2 other Macs, so I’m fine.
Once again, vision. Can you feel it people? It’s passing you by.
@Tom V
First off, how often do people use an optical drive or ethernet when they are ‘mobile’ like sitting in an auditorium, on a plane or train? The beauty of the Air’s design is you can plug those things in if/when you need them, but don’t have the bulk when you don’t need them.
The MacBook Air is not made for people to use at a desk as their primary computer, although for people with light computing needs, it would do just fine. It’s made for people who use their computer on the road, for whom small and light are the most important thing. If you hadn’t noticed, this is not intended to be a graphic artist’s primary computer. Not every computer made by Apple needs to satisfy the needs of graphic artists.
As for price, those of you complaining that it is too expensive obviously aren’t familiar with the sub-notebook market. Move along, this product isn’t designed for you.
I think its apple who should try it sometime. They must have targeted this at a vwery tight market.
Not only is MDN about as reliably as a Yugo in the snow, but I can feel my mind getting smaller just talking to some of you, I’m off. Enjoy your cathartic whining!
P.S. – I will remember this.
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Re-installing the operating system is going to be a bitch.
I hate to say it, but this thing seems a little like the Cube II. Beautiful, sleek computer, like nothing else in the world but just a little out of the right price range. You have to pay a pro-level price for consumer-level performance/features, just like the Cube.
There is a niche for this machine but I don’t think it will be big enough for Apple to make lots of money on. Execs will love this thing, but most computer jocks will pay a little more for the MBP or save a lot and buy a MacBook.
Think about it, a MacBook is a significant performance, options and feature advantage over this machine.
Let me say this about that.
Well, first of all they got the name wrong. It should be named girlyBook.
The price plus feature set reminds me of the Cube. Buyers will love it. Observers will be shocked at the price of vanity.
It will be deeply discounted or discontinued inside of 2 years, or, Mac lovers really are a bunch of fashionistas.
Real men, like Zune Tang, will be much happier with their 8 pound, 17″ Dell with the Intel P4 space heater option.
I thought it was pretty cool that they showed loading Mac software by putting the disc in a PC.
I know it was to point out that it can be done in any of a number of ways, but that just seemed as weird as the first time I launched Parallels.
The problem I might have with this is if it came up and said “Sorry, Dude, you’ve already loaded that program on another station. Here’s a link. Grab your plastic…”
ChrissyOne a prime example of a pretentious Mac User. Yes I apologize I am a member of a subhuman species with a small cranium, forgive my ignorance.
One More Thing™…
@ Recovering MacUser
…is a prime example of an unregistered spammer. Which seems to be a theme on this thread.
I think you might want to look at Sony TZ prices before you keep this going much longer:
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId;=-1&categoryId=8198552921644507782
My work here is done.
“MacBook Air users will not find a need for an optical drive now that they can wirelessly rent movies from the iTunes Store, wirelessly backup files with Time Capsule and access the optical drives on remote PCs”
Ever tried to connect wirelessly with a PC user? Most of them can’t get their systems to stay online let alone share. Almost every PC user I know uses CDs to share photos because they can’t figure out how to send low-res copies via email. Most won’t even use wireless features for fear of viruses. What will a MBA user do when they need to access a *wired* network?
Another +1 on C1. This level of industrial design costs money. The product should appeal to mobile execs in the same way as Porsche accessories (e.g. Grundig radios), Bose, B&O;or anything from Sharper Image.
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I see this product as a category definer that may lead to follow-on products such as 10.4″ and 7″ screen versions. It’s also a launching pad for three new technologies we can bet on seeing in new Macbooks shortly – flash drives, multi-touch and LED-backlit displays.
Sky
@Famous Grouse –
Just buy one from the Apple Store – I’m reasonably sure they’ll work on a mac.
Yes ChrissyOne your work done…yes the world is now safe. Your continued need for the last word underscores your self importance and ego. I myself am writing this just to antagonize you for a giggle.
But seriously I have nothing against Macs per say, but rather the Mac zealot mentality ChrissyOne exemplifies. I was a Mac User, then went over to PCs due to professional reasons, and low and behold they did the same things, but were cheaper and more compatible. Before anyone accuses me of being a Microsoft minion, I am also using Ubuntu at work and at home, and think Vista needs a lot of work (I am still using XP).
This is why getting the MBA for $1700 seems pointless, you are paying more for less flexibility/options. I just don’t understand this mentality
http://gizmodo.com/345177/macbook-airs-fatal-flaw-battery-ram-hd-sealed-like-an-ipod
and
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId;=-1&productId=8198552921665293693
Now go drink the koolaid.
“If you want a Mac tablet, get a ModBook from OWC. It’s another $480, but it gets you there.”
I wouldn’t trust OWC to make my breakfast much less mod a Macbook for me.
LIke most new things it is a starting point, not a destination in and off itself. So as a proof of concept, it is pretty damn decent looking. The engineers will work on it and after a few iterations, you’ll be able to roll it up and stick it in your pocket
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” /> and it’ll be powered ambiently (thermodynamically) by all the jealous vitriol and hot air of fools like zune tang (what a gay nick anyway!)
@cb
“Who is the Air aimed at? What buyer audience?”
Cube owners
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I don’t get it. Its ok but I really think its about $500 too much. And who’s the market? I don’t understand why Steve won’t build a desktop consumer Mac but comes up with this?
@Recovering MacUser
Notice that the link to the Sony shows a 6 pound ultraportable? I went over to Cnet Reviews to do a little comparison. Anything comparable to the MBA is in the $1500 to $2000 range. I agree that the market for this laptop is smaller than that of the MacBook or MacBook Pro. Time will tell as well as will the marketplace. I can see this being a flop or maybe it will be successful.
For me, there is three things missing in this new mac book air : 1) only one usb – there should have been two – 2) no ethernet , 3) no optical super drive. If those 3 who are missing for me were there, i will buy it right away….not in france where i am living and where its price is 1699 euros ( 2515 $ ), but in the USA! As 1799 $ makes only 1215 euros, which makes the mac book air cheaper than the mac book price in france!
Jeff: I don’t understand why Steve won’t build a desktop consumer Mac but comes up with this?
Apple has two consumer desktop Macs:
– iMac
– Mac mini
The MBA was due.
Ping:
Seriously. The iMac is not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about a real desktop, expandable, headless Mac. I think there would be more sales of that than this niche product.
Jeff: Seriously. The iMac is not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about a real desktop, expandable, headless Mac. I think there would be more sales of that than this niche product.
They are all expandable – with almost the only practical limitation being the graphics controller. Relatively few expansions nowadays only come in the form of a plug-in card (and there are even USB graphics cards by now).
The problem for Apple is that exactly the same people complaining about the lack of a gaming Mac are not willing to pay a price that would make it worthwile to develop one, since that is exactly the lowest-margin part of the market where the other manufacturers are bleeding out. There is the Mac Pro if you’re actually serious, after all!
The MacBook Air is a high-margin product for an attractive if small- to medium-sized niche which may well be a growing one. I don’t think Apple makes a mistake in forgoing a low-margin or even loss-leading machine that would be crowding if not cannibalizing both the iMac and the Mac Pro…
“What planet are we on where this is so expensive? I was actually surprised that it was under 2 grand.”
A planet where people still starve to death and are murdered with axes and machetes.
Spare us your justifications.
I remember when His Steveness accurately predicted the death of floppies. 1998 – The original iMac. Hard media is dead. Wire is dying. I’m sticking to my PowerBook G4 for a portable for nonce, but only because I don’t have the necessary free capital for a new MacBook Air Jordan. I want one.
Hi. For those of you who missed it, the name of this site is MacDailyNews. It’s sort of a place where we Apple fans can get together and talk about being Apple fans.
If you come to a roomful of people you uniformly disagree with and call them names, the roomful of people is going to think you’re really stupid. That really isn’t their fault. In fact, there isn’t a reasonable second choice. It’s kind of an immutable law of nature. Kinda like going to Oakland Coloseum’s Black Hole wearing a Bronco’s jersey.
I just want to make sure you understand that, empirically speaking, there aren’t many things you can do in cyberspace that are more indicative of a subnormal intelligence. Your expression of distaste for Apple and their products, in context, is good advertising for Apple. “Stupid people hate our products.”
Keep up the good work. His Steveness certainly must approve.
With a single USB connection, I wonder how well a hub would work if you want to simultaneously connect to ethernet, external superdrive and, a camera or USB storage? How do you get Firewire devices to communicate with it?
Hey ZT, you really gave yourself away with the link you had in your post……
I’m fine with everything else, just 1 thing preventing me from buying it without a thought.
a) I simply need more than 80GB, 100 is the bare minimal, i just want to fit my entire itunes and iphoto library and some room one or two iMovie Projects i would lust after it if it exceeds 120GB, no thought in my purchase.
b) Battery. This one i’m marginal on. I did wish they had much better battery life. i was expecting around 7-8 hours. it being so portable, battery life seems important. but i think i can live with what they use now.
but really, its the HD that is currently preventing me from purchasing it. i need just a little bit more room.
so apple, if you are listening, please make an option for a 100GB/120GB HD, i’d pay $150-$200 more for that.
“A planet where people still starve to death and are murdered with axes and machetes.”
Yeah, but it really isn’t so bad being chopped up after you’ve starved to death.
The song is called New Soul by Yael Naim. That’s what they said at Macsupport, anyways.
The singer of the commercial is Yael Naim and the song is New Soul!!!! It is excellent!!!
“World’s thinnest notebook” doesn’t mean you have to up the price by $1,000.
Well hey, it has a back lit keyboard! Now my company will grow since we can all work in the dark…
I think this mac book is just too superb, but the price too much