“Apple finally has entered the subnotebook market, introducing a lightweight laptop meant to please road warriors. But, typical of Apple, the company took a different approach from its competitors. The result is a beautiful, amazingly thin computer, but one whose unusual trade-offs may turn off some frequent travelers,” Walter S. Mossberg reports for The Wall Street Journal.
“It’s impossible to convey in words just how pleasing and surprising this computer feels in the hand. It’s so svelte when closed that it’s a real shock to discover the big screen and keyboard inside,” Mossberg reports. “But there’s a price for this laptop’s daring design: Apple had to give up some features road warriors consider standard in a subnotebook, and certain of these omissions are radical. Chief among them is the lack of a removable battery. So, while the MacBook Air will be a perfect choice for some travelers, I can’t recommend it for all. It really depends on your style of working on the road and what features you value most.”
“In my tests, the MacBook Air’s screen and keyboard were a pleasure to use. The machine felt speedy, even with multiple programs running. And the laptop has the same Leopard operating system, superior built-in software, and paucity of viruses and spyware that I believe generally give the Mac an edge. I was able to install and run Windows XP using the third-party Parallels software,” Mossberg reports.
“But then there are those trade-offs. The sealed-in battery means you can’t carry a spare in case you run out of juice,” Mossberg reports.
MacDailyNews Take: There must be solutions for people trying to use an Air in ways it was not intended to be used, right? Well, you could carry an external battery for MacBook Air, which, we suspect, will soon become available. It’s pretty much the same as having to carry a second battery, except you’ll have to live with it not being stuck into the Air itself. If this is untenable, you’re probably more of a MacBook or MacBook Pro user.
Mossberg continues, “There’s no Ethernet jack for wired broadband Internet connections and no dedicated slot for the most common types of external cellphone modems. That means that out of the box, the MacBook Air has only one way to get on the Internet — through its fast, built-in Wi-Fi connection. If you’re out of Wi-Fi range, you’re out of luck, unless you buy an optional, $30 add-on Ethernet connector or a cellphone modem that connects via USB.”
Mossberg writes, “That single USB port is a problem, because so many peripherals use USB. You can buy a tiny, cheap USB hub that adds three more ports, but that’s yet another item to carry.”
MacDailyNews Take: So, it’s not really much a a problem at all. If a tiny, cheap USB hub is untenable, you’re probably more of a MacBook or MacBook Pro user.
Mossberg continues, “In my standard battery test, where I disable all power-saving features, set the screen brightness at maximum, turn on the Wi-Fi and play an endless loop of music, the MacBook Air’s battery lasted 3 hours, 24 minutes. That means you could likely get 4.5 hours in a normal work pattern, almost the five hours Apple claims.”
Mossberg writes, “If you value thinness, and a large screen and keyboard in a subnotebook, and don’t watch DVDs on planes or require spare batteries, the MacBook Air might be just the ticket. But if you rely on spare batteries, expect the usual array of ports, or like to play DVDs on planes, this isn’t the computer to buy.”
More in Mossberg’s full review here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Too Hot!” for the heads up.]
Just as Apple’s Mac Pro is not designed to serve the entire desktop market, Apple’s MacBook Air is not designed to serve the entire portable market. However, if you’re intent on trying to convert a MacBook Air into a thin pseudo-MacBook, read on:
If you rely on spare batteries, wait a bit for the external batteries to debut. If you expect the usual array of ports, you’ll want to invest in an inexpensive USB travel hub and an Apple’s USB 10/100BASE-T Ethernet Adapter (US$29). You’re out of luck on the FIreWire front. If you like to play DVDs on planes, you should really consider dumping the battery-draining practice of spinning shiny discs and play movies off your drive (internal or external; for example, an iPod in Disk Mode) instead. If any or all of that fails to work for you, you’re probably more of a MacBook or MacBook Pro user.
Forgot the USB Ethernet adapter. I carry an Airport express when I travel with my MBP; just plug it in for near instant, encrypted wireless. I’ve gotten used to the freedom of wireless.
MDN: the Fox News of Apple, Inc.
“Stop trying to blindly support Apple and defending the MacBook Air.”
I don’t think anyone need defend it.
It’s that good.
I guess Mossberg has to find a few things not to like with anything he reviews. And perhaps MDN doesn’t need to quibble about Mossberg’s “minuses”, but it doesn’t worry me too much if MDN wants to quibble with Mossberg. And, basically, Mossberg seems to like the MBA–as well anyone might.
I expect there’ll be the usual chorus of whining from the anti-Apple sites, like those of the egregious Paul Thurott. Such people will try to pretend the product is seriously flawed in whatever way they can strain and come up with. IOW, we’ll see a repeat of the fear that the iPhone raised with such people. But it won’t matter a damn. And wouldn’t any of Apple’s competitors have loved to have brought out this product themselves?
I don’t think the MBA suits what I want myself, but I reckon it will suit a lot of people–and people with deep pockets whose custom will be lucrative for Apple at that. I’ll be staggered if this machine isn’t a roaring success for Apple.
everybody has an obsession with portable batteries as if power outlets are non-existent in the world.
The MacBook Air has much longer batterlife than the MacBook or MacBook Pro .. if I am not mistaken, so you carry a smaller notebook with longer battery life vs. carrying a bigger notebook with a spare battery that equals to a little more battery life.
WHATEVER !!! … In last 5 years I never met someone with a spare battery to a notebook. Not even digital camera !!!! .. there are power outlets everywhere for charging !!!!
and who watches DVDs ? .. hasn’t he heard of DivX ?
or for that matter iTunes Movie Store ?
MacBill: What’s the definition of insanity?
Comeon energiser, you make emergency power adapters with batteries for iPods and celluar phones…. why not the macbook air?
Listen up! Important!
The USB port on the MBA has more power than normal to drive the external MBA “only” Superdrive.
If a USB hub is used with the MBA, it’s possible there could be problems or damage to your devices on the hub, possibly underpowering the external MBA “only” Superdrive.
AND because of the higher power requirements of the MBA Superdrive, it can’t be used with other computers.
It’s obvious now the MBA is a first in a new line of devices and changes to external devices. So expect the unexpected.
A zillion hits to the one who dissects their new $3000 MacBook Air.
any takers?
“If you need to use a spare battery, just get an external one.
If you need an ethernet port, just use a USB adapter.
If you need more hard drive space, just get an external one.
If you need a modem, just get a USB adapter.
If you need FireWire, just use USB instead.
If you need to use multiple USB devices, just get a minihub.
If you need a CD/DVD drive, just get an external one or use RemoteDrive.”
and if, in a decade of laptop use you can count the number of times you needed any of the above on one hand, buy a MBA.
guess i should order one….
The MacBook Air. Steve Jobs hobby for 2008.
I had a spare battery for a PowerBook 5300cs. I never used it.
The odds of a MacBook Air dissection with photos posted online are one to one.
Any takers?
There have been loads of engineers who’ve pointed out that putting a latch and hinges would make the computer larger and the battery smaller/less powerful. Trade offs need to be made. Maybe you should be looking at a Macbook or a Macbook Pro and leave the Air to people who don’t care where the battery is.
Ampar, are you willing to wager your Zune points on that one?
Why do you think someone would waste their time and money picking apart a crappy computer nobody is interested in. Apple is too new to the laptop game for anyone to care.
I have to tell you I am super pumped to see the latest Gateway laptop teardown. Now that will be cool.
Your potential. Our passion.™
In order to get MBA to perform all the tasks of a normal notebook/computer one will need how many extra things hanging off the computer?
Try picking up a notebook with extra USB thing, ethernet plug-in, spare battery, DVD/CD drive, external hard drive, etc. hanging off it.
Pain in the butt.
“Apple is too new to the laptop game for anyone to care.”
Apple has made some progress in laptop design in the last nineteen years.
From lowendmac.com:
“The 16-17 pound Mac Portable never set the world on fire. It had a crystal clear 9.8″ 1-bit 640 x 400 pixel active matrix screen, a 16 MHz 68000 CPU, and a front-mounted handle (which doubled as a lock to keep the lid down). The best thing about the Portable was probably the up-to-ten-hour lead-acid battery.”
(http://www.lowendmac.com/pb/portable.shtml)
It could also be used as ballast at sea:
” . . . are you willing to wager your Zune points . . . “
My doctor advised me to stay away from Zune points and the Zune as well. He said there is strong evidence that both are directly linked to heavy and constant anal leakage, eye-watering halitosis, painful acne and narcolepsy.
@Ampar
LMFAOFF
Overall, I think Moss is a pretty fair and even handed person. Kudos.
But when someone says they want extra portability and everything built in, BUT they want to lug extra (and heavy) batteries around instead of a small light weight charger, I have to wonder.
I want it all built in………… but tiny.
I want extra batteries ………. but not an external battery (which would serve to charge the inside battery)
I want every kind of plug x2 available ..on the unit……. but I do not want to carry anything to plug into it.
Apple tends to look beyond the noise and … er…. crap and decide what its customer really wants and how they will use it. Then they make it good for them. Geeks that want to dissemble the unit and make it different have NEVER been a part of Apples plan (not counting Apple II).
So…… Apple. If you want an Orange, see the other guy.
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I’ve been carrying various laptops for many years and have never had a spare battery. The bitterness expressed over the MBA can be attributed to the overwhelming desire most have for this sleek machine combined with the reality that most of us do not fit the profile for whom it was designed. We are stressed because we can’t rationalize a purchase, and it is tearing us up.
@Comment time today???
Don’t you mean if you want a lemon, se the other guy?
I have a macbook pro with one battery, it lasts around 2:45, when the battery is drained, I plug it in and recharge it. When I travel I use my laptop for as long as it will last on the flight. I do not carry an extra battery, there is no need for me. Plus on most flights those REALLY important PC power users are either watching a movie, or trying to beat solitaire, not really business critical. The macbook air is for business executives and other professionals that need a system to check email, and work on spread sheets or keynotes. If you don’t like it, don’t buy it.
The design is not flawed.
On my iMac I have three USB ports and all are full — I need a hub for that. One is keyboard (I could use wireless but I’d have to remember to turn it on/off), a printer (could go wireless but the scanner function requires it be plugged in), and my iPhone. I have to unplug the printer or iPhone to upload photos from my digital camera. I’ve got a 500gb hard drive in a Firewire port.
My 12″ PB is my grad school and travel companion. Sometimes hotels don’t have wi-fi so I would need to either bring my airport express or bring along the USB adapter (smaller, better idea) for the MPA. When I am in class or traveling I don’t bring printers or other devices with me. On the off chance I need the USB for connecting to the internet and I need to download pictures I can disconnect for that brief period. For me, the portability of the device is what is so appealing — the trade offs make perfect sense for my individual needs.
This could easily turn into a really silly discussion. It’s a little like a family of six complaining that there’s not enough room for the kids in the new Honda sports car. Hey dudes: If the shiny red sports car isn’t roomy enough for you, BUY SOMETHING ELSE!