Apple’s MacBook Air is “a 3-pound ultralight computer that’s gorgeous but not competitive,” John C. Dvorak for MarketWatch.
“The trend in laptops that overrides all other trends is the basic landscape change, where powerful portables are used instead of desktop machines in both homes and offices,” Dvorak explains. “This only works when the laptop has as much or more capability than a desktop. The MacBook Air does not.”
“While light and cool-looking, the machine suffers from lack of connectivity and the ability for expansion. It doesn’t have a PC Card slot and sports but a single USB connector. The batteries cannot be removed or swapped out, and the machine is just underpowered,” Dvorak bloviates.
Dvorak concludes, “There are a lot of flaws with the MacBook Air, and it is unlikely to be much of a success.”
Full article, Think Before You Click™, here.
MacDailyNews Take: iCal’ed. In fact, our iCal has its very own Dvorak calendar: “Bloated Gas Bag” in a lovely shade of brown. It gets a lot of use. So, Apple should be very happy, with Dvorak weighing in (and, boy, does he weigh in), MacBook Air is virtually certain to become a wild success! Now, what was that we wrote on Tuesday? Oh, right: “Those who critique MacBook Air as if it’s designed to serve the entire portable market are fools.”
Well that settles it. The MBA will probably be Apple’s most successful product ever.
I have never ever used a PC card slot on a laptop.
And speaking of trends, you know, all those mobile phones are trending to those little keypads. Who wants a touch screen?
I still don’t think the mouse is going to catch on.
Deepdish: Dvorak unlikely to be much of a success
I was recently informed that Dvorak suffers from Torsonic Polarity Syndrome, an affliction when there are buttocks where the head should be. There is also shit where the brain should be.
I think most of us are smart enough to know that Dvorak write articles about Apple just to get a rise out of all of us and nothing more. He probably secretly loves the Air and covets one. So why bother with his royal fsckheadedness?
C1: Absolutely. John’s curse is Apple’s good fortune. How’d that mouse thingy work out, John?
P.S. “bloviates” – perfect mock-Latinate to describe J.D.’s great wind.
The problem with those kind of writers is that they think everybody thinks geeky…. get over yourselves.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />
I never click on a link that leads to give them more hits. thanks to MDN
What a tool
Mmmmm, deepdish. Oh sorry. My mind just went to Sicily.
“What a tool”
Yeah, but not a very good one. He’s more like a hammer without a head or a chainsaw sans chain. Not very useful unless you just want to scare the neighbors’ kids.
FAMOUS LAST WORDS, yet again. by Dvorosuppository
I seriously think he has some sort of mirror disorder, where he reasons and see things backwards.
Didn’t he say the Zune was going to take off as well?
Dvorak:
Mouth fart…. or anal burp. Take your pick.
The Mac Book Air is designed for a smaller market. Based on that, it should not have been debuted at MacWorld. MacWorld always seemed to me to be the place for the BIG announcement. The MacBook Air should have been a March/April announcment. I won’t buy one because I don’t see the need. I waiting for my iMac and iPhone later this year.
Then again, it may have something to do with getting a jump on somebody else releasing the info ala iPhone.
ChrissyOne:
Hey Chrissy, you flashed across your keyboard this afternoon: 2:29; 2:32; 2:32… 1, 2, 3. Whamo!
Get a horse!
I’ve never used a PC card on a Mac laptop. I’ve never even owned a PC card. Why would I? WiFi, USB, and Bluetooth are adequate for me.
I have been carrying a spare MBP battery with me when I travel for the past couple of years, but I’ve never actually used it yet.
Now that you can rent a movie in iTunes and watch it on the plane, why on earth would you bring DVDs any more?
If I needed Ethernet, which I don’t, I would check the little $29 “USB Ethernet adapter” checkbox in the Apple Store.
I wonder if Dvorak has actually used a laptop on the road.
i’m getting the one with the solid state drive. i can’t wait!!!
I can see the need for a built in ethernet port. I haven’t done much traveling, but when I have, I pay the 10 bucks to use the ethernet port in my room. Otherwise, since the MBA has Bluetooth, a sinple USB shoould be all one would need.
I have to agree with Da’dork on this one.
Dvorak is going to be in for a surprise when just about all future laptops will be just like the MacBook Air.
1: No moving parts = less headaches and repairs. Longevity.
2: All wireless makes things easier than plug and play. USB key for secure transfers instead of c.d.’s and d.v.d.’s.
3: Processors are getting too hot for laptops, thus performance and features is shifted to desktop machines.
Sell your stock in c.d. and d.v.d.manufacturing companies, they will be soon obsolete for computer use.
Apple is saving the music industry as well from cd rips. Interesting.
Who uses a PC card these days? I had a PCMCIA card on my Apple 1400 laptop 4 billion years ago because I wanted a USB 1.1 port.
JD is just a hit whore and he will get some of us to go to his article. Don’t be an idiot….we are supposed to be superior right?
This is a great endorsement considering that the opposite of what most of the stuff this odd ball says comes true.
Most of these idiots don’t get Apples strategy. They can only understand what’s right in front of them, not what’s coming next. Apple has a lot of vision, and soon these idiots will learn to appreciate that.
Apple’s strategy is all about digital life style and simplicity. Its about achieving more with less. I remember when Apple first dumped the floppy drive, many complained about it. Now look, I don’t believe there is any computer shipping any more with a floppy drive.
Apple sees that, just about everything can be done wirelessly (via “Air”), and Apple is quickly turning iTunes to the software digital media center. Where, music, movies, TV, podcast, and just about everything else can be accessed and downloaded. Apple is doing a great job of positioning themselves for the near future with the model. Also the sheer look and feel of the MBA will cause it to sell quite nicely.
There will not be much need for a physical disc in the near future. I rarely ever use the disc in my MBP. After all the pieces are in place, then some of these idiots will start to get the bigger picture…
JD, as usual, misses the point. The MacBook Air is a niche product, but one that will do many things for Apple.
The new design incorporates a number of relatively new HW components that MBA production will help lower (volume= lowered per unit costs) and will speed up Apple’s ability to use them later in other products. By using laptop components in the Mac Mini, Apple was able to lower it’s component costs in the MacBook and MacBook Pro (Powerbook in G4 days) by increasing the volume of it’s orders from suppliers. Same later on with the MBA.
In the meantime, it will sell well enough, add bling for customers who want to pay for such things and hit the sweet spot for some customers. It’s definitely not a gaming laptop, mobile audio laptop or mobile Final Cut device. But for some, it will be just the ticket.
I’ve always thought that Johnny D. suffered from rectal octalosus. A condition where the eye ball nerves and those of the anus are crossed giving the victim a shitty outlook on life.