“No doubt the big news of this Macworld is the update Apple has done withun their notebook line and the star of the line is the now the new MacBook Air. While folks were predicting this class of machine, clearly no one was talking about Apple delivering as they have. As I often do when I see stellar product design, I simply smiled, then laughed. This is another of those devices that needs to be seen to be appreciated. After some hands on time with the device, I know I want one,” Jupiter Reseacrh analyst Michael Gartenberg blogs.
“The machine is amazingly thin and elegant with a Macbook like aluminum enclosure that just feels elegant… The new bigger touchpad makes navigation much easier and there’s a slew of new touch features. Live the new pinch to zoom in and out and the three finger swide to move left and right. In short, for everyone who’s looking to carry a Macbook but thinks the current line is just a bit too big and heavy, this is the perfect machine,” Gartenberg writes. “Bottom line, a solid win for Apple that fits neatly between the Macbook and Macbook Pro lines with some great features from both.”
As for Apple’s iTunes Movie Rentals and the Apple TV update, “This one didn’t come as much of a surprise given the abundance of information that leaked over the last few weeks. The details for content are all the major the studios with initial offerings are on board and 1,000 titles in the next month,100 of those in HD and new releases 30 days after DVD. Expect that to grow over time. Movies can be downloaded and watched within 30 days for 24 hours. Prices are $2.99 for catalogs and $3.99 for new stuff. Add $1.00 for HD. Overall this is a really good move. Let’s face it, you might listen to the song ten thousand times in the course of your life. You might want to watch any given movie perhaps once or twice. Video rental is a business model that we know works,” Gartenberg writes.
Gartenberg writes, “So what’s different here that’s game changing? After all the terms of pretty close to what you’d get with most VOD services. The answer is there are three things that separate this from what has come before.”
• The iTunes Eco-System
• Ease of Use
• Breadth of Content
“Once again, it isn’t that Apple has invented something new here, it’s how they’ve done it. While existing efforts have been met with a lukewarm response, we’re likely to see something very different in terms of consumer response to this. By mapping to the preferred consumer tech eco system and offering enough content to capture interest, this is going to be an important offering,” Gartenberg writes. “The other thing that’s clear is Apple TV is no longer a hobby.”
Much more here.
With all the content that AppleTV can provide, it blows away all those other VOD boxes.
I wonder when all the anorexia and bulimia support groups will start complaining about Apple’s obsession with “thin”.
There’s money to be made in proofreading blogs.
Good one, Cubert
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As for the appleTV no longer being a hobby, hey, we’ve all been saying that would happen for several months now. Good for us!
“Coming soon”? C’mon give us a date!
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And what is the resolution for the HD content from the major studios? 720p would be my guess…
Any word on purchasing HD content? And file sizes?
MaLvado – yeah, I read that the HD was 720.
Nice re-do for AppleTV.
I love all things Mac but this new laptop reminds of the Cube—beautiful, sexy but just a little overpriced.
The Cube was the coolest computer in the world but when it came time to spend real $$$, people realized they really should just get one of the Sawtooth towers at the time.
As a secondary computer, the MBA is too expensive, as a primary computer, it is very underpowered compared to anything but the MacMini. Pros will buy the MBP, regular guys can only afford the MB. I can’t imagine anyone but overpaid execs buying this as their primary or secondary computer.
There is nothing on the planet like the MBA, but I think it will have a very small niche-buyer. However, all the R&D;that went into the MBA will surely find it’s way into Apple’s other ‘Books and products. That motherboard is nothing short of miraculous!
And the multi-touch trackpad is a nice feature that will find its way into the next MB and MBP updates.
They should have called this the new Macbook Hot Air. Costs more and does less than my superior Windows PC laptop ever will.
Big whoop!!!!
Your potential. Our passion.™
Did you watch the guided tour of the MacBook Air
Can you say “pwned”? as in the windowze machine that is a mere disk slave to the MacBook Air. OMG ILMAO! The smirk on the tour guy’s face when the windowze becomes a mere zombie mac drive. Priceless simply priceless.
Synth –
How is the MBA overpriced? Compare to the Dell three pounder – which is $1700 and a 1.2 GHz system. Guys, the price is dead on – the similar Sony is a 1.0 GHz system – see dealmac.com. This is a good machine for the price – I’m not in the market for one but I can see who would be.
I guess i’m saying that that market segment is overpriced in general. You aren’t just paying a premium, you’re paying a super-premium for the form factor—it cost more and has less performance than Apple’s own laptops.
MBAs will love the MBA to bad those that also need Windows need not apply (Boot Camp needs a real CD\DVD drive to install Windows with).
Synth –
That may be – I’ll gladly schlep my MBP 15″ instead – just making sure it’s understood that Apple vs. PC is not the price issue here.
There is no doubt that [url=”http://personafile.com/Apple-TV-160GB-MB189LLA-P885909100229.htm
“]Apple TV[/url] now takes the stage in movie downloads or movies on demand. It may soon take center stage now that it is self-contained. I love how other content can come into play (no pun intended) on the Apple TV.
The MBA is cool, but this is an evolutionary product. I would not call it revolutionary. I believe it is a stepping stone for other products (like a future MB with similar form factor but more powerful than the MBA). Also, paying a $1000 premium for a SS Drive is a little steep. That price will go down eventually, but it will be a hefty premium for early adopters.
I wasn’t totally blown away by today’s announcements. Probably because many of these had already been leaked in some form. But nevertheless, like all things Apple, these new things are indeed cool.
The MBA is great for people who travel a lot and don’t want to carry around a heavy laptop. There is a market for this, not for everyone but definitely for business types. It will be interesting to see how Windows in Boot Camp will get installed.
The Macbook AIR is way to expensive!!!
Geo B
That’s what i’m saying—real power users will want a MBP for that kind of money. And if you don’t need that kind of power, then justifying an extra $700 over a MacBook is kinda hard—esp when the MB has a better processor, hard drive, firewire and can burn DVDs.
The Dell looks like crap next to the MBA—in all facets, not just looks. The Sony is “okay” but man, you pay a big price for the little form factor.
Like, this is the same group of lame ass writers doing this whole site, right? Hey. maybe Jupiter Research will discover the monolith and something wonderful will occur.
Lookup A.C.Clarke
I want to know if and when we’ll be getting an external multi-touch pad; I’m anxious to get rid of my trackball, but can’t go back to a standard mouse.
Uh… RE: Boot Camp and Windoze….Dumby MBA don’t know squat. It take stuprerior DPRK (AKA North) Koreans to know that you too can buy an generic external CD/DVD drive and prug into USB port. Please by DPRK slave labor knockoff…ooops I mean suprerior Korean IT Manufacturing facility device.