“Vocal pre-release blogger-bashers are terrible predictors of a product’s success or failure,” David Pogue writes for The New York Times.
For example: Apple’s MacBook Air. “When it came to public pre-opinion, I knew I had another iPhone on my hands. Here it was, another Apple product with a stunning and sexy design, gorgeous software — and several missing standard features,” Pogue writes. “(In the Air’s case, those features included a removable battery, an Ethernet jack, a FireWire jack and a built-in DVD drive.)”
“So confident was I that the spec-peepers would dump on this machine, I actually tried to pre-empt them in my review. I tried to explain that looks, size, shape, fit and finish actually matter, actually affect the pleasure you get from a machine,” Pogue writes. “Needless to say, my tactic didn’t work. The feature counters blew right past my attempts to describe the differentness of this machine and dumped on it.”
“I have no idea what the Air’s sales are like, so I can’t yet say that the blogger-bashers were wrong again. I do know, however, that the Air has precisely the same effect on people (who actually *see it*) as the iPhone did: they’re awestruck. They want to hold it, to touch it,” Pogue reports. “After having used Apple’s loaner review unit for a couple of weeks, I reached over to pick up my existing Mac laptop, the five-pound MacBook. After the Air, it felt like a piece of Soviet Army field equipment. When I tried to pick it up one-handed, I thought I’d break my wrist.”
Pogue reports, “So that’s it: I bought an Air for myself.”
“I’ll repeat my advice from the original review: this machine doesn’t make a great primary computer, thanks to its smallish hard drive,” Pogue reports. “Otherwise, though, I’ve lived and flown with this machine for a month, presented nine talks on it, and have not missed its missing features one iota. It’s plenty fast and capacious as a second machine.”
Much more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “klapka” for the heads up.]
Are we still talking about this…? The “bashers” need to give it up already. The MacBook Air is already a success. People who don’t mind the compromises love it. People who need the things it leaves off, well, they come into the Apple Store to play with the MacBook Air and they leave with a MacBook or MacBook Pro. Mission accomplished. Maybe they don’t leave with one on the spot, but the idea to eventually “get a Mac” is firmly implanted.
A lot of Windows users (still) do not even consider getting a Mac. The MacBook Air is another Apple product that makes them consider it. “Consideration” is all Apple needs to grow market share to 20% and higher.
I am writing this on an MBA with 64 GB flash disk loaded with Leopard and Windows XP (free from site license at work) at an airport gate. I am on my way to give a talk. Even after 25 GB in my home folder, I have 10.5 GB free.
Can’t agree more with Pogue.
He’s back…. more than enough said.
More importantly, Pogue really does get it. As does all those who keep the MBA at #1 at the Apple Store, and #6 on the Amazon notebook sales chart.
I’ve had my Air for nearly two months and I haven’t used or missed my old Powerbook once, or the optical drive, extra battery, extra USB port, etc. I thought I would miss my FireWire port because I have an older iPod. Guess I’ll have to spring for a new one one of these days.
I do miss a car charger though! Still waiting.
“Like I have said all along this will be discounted soon and could go the way of the Apple Hi-Fi speaker”
I already know you’re wrong so just admit it now.
@ Afib:
“Sub notebooks all have missing features that are found in full sized notebooks. There are no glaring deficiencies in the MBA sub notebook.”
Make up your mind, either MBA is missing certain features in other notebooks (faster and more powerful CPU, larger and faster hard drive, FireWire port, Ethernet port, easily replaceable battery, upgradeable RAM) or it has no deficiencies as a notebook at all.
“Sub notebooks are always slower than regular notebooks…”
Slower CPUs would be a deficiency if a faster CPU was needed such as those found in other notebooks such as MacBook and MacBook Pro. You’re simply repeating what I threaded earlier.
“Sub notebooks are … rarely used as stand alone machines.”
That’s what Pogue and I noted – except more emphatically. Again, you repeat my previous thread.
“You would compare an apple to an orange and say the apple wasn’t orange enough for your liking.
Fool.
It’s obvious that your family swims naked in the shallow end of the gene pool. You repeat what I have already threaded and seem to think that you have made an original point.
@Afib
Huh? What you talkin about Willis?
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I want a pink one.
TowerTone:
“I’m not real sure what your point is…”
If you don’t understand what I threaded, ask a direct question and will do my best to explain the answer to you.
“MBA is a great second computer.”
Not for someone who wants or needs only ONE machine. That also was Pogue’s point. Did you not understand that point? Is simple math beyond you?
” I would love to have one around the house, as a portable screen to my main iMac. For that, it is perfect. “
I conclude that you don’t have one then. Why not? Too expensive? Not enough value as a notebook? Not enough love? Not “perfect” enough? Explain your failure or reluctance to buy a MBA.
Why, have two Macs at home? Explain how having two Macs at home – one a desktop and one a notebook – is better than one machine if both are used at home.
“On short trips, it would be ideal.
So, why would a MacBook or MacBook Pro not be ideal? There’s very little difference in price between the MBA without SSD and other Apple notebooks. Explain the glaring deficiencies in the MacBook and/or MacBook Pro for “short trips”.
“… (MBA) doesn’t fit every scenario any more than carrying my iMac on a trip makes sense…”
How may people do you know who carry their desktops on “trips”? There is no legitimate comparison between carrying an iMac (9.1 to 11.5 kg) or a Macbook (2.27 to 2.45 kg).
“… even though (MBA) does more than a Macbook.”
Really? Explain. Why would Apple continue to sell MacBooks if, according to you, it make little “sense” to carry these devices as portable machines.
You are grasping and gasping, TowerTone. Like @ Afib you really haven’t make a cogent argument at all.
@ Afib
You are a retard. How can you not see that a sub note book and a regular note book are two different things? If I follow your logic then then the Macbook Pro is missing 6 processors, 3 hard drives and don’t even get me started on all the PCI slots it doesn’t have…oh wait it’s a Macbook Pro not a regular Mac Pro. A Sub Note book is a Sub Note book It’s as different from a lap top as a lap top is from a dekstop. Trying to judge it’s perceived deficiencies based on what a regular lap top has is idiocy.
@ praus and all the others:
Don’t waste your time using logic to respond to the troll. Either ignore it or provoke it further just for the sport.
I’d be shocked if the troll doesn’t find some way to insult you (as it’s already done to the others) for calling it a retard. And I’m sure it will insult me as well.
praus:
“How can you not see that a sub note book and a regular note book are two different things?
I DO know the differences between MBA and the MacBooks and MacBook Pros. In fact, I list them; however, you ignore them or can’t comprehend them.
“Trying to judge it’s perceived deficiencies based on what a regular lap top has is idiocy.”
As Pogue has pointed out – MBA is deficient as a stand alone computer. Did you not read Pogue’s original article? I’ll make it easy for you:
” (MBA) doesn’t make a great primary computer,”
Hmmm. That’s what I said, too. Why don’t you repeat that quote of Pogue about a hundred times, maybe then the message would start to sink in.
mark:
“I’d be shocked if the troll doesn’t find some way to insult you (as it’s already done to the others) for calling it a retard. And I’m sure it will insult me as well.”
My insecure and deluded little fanboi. Why disparage someone who insults you when you find it so perfectly acceptable to insult them?
Are you more hypocritical than you are stupid? (Technically, that’s not an insult, that’s a question.)
@ Afib
LOL you make me laugh. Seriously though when’s the last time you got laid?
praus:
“@ Afib
LOL you make me laugh. Seriously though when’s the last time you got laid?
With your mother or your sister?
Abandon all hope, ye who enters his world. You’ve been warned.
@ Afib
Hilarious so I’ll take that as a never…unless you’re a necrophiliac. You do strike me as that type.
Here’s a reminder:
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Let him win.
@ Ampar
I know, I know it’s very grade school play ground but I’m bored and Afib is such an easy target.
praus:
Could have been your female cousins or your aunts. The lights were dimmed.
@praus
Going the sport route, huh? Cruel sport, I would add…
Go with God, praus. We’re behind you.
@ Afib
Good try man, no female cousins or aunts. You’re free to do it with my boyfriend though. He’s a major slut.
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praus:
No cousins or aunts? You family tree has no branches, eh? No wonder you have the same intelligence as Ampar and mark – you all have the same genealogy.
To praus:
It’s the equivalent of arguing with a broken See ‘n Say.
Only this one has serious issues.